ButStoneBoywasbothstrongandunnaturallyheavyandhardtohold。Thegreatwarriorfromtheskysweatedfromhisexertions，andtherecameaheavyshower。Againandagainthelightningsflashedaboutthemasthetwostrug—
　　gledthere。AtlastStoneBoythrewhisoppo—
　　nent，wholaymotionless。Therewasamurmur—
　　ingsoundthroughouttheheavensandthecloudsrolledswiftlyaway。
　　"’Now，’thoughtthehero，’thismanmusthaveslainallmyuncles。Ishallgotohishomeandfindoutwhathasbecomeofthem。’Withthisheun—
　　fastenedfromthedeadman’sscalp—lockabeauti—
　　fulbitofscarletdown。Hebreathedgentlyuponit，andasitfloatedupwardhefollowedintotheblueheavens。
　　"AwaywentStoneBoytothecountryoftheThunderBirds。Itwasabeautifulland，withlakes，rivers，plainsandmountains。Theyoungadventurerfoundhimselflookingdownfromthetopofahighmountain，andthecountryappearedtobeverypopulous，forhesawlodgesallabouthimasfarastheeyecouldreach。Heparticu—
　　larlynoticedamajestictreewhichtoweredabovealltheothers，andinitsbushytopboreanenor—
　　mousnest。StoneBoydescendedfromthemoun—
　　tainandsoonarrivedatthefootofthetree;buttherewerenolimbsexceptthoseatthetopanditwassotallthathedidnotattempttoclimbit。
　　Hesimplytookouthisbitofdown，breatheduponitandfloatedgentlyupward。
　　"Whenhewasabletolookintothenesthesawthereinnumerableeggsofvarioussizes，andallofaremarkableredcolor。Hewasnothingbutaboyafterall，andhadallaboy’scuriosityandreck—
　　lessness。Ashewashandlingtheeggscarelessly，hisnoticewasattractedtoasuddenconfusioninthelittlevillagebelow。Allofthepeopleseemedtoberunningtowardthetree。Hemischievouslythrewaneggatthem，andintheinstantthatitbrokehesawoneofthemendropdead。Thenallbegantocryoutpitifully，’Givememyheart！’
　　"’Ah，’exclaimedStoneBoy，exulting，’sothesearetheheartsofthepeoplewhodestroyedmyuncles！Ishallbreakthemall！’
　　"Andhereallydidbreakalloftheeggsbutfoursmalloneswhichhetookinhishand。Thenhedescendedthetree，andwanderedamongthesilentanddesertedlodgesinsearchofsometraceofhislostuncles。Hefoundfourlittleboys，thesolesurvivorsoftheirrace，andthesehecom—
　　mandedtotellhimwheretheirboneswerelaid。
　　"Theyshowedhimthespotwhereaheapofboneswasbleachingontheground。Thenhebadeoneoftheboysbringwood，asecondwater，athirdstones，andthefourthhesenttocutwillowwandsforthesweatlodge。Theyobeyed，andStoneBoybuiltthelodge，madeafire，heatedthestonesandcollectedwithinthelodgeallthebonesofhistenuncles。
　　"Ashepouredthewateruponthehotstonesfaintsoundscouldbeheardfromwithinthemagicbath。Thesechangedtothemurmuringofvoices，andfinallytothesingingofmedicinesongs。
　　StoneBoyopenedthedoorandhistenunclescameforthintheflesh，thankinghimandblessinghimforrestoringthemtolife。Onlythelittlefingeroftheyoungestunclewasmissing。StoneBoynowheartlesslybrokethefourremainingeggs，andtookthelittlefingerofthelargestboytosupplythemissingbone。
　　"TheyallreturnedtoearthagainandStoneBoyconductedhisunclestohismother’slodge。
　　Shehadneversleptduringhisentireabsence，butwatchedincessantlythepillowuponwhichherboywaswonttoresthishead，andbywhichshewastoknowofhissafety。Goingalittleinadvanceoftheothers，hesuddenlyrushedforwardintoherteepee，exclaiming：’Mother，yourtenbrothersarecoming——prepareafeast！’
　　"Forsometimeafterthistheyalllivedhappilytogether。StoneBoyoccupiedhimselfwithsoli—
　　taryhunting。Hewasparticularlyfondofhunt—
　　ingthefiercerwildanimals。Hekilledthemwan—
　　tonlyandbroughthomeonlytheears，teethandclawsashisspoil，andwiththeseheplayedashelaughinglyrecountedhisexploits。Hismotherandunclesprotested，andbeggedhimatleasttosparethelivesofthoseanimalsheldsacredbytheDa—
