^IZ'^] LEGENDS 641 



he was very near his journey's end. Stopping for a moment and 

 looking around he saw a column of smoke rising from tlie middle 

 of the cornfield, and he at once decided that it must come from the 

 lodge of his mother-in-law ; thereupon he went directly toward it. 



Having arrived in front of the doorway he was gladly surprised 

 to hear the voice of his mother-in-law from the inside saying to 

 him : " Come in, my son-in-law." On entering the lodge he saw 

 his wife and was made welcome by her and his mother-in-law. 

 His wife said to him : " You have done my bidding, and I am pleased 

 that you have. Is it not good to see our cornfield so exuberantly 

 filled with rich ears of corn? And is it not pleasant to think that 

 we can live here in peace and comfort? Being faithful, you shall 

 be prosperous." The mother-in-law, who knew that he was ap- 

 proaching, had ready, cooked and prepared, a large bark bowl full 

 of oniasont (crook-necked squash), which she hastily set before him 

 without reserving any portion of it. When he had eaten his fill he 

 thanked her and the Source of All Life. He remained in the lodge 

 of his mother-in-law until the growing corn had ripened. Then he 

 said : " I think that it is time for me to be going back to my people. 

 I can now be of some service to them." His wife said to him : " Your 

 brother, who found pleasure in abusing me, is dead ; he died, indeed, 

 of hunger and starvation. It is, indeed, too bad that he had so evil 

 a disposition." The husband replied : " I do not mourn for him, 

 for he knew well what he was doing when he heaped abuse on you;" 

 The wife answered : " You will find your people still without food. 

 You must be very cautious on the journey. I am afraid that you 

 may be overcome on the way." Thereupon she told him of a number 

 of animals which he would find along the path, and which did not 

 exist until -after the second creation. The waters of the great flood 

 had then gone down, and the earth had become new. She gave him 

 food for his people; also, for seeding, one ear of corn of each va- 

 riety, some beans of each variety, and one squash, which his people 

 must use for seeding their land. The wife gave her husband also 

 provisions for his journey, ready cooked for eating cold. She cau- 

 tioned him not to stop on the way, lest he be overcome by the evil 

 powers which infested the pathway to his home. Then they parted 

 aflfectionately. 



The husband started homeward. He encountered many obstacles 

 and unknown beasts and animals on the way ; but at last after many 

 days of travel without stopping to rest, he safely reached his home. 

 He found there only low timber and bushes and weeds growing. 

 On arrival at his own lodge he gave a few kernels of corn to each 

 family, saying : " This corn shall be the chief source of sustenance 



