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am going for a visit to the village west of us； so you boys all
stay at home and help sister。 Also gather as much wood as you can
and I will be back again in four days。 On my return we will resume
our hunting and commence getting our year's supply of meat。〃
He left the next morning； and the last they saw of him was while he
stood at the top of the long range of hills west of their home。
Four days had come and gone and no sign of the oldest brother。
〃I am afraid that our brother has met with some accident；〃 said the
sister。 〃I am afraid so； too；〃 said the next oldest。 〃I must go
and search for him； he may be in some trouble where a little help
would get him out。〃 The second brother followed the direction his
brother had taken； and when he came to the top of the long range of
hills he sat down and gazed long and steadily down into the long
valley with a beautiful creek winding through it。 Across the
valley was a long plain stretching for miles beyond and
finally ending at the foot of another range of hills； the
counterpart of the one upon which he sat。
After noting the different landmarks carefully； he arose and slowly
started down the slope and soon came to the creek he had seen from
the top of the range。 Great was his surprise on arriving at the
creek to find what a difference there was in the appearance
of it from the range and where he stood。 From the range it
appeared to be a quiet； harmless； laughing stream。 Now he saw it
to be a muddy； boiling； bubbling torrent； with high perpendicular
banks。 For a long time he stood； thinking which way to go； up or
down stream。 He had just decided to go down stream； when； on
chancing to look up； he noticed a thin column of smoke slowly
ascending from a little knoll。 He approached the place cautiously
and noticed a door placed into the creek bank on the opposite side
of the stream。 As he stood looking at the door； wondering who
could be living in a place like that； it suddenly opened and a very
old appearing woman came out and stood looking around her。 Soon
she spied the young man； and said to him： 〃My grandchild； where did
you come from and whither are you bound？〃 The young man answered：
〃I came from east of this ridge and am in search of my oldest
brother； who came over in this direction five days ago and who has
not yet returned。〃
〃Your brother stopped here and ate his dinner with me； and then
left； traveling towards the west；〃 said the old witch； for such she
was。 〃Now； grandson； come across on that little log bridge up the
stream there and have your dinner with me。 I have
it all cooked now and just stepped outside to see if there might
not be some hungry traveler about； whom I could invite in to eat
dinner with me。〃 The young man went up the stream a little
distance and found a couple of small logs which had been placed
across the stream to serve as a bridge。 He crossed over and went
down to the old woman's dugout hut。 〃Come in grandson； and eat。
I know you must be hungry。〃
The young man sat down and ate a real hearty meal。 On finishing he
arose and said： 〃Grandmother； I thank you for your meal and
kindness to me。 I would stay and visit with you awhile； as I know
it must be very lonely here for you； but I am very anxious to find
my brother； so I must be going。 On my return I will stop with my
brother and we will pay you a little visit。〃
〃Very well； grandson； but before you go； I wish you would do me a
little favor。 Your brother did it for me before he left； and cured
me； but it has come back on me again。 I am subject to very severe
pains along the left side of my backbone； all the way from my
shoulder blade down to where my ribs attach to my backbone； and the
only way I get any relief from the pain is to have some one kick me
along the side。〃 （She was a witch； and concealed in her robe a
long sharp steel spike。 It was placed so that the last kick they
would give her； their foot would hit the spike and they would
instantly drop off into a swoon； as if dead。）
〃If I won't hurt you too much； grandmother； I certainly will be
glad to do it for you；〃 said the young man； little thinking he
would be the one to get hurt。
〃No； grandson； don't be afraid of hurting me； the harder you kick
the longer the pain stays away。〃 She laid down on the floor and
rolled over on to her right side； so he could get a good chance to
kick the left side where she said the pain was located。
As he moved back to give the first kick； he glanced along the floor
and he noticed a long object wrapped in a blanket； lying against
the opposite wall。 He thought it looked strange and was going to
stop and investigate； but just then the witch cried out as if in
pain。 〃Hurry up； grandson； I am going to die if you don't hurry
and start in kicking。〃 〃I can investigate after I get through with
her；〃 thought he； so he started in kicking and every kick he would
give her she would cry： 〃Harder； kick harder。〃 He had to kick
seven times before he would get to the end of the pain； so he let
out as hard as he could drive； and when he came to the last kick he
hit the spike； and driving it through his foot； fell down in a dead
swoon； and was rolled up in a blanket by the witch
and placed beside his brother at the opposite side of the room。
When the second brother failed to return； the third went in search
of the two missing ones。 He fared no better than the second one；
as he met the old witch who served him in a similar manner as she
had his two brothers。
〃Ha！ Ha！〃 she laughed； when she caught the third； 〃I have only one
more of them to catch； and when I get them I will keep them all
here a year； and then I will turn them into horses and sell them
back to their sister。 I hate her； for I was going to
try and keep house for them and marry the oldest one； but she got
ahead of me and became their sister； so now I will get my revenge
on her。 Next year she will be riding and driving her brothers and
she won't know it。〃
When the third brother failed to return； the sister cried and
begged the last one not to venture out in search of them。 But go
he must； and go he did； only to do as his three brothers had done。
Now the poor sister was nearly distracted。 Day and night she
wandered over hills and through woods in hopes she might find or
hear of some trace of them。 Her wanderings were in vain。 The
hawks had not seen them after they had crossed the little stream。
The wolves and coyotes told her that they had seen nothing of her
brothers out on the broad plains； and she had given them up for
dead。
One day； as she was sitting by the little stream that flowed past
their hut； throwing pebbles into the water and wondering what she
should do； she picked up a pure white pebble； smooth and round； and
after looking at it for a long time； threw it into the water。 No
sooner had it hit the water than she saw it grow larger。 She took
it out and looked at it and threw it in again。 This time it had
assumed the form of a baby。 She took it out and threw it in the
third time and the form took life and began to cry： 〃Ina； ina〃
（mother； mother）。 She took the baby home and fed it soup； and it
being an unnatural baby； quickly grew up to a good sized boy。 At
the end of three months he was a good big； stout youth。 One day he
said： 〃Mother； why are you living here alone？ To whom do all these
fine clothes and moccasins belong？〃 She then told him the story of
her lost brothers。 〃Oh； I know now where they are。 You make me
lots of arrows。 I am going to find my uncles。〃 She tried to
dissuade him from going； but he was determined and said： 〃My father
sent me to you so that I could find my uncles for you； and nothing
can harm me； because I am stone and my name is 〃Stone Boy。〃
The mother； seeing that he was determined to go； made a whole
quiver full of arrows for him； and off he started。 When he came to
the old witch's hut； she was nowhere to be seen； so he pushed the
door in and entered。 The witch was busily engaged cooking dinner。
〃Why； my dear grandchild； you are just in time for dinner。 Sit
down and we will eat before you continue your journey。〃 Stone boy
sat down and ate dinner with the old witch。 She watched him very
closely； but when she would be drinking her soup he would glance
hastily around the room。 Finally he saw the four bundles on the
opposite side of the room； and he guessed at once that there lay
his four uncles。 When he had finished eating he took out his
little pipe and filled it with 〃kini…kinic；〃 and commenced to
smoke； wondering how the old woman had managed to fool his smart
uncles。 He couldn't study it out； so when he had finished his
smoke he arose to pretend to go。 When the old woman saw him
preparing to leave； she said： 〃Grandson； will you kick me on the
left side of my backbone。 I am nearly dead with pain and if you
kick me