642 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth, ANN. 32 



of the people hereafter." In like manner he did with each of the 

 several kinds of seeds which he had brought back with him. It is 

 from these seeds that were propagated all the food plants which the 

 human race had in ancient times. 



122. The Legend of Man's Acquisition of Corn 



(a seneca-tutelo legend) 



In ancient times there was a village situated on the hanks of a 

 river. The chief source of subsistence of the people was the natural 

 products of forest and stream — that is to say, game and fish, berries 

 and various edible roots and tubers. 



There came a day when the people dwelling in this village were 

 told by an old woman that she heard the voice of a w-oman singing 

 on the river; and she told them further that the words used by this 

 strange singer were: "Luxuriant and fine are the planted fields 

 where I dwell, going to and fro. Luxuriant and fine are the planted 

 fields which we have planted. My grandmother and my ancestors 

 have planted them." 



After hearing this singing for 10 nights the old woman said to 

 her family and neighbors : " Let us go out to see what this singing 

 means; perhaps some woman has fallen into the water, and it may 

 be she who is singing in the middle of the river." They did go to 

 the river bank, but saw nothing, and they returned much cha- 

 grined at their failure to discover the singer. 



On the tenth night following, the woman again began to sing, 

 seemingly from the middle of the river not very far from the 

 village. Again she sang: "Luxuriant and fine are the planted fields 

 (of corn) where I dwell, going to and fro. Luxuriant and fine are 

 the planted fields (of corn) which we have planted. My grand- 

 mother and my ancestors have planted them." Then the women of 

 the village, going to the river bank for three nights, sang songs of 

 welcome and recognition, and on the third night these women per- 

 ceived that the singer on the river had drawn nearer to them. On 

 the fourth night the women watching with their children on the 

 river bank, and singing in response to the singing on the river, 

 were surprised to see coming toward them a large number of women. 

 Thereupon one of the girls exclaimed : " Oh, grandmother, do not 

 let these women seize us," and the children fled from the place. But 

 the spokeswoman, who was the eldest person present, said: "I alone 

 shall remain here to await whatever may befall me, and I do so 

 because my granddaughter, who is coming, is in need of pity and 

 aid." 



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