MEDICINE-SCREECH-OWL. 43 
fireplace. Medicine-Screech-Owl watched him all this time, but he did 
not know that he was being watched. Snow-and-Cold took the cane 
and punched the snow where it seemed like a fireplace, and the fire 
sprang out from the snow. When he had warmed himself he covered 
the fire and went back to his bed. Soon he saw Medicine-Screech-Owl 
get out of his bed, go for the cane, and punch the place, and out came 
the fire. When Medicine-Screech-Owl was through warming himself 
he walked back to his bed. Snow-and-Cold did not know what to 
think of Medicine-Screech-Owl. ‘The next morning Snow-and-Cold 
called to Medicine-Screech-Owl to get up from his bed. He thought 
he had been frozen to death, but the boy jumped up and said that he 
had had a fine sleep. After he was through talking toSnow-and-Cold 
he said he would have to go back home; that his mother would not 
like it if he should stay out another day. He started back, and when 
he reached home he told his mother all about it. 
20. MEDICINE-SCREECH-OWL.* 
In avillage there lived an old man, his wife, and one child, a beautiful 
girl. The girl had never been known to havea male acquaintance, and 
was always modest and well-beloved. Nevertheless, in some way she 
became pregnant. Her father and mother noticed this and called her 
attention to the fact, and asked her how it had happened and who was 
the father of the child. In those days it was the custom to find out all 
about such matters. ‘The girl herself did not know how she had come 
to be in that condition and could not answer their questions. Her 
people were angry at her and much ashamed, but could not get her 
to answer any of their questions. She went as usual with the girls of 
the village to dig potatoes, but she could never find any and always 
returned without any. One time, after her mother had scolded her for 
never bringing home any potatoes, she was wandering slowly about 
trying to find some when she heard a voice cry, ‘‘Mother.’’ She looked 
about, but could see no one. Again she heard the cry, and then she 
knew that it was the child in her womb that was crying. The voice 
told her to go to acertain place and dig. She obeyed and found many 
large potatoes. When the other girls saw them they wondered, for 
they knew that she was never successful in finding them. 
The child was born and, at his own request, was called Medicine- 
Screech-Owl. ‘The mother and child lived apart from the others and 
were very poor and often hungry, for they had no one to hunt food for 
them, and all they had to eat was what people gave to them. The 
child grew rapidly and was soon large enough to play with the other 
* Told by Wing. 
