242 THE MYTHOLOGY, OF THE. WICHITA, 
every one from doing this dangerous thing; that because he had done 
this for them the wanted to leave the village, never to live as a human 
being again; that every one could do as he pleased, remain as human 
being always, or be something else. The Turtle then went to the 
prairie and turned into a Prairie-Turtle (Kikeskatoshkeyosh), and 
many of the people went off the same way, turning into something else. 
Some remained in the village. 
3%. THE TURTLE’S WAR-PARTY.* 
There was once in a certain village, where the Turtle lived, a chief 
who offered this daughter to the one who should get for him a red-haired 
scalp. These red-haired people were the Wasps, and as they had White- 
Geese for their spies it was not possible for any one to reach their place 
without their knowing it. When people had tried to go there the 
Geese notified the Wasps that the people were coming. Many warriors 
failed in their attempt to get such a scalp. Once upon a time the Turtle 
asked his mother to make him a pair of moccasins and prepare him some 
corn meal to take along with him. His mother asked him where he was 
going. The Turtle said he was going after a red-haired scalp; but his 
mother would not allow him, for it was not safe for him to go, for 
those who had tried to get such scalps lost their lives. For this reason 
the mother thought it was not safe for the Turtle to make the attempt, 
but the Turtle thought he could succeed where others had failed. 
Finally his mother made him a pair of moccasins and prepared the 
meal for him, and he set out. He started to the west, where the red- 
haired people were known to live. As he went along he came to a high 
point where he saw smoke coming out. The Turtle was curious to 
know who lived there and if the man would be good enough to allow 
him to remain there for a time. As he approached the place he was 
allowed to enter. There he found the Mole (Iskuhukehhas). The 
Turtle was permitted to sit down at the south side of the Mole. The 
Turtle was told that it was through him (the Mole) that he had been 
induced to come to the red-haired people, and that he now would aid 
him to secure the red-haired scalp, in order that the Turtle might get 
the chief’s daughter. The Turtle thought that was a very good plan, to 
have somebody else help him to get the scalp. The Turtle was permitted 
to stay there. The Mole said he would go and locate all the reddest 
haired men. When the Mole went to the red-haired people’s place, 
*Told by Ahahe (Waco). 
