84t) MYTH8 OF THE CHKRoKEK [eth.ann.IM 



deep and will drown nie; I c-in't oo on." They knew his thoughts and 

 turned aiid said, "This is no water, hut the main trail that goes past 

 our house, which is now close by." He stepped in, and instead of 

 water there was tall waving grass that closed above his head as he 

 followed them. 



They went only a short distance and came to a rock cave close 

 under Ugun'yi (Tallulah falls). The women entered, while the war- 

 rior stopped at the mouth; but the}^ said, "This is our house; come in 

 and our brother will soon l)e home; he is coming now." The}' heard 

 low thunder in the distance. He went inside and stood up close to the 

 entrance. Then the women took off their long hair and hung it up on 

 a rock, and both their heads wiivo. as smooth as a pumpkin. The man 

 thought, "It is not hair at all," and he was more frightened than 

 ever. 



The younger woman, the one he was about to marry, then .sat down 

 and told him to take a seat beside her. He looked, and it was a large 

 turtle, which raised itself up and sti'etched out its claws as if angry at 

 being disturbed. The young man said it was a turtle, and refused to 

 sit down, but the woman insisted that it was a seat. Then there was 

 a louder roll of thunder and the woman said, " Now our brother is 

 nearly home." While they urged and he still refused to come nearer 

 or sit down, .suddenly there was a great thunder clap just behind him, 

 and turning quickly he saw a man standing in the doorway of the cave. 



"This is my brother," said the woman, and he came in and sat down 

 upon the turtle, which again rose up and stretched out its claws. The 

 young warrior still refused to come in. The brother then said that he 

 was just about to start to a council, and invited the young man to go 

 with him. The hunter said he was willing to go if only he had a horse; 

 so the young woman was told to bring one. She went out and soon 

 came back leading a great uktena snake, that curled and twisted 

 along the whole length of the cave. Some people say this was a 

 white uktena and that the brother himself rode a red one. The hun- 

 ter was terribly frightened, and said "That is a snake; I can't ride 

 that." The others insisted that it was no snake, but their riding- 

 horse. The l)rother grew impatient and said to the woman, "He may 

 like it better if you bring him a saddle, and some bracelets for his 

 wrists and arms." So thej' went out again and l)rought in a .saddle 

 and some arm bands, and the saddle was anotlier turtle, which they 

 fastened on the uktena's back, and the bracelets were living slimj' 

 snakes, which the}' got ready to twist around the hunter's wrists. 



He was almost dead with fear, and said, "AVhat kind of horrible 

 place is this? 1 can never stay here to live with snakes and creeping 

 things." The brother got very angry and called him a coward, and 

 then it was as if lightening flashed from his eyes and struck the young 

 man. and a terrible crash of thunder stretched him senseless. 



