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diff --git a/old/61477-0.txt b/old/61477-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0202145..0000000 --- a/old/61477-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,16813 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Seneca myths and folk tales, by Arthur C. Parker - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Seneca myths and folk tales - -Author: Arthur C. Parker - -Release Date: February 22, 2020 [EBook #61477] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SENECA MYTHS AND FOLK TALES *** - - - - -Produced by Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - BUFFALO - HISTORICAL SOCIETY - PUBLICATIONS - - - VOLUME TWENTY-SEVEN - - EDITED BY FRANK H. SEVERANCE - - -[Illustration: - - THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH LEGENDS WERE TOLD. - - FROM A PAINTING SHOWING THE INTERIOR OF A BARK LONG HOUSE, BY RICHARD - J. TUCKER. -] - - - - - SENECA MYTHS AND FOLK TALES - - - BY - - ARTHUR C. PARKER, M.S. - - _Archæologist, New York State Museum_ - _Life Member, The Buffalo Historical Society_ - - - BUFFALO, NEW YORK: - Published by the - BUFFALO HISTORICAL SOCIETY - 1923 - - - - - THE TRIBUNE PUBLISHING COMPANY - PRINTERS AND BINDERS - MEADVILLE, PA. - - - - - TO - FRANK H. SEVERANCE, L.H.D., LL.D. - _Secretary, The Buffalo Historical Society_ - _President, The New York State Historical Association_ - - -WHOSE NUMEROUS ESSAYS AND HISTORICAL WRITINGS HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF -INSPIRATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT, AND WHOSE INTEREST IN THE SENECA INDIANS -AND THEIR HISTORY HAS NEVER WANED, THIS VOLUME OF - - _SENECA FOLK TALES_ - -IS DEDICATED IN TESTIMONY OF THE AUTHOR’S SINCERE ADMIRATION AND ESTEEM. - - - - - SENECA MYTHS AND FOLK TALES - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - FOREWORD - - -The author of this collection of Seneca folk-tales cannot remember when -he first began to hear the wonder stories of the ancient days. His -earliest recollections are of hearing the wise old men relate these -tales of the mysterious past. They were called Kă´kāā, or Gă´kāā, and -when this word was uttered, as a signal that the marvels of old were -about to be unfolded, all the children grew silent,—and listened. In -those days, back on the Cattaraugus reservation, it was a part of a -child’s initial training to learn why the bear lost its tail, why the -chipmunk has a striped back and why meteors flash in the sky. - -Many years later,—it was in 1903,—the writer of this manuscript returned -to the Cattaraugus reservation bringing with him his friend Mr. Raymond -Harrington, for the purpose of making an archæological survey of the -Cattaraugus valley for the Peabody Museum of Archæology, of Harvard -University. Our base camp was on the old Silverheels farm, which -occupies the site of one of the early Seneca villages of the period -after the Erie war of 1654. Here also is the site of the original Lower -Cattaraugus of pre-Revolutionary days. - -To our camp came many Indian friends who sought to instruct Mr. -Harrington and myself in the lore of the ancients. We were regaled with -stories of the false faces, of the whirl-winds, of the creation of man, -of the death panther, and of the legends of the great bear, but in -particular we were blessed with an ample store of tales of vampire -skeletons, of witches and of folk-beasts, all of whom had a special -appetite for young men who dug in the ground for the buried relics of -the “old-time folks.” - -To us came Tahadondeh (whom the Christian people called George -Jimerson), Bill Snyder, Gahweh Seneca, a lame man from Tonawanda, Frank -Pierce and several others versed in folk-lore. I filled my note-books -with sketches and outlines of folk-fiction, and after our return to New -York, I began to transcribe some of the stories. - -The following winter was spent on the reservation among the -non-Christian element in a serious attempt to record folk tales, -ceremonial prayers, rituals, songs and customs. A large amount of -information and many stories were collected. Some of this material was -published by the State Museum, the rest perished in the Capitol fire at -Albany, in 1911. - -Later I was able to go over my original notes with Edward Cornplanter, -the local authority on Seneca religion, rites and folk-ways, and to -write out the material here presented. Cornplanter’s son Jesse assisted -by way of making drawings under his father’s direction. I also had the -help of Skidmore Lay, Ward B. Snow, Delos B. Kittle, Mrs. John Kittle, -James Crow and others. My informants from the lower reservation, the -Christian district, were Aurelia Jones Miller, Fred Kennedy, George D. -Jimerson, Julia Crouse, Moses Shongo, Mrs. Moses Shongo, David George, -William Parker, Job King, and Chester C. Lay; and Laura Doctor and Otto -Parker of the Tonawanda Reservation. - -In the preparation of these versions of old Seneca tales the writer used -no other texts for comparative purposes. It was thought best to rest -content with the version given by the Indian informant, and to wait -until a time of greater leisure came before attempting to annotate the -collection. Leisure has never seemed to be the privilege of the writer, -and one busy year has crowded upon another, until eighteen have passed -since the tales were written down. It may be best, after all, to present -the text just as it was prepared, and merely correct the spelling of a -name or two. It was not until after this text was in the hands of the -Buffalo Historical Society that the Curtin-Hewitt collection of Seneca -folk tales appeared, and though differences will be found between our -texts and those of Curtin, it must be remembered that variations are -bound to occur. All versions of folk tales recorded by different -individuals at different or even identical times will vary in certain -particulars, as is explained hereinafter. - -In the preparation of this volume the writer wishes to record his -indebtedness to Mr. George Kelley Staples, Senator Henry W. Hill, Mr. -George L. Tucker and Dr. Frank H. Severance, all members of the Buffalo -Historical Society, for the advice and encouragement given. - - ARTHUR C. PARKER. - - Buffalo Consistory, - A. A. S. R. - - Nov. 26, 1922. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - FOREWORD ix - - INTRODUCTION xvii - - - I. FUNDAMENTAL FACTORS IN SENECA FOLK LORE 1 - - BASIC PREMISES 3 - - GODS, MAJOR SPIRITS AND FOLK-BEASTS 5 - - NATURE BEINGS 10 - - MAGIC BEASTS AND BIRDS 16 - - MAGICAL MAN-LIKE BEINGS 18 - - - II. THEMES AND MATERIALS 23 - - STEREOTYPED OBJECTS AND INCIDENTS 27 - - COMPONENTS OF THE COSMOLOGICAL MYTH 33 - - - III. THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THE LEGENDS WERE TOLD 37 - - - IV. WHEN THE WORLD WAS NEW 57 - - 1. HOW THE WORLD BEGAN 59 - - 2. THE BROTHERS WHO CLIMBED INTO THE SKY 74 - - 3. THE DEATH PANTHER 78 - - 4. THE GREAT BEAR CONSTELLATION 81 - - 5. THE SEVEN BROTHERS OF THE STAR CLUSTER 83 - - 6. THE SEVEN STAR DANCERS 86 - - 7. THE COMING OF SPRING 88 - - 8. THE COMING OF DEATH 92 - - - V. BOYS WHO DEFIED MAGIC AND OVERCAME IT 95 - - 9. ORIGIN OF FOLK STORIES 97 - - 10. THE FORBIDDEN ARROW AND THE QUILT OF MEN’S EYES 101 - - 11. CORN GRINDER, THE GRANDSON 108 - - 12. HE-GOES-TO-LISTEN 116 - - 13. HATONDAS, THE LISTENER, FINDS A WIFE 122 - - 14. THE ORIGIN OF THE CHESTNUT TREE 128 - - 15. DIVIDED BODY RESCUES A GIRL 133 - - 16. THE ORIGIN OF THE BUFFALO SOCIETY 137 - - 17. THE BOY WHO COULD NOT UNDERSTAND 142 - - 18. THE BOY WHO LIVED WITH THE BEARS 147 - - 19. THE SEVENTH SON 154 - - 20. THE BOY WHO OVERCAME ALL MAGIC BY LAUGHTER 159 - - - VI. TALES OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE 171 - - 21. TWO FEATHERS AND TURKEY BROTHER 173 - - 22. TWO FEATHERS AND WOODCHUCK LEGGINGS 184 - - 23. TURKEY BOY SQUEEZED THE HEARTS OF SORCERERS 200 - - 24. CORN RAINS INTO EMPTY BARRELS 205 - - 25. TWENTGOWA AND THE MISCHIEF MAKER 208 - - 26. THE HORNED SERPENT RUNS AWAY WITH A GIRL 218 - - 27. THE GREAT SERPENT AND THE YOUNG WIFE 223 - - 28. BUSHY HEAD THE BEWITCHED WARRIOR 228 - - 29. THE FLINT CHIP THROWER 235 - - - VII. HORROR TALES OF CANNIBALS AND SORCERERS: 239 - - 30. THE DUEL OF THE DREAM TEST 241 - - 31. THE VAMPIRE SIRENS 253 - - 32. YOUNGER BROTHER ELUDES HIS SISTER-IN-LAW 262 - - 33. THE ISLAND OF THE CANNIBAL 269 - - 34. THE TWELVE BROTHERS AND THE WRAITH 278 - - 35. THE CANNIBAL AND HIS NEPHEW 284 - - 36. A YOUTH’S DOUBLE ABUSES HIS SISTER 290 - - 37. MURDERED DOUBLE SPEAKS THROUGH FIRE 293 - - 38. THE VAMPIRE CORPSE 298 - - - VIII. TALES OF TALKING ANIMALS: 301 - - 39. THE MAN WHO EXHALED FIRE 303 - - 40. THE TURTLE’S WAR PARTY 305 - - 41. THE RACE OF THE TURTLE AND THE BEAVER 309 - - 42. THE WOLF AND THE RACCOON 312 - - 43. THE CHIPMUNK’S STRIPES 314 - - 44. THE RABBIT SONG 315 - - 45. THE RABBIT GAMBLER 317 - - 46. THE RACCOON AND THE CRABS 319 - - 47. THE CRAB’S EYES 321 - - 48. HOW THE SQUIRREL GAVE A BLANKET, ETC. 322 - - 49. THE CHICKADEE’S SONG 325 - - 50. THE BIRD WOMAN 326 - - 51. THE PARTRIDGE’S SONG 328 - - - IX. TALES OF GIANTS, PYGMIES AND MONSTER BEARS: 329 - - 52. A TALE OF THE DJOGEON OR PYGMIES 331 - - 53. BEYOND-THE-RAPIDS AND THE STONE GIANT 334 - - 54. THE ANIMATED FINGER 337 - - 55. THE STONE GIANT’S BATTLE 340 - - 56. THE BOY AND THE FALSE FACE 342 - - 57. HOW A BOY OUTWITTED A NIA’´GWAHE 344 - - 58. NIA’´GWAHE, THE MAMMOTH BEAR 349 - - 59. THE BOY AND THE NIA’´GWAHE 358 - - - X. TRADITIONS: 363 - - SENECA BELIEF IN WITCHCRAFT 365 - - 60. CONTENTS OF A CHARM HOLDER’S BUNDLE 368 - - 61. CONTENTS OF A WITCH BUNDLE 369 - - 62. OVERCOMING A WITCH 370 - - 63. THE SCORNED WITCH WOMAN 372 - - 64. CATCHING A WITCH BUNDLE 376 - - 65. WITCH WITH A DOG TRANSFORMATION 378 - - 66. WITCH STEALS CHILDREN’S HEARTS 380 - - 67. HOTCIWAHO (HAMMER IN HIS BELT) 382 - - 68. HOW AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED 383 - - 69. ORIGIN OF THE CHARM HOLDER’S MEDICINE SOCIETY 386 - - 70. ORIGIN OF THE FALSE FACE COMPANY 394 - - 71. ORIGIN OF THE LONG HOUSE 403 - - 72. DEAD TIMBER, A TRADITION OF ALBANY 407 - - - XI. APPENDIX: 409 - - A. ORIGIN OF THE WORLD 411 - - B. THE WYANDOT CREATION MYTH 417 - - C. AN INTERVIEW WITH “ESQ.” JOHNSON BY MRS. ASHER WRIGHT 421 - - D. EMBLEMATIC TREES IN IROQUOIAN MYTHOLOGY 431 - - E. THE SOCIETY THAT GUARDS THE MYSTIC POTENCE 445 - - - - - ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PLATES: - - THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH LEGENDS WERE TOLD.—FROM PAINTING - BY R. J. TUCKER _Front._ - - EDWARD CORNPLANTER—SOSONDOWA Op. p. 4 - - DELOS BIG KITTLE—SAINOWA 〃 〃 58 - - THE SEVEN DANCING BROTHERS—FROM PAINTING BY R. J. TUCKER 〃 〃 82 - - MRS. JOHN BIG KITTLE.—PHOTO BY E. C. WINNEGAR 〃 〃 172 - - HADUI MASK OF THE FALSE FACE COMPANY 〃 〃 240 - - EMILY TALLCHIEF.—PHOTO BY E. C. WINNEGAR 〃 〃 364 - - - DRAWINGS BY JESSE CORNPLANTER: - - THE THUNDER SERPENT 7 - - THE SPIRIT OF DIONHEKON 11 - - THE FLYING HEAD OF THE WIND 13 - - THE SPIRIT OF THE FROST 14 - - THE SNOW SNAKE GAME 39 - - A BARK COMMUNAL HOUSE 47 - - THE BEAR DANCE 151 - - THE HORNED SERPENT Op. p. 218 - - MAGIC WHISTLE 255 - - FIGURE OF DANCING WARRIOR 273 - - RESTORATION OF RED HAND 386 - - - ILLUSTRATING EMBLEMATIC TREES: - - PICTOGRAPH OF THE SKY-DOME 432 - - A FALSE FACE LEADER 435 - - SYMBOLISM OF LEGGING STRIPS 437 - - SKY-DOME SYMBOLS 438 - - EMBROIDERED BORDERS 441 - - EMBROIDERED POUCH: SENECA WORK BEFORE 1850 Op. p. 442 - - FORMS OF THE CELESTIAL TREE 443 - - “BIG TREE IN MIDDLE OF THE EARTH” 444 - - ARRANGEMENT OF THE LITTLE WATER LODGE 451 - - BIBLIOGRAPHY 459 - - INDEX 461 - - - - - INTRODUCTION - - -In presenting this collection of Seneca myths and legends, the collator -feels that he should explain to the general reader that he does not -offer a series of tales that can be judged by present day literary -standards. These Indian stories are not published for the mere -entertainment of general readers, though there is much that is -entertaining in them, neither are they designed as children’s fables, or -for supplementary reading in schools, though it is true that some of the -material may be suited for the child mind. It must be understood that if -readings from this book are to be made for children, a wise selection -must be made. - -This collection is presented as an exposition of the unwritten -literature of the Seneca Indians who still live in their ancestral -domain in western New York. It is primarily a collection of folk-lore -and is to be looked at in no other light. The professional -anthropologist and historian will not need to be reminded of this. He -will study these tales for their ethnological significance, and use them -in making comparisons with similar collections from other tribes and -stocks. In this manner he will determine the similarities or differences -in theme, in episode and character. He will trace myth diffusion thereby -and be able to chart the elements of the Seneca story. - -There is an amazing lack of authentic material on Iroquois folk-lore, -though much that arrogates this name to itself has been written. The -writers, however, have in general so glossed the native themes with -poetic and literary interpretations that the material has shrunken in -value and can scarcely be considered without many reservations. - -We do not pretend to have made a complete collection of all available -material, but we have given a fairly representative series of myths, -legends, fiction and traditions. One may examine this collection and -find representative types of nearly every class of Seneca folk-lore. -Multiplication is scarcely necessary. - -The value of this collection is not a literary one but a scientific one. -It reveals the type of tale that held the interest and attention of the -Seneca; it reveals certain mental traits and tendencies; it reveals many -customs and incidents in native life, and finally, it serves as an index -of native psychology. - -The enlightened mind will not be arrogant in its judgment of this -material, but will see in it the attempts of a race still in mental -childhood to give play to imagination and to explain by symbols what it -otherwise could not express. - -While there is much value in this collection explaining indirectly the -folk-ways and the folk-thought of the Seneca and their allied kinsmen, -the whole life of the people may not be judged from these legends. Much -more must be presented before such a judgment is formed. Just as we gain -some knowledge of present day religions, governmental methods, social -organization and political economy from the general literature of the -day, but only a portion, and this unsystematized, so do we catch only a -glimpse of the life story of the Seneca from their folk-tales. - -To complete our knowledge we must have before us works on Seneca -history, ethnology, archæology, religion, government and language. -Finally, we must personally know the descendents of the mighty Seneca -nation of old. We must enter into the life of the people in a -sympathetic way, for only then can we get at the soul of the race. - -While all this is true, these folk-tales are not to be despised, for -they conserve many references to themes and things that otherwise would -be forgotten. Folk-lore is one of the most important mines of -information that the ethnologist and historian may tap. We can never -understand a race until we understand what it is thinking about, and we -can never know this until we know its literature, written or unwritten. -The folk-tale therefore has a special value and significance, if -honestly recorded. - - - METHODS EMPLOYED IN RECORDING FOLK TALES. - -There are several methods which may be employed in recording folk-lore, -and the method used depends largely upon the purpose in mind. A poet may -use one method, and grasping the plot of a tale, recast it in a verbiage -entirely unsuitable and foreign to it; a fiction writer may use another -plan, a school boy another, a student of philology another, a missionary -another, and finally a student of folk lore still another. - -The poet will see only the inherent beauty of the story, and perhaps -failing to find any beauty, will invent it and produce a tale that no -Indian would ever recognize. Plot and detail will be changed, fine -flowery language will be used, and perhaps the whole given the swing and -meter of blank verse. This is all very well for the poet, but he has -buried the personality of the folk-tale, albeit in petals of -roses,—instead of allowing it nakedly to appear the living thing it is. - -The fiction writer will take the original Indian tale and tear it apart -with keen eyed professional discrimination. He will recast the plot, -expand here and there, explain here and prune down there. He will invent -names and new situations to make the story “go,” then, as a rule, he -sells it to a magazine or makes a collection of tales for “a -supplementary reader for children.” But are these Indian tales? - -The amateur, finding good material in the Indian story will do as the -fiction writer does, but he will work in foreign allusions and -inconsistent elements and in other ways betray his unfamiliarity with -his material. Like the fiction writer he is primarily after a story that -he can dress as he pleases. - -The sectarian enthusiast, recording folk-lore, will frequently seek to -show the absurdity of the Indian tale, and point out the foolishness of -peoples who are unacquainted with biblical teachings, but it is -fortunate that all missionaries have not done this. Many have recorded -folk-tales with great conscientiousness, and some of our best sources -are from the notes of well informed missionaries. - -The philologist will seek to make literal transcripts of every Indian -word in painstaking phonetic spelling, and then secure an analytical -interlinear translation. This is an accurate but awkward way of securing -the tale, for readers who are accustomed to reading only straight -English. It makes it a most tedious and laborious thing to read, and -totally deprives the text of all literary life. - -The student of folk lore starts in with a purpose. This is to secure the -tale in such a manner, that without unnecessarily colored verbiage, it -may be consistently dressed, and set forth in fluent English (or other -modern language) in such a manner that it may be understood by an -ordinary reader. The folk-lore student has still another motive and -purpose, which is to so present his legend that it will awaken in the -mind of his reader sensations similar to those aroused in the mind of -the Indian auditor hearing it from the native raconteur. The recorder of -the tale seeks to assimilate its characteristics, to become imbued with -its spirit, to understand its details, to follow its language,—its -sentences,—one by one, as they follow in sequence, and then he seeks to -present it consistently. He adds nothing not in the original,—despite -the temptation to improve the plot,—he presents the same arrangement as -in the original, he uses similar idioms and exclamations, similar -introductory words and phrases, and presents an honestly constructed -free translation. This is far from an easy thing to do, for it -frequently lays the recorder open to the charge of being a clumsy story -teller. The temptation is ever present to tell a good story, and let the -legend become the skeleton over which the words are woven. Needless to -say, this is not an honest thing to do, and the folk-lore student -resists this temptation, and gives his product a genuine presentation, -regardless of what literary critics may think. He strives only to be the -medium by which a native tale is transformed from its original language -to that of another tongue. The thought, the form and the sequence of the -story he insists must remain exactly as it was, though the verbal dress -is European and not Indian.[1] - -Perhaps actual illustrations of these methods will serve to convey the -thought we are attempting to explain. Examples follow: - - - TEXT IN SENECA WITH INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION. - - Ne’´ gwā´, gi’´o^n‘, hadi´noñge’ ne‘´ sgäoñ‘iādĭ‘´ ne‘´ - There it seems they dwell the other side the - it is said of the sky - - hĕñ´noñgwe‘. Da´, s‘hă’degano´ndāĕ^n‘ ne’´ho‘ ni‘hono^n‘sō´t - they (M) man So just in the center there just his - beings of the village lodge stands - - ne‘´ hă‘sĕñnowā´nĕ^n‘, ne’´ho‘ hādjwadä´iĕ^n’, ne’´ ne´io’ - the he Chief there his family the his - (great name) lies wife - - ne’´ kho‘´ ne‘´ sgā´t hodiksă’dā´iĕ^n’, ie´o^n‘ ne‘´ ieksă’´ă‘. - that and the one they child have she - (it is) female is the child. - - Waādiĕñgwă‘´s‘hoñ‘ o´nĕ^n‘ ho’ wă‘´săwĕ^n’ ne‘´ hăgweñdä’´s. - He was surprised now it that he became lonesome. - - O´nĕ^n‘ dĭ´q we´so’ ho’nĕñ´iathĕñ‘ ne‘´ Hagĕ^n´tcĭ; ne’´ - Now moreover much his bones are dry the He Ancient that - (he is very lean) One - - gai´ioñnĭ t‘hĕ^n’´ĕ^n‘ deo’nigoñ‘´īiō‘ he‘´ odiksă’dā´iĕ^n’āiĕñ’´ - it causes not (it is) his mind happy because they child one would - is have think - - nĕ’´ noñ‘´ heniio’´dĕn‘ ne‘´ ne‘´ hosheie´o^n. - that perhaps so it is in that the he is - jealous. - state - - - LITERAL TRANSLATION. - -There were, it seems, so it is said, man-beings dwelling on the other -side of the sky. So just in the center of their village the lodge of the -chief stood, wherein lived his family, consisting of his wife and one -child, that they two had. He was surprised that then he began to become -lonesome. Now furthermore, he the Ancient was very lean, his bones -having become dried, and the cause of this condition was that they two -had the child, and one would think, judging from the circumstances that -he was jealous. - -Such is the beginning of the Seneca version of Iroquoian cosmology as -given by J. N. B. Hewitt in the 21st Report of the Bureau of Ethnology. -This faithful record of a native text and its translation is literally a -most painstaking work involving the closest attention to the minor -sounds in the language, in order that each word may be phonetically -recorded. To wade through this literal translation from the beginning to -the end of the myth would be too tedious for anyone but an enthusiastic -student of native tongues. To the majority of readers it would be a -forbidding task. Even to follow the involved language and grammatical -forms of the close literal translation would tire the mind of anyone -whose mother tongue was not that of the text. - -A free translation, therefore becomes a prime necessity, but this must -not disturb the original thought. Just how to make such a translation -honestly becomes a problem beset with difficulty. Our plan is to smooth -out the language, divest it of its awkward arrangement, and allow the -thought to flow on. Let us attempt this in the following: - - - FREE TRANSLATION. - -In ancient times a race of transcendent men dwelt on the other side of -the sky. In the center of a village in that land stood the lodge of -Ancient One, the chief, and there he lived with his wife and one child. -To his astonishment, though he had these companions, he began to feel -lonely and neglected. His form grew emaciated and his “bones became -dry,” for he longed for the attentions his wife now gave to his child. - -Just how the poet would handle this version we hesitate to conjecture -but we may easily imagine that he would make the most of the land above -the sky, the celestial lodge, the age of the Ancient One, his initial -joy at the birth of his child, and his gradual discovery that his wife’s -affection had been transferred from him to their offspring, of the agony -of soul that wilted his heroic form and caused his very bones to wither -and lose their marrow, and of the final madness of the Ancient One, who -(to follow the myth in its fullness), had a tormenting dream which -caused him to tear up the celestial tree and cast his wife into the -cavernous hole that dropped down into chaos. - -The plot of this myth-tale has elements that make it excellent material -for the fiction writer who would recast it entirely and weave it into -the thrilling story of celestial tragedy. We have seen such attempts and -have been astonished at the audacity of the writer who thus presents his -product as a “genuine Indian myth.” Yet, most popular versions of Indian -legends are recast to such an extent that the Indian who supplied the -bones would never recognize the creature the white man “teller-of-tales” -has clothed with civilized flesh. As an example of such fabrication, -witness the speech of Hiawatha to the assembled tribes as presented by -J. V. H. Clark in his “Onondaga.” (Vol. I, p. 28 ff.) This famous speech -has been passed down as Hiawatha’s own words and has been the -inspiration of more than one poet, though Clark admitted in later years -that he invented the entire address, basing it upon some obscure -references in the original tradition. In many a work on “Indian fables -for children” the so-called fable is merely an invention, and the only -Indian thing about it is the dash of Indian flavor used to give the -story plausibility. Indians who have never seen or read the text of such -stories of course might easily be induced in various ways to sign -statements vouching for them, thus contributing to the intensification -of error. - -It is well to analyze the folk-tale or myth for its theme and to check -it against others, thereby determining whether or not it is actually -authentic. If it appears unusual and unlike anything other informants -have given, it may be placed in the class of doubtful fiction, and -especially so if the “fable” has a “moral” attached to it. - - - OBTAINING CORRECT VERSIONS. - -It might be supposed that myths and folk-tales which are orally -transmitted would suffer great changes as they pass from one story -teller to another, and that in time a given tale would become utterly -corrupted, and indeed so changed that it would bear faint resemblance to -the “original.” Yet, an examination of the myths and legends recorded by -early observers, as the early missionaries, show that the modern -versions have suffered no essential change. An excellent example is the -Iroquoian creation myth, as recorded by the Jesuit fathers in the -_Relations_. - -Religious traditions, ceremonies and myths, being of a “sacred” -character, must be related with a certain fidelity which forbids any -real change in the content. To a lesser degree, perhaps, but not much -less, the “gă´gāā” legends of the Iroquois are protected from violent -alteration. The legend is a thing, to the Indian mind, and it has a -certain personality. In certain instances the legend is a personal or -group possession and its form and content are religiously guarded from -change. With tales told for mere amusement, tales belonging to the class -of mere fiction, greater liberties may be taken. - -Notwithstanding all this, it is certain that there are several versions -of each legend. Certain groups tell the myth or legend in different -ways. There are short versions and long versions and there are Seneca -versions and Mohawk versions. In order to ascertain the “correct -version” we must examine several versions as related by different -narrators, and then after making an outline of the episodes, the -characters and the motives, determine what the central theme of all is. -We can in this manner judge what is essential and what is non-essential. - -There is a wide variation in the language used in the narration of some -legends, just as there is in the relation of modern stories told over -the banquet table. A better example of variation, is to consider the -innumerable versions of common nursery stories, as Puss in Boots, -Cinderella, or Aladdin’s Lamp. Yet the theme of the story and the -episodes, to say nothing of the characters, remain unchanged. Just so -with most Iroquois folk-lore, much depends upon the author-raconteur. -Some will add explanatory matter, some will add picturesque -descriptions, some will add an abundance of conversation, and some will -expand on the emotions of the characters. There is a wide individual -variation in these matters, and much depends upon the training and -education of the narrator, as well as upon his temperament. Language may -differ somewhat, but the theme must remain,—the real story must never -suffer essential change. - - - STORY-TELLING CUSTOMS OF THE SENECA. - -Among the Seneca, in common with other Iroquois tribes, each settlement -had its official story tellers whose predecessors had carefully taught -them the legends and traditions of the mysterious past. - -According to ancient traditions, no fable, myth-tale, or story of -ancient adventure might be told during the months of summer. Such -practice was forbidden by “the little people” (djogĕ´o^n), the wood -fairies. Should their law be violated some djogĕ´o^n flying about in the -form of a beetle or bird might discover the offender and report him to -their chief. Upon this an omen would warn the forgetful Indian. Failing -to observe the sign some evil would befall the culprit. Bees might sting -his lips or his tongue would swell and fill his mouth, snakes might -crawl in his bed and choke him while he slept, and so on, until he was -punished and forced to desist from forbidden talk. - -Certain spirits were reputed to enforce this law for two purposes; -first, that no animal should become offended by man’s boasting of his -triumph over beasts, or at the same time learn too much of human -cunning, and fly forever the haunts of mankind; and second, that no -animal, who listening to tales of wonder, adventure or humor, should -become so interested as to forget its place in nature, and pondering -over the mysteries of man’s words, wander dazed and aimless through the -forest. To listen to stories in the summer time made trees and plants as -well as animals and men lazy, and therefore scanty crops, lean game and -shiftless people resulted. To listen to stories made the birds forget to -fly to the south when winter came, it made the animals neglect to store -up winter coats of fur. All the world stops work when a good story is -told and afterwards forgets its wonted duty in marveling. Thus the -modern Iroquois, following the old-time custom, reserves his tales of -adventures, myth and fable for winter when the year’s work is over and -all nature slumbers. - -The story teller (Hage´otă’) when he finds an audience about him or -wishes to call one, announces his intention to recite a folk-tale, -(gă´gāā, or in the plural, gägä‘´sho^n’´o‘) by exclaiming -“I’´newa’eñgegĕ´odĕ^n, Hau’´nio‘´ djadao^n “diĭ^nus!” The auditors -eagerly reply “He^n‘´” which is the assenting to the proposed relation -of the folk-tale. - -At intervals during the relation of a story the auditors must exclaim -“hĕ^n‘´.” This is the sign that they were listening. If there was no -frequent response of “he,” the story teller would stop and inquire what -fault was found with him or his story. - -It was not only considered a breach of courtesy for a listener to fall -asleep, but also a positive omen of evil to the guilty party. If any one -for any reason wished to sleep or to leave the room, he must request the -narrator to “tie the story,” “e^nsĕgägha‘´a.” Failing to say this and -afterwards desiring to hear the remainder of the tale, the narrator -would refuse, for if he related it at all it must be from the beginning -through, unless “tied.” Thus “ĕ^nsĕgäha‘´a” was the magic word by which -a legend might be told as a serial (from ĕ^nsege´odĕ). - -A story teller was known as “Hage´otă’” and his stock of tales called -“ganondas‘hägo^n”. Each listener gave the story teller a small gift, as -a bead, small round brooch, beads, tobacco, or other trinket. To tell -stories was called “ĕ^nsege´odĕ^n”, and the gift was termed -“dagwa´niatcis,” now an obsolete word. - - - PHONETIC KEY. - -a as in father - -ā preceding sound, prolonged - -ă as in what - -ä as in hat - -â as in all - -ai as in aisle - -au as _ou_ in out - -c as _sh_ in shall - -ç as _th_ in wealth - -d pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the upper teeth, as in -enunciating English _th_ in with; the only sound of _d_ employed in -writing native words - -e as in they - -ĕ as in met - -f as in waif - -g as in gig - -h as in hot - -i as in pique - -ĭ as in pit - -k as in kick - -n as in run - -ñ as _ng_ in ring - -o as in note - -q as _ch_ in German ich - -r slightly trilled; this is its only sound - -s as in sop - -t pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the upper teeth, as in -enunciating the English _th_ in with; this is its only sound - -u as in rule - -ŭ as in rut - -w as in wit - -y as in ye - -dj as _j_ in judge - -hw as _wh_ in what - -tc as _ch_ in church - -^n marks nasalized vowels, thus e^n, o^n, ai^n, ĕ^n, ä^n, â^n - -‘ indicates an aspiration or soft emission of breath - -’ marks the glottal stop, ä’, ĕ^n’ - -t‘h In this combination _t_ and _h_ are separately uttered, as _th_ in -the English words hothouse, foothold - - - - - I - FUNDAMENTAL FACTORS IN SENECA FOLK-LORE - - - - - SENECA MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES - - - _BASIC PREMISES OF SENECA FOLK-LORE._ - -The myths and legends of the Seneca are built upon certain well -recognized and deeply rooted postulates. Each bit of folk-lore must have -its consistency adjudged by these elements in order to be credible. Any -myth or legend that offended the standards so set would immediately be -rejected by the Seneca as spurious. To a large extent the premises of -folk-lore are founded on folk-thought, and woe to the innovator who -sought to direct his theme from the accepted thought patterns. - -Among the basic beliefs upon which the folk-tale is built are the -following: - -_Unseen spirits._ Spirits pervade all nature and affect man for good or -evil. Their desires and plans must be satisfied by man. There are both -good and evil spirits. Spirits may inhabit anything in nature. - -_Conflict of good and evil spirits._ Good spirits are constantly making -war upon evil spirits. - -_Magical power._ There is such a thing as orenda or magical power. Such -power makes its possessor the master over the natural order of things. -This orenda may be acquired in various ways. It may be residual, and -therefore an attribute of the individual, or it may be inherent in some -charm or fetish. Virtuous persons may be given a good orenda, which is -always more powerful in the end than the evil orenda which is possessed -by witches and sorcerers. - -_Transformation._ Any being possessing orenda may transform himself into -any form,—animate or inanimate, as his orenda gives power. Anything seen -in nature may be a temporary or a permanent transformation of a being -having orenda. Transformation may be by command or by entering the skin -of the creature whose form one desires to assume. Animals having orenda -may assume human form and mingle with human beings. A group of people, -therefore, may in reality be a transformed group of animals, and -likewise with individuals. - -_All nature is conscious._ Everything in the Seneca philosophy lives and -is conscious. It is a being and in communication with other parts of -nature. Anything in nature may be spoken to and it will hear what one -has said. It may be induced to act in one’s behalf. - -_All living creatures have souls._ The Seneca believes that animals have -souls that are alike in their nature to the souls of human beings. The -hunter, therefore, propitiates the soul of the animal he kills, and -explains why he killed it. The souls of friendly animals help man, if -man has been courteous, and has properly propitiated them. Souls of evil -animals injure men and must be “bought off.” The souls of all creatures -return to the Maker of Souls just as man’s does. - -_Master of souls._ There is in the heaven world a Master of life and -soul. He allows his subordinate spirits to rule the earth-world and -concerns himself generally with his own realm. Souls that return to him -are taken apart and readjusted that they may function properly in the -immortal realm. Evil is therefore conceived in a measure as a -maladjustment of the soul’s parts. - -_Ghosts._ The manes of departed men and animals wander over their -familiar haunts and startle men by their “materializations.” Wandering -ghosts generally want something and must have their desires satisfied. -The evil of the living person is intensified in the ghost. A ghost is -the body spirit and not the real psychic personality. - -[Illustration: - - EDWARD CORNPLANTER—SOSONDOWA - - Leading chief of the Cattaraugus Wolf Clan and High Priest of the - Ganiodaiu religion. Mr. Cornplanter was probably the last of the New - York Iroquois who knew by heart every one of the ancient ceremonial - rituals. He died in June, 1918, aged 67, and was buried near the - Newtown Long House. -] - -_Dreams._ Dreams are experiences of the soul as it leaves the body -during sleep. The dream god guides the soul to its dream experience. -Dreams that prompt the individual to certain desires must be interpreted -by a chosen person or by volunteer guessers, and the desire must be -satisfied, or calamity will befall the dreamer as well as the -unsuccessful guesser. Prophetic dreams must guide action and dream -demands must not be lightly set aside. - -_Monsters._ There are monsters that men seldom see. These affect the -welfare and the destiny of man. They are generally evil and seek to -destroy and sometimes to eat human beings. - -_Wizards._ There are such beings as wizards, witches and sorcerers. -These beings possess an evil orenda and seek to destroy innocent people. - - - _GODS, MAJOR SPIRITS AND FOLK-BEASTS OF THE SENECA._ - - - 1. BEINGS OF THE PRIMAL ORDER. - -The first of the God Being was Te‘hao^n‘hwĕñdjaiwă’´kho^n’ or Earth -Holder. It was he who ruled the sky world and lived in the great -celestial lodge beneath the celestial tree. As the result of a dream -this chief, who also bears the title, Ancient One, was moved to take to -himself as a wife a certain maiden, known as Awĕ^nhā´i‘, Mature Flower -(Fertile Earth). Mature Flower consented to the betrothal, but due to -the embrace of her lover inhaled his breath, and was given a child. The -attention she gave this child caused the Ancient One to be moved to -jealousy, this emotion being aroused in him through the machinations of -the Fire Beast, whose invisibility rendered his work the more subtle. -Little is known through mythology of Ancient One, since his field is a -celestial one, and he seldom interferes with the doings of men of our -present order. Of his unhappy wife, who was cast through the hole made -by the uprooting of the celestial tree we learn more.[2] - -The wife of the Ancient One was Iage^n’´tci‘, also meaning Ancient One -(Body). We recognize her in the Huron myths as recorded or mentioned in -the Jesuit _Relations_ as Ataentsic (Ataaentsik). In Onondaga this would -be Eiă’tăgĕ^n‘´tci‘. Her story is given in all versions of the creation -myth. - -Her personal name seldom appears, but Hewitt gives it as Awĕ^n‘hā´i‘, -this referring to her maturity, or ability to bring forth seed. In some -versions the Chief casts his wife into the abyss made by uprooting the -celestial tree, Gai^niă’´tgä’´hei‘; in others her own curiosity is -responsible. The tree in such versions is uprooted as a dream demand and -her enraged husband pushes her into the hole made thereby through the -crust of the heaven world. After the completion of the earth-world the -sky mother returned by way of an etherial path that plainly was visible -to her, this having been made by her daughter, the first born and the -first to die of earth creatures. - -Fire Beast (Gaăs‘ioñdie´t‘hă’), appears to have been one of the -important primal beings, and to have exercised a malign influence even -upon the inhabitants of the celestial world. He is described as of “sky -color” or invisible, and he is only detected at all when he emits -streams and flashes of light from his head. When a meteor flashes the -Iroquois recognizes the Fire Beast. His appearance is counted as a sign -of direful calamity and death. - -[Illustration: - - THE THUNDER SPIRIT - - This is the powerful Hihnon, one of the principal spirits in the - Seneca pantheon. Drawing by Jesse Cornplanter. -] - -Whirlwind (S‘hagodiiwe^n‘´gōwā or Hadu’´i’), was also a primal power of -great importance. He is the controller of the violent winds, and he -takes his name, He-who-defends-us, from his promise to help mankind when -threatened by calamity. His symbol is the crooked-mouthed false face. -There is also the concept of the four defenders, one for each of the -cardinal directions. It was Whirlwind who boasted his power to the Good -Mind (Iouskeha) and who had the contest with him of mountain moving. The -face became mutilated by the mountain coming too quickly against it, at -the command of the Good Mind. Agreeing that he was now a subordinate he -agreed furthermore, to drive away disease and pestilence and to defend -men-beings, who should be thereafter created, from malign influences. -His face carved in wood, after certain propitiatory and invocatory -ceremonies, was and still is used by the conservative Iroquois in their -ceremonial events, particularly at the mid-winter thanksgiving, when -parties of masked figures go from house to house, singing the magical -songs deemed potent for this purpose. The common name is Hadu’´i’, but -in all ceremonies the full Seneca appellation is given, -(Shagodiiwĕ^n´‘gōwā). - -The Thunderer, Hĭ’´no^n’, was another of the great beings, but he -appears in the second order of mythology, as a servant to Iouskeha. He -occupies a high place in the category of Iroquois gods, so high a place -that it is an open question whether or not the Great Being whom the -Iroquois now address as Hawĕñi´o’ is not identical with the Thunderer, -though there is also a recognition of the Thunderer as a separate being. -The name Hawĕñi´o’, apparently is derived from owĕñ´nă’, (voice) and -i´o’ (good, great, majestic or beautiful). The initial _Ha_ is the -masculine sign. The name thus means, He-great-voice. This alludes to the -thunder. The Thunderer is a mighty being, the maker of rains. He -wrinkles his brow and the thunder rolls, he winks his eyes and -lightnings flash like arrows of fire. The Thunderer hates all evil -spirits, and he is charged with terrorizing the _otgont_ or malicious -dwellers of the under-world to return to their cave. He seeks to slay -the under water serpent and all folk-beasts that would use evil magic. - -The benificient earth-god was T‘haho^n’hiawă’´ko^n, the light or elder -twin of the Sky Woman’s daughter. He is variously called Iouskeha -(Huron), Hă’ni‘go‘´io’, Good Mind, Elder Brother, and Sky Holder. It was -he who watched at the grave of his mother, and discovered the food -plants. It was he who set forth on the journey “to the East” and -obtained from his father the power to rule. He made the earth habitable -for man, obtained the mastery over the Thunderer and the Whirlwind, and -even made his grandmother, Eiă’tăgĕ^n‘´tci‘ (Awĕ^n‘hā´i‘) play the game -of plum stones, the result of which should determine who should rule the -earth. He animated his plum stone dice and gave them understanding, -ordered them to arrange themselves as he directed, and thereby won the -highest count in a single throw. This gave him mastery over his evil -brother Tawis´karo^n (the icy or flinty one), for the grandmother -sympathised with this ugly twin brother of his. In the heaven world, -T‘haho^n’hiawă’´ko^n, now lives with his grandmother, in the reunited -family of celestial beings, and though he grows very old he has the -power of renewing himself at will, and exercises this power over good -souls that come into the heaven world. He created man after observing -his own reflection in a pool of water, after which he made miniature -figures in clay and commanded them to live. - -Tawis´karo^n, was the second born of the daughter of the Sky Woman. He -was of destructive nature, and found his way to life through the axilla -of his mother, killing her at birth. His heart was made of ice or of -flint (the words are similar). His delight is in destroying living -things, especially by freezing. He created all the evil beasts, -serpents, insects and birds. He invented thorns, briars, and by kicking -at the earth made cliffs and precipices. During his career he stole all -the good animals and hid them in a cave; he drove all the birds away. -His great feat was in stealing the sun and hiding it in the far -southwest. Aided by the fires which his brother, T‘haho^n’hiwă’´ko^n, -and his cohorts secured, the birds and animals were found and the sun -was released. This of course typifies the annual triumph of summer over -winter, the return of the migrating birds, and the return of the heat of -the sun. Tawis´karo^n is then confined to his cavern, hence his name -Hanis‘he´ono^n, meaning He who dwells in the earth. With the coming of -the Christian missionaries, Tawiskaro was identified with the Christian -devil, (Hă’nigoiĕt´gä‘, bad mind).[3] Strangely, about this time it was -the Thunder god, instead of the good-minded Sky Holder, who was -metamorphosed into the Great Spirit, Hawĕñi´o’, this name being the -Seneca equivalent for Jehovah (God).[4] - -Lesser known gods were Ai‘ko^n’ the Dream god, Haskotă´hiāhāks, the Head -Opener, and Deiodă‘sondăi’ko^n‘, Thick Night. Aikon, caused the dreams -which demanded interpretation, and Haskotahiahaks, opened the heads of -soul-bodies as they passed over the sky-trail (Milky Way), and examined -them for good and evil thoughts, after which he ate the brains. - -Cosmic trees. There is a marvelous tree in the center of the heaven -world. It bears all manner of fruits and flowers. (See cosmological -myth, p. 59.) - -There is a great tree in the center of the earth. Its top touches the -sky. It grew in the world of the first order and it bore flowers of -light. To touch this tree is to acquire great magical power. The -Whirlwinds rub their rattles against it and become full of orenda. - - - 2. NATURE BEINGS. - -The Sun, among the nature gods, is recognized by the Seneca as a -powerful being. Yet, unlike the gods in other theogenies, the Sun is a -creation made after the formation of the world,—at least so it would -appear from the common cosmogeny. Sun was created from the face of the -earth-mother, yet it may be that her face was the sacrifice that brought -the Sun into evidence. There is evidence of attempts to conceal the -origin of the sun in several of the myths. He appears as the messenger -of the Sky Chief and as the special god of war, Ho‘sgĕ^n’age‘´dăgōwā. He -also appears as existing before the birth of the primal twins, and it -appears that he is the being who sat on the mountain “to the east across -the sea,” and who gave power to the Good Mind, or T’haho^nhiawă’´ko^n. -It thus appears there is an imperfect assimilation of conflicting myths, -probably from different sources. - -[Illustration: - - THE SPIRIT OF DIONHEKON - - In this drawing the spirit of the food plants is shown touching the - shoulder of Handsome Lake, the Seneca Prophet. Drawing by Jesse - Cornplanter. -] - -Each day the Sun starts from his resting place in the branches of the -celestial tree, takes his path under the lifted east sky, rolls up the -dome and commences his unerring watch of the movements of men. Wherever -there is light, there is the messenger of the Sky Chief watching human -behaviour. Returning at night, he recites all that he has observed on -earth. - -He bears the name Endĕ´ka Gää‘´kwă, Diurnal Orb of Light. - -The Moon is Soi‘´ka Gää‘´kwă, Nocturnal Orb of Light, and she is hailed -as “Our Grandmother.” In each of her several phases she has a different -name and function. She is watched by the females as a sign of health, -and by the men as a sign of hunting luck. By the Moon time is regulated, -and each monthly moon has a special name. Of all heavenly bodies she is -the most mysterious, though not the most powerful. - -Morning Star, Gĕndeñ´wit‘hă, is one of the great beings of the sky and -her appearance is watched as an omen. It appears that once Morning Star -was an important celestial personage, but the Iroquois have drifted away -from giving her special honors. She appears in several rolls, sometimes -as a siren who lures hunters into a luckless marriage, mysteriously -leaving them to wander the world over in search of her. She appears to -have charmed an elk into loving her, and also as a rescuer of starving -villages in time of famine. She is called Gadjĭ‘so^n´dă’ gĕndeñ´wit‘hă’. - -[Illustration: - - THE FLYING HEAD OF THE WIND - - This is the whirlwind or Dagwanoeient. Drawing by Jesse Cornplanter. -] - -Storm Wind, Dagwanoeient, (Dagwano‘ĕñ´iĕn) is a being of great activity, -and he has a whole tribe of subordinates bearing his name. He appears to -men as a Flying Head, with long streaming hair, and his exploits are -generally discreditable. He is a great wizard and takes delight in -destroying things. His friends are generally sorcerers and otgont -(evilly potent) beasts. Many legends are related about Dagwanoeient in -his various forms, for he has several transformations. - -Gä´ha‘, the zephyr, is a softer wind than the stormy Dagwanoeient, and -appears to be of a kindlier disposition. While Gä´ha‘ may have done -magical things, it was not malign, and there are legends that tell how -Gaha wooed some fair forest maid and married her. Gaha helps plant grow -and is associated with the warm season when fruits ripen and mature. - -[Illustration: - - THE SPIRIT OF THE FROST - - This is Haht´ho, the spirit of the frost who signals by knocking on - the trees in winter. Drawing by Jesse Cornplanter. -] - -The Frost god is known as Hă’´tho‘, and he is described as a fierce and -relentless old man who lives where frosts and ice abound the year -around. His home in the north is called Othowege. It is he who brings -the frost and who causes the snows to sweep over the earth. His clothing -is ice and he carries a maul with which he pounds the ice on rivers and -lakes, making them crack with a resounding boom. He also causes that -peculiar knocking sound on trees when the weather is very cold. He has -one great enemy, it is the spirit of Spring, who assisted by Thaw drives -him from the region that he has invaded and sends him grumbling back to -the northland. The Frost god has as his friends Dagwanoeient, the Storm -Wind, and Falling Hail. - -The Hail spirit is called Owisondyon. He loves to startle people by -coming unexpectedly in the warm months of early summer and to pelt the -growing crops with his icy missiles. Sometimes he is given the name, -Dehodyadgaowen, meaning Divided Body. - -The Spring god is Dedio‘s‘hwineq´do^n, and he is young and very -muscular. He loves to wrestle with the winter winds and even enters -Ha’´tho’s lodge and teases him to desperation while his faithful ally, -Thaw, plays havoc with the ice and the drifts outside. Spring tortures -the Winter god with a medicine made of blackberry juice, for Winter god -knows that when blackberries grow winter is beyond the power of injuring -the world. At last Spring and Winter have a wrestling match in which -Winter is overcome and his bodily form melts upon the ground, while his -spirit whines away, driven north by the south winds. Spring lives in -Onē´na^n’ge‘, Sunshine land. - -The Thaw god is Dăgā’ĕ^n‘´dă, the faithful ally of Spring. When he -comes, in mid-winter he appears suddenly and begins to wreck the icy -blankets that winter has placed over the earth. Winter then knows that -Spring is coming and exerts all his magic to freeze the world again and -to make his reign even more terrible. Time passes and Thaw comes again -bringing his master, Spring, and then there is a fight to the finish, -and Spring is supreme, while Thaw pursues ever to torment Hă’´tho‘, on -his frontiers. - -The spirits of sustenance are known as Dio^n’he´ko^n, and they are -represented as the inseparable spirits of the corn, the bean and the -squash. They are sometimes referred to as “the three sisters.” The -ceremonial dance in their honor is called Goñdă‘goñwi´sas. There are -many legends of these spirits of sustenance and the wise men and women -of ancient times tell of hearing them talk together in the fields where -they grow together. - -Tide spirit is known as S‘hagowe´not‘ha, and it is he who controls the -rising and falling of the great waters, twice in each day. It is said -that he controls the lifting of the sky’s rim in the land of -Gaenhyakdondye (the horizon), which allows the sun to emerge in the -morning and depart at night. Sometimes he tempts canoemen far out to sea -and then crushes them under the edge of the sky’s rim. He sometimes -lures disobedient boys to lonely islands where witches and wizards live -on human flesh. Altogether, aside from certain functions, he is an evil -monster. - -Will-o’-the-wisp, or Gahai’´, is known as the witch’s torch. It is not a -spirit of the first order, but merely a flying light which directs -sorcerers and witches to their victims. Sometimes it guides them to the -spots where they may find their charms. Sorcerers have been detected by -the frequent appearance of their Gahai’´, which leaves their smoke hole -and guides them as they ride in mid air on their evil journeys. - - - 3. MAGIC BEASTS AND BIRDS. - -Chief among all the creatures that inhabit the air is the wonderful -O‘s‘hă´dă’geă’, the Cloudland Eagle. He seems ever to watch over -mankind, especially the Iroquois, and to come to earth when great -calamities threaten. Living above the clouds he collects the dews in his -feathers, and some say that he has a pool of dew on his back between his -shoulders. The Iroquois regard him with great reverence, for he is -connected with many a worthy exploit. - -Horned Snake, Gas‘hais´dowăne^n, has several names among which are -Doonă’´gaes and Djo^ndi’´gwado^n. He is a monster serpent of the -underwaters and his head is adorned with antlers of great spread, though -he is also said to have monster horns shaped like a buffalo’s. He is -capable of transforming himself to the appearance of a man, and as such -delights in luring maidens to his abode. In a few instances he appears -as the gallant rescuer of women marooned on bewitched islands. Like -other monsters he has a brood of his kind, he having females as well. -These sometimes lure men under water and seek to transform them by -inducing them to put on the garments they wear. Horned Snake is hated by -the Thunderer, who spares no energy to kill him before he can dive. - -Monster Bear, Niă’´gwai’he´gōwā, is the most feared of magic beasts and -one of the most frequent among them to enter in to the fortunes of men. -He loves to race and in various forms which he assumes, seeks to get -men, and particularly boys, to bet their lives on the race, which -generally lasts from sunrise to sunset. He has a vulnerable spot on the -bottom of one of his feet and unless some hero hits this the monster -does not die. His bones form important parts of “magic medicine” and the -dust from one of his leg bones if taken as a medicine is reputed to make -a runner invincible. - -White Beaver, Na^nga^nniă’´go^n, is an otgont beast who lives in magic -waters. He seldom appears, but when he does he means disaster. Usually -he is represented as the transformed son of a great witch. He is -sometimes called Diat´dagwŭt. - -Blue Otter, is another magic beast whose home is in the water. His -function is to poison springs. He has another function, that of -inflicting disease by his magic, and in this way he secures offerings of -tobacco. - -Blue Lizard, Djai´nosgōwa, seems to be a beast looking something like an -alligator. He lives in pools and is the servant of wizards and witches. - - - 4. MAGICAL MAN-LIKE BEINGS. - -The Stone Giants, or Stone Coats, Gĕ^nno^n´’sgwā’, are commonly -described in Seneca folk-tales. They are beings like unto men, but of -gigantic size and covered with coats of flint. They are not gods and are -vulnerable to the assaults of celestial powers, though the arrows of men -harm them not at all. The early Iroquois are reputed to have had many -wars with them, and the last one is said to have been killed in a cave. - -Pygmies, Djogĕ´o^n, are little people who live in caves. They are a -tribe by themselves and live in houses as men do. They frequent deep -gulches and the borders of streams. In some ways they are tricky, but in -general do not injure men. They are not successful hunters and are -grateful for the fingernail parings of human beings. These are saved by -the thoughtful and tied in little bundles which are thrown over cliffs -for the Djogeon to gather as “hunting medicine.” They also require -tobacco and when they require it they will tap their water drums in -their meeting places. The observant then make up little packages of -tobacco which they throw to them. Out of gratitude for favors they -frequently warn men of danger or assist them to fortune. - -Mischief Maker, S’hodi´o^nsko, is a trickster, and sometimes is called -the “brother of death.” He delights in playing practical jokes, -regardless of how they result. He possesses a store of magic and is able -to transform himself into many forms. It is related in one legend that -in the end he repented and returned to the sky world in a column of -smoke. This appears however, to be an allusion to the Algonkin -trickster. - -Ghostly Legs, Ganos´has‘ho´o^n’, are beings composed only of a pair of -legs, having a face directly in front, though the face is seldom seen. -They appear only in the dark and no one has ever made a complete -examination of one. They have no arms or bodies, but are like the lower -bodies of men, cut off at the waist, and on either loin gleams a faintly -glowing eye. Some have only one eye which protrudes and draws in as it -observes an intended victim. The Ghostly Legs are always, or nearly -always running rapidly when seen. They usually betoken death and -disaster. No one knows from whence they come or whither they go. Indians -of today on some of the reservations claim to have seen these creatures. -While they have never been known to injure anyone they are at the same -time as greatly feared as ghosts. - -Sago^n’´dada‘´kwŭs, (Sagodadahkwus) is a grotesque being with a lean, -hungry looking body, and an insatiable appetite. He seeks out gluttons, -and catching them in the dark, takes a long spoon which he inserts into -their vitals and spoons out his food. For fear anything may be lost he -carries a kettle into which he places everything he cannot immediately -eat. He is the spirit of gluttony, and is the terror of all who gorge -themselves unduly. It is well for a man who overeats to stay indoors at -night, lest He-who-eats-inwards devour everything within him. So, with -his kettle and spoon, Sagodadahkwus wanders over the earth looking for -the gluttons. - -Gonoñk´goĕs, the Big Breast, is a gigantic woman whose breasts hang down -like pillows. She roams the earth looking for lovers who sit close -together in the dark. If they make one remark that seems to be improper -in their love making, or if they stay at their love making too long, she -leans over them, catching their faces beneath her breasts and smothering -them. Then she stands upright, still holding the smothered lovers to her -bosom, and walking to a cliff, leans over and drops them into the dark -depths below. - -O’´nia‘tä^n, the Dry Hand, is a mysterious mummified arm that flies -about to bewitch those who pry into the affairs of others by asking too -many questions. It will thrust its fingers in the eyes of the peeper who -tries to watch others out of idle curiosity. Generally the touch of this -hand means death. - - - - - II. - THEMES AND MATERIALS - - -There are certain characteristic types of action to be found in Seneca -folk-tales, and these are closely followed in all tales. However -rambling a tale may be it never departs from certain stereotyped themes, -expressing as they do the accepted idea patterns over which the story is -woven. Among these themes we mention the following: - -1. _Transformation._ Characters in the story are able to transform -themselves into any person, animal or object, as their orenda or magical -power gives them power. The Seneca believed in transformation to such an -extent that he was never sure that a rolling stone, a vagrant leaf -fluttering along, a scolding bird or a curious animal, might not be some -“powered” person in a transformation stage. - -2. _Magically acquired power._ The hero of a tale finds himself in a -predicament and through his effort to extricate himself is endowed with -magical power by which he overcomes enemies and difficulties. - -3. _Overcoming monsters._ The journey of the hero is beset with magical -monsters that seek to destroy him. The hero uses his wits and his orenda -and subdues them. - -4. _Precocious twins._ Twins are born of a romantic marriage, -particularly where the hero or heroine has lost a relative. The twins -rapidly grow to maturity and set forth to conquer. - -5. _Contest with sorcerers._ The hero is placed in opposition to a -sorcerer and matches his power against him, finally killing the -sorcerer. - -6. _Son-in-law put to tests._ The hero is allowed to retain his place, -possessions or mate providing he procures certain magical objects for -the sorcerer. In some stories an evil mother-in-law demands such objects -as the magical beaver, white otter, or blue lizard. The hero obtains -them very quickly and sometimes calls a feast to eat them. The -mother-in-law is angry because these beasts are her brothers. - -This is a widely diffused theme and is found from one coast to another. - -7. _Dream animal rescues hero._ The hero finds himself in a predicament -and remembering that a helper appeared to him in a dream, calls upon it -for rescue. A rescue is made. - -8. _Race with monster._ A monster, generally a monster bear, becomes -enraged at or jealous of the hero. The monster challenges the hero to a -race, the winner to kill the loser. The hero wins, generally by aid of -some fetish given by his uncle or grandfather. - -9. _Boaster makes good._ The hero boasts his power to do certain things, -as to run faster than any living creature. He is warned to stop before -the spirits of swift-running beings hear him. He continues to boast and -a monster comes to the door to make the challenge. See 8, _supra_, for a -continuation of this theme. - -10. _Imposter fails._ A jealous rival overcomes the hero and strips him -of his clothing. Hero becomes weak and old while Imposter becomes -youthful. Imposter now assumes the character and rights of the hero. -Finally he endeavors to perform the magical tricks of the hero and fails -miserably.[5] - -11. _Thrown away boy._ A child is thrown away because it seems too small -to live, or it is lost in a blood clot and cast into a hollow stump. -Thrown-away lives and becomes a powerful being that achieves wonders. - -12. _Hidden lodge child._ A child born with a caul is concealed in a -lodge, generally under an enclosed bed. It is cared for by some elderly -person, generally an uncle or aunt. A normal brother endeavors to rescue -it, being told of its existence by some magical being; or, the child is -hidden to protect it from an evil sorcerer who wants to steal it. Hero -overcomes sorcerer. - -13. _Double deceives sister._ A youth lives in a secluded cabin with his -sister. The youth’s double comes to the lodge when the hero is absent, -endeavoring to seduce the sister. Double is repulsed. Sister will not -believe brother has not insulted her. Brother finally makes a sudden -return from a hunting trip and apprehends the double, killing him.[6] - -14. _Uncle and Nephew._ An uncle and nephew live together in a secluded -lodge. Uncle generally becomes jealous of youth’s ability and desires -the woman predestined for the nephew. In other cases uncle assists -nephew to find lost parents. Generally the uncle guards the nephew and -forbids him to go in a certain direction. Nephew disobeys orders. - -15. _Evil stepfather._ Step-father endeavors to rid himself of an -unpromising stepson. Hides the boy in a cave or hole which he stones up. -Boy is rescued and taught by animals, and finally returns a powerful -being and confronts stepfather. - -16. _Witch mother-in-law._ A youth marries the daughter of a witch who -endeavors to cause his death through conflict with monsters.[7] - -17. _Animal foster-parents._ Animals find an abandoned boy. They discuss -which one will care for him. A mother bear generally succeeds in -securing him and takes him to a hollow tree where he is protected and -educated in animal lore. - -18. _Bewitched parents._ A boy finds that he has no parents. Asks his -uncle or grandfather where they are. Is told that they are under some -evil enchantment and secured in a place beset with magical monsters. Boy -overcomes obstacles and rescues parents. - -19. _Obstacles produced magically._ The hero is beset by a witch or -monster and flees. Upon being pressed the hero creates obstacles by -dropping a stone and causing it to become an unsurmountable cliff. He -casts pigeon feathers and conjures them into a great flock that makes a -slime that is impassable, or he finds “uncles” who interpose barriers -for him, as webs, nets, holes, pits, etc. Hero finally escapes to lodge -of a waiting mother-in-law. - -20. _Lover wins mate._ Young man marries girl of his choice in spite of -tricks of older rival and enmity of sorcerers. This must have been a -popular theme in a society where the old were married to the young. - -21. _Jealous sister-in-law._ Sister-in-law offended at hero’s choice -seeks to harm bride or to kill hero. - -22. _Magical monster marries girl._ The monster may be the horned snake -or the Thunderer. - -23. _Thunderer wars upon horned snake._ The Thunder god hates the horned -serpent and fights it. - -24. _Turtle’s war party._ Turtle gathers a company of offensive and -loyal warriors. All are killed in action save turtle who begs not to be -placed in water when captured. He is thrust in river and escapes. - -25. _Bungling Guest._ An evilly inclined trickster plays practical -jokes. Performs magical acts and induces a guest to imitate. Success -attends in presence of Trickster and perhaps once in a private -rehearsal, but miserable failure attends demonstration before others. - -26. _Sorcerer’s Island._ Sorcerer lures hero to enchanted island. -Sorcerer has control of the tides and currents of water. - -27. _Restoring Skeletons._ Hero finds bones of persons slain by sorcery. -Commands them to arise quickly, “before I kick over a hickory tree,” and -skeletons rise so quickly that bones are mismated. Popular ending of -stories. - -28. _Vampire Corpse._ Body of dead sorcerer revives and procures hearts -of living victims which it eats at leisure in its grave. - -29. _Dream Demand._ Hero guesses the meaning of a fabricated dream and -satisfies it, thereby thwarting intentions of the witch who pretended to -dream. - -30. _Sky Journey._ Brothers journey to rim of horizon and seek to go -under it and enter the sky world. All succeed but one who is so cautious -that he makes a late start. Sky comes down and crushes him. His spirit -speeds ahead and greets living brothers when they arrive. Regeneration -by Master of Life. - - - STEREOTYPED OBJECTS AND INCIDENTS. - - - INCIDENTS. - -1. Lonely bark lodge. Hero and associates live in secluded hut. - -2. Twins play in ground. Twins find an underground world in which they -live and play. - -3. Hero spies upon associate through hole in his blanket. Discovers the -secret of associate’s power. Tries this in associate’s absence. - -4. Monster is shot in vulnerable spot in bottom of foot and is killed. - -5. Hero in contest kills magical animal. He alone is able to pull out -the arrow, thereby establishing his claim to power or reward. - -6. Hero’s double buried in fireplace speaks through fire and reveals his -murder to his mother. - -7. Burning witch’s head explodes sending forth cloud of owls. - -8. Sorcerer controls flow of waters. Almost captures hero fleeing in a -canoe by drawing the current of the water toward himself. Hero reverses -current and escapes. - -9. Magical objects are concealed under a bed. Hero dreams he wants them -in retaliation for his “uncle’s” evil desires. - -10. Pursuing or sentinel monsters are pacified by gifts of meat. - -11. Youth not yet able to hunt practices shooting at an animal’s paw, -hung on lodge rafter. - -12. Sorcerers’ hearts or livers are concealed in a safe place in their -lodges, guarded by conjured dogs or ducks. Hero finds hearts and -destroys sorcerers. - -13. Hero obtains hearts of enemies and squeezes them, causing enemies to -faint. He dashes them on rocks and kills enemies. - -14. Hero conjures lodge of witches into flint. Orders it to become red -hot and so destroys enemies. - -15. Hero learns how to jump through the air. - -16. Hero reduces sister to miniature and places her in a conical arrow -tip, shooting her away to safety. Hero follows by magic flight creating -obstacles as he goes. - -17. Corn rains down into empty bins of starving people. Corn maiden -comes to marry hero whose younger brother is ungrateful for food, -casting it in fire thereby burning Corn Maiden’s body. She departs. - -18. Powered man throws flint chips calling upon them to kill animals. - -19. Hero violates taboo. Calamity impends but hero overcomes. - -20. Heroine kills pursuing monster by throwing boiling oil into its -face. - -21. Hero kicks over tree and causes skeletons to rise in flesh. Bones -are mismated through haste. Origin of cripples. - -22. Hero or twin heroes walk into the ground and disappear. - -23. Lonely bird sings for a mate. Various creatures seek to comfort -lonely bird but all are rejected until a natural mate calls and is found -injured or trapped. Released by lonely bird who flies away with him. - -24. Animals talk to men. Some animal warns hero of impending danger and -plans escape. - - - OBJECTS. - -1. _Dream helpers._ These are animals or persons that have come to the -hero in a dream and promised to assist him in times of peril. - -2. _Astral body._ The hero has an astral self that appears in times of -great danger and points out a way of escape. - -3. _Hollow log regeneration._ Hero who has been abused or conjured is -regenerated by passing through a hollow log. - -4. _Talking flute._ The flute kept in a “bundle” talks to hero’s friend -and informs him of condition, or it tells hero where he may find game. - -5. _Running moccasins._ Hero pursued takes off moccasins and orders them -to run ahead and make tracks that baffle pursuer. - -6. _Magic Arrow._ An invincible arrow that kills whatever it is aimed -at. It may be shot promiscuously into the air and game will return with -it, falling dead at hero’s feet. No one but hero can withdraw arrow. - -7. _Forbidden chamber._ A certain walled-off part of the lodge is -forbidden to the hero, who in older relative’s absence explores it, -causing anger of magical beings. - -8. _Door-flap action._ Sorcerer commands hero to perform dream demand by -going out of door and consummating demand before the door curtain flaps -back. - -9. _Magic fish line._ Sorcerer hooks hero’s fleeing canoe with a magical -fish line. Hero burns off line by emptying pipe upon it. - -10. _Hero ties his hair to earth._ When hero suspects he is in the hands -of a sorceress he ties a hair to a root before he sleeps. Sorceress -makes off with him but cannot go beyond the stretching length of the -hair and is compelled to return. - -11. _Lice hunting._ Sorceress hunts lice in hero’s head, lulling him to -sleep. - -12. _Saliva gives power._ If a powered being touches any object or -weapon with his saliva it takes some of his power. - -13. _Wampum tears._ Captured hero or heroine when tortured sheds wampum -tears which enemies greedily take. - -14. _Magical animal skins._ Hero or sorcerer has enchanted skins which -he can conjure to living animals. He may enter a skin and assume the -characteristics of its original owner. - -15. _Magic pouch._ The pouch of animal skin holds the hero’s utensils, -tobacco and pipe. It may be conjured to a living thing. - -16. _Magic suit._ A self-cleaning suit that gives power to wearer. - -17. _Magic canoe._ A canoe that has unusual speed and may be paddled -into the air. - -18. _Inexhaustible kettle._ Hero’s friend puts scrapings of corn or nut -into it and it expands enormously supplying enough food. Hero tries the -experiment and expands kettle too greatly bursting the lodge. - -19. _Magical springs._ Springs that have been enchanted by sorcerers are -the dwelling places of monsters that lure the unwary to drink. The -monster then drags in his victim and eats him. - -20. _Enchanted clearings._ Clearings guarded by monsters who prevent -hero from visiting sorcerer living in a lodge within. - -21. _Bark dagger._ Hero incapacitated by thrust of bark dagger piercing -his back. Villain steals hero’s clothing and impersonates him. See -Imposter. - -22. _Sweat lodge regeneration._ Hero recovers through a sweat of bear’s -grease. Lodge covered with a fat bear pelt. - -23. _Powered finger._ Hero has power to kill animals by pointing his -finger at them. - -24. _Animated finger._ Hero obtains a magic finger that stands in his -palm, pointing out the location of anything he desires. - -25. _Sharpened legs._ A character is able to whittle his legs to points -and use them as spears. - -25. _Borrowed skin._ Hero borrows skin (coat) of deer, mole, or other -animal, and entering it moves about without exciting suspicion of enemy. - -26. _Borrowed eyes._ Hero borrows eyes of deer or owl for a blind uncle -enabling him to recover his own eyes or to see for a few moments a long -lost relative, generally a brother. - -27. _Stolen eyes._ Sorceresses rob young men of their eyes. - -28. _Quilt of eyes._ Quilt made of winking eyes stolen from young men -who have looked at the witches who continually sew upon such a quilt. - -29. _Girls in box._ Enchanted girls hidden in a bark box come forth upon -demand of conjurer. The enchantment is not of an evil nature. - -30. _Enchanted feathers._ These placed upon hero’s hat give him great -power, particularly for running. - -31. _Enchanted birds._ Hero has enchanted birds upon his hat that bring -coals to light his pipe. - -32. _Bark dolls._ Dolls are enchanted so that they speak for their -maker, deceiving evil pursuer of hero. - -33. _Talking moccasins._ Moccasins placed in lodge talk to evil pursuer, -setting him or her astray. - -34. _Reducible dog._ A tiny dog that is kept in a pouch. It may be -enlarged to a size sufficient to carry the hero or his fleeing sister. -Upon being patted with the hand or magic rod it becomes reduced to a -size almost invisible. - -35. _Talking skull._ Hero finds the skull of his uncle. It asks him for -tobacco and then directs him how to overcome sorcery. - -36. _Flayed skin._ A human skin is the slave of sorcerers and guards -their lodge, clearing or path, screaming out the presence of intruders. -It may be revived by hero who removes the enchantment. - -37. _Wampum eagle._ An eagle covered with wampum. Many people shoot at -this eagle trying to kill it. Only the hero can with his magic arrow. - -38. _White beaver._ A magical beaver, generally the “brother” of a -witch, is killed by hero who invites in friends to help eat the beast. - -39. _Blue lizard._ Lives in a magic spring and lures the unwary to death -by pulling them into the water. - -40. _Flying heads._ These are spirits of the storm winds. They are -generally evil characters in stories. - -41. _Pygmies._ There are tribes of “little people” living under ground -or in rocky places. They have valuable charms and can be forced to give -them to men. They have a ceremony in which they delight. If men beings -perform this ceremony favor is gained. They like tobacco and nail -parings. - -42. _Buffalo one rib._ A magically endowed buffalo kills men. It cannot -be injured by arrows because it has only one rib, a bony plate -protecting its entire body. Vulnerable in the bottom of one foot. - -43. _Fast-growing snake._ A boy finds a pretty snake and feeds it. It -grows enormously and soon eats a deer. Game is exhausted and snake goes -after human beings. - -44. _White pebble._ A white stone is given magical power and when thrown -at a magical monster hits and kills it. - -45. _Flesh-eating water._ The water of a magical lake eats the flesh -from the bones of the unwary. Monsters living in it are immune. - -46. _Sudden friend._ Hero in predicament sees a strange person before -him who announces that he is a friend and will help the hero escape. -Tells hero what to do. - - - COMPONENTS OF THE COSMOLOGICAL MYTH. - -1. _Sky world._ A world above the clouds inhabited by transcendent -beings. - -2. _Celestial tree._ A wonderful tree in the center of the sky world. - -3. _Sky woman._ Falls through hole made by uprooted sky tree and brings -a promised child with her. - -4. _Primal turtle._ Rises from sea to receive sky woman. - -5. _Earth diver._ Animals dive to secure earth for turtle’s back. - -6. _World-tree._ Springs up from root of sky tree brought down by sky -woman. Grows in the “middle of the world.” Flowers of light. - -7. _Female first born._ A daughter soon born to the sky woman. Grows to -quick maturity. - -8. _Immaculate conception._ Daughter conceives in mysterious manner. - -9. _Rival twins._ Twins born to daughter. Warty, flint hearted one, -kills mother at birth. Fair one, the elder, watches her grave and finds -corn, beans, squashes, potatoes and tobacco springing from it. Elder -twin is constructive, younger is destructive. - -10. _Hoarded water._ Evil twin causes a great frog to drink all the -water of the earth. Good twin hits it with a stone causing it to -disgorge. - -11. _Father search._ Good Minded twin searches for father and finds him -on a great mountain to east. - -12. _Son testing._ Good Minded’s father tests him with wind, water, fire -and rock. Good Minded proves sonship and returns to earth island with -bags of animals. - -13. _Man making._ Good Minded molds man from clay after reflections seen -in water. - -14. _Primal beings return._ Good Minded and grandmother return to sky. - -15. _Evil banished._ Evil Minded placed in underground cavern. - - - - - III. - THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THE LEGENDS WERE TOLD - - -Let us journey backward into the forgotten yesterday; let us catch a -fleeting glimpse of a little village along the creek of Doshowey. - -It is during the closing year of the Eighteenth Century. The time is in -the moon Nĭsha (January), and the whole earth is covered by a thick -blanket of heavy snow. - -There is a deeply worn trail along the bank of the creek, but nobody -walks in the trail, for it is as deeply rutted as it is deeply trodden. -It is not now a road but a trench floored with rough ice and carpeted -with broken patches of snow. Along the sides of the trail, over the -white way, are supplementary and parallel trails that in places spread -wide with the tell-tale mark of snowshoes. Here and there are deep dents -where boys have wrestled and thrown each other into the drifts. - -About us are great trees. Back from the creek are areas covered with -tall pines and hemlocks; toward the creek are great deciduous trees -looking gnarled and weather-worn. In the more open spaces are groves of -nut trees, the hickory, the butternut and the walnut. Even in the depth -of winter the region is inviting and suggests happiness and opportunity. - -We continue our journey until we come within sight of a little village -of log huts and bark lodges. The huts are rather small and primitive -looking and the lodges for the most part look battered and smoky. Here -and there, however, is a log cabin more sumptuous than the rest, and -there are even bark houses that look comfortable. There seem to be no -streets in this village, for the houses are set in any spot, seemingly, -where the builder chose to erect his dwelling. Stretching in every -direction are little cornfields, stripped of their ears and standing -like ragged wrecks in the wind. - -Before we reach the village there is an open space occupying a level -area. Here and there are a score of boys and as many men shouting and -playing games. In an icy trough, made by dragging a log through the snow -for a quarter of a mile or more, the older boys are playing a game of -snowsnake. We find that there are two rival teams, each with twenty-four -long flat pieces of polished wood called “gawasa,” or snowsnakes. The -idea of the game seems to be to find out who can throw a gawasa the -greatest distance. - -There is a great shout as one contestant rushes forward holding his -gawasa by the tip and throws it with all his might into the trough. On -it speeds like a living thing, gliding ahead with a slight side to side -movement like a serpent springing forward. At the entrance of the trough -a band of opponents is crying out discouraging remarks, while his own -cheer squad is shouting its confidence and praises. A hundred feet down -the trough an opponent waves his feathered cap over the gawasa as it -speeds by, calling it “a fat woodchuck that cannot run,” while just a -bit beyond, a friend also waves his cap and shouts a cabalistic word of -magic. Finally the gawasa slows down and stops. Two trail markers rush -to the spot and plunge colored sticks into the snow to mark the distance -it has traveled. There is a referee from each team to insure absolute -accuracy. In another moment another gawasa comes darting ahead, its -leaden nose striking the tail of the first, nosing under it and throwing -it out of the track, then speeding onward a score of paces ahead. The -trail markers rush forward with other sticks and there is a great shout -from the winning side. - -[Illustration: - - THE SNOW SNAKE GAME.