Two hunters, both for some reason under a tabu against the meat of a
squirrel or turkey, had gone into the woods together. When evening
came they found a good camping place and lighted a fire to prepare
their supper. One of them had killed several squirrels during the day,
and now got ready to broil them over the fire. His companion warned
him that if he broke the tabu and ate squirrel meat he would become
a snake, but the other laughed and said that was only a conjurer's
story. He went on with his preparation, and when the squirrels were
roasted made his supper of them and then lay down beside the fire
to sleep.
Late that night his companion was aroused by groaning, and on looking
around he found the other lying on the ground rolling and twisting in
agony, and with the lower part of his body already changed to the body
and tail of a large water snake. The man was still able to speak and
called loudly for help, but his companion could do nothing, but only
sit by and try to comfort him while he watched the arms sink into
the body and the skin take on a scaly change that mounted gradually
toward the neck, until at last even the head was a serpent's head
and the great snake crawled away from the fire and down the bank into
the river.