[Contents]WUS AND HIS TROUBLESCHARACTERSKuyasRed AntsTálwasHot-Water BasketsPshagéknikGopherWusFoxSlikwisFire-drillTen Tálwas brothers lived in two houses, five in one house, and five in the other; near by, in two other houses, lived the ten Slikwis brothers. One day Wus came from the west and went into the house of five of the Slikwis brothers.“Oh,” said Wus, “what are these nice long sticks here around the fire for? They would make good gambling sticks. I will take them. If I meet people, I can gamble with them and beat them with such nice sticks.”He took all five of the Slikwis brothers in one hand.As soon as he had them, they blazed up high. They were mad at him for picking them up.He threw them down and ran out screaming: “What can those things be? Are they people?” He cried, for his hand was burned.When he came to the second house, he looked in and said: “Those look like the same kind of sticks, but I will try to pick them up. I could beat everybody if I had such nice gambling sticks.” As soon as he took the sticks up, he screamed, threw them down, and ran out of the house. His hands were burned and his hair was singed. “Oh,” said he, “I never heard that such kind of people lived around here. I don’t like them; they are bad people.”He went farther and came to the house of the five Tálwas brothers. When he went in, he saw water baskets standing near the fire.“Oh,” said he, “I am glad to see water; I am dry. Everybody is gone; the water is left to cook with when they come[192]back.” Wus looked for something to eat, and when he couldn’t find anything, he said: “I will wash my hands in one of these baskets, and I will drink out of another.” He put his hands into one of the baskets; the water boiled up and scalded him. He screamed, then all the baskets boiled up and threw water. Wus was terribly scalded. He ran out of the house, then looked back, and said: “What can that be? I am almost dead!”He went on till he came to the second house. He looked in, and when he saw five other baskets, he said: “They would kill me; I won’t touch them.” He hunted inside and outside of the house for something to eat, but couldn’t find anything. He was so dry that he crept up to one of the baskets and put his little finger into the water; it was cold water. He thought: “Now I will have a good drink. This is just water; that over there is something else. This is such water as I drink when I am traveling.” He began to drink out of the smallest basket.That was the youngest brother, and he didn’t get mad. He knew how his brothers had scalded Wus and he felt sorry for him. He thought: “Let him drink of me if he wants to; I will be cold for him.” But the other brothers began to jerk and gurgle and bubble up; they were mad at Wus. Wus got scared and ran out.He stood at the door and looked in. The four brothers boiled up and threw water over the house. Wus was terribly scared; he ran as fast as he could till he came to two other houses. Those were the houses of the ten Kuyas brothers. He went into the first house; there was a big fire burning. He looked around and wondered where the people were who built the fire. He thought: “I will wait till they come; maybe they will give me something to eat, since they are going to cook.”Wus waited till the middle of the day, then he said: “I am tired of waiting; I’ll hunt around and maybe I can find something to eat.” He couldn’t find anything, then he said: “I will stay till night; they will come when it gets dark,” and he lay down by the fire.[193]The five brothers were sitting around the fire, but Wus didn’t see them. When he lay down, one brother bit him. He jumped up and screamed: “What bit me?” Another brother bit his leg, a third one bit his hand. Wus screamed: “What can it be that bites so?” And he threw burning coals around the house to kill what had bitten him. The five brothers were mad, and they all bit him.Wus ran out of the house, came to the second house, looked in and saw a fire burning. Five brothers were sitting around the fire, but Wus couldn’t see them. Those five brothers jumped on him and bit him; the other five came in and helped them. Wus screamed with pain, but they didn’t stop biting. They killed him and had almost eaten him up when Pshagéknik came in.He saw Wus, and asked: “Old man, why are you sleeping so long?”That minute Wus jumped up, and said: “Oh, I’m sleepy!” He went out of the house and traveled on toward the north.[194]
[Contents]WUS AND HIS TROUBLESCHARACTERSKuyasRed AntsTálwasHot-Water BasketsPshagéknikGopherWusFoxSlikwisFire-drillTen Tálwas brothers lived in two houses, five in one house, and five in the other; near by, in two other houses, lived the ten Slikwis brothers. One day Wus came from the west and went into the house of five of the Slikwis brothers.“Oh,” said Wus, “what are these nice long sticks here around the fire for? They would make good gambling sticks. I will take them. If I meet people, I can gamble with them and beat them with such nice sticks.”He took all five of the Slikwis brothers in one hand.As soon as he had them, they blazed up high. They were mad at him for picking them up.He threw them down and ran out screaming: “What can those things be? Are they people?” He cried, for his hand was burned.When he came to the second house, he looked in and said: “Those look like the same kind of sticks, but I will try to pick them up. I could beat everybody if I had such nice gambling sticks.” As soon as he took the sticks up, he screamed, threw them down, and ran out of the house. His hands were burned and his hair was singed. “Oh,” said he, “I never heard that such kind of people lived around here. I don’t like them; they are bad people.”He went farther and came to the house of the five Tálwas brothers. When he went in, he saw water baskets standing near the fire.