22 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



So now he makes an invocation that he may be able to endure the 

 night. 



Now he lives through the night and sees another day. So then he 

 prays that he may see the night and it is so. Because of these things 

 he now believes that the Great Ruler has heard him and he gives 

 him thanks. 



Now the sick man's bed is beside the fire. At night he looks up 

 through the chimney hole and sees the stars and he thanks the 

 Great Ruler that he can see them for he knows that he, the Creator, 

 has made them. 1 



Now it comes to him that because of these new thoughts he may 

 obtain help to arise from his bed and walk again in this world. 

 Then again he despairs that he will ever see the new day because 

 of his great weakness. Then again he has confidence that he will 

 see the new day, and so he lives and sees it. 



For everything he sees he is thankful. He thinks of the Creator 

 and thanks him for the things he sees. Now he hears the birds 

 singing and he thanks the Great Ruler for their music. 



So then he thinks that a thankful heart will help hi.n. 



Now this man has been sick four years but he feels that he will 

 now recover. 



And the name of the sick man is Ganio'dai'io' 2 a council chief 

 [Hoya'ne]. 



THE STRANGE DEATH OF THE SICK MAN 



Now at this time the daughter of the sick man and her husband 

 are sitting outside the house in the shed and the sick man is within 

 alone. The door is ajar. Now the daughter and her husband are 

 cleaning beans for the planting. Suddenly they hear the sick man 

 exclaim, " Niio' ! " 3 Then they hear him rising in his bed and they 

 think how he is but yellow skin and dried bones from four years of 

 sickness in bed. Now they hear him walking over the floor toward 

 the door. Then the daughter looks up and sees her father coming 

 out of doors. He totters and she rises quickly to catch him but he 

 falls dying. Now they lift him up and carry hi:n back within the 

 house and dress him for burial. 



Now he is dead. 



1 See plate n. 



2 Handsome Lake, one of the fifty hereditary sachems, or lords. Hoya'ne 

 means, perfect one or noble, and is translated lord by the Canadian Six 

 Nations. See Hale, Book of Rites, p. 31, footnote. 



3 Meaning, So be it. 



