668 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS rKTH. ann.32 



enter the lodge. As soon as he starts to leave you must seize his 

 robe of skin and pull it off, for it is exactly like mine in all respects." 



In the morning the brother started, as was his custom, on a hunting 

 trip. After he had been gone only a short time a man suddenly 

 entered the lodge and at once seized the lone sister, whereupon they 

 struggled fiercely. When he attempted to throw her on the ground 

 she exerted her whole might to free herself. Having failed in his 

 purpose, he started to flee from the lodge. As the ends of his robe 

 were flying about, catching hold of it, she drew it off, at which he 

 ■went out of the lodge leaving the robe in her hands, as its fastening 

 broke. 



It was not very long after, this episode when her brother reentered 

 the lodge. He said to her: "Has he made another visits " She re- 

 plied : " Yes, of course, he has ; it is you yourself returning." She 

 did not believe in the least what her brother was telling her, for she 

 felt sure that it was he who was tormenting her. By this time her 

 mind had greatly changed from normal, for she did not cease from 

 lamenting her situation, being so worried to think that it was her 

 own brother who had attempted to outrage her. She then handed 

 him the torn robe, saying : '" Here is this robe." Taking it, he said : 

 "There, now ! that is certainly the robe of my friend. As to me, in 

 hunting I had climbed a tree on which a bear lived and fell from it, 

 and in the fall my robe was torn." Laying the two robes together 

 and finding that both were torn, he said : " Now you see what I have 

 been saying all along has come true; whatever happens to me hap- 

 pens also to my friend ; " and he added, " Well, do you now believe 

 what I have been telling you ? " Then she stopped her w^eeping and 

 gazed at the robes as they lay together and she saw that they were 

 exactly alike in every respect. Again he asked : " Well, now, do you 

 believe what I have told you ? " But she did not say anything in 

 reply. 



Then the brother said : " Your mind is still unchanged tliat it is 

 I who am abusing you, so now this shall take place to-morrow. As 

 soon as I start again I shall hide myself in a jilace near by. As 

 soon as the man attempts to attack you again or to leave the lodge you 

 must seize him and not let him go. Thereupon I shall come in and 

 kill my friend, and then it may be that you will believe me in saying 

 that it is not I but my friend who is abusing you. We two, of course, 

 shall be doomed to death because of my act, for his mother has the 

 power to transform herself into a great bear, so potent in sorcery 

 is she." 



Since the beginning of this trouble the sister had not prepared 

 food for her brother, and he himself made ready what food he 

 needed and ate his meals. She refused to do her duty because she 

 was very angry at him. 



