THE CHIEF'S SON, THE SNAKE-WOMAN, AND THUNDERS. 205 
brother, what were you doing that you let him go homeward instead of killing him? 
You blamed us heretofore. A man has been coming regularly heretofore, and we have 
missed doing to him what we wished. We have not killed him. Now, it is very diffi- 
cult for one of those who are coming home to love us. They will scold us,” said they. 
Again onecamehome. He carried awoman and a girl. ‘Ho! younger brother, you will 
hate us. A man came hither very easily heretofore, but we sent him back again instead 
of killing him,” they said. ‘‘ Well-a-day!” said he. ‘‘Why did you not kill him? We 
have always gone very far when hunting. We usually suffer very much in reaching 
there. Why did you not killhim? Ihate you.” ‘Yes, younger brother, itisso. Not- 
withstanding we saw him, we were always so. He always went home again. You tell 
the truth. He will come,” said they. ‘If J see him J will kill him. Fill ye the pipe,” 
said he who had just come home. And having filled the pipe, they gave it to him 
who had brought back the slain woman and girl. When he drew a whiff from the 
pipe, the youth snatched it from him and pressed it against him. ‘Iam burnt! You 
burn me,” he said. “It was not we,” they said. The youth having pulled off his hat, 
sat with them suddenly. He was visible. They looked repeatedly at one another. 
“QO ye who do thus as he told of you, I will talk to you,” said the youth. “Though I 
will talk to you, if you do not obey the words, you shall surely depart. If you obey, 
you shall not go. You make these men suffer. Why do you kill them?” ‘We will 
eat them,” said they. ‘‘And who are these that you eat? You do wrong. You must 
stop killing these,” said he. ‘Yes, friend,” said they. ‘‘ Have you seen them that have 
horns,” said he, meaning the buffalo. ‘‘ Yes, there are a great many,” they said. ‘ Wa- 
kanda made these for food for all people. When you eat these human beings, you do 
wrong. Put a stop to it,” said the youth. ‘‘ Have you seen those too?” said he, mean- 
ing the elk. ‘“ Yes,” said they. ‘Hat such,” said the youth. ‘Have you seen those 
too?” said he, meaning the deer. ‘Yes, we have seen a great many,” they said. “You 
shall eat such animals. Let these human beings alone. You make them suffer without 
just cause. If you will do as I command, I will talk to you.” ‘Yes, friend, we will do 
so,” said they. ‘You will surely stop it ?” said he. ‘“ Yes, friend, we will stop it,” said 
they. ‘And you will surely eat these animals which I have commanded you to eat?” 
said he. ‘Yes, friend, we will eat them,” said they. ‘‘Ho! I will depart. Though I 
will depart, I will pass here on my return home. Those of you who tell not the truth, 
shall surely depart. Those of you who tell the truth, shall remain continually. Ye 
who eat these animals when I return, shall surely be here continually. Ye who are not 
so when I return, shall surely depart,” said the youth. And he departed. 
He went following again the woman’s trail as it went along. Having gone follow- 
ing the trail as it went along, and went, and went, at length there was a populous village. 
And the Snake-woman had arrived there. When the youth approached very near to 
the lodges, he decorated himself (7. ¢., painted his face, stuck feathers in his hair, etc.). 
Having performed a sacred rite, he made the clothing very good which the old man 
had given him. He made the horse very black. And he wore the sword in his belt. 
He went thither. The horse went along running and leaping very far. When the people 
saw them, they became suddenly amazed. ‘-A man has come, and his clothing is very 
good. He also sits on a very good horse,” they said. As he had come seeking his 
wife, the Snake-woman, he went round about among the lodges. He sat looking around 
for his wife. At length when he found the Snake-woman, behold, she had taken a man 
