60 MYTHS OF THE IROQUOIS. 



Seeu or uuseeu, if he saw anything that had the breath of life he 

 growled: "Kii''n"ku°, Ku'>ii"-ku"', wa"-htci'-ha"ih"; that is, "I see 

 thee, I see thee, thou shalt die," or "thou shalt suffer." 



In a distant wilderness there lived a man and his wife with ten chil- 

 dren, all boys. In the course of events the fiither died, and was soon 

 followed by the mother of the boys, who were now left alone with 

 their uncle. They were greatly afflicted by the loss of both parents 

 but after a while resumed their hunting for support. 



As was customary, the older brothers went to their hunting grounds 

 and the younger ones staid at home. One day they looked for the re- 

 turn of their elder brother in vain; they also looked in vain for the 

 second brother's return. Then the oldest of those at home said, "I 

 will go to look them up"; and he went off, but did not return that night. 

 The next brother then went to hunt for his lost brothers. He also did 

 not return, and thus it was with all until the youngest brother was left 

 alone with his aged uncle. 



The youngest brother was forbidden to go away from home lest he too 

 should be lost. One day the two were out in the woods, when the 

 younger one, stepping over a log, heard a noise like a groan, which 

 seemed to come from the earth. The groan being repeated, they con- 

 cluded to dig into the earth, where they discovered a man covered with 

 mould, and taking him and setting him up they saw some signs of life 

 and were convinced that he was alive. Then the old man said to the 

 lad, "Kun for the bear's oil." When brought, tliey rubbed it over him, 

 and at last were well pleased to see returning consciousness. 



In caring for him they at first fed him on oil until he began to move 

 his eyes and talk. The strange man then told them that he did not 

 know how long he had been there, that all he knew was that the last 

 time he went out was to hunt. They persuaded him to stay with them, 

 whereupon he related the story of the nine brothers who had so myste- 

 riously disappeared. They then discovered that the stranger was some- 

 what suiiernatui'al, for he told them very strange things. 



One night he said, " I cannot sleep; hearken to the great noise in this 

 direction. I know what it is — it is my brother, the Great Head, who 

 is howling through this hurricane. He is an awful being, for he 

 destroys those who go near him." "Is he your brother?" "Yes, own 

 brother." "If you sent for him would he come here?" "No," he re- 

 plied; "but perhaps I might entice him to come here. I will try; but if 

 he comes you must make great provision for him ; you must cut a huge 

 maple tree into blocks, for that is what he eats." The stranger inquired 

 how far he would be obliged to go to find the home of the "Head." The 

 uncle replied, " You would get there about noon." Early the next morn- 

 ing he took his bow and started. When he came to a hickory tree he 

 pulled it up, and from its roots he made arrows, and then ran onward 

 until he came to a place answering the description given him, near 

 which he was to find the end of his journey. Remembering that he was 



