The San Francisco call., 1906-08-26
THE RATTLESNAKE'S RATTLE

the cave Tsw Wee Nee prepared TO
meet Le-nos, whose witch drum, beat
ing. told that the medicine man was
drawing near.
TT is courage agaist magic and I
win for the sake of my people" So
saying Taw Wee Nee seized large
stone and stood ready TO hurl ft as
soon as Lemos should darken the door
of the cave as he prepared to enter.
And now the medicine man or ma
gician came closer, and with him he
brought wicked spider to whom he
was saying: Wise spider, you shall
sing Taw Wee Nee TO death. and his
fine feathers that he wears on his head
and the deerskin moccasins and his fine
blanket of bearskin shall be yours.
that you may be warm in the winter.
Only sting hard and fast and spoil his
handsome face first, for / hate TO
see it,
Taw Wee Nee heard. and his face
lighted with triumph. Sure was his
aim. as many a wild beast that had
fallen before his might had known.
Swiftly sped the stone as soon as Le-
mos appeared.
The medicine man, thinking that Taw
Wee Nee was still tied by the snake.
was surprised. But what could stand
against the mighty arm OF Taw Wee
Nee in fair and open war? Nothing.
Not even the century-old skull OF Le-
mos. He rell and died
Down, cursed caver cried Taw Wee
Nee. and he closed the door with a
huge bowlder- As he turned TO go
away he heard the witch drum of Le-
mos still beating 1t was calling for
its wicked master who would never
stir again.
A sound of something swiftly passing
through the grass at the same instanc
struck the ears of Taw Wee Nee. Turn
ing. he saw the medicine mans snake
running toward him. with mouth opened
in anger.
Il am here said Taw Wee Nee. Il
have kept my promise and have not
gone away. But am no longer a pris-
oner. Lemos is dead in the depths OF
his own cave and I have barred the
door. See for yourself"
Into the gloom of the cave the snake
plunged, going through hole at one
side OF the bowlder. soon the reptile
came forth again. and. with a rush.
sought TO kill Taw Wee Nee.
The brave-hearted chief did not try
to dodge the snake. but boldly seized
ii. struggling and trying 70 bite. and
made it a prisoner by main strength
Around his own neck law Wee Nee
hung the witch drum OF Lensos that
Lemos had dropped and that was beat
ing more furiously than ever. as II the
spirit OF the dead LemOs We're ca.nng
on 1t to take vengeance for him. Trail
ing the serpent head downward on the
ground. Taw Wee Nee returned In tri-
umph TO his own teppee.
There Is one thing yet TO do said
Taw Wee Nee. Into the body of the
serpent and into the bodies Of all SER
pents OF his kind 1 command that the
noise of the drum OF Lemos sha4l enter
that hereafter no snake OF his tribe
shall be angry without giving notice
to man that he is near. even as LemOs
was compelled to DO with his drum"
Mercy, mercy" pleaded the snake.
IF 1 travel with noise / shall starve.
for all animals will escape from me-
NO mercy for you. but safety for
man." answered Taw Wee Nee.
$50 I end the witch drum of Lemos
and renew it's noise in the serpent OF
Lemos.'' then cried Taw Wee Nee He
raised the dreaded drum before all his
tribe and threw it upon the ground.
where IL was broken into many pieces.
And the serpent? From II came rat
tling noise, like the witch drum OF
Lemos. For the first time the snake
had a rattle and il and its tribe have
been known as rattle snakes to this
day.