HALF-A-BOY, WHO OVERCAME THE GAMBLER. 195 
boy was told that that was a public stopping place for visitors. On his 
arrival at the place he entered the largest tipi, and he found that that 
was the home of the chief of that part of the village. Half-a-Boy was 
requested to pass on where all visitors generally were directed, on the 
north side of the lodge. Then the chief began to tell him what trouble 
there was in the -village, and how all his visitors suffered when they 
came to visit him. The trouble was, that any one who visited in the 
village lost his life, and that there was no way for any one to escape 
from death on account of the cruel man who lived there. This chief 
also told the boy that, perhaps, the servant of the cruel man had already 
seen him and had carried the news of his arrival, and that early next 
morning he would be called to come to the ground where this man 
_ played his wheel games. He told the boy that he would not only have 
to play his wheel games, but also would have to bet whatever he had, 
and when he had lost all he would have to bet his life. After telling 
Half-a-Boy all this he was given something to eat. At this time some 
of this chief’s friends came around to visit, and later that night thev 
went to their homes. Then Half-a-Boy went to sleep. 
Early the next morning he was called to go to the grounds to meet 
his opponent. Before going there, he first went to some flowing water 
for his early morning bath. On his return from the bath he went 
back to the chief’s lodge to get his things that he had brought along to 
bet. When going to the grounds he was accompanied by the chief 
and his friends. Upon their arrival they commenced to play the game. 
In the game that they played they used two long sticks and a wheel. 
First, they threw the wheel a long way, then ran to it and pitched the 
sticks into the ring. When they started off tthe boy lost, and he kept 
losing until late that day, and finally lost all of the things he had brought 
along to wager. When he told his opponent that he had lost all of his 
things and there was nothing else for him to bet, the man told him 
that he had to bet his life, for his life was just as good as the things 
that he had already won from him. The boy was told that his body was 
equal to three bets, the right side of his body, the left, and his back- 
bone. At this time the sun began to get lower and lower. The boy 
made the first bet and lost, and when they turned back the boy lost 
again, and at this time the sun went down, and it began to get dark. 
The boy then asked his opponent if the third part of his body could be 
left until the next day, but the man said he had never had any man 
whom he would play with on the second day, and so he would have to 
kill him without winning the part. They talked for a good while before 
the boy could persuade him to have his life spared until the next day. 
