WHITE) MYTHS AND TALES 177 



"Since you have finished so soon," spoke the Flint Bird, "1 will 

 have you make an oven this afternoon. I want you to parch corn 

 tomorrow." So Kasewat set about to make the oven. But Spider 

 boy found a badger and they got her to help them. The badger 

 began to dig and finally had a hole through the sky. Thi'ough this 

 they dumped the earth they did not want. They built a very large 

 oven. When it was finished, Kasewat and Spider boy went to Flint 

 Bird's house and told him it was finished. Kasewat ate his supper 

 and went to sleep outdoors as before. But nothing happened this 

 night. 



The next day Kasewat got ready to parch the corn. FUnt Bird told 

 him to get the wood for the oven, and that his lunch would be brought 

 him at noon. To get enough wood for such a large oven would be a 

 big job. But again Spider boy came to the rescue. "Just go into 

 the woods and select the biggest logs you can find. Strip of}" some 

 bark and get some chips and bring them back." Kasewat did as he 

 w-as told. When he returned and untied his Uttle bundle the chips 

 and bark became many big logs. Then he built a fire. When it was 

 burning brightly he went to fetch the corn to be parched. Spider 

 boy spun a web all around the corn and when Kasewat pulled it, all 

 the corn came to the oven. 



Then Flint Bird came, biinging all his women — he had about 50 or 

 60. (Thej^ never had any children by the Flint Bird.) The women 

 felt very sorry for Kasewat and among themselves they said, "Poor 

 man, he is going to be killed; he is going to be pushed into the oven." 

 Flint Bird came up to the oven and said, "Have you enough wood in 

 there, Kasewat? Put more in." Kasewat, who still had his flint 

 suit on, put more wood in the oven. "Now poke the fire a bit,' 

 Flint Bird commanded. Kasewat poked the fire, facing the oven 

 door. Then Flint Bird pushed Kasewat into the flaming oven. All 

 the women screamed. Then Flint Bird had all the women put the 

 corn in and close the oven door. "Why are you crjTing?" Flint Bird 

 asked harshly. 



When Kasewat and the Spider boy were pushed into the oven 

 Kasewat spit some hakani wawa (fire medicine), wliich he had been 

 chewing for this purpose, into the fire. This caused the heat to be- 

 come less intense. Then he crawled into a secret cave that the badger 

 had prepared, for they had suspected some land of treachery on Flint 

 Bird's part. Flint Bird and his w'omen returned home. The women 

 were very sad, but Flint Bird was in liigh spirits. 



The next morning, after breakfast, FUnt Bird and the women 

 returned to the oven. When they opened the oven some steam and 

 smoke issued forth. They took some of the corn out of the oven and 

 then Flint Bird called "Kasewat!" "Yes!" Kasewat replied. Then 

 Flint Bii'd flew into a rage. "Can you come out?" "Yes." So 



