18 TRADITIONS OF THE CADDO. 
told them about the future. He told them that strange people were 
coming into the land, and that they would frighten away the buffalo, 
the deer, and the bear. He stayed on earth sometime, then called the 
people together and told them that he was going as he had gone before, 
but that this time he was nottoreturn. Then he went up into the sky. 
7. SNAKE-WOMAN DISTRIBUTES SEEDS. 
The Great Father gave the seeds of all growing things to Snake- 
Woman. He taught her how to plant the seeds and how to care for 
the green things that grew from them until they were ripe, and then 
how to prepare them for food. One time, when Snake-Woman had 
more seeds than she could possibly care for, she decided to give some 
to the people. She called her two sons and asked them to help her 
carry the seeds. Each put a big bag full of seeds on his back, and 
then they traveled all over the world, giving six seeds of each kind of 
plant to every person. As Snake-Woman gave each person the seeds 
she told him that he must plant them, and must care for the plants 
that grew from them, but must allow no one, especially children, to 
touch them or even point to them as they grew. She said that until 
the seeds were ripe they belonged to her, and if any one gathered them 
too soon she would send a poisonous snake to bite him. Parents always 
tell their children what Snake-Woman said, and so they are afraid to 
touch or go near any growing plants for fear a snake will come and 
bite them. 
8. THE FLOOD.* 
One time a long, hot, dry season came and all the waters of the earth 
dried up. The people wandered from place to place, trying to find 
water, and after many days they became crazed and did many foolish 
things. ‘They went to the dried-up river beds and there found many 
dead fish and turtles and animals that dwelt in the water, and the people 
cut them to pieces and threw them about, for they thought that these 
animals and fish were in some way responsible for the waters disap- 
pearing. While they were acting foolishly they looked up and saw a 
man in the sky coming toward them from the west. A wind blew, 
and the man approached and lighted on the ground before them. In 
his hand he carried a small green leaf. He told the people that they 
had not acted wisely and had abused him, and that he was angry with 
them. He motioned the leaf in four directions and drops of water fell 
from it. Soon the waters grew in volume and arose all over the world, 
even to the tree-tops, and the highest mountains except one. To this 
* Told by Wing. 