—From a drawing by Jesse Cornplanter. -] - -Each team keeps its gawasa in leathern cases. A special “snowsnake -doctor” draws out each as it is wanted and carefully wipes it with a -soft fawn-skin, then waxes or oils the snake with some secret compound -designed to make it slip with less friction over the icy path. These -formulae are great secrets and a successful “doctor” is in great demand, -and receives big fees. - -We glance over into the square where boys are playing a game of javelins -and hoops. The object, we soon discover, is to pierce the hoop with the -javelins, thus stopping its progress as it rolls onward between the -lines of contestants to its goal. This is also a popular game with the -dogs, especially the puppies, who every now and again dash after the -hoop, much to the disgust of the team throwing it. We hear the cry of -“Sigwah, ahsteh, sigwah!” meaning get out, go away, and then hear the -yelp of the poor pup as it is struck with a javelin, and whimpers away -from this maddened crowd of humans. - -In another portion of the field we see a group of large girls playing -football with a small ball stuffed with deer hair. There is a grand -melee as the two “centers” come together and kick at the ball, missing -and striking each other’s shins. There is a peal of laughter as each -falls in the snow from the impact, and rolls over upon the ball which -other eager players strive to extricate with their feet, for their hands -must not touch the ball. The game is a rough-and-tumble one, but no one -is injured, for the kicking feet that fly about so nimbly are clad in -soft-nosed moccasins. - -We pass on and leave this scene of winter fun for a more sober group -sitting on logs beneath the pines at the creek bank. It is a group of -older men waiting for the return of a hunting party, and we learn that -soon there is to be a great feast,—in fact a nine-day celebration in -which all the people will participate. Out on the creek we also see -little clusters of men fishing through the ice, and, judging by the -shouts, fishing is good. - -It may be well to pause here and carefully note the appearance of the -men. It is not difficult to see that they are Indians. Their coppery red -skins and raven black hair indicate this. Moreover, their dress and -language permits no mistake in our conclusion. One man, more aged than -the rest, is garbed in buckskin from head to foot. His shirt is long and -of a beautiful white tan. About the neck, the chest, the shoulders, the -sides and upon the cuffs there is a rich adornment of porcupine quill -embroidery in various tasteful colors,—red, yellow and white being -predominant. The leggings are of the same soft velvet tan, and -embroidered at the bottoms in a deep cuff of quill work, which extends -up the front in a thin line. Just below each knee is a garter -embroidered with a finer appliqué than the rather coarse quill work. -Close inspection shows it to be long hair from the “bell” of the moose. -It is so flexible that, unlike quill work, it allows the garter to be -tied snugly without stiffness. Beneath the shirt, though it hangs down -nearly to the knees, the edge of a loin-cloth is just seen. Looking down -at his feet you will observe a pair of beautiful moccasins. They are of -the puckered toe type, with a single seam up the center of the foot, the -leather being drawn up in neat puckers to conform to the shape of the -foot. The flaps of the moccasins are also embroidered with quill work, -in a running pattern looking like half circles and above which rise -tendril designs,—looking like the zodiacal sign of Aries. It is the old -man’s cap, however, which interests us most. It is not at all like the -conventional war-bonnet which we have seen in picture and pageant. -Instead it is like a closely fitting cap of fine fur, apparently beaver. -It has a wide band about it, holding it tightly to the head. On the -upper part of this band are close rows of dangling silver cones that -jingle against one another as the old man moves his head. From the -center of the hat rises a spool-like socket into which is inserted a -fine eagle plume, that turns on a spindle within the socket. Around the -spool and fastened to it are clusters of smaller feathers that fluff -over the top of the cap in gay abandon. Across the old man’s breast is a -worsted belt, red in color, and decorated with beads in a most -interesting fashion. About the old man’s waist is a stouter belt of -buckskin, into which is thrust a tomahawk, and from which dangles a pipe -bag. Stooping over, he picks up a pair of overshoes made of woven -cornhusk stuffed with pads of oiled rags and buffalo hair. Looking at -the other men you observe that all have on similar crude looking -over-moccasins, but that most of them are of thick oil-tanned buckskin -leather, instead of cornhusk. - -The old man walks away toward the village and we linger a moment to -learn that his name is Jack Berry,[8] and that he is considered an -old-fashioned fellow, but that he commands great respect. We find, in -fact, that the village just ahead is named after him, “Jack Berry’s -Town,” and that it is one of the eight villages of Indians scattered -over the Buffalo Creek tract. - -It is now late in the afternoon and the sun is sinking over the forest -to the west. Men and boys, and now and then a small group of women, walk -swiftly toward the village. Some of the men are bending low under heavy -loads of game, trussed up in burden-frames. Several men have strings of -fish and a few men and women have long strings of white corn upon their -shoulders. - -Naturally we are hungry after our long journey through the brisk winter -afternoon. We are also ready to sit down by the fire and dry our damp -feet. Where shall we go, who will know us? - -Everybody seems to know us, for everybody speaks, saying, “Nyahweh -skanoh, Gyahdasey,” (“I am thankful to see you strong of body, my -friend.”) We stop and talk with one group after another and tell them -that we are strangers, rather tired and very hungry. Everybody smiles -and says, “Yes, that’s so,” but not a soul invites us to supper and -lodging. Our guide smiles at us and finally says, “You may go to any -cabin here, walk in and sit down.” You may take off your shoes and put -on any warm pair of moccasins you find hanging on the wall, you may -pretend that you are dumb, and say nothing. No one will ask you a -question, but every want that you have will be anticipated and every -comfort of the lodge given to you, though it is the only bed as your -couch, the only buffalo robe your cover, and your food the last bowl of -soup. Among the Seneca you are welcome. No matter who you are, you are -an honored guest and welcome to any home you chose to enter. It is for -you to invite yourself to a home and honor it with your presence. - -We look about with some concern, for most of the houses are small and -look overcrowded. Finally, since we are in search of knowledge, as well -as amusement and adventure, we choose a very commodious bark long house, -from whose roof we see six fires sending up columns of black smoke. This -place looks as if it might afford us company enough to satisfy our -social inclinations and room enough to stow us away for the night. If we -hesitated a moment we were soon convinced of our good judgment by the -tempting odors of steaming maize puddings and hull-corn hominy, together -with the appetizing smell of venison roasting over hot stones. - -We pause at the entry of the lodge and note the wooden effigy of a -bear’s head hanging in the gable of the building. This is a symbol that -clans-folk of the Bear dwell within and that all “Bears” are welcome. -However, as we know that neither Turtles nor Hawks, nor any other -clansman or stranger will be denied admission, we push aside the buffalo -robe that curtains the doorway and enter. - -Before us is a vast hall some twenty-four feet wide and eighty feet -long. On either side are low platforms, scarcely more than knee high -from the earthen floor. Above are other platforms, but these are six or -seven feet above and form a roof over the lower platforms. On the latter -we see people lounging, sitting or reclining, as suits their -inclination. - -An elderly woman comes forward and greets us, and as she does so, -several men also come forward. Some, dressed in trader’s cloth clothing -grasp our hands in welcome, while an old man, evidently a relic of an -older day, places his hands on our chests and says, “Strength be within -you.” This we learn is the old Indian way of greeting, in the days -before hand-shaking came into vogue. - -Some one points out an unoccupied seat filled with robes and we are -invited to place our luggage on the platform above. From a long pole, -hanging from the beams that form the roof supports, hang braids of corn, -forming a curtain that nearly makes our loft inaccessible. As we push -our pack basket well toward the center of the platform we hear a squeal, -and a seven-year-old boy who has been sleeping there on a pile of pelts -darts over the corn pole and swings himself to the floor. - -The whole building is replete with stores of food, and besides the corn, -we see large quantities of smoked meat, dried fish, dried pumpkins and -squashes and dried herbs of various kinds. The center of the lodge is a -broad aisle and at every eight paces there is a fireplace on the floor, -the smoke from which rises to the roof and escapes through large -rectangular holes made by leaving off the bark roofing. - -We join a group of men and learn from their conversation that they are -discussing the great war of the white men, in which the Thirteen Fires -overcame the British King. Alas, these Indians had fought for the King -and as a punishment a mighty general had come against them with a -cannon, burning their villages on the Genesee and sending them -terror-stricken to their red-coated allies at Fort Niagara. Here they -had endured a terrible winter of privation during which time hundreds -died of disease, starvation and freezing. The British King had not done -well by them and his agents had deceived them. It was Town Destroyer -(Washington) who was their real friend, for it was he who said they -might remain in their ancient seats. So here they were on Buffalo Creek, -in the land of the Wenroe and the Neutral, peoples whom they had -conquered a century and a half ago. Here was their refuge, but the -contrast between this and their former secure position on the Genesee -had disheartened them. The war and the flight had disorganized them, -their old ideals had been broken, and the only safety seemed to be to -avoid the white man. He brought all this trouble and his traders brought -the fire water that made the young men crazy. He had brought a new -religion too, and many of the villagers of the Buffalo tract had been -converted to it and were trying to live in accordance with its -teachings. Some of the men thought that this spoke the doom of the -Indian race, while others thought it would be better to offset this -movement by embracing the religion of Handsome Lake, a sachem from -Allegany who was now preaching temperance and morality among the Indians -at Allegany. Most of the men, however, thought that it was best to avoid -all new schemes and philosophies. “The old way is the best,” we hear -them say. “In the old way we know just where we stand. We are familiar -with the methods of the old way: the new way has not been tried.” - -Then someone says, “Jack Berry is going to go over to Handsome Lake. -Maybe this is the right way. He is an intelligent man and his father was -a white man, though he is more Indian than any of us in his manners and -speech.” - -Long the discussion goes on, and embraces one topic after another. There -is nothing to do but to talk and this soon grows tiresome, for the same -old topics are worn threadbare. Brains that are hungry for new ideas and -for facts find no food. The mental life of the people, we quickly -discover, is circumscribed. The people crave stimulation; of physical -stimulation they have plenty, but of mental stimulation there is little -indeed. This is one of the reasons why in the old days the men went on -long tedious hunts, sought adventure, went on war parties, and played -the game of death. “Better to die in the hurricane like a young oak that -has been broken in the gale,” said they, “than to die because rot has -set in and eaten up the heart.” - -Here among the discouraged and broken people of the Buffalo tract, -bitterness gnawed at every heart, and there was a sense of having been -overwhelmed by some irresistible force. The people craved amusement, -excitement, and the stimulation of the imagination. It was because of -the lack of healthful means to procure these things that the men gambled -so much, and drank the traders’ rum. - -The evening meal is now ready and we find that the matron of our fire is -dipping our hull-corn hominy. Everybody grabs a bark dish and some take -out neatly carved wooden bowls. These are filled with the hominy and the -group begins to eat, dipping the steaming corn with wooden spoons of -large size. Now comes the meat portion, and each person is given from -one to three pounds of roasted venison. This we eat with boiled corn -bread, dipping the bread into a bowl of grease that is passed about -among us. We have no forks, and the only thing that resembles one is a -sharpened splinter of bone. We have our knives, however, and the meat is -cut by holding it with the hands. If our greasy fingers bother us we -have a box of corn husks upon which to wipe them. We then cast our -“napkins” into the fire. At the close of the meal we receive bowls of -“onegadaiyeh,” or hot fluid, which we find to be a fragrant tea made -from the tips of hemlock boughs mixed with a dash of sassafras. Those -who do not like this drink are given wintergreen “tea” sweetened with -maple sugar. As we drink our tea a bright-eyed maiden brings us a bark -tray with generous slices of sugar-nut bread, made by molding white corn -flour with pulverized maple sugar into which is mixed hickory and -hazel-nut meats, the whole being molded into a cake held into shape by -husks, and then boiled until done. Everyone exclaims, “Oguhoh,” meaning -“Delicious.” - -[Illustration: - - A BARK COMMUNAL HOUSE - - From a drawing by Jesse Cornplanter, son of Chief Edward Cornplanter. - There were houses similar to this along Buffalo Creek as late as - 1838. -] - -The house is full of men, women and children. To each child there is a -dog,—and a mighty well-behaved dog. Though they sit on their haunches -looking hungry indeed, not one ventures near the mat or bench where the -food is placed. Patiently they await a scrap of meat or a bone as it is -thrown to them. - -One is impressed with the various costumes of the throng. Some are -dressed in military coats, some wear red flannel shirts made in coat -style, with the flaps worn outside, some wear leather leggings, and some -have cloth or buckskin trousers. Some of the women, as well as the men, -wear tall beaver hats with silver bands around them. Everybody wears a -blanket. Some are red, some are green or yellow, but nearly all wear -gray or blue blankets. The women have especially fine blankets of blue -broadcloth, beautifully beaded in floral patterns at the corners, and -having geometrical designs around the borders. Only a few of the men -wear boots, the majority wearing the ancestral moccasin. The skirts of -the women are of broadcloth, beaded like the blankets, though several of -the matrons have skirts of buckskin. The women wear pantalets, with -beaded or quilled bottoms. They also wear small head shawls, and their -hair is neatly braided. The maidens wear two braids, but the married -women wear one, looped up behind and tied with a ribbon or a quilled -strip of soft doeskin. - -The house looks gloomy inside, for it is rather smoky, but the -liveliness of the children and the puppies makes up for the darkened -interior. If one does not wish to be walked over he had better crawl up -on his bed and make himself comfortable in a buffalo robe. At best the -lodge only shuts out the wind, and the fires add but little warmth. With -the abundance of fresh air one does not feel oppressed by the numerous -people on every hand. No one in this dwelling has that unhappy disease -that infects the dwellers in the tight and warm log houses,—the disease -that eats the lungs and makes people fade away like ghosts of their real -selves. The abundance of fresh air and the creosote from the smoke, -together with exercise out of doors in the sunshine, makes these -dwellers in the long bark house lively and healthy. - -Again the men fall into groups about the fire, and again they talk of -the events about them. One tells of a British agent who wants the -Indians to come over to Canada and dwell with their brethren who -followed Chief Brant to the Grand River after the war. A Mohawk Sachem -had been with the British agent and had confirmed his description of the -beautiful land on the other side of the Niagara, where the Iroquois -Confederacy might once more rise from its ashes and become a great -power. They had found but few followers, however, for the Buffalo Seneca -were loyal to the memory of Washington, the great White Father, who just -a month ago had died. “We are now the children of Town Destroyer,” the -British agent had been told. “We shall abide here where our fathers -fought. This is their land and though we have been hurt in this conflict -we will not run away, like dogs whipped, and who scamper whimpering to a -hollow log. We shall stay here and be men.” It was in vain that the -agent had appealed to their natural desire for revenge. - -As the night grows darker, a shout is heard outside and all the children -run to the door. “Dajoh, dajoh!” they exclaim, and rushing out surround -a tall man of middle age, one taking his hand and leading him in. We can -hear the shout of “Hoskwisäonh, the story teller,—the story teller has -come!” - -He is a jovial-looking fellow, this story teller, and his entrance to -the lodge puts the young people in a state of suppressed excitement. -Even the older people are pleasantly disposed toward him, and one matron -draws forth a bench which she sets before the central fire. Several -cornhusk mats are then placed around on the floor and the company draws -into a circle, at least such a circle as the building will permit. - -The story teller wears a long white flannel toga, or overshirt bound -with blue ribbon. It is embroidered richly with colored moose hair. His -gustoweh or cap is of soft doeskin quilled in herringbone patterns, and -the feathers that droop from the crest spindle are the white down -feathers of the heron. The spinning feather at the tip is from the tail -of a young eagle and from its tip rises a little tassel of red moose -hair held on by a bit of fish glue. He has two bags, one containing his -pipe and tobacco, and the other filled with mysterious lumps. Just what -these are everyone waits patiently to see, for they are the trophies -that “remind” him of his stories,—bear teeth, shells, bark dolls, -strings of wampum, bunches of feathers, bits of bark with hieroglyphs -upon them, and the claws of animals. - -He takes his seat and after smoking a pipeful of sacred tobacco throws -some of this fragrant herb upon the fire, at the same time saying a -ritualistic prayer to the unseen powers, about whom he is soon to -discourse. Finally he exclaims, “Hauh, oneh djadaondyus,” and all the -people respond, “Hauh oneh!” He plunges his hand into his mystery bag -and draws forth a bear’s tusk. “Hoh!” he says. “The bear! This is a tale -of nyagwai‘´. Do you all now listen!” And then comes the story of the -orphaned boy who lived with his wicked uncle and how he was rescued from -burial in a fox hole and cared for by a mother bear. Another trinket -comes forth, and again another, as a new tale unfolds. When the night -has grown old, and the youngsters show signs of weariness by falling -asleep, the story teller closes his bag, carefully ties it and then -starts to smoke again. - -The listeners have been thrilled by his dramatic recitation, they have -been moved to uproarious laughter or made to shudder with awe. They have -been profoundly stirred and their eyes glisten with pleasurable -excitement. Everyone files past the story teller with a small gift,—a -brooch, a carved nut, a small bag of tobacco or a strand of sinew for -thread. No gift is large and most gifts are pinches of native tobacco. -The story teller then finds a comfortable bed. - -The children climb into their lofts by aid of notched ladders, the old -people repair to their compartments, pull down the robe curtains, and -soon all but a watcher or two are asleep, dreaming of the folk-beasts -and the heroes of the story teller’s tales. The more imaginative -continue the adventures that have been told, and journey into dreamland -to meet the myth-beings and learn of the mysteries that only slumberland -can reveal. - -Such is the setting of the story teller and the atmosphere in which the -legends of the Seneca were told, in the days of early Buffalo. These -old-time tales can scarcely be appreciated unless one knows and _feels_ -the circumstances under which they were related. Then, too, we may dream -as the Seneca dreamed and know why he loved the story teller. - -In the morning we are awakened by the noise of the corn pounders. -“Ka-doom, ka-doom, ka-doom!” they sound as the pestle strikes the corn -in the mortar and crushes it into hominy or meal, as the case may be. -Children then begin to tumble out of bed and run about the lodge, but -most of them are sent back to their warm robes until the morning meal -has been prepared. - -As we open our eyes we see little light, for we are within one of the -bed compartments, over the front of which hang long buffalo robe -curtains, shutting out the light and securing us from the sight of -others. The head and the foot of our sleeping quarters likewise are -partitioned off by screens of bark, strengthened by upright poles. At -our feet are little cupboards where we have stored our clothing and -valuables. Over our heads hang uncertain bundles, attached to the -parallel poles that form the platform above us. These contain the -treasures and personal possessions of our host, whose bed we occupy. As -we dress and emerge from our compartment, we feel the cool air of the -great hallway and smell the smoke of the lodge fires. We look at the -underside of the bed and find it walled up by bark over a layer of -parallel poles. Beneath this bed are the greater treasures of our host, -treasures that no one may touch or see save himself. He reaches them by -lifting up the floor of the bed, a floor made of slats laced together. -No person, not the owner of the compartment, would ever dare pry beneath -that bed. It is a crime as black as calumny and worse than murder, for -it is a violation of fundamental laws. As the women come from their -compartments, and throw back their curtains upon the platform above, we -catch a glimpse of “bed rooms” neatly kept and hung with furs and pelts. -Some are embroidered and some are painted with signs and symbols. We -note also their neat bundles and quilled bark boxes at the foot of the -bed or over their heads. We long to pry into these secrets and to -discover just what is in this mysterious boudoir, but modesty forbids -anything more than a fleeting glance. Each compartment is its occupant’s -“castle” and must not be violated by so much as a curious look. - -As we make ready for a bit of corn bread and a large bowl of soup, the -liquor in which the bread has been boiled, we note the ascending smoke -from the fireplaces on the earthen floor. The drafts are regulated by -opening one door-flap or the other. The great ridgepole and the rafters -of the lodge are black with soot. The roof is pitched, and the gable is -made by a pole placed above and resting upon the plate-poles, across the -front and rear of the building. These support the inner ridge pole upon -which rest the tops of the roof supports or rafters. These are stiffened -by inner poles that run parallel with the ridge pole and rest upon the -end gable rafters. All are tied in place with ropes of bark or fastened -with pegs, some of them spikes of deer antler. On either side of the -door are the major roof supports which being securely driven in the -ground rise to the gable rafter, giving a stronger support than could -possibly be given by a central post. The building is absolutely rigid. -The triple plaiting with bark, most of it elm, placed the long way of -the grain, instead of up and down, makes the building wind-proof and -comfortable enough to people inured to the weather. - -We note with a great deal of interest the long rows of corn placed along -the roof poles that rest just above the edge of the upper platforms. -These braids of corn form curtains that screen off the upper platforms -except in places where there are small openings into which the lodge -matrons may thrust their possessions. It is there that they keep their -bowls of bark and wood, also stores of dried food. We are told that -there are barrels of bark up there filled with dried and smoked meats of -various kinds, also stores of vegetable foods and herbs. - -The shed of the house interests us greatly. It is an entry way attached -to the lodge and has a slightly sloping roof. It is large and roomy and -here on one side is piled a great quantity of wood and on the other are -boxes and barrels of shelled corn. - -We are impressed by the neatness of everything and by the compact manner -in which food and clothing is stowed away. Of course, in a modern sense, -the things we see are not clean, by any means, for dust and soot cover -everything not within arm’s reach. The place reeks of smoke, but we have -grown so accustomed to this that we scarcely notice it, save when the -wind changes direction and the smoke fills our eyes. - -Around the fires are mats woven of corn husk, over a warp of twisted elm -bark fiber. Upon these we sit as we are given wooden bowls which are -filled with soup. The big ladle which we see used to dispense our -portion holds a bowlful. It is carved from curly maple and has a dove -carved on the upper part of the handle. Our smaller spoons are carved in -a similar manner but they hold only a white man’s half cupful. There is -nothing formal or full about this breakfast and we note the frugality of -the people. The second meal will be the hearty one. - -As we sit on the mat before the fire we note how conservative some of -the older people are. One or two have bowls or pots of baked clay, rare -relics of the earlier day before the white man’s brass kettles made the -fragile clay pot an obsolete thing. We note that one pot has a serrated -rim which flares out, while the other has a tall collar decorated with -parallel lines arranged in triangular plats. Very gently do these old -folk handle their clay pots which they call “gadjĕ^n”. Several of the -old men take from their pouches ancient clay pipes, relics of the days -when they lived beyond the Genesee. These are molded with bowls in the -shape of raccoons and have copper eyes. The stems are rather short, not -more than eight inches, and the pipe is not held in the mouth -continually but lifted to the lips to allow an inhalation, and then -taken down. These relics we learn are sacred things and are to be buried -with the old men when they die. - -Breakfast is over and there is little for the men to do. Their autumnal -hunt has filled the larder with game. There is plenty of corn, and the -younger men supply the fresh meat and fish needed. Winter is a time when -everyone clings to the hearth fire, save upon ceremonial occasion, or -for the usual winter sports. But even these become tiresome, and the -minds of the people crave stimulation. Even the gambling games do not -supply the right sort of awakening. The minds of the people are hungry -and demand a feeding even upon husks. They demand that their -imaginations be kindled and that from sordid life they be lifted to the -fairylands of pure imagination. The story teller who can lift the -individual out of self and transport him to the land of magic, where he -may picture himself a super-man performing mighty feats, is in great -demand. Absurdity counts for nothing; what though the myth or legend is -impossible,—this does not matter. It gives the hungry mind and yearning -soul wings upon which it may fly away from a real earth to the land of -“I-wish-I-could.” In a world where reliable facts are few and where -critical investigation is impossible, the imagination must be fed. The -story teller of the lodge supplies that food. He is the storehouse of -all knowledge, the repository of ancestral lore. To the untutored mind -of the aborigine he supplies what is almost as necessary as food itself, -for while man is a combination of body and mind, mind must have its -sustenance no less than body; it must have its sweets and its stimulants -no less than the physical nature. And so the story teller weaves the -spell, with all his rhetoric and oratory,—and hungry minds gather round -to feast.... - -Time goes by and the world has changed. There is a different order of -things. The power of the Seneca has gone, and the pale invader has taken -over all the land, save tiny areas in out-of-the-way places. Still the -Seneca has not relinquished his hold entirely; in various bands he still -lives in tribal estate. But how different is the Seneca today! His life -is that of the surrounding white man, in an economic sense. Little -remains to distinguish him as of another cultural order, but there is -still enough to mark him as aboriginal. He still preserves his rites and -ceremonies, and on the reservations at Cattaraugus, Allegany and -Tonawanda he still tells the folk-tales that his ancestors loved, and -_these remain unaltered to this very day_. - - - - - IV. - WHEN THE WORLD WAS NEW - - -[Illustration: - - DELOS BIG KITTLE—SAINOWA. - - A leading chief of the Wolf Clan of the Cattaraugus Seneca. Chief - Kittle was a man of great influence and numbered many devoted - friends among the citizens of Buffalo and vicinity. He died in the - Buffalo City Hospital, Dec. 30, 1923. - - _Photo by E. C. Winnegar._ -] - - - 1. HOW THE WORLD BEGAN. - -Beyond the dome we call the sky there is another world. There in the -most ancient of times was a fair country where lived the great chief of -the up-above-world and his people, the celestial beings. This chief had -a wife who was very aged in body, having survived many seasons. - -In that upper world there were many things of which men of today know -nothing. This world floated like a great cloud and journeyed where the -great chief wished it to go. The crust of that world was not thick, but -none of these men beings knew what was under the crust. - -In the center of that world there grew a great tree which bore flowers -and fruits and all the people lived from the fruits of the tree and were -satisfied. Now, moreover, the tree bore a great blossom at its top, and -it was luminous and lighted the world above, and wonderful perfume -filled the air which the people breathed. The rarest perfume of all was -that which resembled the smoke of sacred tobacco and this was the -incense greatly loved by the great chief. It grew from the leaves that -sprouted from the roots of the tree. - -The roots of the tree were white and ran in four directions. Far through -the earth they ran, giving firm support to the tree. Around this tree -the people gathered daily, for here the Great Chief had his lodge where -he dwelt. Now, in a dream he was given a desire to take as his wife a -certain maiden who was very fair to look upon.[9] So, he took her as his -wife for when he had embraced her he found her most pleasing. When he -had eaten the marriage bread he took her to his lodge, and to his -surprise found that she was with child. This caused him great anger and -he felt himself deceived, but the woman loved the child, which had been -conceived by the potent breath of her lover when he had embraced her. He -was greatly distressed, for this fair Awĕ^n‘hā´i‘ was of the noblest -family. It is she who is customarily called Iagĕ^n’´tci‘. - -He, the Ancient One, fell into a troubled sleep and a dream commanded -him to have the celestial tree uprooted as a punishment to his wife, and -as a relief of his troubled spirit. So on the morrow he announced to his -wife that he had a dream and could not be satisfied until it had been -divined. Thereupon she “discovered his word,” and it was that the tree -should be uprooted. - -“Truly you have spoken,” said Ancient One, “and now my mind shall be -satisfied.” And the woman, his wife, saw that there was trouble ahead -for the sky world, but she too found pleasure in the uprooting of the -tree, wishing to know what was beneath it. Yet did she know that to -uproot the tree meant disaster for her, through the anger of Ancient One -against her. - -It so happened that the chief called all his people together and they -endeavored to uproot the tree, it being deep-rooted and firm. Then did -the chief grow even more angry for Iagĕ^n’´tci had cried out that -calamity threatened and nobody would avert it. Then did the chief, -himself embrace the tree and with a mighty effort uprooted it, throwing -it far away. His effort was tremendous, and in uprooting the tree he -shook down fruits and leaves. Thereafter he went into his lodge and -entered into the apartment where his wife, Iagĕ^n’´tci, lay moaning that -she too must be satisfied by a look into the hole. So the chief led her -to the hole made by uprooting the tree. - -He caused her to seat herself on the edge of the hole and peer downward. -Again his anger returned against her, for she said nothing to indicate -that she had been satisfied. Long she sat looking into the hole until -the chief in rage drew her blanket over her head and pushed her with his -foot, seeking to thrust her into the hole, and be rid of her. As he did -this she grasped the earth at her side and gathered in her fingers all -manner of seeds that had fallen from the shaken tree. In her right hand -she held the leaves of the plant that smelled like burning tobacco, for -it grew from a root that had been broken off. Again the chief pushed the -woman, whose curiosity had caused the destruction of the greatest -blessing of the up-above-world. It was a mighty push, and despite her -hold upon the plant and upon the ground, she fell into the hole. - -Now, this hole had penetrated the crust of the upper world and when -Iagĕ^n’´tci fell she went far down out of sight and the chief could not -see her in the depths of the darkness below. As she fell she beheld a -beast that emitted fire from its head whom she called Gaăs‘ioñdie´t‘hă’, -(Gahashondietoh). It is said that as she passed by him he took out a -small pot, a corn mortar, a pestle, a marrow bone and an ear of corn and -presented them to her, saying, “Because thou has thus done, thou shalt -eat by these things, for there is nothing below, and all who eat shall -see me once and it will be the last.” - -Now it is difficult to know how this Fire Beast can be seen for he is of -the color of the wind and is of the color of anything that surrounds it, -though some say he is pure white. - -Hovering over the troubled waters below were other creatures, some like -and some unlike those that were created afterward. It is said by the old -people that in those times lived the spirit of Gä´ha‘ and of -S‘hagodiiowe^n‘´gōwā, of Hĭ’´no^n’ and of Deiodasondaiko, (The Wind, the -Defending Face, the Thunder and the Heavy Night.) There were also what -seemed to be ducks upon the water and these also saw the descending -figure. - -The creature-beings knew that a new body was coming to them and that -here below there was no abiding place for her. They took council -together and sought to devise a way to provide for her. - -It was agreed that the duck-creatures should receive her on their -interknit wings and lower her gently to the surface below. The great -turtle from the under-world was to arise and make his broad back a -resting-place. It was as has been agreed and the woman came down upon -the floating island. - -Then did the creatures seek to make a world for the woman and one by one -they dove to the bottom of the water seeking to find earth to plant upon -the turtle’s back. A duck dived but went so far that it breathed the -water and came up dead. A pickerel went down and came back dead. Many -creatures sought to find the bottom of the water but could not. At last -the creature called Muskrat made the attempt and only succeeded in -touching the bottom with his nose but this was sufficient for he was -enabled to smear it upon the shell and the earth immediately grew, and -as the earth-substance increased so did the size of the turtle. - -After a time the woman, who lay prone, aroused herself and released what -was in her hands, dropping many seeds into the folds of her garment. -Likewise she spread out the earth from the heaven world which she had -grasped and thus caused the seeds to spring into germination as they -dropped from her dress. - -The root of the tree which she had grasped she sunk into the soil where -she had fallen and this too began to grow until it formed a tree with -all manner of fruits and flowers and bore a luminous orb at its top by -which the new world became illuminated. - -Now in due season the Sky Woman[10] lay beneath the tree and to her a -daughter was born. She was then happy for she had a companion. Rapidly -the girl child grew until very soon she could run about. It was then the -custom of Ancient One to say: “My daughter, run about the island and -return telling me what you have seen.” - -Day by day the girl ran around the island and each time it became -larger, making her trips longer and longer. She observed that the earth -was carpeted with grass and that shrubs and trees were springing up -everywhere. This she reported to her mother, who sat beneath the -centrally situated great tree. - -In one part of the island there was a tree on which grew a long vine and -upon this vine the girl was accustomed to swing for amusement and her -body moved to and fro giving her great delight. Then did her mother say, -“My daughter, you laugh as if being embraced by a lover. Have you seen a -man?” - -“I have seen no one but you, my mother,” answered the girl, “but when I -swing I know someone is close to me and I feel my body embraced as if -with strong arms. I feel thrilled and I tingle, which causes me to -laugh.” - -Then did the Sky Woman look sad, and she said, “My daughter, I know not -now what will befall us. You are married to Gä´ha‘, and he will be the -father of your children. There will be two boys.” - -In due season the voices of two boys were heard speaking, eiă’da´goñ‘, -and the words of one were kind and he gave no trouble, but the words of -the other were harsh and he desired to kill his mother. His skin was -covered with warts and boils and he was inclined to cause great pain. - -When the two boys were born, Elder One made his mother happy but when -Warty One was born he pierced her through the arm pit and stood upon her -dead body. So did the mother perish, and because of this the Sky Woman -wept. - -The boys required little care but instantly became able to care for -themselves. After the mother’s body had been arranged for burial, the -Sky Woman saw the Elder One whom she called Good Mind, approach, and he -said, “Grandmother. I wish to help you prepare the grave.” So he helped -his grandmother who continually wept, and deposited the body of his -mother in a grave. Thereupon did the grandmother speak to her daughter: - -“Oh, my daughter,” she said. “You have departed and made the first path -to the world from which I came bringing your life. When you reach that -homeland make ready to receive many beings from this place below, for I -think the path will be trodden by many.” - -Good Mind watched at the grave of his mother and watered the earth above -it until the grass grew. He continued to watch until he saw strange buds -coming out of the ground. - -Where the feet were the earth sprouted with a plant that became the -stringed-potato (onĕñno^n’´dă’o^n´wĕ‘), where her fingers lay sprang the -beans, where her abdomen lay sprang the squash, where her breasts lay -sprang the corn plant, and from the spot above her forehead sprang the -tobacco plant. - -Now the warty one was named Evil Mind, and he neglected his mother’s -grave and spent his time tearing up the land and seeking to do evil. - -When the grandmother saw the plants springing from the grave of her -daughter and cared for by Good Mind she was thankful and said, “By these -things we shall hereafter live, and they shall be cooked in pots with -fire, and the corn shall be your milk and sustain you. You shall make -the corn grow in hills like breasts, for from the corn shall flow our -living.” - -Then the Grandmother, the Sky Woman, took Good Mind about the island and -instructed him how to produce plants and trees. So he spoke to the earth -and said, “Let a willow here come forth,” and it came. In a like manner -he made the oak, the chestnut, the beech, the hemlock, the spruce, the -pine, the maple, the button-ball, the tulip, the elm and many other -trees that should become useful. - -With a jealous stomach the Evil Mind followed behind and sought to -destroy the good things but could not, so he spoke to the earth and -said: “Briars come forth,” and they came forth. Likewise he created -poisonous plants and thorns upon bushes. - -Upon a certain occasion Good Mind made inquiries of his Grandmother, -asking where his father dwelt. Then did the Sky Woman say: “You shall -now seek your father. He lives to the uttermost east and you shall go to -the far eastern end of the island and go over the water until you behold -a mountain rising from the sea. You shall walk up the mountain and there -you will find your father seated upon the top.” - -Good Mind made the pilgrimage and came to the mountain. At the foot of -the mountain he looked upward and called, “My father, where art thou?” -And a great voice sounded the word: “A son of mine shall cast the cliff -from the mountain’s edge to the summit of this peak.” Good Mind grasped -the cliff and with a mighty effort flung it to the mountain top. Again -he cried, “My father, where art thou?” The answer came, “A son of mine -shall swim the cataract from the pool below to the top.” Good Mind -leaped into the falls and swam upward to the top where the water poured -over. He stood there and cried again, “My father, where art thou?” The -voice answered, “A son of mine shall wrestle with the wind.” So, there -at the edge of a terrifying precipice Good Mind grappled with Wind and -the two wrestled, each endeavoring to throw the other over. It was a -terrible battle and Wind tore great rocks from the mountain side and -lashed the water below, but Good Mind overcame Wind, and he departed -moaning in defeat. Once more Good Mind called, “My father, where art -thou?” In awesome tones the voice replied, “A son of mine shall endure -the flame,” and immediately a flame sprang out of the mountain side and -enveloped Good Mind. It blinded him and tortured him with its cruel -heat, but he threw aside its entwining arms and ran to the mountain top -where he beheld a being sitting in the midst of a blaze of light. - -“I am thy father,” said the voice. “Thou art my son.” - -“I have come to receive power,” said the son. “I wish to rule all things -on the earth.” - -“You have power,” answered the father. “You have conquered. I give to -you the bags of life, the containers of living creatures that will bless -the earth.” - -Thus did the father and son counsel together and the son learned many -things that he should do. He learned how to avoid the attractive path -that descended to the place of the cave where Hanishe´ono^{n’} dwells. - -Now the father said, “How did you come to find me, seeing I am secluded -by many elements?” - -The Good Mind answered, “When I was about to start my journey Sky Woman, -my grandmother, gave me a flute and I blew upon it, making music. Now, -when the music ceased the flute spoke to me, saying, ‘This way shalt -thou go,’ and I continued to make music and the voice of the flute spoke -to me.” - -Then did the father say, “Make music by the flute and listen, then shalt -thou continue to know the right direction.” - -In course of time Good Mind went down the mountain and he waded the sea, -taking with him the bags with which he had been presented. As he drew -near the shore he became curious to know what was within, and he pinched -one bag hoping to feel its contents. He felt a movement inside which -increased until it became violent. The bag began to roll about on his -back until he could scarcely hold it and a portion of the mouth of the -bag slipped from his hand. Immediately the things inside began to jump -out and fall into the water with a great splash, and they were water -animals of different kinds. The other bag began to roll around on his -back but he held on tightly until he could do so no more, when a portion -of the mouth slipped and out flew many kinds of birds, some flying -seaward and others inland toward the trees. Then as before the third bag -began to roll about but he held on very tight, but it slipped and fell -into the water and many kinds of swimming creatures rushed forth, -fishes, crabs and eels. The fourth bag then began to roll about, but he -held on until he reached the land when he threw it down, and out rushed -all the good land animals, of kinds he did not know. From the bird bag -had come good insects, and from the fish bag had also come little -turtles and clams. - -When Good Mind came to his grandmother beneath the tree she asked what -he had brought, for she heard music in the trees and saw creatures -scampering about. Thereupon Good Mind related what had happened, and Sky -Woman said, “We must now call all the animals and discover their names, -and moreover we must so treat them that they will have fat.” - -So then she spoke, “Cavity be in the ground and be filled with oil.” The -pool of oil came, for Sky Woman had the power of creating what she -desired. - -Good Mind then caught the animals one by one and brought them to his -grandmother. She took a large furry animal and cast it into the pool and -it swam very slowly across, licking up much oil. “This animal shall -hereafter be known as niagwaih, (bear) and you shall be very fat.” Next -came another animal with much fur and it swam across and licked up the -oil, and it was named degiiă’´go^n, (buffalo). So in turn were named the -elk, the moose, the badger, the woodchuck, and the raccoon, and all -received much fat. Then came the beaver (na^nga^nniă´go^n’), the -porcupine and the skunk. Now Good Mind wished the deer to enter but it -was shy and bounded away, whereupon he took a small arrow and pierced -its front leg, his aim being good. Then the deer came and swam across -the pool and oil entered the wound and healed it. This oil of the deer’s -leg is a medicine for wounds to this day and if the eyes are anointed -with it one may shoot straight. - -Again other animals came and one by one they were named weasel, mink, -otter, fisher, panther, lynx, wild cat, fox, wolf, big wolf, squirrel, -chipmunk, mole, and many others. - -And many animals that were not desired plunged into the pool of oil, and -these Good Mind seized as they came out and he stripped them of their -fat and pulled out their bodies long. So he did to the otter, fisher, -weasel and mink. So he did to the panther, wolf, big wolf, and fox, the -lynx and the wildcat. Of these the fat to this day is not good tasting. -But after a time Evil Mind secured a bag of creatures from the road to -the Cave and unloosed it, and evil things crawled into the pool and grew -fat. So did the rattlesnake and great bugs and loathly worms. - -Thus did Evil Mind secure many evil monsters and insects, and he enticed -good animals into his traps and perverted them and gave them appetites -for men-beings. He was delighted to see how fierce he could make the -animals, and set them to quarreling. - -He roamed about visiting the streams of pure water made by Good Mind and -filling them with mud and slime, and he kicked rocks in the rivers and -creeks to make passage difficult, and he planted nettles and thorns in -the paths. Thus did he do to cause annoyance. - -Now Good Mind sat with his grandmother beneath the tree of light and he -spoke to her of the world and how he might improve it. “Alas,” said she, -“I believe that only one more task awaits me and then I shall go upon my -path and follow your mother back to the world beyond the sky. It remains -for me to call into being certain lights in the blackness above where -Heavy Night presides.” - -So saying she threw the contents of a bag into the sky and it quickly -became sprinkled with stars. And thus there came into being -constellations (haditgwă’´dā’), and of these we see the bear chase, the -dancing brothers, the seated woman, the beaver skin, the belt, and many -others. - -Now it seems that Good Mind knew that there should be a luminous orb -and, so it is said, he took his mother’s face and flung it skyward and -made the sun, and took his mother’s breast and flinging it into the sky -made the moon. So it is said, but there are other accounts of the -creation of these lights. It is said that the first beings made them by -going into the sky. - -Shortly after the creation of the stars (gadjĭ‘´so^n’´dă’), the -grandmother said unto Good Mind, “I believe that the time has come when -I should depart, for nearly all is finished here. There is a road from -my feet and I have a song which I shall sing by which I shall know the -path. There is one more matter that troubles me for I see that your -brother is jealous and will seek to kill you. Use great care that you -overcome him and when you have done so confine him in the cave and send -with him the evil spirit beasts, lest they injure men.” - -When morning came the Sky Woman had departed and her journey was toward -the sky world. - -Good Mind felt lonely and believed that his own mission was about at -end. He had been in conflict with his brother, Evil Mind, and had -sought, moreover, to overcome and to teach the Whirlwind and Wind, and -the Fire Beast. - -Soon Evil Mind came proposing a hunting trip and Good Mind went with him -on the journey. When they had gone a certain distance the Evil Mind -said, “My elder brother, I perceive that you are about to call forth -men-beings who shall live on the island that we here have inhabited. I -propose to afflict them with disease and to make life difficult, for -this is not their world but mine, and I shall do as I please to spoil -it.” - -Then did Good Mind answer and say, “Verily, I am about to make -man-beings who shall live here when I depart, for I am going to follow -the road skyward made first by my mother.” - -“This is good news,” answered Evil Mind. “I propose that you then reveal -unto me the word that has power over your life, that I may possess it -and have power when you are gone.” - -Good Mind now saw that his brother wished to destroy him, and so he -said, “It may happen that you will employ the cattail flag, whose sharp -leaves will pierce me.” - -Good Mind then lay down and slumbered, but soon was awakened by Evil -Mind who was lashing him with cattail flags, and yelling loudly, “Thou -shalt die.” Good Mind arose and asked his brother what he meant by -lashing him and he answered, “I was seeking to awaken you from a dream, -for you were speaking.” - -So, soon again the brother, Evil Mind, asked, “My brother, I wish to -know the word that has power over you.” And Good Mind perceiving his -intention answered, “It may be that deer-horns will have power over me; -they are sharp and hard.” - -Soon Good Mind slept again and was awakened by Evil Mind beating him -with deer-horns, seeking to destroy him. They rushed inland to the foot -of the tree and fought each other about it. Evil Mind was very fierce -and rushed at his brother thrusting the horns at him and trying to -pierce his chest, his face or tear his abdomen. Finally, Good Mind -disarmed him, saying, “Look what you have done to the tree where Ancient -One was wont to care for us, and whose branches have supplied us with -food. See how you have torn this tree and stripped it of its valuable -products. This tree was designed to support the life of men-beings and -now you have injured it. I must banish you to the region of the great -cave and you shall have the name of Destroyer.” - -So saying he used his good power to overcome Evil Mind’s otgont (evil -power) and thrust him into the mouth of the cave, and with him all -manner of enchanted beasts. There he placed the white buffalo, the -poison beaver, the poison otter, snakes and many bewitched things that -were otgont. So there to this day abides Evil Mind seeking to emerge, -and his voice is heard giving orders. - -Then Good Mind went back to the tree and soon saw a being walking about. -He walked over to the place where the being was pacing to and fro. He -saw that it was S’hagodiiwe^n‘´gōwā, who was a giant with a grotesque -face. “I am master of the earth,” roared this being (called also Great -Defender), for he was the whirlwind. “If you are master,” said Good -Mind, “prove your power.” - -Defender said, “What shall be our test?” - -“Let this be the test,” said Good Mind, “that the mountain yonder shall -approach us at your bidding.” - -So Defender spoke saying, “Mountain, come hither.” And they turned their -backs that they might not see it coming until it stood at their backs. -Soon they turned about again and the mountain had not moved. - -“So now, I shall command,” said Good Mind, and he spoke saying, -“Mountain, come hither,” and they turned their backs. There was a -rushing of air and Defender turned to see what was behind him and fell -against the onrushing mountain, and it bent his nose and twisted his -mouth, and from this he never recovered. - -Then did Defender say, “I do now acknowledge you to be master. Command -me and I will obey.” - -“Since you love to wander,” said Good Mind, “it shall be your duty to -move about over the earth and stir up things. You shall abandon your -evil intentions and seek to overcome your otgont nature, changing it to -be of benefit to man-beings, whom I am about to create.” - -“Then,” said Defender, “shall man-beings offer incense tobacco to me and -make a song that is pleasing to me, and they shall carve my likeness -from the substance of trees, and my orenda will enter the likeness of my -face and it shall be a help to men-beings and they shall use the face as -I shall direct. Then shall all the diseases that I may cause depart and -I shall be satisfied.” - -Again Good Mind wandered, being melancholy. Looking up he saw another -being approaching. - -“I am Thunder,” said the being. - -“What can you do to be a help to me?” asked Good Mind. - -“I can wash the earth and make drink for the trees and grass,” said -Thunder. - -“What can you do to be a benefit to the men-beings I am about to -create?” asked Good Mind. - -“I shall slay evil monsters when they escape from the under-world,” said -Thunder. “I shall have scouts who will notify me and I shall shoot all -otgont beings.” - -Then was Good Mind satisfied, and he pulled up a tree and saw the water -fill the cavity where the roots had been. Long he gazed into the water -until he saw a reflection of his own image. “Like unto that will I make -men-beings,” he thought. So then he took clay and molded it into small -images of men and women. These he placed on the ground and when they -were dry he spoke to them and they sprang up and lived. - -When he saw them he said unto them, “All this world I give unto you. It -is from me that you shall say you are descended and you are the children -of the first born of earth, and you shall say that you are the flesh of -Iagĕ^n’´tci, she the Ancient Bodied One.” - -When he had acquainted them with the other first beings, and shown them -how to hunt and fish and to eat of the fruits of the land, he told them -that they should seek to live together as friends and brothers and that -they should treat each other well. - -He told them how to give incense of tobacco, for Awĕ^n‘hā´i‘, Ancient -Bodied One, had stripped the heaven world of tobacco when she fell, and -thus its incense should be a pleasing one into which men-beings might -speak their words when addressing him hereafter. These and many other -things did he tell them. - -Soon he vanished from the sight of created men beings, and he took all -the first beings with him upon the sky road. - -Soon men-beings began to increase and they covered the earth, and from -them we are descended. Many things have happened since those days, so -much that all can never be told. - - - 2. THE BROTHERS WHO CLIMBED TO THE SKY. - -There were once three brothers who had spent their lives as hunters. At -last one growing tired of the chase suggested that, as a break in the -monotony of existence, they would walk to the end of the earth where the -sky touched the water of the great seas. This proposition met with favor -with all and together they set out on their long journey. Many years of -adventure were spent, when at last they reached the spot where the sky -bends down to earth (gaenhyakdondye). - -For two changes of the moon they camped near this spot and watched the -mysterious things that happened about the blue dome’s rim. Each day it -rose high from the earth and fell back upon the sea. When it rose the -water would recede and when it fell the water would rise high on the -shore. Finally two brothers desired to run upon the sand beneath the rim -of the bowl but the third brother hung back and was afraid, but seeing -the others afar off he ran beneath the rim and hastened to overtake them -but just as the two stepped out from the farther side of the blue wall -it came down and the third was crushed; but his spirit sped forward like -the wind on its journey. The two mourned the loss of their brother in -this summary way but continued their adventure. - -Now on the other side of the sky all things seemed turned around. Before -them was a high rounded hill and when they ascended it they found a -large village in the distance. A man came running toward them. It was -their brother. - -“How came you here, brother?” they asked. “We did not see you pass us,” -but all the other brother would say was, “Never hesitate, never delay!” -and passed on. - -They saw an old man approaching. His youthful vigor and strong, -well-proportioned body surprised them. No earthly symptoms of old age -had he. His white hair alone betokened that. - -Coming near he greeted them. “I am the Father of All,” he said, “and my -son is T‘haho^n’hiawă’´ko^n, the Great Spirit. He is the ruler of all -below. Now let me advise you. When you see him call him quickly and say -‘Nya‘wĕ‘´skäno’’! If you fail to speak first he will say, ‘you are -mine,’ and you will no more be men but spirits as your brother is.” - -The brothers went their way and came to a high white lodge. As they -walked up the path a tall handsome man stepped out. - -“Nyawĕ‘´skäno’!” shouted the brothers in chorus. - -“Dogĕ^ns!” responded the being. “Come in. I have been watching you a -long time.” - -The brothers entered the lodge. - -“How are your bodies, men?” asked the being. - -“Good indeed!” replied the brothers. - -“Untrue,” said the great being. “I am the Master of Life and know! One -of you must lie down and I will purify him first, and then the other.” - -One brother placed himself upon the ground. Master of Life took a small -shell, placed it to his lips, tapped him upon the neck, and then -carefully sealed the shell with a lump of clay. He now began to skin the -prostrate man. He stripped every muscle from its fastenings, took out -the organs, and separated the bones. He cleansed each fibre from -corruption and disease with a fluid from his mouth and then put the man -together again. The same process was repeated with the second brother. -Then, placing the shells upon their mouths, he loosened the clay and -tapped the necks of the men. Sitting up they said, “It seems as if we -have slept.” - -“Every power of your bodies is renewed,” said the Master of Life. “How -would you like to test your skill now?” And, leading the way, he entered -a beautiful forest surrounded by a hedge. The borders of the grove were -lined with beds of vegetables and flowers. - -“Come into the inner part of my garden,” said the Master of Life, “and -see my droves of deer.” - -A stalwart buck with proud branching antlers came bounding toward them. - -“He is the swiftest of all my runners,” said the Master of Life. “Try to -catch him.” - -The men followed after and easily overtook the fleeing deer. - -“He has given us good speed,” said the brothers, nor was this the only -power. For long they tried their skill in every way and found it equal -to any task that creatures could perform. - -Returning to the great white lodge the brothers saw a messenger of -wondrous swiftness come speeding toward them. Upon his wide expanded -chest was suspended a brilliant ball of light. In some unknown tongue he -shouted as he dashed by on his journey. - -“Do you understand his words, or do you even know him?” asked the -Master. “He is Sun, my messenger, Ho‘sĕ^n’äge‘´dagōwā. Each day he -brings me news. Nothing from east to west escapes his eyes. He has just -told me of a war raging even now between your people and another nation, -so come, let us look down upon the earth.” - -Going to a high hill the men looked down through a hole in the sky and -saw the struggling bands of men, saw the flaming lodges, and even the -cries of anguish and rage. - -“Such things men will ever do,” said the Master of Life as he led them -away. - -The brothers lived long in the upper world and learned much that their -tongues never could tell. They saw untenanted villages awaiting the -coming of tribes yet to be born and saw their own lodges where they -should be when they came again as spirits. Many good things the great -Master of Life told them, and our preachers proclaim them now. - -At last the Master told them they must depart, and, guided by two -messengers, they descended to the earth by night and slept on the -ground. - -In the morning they discovered that their native village was overgrown -with trees, and following a path through the woods came to another -settlement. In a council they told their story and no one knew them -except a sister, aged and on the verge of the grave. - -“The war of which you speak,” said they, “took place fifty years ago.” - -The men did not love earth now but longed for their lodges in the sky -world. They were men of wonderful physical power and neither pestilence -nor enchantments could kill them but two fiery shafts of the sky did. -They then journeyed back to the great white lodge, but this time could -not return.[11] - - - 3. THE DEATH PANTHER.[12] - -Now the old folk say this is true. - -Two boys were fast friends and always were seen together. Their favorite -sport was to play in the waters of a deep lake that washed the feet of a -tall white-headed mountain that lay a distance from the village. - -One day as they splashed in the water, swimming, diving, and sporting as -boys do, one suggested that they both dive at the same instant and see -which could remain below the surface the longer. This suggestion was at -once acted upon and each time they dove they remained below a greater -time. - -In the course of the game one of the boys, Oohoosha, by name, discovered -a flat projecting rock to which he could cling. As he lay holding fast -to the rock after a dive he saw a hazy indistinct object approaching him -and when it neared him he saw that it was a tall warrior whose smooth -glistening body was the color of the sky or the color of clear water -when the clouds pass over. - -“Come with me,” said the man, in a friendly manner and although he had -never heard this language before, Oohoosha strangely understood it now. -So, marveling, he followed. - -The dark green water began to clear and in the distance, he thought he -saw a number of boys playing ball. The guide led Oohoosha into a large -moss-covered council hall where a stout preacher, with a yellow and pink -face, swaying body and large round eyes was declaiming to the people. - -“God created all good things and made men as well as fish!” he shouted, -as the bubbles floated up from his mouth. “The earth people are his -children as well as we, so why should not we who know and foreknow many -things, notify them that trouble is coming and warn them to avoid it?” - -“I will go,” said the boy’s friend, as he pulled his cap. “It is my -office.” - -The preacher rolled his eyes and looked at the speaker, with a shudder -and then called out, “Gaă‘sioñdie´t’hă’ has promised to go. May he -succeed!” - -The preacher sat down and the dances began, and long and solemnly the -people danced. After these ceremonies the boy’s friend told him that he -must go up to the earth-world and warn men of disaster. He took him to -his lodge and bade him care for it during his absence. He was to have -free access to everything save the back room of the lodge which he must -shun. With a few general instructions he departed, leaving Oohoosha to -care for his interests. - -For four moons the boy kept watch, over the lodge and dwelt there but no -one came near him, and when at last the friend returned Oohoosha asked -how he had fared. - -“Ah!” sighed the man, “do not ask me. You must not stay here longer, for -in my madness you may see me as I am. I am the messenger of death. He is -Sondowekowa, I am Gahachendietoh. I am in disguise but should you see me -you would soon die, so depart and preach what I whisper that henceforth -mankind may profit.” - -With trembling limbs and blanched face the boy listened to the whispered -words of his friend and when he had learned all, he shot upward to the -surface of the lake. Striking out he swam to the shore and searching -beneath a rock shelter he found his clothing as fresh as when he had -doffed them. Dressing, he set out to find his comrade. He came to the -village but found on its site only charred and blackened frames. A -deep-trodden trail bordered with the bones of dogs and fragments of -kettles led away to the west, and following it Oohoosha saw a new -village, but only a few houses were there. The people who moved like -ghosts silently about were gaunt and scarred. - -Suddenly a lodge door opened and out rushed his old comrade, who seeing -Oohoosha, drew back with a cry of fear and surprise; but Oohosha -calling, he came forward timidly and took his hand. Looking at him -doubtfully he spoke. - -“Oh, Oohoosha!” he cried. “How came you back from death! I thought you -drowned four moons ago when we dived in the lake.” - -“While I clung to a rock,” answered Oohoosha, “a man came to me and said -‘follow!’ I did not drown but lived this while in the underwater world. -Now, tell me, why is the village so altered and why do the people stalk -silently about, with dull eyes?” - -“Ah me!” said the comrade. “A devastating war has been waged and we are -reduced in number; a terrible famine has swept away the game and crops; -a pestilence carried away all but a handful of our people, then to add -to our trouble a marauding band came and burned our village while we -slept.” - -“And did no warning sign appear?” asked Oohoosha. - -“Yes, but we knew it not as such until it was long too late and then we -noticed a blue panther floating high in the trees. He had no visible -face but from his tail shot flames of fire.”[13] - -“That creature,” exclaimed Oohoosha, “is the herald of disaster. His -name is Gaă‘sioñdie´t’hă’ and when he is seen all men must burn tobacco. -Tobacco incense is the sign that disaster is not wanted and when he has -breathed it he will go away satisfied with the offering and turn aside -the impending evil. But come, I must call a council and tell the -people.” - - - 4. THE GREAT BEAR CONSTELLATION. - -In the days of the first people, before the creation of our kind of -man-beings, there were seven brothers. All were hunters, but one was not -as skillful as the others, and he was called the Lazy One. - -The brothers on a certain occasion had failed to find any game though -they had hunted many moons. They became very hungry and their minds were -charged with magic because of their long fast. When their hunger seemed -unendurable they resolved to go out and make one last effort to find -game. One brother was reluctant to go and clung to his bed, but the -others wrestled with him and forced him to go with them, but he assumed -to be so weak that they had to make a burden litter upon which they -carried him. Four brothers carried this burden, one went before with a -torch and one behind with a kettle, hoping for food. - -When they had gone a long way in this manner the leading brother said: -“By aid of my torch I see the tracks of a large bear. I believe that we -shall soon overtake him.” When he had said this the lazy brother in the -litter said, “I am very weak and you must bathe me with your salivary -fluid.”[14] They paused to do this though the brothers did not like to -delay their hunt. - -After a time the bear tracks appeared to be fresh before them and all -five brothers made ready for the hunt. The rear brother commenced to -gather firewood for the feast. Thus they traveled for three days more -until the bear appeared just ahead. “We must now abandon you, brother,” -said the litter-bearers, “for we are weak and all of us shall have to -assist in killing him before he overpowers us. Now, we shall leave you -here alone and we hope you may recover.” - -When the lazy brother found himself abandoned he leaped up and ran -ahead. Being full of power from the bath he had received and from his -rest, he quickly engaged the bear and killed it with an axe. - -When his brothers came up he had skinned the bear and had cut off some -meat. Soon the brother who bore the torch made a fire and the brother -with the kettle had placed the meat therein. - -When all were satisfied they looked about them and discovered that they -were far up in the air and that the earth was a good ways below them. -They looked down and saw that the blood and oil from the bear had -stained the leaves of the trees and made them red, orange and yellow. -This is how the autumn leaves became colored. - -After a time they went on their journey and soon found that the bear had -revived, though they had killed and eaten him. So they again pursued -him, being hungry, and when they killed him it was autumn again. - -This bear chase keeps up all the time,—year after year, and has been so -since the first people came. If you will look into the sky where the -bear-chase cluster is seen to the north, you will find the man with the -torch at the end of the group (big dipper or great bear constellation), -and will see the man with the pot in the middle of the handle. - -It seems also that there is a cave in which the bear hides and out of -which he comes at the time the brothers are very hungry. Then he is -pursued until killed by the brother who has saved his strength. This -keeps on forever. So we call those stars Nia´gwai’ hadēs´he’ (Bear they -pursuing are). - -[Illustration: - - THE SEVEN DANCING BROTHERS. - - From a painting by Richard J. Tucker. -] - - - 5. THE SEVEN BROTHERS OF THE STAR CLUSTER.[15] - -Seven brothers[16] had been trained as young warriors. Each day they -practised in front of their mother’s lodge, but this did not please the -mother. With the boys was an uncle whose custom it was to sit outside -the lodge door and drum upon a water drum, that the boys might learn to -dance correctly. - -In time the boys became perfect in their dancing, and then announced -that they were about to depart on an expedition to test their skill. The -seven assembled about the war post and began their dance. They then went -into their mother’s lodge and asked her to supply them with dried meat -and parched corn for their journey but she sent them away, scoffing at -their presumptions. - -Again they danced and again returned for food. “I will not give you so -much as a small cake of corn bread,” said the mother hoping to restrain -them. But they went back to their dance. A third time they returned but -again were repulsed. - -The fourth dance started and the oldest youth changed his tune to the -song of Djihaya. With great enthusiasm he sang compelling his brothers -to dance a dance of magic. - -Hearing the wierd music the mother rushed out of the lodge and saw her -sons dancing in the air over the trees. This greatly startled her and -she cried, “Return, my sons! What manner of departure is this?” But the -song continued and the boys danced higher and higher. - -Again the mother cried, “Oh, my eldest son, will you not return?” But -the eldest son would not listen, though his heart was touched. Then the -mother screamed, “Oh my eldest son, will you not hear your mother’s -voice? Only look down to me!” Then was the oldest son’s heart touched -very deeply, but he did not respond, for fear of making his brothers -weak. - -“Oh my brothers,” he called. “Heed no sounds from the earth but continue -dancing. If you look down you shall fall and never more be able to -dance.” - -The mother now gave a heart-broken cry and called, “Oh my first born -son, give your mother one look,—one last look or I die!” This weakened -the heart of the oldest son and he looked down toward the figure of his -mother with outstretched arms, weeping for him. - -As he looked he lost his power to master the air, and began to fall. -With great rapidity he fell until he struck the earth and penetrated it, -leaving only a scar where the soil came together again. - -The mother rushed to the spot and swept aside the rubbish, but no trace -of her son could she find. Finally looking up she saw her other boys -dancing far up in the sky. They had become the “dancing stars.” - -In deep sorrow the mother with covered head sat beside the spot where -her first born had fallen. For a whole year she wept as she watched. - -Winter came and her dancing boys appeared over the council house and -each night were observed overhead, but no sign of her eldest could be -seen. - -Came springtime and the time of budding plants. From the spot where the -eldest had disappeared a tiny green shoot appeared. This the mother -watched with great solicitude. It grew into a tall tree and became the -first pine. This tree was guarded by the melancholy old woman and she -would allow no man to touch it; she knew that it was her son and would -sometime speak to her. - -The winds blew and the tree swayed, it began to speak, and the mother -heard. Only she could interpret the sounds that came from the waving -branches, only she could see the face of the young warrior with his -plumes. - -A careless hunter slashed at the tree and blood flowed, but the mother -bound up the wound and drove other intruders away. In time the tree bore -small short feathers (cones), and more trees grew. These the hunters -slashed in order to get pitch for canoes and ropes. - -Every winter the pine tree talked to its dancing brothers in the sky and -the mother knew that her eldest son should be her comfort while she -rested on this earth. - - - GENERAL NOTES. This legend I had from Edward Cornplanter but being - so familiar with it I made only a few rough notes which I have - transcribed. This myth is similar to the Huron and Wyandot forms - recounting the origin of “the cluster.” - - - 6. THE SEVEN STAR DANCERS.[17] - -Now this even happened a long time ago in the days when the whole world -was new. Our Creator it was (S‘hoñgwadiĕnnu’k´dăon), had finished his -work. - -One of the first men beings lived with his nephew in a lodge near a -river. The river was broad and had a wide sandy shore. The nephew -received the name Djinaĕñ’´dă’ and his uncle sent him away to dream on -the shore of the river, there to stay and dream until his dream helpers -appeared. For a long time he did not eat, but drank water and sweat -himself in a sweat lodge. - -One night he thought that he saw a light upon the water and he looked -and saw lights moving toward him. Hiding in the reeds on the shore he -watched. Soon he saw seven shining young women dancing[18] in the water -against the shore and they made no splashing but went up and down. He -heard them speak but could not understand what they said. He observed -them all intently, for all were without clothing and were very beautiful -of body. The youngest appeared the most beautiful of all. The young man -watched her and thought that she would do for a wife. - -Hoping to catch her he rushed out from his hiding place but the maidens -were alarmed and leaped into a great corn basket and were drawn rapidly -up into the sky and he looked and said, “They are dancing,” -(De‘hoñnont´gwĕ^n‘). - -Djinaĕñ’´dă’ (Elk) continued his vigil and the next night he saw the -dancers swing back over the water in their basket. Soon they came to the -shore and alighted. Again he heard their voices and again they began -their bewitching dance. Djinaenda’s eyes were upon the youngest dancer -and she appeared more beautiful than ever. He waited until she danced -very near to him and away from the basket, then he rushed out from his -hiding place and pursued the maidens, at length grasping the youngest -before she touched the basket, but she gave a leap, and the youth -holding to her was drawn upward as she fell into the basket. She looked -to see who held her so tightly and immediately both fell to the earth. - -The maiden gazed upon Djinaenda and asked him what he wanted. “I want to -marry you,” he said. “You have caused me to love you.” - -“Then we shall be married,” said the maiden, “but we must return to the -sky and prepare for living upon the earth.” So the basket came down and -drew them into the sky. - -Djinaenda was taken to the lodge of the dancing sisters and then led to -the lodge of a great chief who caused him to recline upon the ground. -The chief then took him apart, joint by joint and removed all his -organs. After cleansing them he replaced them and Djinaenda was -regenerated. He now felt very strong and able to do mighty things. - -His bride now came to him and said that she would now return to the -earth with him and live as his wife. The sisters then placed the couple -in the basket and lowered them to the earth. They came down on the beach -of the river but it was changed and there was a great village of men -beings there. - -Djinaenda inquired where his uncle lived but no one knew. Finally an old -man said, “An old man such as you describe lived in the woods with his -nephew near this place more than a hundred years ago.” - -The couple now tried to live contentedly but could not understand the -ways of the people, and so, in time the two returned to the sky. The -wife rejoined her sisters but she had lost her brightness, and Djinaenda -roamed the sky world hunting game which he captured by running it down. - -My grandmother told me that they are up there yet. - - - 7. THE COMING OF SPRING.[19] - -In the ancient times when this world was new an old man wandered over -the land in search of a suitable camping spot. He was a fierce old man -and had long white flowing hair. The ground grew hard like flint where -his footsteps fell, and when he breathed the leaves and grasses dropped -and dried up red, and fell. When he splashed through the rivers the -water stopped running and stood solid. - -On and on the old man journeyed until at last on the shores of a great -lake by a high mountain he halted. He gathered the trees that had been -uprooted by hurricanes and made a framework for a dwelling. He built the -walls of ice and plastered the crevices with branches and snow. Then, to -guard his lodge against the intruder, he placed uprooted stumps about on -every side. Not even bad animals cared to enter this house. Everything -living passed by it at a distance. It was like a magician’s house. - -The old man had but one friend. It was North Wind, and it was he alone -who might enter the door of the stronghold and sit by the fire. Very -wonderful was this fire and it gave flames and light but no heat! But -even North Wind found little time to enter and smoke with the old man, -for he took greater pleasure in piling high the snow and driving hail, -like flints, against the shivering deer or hungry storm bound hunter. He -liked to kill them. There came times, however, when North Wind needed -new tricks and so he sought the advice of the old man,—how he might pile -up the snow banks higher, how he might cause famine or make great -snow-slides to bury Indian villages. - -One very dismal night both North Wind and the old man sat smoking, half -awake and half dreaming. North Wind could think of nothing new and the -old man could give no more advice. So, sitting before the fire, both -fell asleep. Towards morning each sprang to his feet with a cry. Not -their usual cries, either, were their startled yells, for instead of a -shrill “agēē! agēē! agēē!” the North Wind only gasped hoarsely and the -old man’s jaw opened with a smack and his tongue, thick and swollen -rolled out on his chin. Then spoke the North Wind: - -“What warm thing has bewitched me? The drifts are sinking, the rivers -breaking, the ice is steaming, the snow is smoking!” - -The old man was silent, too sleepy to speak. He only thought, “My house -is strong, very strong.” Still the North Wind called loudly: - -“See, the rivers are swelling full, the drifts are getting smaller.” - -Then he rushed from the lodge, and he flew to the mountain top where -snow made him brave again. So he was happy and sang a war song as he -danced on snow crust. - -At the lodge of the old man a stranger struck the doorpost. The old man -did not move, but dozing, thought, “oh some prank of North Wind.” The -knocking continued and the old man grew more sleepy. The door rattled on -its fastenings but the old man’s head did not raise to listen but -dropped on his chest and his pipe fell down to his feet. - -The logs of the lodge frame shook,—one fell from the roof. The old man -jumped to his feet with a war yell. - -“Who is it that dares come to my house in this way? Only my friend North -Wind enters here. Go away, no loafers here!” - -In answer the door fell down and a stranger stood in the opening. He -entered and hung the door upright again. His face was smiling and as he -stirred the fire, it grew warmer inside. The old man looked at the -stranger but did not answer his pleasant words, but his heart was very -angry. Finally when he could no longer keep silent he burst forth: - -“You are a stranger to me and have entered my lodge, breaking down my -door. Why have you broken down my door? Why have your eyes a fire? Why -does light shine from your skin? Why do you go about without skins when -the wind is sharp? Why do you stir up my fire when you are young and -need no warmth? Why do you not fall on my wolf skins and sleep? Did not -North Wind blow the sun far away? Go away now before he returns, and -blows you against the mountains. I do not know you. You do not belong in -my lodge!” - -The young stranger laughed and said, “Oh why not let me stay a little -longer and smoke my pipe?” - -“Then listen to me,” yelled the old man in anger. “I am mighty! All -snows and ice and frosts are my making. I tell the North Wind to cut the -skins of men to let the blood through to make war paint on the drifts. I -tell him to freeze things that are food. Birds and animals run away from -the North Wind. I pile the drifts on the rocks on the mountains and when -it gets very high the North Wind knocks it off to crush the villages -beneath.” - -Listlessly the stranger viewed the raving old man, and only smiled and -said, “I like to be sociable, let me stay a little longer and we will -smoke together.” - -So, shaking with fear, the old man took the pipe and drew a breath of -smoke and then the warrior sang. - -“Continue to smoke for me, I am young and warm, I am not afraid of -boasting, I am young and strong. Better wrap up, you are old. I am here. -I am here, keep on smoking. I am Dedio‘s‘nwineq´do^n, the Spring. Look -at your hair, it is falling out, look at the drifts, they are melting. -My hair is long and glossy, see—the grasses are sprouting! I want to -smoke with you. I like smoking. See—the ground is smoking! My friend -Dăgā´ĕ^n‘´dă, the South Wind, is coming. I guess your friend is dead. -You had better wrap up and go away. There is a place. You cannot own all -things always. See—the sun is shining. Look out now!” - -As the young warrior sang the old man shrank very small and shriveled up -smaller until his voice only whispered, “I don’t know you!” - -And so the young warrior sang, “I am the Spring, I am the chief now. The -South Wind is coming. Don’t be late. You can go yet while I sing.” - -A rushing wind made the lodge tremble, the door fell in and an eagle -swooped down and carried Hă’´t‘howā´ne‘ away toward the north. - -The lodge fire was out and where it had burned a plant was growing and -where the provisions were buried in a hole a tree was starting to have -buds. - -The sun was shining and it was warm. The swollen rivers carried away the -ice. So the winter went away and in the morning it was spring time. - - - 8. THE COMING OF DEATH. - -When the world was first made men-beings did not know that they must die -sometime. - -In those days everyone was happy and neither men and women nor children -were afraid of anything. They did not think of anything but doing what -pleased them. At one time, in those days, a prominent man was found -prone upon the grass. He was limp and had no breath. He did not breathe. -The men-beings that saw him did not know what had happened. The man was -not asleep because he did not awaken. When they placed him on his feet -he fell like a tanned skin. He was limp. They tried many days to make -him stand but he would not. After a number of days he became offensive. - -A female man-being said that the man must be wrapped up and put in the -limbs of a tree. So the men did so and after a while the flesh dropped -from the bones and some dried on. No one knew what had happened to cause -such a thing. - -Soon afterward a child was found in the same condition. It had no -breath. It could not stand. It was not asleep, so they said. The -men-beings thought it was strange that a girl man-being should act this -way. So she was laid in a tree. - -Now many others did these things and no one knew why. No one thought -that he himself would do such a thing. - -There was one wise man who thought much about these things and he had a -dream. When he slept the Good Minded Spirit came to him and spoke. He -slept a long time but the other men-beings noticed that he breathed -slowly. He breathed (nevertheless). Now after a time this man rose up -and his face was very solemn. He called the people together in a council -and addressed the people. The head men all sat around with the people. - -The wise man spoke and he said, “The Good Minded spirit made every good -thing and prepared the earth for men-beings. Now it appears that strange -events have happened. A good word has come to me from the Good Minded -spirit. He says that every person must do as you have seen the other -persons do. They have died. They do not breathe. It will be the same -with all of you. Your minds are strong. The Good Minded spirit made them -that way so that you could endure everything that happened. So then do -not be downcast when I tell you all must die. Listen further to what I -say. The name of the one that steals away your breath is Shondowekowa. -He has no face and does not see anyone. You cannot see him until he -grasps you. He comes sometimes for a visit and sometimes he stays with -us until many are dead. Sometimes he takes away the best men and women -and passes by the lesser ones. I was not told why he does this thing. He -wants to destroy every person. He will continue to work forever. Every -one who hears me and every one not yet born will die. There is more -about you than living. Any moment you may be snatched by Shondowekowa, -he who works in the thick darkness. - -“You must now divide yourselves into nine bands, five to sit on one side -of the fire and four on the other and these bands shall care for its -members. You must seek out all good things and instruct one another, and -those who do good things will see the place where the Maker of all -things lives when their breath goes out of their body”. - - - - - V. - BOYS WHO DEFIED MAGIC AND OVERCAME IT - - - 9. ORIGIN OF FOLK STORIES. - -There was once a boy who had no home. His parents were dead and his -uncles would not care for him. In order to live this boy, whose name was -Gaqka, or Crow, made a bower of branches for an abiding place and hunted -birds and squirrels for food. - -He had almost no clothing but was very ragged and dirty. When the people -from the village saw him they called him Filth-Covered-One, and laughed -as they passed by, holding their noses. No one thought he would ever -amount to anything, which made him feel heavy-hearted. He resolved to go -away from his tormentors and become a great hunter. - -One night Gaqka found a canoe. He had never seen this canoe before, so -he took it. Stepping in he grasped the paddle, when the canoe -immediately shot into the air, and he paddled above the clouds and under -the moon. For a long time he went always southward. Finally the canoe -dropped into a river and then Gaqka paddled for shore. - -On the other side of the river was a great cliff that had a face that -looked like a man. It was at the forks of the river where this cliff -stood. The boy resolved to make his home on the top of the cliff and so -climbed it and built a bark cabin. - -The first night he sat on the edge of the cliff he heard a voice saying, -“Give me some tobacco.” Looking around the boy, seeing no one, replied, -“Why should I give tobacco?” - -There was no answer and the boy began to fix his arrows for the next -day’s hunt. After a while the voice spoke again, “Give me some tobacco.” - -Gaqka now took out some tobacco and threw it over the cliff. The voice -spoke again: “Now I will tell you a story.” - -Feeling greatly awed the boy listened to a story that seemed to come -directly out of the rock upon which he was sitting. Finally the voice -paused, for the story had ended. Then it spoke again saying, “It shall -be the custom hereafter to present me with a small gift for my stories.” -So the boy gave the rock a few bone beads. Then the rock said, -“Hereafter when I speak, announcing that I shall tell a story you must -say, ‘Nio,’ and as I speak you must say ‘Hĕ^n‘´,’ that I may know that -you are listening. You must never fall asleep but continue to listen -until I say ‘Dā´neho nigagā´is.’ (So thus finished is the length of my -story). Then you shall give me presents and I shall be satisfied.” - -The next day the boy hunted and killed a great many birds. These he made -into soup and roasts. He skinned the birds and saved the skins, keeping -them in a bag. - -That evening the boy sat on the rock again and looked westward at the -sinking sun. He wondered if his friend would speak again. While waiting -he chipped some new arrow-points, and made them very small so that he -could use them in a blow gun. Suddenly, as he worked, he heard the voice -again. “Give me some tobacco to smoke,” it said. Gaqka threw a pinch of -tobacco over the cliff and the voice said, “Hau’nio’´,” and commenced a -story. Long into the night one wonderful tale after another flowed from -the rock, until it called out, “So thus finished is the length of my -story.” Gaqka was sorry to have the stories ended but he gave the rock -an awl made from a bird’s leg and a pinch of tobacco. - -The next day the boy hunted far to the east and there found a village. -Nobody knew who he was but he soon found many friends. There were some -hunters who offered to teach him how to kill big game, and these went -with him to his own camp on the high rock. At night he allowed them to -listen to the stories that came forth from the rock, but it would speak -only when Gaqka was present. He therefore had many friends with whom to -hunt. - -Now after a time Gaqka made a new suit of clothing from deer skin and -desired to obtain a decorated pouch. He, therefore, went to the village -and found one house where there were two daughters living with an old -mother. He asked that a pouch be made and the youngest daughter spoke up -and said, “It is now finished. I have been waiting for you to come for -it.” So she gave him a handsome pouch. - -Then the old mother spoke, saying, “I now perceive that my future -son-in-law has passed through the door and is here.” Soon thereafter, -the younger woman brought Gaqka a basket of bread and said, “My mother -greatly desires that you should marry me.” Gaqka looked at the girl and -was satisfied, and ate the bread. The older daughter was greatly -displeased and frowned in an evil manner. - -That night the bride said to her husband, “We must now go away. My older -sister will kill you for she is jealous.” So Gaqka arose and took his -bride to his own lodge. Soon the rock spoke and began to relate wonder -stories of things that happened in the old days. The bride was not -surprised, but said, “This standing rock, indeed, is my grandfather. I -will now present you with a pouch into which you must put a trophy for -every tale related.” - -All winter long the young couple stayed in the lodge on the great rock -and heard all the wonder tales of the old days. Gaqka’s bag was full of -stories and he knew all the lore of former times. - -As springtime came the bride said, “We must now go north to your own -people and you shall become a great man.” But Gaqka was sad and said, -“Alas, in my own country I am an outcast and called by an unpleasant -name.” - -The bride only laughed, saying, “Nevertheless we shall go north.” - -Taking their pelts and birdskins, the young couple descended the cliff -and seated themselves in the canoe. “This is my canoe,” said the bride. -“I sent it through the air to you.” - -The bride seated herself in the bow of the canoe and Gaqka in the stern. -Grasping a paddle he swept it through the water, but soon the canoe -arose and went through the air. Meanwhile the bride was singing all -kinds of songs, which Gaqka learned as he paddled. - -When they reached the north, the bride said, “Now I shall remove your -clothing and take all the scars from your face and body.” She then -caused him to pass through a hollow log, and when Gaqka emerged from the -other end he was dressed in the finest clothing and was a handsome man. - -Together the two walked to the village where the people came out to see -them. After a while Gaqka said, “I am the boy whom you once were -accustomed to call ‘Cia’´dōdă’.’ I have now returned.” That night the -people of the village gathered around and listened to the tales he told, -and he instructed them to give him small presents and tobacco. He would -plunge his hand in his pouch and take out a trophy, saying, “Ho ho’! So -here is another one!” and then looking at his trophy would relate an -ancient tale. - -Everybody now thought Gaqka a great man and listened to his stories. He -was the first man to find out all about the adventures of the old-time -people. That is why there are so many legends now. - - - 10. THE FORBIDDEN ARROW AND THE QUILT OF MEN’S EYES.