202 THE (@EGIHA LANGUAGE—MYTHS, STORIES, AND LETTERS. 
when he went wishing to drink, a snake emergéd from the water. It scared him off. 
He fled. “Alas, Wakanda, I thought heretofore that I would live; but I stand about 
to die!” He went again to the wat:r to drink. The snake came in sight again. Again 
he eried and fled. Aiud when he looked that way again, as there was nothing to be seen, 
he went to drink the water. The snake came in sight again. Again he fled. And when 
it was the fourth time, as he looked at the snake, behold, it was a very beautiful woman. 
And the woman filled a small drinking-vessel which she gave to him. “TI am very 
impatient from thirst,” said the youth. “Surely I shall not get enough! The water 
is indeed a little!” thought he. At length the woman made him have the greatest 
abundance. The youth drank just as much as he could drink. And when the youth 
looked at the woman he loved her. ‘A very beautiful woman!” he thought. And 
when this youth went homeward, the woman gave him aring. ‘Wear that ring as you 
go homeward. And when you will eat, you shall put it on a seat, and say, ‘Come, let 
us eat,” said the woman. And the man went homeward, running back to the horse. 
He reached the horse again. Sitting on it, he went homeward. He ran back to the 
lodge. When he reached home, his father said, “Cook ye for him. He has come 
back very hungry.” And they cooked for him. “Bring ye much food to me,” said 
the son. And they took much food to him. He pulled off the ring. Having pulled 
it off, he placed it there ‘Come, we will eat,” said he. Behold, the Snake-woman 
sat right with him. And when she ate with him, she swallowed the food. When the 
Snake-woman had swallowed it, behold, she disappeared suddenly. And the youth put 
on the ring again. And the youth said as follows: ‘“O father, I wish to see the women 
dance.” And his father said as follows: ‘‘Ho! my child wishes the women to dance. 
They shall do so.” And an old man went to tell them. He said as follows: “Ye 
women, the chief’s son says that you are to dance.” And when he saw the women 
dancing, he did not find the Snake-woman. He made them stop. “You shall stop 
the dance,” said the old man. And they stopped. He reached home at the lodge. 
“Come, O father, let my mother cook. I am hungry,” he said. And she cooked. 
“This way! Bring ye it. Bring ye hither much of what is cooked,” he said. And 
when they caused it to be cooked, they took it to him. When it was taken to him, 
he pulled off his ring, which he placed near him. Having said, ‘‘Come, we will eat,” 
behold, the Snake-woman sat right with him. And she ate with him. Again they 
went so far as to romp with each other, as she had married the man. Again the Snake- 
woman was nissing. The man wore his ring again. Again he said, “O father, I wish to” 
see the women and the very small young women dance.” And his father said as follows: 
“Ho! my child wishes the women and the very small young women to dance. They 
shall do so.” And an old man went to tell them. He said as follows: “Ye women, 
and ye very small young women also, he wishes to see you dance. He says, ‘ You 
shall danee.’” And they danced. When the youth looked around, he did not find the 
Snake-woman. When he did not find her, he said, “Come, O father, let the women 
stop dancing.” “Ye shall stop the dance,” said the erier. And they stopped. He 
reached home at the lodge. ‘Come, O father, let my mother cook. I am hungry,” 
he said. And she cooked. “This way! Bring ye it. Bring ye hither much of what 
is cooked,” he said. And when they caused it to be cooked, they took it to him. When 
they had taken it to him, he pulled off his ring, saying, “Come, we will eat.” Behold, 
the Snake-woman sat right with him. And she ate with him. They romped with each 
