Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/205

 Rh one of the regularly appointed story-tellers of the tribe—croons out the legendary lore to an interested company of old and young gathered for the evening. Each person pays tribute to the story-teller: one presenting an ear of corn, another an apple, a third a potatoe, until all have contributed. In return for making translations into the Seneca tongue of hymns and other matter, the writer was adopted into the tribe with imposing ceremony, and given the name of O-yo-ga-weh, signifying "Clear sky," and honoured by the Indian council with the narration, by the official story-teller, of the legends of the tribe. I subjoin one of the tales.

.

A little boy lived in a bark-house with an old man who called the boy his nephew. The boy was a good hunter, and he kept the old man well supplied with bear's-meat.

Growing older, the boy wandered every day at a greater distance from the wigwam, and the old man said, "My nephew, do not go far to the north, it will not be safe." "What can uncle mean by that? Why didn't he tell me why I should not go that way? I will be careful, but I will go that way. I will know the reason."

So he started, not meaning to run into any danger, but only to learn why the old uncle cautioned him. He found all kinds of game in plenty, and was allured by the game to go a great distance. Suddenly he discovered what to him was very strange, the track of a great bear; so large and heavy was the bear that at every step his great weight pressed his foot deep down into the earth, and so fat was he that the footprints were filled with oil from the bear's leg. "I will follow this wonderful track," said the boy, "and kill this great bear."

The track appeared to be lately made, for the weeds which the bear trod down were slowly straightening themselves up again. He followed the track, forgetting, in his eagerness, all about the old man in the wigwam far away, and at length came to a bark-house which contained a large family, and among them quite a number of girls. He asked an old woman when the bear went by the house and on to