[20] - -Now (it seems), there were twin brothers one named Younger and the other -Driven. The brothers were accustomed to play about two hills. Driven -would go up one hill and jump to the summit of the other. Younger would -stay in the valley between and amuse himself by shooting arrows at him -as he jumped. Now as Driven jumped Younger sang a song: - - “Ha-do-wi, Ha-do-wi, Ha-do-wi, Ha-do-wi, - O-ne-di-no-o-ha-ga-gon Ha-do-wi!” - -Now their grandmother always forbade them to use a certain arrow. This -arrow belonged to their father who used it. They played day after day in -this manner. After some time they began to discuss among themselves why -it was that their grandmother had forbidden them to use the arrow. Then -they decided notwithstanding to use the arrow. So Driven ascended the -hill and made ready to jump. Then Younger fixed his arrow ready to -shoot. Then Driven jumped and Younger shot the arrow. Now an arrow never -before had struck Driven as he jumped but this forbidden arrow pierced -his body and carried him in a northward direction. Now as he flew with -the arrow the arrow sang, - - “Gwent-gwe-o, gwent-gwe-o, gwent-gwe-o!” - -because it was feathered with the feathers of a wild duck. When Younger -saw what calamity his arrow had wrought he gave a scream of alarm and -started off in the direction of the arrow. He ran a long distance and -after some time found the body of his brother transfixed to the earth -with the arrow. He was not dead so he lifted him up and placed him on -his back. Then Driven directed him to follow a northward road. - -“There is a house a certain distance away,” said Driven, “where a number -of women are gathered dancing. We must pass this house but we must not -look upon them. Oh brother, cast not your eyes upon one of them!” - -Now as they passed along they heard the women singing. They heard the -echo of the songs and the sound of dancing. Soon they came near the -house and the women saw them and called out inviting them to look up and -see them. “Oh what have you on your back? Look up and behold us!” Now -Younger did not look up nor did he make reply for he knew that the women -were witches and that one glance of their eyes would be fatal to him. So -when he passed by he kept his eyes directed to the ground and stooped -over. So then they were safe. - -Now again the brother spoke and said, “There is yet one more danger and -it is the last. It may be fatal. A company of women is making a quilt of -young men’s eyes. They gouge out the eyes of young men and sew them into -a blanket (quilt). Now the eyes live and wink as in life for the skin of -the eyelids are with the eyes. Now we must pass through their lodge and -if we can do so without looking at the awful quilt we will be safe -then.” - -Now the lodge was a long one and when the two brothers entered the women -saw them and said, “Bend not so low. Look up and see the beautiful quilt -we are making. It is beautiful. What is it that you have upon your back? -Look up!” Younger gave no heed to the words of the women but continued -through the room. They were about to emerge from the door at the back -when one woman held the quilt before the eyes of Younger. She held it -where he saw it. Then Younger saw no more. He was blind and he had no -eyes in his eye-sockets; they had jumped out and into the quilt. Driven -leaped from his back and jumped out of the door. He did not know where -Driven went. - -Now Younger could not see, so he crept on his hands and knees. He crept -a long ways and after a time he came to a place where corn was planted. -There he halted for he thought that some one would surely notice him -when they came to examine the corn. So he lay down there, and there he -lay day after day. After a long time he heard the sound of a woman’s -voice singing. And soon the woman saw him and was surprised to find a -man in the field. She ran home to her sister and told her that a man was -in the field and that he had no eyes in his eye-sockets. He was a human -being, blind and alive. His eye-sockets were hollow. Then the older -sister said, “We must not leave a human being in distress. We must take -him into our house and nurse him to health. He will be a companion for -us. We are alone.” So they went and found him and brought him to their -house. They cleansed him and fed him on bear’s oil, for he had not eaten -for a long time. Afterwards he was given stronger food. They gave him -nourishment until he was stronger. After a time he grew strong and then -they asked him how he came to be in so bad a condition. So he related -how it happened. - -“I was passing through a house,” he said, “and there were women within -making a quilt of young men’s eyes. They put the quilt under my face and -I saw and then I became blind. My brother was on my back for an arrow -was through him. He disappeared. I know not where my brother is. So did -the accident happen.” - -Now Younger recovered his strength and then the older sister said, “You -must marry my younger sister and live here as our companion.” So he -consented and married the younger sister. - -Now it appeared that after a certain time his wife gave birth to twins, -boys. The older one they named Hanonni-da, meaning, he is a thistle, and -the younger one they called Ho-da-da-o meaning, he cries. At the time of -their birth the older sister called out their names and tossed them into -the adjoining room. Then she told the husband that he was the father of -twins and he gave thanks. Now the children seemed to be wizards. They -did not suckle but played alone together in the room. No one talked to -them but they talked. After a time they asked for a net ball that they -might play lacrosse. So a net, a net-club and ball were brought to them. -Then they played lacrosse in the room. Then they went out doors and -played and again they went into the ground under the house and played. -After a time they asked for bows and arrows. Then they went away for -long periods of time, no one knew where. After a time the older sister -brought them into the living room and said, “It is time for you to see -your father.” So they said, “We will see our father.” Then the father -felt over them for the first time and touched them. They climbed over -his lap and played with him. After a time they began to laugh at him and -the Last said, “How can he be my father since he has no eyes? I believe -that he is not my father.” Then he asked his father, “Where are your -eyes?” Then the father answered him, “In a certain place there are women -making a quilt from young men’s eyes. Once I had to pass through their -house and I would not look upon the quilt but they forced it under my -face and that was the last that I saw. My brother was on my back and he -jumped. Now I know not where my brother is. He has gone from me.” The -Last replied, “Father, we will go there and get back your eyes.” But the -older folk said, “Do not try, the women are horrible witches and we -would lose you. We forbid you to go. So do not go.” So the boys went out -and played together. - -The two sisters went out after a time to get provisions and the father -was left alone with the boys. He heard them talking together. It was -strange and he did not understand them. “Hang on, hang on,” they were -saying. “Hang on and after a time we will reach where father is and he -will help us.” So they talked and pulled and called out each other’s -names. Now it happened that they took their father by the hand and -placed upon him the body of a human being. They had pulled it up through -the ground. Now the body of the man they had, had an arrow in his chest. -Also he had no eyes in his eye-sockets and he was nearly dead. The man -was the father’s brother. Then the children said, “We will go and borrow -some eyes for you that you may look upon each other.” So they went into -the forest and when they had found a fawn they asked if she would give -her consent if they should ask for her eyes to put in their father’s -eye-sockets. The fawn consented when she heard their story and gave them -her eyes. So they gave her moss to eat while they were gone. They went -home with the fawn’s eyes and placed them in the father’s eye-sockets. -Then he saw how his children looked and he was glad. So, moreover, they -saw how he appeared when he had eyes in his eye-sockets. And they said, -“Father, how long your eyelashes are!” for the fawn’s eyelashes were -long. Now also the father saw his brother and was glad that it was he. -Then said the boys, “We are now going in search of both of your eyes and -you will have a joyous time.” Then they took the eyes of the fawn and -carried them back to her and thanked her for their use. - -Now they went on their journey to the place where their father had told -them the house of the women quilting was. After a time they found it. -Now on their way they had been discussing their plans. They decided to -hide at the spring. Last was to transform himself into a duck and -Thistle-like was to wait in hiding. They reached the spring and the -younger brother changed himself into a duck and swam upon the surface of -the spring. The older brother hid himself. Now after a time the youngest -sister from the house came down to the spring for water and saw a duck -swimming in the spring. So she tried to catch him but the duck dodged -whenever she tried to grasp him. Then as she jumped over the spring the -duck entered her body. Then she went home and the old woman of the house -said, “Daughter you look as if you would soon have a child. It must be -by the Creator for no man has passed this way.” So after a short time -the daughter gave birth to a boy and the mother said, “It must be the -gift of the Creator for no man has passed by.” Now the child would cry -and would only be pacified when some valuable object was shown him. But -soon again he would cry and they would show him another treasure. Now he -began to cry very hard and nothing would pacify him, not even all their -valued treasures. So the old woman said, perhaps the quilt of human eyes -would please him, so the quilt was brought and he ceased crying and -played with the quilt. Then the women all went out to work in the field. -Now when they were gone he took the quilt and folded it and ran out of -the house. The women discovered him and pursued him with hammers. They -closed about him endeavoring to strike him but he dodged and they struck -each other and killed each other, all but one and he killed her. Then he -went and found his brother. - -Now they returned home and greeted their father. They asked him what -kind of eyes he had had and the father answered, “Oh they were peculiar -eyes. They had a reddish cast.” Now the Last found the eyes and took -them off the quilt and placed them back in his father’s eye-sockets. And -when the father had his own eyes he said, “There are the eyes of my -brother.” So the boys took them from the quilt and placed them in their -uncle’s eye-sockets. And they saw each other and were very glad. Then -the younger twin said, “We must now go and find the bones of the dead -and restore them their eyes.” So they went and found the graves of the -dead and gathered together all their skeletons,—half as many as there -were eyes. And a voice from the pile spoke and said, “We are under the -cover of a white bear.” So the boys found a white bear and skinned it -and built a lodge like a sweat lodge and covered it over with the skin -of the white bear. In the lodge they placed the bones of the dead men. -In a short time the wigwam began to quiver and then the younger brother -ran to an elm tree and began to kick it and it fell over and as it was -falling he cried, “The tree is falling upon you. Flee for your lives.” - -Now as they heard his warning the skeletons arose and ran out of the -wigwam and into the woods. Now the eyes had been placed upon the skulls -and the people had time to select their own, but Last was too hasty in -kicking over the tree and they had little time to find their own bones. -Thus when they came together in the woods they found themselves in a -mixed condition. Some had legs too short, some had long arms and short -legs,—their limbs, ribs, feet and finer bones were mismated. Then Last -was sorry he had been so hasty. So he asked them all where they lived -and some knew but some did not. He told all that knew to go to their -homes and he told all that did not to come home with him. Now they went -home with him but the house was too small to contain all. Then Last -paced out the dimensions of a large house and his footprints outlining -it were on the ground. Then he commanded a house to spring up and it did -and was large enough to hold all the men and they lived there. Now these -were cripples and deformed people and from them sprang the deformed and -ugly people of today. Now the uncle recovered his health and the older -sister married him so there were two couples in the house. So everything -came out well and everyone was happy. So the legend ends. - - - NOTE.—The legend of the magic arrow and the quilt of eyes is a - typical Seneca transformation myth. Its characteristic elements are, - the orenda of twins, the magic arrow which they were forbidden to - use, the transfixing of one party with an arrow and the tests of - magic. The conception of the quilt of young men’s eyes appears in - other stories, as also does that of borrowing eyes from animals to - assist persons who had lost their eyeballs. The theme of the magical - twins who grew to immediate maturity and played under the ground is - also one employed elsewhere. The idea of conception through entering - into a female to be born of her, also is a more or less frequent - episode. As in other legends, the hero who acquires great orenda - ends his career by restoring the bones of the magically slain and - hastening their resurrection to such an extent that they appear with - mismated limbs, thereby being the first monsters and cripples. - - This legend was related in the Seneca tongue by Edward Cornplanter, - and translated by William Bluesky, whose language forms the bulk of - the version here presented. Certain corrections were made after - reading the recorded account to Cornplanter. - - - 11. CORN GRINDER, THE GRANDSON.[21] - -In a clearing in a thick pine forest there lived an old man and woman. -Their lodge was far away from any Indian village, for they had no liking -for the company of other people. They were a strange couple and often -talked with trees, and the trees would answer them. - -With the old folk lived a boy, their grandson, but he found no pleasure -in the society of his grandparents, for they would never speak to him -except to admonish him not to wander beyond certain limits. - -“Go east, go west, go north,” they said, “but not away from the sound of -the corn grinder. We have named you Corn Grinder so that you remember. -Listen, never go south. Remember!” - -Each morning after breakfast Corn Grinder would run into the woods with -his bow and pass his time hunting birds. He became an expert marksman -and could bring down a bird as far as his arrow could fly. By the time -he was twelve years old he was familiar with the woods, to the east, the -west and the north as far as the sound of his grandmother’s corn grinder -reached. As he grew older he began to wonder why it was that daily the -old people repeated the same old charge. “Go east, go west, go north, -but not away from the sound of the grinder. Never go south!” - -“Ho!” he exclaimed, “I will go south as far as I please.” - -Taking his bow and quiver he ran from the lodge, skirted the clearing -and came around to the southern border. With arrow fixed for instant use -he skulked from tree to tree. He was going toward the forbidden south! -Surely there must be some hideous monsters, poisonous reptiles or -terrible witches here, that made his grandparents enjoin him to shun the -south woods. They would not tell him what it was and because of this he -was determined to find out at any cost. He listened at every footstep -and glanced anxiously in every direction. His fears began to subside, -however, when he saw nothing unusual. The same kind of birds flew in the -trees and fell when his arrows pierced them. Plainly there were no -witches here. He strode on bolder than before nor halted until in the -distance he heard the sound of a corn mortar. He was on the alert in an -instant, dropped on his hands and knees and crawled forward, covering -his approach by the trunks of the pines. Presently he saw a few paces -ahead an opening and drawing nearer saw an immense bark lodge in the -clearing. A gigantic woman was standing beneath a tall tree cooking corn -soup in a huge kettle. An extraordinarily large baby board leaned -against the tree but no baby was in sight. Crawling, serpent-like, he -wriggled his way through the high grass to the lodge. Entering it he saw -a large fat baby, tall as a warrior and as fat as an old woman. The day -was hot and the baby was without clothing as it lay on a couch of skins. -Peering stealthily from the door he saw that the giantess was coming -toward the lodge. Trembling yet determined to learn all he could of the -strange folk, he concealed himself under the hemlock branches beneath -the bed. - -The woman came in and stretched herself out on the floor for a nap. The -baby commenced to cry and then nearly crushed Corn Grinder by rolling -over the very spot beneath which he lay. This made Corn Grinder angry -indeed, and crawling out as best he could he ran from the lodge, skimmed -a ladle full of scalding grease from the soup and running in threw it -upon the baby’s abdomen and fled to the edge of the woods. - -The infant awoke with a piercing shriek and began rubbing its stomach in -frenzy, howling like a stricken wolf with agony. This awoke the mother -who did her best to soothe her child and discover how it had been so -mysteriously injured. - -Meanwhile little Corn Grinder had thrown a bunch of pungent weeds into -the soup and hastily concealed himself in a thicket. - -Soon the gigantic woman emerged from the lodge and began stirring the -soup. She drew a deep breath as its appetizing vapors reached her -nostrils and said, “Age-wiu, how good!” Presently she began to sneeze. -Again she sneezed and again and again, until she could scarcely stand, -tears streaming from her eyes, water from her nose and saliva from her -mouth. “Agē! Agē!” she gasped, “Some witch must be near.” - -Little Corn Grinder chuckled with glee and rolled over and over, his -sides quaking with merriment, to think how his weeds were destroying the -giantess. - -The fire died down, the steam ceased rising and the strangely affected -woman stopped sneezing. The soup was done by this time and going back to -the house the woman strapped the baby to the board and grasping a basket -of bread and meat in one hand and the kettle of soup in the other, -started off in a southerly direction. Corn Grinder followed close behind -and saw her stop at a huge dead tree. - - “Luk-ste, luk-ste, da-ja-jent! - Luk-ste, luk-ste, da-ja-jent!” - -sang the woman in a low voice. The ground beneath them rumbled and in a -moment the tree opened and out stepped a tall giant saying “Onĕk to-ha!” -He greeted the woman with a friendly slap, patted the baby and then -poured a laddle-full of soup down his throat. The pungent weeds burned -the giant’s mouth. Wildly he danced around the tree tearing up the sod -and holding his mouth open, drew his breath in and out to cool his -blistered throat and tongue. When the smarting sensation ceased he ran -toward the offending dish, and gave the kettle a kick that sent it -flying over the trees and spilling the soup over the frightened woman -and baby. The angered giant then began to berate the giantess for the -mean trick she had played on him and kept grumbling until he had -devoured the bread and meat and disappeared into the tree. - -Corn Grinder’s eyes bulged from his head and he shuddered as, ear to the -ground, he heard strange subterranean roarings. “Wah!” he exclaimed, -“why can not I say ‘Luk-ste, luk-ste’?” - -Gliding through the grass and bushes he followed the woman back to the -lodge where she began to wash corn previous to preparing another meal -for the giant in the tree. - -“When the sun stands high she’ll be ready again,” said Corn Grinder to -himself. “Then I will say ‘Luk-ste, luk-ste!’—that’s fun.” - -With this determination he crawled back and hid behind a tree facing the -mysterious dead trunk. - -When the sun had risen to the mid-heavens Corn Grinder arose from his -hiding place and walking cautiously to the mysterious tree struck it -sharply with his bow, singing in a low tone the woman’s song, then -jumped quickly back and fixed his arrow for instant use. - -The ground trembled, the tree shook, then opened and the giant came -forth. He looked around in all directions and growled in rage when he -failed to discover any one: “More tricks,” he yelled. - -Corn Grinder watched his chance and when the giant’s back was turned, he -let fly an arrow piercing him through the stomach. Without a groan the -giant fell. Corn Grinder looked down the path, saw the woman coming and -fled with all haste back through the forest to his grandparents’ lodge. -Bursting in the door he exclaimed breathlessly, “Oh grandmother! I -killed him, I killed him!” - -“Hold on,” said his grandmother, “who did you kill? Tell me all about -it.” - -Corn Grinder obeyed, omitting no detail of the adventure. - -“Agē!” wailed the old woman. “You have killed your father, my own son. -You must go on a long journey to a high mountain and obtain certain -magical roots to restore him! You must go immediately! O grandson, why -did you disobey us? How often did we tell you never to go south. All -your family are wizards and witches and we hoped to save you! Agē, Agē!” - -“I went, grandmother,” replied the boy, “because you told me not to go. -If you had told me everything I should never have gone. Now hurry and -get food for our journey,—two are going.” - -As he was speaking the giantess and the baby came running down the path -and rushed into the lodge. - -“Corn Grinder has killed his father!” screamed the giantess. - -“Where is he, where is he? We are going to kill him!” - -“All right,” said Corn Grinder, popping out from under a bed, “kill me -if you can.” - -The furious giantess seized a corn mortar, the baby a pestle, and each -strove to hit the boy with these weapons. - -Corn Grinder dodged around in glee,—the excitement was exhilarating. The -possibility of receiving a blow from the pestle or being smashed with a -mortar made his feet nimble as never before. Finally when he had been -hit and his doom seemed sealed he said to himself, “If I belong to the -family of witches, I must be a witch as well,” and bounding into the air -he jumped down the giantess’ mouth, slid down her throat, wrenched her -heart from its fastenings and when she had fallen dead, he crawled out -again, grabbed the pestle from the baby’s hands, cried “Da, da, da, da, -da, da!” and killed the infant with a blow. - -Without the least sign of excitement he said, “Now grandmother, hurry -with my lunch. It will soon be dark and my friend and I wish to go -early.” - -“What friend?” asked the grandmother. “Why Da-ga-ga-we-so-da-de -(Standing cob is coming),” replied Corn Grinder, “but you can’t see him. -We have been companions since we were babies. Hurry, grandmother.” - -Mutely the old woman obeyed and soon had a basket of food prepared for -the journey. - -Corn Grinder started on and entered the north woods where he must meet -his friend Cob. - -For a day they tramped through unknown forests, crossed mirey swamps and -struggled through windfalls and at night lay down beneath a sheltering -rock. The next day passed as the first, but the third presented -increased obstacles. Wild beasts growled all around them. Toward noon, -as Corn Grinder was munching a slice of corn bread, a monstrous dog -rushed toward them. Ever prepared to ward off danger, Corn Grinder threw -down his slice and spat out the morsel he was masticating. The dog bent -his head to eat and the two boys ran out of sight, but not into safety, -as they had imagined, for before them was a gigantic wild cat with wide -open mouth. Without pausing in his flight Corn Grinder flung a chunk of -meat into its jaws and ran faster than before. Exhausted, he sat down a -moment to rest but as he did so a big bear rushed at him with a growl. -Corn Grinder jumped form his seat, flung a dish of honey into its eyes -and summing up all energy hurried on once more. Cob ran at his side and -kept encouraging him to keep a stout heart. - -At length they reached a clearing near the base of a mountain. Some one -high in the air seemed singing a song over and over. They halted a -moment and then pushed aside the underbrush, pausing again to listen to -the song, which seemed growing louder. They were startled when they -caught the words. - -“Some strange thing is heralding our approach,” said Corn Grinder, and -pushing aside the bushes he came out into the open. - -A great multitude of people were assembled about a tall pine, shooting -at something in the topmost branches of a tall pine. The two boys came -nearer and noticed that whenever an arrow struck the tree near the -creature in the branches, drops of water would run from its eyes and -striking the ground become wampum. Corn Grinder was about to pull his -bow when Cob struck his arm and said, “Stop! That is your father up -there. Hurry on and let us get the medicine. If you do not soon his -tears will cease to flow and they will kill him.” - -The two boys ran panting through the crowd. Cob was invisible and Corn -Grinder might as well have been for no one noticed him. They labored up -a mountain, crossed great rocks and chasms and at sunset, in a deep rift -in the mountain side, at the foot of a cataract found a wonderful plant. - -“Grab it!” whispered Cob. “It is the medicine!” - -Corn Grinder snatched at the plant, which flew from the ground and -eluding his grasp soared upward but wary Cob with a high leap caught it -by the roots before it was entirely beyond his grasp. - -Cob instructed Corn Grinder to chew the roots of the plant and then rub -his saliva over his body, his clothing, his bow and his arrows. This he -did and felt new vigor thrilling every fiber. The journey down the -mountain seemed easy and his feet were lighter than ever before. - -Toward nightfall they reached the great pine again and saw people busy -as before, shooting at the creature in the tree, but the tears were -fewer and the wampum less. - -“Hurry,” cried Cob. “Unless you shoot him before the next man’s arrow -strikes he will truly be dead.” - -Grinder spat on his arrows, rubbed the roots in his hair and then shot. -The arrow struck the creature and it instantly vanished. Simultaneously, -both Corn Grinder and Cob were pulled from their feet by some unseen -force and sped through the air like the wind. High into the sky they -went and when the moon began to shine they dropped down to earth again -at the doorway of a new lodge, which they entered. - -A woman was chanting a song to a baby. Corn Grinder looked closely and -saw that it was the same woman and baby that he had killed but each had -now become smaller. He looked back and saw the giant he had shot. He, -too, had become smaller. - -“I am your brother,” said the baby. - -“I am your father,” said the man. - -“I am your mother,” said the woman, “come, let us eat!” - - - GENERAL NOTES.—The story of Corn Grinder is another tale of an - enchanted family. Corn Grinder is cared for by his grandparents who - wish to shield him from his parents who are evilly magic people. He - is told that he may venture from his grandmother’s lodge but to the - south at no greater distance than the sound of the corn pounder, - though in other directions he might go as far as he liked. The time - comes when Corn Grinder resolves to disobey and travel south, where - he discovers a lodge of giants and a gigantic infant. By craft he - disturbs the giants, annoying them without being discovered, finally - shooting the male giant. Rushing home he tells his grandmother who - reveals to him that the giant is his father, and orders him to make - haste to procure medicine roots to effect a restoration. When the - giantess and infant pursue him to the lodge he escapes them and - jumping down the giantess’ throat tears out her heart, soon - afterward killing the infant. - - He then reveals that he has an “unseen friend” who will aid him in - his search for the medicine roots. After overcoming great dangers - they obtain the roots and fly through the air to a new lodge where - Corn Grinder discovers his parents restored to normal form. The - injection of the beast in the tree wailing and transforming its - tears into wampum brings into the story a common theme, that of a - being excreting wampum. The songs and magical words used in this - tale are not Seneca. - - - 12. HE-GOES-TO-LISTEN.[22] - -In the old days when the Senecas were strong on the Genesee there lived -near a large hill that rose from a river, a boy and his uncle. - -When the boy was born he was named Hatondas, meaning _He goes to -listen_. This name was bestowed because just before his birth his mother -had dreamed that when he should arrive at a marriageable age two singing -women would come from afar to be his wives. The mother also dreamed that -she would die. In order to prepare him for his marriage she therefore -sewed three bags that were _witched_. She filled one with great -quantities of wampum, the second with beautiful clothing but the third -was left empty. Though the bags were scarcely the size of a man’s hand -they could hold things hundreds of times their own size. - -When Hatondas was yet young his mother as her dream had foretold became -mysteriously sick and shortly died, leaving her baby son to the care of -his grandfather. The uncle knew the prediction of the mother’s vision -concerning the coming of the women for the child, and, being a widower -of many years and unable to secure a wife by fair means, resolved to -disfigure the boy and claim the women destined for him. And so it was -that when the boy reached the age of fourteen the old man each morning -and evening would send him up the hill to listen. - -“Listen nephew,” he commanded, “go up the hill, stop in the pines near -the trail and listen. When you hear a strange sound hurry back and tell -me. Be sure you sound it exactly.” - -The boy would thereupon run as fast as possible to the hill top and -secrete himself in the pine woods. The old man had used every artifice -to make the boy cowardly and so when he heard an owl hooting in the -darkness of the wood he trembled and ran in wild terror down the hill -and rushed into the lodge. - -“O O O—uncle, I’ve, I’ve—I’ve heard—” - -“Now wait a bit my son, wait ’till I smoke.” And when the old man had -finished his pipe he asked, “Well, what did you hear?” - -“Noise like this,—O-O-O-Owah! o-o-o-owah!” - -“Ugh, that’s nothing,” said the old man. “You are no good.” So saying he -thrust a ladle into the fire and drew it out full of embers and bidding -the boy stand fast threw them on his legs. Maddened by the pain the boy -rushed from the lodge with cries of agony. - -The next day Hatondas was again sent on the same errand and again -terrified by a strange sound ran back to the old man and reported. - -“Stop, stop!” the old fellow yelled. “Let me smoke first!” And when the -last curl of blue vapor had been drawn from the old stone pipe he spoke, -“Now tell me!” - -“It was gak-gaw-gak-gaw-gak-gaw! O grandfather!” - -“Chisnah! That was nothing,” the old man replied, and again threw hot -ashes on the boy. - -Day after day the same procedure continued and after a year the boy, -once handsome and lithe, was scarred and crippled. The grandfather now -devised new schemes. When he had sent He-goes-to-listen up the hill he -stretched a deer tendon across the door way, and returning, the boy -tripped and fell, severely bruising his face. The old schemer laughed -and said, “Good joke, good joke, I’ll never do it again.” But each day -as he sent the boy up the hill he would break his promise and the youth -would be frightfully cut by the fall over the thong. However, after a -while in spite of the old man’s promises the youth became wary in his -pell-mell rush into the lodge and would step over the cord. - -One autumn in the seventeenth year of He-goes-to-listen he returned from -the hill in unusual haste and in great excitement. “O grandfather!” he -exclaimed, and before the old man had time to smoke he cried out, “I -heard noise, singing, like this: (SONG). - -“Well, that all?” said the grandfather in a voice that revealed his -suppressed excitement, “Well, I will thrash you hard for that.” -Thereupon Hatondas received a most brutal beating and was thrown into -the roaring fire. The next day the boy was bidden listen to every word -in the song he should hear and report immediately. - -The old man rubbed his face with oil and painted it with streaks of -vermillion. He tied sinews to his flabby cheeks and pulling the wrinkles -back, tied the strings behind his neck and let down his long black hair -to hide the ruse. His sole idea in abusing and disfiguring the boy was -to make him such a horrible sight that the mysterious women would refuse -to marry him. He wanted them himself, and thus on the night after the -singing, decked himself in his best, hoping to gain their favor. -Hatondas had set out early in the morning but entranced by the singing -did not return. On came the voices until he saw the singers themselves -and saw them pass down the hill and enter the lodge. - -The old man decked in his feathers and paint arose to meet them. -“Welcome, welcome, my women,” he said. “Come in, the house is yours.” - -But the women only said, “Where is Hatondas?” - -“Oh I am he!” ejaculated the old reprobate. - -But the women again asked, “Where is Hatondas?” - -“Oh he? He is lying around somewhere with the dogs in the garbage,—but -never mind him,—come sit by me.” - -The women did not obey but sat on the low bench that belonged to -Hatondas, and the would-be-youthful old man with all his smooth cheeks -and decorations could not get them to converse with him. - -“Come, come, better stay with me,—marry me,” he pleaded. “I am -handsome,—Hatondas is crippled and ugly. Say ‘yes,’ you will marry me. -Of course, say so.” - -“Where is Hatondas?” was the resolute question. - -The old man shuffled up and touched one of the women in a pleading way -and she promptly knocked him down. - -Hatondas returned. He had suddenly become bold. All his former fear of -his grandfather had flown, likewise his fear of sounds and moving -things. Courageously he entered the door and saluted the women. Seating -himself on his grandfather’s bench he spent the entire afternoon -chatting with them. As evening came on the women cooked his supper, -leaving the old man to fare the best he could. - -Night came and the time for sleeping. Hatondas threw himself upon his -husk mats and rolled up in his skins. The two women lay on either side. - -The old man frowned fiercely and the strings slipping from their -fastenings let fall his skinny jowls, now more wrinkled than before. - -“Ugh!” he exclaimed. “I say, two women don’t want one husband!” But as -the women did not stir the frustrated old fellow lay down with a -disgusted groan. - -That night as he slept his heart changed and the next morning he awoke -without any ill feeling toward Hatondas. - -“Now, my boy,” he said after breakfast, “you must go away from here. -Long time ago your mother left three bags for your journey. One bag is -empty,—I will fill it.” - -Bringing out a bag the size of a man’s hand he filled it with a basket -of parched corn mixed with maple sugar, put in a bow and a bundle of -arrows and last of all a buckskin suit and then charged Hatondas not to -speak to a living creature other than his wives while on his journey, -and warned him that if he should it would cause the loss of a bag. - -Hatondas with his wives set out on the trail that led to the far -country. Reaching the top of the hill that he had so often climbed one -of the women said, “Oh here is a hollow log. There is an animal in it! -You are ugly, Hatondas,—crawl in and see if you can scare it out.” The -husband obeyed and wriggled through the log. He felt strange and when -his head emerged from the other end of the log he felt like a different -person. Looking in the next spring he saw that his face was smooth and -handsome. He lifted his legging and saw a limb clean and unscarred. More -than this, he noticed that instead of his filthy clothes he was clad in -a new suit of white skin. - -His delight was so great that he immediately forgot all warnings and -talked without fear to two strangers whom he met, while his wives strode -on ahead. Having satisfied their curiosity the strangers started on. -Hatondas ran with great strides and after some time overtook his wives -who immediately asked, “Where is your magic bag?” Alas, it was gone with -all the wampum that it contained. This meant that when Hatondas should -enter the strange country, it should be without honor and that he should -be as a common man. - -For several years Hatondas dwelt in the land of his wives and so well -did he fight in battle and so brave was he in all things that by deeds -he gained great fame. However, he tired of the strange land and longed -to return and visit his own old home. After preparation he set out on -the return journey, each of his wives bearing a large bundle of presents -for the old uncle. - -After a weary journey and after many days he reached the old lodge by -the hill but found it tied fast. - -“Kway!” he cried. - -“Kway!” came the answer in a cracked voice. “Who are you?” - -“Hatondas and my two wives.” - -“Well, how do I know that?” asked the same cracked voice. - -“Let me in and see.” - -“Don’t you dare come in! If you try I’ll shoot you through the -door-hole.” - -“Well, I am going to go in so tell me how.” - -“Well put your hands through the peek-hole and I will tie them to the -post. I will come out and see and if it is real Hatondas you may come -in.” - -Hatondas did as bidden and some one inside tied his hands around the -post. Then a decrepit old man came out with a hatchet. - -“Aha! You were deceiving me just as I thought. You are not my nephew! -Aha! I will kill you. So!” - -“I am your nephew but my face is changed. Look and see if you don’t -recognize my women.” - -“No, I don’t know any of them. You must be killed now.” (Uncle sings -death chant.) - -“Hold on, old uncle, can’t we come to a bargain?” asked Hatondas. - -“Ugh!” exclaimed the old fellow. “Bargain? Yes, guess so. Let me see. -Yes, give me one of the women.” - -“Truly, truly, if she will take you.” - -In haste the grandfather cut the thongs that bound Hatondas and bade the -entire party enter the lodge. When all were seated he said, slyly, -“Well, I guess I like this one best.” - -“What do you mean, uncle?” - -“I mean I like this one for cutting you loose.” - -“Ha! ha! ha! ha!” laughed Hatondas. “She won’t have you!” - -Then the uncle laughed too and said it was all just for fun and that he -knew them all the time. - -As Hatondas looked about him he saw that the elm bark house had grown -old and moss covered and in one place a tree had commenced to grow, but -before another moon had come all things were as new again, but the old -man grew older. - - - 13. HATONDAS, THE LISTENER, FINDS A WIFE.[23] - -Hatondas was a poor orphan boy who lived with his uncle, an old man who -was very wrinkled. They lived in a lodge far removed from any -settlement, so that the boy grew up not knowing how other people acted. - -The old uncle became more and more abusive and threw hot coals on -Hatondas seeking to mutilate him. The boy never lifted his hand to -strike his uncle but received his wounds without murmuring. - -After a time the uncle said, “Now is the time when you must go up the -hill and listen to all kinds of sounds. When you hear one that you never -heard before, return to me.” - -Soon Hatondas returned and imitated the notes of a chickadee. “No, no, -that is not anything different!” exclaimed the old man, and straightway -fell to abusing the boy. - -Day by day Hatondas listened, hearing an owl, a hawk, a woodpecker, a -deer and a bear. With each report his uncle threw coals of fire down his -shirt or beat him on the face with a paddle. - -One morning he heard a song, and listening, heard his own name called -out. - -Listening with strained ears he caught the words, “Hatondas, Hatondas, I -am coming to marry you now. You hear this song so make ready.” - -Quickly Hatondas ran to his uncle and reported what he had heard. The -uncle now became greatly enraged and threw all manner of filth at -Hatondas, then fell to beating his face with brands from the fire. When -he had finished scolding the boy, the uncle washed his own face and put -on his best clothing. Then he greased his hair and tied his cheeks back -with a string, tying the string behind his head under his braid, to give -the appearance of smooth cheeks. - -Hatondas could not sleep that night for his bed was infested with vermin -his uncle had put into it, and it was foul with refuse that his uncle -customarily threw there to make Hatondas an unsavory person. - -Morning came, and all kinds of birds began to sing. Hatondas listened as -before, and at sunrise he arose and went up the hill where he was -accustomed to wait listening for the sounds which his uncle ordered him -to report. - -Again he heard the sound of distant singing, and it was a woman’s voice. -Now Hatondas began to feel very sad, for his appearance bothered him. He -was dirty beyond all measure and his hair was encrusted with dried -refuse. So he felt very lonely and without friends. - -Soon again he heard the song and saw a woman a long ways off. She seemed -calling his name, so he listened more intently. Then he saw a -fine-looking young woman running toward him. As she neared him he saw -that she had a basket of marriage bread. She looked at him in great pity -and asked him to lead her to his lodge. - -When they entered the lodge the young woman greeted the uncle, and said, -“I have been sent by my mother to find a man here.” - -“Oh I am the man you are looking for,” said the uncle, at the same time -ordering Hatondas to leave the lodge. “I am so sorry my nephew is -filthy,” said the uncle, in his most gracious language. “He is very -dirty and utterly no good.” - -“He is the man I have come to marry,” said the young woman. - -Then the young woman took out a pot of oil and heated it, and calling -Hatondas to her cleaned his head, lifting off a great mass of filthy -crusts. At this the uncle was furious, and demanded that the young woman -leave the boy alone. She continued her work until she had cleansed him -when she said, “Oh, he will make a good husband when I clean him!” - -“You must marry me,” cried out the uncle. “I have been waiting for you -many years. See, my side of the lodge is very clean, and you could never -sleep where Hatondas is accustomed to lie.” But the young woman repulsed -him and went out into the woods with Hatondas, whereupon the old man -burst into great rage, breaking his cheek-strings and making himself -look hideous. “Oh, I knew it would come,” he screeched, “but I did not -think so soon.” - -When the young woman had found a hollow log she required Hatondas to -crawl into it and then through to the other end. When he emerged he was -clean and healed of his scars. - -That night they were married, but at midnight a queer sound awoke -Hatondas. He rose up and listened. Then the young wife awoke. - -“He is upon us!” she cried, and leaping up, she called upon Hatondas to -flee with her. Jumping upon the fireplace she scattered the glowing -embers about the room and in a moment the lodge was in flames. - -Together the two ran to the top of the hill to the rear of the lodge. -The young wife drew from her garment a small bundle and dropped it upon -the ground. Taking the whip she struck the bundle a smart blow. A tiny -growl issued from the skin wrappings and grew louder as she continued to -ply her switch. Presently a dog burst from the bundle and stood wagging -his tail at her feet. She continued to lash it and with each stroke the -dog grew larger and finally so large that both she and Hatondas were -able to mount its back and sent it dashing onward at great speed. - -After some time they arrived on the shores of a vast expanse of water. -The wife patted the dog back into its bundle and dropped it in her pouch -and with her husband leaped into a large canoe that lay moored to the -shore. Untying the line, each grasped a paddle and swept the canoe out -into the lake. They had gone but a short distance when a loud snort -caused them to look back and there on the shore was a gigantic bear in -the act of casting a long fish line, and even as they looked it fell, -wrapping around the stern of the canoe. The craft stopped in its course -with a sudden jerk and then began to speed backward to the shore. - -“Quick, Hatondas,” exclaimed his wife, “empty your pipe on the line,” -and Hatondas obeyed with surprising alacrity. The line snapped and with -a sweep of the paddle this wife sent the canoe back into its track. - -Foiled in his attempt to capture the pair the enraged monster pawed up -the sand and pebbles. Swelling to an enormous size he thrust his mouth -into the water and gulped it down in such immense quantities that the -lake changed its current and flowed toward the mouth of the monster. -Death seemed certain to the young couple for the canoe was drawn with -great rapidity toward the beast, but ever resourceful, the young woman -steadied herself, aimed and threw a round white stone directly at the -creature’s belly. It struck him with great force causing him to jerk up -his head with a roar of pain and then belch the waters back into the -lake. In the swiftly outflowing stream, spurred on by the paddles, the -canoe shot back to its former course. - -The great bear was furious with disappointment and roared, “You cannot -escape me, soon I will catch you. I am Nia-gwa-he!” and then began to -blow his icy breath upon the water. Ice commenced to form and when he -judged it sufficiently thick he galloped out over the surface of the -lake. “You cannot escape me!” he bellowed, “I am Nia-gwa-he!” - -The canoe stood fast in the ice and doom seemed certain to its inmates. - -“Don’t be downcast, Hatondas,” said the wife, “only trust me.” - -The wife knelt in the bottom of the canoe where she had a little fire -burning and a pot of water.[24] She was apparently resigned to the fate -from which there seemed no escape. Then when the bear was almost upon -them she stood upright and flung a kettle of steaming water at his feet. -The beast stopped with a sudden jerk as the clay pot broke into -fragments and the water splashed upon the ice. This momentary halt was -fatal, for the water softened the ice and the monster sank beneath the -waters and disappeared. The ice vanished and the canoe sped on once -again. - -Late in the day the canoe grated against the base of a high cliff that -rose perpendicularly from the water. The wife called up to the top. A -woman leaned over the edge far above and seeing the couple below dropped -down two pairs of claw mittens. These Hatondas and his wife fastened to -their hands, and, with their aid, made their way slowly and cautiously -to the summit. - -The wife’s sister greeted the bridal pair, and lead the way to a -spacious lodge where a savory supper awaited them. - -The wife told the story of her adventure expressing great joy at her -escape from the monster bear. - -After the evening meal the time for sleeping came and together the happy -couple lay down upon a new bed of spruce boughs and wrapped themselves -in soft newly-tanned skins. - -A year passed and to the wife came twin baby boys. And so precocious -were they that at their very birth they felled to the floor two curious -men who had intruded into their mother’s lodge. They grew so rapidly -that in a few hours they had become mature men of prodigious strength -and great agility. The old woman provided them with warrior costumes and -gave them presents of bows and brought a bear and a deer for the larder. -A half starved settlement now feasted. New houses were reared, and new -canoes built by these wonderful boys and great riches came to the -family. - -The mother was happy in her offspring and proud, but in the midst of her -joy she began to contrast her present fortune with the unhappy days of -her girlhood. She fell to brooding, and, as she lay upon the ground, the -roar of a monster echoed through the forest. The twins rushed to her -side exclaiming, - -“Oh mother, here comes Nia-gwa-he looking like a buffalo!” - -The boys stood guarding their mother as toward them rushed the huge -beast. It dashed full upon them. The boys sank to their knees, and -stabbed it on the bottom of its foot. When they arose their arms were -wrapped around the creature and in a moment it was thrown through the -air into a grove of oaks and there they buried it. - - - 14. THE ORIGIN OF THE CHESTNUT TREE. - -In a lodge that stood alone in a land of hills lived Dadjedondji with -his older brother Hawiyas. Dadjedondji busied himself each day in the -forests hunting game, catching fish, gathering fruits, berries, roots -and nuts and studying the wonders of the woods. He prepared his own -meals in the lodge and always ate them alone, for, strange to relate, -his brother steadfastly refused to eat with him or, indeed, to eat in -the presence of anyone. He never hunted or cooked, but sat all day -smoking moodily. - -The boy often pondered over the strange difference between his brother -and himself and at length resolved to pretend to start on his daily -hunt, then turn back and secretly watch his bother. He did as he had -planned but failed to discover his brother, Hawiyas, eating or at any -extraordinary practice. Night came and the two boys lay side by side -with their feet toward the fire. Dadjedondji remained awake in order to -continue his watch and toward midnight heard his brother stir. In his -anxiety to spy upon him Dadjedondji sat upright and his brother seeing -him dropped back upon his couch. Dadjedondji chided himself for his -impulsiveness and when, some time later, Hawiyas asked in an undertone, -“Are you awake now?” he remained quiet and did not reply. - -Later Hawiyas arose cautiously believing himself unobserved and crept to -the side of the lodge. Dadjedondji was peeping through a hole in the -skin that covered him. Hawiyas pushed aside a sheet of bark and drew -forth a small kettle and a tiny bag. From the bag he took a small nut -from which he scraped a few shavings with a flint. Casting them into the -kettle he poured in a quantity of water and shaking the kettle placed it -over the fire. The water soon began to heat, and as it did so, the -kettle increased in size until a pudding was cooked, when he dipped it -out, cleaned the kettle, shook it and stored it away with the bag. Then -he began to eat greedily, and, having satisfied his hunger, lay down and -slumbered again. - -The next night Dadjedondji concluded to try the experiment and while his -brother slept crept to the hiding place, found the kettle and bag, and -did exactly as his brother had done. He ate the pudding and found it -most delicious. Wishing more, he threw the entire contents of the bag -into the kettle and set it on to boil again. It was not long before the -kettle began to expand so much so that it filled half the house. -Moreover the pudding began to boil over in enormous quantities. - -With a cry of dismay the brother awoke. - -“Oh what have you done?” cried he, “Oh! I am dead, you have killed your -own brother. Oh!” - -“What troubles you, brother?” asked Dadjedondji as he skipped out from -the lodge, “You do not look very much like a dead man.” - -“Oh!” exclaimed the brother, “you have used all my food. It is all I eat -and can eat. No one can obtain more of its kind for it is far away and -charmed, so you have killed me!” - -Scarcely had he spoken when the walls bulged and the building collapsed. - -“Oh, do not worry brother,” said Dadjedondji, “there is more where this -grew.” - -“Ah yes, but no man can get it, use what magic he may.” - -The brother raved throughout the remainder of the night but Dadjedondji -slept unmoved. - -When the morning came Dadjedondji sprang from the ground and expressed -his surprise at his brother’s sober countenance. “Tell me the full -history of your magical food,” he commanded. - -Moodily the brother answered, “To the east is a great gap in the earth. -Beyond it is a monstrous serpent whose poisonous breath kills all that -comes where it blows. Should a man by chance, escape him, beyond are two -panthers. Should some cunning magician creep by unobserved, beyond, high -in the tree that bears the wonderful nuts, is a witch whose very look -makes men fall apart, and her six sisters devour their meat. So boast -not my brother, you cannot reach the tree. Know only this,—you have -killed your brother.” - -Dadjedondji thought about it and said to himself, “All these things are -strange. They are not right, neither are they in according with the ways -I know about, and, therefore, I can conquer all these obstacles.” - -Boldly he set out with his face toward the rising sun. After a day’s -journey he came to a chasm that extended far beyond the eye’s reach. -“This is not right,” thought the boy, so whittling a doll from a soft -chunk of decayed log, he threw it across the chasm and followed it with -a running jump. He landed safely on the other side and immediately -resumed his journey. For a time he hurried onward and then nearly rushed -into the yawning jaws of a big snake that leaped from a hidden cavern. - -“Oh, get out of my way,” said Dadjedondji flinging a wooden doll into -its mouth. - -Presently from a thicket appeared two panthers. Dadjedondji drew two -more dolls from his pouch and cast one into the mouth of each beast. -Then, without looking behind hurried onward again. A song came floating -through the air and following the direction Dadjedondji came to a large -branching tree. In its topmost branches hung the singer,—a flayed human -skin,—but her charm song had no effect upon the boy for he said, “It is -all wrong and I am right, therefore evil cannot befall me.” - -The skin-woman lifted her voice and sang with increased vigor, “An -intruder comes to our clearing.” - -“Come down here,” called Dadjedondji, “I have a present for you, -gaswe’´da, wampum. Promise you will be kind.” - -The skin-woman seeing the handsome purple quills descended and accepted -the gift with many grimaces and then drew back into the tree. - -Now wampum is the emblem of truth and the skin-woman was entirely -controlled by evil. Holding the beautiful necklace in her hand she sang, -“I have been bribed by a present of wampum not to tell of a stranger’s -approach.” - -While she sang she threw the beads over her head and around her neck and -the beads grew tight and choked her into silence. - -Out rushed the six sisters that had been called ravenous cannibals, but -their shouts were not those of anger or of gluttons, but glad cries of -joy. Coming up to Dadjedondji they saluted him and with extravagant -flattery thanked him for coming to rescue them from their evil sister. - -They gave him a great bag of brown nuts and sent him back on his -journey. The great witch had now no food and perished. - -On his return the panthers angry at the deception he had practiced on -them, pounced from the bushes. - -“Go away, you are not doing right. I never heard of panthers acting as -you are. Are you not ashamed? Go now and never dare trouble men again! -You are now free!” - -The panthers, surprised at their intended victim’s words, rushed off in -fright. Dadjedondji continued his journey and rebuked the serpent and -sent it wriggling to the nearest lake. Then he addressed the chasm. - -“Oh, Earth, why are you rent? This is not the way of doing things. I -have never seen such fissures in my life before. Close up once again and -let men enjoy themselves!” And the earth closed with a loud crash. - -Walking safely across the solid earth where once the breach had been, he -persevered until he reached the ruins of his home. His brother was -sitting mournfully on a log still lamenting, but Dadjedondji bade him -cheer up, and showed him the large bag of nuts. He gave him enough for -several meals and then sent him on to the lodge of the six sisters where -he could find a good wife to cook for him. Then he went upon the side -hills and scattered the nuts over the ground and in time beautiful trees -grew and now all the world has chestnuts. When they were confined to one -tree they were magical but now their powers have gone and they neither -spread nor burst kettles. - - - GENERAL NOTES.—There are a number of stories similar to this. In - some the hero is a nephew living with his uncle. The adventures of - the hero in overcoming the magic beasts that guard the paths to the - chestnut tree are various and recited in greater or less detail. In - some stories the youth pacifies the hunger of the monsters by - flinging chipmunks at them which increase in size and afford them a - full meal. In one version the last guard of the tree is the skin of - the boy’s sister, dried and hanging over the path. The skin is alive - but held by sorcery as the slave of the wicked witch sisters. When - the hero presents the wampum to her she sings out: “I cannot tell - you now that a stranger is about to assail us, for he has stopped my - mouth with wampum.” The six sisters thereupon rush forth and finding - no enemy beat the skin and tell it to tell the truth hereafter and - not give false alarms. In similar stories the hero projects himself - into the body of one of the witches, as is done in the story of the - magic arrow and the quilt of men’s eyes. He is then born and cries - incessantly for power over the tree and the witch, yielding, he - becomes master of the chestnuts. He is also the deliverer of the - dried skin which he conjures back to its normal self, when he finds - it to be his own sister. The mole is the hero’s dream animal and it - aids him to perform his deeds of magic. - - - 15. DIVIDED BODY RESCUES A GIRL FROM A WIZARD’S ISLAND. - -A brother and younger sister dwelt in a lodge together. The sister -cooked the meals and the brother did the hunting. The brother, whose -name was Crow, never allowed his sister to leave the lodge. “Oh my -sister,” he would say, “Do not even venture to the spring.” When the -young man went on a hunting trip he would set his dog as guard over his -sister and caution him to prevent her from leaving the lodge. - -On a certain morning the girl began to debate with herself the reasons -why she should be kept within the lodge. Soon she decided that it was -wrong to keep her from seeing the world outside. So she pushed aside the -curtain, exclaiming, “Now I shall see!” Being thirsty she had taken a -bark water vessel and made ready to dip water from the spring. As she -sank her bowl beneath the surface of the water something grabbed her by -the hair and whisked her through the air. She did not know where she was -going but when she again felt the ground beneath her feet she looked -about and saw that she was on an island in a large lake. Soon an old man -came to her and said, “This is where you are going to stay,” at the same -time pointing to a great lodge. - -All about the lodge were human bones from which the flesh had been -gnawed, and the place was most filthy. The girl then knew that she had -been abducted by a cannibal wizard, Oñgwe Iās. She knew that there was -no easy way of escape but she resolved not to give up hope. Each morning -Oñgwe Iās would come to the lodge with human flesh which he would demand -that she prepare as food for him. Then he would demand that she bring -him water from the spring, carrying it in a bark container that hung on -the center pole of the lodge. - -One morning while she was at the spring she saw a young man standing -before her. He looked very pleasant and soon spoke to her. “Oñgwe Iās -has not been successful today,” he said. “Tomorrow morning when he asks -you to bring him water he will hit you with his club, seeking to kill -you. Be ready and when you reach for the bowl jump around behind the -post and Oñgwe Iās will hit the pole and break his arm. Then run to the -spring here and I will give you assistance. My name is Sgagedi, the -Other Side.” - -The next morning Oñgwe Iās was very ferocious and roared at the girl, -ordering her to bring him water from the spring. Cautiously she reached -up for the water bowl and then slipped around the pole. With a crash a -great club swung against the spot where the girl had been but in a -moment she had fled from the lodge, while the monster was bellowing with -the pain of a broken arm. - -Quickly the girl reached the spring where she found the young man -looking very pleasant. “Be ready now,” he called. “My canoe is on the -shore.” - -She stepped into the canoe and sat in the center while Sgagedi with a -jerk shoved it from the beach, throwing one half of his body to the bow -of the canoe and leaving one half at the stern. He paddled from both -ends and went very rapidly. - -Oñgwe Iās soon restored his broken arm and began to sing a charm song, -calling upon the winds to blow the canoe back to him. A strong wind -began to blow and presently the canoe was swept back to the island, -where Oñgwe Iās was waiting on shore. It seemed as though they were -doomed but just as they were about to ground, Sgagedi threw tobacco on -the water and called upon the wind to blow the other way, which it did. -Sgagedi now did not cease to paddle but kept up his effort until the -canoe was safe on the opposite shore. - -With a great bump the canoe struck the beach, sliding up onto the sand. -As it did so the body of Sgagedi came together with a snap and he became -reunited. - -From the beach, inland there was a path, and by this the couple ran on -into the forest. Presently the path divided and as it did so Sgagedi’s -body was cloven and each half ran on, the girl following the left side. -The path reunited and so did the body of the man. Still the two ran on -until they saw an elderly woman on the path ahead. She approached and -took the girl into a lodge. “I am glad you came,” she said. “I have been -waiting for you to become my daughter-in-law.” - -After a while the young woman and Sgagedi were married, but the bride -could not be happy for she continually was saying, “Oh where is my -brother?” - -Now when the brother returned to his lodge and found his sister gone he -had scolded the dog and forced it to tell what had happened. “I tried to -grasp the sister as the monster seized her,” he asserted, but the -brother called him an unfaithful friend, whereupon the dog turned into a -smooth stone. The brother grieved the loss of his sister and sat with -his head down before the ashes of his lodge fire. - -In due season the sister bore two sons who were twins, and they quickly -grew to be large boys. Every day they would run down to the shore to see -their father scouring the lake after witches and monsters, seeking to -slay them. At last they, too, wished to explore the lake and so took a -canoe and paddled across it to the opposite shore. “Now we will search -for our uncle, for whom our mother continually cries,” said they to one -another. - -They noticed an old streak in the sky and followed it far inland until -they came to a clearing overgrown with bushes. Looking carefully into -this opening, one twin said to the other, “A bark lodge appears to have -fallen down here.” So they went forward and examined the ruined lodge -and in pulling aside the bark and poles they felt a body and it was -breathing. They pulled it out of the rubbish and found it to be a man. -They brushed him off and restored him to his wonted self. Then one said, -“This appears to be our uncle.” - -“I am your uncle,” said the old man. “My dog is a stone. Oh, will you -restore my dog to life!” So the twins restored the dog and then all went -back to the lake and entered the canoe. - -By rapid paddling they reached home that day and when the sister saw her -brother she knew him and was very glad. - - - 16. THE ORIGIN OF THE BUFFALO SOCIETY. - -A youth who had wandered out into the plains of the West in search of -game, lost the trail, and though he searched with all diligence he was -unable to find it again. Throwing himself upon the ground he brooded -over his ill fortune and longed with all the intenseness of his soul -that he might be again back in his native village. - -It was sunset and in the gloaming the youth saw a company of people -gathered about a fire, evidently in earnest council. Cautiously he -advanced, hoping to learn who the people were. For several minutes he -lay concealed in the tall rank grass and creeping nearer was surprised -to learn that it was he, himself, who formed the subject of the -discussion. Much greater was his amazement when an old lady arose, and -walking directly to his hiding place lifted him to his feet and said, -“Come, I have adopted you.” - -“Oh is that it!” exclaimed the boy in disappointment, “I was hoping you -would guide me home.” - -“No, not yet,” said the old lady, “you must learn first.” - -Marveling at her words, the youth followed the old woman to her lodge -and dwelt there. - -It seemed strange to him that the people of the village never hunted but -traveled together in bands over the prairies. He wondered at the shaggy -heads of the men and their dark hairy leggings. He seemed as in a dream -and yet all he saw and did seemed real. He learned much of the wondrous -tribe with which his lot had been cast, and as the months went by he -learned more and more. Often he danced in the ceremonies of the tribe, -often he sang and often he made medicine in the council lodges on the -prairies until he knew almost everything that a tribesman knew. Although -his sojourn was one full of incidents and adventures he never ceased to -mourn for his own home and people and often plead to be shown the trail, -but his foster mother would only say, “No, not yet, for you have not -learned all.” What this meant he did not know and pined as before for -home. - -One night he was awakened by the far-away sound of a drum. Its slow dull -note made the youth more melancholy than before. His heart seemed to -stop in its natural course and beat slow to the tap of the drum. Greatly -depressed, he crept to the bedside of his foster mother and pleaded for -a guide to his home trail. - -“No not yet, my son,” said the old woman, “but perhaps very soon. Listen -to the sound of that far distant drum. Now let me tell you that which -you have not known. Far away to the west beneath a great hill lives the -great chief of all buffaloes and an evil chief is he. When he drums it -is a sign he wishes all to gather around his mound for he is anxious for -a race. He has an evil plan. Being a mighty runner he often calls us to -his lodge and he whom the chief selects must race until death strikes -away his life from the unequal chase. The terrible race continues until -the evil chief has satisfied his insane fancy and dismissed the -assembled throngs. Soon you will hear the chief sing and when he does -all of us must answer his call by starting immediately on the journey.” - -“How is it that a buffalo is your chief?” asked the youth. - -“Because we are all buffaloes,” was the answer. - -The youth bit his lip and felt much chagrined to think he had not known -this before. Surely he had had sufficient evidence. - -Supplementing the note of the drum came a song. Simultaneously there was -a great stamping. Everyone was rushing at a furious pace in the -direction of the song. The youth ran with his mother. For ten days and -ten nights the wild rush continued, ever led on by the song. - -On the evening of the tenth day the rushing multitude reached the hill -from whence the song issued and rested. - -That night the old lady came to the youth and said: “This has been a -terrible rush and many have died from exhaustion, many from wounds and -many have been trampled to death. Many children have been left behind to -die. Oh that this may be the last mad stampede! Now listen, he will -challenge you to a race. Do not fear, but take this medicine and when he -calls you, race him to death. Shoot him in the red spot on his hand. -When you awake tomorrow I will give you a bow and arrow.” - -The youth awoke late the next morning and to his amazement saw a great -herd of buffaloes gathered around the hill. From the summit of the hill -came a great roar. It was the chief buffalo speaking. - -“There is a human boy among us,” it said, “I command him to race me.” - -Trembling, the youth walked toward the hill and as he did so a shaggy -buffalo came sauntering slowly up to him. On her neck was a bow and -arrow. - -“I am your mother,” said the buffalo. “Remember if you run swiftly you -may overcome the evil chief. Remember his body is, under the skin, -covered with a bony plate. His ribs have all grown together so that no -arrow can pierce to his heart. No matter what is said, shoot only at the -spot on his hand, for as a human he runs.” - -“Come boy, it is time to run,” roared the buffalo chief. - -Around the great hill-like mound stretched two circles of animals. -Between them was a path over which the contestants must run. The buffalo -chief started the race by shouting, “Catch me or at sunset I will -trample you to the dust.” - -Undaunted, the boy leapt to the course and ran his best. Toward noon the -chief, surprised at the endurance of his intended victim, yet believing -himself safe, sat down for rest, but the youth strode faster the longer -he ran and doubly fast when the buffalo lagged. - -Springing toward the chief the youth shouted, “I’ll catch you, yow! -yow!” - -Up leaped the buffalo and panting, ran around the course at the top of -his speed. Close behind him was the youth, disconcerting him with his -cries of derision, and his calls of “Yow! Yow!” Calling up all his -energy the buffalo sprinted ahead and sat down for rest, but hardly had -he touched the grass when the youth with his aggravating “Yow Yow!” sped -toward him shouting, “I’ll catch you soon. You have not seen me run -yet.” So, fearing defeat, the buffalo chief ran as fast as his magic -could send him but to his intense annoyance the boy stuck close to his -heels. - -The sun was sinking low and as it sank large and red to the level of the -western prairie the buffalo chief fell with a groan and moaned. “Oh I am -worsted, I am disgraced! Shoot me, boy, shoot me, your one arrow will -transfix my heart, oh I am beaten!” The crafty beast was endeavoring to -deceive the boy but the human boy saw through the beast’s subtilty. - -“Arise!” commanded the boy, “I am ready to shoot you!” - -“Oh my heart,” moaned the defeated chief as he arose. - -“Throw up your hands!” and quicker than thought the boy sent an arrow -speeding into the red spot on his hand. - -A great shout rent the air. The buffalo chief had fallen, had perished. -The glad cry of the assembled herds floated far over the plains and -rumbled like the echoing voice of the thunder gods. Long did the -stamping herds roar their shout of thanksgiving and afterward heaped -upon him honor and praise and called him their deliverer. They promised -him all the power that the race of the buffaloes could bestow. - -“When you wish health and fortune, when you wish a balm for fear and a -panacea for trouble, and a cure for disease burn tobacco and call upon -the spirits of the buffalo,” was the instruction of the new chief who -was chosen. - -The throngs of animals dispersed in bands, each led to its range by its -chief. - -The youth accompanied the old woman back to her lodge ten days journey -away and listened attentively when she imparted to him all the secrets -the buffaloes knew. - -“You know our dances, our songs and our mysteries. Preserve these things -forever in a society of human creatures,” said the buffalo woman. “Now -you may go to your home among the man animals. Now I bid you adieu, my -son, I am sorry you must go. A guide will lead you to the trail.” - -The youth bade the people farewell and last of all his good foster -mother and followed the guide to the trail that lead to the land of the -human. - -After many days the youth came to a village of his people and calling a -council told his adventures. To all but the old folk he was a stranger, -but when he made friends he selected a company and to them he imparted -the secret of the buffaloes. - -Thus originated the Society of Buffaloes, which today exists as a power -among the Seneca. - - - 17. THE BOY WHO COULD NOT UNDERSTAND. - - A STUDY IN SENECA IDIOMS. RELATED BY EDWARD CORNPLANTER, 1906. - -There was a boy who had been reared in the woods by an old woman who -never thought it worth while to teach him oratory[25] or rhetoric[26]. -He had never attended a council or listened to a sachem’s speech and so -he never learned the use of words. When the old woman died the boy’s -grandfather came and took him home with him hoping to make him useful. -The boy was very obedient and obeyed every word commanded. His -grandfather began to have confidence in him and one day sent him out to -locate a bear tree. “Now when you discover the tree wade’´ode”, (_leave -your nails on it_),” said the grandfather. - -Now the boy thought this strange advice but hastened to obey his old -protector. After some wandering he found a bear tree and then -remembering that he must leave his nails upon it tore off his finger -nails and stuck them in the bark of the tree. This caused him most -excruciating pain and he was hardly able to get home. However, he -thought that this was to make him brave and he was confident that his -grandfather knew best how to educate a warrior. He went to his -grandfather and proudly displayed his bleeding fingers. “See, -grandfather,” he said, “I have found a bear tree and have left my finger -nails upon it.” - -The old man looked at the boy in wonder. “What have you done?” he asked. - -“Left my nails upon the tree,” answered the boy. - -“Oh, you poor ignoramus,” laughed the old warrior, “I did not mean that -you should tear out your nails by the roots and stick them in the bark. -I meant that you should put your eyes on the tree when you saw one. When -I said ‘put your nails on it’ I meant that you should remember the tree -so that you could take it at any time you wished. Go now and put your -eyes on the tree (ĕ^nse‘´ganeiondĕ^n’).” - -“Oh, grandfather,” moaned the boy, “why did you not say what you meant!” -and ran out to put his eyes on the tree. He found the tree again, and -began pulling at his eyelids and eyes. Having no nails he could not get -a good hold and the operation was most painful. Finally he gouged out -one eye with a stick and hung it on the bear tree. Going back to his -grandfather’s lodge he greeted him. - -“I have left one eye on the tree, grandfather,” he said. “I kept the -other so that I could find my way home.” - -The old man looked at his grandson and was angry. “You are most -foolish!” he said. “When I say, ‘leave your eyes on a thing’ I mean that -you must be able to recognize it instantly when you see it again.” - -“Oh, grandfather,” wailed the boy, “why do you never say what you mean?” - -“I do,” said the grandfather, “but you do not easily understand my -meaning.” - -Now when the boy was recovered from his bruises the old man asked that -the boy take him to the bear tree that they might kill a bear. Each had -a bow and quiver of arrows. When they reached the tree the old hunter -climbed up the trunk and lighted a torch and threw smoke wood down the -hollow to smoke out the bear. “Now, grandson,” he said, “shoot him -_here_ when he comes out,” and the old man patted his heart. - -The bear came out on a run and as he did the boy lifted up his bow and -aimed at the old man’s heart. It was the place that he had been -instructed to shoot, so he thought. - -The old man was exceedingly angry and yelled out, “You shoot the bear, -not me.” The boy shot the bear and the old man slid down the tree. “You -fool,” he yelled, “so you were going to shoot me!” - -“You told me to shoot right _there_, grandfather,” pleaded the boy, “and -I wanted to obey for I thought you knew best.” - -“No, I meant the bear,” retorted the old hunter. “Now we will cut him -up.” So they dressed the bear. - -Now it is customary to call the pancreas, the oskwi´sont (tomahawk); the -diaphragm the o’kăā (skirt); the fat around the kidneys the face -(ogo^n’´sa’), and the ventral portion (oho´a), door. So the old man -said, “I have placed the door, the tomahawk, the false face and the -skirt aside. Go home and cook them for me and I will return. Split a -stick and put the tomahawk in it and put it in the fire. When it snaps -yell ‘Hai-ie’ and I will come.” - -Now the grandfather busied himself cutting up the bear and cutting its -meat into strips and chunks. He also prepared its skin. Then he was -ready to go home. He glanced at the log where he had laid the organs and -found them still there. “I wonder what blunder the boy has made now,” he -mused and took them with him to the lodge. When he arrived there he -found that the stupid orphan had torn the door from its fastenings and -had split it into pieces. Moreover the boy was running around the lodge -yelling, “Hai-ie!” Inside the old man saw his best stone tomahawk in the -fire. It was red hot and when a draft of air struck it it would snap and -every time it did the boy would whoop, “Hai-ie!” In a cauldron a false -face, a breech skirt and the splinters of the door were boiling. - -“It is too hot within!” explained the boy. “Hai-ie!” he paused to say as -the tomahawk snapped. “It’s too hot, so I am watching outside -and—hai-ie!” - -The patience of the long suffering grandfather was exhausted and he said -some things that the boy thought himself much aggrieved for he said, -“Why did you not tell me what you meant?” - -The grandfather took matters in his own hand and cooked the meal. The -time was at hand also when he must notify his charge that by right of -birth he was a chief and that on the morrow he must commence his duties -as a runner. The next day the old man with due solemnity told the boy -that he was a secondary chief. “We will have a great feast,” he said. “I -want you to run and notify all the tall trees (Gai´eso^ns), all the -rough places (Ain´djatgi), all the swamps (Gai^n´dago^n), and all the -high hills (Gai´nonde). When you return do not fail to ‘jounce your -uncle on your knee’ (esĕ^n´sĕnt’o’).” - -Now the young chief thought this peculiar but he found tall trees in -plenty and invited them all to the feast, likewise he invited the -mountains and the swamps and returning gave his uncle a kick that -knocked him down. The uncle immediately did the same thing to the -impudent boy who ran rather lamely back to his grandfather. The old man -listened to the tale with impatience and then explained that the ‘tall -trees’ were the sachems, the ‘mountains’ the war chiefs, and the -‘swamps’ the common warriors. By ‘uncle’ he meant the relatives of the -family and by ‘jouncing with his knee’ simply to notify them. “Oh,” -gasped the boy, “why do you never say what you mean!” Of course he had -the work to do all over and the feast came in due season. When it was -over the boy said, “Grandfather, there is meat left and soup also.” - -“Well,” said the grandfather, “give each one half a spoon.”[27] - -The lad did not see what good that would do but he instantly obeyed, -going to the shed and chopping twenty wooden spoons in halves and then -giving each guest a piece. - -“Here you,” some one objected, “What are these things for?” - -The boy was about to say that he had but obeyed his grandfather when the -old man himself looked up and saw that the stock of finely carved spoons -had been destroyed by his stupid ward. “Shawĕn´noiwĭs!” roared the old -fellow. (Sha-wen-noi-wis means incurable fool.) “Why have you ruined my -good spoons?” - -“I did just as you said,” was the meek answer. Then he answered, “There -is yet meat left, Haksot!” - -“De sa di wa o gwut, tie it on your head and let it hang,” commanded the -grandfather, meaning that it should be distributed to the particular -friends of the family. - -The boy took an elm bark rope and tied the juicy meat on his forehead. - -“It is disagreeable, grandfather,” he complained, “for the juice and oil -drip into my eyes.” - -The old man explained, and the boy feeling much abused answered, “Oh why -can you never say what you mean?” - -The time came when the boy chief must marry. The grandfather told the -boy where a family of lovely girls lived. “Go shove your legs in the -door,” (Satci´nondăt—show your leg), said he, meaning that the boy -should go visiting. - -The young chief stuck his legs under the door and sat there all night. -The next morning the old woman within gave him a blow with a corn -pounder and he ran limping to his advisor to discover the trouble. “Oh -you fool,” said the old man, “I meant that you should ‘shake the old -lady’s skirt’,” meaning that he should seek a daughter. When he did this -however he was kicked and pounded until he could hardly crawl. Now he -had a very difficult time courting for it is hard to describe in direct -words how to court and to marry, so when he followed his grandfather’s -words he found much trouble. Now when he married his wife made him -understand and he learned many new things. Now this is all that I can -tell. - - - GENERAL NOTES.—The Boy Who Could Not Understand is the only tale of - its kind secured by the writer among the Seneca. It is related as a - humorous commentary on the literal meanings of certain idioms of the - Seneca that are so well understood that they never cause confusion. - The author of this tale must have deliberately analyzed each term - and sought to give it a literal application. One might suppose that - a captive Algonkin invented it to explain his own plight in learning - the Seneca tongue. - - This tale was related by Edward Cornplanter and it has been recorded - essentially in his own language, except where better grammar or a - better word straightens out the English. I am sure that Cornplanter - might have expanded his story considerably, but he hastened it to a - conclusion to give me the Seneca equivalents of some obscure bits of - slang frequently heard in English. His own literal translations of - American slang into Seneca made him wax merry, and he concluded by - saying, “So you see it don’t make any sense at all.” - - - 18. THE BOY WHO LIVED WITH THE BEARS. - -Hono‘ was an unloved stepson. His foster father never had a kind word -for him and begrudged the very food that little Hono‘ ate. - -“You eat like a wolf,” the harsh man would snap. “It is a nuisance to -feed you.” - -“Agē´,” sighed little Hono‘, “when I am a man and can hunt and fight I -will repay you. Then will you like me?” implored the boy, but his evil -guardian only growled. - -At length the stepfather began to cast about how he might rid himself of -the child and after some meditation decided to feign friendliness and -lure Hono‘ away on a hunting excursion. So it happened that one day he -said pleasantly, “Come now Hono‘, it is time for you to learn to hunt. -How would you like to go on a journey with me?” - -Hono‘ was delighted and promptly replied he would go. - -The two traveled for some time through the bush lands and Hono‘ thinking -this strange said, “I always thought hunters went to the deep woods and -not in the bushes.” - -“Don’t worry,” the stepfather replied, “I am an old hunter and know my -business. Come hurry along, I will show you a wonderful place.” - -“Well where is my bow and my quiver of arrows?” asked Hono‘ anxiously. -“I ought to have one.” - -“Oh after a while,” was the retort. “Now hurry along.” - -“And when I am a great hunter will you be good to me always?” asked -Hono‘, dreaming of the success he hoped to achieve, but the only answer -was a grunt. - -After a journey of several miles the stepfather stopped abruptly and -simulating surprise said excitedly, “See, look, look! There is a hole. -Hurry Hono‘, crawl in and catch the game. Oh you will be a big hunter -now!” - -Little Hono‘ was happy that he could be of service and in imagination -saw glorious days ahead. Dropping upon his hands and knees he crawled -into the hole in the ground and ran down the tunnel until he could no -longer see, because of the darkness. Then, as he was about to return he -saw the round opening ahead suddenly grow dark and with it the entire -cavern. Guided by the walls he ran forward with speed born of terror and -crashed his head into the stone that obstructed the opening. - -Outside the evil man laughed in savage glee as he thought how easily he -had shaken off the untaught Hono‘. - -“He will never push that boulder away,” said he, as he strolled back to -his lodge. - -The blow had stunned the boy but after some time he was awakened by the -sound of voices. Listening he discovered that on the earth outside a -council was in session and his name was being frequently used. He had -not long marvelled over the matter when he heard someone endeavoring to -remove the stone. Finally it rolled down the hill and a voice called -down the hole. - -“Come out upon the earth if yet you are living,” it said. - -Shyly the boy emerged from the hole and sat down upon the grass. About -him on every hand were animals. - -“The boy is rescued,” said a porcupine, who seemed to be the spokesman. -“Who will care for him?” - -Instantly there was a prolonged medley of cries. Each animal about him -was either barking, yelping, grunting or screeching. Everyone was -shouting “I’ll care for him!” - -“Hold!” cried the porcupine. “Do not volunteer without reason. You must -be fit for the task. Let each tell his temper and his habits and most of -all what he eats, then the boy may choose his own guardian.” - -Acting upon the suggestion each one extolled its own merits to the boy, -but all in turn were rejected until a bear woman said, “I am old and -rather surly, but I have a warm heart. I live happily in summer and -sleep much in winter. I eat honey, nuts and berries.” - -“Oh you will do,” interrupted Hono‘, shouting as loudly as he could. “I -can stand that all right!” - -To Hono‘ the strange part of the proceedings was that all the animals -seemed human creatures and yet like beasts. They all spoke in one -language and acted as friends although Hono‘ believed many mortal -enemies. - -The council adjourned and Hono‘ followed his bear mother down a trail -that led to a thick wood. - -On the way the bear spoke. “I wished you to become my grandson,” she -said, “because I have lost one and wish you to take his place and drive -away my sorrow.” - -The two soon arrived at a great hollow stub and the bear taking the boy -by the neck like a cub drew him into the hollow. Hono‘ looked about and -found his quarters very comfortable. He was greatly pleased when the -grandmother introduced him to two young bears, her grandsons, and told -him they were his playmates. - -When Hono‘ was hungry the grandmother bear gave him a honey-comb and -some dried berries. When he was thirsty she gave him her paw to suck. - -Hono‘ found his playmates boisterous fellows and many a time he received -hard knocks but gave back as many as he received. - -“Have care, Hono‘,” his grandmother warned him. “Wherever you get -scratched hair will grow. So take caution, for unless you do you will -look like a cub.” - - -Summer came and the berries ripened. The bear grandmother suggested that -it might be sport for the boys to go with her and gather the winter -store of berries. The boys were delighted and consented instantly. Then -the old bear said: “Now, Hono‘, we always have much trouble while -gathering berries. Bad animals and bad men and bad birds swarm to the -berry patches and seek to harm us. Now you are a warrior and I wish to -dress you in skins, to paint your face and to give you a bow and a -quiver of arrows. Run around the hill and shout and whoop as loud as you -can, and if enemies appear, shoot without mercy. This done we will have -a prosperous season.” - -Hono‘ did as was asked and returning reported that he had shot many -birds but nothing else. The bears, therefore, went upon the hillside -fearlessly and gathered great baskets full of berries. - -The summer season grew into autumn and nutting time came. - -“This is a dangerous time,” said the old bear, “and I feel that evil -will befall us. Hunters swarm the woods now after autumn fruits, roots -and game.” - -It was cautiously, indeed, that the bears gathered up the winter’s store -of nuts but for some time no human hunter was seen. One day, however, -the old bear exclaimed, “Ah, here he comes. Now Hono‘, I will show you -the classes of hunters you humans have. I do not fear this one for he is -a Do-sko-a-o, or brush-in-the-mouth-hunter. See, he is chewing a pine -twig. This gives us the scent and we can flee long before he reaches us, -for this ‘brush-mouth’ is too careless.” - -The bears were hiding in a large hollow tree, and, true to the mother -bear’s prophecy, the hunter did not see them but plodded along trailing -his bow and chewing the pine. When he had passed by the bears scampered -back to the chestnut tree and climbing it shook down the delicious brown -nuts. - -On the morrow, as Hono‘ and the bears were starting out, the old bear -exclaimed in a whisper, “A hunter is coming, but fear not, he is a blind -man. See, he is eating and holds his bowl so far over his eyes that he -cannot see anything before him. When he walks through the forest he -looks neither right nor left but walks unconcerned, yet strangely hopes -for game. Look again, for another hunter will shortly appear. He is -‘heavy stepper’ and warns before he comes. Still another hunter comes,” -continued the bear woman, “He is ‘swinging mouth’; keep away from his -chin and you are safe. Notice, he appears to be singing loudly, but in -reality he is only humming very low or even only thinking of his song. -Listen to me Hono‘, bears can hear singing if only thought and sung in -the mind.” - -[Illustration: - - THE BEAR DANCE - - In this drawing, by Jesse Cornplanter, the ceremonial dance in honor - of the spirits of the bears is represented. -] - -On their homeward journey the old bear putting her nose to the ground -said: “Alas, alas! We must hurry now and hide for real evil is coming.” -The bears hastened their steps and soon were safely concealed in their -tree. Then the wise old bear looking through her window in a frightened -tone said: “At last, a true hunter has come. He is of the class we call -four eyes. He has a dog with him and no sign escapes their eyes. See -even now he is approaching this tree. Ah, he is a great hunter and is -your own evil foster father. When he cuts down the tree let me run -first, and, last of all, Hono‘ you follow.” - -Scarcely had she spoken when the hunter approached the tree and surveyed -it critically. Gathering some dry leaves and twigs he built a fire -around the dry old stub and as the flames ate in he cut out the coals, -leaving a fresh surface for the fire. In a few minutes it crashed and -fell. The old woman bear rushed out and began to run towards the west -but had only taken a few leaps when an arrow pierced her heart, but her -ghost-body ran on. The two cubs emerging met death in a similar way, -then Hono‘ crawling out cried, “Father, are you going to shoot me, too?” - -“Agē´!” exclaimed the hunter in surprise. “How came you here,” and Hono‘ -told his story. - -The stepfather was greatly impressed, and taking the boy by the hand, -said, “I am sorry, my boy, I was ever unkind. I am sorry I killed your -friends. If you had only called me I should have hearkened and all would -have been well, but now Agē´! I shall always have bad luck!” - -The hunter looked upon his stepson with great awe and invited him back -to his home, for he was afraid of the bear ghosts. - -“And am I useful now?” asked the boy, “and will you like me?” - -The hunter said, “truly.” - -He never dared hunt again but Hono‘ did. - - - GENERAL NOTES.—In this legend an unloved stepson is lured to a hole - in the ground by his foster father and caused to enter it on the - pretense of looking for game. The hole is then closed by a boulder - and Hono‘ left a prisoner. Soon he hears animals talking about his - fate and in a few moments the boulder is rolled away and he emerges - to hear a lively discussion by the animals as to who can best care - for him. A bear mother finally secures him and takes him with her, - instructing him in the ways to avoid the human beings who hunt - bears. In the end the bear mother gives up her life to save Hono‘ - and he escapes only to find that this foster father was the hunter. - The two become reconciled. - - The ideas of the bear mother and of the bear wife of a human man are - common Seneca concepts. - - This legend was related during the winter of 1904–1905 by Edward - Cornplanter. Later I secured versions from Mrs. Aurelia J. Miller - and David George. From the notes of all these versions this present - version has been compiled. I am aware that it is in my own words - rather than in the language of any one of my informants. I have - added nothing, however, and have carefully kept the story to its - original form. - - - 19. THE SEVENTH SON.[28] - -My grandfather used to tell it to go to sleep by. - -There were seven brothers two years apart. Their grandparents took care -of them. They were all extra hunters. It seems the way my grandfather -told it, each one shot an animal and used its skin for a short skirt; -one had bear skin and the others different skins. - -The grandparents knew of a family of beautiful daughters a good ways -east that would make good wives, but had bad habits. Oh my, they were -queer folks. - -It seems each boy must go out when he was come to manhood and listen for -signs of women,—the women to marry. So when the oldest was a man the -grandfather said, “Now you must go away and listen, then come back.” All -right, so he went away and by and by he came back and said: “Oh -Grandfather!” “Now wait,” said the grandfather, “I must smoke first.” So -he filled up his pipe hard and took a coal and made big clouds,—smoke, -it was. Then by an’ by he said, “Now you tell me.” So the boy,—man -now,—said, “O-whoo-oo-o. Whoo-ho-wa-a!” “All right,” grandfather says, -“next morning you go off again. Go east and don’t stop. You keep right -on.” So he went on and didn’t come back. - -By and by the second son said, “I am a man now. Now’s my time to go -off.” All right, so he went off and came back and heard a wren and he -said he had heard something. When the grandfather finished smoking he -said: “Now you follow that on and keep right east and don’t stop ‘tall.” -So he never came back. - -So turns came to all and they went too, same way and heard crow, rabbit, -deer, cracking sticks, and they followed the sounds. - -Then the seventh son came of age and he was a kind of a witch [_sic_] -and he dressed up in his best. Now I am going to describe his dress. He -had a short skirt to the middle, most to his knees, made of nice spotted -deer-skin,—yearling,—and he had nice moccasins and nothing else only a -ga-gē-da, (a breast sash). And so he was like a big witch.