“I have overcome,” cried Wunzh, for the youth lay dead at his feet. Then Wunzh stripped off his clothing as he had been told in his dream, and he dressed himself in the garments of green and yellow, and he placed the plume of green upon his head. Then, kneeling, he tenderly buried the body of the youth, and his tears fell as he did so, for he said, “He was my friend.” When Wunzh returned to the tepee of his father he was received with great rejoicing, and given food. His new clothing was looked upon in wonder, but he did not tell its story. Day by day he went to the little spot of ground where his own little tepee had been, and he kept the earth soft and moist and free from weeds. And after many days had gone by, green plumes came up through the earth; and they grew, and became sturdy stalks. And still they grew, and after many days and weeks the broad green leaves held ears of juicy grain. Day by day the ears grew full and the grain ripened; the green plumes at their ends turned to yellow, and then to brown, and the ground was covered with the many stalks. Then Wunzh said to his father, “Come with me. I have something to show you.” And his father went with him, and he showed him the clearing where his tepee had stood. And it was all a field of green and yellow, like the clothing which Wunzh had worn, when he came from his fast. Then he told his father of the stranger’s visit, and of his dream, and of his overcoming the youth. “And now, my father,” he added, “the Great Spirit has answered my prayer. From this time on life will be less hard for the Indian, for he shall have other food than game and fish. The Great Spirit has caused this grain to grow, and it is good for man to eat. Taste it, my father, and see.” And this is the story the Red Men tell of the gift of the maize, or Indian corn. THE STARS THAT DANCE (Iroquois) MANY years ago in the Indian country a company of eleven young men went out from the village of their fathers. They were going to prepare themselves for the war dances, and for battle with their foes. Away into the forest they went, but before they left the lodges of their people, their leader said, “You, our parents, must prepare food, that we may have strength for the trial that is before us.” Then they went away, singing the war songs of their nation, while their leader beat upon the water drum to give them courage and endurance. On they marched until they came to the part of the forest where they were to begin their training, and there they stopped and prepared a rude lodge for shelter. Many days they stayed, practising the light step of the hunter which falls as softly as a falling leaf, or dancing the war dance to the beating of the drum. But at length they grew weary and faint, for day after day had passed, and no food had been sent them from the lodges of their fathers.