that escaped through the opening into a great swamp close by.
The boys ran around the swamp, and a circle of tire sprang up in their
246 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [eth.ann.19
tracks and set fire to the grass and bushes and burned up nearly all
the other Wolves. Only two or three got away, and from these have
come all the wolves that are now in the world.
Soon afterward some strangers from a distance, who had heard that
the brothers had a wonderful grain from which they made bread, came
to ask for some, for none but Selu and her family had ever known
corn before. The boys gave them seven grains of corn, which they
told them to plant the next night on their way home, sitting up all
night to watch the corn, which wouldhave seven ripe ears in the
morning. These they were to plant the next night and watch in
the same way, and so on every night until they reached home, when
they would have corn enough to supply the whole people. The
strangers lived seven days' journey away. They took the seven grains
and watched all through the darkness until morning, when the}' saw
seven tall stalks, each stalk bearing a ripened ear. They gathered the
tars and went on their way. The next night they planted all their
corn, and guarded it as before until daybreak, when they found an
abundant increase. But the way was long and the sun was hot, and
the people grew tired. On the last night before reaching home they
fell asleep, and in the morning the corn they had planted had not