596 ZTJNI ORIGIN MYTHS [eth. axn. 47 



Some of them turned into turtles. Some of them turned into frogs. 

 Some of them turned into lizards (?). They bit their mothers. Their 

 mothers cried out and dropped them. They fell into the river. Only 

 the old people reached the other side. They sat down on the bank. 

 They were half of the people. The two said, "Now wait. Rest 

 here." Thus they said. vSome of them sat down to rest. The two 

 said (to the others), "Now you go in. Your cliildren will turn into 

 some kind of dangerous animals and will bite you. But even though 

 you cry out, do not let them go. If, when you come out on the other 

 side, your children do not again become the kind of creatures they 

 are now, then you will throw them mto the water." Thus they said 

 to them. They entered the water. Their children became different 

 creatures and bit them. Even though they cried out, they crossed 

 over. Then their children once more became the land of creatures 

 they had been. "Alas! Perhaps had we done that it would have 

 been all right." Now ail had crossed over. 



There setting down their sacred possessions in a row, they stayed 

 quietly. They stayed there quietly for four days. Thus they say 

 but they stayed for four years. There each night they lived gaily 

 with loud singing. "WTien all their time was passed, the two said, 

 "Come, let us go and talk to Ne'we'kwe." Thus they said. They 

 went to where the Ne'we'kwe were staying. They came there. "How 

 have you passed these days?" "Happily. You have come? Be 

 seated." They sat down. Then they questioned them. "Now 

 speak. I thinlv some word that is not too long your word will be. If 

 you let me know that, remembering it I shall always live." "Indeed 

 it is so. To-mori'ow we shall arise. Our fathers, our mothers, 

 ka-eto'we, tcu-eto'we, mu-eto"we, le-eto'we, all the society priests, 

 are going to seek the middle. But nowhere have we come to the 

 middle. Our children and our women are tired. They are crying 

 now. Therefore we have passed you on your road. To-morrow" you 

 will look ahead. If perhaps somewhere you come to Itiwana there 

 our children wiU rest." Thus they said. "Alas! but we are just 

 foolish people. If we make some mistake it will not be right." Thus 

 he said. "Well, that is of no importance. It can't be helped. We 

 have chosen you." Thus they said. "Well indeed?" "Yes. Now 

 we are going." "Go ahead." The two went out. 



They came (to where the people were staying). "Come, let us go 

 and speak to our children." Thus they said. They went. They 

 entered the lake. It was fidl of katcinas. "Now stand still a 

 moment. Our two fathers have come." Thus they said. The 

 katcinas suddenly stopped dancing. When they stopped dancing 

 they said to the two, "Now our two fathers, now indeed you have 

 passed us on our road. I think some word that is not too long your 

 word will be. If you will let us Icnow that we shall always remember 



