64 THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA. 
own, in which was human blood, and he had a human skull for a cup; 
that he was wicked and had human flesh for his meals; and that this 
was the worst of all places to be; that on her son’s return, if asked to 
go and fetch water for him, she should look out for her hand, for if he 
got hold of it, she would be slain and butchered. 
On the following day, late in the evening, this man returned from 
his hunting trip. Upon entering the place, the very first thing he asked 
for was something to eat. The old woman gave him human flesh for 
his supper, and then, after the meal, the young woman was asked to 
bring him some fresh water. She stepped out and went for the water. 
Arriving at the spring, she found a human skull, which she was to use 
for her cup. She dipped the skull in the blood and carried it to the 
man, remembering what the old woman had told her. When she en- 
tered the place she gave the blood water to Mixed-Timber, and in 
taking it, he reached for her hand. She jerked it away from him. He 
asked ther why she did this; then she was told to go and put the skull 
back where she had found it. This was in the night, and they all went 
to bed and to sleep, the two women sleeping together and the man 
sleeping by himself. While Mixed-Timber was on his next hunting 
trip, his mother told the young woman that he did not mean what he 
had said about not killing any game; that he wanted an excuse for 
killing the young woman; that the next day the man would go on an- 
other hunting trip; and that he would say that he had not killed any 
game (for it was human beings that he hunted); and that the next 
time the man should start to hunt, the young woman should make her 
escape. The young woman stayed all that day, and Mixed-Timber re- 
turned from his hunting trip again and was as hungry as he could be. 
He asked for something to eat, and the old woman gave him something 
to eat. Then he asked for fresh water to drink, and the young woman 
went out to get him water. She took the skull again and brought him 
some blood water, and he made a quick jerk for her hand, but the 
woman was too quick for him. ‘Then the asked her why she jerked 
away. Early on the next day the man went on another hunting trip. 
The young woman was told to make her escape, and to go south, where 
she would be saved. She was given power to get away. Early that 
morning she was given the double-ball and a stick to go on. The old 
woman stood on the north side of the fireplace, and the young woman 
took water, put it on the fire, and as the smoke went up she went up 
with it. The smoke of the fire went for a long way toward the south. 
The old woman had told the young woman that she would have to crosg 
some river; that there would be some one there to take her across; 