“Oh,” said he, “I am glad to see water; I am dry. Everybody is gone; the water is left to cook with when they come[192]back.” Wus looked for something to eat, and when he couldn’t find anything, he said: “I will wash my hands in one of these baskets, and I will drink out of another.” He put his hands into one of the baskets; the water boiled up and scalded him. He screamed, then all the baskets boiled up and threw water. Wus was terribly scalded. He ran out of the house, then looked back, and said: “What can that be? I am almost dead!”He went on till he came to the second house. He looked in, and when he saw five other baskets, he said: “They would kill me; I won’t touch them.” He hunted inside and outside of the house for something to eat, but couldn’t find anything. He was so dry that he crept up to one of the baskets and put his little finger into the water; it was cold water. He thought: “Now I will have a good drink. This is just water; that over there is something else. This is such water as I drink when I am traveling.” He began to drink out of the smallest basket.That was the youngest brother, and he didn’t get mad. He knew how his brothers had scalded Wus and he felt sorry for him. He thought: “Let him drink of me if he wants to; I will be cold for him.” But the other brothers began to jerk and gurgle and bubble up; they were mad at Wus. Wus got scared and ran out.He stood at the door and looked in. The four brothers boiled up and threw water over the house. Wus was terribly scared; he ran as fast as he could till he came to two other houses. Those were the houses of the ten Kuyas brothers. He went into the first house; there was a big fire burning. He looked around and wondered where the people were who built the fire. He thought: “I will wait till they come; maybe they will give me something to eat, since they are going to cook.”Wus waited till the middle of the day, then he said: “I am tired of waiting; I’ll hunt around and maybe I can find something to eat.” He couldn’t find anything, then he said: “I will stay till night; they will come when it gets dark,” and he lay down by the fire.[193]The five brothers were sitting around the fire, but Wus didn’t see them. When he lay down, one brother bit him. He jumped up and screamed: “What bit me?” Another brother bit his leg, a third one bit his hand. Wus screamed: “What can it be that bites so?” And he threw burning coals around the house to kill what had bitten him. The five brothers were mad, and they all bit him.Wus ran out of the house, came to the second house, looked in and saw a fire burning. Five brothers were sitting around the fire, but Wus couldn’t see them. Those five brothers jumped on him and bit him; the other five came in and helped them. Wus screamed with pain, but they didn’t stop biting. They killed him and had almost eaten him up when Pshagéknik came in.He saw Wus, and asked: “Old man, why are you sleeping so long?”That minute Wus jumped up, and said: “Oh, I’m sleepy!” He went out of the house and traveled on toward the north.[194]
WUS AND HIS TROUBLES
CHARACTERSKuyasRed AntsTálwasHot-Water BasketsPshagéknikGopherWusFoxSlikwisFire-drillTen Tálwas brothers lived in two houses, five in one house, and five in the other; near by, in two other houses, lived the ten Slikwis brothers. One day Wus came from the west and went into the house of five of the Slikwis brothers.“Oh,” said Wus, “what are these nice long sticks here around the fire for? They would make good gambling sticks. I will take them. If I meet people, I can gamble with them and beat them with such nice sticks.”He took all five of the Slikwis brothers in one hand.As soon as he had them, they blazed up high. They were mad at him for picking them up.He threw them down and ran out screaming: “What can those things be? Are they people?” He cried, for his hand was burned.When he came to the second house, he looked in and said: “Those look like the same kind of sticks, but I will try to pick them up. I could beat everybody if I had such nice gambling sticks.” As soon as he took the sticks up, he screamed, threw them down, and ran out of the house. His hands were burned and his hair was singed. “Oh,” said he, “I never heard that such kind of people lived around here. I don’t like them; they are bad people.”He went farther and came to the house of the five Tálwas brothers. When he went in, he saw water baskets standing near the fire.“Oh,” said he, “I am glad to see water; I am dry. Everybody is gone; the water is left to cook with when they come[192]back.” Wus looked for something to eat, and when he couldn’t find anything, he said: “I will wash my hands in one of these baskets, and I will drink out of another.” He put his hands into one of the baskets; the water boiled up and scalded him. He screamed, then all the baskets boiled up and threw water. Wus was terribly scalded. He ran out of the house, then looked back, and said: “What can that be? I am almost dead!”He went on till he came to the second house. He looked in, and when he saw five other baskets, he said: “They would kill me; I won’t touch them.” He hunted inside and outside of the house for something to eat, but couldn’t find anything. He was so dry that he crept up to one of the baskets and put his little finger into the water; it was cold water. He thought: “Now I will have a good drink. This is just water; that over there is something else. This is such water as I drink when I am traveling.” He began to drink out of the smallest basket.That was the youngest brother, and he didn’t get mad. He knew how his brothers had scalded Wus and he felt sorry for him. He thought: “Let him drink of me if he wants to; I will be cold for him.” But the other brothers began to jerk and gurgle and bubble up; they were mad at Wus. Wus got scared and ran out.He stood at the door and looked in. The four brothers boiled up and threw water over the house. Wus was terribly scared; he ran as fast as he could till he came to two other houses. Those were the houses of the ten Kuyas brothers. He went into the first house; there was a big fire burning. He looked around and wondered where the people were who built the fire. He thought: “I will wait till they come; maybe they will give me something to eat, since they are going to cook.”Wus waited till the middle of the day, then he said: “I am tired of waiting; I’ll hunt around and maybe I can find something to eat.” He couldn’t find anything, then he said: “I will stay till night; they will come when it gets dark,” and he lay down by the fire.