“And now concerning the origin of these beings: It was he whom we call the Evil-minded One[438] that formed their bodies; and it came to pass that he whom you call Hawenniyo (i.e., the Disposer, or Ruler) decided that so long as the earth endures these beings shall abide under the surface of the earth. Furthermore, we ourselves believe that He who charged us with the performance of this task of keeping them beneath the surface of the earth will cause it to come to pass, perhaps when the earth is nearing its end—then, and not until then—that these beings shall be permitted to come forth upon the earth. So is it, indeed, to come to pass that when the event is not distant—the end of the earth—He will bring to an end the duties with which we are severally charged, to be performed for the benefit of the things that live upon the earth. Not until then shall the waters which are held in their several places become polluted; finally all other things shall likewise become old and decayed upon the earth; and all things that grow out of the ground, too, shall grow old and sear; indeed, all things shall become withered and decayed. Now let us turn back homeward.”
Then the party, turning homeward, retraced their steps. On reentering their lodge the spokesman of the party said to the old woman who presided over the lodgehold (household), “We have now completed the task of making moist and mellow all things that grow upon the face of the earth.” Arising from her seat, the aged matron went into the adjoining room of the lodge and said to a person who occupied that room, “Now, they have, indeed, returned.” With these words the old woman withdrew and resumed her accustomed seat.
In a short time the door flap separating the adjoining room was thrust aside and a man (hĕñʹgweʻ[439]), thrusting his head through the doorway, asked the men who had returned, “Have you now, indeed, completed the work? Have you made moist and mellow all things that grow on the earth beneath this one?” The men replied in unison, “We have indeed accomplished our task as we were charged to do.” Thereupon the person from the adjoining room said, “Now you must rest until there shall be another day; then you shall again recommence the performance of the duties with which you are severally charged.”
This conversation gave Dehaenhyowens and his party the opportunity of seeing the speaker. They were convinced that he was human; that he was, in fact, a hĕñʹgweʻ. But they were amazed to see that while half of the body of this strange person was in all [[621]]respects like that of a human being, the other half of his body was crystal ice. They felt, too, a breeze that was chilling strike them from out of the doorway; but at this moment the strange man withdrew the door flap, concealing the room from further observation.
The aged matron of the lodge, addressing her guests, said: “That person whom you have just seen is, in fact, the principal one of all those who are charged with duties to perform in the economy of the earth. He is called by us Dehodyadgaowen (i.e., the Cloven-bodied Man); he is named also Owisondyon (i.e., Cast or Falling Hail). It is this feature that you saw when he showed his face at the doorway, and that explains why there came forth from him a cold breeze. This act will immediately cause the prospective days and nights on the earth to become cold and wintry. However, when the day again dawns he will again show his face and the other side of his body, and immediately there will blow hither a hot breeze.”
Then the members of the lodge said one to another: “We have paused in our labors in order to rest. Tomorrow it will come to pass that we shall take you back to the place whence you departed, for you have been here now many days. This is, of course, what you human beings call springtime.” Having said this, all the members of the lodge fell asleep in their several places. When morning came the door flap separating the room from the adjoining one was again thrust aside, and the strange man, Dehodyadgaowen, showed himself in the doorway, and called out aloud, “Now then, all you people, awake and arise; it is time to do so.” At this all the sleepers awoke, and as they awoke, they outstretched their arms and bodies, yawning and uttering loud vociferations, as are heard on earth in the voice of Thunder. There arose a warm breeze, and then the men of the lodge went out. It was but a short time after this that the men reentered the lodge and said to their guests: “You should accompany us on our intended journey, so that you may see an Otkon which inhabits certain trees near the place whence we returned. It is a long time that we have been making attempts to kill and destroy this being, for it is possessed of very powerful orenda.” Thereupon Dehaenhyowens replied, “It is of course right that we should accompany you to learn what manner of being that may be.”
So all the men of the lodge started on their journey, going directly to the place where the being that was otkon had its lair. Having gone a long distance, the men of Thunder finally said to their guests: “There, indeed, is the place in which the Otkon abides. You must stand in yonder place, quite removed from any danger from this being, and you shall see it as we shall cause it to come forth from the lair.” Thereupon the party of Dehaenhyowens withdrew to the designated position. They saw one of their hosts go forward and hit one of the trees several sharp blows with his club; they saw [[622]]the being come forth from its lair and concluded that it was what they called a squirrel. But the being, or squirrel, thrust its body only partially out of its hiding place; at once the men of Thunder hurled their shots at it; there were loud thunderings and the lightning flashes were vivid, and there arose a great tumult and a terrific hurricane. In a short time the men of Thunder ceased for a moment, having failed to hit the being. At once the squirrel (or being) quickly descended the tree on which it then was, and running to another tree, climbed it in an effort to escape its tormentors. But very soon the men of Thunder shivered this tree, whereupon the squirrel, having fled back to the first tree, swiftly climbed back into its lair. Then the men of Thunder said: “Now, indeed, you have seen what we call Otkon. The time is long in which we have been making vain efforts to destroy this being, this great Otkon.”
In replying, Dehaenhyowens said: “It is now our turn; we will attempt to kill the Otkon.” But the men of Thunder answered, “We fear that the attempt will not result favorably; you may be injured, for, indeed, this is an Otkon beyond measure.” Dehaenhyowens replied assuringly, “We know that we can accomplish this task.” “If you are determined to make the attempt, we will assist you should you fail,” said the men of Thunder. Going up to the tree in which the squirrel had its lair, one of the party of Dehaenhyowens tapped on it with his club. Forthwith the squirrel again thrust out its body and gazed at the men. Taking a knob-headed arrow from his quiver, Dehaenhyowens shot at it, hitting the squirrel fair in the head and causing it to come tumbling to the ground.
Thereupon the men of Thunder, taking up the body of the squirrel, started for home, with their guests. When they reached their lodge the men of Thunder said to the old woman, “Now, in fact, our visitors have killed it; they have indeed killed the Otkon, which for a very long time we have failed in our attempts to kill.” Answering this, the old woman said: “I am very thankful to receive this news. This then shall be done: the skin of this Otkon shall belong to me; as it is so precious, it shall be the robe of my couch.” So Dehaenhyowens carefully skinned the squirrel; after doing this he neatly prepared the skin, which he spread on a suitable frame to dry. When it had thoroughly dried Dehaenhyowens presented it to the old woman, assuring her that was the method his people employed in preserving the skins of animals. The old woman received the skin with many thanks, for she felt that she had come into possession of a skin which was very precious to her.
Then, addressing the men of her lodge, she said: “Our visitors are the ones who have accomplished this thing for us. In token of this one of our visitors shall remain here as one of us. He shall be a coworker with you for the reason that he and his kindred were able [[623]]to accomplish that which you yourselves were unable to do.” In giving assent to this the men replied: “Let that, too, be done; let him who is foremost among us say it, and it shall be done.” The old woman replied: “That is so; his consent is all that is required to accomplish this desirable thing.” At once arising from her seat, she went to the doorway leading to the adjoining room and, pushing aside the door flap, said: “Behold! Will you confirm the proposition that one of the men visiting us shall remain here as one of us, while his companions shall return hence to their own homes? The reason for this is that he was able to kill the squirrel (the Otkon), and since the men who live in this lodge had failed for so long a time to do so, I desire that he shall assist them at all times and be a coworker with them.” Answering the old woman, Dehodyadgaowen said: “I willingly confirm this proposition, if it be that he himself is freely willing, and that of course he will volunteer to have his life pounded (in a mortar). Then, as you know, it will be possible for him to help them continually.” With this he ceased speaking.