McoNKY] THK THI'NDER AND HIS SrSTERS 845 



T;?ii\\a tolMa. \vli:it a large town was tlicri' and how kind evcryljody 

 was*, and this time — because there were two of them — the people 

 believed it. Now others wanted to o'o. hut 'Psuwe'nahi told them they 

 must tirst fast seven days, while he went ahead to prepare everythinjj. 

 and then lu' would come and briny' them. He went awayand the 

 other.s fasted, until at the end of seven days he cauie for th(>m and they 

 went with him to Tsuwa tel'da, and their friends in the settknuent 

 never saw them a«'aiii. 



84. THE MAN WHO MARRIED THE THUNDER'S SISTER 



lu the old times the people used to dance often and all ni<iht. 

 Once there was a dance at the old town of Sakwi'yi. on the head of 

 Chattahoochee, and after it was well started two young wouien with 

 beautiful long hair came in, ))ut no one knew who they were or 

 whence they had come. They danced with one partner and another, 

 and in the morning slipped away before anyoue kuew that they 

 were gone; but a young warrior had fallen in love with one of the 

 sisters on account of her l)eautiful hair, and after the manner of the 

 Cherokee had already asked her through an old man if she would 

 marry him and let him live with her. To this the .young woman had 

 replied that her brotlier at home must tirst be consulted, and they 

 promised to return for the next dance seven days later with an answer, 

 but in the uieantime if the young man really loved her he must prove 

 his constancy by a rigid fast until then. The eager lover readily 

 agreed and impatiently counteil the days. 



In seven nights there was another dance. The yoiuig warrior was 

 on hand early, and lat(>r in the evening the two sisters appeared as 

 suddenly as before. They told him their brother was willing, and 

 after the dance thev would conduct the young man to their home, but 

 warned him that if Ik^ told anyone where he went or what he saw he 

 would surely die. 



He danced with them again and at)out daylight the three came away 

 just before the dance closed, so as to avoid being followed, and started 

 otl' together. The women led the way along a trail .through the woods, 

 which the young man had never noticed liefore. until they came to a 

 small crc^ek. where, without hesitating, they stepped into the water. 

 The young man paused in surprise on the bank and thought to himself, 

 "The}- are walking in the water; 1 don't want to do that." The 

 women knew his thoughts just as though he had spoken and turned 

 and said to him. "This is not water; this is the road to our house." 

 He still hesitated, but they urged him on until he stepped into the 

 water and found it was oidy soft grass that made a tine level trail. 



They went on until the trail came to a large stream which he knew 

 for Tallulah river. The women plunged boldly in, but again the war- 

 rior hesitated on the l)ank. tliinkinu' to himself. "That water is verv 