[29] He went -off and he didn’t turn round when he heard a noise but kept right on -going. - -By and by he came to a path and saw one man’s tracks, by and by two, -three, four, by and by, good many,—regular path. Pretty soon so many -that the path, it was good deal dust in it, and he kept on. Then he -noticed other tracks and paths coming on,—the big road it is, now, from -every direction. Now way off in the distance he saw smoke rising. He -kept looking. He thought something was going to happen. He was all alone -on the big path in the dusty plain. Path gets wider the more he goes -along. By and by he thinks he’d better look nice so he stripped off some -bark and rolled it and spit on it to make a nice neck-string. My! it was -a nice one and shined where he spit on it. By and by he went along and -he saw a bush and a big thing on it—what hornets live in,—hanging down. -It was a very big thing, so he went up slow and took some moss and clay -in his fingers and made a plug and pasted up the door where hornets came -out. Then he picked it off and he was a big witch, and rolled the -big,—why, I guess it’s nest, you call it,—roll in his hands and got it -small like a little bottle and he spit on it. My, it shined! Then he -fastened the bottle to his neck on the bark. Oh it looked nice! Then he -shook up the bottle hard. Oh! Then he went along and he saw a milk-weed -stalk with pods popped open. So he pulled out the white threads and cut -the stalk and got his hands sticky—and rubbed it on his long hair. Then -he spit on it some more and stuck in the white stuff and worked a long -time and it looked nice. You couldn’t see his black hair. It looked all -white, like a dandelion. So he went along and he thought he would spit -on his hands and rub it on his body and he did and it got all colors and -they changed. Oh my! And he went on and he began to notice he was going -down hill and he went on and the hill got steeper. He saw smoke all the -time and now he saw it coming out of a big house and the road went right -into the door. And the hill got steeper and by and by very steep and -slippery. And he got there and said, “Yo hoh´! I am in for it now!” So -he looked sharp and saw a woman in the door and he was all right. Then -all of a sudden he looked around and oh my! his foot slipped and he fell -right down the hill and didn’t stop until he landed right in the middle -of the room. Now the old woman there said, “Yes, get the kettle ready. -We’ve been waiting long enough for that animal.” - -Now there were seven sisters there and the oldest was an old maid and -all were except the youngest, and the oldest said, “Go get the knife and -we will butcher him.” So they tied his body to a post and they were -ready to kill him. Then the youngest said, “Oh look, he isn’t like the -others. He has curious hair and his body shines! His skirt is nice, it -is spotted and pretty and has deer’s hoofs rattling for a fringe. Let us -look at him.” So she touched his hair and pulled it and said, “My, it is -funny, it won’t pull out. Let’s not kill him yet.” So she looked at him -some more. Pretty soon she says, “Oh what a funny bottle,” and she -pulled out the cork and all of a sudden, out came something, bump, on -the floor. Now he was a great witch and when the hornets struck the -floor he used his great magic, and oh! it was strong magic! Now when the -women looked, Ah-gey! the hornets were warriors! And they kept falling -out until the house was full and the hornet captain took out his knife -and cut the strings on the post and then he stopped up the bottle. - -The old woman called her youngest daughter to her and said: “I am a big -witch but he is a bigger one. If I get beaten you must burn down the -house and all things in it. You must burn all the medicine because it -will kill you all if you don’t. Then have all the ashes of me and -everything buried.” Then the mother rushed and yelled, “Kill him!” and -she tried it but a hornet-man warrior raised his tomahawk and he didn’t -hit her but she fell down dead. So the oldest sister ran to stick a -knife in him and a warrior raised his arm and she fell dead and he -didn’t hit her. And they were all afraid and stood back and the youngest -daughter kind o’ cried and said, “I’ll give up my way and eat what he -eats and I’ll take him for my husband.” So right away the chief hornet -married them. - -So there was no more fighting and it was dark and he and the seventh -daughter went to bed because they were married and the five sisters -planned to kill him as he slept but it was so he had a friend, a guard -who was a star. And the star came down and sat on his eye and the witch -sisters thought him awake and by and by the star went away, but it was -morning then and they couldn’t kill him. - -So that day he ordered the big lodge to be burned and all the medicine -in it and the body of the mother in it. It was a very big fire and hot -and after awhile the mother’s head burst open and up in the smoke flew -all kinds of evil birds that no one eats,—owls and screech-owls, and -hawks and crows, and big crow buzzards, and black eagles and wild poison -animals with feathers. Now the wife said he must not kill those animals -but let them fly away. She told him before her mother died that must be -the way. So that’s how it happened all kinds of mischief got scattered -around. - -Then the sisters told him that once in a fight all of their men were -killed and everybody else only them and they didn’t have any men and -wanted some now because they had made up their minds that they wouldn’t -eat any more people. So some of his warriors married the sisters and -others he sent out to find wives for some of the hornet men had no -hornet wives. He wanted to make a big village there. - -So then he went back and brought his grandparents to the new village and -they were surprised and knew he was a big witch then. Now when all the -warriors had returned with wives he said, “You are mine.” Then he -uncorked his bottle and let out more warriors for his grandparents. So -they went to another village and the warriors built houses and boats and -cleared land and made a big town. - -Now the youngest daughter told her husband where his brother’s bones -were hidden. And she showed him the spot and he dug up the bones and was -in a hurry to match them and smoked on them and they came to life again -but he had been in too much of a hurry. He didn’t put the bones together -the right way they ought to be and that was very bad because when the -meat grew on again some had long legs, some long some short, some had -broken arms, some too many fingers, some not enough, some had not enough -ribs and so were soft and bent over. Oh they were in an awful fix! Their -bones were not a match and some were missing because they had been -chewed up. Oh! But the brothers had lots of hornets to work for them and -it was easy. So now that’s why crooked and lame people come to be born. -They are the grandchildren,—way down,—of the brothers, and it is awful! - -Now that’s only how far my Grandfather told us because he said we -wouldn’t go to sleep if we listened to more and he never finished it but -next time began it all over again. - - - GENERAL NOTES.—This is a characteristic Seneca legend and its - elements are not at all unusual. As a variation I have given it - almost exactly in the same language as originally related to me by - Mrs. Aurelia Jones Miller. My informant was a woman of unusual - natural intelligence and spoke English fairly well, but she - frequently omitted the articles, “the,” “an” and “a,” and in other - ways her language was picturesquely provincial, but typical of the - reservation brogue. - - The conclusion of the story copies a common theme, that of restoring - the bones of persons slain by witchcraft. The hero is in too much of - a hurry and forces the skeletons to assemble so quickly that the - bones are mismated, producing cripples and misshapen people when - they are conjured back to living flesh. - - - 20. THE BOY WHO OVERCAME ALL MAGIC BY LAUGHTER.[30] - -The world was once visited by a demon of enchantment who scattered all -the people and bewitched all the animals, all the trees, all the lakes, -all the rivers, all the boys and girls and all the older people. Strange -to say, nobody knew that they had been enchanted; they only knew that -all their wishes were thwarted and that there was misery everywhere. - -Now, Gajihsondis did not know that he had been placed under an evil -spell. He was a boy and was filled with all the ambitions of a boy, but -all his desires were curbed by his queer-looking old grandfather. The -boy did not even know that it was strange to live in a hole in the -ground under his grandfather’s bed or to be whipped with burning -switches.[31] He only knew that he wanted to do things,—to play down by -the spring and to go hunting. After a while he grew curious to know the -reason of things and so asked many questions. - -One day when he had grown to the age of twelve years he asked: “My -grandfather, where are my parents? Why have you never taken me to my -father and my mother?” - -His grandfather eyed him curiously and refused to give Gajihsondis any -satisfaction. But the boy kept questioning until the old man growled -like a bear and said: “My grandson, you should not ask questions. You -have forced me to speak and you must not blame me for the trouble that -you have now brought upon the world. You shall now die because I am -about to answer you. There is a spring near the path that leads from -this lodge into the deep forest. I have never let you go there because -in that spring is a terrible monster that is filled with great magic. -His orenda (magical potence) is more powerful than anything else in the -world. If you go far from this lodge the beast will reach out with his -long claws and devour you. You have never been allowed to stray from the -doorway because of this. But now that you know this circumstance you -must learn to use a bow and arrow. You must become a hunter, for what I -have told you has made me very old and I shall soon be unable to hunt.” - -The old man, looking more ugly than ever, went to his hunting pouch and -took out a small bow and a quiver of arrows. “Now, take these, my -grandson. Go and hunt. Find your first prey on a tree.” - -Gajihsondis went out of the lodge very happy. “I am now a hunter,” -thought he. “I shall soon bring in all the meat.” He watched carefully -for signs of game. Then he spied what he thought a great bird upon the -trunk of a tree. He lifted up his bow and shot but missed his quarry. -Thereupon he ran back to the lodge and cried: “Oh grandfather, I have -been unable to kill my prey.” Then he wept with disappointment. - -“I thought you would fail,” said the grandfather. “You have never had -practice. I will hang up the foot of a raccoon and you must shoot this -wherever I hang it. When you hit it every time without missing once you -may go on a hunt again.” He then hung the coon’s foot by a cord to the -roof-pole and allowed it to dangle over the fire. “I am going on a hunt -now but it will be my last. If you are unable to hit the raccoon’s foot -by the time I return we are lost.” - -Thereupon the grandfather took his hunting equipment and departed. This -gave Gajihsondis his chance. After many failures he hit the foot and -when he became proficient he tried other things. - -After many days the grandfather returned. “We are lost now,” said he. -“The beast is coming to devour us. Only four days remain for us to -live.” “I’ll shoot it,” exclaimed Gajihsondis. “I am a good marksman -now!” - -The old man laughed. “Oh no,” said he. “I gave you an arrow that can -never hit its mark. You cannot shoot.” “But my grandfather,” -contradicted the boy, “I never miss the mark.” The grandfather grunted, -“Wha-a-a-ah.” - -Gajihsondis then shot the raccoon’s foot. This made the old man look up. -“It is only a chance,” he said. “You had power with you but for a -moment. Never more can you do it. I will place the foot elsewhere. -Thereupon he threw it to the top of a tall tree. “Now you cannot hit -it,” he said. - -Gajihsondis took easy aim and hit the foot knocking it from its hanging -to another tree much higher and with a second arrow he knocked it again, -bringing it to the ground. - -Instead of being pleased the old man was very angry and said: “Who has -been here to guide you? There is some evil thing lurking about. Well, -never mind this, you can not kill real game. You have no arrows to hit -anything.” - -Gajihsondis then went out and saw the bird he first had aimed at. Again -he shot, and killed it this time. Taking it up he ran in great glee to -his grandfather. “Oh contempt!” exclaimed the old man. “You have killed -nothing but a chickadee.” But even so, the old man worried, for he knew -that his grandson had killed the first creature which by custom a child -is permitted to kill when he learns to hunt. - -Again the boy went out and soon returned with a raccoon. It was a fine -fat animal and made a good meal for the two, but the grandfather -ridiculed the boy and said it was only temporary luck, for the boy -possessed no orenda (magical power). Again the boy tried his skill and -killed a fine turkey which the old man dressed and cooked, at the same -time sneering as before. On his fourth excursion Gajihsondis killed a -deer and brought it in. This time the old man angrily exclaimed, “It is -not right that you should become proficient as a hunter but it seems -that you have. Oh now we shall all die for you will consider yourself -able to leave this lodge and to follow the path.” - -Now, this is just what Gajihsondis wanted to do. He had only one -desire,—to overcome the monster that barred him from his father and -mother. “Now I am going,” said he, without further ado. “I shall slay -the monster.” - -The old man scolded and wept, but Gajihsondis was soon out of sight down -the well-beaten path that led from the lodge into the deep forest. After -a day’s journey he found a gigantic frog crying out terrible threats. -“Whoso comes near this spring,” he croaked, “shall die. I eat whoever -comes near this spring.” - -Gajihsondis was not a bit frightened; he simply drew his bow and shot -the frog, and though it was larger than he, he tied its feet together -and hung it to his carrying frame and returned to his grandfather’s -lodge. The old man was very angry but the boy only laughed. Now he had -learned a new trick, that of laughing. He had never done this before and -to have him laugh made his grandfather even more angry. - -The grandson went out a second time and found a gigantic duck guarding -the spring. It cried out threats and proclaimed its great power. This -did not daunt Gajihsondis who merely fixed his bow and shot it. Again he -returned to his grandfather who became even more angry. “How could you -do this?” he asked. “By magic the path was changed, but you found the -spring again. You shall not find it again.” - -For a third time the boy went out on his hunt for the spring and easily -found it, for as plain as day he could see a path leading directly to -it. (Now this was strange for it was not a path that ordinary eyes could -see, which made the grandfather believe that it could not be -discovered.) When he neared the spring he heard the cries of a great -beaver threatening to gnaw anyone in twain who approached the pool. It -was a very terrifying beaver but Gajihsondis found it an easy mark for -his arrows. He laughed as he trussed it in his carrying frame and -laughed as three days later he flung it down at his grandfather’s -doorway. The old man roused himself in furious anger and flung his -“bundles”[32] in the fire. He pawed the earth like a beast and shouted -until his throat bled, but Gajihsondis only laughed again and went away, -saying, “Oh it is very easy!” - -Now when he went down the path Gajihsondis knew that it had been -changed. First he had gone north, then west, then south, and now he was -going east over the path, that while invisible to common eyes, was -visible to him, yet he did not know how he could see it. For if he tried -to look he could see nothing, and when he did not try he could see -everything. He also knew something that he would not tell. - -For a fourth time he drew near to the mysterious pool. It was most -beautiful and the trees about it were very tall. There were rocks -looking like enchanted beasts asleep about it. The water, itself, was -very clear and sparkled as if the sun were upon it, even when it was -night. Gajihsondis went right up to the spring and flung in a -fishing-line. In an instant he had a bite and some terrifying thing -began to pull him into the water, but though he was sore pressed and saw -himself falling over the edge of the pool he laughed, and when he did he -gave a great pull, staggered backward, and pulled out a lizard four -times his own length. It was the blue Dagwĕ^n´’nigo^n´ge. Though he had -hooked it the creature was not dead, but as Gajihsondis looked at it, it -sprang toward him with a cry and bit off both his legs. This made -Gajihsondis laugh with all his might and he laughed so hard that the -beast grew weak. The creature then despairing of killing the boy stabbed -him in the breast with its tail, crying, “Put me back in the spring.” - -Again the boy laughed. “Oh how can I put you back in the spring,” said -he, “seeing that I have no legs wherewith to walk? Replace my legs and I -will put you back.” Then he laughed again. - -Now the lizard was a creature of great magic and it conjured a man and a -woman who came forth from the water and made Gajihsondis’s legs whole -again and smoothed up the wound where the incision had been. The boy -laughed and instead of thanking them caught them with his fish line and -cut off the heads of each. “I know you,” said he. “You are the evil -servants of Lizard.” So saying he cast them in a fire and burned them to -ashes. When the heads were consumed they burst with a loud explosion and -out flew a great flock of screech-owls. He then threw the lizard back -into the pool, saying, “I despise you for your lack of magic.” - -Laughing as he went, Gajihsondis followed the path until he came to a -clearing. Though he greatly wondered what was in the clearing, for he -heard human voices, he could not proceed, for there, hovering over the -path, were many white owls, screaming at him and swooping down to pluck -out his eyes. - -Gajihsondis now thought of a plan to overcome the owls. It seems best to -be truthful, he thought, and so he determined what to say. So he called -out, “I claim this land. It is mine and I shall possess it, but I am -willing to make one of you owls chief with me.” The owls then began to -quarrel among themselves as to who would be chief. They made a great -noise and soon had clawed each other to death. None remained to rule -with Gajihsondis, so he went forward. As he proceeded he found that the -path had changed and that instead of entering the clearing from the -north he was entering from the west. Soon he paused for the path was -guarded by powerful panthers. - -Again he resolved to declare his intentions. “I claim this land,” he -cried. “It is mine, I shall possess it, but am willing to make one of -you panthers chief to govern with me.” The two panthers then began to -quarrel and soon were engaged in murderous combat. In a few moments both -were dead. Gajihsondis then went on, but noticed that the path had -changed and that he was entering the clearing from the south. - -He paused as he was about to enter the clearing for there, guarding the -path with lowered antlers, were two elk. He saluted them calling out, -“This is my land. I shall possess it, but I shall make one of you chief -to help me govern.” As before, the creatures fought themselves to death, -each one desiring to be chief. Gajihsondis then journeyed on, finding as -before that the path had changed. This time he approached from the east. - -As he was about to enter the clearing two enormous serpents rose up and -hissed at him. As before he loudly proclaimed: “I claim this land. It is -mine and I shall possess it, but I am willing to make one of you -rattlesnakes chief with me.” Then did the great serpents begin to fight -and after a fierce struggle both bit one another and both died. - -Gajihsondis strode on into the clearing and found a great lodge within. -It was strongly built and large enough to hold a great company of -people. Entering the lodge, he found an old man cooking corn mush. The -old man said nothing until the food was cooked when he said, “Come eat; -it is ready.” The two finished the meal for Gajihsondis was very hungry -and was especially fond of corn pudding. “We will now sleep here,” said -the old man pointing to mats on the floor. - -Both lay down on the mats instead of upon the long shelf-like beds that -were on either side of the lodge. As the old man lay down with all his -clothing, his pouch leaped from him and went to a peg on the center -pole; his leggings drew from him and rolled up in a corner; his -moccasins leaped to a bench, and his breech-cloth came off and hung -itself over a pole. Then all the supper dishes leaped about, the pot -emptying itself and then jumping to the upper shelf of the lodge. After -a while the old man went to sleep, and as he did a white deer emerged -from his breast, leaped into the air and sailed away through the smoke -hole. Gajihsondis watched far into the night. He could not sleep for the -utensils in the lodge moved about and talked to each other. - -Gajihsondis conceived the idea of robbing the house of its magical -objects and finally decided it might be better to escape without a -burden. Carefully he crawled out from his skin coverings and made haste -to withdraw. He did this with entire success, and ran a long way into -the night. Soon, however, he saw a white deer dart down from the sky and -enter the smoke hole of the lodge. He knew then that the old man would -awake and pursue him. Nor was he mistaken, for soon he could hear the -old man running after him. On and on he came until when just behind -Gajihsondis he waved his war club and struck the boy on the head. - -“I have killed another,” shrieked the old man, as he sawed a knick in -his war club with his flint knife. “No man escapes me.” - -The old man then went about the forest and restored all the animals -slain or dead through the craft of Gajihsondis. At length he found the -lizard in the pool and told it all concerning his work of restoration. -“It must be Gajihsondis who has done all this,” said the lizard after he -had been restored to his own magical power. “Only Gajihsondis could have -slain all these helpers. I greatly fear that he has acquired sufficient -magic to slay us all.” - -“But I have slain him and he will trouble us no more,” said the old man. - -“Oh, no,” replied the lizard. “Gajihsondis will revive. Then let us -beware.” - -The old man returned to his lodge and passed the body of Gajihsondis and -to his great satisfaction saw the great crows picking at it. “He is -dead,” he thought, and went straightway to sleep. - -The boy soon recovered consciousness and, completely restored, he crept -into the old man’s lodge. “I will now be truthful,” he thought. “I will -address the war club.” - -“War club,” he commanded. “Stand up,” and the club stood erect. “Now war -club, in you is power. I want you to be my friend and assist me in -slaying my enemy. I am a man and will not be denied.” - -The war club then pointed to a bed far away from the door and -Gajihsondis went to the bed and saw a pile of soft tanned pelts. -Removing these he saw a sleeping maiden. He took a brand from the fire -and held it over the girl. “I have now come for you,” he said. “I am -going to rob this house and take you with me. This is my land and I -shall rule it.” The girl looked at Gajihsondis and was pleased. She -liked the looks of Gajihsondis. “I will go,” she said, “but first you -must slay my uncle. It is because he fears you will find me that we are -all bewitched.” - -The boy then went over to the old man and awakened him. His clothing -flew upon him, a white deer entered his body and then he sat up. “What -do you want?” he inquired. - -“I want to fight with you,” said Gajihsondis. - -“Now just wait,” said the old man. “I must get my war paint ready.” So -saying he threw charcoal from the fire in the corn mortar and made a -black paste. Then he took red paint from a box. He applied black to one -side of his face and red to the other. - -“Now I am ready,” he announced. “Why do you wish to fight me?” - -“I want all your things and I am going to take your niece,” said the -boy. - -At this the old man became very angry and whooped. He then sang a magic -song and grasped his war club, and rushed upon Gajihsondis. The young -man grasped his war club and then the two began to fight. In a short -time the old man was overcome and exhausted. Gajihsondis bound up the -old man and put him in his carrying frame. Then he took the girl by the -hand and led her away to his own lodge. - -Reaching his grandfather’s lodge he noticed for the first time that it -was identical with the one in which he had had his fight. His -grandfather and the old man looked the same. There was no difference. - -When the old man, his grandfather, saw that Gajihsondis had brought home -the old man bound and also the girl, he was very angry but said nothing. -He made up his mind to kill the boy and to marry the girl. Now when the -boy slept and the girl had crawled into her robes afar from the door, -the old man grasped his war club and sang to it. Now the prisoner sat up -and did likewise, and both did exactly as the other did. “I will kill -the boy now,” said the old man, and so saying, he shot three arrows into -his back. - -In a short time the boy awakened, being in great pain. He arose and went -out of the lodge. Near the creek he found a sweat lodge and as he stood -near it a voice spoke: “Go in,” it said. “I will help you.” He looked -and there saw another person exactly like himself, only very white and -clear. “I have always known you were my friend,” said Gajihsondis. “But -this time I see you.” - -Gajihsondis went into the lodge and took a sweat, and when the arrows -had come out he took an emetic. After a while he saw clearly in the -dark. He saw his friend walk toward him and enter his body. The two -became one. “This is the power that has guided me,” he thought. “But I -will never tell anyone I have seen him, until the day I am about to -die.” - -Thereupon he returned to the lodge and awoke his grandfather. “Come and -fight me, grandfather,” he exclaimed. “I believe that you have done me a -great wrong.” - -The old man sprang from his bed and as he did so the prisoner became as -a mist and floated into him. Then the grandfather grasped his war club -but it was no longer strong like good hickory, but soft like wet -rawhide. He could not fight. - -He began to whimper. “Oh, my grandson,” he moaned. “Do not kill your -grandfather. My strength is gone. I will confess. I have been a great -wizard and have created many evil monsters and slain many people by -magic. Now I am undone. Oh restore my nature and make me human again. Do -not kill me.” - -“Then tell me everything,” demanded Gajihsondis, and the old man told -him of his conjuring. The girl, he said, was fore-ordained as -Gajihsondis’ wife, his parents were in the ground back of the lodge in -the clearing. He had exercised his magic in order to claim the girl. He -and the old man in the house in the clearing were one and the same -person, though dual by magic. The path was well trodden because he had -traveled over it so many times. - -“I must now go out and kill all the monsters,” said Gajihsondis. He did -so and killed all the magically evil creatures. He dug up the ground -back of the lodge in the clearing and there found a bark house hidden by -the roots of the trees. There he found his mother, his father and his -sister. All were very happy that Gajihsondis had released them and -together they made their journey back to the grandfather’s lodge. When -he saw them returning he died and turned into a shriveled human skin. -This Gajihsondis rolled into a bundle and hid it in the rafters. Then he -called to the girl and she came out of the blankets from the bed at the -far side of the lodge. She was a beautiful young woman and dressed in -fine garments. - -“Who is this?” asked Gajihsondis’s father and mother. - -“This is my wife,” he replied. “We shall all live in a new house.” - -So he took them all away and he showed them a new lodge of bark he had -built. So this is the story of Gajihsondis. - - - GENERAL NOTES—The introductory paragraph of this legend is not a - part of the story but is the answer which Cornplanter gave me in - response to my inquiry how it happened that so many stories began - with a recital of unnatural conditions. - - There are interesting allusions in this tale, and many of them are - characteristic. These include the theme of the orphaned boy living - with an uncle or grandfather, cruel beatings or punishment by fire, - living in the ground, the boy suddenly becoming self-confident - through the reception of orenda or magical power, overcoming all - obstacles and destroying the source of evil enchantment. - - There are other elements, which while characteristic in a measure, - are so striking as to be worthy of comment. In this story the cycle - of four attempts emphasizes the importance of the number four in - Seneca folk-thought. Gajihsondis kills four animals in his attempts - to learn to become a hunter, he overcomes four beasts at the spring, - he finds four paths, each in one of the prime cardinal directions, - he overcomes four magical guards of the trail. When he finally - enters the clearing and discovers the bark lodge he discovers a new - obstacle. - - The unusual elements now follow. These are the discovery that the - lodge in the clearing is after all only a replica of the one in - which his grandfather and he had lived together (although the story - does not at first make this clear); the strange conception of - clothing flying from the body of the wearer, completely undressing - him, and returning to him when he awakens; the idea of the man’s - name-genius (the white deer), leaving his body when he sleeps, the - talking war club (which seems somewhat symbolic), and finally the - concept of a double personality, one portion or unit being unseen. - Gajihsondis had a soul-self which materialized and guarded his life, - gave him information and pointed out his means of restoration. The - grandfather also had a double in the person of the evil wizard in - the identical lodge. - - This legend has another element which seems quite unique; it is the - power of laughter over wizardry. Gajihsondis had only to laugh at a - monster to overcome it, though he did not always do this. - - I cannot help but feel that in the form here presented this tale of - the occult and mysterious is only a portion of a fuller story, the - details of which are only partially developed in this version. This - comment may apply to many of the legends, for inquiry about certain - points always brings forth additional information and frequently - other episodes. - - - - - VI. - TALES OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE - - -[Illustration: - - MRS. JOHN BIG KITTLE. - - Chief matron of the Cattaraugus Seneca Wolf Clan. Mrs. Kittle was born - on Buffalo Creek Reservation in 1822. - - _Photo by E. C. Winnegar._ -] - - - 21. TWO FEATHERS AND TURKEY BROTHER. - -Long ago a whole tribe had been exterminated by powerful sorcerers. Of -all the tribe only three persons remained. These were an old uncle and -his two nephews, one very young and the other on the borderline of -manhood. - -The older boy was known as Two Feathers (Doä’danē´gĕ^n’), and the -younger received the name Turkey (Osoon), because he wore a robe made of -a turkey skin. It was a magic skin and the little fellow was able to fly -to the tops of trees, which gave him great pleasure. - -There came a time when the uncle after watching the older nephew for -some days, said, “My nephew it is my opinion that you should prepare -yourself for your manhood. It is customary to depart from your abode and -fast until your protecting friends appear unto you. Go forth to the -river and build a sweat lodge, and when you have purified yourself, -await the coming of your protectors.” - -In obedience to his uncle’s directions Two Feathers departed and built -himself a sweat lodge where he purified himself and fasted. On the tenth -day he saw a great spider dropping down from the tops of the trees, and -it spoke to him saying, “When you are in great distress I will be your -protector.” Again he saw a great black snake rising from the ground and -when it had reached the tops of the trees it spoke saying, “When you are -in great distress and need a strong friend, I will be your protector.” - -When Two Feathers returned to his uncle’s lodge he was a man and he knew -that unseen powers were his friends. His uncle looked at him carefully -and said, “My nephew, it is my opinion that you have become a man. Now -it is customary for a man to seek a wife. It would make our lodge -pleasant to have a young woman cook for us. Now, far away from here in a -country to the east is a great man who has two daughters. It is my wish -that you prepare for the journey and bring back a wife. It will take you -several years,—how many I do not know.” - -Two Feathers prepared for his journey and as he made his weapons his -uncle watched him. “Come here,” said the uncle. “I would like to inspect -your clothing.” So saying he looked at his nephew and then told him to -disrobe. “You are not in the condition to make a woman receive you,” he -said. “I will find a better costume for you.” - -Opening his treasure chest, which he kept under his bed, the old man -took out a fine fur robe made of raccoon skin. It was most beautiful and -the fur was long and glossy. “Put this on, my nephew,” he said. Two -Feathers donned the new costume and advanced for inspection. The uncle -looked at him to discern any imperfection. “This robe is not good -enough,” he said. “You are still not in condition to seek your wife. -Disrobe and I will seek further among my treasures.” - -The uncle now drew forth a robe of wildcat skin. It had short hair and -was made so that it hung down like a long shirt with many tails. There -were ears sewed around the neck and there were eyes on the sleeves. -After looking at this shirt for a moment, the old man said, “Now, my -nephew, this is a very old shirt and the wearer becomes very powerful in -magic. It has eyes and ears and will guard the wearer when he sleeps. -Put it on and let me see how you look.” - -Two Feathers put on the shirt which just fitted him. It was very fine -and he greatly admired it and wished to keep it as his shirt. The Uncle, -however, surveyed it with a critical eye. Finally he said, “This shirt -is not good enough. You are still in no condition to seek a wife and to -overcome all the obstacles that lie in your trail from this lodge to -where she resides. Disrobe, I must find something different.” - -This time Two Feathers disrobed with reluctance. He wanted to keep that -beautiful shirt. But as he watched his uncle he saw that another fine -outfit was forthcoming. At the bottom of the treasure chest was a bundle -done up in a deer skin folded into a case. This was opened and the uncle -took out a panther-skin shirt, a pair of leggings, a pair of moccasins, -a bow and quiver, a fisher skin pocket (pouch), a warclub and a pipe. -“Now put these things on, my nephew,” said the uncle. - -Two Feathers dressed and found that the panther shirt had the head of -the panther as a cap and that the cap had two heron feathers above it. -The whole costume was wonderful to see and Two Feathers now felt that -there could be none better in all the world. - -“Now, my nephew,” said the uncle. “I will show you what can be done with -your clothing and accoutrements. The heron feathers on your hood will -watch out for you and when you are in danger they will speak. Your -fisher skin bag is alive and should anyone seek to harm you when asleep -it will bite him. Your pipe and medicine root are in the bag. The -medicine will give you power to spit wampum. The black end of the root -will make dark wampum and the white end will make white wampum. Your -pipe has the head of a bear upon it and it will growl when an enemy -touches it, while the snakes on the bowl will hiss when you light your -tobacco. Your bow looks old and useless, but it is filled with powerful -magic and will guide your arrows straight.” - -The uncle continued his instructions. “Now as you journey from here you -will find three enchanted spots, and all must be avoided. You will pass -a certain tree where there will be a boy playing about. He will ask you -to lift him from the ground and place him in the long branch where he -would like to swing up and down. Do not touch the boy for a sorcerer -lives in the tree and when you lift up the boy the sorcerer will grasp -you by the hair and tie you to his arrow and shoot you far away, and you -will fall through the smoke hole of a witch’s lodge and will be eaten by -her. She is the sorcerer’s wife. Further along the trail is a deep -spring where there is sparkling water. Oh nephew, do not drink this -water for there are monsters living in it who will draw you in and drown -you. Further along and near the settlement where you are to go is a -grove of very tall trees. Here you will see an old man who will hop -around strangely. He will ask you to shoot a raccoon. Oh my nephew, do -not pay any attention to him. He will be the cause of your ruin if you -heed his pleas.” - -Two Feathers now understood how to proceed and was about to start when -Turkey, his younger brother, began to cry that he also wanted to go. -Neither the uncle nor Two Feathers could dissuade him, and so he, too, -made ready for departure. - -Off they went on the journey. Turkey flew ahead in short flights and -called back from the tree tops the condition of the trail, for it was -very early in the morning and it was still quite dark. Very rapidly they -traveled, until by noon they had traveled a distance that takes ordinary -people three years to go. This was because Turkey flew and Two Feathers -wore magic moccasins which made him take very long strides. They now saw -a trail lodge and sat down to rest. Soon they espied a small boy playing -about a large oak. As he played he came nearer in a friendly manner and -asked to be placed in the long branch of the tree that he might swing up -and down. Two Feathers placed the boy on a stump and put this under the -tree. As he did this there was a great roar as if the wind were moving -through the forest, and two gigantic arms came down and grabbed the -stump, at the same time fixing it to the tip of a large arrow, and soon -the stump flew through the air and into the witch’s lodge and knocked -her into the fire. - -Two Feathers and Turkey now went on their journey and in a short time -came to a clearing where there was a fine spring of bubbling water -continually outflowing. “Oh brother, do not drink,” said Turkey. -“Remember what our uncle told us.” Two Feathers went on, but being very -thirsty turned back and knelt by the spring to drink. As he leaned over -a horrible creature leaped from the water and endeavored to pull him in. -Two Feathers gave a pull and jumped back, throwing the monster into the -clearing. “Oh put me back,” it cried. Two Feathers asked Turkey to watch -it, then he went back to the spring to drink, but as he did so another -monster covered with hair leaped at him and hung onto his head. Two -Feathers pulled again and dragged the monster out, placing it in the -care of Turkey. A third time this was repeated, after which both boys -drank from the spring. The clearing was a spot where had once been a -prosperous village, but sorcerers had poisoned the spring and killed all -the people by dragging them into the depths of the water. - -Two Feathers and Turkey made a fire and burned the monsters, and their -heads bursting with shrieks, there flew away a flock of screech-owls. - -The journey continued until it was near sunset. The boys sat down again -and soon observed that they were in a grove of very tall trees. -Presently they noticed an old man dancing about and shouting, “Hai‘, -hai‘, hai‘, hai‘.” In a moment he approached and said, “Oh my nephews, -there is a raccoon on that branch and I have no bow or arrow. I wish you -would shoot it for me.” - -Two Feathers would not listen to Turkey, who flew about gobbling, in -order to draw his attention to the warning their uncle had given. - -“Most truly, my uncle,” said Two Feathers. “I will shoot that raccoon -for you. It is a very easy matter.” So saying, he took out an arrow, -strung his bow and shot. “Hiñg,” went the arrow and hit the raccoon, -piercing its heart. - -Now in an altogether unexpected way the raccoon ran from the limb to the -trunk of the tree and down a large hole at the top where the tree was -broken off. - -“Oh my nephew,” cried the old man in distress. “I am too old and weak -from lack of food to climb after the raccoon, which has gone into its -hole to die. Oh my nephew, climb after it for me.” - -“That will be easy uncle,” said Two Feathers. “I will climb now.” - -“Oh no, no, no! Do not spoil your clothing which I see is very nice. -Take it off beneath the tree and I will watch it for you.” So Two -Feathers took off all his clothing and climbed the tree. - -Up he went like a squirrel and soon was at the top, but as he stood -looking down into the hole he heard a noise behind him and caught a -glimpse of the old man who shoved him into the hole. Down went Two -Feathers into the hollow of the tree, and down into a pit beneath the -roots where he smelt the flesh of victims and felt their bones beneath -his feet. He knew that he had been trapped. Outside he could hear Turkey -calling with a gobbling call, and he knew that something evil was in -progress. - -The old man descended the tree by a route known to himself by long -familiarity, and then he went to the clothing which Two Feathers had -left behind. “I have been looking for nephew’s clothing for I expected -that he would pass this way. Now I shall be able to cross the river and -take the great man’s daughter as my wife. Now I shall possess great -magical power.” - -Off went the old man, looking renewed in body and becoming more and more -handsome with every step. Soon he reached the river and standing upon -the bank he gave a loud clear call that could be heard for a long ways. -On the other side of the river was a long house and the voice penetrated -it. The elder of two sisters, ran out and taking her canoe paddled it -across the stream. - -When the imposter was in the canoe he said, “I have come a long ways to -reach this place. I am a great hunter and am looking for a wife.” - -“I think I would like to have you for my husband,” said the girl. “I -will take you to our lodge and show you where we live.” - -When the imposter came to the lodge he met the chief, and said he had -come as a son-in-law. “You will do,” said the Chief. “Go in and see -where we live.” - -Going into the lodge the Chief’s wife gave him food and then the young -woman showed him her bed. It was a fine bed with many soft robes of skin -and a curtain made of fox skins sewed together. “Here is where you will -lodge, as my husband,” said the girl. So that night Imposter ate wedding -bread and was married. - -When Two Feathers awoke the next morning he was very sick and could -scarcely stand. His bed had been a place of filth and terror. His head -felt light and he could see lights before his eyes. He began to think -how he might escape, and then remembered that he had dreamed of the -spider. “Come, my friend Spider,” he called, “release me, for you -promised to be my protector.” - -In a moment a great spider appeared above the opening and let down a -braided strand of web. Two Feathers grasped it and was drawn up nearly -to the top, when the web broke and he fell into the tree. He was greatly -disappointed, but determined to call upon the black snake. “Come, my -friend Black Snake,” he called, “release me, for you promised to deliver -me from trouble.” In another moment a great serpent had climbed the tree -and let down its tail, which coiled about Two Feathers and drew him -forth. It then vanished. - -Turkey was happy to see his brother and helped him put on the dirty -clothing left by the old man. Two Feathers dressed with great difficulty -and when he had put on the stiff worn-out moccasins and scabby looking -cap, he looked like a very old man who was very sick. Slowly Turkey and -he walked down the trail to the river. At length they reached the bank, -and Two Feathers called, but his voice was so weak it could not be -heard. It was like a whisper. Turkey then called and when he did so a -young woman went down to the river and leaped in a canoe. Imposter saw -her. “O do not go across,” he said. “It is only a dirty old man with a -turkey.” - -The young woman did not like Imposter, and gave him no heed. Across the -river she went and took Two Feathers and Turkey in her canoe. When they -were part way over the river Two Feathers said, “I have come a long ways -to this place. My name is Two Feathers and I am a young man seeking a -wife.” - -“It is apparent that you are an old man,” said the girl. “I am the only -girl whom you can marry, but how can you who look so old and filthy -expect to secure a wife?” - -“I met with trouble as I approached the river,” answered Two Feathers. -“I helped an old man who wanted me to kill a raccoon but it was only a -wizardly creation of his and he required that I should take off my -clothing and climb after it. I removed my clothing, which had great -power, and climbed the tree. When I was looking into the hole he pushed -me in, and there were bones beneath.” - -“Alas,” said the girl, “I am of the opinion that my brothers are among -the victims.” - -When they landed on the opposite side, the girl led the lame old man to -the lodge and told him to look in. “I have brought my husband,” said -she. Thereupon Imposter spoke to the Chief and asked if he would allow -his daughter to marry a diseased old man. The Chief looked at Two -Feathers and answered, “I am of the opinion that my daughter knows her -own mind in this matter.” - -So the girl took Two Feathers into the lodge and showed him her bed. It -was a most beautiful bed and its robes were of the softest doe skin, -with a mattress of deer hair beneath. The walls and top were covered -with porcupine quill embroidery like a box, and the curtain was of -martin skins sewed together, and the apartment had sweet herbs hung -within, to make it pleasant. The platform over the bed was arranged as a -sleeping place for Turkey. - -At supper Two Feathers ate marriage bread, but nobody spoke to him but -his wife, for he was not attractive in appearance and added nothing to -the strength of the lodge, only providing another mouth to feed, when -famine was almost upon them. When all had eaten Imposter took off his -pouch of fisher skin and said that he would now smoke. He placed his -hand in the mouth to reach for the pipe, and gave a wild cry, for the -fisher bit his wrist and caused him great pain. In dropping the bag the -magic medicine fell out, and being only like a withered root it was not -noticed, so Two Feathers grabbed it and hid it in his bosom. - -The time for sleep came and all retired. Imposter would not lay off his -garments, much to the disgust of his wife. He was afraid that Two -Feathers would steal them, and he knew that though he slept Turkey was -watching. - -Many days passed and Two Feathers looked more sick than ever, while -Imposter grew more bold. Yet he never went on a hunt for he had no bow -and arrows; these he had failed to pick up from Two Feather’s outfit, -for they had looked so old and ill made. One night Two Feathers told his -wife that he must have a large bowl when he awoke, for he had eaten an -herb. So the next morning he called for the bark bowl, and taking it -opened his mouth and blew into it, filling it with dark wampum, to the -brim. “Present this to your father,” said Two Feathers, and the young -woman did so to the great delight of the old man, who said, “Ah, I knew -that he was a great man.” - -Now when Imposter saw what had been done he felt that he had lost favor, -so he asked his wife for a bowl and taking an emetic filled the bowl -with all manner of foul lizards, toads and worms that he had eaten. -Ordering his wife to take this to the Chief, he strutted about proudly. -When the Chief saw the malodorous mess he roared in great anger and -drove his son-in-law from the lodge. - -The next night Two Feathers ate of the root again and called for the -bowl. This time he filled it with white wampum to the delight and -gratification of the Chief, who again said, “I am of the opinion that we -entertain a great man.” Imposter tried to imitate Two Feathers once more -but only produced little round worms that so fouled the bark bowl that -the Chief ordered the wife to scrub it all day to clean it. - -That night there was a great feast and Imposter ate so much that he was -forced to remove his clothing, and he was so sleepy that he threw it at -the foot of the bed and on the floor. Long he slept, and failed to -awaken in the morning. Two Feathers was up very early and before anyone -else. He took his bow and magic arrows and killed a great quantity of -deer which he dragged to the lodge. Then he took his own fine clothing, -which had become frayed and soiled and put it on. Immediately it became -bright and new. Two Feathers also began to grow more and more youthful -until he entirely recovered. His wife was very happy. The Chief, -moreover, was glad and called all the people to a council. - -Two Feathers was the central figure in this council and exhibited the -powers of his costume. He pointed his pouch toward a woman and she fell -down dead; he sprinkled her with medicine and she rose to her feet. He -smoked his pipe and the bear upon it blinked its eyes and opened its -mouth, while the snakes on the stem wriggled as if alive. The eyes of -the panther hood glowed and the feathers spoke. Then again Two Feathers -made wampum. Everybody was satisfied, most of all the Chief and his -daughter. - -After a while Imposter awoke and found his wife looking at him in -disgust. “You are a filthy old man,” she said. “I will have no more to -do with you.” She kicked him out of bed and made him put on his old -clothes. “You lied to me,” she said and led him to a hole where the -women customarily threw their garbage and thrust him in. Then she went -away from him and nobody ever saw him again. - -The Chief then said that it was his wish that all the people follow Two -Feathers back to his home, for he was a great man and had slain all the -wizards and monsters that infested the path. So they went and it took -them a good many years to return. Turkey was now a man and took off his -turkey clothes and dressed like a warrior. He, too, found a good-looking -girl and married her. - -After a long time the people all came to the uncle’s lodge and he was a -very old man. Two Feathers told what he had done and the uncle was -happy. He now had women to cook for him, and he felt that the world was -rid of sorcerers. Then the old lodge was repaired and all the people -dwelt there, and if you can find it you will find the people dwelling -there to this day. - - - 22. TWO FEATHERS AND WOODCHUCK LEGGINGS.[33] - -Now this is a Two Feathers story. All the old people of the old-time -knew about this; and it happened a long time ago. - -Do´ciowe^n‘ was the place where they lived,—an old uncle and his nephew. -The young man was called Two Feathers and the uncle was known by name as -Woodchuck Leggings. - -Two Feathers was a hunter and never feared to hunt any animal, but he -was kind to the animals and could talk to them, so they became his -friends. He had a pet bear in a small yard and he had a wolf that he had -tamed. He said that it was the same as a man. - -Now you ought to know that he had fine clothes. They were made of white -buckskin and embroidered all over with porcupine quills. He had also a -tobacco pouch made of a spotted fawn’s skin with the feet and head on -and in this he kept a pipe having a bear’s head carved on it, and eyes -that rolled when the jaws of the bear chewed the tobacco inside. He had -a gŭstoñ´we‘ (feathered hat), with two feathers in front, and on the hat -there were two chirping birds. - -Two Feathers acquired magic and became very strong, but he did not let -anyone know that he was Hotci´no^n’ga‘, (a charm holder). - -One day when Two Feathers was hunting in the woods he saw an old bark -house. Cautiously approaching it he found an old man inside; though at -first he thought it was a wolf. The old man was very hungry and so Two -Feathers gave him meat to eat. “I have been looking for you a long -time,” said the old man. “You have been merciful to me and I am going to -give you my arrow. It does not look like a good arrow, but most truly it -has great power.” So saying he drew forth from a bundle in which he kept -many kinds of war charms, an arrow and handed it to Two Feathers. Two -Feathers was glad and leaving the old man some dried meat, departed. - -After a while he came to another village across a river where he slept -overnight. He noticed two girls, one older and one younger, named -Drooping Flower. He looked at the younger girl and she looked at him, -and something went out of his eyes into her eyes, and something went out -of her eyes into his. He said to himself, “That’s the one.” One of the -villagers saw this and told Two Feathers that he was now under the spell -of a very evil witch, the mother of the girl. - -After a time Two Feathers saw the girl again and said to her, “I am -coming for you by and by.” Then he went home to his uncle who all this -time had been living on woodchuck meat, because he was an unskillful -hunter. The old man was angry at Two Feathers for his long absence, and -upbraided him. - -After a time a runner came to the village near which Two Feathers and -his uncle dwelt. He called the people together and told them that all -the people in the valley across the river were starving. Hunters had -been unable to secure game and the corn harvest had failed. - -Now Woodchuck Leggings thought this a good time to find a wife, who -weakened with famine, he could overcome and drag back to his lodge. Two -Feathers thought about the young girl whose eyes’ light had gone into -his own. He thus prepared to take the trail along a creek having rapids -and falls, and to go by a short but difficult route. Off he went in -great haste, taking all his bundles and charms with him. Woodchuck -Leggings noticed this and was angry for he had resolved to steal them -when he had an opportunity. He now resolved to follow his nephew and -slay him if he could. - -When Two Feathers reached the valley village he found the people -starving. Drooping Flower was too weak to stand up. Two Feathers now -asked all the women who could to gather about their doorways and play -the plum-stone game and to sing: - - “Ganio daweeni, the game is coming.” - -He then went into the woods at the edge of the clearing and sang a magic -song, at the same time taking out four arrows which had lain close to -the arrow the old man had given him. - -One by one he shot the arrows into the air, each in a different -direction, at the same time calling, “Bring me meat from different -animals.” - -Returning to the lodge of Drooping Flower he sat in the doorway and -waited. Soon high overhead he heard a song. The people rushed out of -doors and listened, and sure enough, there was a song in the air. The -words were: “The wild animals are coming.” In a moment the song had -reached the ground and four animals came running to the doorway where -Two Feathers sat waiting. Each animal had an arrow sticking in its -heart. On they came to the lodge and then dropped dead at Two Feathers’ -feet. There was a deer, a moose, an elk and a bear. - -The starving village then had food and Drooping Flower recovered. Then a -council was called and all the people sat around to see Two Feathers, -who sat in the middle of the hall on a bench. He took from his pouch his -bear-bowled pipe and put a pinch of tobacco into it. - -“My friends and cousins,” he said. “I must have an ember for my pipe. -How shall I get it? Ho yo ho! Fly birds, fly!” As he spoke the -chipping-birds on his hat began to flutter and then to fly. They flew to -the fire and took coals from it which they placed in his pipe, after -which the birds sat on his hat. Oh the fragrance of the smoke was -pleasing, and the bear on the bowl rolled its eyes and chewed the -tobacco. “Oh you like my tobacco?” asked Two Feathers. “So does my -pouch. Dance pouch, dance!” What was happening? The spotted pouch -detached itself from his belt and scampered over the floor a living -fawn. Then he called it back to its strap. - -“It is now getting late,” observed Two Feathers. “Now bring me a good -deer-skin, well tanned. I will give all of you good presents.” Drooping -Flower brought a skin and placed it before him. He began, then, to make -a noise like “_tsŭt, tsŭt, tsŭt_.” Opening his mouth wide he blew out a -great stream of wampum beads. Immediately there was a scramble for the -beads and nearly everybody grabbed a handful. - -As Two Feathers left the house he saw the jealous, blazing eyes of his -uncle, Woodchuck Leggings. The old man had never dreamed that his nephew -had powers like these. He then began to spread mischief by saying that -Two Feathers was an evil sorcerer and that he would soon become Oñgwe -Iās and eat up everybody. - -Now Drooping Flower’s mother was a witch and hated anybody with power. -So she called Woodchuck Leggings and talked to him. He told her how to -proceed to overcome Two Feathers. - -That night Two Feathers and Woodchuck Leggings slept on one side of the -witch’s lodge. Midnight came and the old woman began to have a bad -dream. She began to throw fire upon Two Feathers but the chipping-birds -chirped so loudly they awakened him, and he saw the old woman on her -knees at the fire grunting, as if in a dream, “ĕ^n‘´, ĕ^n‘´, ĕ^n‘´!” -Leaping up he hit her with a corn pounder, exclaiming, “What is it, my -aunt?” Pretending to awaken she answered, “It is now finished. I have -had a dream and must be satisfied. Oh I must have the antlers of two -large buck elk that live in a cold lake. I must have them by morning or -direful things will happen.” - -Two Feathers immediately set out to satisfy the old woman’s dream -demand. Now no one had ever seen these elk, which were known by their -splashing only, and all persons who went into the lake were devoured by -the horned serpent. Two Feathers jumped into the water saying, “I know -that I can do this thing.” Long he swam into the darkness, for there was -no starlight or moon. After a time he heard splashing and a noise like -heavy breathing. Taking his arrow from an oiled skin bag he spoke to it -and then shot. There was a great flash of light in the sky and the -mysterious lake elk were revealed. The arrow had pierced both of them. -Mounting one of the elks he ordered them to swim ashore. “What do you -want?” they asked when they stood upon the homeward beach. “I want your -horns,” he answered. “Oh that is all right, nephew,” they said and shed -their antlers. “I am sorry I had to kill you, but the woman desired it -in satisfaction of a dream.” The elks spoke again, “The woman has -deceived you.” Then they disappeared. - -The gift of the great antlers only increased the old woman’s anger and -the next night she dreamed that she must have the pelts of the -wampum-coated deer. They had no hair but curled shells on their skins. -If they saw anyone they would trample them to death. So then, Two -Feathers set forth to catch the wampum deer. He made a sweat house by -the lick where the deer came in the night. He threw tobacco all around -it and then waited. Soon two does came and Two Feathers shot his magic -arrow, killing both. Then he lighted his pipe and began to sing. -Instantly a great drove of bucks came rushing to the sweat lodge but -they could not touch it, so powerful was the magic of Two Feathers. -After a while he heard them stamping away and he arose and went out and -skinned the deer. - -The beautiful pelts covered with shells only made the old woman more -angry, as Two Feathers presented them at daybreak. She screeched and -scolded and called him an evil sorcerer. But the next night she again -asked satisfaction of a dream. - -On this occasion she demanded that Two Feathers go to a hot lake and -bring back two white beavers, reputed to be of great magical potency. -“Oh that is very easy, my aunt,” answered Two Feathers, “I will bring -them at daylight.” Setting forth he reached the lake and taking out his -arrow spoke to it. “Speed on and find the game that I desire,” he -commanded. - -The arrow sped forth and soon it struck a beaver which came swimming -toward him, bringing another with it on a wave. This he struck with a -small white stone and both were dead. Taking them to the old woman’s -lodge he threw them at her feet. “You may have the meat,” he said, “but -I will keep the skins.” This made the old woman angry for the beavers -were her brothers. So then again she dreamed and commanded him to -satisfy her by dangerous tasks, but his magic power always won. At -length, dispairing of causing him harm in this manner, the mother -announced that her right mind had returned. She resolved upon a new -plan, and became very kind to Two Feathers. When Two Feathers found that -the mother was no longer the oracle of the spirits he started home where -he might provide for his own father and mother. - -The Do´ciowe^n‘ people listened with great sorrow to Two Feathers’ story -of the distressed tribesmen of Ganun dasēy and rejoiced when he told -them how his luck had delivered them. But he was restless and could not -bear separation from Drooping Flower, thus he announced that he was -going again to the Valley of the Pleasant River to get a wife. - -Woodchuck Leggings had seen Drooping Flower and he wanted her, and -hearing that his nephew was to visit her, resolved to accompany him, -kill him on the journey, put on his clothing, gain the magic articles, -and then steal Drooping Flower. The mother of the girl had given -Woodchuck Leggings a death charm and he made up his mind to use it upon -his nephew. Moreover the woman asked him to do so. - -“May I go with you?” he asked Two Feathers, when he saw his nephew -ready. - -“No, Uncle,” was the reply. - -“But I am going nevertheless!” - -“Then not with me,—never!” was Two Feathers’ answer. - -Two Feathers set out the next morning and when he had traveled three -days he met Woodchuck Leggings, who had a day’s start on the journey. He -saw him sitting on a stump with his back toward the trail. - -“Niawĕ’´skäno’!” shouted Two Feathers. - -“Dogĕ‘s!” was the startled reply. - -“How came you here, Uncle?” - -“I am on my journey.” - -“Then if it is your journey you must not expect to go with me, for I -will not allow it.” Two Feathers ran on ahead leaving his uncle still -sitting on the stump. When night came he set up camp and kindled a fire -for cooking a supper. As he lay down for sleeping he heard the night -birds scream and listening he heard the crackling of sticks. Lifting his -bow, he prepared for the enemy, whatever it might be. In the dim light -of the dying camp fire, he saw the shadow of a ragged old man, limping -along the trail. It was Woodchuck Leggings. - -“Niawĕ’´skäno’´, Uncle!” said Two Feathers in greeting. - -“Doge‘s! Agī! dodŭs‘ha ä‘kwa!” “(Truly, O give me to eat)!” gasped the -hungry uncle. - -Two Feathers spoke to his arrows, shot into the tree tops and a large -turkey fell to the ground at the feet of the uncle, who was too -frightened to move. - -“Pull the arrow out and cook the bird,” commanded the nephew. But his -uncle was too frightened, for the arrow was magic. (Beyond this, it was -not right to touch the arrows of another hunter when they were sticking -in dead game.) Woodchuck Leggings was too exhausted to prepare his own -meal and fell to the earth from weakness. So the faithful and -unsuspicious nephew roasted the bird and shaking the dozing man -exclaimed, “Sĕdekonĭ (Come eat)!” - -So he devoured the bird and ate his fill of parched corn and maple -sugar. He begged that his nephew should not turn him away in the -darkness, for he was afraid of the flying heads. He pleaded for a little -space on one side of the fire by his nephew’s side. Two Feathers did not -relish the idea but pitied the old coward, and gave him a place in which -to sleep. - -The crafty old scoundrel watched his opportunity. When Two Feathers was -fast asleep, he made his way, stealthily to the other side of the fire -and drew from his shirt a long sharp point of hickory bark. It was the -death charm. Two Feathers was lying on his side. Kneeling at his back he -lifted the bark high above his head and brought it down with all his -strength, plunging it into the back of his victim just between the -shoulders. Removing his own dirty garments, Woodchuck Leggings replaced -them with the beautiful white clothes of Two Feathers. He felt for the -magic pipe and pouch and found both safe, but he had forgotten the magic -arrow in his haste. - -In the morning he continued his journey and at sunset came to the -village. A scout noted his arrival and cried, “Here comes Two Feathers!” -As false Two Feathers passed by the fires between the lodges, the people -noticed with wonder that the beautiful white deer skin clothing had -become soiled and torn. The tobacco pouch had caught in a bush and half -the quill work had been ripped off. - -He entered Drooping Flower’s lodge. “Come, we can get married now,” he -said. - -Drooping Flower did not need to look at him a second time. “You are not -real Two Feathers,” she exclaimed. “Where is Two Feathers?” - -“I am he!” - -“Sonohweh! You are a liar!” - -“We shall see,” answered the pretender. - -The next day he called a council and when all had taken their seats he -strode through the door with great pomp and took his position on the -singer’s bench. Grasping a rattle he began to sing, but his voice was -cracked. He stopped suddenly, as he caught the gaze of the men. “I have -a cold, brothers,” he apologized. “But now I will smoke, and the -sweetness of my tobacco will please you; but where shall I get my -fire,—Ho, ho! Fly little birds!” But his commands were in vain and he -was compelled to get his own light. “My birds are bashful,” he -explained. He lighted his pipe and began to blow the smoke into the air. -The foul fumes filled the lodge and nearly stifled the people. Women -held their breaths or breathed through their shawls; the men coughed and -the babies cried. “My tobacco is damp tonight,” he said, “but you shall -see my pouch dance for me,—dance pouch, dance!” The pouch clung to his -side limper than ever. In spite of his commands and threats it would not -move a finger’s breadth. “My pouch,” he explained, “is bashful and now -as I am tired, if Drooping Flower will bring me a skin I will speak out -wampum.” Drooping Flower refused to obey and whispered, “He is a liar!” -Drooping Flower’s older sister, Wīäso^n’, took pity on the unsuccessful -conjurer, and hoping to win a man, took down a skin from the wall behind -her and placed it on the singer’s bench. - -“Now since all my things are bashful, I will pay you for the trouble in -coming here, see—I blow out wampum when I breathe!” Sure enough, from -his mouth flew a quantity of small white cylinders. The people bent over -to pick up the valued wampum beads, but were again disappointed, for -instead of wampum were clusters of loathly worms. With a shamed face -Wīäso^n’ returned the skin to the peg and the council was dismissed by -the head sachem. - -False Two Feathers felt that he must do something to redeem himself, so -going to the woods the next morning he shot all his arrows and called -for game, but failing to get any, in desperation clubbed two woodchucks -to death and brought them back. No one would touch them. - -The people looked at him as one who had lost power by displeasing his -own charms and paid more attention to him. No one would now associate -with him save Wīäso^n’ who asked him to marry her, and he did. - -Two Feathers awoke after several days unconsciousness and found a great -herd of forest animals about him. - -“Our brother, you have been sick,” said the wolf, the spokesman. “You -were stabbed by Woodchuck Leggings as you were sleeping. But as you were -kind, so we are not ungrateful and our blood has kept you nourished -while you slept. The animal spirits are crafty and know their friends -and foes. You are about to undergo misfortune but do not faint,—keep up -courage and listen to what we tell you.” - -Two Feathers was weak and dizzy, and it took him a long time to reach -the Valley village. Painfully he crept along the sunken trail until he -reached a corn field where he heard women singing as they cut the -blighted corn stalks. He called, and Drooping Flower hearing his voice, -found him wounded and exhausted. She stooped down and he whispered -something in her ear. The crowd of women was now about him. “Where is -Woodchuck Leggings?” he inquired. “You are Woodchuck Leggings; don’t you -know yourself?” cried all women. Two Feathers said no more. - -For nearly a year Two Feathers lived in an old bark house which hardly -sheltered him from the snow or kept away the springtime rain. He looked -like, and was, a sickly old man. Every one knew him by his cough and -pitied him. - -In those days there was a great white eagle, a magic bird. The people of -the village had erected two high poles with cross-pieces, upon which the -eagle was wont to alight as it passed over the settlement. - -The mother of Drooping Flower worried because her daughter would not -take a husband and asked her why she would not marry. To such inquiries -the girl replied, “I shall never marry until the white eagle shall be -shot. The man who sends an arrow through him shall be my husband!” These -words pleased the mother and she told everybody about it and gave it out -in council. - -A day for the tournament was set and when it came a hundred young men -from the entire nation gathered on the council grounds, eagerly awaiting -the signal. The great white eagle, with whistling wings, flew from pole -to pole, pausing now and then to give a scream. The signal was given, -and a hundred arrows struck its feathers, broke, and fell to the earth -below. Through all the day the contesting warriors shot their arrows -upon the magic eagle, but he shook them off like snow flakes and mocked -their efforts by his screaming. - -Two Feathers, dressed in the tattered skins of Woodchuck Leggings, -watched the flight of arrows from his doorway. The young men laughed at -him and asked him if he were going to try his skill, but to no one would -he reply. At length when no one was watching, the ugly, lame, coughing -old man made his way to a corner of the council grounds. He had no bow, -but in his hand he carried an arrow. Drooping Flower’s mother saw him, -and recognized who he was, but kept her secret. She looked him in the -eyes and contemptuously exclaimed “Chisna!” While she was still looking -this despised old man made a pantomime motion as if grasping a bow, -pulled his arrow and let fly. He hobbled back to his lodge, coughing -violently. - -There was a great shout followed by an excited hum of voices. “It was my -arrow—no mine—liars, it was my arrow—wrong, I know my arrow by the -painted shaft—mine—mine—no mine—my arrow, I know it by the red quill!” -The din grew louder and wilder. Blows were exchanged and some struck -with clubs. The older men rushed out and surrounded the excited throng -and said they would shoot them with their arrows and commanded the riot -to cease. When quiet had been restored the old sachem cried out, “That -man killed the bird who can draw the arrow out!” - -Man after man tried very hard but all failed. False Two Feathers made -his boast and kneeling, prepared to pull it. He faltered;—his eyes -filled with water. It was the same arrow that had killed the turkey for -his supper on the night when he had plunged the death charm into Two -Feathers! He arose and went to his house. “The eagle is shot,” said he -to his wife. “No one can draw the arrow out.” - -There was a great discussion and every one was asked for his opinion, -but no one had any idea who the marksman was, save the mother of -Drooping Flower, and Woodchuck Leggings. Then a stranger who had not -hitherto ventured to speak, stepped upon a stump and shouted, “You have -not asked the old man with a cough!” The people laughed at the -stranger’s suggestion and watched him curiously as he ran to the abode -of Two Feathers. The stranger grasped Two Feathers by the hand, by both -hands, and whispered in his ear. The stranger was the wolf whom he had -befriended in the lonely cabin. - -Two Feathers limped to the slain bird and all the people shouted -“Hōa‘ho’´! Old-Bones-with-a-cough is going to try, yo-a-hoh!” - -“Old Bones-with-a-cough” touched the arrow, it clung to his finger and -followed his hand into the air. All the people shouted “Whoei‘!” - -The sachem took his stand and proclaimed Drooping Flower the wife of the -old man with a cough, and the mother frowned as she was compelled to -say, “Nio’!” - -“A medicine man quick!” shouted Two Feathers. “Give me him whom you call -fallen Two Feathers!” - -Woodchuck Leggings hurried forward, ever ready to be where there was a -chance of being looked at. - -“Build a sweat lodge of fat bear skins, bring large lumps of fat and -them heat fire-stones and bring them in,” directed Two Feathers. - -Woodchuck Leggings built a little dome-shaped lodge by sticking the ends -of flexible poles into the ground and bending them over, and after a -hunter had skinned a fat bear, he covered the lodge frame with the skin, -hair-side out. When the hot stones were brought in they heated the -interior to such a degree that the fat on the skins melted and ran down -in streams. After Two Feathers’ body was drenched with the oil, he asked -that his “doctor” rub him until it had been well absorbed by the skin. -He then requested the famous “medicine man” to pack a lump of fat -between his shoulders, cover it with a small skin and place a hot stone -over it. A cold one was selected. “Hotter, Uncle!” said Two Feathers, -for the first time calling him by this name. The second stone was only -slightly warmer, “Hotter yet, Uncle!” Another stone was placed on the -skin but Two Feathers still shouted, “Hotter yet, Uncle.” The next stone -was dull red and Woodchuck Leggings slapped it on with a thud. “Doge^n’s -wi’ o!” shouted Two Feathers and putting his hands to the back of his -neck he threw off the poultice. He grasped the bark which had worked -partly out. He gave it a hard pull. Woodchuck Leggings grew suspicious -and began to tremble with fear. With a loud cry Two Feathers pulled the -bark point from his neck and before the cringing man before him had time -to utter a sound, Two Feathers struck him a heavy blow over the neck. -The death charm sank into the flesh, passed between the bones in his -back and Woodchuck Leggings lay dead. - -“The sick one has recovered!” shouted Two Feathers. “Every one go away -while I dress.” The wondering throng which had sat chanting about the -lodge during the ceremony, went to their lodges, curious to know what -had happened, for the voice which they had heard commanding them was one -which in itself compelled obedience and awe, and seemed to come from -neither of the men whom they had seen enter the lodge. - -Two Feathers washed his body in ashes, put on his old suit which -Woodchuck Leggings had ruined, but which was restored as it touched his -body, and ran out into the council grounds. The people looked at him in -astonishment. Who could it be? The handsome man seemed like someone whom -they had known before, and yet no one ventured to say who it was. - -“I shall call a council for tonight; I bring news!” shouted Two -Feathers. - -Two Feathers took the speaker’s seat and addressed the people. -“Brothers! I am Two Feathers, the same who once delivered you from the -famine, by the power of my charms, I delivered you from the two grim -sisters that breathed into your faces and almost stopped your breath. So -soon have you forgotten me, but remember, I am not blaming you, for I -know the reason, and you are not to be blamed.” - -“Brothers! I was stricken in the forest by the treachery of Woodchuck -Leggings, who thought that by taking my life he could take my power, but -he was mistaken, for he has taken neither. For a long time I have -suffered, alone, neglected and despised by all the people, but now that -I have recovered, he who designed my misfortune himself has met it. I -have killed him with his own charm.” - -The gestures of Two Feathers, his face and his voice thrilled the people -and with one accord they shouted, “Nio’´!” - -“Now friends and brothers, let us rejoice in my restored life and power. -See, I smoke! Fly birds, fly and bring me a light.” The birds flew from -his hat with chirps of joy. They fluttered up and down and flew through -the council house from end to end. They went into the fire, pulled out a -brand and placed it in his pipe. They brushed against his face again and -again singing. Two Feathers caught them in his hands and placed them -back on his feather cap. He spoke to his pouch, “Dance, pouch, dance,—be -my spotted fawn.” The pouch leaped from his side and danced better than -it had before. It danced in a circle around him as he stood on the -floor, it jumped over his head, rolled and tumbled, rubbed against his -legs, leaped and gave every sign of life. “Enough!” exclaimed Two -Feathers, and reluctantly it ran back to his belt, nothing but a limp -skin pouch. “Now brothers, bring a skin.” Someone brought him the pelt -which Woodchuck Leggings had used. “What, spoiled by worms? See, I -smoke.” A puff of smoke purified the skin. “See, I breathe. Now look.” -Wampum dropped from the frost of his breath and piled up in a heap on -the skin. - -The sachems and head men now began to speak. Never did a man receive a -better welcome. The people were glad, the women sang a welcome song and -then all rushed to put friendly hands on him,—all but two. These slunk -from the room, one with eyes brimming with angry tears and the other -with a face drawn into a horrible frown. This one ground her teeth in -rage, she ran her claw fingers down her cheeks until the blood flowed in -streams. She tore her hair, and with shrieks ran into the darkness. - -The council was over and there was a commotion in the lodge of Drooping -Flower. The mother lay on her couch screeching as she tore her clothing -into shreds, chewed the flesh from her fingers and bit them off at the -joints. Then she suddenly sprang up and shook her hands before her face. -The sinews dangled over the white bones and blood spurted from the meat. -Suddenly the lodge became darkened,—a rush of air was felt and a yelp -was heard, like that of a dog pierced with an arrow. When a torch was -lighted the mother had gone. She could not be found though the people -searched in forest and in open. Only tracks of a big dog could be seen -leading from the lodge. They were traced to a pond which had neither -inlet nor outlet, and there they stopped. It was found out she had been -a witch. - - - GENERAL NOTES.—The story of Two Feathers and his jealous uncle, - Woodchuck Leggings is one of the favorite tales of the Seneca. It is - related in several forms but always has the same general plot. The - version here given was secured during the summer of 1903 during my - stay on the Silverheels’ farm, and was related by George D. - Jimerson, comments being made by Fred Kennedy, a half-blood, and - Peter Snyder. As auditors who nodded their approval we had Gahweh - Seneca and Fred Pierce. - - As here recorded this bit of Seneca fiction is an example of a folk - tale taken down in note form and rewritten in the language of the - transcriber. It is not an exact translation by any means. It does - give, however, all the essential ideas conveyed by the narrators. - The plot is followed exactly in all the peculiar turns and in some - cases we have used the same expressions of the story tellers who - gave the tale. - - The plot is a love theme in which a hero is thwarted by a jealous - uncle. Magic plays its usual part but magic is employed by the hero - to bring about his own recovery in due time. The heroine’s mother - turns out to be in league with the villain, and after the villain’s - exposure the hero is compelled to perform certain tasks thought to - be impossible. He succeeds and the evil woman stands revealed an - odious witch. - - When I had written out this tale substantially as here presented I - read it to Edward Cornplanter. He criticized it by saying that I had - received it from Christian Indians who had given locations not in - the original tale and that my informants had tried to explain too - much. “It is all right, though,” he said. “I do not object at all - because white folks will understand it better the way you have it. - Only one big mistake you have made. Now, when Two Feathers went away - from that big bark house where the girl lived he made up his mind to - take the girl with him to his own village. So, he grabbed her and - jumped up through the smoke hole. He had his snowshoes hidden on the - roof. He put on his snowshoes, grabbed the girl around the waist and - then slid down the slippery roof. He was magic and sailed away right - in the air for a mile and then came down on the snow as nice as you - please. It was great to see it. - - “Now, soon, Woodchuck Leggings missed the girl. All the time he - still wants her, which makes his own woman mad. So Woodchuck - Leggings tried to jump up through the roof hole but fell back in the - fire and burned himself. So he climbed up on the roof with his - snowshoes to sail away after Two Feathers. He started down the - slippery, icy roof and went fine,—until he came to the edge of the - roof. Then he fell head first in a big drift and the only thing - anyone could see was a pair of snowshoes on the level with the top - of the drift. This made the whole village laugh with a big roar. His - wife was madder than ever for she had to dig him out, and I hate to - tell you what she did to him when she got him alone. This is the - best of the story.” - - - 23. HOW TURKEY BOY SQUEEZED THE HEARTS OF A SORCERER AND HIS SEVEN - SISTERS. - -There was an old woman who lived with her grandson, Osoon (Turkey), in a -lonely lodge a long ways from a settlement. The lodge was old and very -large, but only the two lived in it, for all others had been killed by -sorcerers. - -Winter was coming on and the old woman was busily engaged each day in -gathering firewood for the winter’s store. Every day she would cry as -she started on her journey and when she returned she would cry again, -for she was old and weak. - -After a time the boy, Turkey, asked his grandmother why she wept -continually. “Oh my grandson,” she answered, “all our people are dead -and I am getting old. I have a hard time getting roots and bark for -winter food and gathering wood makes me very tired.” - -Then she took Turkey to the end of the long house and pushed aside a -piece of bark. Beyond was another room which Turkey had never seen -before. As they entered it Turkey saw that it was filled with all kinds -of clothing and weapons and many strange things. “This is where I have -placed all the things that belonged to our family when it lived here,” -said the grandmother. “I will show you this place but you must never -enter it or touch anything.” - -The next day when the grandmother left the lodge to gather wood Turkey -pushed aside the bark and entered the room. It was dark but after a time -he could see. He found a large drum which pleased him very much. He fell -to beating it and it made a sound that he thought delightful. Then he -went out and closed the bark over the opening. - -When the grandmother returned with her load of wood she wept again. “Why -do you always weep?” asked Turkey. And she replied, “All of our people -are dead. They have been destroyed by a monster wizard who eats human -flesh. His lodge is to the east and near it is a great bed of -strawberries. Oh, they are as large as hearts. Once there was a good -village of our tribe there, but the people were killed and the houses -have now fallen down.” Then she fell into a fit of weeping again. - -Turkey now said, “My grandmother, now is the time for me to go. I shall -shortly go.” - -The next day when the grandmother was away, Turkey entered the forbidden -room and found a net bat and a ball. He removed them and went out and -played ball (lacrosse). Then he returned and found the drum, which he -beat with great vigor. So loudly did he beat it that his grandmother -heard it and returned in great fright. “Do you want the monster to find -out where we live and come here and eat us?” she scolded, but Turkey -only replied. “Oh my grandmother, don’t scold me. Tell me more about the -monster.” - -“His name is Deadoeñdjadase^n,” replied the grandmother, “and he has -seven sisters who wait upon him. Oh never go east.” - -“Make me some moccasins,” commanded the boy. “I am going east.” - -Still forbidding him to go, the grandmother, nevertheless, made the -moccasins. In a short time he was ready to start. - -Now Turkey was cautious and crept along through the underbrush until he -came to a clearing where he saw a dried human skin fastened by a cord to -a tall pole. It swung around in the wind and watched the clearing. -Turkey noticed that there was a large strawberry patch there with -berries as big as hearts. He was very crafty and knew that he could not -approach the Hadjoqda (dried skin), without being seen and reported to -its masters. Looking about he saw a mole and made a bargain with it to -borrow its coat. Shrinking himself by magic he entered the mole skin and -then burrowed underground until he was directly under the skin, when he -broke a little root into beads and stained them with berry juice. He -called to the skin and offered to give it wampum if it would talk for a -while. This the skin agreed to do, and told him all the mysteries of the -clearing. Turkey learned that the master sorcerer was Deadoeñdjadse^n, -and that the seven sisters cooked human flesh for him, grinding it in a -corn mortar with white corn meal. Only this would he eat. When the -sisters were not cooking they guarded the strawberries from the deer -that came into the clearing to graze. - -“What more should I learn to be safe?” asked Turkey. - -“What will you give to know?” replied Skin Man. - -“I will rub my hands on you and make you free,” answered Turkey. - -Then he learned that the lives of the sorcerer and his sister were -secure, for they could not be killed, their hearts being concealed under -the wing of a loon that swam in a pool under a bed in the lodge. A dog -guarded the hearts and they could only be surrendered upon order of -Deadoeñdjadse^n, himself. - -Meanwhile the sisters had been calling the skin, and louder and louder -did they call. Turkey said, “Tell them that you have been making wampum -for them, and that Deadoeñdjadse^n is about to return spitting blood. -Then I will stir up the deer and enter the lodge. Then you will report -the deer and the sisters will rush out to save their strawberries. I -will find their hearts and kill them. Then I will make you free.” - -Hadjoqda, the skin man, returned to the lodge, saying that he had been -making wampum, and was delayed. He said moreover that he saw their -brother returning, being sick. The youngest sister was suspicious of the -wampum, but it appeared to be good, and the sisters divided it. Skin Man -then returned to his station. - -In a short time Turkey had gone back to the mole and returned its coat -with a gift in payment. Then he used magic to make himself appear -exactly like Deadoeñdjadse^n, and strode boldly into the clearing, -chewing a strawberry and spitting the juice. This gave him great power. -He drew near the lodge and called for food, but one sister was -suspicious and offered him corn, then meat, then fish, but Turkey -refused them all and roared that he was Oñgwe Iās and wanted his -accustomed dinner. This they put before him and he ate it all, -satisfying the women that he was indeed their brother. - -Suddenly Skin Man began to call and the women all ran out of the lodge, -for Skin Man was crying that the deer were in the strawberries. - -When the sisters were out of sight, Turkey noticed a small dog watching -one of the beds. He threw a piece of meat to the dog and then lifted up -the bed. Beneath was a pool of water and a loon swimming about. “Give me -the hearts,” commanded Turkey. The loon lifted up a wing but there were -no hearts under it. “You give me those hearts!” commanded Turkey, once -more. This time the loon lifted its right wing and beneath were the -eight hearts. Turkey grabbed them and ran out crying, “I am Turkey, and -I’ve got your hearts.” - -When the sisters saw Turkey with the hearts they began to chase him with -the clubs which they used on the deer, but as each assailant approached -Turkey squeezed her heart, causing her to faint. One by one he squeezed -until they all cried out and fainted but the rest arose as he released -his pressure and ran after him, when by giving a hard squeeze they all -fell down. By this time the women were at the flat rock where their -brother killed his victims. Turkey now threw their hearts one by one on -the stone and each cracked open like a flint stone. - -Deadoeñdjadse^n, suspecting mischief, now ran to the clearing where he -met the Skin Man. Of him he made inquiries as to what the noise was all -about. Skin Man was very insolent and called Deadoeñdjadse^n bad names, -enraging him greatly. “Turkey has your heart, Turkey has your heart,” -sang the Skin Man in derision. The monster sorcerer then rushed into the -clearing where he saw Turkey dancing about the flat stone. He rushed -upon him, but Turkey threw the heart upon the rock and broke both heart -and rock. Then he patted Skin Man all over the body and restored him to -his normal form. To his surprise he found him to be his own brother, who -had been held by sorcery to obey the commands of the wizard and his -sisters. - -Together they gathered many bones that were strewn about the flat rock. -When all were piled up Turkey kicked over a pig-nut tree and called out, -“Disjointed bones, arise before this tree falls upon you!” The tree fell -and before it hit the ground a great host of people arose and all were -quarreling, for all had portions of the others’ bodies. Turkey pacified -them and told them to wait. From the throng he picked out his own -relatives and with them returned to his grandmother’s lodge. - -The grandmother was very happy when she saw her relatives,—her children -and grandchildren. By her suggestion they all returned to the clearing -where the strawberries grew and there they built a new village, and -there they live to this day. - - - 24. CORN RAINS INTO EMPTY BARRELS. - -At one time there was nothing to eat on all the earth. Nearly all the -people had starved to death, and a few that remained gathered together -on a high hill. They lived on boiled bark. - -There was a certain young man who kept saying all the time, “It will be -better after a while.” Nobody believed him because things were getting -worse each day. His brother used to torture him with sharp stones and -say harsh things to him. The young man, however, kept thinking that -something would happen soon. After a while he heard footsteps, as if on -a clean path. He listened for the span of a moon and then heard them -running. He told the people but nobody believed him. - -One morning while he sat in the doorway of his lodge with his head down -on his knees, a young woman stood before him. He heard her breathe and -looked up. She smiled and handed him a basket of bread. “My mother sent -me to this lodge to find a young man,” she said. “My mother wants me to -marry him.” - -The people came out of the lodge and looked at the young woman and the -young man’s mother asked from whence she had come. “I have come from the -far south,” answered the girl. “There is plenty of food there.” - -So the young man ate the bread and was married to the young woman from -the south. - -Then the young wife said, “My mother sent me to bring food to you. Let -everybody take off the tops of their corn barrels and then enter the -lodge and cover their faces.” - -The sun had now come up and it was hot. The people did not like their -faces covered, but soon they heard a sound like corn falling into their -barrels. After a time the noise ceased and the young wife said, “It is -finished now.” - -Out into the shed went the people of the lodge and found the barrels -full of shelled corn. Everybody ate and all were satisfied, except the -younger brother, who threw his food into the fire and said he wanted -game. Now the young wife had cooked the corn the young man threw away, -and she was made sad by his action. So she said, “My husband, go to the -river and get fish enough for the people.” But the younger brother said, -“It is foolish to go to the river, for fish have deserted the river. -There are none.” Nevertheless, the young husband went to the river and -drew out enough fish for all the people. The younger brother was very -angry. - -The next day the husband went hunting and while he was absent the -younger brother began to torment the young wife. “Your food is not -good,” he said. “I cast your food away,” and again he threw food into -the fire. - -When the husband returned he found his wife crying and when he asked her -what was troubling her she said, “Your younger brother has spoiled -everything. He has rejected my food (speaking thereby the -dissatisfaction of all the people). I shall now return to my home.” - -The husband was very sad and begged her not to go, but his wife told him -that her mother instructed her to return if she were abused. During the -following night there was a sound of scraping in the corn barrels and in -the morning when the women went for their corn it was all gone, and with -it the bride had vanished. - -After consultation the husband determined to search for his wife, and -thus he set out on a long journey. At length he came to a region of -great corn fields and after a while saw a high mound covered with corn -plants. On this mound he found his wife and her mother. His wife showed -him her body and it was burned and scarred. “This is what your brother -did to me,” she said, “when he threw the corn into the fire. He would -have killed me had I remained.” - -After living in the south for several months the couple returned and -found the people again starving. The young wife ordered them to open -their corn barrels and hide their faces once again. They did so and -shelled corn fell like rain into the barrels filling them to the top. - -Then the young wife told the people that corn must never be wasted or -thrown away for it is food and if destroyed will cause the crops to be -poor and the corn to cease to yield. - - - 25. TWENTGOWA AND THE MISCHIEF MAKER.