46 TRADITIONS OF THE CADDO. 
stranger asked the boy if he would not go to the meeting place where 
he and all his friends met to wrestle. The boy said that he would go. 
Thestranger helped him carry his meat, and soon they were at the place. 
There were many boys and menthere. One stepped forward and asked 
the orphan boy to wrestle with him. ‘The boy easily threw him. A 
second, third, fourth, and fifth came forward, and he threw one after 
another. ‘Then the strong men began to fear the boy, and they all went 
away and left him alone with only the one who had given him the power. 
While they sat down to rest, the strong man told the boy more things 
about the wonderful power he had given him and how to use it. When 
the sun arose the strong man disappeared and the boy took up his 
meat and returned home. He had been home but a few days when it 
was noised about the village that the boys were going to have some 
wrestling matches. He went to watch the wrestling, but stood far out 
from the ring among the spectators. Soon a young man from the ring 
called him to come in, if he were not acoward. He onlyshook his head. 
Again the young man called, not thinking that he would come, but only 
to tease him. ‘The boy at once threw off his blanket and ran into the 
ring. In a short time he threw the man and killed him. Then he 
asked for another to come and fight with him. None came. All were 
afraid of his greatstrength. The report of his deeds soon spread among 
the people, and it was not long before he had the respect and fear of all. 
22. THE DANGEROUS WATER MONSTER.* 
When the world was new and not well known it was a dangerous 
place to live in. One time when there were many people camping 
near a small creek one of the men went down to the creek to get 
water. After he had finished drinking he looked into the water and 
saw a large animal that looked like a snake. It was slowly moving 
up the creek and he saw that it was very long. He ran up the creek 
to see how long it was, and he ran about two miles before he came 
to its head. Then he started for the camp, and when he arrived 
he went to his grandfather, who was always at home, because he was 
a very old man and could not hunt with the others. He told him 
what he had seen, and when he finished telling him the grandfather 
said: ‘‘ You have seen some wonderful thing, my son, that has been 
sent asa sign to our people.’’? Hedid not know what the sign was 
and so he called for the errand man, and when he came the old man 
told him to call all the people together at his lodge, for he had something 
to tell them. When the people came in he at once told them about 
what his grandson had seen. Some of the men would not believe him, 
* Told by Wing. 
