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



uod bearing his burden around from place to place. Finally he 

 exclaimed: "It is very distressing to me that you do not get off my 

 back." 



At last Hahadodagwat'ha decided on more heroic measures. He 

 kindled a lot of dry fagots, and he made a large and very hot fire. 

 Then he asked the man again: ''What have you decided to do? 

 Why do you not get off my back '{ " Making no reply, the man 

 remained on his back. Thereupon the young man proceeded to lie 

 down with his back to the fire in an attempt to burn off his tor- 

 mentor. But the man, notwitiistanding the great heat, stuck fast. 

 In a short time Hahadodagwat'ha himself was not able to stand the 

 intense heat, for his own skin began to scorch. Being thus baffled 

 again, he stood up. He said to his tormentor : " This conduct on your 

 part is very distressing to me ; now you and I must die together." But 

 he received no reply from the man. Hahadodagwat'ha was indeed 

 very tired from carrying this burden around from place to place. 

 Finally he decided on another course of action. Going to a very 

 high and steep cliff and lying down on the edge, he said to his 

 tormentor: "I will roll over the brink unless you get off my back." 

 There was no reply to these remonstrances. The man merely kept 

 on breathing. Lastly Hahadodagwat'ha said to him thrice : " Now, 

 get off my back ; " but the man I'emained silent, as before. There- 

 upon the former exclaimed : " We two now die ! " at the same time 

 rolling over the brink. The two turned over and over, but fell 

 slowly, their bodies finally coming down very lightly on the bottom 

 of the chasm. Then the young man said : " Now, get off of my 

 back; I am very tired." Still the man would not in the least heed 

 this pleading. 



Once more the young man said : " You shall now get off my back." 

 Going aside, he stripped oft' basswood bark, of which he made a noose. 

 Climbing an elm tree near by, he carried his burden to the very 

 top, where he fastened the rope to a large branch and the noose 

 around the neck of the man on his back and also around his own. 

 When he was ready he again said : " Look here ! If you do not get 

 off my back, we two shall die now indeed." But the man made no 

 reply. Then the young man said : " I will now cast my body down 

 to that place yonder." Before doing so he again asked the man: 

 " Shall we two live ? It is for you to decide. Get down from my 

 back." But still he received no reply to his pleadings. Without fui'- 

 ther parley he said : " Now, we two shall die," and cast himself down. 

 But the great branch broke off*^^ and floated down slowly until 

 it rested on the ground. Arising, the young man said: "This is 

 exceedingly distressing to me. You have made me very tired, and 

 I am almost exhausted." But he received no mercv from the man. 