[34] - -There was once a very lazy man named Twentgowa. He had a wife and -several children. Twentgowa was always giving excuses to his wife as to -why he did not hunt game more often like other men. - -Twentgowa often went into the deep woods and had a mossy rock near a -river where he would lie and dream of the things he would like to do and -how he would kill big game animals if he only had a chance. More and -more often he repaired to his favorite spot as his wife scolded him for -not bringing home game. - -One evening a man came to the lodge where Twentgowa lived. He stood in -the doorway and said: “I am your friend. I have visited you before but -this is the first time you have seen me. I have known your name for a -long time. Now you must come often and see me. I have good things in my -place of abode and there is plenty to eat and much game hanging on my -rafters.” Then he walked away. - -Twentgowa did not know where his friend lived but thought he might find -him some day. Now on the next day there was nothing to eat in the house, -save a few pieces of corn bread, and the wife scolded Twentgowa saying: -“Oh you who are always squatting like a duck on a nest, you shall not -eat but this food shall be for our children. Begone, and if you have a -friend perhaps he will receive you.” So that is what she said. - -The lazy man arose from his bed and went out of the house. “I will now -go and seek my friend,” he thought to himself. He went directly to the -mossy spot on the rock where he customarily sought refuge and when he -arrived there he found his bed very thick with moss, making it a fine -spot upon which to recline. When he had lain there a short time he -looked up and saw a large bark house, with very fine poles as supports -and over the door a head of some animal he could not identify. - -He arose and with caution walked toward the door of the house and when -he stood before it he saw his friend. - -“My friend,” said he, “I did not know this house was here. I never saw -it before.” - -“Come in,” said his friend, “This is where I live. Oh this house has -here stood for many years and I am greatly surprised that you have not -seen it. Now it is time to eat. Be seated here on a mat and let us eat -together. The first thing we must eat is os‘howä, a pudding.” - -Thereupon the friend went to an upper shelf and took down a bowl into -which he placed a loathly mess of substance that had the odor of a fish -a long time dead. “Djiskwengo,” exclaimed the friend, and the bowl -filled up with steaming pudding of most enticing odor. - -So the two friends ate the food and relished it greatly. Oh, it was far -better than any food that Twentgowa had ever eaten. “It is so -delicious,” said he, “that I would like to take some home to my family. -I would like to borrow a cooking pot to contain it.” - -“My friend, there is no need of that,” said the householder. “I will -give you power to do as I have done. You have only to follow my -directions and you will have great power to produce delicious food for -your family.” - -So Twentgowa stood at the back of the lodge and his friend threw the pot -of food into him right through the wall of his abdomen. It vanished -through magic and power was within Twentgowa. - -Twentgowa now said he was about to return to his home and he started out -on his journey which seemed very much longer than ever before, as if the -path had stretched. He kept thinking of his newly acquired power and -thought it might be well to test it. So he sat down on a log and used -his magical word, “Odjiskwagoh.” As he did this a great pile of steaming -pumpkin pudding formed on the ground. “Oh my!” exclaimed Twentgowa. -“Power within me is; now I shall eat forever.” He was now satisfied that -he had a great friend. - -Running home he entered his lodge and told his story. He told of his -feasting on pumpkin pudding and of the power he had to make it by magic. -So he took a jar from the top platform of his lodge and in the manner -directed filled it. He placed in it the loathly substance like unto a -dead fish and then conjured it until it overflowed into the large bark -dish in which the jar was placed. “Ah now,” said Twentgowa, “we shall -have a feast. Oh, it is so appetizing!” - -His wife was very angry and would not touch the food but scolded him, -for instead of real food all that was produced was a terrible mess that -drove her and the children out of the house. She threw stones into the -lodge and called him out, for he was dancing inside. - -So the people saw that Twentgowa had lied and could not make food by -unnatural means, but made that which was evil. And his wife scolded him -and said: “Do not go to the lodge of that man any longer. He is none -other than S‘hodie´o^nsko^n’, whom we know as a mischief maker. He will -make your mind abnormal and what is bad he will make you think is good. -If you persist in visiting him you will suffer and great calamity will -befall us all.” - -Twentgowa was greatly downcast and wondered why he had failed before the -people. He determined to go and see his friend again and seek an -explanation. So he went as before. “My friend, I was just thinking of -you,” said his friend when he entered the lodge. “Come we will now eat -together. This time we will have the whole pumpkin. Oh it is most -delicious.” - -So when he had said this he sat down on a long bench and laid his war -club against his thighs and it became as if alive. It lay upon the bench -and it had a round head which was very large. Then the friend said: -“Pumpkin come forth. Thou art concealed within the head of my warclub. -Burst forth!” - -So saying he struck the head of his war club with a long handled maul. -Immediately a pumpkin rolled forth from the head of his war club. So -they cooked it and ate it. Twentgowa found it most delicious and was -continually saying, “Oga’´o^n’! Oga’´o^n! This is so delicious,” said -he, “that I would be most happy to have the power to do the same as you -have done, for in this manner I could feed my family.” - -“I will give you power to so produce twice,” said the friend, “but -further you must not try for it is not good to always eat pumpkins -alone. Now I am ready. Stand, swing your war club until it comes ‘whack’ -against the head of my club. If you can hit mine there will be power -within you.” - -So Twentgowa swung his war club about, spinning on his heel until he -came, “sqŭŭh” against his friend’s club and it made a great whack that -nearly broke Twentgowa in twain. - -“Now,” said Twentgowa, “I will try my power,” so he hit his club with a -maul and a pumpkin rolled forth. “Now I must go home and make pumpkins,” -he said. “Now I go.” - -On his way through the forest he began to wonder if indeed he had power. -He thought that by some chance power was within him only so long as he -was in the presence of his friend and that his friend had fooled him by -magic to make mischief after the fashion of S‘hodie^nsko^n’. Thereupon -he sat astride a log and laid his war club before him, its round head -being at the further end of the log. Then he grasped a stick and reached -over and struck the head of the war club. It was as his friend had said, -for a pumpkin rolled forth. He did not want to carry the pumpkin home so -he made a fire and cooked it. Oh it was a delicious pumpkin and he kept -continually saying “Oga’´o^n’.” Then he went home. - -He went in his lodge and greeted his wife. “I have new power,” he said. -“My friend this time has given me good power. I will make pumpkins for -you. Get my stake maul with which I am accustomed to drive in the long -stakes of the house. Now I seat myself upon this bench and lay my war -club before me. This is the right way to proceed. Now I whack my war -club with the maul.” So saying he hit at the head of his club, but in so -doing he lifted up his foot upon the bench and whacked his big toe. It -was a terrible and resounding whack, but no pumpkin rolled forth. -Instead, Twentgowa fell off the bench like a dead man. He gave one -dismal long-drawn-out howl and fainted. - -It was a long time before he recovered and when he did he was very sore -and limped when he walked. He could not hunt and when his wife scolded -him for a lazy man, he sneaked away again and went to the lodge of his -friend. - -Arriving at the lodge he limped in. “Oh my friend,” said the house -holder, “I have been awaiting you; come, let us go after fish.” So -saying he went out and strode down to the creek where he removed his -leggings. He took out his knife and passed it through his lips, -moistening it. Then he began to whittle the meat off his shins so that -the bone stood out sharp like a long knife. “Now, my friend,” said he, -“I will wade swiftly through the water and strike the fishes before they -can move to one side. They will die and float to the top of the water -and I will pick them up. After a while we will have enough for a good -repast.” He then waded in the water very swiftly and soon many fishes -were upon the water which he picked up and flung over his shoulder into -a basket. Coming ashore he put down his basket and then began to moisten -his shins with salivary fluid. They quickly were restored and did not -bleed at any time. Thus they made a fire and feasted on fish. Oh it was -very delicious and Twentgowa kept saying, “Oga’´o^n’.” - -“Now, furthermore,” he said, “I would like to have this power of -catching fish for if I possessed it I might obtain food for my family.” - -“You shall possess this power,” said his friend, “and when I touch your -shins with my tongue you shall have power to twice perform this act of -obtaining fish.” And it was done. - -So Twentgowa tried his new power and caught many fish which he left with -his friend. Then he said, “I must go now, I am going home.” Then he -started home and on the way through the woods came to a stream that -looked as if it had no fish in it so that he said, “I will now test my -power in order that I may not be laughed at derisively.” So he whittled -his shins and waded in the water, and it was as predicted,—fish floated -upon the surface and when he had eaten them he went on his way. - -He went in his lodge and greeted his wife. “I have new power,” he said. -“My friend has given me new power. I will now go and catch fish for you -but you must not mind if they have cuts in them. It is my manner of -catching fish.” So saying he went to a creek and taking off his leggings -whittled his shins. As he cut the flesh blood flowed out and he was in -great pain. He tried again and fell down bleeding. He bled very much and -began to howl. For a long time he bled until he fainted again. - -As night began to draw nigh his wife missed him and went out looking for -him along the stream. Soon she saw a red trickle in the creek and going -toward it saw her husband bleeding from cuts in his shins. She dragged -him to the lodge and then called upon her dog to go and fetch -S‘hondie´o^nsko^n’, the magical friend, to come and heal the husband. -The dog went and soon the friend returned. When Twentgowa returned to -his mind he scolded his friend, but his friend applied salivary fluid to -the wounds and they healed. Then said the friend, “I gave you power -twice, but further than that I did not give you. You have cheated and -wasted your power. I shall go now. Come to see me again.” - -Then did his wife scold Twentgowa and said, “You must cease your visits -to the evil mischief maker. He is only a maker of trouble and you have -never profited by his tricks. If you would get busy like a man and hunt -like a man you would have food. You are no good, but a bad, lazy man. I -forbid you to associate with anyone, not even the dog.” - -Now when Twentgowa thought about the matter he decided to go once more -to his friend and procure power for obtaining food. So he went away by -stealth and sought his friend. When he had come to the bark house he -found his friend in the doorway. - -“I have been waiting for you,” said his friend. “I am all ready to go -hunting. Come now, I am ready.” He then took a skein of twisted elm bark -cords each about as long as a man’s arm. With these he went to a lake to -which Twentgowa followed him. “Where are your arrows?” asked Twentgowa. -And his friend replied, “Oh you will never understand my ways. I hunt -underwater with strings. I am now going down into the water and hunt -ducks.” - -Away out on the lake were ducks swimming and soon one duck after another -disappeared. When all had vanished, after the manner of ducks diving and -not returning to the surface, the friend returned to the shore with a -large bundle of ducks tied by the feet with the elm bark cord. “Now we -may eat,” said he. So they ate duck and Twentgowa kept saying, “Ogao.” -Moreover he said, “Oh I would like this power of catching ducks for if I -possess it I might feed my family.” - -“You shall have this power,” said his friend, “but only twice may you -try it. I have only to hit your nose with a fish bladder I have held in -my mouth and to lick your bark cords with my tongue.” So he did the -necessary thing, touching Twentgowa’s nose with a fish’s air-bladder and -biting a bundle of cords. Twentgowa was delighted and danced down to the -water, into it and under it. Soon he returned with two ducks. - -Then he said, “Now I must go home. Now I go.” So saying he started -homeward, and on his way came to a big pond in which he saw ducks -swimming. “I will now use my power,” he said and immediately went into -the water, returning with the ducks. Thereupon he threw the ducks away -and went home. - -Again he went into the lodge and greeted his wife. “I have new power,” -he said. “My friend has given me power this time and I shall bring you -many ducks.” So then he went into the woods where there was a lake. - -Into the lake he went for he saw upon its surface a great flock of ducks -swimming closely together. He had trouble this time but as all the ducks -were together he tied several together and then poked one of them to -scare it. - -Upward flew the ducks with such impetus that Twentgowa was drawn up into -the air and over the forest. When the ducks had flown a short way the -string which he was holding broke and down he fell and into the top of -an enormous hollow stub. He stood there stunned until he heard a noise -outside. He peeped through a knot-hole and saw a damsel gathering wood. -He made a squeaking noise to frighten her and she ran up to the tree and -looked into the knot-hole. She saw his head against the hole and -immediately thought that there was a bear inside. So Twentgowa rapped on -the inside of the tree and it resounded like a drum. Twentgowa then sang -“Djii-ha-ha, djii-ha-ha!” many times, and the damsel danced. - -After a while she went home and told her sisters that there was a bear -tree near by and that a bear within it sang and drummed. So they all -went to the bear tree and said, “Oh Bear, make a song for us. We wish to -dance.” Again Twentgowa sang and they all danced. He found that he could -not stop singing, though he was tired, and the damsels found that they -could not stop dancing. After a while a man came and stood near them. -“There is a bear inside this tree and we are dancing, come dance,” they -called out to him. He was smiling and after a while began to laugh. -“I’ll show you what kind of a bear is inside,” he said. Then the singing -and dancing ceased. He took an axe and chopped down the tree. Where he -made the first hole black shaggy hair showed through. It looked like a -bear. He kept on chopping and after a time the stub fell over and there -inside was a man with his clothes torn off. He had on only his -loin-cloth. The damsels ran in fright. - -In their place stood the wife and she was very angry. She scolded him -for making the damsels dance and for singing so long for them. She -scolded him for going to the mischief maker’s house and threatened him -if he ever went again. Oh, she gave him a terrible scolding and it made -him frightened. - -Then the friend came out of the bushes where he was hiding and he said, -“Now you two who are married, I will speak to you. Twentgowa must not go -to the woods any more to the spot where he has been accustomed to -recline. He may not come to my house any more. Henceforth he must hunt -like other men.” - -Then his wife said to Twentgowa, “Come along home and be a man like -other men. You never will be a magician for you haven’t the sense to be -one. You must be through with all wizardry.” - -Twentgowa went home and was a changed man. He never went to the house of -the mischief maker again. He became like other men and hunted for his -family. - - - GENERAL NOTES.—This tale of Twentgowa (Big Duck) and the Mischief - Maker is related as a humorous story. It is a consistent Seneca - folk-tale and contains the customary magical elements. - - It relates the adventures of a lazy man who would not hunt, and - before whom appeared his “unseen friend,” the “Mischief Maker.” - Twentgowa goes to the lodge of Mischief Maker and learns how to - produce food by magic. The fact that he is told that he can do it - but twice does not impress him. He receives the orenda, or magical - ability and immediately demonstrates his power to “the friend.” - Departing for his own home he grows skeptical and tries again in the - woods. Succeeding, he returns home rejoicing and bragging of his - power. When he attempts to demonstrate it, however, he makes a - miserable failure and is driven out of the lodge. Again he returns - to his friend and obtains magic for another episode, but repeats the - experiments and in a final attempt fails. We are reminded, through - Twentgowa’s experiences, of the man who said he frequently thought - he had very funny jokes to relate until he told them to his wife, - when he saw how flat they were. Just so, Twentgowa could never - satisfy his wife that he possessed any magic. - - The various episodes here given are without doubt only a few of the - many that the story teller might have given. The final escapade, - however, is the one that cured our hero, and the Mischief Maker - relents. - - - 26. THE HORNED SERPENT RUNS AWAY WITH A GIRL WHO IS RESCUED BY THE - THUNDERER. - -There was a Thunderer named Hi’´no^n who often hovered about a village -where he sought to attract the attention of a certain young woman. He -was a very friendly man and would have nothing to do with witches. He -hated all kinds of sorcery and his great chief up in the sky whom we -call Grandfather Thunder hated all wizardry and sorcery too. All the -Thunderers killed witches when they could find them at their evil work. - -Now, this Hi’´no^n was very sure that he would win the girl he wanted -and he visited her lodge at night and took a fire brand from the fire -and sat down and talked with her, but she kept saying, “Not yet, perhaps -by and by.” - -Hi’´no^n was puzzled and resolved to watch for the coming of a rival. He -told the girl’s father that he suspected some witch had cast a spell on -her or that some wizard was secretly visiting her. So they both watched. - -That same night a strange man came. He had a very fine suit of clothing, -and the skin had a peculiar tan. It was very clean, as if washed so that -it shone with a glitter. Over his back and down the center there was a -broad stripe of black porcupine quills with a small diamond-shaped -pattern. He had a long neck and small beady eyes, but he was graceful -and moved without noise. He went directly to the lodge and taking a -light sat at the girl’s bedside. - -“Are you willing?” he asked her. “Come now, let us depart. I want you -for my wife. I will take you to my house.” - -The girl replied, “Not yet, I think someone is watching, but in three -days I will be ready.” - -[Illustration: - - THE HORNED SERPENT. - - This is a magical underwater creature with the power to transform - itself into the form of a human warrior. The Thunder Spirit wages - war against the whole tribe of Horned Serpents and tries to kill - them by lightning. This is one of Jesse Cornplanter’s finest - drawings. -] - -The next day the girl worked very hard making a new dress and spent much -time putting black porcupine quills upon it as an ornamentation. It was -her plan to have a dress that would match her lover’s suit. Upon the -third day she finished her work and went to bed early. Her apartment was -at the right side of the door and it was covered by a curtain of buffalo -skin that hung all the way down. - -Hi’´no^n again called upon her, taking a light and seating himself back -of the curtain. “I am willing to marry you,” he said. “When will you -become my wife?” - -“Not yet,” she replied. “I am not ready now to marry.” - -“I think you are deceiving me,” answered Hi’´no^n, “for you have on your -new dress and have not removed your moccasins.” - -“You may go,” the girl told him, and he went away. - -Soon there came the stranger and he too took a little torch and went -behind the curtain. Soon the two came out together and ran down the path -to the river. - -“I shall take you now to my own tribe,” said the lover. “We live only a -short way from here. We must go over the hill.” - -So onward they went to their home, at length arriving at the high rocky -shores of a lake. They stood on the edge of the cliff and looked down at -the water. - -“I see no village and no house,” complained the girl. “Where shall we go -now? I am sure that we are pursued by the Thunderer.” - -As she said this the Thunderer and the girl’s father appeared running -toward them. - -“It is dark down there,” said the lover. “We will now descend and find -our house.” - -So saying he took the girl by the waist and crawled down the cliff, -suddenly diving with a splash into the lake. Down they went until they -reached the foot of the cliff, when an opening appeared into which he -swam with her. Quickly he swam upward and soon they were in a dimly -lighted lodge. It was a strange place and filled with numerous fine -things. All along the wall there were different suits of clothing. - -“Look at all the suits,” said the lover, “when you have found one put it -on.” - -That night the couple were married and the next day the husband went -away. “I shall return in three days,” he announced. “Examine the fine -things here, and when you find a dress that you like put it on.” - -For a long time the girl looked at the things in the lodge, but she was -afraid to put on anything for everything had such a fishy smell. There -was one dress, however, that attracted the girl and she was tempted to -put it on. It was very long and had a train. It was covered all over -with decorations that looked like small porcupine quills flattened out. -There was a hood fastened to it and to the hood was fastened long -branching antlers. She looked at this dress longingly but hung it up -again with a sigh, for it smelled like fish and she was afraid. - -In due time her husband returned and asked her if she had selected a -suit. “I have found one that I admire greatly,” said she. “But I am -afraid that I will not like it after I put it on. It has a peculiar -fishy smell and I am afraid that it may bring evil upon me if I wear -it.” - -“Oh no!” exclaimed her husband, “If you wear that suit I will be greatly -pleased. It is the very suit that I hoped you would select. Put it on, -my wife, put it on, for then I shall be greatly pleased. When I return -from my next trip I hope you will wear it for me.” - -The next day the husband went away, again promising soon to return. -Again the girl busied herself with looking at the trophies hanging in -the lodge. She noticed that there were many suits like the one she had -admired. Carefully she examined each and then it dawned upon her that -these garments were the clothing of great serpents. She was horrified at -the discovery and resolved to escape. As she went to the door she was -swept back by a wave. She tried the back door but was forced into the -lodge again by the water. Finally mustering all her courage she ran out -of the door and jumped upward. She knew that she had been in a house -under water. Soon she came to the surface but it was dark and there were -thunder clouds in the sky. A great storm was coming up. Then she heard a -great splashing and through the water she saw a monster serpent plowing -his way toward her. Its eyes were fiercely blazing and there were horns -upon its head. As it came toward her she scrambled in dismay up the dark -slippery rocks to escape it. As the lightning flashed she looked sharply -at the creature and saw that its eyes were those of her husband. She -noticed in particular a certain mark on his eyes that had before -strangely fascinated her. Then she realized that this was her husband -and that he was a great horned serpent. - -She screamed and sought to scale the cliff with redoubled vigor, but the -monster was upon her with a great hiss. His huge bulk coiled to embrace -her, when there was a terrific peal of thunder, a blinding flash, and -the serpent fell dead, stricken by one of Hi’´no^n’s arrows. - -The girl was about to fall when a strong arm grasped her and bore her -away in the darkness. Soon she was back at her father’s lodge. The -Thunderer had rescued her. - -“I wanted to save you,” he said, “but the great horned serpent kept me -away by his magic. He stole you and took you to his home. It is -important that you answer me one question: did you ever put on any dress -that he gave you? If you did you are no longer a woman but a serpent.” - -“I resisted the desire to put on the garment,” she told him. - -“Then,” said he, “you must go to a sweat lodge and be purified.” - -The girl went to the women’s sweat lodge and they prepared her for the -purification. When she had sweat and been purged with herbs, she gave a -scream and all the women screamed for she had expelled two young -serpents, and they ran down and slipped off her feet. The Thunderer -outside killed them with a loud noise. - -After a while the young woman recovered and told all about her -adventure, and after a time the Thunderer came to her lodge and said, “I -would like to take you now.” - -“I will give you some bread,” she answered, meaning that she wished to -marry him. So she gave him some bread which he ate and then they were -married. - -The people of the village were now all afraid that the lake would be -visited by horned serpents seeking revenge but the Thunderer showed them -a medicine bag filled with black scales, and he gave every warrior who -would learn his song one scale, and it was a scale from the back of the -horned serpent. He told them that if they wore this scale, the serpent -could not harm them. So, there are those scales in medicine bundles to -this day. - - - 27. THE GREAT SERPENT AND THE YOUNG WIFE. - -There was a certain young man who married a young woman. Now the young -man had three sisters who were very jealous of the young wife, because -of her beauty and skill, and because of their brother’s affection for -her. And so it was that the trio resolved to devise a plot and destroy -the young wife. - -It was the season when huckleberries are ripe and the sisters had -invited the wife to take a canoe trip with them to a small island that -arose from the middle of a large lake. Huckleberries were reported to -grow there in abundance. Suspecting nothing, the wife mended her baskets -and started to prepare food for the excursion. - -“Oh no food is needed!” exclaimed the older sister. “We do not need a -lunch where so many berries grow. Our baskets will soon be filled and we -will return long before our hunger comes, meanwhile we can feast on -berries.” - -The four women entered their canoe and paddled to the island far out in -the lake. When at last they had beached their canoe and turned to look -about, they found the island covered with bushes laden with berries. The -sisters seemed anxious to go farther inland but the wife said that she -deemed it wiser to stop where they were and pick, thus making it -unnecessary to carry heavy baskets a greater distance to the canoe. So, -stooping over she commenced to strip the berries from the bushes. This -is exactly what the sisters wished as it gave them an opportunity to -leave her behind, and, grumbling at her laziness, they disappeared in -the bushes. - -The wife worked diligently and soon had her large pack basket full to -the brim. Lifting it to her back and throwing the burden strap -(gŭsha´ā‘) over her forehead, she walked slowly back to the shore -expecting to find her sisters-in-law waiting for her. To her horror, -however, though she searched in every direction, there was no sign of -canoe or women. The situation then dawned upon her, and discouraged -beyond all measure, she sat down on the sand and gave vent to her -emotions by a burst of tears. - -She was alone, a solitary human creature upon a far-away isle. She knew -not what evil ghost might be lurking there to transform her to a crow or -a wolf. Perhaps he might destroy her in the darkness and feast upon the -body. These and other fearful thoughts tortured her mind until at last, -as the sun sank low, she lay down exhausted by grieving, and slept. Far -into the night she slumbered. Time sped by and she was awakened by a -whoop upon the waters. Sitting up she looked out over the lake where she -heard a clamor of voices and a multitude of dancing lights. Soon the -lights appeared upon the shore and shortly were arranged in a circle on -the island. - -Creeping up to a log that lay close to the circle of lights, she saw a -company of creatures gathered in council. The beings seemed like men and -yet more like animals. Sometimes when she looked they were beasts and -then again men. One began to speak. - -He said, “Now this woman has been deceived by her sisters-in-law and we -are met to plan how to save her. She must be taken from this island for -the berries are poisoned and if she dies not from them the sĕgowĕnota -(singing wizard) will enchant her.” - -For some time the speaker talked and finally asked, “Who now will carry -her basket to the land?” - -A large tall being with a deep bass voice answered quickly, “I will!” - -“No, you may not, your pride is before your courage,” said the chief -speaker. - -A huge bulky creature arose and called out, “I will save her!” - -“No, you are too terrible in form and would frighten her,” was the -reply. - -Several more volunteered but all were rejected until a very tall slender -being arose and in a clear ringing voice said he would use his utmost -power to save the unfortunate young wife if only permitted. - -“You are the chosen one!” exclaimed the chief. “You are one close to the -(knowledge of) people.” - -The council adjourned, the voices gradually died away and the lake was -dotted again with flickering lights. The young wife crept back to her -bed, half afraid and yet hopeful of the morrow. - -Before sunrise a voice called from the water, and, starting up the young -woman ran to the beach and saw what at first appeared to be a monstrous -canoe, but looking again she saw a great serpent from whose head arose -proud curving horns like a buffalo’s. - -The creature lifted his head from the waters and called. - -“I have come to rescue you. Trust me and make your seat upon my head -between my ‘feathers.’ But first break twelve osiers and use them upon -me should I lag in my swimming.” - -The girl took her seat upon the creature’s head and laid her whips in -her lap. With an undulating motion his long glistening body moved -through the ripples but the wife sat high and not a drop of water -spattered upon her. - -As her mysterious rescuer journeyed his way he told her that he must -hasten with all speed as he belonged to the race of underwater people -whom the mighty He’´no^n hates.[35] Even now the scouts (small black -clouds) might have spied him and be scudding through the sky bringing -after them a host of thunder clouds. Nor was his an idle surmise, for -scarcely had he spoken when a small black cloud appeared and sped with -great rapidity toward them. Instantly the wind commenced to blow and the -great serpent called back to his charge, “Whip me, Oh whip me! He’´no^n -has discovered us and is driving onward his warriors!” - -The frightened girl lashed the monster with all her strength until -nearly all her withes were broken. In the distance the thunder began to -roll and soon again in loud claps. The dark clouds piled thicker and -came faster. The great serpent in his wild speed was lashing the black -waters into a foam that flew through the wind and covered the lake. -There was an ear-splitting crash. The Thunder Spirit was coming nearer. -The gleaming arrow he had thrown had riven a floating oak tree. The -young woman trembled beneath the dark cloud-banked sky and feared. The -rumble of thunder was deafening. He’´no^n was casting his javelins -faster. A great sheet of fire flashed from the heavens and lit up the -lake and the shore. The thunder crashed and cracked and rumbled. In the -awful fury of the tempest the great serpent cried in terror: “Oh use -your lashes! Oh spur me onward! My strength is failing! Scourge me! I -must save you and if I do, oh will you not burn tobacco upon the shore -twice each year for me? Oh lash me more!” - -A blinding flash of fire shot from the rumbling clouds and buried itself -in the water at the side of the serpent. - -“Jump now!” cried the creature, “He’´no^n has his range and I must -dive.” - -Hope faded from the young wife’s heart. How much better would death have -been in the midst of the waters or by the lightning’s stroke than within -sight of the shore. With a cry of agonized despair she slid from the -head of her rescuer and sank into the turbulent waters. The horned -monster with a booming sound plunged beneath the lake and disappeared. - -The light broke through the clouds and the storm began to retreat. The -young woman struggled with the swirling waters. Her esteem for her -would-be-deliverer sank to a bitter hatred for he had abandoned her to -perish. Her tired limbs could no longer battle with the lake. Her feet -sank but to her unspeakable surprise they fell firm on the sand. Wading -forward in the semi-darkness she came safely out on the shore. Walking -inland she sat down beneath a tree to recover from exhaustion and -fright. - -The storm sped away growling that it had failed to slay Djodi´kwado‘ the -monster serpent. - -The young wife arose, wet and bedraggled, but happy that she was safe -again. Now her heart was full of gratitude to her hard-pressed -deliverer. - -Ahead of her, wandering aimlessly, with hanging head and melancholy -mien, was a man. His body was drenched with rain and his spirit with -heavy sorrow. - -The woman neared him and called, “Husband, Oh husband, is it truly you?” - -The man turned with a shout of joy and answered, “Wife, oh wife, -returned living, is it you?” - -The drenched and storm-bruised couple joyfully turned homeward. The -three sisters were there. “Begone now and forever,” said the husband. - -Then were the couple happy, and envy and jealousy found no place with -them. So here the story ends and so it is spoken. - - -28. BUSHY HEAD THE BEWITCHED WARRIOR RESCUES TWO LOST DAUGHTERS AND WINS - THEM AS WIVES.[36] - -The daughters of a woman who was a clan matron and name-holder -disappeared. She grieved greatly, but her husband who was chief of -another clan said nothing. He was a bad man and was chief because he had -lied about his brother Donya´dassi. - -Now Donya´dassi had once been a skillful hunter but his hunting charms -had been stolen, and so with his wife, Gawīsas, he lived away from the -village in a poor bark hut. - -The mother of the lost daughters, whose children should some day be in -the sachemship line, offered large rewards for their recovery and -continually urged the young men to hunt for the girls, promising them as -wives to the successful finder. They were most beautiful young women and -there were many searchers, but when winter came, all returned without -news. - -Now, it happened that Gawīsas, the poor woman, was boiling corn over the -fire in her lodge and thinking very intently about the lost daughters of -her sister-in-law. She thought that their father, jealous of them, might -have cast a spell over them and hidden them away. While thus thinking -she heard a strange sound outside, a sound so unusual that it alarmed -her. Her husband was absent on one of his not always profitable hunts. -Soon someone knocked at the door, but Gawīsas failing to respond, a -strange creature entered, looked into her face, and then advanced to the -fire. This being was Bushy Head, a dwarf with an enormous bushy head. -Upon its chin was a long white beard that dragged upon the floor. He -seemed to be all head. The snow and ice had so caught and frozen in its -beard that as he walked it dragged behind him like a log. Bushy Head -stood before the fire, reeled up his beard and thawed out the ice. -Gawīsas could not speak because she was so frightened, so she sat on her -bed. The monster looked at her and then ran his cane into the fire, -stirring up the ashes. The sparks flew upward and fell into the soup. -Again the being looked at Gawīsas but she only stared blankly back. -Grasping a ladle he filled it with ashes and threw them in the soup, and -turning, eyed the frightened woman again but she did not move or speak. -He kept looking at the woman until he had filled the kettle with ashes -and then departed. After his departure Gawīsas recovered in a measure -from her fright and dragging the kettle out of doors emptied and scoured -it. To her dismay the creature, whom she had named Sogogo, returned on -the next day and for six consecutive days, each time behaving as before -and Gawīsas remaining silent to all proceedings. At last on the seventh -day her husband, Donya´dassi, returned and she told him of all the -strange happenings. - -“Well, what did you say to him?” he asked, and when she replied, -“Nothing,” he bade her speak the next time the Sogogo came. “He wants to -tell you something,” he said. “So ask him what he wishes.” Having given -this advice Donya´dassi departed on another hunting excursion, for he -had come home empty-handed. He was a chief also, but could not rule, -because his wife’s uncle was his enemy. - -Sogogo returned soon afterward and peered into the face of Gawīsas who -could only summon up enough courage to say, “Ä-ä-ä-ä-ä.” - -“Ä-ä-ä-ä-ä,” replied Sogogo, and filled up the kettle with ashes again. - -The next day passed with the same results, but on the third day Gawīsas -tremblingly asked, “What do you wish, Sogogo?” - -“At last,” he answered, you have spoken. “I can only speak as I am -spoken to, and hoped, since you would not greet me, you would chide me -when I spoiled your soup. Now let me tell you that I know where the -chief’s daughters are and have chosen you and your husband as the ones -to claim the reward. You are poor and plenty of wampum will make you -powerful. Now tell your husband, and if he is willing to aid me bid him -hang half the liver and half the lights of every animal he kills upon a -low branch of the nearest tree. For a sign that I am telling the truth, -let him chop down the big tree before your lodge and within it will be a -bear.” - -Sogogo departed and when Donya´dassi came back from his hunt, successful -this time, he was told the news. He felled the tree as directed by his -wife, killed the bear and hung half the liver and half the lights on the -branches on the nearest tree. - -The wife was cutting some choice pieces of bear meat to cook for the -afternoon meal when in walked Sogogo, and greeting Gawīsas and her -husband, sat down and began talking to the man. He explained his plan -for rescuing the lost daughters of the chief. Donya´dassi was to go to -the top of a certain mound and seat himself in a large basket which he -found there. This basket would rest on Sogogo’s head and would bear him -to the inside of the mound, where the chief’s daughters had been hidden. - -Accordingly the next day Donya´dassi seated himself in the large basket -which he found on the mound and sank down under the earth. - -Arrived there, Sogogo lifted the basket from his head and proceeded to -instruct Donya´dassi how he must rescue the daughters. - -“Go to the first lodge on the right hand side of the trail,” he said. -“There you will see one of the girls. Tell her you are her rescuer. Bid -her sweep the floor as soon as she hears her captor approaching and -continue to sweep until you depart with her. Her captor, who wishes to -become her husband, has seven heads. You must kill the creature in order -to gain the girl. He will ask you to drink berry juice with him. Poison -will be in your cup but when he winks change the cups. Then he will want -to fight. When you fight him use this short crooked knife, and rushing -toward him thrust it between his seven heads and cut off the middle one. -Previously instruct the girl to sweep it in the fire so that the flames -will burn his eyebrows and lashes. That will destroy his power and all -seven heads will die. When you have done all this return to me with the -girl so you may know what to do next.” - -Taking the sharp bent knife that Sogogo held toward him, Donya´dassi -thrust it in his pouch and ran down the trail until he saw a large bark -house at the right. Entering it he saluted the young woman whom he -recognized as the eldest of the chief’s stolen daughters. He instructed -her, as bidden, and had scarcely finished when the seven-headed man -entered and spying the stranger he cried, “Kwē! Come, let us drink a -little strawberry juice.” He placed two gourd cups on a bench and said, -“Now drink.” Just as he winked Donya´dassi transposed the cups and when -the monster lifted the berry juice to his lips and tasted it he -exclaimed, “Ho ho!” meaning, his power was lessened. - -“Come, let us fight now,” he cried. “Here are the clubs; take your -choice. How does that fine new one suit you?” - -“No, I’ll take that old one,” said Donya´dassi pointing to a half -decayed stick. “I’ll fight you left-handed,” he continued, “So ready!” - -The daughter began to sweep and the men to fight. Rushing upon the -monster so close that no club could hit him he thrust his knife between -the heads and with a quick jerk of his arm cut off the middle one. The -girl swept it into the fire and when the eyelashes and brows had been -singed the swaying body and six howling heads crashed to the floor. The -girl dropped her broom and followed Donya´dassi as he ran out and down -the trail. - -Sogogo was waiting for them and after listening to the story of the -successful fight said, “On the left hand side, the fourth lodge down, is -another lodge. Go there and rescue the other daughter. A seven-headed -monster is keeping her prisoner. Instruct the girl as the first. The -monster will enter and ask you to eat. When he winks change the spoons, -for there is poison in the wood. Then he will challenge you as the -first. Chop off his ear with your knife and when the daughter sweeps it -into the fire the creature will begin to die.” - -Donya´dassi obeyed and events occurred exactly as Sogogo had predicted. -When in the fight Sogogo had cut off the left ear from the seven-headed -man and the ear had been swept into the fire, all seven heads began to -whine and the middle one said, “You have plotted to kill me! You have -been unfair! The woman has planned it. Oh you wicked woman, you have -been a traitor to me.” - -“It is untrue,” shouted Donya´dassi. “Your own rule has been to fight -all who enter your door and now you are defeated. Before our fight you -boasted you would grind me in your mortar and commanded me to do the -same with you and feed your body to the birds.” - -“Agē, agē, agē!” moaned the monster and died. - -“Shall I smash his body?” said Donya´dassi, but the maiden did not know. -“Go, then,” said he, “and ask Sogogo.” - -When she returned she told him to grind the body to a pulp in the corn -mortar and hasten back to Sogogo who awaited him. Donya´dassi pounded -the monster heads and flung the mass to the big crows that already had -clustered about the lodge. - -Running up the trail, with the girl following him, Donya´dassi found -Sogogo waiting. The two girls and Donya´dassi seated themselves in the -basket, Sogogo lifted it upon his head and in a short time they emerged -from the top of the mound and breathed the outside air once again. - -Sogogo led the three to his lodge far back in the forest where he told -all his history and then bade Donya´dassi run to the lodge of the great -chief and tell him to call a great council at which important news would -be revealed and presents given. - -When the chief had listened to Donya´dassi he asked, “What news can you -bring and what presents can you give?” - -“I have luck now,” was the answer. - -The feast day came and people flocked from distant villages to hear the -news and receive the presents. - -Donya´dassi arose and said, “I have come to tell our great chief that -his daughters have been found and are now safe and near here and shall -be restored on one condition, that he remove his spell from a certain -young man whom he has conjured.” - -The chief was greatly angered that any condition should be given and -refused to grant it. - -Meanwhile Donya´dassi was arranging long strings of wampum and piles of -skins in piles on the council house floor, one for each person present. - -“These cannot be distributed until our chief grants my condition,” he -said. - -The chief remained obdurate. The people were anxious for their feast and -gifts. The chief’s wife begged him to consent and regain his lost -children. So, fearing the anger of his people and fury of his wife, he -at last asked that the young man who rested under the spell be brought -to him. Sogogo entered. The chief looked ashamed and then frowned in -anger. “Come,” he said and led the way to a small dome-shaped lodge, -pushed Sogogo in and then entered himself. Heating some round stones he -threw a handful of magical herbs upon them. Then taking his rattle -chanted a song. The smoke from the herbs enveloped Sogogo and when the -song ended he had become a handsome young warrior. The chief and the -transformed Sogogo reëntered the council. - -“Where are the daughters!” shouted the people. - -Drawing out a red bark box from his pouch he opened it and out fell the -two girls. There was a great shout and the chief’s wife rushed forward -and embraced her children. - -Donya´dassi distributed his presents. - -Donya´dassi then advanced to the chief who gave him the reward, but so -small was it in comparison with Donya´dassi’s liberal gifts that it -seemed a mere trifle. - -The chief soon lost his influence but Donya´dassi, who had grown rich -and successful, succeeded him in the hearts of the people but Sogogo, -the transformed, was happy with his two wives, the chief’s daughters. He -took both, that was all right in those days. - - - 29. THE FLINT CHIP THROWER. - -Long ago Tĕg´wandă’[37] married a beautiful maiden and went far away -with her to his hunting grounds. - -Tĕg´wandă’ was famous as a successful hunter but his wife’s family had -“dry bones”,[38] so her elder sister and mother took council together -and said, “Come, let us go and live with Tĕg´wandă’ and we shall ever be -filled.” The prospect of a never failing supply of venison and bear was -tempting to those who had long subsisted on tubers and maize. - -The wife of Tĕg´wandă’ was kind and never questioned his actions. He -never went long from the house, yet he ever had game in abundance and -skins piled high in his stores. This made her marvel, but she never made -inquiries. The lodge was divided in two compartments but the couple -lived only in one. The other was almost empty, but Tĕg´wandă’ often went -there. She would hear him singing alone in the room, then there would -come a crash like a splintering tree and soon afterward Tĕg´wandă’ would -bring in a new pelt and the carcass of some beast. This made her marvel -but she never questioned. - -The young couple lived contentedly and never quarreled. No trouble or -sorrow came to mar their happiness until one day, unheralded, came two -women to the door of the lodge. These were the wife’s mother and sister. -When the unbidden guests had eaten their fill of good and mealy nut -pudding they began to seek the excuse for complaint. Then, oh the -railing, the endless rebukes, the sneers and sarcasm! At last the -matters turned from the lodge to the couple themselves. - -“How does Tĕg´wandă’ obtain his meat? Surely he must be a wizard and -likely to eat all of us women when his charms fail. He is evil, he is -lazy! Let us drive him away.” These and other things the mother said to -her daughter. So it came to pass that the sister insisted she must go -with the husband wherever he went and learn something of his habits. - -“If you must go,” said the wife, “obey him implicitly, else evil will -occur.” - -The husband was downcast but would not yield to his fear of the woman. -Taking a basket of salt he sprinkled the white crystals upon a flat rock -and entered the closed room with the woman. - -“Do not move or touch a thing,” he commanded. “Let no fear, let no -surprise cause you to stir!” - -Then he commenced to sing. The woman looked about critically. In one -corner was a pile of quarry flakes, beside them a bench and in a heap -before it was a pile of keen edged flint chips. A sudden sound drew her -attention from the lodge. Tĕg´wandă’ ceased singing. Outside some -creature was snorting, “swe-i-i-i-sh, swe-i-i-i-sh!” - -Picking up a handful of flint chips the man flung them with all his -strength against the wall nearest the flat rock. The woman was now -curious to find what was outside and pushed aside the curtain to get a -glimpse of the mysterious things. Instantly the entire door curtain was -torn from its fastenings and a monstrous elk rushed in and trampled upon -Tĕg´wandă’. Then tossing him upon its antlers, bounded out and fled -through the forest. The frightened woman ran after the elk, but fell -back dispairing. Moaning she crept back to the lodge and confessed to -the wife. - -The wife burst into tears and then bitterly chided her sister for her -meddlesome ways. Throwing on her robes she hastened to rescue her -husband. Carefully she tracked the elk and after many days journey she -heard a low trembling song. She knew her husband was near, so cautiously -advancing she came to a spot where she could see a herd of elks feeding -in an open. A deer was grazing near by. Gently she whispered. “Come, -good brother, lend me your coat. You can do me good service thereby.” -“Certainly,” responded the deer with alacrity, and, walking -inconspicuously into the bushes, she removed her coat and threw it upon -the woman. In her new habiliments the wife bounded off into the midst of -the elks. In the middle and surrounded by the rest was a large reclining -elk whose antlers held the emaciated form of Tĕg´wandă’. In a feeble -whisper the husband sang. - -Walking toward the elk she made a sudden dash and inserting her horns -beneath her husband’s body lifted him off and dashed away before the -astonished animals could remonstrate, and indeed, they were too -frightened to do so. Galloping breathlessly into the thicket she set -down her husband, removed the deer’s skin and gave it back with -expressions of gratitude. Then lifting her husband upon her shoulders, -she carried him homeward. - -On her journey she pondered how she could restore him. He was exhausted -and covered with bruises and wounds, his body had wasted away to a -skeleton covered with skin and his mind was turned with his sufferings. -Sitting down upon a hollow log she pondered. A sudden inspiration came. -Quickly she pushed her husband into a hollow log and gave him a shove -with her foot that sent him sliding through. When he emerged from the -other end he was completely restored. - -Together they tramped back home happy to be together once more. Entering -the lodge the husband cast out the inquisitive sister and quarrelsome -mother and sent them running down the trail. - -“One woman is sufficient female company for any man,” he said. “More in -one house make great trouble.” - - - - - VII. - HORROR TALES OF CANNIBALS AND SORCERERS - - -[Illustration: - - HADUI MASK OF THE FALSE FACE COMPANY. -] - - - 30. THE DUEL OF THE DREAM TEST BETWEEN UNCLE AND NEPHEW. - -There was a great long house built of poles and bark. This long house -was in a secluded place where men were not accustomed to come, but there -were sorcerers who knew its location, but shunned it, for there lived -Shogo^n‘´gwā‘s and his nephew Djoñiaik. The nephew was young when the -uncle assumed charge of him, and he had no real regard for the boy, for -he had slain by sorcery all his near relatives, and knew that he must -some day overcome the orenda (magic) that had accrued to the boy, or he -himself would be undone. - -Djoñiaik was carefully reared, for the uncle wished to make him suffer -at the end and cry out his weakness, thereby more greatly enjoying the -triumph over him. - -When the boy had grown to the age just before he became eligible for his -dream fast, the uncle said, “Now my nephew, the time has come when you -should hunt for yourself without me. Go into the forest and bring me -meat.” - -Thereupon Djoñiaik took his small bow and after a time found a partridge -which he shot. Bringing it to the lodge of his uncle he presented it to -the elder man. “Oh now, my nephew,” said Shogo^ngwas, “what is the name -of this thing?” - -“Oh my uncle,” replied the boy, “I have never known the name of this -kind of a thing.” - -“Ho!” exclaimed the uncle, “How then do you expect to be able to eat -it?” - -The boy then was given the task of cleaning the bird for soup, and when -it was ready the older man put it in a clay kettle and boiled it with a -gruel of corn meal. Then he lifted out the meat and placed it with the -fat gravy in a bark bowl which he laid aside for himself. Taking another -bowl he filled it with the thin soup from the middle of the kettle and -handed it over the fire to the boy. The boy reached from his seat, -stretching his arms and finally grasped the bowl, but as he did so the -uncle pulled on the bowl and the boy fell face forward into the fire, -scorching his chest and burning his hands. At this the uncle roared and -called him clumsy, asking moreover, “Where is your soup? You have tried -to put out the fire with it!” - -With great gusto the uncle devoured the partridge, picking the bones -clean and casting them into the fire. Djoñiaik had nothing for his meal -and was very hungry. Wearily he wandered out into the thicket, coming at -length to an unfamiliar spot where there was a low mound, as if a mud -hut had fallen down and become overgrown. As he looked at the spot he -heard a sound, “Ketcuta, ketcuta!” Peering more closely in the -snow-covered moss he saw the face of a tcis´gä (skull) looking at his -with open mouth. - -“I am your uncle,” said the skull. “Give me tobacco.” - -Djoñiaik obeyed, and when the skull had smoked a pipeful, it coughed and -said, “I am your uncle, bewitched by my brother who has stolen you in -order to work vengeance on you for the power you inherit from your -relatives who have been killed by sorcery. You must remember the names -of the animals you kill and the next one you shall find will be a -raccoon. Remember its name and when your guardian asks you its name tell -him ‘raccoon’.” - -In time the boy went hunting again and finding a raccoon shot it. -Greatly excited he began to repeat the name raccoon over and over. -“Raccoon, raccoon, raccoon, raccoon,” he shouted as he bore it to his -uncle’s lodge. But so rapidly was he running that he fell over the -door-sill and sprawled into the lodge. - -“Oh now nephew, what have you this time?” inquired the uncle, but so -excited and chagrined was the boy that he totally forgot the name. “Wa!” -exclaimed the old man, “If you cannot speak the name of this thing you -shall not eat of it. Dress it for me and I will cook it as a soup.” - -When the raccoon was cooked the old man skimmed off the fat and poured -out some thin soup for Djoñiaik, who by this time was very hungry. Uncle -and nephew sat on seats opposite each other with the lodge fire between. -Passing over the bowl of soup the uncle gave a quick jerk as the boy -grasped the rim and again pulled him into the fire. - -“Oh nephew, I am sorry,” said he, laughing, “I am always in a hurry.” -But Djoñiaik was sadly burned about the face and made no reply. With -hungry eyes he watched his uncle stow away the uneaten portion of the -raccoon. He had not a mouthful. - -That afternoon he again visited his skeletal uncle and related all that -had happened. He was thoroughly afraid now for his uncle was most ugly. -But the skull, when it had smoked, only advised him to remember the -names of the animals killed. “Today, I believe, you will shoot a turkey. -Remember the name and begin to use your power to retaliate,” said the -skull. - -After watching quietly Djoñiaik saw a turkey,—a very large and fat -turkey, which he shot. Tying its feet together he held it to his back by -a burden strap and lugged it home, rushing into the lodge saying, -“Turkey, turkey, turkey, turkey.” - -This time the uncle asked no questions, but with a frown watched his -nephew pluck the turkey and prepare it. - -“This time I shall prepare a roast of meat,” said the boy. “I shall not -make soup as my uncle does.” So he cooked the turkey in a pot and when -done he divided the meat in two portions, putting each in a bark bowl. -“Now come eat, Uncle,” said the boy handing the bowl over the fire to -his uncle. - -As the old man’s hand grasped the bowl, Djoñiaik gave it a quick pull, -overbalancing his uncle and pulling him into the fire. - -“Oh nephew!” exclaimed the uncle. “You have purposely abused me and -burned my face and stomach. My hair is on fire. You have distressed me.” -But the boy said only, “Oh I was in such a hurry.” And then he fell to -eating the turkey, putting the uneaten portion on the shelf over his -bed. This time the old man ate nothing. - -The next morning very early the boy said, “I shall now arise and hunt -game which comes to feed early in the morning.” So saying he arose, -dressed and took his bow and went out. The old man was awake and looked -very angry. - -So Djoñiaik went directly to the skull and gave it tobacco. When it had -smoked it said, “You shall hunt today and shoot a deer, but when you go -back to the lodge your uncle will say, ‘It will be a cold night and I -will gather large logs for a night fire.’ He will awaken at midnight -with a dream and you must hit him on the head to awaken him, when he -will relate his desire, it being to barter meat for fat bear casings. -You must prepare yourself by taking a grape vine and transforming it as -desired.” So instructed the boy went upon his hunt and killed a deer, -bringing it home saying, “I have furnished a deer for the larder.” That -night after they had eaten of the deer, the old man looked very angry. - -“This will be a very cold night, I think,” said the old man. “I shall -gather logs to burn during the night.” And so saying he made a roaring -fire and went to bed. - -Cautiously the nephew arranged his buffalo skin coverlet so that he had -a peep-hole through a worn spot. At midnight the uncle arose and walking -on his knees to the fire began to utter a worried sound, “Eñh, enh, enh, -enh!” Then he threw one of the burning logs upon Djoñiaik, his nephew. -Immediately the boy leaped up, being awake, and threw the log back into -the fireplace, at the same time crying, “What is your dream, my uncle?” -and then tapping the old man on the head with a club. - -“It has now ceased,” answered the uncle, rubbing his head and becoming -awake. - -“The roof must be removed,” said the uncle, meaning that he had dreamed -that the two must engage in a duel of wits. “Tomorrow we must barter, -and I shall give, and you, Oh nephew, shall repay me with that which I -must not tell you, but which you must guess, and failing great calamity -will befall us.” - -“That is very easy,” answered the boy. “Go to sleep; in the morning I -will be ready.” - -Morning came and the old man began to sing. “Yoh heh, yoh heh, yoh heh, -I shall trade with my nephew Djoñiaik, and he shall give me my desire.” -So did he sing continually. - -It was a song that only a sorcerer would sing and its sound traveled -far, so much so that all the wizards heard it and said, “Shogo^n‘´gwā’s -is singing again and this time has chosen his own nephew as a victim.” -So they all came and perched about in the house, being invisible, to -watch the duel of orendas (magic powers). - -Djoñiaik was bidden sit at the end of the long house, and it was very -long indeed, there being many abandoned fireplaces in it. Far at the end -he sat on the far side of an old fire bed. His uncle began to sing -again, and walked forward with a bark tray in which were pieces of meat. -“I offer these to you,” he said. “You shall give me what I am thinking -about.” - -“Only give me a clue, uncle,” begged the boy. “How can I divine what is -in your mind?” - -“Torture by fire awaits you if you guess not by mid-sun,” sang the old -man still holding out the meat, while the boy pretended to be thinking -deeply. - -“Oh, uncle,” said the boy, “you desire raccoon meat.” - -“No, not raccoon meat. Oh nephew, you must divine my word.” - -“Oh uncle, you want turkey.” - -“No not turkey. Oh nephew, you must divine my word.” - -“Oh uncle, you want partridge.” - -“No not partridge. Oh nephew you must divine my word.” - -Again the boy sought to evade his uncle by exclaiming, “How can you -expect me to guess your dream unless you give me some clue to your -desire?” - -Again the uncle fell to singing the charm song that conjures up flames, -and suddenly they burst forth from the ground with a loud sound -enveloping the poor nephew who wrestling with them, cried, “Oh uncle -your desire is for the bear casings enclosed in deep fat.” - -“Niio‘!” exclaimed the uncle, and the flames died down, whereupon -Djoñiaik brought forth his grape stalk which he had conjured to look -like the casings of a bear. Then was the uncle satisfied. - -That afternoon the boy retired to the forest and sought his skeletal -advisor, telling him all that had happened. - -“Once more,” said the skull, “your uncle will make a demand and all the -circumstances will be similar. This time he will desire a bear’s liver. -Go to a log in the swamp, pluck a red tree fungus and rub it with your -hands until it becomes a liver.” - -So instructed the boy was ready for his wizard uncle. As before the logs -were gathered and a great fire made, and in the middle of the night the -old man flung fire upon the boy again. - -When the dialogue was over the boy found that once more a test was to -come. “It is nothing,” said he. “Go to sleep.” - -Morning came and the old wizard sang his charm song. The boy took his -seat as before and when pressed by the flame he cried out, “You wish a -liver of a bear, Oh uncle.” - -The uncle was not at all pleased with his nephew’s power for he wished -to consume him with fire, after the manner prescribed for torture, but -he could not. - -Reporting the event to the skull, the boy asked for further help. -“Tonight you must dream, and when your guardian has struck you with a -club to awaken you, you must crave the guessing of your word, which -shall be one of the squashes that grow in a sand box under your uncle’s -bed. It is a great prize. Have no mercy but get what you demand.” - -That night the boy gathered firewood, remarking that he expected the -night to be very cold and wanted to warm the lodge. The uncle only -scowled. - -Midnight came, and the invisible wizards and sorcerers were watching. -Stealthily the boy arose, and creeping on his knees, he approached the -fire, grasping a blazing log and throwing it upon his uncle, as sleeping -persons do. Then he began to grunt, “Eñh, enh, enh, enh,” as if in -distress. - -The uncle awoke, being severely scorched and his bed set afire. “Oh -nephew,” he called as he gave the boy a knock on the head to awaken him. -“What do you wish?” - -“It has now ceased,” said the boy. “Oh uncle, I have dreamed that you -and I must exchange gifts, and that you must give me what I desire.” - -“It shall so be,” answered the uncle. “This is nothing.” - -The two then retired and early in the morning the boy awoke and took his -seat. In a tray he had some turkey meat. - -Commencing his song he called out, “I am trading a gift with -Shogo^n‘´gwa‘s, my uncle. He shall give me in exchange what I most -desire.” So saying he sang the charm song that conjures flames from the -earth. - -The old man took his seat and when approached said, - -“I shall divine your word if you will give me a clue.” - -“Any clue would spoil the intention of the dream, uncle.” - -“Then tell me at once what you wish,—be quick about it!” - -“To utter one word would be fatal to my desire.” - -“Then the word is deer meat.” - -“No not deer meat, uncle. Hurry for I shall sing.” - -“Then you wish moose meat.” - -“No not moose meat, uncle. Hurry or I shall sing.” - -“Then you wish my coonskin robe.” - -“No not your coonskin robe. I now commence to sing.” - -“Then you wish my otterskin robe,” hastened the uncle, naming one of his -prized possessions. - -“No uncle, not your otterskin robe. I now sing.” - -With a burst of the conjurer’s song, the boy began to sing, “Yoh heh, -yoh heh, yoh heh. My uncle and I are exchanging. He shall give me what I -most desire.” As he sang his flames leaped from the ground, for Djoñiaik -was now an adept in magic. Surrounding the uncle the flames began to -singe him. With a shriek he leaped to the platform above his bed, but -the flames followed, until he called out, “Oh nephew I yield!” - -Descending he said, “You desire the squash beneath my bed,” and the boy -exclaimed, “It is so.” - -With great reluctance the old wizard opened the bed, lifting up the -bottom boards like the top of a chest. Beneath in boxes of sand were -vines with squashes growing upon them, though it was winter outside. -Taking a look at the largest, the old man shut down the cover and -exclaimed: - -“Oh nephew, it is the custom to simulate what is desired in a dream. I -shall now carve you from wood a squash that you may preserve as a -charm.” - -“Only the real object desired shall satisfy me,” answered the boy. “Must -I sing again?” And he started his song which brought forth flames that -enshrouded the old man, causing him to cry out, “Oh nephew, I yield!” - -This time the boy obtained the squash and with it the injunction to take -care of it, for it was a great prize. - -Reporting the episode to the skull, the boy received further -instruction. He was to dream again and was to demand as the satisfying -word, his hidden sister who was concealed in a bark case beneath the -wizard’s bed. This was a great surprise to the boy, for he had not -dreamed that he had a sister concealed, this being the treatment given -children born with a caul. They were hidden by day and only allowed to -go out by night. - -“The wizard hopes to keep the child,” said the skull. “It is his -greatest prize and unless you are very firm he will cause you to err, -thereby escaping your demand. Have no pity but push him to the uttermost -with your demand.” - -Again the boy built the lodge fire and as midnight came, he crept from -his coverings and crawled along the floor of the great cavernous lodge. -Slowly creeping to the fire he seized a blazing log and with a cry flung -it upon his sleeping uncle, at the same time grunting, “Enh, enh, enh, -enh,” as if in distress. - -With a whack of his club the old man awakened the boy, who called out, -“It has ceased,” meaning the vision. - -“Oh uncle,” he said. “I have dreamed that you must give me something in -exchange for the gift I shall offer you tomorrow.” - -“It shall be done,” answered the uncle with a dark frown. - -Morning came and with it the test. Long the old man sought to cause the -boy to make one small slip in the custom but he failed. Mid-day came and -as the sun beat down through the smoke hole the boy began his charm -song, causing flames to arise as torture for the old wizard. - -After much haggling the old man opened his bed once more and revealed a -bark case beautifully decorated. He removed this and placed it on a mat, -after which he opened the case and unwrapped a small woman, beautifully -white, and perfect in form, though only as long as a man’s arm. - -“Oh nephew,” said the uncle, “Now that you have seen your sister, I will -replace her and give you what is customary in such instances, a carved -imitation. You will be greatly pleased with the doll I give you.” - -In reply the boy gave his charm song and again the magic flames circled -about the uncle like a clinging garment. “Oh nephew, I yield,” he cried -and handed over the case. - -After much haggling the old man opened his bed once assured that success -would come if he withstood one more test,—that of bodily torture by -cold. “Your uncle will dream tonight and his word will be satisfied only -by causing you to be divested of all clothing and tied to a bark -toboggan and dragged ten times around the long house where you dwell. I -know not that you will endure, for your magic is equal.” - -As predicted the old man dreamed that his nephew strip the next morning, -though the weather was extremely cold. “I must drag you around the lodge -ten times,” said the uncle, but first I must bind you securely with -thongs.” - -“It will be very easy,” said the boy. “Really, it is nothing at all.” - -Emerging from the door the boy stood in the intense cold and stripped -himself, throwing his garments back into the lodge. “Now I am ready,” -said he, and his uncle then bound him tightly with thongs, placing him -on the bark toboggan. - -After the first trip around the uncle called out, “Oh nephew, are you -still alive?” And the boy answered, “Yes, uncle,” in his loudest tones. - -For a second time the uncle made a circuit of the long house, which was -the longest in the world, and again called out, “Oh nephew, are you -alive?” receiving an answer just a bit fainter, “Yes, uncle.” - -Each time around the uncle asked the same question and each time the -answer was fainter until the ninth time his nephew’s voice was scarcely -audible. So he made another circuit, thinking as he made it, “This time -he is frozen as stiff as an icicle.” - -So when he had completed his tenth round he spoke again, “Oh nephew, are -you alive?” And to his great surprise the boy called in the most -sprightly tones, “Yes uncle,” whereupon he was released of the cords and -entered the lodge. - -All this the boy reported to the skull who said, “On this night you -shall dream, and you shall demand that your wizard uncle submit to the -same ordeal. Allow him no mercy, for if he gains in one point all is -lost.” - -Midnight came and with it the episode of the dream demand. The old man -weakly yielded and then both slept until morning. The test then began, -but the old man begged, saying, “I am old and if you will allow me to -retain my clothing you will be satisfied.” But the nephew answered, “Oh -no, uncle, I must be satisfied according to my desires. What you say has -nothing to do with the event.” - -“Then do not bind me, for the cords will cut my flesh and this is not a -part of the demand.” - -Nevertheless the boy bound his uncle and threw him on his toboggan. With -the completion of each circuit he would ask his uncle if he were alive, -and each time would be assured that he was. Upon finishing the ninth -trip he again asked, “Uncle, are you alive?” but there was no reply and -drawing the toboggan to the door he felt of his uncle and found him -frozen as stiff as an icicle. - -He thereupon, lifted the toboggan high, and his uncle was upon it. With -a mighty fling he threw it afar and when it came down with a crash his -uncle broke into bits like an image of ice. - -Reporting the event to the skull he was praised for his endurance. “Now -we shall all live again and those who have been overcome by magic will -be set free,” said the skull. “Cover me with a bear skin and when I call -lift me from the ground.” Soon he called and Djoñiaik grasped the skull -and lifted it from the earth and with it the cramped body of the tcisga. -Rubbing it with his hands and anointing it he restored it to the form of -a normal man. - -“I am your uncle, restored,” said the former skeleton. “Let us now -search for your father and mother.” Together they set off and found -another mound from which they conjured the skeletons of a man and a -woman, and restored them by rubbing and by oil. - -All with great joy returned to the long house where they attended to the -little sister, Djoñiaik rubbing her as was his custom and restoring her -to a full grown maiden. - -Everyone was now happy, and the roosting wizards silently departed, -leaving the great long house habitable for the restored family, and soon -more men and women and children came to live in the long house and it -became a dwelling where all were happy. - - - 31. THE VAMPIRE SIRENS WHO WERE OVERCOME BY THE BOY WHOSE UNCLE - POSSESSED A MAGIC FLUTE. - -There was a long bark lodge, alone by itself in a small clearing. Here -dwelt an elderly man and his nephew. Hadno’´sĕ^n, the uncle, possessed a -marvelous flute, which he kept in his war bundle, wherein also were all -his charms for luck in warfare and in hunting. The flute possessed great -power, and it was the oracle most consulted by the old man. Misfortune -had befallen the people through the machinations of certain sorcerers, -and the flute remained the only potent charm left by which the old man -might foretell events. - -As the uncle grew older he began to worry about the future, for he was -reaching the age when men cease to go on hunting excursions. Now his -nephew, Hauñwa^n´dĕ^n’, was at the age when it was considered that a boy -is not yet ready for the rigors of the chase. Therefore, the old uncle -was perplexed. - -On a certain night the old man came home to the great empty bark lodge -and threw down a deer. “This is my last hunt,” he exclaimed. “My nephew, -you must soon learn to shoot.” - -“Oh I can shoot as well as any one,” said the boy with great assurance, -and so the old man gave him his bow and an arrow. “Shoot the spot where -I have hit that stump with an arrow,” said the old man, and the boy -taking the big bow and long arrow, pulled the cord back and shot. His -arrow struck the very spot where his uncle had pointed out an arrow -mark. “Tcă‘, tcă‘!” exclaimed the old man. “You are now able to shoot. -Tomorrow you may go hunting, but first wait, I will tell you what animal -you will be able to kill.” - -So saying the uncle took his flute from its bundle and examined it. Then -he blew a few notes of a charm song upon it. In another moment the flute -itself uttered notes though nobody blew upon it. “This indicates that -you will kill a deer,” announced the uncle. - -The next day Hauñwandeh went into the forest alone and shot a deer, -which he brought home to his uncle. “This is good,” said the uncle. “Now -let me consult my flute again.” - -Once again he blew the notes of the charm song upon his flute, waited a -moment and then heard it call out, “Two deer shall be killed tomorrow.” - -“Now, my nephew,” said the uncle looking very grave, “I must tell you -that while you must in the future hunt for both of us, you must never go -south. Listen to what I say, never go south.” - -On the morrow the boy returned dragging two deer and threw them on the -ground outside his uncle’s doorway. Again the uncle expressed his -satisfaction, and again he consulted his flute. “My nephew,” he -announced after listening to the oracle, “tomorrow you shall kill a deer -and a fat bear. Again I warn you never to go south.” - -The boy that night had troubled dreams and through his mind the question -was repeated over and over, “Why may I not go south, Oh why may I not go -south?” - -The hunting continued each day as before, but the boy was greatly -troubled about his uncle’s command. Nevertheless he obeyed until he saw -that the lodge was well supplied with meat which hung in the smoke from -every rafter, curing for winter’s use. Then he thought that come what -might to him he would go south, and if he died his uncle would have -plenty to eat for a long time. - -So resolved he went on his hunt, and by taking a circuitous route, he -went from east to south. Soon he found the trail of an elk which he -followed southward for a very long ways. Greatly fatigued by the chase -he still kept up the pursuit, until he came to a little open place in -the forest, where to his great surprise he saw a young woman sitting on -a log at the side of the trail. She looked up at him with a bewitching -smile and said, “Come sit on the log with me, you look tired.” - -[Illustration: - - MAGIC WHISTLE. - - This whistle, used in shamanistic ceremonies, is made from an eagle’s - wing bone. -] - -Hauñwandeh looked at her, found her pleasing, and so went to the log and -sat down, saying nothing. Soon the girl spoke again. “It is not -customary,” said she, “for young people to sit so far apart when they -meet as we have done. Draw close to me and rest your head on my lap, for -you are very tired.” - -The boy therefore sat closely to her and then placed his head in her -lap. Thereupon the girl fell to stroking his hair and scratching his -head, looking the while for wood lice. As she did this the boy began to -feel sleepy and fearing something of evil might befall him tied one of -his hairs to a root beneath the log, which act the girl did not notice. -Then he fell into a deep sleep. - -When the young woman saw that he was fully asleep she began to pat his -body with her hand, and the boy shrunk in size with every pat until he -was so small that the young woman placed him with ease in the basket she -carried. Then she leaped into the air and flew away, as witches do. In a -short time, however, she came to a halt and was slowly drawn back to the -log from which she had started. The hair had stretched its limit and -drew her back. She took the boy out of the basket and struck him with a -small paddle and he became restored. “I will fix him next time,” thought -she. - -Hauñwandeh was now in the power of the witch-girl and stayed all day -with her, until he became sleepy again, when she stroked his head once -more, putting him to sleep. Making him small by patting, she again -placed him in her basket and flew through the air to a river bank. -Taking him out she asked, “Do you know where you are?” Hoping to destroy -her magic he answered, “Oh yes, I know where I am. This is the place -where my uncle and I catch our fish.” So she put him in her basket and -flew to an island in a large lake. Taking him out she questioned him -further, “Do you know this place?” Still hoping to deceive her he -answered, “Oh this is the place where my uncle and I come with our -canoe.” - -Angry that she could not take him to an unfamiliar spot the witch-girl -replaced him in her basket and leaped high in the air, this time taking -him to a far distant place. Descending she alighted on the edge of a -great precipice, so deep that the tops of the trees below were only -faintly visible. She gave a shriek and threw the basket over the cliff. - -Now Hauñwandeh, being attacked by the powers of witchcraft, began to -develop his own magic power, and when he went over the cliff and felt -himself falling, he desired to fall as an autumn leaf, and so he -fluttered down to the bottom without injury. He tumbled out of the -basket and saw that he was in a deep hole in the earth and that there -was no means of escape. Looking about him he saw the skeletons of -numerous men, and not far away he saw two men who were alive but -partially eaten. - -They spoke to him. “Oh miserable youth,” said they. “We are of the -opinion that you have not long to live.” - -“How did you get here?” asked the boy. - -“We met a young woman,” said they, “who lured us to be friendly with -her, and she stroked our hair, then took us in a basket and threw us -down the cliff. A great bird comes and bites our bodies and we are being -eaten and yet cannot die.” - -As they spoke, a gigantic bird flew by, and darting at the youth, took a -large bit out of his arm. He looked at the wound and licked it, and it -immediately healed. - - * * * * * - -When the uncle missed his nephew he became greatly distressed. Taking -out his flute he looked at it and found that the mouth of it was stained -with a smear of blood. “Agi‘,” he exclaimed. “My nephew has disobeyed -and now is wounded.” - - * * * * * - -The next day the big bird returned and took a mouthful from the boy’s -arm, but as before he placed the wound to his mouth and healed it by his -own power. - -That night the waiting uncle looked at his flute again and found it very -bloody. “Agi‘,” he exclaimed, “some direful thing has happened and I -shall never see my nephew again.” - -On the following day the bird swooped at him and tore his body cruelly, -eating large chunks of it, but as before he healed himself. - -As he lay pondering over his misery he heard a voice and looking up saw -a little old woman. Very small was she and stooped over. “I have taken -pity on you,” she said. “I have a medicine for you. Take it and if in -the morning you find a green sprig coming from your mouth, snatch it -quickly, for it is a quickly growing tree. Pull up the plant that you -find beneath your feet and put the green sprig into the hole. It will -grow to the top of the cliff and you may escape. If you have strong -power within you there can be no failure.” So saying she handed the boy -a small white root which he swallowed. Seeing this the little old woman -vanished. - -The next morning Hauñwandeh felt a pain in his stomach and soon he felt -a scratching in his throat. Out came a green sprig which he snatched -quickly and, pulling up a small withered plant he thrust the sprig into -the hole and waited. - -For a very long time the uncle awaited the return of his nephew, and -mourned greatly. Not once did he leave the lodge but sat within with his -face covered with the white ashes from the lodge fire. Each day a sound -would be heard and a voice would call, “Hail Uncle, I have returned!” -Leaping up with gladness the uncle would look out, but see only a -scampering fox or mocking screech owl, or perhaps a wild goose. So he -fell to answering all calls by saying, “Depart quickly, I know that you -are deceiving me.” So, in mourning he sat, covered with ashes and -growing thinner and weaker every day. - -Hauñwandeh watched the green sprig, and noticed that it had begun to -grow. This pleased him greatly and he called all the bones in the valley -saying: “I will gather you together in one pile. I will cause your -resurrection and you shall escape with me for I have a growing tree -which we may climb.” So saying he gathered the bones in a pile and -called quickly, “Hurry now, for you shall arise. Quickly, for the tree -is growing. Hasten, for I am now thrusting a tree upon you, and you must -arise before the tree falls upon you.” Then he kicked over the tree and -it fell, but before it touched the ground all the skeletons arose -looking like men. The two partly eaten men recovered and said, “We are -your relatives.” Now two men who had been restored fell to quarreling, -because each had taken the other’s legs in the haste of arising, but the -boy commanded them to be still and follow him up the tree. So all -followed, and he further ordered all to look upward and not downward, -for one look downward meant destruction. The tree was very tall and it -took a long time to climb it, and when the company had climbed a long -ways the two quarreling men looked down to see how far they had gone, -and as they looked they turned to skeletons again and their bones -rattled through the limbs of the tree and past the others who were -climbing. - -At length all reached the top and gathered about the edge of the cliff. -Then the boy saw that the company looked very friendly, and he -discovered two brothers among them. “I must go to the house of the young -woman,” he said to his brothers. “I leave this company in your care. I -must overcome the evil magic of the great witches. When I have done this -I shall return. Wait for me.” - -Hauñwandeh determined to have his revenge. He sought the house of the -witches and went straight toward it. Reaching the door, he entered -saying, “I have come.” - -Sitting in the lodge was the young woman who had bewitched him, and at -the lodge fire was the mother, the great witch, and in the rear of the -lodge were six daughters. - -The mother looked up, saying, “Oh son-in-law, I dreamed you would come. -My daughter is waiting for you.” - -That night the old witch became disturbed in her sleep and arose and -flung herself in the fire, crying out a strange noise. Hauñwandeh -grabbed the corn pounder and hit her on the head, saying, “Awake and -tell me.” So she awoke and said, “Oh son-in-law, I have dreamed that -calamity will befall us unless you repair to the long lake and kill two -white otters, and do it quickly, before the skin curtain of the lodge -door stops swinging, from your out-going.” - -“That will be very easy,” answered the youth. “Be at ease and I will -soon return.” So speaking he tied his long hairs together and made a -string that reached from the door to the lake. This he tied to the skin -curtain and kept it swinging as he ran to the lake. - -“Otters come forth,” he commanded, and one great white otter leaped from -the lake, but the youth killed it with a round white stone that he -carried in his pouch. As he did this a wave arose and sped toward him -bearing on its crest the other great white otter. As it leaped toward -him he killed it as he had the first. Running back to the lodge he flung -the bodies in, with a laugh, exclaiming, “Here are your otters.” - -“Where?” screamed the witch woman, leaping from her bed. “Here,” he -replied. “I shall now build the fire and skin them.” He did this, saving -the skins and throwing the carcasses into the fire. At this the witch -woman screamed, “Oh, you have killed my brothers!” And the boy replied, -“Did you not require this of me?” It was true, the otters were the witch -woman’s wizard brothers, and they were mighty in magic. The water in -which they lived was magic water and when it touched the skin of a man -the flesh was eaten off, as if scalded. But Hauñwandeh was harmed not at -all. He was becoming a great wizard himself. - -The following night the witch woman dreamed again and when awakened by -her son-in-law, required that he immediately depart and kill a great -eagle that dwelt in the top of a certain tall tree, and do so before the -door curtain stopped swinging from his departure. Hauñwandeh obeyed and -finding the tree, shot a strong arrow at the big bird, but though he -used great force in drawing the bow, the arrow paused in mid air and -returned. The eagle’s magic was too great. Again he shot an arrow, -commanding it to kill the eagle, and the arrow obeyed, piercing the -heart of the bird. It fell to his feet, and grabbing it in haste he ran -to the lodge. With a laugh he flung it in the door saying, “Here is your -third brother!” “Where?” shrieked the old witch, leaping from her bed. -“Right here by the fire,” answered Hauñwandeh. “I shall now skin it and -burn its body.” When he had done this, the old witch was in a great -rage. With all six daughters she was screaming and waving her blanket. - -Hauñwandeh then beckoned to the young woman who had bewitched him. She -looked frightened. “Come along,” he commanded, “this is a bad place. We -are going away.” - -Taking the young woman outside, he ordered her to look at the lodge, at -the same time saying, “House become flint. House become heated red hot.” -The house obeyed and all the witches inside perished. - -Then he took the young woman to the precipice and greeting the men he -had rescued said, “This young woman is said to be my wife.” So saying he -tied her with bark cords and flung her over the cliff. - -The entire company of restored men then followed Hauñwandeh, and he led -them back to his uncle’s lodge, calling from without, said, “Hail uncle, -I have returned.” - -Again and again he called, and after a time he heard a voice answering, -“Be away, be away from here! I shall not be deceived again by you -animals!” - -“I am your nephew,” called the boy. “I have returned.” - -“Well, if you are my nephew thrust your hands through the hole in the -curtain and grasp the door-post,” said the uncle. - -The boy did as suggested and his uncle tied his arms very tightly, so -that he was made prisoner. Then the uncle looked out and saw his nephew. - -“Oh wait until I become cleaned,” cried the uncle, brushing off the -ashes and washing his blackened face. - -So he cleansed himself and untied his nephew’s arms. Then he invited all -the restored relatives into the lodge for a great feast; so then -Hauñwandeh told the story of his adventures; that is how we know about -it. - - - 32. YOUNGER BROTHER ELUDES HIS SISTER-IN-LAW BY CREATING OBSTACLES AND - LIBERATES OLDER BROTHER. - -Far from any settlement of Oñgwe Hoñwe‘, there was a lonely lodge -wherein dwelt two brothers, one older than the other. Older Brother was -the hunter and provided meat for the lodge, and Younger Brother cooked -the food. All things went well until upon a certain day Older came home -with no game. Younger carefully observed his clothing and found fresh -blood stains upon it, thereby knowing that he had killed game. - -Day by day the brother now returned without game of any kind, although -his body and clothing proved by blood stains that he had been -successful. Food in the lodge became scarce and Younger began to get -very hungry, but Older seemed to be well fed. Younger watched him and -noticed that he seemed to be thinking of something other than the -matters about which he spoke. Inquiry revealed nothing of value, for -Older would always say, “Oh my Younger Brother, you should not bother -me.” - -The Older Brother went on another hunting trip, taking many -accoutrements, as if for a long trip. Younger determined to follow him -and spy upon his actions. Carefully tracking Older, Younger went down -the trail until he came to a spring, where he noticed a small path -concealed by leaves and branches. He determined to follow this. In a -short time he saw a new lodge. It appeared to be very new for the bark -had not yet fully dried, being still of the smell of the tree. -Concealing himself in a clump of bushes he watched. Soon he heard two -voices, one of them a woman’s. The woman was ordering a man to do -certain things and he was pleading to be set free. Soon a man came out -of the lodge and went west. Younger then saw that it was his brother. - -When Older had been gone for a time Younger stood up and walked toward -the lodge, making a noise with his feet to attract attention. The woman -heard the sound and came out of the house. She was young and very -handsome and had a peculiar way of lifting her head and when she looked -she seemed to draw her eyes together making an upright wrinkle between. -Her eyes seemed yellow with bright spots in them. - -Soon she observed Younger standing still on the path and smiled, calling -him to her. He advanced to the lodge and she stepped inside, saying -“Dadjoh,” inviting him in. Younger entered and the young woman embraced -him and placed her hand on his body, in greeting. Younger noticed that -she had a hook on her hand attached to a long fish line and that she was -endeavoring to fasten the hook into him. He fled from the lodge and ran -down the trail, saying, “I will make ready and return.” Younger now -returned to his own lodge and awaited the coming of Older Brother. - -After a long time Older returned and sat down by the fire. Younger -looked at him a while, and noticed as usual, blood stains on his shirt. -He observed something else. - -At last Younger spoke. “My Older Brother,” he said, “It is my opinion -that you have a fishhook in your neck. You are held by a long line that -goes out of the lodge. I shall now proceed to remove the hook.” - -Taking Older out of the lodge he removed the hook and fastened it to a -thorn bush that stood on the edge of a cliff. “Oh now, my Older Brother, -I must tell you that soon a woman, who is your wife, will pull on the -line and when you do not return she will be after you. Such is my -opinion. I also think that the woman is a sorceress and that she will -endeavor to kill both of us. Now I have acquired strong magic and will -save you. You must stand here and allow me to pat you into a small -object which I will place in the hollow of an antler-tipped arrow-point. -I will shoot this arrow into the sky. It will go a long ways and then -fall to the ground. When you strike the ground become normal in size and -run as fast as you can until you find a new lodge far to the east. There -dwell until I come for you.” - -Now all happened as related by Younger and when the arrow was shot it -made a path in the sky, and striking the earth, Older came out of the -conical tip and ran east. - -After the arrow’s flight the sorceress pulled on the fish line, seeking -to draw Older back to her, but the string held fast. So she followed the -line until she came to the thorn bush. Then she saw what had happened -and was very angry. Her first thought was to hunt for Younger, to whom -she attributed the blame. - -Younger ran as fast as he could, aided by his magic, but the sorceress -was swifter than he and soon saw him before her. With a shrill cry she -bore down upon him making a barking sound and yelling, “You cannot -escape me, you cannot escape me.” - -Younger then disappeared around a big rock and took off his moccasins. -“Run to the end of the world,” he commanded, and then transformed -himself into the likeness of an old stump. - -On came the sorceress, following the moccasin tracks. She paused at the -stump and then said, “Most truly this stump looks like a man, but I see -his tracks going in a direction away from here.” Thereupon she began her -chase again yelling as was her custom, “You cannot escape me.” After a -long time she came to the end of the world and found a pair of -moccasins. Her rage was terrible and she tore up the ground, saying, “He -thinks, perhaps, that he has deceived me, but I will find him. He cannot -escape me.” She retraced her steps and came to the place where the stump -had been but it had vanished, for Younger had been running away all this -time. The sorceress followed his trail until she came into sight of him -again, when she yelled, “You cannot escape me.” When she was almost upon -him he took a small round stone from his pocket and cast it upon the -ground, at the same time running with all the speed his magic would -give. - -The stone became an immense escarpment, so high that the sorceress could -not climb over it. She uttered exclamations in token of her disgust and -began to run at the foot of the cliff but it went on without ceasing -until she came to the end of the world, when she ran back to the place -where she had started and then on to the other end of the world. -Returning she began to push the cliff and then to beat it with her -hands. Finally she ran into it trying to batter it down with her head -but she crashed into the rock with such force that she fell down as if -hit by a war club, and fainted. For a long time she lay still like a -dead person, but finally revived. Looking about she spied a small white -stone. “Tcisna!” she exclaimed, “Have I been overcome by so small a -stone? I now perceive that the boy is a magician.” - -Again she began to run and soon again saw Younger running before her. -“You cannot escape me,” she called as she ran toward him, whereupon -Younger took a handful of pigeon feathers from his pouch and cast them -into the air, saying, “Do you become a great pigeon roost as if of long -duration.” - -With this command the feathers became pigeons and they flew through the -trees until all were filled. Beneath them the ground became deep with -slime and into this the sorceress ran. She drew back for it was like a -pitch bed to a beetle. In vain she tried to plow through, and then -turned and ran along the edge until she reached the end of the world, -and failing to break through she ran the other way, but found the slime -made a track to the other end of the world. Returning to the middle spot -she began to beat it with her head, but became smothered and fell down -in a faint, as if dead. - -After a long time she revived and found a pigeon feather on her nose. -“Tcisna!” she exclaimed. “This boy is a magician. But he cannot escape -me.” So crying, she started the pursuit again and after a long time saw -him ahead of her running very fast. When she was nearly upon him Younger -stamped his foot into the ground and cried, “Become a deep hole.” Then -he ran on. The sorceress came to the hole but it was so wide and so deep -that she could not cross it. She endeavored to run around it but could -not find an end in either direction and finally returned to the starting -point and endeavored to jump across, but she fell in with a loud noise -and went to the bottom, knocking her head on a stone. Long she lay -stunned and when she revived she looked about and saw only a moccasin -track in the mud, laid across the path. “He is a magician, he thinks, -but he cannot escape me,” cried the sorceress, and began the chase once -more. - -Now after a time Younger came to a broad river where he saw a great -number of people swimming about and racing in the water. He heard the -sounds of the sorceress as she pursued him and exerting his magic said, -“May the swimmer who is the greatest distance out in the river take on -my appearance, whilst I become a tree stub.” The angry sorceress reached -the river and paused at the stub, and soon discovered the appearance of -Younger far out in the river. In plunged the angry woman and soon came -to the bather whom she saw was not her victim. With a cry she swam back -to the shore to find the deceiving tree stub, but it had vanished -leaving moccasin tracks in the direction it had taken. - -Younger ran very fast this time for he was almost at the end of his -tricks. When he was about discouraged, a strange old man with a broad -back and a wide mouth appeared before him. “My nephew,” said the old -man. “My name is Toad. I will aid you in your escape. I understand that -there is a woman who is pursuing you, and this is great trouble. Get on -my back and bounce up and down. I will give a spring and throw you far -up on a smooth hill. Climb as far as you can to the top.” - -Younger clambered on Toad’s back which was very springy, and Toad arose -with a leap throwing Younger far through the air and landing him on the -surface of a slippery hill. He endeavored to climb the hill but reaching -a very shiny spot fell into a groove and began to slip. Down, down he -slipped with great rapidity until he slid with a cloud of dust into a -big lodge where an old woman and her two daughters were boiling bear oil -over the fireplace. - -“Augh!” cried the old woman, “I guess somebody has fallen in our trap. -Let us see what it is.” - -When the women saw Younger, the old woman asked, “What are you doing -here?” - -“Oh my aunt,” exclaimed the distressed Younger. “I have been running -away from a very evil witch. She is now pursuing me. I met an old man -who threw me upon a slippery hillside and I slipped down where I am now -sitting.” - -“Well, she is coming now,” said the old woman. “You climb up on the -platform over my bed and hide. I think I can overcome this witch.” - -Younger obeyed with alacrity, and soon heard the sorceress slide into -the lodge, crying, “He cannot escape me!” - -“What are you doing here?” asked the old woman. - -“I am pursuing a very bad magician,” answered the sorceress. “He has -caused me much trouble. Have you seen him in this lodge?” - -“Oh yes, my niece,” answered the old woman. “I have him now. He is a -great magician and went into this pot of bear oil.” - -Now the old woman possessed magic, and conjured the face of Younger into -the bottom of the pot of oil. - -The sorceress looked in, and, crying, “You cannot escape me now,” leaped -into the pot, going to the bottom. Now the oil was boiling and it killed -her so that she could never return to life again. It was the end of her. - -Then the old woman called Younger and said, “I have been waiting for you -a long time. I notice that you are of our kind of people. You shall -become my son-in-law, by taking my youngest daughter.” - -Younger looked at the girl and saw that she was most desirable. He had -never seen a girl who was so much to his taste. So soon they were -married. - -Younger lived in the lodge with the women and he hunted for them, -bringing in a great number of deer every day, which the women dried and -smoked. After a year Younger’s wife bore him two sons. They were -precocious boys who learned to talk very early, also to play about. - -It was not long before they were full grown and asked where their -relatives lived. Younger, their father, answered that all had been -killed by sorcery but their uncle, his own brother, whom he has rescued -by sending him away in an arrow. - -“It is well,” said the boys. “We will go after him.” So they set forth -after their uncle. Long they traveled until in a strange country they -found an old lodge and in it a lonely old man with a sore spot in his -neck, which he was continually nursing. - -“Our uncle,” they called to him. “We two are your nephews and have come -for you. Come with us. We have an aunt older than our mother. You can -marry her.” - -So Older returned with his nephews and when he came to the lodge he -found his brother Younger. Then he saw the woman who would become his -wife. He liked her and they were soon married. All lived together and -they had no more trouble with wizards or witches. Younger had too much -power now, and everything otgont (evil) was afraid of him. - - - 33. THE ISLAND OF THE CANNIBAL. - -Ganondai´yeo lived with his aged grandparents in the depths of a great -wood. The old people were always sad but Ganondai´yeo was never able to -discover the cause and inquiry would only bring the injunction, “Never -go west!” The boy obeyed and played happily in the forest to the north -and the south and the east but shunned the dark woods to the west. - -At length Ganondai´yeo began to reason upon the matter: - -“Never go west,” he said to himself. “Now why may not I go west? Is not -west as good as east? Surely I am denied my rights and shall no longer -submit. I am going to find out why the west is to be avoided.” - -Thus determined, he crept cautiously through the vine-bound underbrush -and with caution advanced in a westerly direction. He kept on for some -time and then, to his surprise, found himself on the borders of a large -body of swift water. He looked across the broad expanse with admiration -and wonder. Was this the sight his grandparents wished to deny him? “Oh -the shameful rule that forbade him this!” he thought. While he was -gazing at the scene and meditating upon it, he heard a sound behind him. -A pleasant voice was saying: - -“Hai‘, Hai‘! Is it not a beautiful stream and wonderful too? Did you -never see it before? Come, jump into my canoe and let us visit some of -the inlets and islands that are found hereabouts. We will return in a -short time and you will have seen sights worth talking about.” - -Ganondai´yeo was charmed with the words of the stranger, and following -him, stepped into the canoe that lay on the sandy beach of a cove. The -stranger gave the canoe a shove with his paddle and sent it shooting out -from the shore. With swift even strokes he carried it far out from the -land. - -“We shall visit a beautiful island,” said the stranger. - -A short distance ahead Ganondai´yeo saw a small island in the center of -which was a dense clump of trees. It lay near a very large island. Such -a charming spot was it that he wondered if its inhabitants were men or -ghosts. - -Soon the canoe grated upon the sandy beach and, both jumping out, the -stranger drew up the canoe. - -“Now,” said he, “look around and see what a fine place this is. Oh you -will like it,—you will like it; I do!” - -Ganondai´yeo walked up the shore toward a tall plant that bore flowers, -(a mullen stalk). He stood viewing it for a few moments and then turning -to follow his guide found that he had disappeared. He ran to the water -to find the canoe but to his dismay found that it, too, had gone. -Glancing up and over the lake he saw far in the distance the canoe and -the stranger, and then he realized his situation. - -Heavy hearted he dragged himself halfway around the island and then -walking inland for a few rods sat down dejectedly on a fallen tree. -Tears filled his eyes and he moaned bitterly, “I am a miserable -creature.” - -While he thus sat lamenting his fate he heard a loud whisper, “Kechuta, -kechuta!” - -Starting up he looked around to discover the source of the sound but -failing, sank back to his seat with a groan of pure misery. - -Presently he heard the same sound, “Kechuta!” - -It seemed to issue from the ground at his very feet. This time he was -thoroughly frightened, and again he looked about to discover, perchance, -who the speaker was, but as before he failed and flinging himself upon -the log began to weep violently. - -“Kechuta!” came the sound again and looking down at the ground at the -end of the log he noticed a white glistening spot. Poking away the sod -he saw first the hollow eye socket of a skull and then jaws full of -white teeth. - -“Kechuta!” said the skull and then Ganondai´yeo knew that the thing -wished to smoke. “Dig into the sod by that knot on the log and you will -find my bag and pipe,” so spoke the man-reduced-to-bones. - -Marveling, the boy obeyed and soon pulled out a decayed pipe bag and a -tobacco pouch. He packed the pipe bowl full of tobacco. Then picking up -a hard round stick, the size of an arrow shaft he twisted it in his bow -string, placed a pitted stone on one end and put the other end on the -log. Pushing his bow backward and forward he twirled the stick with -great rapidity. Soon a tiny spark ignited the wood dust and caught in a -blaze on the shredded cedar bark. It was a laborious task but -Ganondai´yeo at length had the pipe in smoking order. Leaning over he -pried apart the jaws of Tcis´gä, as he had named the skeleton, and -pushed the pipe stem between its teeth. Tcis´gä smoked with great -diligence and exclaimed, “Agwas´wio‘, oh how good, how I enjoy it. I’ve -not had a smoke in a great while. Oh I am glad you came to me! Now let -me tell you a story, but first fill up this pipe again. There. Now, boy, -this is an enchanted island. You are trapped, the same as I was and the -same as many more have been. There is a man who lives here, there is a -man who visits here and there is a man who hires men here. He who lives -here is S‘agowenot´‘a, a great sorcerer, he who visits here is Oñgwe -Iās, an evil ogre. Both eat men. They ate me, they ate many others; they -will eat you unless you listen closely. Before sunrise tomorrow, run to -the beach where you landed and bury yourself in the sand only leaving -one eye and an ear uncovered. Look and listen. No one has ever escaped; -but you may if you obey me, and moreover you overcome the island’s evil -spell.” - -The boy solemnly promised obedience and after a restless night ran to -the beach and buried himself in the sand. Soon he heard the sound of -singing on the water. The song grew louder and Ganondai´yeo knew that -the singer was nearing the beach. He heard the sound of the canoe as it -shot up against the sand and knew that the singer had landed. He -listened closely to the song and then hummed it softly to himself. The -sound of footsteps neared and turning his eye he saw a man whose grim -visage pronounced him a man of terrible passion. Ganondai´yeo looked as -well as he could from his hole in the sand and knew that was Oñgwe Iās. -At the feet of the ogre was a pack of dogs who followed him up the -incline. - -As Oñgwe Iās stepped upon the island Sagowanota sang his magical song -from his den in the grove. - -When Oñgwe Iās reached the top of the incline he roared, “Well, where is -my meal?” - -“He cannot be found,” came the answer. “Put your eyes in the -bushes,—send the dogs after him,” roared Oñgwe Iās. - -The search was fruitless and grumbling in rage the man returned to his -canoe, threw in his dogs and jumping in, swept his paddle through the -water and sped back to mainland. - -Ganondai´yeo jumped from his place of concealment and rushed to the log -where Tcis´gä lay. Breathlessly he told what he had seen and heard and -told how thankful he was that he had escaped being eaten. - -“Smoke, tobacco, I wish to smoke,” whispered Tcĭs´gä, dustily. So taking -an ember from the fire he had started Ganondai´yeo lit the pipe and -shoved it between the teeth of the skull. When it had finished smoking -it said, “I am glad that you have succeeded so well. It is an omen of -good fortune. Now listen. Make seven dolls from dry rotten wood and make -a small bow and arrow for each, then, place each doll in the top of a -tree. Conceal yourself in the sand again and see what will happen. - -Ganondai´yeo did as directed and the next day when Oñgwe Iās landed he -grumbled loudly and vowed he would find the boy for he was very hungry. -He strode up the beach and his dogs with noses close to the ground -followed the track of Ganondai´yeo as it circled the isle. Suddenly one -dog with a yelp fell pierced with an arrow. Oñgwe Iās yelled in rage and -his rage increased as one after another fell dead. Snatching up the body -of each he threw it upon his shoulder and going back flung it into his -canoe, and then paddled back across the lake. - -[Illustration: - - FIGURE OF DANCING WARRIOR - - This figure carved from wood was used in shamanistic ceremonies. -] - -Leaping from the sand Ganondai´yeo ran back to Tcis´gä and related his -observations. - -After Tcis´gä had been satisfied with tobacco he said to Ganondai´yeo: - -“Now I will tell you more. Oñgwe Iās, always fearing death, leaves his -heart in his lodge. It hangs suspended over a pot of water; likewise the -hearts of the dogs. When he returns he will place the dogs’ hearts back -within their chests and as they beat the dogs will revive. He will then -remove them and return to the island on the morrow to renew his search -for you. Now listen closely. Bury yourself in the sand as before and as -Oñgwe Iās approaches the shore sing the Sagowenota song. Oñgwe Iās will -then rush up the shore, the dolls will shoot again and while Oñgwe Iās -is obscured in the bushes jump into his canoe, go directly across the -water and when you touch the shore you will find a path that leads to a -lodge. Enter the lodge and destroy the hearts you find there. Then you -may return to me.” - -The next morning Ganondai´yeo covered himself with sand and when he -heard the song of Oñgwe Iās floating over the water he shouted back: - - “I have caught a rabbit, rabbit, rabbit, - Soon I’ll skin it, skin it, skin it!” - -Oñgwe Iās stopped short in his song and listened. Then he shouted back: - -“Ho-yo-ho! So you have him. So, I’ll be there!” - -From a mound in the center of the island came a voice. In pleading tones -it cried: - -“No, no! I did not call you. Do not come. Oh do not!” - -“Oh no,” came the mocking reply. “You cannot cheat me. You have found -him and wish to eat him alone.” - -Landing, Oñgwe Iās ran toward the mound. Ganondai´yeo jumped into the -boat and with his swiftest, strongest stroke sent it gliding out over -the lake. At length he reached the land. Leaping to the shore he ran up -a path and burst through the curtain into a lodge. A young girl was -refining bear oil by boiling it in a kettle. Without stopping to greet -her Ganondai´yeo cried: - -“Give me his heart!” - -“No, no, do not touch it. It is his, it is his!” remonstrated the girl -in terror. - -There was the sound of foot steps outside. Oñgwe Iās had followed in -some mysterious manner and was now at the door. Springing toward the -back of the lodge, Ganondai´yeo grasped a large beating heart. Oñgwe Iās -was pushing aside the curtain and now snarled in terrible rage as he saw -the boy who should have been his victim holding his heart. With -marvelous swiftness Ganondai´yeo flung the heart into the pot of boiling -fat. The ogre tottered. His dogs began to yelp up the trail and as -Ganondai´yeo glanced through the door between the curtain and the -swaying body of Oñgwe Iās, and saw their dripping bodies, red eyes and -froth laden fangs as they leaped toward their master, Oñgwe Iās -trembled, and fell. Ganondai´yeo swept the seven dogs’ hearts into the -scalding liquid only a moment before the ogre crashed his head into the -fire, breaking the pot of oil and spilling out the hearts. Oñgwe Iās was -dead and seven dogs lay before the door. - -The girl who during this terrible scene had cringed in one corner now -rushed toward Ganondai´yeo with a glad cry. - -“Oh my brother!” she cried. “You have rescued me. I am your sister who -was captured. Oñgwe Iās kept me as his slave. Oh my brother, you have -saved our family!” - -Ganondai´yeo hardly knew what to make of these words but looking down at -the girl saw in her his lost sister, lost years ago. He rejoiced with -her and then running back to the shore paddled swiftly to the Isle of -Fears. Going up to the log he appeased his friend Tcĭs´gä with tobacco -and told his story. - -“Now,” said Tcĭs´gä, “you have done well. You can be of great service to -me if you will obey a few more instructions; for instance, shoot that -fat bear over there and place her pelt over this little mound where I -am. Scold that stump and make it move away so that you may cover the -mound entirely. Then smoke!” - -Ganondai´yeo was startled as he looked up and beheld an enormously fat -bear asleep not ten steps from him. Fixing an arrow he shot and killed -the beast and removed its hide. Walking up to the stump he shouted: - -“What is the matter with you? Get out of my way or I will smash you. Go -on now and with the help of a kick the stump jumped backward into a -clump of bushes. Placing the skin over the mound Ganondai´yeo built a -little fire and began to throw on tobacco to make the smoke fragrant. - -The sun was hot and the oil fairly dripped from the skin into the -ground. - -Ganondai´yeo became impatient. “What is the trouble with you, Tcĭs´gä?” -he called. “Move lively. You are lazy. Hurry or I will leave. I cannot -wait all day. Hurry or I will kick over this stump upon you.” - -There was a slight movement beneath the bear’s skin. - -“Hurry now,” continued the boy, “or I will pull off the skin,” and -stooping down he gave it a fling. As he did so from the ground arose a -company of men. All were quarreling. “You have my legs—my fingers—you -have my hands—you have my feet—my ribs—my neck—where is my -backbone—three ribs missing—oh someone has my whole body—didn’t have -time—made us hurry—too quick—short notice!” came the mingled cries from -the strange swarm. - -Before Ganondai´yeo was as queer a company of men as the sun has ever -seen. Some had one long leg and one short one, some were hump-backed, -some small-bodied and large-limbed, some had head on backward, some had -no necks, some double the wonted length, and soon each man was a sight -to behold. All were angry, and fighting, disappeared into the forest, -all but one. It was Tcĭs´gä. He stepped forward and took Ganondai´yeo by -the hand and said, - -“I am your brother, let us go home.” - -Hastening to the shore the two seated themselves in the canoe and -paddled back to the lodge on the opposite shore. A meal awaited them and -after eating it the boys built a great fire and burned the evil lodge. - -That night the three slept in the open. The next morning the brothers -and their sister tramped through the forest and found the old people -mourning over the loss of Ganondai´yeo. - -The old folk were exuberant with joy when they found that not only was -Ganondai´yeo well and alive but also their other grandchildren. - -The boys built a large lodge and made the days of the old people easy -with soft beds, much meat and pleasant company. - -Then the grandparents said, “We are old and wise but we know now that -which we did not before: It is evil to forbid a boy of resource to do or -go without a reason.” - -So here it ends, this ga-gah, this ancient story. - - - 34. THE TWELVE BROTHERS AND THE WRAITH OF THE EVIL WARRIOR. - - A STORY OF SHODJE´ASKO^n‘, A MISCHIEF MAKER. - -Twelve brothers had planned a war expedition and singing their songs had -started a war dance. Scarcely had they begun when a messenger came -running towards them and related that Hadi´ĭŭsgōwa´, the greatest -warrior of the nation, was dying and wished the twelve brothers to -officiate at his funeral. In respect to the man who far and wide had the -name of being the most terrible and successful warrior in all the world -the twelve brothers postponed their dance and hurried to minister to the -dying warrior. He desired them to dress him, not in the customary -funeral robes but in the full regalia of battle with his knife at his -side and his tomahawk in his hand. His face he wished painted black on -one side and red on the other, in token that he was the fiercest warrior -in all the earth. - -So when he died the twelve brothers prepared his body just as was -directed and doubled him up in his shallow grave. When the funeral rites -were over the brothers renewed their dance and on the next morning -started off on their war expedition to the south. - -Now in those days the Iroquois had trails that led from their villages -to all parts of the world. At the distance of a day’s journey on every -trail was built a trail lodge, where travelers might find shelter, and -so on for many days’ journeys were built trail lodges. At the end of the -first day’s journey the twelve brothers came to the trail house and -halted to prepare their evening meal. One of the men shot a deer and was -dressing it when the oldest brother, the chief of the party, ordered the -youngest to run to the spring after water. Grasping a bark bowl he -obeyed and ran down the path to the spring and was bending over the -water to dip, when he saw reflected in the ruddy sun-painted water the -form of a warrior whose face was painted on one side red and on the -other black. He gazed at the vision terrified by its import and then -dropping his bowl rushed up the path and stammered out his frightful -discovery. He had seen Hadiiusgowa, the warrior whom they had buried but -the morning of that day. The chief looked at his young brother in -amazement and then, dropping the deer ham that he was preparing, burst -out into a loud derisive laugh. “If you are afraid of visions of dead -men,” he laughed, “how can I depend on you when live ones appear?” But -the boy would not be laughed out of believing the evidence of his own -eyes and so the second brother was sent to the spring. When he reached -the pool he looked across the river and to his indescribable horror saw -the dead warrior standing on the opposite bank, his face wrinkled into a -fiendish grin. Back to the lodge he sped trembling from cheek to feet. A -chorus of laughter greeted his story and the chief angrily declared that -his younger brothers were endeavoring to frighten the party by their -impossible tales. Then the third brother was sent and soon returned and -with stiffened lips said that he had seen the figure of Hadiiusgowa -standing in the middle of the stream. The fourth brother saw him -standing on the rocks close to the shore, and the fifth saw him on the -pebbly edge, and the sixth on the river’s bank, the seventh half way to -the spring, the eighth at the spring, the ninth advancing toward the -trail, the tenth on the trail, the eleventh half way to the trail lodge, -and then the chief, who had now ceased to scoff, when he looked up saw -Hadiiusgowa in the clearing before the lodge. Hastily he commanded that -all should enter the lodge, the youngest first and the rest according to -their ages. When all had done so he fastened the door and lay down -across the doorway. All except the two youngest suddenly became overcome -with a stupor and fell into a deep sleep. The two youngest lay awake and -listened to the efforts of the ghostly warrior to effect an entrance. -Suddenly the door burst inward and with a yell the tchisga (ghost) -swooped down upon the chief and scalping him brandished the scalp aloft -and screeching, “Gowe! Gowe! Hadiiusgowa!” Jumping into the air he -yelled a death cry and sped from sight, his cry growing fainter and -fainter as he went. Returning shortly afterwards he scalped the next -brother, returning at an interval to scalp one after another of the -party. When the third oldest brother had been scalped and the tchisga -had disappeared, his death cry echoing fainter and fainter as he sped -further and further, the second youngest brother was overcome with a -lethargy and fell into a deep sleep from which he never awoke, for the -tchisga returned and killed him, as he had the ten others. The youngest -then began to despair saying to himself, “I cannot escape even by -running nor can I hide for Hadiiusgowa has power to discover me wherever -I go, but even a tchisga may be deceived.” So saying he placed some -bloody deer meat on his head and pulled his bear skin cap tightly over -his brow. Wrapping his blanket around his ears so as to leave no part of -his body exposed he waited the coming of Hadiiusgowa. His skin at least -was protected from the death touch of the tchisga and perhaps he would -escape. Soon the wraith came screaming into the lodge crying, “I have -slain eleven and now the twelfth shall go!” Grabbing a bunch of black -hair that protruded from a robe of deer skin he haggled off a circular -piece and with a demonic shriek flew into the air crying “Gowe! Gowe! -Hadiiusgowa!” - -The boy finding himself unhurt jumped to his feet with the exclamation, -“I will follow the tchisga and outwit him yet!” So he ran out into the -darkness. - -The ghost soon discovered his error and the boy could hear his cries of -rage in the distance. He approached rapidly screaming, “You cannot -escape me, you cannot hide from me!” Each yell stole the strength from -the muscles of the frightened boy who soon sank in dispair to the -ground. The tchisga was coming and there seemed no escape. Feebly -lifting his head the boy saw a hollow elm log and in a dazed way -remembered that he had heard of hollow logs. Mustering all his strength -he crawled in the log and none too soon for just as he had stowed -himself within the protecting log the ghost struck it with the cry, “Now -I have you!” - -It is strange, but a ghost never can enter the space within a hollow -log. Thus the tchisga cut a sharp stick which he thrust in the hole at -one end hoping to spear the boy. But his victim was not an easy one for -he caught the thrusts deftly and turned them aside. Finally realizing -that he could not harm the boy in this manner he yelled, “I know where -you sit and will kill you yet!” Then he commenced to chop a hole into -the log where he judged his victim to be but when it had been made the -boy had moved further in and escaped the thrusts of the spear. Another -hole was made but all the prodding that the tchisga made had no effect -upon the elusive boy. A third trial had no better result and finally the -tchisga screamed, “The next hole will bring me success,—I cannot fail!” -Then he fell to whacking the log until the raining blows sounded like -the beating of a death drum. The hole was completed and the dispairing -boy found that there were so many openings that he could not hope to -escape. The tchisga prepared to grasp his victim and was on the point of -uttering a yell of triumph when a little bird on a branch above began to -twitter and the yell of victory turned to a groan of dispair. “Fortunate -for you,” he cried, “but woe to me!” Then he faded into the glow of the -morning when ghosts cease their black works. - -The boy was highly elated at his good fortune but lost no time in -dancing over the matter. Instead he jumped to his feet and ran with all -his speed to the village crying as he went, “Gowe, gowe!” His shrill cry -awoke the villagers who hastened to the long house to listen to the -distress news that someone was bringing. Dashing into the council the -boy related his story and when he had finished the village sachem arose -and said, “If this boy’s tale is true we are all threatened with the -ghostly warrior. Now we know why arrows never killed him,—he was a -wizard. We must kill him before he kills us. We must burn his body. -First then let four swift runners go to the first day trail house and -see if conditions are as reported and in the meantime we will prepare to -kill the ghost.” The warriors hurried to obey instructions and after the -runners had departed a company built a little cabin from large logs over -the grave of the wizard and others gathered piles of logs for fuel. It -was toward sunset when the runners returned and reported that things -were just as the youngest brother had told. The grave was then dug into -and a foot below the surface a sharpened pole was discovered and to it -were fastened eleven scalps still bleeding and a small circle of bear -skin. Below this was found the body of the witch-warrior steaming with -sweat, his face and hands slimy with blood and his weapon still dripping -red. The boy’s words were confirmed. A warrior lifted the terrible form -from the bark upon which it rested and brought it into the cabin. The -head sachem then addressed it. “You were a great warrior in life,” he -said, “and we know that we never appreciated you. We now wish to make a -great ceremony and have made a lodge for you where all may see you. So -stay here and let us honor you.” So saying the chief backed out of the -cabin and fastened the door. Heavy logs were piled over the structure -and then a fire ignited that soon enveloped the whole mass. The flames -soon ate their way into the burial lodge and filled it with a mass of -burning coals. Logs were piled on higher and higher in order that they -might press down the witch and give him no chance to escape. Suddenly a -voice from the blazing coals sounded forth. With one long drawn wild -scream it said, “I will kill you all, I am escaping despite you.” But a -log falling pinned down the wizard who fell into his grave pit now white -with heat. His head burst and when the steam was cleared away a screech -owl was seen flying up from it. The warriors made a frantic effort to -kill it but the intense heat prevented them and so it soared away into -the night screaming defiance at its pursuers. - -In this manner was the wizard-warrior killed but his spirit still hovers -over the land and wherever the screech owl lingers there is the evil -spirit brooding mischief. - - - GENERAL NOTES.—In this legend we have several interesting - ethnological allusions. We are told of “trail houses,” which were - erected at intervals along the trails throughout the Iroquois - country, and in which food and other necessities were left by - travelers who had used the shelter. Inquiry brought out the fact - that these public hospices were common in the old days and were - frequently built in response to dreams. We are also given a glimpse - of the burial rites of warriors, and told that the corpse was - properly painted and then doubled up in its grave. We are again - given an account of the magical qualities of a hollow log, which a - ghost cannot enter. Here, also, we are told that a wizard’s head - when burned bursts and sends forth screech-owls,—birds of ill omen - to the red man as to us of today. - - - 35. THE CANNIBAL AND HIS NEPHEW. - -De‘o´niot was Oñgwe Iās, a man-eater. He had developed his man-flesh -appetite early in his childhood because his mother had associated with -witches. He lived in a hidden place far away from other human -habitations. The only human creature who came near him and was not eaten -was his nephew who lived on the other side of the partition that divided -his long bark house. The cannibal was fond of his nephew and did not -wish to come into close contact with him, lest his appetite for flesh -become too strong a temptation and leave him without a companion. Thus -it was he divided his house and satisfied himself with the sound of the -youth’s voice, for each hunted their game separately and rarely saw each -other. - -One day as the nephew was sitting on his doorstep, he saw a beautiful -woman approaching. She advanced and sat down by his side. - -“I would like to marry you,” she said after a moment’s pause. - -“I would like to marry you also,” was the answer, and then he added, -“but you would not be my wife long because my uncle would eat you.” - -“Oh then you had better watch that he does not eat you. If he does not I -am satisfied he will not take me,” replied the woman. - -“Well, if you are determined after what I have told you, I cannot say -further but take you.” Leading her into the lodge he continued, “My -uncle will call from his room for someone to bring him my bow or axe -with which to slay some animal. Do not answer him but keep very silent -and do not venture from the lodge to satisfy his wants. Obey my -instructions for I am going on a hunting journey.” - -Empty handed and hungry De‘o´niot returned from his hunting excursion. -Going into his apartment he flung himself upon the floor to rest, then -starting up, he called, “Hurry, bring me my hatchet, Oh quick, I need it -immediately to kill this beast!” - -Forgetting all that her husband had told her the bride picked up a -hatchet and a bow and ran around the lodge to the opposite door. - -When the nephew returned he found his wife missing. The only trace of -her was her skirt that lay on the floor. - -“Ho!” he exclaimed, “De‘o´niot has feasted on my woman and thrown her -skirt to me as a reminder.” Then calling to his uncle he asked, “Oh -uncle, how did you discover my woman?” - -“Because I knew that it was not your breathing but a breath much faster -that I heard over the partition,” was the reply. - -The next day another woman came with a proposal of marriage. At first -refusing her, and then accepting her on the condition that she would -quietly remain in his room and heed not the entreaties of De‘o´niot, he -married her, but when he returned from his hunting, she, like the first, -had formed the repast of his uncle, who as before flung her dress over -the partition. In like manner another wife came and was eaten. - -Finally a married woman came weeping through the woods and begged -De‘o´niot to protect her. - -“Protect you!” the man-eater roared, “O ho! I would be more apt to eat -you. That is my business,—eating people!” - -“Oh protect me!” pleaded the woman, “for my husband is a ferocious giant -and is now pursuing me!” - -“So truly if that is the case you had better go into my nephew’s room -where I cannot reach you and stay there while I watch for that man of -yours.” - -Presently in the distance De‘o´niot saw a giant striding through the -underbrush. - -“Ho, ho!” he exclaimed to himself, “That woman is the first one I ever -saw and liked, so I am truly glad to do her a service in destroying her -man-giant.” - -With a whoop the giant pounced upon De‘o´niot. “Where is my wife?” he -bellowed. - -De‘o´niot did not answer but grasped the giant’s throat and after a -frightful struggle twisted his neck. - -“I am greatly obliged to you,” he called to the woman. “Such an amount -of flesh will keep me from hunger for many days.” - -When the nephew returned he found the new wife awaiting him and after -some questioning he accepted her. - -“That is right!” called the uncle over the partition, “don’t worry, she -is a good woman. I will not eat her.” - -“Wife,” he said, “I believe that we must depart from these regions for I -fear that my uncle will become so hungry that he will forget his love -for us.” - -Soon afterward the uncle from his chamber shouted: - -“Oh my children, do not leave. You fear my appetite but I promise you -that I will never harm you.” - -The nephew (however), would not believe these promises, but thought his -uncle only shaming. In order to discuss the matter further he awoke his -wife in the middle of the night and in whispers talked with her, how -best to escape. - -“Boy, you are going away tomorrow!” exclaimed a voice from over the -partition. - -“No, no, uncle,” answered the nephew. “Go to sleep and do not dream such -things.” - -“Ah, you cannot deceive De‘o´niot,” replied the uncle. “I know you are -going away tomorrow and when you go, go west, for you have relatives -there. If ever danger threatens call my name and I will be on hand to -save you. Distance does not stop my promise. Call me anywhere and I will -come.” - -At dawn the next day the couple drank from the spring that filled a -basin on one side of the room and ran out of the other. Then, packing up -a bundle of food, they turned their backs on the morning and journeyed -to the west. - -At nightfall they saw in the distance a stream of water that reflected -the light of the moon in a most peculiar way, and coming up to it they -found that its strange gleam resulted from its frozen surface. The creek -did not appear wide and the couple decided that it could be jumped -easily. Running back a short distance each dashed forward and attempted -to leap across, but great was their surprise and chagrin when they -landed on the ice in the middle of the stream, and greater was their -dismay when they began to slide forward. The creek ran down a steep -incline and with great rapidity the two slipped downward over its -surface into the uncertain light. In a moment, however, they saw that -they were headed directly for a great lodge into which the stream -flowed. In desperation they clutched at the ice and endeavored to hold -back but vain was their effort, and in a few moments they had plunged -into the lodge and into the midst of a dozen howling warriors armed with -war clubs. - -Surrounding them, the warriors began to brandish their clubs. Death -seemed certain. The couple trembled and believed that death has surely -come. Suddenly the wife started boldly up and shouted: - -“De‘o´niot, hagesa!” she cried. - -The warriors fell back with cries of dismay at the sound of the magical -name. - -In the distance came a signal call, then came a song. It was the battle -song of De‘o´niot. The warriors huddled in the corners of the lodge -quaking with fear. The words of the song became distinct as De‘o´niot -drew nearer. - -The couple looked out and saw the man-eater sliding down the incline -holding in his arms a kettle, a bowl and a spoon. - -“I will stay here with my meat,” he shouted as he burst into the lodge. -“You had better go on to the village. Your parents and people are there. -Now leave me here and go on.” - -The two gladly hurried from the house and toward morning came to a -village when both found friends and relatives. - -After the nephew and his wife had lived in their new home for a year, -one by one the children of the settlement began mysteriously to -disappear. - -“My uncle surely must be in this vicinity,” reflected the nephew, “I -will go on a hunt for him.” - -So the nephew started out and after a time of journeying saw De‘o´niot -leaning over the bank of a creek groaning in agony. - -“Oh uncle!” exclaimed the nephew, “what troubles you?” - -“Oh nephew,” came the groaning reply, “I have eaten many children and am -very sick. My belly is hurt with pain as if by claws clutching inside.” - -“Cheer up uncle, I can cure you. Only obey my instructions.” - -The nephew made a soup of fish bones and skins and fed it to his uncle. -He continued this treatment for three days, until De‘o´niot had -disgorged. By this time he was ravenous and begged for food and new -clothing, for his old rags were very foul. The nephew bade him strip and -plunge in the water and bathe himself. Then, after giving him some new -clothing he fed him on a little corn pudding, gradually increasing the -allowance at each meal and each time moving the camp nearer the village. - -“You must now learn to cook, uncle,” said the nephew, “then you will -forget your unnatural appetite. God made men above all creatures, uncle, -and gave them great skill. Men are not made to devour one another, or -for beasts to devour, but beasts are food for men. So now, promise never -to touch the meat of mankind again.” - -“Aye, never more will I eat of human flesh or the raw flesh of any -creature but only fruits and roots and cooked meat!” - -So the nephew brought him into the village and introduced him as his -uncle from afar. And the uncle grew so fond of this nephew’s wife’s -cooking that he married a woman to have a cook for himself. - - - 36. A YOUTH’S DOUBLE ABUSES HIS SISTER. - -There was a lodge in the forest where very few people ever came, and -there dwelt a young man and his sister. The youth was unlike other -persons for one half of his head had hair of a reddish cast, while the -other side was black. - -He used to leave his sister in the lodge and go away on long hunting -trips. On one occasion the young woman, his sister, saw, so she thought, -her brother coming down the path to the lodge. “I thought you just went -away to hunt,” said the sister. “Oh, I thought I would come back,” said -he. - -Then he sat down on the bed with the sister and embraced her and acted -as a lover. The sister reproached him and said that she was very angry. -But again he endeavored to fondle her in a familiar way, but again was -repulsed. This time he went away. - -The next day the brother returned and found his sister very angry. She -would scarcely speak to him, though hitherto she had talked a great -deal. - -“My sister,” said he. “I am at loss to know why you treat me thus. It is -not your custom.” - -“Oh you ought to know that you have abused me,” said the girl. - -“I never abused you. What are you talking about?” he said. - -“Oh you know that you embraced me in an improper way yesterday,” said -the sister. - -“I was not here yesterday,” asserted the youth. “I believe that my -friend who resembles me in every respect has been here.” - -“You have given a poor excuse,” replied his sister. “I hope your actions -will not continue.” - -Soon the brother went away again, stating that he would be absent three -days. In a short time the sister saw, as she thought, a figure looking -like her brother skulking in the underbrush. His shirt and leggings were -the same as her brother’s and his hair was the same. So then she knew -that her brother had returned for mischief. Soon he entered the lodge -and embraced her, and this time in anger she tore his cheeks with her -nails and sent him away. - -In three days the brother returned with a deer, but his sister would not -speak to him. Said he, “My sister, I perceive that you are angry at me. -Has my friend been here?” - -It was some time before the sister replied, and then she wept, saying, -“My brother, you have abused me and I scratched your face. I perceive -that it is still torn by my finger nails.” - -“Oh, my face,” laughed the brother. “My face was torn by thorns as I -hunted deer. If you scratched my friend that is the reason I am -scratched. Whatever happens to either one of us happens to the other.” -But the sister would not believe this. - -Again the brother went on a hunting trip, and again the familiar figure -returned. This time the sister tore his hunting shirt from the throat -down to the waist line. Moreover she threw a ladle of hot bear grease on -the shirt. This caused his quick departure. - -Returning in due time the brother brought in his game and threw it down. -Again the sister was angry and finally accused him. Pointing to his -grease-smeared torn shirt she said that this was evidence enough. - -“Oh my sister,” explained the brother. “I tore my shirt on a broken limb -as I climbed a tree after a raccoon. In making soup from bear meat I -spilled it on my shirt.” Still the sister refused to believe him. - -“Oh my sister,” said the brother, in distressed tones. “I am greatly -saddened to think you will not believe me. My friend looks exactly as I -do, and whatever happens to him happens to me. I shall now be compelled -to find my friend and bring him to you and when I do I shall be -compelled to kill him before you for his evil designs upon you. If you -would believe me nothing evil would befall us, but I now think I myself -shall die.” - -The sister said nothing for she would not believe her brother. - -The brother now began to pile up dried meat and to repair the lodge. He -then went out into the forest without his bow and arrows, and in a short -time returned with another man exactly resembling him, and whose -clothing was spotted and torn in a similar way. Leading him to the lodge -fire he began to scold him in an angry manner. “You have betrayed me and -abused my sister,” he said. “Now is the time for you to die.” Taking out -an arrow from a quiver he cast it into the heart of his double and -killed him. The sister saw her assailant fall to the floor, and then -looked up as she heard her brother give a war cry and fall as dead with -blood streaming from a wound in his chest over his heart. - - - 37. MURDERED DOUBLE SPEAKS THROUGH FIRE. - - (SECOND PART OF A YOUTH’S DOUBLE.) - -After lying as dead for a time the youth’s inherent magic began to bring -about a restoration of life. Soon he sat up and looked at his sister. -Then he spoke. - -“Oh my sister,” he said. “The mother of my friend will shortly come for -him, believing him married to you. We must dispose of my friend’s body -and when the woman comes we must act as if we were husband and wife.” - -The youth now removed the stones of the fireplace and dug a deep hole -beneath. In this he buried the body of his slain friend, smoothed the -earth and restored the ring of stones. He now rekindled the fire, and -all trace of the murder was wiped away. - -After a while footsteps were heard and the door was flung back. A witch -woman looked into the lodge, and seeing someone that resembled her son -standing closely to a young woman, the witch said, “I now perceive that -I have a daughter-in-law.” - -Thereupon the fire began to flicker and a voice came clearly from it, -saying, “My friend has killed me, my friend has killed me.” - -“Wu‘!” exclaimed the witch mother, “What words is your fire speaking?” - -“Oh, my mother, pay no attention to the fire,” said the youth. “The fire -thus speaks because I scrape the blood from my arrows into it.” So -saying he scraped an arrow into the fire and it spoke as before, “My -friend has killed me.” - -The witch was disturbed and requested her pretended son to return to his -maternal lodge bringing his wife with him. The youth now told his sister -that the simulation of married life must be above suspicion, and then -together all three went to the lodge of the witch. - -As they sat down the pet owl of the lodge began to hoot. “The stranger -has taken to wife his younger sister.” The old woman looked up and asked -what the meaning of this omen might be, whereupon the youth answered, -“It is because you have not fed the owl. I now give it meat.” The owl -was then satisfied and continued to speak its accustomed notes. - -That night the youth slept with his sister. As he entered the sleeping -apartment the owl screamed as before, “It is not this one; this one -takes to wife his younger sister.” - -The youth called out, “Give no heed to this owl, he is hungry,” and he -flung it more meat. Nevertheless the witch woman was suspicious and -resolved to watch the couple. - -During the night she spied through the curtain covering the bed, but the -boy and his sister were simulating sleep, though arranged in an -affectionate attitude. The old witch then placed her hand in the bed and -under the covers, touching the couple, and she was then satisfied that -the two were married. - -Early in the morning the youth whispered to his sister that they must -make their escape or the witch would discover the truth and kill them. -Together the two went out of the lodge and the youth taking out his -medicine pouch thrust his hand into it and took out a small dog which he -tapped with a red rod. The dog grew in size with every tap until it was -large enough to carry a human being. Placing his sister on the dog, the -youth said, “Go forward and let nothing turn you aside. The dog will -carry you to the lodge where is our refuge.” - -The dog ran forward but after a long tedious journey the sister -dismounted to rest, and seeing a pretty bird fluttering just before her, -began to chase it. It finally flew out of sight and when she returned to -find the dog it had disappeared. She then remembered her brother’s -warning and stumbled forward hoping to find relief. - -Meanwhile the brother ran on to the refuge but when he reached the lodge -he found that his sister had not come. Some one was coming, however, for -he heard footsteps. He looked and saw the witch approaching. “Where is -she?” cried the witch, “Where is my daughter-in-law?” The youth was -perplexed, but answered, “She is coming, you must have passed them.” - -“I cannot rest,” said the witch, “for your pet owls continually say, ‘It -is another and she is his sister.’” - -The youth now perceived that he must escape the witch and so he asked -her where she was going. “To your lodge,” she called as she sped onward -over the trail. - -The youth hurried forward over a shorter trail and reached the lodge -before the witch. “Where is my daughter-in-law?” yelled the old woman as -she entered the lodge. - -“She has returned to the other lodge,” answered the youth. - -“It is another one,” sang the fireplace, and then added, “My friend has -killed me and taken his younger sister to wife.” - -“I must meet my wife,” said the youth as he hurried away. He knew that -he must now make his escape. - -The witch was now thoroughly suspicious and dug into the fireplace. Soon -she discovered her son and saw that indeed he had been killed. Burying -him in another place she ran to her own lodge and took her witch charms, -invoking them to give her power. To make herself mighty she drank the -oil of hickory nuts. To test her power she smote a hickory tree but her -blows only loosened all the bark. Drinking more oil she struck the tree -again, reducing it to splinters. Now feeling confident she transformed -herself into a Niă’´gwahē and started in pursuit of the youth, crying, -“You cannot escape me.” - -When the youth found himself closely pressed he threw out a handful of -pigeon feathers ordering them to become a monster flock of pigeons and -to make the ground beneath them impassable. Immediately pigeons flew -thickly in the air and covered the ground with an impassable slime in -which the witch wallowed until exhausted, when she swooned. When she -recovered the youth was far away and only a few pigeon feathers could be -seen on the ground. - -Again she caught sight of him and cried out as is the custom for the -Niă’´gwahĕ beast, “You cannot escape me.” This time the youth cast a -white stone in the path and commanded that it become an impassable cliff -that stretched from ocean to ocean. Against this the witch batted her -head until she swooned. Awakening she saw only a small quartz pebble and -in anger arose again in pursuit, crying as she caught up to him, “You -cannot escape me.” - -The youth was now sorely pressed but in running along the trail he saw -an old man. “I am your uncle,” said the old man. “Run onward to your -mother’s lodge, and meanwhile I will protect you.” The youth ran on and -the old uncle caused a vast field of sharpened posts to spring up, -making a terrible barrier to the onrushing Niă’´gwahĕ. - -The youth passed another old man who called out to him, “I am your -uncle. Run onward to your mother’s lodge, and meanwhile I will protect -you.” This was reassuring, for just then the witch came into view and -cried, “You cannot escape me.” Then the witch monster ran directly into -a net-like entanglement and with wild rage floundered about until it had -freed itself. - -Meanwhile the youth was speeding forward. Soon he saw a handsome lodge -before him and into this he ran. There he found his sister and the dog, -an older woman, a younger woman and another youth. - -“Protect me,” cried the pursued youth looking at the inmates of the -lodge. “Niă’´gwahē pursues me.” - -“I am your mother, my son,” said the oldest woman. “I will save you from -trouble.” - -Taking up a pot of boiling bear’s oil she waited until the witch beast -had thrust its head into the lodge when she threw the oil full in the -creature’s face. It gave a great snort and fell down dead. - -The mother came up to the youth, saying, “Here is your older brother and -older sister. Your younger sister and your dog came here and found me. -We are all now safe and are reunited, so now all is well and I am -thankful.” - - - 38. THE VAMPIRE CORPSE.[39] - -An old man had a house far back in the woods, a long ways from any -village. It stood in the midst of a good hunting ground. The old man -always welcomed any hunting party and provided them with all the -utensils necessary for curing their meats and tanning their pelts. It -seemed however, that the place was haunted by an evil spirit that -delighted to inflict those who tarried there with very bad dreams, and -sometimes it killed them by sucking out their blood like a weasel. - -One time, so it is said, a man and his wife and child went to this -hunting ground and went to the lodge of Taiiani Gowa, the old man of the -solitudes, to ask for shelter. Now when he called there was no answer -and so he entered and found Taiiani Gowa dead in a bark coffin. This -coffin had been prepared long before and Taiiani Gowa having a -premonition of coming death had crawled in his box and died; so the man -said. - -Now it was nightfall and the man lay down beside his wife and baby to -pass the night. Toward the hour of midnight the woman was awakened by a -sound of gnawing,—cautiously she looked about and sliding out her hand -on the floor felt a warm pool of blood. Quickly she realized what had -occurred. The old man was dead but his evil spirit was making him -conform to its vampire appetite. It was chewing off the face of her -husband. But she did not scream, instead she said carefully, “Husband, -our child wishes water, you are too sleepy to care for her while I go -for some, so I will take her with me, give her a drink and soon return.” -With these words she arose and went out carrying a bowl with her. She -ran to the spring, dropped the bowl and then ran toward home as fast as -her strength gave her ability for running. “Unless I hasten,” she -thought, “the tcĭs´gä will overtake and devour me. I heard him go back -to his coffin, but his hunger will soon return and he will come for us, -and finding us missing, will pursue us. Oh my baby, we must hurry!” - -An echo of a loud cry sounded through the silent forest and the woman -caught the words, “She has deceived me!” Then she knew that the tcĭs´gä -had started on her track. She heard him at the spring, so she used all -her speed to escape him, but presently she heard a growling close behind -her and heard him exclaim, “Ah you cannot escape me!” Unloosening her -skirt she flung it on a swinging branch and hurrying on, hear the -tcĭs´gä crying, “Ah now I have you!” Then he tore the garment into -shreds and found out his mistake. So then he ran screaming on. When he -had neared her again she threw her blanket upon a log and ran on. The -tcĭs´gä stopped and whooped because he was very angry. Then he chewed up -the blanket but finding no blood rushed on after his victim, only to be -delayed again and again by the same trick. After a time she had stripped -herself and her baby of all their clothing and she was nearly exhausted, -with the tcĭs´gä close upon her; then she heard the sound of drumming -across a little valley and crying “Gowe^n‘” she ran on. The sentinel -outside the long house heard her cry and gathering a number of warriors -about him, ran at full speed toward the cry of distress. Each warrior -bore a flaming torch the lights of which confused the pursuing tcĭs´gä -and gave hope to the woman. Throwing their robes about her the warriors -carried her to the long house where after reviving her from her faint, -they heard her story. Then said the chief, “If her story is true we must -keep the lights burning and dance till morning for the tcĭs´gä may -return and kill us all; on the morrow we will send a party to examine -the lodge of Taiiani Gowa and find out what the trouble is.” So the -dance continued all night and in the morning a party headed by the chief -went to the lodge of Taiiani Gowa and found the dead man in his coffin -and the husband with his face chewed clean to the skull. Then the chief -stepped to the side of the coffin and said, “We have come to make a -great ceremony. We will bind up your box and then have our ceremony.” -The warriors bound up the coffin with their strongest ropes and piled it -high with brush and logs. Then a torch was applied and the coffin was -surrounded by flames. The old man could not escape although he -threatened terrible results for he could not pass outside of the flames. -So his head burst and a white rabbit ran forth into the underbrush, -eluding all the arrows of the warriors and escaping. Then did the people -prove that Tiaiiani Gowa was a wizard and discover the form of his evil -spirit. Likewise they knew why his guests became sick. He was a bad -spirit. - - - - - VIII. - TALES OF TALKING ANIMALS - - - 39. THE MAN WHO EXHALED FIRE—HIS DOGS AND THE WOLVES.[40] - -Now this is great. - -A man had a dog and was always kind to it and the dog loved the man. Now -this man would smoke tobacco after he had eaten his evening meal. Smoke -issued from his mouth and sparks of fire flew from his pipe. The dog -noticed this. - -The man was a hunter and had large stores of meat hung up on poles and -stored in his lodge. This was fortunate for the man because game was now -very scarce. The wolves about were ravenous. They came from great -distances toward the lodge of the hunter because they smelled his meat. -The hunter’s dog saw them and asked them what they intended to do. They -answered that they were hungry and intended to kill the hunter and eat -his meat. They also advised the dog to keep away for they surely would -kill his brother (the man) and also him if he interfered or warned his -master. This worried the good dog and he thought some time how he could -save his brother. So he spoke and said, “You can never kill my brother. -He is too great a wizard. He has the greatest charms on earth. He eats -fire and blows it from his mouth with clouds of smoke. Beware, I tell -you,—do not attempt to injure him, for if you do he will torture you in -the flames. You will be unable to escape for the smell of his fire -travels a great distance and is great magic. If you do not believe me -come and look after the evening meal and see for yourselves.” - -Then did the wolves laugh and say, “You are somewhat of a liar but we -will come and see.” - -The dog was very angry then. - -When evening came the wolves gathered around the hunter’s lodge and -watched him eat his meal. When he had finished they saw him take a brand -of flaming fire and put it to his face. Then he waved the flame in front -of his face and it disappeared. Then smoke in volumes issued from his -mouth because the fire must have entered his stomach and be burning. -Sparks flew in the wind and they smelled the smoke of the fire. They had -never seen such a performance before and were frightened. So they did -not dare attack the man at night. They ran back in the forest and hid. -The next day the dog went and found them. Then the wolves said, “We can -not kill your brother, he is too great a conjurer. His power is too much -for us to fight. We are glad you told us.” - -Now this was all right. The dog did not tell his master but defended him -with his wits. If one is kind to a dog he will never know how many times -the dog will save him from danger and death. That is all. - - - 40. THE TURTLE’S WAR PARTY.[41] - -Turtles have never done anything wonderful since the foundation of the -world. This is what a discontented turtle thought. “Now it is for me to -show myself a leader of warriors and thus bring glory to the turtles.” - -Thus the turtle set about to devise a song by which he should call -volunteers together. After a prolonged study he composed a tune and -chose the words of a stirring war song, crawled into his canoe and -paddled down the river, singing as he went. - -A wolf running along the shore lifted his head and pricked his ears as -he heard this odd song floating down the river, and listening, caught -its import. When the turtle came near he began to yelp. - -“I am a famous warrior and will volunteer,” he shouted. - -The turtle grounded his canoe and crawled up the bank to inspect his -would-be recruit. - -“Well, what can you do, wolf?” said he. - -“Oh ho! I can run,” said the wolf and then started off at a furious pace -and returning asked what impression he had made. - -“Now it seems to me,” answered the turtle as he started to turn around, -“you would be very apt to desert me when I most needed your support, so -I say good-bye.” - -Going back to his canoe he tumbled in and paddled down the stream, once -more singing. - -A fox barked and waving his brush signalled the singing turtle. - -“I will be your follower for I am a cunning warrior,” said the fox. - -Pushing the canoe ashore the turtle flopped out and ambled up to the -fox. - -“Now warrior,” said he, “show me your excellence.” - -The fox gave a sudden spring and was out of sight before the turtle -could turn to look, then bounding back asked if he were not skillful -indeed. - -“Your feet may be swift,” replied the turtle, “but I see no signs of a -warrior in you,” and pushing his way over the pebbles he reseated -himself in his canoe. Paddling out into midstream he resumed his singing -and after some time was hailed again. Landing he found a new volunteer -in the form of a skunk. - -“Well now what can you do,” said the turtle looking at the handsome -creature before him. - -Without moving from his tracks the skunk gave a satisfactory -demonstration of his ability, to the turtle’s great delight. - -“Jump in, Sē´no‘, two brave fellows as we can collect a most formidable -party,” said the turtle, and he changed the words of his song as he -paddled. - -A rattlesnake next offered his services and when he had shaken his -rattles and shown his fangs, was accepted. - -“Tumble in,” said the turtle, “and we will sing until another warrior as -brave as we is added to our party.” So all sang, as they coursed down -the stream. - -The song attracted a hedgehog, and wishing to become a warrior too, he -shouted from the shore. - -“Well, what can you do?” inquired the turtle as the canoe neared the -bank. - -“I can shoot my arrows,” said the hedgehog, and mounting a stump shook -himself until his quills flew in all directions. - -“You are my warrior,” said the turtle as he shoved his canoe to a -convenient embarking point. - -When the hedgehog had climbed over the side of the canoe and the war -party had paddled off from the shore, the turtle swelled proud in his -skill and sang a mighty war song defying all foes. - -The party counselled together and decided to make their first attack -upon a human settlement. Reaching a short distance below they secreted -their canoe and crawled stealthily through the bushes and grass to a -lodge not far from the river. It was evening and the party resolved to -take their positions of attack and await the coming of dawn. The skunk -lay at the back door, the hedgehog at the wood pile, the snake coiled in -the kindling barrel and the turtle hid beneath the rocks of the spring -and morning found them ready to fight. - -A woman pushed aside the curtain of the lodge door and stepped out of -doors. The skunk was on the alert and shot her full at her face. The -woman with a groan fell upon him and beat his head flat with her fists. -Another woman, hearing the commotion rushed out and standing at the wood -pile to watch her distressed sister received a sudden shock. The -hedgehog ran between her legs and filled them full of his sharp barbed -quills. With a scream the woman dealt her assailant a death blow with a -billet of wood and ran screaming into the house. Soon, out came another -woman bearing a basket which she set down in the kindling barrel as she -paused to look at the dead bodies of the hedgehog and the skunk. Through -the splints she saw the coils of a snake. She picked up a heavy stone -and flung it into the barrel and killed the snake before he had had a -chance to strike. - -A man now emerged from the lodge laughing, “Ha, ha! Women are always in -trouble, Hoh ho!” Laughing at the discomfort of his wife and sisters he -ran down the spring path and sank his clay kettle beneath the surface of -the spring. This was now the turtle’s opportunity and with a furious -leap he fastened his jaws in the man’s leg. The man endeavored to -suppress a howl as he felt the sudden pain and tried to beat off his -enemy, but the turtle’s jaw was set and his back was armored. - -“Oh get off,” begged the man doing his best to conceal his suffering, -but the turtle only bit deeper. - -Loudly the man cried and then began to threaten to kill the turtle. “I -will drag you into the fire,” he said. This so frightened the turtle -that he began to waver with fear but gathering up courage determined to -escape without crying for quarter, so he said, “Hurry then, put me in -the fire, it is my natural home and I am lonesome, hurry now!” - -The man groaned and cried in desperation, “The river for you, I will -drown you!” - -The turtle pleaded most earnestly to be spared that fate but the man was -resolute and limping to the river he thrust in his leg. The turtle -gripped until he bit through the leg bone, then relaxing his jaws, he -swam rapidly under the water and crawled out in a sheltered spot. - -“Agī´!” exclaimed the man as he crawled to his lodge, “I am glad he is -drowned.” - -The turtle found his canoe but was unable to push it back up the stream -against the swift current. Discouraged, he sank it and swam back to land -where he lay lamenting his failures, then he turned on his back as if -dead and gave himself up to grief. Grief gave place to meditation and at -last he righted himself and crawled away saying: - -“No, I am not a great chief, but I am a turtle and am satisfied, for the -glory of turtles is that the earth and all creation rests upon the back -of one. That is good enough.” - - - 41. THE RACE OF THE TURTLE AND THE BEAVER. - -There was a turtle who lived in a deep hole in a stream. He lingered -there and it was a favorite spot for his fishing. On the shore there was -a swampy place where he hid himself when not in the stream. - -One day it grew very cold and the turtle felt very sleepy. He looked -about for a soft spot in the mud and found one beneath some tall -sheltering rushes. “Here I will sleep,” said he. So saying he slept. - -When he opened his eyes there was a vast expanse of water over his head. -Everything had changed and all the rushes had vanished. He threw off the -mud blanket that covered him and ambled out on the floor of his resting -place. “Iik,” he exclaimed. “Something has happened. Some magician has -taken liberties with my home.” So saying he swam to the surface of the -water. - -Instead of the little stream with its neighboring swamp he saw a big -lake. As far as he could see there was a lake. He looked about and saw -an island in the lake and to it he swam. It was covered with sticks, and -when he crawled upon it there was a hollow sound within, which -frightened Turtle and caused him to slip quietly off and conceal -himself. - -Soon he saw a dark form emerge from the water beneath the island and -rise to the surface. - -Craftily Turtle raised his head and called. “Who are you?” Then he -submerged quickly. - -There was a whistling answer, a slap of the water and a voice said, “I -am Beaver. Who are you?” - -“So that is the case,” thought Turtle. “So someone has stolen my fishing -place.” He was very angry and swam to the shore where he saw all kinds -of branches broken up by cutting. - -Soon he heard someone say, “Get out of my way.” - -Turtle looked up and saw Beaver dragging a branch. - -“One would think,” answered Turtle that it should be I who said ‘get out -of my way’.” - -“Well, what right have you here?” asked Beaver. - -“This is my home,” said Turtle. “I have lived here a long time.” - -“Ho! ho! ho!” laughed Beaver. “If this is your home, where is your -house? Now I say this is my home, for there is my house.” He pointed to -the thing that Turtle had thought an island. - -“How did you get here?” asked Turtle. - -“I came here and built a dam, made this lake, and now I have a house -here.” - -“I came here long ago,” said Turtle, “and built a fishing hole. My -abiding place is in the swamp. You, Oh Beaver, have no right to spoil my -home. It is my intention to break down your dam and restore my home.” - -“Well,” said Beaver, “that would not do us any good for I would build -another and others of my tribe would catch you and gnaw your head off.” - -“How shall we settle this thing?” asked Turtle. - -“We will see who can stay under water longest,” said Turtle. - -“No, that would be too easy for me,” said Beaver. “I could sleep a year -under water. I was going to ask that as a test myself. I propose that we -run a race.” - -Turtle was vexed, for he did not wish Beaver to win, and so he did not -insist upon the under water test. He was also crafty. So he said: - -“Whoever wins the race shall stay here; whoso loses shall depart. First -we shall have a trial of racing, and then the race will begin.” - -So they both came abreast in the water and started to swim. Soon Turtle -called Beaver back. “Now we will begin again,” said he, with a wicked -gleam in his black beady eye. - -As they were about to start, Turtle said, “I will purposely lag behind. -When I pinch your tail then we will both start swimming.” - -Soon Turtle bit Beaver’s tail and both started swimming, but crafty -Turtle hung onto Beaver and was dragged through the water until within -sight of shore, when he bit harder than ever. - -Beaver gave a big grunt and whistled, “So you are there behind me? Well, -I will win yet!” - -Turtle bit again, this time harder than ever, making Beaver squeal with -pain. “I’ll fix you for this,” he called, and flopped his tail over his -head. Turtle hung on, and when he felt himself over Beaver’s head he let -go and continued to speed through the air like a flying squirrel. Far -upon the shore he landed, way ahead of Beaver. - -“I have won this race,” he called back defiantly. “You must go away from -here; this is my fishing pond.” - -Thereupon, Beaver was greatly vexed, and swam away to nurse his sore -tail. Turtle had outwitted him. - - - 42. THE WOLF AND THE RACCOON AND HOW THE BIRDS WERE PAINTED. - -There was a wolf, T‘hă‘hyoñ´nī‘, a friend of the birds. He always helped -the birds and told them where to find food. Now Djoagă’, the raccoon -disliked Tah´yoni and when he met him one day he made insulting remarks. -Tah´yonĭ’ became angry and snapped at Djoaga. The raccoon rolled over on -his back and with teeth and claws was on the defensive. Tah´yonĭ’ then -did not want to fight. The raccoon did not wish to fight, moreover. So -when the wolf turned his head Djoagă ran up a tree where he could insult -Tah´yonĭ’ without danger. A wolf cannot climb a tree. It was night now. -So the wolf sat beneath the tree and quarreled with the raccoon. He -sang: - - “Djoaga, Djoaga! Diotion so go ge se da o! - Djoaga, Djoaga! Diotion so go ge se da o!” - -The raccoon replied: - - “Tah´yonĭ, Tah´yonĭ! Diotion so go ge se da o! - Tah´yonĭ, Tah´yonĭ! Diotion so go ge se da o!” - -So back and forth they sang alternately all night. Towards morning the -raccoon discovered that his enemy below was strangely silent. He did not -respond to his insults, neither did he sing his threats. So Djoaga sang -again and listening heard no response. “He is asleep,” he thought. “I -will climb down and see.” Djoaga descended cautiously and looked at the -wolf. True he was asleep. “Now I have you to advantage,” said Djoaga -softly. Then he squatted his haunches and covered Tah´yonĭ’s eyes with -pitch and clay. When he had done this he ran off thinking that he had -done a great trick. Then he laughed. “Tah´yonĭ’ went to sleep,” he -chuckled. “It is better not to sleep if you wish to get the best of a -fight.” After that he ran off into the woods to relate his joke. - -Now then the wolf was very tired and did not awaken until noon. It was -dark to him and he could not open his eyes. There seemed to be a dried -plaster sealing them over. This frightened Tah´yonĭ’. Then he howled. He -called the birds. So first came the tree tappers. Tah´yonĭ’ said, -“Remove the plaster from my eyes and I will reward you with whatever you -may ask.” So now then the birds began to eat the plaster from his -eyelids and after a while he was able to see. Then he was very grateful -to the birds, so he asked them what they desired most and they answered -that they would like to be painted. So he painted the birds. Some he -striped, some he spotted and some he mottled. He painted birds, blue, -red, black, white, green, yellow, and all the colors. The birds were -very glad then that they had helped the wolf for now they were handsome -to look upon. Thus came there to be different colored birds so it is -said by the ga-gä (legends). So it ends, the tale. - - - 43. THE CHIPMUNK’S STRIPES. - -There was a hungry bear. He could find nothing to eat. At length he -caught a chipmunk and held it a prisoner. After a while he intended to -eat it. Now the bear was about to eat the chipmunk when the little -animal begged that it might be allowed to sing his death chant and dance -his last dance. So the bear let him free for a time but watched him -closely. Now the chipmunk sang this song: - - Si! Si! Oyade agadiangwa! Sa hi hi hi hi! - (Si! Si! Hole I wish for! Sa hi hi hi hi!) - -Now he sang this over and over as he danced over the leaf mold of the -forest. After some time he felt a soft spot and thought a hole might be -beneath. He gave a jump and sank in but the bear was watching and as he -disappeared down the hole he grabbed the chipmunk by the neck and drew -his four claws over its length. This hurt the chipmunk and tore his -skin. After that scabs formed and when they came off the chipmunk had -stripes on his back. He was glad that he had escaped. Now it is said -that so came the stripes of the chipmunk. So it ends. - - - 44. THE RABBIT SONG. - -There was a certain woman who was accustomed to ridiculing Gwaio, the -rabbit. She called him Honishogwadusshe. Usually she called him Hegowa -(gallops). One day Gwaio was running by this woman’s house. She saw him -and came out to deride him for she always thought rabbits queer animals. -When she saw him she sang a song. This is what she sang: - - He´gowa, He´gowa! Ne’´ho ni´shogwadase oi‘ daĕ‘! - (Gallops, Gallops! There growing all around, hair is!) - -Now this made Gwaio embarrassed and he hastened to escape from the sound -of the song. He ran very far but soon saw the woman again singing as -before. - - “Gallops, Gallops, with hair circling round!” - -Then he ran fast again and when he thought that he had escaped he heard -the woman singing again, - - “Gallops, Gallops, with hair circling round!” - -This made him angry and he was mystified to know how the woman could be -ever before him singing her song when he had passed her twice. So he ran -again and when he thought himself safe again he saw her before him -singing as before, - - “Gallops, Gallops, with hair circling round!” - -Again he ran and hearing her sing once more fell exhausted at her feet -tortured by the song and laughter of the merciless woman. He said, “O -woman, you must be a great witch to be ever before me when I pass you.” - -Then the woman laughed and said, “O rabbit you must be a great fool not -to know that I have not moved and that you have been running around in a -circle. When you ran up to me I sang the song, - - “‘Gallops, Gallops, with hair circling round’!” - -Now the old people say that when you see a rabbit and wish to kill it to -remain still and make ready to shoot. He will come again round a circle -and you can kill him. This thing was learned from this legend. Now when -you hunt rabbits sing this song when you see one and soon he will appear -again for he runs in circles and returns to the same spot in which you -saw him first. So now all. - - - 45. THE RABBIT GAMBLER. - -In old times there was a rabbit,—Osīda Hodaweo, that was his name. Now -Osīda was a gambler and was continually winning games. He had a deadly -enemy, Sēno,—that was his name, a skunk. Now this Sēno loved two -sisters. He never gambled but always had plenty to eat. Osīda, also -loved the same two sisters. He gambled and had stores of goods. So Osīda -was the choice of the women but his grandmother said that they would be -fickle and would desert him when his luck changed. Then Osīda laughed at -the old woman. - -His wives were always faithful and cooked good food. Each morning he -returned from his gambling. Then he sang a song: - - “One Djagwehee! Deiogwaie do-no! - One Djagwehee! Deiogwaie do-no! - Now I am coming home; all night I have gambled! - Now I am coming home; all night I have gambled!” - -Then his wives hearing his song in the distance would run out on the -trail to greet him. They would sing a song: - - “Osida-a-a-a Hada-weo! Dondae! - Osida-a-a-a Hada-weo! Dondae! - Feet Earrings! He is returning! - Feet Earrings! He is returning!” - -So it happened this way continuously. Then it changed. One morning he -sang his song but his wives did not come to greet him. He did not hear -their song. He thought that it was strange. But he kept singing. He had -no goods with him. For a long time now he had brought nothing home. His -luck had changed. Therefore he wished his wives to come and cheer him -but they did not come. He continued to sing until he stood outside the -lodge door. He paused and listened but heard no sound within. He thought -that was strange. He entered the lodge and it was empty. No one was -within. There was a hot meal ready for him and he sat down and ate. He -was absent minded and did not see what he was eating. After a time he -heard singing in the air above the lodge. He heard the words: - - “Ionegattha sago no sothetstsowa Haiasho! - Ionegattha sago no sothetatsowa Hayasho!” - -These were the words he heard and then he voided his meal.[42] He ran -out of the lodge, and above the trees overhead he saw his wives paddling -a canoe through the air. They were not descending. Osīda was sick at -stomach but he ran to catch them. They paddled fast and he did not -succeed in getting near them for some time. At last he was at the side -of the canoe which the women were paddling over the ground. He leaped -into the canoe but the women leaped out and hopped away into the bush -lands. Osīda chased them but lost sight of his runaway wives. - -Now Sēno heard a noise above his burrow and sticking his head from the -door saw the women whom he loved running. “Kwe!” he cried, “what is your -haste?” - -“We are running away from Osīda,” they replied. - -“My lodge will be a safe refuge,” he answered with a smile, and beckoned -them in. So they entered. - -Osīda spied their tracks in the mud and stalked them to a burrow. He was -about to run into the hole without looking when a hairy tail of some -animal was pushed against his very face. He had no warning and was -drenched with Sēno’s fetid water. He fell back and cried loudly for he -was greatly in distress. By and by his grandmother came to him. She said -something to him, but Osīda did not laugh. He went home with his -grandmother. - - - 46. THE RACCOON AND THE CRABS. - -There was a raccoon who was fond of crabs. It was his custom to catch -the crabs when they swam out from under a rock in the water. After a -time the crabs learned how he caught them and when he came near the -water they would hide under a flat rock and not come out until a -sentinel told them that the raccoon had gone. The raccoon thought it -strange that the crabs had grown so wary and resolved to play a trick. -He crept to the bank of the brook and lay upon his back pretending to be -dead. After some time the crabs crawled out to the bank and looked -carefully at the “dead” raccoon. Then the chief of the crabs, Hasanowane -Odji’eg´dă, was his name, notified all the crab people to come out and -see their dead enemy. Now when they had all assembled the chief said, -“He is dead, let us all rejoice. He who destroyed us is himself at last -destroyed. So let us rejoice and show our gladness by a dance.” So they -danced and this was the song: - - Do sa gwe Do sa gwe ga no ho tci do - (Chorus) ie ie ie ie ie ie ie ie! - -Soon one of the crabs said, “Are you sure that he is dead?” And the -chief answered, “Go pinch him and see.” So the crab went and pinched him -and the raccoon did not move, so he answered, “Yes, he is dead.” Then -they danced again and after a time a crab asked of the chief, “Are you -sure he is dead?” And the chief answered, “Go and see, then tell us.” So -the crab went up and crawled down the raccoon’s throat. When he came out -he answered, “Yes, he is dead there is evidence inside.” Then the crabs -danced again but after a time a crab asked of the chief, “Are you sure -that he is dead?” And the chief answered, “Go and see for yourself, then -report to me.” So the crab crawled up and pinched the raccoon’s heart. -This made the raccoon very angry and he said to himself, “Now is my time -to feast, I have waited too long.” So he leaped up and began devouring -the crabs and he ate until his belly was gorged. Then he laughed and -thought himself a great trickster. Now that is how the raccoon outwitted -the crabs. It is said that it is not safe to rejoice at the downfall of -an enemy lest he rise again and devour those that thought they danced at -his funeral. - - - 47. THE CRAB’S EYES. - -Now a crab slept so long that his eyes dried up. When he awoke he did -not know where he was. He could not open his eyes because they had dried -up in his head. So he strained for a long time. He crawled along -endeavoring to find his way to water. As he crawled he kept striving. -After a time he came across an obstruction. So he sang this song: - - A-di-na-ote sa-hi ga-i‘ - De-sa-si-no gwa-do-nio! - What kind of a standing tree - With crooked legs here? - -And the tree answered, “I am the oak!” - -“Oh! Oh!” cried the crab, “How far I am from water!” - -Now he crawled along straining his eyes and singing his song. He asked -every tree whose crooked legs he ran against but they answered, maple or -beech, and he was discouraged. After a time a tree said, “rock elm.” -Then he was encouraged and said, “Water must be near at hand!” So he -kept along striving and singing and when he heard a tree call out -“willow” he was exultant. He strained still harder and when he struck -water the paste over his eyes melted and so intense was he that his eyes -shot out of his head and waved about. Now this was convenient for he -could see better than he had ever before. So he decided to keep them out -where he could adjust them as he wished. Now the old people have said -that this was the way the crab got his eyes and it may be true. So it -ends. - - -48. HOW THE SQUIRREL GAVE A BLANKET TO HIS WARRIOR, ROBBED THE WOODCHUCK - OF HIS TAIL AND THE FROG OF HIS TEETH.