IROQUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



85 



At twilight when the sun had gone, they planted above him a 

 young pine ; Ton-da-yent had been a brave warrior, and the passers 

 must know that he was lying there. 



A council of condolence was called, at which his successor would 

 be named, when an unknown person appeared, claiming to be the 

 twin brother of the dead chief, and demanded that he be given his 

 name by right of twin succession. 



The people marveled greatly at the wonderful resemblance he 

 bore to the dead chief and, save a glowering fire which lurked in 

 the glance of his eye, it seemed indeed that the Ton-da-yent had 

 returned, and the council did not hesitate to grant his request. 



His influence grew quick and strong among the warriors who 

 had followed his brother, and having declared his intent to become 

 a war chief, they eagerly united with his band. 



One day he assembled his warriors and, selecting twelve of the 

 youngest and most stalwart, told them they were to follow him 

 many suns away where he would hold council with some foreign 

 tribes whose friendship it was desirable to secure. The chosen 

 twelve, proud of the honor the chief had shown them, dressed them- 

 selves in their choicest skins and feathers and prepared for the 

 journey, but when ready to set out an ominous stillness oppressed 

 the air and a black cloud came down, darkening their path. 



" An omen of ill," said the medicine man, but the young war- 

 riors, unlearned in the lore of the mystics, feared not. 



Snowtime to snowtime had come and gone, but neither the 

 chief nor the warriors had returned, when one black night the 

 death warning cry " ga-weh, ga-weh " was heard wailing through 

 the village and a gaunt warrior entered a lodge and, " hushing " 

 the people, related his story. 



The warrior's story 



He was one of the twelve warriors who had followed Ton-da-yent. 

 The Ton-da-yent had led them into the depths of a forest and 

 down a steep precipice into a dark place where he confined them 

 and then went away. Vainly they tried to escape, but through a 

 crevice in the rocks a gleam of light entered, and they could tell 

 the day from the night. 



For many suns the Ton-da-yent had left them to wait and watch 

 for his return, until the food he had given was nearly gone and 

 they were despairing, when one night when darkness had come, to 

 their great joy he returned, but not to release them. He coun- 



