Native American Legends
Hótho
A Seneca Legend
One day a man who was out hunting met Hótho and said to him, "You
cannot freeze me, no matter bow cold you are."
"I can," said Hótho.
They had a long discussion and at last agreed that when night came
they would have a trial of strength.
The man went home, carried in wood enough to bum till morning,
built a huge fire and made a kettle full of hemlock tea. He stood
in front of the fire all night, turning first one side then the
other toward the heat, often drinking a cup of hot tea. It was terribly
cold and grew colder and colder till near morning.
Just at daybreak, Hótho, naked, his hatchet in his hip, came into
the house and sat down on a pile of bark by the fire.
"You have beaten me," said he, and that minute it began to grow
warm and thaw.
This shows that man can conquer Hótho.
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