[43] - -There was a time when animals and birds were very large. So, also, trees -were more lofty and rivers broader. This was long ago. - -Now, in those days there was a great chief of the squirrels, and he was -very wise. It was his custom to go stealthily through the forest and -watch his people as they worked or sported. - -One autumn morning as he lay concealed by the leaves on the limb of a -giant oak, he heard a chattering voice call from a hemlock. It was the -voice of a squirrel. - -“All the autumn days I have been gathering nuts,” said the squirrel in -an aggrieved tone, “and yet day by day my store is growing smaller. Who -is stealing my hoard? Truly some culprit lurks here and is robbing me of -my winter’s food that I have patiently stored in that stump!” - -Up from a hole in the hillside popped Tēdo‘, the woodchuck. From the -dark scummy swamp water a big frog lifted its green head. - -“How unfortunate!” said the woodchuck, “Some thief must be lurking -here.” - -“Yes, I too think it strange,” croaked the big frog, “Surely some thief -must be hidden here.” - -Then in a chorus both poured out their sympathy to the indignant -squirrel. - -The squirrel chief seated on the oak limb listened attentively and then -nodding his head spoke thus to himself. “True, indeed, thieves are not -far away. I think this sympathy betokens knaves.” - -At night the chief hid in a branch that overhung the stump that the -squirrel had pointed out. - -When the sun had gone in his western door and darkness had obscured the -earth, from a hole in the hillside a brown head cautiously emerged and -after peering slyly around the woodchuck crept from his burrow, swung -his tail jauntily and trotted down his path to the swamp. A green backed -frog pushed his way from a high tufted hummock of grass through the -black water of the swamp toward the hillside. But he made no froggish -splash, no gurgling trill, no croak but swam in silence. Reaching the -bank he sneaked his way up the path to the stump beneath the squirrel’s -hemlock where a furry brown bulk was rummaging. - -“Kwe!” exclaimed the frog in a startled note. - -“Kwe!” came the hollow reply, and Tedo, the woodchuck, withdrew his head -to see who had discovered him but finding it to be only Skoak, the frog, -he resumed his work of pilfering the squirrel’s store. - -“Iis kho, and you too,” he said in a muffled voice as with bulging -cheeks he hurried back to his hole. - -Now the frog in those days had sharp gnawing teeth like a beaver’s and -when he entered the hollow stump he tested the nuts to find what variety -he would choose. He had taken hickory nuts before but now chose to take -chestnuts. - -From the limb over the stump store house a shrill cry sounded. - -“Thief found!” came the alarm, and the woodchuck and the frog buried -their ears in their booty to shut out the sound. - -On the following day the squirrel chief called a council of all the -animals, for in those days the squirrel was a famous animal and mightier -than a wolf. - -“Thieves have been found,” said he. “I call a council to pronounce -judgement.” - -Every animal from the neighborhood was present except the frog and the -woodchuck. - -A delegation was sent to examine the houses of these absent two and -after some time returned with the most guilty pair ever brought to -council for judgement. - -Said the squirrel chief. “I saw you steal the squirrel’s nuts, the -delegation found them in your houses, therefore, you shall be punished. -You, the woodchuck, shall have your tail removed to humble your pride, -and you the frog shall have your teeth taken from your mouth that you -may not be further tempted to steal another’s store. You the squirrel -have been too careless. Henceforth build your storehouse high and in -order to protect yourself from offenders that might attack you, I give -you this blanket to stretch from leg to leg so that you may skim the air -like a leaf.” - -A wolf snapped off the woodchuck’s tail and a heron extracted the frog’s -teeth and so punished the guilty knaves in sight of all. - -So now all these things came to pass; all frogs were afterwards hatched -without teeth, all woodchucks had bobbed tails and all the descendents -of the squirrel had blankets fastened to their legs and bellies and made -a tribe of their own. Moreover, since that time all frogs have been -afraid of long-billed birds and all woodchucks are afraid of wolves but -some squirrels have blankets and can skim the air like leaves. - - - 49. THE CHICKADEE’S SONG.[44] - -Djikdjunkwa was a lonely chickadee. She was very sad and sat on the limb -of a tree singing a sorrowful tune. Then she flew to another tree and -listened for an answering call. - -A wolf passing by heard her crying song and tears came in his eyes. “Let -me be your helper?” he asked. - -“What kind of food do you eat, good friend?” asked she. - -“Raw meat, raw meat,” exclaimed the wolf, seeking to lure the Chickadee -to him. - -But Chickadee screamed a fluttering note and flew away. Soon again she -sang her song. - -“I am so lonesome, I am looking for somebody to marry me.” - -A crow flying over listened and was moved to help the distressed little -bird. - -“Oh poor Chickadee,” said Crow. “I would like to marry you.” - -“What would you feed my young ones?” asked the Chickadee. - -“Ripe dead meat,” answered the crow, whereupon Chickadee flew away and -hid herself in a low bush, until the crow had flown away. Then she -returned to a tree and sang again: - -“Dji-he, dji-he, dji-i-he, I am so lonely that I would like to marry. -Dji-he, dji-he, dji-i-he.” - -Soon she heard an answering call and saw a bird like herself. He flew -toward her and said, “I am the one and we will marry now.” - - - 50. THE BIRD WOMAN.[45] - -Sitting mournfully on the edge of her nest was a heart-broken -Gonadjodjo, (Chewink). Her husband had been blown away on the breath of -a storm and the bird mother was left alone to care for her hungry brood. - -All day long she had waited for her mate to return but, alas, he seemed -to have forgotten her. Disconsolate, she listened to her children’s -cries. When she would fly to find their food they would shiver with cold -and when she nestled them under her wings they would scream for bugs and -seeds and berries. Something must be done or her callow nestlings would -perish. So with a sad heart she began to sing in melancholy note. - -Fluttering upon the stump of a fallen tree she sang and an owl within a -hollow stub nearby poked out his head and said, “Oh may I not be your -helper and care for your nest?” - -“Alas!” sighed Gonadjodjo in great distress, “it would never do for my -young birds would die when they heard you.” - -The owl drew back into his hole and Gonadjodjo sang again. - -From another hollow tree came an answering call. “May I not be your -helper?” screeched a night hawk. - -“Ah, what would you say to comfort them?” said Ganojojo. - -“I would say Hai‘´, hai‘´, hai‘´, hai‘´!” - -“Oh no, no!” cried Ganodjodjo, “they would scream the worse.” - -Flying to an open spot she sang again and a crow poking among the weeds -paused and lifted his head as he heard the song. Then, with all -compassion he said, “Oh, Ganodjodjo, I would like to help you.” - -“Then what would you say to soothe my children?” sighed the unhappy -bird. - -“Ga! ga! ga! ga!” replied the crow, but Ganodjodjo cried in terror that -his harsh hoarse voice was far too hoarse for her little ones, so, the -crow croaked and strode on. - -Winging her way to the top of a dead tree Ganodjodjo sang again her -plaintive song. There was a whirr of wings and a bluejay alighted on the -branch beside her. - -“I will help you gladly,” said he. - -“Well,” said the hapless Ganodjodjo shyly, for she was impressed with -the gay bird at her side, “what would you say to my children?” - -“In my softest voice I would say, “Di’´, di’´, di’´, di’´, di’´, di’´, -di’´, skil´lŭm, skil´lŭm!” - -The sharp shrill cry of the bluejay made Ganodjodjo’s ears ache and -fluttering to the ground half fainting she fell in a mouldering pile of -leaves. Plaintively she sang her song again. The leaves on the ground a -distance away began to tremble and rustle and then there was a faint -sound of “tci´-wii‘, tci´-wii‘!” The disconsolate bird stopped short, -and darting to the spot found her own lost mate. - -“I have been stunned and bruised,” he said, “and only awoke when you -called.” - -She plucked him a red berry for medicine and then together they flew to -their nest, he with unsteady wings but she in strong and happy flight. - - - 51. THE PARTRIDGE’S SONG. - -Now there was a partridge[46] woman who had a large family. She had a -house under a big log and her house was hidden by plants. A good many -people (animals) tried to find the partridge’s house because they wanted -to eat her eggs or her children. Now one morning her children were all -asleep and she was running about eating worms and seeds. At this time -she smelled an enemy so she was alarmed for her children’s safety. Now -then she sang a song to awaken them: - - Djut-gan-nio, djut-gan-nio! Ho-sho-ga-he shoda-die-s! - Ya-ha-ne sho-da-ges! Ia-ha-ne sho-da-ges! - -which meant that the skunk was prowling about and would soon find them -if they did not scurry away. After a time they heard their mother’s song -and ran into the bushes and she hid them in a safe place. - -Now this is the partridge song and it is a good thing to sing it when -you see or smell an enemy about a partridge’s house. It is good luck. - - - - - IX. - TALES OF GIANTS, PYGMIES AND MONSTER BEARS - - - 52. A TALE OF THE DJOGEON OR PYGMIES. - - -There was a young man named Snow who lived with his parents along the -bank of a river. He played about the door yard every day and sometimes -swam in the river. When he was very young he obeyed everything his -father told him and refrained from going toward the south, where he had -been forbidden to venture. - -One morning he took his bow and arrows and began to hunt cedar waxwings. -It was spring time and there were many of these birds on the tall trees. -Just as he was about to shoot, the birds flew to the south and so kept -on flying up the bed of a smaller stream, emptying into the river. As -Snow chased the birds he noticed that the walls of the stream grew -higher and higher until they were very high and close together at the -top. It became very dark and Snow became confused and could not tell -where to walk, for the rocks began to get more and more jagged. So he -sat down on a large stone, feeling very miserable. - -Suddenly he heard a stone strike the ground at his feet. He looked about -in the gloom and then heard another strike. The next time the stone -struck him on the forehead between the eyes and Snow fell over like a -dead person. - -After a long time he heard voices speaking. The discussion was about him -and he heard a voice say, “Now we have him.” He resolved to keep his -eyes shut and wait for a good opportunity to escape. Soon he heard foot -falls about him; they were very light like a small child’s. Then more -came about him and soon he heard the sound of drumming. Presently small -voices began to sing and the singing continued for a long time. - -Snow understood every word and remembered the songs. Finally he made up -his mind that there was nothing malign about the intentions of the -beings that moved about him and he opened his eyes. - -All about him were pygmies,—little people,—dressed just like Indians. -There was a shout when he opened his eyes and he was told to rise and be -seated. He could now see clearly by aid of a fire on the slaty bottom of -the creek. - -At length one of the little people spoke, asking him if he had tobacco. -Snow searched through his hunting pouch and found a small quantity which -he gave the chief. This caused an expression of great pleasure. - -The chief of the little people now spoke. “You have come to our home,” -said he. “We sent for you in order that we might teach you our ways. You -are to stay here until you have learned our customs.” - -Snow lived with the little people and became versed in all their arts. -He was told that when the Djogeon were in need of tobacco they would be -heard singing, and then the Indians must throw tobacco into the gulches -where the sound emanated. Sometimes drumming would be heard instead of -singing, and this also indicated the need of tobacco. The little people -would also be pleased to have finger nail parings in order to give them -certain human powers. Snow was told about the different tribes of -Djogeon and about the stone throwers. Some Djogeon had power over the -fruits and plants and even the health of people. They had some valuable -hunting charms which they would bestow if man would guard their potency -by appropriate ceremonies. All this Snow learned. - -The time came for him to depart, and the Djogeon gave him presents, -telling him their purposes and magical attributes. Snow now departed and -returned to his people, who had grown very old. They scarcely knew him -because of his long absence, which seemed to him only a few days. - -Snow now called together his friends and taught them the ceremonies and -the songs of the little people, and these ceremonies have come down to -this day. They must be performed in the dark. - -After that time the people began to see Djogeon in various places, but -they felt safe, knowing how to appease them. - - - 53. BEYOND-THE-RAPIDS AND THE STONE GIANT. - -Skŭn´niwŭndi[47] was a great fighter. His name as a warrior was famous -everywhere and he was called the greatest war chief in the world. -Skŭnniwŭn´di was a great name. - -Skŭnniwŭn´di was passing along the bank of a river one time when he -heard his name called out, “Kwe Skŭnniwŭn´di,” some voice was saying. -“You are the best fighter in the world,—you are the best fighter in the -world.” - -Skŭnniwŭn´di looked up and saw across the river a terrible Genonsgwä, a -stonish giant, a female giant. So he answered, “Kwe! What do you want?” - -“I want to fight with you,” she answered. - -Skŭnniwŭn´di never had fought with a stonish giant but he answered, “All -right, come over!” - -Now at this place on the river there was a deep hole above the ripples -and there was a ford at the ripples. Now the Genonsgwä walked into the -hole and was a long time crossing over under the water. Skŭnniwŭn´di -thought he would cross over on the ripples and he was in a great hurry -and forgot his tomahawk. Now he stood on the opposite side when the -stonish woman appeared. - -“Kwe!” she cried, “where are you?” - -“Right where I was before,” answered Skŭnniwŭn´di. - -“That is strange,” she replied, “for here is your little weapon.” - -“Oh I was passing this place some time ago and dropped it,” he -explained. - -“Oh what a tiny thing to fight with,” she laughed. “How do you ever -expect to fight with it!” She licked it with her tongue and then said, -“It is no good, see me smash it on this rock!” Then she hit the rock and -to her surprise the rock split asunder.[48] She did not realize that it -was her saliva that made the tomahawk strong medicine. - -“Ho ho!” she exclaimed, “are all your weapons so effective on stone?” - -“That little weapon is nothing,” said Skŭnniwŭn´di, “I have a knife here -that will cut stone by drawing it over it.” - -“Let me see it,” begged the giantess. - -The man threw it across the stream. The stonish woman picked it up and -drew it across her lips moistening it with her saliva. This is the -custom of the giants when they wish to use anything and they do not know -that it makes power. Taking the knife she drew it over a flint and the -flint was cut. She rubbed its edge on her coat and it was slit. Then she -threw back the axe and the knife now possessed with a wonderful power -and Skŭnniwŭn´di exultant asked her to hurry and commence the fight. - -“No,” said the giantess, “Your medicine is too strong. You are truly the -greatest warrior of the earth. I will go.” - -When the stone giantess left Skŭnniwŭn´di she ran out to a river and -followed it as it flowed until she came to a house where a man, woman -and child were sitting around a fire inside. She unfastened her stone -coat and entered. After greeting them she said, “I am fleeing from my -husband who seeks to kill me. Only be my friends and I will give you -something.” The people were kind and told her that she could stay, but -even so, they were afraid of her. So she sat and swung the hammock in -which lay the baby daughter. She began to sing without realizing that -her song would offend the parents: - - “Oh what a tender morsel, - How I would love to eat you!” - -The father remonstrated and implored her not to destroy their child. -Then the giantess was sorry and asked forgiveness. - -The next morning she went out into the woods and killed two deer and a -bear and brought them back for her hosts. - -After a number of days she said, “I hear my husband coming. You can save -me. Cut six basswood poles as tall as a man and when we fight and he -throws me down thrust them one by one into his back and you will kill -him. Then I will repay you.” - -The great stone giant came making a roar like a whirlwind, -“Who-whoa-hoh-hoh-hoh!” and the giantess whispered, “Be ready and do -your best. Do not be afraid.” - -The man hid behind the big rocks and saw the female giant and her -husband rush upon each other. They fought very hard and the stone broke -when they hurled each other against them. - -“The world is small, you could not escape me,” the giant thundered as he -flung his wife upon her back and made ready to kill her. Then the man -ran out and thrust the sharpened poles into the giant and they came out -of his mouth. - -“Oh, oh!” he cried, “I am killed, I am gone!” and he fell over dead. - -The giantess was glad and rewarded her friend with a small patch of -skin. “This skin is covered with the hairs of all animals,” she said, -“and when you wish to kill a beast remove a hair and blow it on the -wind. The animal will appear and you will be able to kill it.” - -So the giantess went away and the man kept his great game charm and was -thought a most successful hunter, and no one knew how he got animals -when no one else could; but one day a boy saw him blow a hair and a -beaver came. Then he hit it with a club and chopped off its tail. - - - 54. THE ANIMATED FINGER.[49] - -There was a boy named Skunniwundi who was a hunter. It was a time when -there was a great famine and game was very scarce. The people were -starving. Skunniwundi thought he would find out why there was no game. -Long he had been warned not to go north, but north he went. - -When he had traveled a long ways he saw something moving in the rocks -ahead of him. Concealing himself in a hole he watched. Soon he saw two -stone coated women approaching. They were looking for food. Then did -Skunniwundi know that the stone giants were eating all the game, thus -making the famine. - -After a while Skunniwundi noticed that one of the women took something -out of a bag and placed it on the palm of her hand. As she did this she -exclaimed, “Ghaah!” and commenced to walk directly toward him. At this -he began to run toward a creek hoping to cross it but they were too -swift for him. Hoping to escape he ran into a clump of tall trees and -climbed one. The women followed his tracks to the tree and then began to -look around for him. Not once did they think of looking up, for their -necks would not bend. If they tried they would crack off. Failing to -find him one of the giant women put her hand in her pocket and took out -something again which she placed on the palm of her hand. Skunniwundi -looked down and saw that it was a human finger and that it was standing -up pointing at him. “Where is he?” asked the woman and the finger -wriggled and pointed. This puzzled the women and Skunniwundi felt that -he was secure. Soon he began to think that this finger would be a -helpful possession and began to consider how he could obtain it. - -The women continued at the foot of the tree and finally discovered -Skunniwundi’s hatchet and arrows which he had left on the ground at the -foot of the tree. One woman picked them up and began to lick them, -smelling for blood. - -Skunniwundi now saw that all was lost unless he hastened. So with a -quick slide he came down the tree and seized the finger. With a bound he -jumped into the water, but as he heard the giant women follow him he -turned back under water and stood on the spot where he had dived off. -The women came out of the water on the opposite shore and were greatly -surprised. So they plunged in the water after him and when their heads -were under Skunniwundi swam across and stood on the opposite shore. He -could swim very fast now that he had the finger. When the women came out -of the water they saw him where they had stood but a moment before, and -were again surprised. They plunged in again and this time Skunniwundi -ran very rapidly to escape them. Soon he heard the women crying, “Oh -give us back the finger. We promise not to eat you.” - -Skunniwundi now was filled with power and kept asking the finger where -the giant women were, and by going in another direction he escaped them -until he came near to his own settlement, which lay across a stream of -very cold water. In he plunged and swam across. - -When he arrived on the other shore, toward the village he saw a herd of -deer. Fixing his bow he shot and the arrow went through seven deer -killing them all. He then ran on toward the village. He showed his uncle -the finger and told the people to go for the game, but they returned in -fright saying that there were sounds of giants on the other side of the -stream. - -Skunniwundi and his uncle then went to the river and saw the giant women -on the other side. “Oh Skunniwundi, give back the finger,” cried the -women. “We will not molest you any more.” - -“Give it to them,” said the uncle. “They will be friends with us if we -appease them.” - -Skunniwundi then took the finger and held it way out over the water and -the giant women leaned over from the cliff on the other side and just as -they were about to grasp the finger Skunniwundi drew back his hand and -the women were overbalanced and fell in the river, falling head first. -Down they went to the bottom, and the river froze as hard as stone, -killing the stone coated women. - -After that time, Skunniwundi had the finger for a hunting charm and he -supplied game for the village. - - - 55. THE STONE GIANT’S BATTLE.[50] - -The stone giants had conquered all the tribes of the north and had grown -tired of such easy combats. - -So they came toward the south and heard of the fame of the Six Nations -and right away desired to fight with them. In order to present a -formidable force they sent messengers back to their own north country -with orders to bring back a fresh party of warriors. These crossed the -north ocean and coming to the Niagara river made a path of rocks across -it and walked over without even wetting the soles of their moccasins. - -Now the Six Nations knew all these things because Gwä gwä having seen -them flew up to the clouds and told the sun and the sun told -Soñgwayadĭ’´sä’ĕ’, the Great Ruler. Then Soñgwayadĭ’´sä’ĕ’ instructed -Gwä gwä to nip off a grass-hopper’s big leg and dangle it from the sky -over a village while screaming his cry. So Gwä gwä obeyed. - -An old man was crossing a clearing. In the air above him he heard what -seemed a death cry and looking upward he saw a human leg writhing as it -bled from the clouds. The old man dropped his head down and away from -the sight and walked on pondering over the wonder, and he never knew -that it was only Gwä gwä with a grass-hopper’s big leg. The old man lay -down to sleep and as he slept he dreamed the interpretation of the sign -and knew that the stone giants were coming. - -On the following day the old man took two friends and hid on the summit -of a high mountain. For two days the men camped there listening to the -war songs of the on-marching foe, and at evening on the second day they -saw the vast war party of giants march into sight far down the valley -and pitch camp on the shores of a lake. Then a spirit came out of a tree -and revealed to the men that the Creator had planned to save them. He -instructed them to choose a messenger from among themselves and dispatch -him for a few more people to witness the battle with the giants. - -Accordingly, a runner was sent to the village and a small party was -guided back to the mountain top, where all found shelter beneath a great -rock. - -A terrible storm burst from the sky—He’´no^n roared from the heavens and -sent down his fire upon the camp of stone giants. Then the earth -trembled and the mountains on either side of the valley slid down upon -the giants below. - -It seemed that all were killed. - - - 56. THE BOY AND THE FALSE FACE.[51] - -There was a certain tribe that had been almost exterminated by a hostile -people in the west. The western warriors would swoop down on the -settlements on the Lake (Ontario) and carry off many captives and -scalps. - -Now there was a boy who had no settled home. His parents were dead and -his grandmother also. He was a wanderer and showed no special ability in -anything. - -Now this boy was named No´gwăgwă and he began to have dreams. He dreamed -that a great false face came to him and said, “You must lead a war party -beyond the Mississippi.” Then again he had a dream and the false face -said, “You must lead a war party beyond the Mississippi. You must hold a -war dance and gather your warriors.” - -Now again he dreamed that the false face came to him in his sleep and -said, “You must lead a war party across the Mississippi. You must hold a -war dance and gather your warriors. Go in a fleet of canoes.” Now -moreover he dreamed again that the false face said, “You must lead a war -party beyond the Mississippi. You must hold a dance and gather your -warriors. Go in a fleet of canoes. Sit in the first canoe but do not -allow anyone to pass the middle for I will be in the front of the first -canoe and give your expedition success. You can not fail.” - -Now when the poor boy had heard the false face speak four times he -believed his dream and proclaimed himself a war chief. Then all the -people laughed. Now he notified all the boys of the village that he was -a chief and would lead a party against the hostile nation in the west. -Now many of the boys came and danced. The Nogwagwa said, “I have a power -and can not fail. I have a magic friend.” After a while the people -ceased to scoff and all the men joined his party. Now there were many -canoes and Nogwagwa sat in the middle of the first canoe and would not -allow anyone to pass by him. Now after seven days they reached the -country of the enemy. The warriors wondered when the “friend” was to -appear and could not believe that he sat in the prow of the first canoe. -Now the enemy appeared and immediately there rose into view in the prow -of the first canoe a gigantic false face. Now he was the mark of the -enemy and they shot at him. He had a great shield and caught all the -arrows and no one was killed but when Nogwagwa’s party shot their arrows -they killed many people. Then the party disembarked and pursued the -enemy far inland. The giant false face and Nogwagwa led the party and -they killed the entire tribe of men and took their scalps. Then the -false face disappeared and Nogwagwa led the party home. After that the -boy, Nogwagwa, was his name, was a great chief and he was an influential -man. So it is said this day that orphan boys without homes may become -great chiefs. - - - 57. HOW A BOY OUTWITTED A NIA’´GWAHE. - -Great sickness had killed many men and Sondowĕk´owa, the beast of Death, -had touched the father and mother of two children, who lived far back in -a place in the forest away from the villages. The children, a boy and a -little girl, were left alone to care for themselves. - -The baby sister was swinging in a grapevine hammock one morning, when -from over the hill came floating a song. The boy glanced out from the -lodge and saw an old woman hobbling down hill and crooning as she went. -He did not like the sounds in her song and turned uneasily back to his -work. - -Presently the old woman came up to the little girl and croaking an -unfamiliar song held out a little bark bowl of pudding, inviting her to -accept it. The child looked up and held out her hands to take it when -her brother rushed out and forbade her. - -“The woman is a witch,” he whispered to his sister. “If you eat her food -it will charm you away!” - -The old creature heard this exposure of her true self and fled vowing to -return the next day. True to her promise, she came again and held out a -delicious looking pudding on the top of which was a singing -mocking-bird. The boy ran out from the lodge and stoned the old woman -away and in anger she pointed her fingers toward him and screamed, “It -does not matter for I will come again!” - -The next day she returned and again was driven away by stones. She then -departed with the same threatening words. But on one day she exclaimed, -“Oh why do you not accept my beautiful gift! Do so now for I am hungry -and wish to eat you. Oh, Oh—!” - -The boy was frightened by her frank avowal but determined to be rid of -the old witch and so drove her away once more. - -“Tomorrow I will enter the lodge and eat her before your very eyes. Now -remember my promise!” She screamed as she trampled back through the -trees. - -The boy was aroused and resolved to use every power to save his sister -and himself, so that night he carved two dolls from chunks of rotten -wood and placed them upright against the walls. Taking his sister he -uttered certain magic words and made her very small. He placed her -within a horn arrow-tip and then shot the arrow through the smoke hole. -Leaping magically after the shaft, he followed and picking up the arrow -followed the trail in the darkness. - -The next morning the witch came again this time taking the form of a -nīa’´gwahē. She tore down the hill and pawed before the lodge door. - -“I have come, Oh I have come!” she said. “You cannot escape me now for I -am nīa’´gwahē!” - -“Oh please stay away, we are afraid,” wailed two tremulous voices -inside. “Spare us for we are young. Oh choose some older ones!” - -“Oh no!” snorted the witch, “I have been hungering too long for you -two,” and bursting into the lodge prepared to seize the baby girl. She -then was disappointed when she saw no trace of the children. - -“I am nīa’´gwahē!” she screamed, “no one can escape me!” - -“Dogĕs! Is that very true?” asked small voices on opposite sides of the -lodge. - -The witch-beast looked about, and then seeing the wooden dolls trampled -down the entire lodge. Then, running in an ever increasing circle she -found the boy’s tracks and following them with furious speed she -screamed, “I am nīa’´gwahē, no one can escape me!” - -A short distance behind him the boy heard her voice and unable to -withstand her speed he planned to outwit her by changing his form. He -took the guise of an old man. He kicked off his moccasins and bade them -run on and make tracks to the end of the earth or until a hole appeared -in the soles. Standing with his arrow fixed he gazed upward at an old -robin’s nest that stuck upon a dead branch. - -The witch-beast came crashing through the bushes. - -“Kwē!” she screamed. - -“Cii!” whispered the boy, “do you not see I am watching for game? Agē! I -have been waiting three years for the bird to perch back on its nest and -now you have warned it away with your yells. Oh now you must stay and -help me kill it for I am very hungry.” - -“Oh nonsense!” exclaimed the beast. “I am hungry too. Tell me now old -man, did you see a boy running by here?” - -“Cii!” whispered the boy, “you will frighten my bird. Go away. See those -tracks? Follow them and leave me to my bird!” - -The nīa’´gwahē struck the trail and followed the tracks of the moccasins -through the forests and swamps and when many days had been spent she -came to a log and on it were two moccasins with holes in the soles and -no tracks beyond or around save those she had followed. - -“Agī!” screamed the beast, overwhelmed with chagrin. “He has deceived -me. Now I know he was the old man who gazed at the old nest and sent me -away! Oh he shall not escape me for I am nīa’´gwahē!” - -In the meantime the boy had been running as fast as his legs and his -magic would bear him but after a time he heard a far away call. “I am -nīa’´gwahē, he cannot escape!” - -“Oh uncle,” said the boy as he caught sight of an old spider, “help me -to escape, a nīa’´gwahē is pursuing me to eat my sister and me.” - -“I am your friend,” said the old spider as he unrolled a net and spread -it over the ground in all directions. Away sped the boy and soon the -witch-beast came bounding into sight. Seeing her victim’s tracks, she -rushed squarely into the net and became badly entangled. Very furiously -she wrestled with the snare endeavoring to become disentangled and when -at last she did the boy was far away. - -In an evil temper at the delay the witch-beast snorted wildly as she ran -to the north, in which direction the boy had gone. - -“I am nīa’´gwahē, you cannot escape me,” she screeched as she ran and -the fleeing boy hearing her boast ran faster than ever, until he saw a -boy with a basket of pigeon feathers, he stopped. - -“Save me!” he cried, “give me your basket!” and snatching it from the -owner he scattered the feathers to the winds crying, “Be pigeons and -stop witches!” - -Instantly the feathers were transformed into myriads of pigeons who -flying in clouds, sent down a kind of rain that covered the ground for -miles around with a slime so deep and slippery that no creature could -wade through it. - -Nīa’´gwahē rushed into the slime and sinking into the depths wallowed -and struggled until almost exhausted. Finally she was able to get back -to its border and ran madly onward. “I am nīa’´gwahē, no one can escape -me!” she called, for it was her magic to say these words. - -The boy heard her voice and holding fast to the precious arrow, in which -his sister was hidden, he hurried toward a false face man whom he saw -dancing about a tree. - -“Oh grandfather!” he cried, “save me. Nīa’´gwahē is after me!” - -The false face held out his hand for tobacco and the boy gave him some. -Then he pointed his hand toward a large cliff from which smoke issued. - -The boy darted forward, and after him, close pursuing, was the witch. -The false face halted the creature and demanded tobacco, but the witch -being in the form of a nīa’´gwahē could not give it unless she became -her human self. This she knew meant delay, but the false face was -insistent and then she was forced to shake off the beast form and give -the tribute. It is woe to those who deny the false faces, and she knew -it. Then she resumed her beast shape and galloped onward. - -The boy ran toward a rock and when he saw a small hole he entered and -then crawled into a spacious cavern. A woman within was boiling bear’s -oil. - -“Save me!” cried the boy as the nīa’´gwahē snorted at the entrance and -forced in its head. - -The beast struggled. It was trapped. The woman lifted her pot of boiling -oil and threw it upon the face of the witch-beast. A man forced out its -carcass with a club and shot arrows into a black spot on its feet. - -“I am your mother,” said the woman. - -“I am your father,” said the man, “we were rescued from death by the -false faces.” - -“And I am your daughter,” said a voice as the boy uncapped his arrow, -“and my brother has saved me!” - - - 58. NIA’´GWAHE THE MAMMOTH BEAR.[52] - -In the olden times in the valley of the Dociowĕh lived a newly married -couple. Their lodge was far back by the big rocks and when danger -threatened they hid in the caves. - -After a time there came to the young wife two baby boys. When the twins -were five weeks old the mother died. The father was at first dumb with -grief for his heart was very heavy. Then looking up toward the heavens -he sang, - -“I see a hemlock tree. It has but two branches. The tree is twisted in -the hurricane and is broken midway. The two remaining branches on the -stub are thrashing in the gale. The tree is I. My wife is broken from me -and my children are in the storm! Let me burn tobacco, the wind will -cease; let me burn tobacco and my sorrow heals. It gives me thought!” - -The dead mother had not lain long on her bed of spruce boughs when the -hungry babes began to cry. A sudden thought came to the father. He cut -down two strings of deer meat and flung them into the mortar. Grasping -the pestle he pounded the meat into a powder and soaking it in hot water -fed the liquid to his children. For several months they were nourished -with this and they grew lusty and fat. When the corn was ripe, “in the -milk,” the father scraped the kernels from the cob and pounded them in -his mortar, mixed the paste with water, skimmed off the gruel and cooked -with venison broth, and thus made a new food upon which the children -thrived. When they were a year old they ate the same food that their -father did and grew tall and strong. - -The years went by and they grew vigorous and lithe and became expert -runners often keeping pace with the swiftest of the tribe. At the age of -fifteen one of them ran a race with a deer and falling exhausted died. -And the father sorrowed again and became melancholy. After the death of -his brother the other seemed to double in strength of body and mind. His -name was Hahyennoweh meaning the Swift Runner. In this son the father -took great pride for it was his sole remaining “branch.” Thus he -instructed him in every art known to the hunter and warrior. - -Hahyennoweh was a skilled bowman but as he developed greater speed in -running he came to believe the bow and arrow coward’s weapons. - -“A fight to death and face to face is the only fitting way,” he said. - -With this idea in his mind and a sharp flint in his belt, he broke his -bows and snapped his arrows. Then when he wished to slay an animal he -would pursue it and when it fell exhausted he would wait until it -recovered its breath and strength, slit its throat and carry it home. -Bear, deer, elk, moose and buffalo all fell victims of his speed. - -Like every brave and skillful man he loved to boast of his power, and no -one ever made a statement of their skill lest he exclaimed, “Ho, that is -nothing! I am braver than that for I am the most skillful of all the -tribe!” - -The father began to worry about this fault of his son’s, for it was a -serious one. His entire conversation was self praise, which while -excusable when indulged in occasionally, was unpardonable when continued -forever. Wishing to warn him the father spoke to the boastful young -warrior. “Son, I am your father, hear me!” he said. “You must not brag -or boast yourself hereafter!” - -But the son merely laughed and replied, “Father, I do not. I speak -truth!” - -“But, my son,” the father entreated, “the animals will hear you,—will -hear your boasting and out of revenge will slay you.” - -“No, I think not, father,” he replied, “for no animal can outrun me, not -a beast in all this forest.” - -“Son!” the father spoke gravely, “think wisely and hold your tongue. The -winds will steal your words for mischief and the magically endowed -animals will know it. Then, my son,—then I shall lose you!” - -“Father,” replied the son, “I shall ever boast if speaking truth is -boasting!” - -The father continued his warnings but Hahyennoweh only laughed and -bounded back into the forest. - -One evening Hahyennoweh came home after an exciting race and began again -to boast his prowess. Sadly the father looked at him, and said -sorrowfully, “Son, again I bid you to cease your boasting. Evil will -befall you for I feel it.” But the son was asleep. - -A knock sounded at the door and the father pushed aside the bear skin -curtain saying, “Dahdjoh!” “Gahdjih!” said a voice and the father went -out. A stranger stepped from a shadow. - -“I have come,” said he, “to tell you that the animals have heard your -son’s voice. They have heard his audacious voice and his unseemly -boasting. They have felt his knife and died. They have chosen me and I -have come to him. I have come to tell him he must race me. I am the -chosen one to race him from the sunrise to the sunset. We race the way -the sun goes. If I win, then I shall kill him. If I lose then he shall -slay me. Tell him he must meet me at the windfall.” - -Awaking, the son heard the voices outside and when the father pushed -aside the curtain to re-enter he began to question him. The father’s -brow was wrinkled, his cheek had a gray color. He had sorrow in his -voice. - -He spoke “My son, you are all I have and you have loudly boasted about -running swiftly. Did you not hear my advising words of caution? Did you -not hear my entreaties? Nia’´gwahē has been here and spoken to me. You -have heard our talk together. You will be hurt by him. Hahyennoweh! My -only son I believe that you will perish!” - -Hahyennoweh smiled, and then laughed at his father saying, “Nia’´gwahē -is an old and foolish creature. So it is only he who makes this -challenge! Chisnah! He should know that I am the champion of runners. -Father, tell me more particularly about him, I would like to know how to -feel afraid, but what you have said does not make me afraid.” - -Turning, the father answered, “Nia’´gwahē is a mighty conjurer. He can -change his form to suit him any time he wishes. He has never once been -beaten in a race. Now you had better go to sleep and let me think about -it and when I am done I shall awaken you.” So the son drew his blanket -over his head and went back to his dreaming. - -Seizing the pestle, the father pounded parched corn and maple sugar -together and moistening the meal molded it into a cake and put it into a -rawhide bag. After awhile he awakened his son for he had been thinking -as he had worked. - -“Son, awake!” he said. “I have been thinking and now I will advise you. -The small humming bird is the swiftest of all the feathers and -Nia’´gwahē has never had a race with him. In your cap I am going to put -two feathers from the humming bird’s breast; they are a race charm.” - -The father did not want to sleep that night but sat and threw pinches of -oyankkwaoweh, the sacred tobacco, on a small fire to calm his fears and -give him power with medicine spirits. - -Before the sunrise the son awoke and going down the trail to the creek -took his morning plunge and returned to eat his venison. Finishing his -meal, he shook his father’s hand and said, “Oneh, now I am going.” His -limbs felt strong and elastic for he had rubbed them well with plenty of -oil. As he ran he thought he would like to test his jumping power,—just -for luck,—and nearing the windfall, judged its breadth seven times his -length. Increasing his speed he gave a great leap and cleared it. “Ho!” -said he, “I am ready for any race in the world and ready for Nia’´gwahē, -the beast-conjurer. My legs move of their own accord and my feathers -give me power. Now where is this old thing that gives me a challenge?” - -Just as he spoke there was a loud snort, and looking up he saw the -monster. - -The sun was about to go under the rim of the sky, over Onondasdaht, the -big hill. Hahyennoweh spoke, “Shall we race now? I am ready, it is -sunrise!” But Nia’´gwahē did not answer. He simply blew wind through his -nose and started running. - -The monster’s path was toward a swamp and Hahyennoweh followed after. -The great beast ran very fast through clumps of bushes, just as easily -as the son ran over grass. Saplings, stumps and trees fell before the -big animal. For about five miles the son labored through the muck and -tangles, and then seeing that these obstacles were too much for his -style of running, concluded that it would not be wise to follow much -longer through the swamp-land. He, therefore, decided to return to the -starting point and take his route over the high ridge that curved for -miles around the big swamp. Toward noon, when he had circled it, and had -run miles beyond, he saw Nia’´gwahē far in the distance. Increasing his -speed he soon reached the animal with the exclamation, “Ho-hoh, I am up -to you!” But the mammoth bear only replied, “Ungh wooh!” The son saw -that the Nia’´gwahē was very tired and as he ran beside him he said. -“Kway Nia’´gwahē! Adekoni, it is time for eating!” But the beast with -heavy breathing kept on running. Hahyennoweh, the Swift Runner, paused -in the race, and sitting down on a stone, took a swallow of water and -slowly chewed a handful of parched corn and sugar. He rested for a while -after his meal and then after a swim in the brook, near by, he started -on his race again. - -When the sun was midway from the high heavens to its setting, the son -caught up to the beast again. “Ho-hoh, I am up to you, old opossum!” he -said, but the huge animal was too tired even to grunt. A stream of water -poured from his body leaving in his tracks a muddy streak and his big -sides bulged within and without. - -Again Hahyennoweh sat down and rested, for besides the giving of rest it -made greater excitement. Taking up the race again the son ran over the -path made by the monster. On and on he sped but Nia’´gwahē was nowhere -within range. The path that he had made was a line that ran beyond the -eye’s reach. He increased his speed but even then Nia’´gwahē was not to -be discovered. Then he began to get frightened and wondered if the -monster called into play his magic powers. It seemed so for though Swift -Runner ran his swiftest the beast seemed to run still swifter. But he -did not despair but kept on his journey, hopeful that his charms would -be strong. After awhile, far in the distance, was a small speck that -grew larger as Hahyennoweh ran toward it. That made him run faster and -after some time he overtook the magic monster. It was nearly dark when -Hahyennoweh caught up to the beast and it was none too soon for the race -was almost over. He was very tired but as courageous and boastful as -ever, so Hahyennoweh said, “Ho hoh, I’m up to you again! You are no -runner! Who said you could run, you have been flattered. You are an ugly -old woman to be flattered. You run just like a lame old woman. You have -forgotten how to run. No you never knew how to run at all. Just let me -show you how to run. I’ll never let you catch me as I have you. Oh you -are very slow like a three-legged turtle. Now see me run!” - -The young warrior ran ahead with very great speed over the plain until -he saw the sun hang low and red over the hills. Then looking back, he -saw a small speck. Two thoughts came into his mind. The first that he -should go back and kill the beast, as the sun sank below the hills, and -the second that perhaps the monster was shaming and would speed ahead -should he retrace his steps. But in a moment he laughed at this second -thought and was not afraid. Running back he saw that the Nia’´gwahē had -fallen, unable longer to stand the strain of the contest. His panting -was so great that he blew up leaves and sticks high in the air and bent -the saplings about him. - -The sun disappeared and the evening star shone bright in the sky. It was -twilight and Hahyennoweh stood looking at the fallen big meat before -him. He grasped the small blow gun from his back and fixed a small -sharpened arrow. He aimed for a dark spot on the left front foot of the -animal. He shot and the heaving sides no longer took in wind. The beast -died where he fell. - -It was getting dark and the Swift Runner was tired by his race, so he -lay down beneath a high tree and went to sleep. - - - THE RETURN. - -When he awoke the next morning he found himself wondering what could be -on the road through the swamp,—the route chosen by the Nia’´gwahē. -“Surely it must be some mischief,” he thought, “or he would not have -been so maddened when I ran on the ridge. I think the monster grew so -slow was because he was mad. I must explore the swamp and find the -evil.” - -The huge beast in his mad race had beaten a good path through the swamp, -which the son proceeded to follow. After a journey of ten miles he made -a discovery. The footprints of a hostile people, the marks of the -enemy’s moccasins, were fresh in the path. Hahyennoweh advanced with -caution and as it grew dark he saw ahead of him two fires. Hidden in the -underbrush were temporary shelters erected by a hostile war party. Home -was but five miles distant and the son crept noiselessly past the -encampment and sped toward his father’s lodge. In the moonlight he saw a -deer with very large legs. He looked still closer. The deer had men’s -legs and wore leather leggings! The truth flashed upon his mind. Two of -the enemy were reconnoitering and were planning an attack before the -sunrise! - -Entering the lodge he greeted his father and gave him the beast’s tusk, -the big tooth that sticks out. The father received it without a comment -and continued his smoking. Then very loudly the son exclaimed, “I’ve -seen a deer. I am going to outrun him. I am going now to race him!” Then -in a lower tone he added, “I will return soon, father, and tell you of -my adventure, but wait.” - -Grasping a stone axe he ran out in search of the strange deer. At length -he espied it back of the lodge, peering in at his father. Creeping up -with stealth the son struck the strange animal a crushing blow between -the shoulders, the hatchet sank deep and the forequarters of the deer -dropped to the earth without a sound. Quickly snatching the skin he -wrapped it around the hind quarters and led them struggling into the -lodge. - -“Well father here is the deer of which I told you! Let us skin him and -see what is inside! Unwrapping the skin he revealed the captive, who, -nearly smothered, was too feeble to further resist. Hahyennoweh flung -him into a corner and began to ply him with questions. “How many of you -are there in the swamp? Why came you to kill my people? Where is your -party hidden? What chief sent you? Who is your leader? Are any other -tribesmen with you?” These and other questions he asked him. Bidding the -captive lead the way Hahyennoweh advanced toward the enemy’s camp and -reached it about midnight. He lashed the captive to a tree and stopped -his mouth. The sleeping warriors were not aware of danger and never -moved as they slept. Lifting high his hatchet Hahyennoweh struck the -sleepers. Forty-two times he struck and each time killed an enemy and -the captive bound against the tree saw it all. “Ha’´dĕgaiiwio‘!” he -exclaimed as the last sleeper was struck and then turning to the -terrified man bound to the tree he said “Iīs newa, now you!” He lifted -his tomahawk but paused as he was about to strike then lifting it again -let it fall with a blow the shook the tree. But it had not touched the -man, the blow was not aimed at him, but instead it cut the thongs and -set the captive free. “Now go with all your speed and tell your tribe -not to send war parties against us again for we have strong medicine and -cannot be harmed.” The captive thought so. - -That night as the son sat at the fire in the lodge with his father -stretching the scalps on hoops he told the story of his great race but -not in a boastful way. His great deeds had made it necessary for him to -boast no longer, for if he should men would laugh and say, “Hoh, you did -better than that once!” So never after did he boast but took a good -woman who had asked him to marry her. - -In after years he told the story of the race again, that the tribe might -not forget it, but his grandchildren were unbelieving. “Show us the spot -and the bones and then we will glory in our grandfather,” they said -laughing. So, undaunted, the old man whose name was changed to -Nia’´gwahēgowa, (Mighty Magical Bear), in recognition of his great race, -took his grandchildren on the journey and showed them the place where -the beast had fallen. They dug into the soft soil and found the huge -bones and the jaw where he had broken out the tusk. - -The Indian story teller adds: “White man find bones right where the -Nia’´gwahē fell long after, to this day. Put them in big musees, so -story real true I guess!” - - - 59. THE BOY AND THE NIA’´GWAHE. - -The Five Nations had waged a war with the Snake People who lived in -caves (the Cherokee). The Five Nations became exhausted. Both began to -see that the cause was not worth such a loss of life, and so a treaty of -peace was made. Each party promised to send warriors, women and families -to settle with the other, and thus, by mutual adoptions and -inter-marriage weave a bond of friendship. - -The day arrived for the mutual emigrations, and patiently the Five -Nations awaited the coming of their visitors, but none came, nor could -news be obtained of their own party. A messenger was dispatched but he -never returned. More were sent but, likewise, they never came back to -report. At last the chiefs called a council to devise means to get to -the land of their former enemies and learn how the party and the -messengers had fared. A new messenger was chosen from the bravest of the -warriors and a short distance behind a watcher followed. For two days -all was well, but on the third the watcher looking ahead on the trail -saw the messenger crawling laboriously along. Running toward him he -found him wounded, stripped of all clothing and bleeding from tusk -wounds and heavy bruises. - -Niā’´gwahē!” whispered the man hoarsely, and fell dead. - -The runner dashed down the trail crying, “Gowĕ´! Gowĕ´!” - -A council was hastily called and the fate of the messenger discussed. - -“Agē! So it is Niā’´gwahē who has been destroying our people and not our -allies,” said the chief. “Truly now, some one must be found who is able -and willing to destroy the evil. A brave one must he be for he will -battle with the most powerful of all beast magic. He who grasps this -white wampum belt shall be the chosen man and he shall have the belt ‘on -his body’.” - -The chief circled the council, holding the belt before every man but no -one moved or lifted a hand. - -“What!” said the chief, “are real men cowards! Has no one a heart and -mind and arm strong enough to take this belt!” - -Standing in the doorway of the council house was a boy, awkward in -figure and uneven of feature. His parents were dead and his home was -with his grandparents. He was accounted of a lowly family and as of -foolish mind. The chief wished to make a laugh to break the seriousness -of the situation and so called out, “Why not try Tedo‘!” The chief did -not smile although the entire assembly laughed, but holding the -beautiful belt out to the boy said, “Are you Oñgwĕhoweh?” - -The boy grasped the belt and threw it over his shoulder. - -“Do you know what you have done?” asked the chief solemnly. - -The boy nodded his head and clasping the wampum ran from the council to -his grandmother’s lodge. - -“Oh grandmother!” he cried, “I have taken the belt to kill the -nīa’´gwahē, he who blocks trail to our new ‘friend’.” - -“What, you!” exclaimed the grandmother. “Why you are nothing but a -ragged simpleton!” - -“Well hurry then, and prepare my owĭs´hä,” said the boy, “for I am to -kill nīa’´gwahē and need food for my journey.” - -The old woman pounded the parched corn and mixed it with maple sugar. - -“Now be off,” she said, “you and your dog!” - -The boy started down the path talking to his dog. “I will not yield, I -will demand yielding,” he said. “I will not be pursued, I will pursue, I -will not see failure, I will succeed.” - -For two days he journeyed down the trail that led to the allies’ -country. At dawn on the third day there was a wild trampling in the -forest and from the thicket rushed the nī’´gwahē. The dog rushed forward -with a yelp but the great beast merely opened his jaws and drew in a -breath and with it the dog flew down his throat. - -Picking up a stump, the boy dashed forward, yelling, “I am after you, -you cannot escape me!” - -Now it happens that these words are the very ones used by a nīa’´gwahē -when it pursues its prey, and such a charm have these words, that, as -the beast repeats them, animals and men become weak and fall down as -victims of the creature’s cunning. When this nīa’´gwahē heard its own -cry flung back in its face, it was surprised. Its own words were turned -into its own ears. Then the great beast turned and fled. - -“Ha, ha!” laughed the boy, “you cannot escape me!” - -All day the nīa’´gwahē fled from the boy who pursued it crying shriller -and sharper, “I am after you, you cannot escape me!” - -The sun began to set and the boy sat down on a log to eat his owĭs´hä -with a little water, but when he opened his pouch he found his food a -mass of wriggling maggots. - -“Agē!” he exclaimed, “this does not discourage me,” and leaping from his -seat, he took up the chase again, following closely upon the heels of -the nīa’´gwahē. “Oho’!” he cried, “You are the one for whom I am -looking! Very soon I will kill you.” - -The sun went under the hills and the black night came. - -“Agē, I am tired now, nīa’´gwahē, and must rest,” he said, “but I will -kill you as soon as I get time.” - -The beast trembled and ran on a short distance in the vain hope of -escape but returning put his nose to the boy’s ear. - -“Kwē!” he whispered, “Are you asleep?” - -“No, not yet,” replied the boy with a yawn. - -“Well then,” continued the beast, “I wish to tell you that I know I am -defeated, but oh spare me, I beg of you, spare me! Have mercy and do not -kill and I will flee from the land of men and hide in the icy north, -never more to disturb or devour men.” - -“Ho ho! this is your trick,” laughed the boy, with a sneer. “No mercy -for you, you deserve only death. Hold up your foot and show me the -spot!” - -“Oh no, no, no,” begged the nīa’´gwahē plaintively. “Let me live and as -a pledge of my truthfulness I will give you my teeth.” - -The boy debated with himself and then asked, “What profit are teeth?” - -“My teeth are my magic,” answered the creature, “and my magic is his who -holds my teeth.” - -“Well now,” said the boy slowly, “if your teeth will bring fortune to -men I will accept them, but if ever you visit again the haunts of men, -remember that I am the mightiest of wizards!” - -With many groans the beast shed his teeth, crying, “All my magic -strength and power are his who holds these teeth.” - -The boy threw them in his pouch and bade the monster depart forever. The -boy rested for some time and then ran with all speed to the land of the -allies. He called a council and told his story. - -“We thought your nation had destroyed our people whom we sent to you,” -said the chief of the allies at the close of the boy’s speech. - -“We also thought the same of you,” answered the boy. - -The boy departed for his own village and held a great council, telling -all he had seen, heard and done. The people were astonished beyond -measure and cried, “Oh, tell us how you became powerful! What are your -charm medicines?” - -“This,” said the boy, “I grasped the white belt, I went and would not be -pursued, neither would I fear.” - -“But all thought you a fool,” said the people. - -“Perhaps I am,” answered the boy, “if silence and observation mean I am -only dull. But I only thought I would hold my mouth until my ears filled -up.” - -Then all the people shouted and called him a great chief. - -Thus were the nations saved, so was the trail established and so was the -nīa’´gwahē slain. - -Now this is true and medicine men (Hotci´no’gä) have the teeth to this -day and use them for magic. - - - - - X. - TRADITIONS - - -[Illustration: - - EMILY TALLCHIEF. - - An informant on traditions and a leader among the Christian Seneca. - Mrs. Tallchief was the great grand-daughter of the famous Chief - Cornplanter. She was a member of the Wolf Clan. - - _Photo by E. C. Winnegar._ -] - - - SENECA BELIEF IN WITCHCRAFT. - -It will be remembered that one of the first major tests of the authority -of the State of New York over the Seneca Indians occurred in 1821 when -Thomas Jemmy, a Buffalo Creek Indian, was indicted in a state court for -the murder of a witch. Jemmy had been chosen executioner of the witch, -after the order of tribal law, but his action aroused the attention of -the neighboring whites who took court action against him. - -Jemmy was defended by Red Jacket whose speech in defense of the accused -man is a classic of Indian oratory. The trial resulted in the claim that -state courts had no jurisdiction over the internal affairs of Indian -tribes, and Jemmy was acquitted. - -This incident serves to call attention to the very general belief of the -Seneca Indians in witchcraft. Indeed not only did the Indians believe in -it, but many of the neighboring whites. There are many white rural -communities today where belief in witches is current, and one has only -to visit the rural settlements about Reading, Pa., or read the accounts -of investigations reported in the _Journal of American Folk Lore_, to -find how prevalent among the whites of today is the belief in witches. - -Red Jacket was somewhat familiar with history. In his defense he said, -“Go to Salem, and there find a record of hundreds persecuted and scores -slain for the same crime that has brought down the arm of vengeance upon -the (guilty) woman.... What crime has this man committed more than the -rulers of your own people, in carrying out in a summary way the laws of -his people and your people, and the laws of his God and your God...?” - -This belief in witches and sorcerers has not been entirely eradicated -among the state Indians to this day. All the older Indians have witch -stories to tell, and some of them have had personal experience with -witchcraft. It is not considered good form to talk about witches, for if -one reveals too much knowledge he is apt, himself, to be accused of the -evil art. It matters not whether the Indian is a christian or -non-christian as far as witchcraft is concerned. Both christians and -followers of Handsome Lake express a belief in it. - -It is customary for the Indians to call all manner of sorcerers, -“witches.” Both sexes are implied, and it is to be doubted that an -Indian would recognize the term wizard, though for the sake of -consistent English I have employed the term throughout this work. To the -Seneca all “otgont” charm holders are witches and capable of witchcraft. -An Indian will seldom mention anything about witches to white people for -fear of ridicule, but they admit that some white people know much about -the sinister art. The Tonawanda Indians, for example, know of a white -doctor who is capable of diagnosing the symptoms of witch poisoning, and -he has a great reputation for curing bewitched patients. - -An understanding of the Seneca belief in witchcraft is essential for an -understanding of Seneca folk-lore, and not only folk-lore but the -psychology of the group. - -Certainly, all through the folk-lore of the Seneca, one will find a -steady belief in the ability of “powered” persons to transform -themselves into any sort of creature desired, particularly the form of -some chosen animal. One of the most common methods is to have a -collection of animal pelts into which the person may enter and assume -the character of the beast, but retaining human intelligence. Most -frequently in modern times the witch is reputed to be able to become an -owl, a dog or a big snake. - -To guard against witches many Indians buy witch powder from witch -doctors. By using this properly the witch is kept away from the person -and his household. - -In case of uncertainty the witch doctor goes into a trance and -prescribes the proper remedy. Sometimes a person is bewitched by a -spirit or by a charm that he has failed to pacify. The charm then causes -bad dreams, wounds, broken bones and even death in the family unless -satisfied by the proper ceremony. - - - 60. CONTENTS OF A CHARM HOLDER’S BUNDLE. - -Edward Cornplanter stated that a complete bundle of charms -(godä’ĕsniyus´ta’kwa), should contain the following articles: (a) Scales -of the great horned serpent or some of its blood; (b) round white stone -given possessor by a pygmy; (c) claws of the death panther or fire -beast; (d) feathers of dewat´yowais, or exploding bird; (e) castor of -white beaver; (f) otnä´yont, or sharp bone; (g) gane´ont-wŭt, or corn -bug; (h) small mummified hand; (i) hair of dagwanoeient, or flying head -of the wind; (j) bones or bone powder of the Nigä’´wahē or monster bear; -(k) small flute or whistle from an eagles’ wing bone; (1) anti-witch -powder; (m) bag of sacred tobacco; (n) claws or teeth of various wild -animals; (o) a small mortar and pestle; (p) a small war club; (q) a -small bow and arrow; (r) miniature bowls and spoons of wood; (s) a small -wooden doll; (t) clairvoyant eye oil. These objects are called -otcină‘ke^n’´dă’. - -Individuals also had other charms, as different kinds of stones or -wooden tablets that they scraped into a powder as “medicine.” - -By consulting his bundle a charm holder could tell how to overcome a -sorcerer’s influence, or determine what spirit had been offended and -needed propitiation. - -Each bundle was “sung for” in an appropriate ceremony of the charm -holders’ society. - - - 61. CONTENTS OF A WITCH BUNDLE.[53] - -In a witch bundle found in an abandoned house of an old witch, the -following articles were found: - -1 bundle containing miniature weapons and utensils. - -1 bundle containing dolls made of some soft brown wood. - -1 package of small sacks from animal hearts. - -1 ball of fine cord or thread. - -1 box of dried snake blood. - -1 bottle of eye oil. - -1 package of hair of different shades. - -1 bundle containing packages of various powders. - -1 box containing a collection of various greases. - -1 package containing smaller parcels of nail parings. - -1 package of many wrappings containing a smaller inner package, with wet -blood, and containing a small sharp bone. - -1 dried human finger. - -Collection of snake skins. - -The witch is also reputed to have had a black calf skin, and a big dog -skin. She was capable of transforming herself and much of the time lived -in a small round pond as the wife of a monster black snake. When she -finally died and was buried a witch light, gahai‘´, was seen over the -pond. - - - 62. OVERCOMING A WITCH.[54] - -A strong man began to feel sick and could not tell what troubled him. He -took all kinds of medicine and went to three doctors but he grew -steadily worse. After a while he could work no more and went to the home -of a friend for help. His friend told him to stay with him until he -recovered. - -He was given a room on the far side of the house and as it had only one -window it could be easily darkened. He was very weak and could eat only -one meal a day. This caused him to stay in bed most of the time. After a -while his friend said: “I am going to go to Newtown after a witch doctor -who has just come from Tonawanda.” So he went after the witch doctor. - -The witch doctor made a poultice and placed it on the sick man’s -abdomen. He covered the poultice with rags and moss. The poultice was -very hot and appeared to be drawing something out of the patient. Pretty -soon, the witch doctor yelled, “Now is the time,” and grabbed the -poultice and ran to the kitchen stove where he threw the contents of the -poultice into the ash pan. Then he stirred into the poultice and pulled -out a small sharp bone with a white hair wound around it. - -Everybody examined the bone, and finally the witch doctor said, “It is -my opinion that Widow — is bewitching you.” - -“Why, she calls here every day to see how he is,” said the woman of the -house. - -The witch doctor told her to watch for the witch and notice what she did -when she came next time. The sick man did not sleep that night but -covered his face and began to talk to himself. He was now becoming a -“witch” himself. In his hand he held the witch bone with the hair around -it. - -The next morning an old woman left her cabin on a hill and started down -into the valley and up another hill to visit the sick man. Suddenly he -began to talk. “Here she comes,” he said. “She is now leaving her house. -Now she is down by the well. Now she is on the road. Now she is crossing -the bridge. Now she is at the gate. Now she is walking up the path. Now -she is by the apple tree. Now she is at the door.” As he said this there -was a rap-rap-rap outside and the housewife opened the door, and there -stood the old woman. - -The old woman looked worried. “I couldn’t sleep last night,” she said. -“I worried too much about Bill, besides I think I have lost something.” -Then she went in to see the sick man. He had his head covered but yelled -out, “You’re the one; you leave me alone after this or I will kill you.” - -The old woman pretended she didn’t know what he was talking about and -soon went out. - -That night the sick man talked to the bone. He wound one of his own -hairs about it and then threw it at the wall, saying, “You go back to -her and stick in her heart.” - -Everybody in the house heard the bone fly through the wall, for it went -“ping!” Then the sick man went to sleep. - -The next morning the old witch didn’t come so the people went to her -house and it was locked. Someone climbed in a window and found her dead -in bed. They turned back the quilts and found the sharp bone driven into -her heart. Nobody felt sorry but said, “It served her right; she had no -business witching people.” - - - 63. THE SCORNED WITCH WOMAN.[55] - -There was a beautiful young woman, the daughter of a witch. When the old -witch died her husband wanted to burn up her bundles of witch poisons, -because he was a Christian, but the beautiful daughter said, “Father, -let us keep this bundle; you never can tell what might happen if we -should destroy it.” So she hid the bundle. - -Now, there was a handsome young fellow living in the neighborhood and he -came to the house once or twice to see her father. The young woman -determined to get this young man so she made witch medicine and put it -in his cider when he visited the house the next time. It was night and -when the young man went out to go home she went out the back door and -followed him. Pretty soon she coughed and he looked around. Then she -called him and he asked her what she wanted. She asked him to sit down -on a log by the road. They stayed there quite a while. After a while the -girl said, “Why don’t we two get married?” The young fellow replied, -“What is the use?” Then he went home. - -Now he had just secretly married another girl from Cold Spring and he -went to her house. Pretty soon she said, “You have been somewhere. You -have been visiting some other woman.” She then scolded him. - -He felt very bad for he loved his bride, but he felt that he could not -help having made the mistake of calling on the man who was his friend. -He never thought about the girl because he did not like her. He -therefore made up his mind that he had been witched. - -He felt very bad the next day and wanted some more cider, but the man -who had it lived a long way past his friend’s house. Nevertheless he -tried to go past the house to the one further on, but all the while he -felt something pulling him back. In a moment he yielded and returned to -the house, where the beautiful young woman let him in at the back door. -He drank some cider, and called for more. This was the young woman’s -chance and she put in a double portion of love powder. His mind changed -quickly and he began to sing love songs. After a while the girl said to -her father, “We two are going to get married.” The father didn’t know -what to say. He should have been glad, because the young fellow helped -him draw wood in winter. But he had heard that his friend had another -woman. He therefore said nothing, but looked worried. - -After a while the young man went out again and as before the young woman -followed him and they sat down on the same log as the previous night. It -was dark and the girl kissed him and held onto him. After a while he -said, “I am going home, I really don’t love you. I am married to -Fidelia.” - -At this the young girl became very angry and said, “You had better leave -her and come to live with me. If you don’t I will bewitch you and make -you sorry.” - -“How can you witch me?” asked the young fellow. - -“I never will tell you,” said she, “but I will make you so sorry that -you will wish you were dead.” - -The young fellow then left her and went home to his own wife. As before -she scolded him roundly and accused him of unfaithfulness, but he said -nothing. He was a good provider and worked hard. - -In a few days the young fellow began to be sick. He had sharp pains all -over his body. He kept at work, however, and though he was tempted to -visit his friend and get cider he kept away. Day by day he grew weaker -and at night it seemed as if some one were scraping his body. Each day -he grew thinner until he could work no more. - -After thinking over the matter he decided to call in a witch doctor. -This he did and the doctor advised him to visit a certain swamp near the -creek and watch from across the water what was happening. That night he -went down the hill and crouched back of a dead tree, at the same time -keeping a sharp eye on the swamp across the stream. It was moonlight and -he could observe everything in detail, for the stream was not wide. Soon -he saw something swinging in the wind near an elm tree. He looked more -closely and saw that it was a large bark doll suspended by a long -string. Soon the moon shone full upon it and as he looked he saw the -beautiful young witch woman come through the grass. She paused beneath -the tree and saluted the doll, calling it by the young fellow’s name. -She took out a knife and began to scrape it, to reduce its size, and as -she did this the young fellow began to feel a sinking feeling as if he -were shriveling up. The girl kept talking and laughing at the doll, -saying, “You are tied up now. Well when the string rots you will fall -and die. Meanwhile I will scrape you and eat your body.” Then when she -had said this, she took out some sharp thorns and stuck them in -different parts of the doll, and the young man yelled right out it hurt -him so. Thereupon the young woman laughed and said, “Aha, I can hear you -groan way here.” - -After this the young fellow went home and was sick all night. The next -day he resolved to do what the witch doctor had told him, but he was as -yet too weak to perform the ceremony. As he lay thinking about his -misfortune he heard a footfall outside and then a rap. His wife went to -the door and there stood the young woman. “I have brought him some nice -soup,” she said. “I hear he is very sick.” - -She entered and went over to the young fellow. He hid his face and said, -“Go away, I know what you are doing to me. You have poisoned me. I am -sending for a crow today.” - -The girl laughed and said, “What are you sending for a crow for?” - -“You will soon find out,” he said. - -That afternoon the witch doctor came and asked, “Well has she been here? -If she has I can go ahead with the plan; I have brought the crow.” - -So the young fellow took the crow and cut out its heart at the same time -saying, “I bestow upon you the name of ——,” the name of the young woman. - -The witch doctor and he then went into the back shed and made a model of -a kettle-hanging frame. They put it on the dirt floor of the shed and -then put a long splinter through the heart. They lighted another -splinter and passed it under the heart several times, scorching it. - -The next day the young woman came to the house again. This time she was -crying very hard. She came in and said, “Now look what you did to me.” -She opened her waist and showed her breast. It was burned and blistered. - -The young fellow then said, “You let me alone and quit witching me or I -will burn your heart right out of you. You made me do wrong. I’ve got a -good woman.” - -Then the young woman said, “I’ll quit; you are too strong for me.” After -that the young fellow got well. - -After that the young woman never witched anybody, but was a good friend -to the young fellow’s wife and took care of her babies. - - - 64. CATCHING A WITCH BUNDLE.[56] - -One night three men came to the house of a man named William and asked -him to go with them to a place on the Four-mile Level. It seemed that a -man by the name of Jesse —— had been having very bad luck and had lost -one child after another by some strange disease. William was reminded of -this and asked by one of the men, a Tonawanda witch doctor, to assist in -the hunt for the mysterious source of death. He consented and went along -with the party. - -Reaching the desired spot the witch doctor took a forked stick and held -it by the long forked ends, one in either hand. He walked forward and -when he pointed the stick in a certain direction the stick would glow. -He kept following the glow until he reached an old stump way in the -heart of the bush lot. The three men followed him silently. When he -touched the stump the forked stick seemed on fire and bent down and -touched the ground between two roots. “This is where we must dig,” said -the witch doctor. - -One of the men carried a spade and dug as directed. Very soon he struck -a stone, after which the witch doctor assumed charge of the digging. A -lantern was lighted and as the earth was scraped away the investigators -found a cubical slate box with a cover over it, made from thick slabs -from the creek bottom. The witch doctor lifted the cover and looked in. -“It is there,” he whispered, placing some white powder on the top of the -box. - -The party now went back to Jesse’s house and dug a hole at the corner of -the woodshed. In this the witch doctor placed a five-gallon crock. Over -this he placed a large piece of silk, weighted at the corners so that it -stretched taut, like a drumhead over the mouth of the crock. He then -made a little fire and cast medicine powder into it, at the same time -talking and commanding the witch bundle to come from its slate box -through the air into the crock. After a while there was a ball of fire -flying through the air and it came down and went through the silk -without burning it. - -“Now we have it,” said the witch doctor. “We can open it now.” So they -opened it and found a bundle of rags all saturated with fresh human -blood. In the middle of the bundle they found a sharp bone called -otnä´yont, and it was red with blood. It was the bone that had been -drinking the blood of Jesse’s children. The witch doctor then took the -bone and took care of it. After that there was no more sickness and the -last child got well. It seems that these sharp bones must be taken care -of and if neglected they will eat the blood of children until some one -finds the bundle and takes care of it. - - - 65. WITCH WITH A DOG TRANSFORMATION.[57] - -A sick woman with a wasting disease noticed that every night something -would peek in her window. Her husband could find no evidence of this -until one night after a snow storm he found the tracks of a large dog -outside the window. Following the tracks to the road he saw that they -became human footprints and were lost in the other tracks at the side of -the road. - -The next morning among the friends that called upon the sick woman was -an old lady who lived near the creek in a small house. She was a widow -and lived alone. This old lady asked about the sick woman in such a -peculiar manner that the husband grew suspicious. After the old woman -left the sick woman began to feel much worse. - -That night she screamed, “She is looking at me!” And the husband going -outside saw as before dog tracks running down to the road. He watched -and soon some men came by and he asked them if they had seen a large -dog. The men said they had; one had just ran down the road toward the -creek. Morning came and the husband determined to investigate further. -He crossed the road and walked down the other side until he came to the -Esther —— place. He noticed that a large dog had run along the fence and -had leaped over it. On the other side there were human footprints going -to the house. - -Morning came and the old woman called again inquiring about the health -of the sick woman. This time the husband said, “If you don’t stop -witching my wife I will fix you.” The old lady asked him what he meant -and said that she was not a witch. - -The husband then resolved to watch in the woodshed all night, if need -be, and to catch the dog looking into the window. He got some blankets -to keep himself warm and waited with his rifle. After a while he heard a -sniffing sound and presently heard something walking around the house. -Cautiously he looked out and saw the dog with its paws on the -window-sill of his wife’s room. Fire was coming out of the dog’s eyes. -The husband now ran out and chased the dog which ran down the road. -There were many people on the road, for it was moonlight and it was -sleighing time. They saw him chasing the dog. It ran to the fence and -jumped over. As it poised in mid air over the fence the man fired his -gun. There was a yelp and the people saw something shoot through the air -and jump into the window of the cabin. The people watched this and -looked over the fence but there was no mark or track on the snow, except -some dog hair. Three days later the people went to the house and found -the old woman dead on her bed with a bullet in her heart. There was dog -hair on the window where she had dived through. It was sure then that -she had been a witch. The sick woman recovered. - - - 66. WITCH STEALS CHILDREN’S HEARTS.[58] - -There was an old woman who always helped with children’s funerals, and -would sit up all night while the tired parents slept. She would lock the -door and stay with the dead children. Everybody thought she was a nice -old woman until one time a woman walking by her house saw a witch light -fly out of her chimney and go into the graveyard. “Hoh,” she said to -herself, “I guess old lady E—— must be a witch.” - -Soon thereafter another child died and the old lady came as usual to -help with the funeral. That night she sat up with the corpse but this -time the woman who had suspected the old lady told her husband Gus to -watch her through a window. - -Gus found a place outside where he could see into the room. At midnight -the old lady took a knife and cut the heart out of the child and then -ran out of the house while everybody else slept. She went to her own -house and shortly turned into a ball of fire and flew out of the -chimney. The light went to an old cemetery where there were many sunken -graves. Gus followed, though he was frightened. He saw the old woman put -something into a hole in a grave hollow and say, “There, I have got you -another. Now you are my friend and will have to show me where I can get -money.” - -Soon the light soared overhead again and went back into the old lady’s -chimney. - -The next morning Gus went to the father of the dead child and told him -what he had heard and seen. The father was very mad but after examining -the child could find no marks where the heart had been taken out. The -old witch had healed the cut. So then they went to the cemetery and -found the grave. Digging down where they saw the hole they came to a -corpse and it was all covered with blood and had a child’s heart in its -mouth, gnawing at it. The men poured kerosene from a lantern in the hole -and set it afire. Then they went to the old lady’s house and found -bloody rags on the table, but she was not there having gone back to the -house for the funeral. The father of the dead child then ran home and -found the old lady there. - -“You are an old witch,” he stormed. “Now I know why you have been going -to children’s funerals. You must confess now or I will kill you.” He -grabbed her by the hair and swung her around. She burst out crying and -said, “Yes, I now confess. I took children’s hearts to give to my -friend. This friend gives me luck and I would starve without her.” - -“You go home and quit this business,” said the father. - -The old lady went home and after the child was buried the family called -in a witch doctor and they made a charm against the witch woman, and -soon she died. - - - 67. HOTCIWAHO. (HAMMER IN HIS BELT.) - -This was near a river. There lived Hotciwaho an old man. His house was -apart from all others and his grandson lived with him. Now this -Hotciwaho wore women’s clothes and beneath his skirt he wore a hammer -(mallet), and he would hide by the springs back of the rocks and kill -children when they came for water. He would strike them on their heads -when they stooped over to dip. Their bodies would be found at the spring -by the people who after a time found so many that they thought some -subtle poison must haunt the places where they drew their water. Now -this Hotciwaho would always go to the house where they were mourning -over the death of the child and he would weep. Now the people never saw -the tears fall from his eyes but they were always wet when he moaned -over the child and said, “Hagiă’´!” He did not truly cry but before -entering wiped his saliva over his cheeks and eyes so as to appear -grieving. This was his trick. - -Now why did he kill people? He was lazy and loved good food. Now at -funerals the bereaved always provided a feast and afterwards the death -feast and the mourners could take away a portion of the soup, bread and -cakes. This is why he killed children. He wanted the food. - -Now such a man when he does a wrong many times thinks it no offence. The -grandson thought this all wrong and being afraid that he too would be -killed stole his grandfather’s hammer and struck him a blow on the head -and killed him. So he died in the same way. - - - 68. HOW AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED. - - HANDSOME LAKE’S STORY. - -According to Chief Cornplanter, Handsome Lake taught that America was -discovered in the manner here related. - -A great queen had among her servants a young minister. Upon a certain -occasion she requested him to dust some books that she had hidden in an -old chest. Now when the young man reached the bottom of the chest he -found a wonderful book which he opened and read. It told that the white -men had killed the son of the Creator and it said, moreover, that he had -promised to return in three days and then again forty but that he never -did. All his followers then began to despair but some said, “He surely -will come again some time.” When the young preacher read this book he -was worried because he had discovered that he had been deceived and that -his Lord was not on earth and had not returned when he promised. So he -went to some of the chief preachers and asked them about the matter and -they answered that he had better seek the Lord himself and find if he -were not on the earth now. So he prepared to find the Lord and the next -day when he looked out into the river he saw a beautiful island and -marveled that he had never noticed it before. As he continued to look he -saw a castle built of gold in the midst of the island and he marveled -that he had not seen the castle before. Then he thought that so -beautiful a palace on so beautiful an isle must surely be the abode of -the son of the Creator. Immediately he went to the wise men and told -them what he had seen and they wondered greatly and answered that it -must indeed be the house of the Lord. So together they went to the river -and when they came to it they found that it was spanned by a bridge of -gold. Then one of the preachers fell down and prayed a long time and -arising to cross the bridge turned back because he was afraid to meet -his Lord. Then the other crossed the bridge and knelt down upon the -grass and prayed but he became afraid to go near the house. So the young -man went boldly over to attend to the business at hand and walking up to -the door knocked. A handsome man welcomed him into a room and bade him -be of ease. “I wanted you,” he said. “You are bright young man; those -old fools will not suit me for they would be afraid to listen to me. -Listen to me, young man, and you will be rich. Across the ocean there is -a great country of which you have never heard. The people there are -virtuous, they have no evil habits or appetites but are honest and -single-minded. A great reward is yours if you enter into my plans and -carry them out. Here are five things. Carry them over to the people -across the ocean and never shall you want for wealth, position or power. -Take these cards, this money, this fiddle, this whiskey and this blood -corruption and give them all to the people across the water. The cards -will make them gamble away their goods and idle away their time, the -money will make them dishonest and covetous, the fiddle will make them -dance with women and their lower natures will command them, the whiskey -will excite their minds to evil doing and turn their minds, and the -blood corruption will eat their strength and rot their bones.” - -The young man thought this a good bargain and promised to do as the man -had commanded him. He left the palace and when he had stepped over the -bridge it was gone, likewise the golden palace and also the island. Now -he wondered if he had seen the Lord but he did not tell the great -ministers of his bargain because they might try to forstall him. So he -looked about and at length found Columbus to whom he told the whole -story. So Columbus fitted out some boats and sailed out into the ocean -to find the land on the other side. When he had sailed for many days on -the water the sailors said that unless Columbus turned about and went -home they would behead him but he asked for another day and on that day -land was seen and that land was America. Then they turned around and -going back reported what they had discovered. Soon a great flock of -ships came over the ocean and white men came swarming into the country -bringing with them cards, money, fiddles, whiskey and blood corruption. - -Now the man who had appeared in the gold palace was the devil and when -afterward he saw what his words had done he said that he had made a -great mistake and even he lamented that his evil had been so enormous. - - - 69. ORIGIN OF THE CHARM HOLDERS’ MEDICINE SOCIETY.