8. The Submarine People

8. THE SUBMARINE PEOPLE (14)

Men and women living under water once came out at night and traveled about. They came to where there were land beings. They wanted some watermelons belonging to these people, so they came out and traveled about again looking for them. They came out every night and then went back to the same place in the water.

When they told about this some of their people warned them not to eat the food of human beings. They replied, "We will not; we only want to travel." "If you eat food belonging to human beings, you will have to remain among them," said the others.

But by and by a woman ate some peaches in this country and was obliged to stay here. She sat down while the rest went away and left her. She sat alone. When day came the people caught her.

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[paragraph continues] She continued to live with them. And they said, "Why is it that the dogs used to bark every night?" "It is because we came here," she answered.