Note 409 — SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS

Now the boy passed on. After having run a long way from his home, he suddenly saw in the distance openings in the forest, which seemed to indicate that there might be people dwelling in those places. So he went along slowly and craftily, concealing himself as much as possible; he arrived at the edge of the clearing, where he stood for a while. He looked around to learn, if possible, what other antagonists he had to meet. Suddenly he saw hanging up not far away the skin of a dead woman watching the pathway. This woman’s skin409 was guarding the trees of chestnuts which grew in the clearing into which the boy had come. In performing this duty the skin kept saying, “I espy (out-eye) you. You who are a human being, I suppose.” But the boy kept very still, standing at the edge of the clearing. He saw in the distance a lodge that stood on the farther side of the clearing, and he saw women going in and coming out of it. Most of these were maidens. On looking around the boy saw the chestnut trees that grew there, and he noticed that they bore many burs. He realized at once that within these burs were the chestnuts. And as he watched he saw some of the chestnuts fall from the trees.