Thereupon the men of the lodge exclaimed, “Let us all go to that place right away,” and all started out of the lodge and ran swiftly to the spring. When they arrived there Dehaenhyowens said to his companions, “There, in this spring and pool, I thrust my bow to rouse whatever might dwell therein.” One of the men of the country answered: “It is certain that some mysterious creature abides herein. We shall see what it is. Do you, our friends, stand yonder, a little aloof, and then you shall see the thing done, when we shall kill it.”
Heeding this admonition, the band of Dehaenhyowens drew back a short distance and watched the men of the country make their dispositions for the attack. They did not wait long to see a wonderful phenomenon, for the men of the country at once began their task. One touched with a rod the bottom of the pool whence flowed the spring of water. Thereupon began to be heard loud sounds, even such as are heard when the voicings of thunder fill [[618]]the air with a deafening din. Such was the tumult and confusion at this time that the now thoroughly frightened human beings fled from the spot to seek safety. There were also flashes of lightning followed by loud crashes and deep rumblings of the thunder. This uproar continued for some time, when suddenly it ceased and one of the hosts of Dehaenhyowens said, calling his guests back: “Oh, come back! We have now killed this creature.”
Thereupon, when they had again assembled, they departed, going back to their lodge. When they reached it they said to the old woman: “We have now killed that uncanny creature, that Otkon. Indeed, we do not know in what possible way it happened that this creature took up its abode so very near this lodge. We had never before noticed it. It may have been there a long time, since it had grown so large. We have barely escaped, perhaps, some great misfortune.” The old woman replied gratefully, “What a very remarkable affair it is, in which our visitors have been of assistance to us.” In a moment she asked: “What is the Otkon?[437] What is the form and kind of thing you have so fortunately killed?” The men answered: “It is the Great Blue Lizard which we have destroyed.” So they rested for the night.
The next morning the old woman said to the men of her lodge: “For myself, I am thinking that it is just the time of the year when you should again make mellow and moist all the things that grow on the earth. What do you say?” One of the men replied, “It would seem well, perhaps, that you should ask him who is the principal one to be consulted in regard to our duties in this matter. It is possible that he may say: ‘It is now the proper time of the year in which you should again make mellow and moist all the things that severally grow on the earth.’ ” So saying, he ceased talking with her.
Arising from her seat and pushing aside gently the door flap at the entrance to the adjoining room, the aged woman made the inquiry just noted. The person addressed answered: “For myself, I too think that it is time, perhaps, for doing that about which you have asked me. So let it be done as you wish.”
Allowing the door flap to fall back, the old woman withdrew to her own apartment in the lodge. In order to make the needed preparations for carrying out the purpose of her inquiry she gathered a quantity of corn husks and, again entering the place in which the lake was situated, she heaped once more the corn husks along the shore. When she had placed the corn husks around the entire circuit of the lake she set them on fire. When the fire had become brisk and bright the old woman, turning to the men of the lodge, said: “I have now again made the necessary preparations for the performance of your accustomed task, and you shall start on your journey to make all [[619]]things that grow on the earth moist and mellow and the soil as well. They who are visiting us shall accompany you wherever you may go; you must carefully keep them from harm, and you must show them all things of interest on your journey.”
Taking up their implements and weapons, the men of the lodge and their guests departed. During the course of their long journey one of the hosts of the Dehaenhyowens and his men said: “You shall now see the things over which we have charge. He whom you are wont to call Hawenniyo (the Ruler) is the person who has charged us with all these matters, and we shall continue to have the care of them so long as the earth endures. We shall tend all those things which he has planted on the earth; we shall habitually cause water to fall on them; we shall keep all the water in the several rivers on the earth fresh at all times; and we shall water all those things upon which you and your people live, so that all things which he has made to be shall not perish for the need of water. And you, you human beings, shall then live in health and contentment. Such are our duties from day to day.”
Then it was that Dehaenhyowens and his party, looking beneath them, saw another earth far below. As they proceeded they heard loud noises, like the voicings of Thunder when he draws near on earth; and there began to be bright flashes of lightning, and next there began to be rain; and, finally, raindrops fell to the lower earth.
As they moved onward they saw a huge serpent, which had formidable horns protruding from its head. Then one of the hosts of Dehaenhyowens and his friends said: “Look at that creature moving along swiftly yonder. It is known that were it to emerge permanently from the interior of the earth it would bring great misfortune to the things that dwell on the earth; in fact, it would bring to an end the days of a large multitude of you human beings. To see that it never comes forth permanently out of the ground is one of the duties with which we are strictly charged.” In a moment the speaker continued, “Now you shall see what will take place when we will kill it.” As the party of Dehaenhyowens watched, their hosts began to pursue the serpent. The voice of the Thunder was exceedingly loud and the flashes of lightning amazingly vivid. Finally, the huge serpent was hit by its pursuers and began to flee from them. It sought unsuccessfully to hide beneath standing trees, but these trees were struck and riven into splinters; then it fled to the mountains, seeking to conceal itself beneath their shelter; but this also was in vain, for it was repeatedly hit by the men of Thunder, and, finally, was killed.
As an explanation of this phenomenon the hosts of Dehaenhyowens and his friends said: “It is verily true that beneath the surface of the ground whatever is otkon (i.e., malign by nature) moves to-and-fro [[620]]from place to place. It would, indeed, be most unfortunate for us all should this species of being be permitted to travel from place to place upon the earth. Hence such beings are doomed to abide beneath the surface of the ground in the interior of the earth.