^l^J,'^] LEGENDS 623 



to accomplish that which you yourselves were unable to do." In 

 giving assent to this the men replied : " Let that, too, be done ; let him 

 who is foremost among us say it, and it shall be done." The old 

 woman replied: "That is so; his consent is all that is required to 

 accomplish this desirable thing." At once arising from her seat, she 

 went to the doorway leading to the adjoining room and, pushing 

 aside the door flap, said : " Behold ! Will you confirm the proposition 

 that one of the men visiting us shall remain here as one of us, while 

 his companions shall return hence to their own homes? The reason 

 for this is that he was able to kill the squirrel (the Otkon), and since 

 the men who live in this lodge had failed for so long a time to do so, 

 I desire that he shall assist them at all times and be a coworker with 

 them." Answering the old woman, Dehodyadgaowen said: "I will- 

 ingly confirm this proposition, if it be that he himself is freely 

 willing, and that of course he will volunteer to have his life pounded 

 (in a mortar). Then, as you know, it will be possible for him to help 

 them continually." With this he ceased speaking. 



Keturning to the group comprising the party of Dehaenhyowens, 

 the old woman .said : " Hatch'kwi' ! (Behold !), wilt thou confirm the 

 proposition that thou shalt remain here alone while thy companions 

 return to their own homes? If thou wilt be willing to agree to this, 

 I will give thee a new name. This shall be the name by which they 

 shall hereafter habitually call thee, namely, Daga'e"'"da' (i. e., the 

 Thaw, or the Warm Spring Weather)." This member of the party 

 of Dehaenhyowens i-eplied, " I willingly agree to this proposal; I am 

 quite willing to be an assistant to them in their work." To this the 

 old woman answered : " I am much pleased that the matter is now 

 settled. We indeed have become of one opinion, having one purpose 

 in view." 



At this time Dehodyadgaowen interrupted by saying, " Now, then, 

 do you bring his person (body) in to this room, and let him at once 

 be prejiai-ed for his duties." The old woman, addressing the visitor 

 who had consented to remain, said, "Come! The time has arrived 

 for doing what you have agreed to do for us, what you require to fit 

 you for j-our new duties." Accordingly, the man entered the room 

 which adjoined the one in which he and his friends were, and in 

 which abode Dehodyadgaowen. As soon as he had entered Dehodyad- 

 gaowen said to him : " Hei'e stands the mortar. Thou must place 

 thyself in it. Now, verilj', thou shalt change thj^self, thy person, as 

 to the kind of its flesh." Obeying his instructor, the man at once 

 placed himself in the hollowed end of the mortar wherein the grain 

 was usually pounded, whereupon Dehodyadgaowen drew near, and 

 taking up the pestle, pounded him in the manner in which grain is 

 pounded, striking three blows. Having done this, he said to the 

 visitor: " Thj' flesh has now changed in kind. The task is accom- 