[193]The five brothers were sitting around the fire, but Wus didn’t see them. When he lay down, one brother bit him. He jumped up and screamed: “What bit me?” Another brother bit his leg, a third one bit his hand. Wus screamed: “What can it be that bites so?” And he threw burning coals around the house to kill what had bitten him. The five brothers were mad, and they all bit him.Wus ran out of the house, came to the second house, looked in and saw a fire burning. Five brothers were sitting around the fire, but Wus couldn’t see them. Those five brothers jumped on him and bit him; the other five came in and helped them. Wus screamed with pain, but they didn’t stop biting. They killed him and had almost eaten him up when Pshagéknik came in.He saw Wus, and asked: “Old man, why are you sleeping so long?”That minute Wus jumped up, and said: “Oh, I’m sleepy!” He went out of the house and traveled on toward the north.[194]
CHARACTERSKuyasRed AntsTálwasHot-Water BasketsPshagéknikGopherWusFoxSlikwisFire-drill
Ten Tálwas brothers lived in two houses, five in one house, and five in the other; near by, in two other houses, lived the ten Slikwis brothers. One day Wus came from the west and went into the house of five of the Slikwis brothers.
“Oh,” said Wus, “what are these nice long sticks here around the fire for? They would make good gambling sticks. I will take them. If I meet people, I can gamble with them and beat them with such nice sticks.”
He took all five of the Slikwis brothers in one hand.
As soon as he had them, they blazed up high. They were mad at him for picking them up.
He threw them down and ran out screaming: “What can those things be? Are they people?” He cried, for his hand was burned.
When he came to the second house, he looked in and said: “Those look like the same kind of sticks, but I will try to pick them up. I could beat everybody if I had such nice gambling sticks.” As soon as he took the sticks up, he screamed, threw them down, and ran out of the house. His hands were burned and his hair was singed. “Oh,” said he, “I never heard that such kind of people lived around here. I don’t like them; they are bad people.”
He went farther and came to the house of the five Tálwas brothers. When he went in, he saw water baskets standing near the fire.
“Oh,” said he, “I am glad to see water; I am dry. Everybody is gone; the water is left to cook with when they come[192]back.” Wus looked for something to eat, and when he couldn’t find anything, he said: “I will wash my hands in one of these baskets, and I will drink out of another.” He put his hands into one of the baskets; the water boiled up and scalded him. He screamed, then all the baskets boiled up and threw water. Wus was terribly scalded. He ran out of the house, then looked back, and said: “What can that be? I am almost dead!”
He went on till he came to the second house. He looked in, and when he saw five other baskets, he said: “They would kill me; I won’t touch them.” He hunted inside and outside of the house for something to eat, but couldn’t find anything. He was so dry that he crept up to one of the baskets and put his little finger into the water; it was cold water. He thought: “Now I will have a good drink. This is just water; that over there is something else. This is such water as I drink when I am traveling.” He began to drink out of the smallest basket.
That was the youngest brother, and he didn’t get mad. He knew how his brothers had scalded Wus and he felt sorry for him. He thought: “Let him drink of me if he wants to; I will be cold for him.” But the other brothers began to jerk and gurgle and bubble up; they were mad at Wus. Wus got scared and ran out.
He stood at the door and looked in. The four brothers boiled up and threw water over the house. Wus was terribly scared; he ran as fast as he could till he came to two other houses. Those were the houses of the ten Kuyas brothers. He went into the first house; there was a big fire burning. He looked around and wondered where the people were who built the fire. He thought: “I will wait till they come; maybe they will give me something to eat, since they are going to cook.”
Wus waited till the middle of the day, then he said: “I am tired of waiting; I’ll hunt around and maybe I can find something to eat.” He couldn’t find anything, then he said: “I will stay till night; they will come when it gets dark,” and he lay down by the fire.[193]
The five brothers were sitting around the fire, but Wus didn’t see them. When he lay down, one brother bit him. He jumped up and screamed: “What bit me?” Another brother bit his leg, a third one bit his hand. Wus screamed: “What can it be that bites so?” And he threw burning coals around the house to kill what had bitten him. The five brothers were mad, and they all bit him.
Wus ran out of the house, came to the second house, looked in and saw a fire burning. Five brothers were sitting around the fire, but Wus couldn’t see them. Those five brothers jumped on him and bit him; the other five came in and helped them. Wus screamed with pain, but they didn’t stop biting. They killed him and had almost eaten him up when Pshagéknik came in.
He saw Wus, and asked: “Old man, why are you sleeping so long?”
That minute Wus jumped up, and said: “Oh, I’m sleepy!” He went out of the house and traveled on toward the north.[194]