　　kotas，butStoneBoyrelieduponhissupernaturalpowerstoprotecthimfromharm。
　　"Oneevening，however，hewasnoticeablysilentanduponbeingpressedtogivethereason，repliedasfollows：
　　"’ForsomedayspastIhaveheardtheanimalstalkingofaconspiracyagainstus。IwasgoingwesttheothermorningwhenIheardacrieran—
　　nouncingageneralwaruponStoneBoyandhispeople。ThecrierwasaBuffalo，goingatfullspeedfromwesttoeast。Again，IheardtheBeaverconversingwiththeMusk—rat，andbothsaidthattheirserviceswerealreadypromisedtooverflowthelakesandriversandcauseadestructiveflood。
　　Iheard，also，thelittleSwallowholdingasecretcouncilwithallthebirdsoftheair。HesaidthathehadbeenappointedamessengertotheThunderBirds，andthatatacertainsignalthedoorsoftheskywouldbeopenedandrainsdescendtodrownStoneBoy。OldBadgerandtheGrizzlyBearareappointedtoburrowunderneathourfortifica—
　　tions。
　　"’However，Iamnotatallafraidformyself，butIamanxiousforyou，Mother，andformyuncles。’
　　"’Ugh！’gruntedalltheuncles，’wetoldyouthatyouwouldgetintotroublebykillingsomanyofoursacredanimalsforyourownamuse—
　　ment。
　　"’But，’continuedStoneBoy，’Ishallmakeagoodresistance，andIexpectyoualltohelpme。’
　　"Accordinglytheyallworkedunderhisdirec—
　　tioninpreparingforthedefence。Firstofall，hethrewapebbleintotheair，andbeholdagreatrockywallaroundtheirteepee。Asecond，third，fourthandfifthpebblebecameotherwallswith—
　　outthefirst。Fromthesixthandseventhwereformedtwostonelodges，oneupontheother。
　　Theuncles。meantime，madenumbersofbowsandquiversfullofarrows，whichwererangedatcon—
　　venientdistancesalongthetopsofthewalls。Hismotherpreparedgreatquantitiesoffoodandmademanymoccasinsforherboy，whodeclaredthathewoulddefendthefortressalone。
　　"Atlasttheysawthearmyofbeastsadvancing，eachtribebyitselfandcommandedbyaleaderofextraordinarysize。Theonsetwasterrific。Theyflungthemselvesagainstthehighwallswithsav—
　　agecries，whilethebadgersandotherburrowinganimalsceaselesslyworkedtounderminethem。
　　StoneBoyaimedhissharparrowswithsuchdeadlyeffectthathisenemiesfellbythousands。
　　Sogreatwastheirlossthatthedeadbodiesoftheanimalsformedabarrierhigherthanthefirst，andthearmiesretiredinconfusion。
　　"Butreinforcementswereathand。Therainfellintorrents;thebeavershaddammedalltheriversandtherewasagreatflood。Thebesiegedallretreatedintotheinnermostlodge，butthewaterpouredinthroughtheburrowsmadebythebadgersandgophers，androseuntilStoneBoy’smotherandhistenuncleswerealldrowned。
　　StoneBoyhimselfcouldnotbeentirelydestroyed，buthewasovercomebyhisenemiesandlefthalfburiedintheearth，condemnednevertowalkagain，andtherewefindhimtothisday。
　　"Thiswasbecauseheabusedhisstrength，anddestroyedformereamusementthelivesofthecreaturesgivenhimforuseonly。"
　　VI
　　EveningintheLodgeI：EveningintheLodgeIHADbeenskatingonthatpartofthelakewheretherewasanoverflow，andcamehomesome—
　　whatcold。Icannotsayjusthowcolditwas，butitmusthavebeenintenselyso，forthetreeswerecrackingallaboutmelikepistolshots。I
　　didnotmind，becauseIwaswrappedupinmybuffalorobewiththehairinside，andawideleatherbelthelditaboutmyloins。Myskateswerenothingmorethanstripsofbasswoodbarkbounduponmyfeet。
　　Ihadtakenoffmyfrozenmoccasinsandputondryonesintheirplaces。
　　"Wherehaveyoubeenandwhathaveyoubeendoing？"Uncheedahaskedassheplacedbeforemesomeroastvenisoninawoodenbowl。
　　"Didyouseeanytracksofmooseorbear？"
　　"No，grandmother，Ihaveonlybeenplayingatthelowerendofthelake。Ihavesomethingtoaskyou，"Isaid，eatingmydinnerandsupperto—
　　getherwithalltherelishofahungryboywhohasbeenskatinginthecoldforhalfaday。