The Two Witch Men

THE TWO WITCH MEN ⁷

Somewhere in the southeast below there were three men. Two were not good and one was good. The two were witches. Once they asked this man if he did not want to eat green corn and green chili and apples. "No," said the man, "where are you going to get them now, in winter? Nowhere is anything green." "To-day," the two said, "you will eat them, we shall go and get them for you." "Where are you two going to get them?" "We shall not tell you. To-night, when we go to bed, do not get frightened. We are going to knock at the door. Then get up and open the door!" Now he heard them talking somewhere. He did not sleep. These two men were standing in the corner. Then they knocked at the door. He arose and opened the door and three coyotes went out. He did not see the two men. They had also told him to open the door when

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they came back and when they knocked. Then they arrived, at the door they knocked. He got up and opened the door and they were standing outside. They carried on their backs green corn and green chili and also apples. Then the two came in. They put them down and said thus to him, "There it is. Now eat." They were eating together for a long time.

At another time they also asked him whether he did not want to marry. The two knew many girls. "Yes," said he, "get one," for this man could not get any girls. Now he agreed. Again early in the night three owls went out. Then the two came back again. The two men were standing outside early in the morning. They spoke thus, "Come here! There is one girl. She will agree right away and will marry you. Take shoes and a manta. She will have no, dress on." Then he went to where the Yellow Woman lived. "How are things?" said he to her. "It is well," said the Yellow Woman. "Sit down!" Then he sat down. He asked her and she agreed at once and soon they were married. Then the two men said, "Now you will pay. If you do not pay, your wife will die soon and you will not find any other. We, have great magic power," the two said. He could not pay. He had nothing. Then his wife died. Again he could not find any other. These two men made fun of him.

Footnotes

109:7 Recorded in text by Franz Boas. Informant 8. Notes, p. 234.