640 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. ann.32 



deeply grieved at the prospect for his people, and he sought to 

 persuade his wife to change her resolution, but he could not induce 

 her to remain. 



In the evening, having completed her preparations, she started on 

 her return journey, saying to her husband: "When you are hungry, 

 follow my trail. You shall encounter many difficulties, but you must 

 not falter by the way. At all times keep in mind that you are going 

 to your wife. You must not stop to rest eitlier day or night. So 

 take courage and do not falter. Now I go." 



During that night all the people heard the sound of falling grains 

 of corn, which dropped from the cobs hanging on the strings of ears. 

 The next morning the bridegroom asked his sister to go for corn. 

 She went as directed, but found the corn bins empty and the corn- 

 cobs bare. This was true, indeed, of all the lodges of the village. 



The night following the morning which showed the people that all 

 their corn had mysteriously disappeared the old woman who had 

 asked the strange youiig woman whence she had come visited the 

 lodge of the lone bridegroom and asked him where his wife was. 

 He told her that she had returned to the lodge of her mother because 

 of the abuse which his brother had heaped on her, and that all the 

 good things which she had brought with her had gone away with her ; 

 and he told the old woman further that it was all due to his brother's 

 fault. He said that his wife could not jiunish the culprit without 

 punishing all the people,**^ and that he could do nothing in the 

 matter. 



The direful plight of the village caused the bridegroom to resolve 

 to follow his wife to her home to learn whether it were possible to 

 relievb the distress of his people. After making some necessary 

 preparations, he started out on the trail of his wife. As he followed 

 it he found that there was a well-defined path on the waters which 

 entirely surrounded his people. When he started on this perilous 

 trip the husband remembered what his wife had said to him about 

 the difficulties of the journey, and what he must do to overcome them ; 

 so he kept on his way by day and by night without stopping- At 

 all times he could plainly see her trail, which appeared as if it had 

 just been made. 



In the meanwhile, when he started his mother-in-law said to her 

 daughter, who had returned home: "Your husband is coming to 

 you and to us; he has now left the home of his people." It is said 

 that his mother-in-law could hear his footsteps as he followed the 

 trail. 



As his wife had told him to give no thought to the great difficulties 

 of the way, he kept them out of his mind; he did not realize the 

 great length of time he was on the journey. After many days he 

 reached a cornfield, and by this sign he was delighted to know that 



