22. The Racing Snake

22. THE RACING SNAKE (34)

One time two men were off hunting, and one of them said to the other, "They say there is a very swift snake, seldom seen, from which nothing that he pursues can escape, but I believe I could get away from him. If you find one, let me know."

Some time later his companion saw something glittering on the side of a hill, and when he returned to the other hunter he said, "I thought I saw on the side of a hill the kind of snake about which You were speaking. I will show him to you." The other thought at first that he was joking, but he insisted, so they started off to find

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him. When they reached the place the man who believed he could overcome this snake prepared himself. He stripped off his clothing, prepared his bow and arrows, and started up toward the snake. As he went by, the snake chased him. There were coils and coils of him which made a shrill noise as they were dragged along on the ground.

The man ran on ahead whooping, this whoop being his charm. When his companion saw the huge snake in pursuit of his friend he wished that he had not brought him there. Presently they got so far away that the man's whoop could be heard no longer, although the noise made by his pursuer was still audible. By and by they circled around and came back again, and they kept making circles back and forth, sometimes nearly out of hearing and sometimes quite close.

After a time the whooping stopped and also the noise made by the snake traveling along the ground. The person looking on was sure his friend had been killed, but the contrary had happened. There was a big pine log lying in such a situation that the man could pass under it and he went under and over too fast for the snake to catch him. Instead, the snake wrapped himself up about the log and the man shot at him until he killed him. He was made strong by means of his magic formula.