THE CRIPPLED BOY WHO DISOBEYED THE GODS. 31! 
rose from the place where he was sleeping and began to pray to the stars 
and the animal gods (Itsyascha). whom he thought would have mercy 
upon him and help him to become a famous man, and would give him 
power to become a better-looking man. He stayed another day until 
night. When darkness came he could hear some human beings talking. 
He understood every word that they uttered, until he went to sleep. 
He had not seen any one coming to take pity on him. About daylight 
he woke up and heard the animal gods talking about him; then he heard 
them say that they would have to go on, because it was nearly daylight. 
After hearing all these things again, he rose from the place where he 
was sleeping and began to pray as before. During the day he had 
nothing to eat or drink, and this was his second day’s fasting up on 
the mountain. When night came again he sat up until late, then went 
to sleep, having first heard some human being talking about his being 
there. He had a good many dreams, and about daylight he woke up. 
Then he could hear the animal gods talking to one another, going on 
to where they were all headed, for it was nearly daylight. Again he 
began to pray to the things that he had been praying to. He intended 
to stay until these animal gods did something for him, and so he 
prayed all day again, praying with all his might, but during the day he 
could see no sign of anybody who could take pity on him and give him 
some powers. Here he remained all day again, until night. As soon 
as darkness came he heard a good many people coming around where 
he was, but no one seemed to come close enough to be seen. Every one 
seemed to want to keep out of sight. When he grew tired of waiting 
for some one to come around he went to sleep on the same spot where 
he had been sleeping during the first two nights. He had a good many 
dreams, but none seemed true. At pretty near daylight he woke, and 
he could see the stars going, and every one seemed to talk about his 
‘still staying at the summit of the mountain seeking powers from the 
animal gods. They then said to one another that they wished some one 
would hurry and take pity upon ‘him, instead of leaving him waiting 
solong. They then talked to one another about having to go along, for 
it was nearly daylight. Wrist-Guard-on-each-Wrist then arose and 
began to pray with all his might to the animal gods, asking for mercy. 
He was about starved when two men came around where he was, say- 
ing to one another: “You go and see him, and tell him what we want.” 
Finally, one of these men came where he was and told him to rise, and 
insisted that he go along with them. When he came to his real senses 
he was following these two men, who took him to a large room in the 
side of the mountain. 
