Note 40 — SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS (continued 9)

Tradition relates that Hatʻhondas remained at the home of his sister during the following winter and that during this time he was visited by a stranger, who advised him to attend the great New Year festival, at which one or more white dogs are immolated, not as a sacrifice, as some report, but only as messengers to bear the thanksgivings of the entire people to the Master of Life for the rich gifts of life and welfare; he was further advised to walk around the “new fires,” as ritually prescribed for persons suffering from the evil effects of enchantment. This advice he followed, but he received no immediate relief. As spring came, however, his sister was able to draw out the bark dart from his spine, and Hatʻhondas at once recovered from the malign influence of the evil spell cast upon him by Tehdoonh Oisʻha (i.e., Woodchuck Its-Leggings), or, in the meaning of the tale, The-Little-Old-Man-With-The-Woodchuck-Leggings, who was in collusion with the notorious Great Witch to destroy this young man.