40 TRADITIONS OF THE CADDO. 
bring to mea great big watermelon to eat.’’ ‘‘ Allright,’’ said young 
Medicine-Screech-Owl. He took the seed, went back to his village, and 
told his father and mother what the ex-chief had told himtodo. ‘That 
evening the boy went out a short distance from his lodge, threw the 
seeds upon the ground, and there sprang up a large watermelon plant. 
He then went back to the lodge and told his father and mother what 
had happened. Early in the morning he went out to his watermelon 
vine, and he found many large watermelons on it. He took one of the 
melons to the ex-chief, who was surprised, and he thought that surely 
the boy was going to be a wonderful man. He was so jealous of him 
that he determined to destroy him, for he thought that if he did not 
young Medicine-Screech-Owl would get ahead of him in every way, 
and that the people would no longer pay him any attention. The boy 
went back to his village and told his father and mother all about what 
had happened. ‘The ex-chief sent for the boy the second time, and the 
boy again went to hislodge. The ex-chief had brought the boy a large 
bull to milk. He told him to take the bull to his lodge and to bring 
the milk over the next morning. The boy took the bull over to his 
village, but instead of milking it when morning came he took an axe 
and went out near the ex-chief’s lodge to chop some wood, and when 
the ex-chief saw him chopping wood he went to him and asked him if 
he had already milked the bull. The boy told the ex-chief that he 
had not milked the bull, but that he was in a hurry to cut some wood 
to take home. ‘The ex-chief asked him why he was taking the wood 
home. ‘‘ Well,’’ said the boy, ‘‘ my father is going to have a child.”’ 
The ex-chief laughed at the boy and asked him if he ever had seen a 
man have a child. The boy said, ‘‘No; I never have.’? Then he 
asked the ex-chief if he ever had seen a man milk a bull or a bull give 
milk. The ex-chief was very angry. ‘The boy returned to his lodge 
and told his father and mother what had happened. The third time 
the ex-chief sent to have the boy come over to his lodge, informing him 
that he and some of his friends were going to have a fine time and a 
big dinner. Inthe meantime the ex-chief and the others were digging 
a big hole in the ground, in which they were going to throw the boy. 
They dug the hole about fifty feet deep and about four feet in diameter 
and covered it with a buffalo robe. When the boy came the ex-chief 
told him that he had already fixed a place for him tosit. Young Medi- 
cine-Screech-Owl never left his bow and arrows, but always had them 
with him everywhere he went. When he entered the ex-chief’s lodge 
they told him to beseated. He laid down his arrows and bow and went 
and sat down on the hide, and down he went into the hole. The ex- 
chief was very glad, for he thought surely he had killed the boy. He 
