124 THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA. 
17%. HEALTHY-FLINT-STONE-MAN AND WOMAN-HAVING- 
POWERS-IN-THE-WATER.* 
In the story of Healthy-Flint-Stone-Man (Tahadiidakotse), it 
is told that he was a powerful man and lived in a village and was a 
chief of the place. He was not a man of heavy build, but was slim. 
Often when a man is of this type of build he is called ‘““Healthy-Flint- 
Stone-Man,” after the man in the story. Healthy-Flint-Stone-Man 
had parents, but at this time he had no wife. Soon afterwards he 
married, and his wife was the prettiest woman that ever lived in the vil- 
lage. When she married Healthy-Flint-Stone-Man they lived at his 
home. She was liked by his parents, for she was a good worker and 
kind-hearted. As was their custom, the men of the village came at night 
to visit Healthy-Flint-Stone-Man, and his wife did the cooking to feed 
them, so that the liked her all the more, and was kind to her. 
Early in the morning a strange woman by the name of Little-Old- 
Woman (Kahedikits) came to their place and asked the wife to go with 
her to get wood. Out of kindness to Little-Old-Woman she went with 
her, leaving her husband at home. Little-Old-Woman knew where all 
the dry wood was to be found. When they reached the place where she 
thought there was plenty of wood they did not stop. They went on past, 
although there was plenty of good dry wood. The wife began to cut 
wood for the old woman and some for herself. When she had cut 
enough for both she fixed it into two bundles, one for each. Little- 
Old-Woman knelt by her pile and waited for the wife to help her up. 
Little-Old-Woman then helped the wife in the same way, and they 
started toward their home. Tihey talked on the way about their man- 
ner of life at home. Arrived at the village, the old woman went to her 
home. When the wife got home she began to do her work. 
Again, the second time, the old woman came around and asked the 
wife to go with her to fetch wood. They started away together, and 
this time went farther than on the first time to get their wood, though 
they passed much good wood. ‘The wife cut wood for both and 
arranged it in two piles, but this time she herself first knelt by her pile 
and asked the old woman to take hold of her hands and pull her up; 
then the wife helped the old woman with her load. They returned 
home, and on the way the old woman said to the wife, “If you will go 
with me to fetch wood for the fourth time I shall need no more help 
from you.” ‘They again went far beyond where any other women had 
gone to get wood. When they got to the village they parted. The wife 
wondered why the old woman came to her for help. She found the 
*Told by Towakoni Jim (Towakoni), 
