Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-07-27

! and they went back 10 the mousse To-
gether. On the way she told him:
When we go in your father will
put a new dress on you, but when he
opens his box and asks you to pick out
| YOUR ornaments be sure to take them
! from the bottom, Then he will send
for his other sons to come and play bali
against YOU There is = honey locust
tree in front OF the house, and as soon
YOU begin to get tired strike at that and
| your father will stop the play, because
| he does not want to lose the tree
when they went into the house the
| old man was pleased to see the boy look
| ing so clean, and said, L knew l could
soon cure those spots. Now we must
dress you
He brought out fine suit of buck
skin, with belt and head dress, and the
| boy put them on. Then he opened a
box and said, Now pick out your neck
lace and bracelets
The boy looked, and the box was
| filled with all kinds OF snakes gliding
over one another with their heads up.
He was not afraid, but remembered
what the woman told him, and plunged
his hand to the bottom. He drew out
a great raft esnake and put 1t around
his neck. He put down his hand again
| four times and drew Up four copperheads
and twisted them around his wrists and
ankles. Then his father gave him
war club and said, Now, you must play
a ball game with your two brothers.
They live beyond here In the Darken-
ing Land, and must send for them
"The young men came, and they were
both older and stronger than the boy,
but he was not afraid, and fought
againts them. The thunder rolled and
the lightning flashed at every stroke,
for thew were the Young Thunders and
the boy himself was lightning. At last
he was tired from defending himself
alone against two, and pretended to aim
a blow at the honey locust tree. Then
his father stopped the fight, because he
was afraid Lightning would split the
tree, and he saw that the boy was brave
and strong.
The boy told his father how Untsaiyi
ad dared him to play, and had even Of
fered to play for the spots on his skin.
Yes said Thunder, he is a great
gam bier. and makes his living that way,
but will see that you win
Thunder brought small cymling
gourd with hole board thru the neck,
and tied it on the boys wrist Inside
the gourd there was = string OF beads.
and one end hung out from hole in
the top, but there was no end to the
string inside.
Now said Thunder, go back the
way you came, and as soon as he sees
you he will want to play for the beads.
He is very hard to beat, but this time
he will lose every game. When he
cries out for drink you will know he is
getting discouraged, and then strike
the rock with your war club, and water
will come, so that you can play on with
out stopping. At last he will bet his
life, and lose. Then send at once for
your brothers to kill him, or he will get
away. he is so tricky
The boy took the gourd and his war
club and started east along the road by
which he came.-As soon as Untsaiyi
saw-him he called to him, and when he
saw the gourd with the bead string
hanging out he wanted to play for it.
The boy drew out the string, but there
seemed to be no end to it, and he kept
on pulling until enough came out to
make circle all around the playground.
I" i will play one game for this much
against your stake, said the boy, and
when that is over we Can have another
game
They began the game, and the boy
won. The gambler did not know what
to make of it, but he put up another
stake, and called for a second game.
The boy won again and they played on
unit noon, when Untsaiyi had lost
nearly everything he had and was dis
couraged. 1t was very hot, and he said,
Il am thirsty and wanted to stop to get
3 drink.
mo, said the boy, and struck the rock |
with his club so that water came out, |
and they had drink. They Played |
until the Gambler lost all his buck
skins and beaded work, his eagle feath-
ers and ornaments, and at last offered
to bet his wife. They played, and the
and offered TO stake his own
life. If win | will kill you, but IL
you win you may kill me, he said.
They played, and the boy won.
LET me 60 and tell my wife, said
the Gam bier, so that she will receive
her new husband, and then you may
kill me-
"lIe went into the house, but 1T bad
two doors, and although the boy waited
long Untsaiyi did not come back. When
at last he went to look for the Gambler
be found him gone out the back way,
and was nearly out of sight going east.
The boy ran to his fathers house,
and got his brothers to help him. They
brought their dog, the Horned Green
Beetle and hurried after the Gambler.
He ran fast, and was soon out of sight.
They followed as fast as they could.
After while they met an old woman
making pottery, and asked her if she
ad seen Untsaiyi. She said she had
rot.
He came this way, said the broth
,rs.
Then he must have passed in the
light, said the old woman, for l have
,een here all day
They were about to take another
DAD when the Beetle, which had been
ircling around in the air above the old
woman, made dart at her, and struck
Ter in the forehead, and it rang like
'rass-- Untsaiyi! Then they knew it
vas brass, and sprang at him. but be
umped up in his right shape, and was {
IF, running so fast that he was soon out
+ sight again. The Beetle struck so I
ard that some of the brass rubbed off, {
nd you can see it on the beetles fore
ead yet.
They followed and came to an old
ian sitting by the trail carving stone
ipe. They asked him If he had seen
'rsss pass that way, and he said no, but
ga no poot1o uhinh nouId I