[59] - -There was in old times a young chief who was a hunter of great cunning, -but though he killed many animals he never took advantage of their -positions. He never shot a swimming deer or a doe with a fawn, he never -killed an animal fatigued by a long run nor took one unawares. Before -the hunt he always threw tobacco and made a ceremony to ask permission -to kill game. Nor was he ever ungrateful to the animals of the woods who -had been his friends for so many years. The flesh that was useless he -left for the wolves and birds, calling to them as he left it: “Come, my -friends, I have made a feast for you.” Likewise when he took honey from -a tree he left a portion for the bears and when he had his corn -harvested he left open ears in the field for the crows, that they might -not steal the corn sprouts at the next planting. He fed the fish and -water animals with entrails and offal. No ruthless hunter was he but -thoughtful. He threw tobacco for the animals in the woods and water and -made incense for them with the oyeñkwaoñ´we‘, the sacred tobacco, and -“threw it” even for the trees. He was a well loved chief for he -remembered his friends and gave them meat. All the animals were his -friends and all his people were loyal to him. All this was because he -was good and he was known as the “protector of the birds and beasts.” So -he was called. It is supposed that his own name was His-hand-is-red. - -The southwest country is a land of mysteries. There are many unknown -things in the mountains there and also in the waters. The wildest people -have always lived there and some were very wise and made different -things. When, many years ago, the Oñgwe´ hoñwe‘, (Iroquois) began to -make excursions to this distant country they encountered many nations -that were friendly and more that were hostile. The Iroquois used to like -to go in this country for there they learned new things and found new -plants and new kinds of corn and beans and when they would fight and -destroy a tribe they would carry away curiously-made things and some -captives back to their own country. - -[Illustration: - - THE RESTORATION OF RED HAND. - - In this drawing the animals whom Red Hand had befriended are shown - anxiously awaiting his revivification by use of the sacrificial - medicine made from the “life sparks” of their companions. The Bear - is shown raising him to his feet. -] - -While one of these exploring parties was in the far southwest looking -for war and new things, a band of very savage people attacked them. The -young chief, the friend of the animals, was with the party, and, being -separated from the rest of his party, was struck down by a tomahawk -blow. The enemy cut a circle around his scalp-lock and tore it off. He -could not fight strong because he was tired and very hungry from the -long journey, so he was killed. The enemy knew him because he had been a -brave fighter and killed a good many of their people in former battles -so they were glad when they killed him and prized his scalp. Now he lay -dead in a thicket and none of his warriors knew where he was but the -enemy showed them his scalp. So they knew that he was dead but they did -not kill all the Iroquois. - -Black night came and alone upon the red and yellow leaves the chief lay -dead and his blood was clotted upon the leaves where it had spilled. The -night birds scented the blood and hovered over the body, the owl and the -whippoorwill flew above it and O‘sh‘ă´dă’geă’, the Dew Eagle, swooped -down from the regions over the clouds. “He seems to be a friend,” they -said, “who can this man be?” A wolf sniffed the air and thought he -smelled food. Skulking through the trees he came upon the body, dead and -scalped. His nose was upon the clotted blood and he liked blood. Then he -looked into the face of the dead man and leapt back with a long yelping -howl,—the dead man was the friend of the wolves and the animals and -birds. His howl was a signal call and brought all the animals of the big -woods and the birds dropped down around him. All the medicine animals -came,—the bear, the deer, the fox, the beaver, the otter, the turtle and -the big horned deer (moose). Now the birds around him were the owl, the -whippoorwill, the crow, the buzzard, the swift hawk, the eagle, the -snipe, the white heron and also the great chief of all birds, -Oshadahgeah, who is the eagle who flies in the world of our Creator -above the clouds. These are all the great medicine people and they came -in council about their killed friend. Then they said, “He must not be -lost to us. We must restore him to life again.” Then a bird said, “He is -our friend, he always fed us. We cannot allow our friend to die. We must -restore him.” Then the Wolf came up to the body and said, “Here is our -friend, he always gave us food in time of famine. We called him our -father, now we are orphans. It is our duty to give him life again. Let -each one of us look in our medicine packets and take out the most potent -ingredient. Then let us compound a medicine and give it.” Then the Owl -said, “A living man must have a scalp.” - -So the animals made a wonderful medicine and in its preparation some -gave their own lives and mixed them with the medicine roots. Now when -the medicine was made all of it was contained in the bowl of an acorn. -So they poured it down the throat of the man and the Bear feeling over -the body found a warm spot over his heart. Then the Bear hugged him -close in his hairy arms and kept him warm. The Crow had flown away for -the scalp but could not find it, then the White Heron went but while -flying over a bean field thought herself hungry and stopped to eat and -when filled was too heavy to rise again. Then the Pigeon Hawk, the -swiftest of the birds, said that he would go and surely find it. By this -time the enemy had become aware that the animals were holding a council -over their friend whom they had slain and so they carefully guarded the -scalp which they stretched upon a hoop and swung on a thong over the -smoke hole of a lodge. The Pigeon Hawk, impatient at delay shot upward -into the air and flying in wide circles discovered the scalp dangling -over the fire drying in the hot smoke. Hovering over the lodge for a -moment he dropped down and snatching the scalp shot back upwards into -the clouds, faster and further than the arrows that pursued him swift -from the strong bows of the angered enemy. Back he flew, his speed -undiminished by his long flight, and placed the scalp in the midst of -the council. It was smoky and dried and would not fit the head of the -man. Then Big Crow (buzzard) emptied his stomach on it to clean it of -smoke and make it stick fast and O’sh’ă´dă’geă’ plucked a feather from -his wing and dipped it in the pool of dew that rests in the hollow on -his back and sprinkled the water upon it. The dew came down in round -drops and refreshed the dry scalp as it does a withered leaf. The man -had begun faintly to breathe when the animals placed the scalp back in -his head and they saw that truly he would revive. Then the man felt a -warm liquid trickling down his throat and with his eyes yet shut he -began to talk the language of the birds and animals. And they sang a -wonderful song and he listened and remembered every word of the song. -This song the animals told him was the charm song of the medicine -animals and they told him that when he wished the favor of the great -medicine people and when he felt grateful, to make a ceremony and sing -the song. So also they told him that they had a dance and a dance song -and they told him that they would teach him the dance. So they danced -and some shook rattles made of the squashes (gourds) and though his eyes -were closed he saw the dance and he knew all the tunes. Then the animals -told him to form a company of his friends and upon certain occasions to -sing and dance the ceremony, Hadī’´dōs, for it was a great power and -called all the medicine animals together and when the people were sick -they would devise a medicine for them. Now they said that he must not -fail to perform the ceremony and throw tobacco for them. Now the name of -the society was Hadi’´dos. Then the chief asked the medicine people what -the ingredients of the medicine were and they promised to tell him. At a -time the animals should choose they would notify him by the medicine -song. Now he could not receive the secret because he had been married. -Only hoyahdiwadoh (virgin men) may receive the first knowledge of -mysteries. Now the chief greatly wished for the medicine for he thought -it would be a great charm and a cure for the wounds received in war. -After a time the chief was lifted to his feet by the hand of the bear -and then he recovered his full life and when he opened his eyes he found -himself alone in the midst of a circle of tracks. He made his way back -to his people and related his adventure. He gathered his warriors -together and in a secret place sang the medicine song of the animals, -the Hadi’´dos. So they sang the song and each had a song and they -danced. - -After some time the chiefs decided to send another war party against the -enemy in the southwest to punish the hostile people who were attacking -them. Then the friend of the birds and animals said, “It is well that we -destroy them for they are not a reasonable people,” and so he went with -his party. - -Now after a certain number of days the party stopped in an opening in -the forest to replenish their stock of food. Now the place where they -stopped was grassy and a good place for camp. Now a short distance away, -a half day’s journey, was a deer lick and near it a clear spring and a -brook that ran from it and to this place all the animals came to drink. -The party wanted fresh meat and so dispatched two young men, -hoyahdiwadoh, to the lick for game. As they approached it they heard the -sound of a distant song and drawing near to the lick they sat down on -the bank over the spring and listened to the song. It was a most -wonderful song and floated through the air to them. At a distance away -the animals came and drank but so entranced were they by the music that -they killed none. Through the entire night they sat listening to the -song, and listening they learned sections of the song. In the morning -they returned to the camp and reported what they had heard to their -chief. Then said the chief, “That song is for the good of the medicine. -You must find the source of the song and discover the medicine that will -make us powerful in war and cure all our ills. You must purge yourselves -and go again on the morrow.” So the young men did as directed and went -again to the spring and threw tobacco upon its surface. As night came on -they listened and again heard the great song and it was louder and more -distinct than before. Then they heard a voice singing from the air and -telling them the story of their lives and they marveled greatly. The -song grew louder and as they listened they discovered that it emanated -from the summit of a mountain. So they returned in the morning and -reported to their chief and sang to him parts of the song. Then he said, -“You must cleanse yourselves again and this time do not return until you -have the medicine, the song and the magic.” So the young men cleansed -themselves again and went to the spring and as the thick night came on -they heard the singing voices clear and loud, ringing from the mountain -top. Then said one of the young men, “Let us follow the sound to its -source,” and they started in the darkness. After a time they stumbled -upon a windfall, a place where the trees had been blown down in a -tangled mass. It was a difficult place to pass in the darkness for they -were often entrapped in the branches but they persevered and it seemed -that some one were leading them. Beings seemed to be all about them yet -they could not see them for it was dark. After they had extricated -themselves from the windfall they went into a morass where their -footsteps were guided by the unseen medicine animals. Now the journey -was a very tedious one and they could see nothing. They approached a -gulf and one said, “Let us go up and down the gulf and try to cross it,” -and they did and crossed one gulf. Soon they came to another where they -heard the roaring of a cataract and the rushing of waters. It was a -terrifying place and one of the young men was almost afraid. They -descended the slope and came to a swift river and its waters were very -cold but they plunged in and would have been lost if someone unseen had -not guided them. So they crossed over and on the other side was a steep -mountain which they must ascend but could not because it was too steep. -Then one of the young men said, “Let us wait here awhile and rest -ourselves for we may need our strength for greater dangers.” So he said. -But the other said, “I am rested, we must go onward somehow.” When he -had so spoken a light came flying over and sang for them to follow it. -So they followed the winged light and ascended the mountain and they -were helped. The winged light kept singing, “Follow me, follow me, -follow me!” And they were safe when they followed and were not afraid. -Now the singing, flying beacon was the whippoorwill. He led them. After -a time the light disappeared but they struggled up the mountain side -unaided by its guidance. The way became very stony and it seemed that no -one were helping them now and then they wished that their unseen friends -would help them, so they made a prayer and threw sacred tobacco on the -path. Then the light came again and it was brighter, it glowed like the -morning and the way was lighted up. The singing continued all this while -and they were nearing its source and they reached the top of the -mountain. They looked about for they heard the song near at hand but -there was no one there. Then looked about and saw nothing but a great -stalk of corn springing from a flat rock. Its four roots stretched in -the four directions, north, east, south and west. The roots lay that -way. They listened and discovered that the music emanated from the -cornstalk. It was wonderful. The corn was a mystically magic plant and -life was within it. Then the winged light sang for them to cut the root -and take a piece for medicine. So they made a tobacco offering and cut -the root. As they did red blood like human blood flowed out from the cut -and then the wound immediately healed. Then did the unseen speaker say, -“This root is a great medicine, and now we will reveal the secret of the -medicine.” So the voices told them the composition of the medicine that -had healed the chief and instructed them how to use it. They taught the -young men the Gano´ta’, the medicine song, that would make the medicine -strong and preserve it. They said that unless the song were sung the -medicine would become weak and the animals would become angry because of -the neglect of the ceremonies that honored their medicine. Therefore, -the holders of the medicine must sing the all-night song for it. And -they told them all the laws of the medicine and the singing light guided -them back to the spring and it was morning then. The young men returned -to their chief and told him the full story of their experiences and he -was glad for he said, “The medicine will heal all wounds.” - -It was true, the medicine healed the cuts and wounds made by arrows and -knives and not one of the Iroquois was killed in their battle with the -enemy. When they returned home the chief organized the lodges of the -medicine and the medicine people of the Hadi’´dos and the Niga‘ni‘gă´a‘ -were called the Hono^n’´tci‘no^n’´gä. The medicine was called the -niga‘nigă´a‘, (little dose) because its dose was so small. So started -the Hono^n’´tci‘no^n’´gä. - - - 70. ORIGIN OF THE FALSE FACE COMPANY. - - - THE STONE GIANTS.[60] - -There were different things in the olden days, strange happenings, -strange animals and birds, and strange people. It seems that they do not -live any more, so men only half believe the tales of them now. - -The stone giants are a kind of men-being that are now gone. What we have -heard about them I will tell. - -There was once a far north country where a race of giants dwelt. They -were very tall and bony. It was cold in that north country and the -giants lived on fish and raw flesh. When the summer came to that region -there was dry sand upon the ground and the giants, it is supposed, -taught their children to rub it on their bodies every day until the -blood came out where the skin was worn through. After awhile the skin -became hard and calloused, like a woman’s hand when the harvest is over. -Each year the young rubbed their bodies with the sand, until when they -had grown to be men, it was hard like rawhide and the sand stuck in and -made them look like men of stone. This is what some wise men thought, -but others said stone giants were born that way. - -As time went on these giants grew more ferocious and warlike. They -became tired of the flesh of beasts and fish and yearned for the flesh -of men. Then they sallied forth to the lands south of them and captured -Indians and devoured their flesh, tearing it from their living bodies. -All the nations and tribes of Indians feared them, for no arrow would -pierce their hard stony coats. Thus, secure in their armors of callous -and sand, no season was too cold for them, no journey too long and no -tribe strong enough to overwhelm them. They became more and more -boastful and arrogant until they even laughed at the warnings of the -Great Ruler, the Good Minded, and hallooed up to the skies mocking -words. “We are as great as the Great Ruler,” they said. “We have created -ourselves!” - -When the Confederacy of the five brother nations was young, these -terrible stone giants crossed the river of rapids and swept down upon -the scattered settlements of the Five Nations. By day they hid in caves -and at night they came forth in the darkness and captured men, women and -children, rending their bodies apart and chewing up their flesh and -bones. When they pointed their fingers at men they fell down dead. - -The medicine men cried to the Good Minded Spirit until it seemed that -prayer was only like hollow talking in one’s throat. The giants kept on -with their raids and feasted undisturbed. No dark place was secure from -their eyes, they penetrated the deepest shadows and found the hiding -places of those who fled from them. Villages were destroyed and -abandoned, councils were not held, for sachems and chieftains were the -victims for the flesh-of-men feasts of the giants. The boldest warriors -shot their strongest arrows from their strongest bows upon these -invaders, but though the arrow shafts were strong and tipped with the -toughest of flint, when they struck the stone coated giants, the arrows -broke and the flints snapped and the giants gathered up the warriors and -shredded their meat from their bones with their sharp teeth. - -At last the Good Ruler saw that men would become exterminated unless he -intervened. Thus, he commanded the Holder of the Heavens to descend from -the sky and use his strategy to destroy the entire race of stone giants. -Accordingly, the Holder of the Heavens dropped from the place above the -clouds, and hiding in a deep forest, took the form of a stone giant and -went among the band. Awed by his display of power, his wonderful feats -and his marvelous strength they proclaimed the new comer the great chief -of all the stone giants. In honor of his installation the Holder of the -Heavens swung his huge war club high over his head and roared -ferociously, “Now is the time to destroy these puny men, and have a -great feast such as never before!” Leading forth the mighty tribe he -planned to attack the stronghold of the Onondagas. Arriving at the foot -of the great hill on whose summit was the stockade where the Onondagas -had assembled, he bade the giants hide in the caves in the hills or make -burrows and there hide. They were to await the dawn when they would -commence the assault. Having instructed them the Holder of the Heavens -went up the fort hill on a pretense and then gave the whole earth a -mighty shake. So mighty was the shaking that the rocks broke from their -beds and fell in masses over one another and the earth slid down making -new hills and valleys. The caves all collapsed and the crouching stone -giants were crushed to bits. You could see bones once in caves among the -Onondagas. All but one was killed and he, with a terrible yell, rushed -forth and fled with the speed of a being impelled by the Evil Minded to -the Allegheny mountains, where, finding a cave, he hid so long in the -darkness that he became the Genonsgwa, a new creature to terrify -men-being. - - - THE GENONSGWA.[61] - -The Genonsgwa was a monster terrible for his anger and fierceness. But -one spot on his entire being was vulnerable and that was a certain spot -on the bottom of his foot. The Holder of the Heavens did not pursue this -solitary fugitive, but rested content in the fact that the race of stone -giants was destroyed and that this one survivor would not be -particularly harmful when his fury subsided and his terror gave way. - -For many years the Genonsgwa lived in the mountains, or, sallying forth -on long journeys, made new abodes where for a time he dwelt. Sometimes -in fits of rage he would rush from his cavern in the rocks and hurl -stones into the rivers until he had made a waterfall, the booming of -whose waters made noises like the voices of the Hi’´nos, and then in his -madness, he would call up to the father of thunders, and he, looking -down, would become enraged at the insolent Genonsgwa and fling his fires -down upon his cave retreats in the mountains. Then when the earth shook -with the rumbling of thunders, reminding Genonsgwa of the awful day when -the Holder of the Heavens shook down the rocks, he would crawl far back -into the rocks and the listener miles away might hear his voice as he -moaned and pleaded and quarreled with the powers that threatened his -life. - -As the years went by, Genonsgwa became more human and his spirit was -quelled, but yet those who sought him found no mercy for he was the last -of the stone giants. No one could see him, so terrible was his visage -and so strong was his magic. - -Now at this time a hunter lost his direction in a strange forest and -though he traveled far and sought with vision keen the trail that should -lead him out, he failed. A terrific hail storm broke from the heavens -and snapped the branches and ripped off the leaves of the trees and beat -down the underbrush and the hunter was bruised and dazed by the tumult -of the storm. All day he wandered, wading blindly through marshes or -stumbling through windfalls, wounded and bleeding. The hail like sharp -flints still rained from the skies and the thunders still rumbled their -threats and the hunter feared the anger of the heavens. A great rock -like a deep shadow loomed up dark against the trees and the hunter -hurried to it and found a great cavern for a shelter. When the leaves -had been carried into a corner by the wind he made himself a bed and -slept. - -The rock shook and the hunter awoke and thought the great turtle moving -from his moorings. A rhythmic roaring filled his mind with fear. A voice -cried out, “You are in my lodge without permission! Who was it that bid -you enter! Do you not know that I kill everybody!” - -The voice was terrifying and hurt the hunter’s ears like thunder when it -is very close. Then again it spoke. “Oh warrior, see by my eye-light the -bones of people who have sought me to kill me,—they are a yellow powder! -Listen! I know you came without intent of evil and therefore you shall -not suffer. I am the last of the kind of men that were here before men -came here, so harken, for I have seen the earth in its making. When the -turtle’s back was small I lived here. My brothers are all departed but -their spirits still are living. They are in the forest’s depths and live -within the trees. Only you must dream and you shall see their faces. -Some are monsters, some are human, some are like the beasts,—but dream -and see them. Then go forth and carve their faces on the basswood that -speaks when you approach. It is my voice speaking. Be wise and learn my -secrets, how disease is healed, how man and beast and plant have the -same great kind of life, how man and beast and plant may talk together -and learn each other’s mission. Go and live with the trees and birds and -beasts and fish and learn to honor them as your own brothers. I will be -with you always in your learning. Go now and carve the faces that you -see in your dreaming and carry back the faces to your people, and you -and those that see them shall organize a society to preserve my -teaching. Moreover, that posterity may not forget me and these words I -speak within the mother turtle’s shell, I bid you collect many turtles -and make rattles of their shells and when the company of faces shall -shake them, let all who know my wisdom and remember you and your -adventure and me and who I am.” - -For a long time the hunter meditated upon the wisdom of the giant within -the cave and when the wisdom was imbedded in his mind he lay down and -slept again and had visions of strange things. When he awoke he found -himself lying at the foot of an enormous basswood tree that as he looked -at it it transformed itself into a great face like one he had seen in -his dreams. - - - THE FALSE FACE. - -Unfolding from the trunk of the basswood, the great face stared out at -the spellbound hunter and opening wide its wide protruding lips began to -speak. He told of his wonderful eyesight, its blazing eyes could see -behind the moon and stars. His power could summon the storms or push -aside the clouds for the sunshine. He knew all the virtues of roots and -herbs, he knew all the diseases and knew how to apply the remedies of -herbs and roots. He was familiar with all the poisons and could send -them through the air and cure the sick. He could breathe health or -sickness. His power was mighty and could bring luck in battles. Evil and -poison and death fled when he looked, and good health and life came in -its stead. He told of the basswood and said that its soft wood was -filled with medicine and life. It contained the life of the wind and the -life of the sunshine, and thus being good, was the wood for the false -faces that the hunter must carve. - -Long the hunter listened to the words of the giant false face and then -he wandered far into the forest until the trees began to speak. Then he -knew that there were trees there in which were the spirits of the beings -of which he had dreamed and that the Genonsgwa was speaking. He knew -that now his task of carving must begin and that the dream-beings, the -voices, the birds and the animals that he saw must be represented in the -basswood masks that he must make. And so he began, and for a score of -years he continued his carving. He lived among the animals and trees and -learned all that they could tell, becoming so attached to the things of -life that men call beneath them, that he wished forever to stay and be -as a brother to the animals and trees. But a day came when the giant’s -voice spoke from a basswood tree and bade him return to his kinsman. The -hunter who had entered the forest young now was old. He was filled with -knowledge and mysteries and was wiser than all men living. Gathering up -the many faces that he had carved he made them into one big bundle and -lifted it upon his broad shoulders and found the trail that led from the -forest to the villages of his people. Of strange appearance and of -gigantic proportions, he entered the council hall of his nation and -calling a chosen few together told the story of his adventure and -related the laws of the order of which he was the delegated founder. - - - THE FALSE FACE SOCIETY.[62] - -The society, known as the False Face Company, was to be a most secret -one and only for a qualified number. Its object was to benefit, protect -and help all living things of earth. Its meetings were to be held only -when the moon was away and when there was no light in the night. The -hunter taught the chosen band a new dance and a new song and beat time -with a large turtle shell as he sang. He explained the meanings of the -masks and distributed them among the band, telling each person his -special duty to the new society. He explained the relation of mankind to -the rest of nature and enjoined all to use every influence to protect -all living nature. In return for this kindness he promised that a great -power should come upon them, the power of the spirits of the Genonsgwa, -and how they should become great medicine men, whose power should be -over the spirits of the elements. He unfolded and conducted the band -through all the elaborate ceremonies that had been taught him in the -forest by the animals and trees and spirits of the Genonsgwa. The -Company was to have no outward sign and members were to recognize one -another only by having sat together in a ceremony. - -So deeply was the assembled company impressed by the hunter’s words that -the new society at once became a strong and well united organization and -other lodges spread rapidly through all the nations of the Iroquois and -the False Face Company became one of the greatest factors for good that -the people had ever known. They drove all the witches away and cured all -the sickness of the people. - - - THE MASK-MAKING CEREMONY. - -The masks are carved from living basswood trees and are thereby supposed -to contain a portion of the life or spirit of the tree. In making these -masks the Iroquois select the basswood not alone for its absorbent -quality which is supposed to “draw out” disease, but for its remedial -values as well. In solution a tea of its bark will cure a cold and -relieve spasmodic affections. Its astringent sap is applied to relieve -wounds and bruises, while the mask itself is supposed to be of signal -importance in the relief of corruptive diseases. - -In the ceremonies attending the making of a living mask, the tree is -visited for three days. At the dawn of the first day the leaders of the -False Face Society gather around the tree and smoke the sacred tobacco -into the roots and throughout the branches to their topmost. As the -smoke “lifts to the sunrise” songs of incantation are sung and the tree -is asked to consent to share its heart with whomsoever the sacred gift -is to be sent. At sunrise the ceremony is repeated and the next day -continued in the same manner until the three days’ propitiation chant is -completed and then the axe is lifted to the tree. If at the first stroke -of the axe the tree remain firm and unbending it has consented to lend -its heart. An outline of the face is then drawn on the bark and cut into -the tree to a depth of about six inches. After thanking the tree this -block is gouged out to be carved into the desired shape during a final -song and dance that concluded the ceremony. - - - GENERAL NOTES.—This account of the stone giants or stone coats, - Gĕ^nno^n’´sgwa’, has been compiled from the accounts of several - informants. There appears to be some confusion as to the origin of - the stone coats as well as a disagreement as to the origin of the - false faces. In one widely accepted account the Hadui false faces - were the whirlwind spirits; in this account the last survivor of the - stone giants is the founder of the False Face Company. In 1903 I was - given a wooden mask covered with sand and pebbles and having a large - flint arrowhead in the center of the forehead. The Cattaraugus - Seneca woman who gave it to me stated that it was a secret mask and - represented the stone giant. There appears, therefore, to be a - ceremonial connection between the stone giants and the false faces. - - - 71. THE ORIGIN OF THE LONG HOUSE.[63] - -Chief Big Kittle relates the following story of the origin of the League -of the Five Nations. - -Where the Mohawk river empties into the Hudson in ancient times there -was a Mohawk village. The people there were fierce and warlike and were -continually sending out war parties against other settlements and -returning would bring back long strings of scalps to number the lives -they had destroyed. But sometimes they left their own scalps behind and -never returned. They loved warfare better than all other things and were -happy when their hands were slimy with blood. They boasted that they -would eat up all other nations and so they continued to go against other -tribes and fight with them. - -Now among the Mohawks was a chief named Dekānăwī´da, a very wise man, -and he was very sad of heart because his people loved war too well. So -he spoke in council and implored them to desist lest they perish -altogether but the young warriors would not hear him and laughed at his -words but he did not cease to warn them until at last dispairing of -moving them by ordinary means he turned his face to the west and wept as -he journeyed onward and away from his people. At length he reached a -lake whose shores were fringed with bushes, and being tired he lay down -to rest. Presently, as he lay meditating, he heard the soft spattering -of water sliding from a skillful paddle and peering out from his hiding -place he saw in the red light of sunset a man leaning over his canoe and -dipping into the shallow water with a basket. When he raised it up it -was full of shells, the shells of the periwinkles that live in shallow -pools. The man pushed his canoe toward the shore and sat down on the -beach where he kindled a fire. Then he began to string his shells and -finishing a string would touch the shells and talk. Then, as if -satisfied, he would lay it down and make another until he had a large -number. Dekaniwida watched the strange proceeding with wonder. The sun -had long since set but Dekanawida still watched the man with the shell -strings sitting in the flickering light of the fire that shadowed the -bushes and shimmered over the lake. - -After some deliberation he called out, “Kwē, I am a friend!” and -stepping out upon the sand stood before the man with the shells. “I am -Dekanawida,” he said, “and come from the Mohawk.” - -“I am Haio´wĕnt’ha of the Onondaga,” came the reply. - -The Dekanawida inquired about the shell strings for he was very curious -to know their import and Haio´wĕnt’ha answered, “They are the rules of -life and laws of good government. This all white string is a sign of -truth, peace and good will, this black string is a sign of hatred, of -war and of a bad heart, the string with the alternate beads, black and -white, is a sign that peace should exist between the nations. This -string with white on either end and black in the middle is a sign that -wars must end and peace declared.” And so Haiowentha lifted his strings -and read the laws. - -Then said Dekanawida, “You are my friend indeed, and the friend of all -nations.—Our people are weak from warring and weak from being warred -upon. We who speak one tongue should combine against the Hadiondas -instead of helping them by killing one another but my people are weary -of my advising and would not hear me.” - -“I, too, am of the same mind,” said Haiowentha, “but Tatodaho slew all -my brothers and drove me away. So I came to the lakes and have made the -laws that should govern men and nations. I believe that we should be as -brothers in a family instead of enemies.” - -“Then come with me,” said Dekanawida, “and together let us go back to my -people and explain the rules and laws.” - -So when they had returned Dekanawida called a council of all the chiefs -and warriors and the women and Haiowentha set forth the plan he had -devised. The words had a marvelous effect. The people were astonished at -the wisdom of the strange chief from the Onondaga and when he had -finished his exposition the chiefs promised obedience to his laws. They -delegated Dekanawida to go with him to the Oneida and council with them, -then to go onward to Onondaga and win over the arrogant erratic -Tatodaho, the tyrannical chief of the Onondaga. Thus it was that -together they went to the Oneida country and won over their great chief -and made the people promise to support the proposed league. Then the -Oneida chief went with Haiowentha to the Cayugas and told them how by -supporting the league they might preserve themselves against the fury of -Tatodaho. So when the Cayuga had promised allegiance Dekanawida turned -his face toward Onondaga and with his comrades went before Tatodaho. Now -when Tatodaho learned how three nations had combined against him he -became very angry and ran into the forest where he gnawed at his fingers -and ate grass and leaves. His evil thoughts became serpents and sprouted -from his skull and waving in a tangled mass hissed out venom. But -Dekanawida did not fear him and once more asked him to give his consent -to a league of peace and friendship but he was still wild until -Haiowentha combed the snakes from his head and told him that he should -be the head chief of the confederacy and govern it according to the laws -that Haiowentha had made. Then he recovered from his madness and asked -why the Seneca had not been visited for the Seneca outnumbered all the -other nations and were fearless warriors. “If their jealousy is -aroused,” he said, “they will eat us.” - -Then the delegations visited the Seneca and the other nations to the -west but only the Seneca would consider the proposal. The other nations -were exceedingly jealous. - -Thus a peace pact was made and the Long House built and Dekanawida was -the builder but Haiowentha was its designer. - -Now moreover the first council of Haiowentha and Dekanawida was in a -place now called Albany at the mouth of a small stream that empties into -the Hudson. - -[Illustration: - - The great council belt of the Five Nations. Each square represents a - nation and the heart in the center represents the Onondaga. -] - - - 72. DEAD TIMBER, A TRADITION OF ALBANY.[64] - -There was a time of wars. The white men were angry with the Indians and -organized an expedition against them. The Mohawk had done something and -the white men were going up the Hudson river to fight them. - -Now an Indian family lived in Ganonoh (Manhattan island), and the father -said to the boy, “Take this oshoe and run up to our people and do not -stop until you warn them that the white soldiers are coming.” So the boy -ran and when he had found a canoe he crossed over the river and ran -again. Now when he thought that he was near the Mohawk river he gave a -cry “goweh! goweh! goweh!” and at intervals he continued to cry, -“goweh!” - -After a time a Mohawk chief in the woods heard the cry “goweh” and ran -out to see who was coming and when he saw the boy he said “follow me,” -and ran to the village where he called a council. Here the boy told how -a party had been sent against them and how his father had sent him to -warn them just as the soldiers were leaving and how for more than two -days he had kept in advance of the white men. The chiefs listened -attentively and then ordered everyone to hide what they could not carry -for they would burn the village before the soldiers arrived. So the -chiefs set fire to all the houses and took the people to a safe retreat -further up the river. Now when the women and children were safe the -warriors selected five of their swiftest runners and sent them back to -discover where the enemy was. Stealthily they made their way through the -underbrush and found the white men encamped near the burned village. So -the runners went back and the warriors followed them. Some men were -walking around the camp but a few arrows prevented them from giving an -alarm. The white men were sleeping on beds of leaves wrapped in -blankets. Their arms were not at their sides but stacked up in piles -like bean poles. The warriors surrounded the camp, gave the cry, “_baha -a a a ah!_” and dashed upon the sleeping men and killed them all before -they could reach their arms. So the Mohawk were not punished. They built -a new village. Now the next spring the trees all died for a great -distance around the place where the soldiers had been killed and there -was a big dead woods there and to this day we call it _Dyohadai_ (Dead -Timber), but the white men call it Albany. - - - - - XI. - APPENDIX - - - A. ORIGIN OF THE WORLD. - - RELATED BY ESQUIRE JOHNSON AND RECORDED BY MRS. LAURA M. WRIGHT.[65] - -Many moons ago, there was a vast expanse of water, seemingly boundless -in extent. Above it was the great blue arch of air, but no signs of -anything solid or tangible. High above the lofty blue expanse of the -clear sky was an unseen floating island, sufficiently firm to allow -trees to grow upon it, and there men-beings were. There was one great -Chief who gave the law to all the Ongweh or beings on the Island. In the -center of the Island there grew a tree so tall that no one of the beings -who lived there could see its top. On its branches, flowers and fruit -hung all the year around, for there was no summer or winter there, or -day or night. - -The beings who lived on the Island used to come often to the tree and -eat the fruit and smell the sweet perfume of its flowers. On one -occasion the Chief desired that the tree might be pulled up. After some -time one of the people volunteered to pull it up. He was very strong and -after one or two efforts he succeeded in uprooting it. The Great Chief -was called to look at the great pit which was to be seen where the tree -had stood. As he and his wife stood looking down, he saw a little light -very far down, down in the pit. As his wife stood looking intently, -gazing at the pit by the side of her husband, he suddenly pushed her in. -She fell down, down, until her husband lost sight of her entirely and -forever. On the great expanse of water below there were sporting an -innumerable number of water fowl, and in the water there were a variety -of amphibious animals such as beaver, otter, muskrats, etc. One of the -fowls looked up and saw the woman coming slowly down—and immediately -gave the alarm. One wiser than the rest said: “What shall we do? She -will be killed. We must get some _oehdah_ (dirt) for her to stand on.” -They all looked anxiously about. The muskrat told them that he had seen -_oehdah_ far down below the bottom of the water and he could bring some -up. The turtle offered his shell for a support and the muskrat commenced -diving. After several ineffectual attempts he succeeded in bringing up a -small lump of earth and put it on the turtle’s back, which immediately -commenced to increase in dimensions, and as it grew in size, the turtle -spread out more and more to support the woman. The fowls began to fly -upward to meet the woman who they perceived was much exhausted. They -received her on their wings and landed her safely on the turtle’s shell. -The woman soon recovered and looked around her much surprised at her new -companions. She soon began to wander over the Island as it seemed to -her. At stated periods she went around it and soon noticed that it took -her a longer time to make its circuit, so she concluded that it was -growing larger all the time. As the time passed away the ogweh woman -became quite reconciled to her new home and then she gave birth to a -daughter to whom she devoted all her time, and forgot her old friends in -the love she felt for her child. The daughter grew very fast and was -very obedient to her mother. In time the mother gave up going around the -Island at regular intervals and sent her daughter to perform the duty, -who ran around the Island much interested and delighted with the task. -Wonderful to relate, to the great surprise and sorrow of the woman the -daughter gave birth to twin boys and immediately died. The mother was -greatly distressed at the loss of her daughter and after mourning over -her some time, she made a grave for her in the soft rich earth, of which -the Island was composed, and buried her. She took the boys in her arms -and told them they should not suffer for she would take care of them. -The children grew rapidly to manhood, and were very strong and active. -The woman used often to go to the grave of her daughter and watched it -very carefully. At length she perceived something growing in two hills -over the bosom of her daughter. After a while she commanded the eldest -to repair to the grave. She said, “You must take charge of what you find -there. See that nothing is lost.” When he came to the grave he found the -two hills his grandmother had seen. From one, corn was growing, and from -the other beans, which he carefully picked and brought to his -grandmother, who said to him, “Take good care of them that those of whom -you may hereafter say, ‘they are my descendents’ may eat of it, for you -are of the earth and must live from what grows out of the earth.” He -carefully preserved and planted the corn and beans, and at harvest there -was a great increase and then he began to eat the fruit of his labor. As -yet there was no other plant or grass on the Island. Having seen the -great value of what he had planted, he was suddenly inspired with a -desire to see other things grow and he spoke authoritatively and said, -“Let grass grow and cover the surface of the Island.” Immediately grass -began to spring up looking green and fresh, and it made everything look -beautiful. He then commanded the willow to grow and many kinds of plants -and trees which bore fruit, and the appearance of the Island was much -improved. Then his grandmother said to him with a very solemn and -impressive manner: “_Now_ you must go and seek your father until you -find him, and when you see him you must ask him to give you Power.” -Pointing to the east, she said, “He lives in this direction. You must -keep on until you reach the limits of the Island, and then upon the -waters until you come to a high mountain, which rises out of the water -which you must climb to the summit. There you will see a wonderful being -sitting on the highest peak. You need not be afraid of him. He will not -hurt you. You must obey him in everything. You must say to him, ‘I am -your son, I have come to ask you to give me Power.’ He will say to you -‘I never saw you before. I do not know you. But if you are my son, then -take that stone and throw it up very high.’” The stone his father -pointed at was a very large rock which covered a good deal of ground, -but the son did not hesitate, he took it up as though it had been a -pebble, and threw it up very high, and when it came down it broke into a -great many pieces which rolled down the mountain. The wonderful being -seemed much pleased and said, “I am now satisfied that you are my son, -and I will give you the power you want.” Suddenly a great roaring wind -began to blow, and a very bright light followed so that he could see his -father very plainly as he sat on top of the mountain. Then there was a -loud noise and fire fell and great streams of water rushed by him. After -a little there was a calm. Then his father said to him, “With _these_ -you will have power to perform _anything_ you wish to undertake.” He -then gave him a bag which he charged him not to open till he got to his -Island home. Receiving the bag he laid it upon his shoulders and turned -toward home. At first the bag seemed quite light and easy to carry, but -he noticed that it grew heavier as he carried it along, and as he drew -near the Island, its weight seemed almost insupportable, and when he -came within a bound of the shore, he came very near losing it. He took -one step upon the land and down upon the earth the bag fell. He could -not take a second step. The mouth of the bag opened as it fell and there -came out birds of every kind and color. They flew into the woods and -lighted on the branches of the trees and opened their throats and poured -forth the richest and sweetest songs, and while the birds sung and flew -from tree to tree the quadrupeds came out of the bag. They sprang upon -the grass and into the woods. The deer and bear, the porcupine, rabbits -and foxes each soon found their natural places,—all in perfect harmony, -roamed over the Island together. - -When the younger brother saw how successful his brother had been in -producing useful and beautiful things, he was filled with jealousy and -envy amounting to hatred, and began to devise plans to thwart him in his -good work, by trying to spoil some things he had made and he thought he -would kill him if he could find means to do it. So he commenced -questioning his brother, “What do you think would most likely be fatal -to your life?” He replied, “I think the leaves of the cattail flag might -kill me if I should be pierced by them.” So the younger brother got a -bunch of the leaves, and thrust them at him hoping to pierce him, but -the leaves only bent and did not hurt him at all. - -Then he asked him again, “What do you fear most of all things?” He -replied, “I am afraid of deer’s horns, they are so sharp and hard.” Then -the younger brother went into the woods and found a cast-off horn with -which he chased his brother into the woods trying to hit him with it. At -last the older brother turned to the younger and said, “Now you must -stop your bad work. See how you have spoiled the fruit of the crab-apple -tree. Taste of its juice. You must not go on spoiling things in this -way. If you do not stop, I shall punish you. I will shut you up in -darkness beneath the ground with some of the animals who don’t like -light, as the mole and the hedgehog. These hands will not destroy you, -but I will put you where you can not do mischief. - -“Your dominions shall be in the darkness beneath the surface of the -ground for I shall make light.” Then turning and addressing the birds -and quadrupeds he told them of his plan. Some of them objected but the -great majority were greatly pleased. - -So the tree of light was created and from it sprang beautiful flowers. -In its light, the older brother went forth and made the hills and -valleys and into the valleys he poured out the water of his mouth and it -formed the rivers and creeks, and the waters flowed into the deep -valleys and made lakes. Then he created the stars and the moon and to -the moon he gave the task of marking the months and the years. Then he -made a new light and hung it on the neck of a being and he called the -new light Gaa’ gwaa’ and instructed its bearer to run his course daily -in the heavens over the earth. “You shall go each day and perform this -duty so long as I will it,” said the older brother. “I will notify you -when I wish you to go no longer.” - -The moon and the stars shone in the heavens when the sun had finished -his day’s run and all things were perfected. He now dug up the tree of -light and looking into the pool of water in which the stump had grown he -saw the reflection of his own face and thereupon conceived the idea of -creating Ongwe and made them, both a man and a woman. He blessed them -and gave them dominion over all things and recapitulated all he had -prepared for them and how he had created good things. - -“I give you all that exists upon the face of the earth,” he said, “all -which the earth grows and maintains, the birds that fill the air and the -fish in the water. You two are united aht tgea nigaa and from you future -generations shall succeed.” - - - B. THE WYANDOT CREATION MYTH (EXTRACT). - - COLLECTED BY C. M. BARBEAU. - -“The people lived beyond.” They were Wyandots. Word was sent out that -the chief’s only daughter was very sick; and that all the doctors had in -vain tried to cure her disease. A specially appointed messenger brought -back a very old doctor that lived far away from the rest of the people. -When he saw the chief’s daughter he told the people, at once, that they -must dig around the roots of a wild apple tree that was growing just a -little way out from the chief’s lodge. Many of the people at once began -their digging all around the tree. The old doctor instructed them to -bring the chief’s daughter, and place her under the tree as near the -edge of the hole (that they were digging) as thy could, “for,” he said, -“if you dig down into the roots of the tree, you will find something -that will cure her disease.” He added that as soon as she would see this -object she would know it; and being near enough she could stretch her -hand out and take it at once. - -So they brought the girl and placed her at the edge of the hole that -they had dug around the tree. They went on digging with great might. As -soon as a party of the diggers became tired, another stepped into the -hole and carried on the work. When they had placed the girl at the edge -of the hole, a party of the diggers had stepped out; and before another -could replace it the people were startled by a terrific roar that seemed -to come nearer and nearer. They were all looking and wondering whence it -had come. They soon discovered that all the ground around the tree was -dropping downwards. Then they saw the tree falling down through the -hole; the sick girl being pulled down with it, entangled in its -branches. The world underneath, into which the tree fell, was a broad -sheet of water about which no land was to be seen. On the water were -swimming around a pair of great white birds with long crooked necks: I -suppose they were swans. They heard a peal of thunder as the tree was -falling down; this was the first peal of thunder ever heard on those -waters. Both of them glanced upwards and saw the woman falling down. One -of them said to the other:—“What a strange creature it is that is -falling down from above. I know that she can not be borne up by the -water; we must swim close together and hold her upon our backs.” So they -did, and the woman fell gently upon their backs and rested there. Then, -as they swam along, they turned their long necks around and looked at -the woman; they said to each other:—“What a beautiful creature it is; -but what shall we do; we can not always swim this way and hold her up. -What shall we do?” The other replied:—“I think we must go and see the -Big Turtle. He will call a council of all the animals to decide upon -what is to be done with the creature.” So they swam away, found the Big -Turtle, and showed him the woman that was resting upon their backs. Then -the turtle had to decide as to what was to be done. A “moccasin” -(ra´‘cu’, i.e., a messenger) was sent around to call the animals to a -big council. They came at once, and were all in a great wonder. For a -long time they looked with awe at the wonderful creature. Finally the -Turtle told them that they must come to a decision as to what should be -done regarding this creature; that they could not let her die as—“she -must have been sent to them for some good; that since she had thus come -to them, it was evident that their duty was to find some place for her -to live.” The swans came forward and spoke of the tree that they had -seen falling first. Then some one else got up and said that if the place -could be known where this tree had fallen into the water, some of the -divers might go down and get just a little bit of the earth that must be -clinging to its roots. The Big Turtle found the idea a good one and -advised that if the swans could show the very place where the tree had -fallen, some one else should go down and get a little of the dirt -clinging to its roots; that an island could be made with it for the -woman to rest upon, even if he himself (the Turtle) had to hold the -island upon his back. The swans told the animals that they could find -that very place; they turned around, and swam with the woman upon their -backs. The other animals followed until they came to the place where -they had seen the tree and the woman falling. There they stopped. The -Turtle called upon the otter, the best diver, for him to go down into -the water and bring back some of the dirt clinging to the roots of the -tree. The otter at once dived down. As he had been for some time out of -sight the other animals began to speculate as to whether he was going to -come back. By and by, they saw him coming back through the water. Upon -reaching the surface he was so completely exhausted that he opened his -mouth to gasp a breath and went down again,—dead. Then the muskrat was -appointed to dive down. He remained still longer under the water. The -same fate as the otter’s befell him. Then the beaver and a number of -other animals tried and failed in the same day until so many had been -lost that way that the Turtle said he would not call upon any other to -dive down. He suggested, however, that somebody should volunteer to do -so. They remained in expectation for a little while. Finally, away out -to one side, a little old ugly toad (tĕno´‘skwaoyȩ) spoke up and said -that he would try. The other animals looked at each other, laughing and -jeering at the presumption of this little toad. The Big Turtle, however, -acceded to her suggestion, acknowledging that she might perhaps -accomplish what the others had failed to do. So she took a long breath -and down she went. The others all gathered around and watched her as she -went away down out of sight into the clear waters. For a long time they -looked downwards with the expectation of seeing her coming back. But she -remained so long in the water that the others began to whisper to each -other that she would not come back. For a long time they remained in -expectation. At the end they saw a bubble of water coming up towards the -surface of the water. They could not see the toad as yet. The Turtle -said:—“She must be coming. I will swim right over the spot where the -bubble came up; and if the toad comes back we shall hold her up.” So it -was done. A little while later the toad appeared away down in the water. -Some of the animals said:—“She must have some earth as she has been gone -so much longer than the others.” Then the toad emerged from the surface -of the water, just by the Big Turtle. Just as she reached the surface -she opened her mouth and spat out a few grains of earth that fell upon -the edge of the shell of the Big Turtle. Then she gave one gasp and fell -back dead. As soon as those grains of earth had fallen upon the edge of -the Big Turtle’s shell, the Little Turtle came forward and began -spreading it and rubbing it around the edge of the Big Turtle’s shell. -While she was so doing an island began to grow around the shell of the -Big Turtle. The animals were looking at it while it was growing. After -it had grown into a place large enough for the woman to rest upon, the -two white swans swam to its edge and the woman stepped off on to it. - - - NOTE.—Recited by B. N. O. Walker, Chief Clerk at the Quapaw U. S. - Agency, Wyandotte, Oklahoma. Mr. Walker, now about 40 years of age, - is a descendant of Wyandot ancestors, on one side, and of European - ancestors on the other. His first European ancestor was made - prisoner by the Wyandots in Virginia, when a child. Mr. Walker is a - thoroughly reliable informant who has oftentimes heard this myth, as - well as others, repeated by his Aunt Kitty Greyeyes, a thoroughbred - Wyandot, who was living with his family. Kitty Greyeyes was - possessed of a good knowledge of both English and Wyandot, and she - had learned this myth in Wyandot. Kitty Greyeyes died at B. N. O. - Walker’s father’s home, when he, himself, (B. N. O. W.), was about - 22 years of age. Mr. B. N. O. Walker has heard this myth many times - when between the age of 11 and 19. He states that his Aunt Kitty, - who, by the way, was a Canadian Wyandot from Anderdon, Ontario, had - learnt those stories from her Aunt Hunt, who spoke Wyandot almost - exclusively. “Aunt Hunt seems to have been the story teller of the - family.” (Barbeau, “Huron and Wyandot Mythology,” XXXIX, 6–17.) - - - C. AN INTERVIEW WITH “ESQ.” JOHNSON BY MRS. ASHER WRIGHT.[66] - -Esquire Johnson does not recollect the name of the man who first gave -the name Nan-do-wah-gaah[67] and then went to where they lived and said -to them, “You are O-non-dah-ge-gaah,”[68] and then he went to another -place and said to the residents, “You are Ga-nyah-ge-o-noh,”[69] and -then he came to where he called them O-ne-yut-gaah,[70] then again to -another place and said “You are Que-yu-gwe-o-noh”;[71] five nations, for -the Tuscaroras were then at the South. This was long before the -confederacy of the Iroquois, and the Tuscaroras did not return until -after the Revolutionary war. - -The Mohawks have 5 sachems,[72] The Onondagas, he thinks have 4, also -the Oneidas and Cayugas four each, the Senecas have 4 also and two war -chiefs, the other tribes had no war chiefs. - -Sha-dye-na-waho,[73] Nis-ha-nye-yant,[74] Gah-nya-gaeh,[75] -Shah-de-gao-yes,[76] Sho-guh-jis-wa,[77] Ga-no-ga-ih-da-wit, -De-yo-ne-ho-gaah-wah,[78] were Seneca Sachems. - -The Long House was first opened at Onondaga[79]; the Senecas also had a -long house.[80] When anything occurred to render a council necessary, -any trusty young man might be sent as a runner to the other tribes to -call them together. - -When they came together the evening before the council they sang a song -(In Seneca Wa-a-non-dah ga-ya-soh,) and in the morning one man sang a -different song as they were going to start, i.e. the volunteers to -revenge the murder or whatever the injury was. - -In the council some leading chief would state the business and ask, what -shall we do? A few of the chiefs would tell their views and then leading -men of influence would say, We will do so and so, and the multitude -would acquiesce and the council would break up. - -In case of making peace between the Senecas, or the Iroquois, and the -Cherokees, e.g., two messengers would be dispatched by the party -desiring peace. They would be called before the enemies’ council and -introduced by the chief and then would deliver their message. If their -proposals for peace were accepted they would agree to bury the whole -list of grievances (bury the hatchet, Dyo-an-jo-gut,) so that they -should not come up in sight again. If they refused the terms they would -send the ambassadors back again to convey their refusal to the people -and the war would continue. - -The Quapaw war was long before the Cherokee war. This last was the last -Indian war carried on by the Six Nations with the other Indians. Jak -Snow’s widow was a Cherokee and Gah-no-syoot Hay-a-soo-oh who died at -Allegany, but Johnson never heard that Blue Eyes was a Cherokee. - -The office of the Ga-yah-gwaah-doh was to give notice of the death of a -sachem and the convocation of the general council to mourn for the dead -and to raise up some one in his place, and at such convocations all the -subordinate vacancies would be filled by the “raising” of chiefs and the -elections of new ones. - -In the election of new chiefs the women of the family in which the -vacancy occurred having the name of the office in her keeping could -confer it on any one of the family (always on the female side), whom she -should regard as the most reliable. It was always the province of the -female head of the household to settle such questions although she -consulted the whole household as to their judgment of the fitness or -unfitness of any candidate. In like manner she could also depose (knock -the horns off), for any dereliction of duty. After the election etc. the -act would be confirmed (Da-ye-a-wit ha-di-yaas-gwah), by the relations -and then by the council. These rules applied to all ranks even to the -Ho-ya-neh-gowaak of the Grand Council. - -Johnson says that 72 years ago[81] last spring, he with many others, was -invited over from Canada by the chiefs and that he was 20 years old at -this time and he says at that time the Indians had an idol over at -Cornplanter’s made of wood and ornamented with feathers around which -they sung and danced and called it GOD. He had seen the idol but not the -dancing around it. He says that Cornplanter’s son threw it into the -river (corroborating the story I have heard before). He says that he -never knew of any other such idol. But he says that the women very -commonly made little images, made in conformity to their dreams. (They -consider all remarkable dreams as revelations from the spirit world.) -And not alone the dolls, but images of any other object they might be -impressed by in a dream, they considered them to be their gods, -considered them as their protectors, etc. Some of them, not all of them, -used to dance before them as objects of worship. (He does not know that -the women ever received from the Catholics any images of the Virgin, but -he has often seen gold or silver crucifixes among them used simply as -ornaments.) - -The Indians did not all believe that their New Years and other feasts -were ordained of God. Johnson says that when he was about ten years old -he saw some of the disgusting things connected with the New Years and he -asked his grandfather if God appointed that institution. The old man -said _No_. And from that time Johnson did not believe in them and hence -when the gospel came his mind was open to conviction and he embraced it. -He says they had the New Years from time immemorial, but the dog -burning, he thinks, was added to it not very long ago in consequence of -somebody’s dreams. The Big Feather and Green Corn dances he thinks were -of equal antiquity with the New Years. He thinks all other observances -comparatively modern, dreamed out and agreed upon and then proclaimed to -the people as being God’s ordinances. - -He adds to the smoke of the tobacco to propitiate the pigeons when they -took their young, the offering of payment to the old ones,—a brass -kettle or other little dish full of ot-go-ah,[82] brooches, and various -other things which the man who raised the smoke would deposit on the -ground before he put the tobacco on the fire, and he says that they left -the kettle there when they left home, considering it a real payment to -the pigeons, etc. (The prayers are the same as related by Oliver -Silverheels.) - -He says that anciently they had a law that if a man died his widow -should mourn a whole year, she should clothe herself in rags, keep her -head covered with rags, never wash her face or hands, never to go -anywhere except at night weeping to the grave. (The same rules applied -in case it was her child that died. It was the general law of mourning.) -The chiefs at last forbade these customs, as being too hard, often -resulting in the death of the mourners before the year was up, and they -appointed that the mourning should last only ten days, at the end of -which they should hold the funeral feast (Ho-non-di-aak-hoh-ga-ya-soh), -and during these ten days they should abstain from all ordinary -business; a chief, e.g. could not meet in council or attend any public -business till the ten days were over. At the funeral feast the chief or -other person would proclaim the removal of the disabilities. - -Johnson says that a long time ago squashes were found growing wild. He -says that he has seen them and that they were quite unpalatable, but the -Indians used to boil and eat them. He says that in their ancient wars -with the Southern Indians they brought back squashes that were sweet and -palatable and beans which grow wild in the South, calico colored, and -which were very good, and he thinks the white folks have never used -them. Also the o-yah-gwa-oweh they brought from the south where it grows -wild, also the various kinds of corn, black, red and squaw corn they -brought from the prairie country south where they found it growing wild. -All these things they found on their war expeditions and brought them -here and planted them and thus they abound here, but he does not know -where they first found the potato. - - - STONE GIANTS. - -He says the old people used to tell the story that after God had made -the world and man and animals he was one day walking around and he saw a -strange people coming towards him, clothed with stone and he asked them -who they were and who created them. They replied that they were free and -independent and that they had no creator, that they were their own -masters. He then said, “Where are you going?” They said, “We are going -to find men that we may devour them.” He said, “You must not go. Very -likely if you do they will kill you.” But the more he forbid them the -more they were determined to go. So he went away and blackened his face -with coal and took him a basswood club three or four inches through and -came around in front of them and fell upon them and killed all but two -who fled and he came around again and having washed off the black met -them in the place where he first saw them, and said, “What is the matter -with you that you flee so?” They answered, “They have been killing us, -and we only are left.” He said, “That is what I told you,” though he had -done it himself. He said then, “You must go away and leave mankind -alone. You must keep away from and never come nigh them again.” - - - THE THUNDER GOD. - -He also at another time saw the Hih-noh coming towards him and did not -know him for he had not created him and he said to him, Who are you? Who -created you? And whom do you own as your lord? He answered no one. Then -he said What do you think of men? He replied Oh they are my -grandchildren and if you wish me to do anything I can do it, (or I am -ready to do it.) GOD said to him, What can you do. Oh he said I can wash -the earth, &c. And so the Indians, when it thunders think that Hih-noh -is washing the earth again and they call him Grandfather because he told -GOD that they were his grandchildren. - - - ANOTHER STORY, OR FABLE, THE THUNDERER. - -In ancient times there was a war party got up to go against the -southwestern Indians. There were four or five men and there was a poor -friendless boy, an orphan, and he came to one of these men and found him -painted and ready for the expedition. He painted himself, and the man -befriended him and sent him to where there was a company of men, who -seeing him painted enquired the object and said to him, that man is your -friend? He said yes and they said we will go with you. There were five -in the party besides this boy whose name was Shot-do-gas, in allusion to -his filthy miserable condition. They came together near Smoke’s Creek -(near Buffalo) and there they made a bark canoe and then started up the -lake. They came after several nights to Ga-yah-hah-geh (Clear Land), and -there while the moon was yet high and it was quite light, they became -sleepy, and the leader said Let us stop here. So they ran in among the -cattail flags and tied a lot of them together on each side of the canoe -and fastened it to them, so as to have it lie still. (Noe-oh-gwah -ga-ya-soh, cattail flag.) So they slept in the canoe. After a little -while the leader awoke and thought he saw evidence that they were in -motion, and putting his hand over the side of the canoe, felt the rush -of water, and aroused his companions, saying Wake up! The canoe is -running swiftly. Another put his hand on the other side of the canoe, -and said Yes we are going rapidly! They could not tell the cause of the -motion, but the canoe kept on. They lay in it mostly asleep and when -they awaked they found themselves at Green Bay, and the canoe kept on, -and they finally landed at Chicago, at daylight, having come from -Cleveland in one night. They took the canoe into the bushes and hid it -and got ready their breakfast and ate it and about noon they found a -trail leading off into the country and they started on that trail and -they went till night and camped and started again the next morning, and -till perhaps 5 p. m., they saw a man coming. They stopped beside the -trail till he came up. He said the chief sent me on this trail saying -you will meet men coming. Tell them to come on with you. They went on a -great way for he had run very fast and at length they came to a house. -Beside the door there was something tied and concealed, and he said to -them you must not look upon this. Something will happen to whosoever -looks upon it. (It was a She-wah, a sable.) They went into the house, no -one of them having looked upon the forbidden object. They found the -house full of people who made room for them, and all men, women and -children saluted them kindly. The chief said to his family We are in a -hard case we have nothing for these guests to eat. They can not eat our -food. You must provide for them of such kind of food as they can eat. -Four of them then went out and presently it began to thunder. Then these -men began to realize their situation. They had come into Hih-noh’s -house. The whole household were his family, although in form and speech -they seemed to be human beings. These four soon returned bringing with -them green corn, beans, squashes, etc., for their guests. The women -cooked these things for them and they ate. They soon discovered that the -Hih-noh family lived upon serpents,—that whenever they discovered a -snake they shot down a bolt upon him, and carried him home for food, and -that it was this that made the old man say We are in a hard case because -our guests cannot eat our food. They remained there a long time living -together. At length the old man said to them, Pretty soon you will see -something coming in the air from the North. We have tried to kill it but -we cannot do it. You can do it for us. They then all went out and soon -there was a wind from the North and they saw something flying towards -them. It seemed to be a man entirely naked of a yellow color, without -wings or any means of flying, and yet it flew swiftly towards them. -Shot-da-gas said, “Shoot it with an arrow,” and he shot, and he shot and -the arrow fell below and he shot again but over-shot it. By the time his -third arrow was ready it had come directly overhead, and he shot and -pierced him through the body, so that he fell but a little way off. The -Hih-noh family were greatly rejoiced and poured forth many thanks upon -him for his exploit. - -Afterwards Hih-noh said, Yonder is another thing which we cannot kill, -and he led them a long way till they came to a monstrous big whitewood -tree, and from a large limb projecting from near the top there was a -creature sitting and Hih-noh said Shoot that, and Shot-de-gas drew his -bow and shot it through the body. It crawled along the limb and finally -fell, (bum!) and was stone dead. It proved to be a monstrous porcupine -with quills as large as one’s finger, which the Hih-noh family had tried -in vain to kill. - -They staid a long time, when at last Hih-noh said, they are about to -take you home, but let Shot-do-gas remain with us, we will take care of -him. Shot-do-gas was willing and his friend gave his consent. They went -out and saw a very big Mortar, (gä-ne-gah-tah,) and Hih-noh called them -to it. Shot-do-gas climbed into it and there he was killed, but Hih-noh -restored him to life and he also became a hih-noh. Then the five men -were about to start, and all at once there commenced a terrible thunder -storm and Hih-noh said now take them home, and suddenly they were taken -up on the backs of as many men and carried along with the storm and down -at Smoke’s Creek where they started. They then washed off their paint -and started to go home, but they found the trail grown up with bushes; -they kept on to where there was a bark shanty, it had been rebuilt,—to -the council house, it was gone, every(thing) was changed they kept on -and at last met a man whom they did not know, he asked them where and -whither they were going, they replied we went from here and have come -home, he said wait and I will go and tell the people. He found the chief -and told him here are men whom I never saw before, saying that they have -come home. The chief gave the call implying important business,—the -people rushed together into the council house, the man told what he had -seen, the chief said to him go call these men, they came, no one knew -them and they knew no one. The chief asked the leader of the party for -his name, we may perhaps remember that, he would not tell his own name -but the rest of the party told it and each others names, but nobody -recollected them. Then said the chief there is a very old woman living -yonder, go call her, if so be she can recollect them. She came and they -told her their names and that one of the party named Shot-do-gas had -remained behind. She recollected the leaving of the party a long, long -time ago, and recalled their names, and said that when they went away, -there was a poor miserable little boy, on that account called -Shot-do-gas, who left with them. It proved that one of these men was -elder brother of this old woman, and he returned in all the freshness of -youth, as when he left, while his younger sister had become a -superannuated old woman. All the rest of the people had grown up since -they left and therefore did not know them. She, the sole survivor of her -generation, was the only one to recognize them and remove the unbelief -of those that did not believe that they had ever gone from this region -of country. - - - D. EMBLEMATIC TREES IN IROQUOIAN MYTHOLOGY.[83] - - BY ARTHUR C. PARKER. - -A student of Iroquoian folk-lore, ceremony or history will note the many -striking instances in which sacred or symbolic trees are mentioned. One -finds allusions to such trees not only in the myths and traditions which -have long been known to literature and in the speeches of Iroquois -chiefs when met in council with the French and English colonists, but -also in the more recently discovered wampum codes and in the rituals of -the folk-cults. - -There are many references to the “tree of peace” in the colonial -documents on Indian relations. Colden in his Five Nations, for example, -quotes the reply of the Mohawk chief to Lord Effingham in July, 1684. -The Mohawk agree to the peace propositions and their spokesman says: “We -now plant a Tree who’s tops will reach the Sun, and its Branches spread -far abroad, so that it shall be seen afar off; & we shall shelter -ourselves under it, and live in Peace, without molestation.” (Gives two -Beavers).[84] - -In a footnote Colden says that the Five Nations always express peace -under the metaphor of a tree. Indeed in the speech, a part of which is -quoted above, the Peace tree is mentioned several times. - -In Garangula’s reply to De la Barre, as recorded by Lahontan are other -references to the “tree.” In his “harangue” Garangula said: - -“We fell upon the Illinese and the Oumamis, because they cut down the -Trees of Peace—.” “The Tsonontouans, Gayogouans, Onnotagues, Onnoyoutes, -and Agnies declare that they interred the Axe at Cataracuoy, in the -Presence of your Predecessor, in the very Center of the Fort; and -planted the Tree of Peace in the same place; ’twas then stipulated that -the Fort should be us’d as a Place of Retreat for Merchants, and not as -a Refuge for Soldiers.... You ought to take Care that so great a number -of Militial Men as we now see ... do not stifle and choak the Tree of -Peace.... it must needs be of pernicious Consequences to stop its Growth -and hinder it to shade both your Country and ours with its Leaves.”[85] - -[Illustration: - - Fig. 1.—The pictograph of the sky-dome in the Walum Olum. _a_ is - interpreted “At all times above the earth.” _b_, “He made them [sun - and moon] all to move evenly.” -] - -The above examples are only a few of many that might be quoted to show -how commonly the Iroquois mentioned the peace tree. There are also -references to the tree which was uprooted “to afford a cavity in which -to bury all weapons of war,” the tree being replanted as a memorial. - -In the Iroquoian myth, whether Cherokee, Huron, Wyandot, Seneca or -Mohawk, the “tree of the upper world” is mentioned, though the character -of the tree differs according to the tribe and sometimes according to -the myth-teller. - -Before the formation of the lower or earth-world the Wyandot tell of the -upper or sky world and of the “Big Chief” whose daughter became -strangely ill.[86] The chief instructs his daughter to “dig up the wild -apple tree; what will cure her she can pluck from among its roots.” -David Boyle[87] wondered why the apple tree was called “wild,” but that -the narrator meant wild-apple and not wild apple is shown by the fact -that the Seneca in some versions called the tree the crab-apple. The -native apple tree with its small fruit was intended by the Indian myth -teller who knew also of the cultivated apple and took the simplest way -to differentiate the two. - -With the Seneca this tree is described more fully. In manuscript left by -Mrs. Asher Wright, the aged missionary to the Seneca, I find the -cosmologic myth as related to her by Esquire Johnson, a Seneca, in 1870. -Mrs. Wright and her husband understood the Seneca language perfectly and -published a mission magazine as early as 1838 in that tongue. Her -translation of Johnson’s myth should therefore be considered authentic. -She wrote: “—there was a vast expanse of water—. Above it was the great -blue arch of air but no signs of anything solid—. In the clear sky was -an unseen floating island sufficiently firm to allow trees to grow upon -it, and there were men-beings there. There was one great chief there who -gave the law to all the Ongweh or beings on the island. In the center of -the island there grew a tree so tall that no one of the beings who lived -there could see its top. On its branches flowers and fruit hung all the -year round. The beings who lived on the island used to come to the tree -and eat the fruit and smell the sweet perfume of the flowers. On one -occasion the chief desired that the tree be pulled up. The Great Chief -was called to look at the great pit which was to be seen where the tree -had stood.” The story continues with the usual description of how the -sky-mother was pushed into the hole in the sky and fell upon the wings -of the waterfowl who placed her on the turtle’s back. After this mention -of the celestial tree in the same manuscript is the story of the central -world-tree. After the birth of the twins, Light One and Toad-like (or -dark) one, the Light One, also known as Good Minded, noticing that there -was no light, created the “tree of light.” This was a great tree having -at its topmost branch a great ball of light. At this time the sun had -not been created. It is significant as will appear later that the Good -Minded made his tree of light one that brought forth flowers from every -branch. After he had gone on experimenting and improving the earth “he -made a new light and hung it on the neck of a being and he called the -new light Gaa-gwaa (gä’´gwā) and instructed its bearer to run his course -daily in the heavens.” Shortly after he is said to have “dug up the tree -of light and looking into the pool of water in which the stump (trunk) -had grown he saw the reflection of his own face and thereupon conceived -the idea of creating Ongwe and made them both a man and a woman.” - -The central world-tree is found also in Delaware mythology, though as -far as I discover it is not called the tree of light. The _Journal_[88] -of Dankers and Slyter records the story of creation as heard from the -Lenape of New Jersey in 1679. All things came from a tortoise, the -Indians told them. “It had brought forth the world and in the middle of -its back had sprung a tree upon whose branches men had grown.”[89] This -relation between men and the tree is interesting in comparison with the -Iroquois myth as it is also as the central world-tree. Both Lenape and -the Iroquois ideas are symbolic and those who delight in flights of -imagination might draw much from both. - -[Illustration: - - Fig. 2.—A false face leader rubbing his rattle on a stump. Drawn from - a photograph. -] - -The Seneca world-tree is described elsewhere in my notes as a tree -whose branches pierce the sky and whose roots run down into the -underground waters of the under-world. This tree is mentioned in -various ceremonial rites of the Iroquois. With the False Face Company, -Hadĭgo^n’´săsho^n’´o^n, for example, the Great Face, chief of all the -False Faces, is said to be the invisible giant that guards the -world-tree (gaindowo´nĕ‘). He rubs his turtle shell rattle upon it to -obtain its power and this he imparts to all the visible false faces -worn by the Company. In visible token of this belief the members of -the Company rub their turtle rattles on pine tree trunks, believing -that they become filled with both the earth and the sky-power thereby. -In this use of the turtle shell rattle there is perhaps a recognition -of the connection between the turtle and the world-tree that grows -upon the primal turtle’s back. - -In the prologue of the Wampum Code of the Five Nations Confederacy we -again find references to a symbolic “great tree.” In the code of -Dekānăwī´dă and with the Five Nations’ confederate lords (rodiyā´nĕr) “I -plant the Tree of the Great Peace. I plant it in your territory, -Adōdar´ho‘ and the Onondaga nation, in the territory of you who are -Firekeepers. - -“I name the tree the Tree of the Great Long Leaves. Under the shade of -this Tree of Peace we spread the soft feathery down of the globe -thistle, there beneath the spreading branches of the Tree of Peace.” - -In the second “law” of the code the four roots of the “tree” are -described and the law-giver says, “If any individual or any nation -outside the Five Nations shall obey the laws of the Great Peace and make -known their disposition to the Lords of the Confederacy, they may trace -the Roots to the Tree and if their minds are clean and obedient—they -shall be welcome to take shelter beneath the Tree of the Long Leaves. - -“We place in the top of the Tree of the Long Leaves an Eagle who is able -to see afar;—he will warn the people.” - -In another place is the following: “I Dekānăwī´dă, and the union lords -now uproot the tallest pine tree and into the cavity thereby made we -cast all weapons of war. Into the depths of the earth, down into the -deep under-earth currents of water flowing to unknown regions we cast -all the weapons of strife. We bury them from sight and we plant again -the tree. Thus shall the Great Peace, Kayĕ’´narhe‘kowa, be established.” - -These laws and figures of speech are very evidently those which the -Iroquois speakers had in mind when addressing “peace councils” with the -whites. - -Symbolic trees appear not only in Iroquois history, mythology and folk -beliefs but also in their decorative art. The numerous decorative forms -of trees embroidered in moose hair and porcupine quills by the eastern -Algonquins and by the Huron and the Iroquois appear to be attempts to -represent the world-tree and the celestial tree, in some cases with its -“all manner of fruits and flowers.” Many, if not most, of the modern -descendants of the old-time Indian, who copy these old designs have -forgotten their meanings and some have even invented new explanations. A -few of the more conservative, however, remember even yet the true -meaning of their designs and from such much of interest has been -learned. - -[Illustration: - - Fig. 3.—Portion of legging strip. The inward curving design at the top - sometimes symbolizes sleep or death. (Specimens collected for the - New York State Museum by M. R. Harrington.) -] - -In examining examples of Iroquois decorative art one is immediately -impressed with the repeated use of a pattern consisting of a semi-circle -resting upon two parallel horizontal lines having at the top two -divergent curved lines each springing from the same point and curving -outward, like the end of a split dandelion stalk, (See fig. 4b.) This -design or symbol, with the Iroquois represents the celestial tree -growing from the top of the sky, or more properly, from the bottom of -the “above-sky world” (gä´oñyă’gĕ‘´). The two parallel lines represent -the earth. This symbol is found with the same meaning among the -Delaware. In the Walum Olum[90] parallel semi-circles represent the -sky-dome, though single semi-circles appear. Two parallel horizontal -lines, likewise, represent the earth. (See fig. I, a.) - -[Illustration: - - Fig. 4.—Various forms of the sky-dome symbol as employed in Iroquois - moose hair and quill embroidery. -] - -With the Iroquois the sky-dome and earth symbols are employed as pattern -designs for decorating clothing. Nearly always these symbols are -associated with the celestial-tree symbol, though sometimes this is -employed alone. These patterns appear embroidered in moose hair, -porcupine quills and beads as borders for leggings, skirts, -breech-clouts and moccasins. (See fig. 5.) Occasionally the pattern is -found on head-bands and hair ornaments. In some cases, especially in -examples of silver work and beaded articles it seems evident that the -decorator has not the meaning of his pattern in mind. This is true of -some of the more modern attempts to use it. - -These outward curving designs, beside being symbols of the celestial -tree have a secondary meaning, that of life, living and light. Curving -inward upon themselves they sometimes represent sleep and death. Fig. 3 -shows this design on a leggin strip. In fig. 4 h we have it used in -conjunction with a sleeping sun. The Onondaga call the double curve -design oĕ^n’´shă’, tendril. - -In this connection it may be well to note that the “horns” wampum when -placed upon a dead civil chief’s body is curved inward, the two ends -touching and forming the outline of a circle or heart. When the -condoling ceremonial chief finishes his address and is about to lift the -strands of wampum from the corpse to hand it to the successor he turns -the wampum-string so that the ends point outward and away from each -other. These particular symbols while being those of death and life -respectively are regarded as horn and not tree symbols. The wampum so -employed “the horns,” onă’gasho‘´ă, and alludes to the symbolic title of -the civil chief (roya´ner). - -The celestial-tree symbol appears also as a trefoil. The third tendril -or branch unfolds from the center of the tree. (See fig. 4 c.) A fourth -branch is often used and then appears as a double tree. (See fig. 4 d.) -In 4, e the night-sun is represented over the world-tree and in meaning -this sign is found to be the same as 4, h. In fig. 4, f the day-sun is -represented as shining at zenith above the world-tree. In 4, g the -sun-above-the-sky is awake and roosting in the celestial-tree. All of -these designs are found on borders of Iroquois garments some of which -are shown in plate I. - -Another important modification of the sky-dome and celestial-tree -combination is that which represents the sky-dome with the -celestial-tree upon it and the earth-tree within the dome below and -resting upon a long intersection of an oval (possibly the turtle) and -sending its long leaves or branches upward to the sky-arch. - -Sometimes the design is used as the motif of a rosette or other balanced -design. Morgan figured several and the Report of the Director of the -State Museum of New York for 1907 shows a picture of Red Jacket’s pipe -pouch ornamented with such a pattern. There the ends of the tendrils are -split and represented as conventional flowers. In other instances the -motif is built upward upon itself as shown in figure 6. The first “tree” -in this figure is copied from Lafitau[91] and the others from Mohawk -moccasin toes. - -With the Iroquois the celestial-tree symbol is generally represented by -this anies-like figure. The _earth-tree_, on the other hand, is less -highly conventionalized. With the Iroquois as with many other tribes in -the forest area in North America, the Ojibwa for example, the ordinary -tree sign is commonly used,—that depicting the upward slanting branches -of the balsam fir. Figure 7 shows the Ojibwa pictograph which is -interpreted as “the big tree in the middle of the earth.” The terminal -buds on the conventionalized trees of the Huron moose hair embroidery -type resemble in form this balsam fir symbol. The Huron indeed call the -bud “balsam fir.”[92] The method of slanting the hair to form the design -creates the resemblance and causes the confusion, in all probability. -Used alone the “bud” would be a tree if placed in proper position but as -ordinarily used by the Huron at the extremity of an embroidered branch, -it seems paradoxical to find a tree on the small end of one of its -branches. This is discussed more fully hereinafter. - -Figure 4, e, and f show the Iroquois “middle-of-theworld-tree” as used -in conjunction with the sky-dome and sun symbols. - -[Illustration: - - Fig. 5.—Borders embroidered in moose hair on deer-skin garments. - (Seneca specimens in the New York State Museum.) _a_ is the “two - curve” pattern common in Iroquoian decoration. _b_ represents a - series of “sky-domes” resting upon the earth, the two parallel - horizontal lines. _c_ represents a series of the “trees” of Iroquois - symbolism. The unit of the design is indicated by _m_-_n_. _d_ shows - a series of suns and celestial trees resting on the sky-dome. -] - -Another, and more elaborate, form of the “tree” as it appears in -Iroquoian decorative art is a flowering plant or tree having -conventionalized leaves (generally, “long leaves”), branches, buds, -tendrils and flowers. See plate 2. In this plate (9) is shown the -flowering tree as embroidered in porcupine quills on an Iroquois pouch -collected by Lewis H. Morgan, and now in the New York State Museum. It -will be perceived that here the diverging curved lines play a -conspicuous part in the make-up of the tree. Like all Iroquois symbolic -trees of the purely conventional type the tree is exactly balanced on -each side of the central line that represents the trunk or stalk. - -With the Huron these trees are, likewise, used as an adornment for bags -and other things where a comparatively large surface is afforded. Dr. -Speck illustrates one of these trees in the article on moose hair -embroidery previously cited, and gives the Huron interpretation for the -various parts of the tree. With the Huron, it is most interesting to -note, the topmost flower is called not a flower but a star, thus -suggesting some dim recollection of the “tree of light.” - -The Confederated Iroquois made similar trees, though they interpret some -of the parts differently. With them the significance of the tree is -recognized. Mr. Hewitt describes the tree in his Onondaga creation -myth.[93] His informants in relating the myth said: “And there beside -the lodge stands the tree that is called Tooth (Ono’´djă’). Moreover, -the blossoms this standing tree bears cause the world to be light, -making it light for men-beings dwelling there.” This agrees with the -Seneca version previously cited in this article. - -[Illustration: - - Embroidered pouch made by the Seneca before 1850. Note tree and floral - designs. Specimen in New York State Museum. - Scale x½. -] - -The “Tree of Peace” symbolically planted by Dekānăwī´dă, as has been -noted was called the “Tree of the Great Long Leaves.” It will be -observed that the “tree of light” in nearly every case where leaves are -shown at all has long sword-like leaves. This is true among the Huron in -their older patterns, as among the Iroquois. The Huron, however, now -call these long leaves “dead branches” and the unopened flowers “balsam -fir.”[94] The Huron, as with most of the Iroquois, have likely forgotten -or confused the true names of the elements of their designs. These -designs, with the Huron at least, seem to have undergone some change due -to the necessity for trade purposes of working their patterns in outline -and quickly. It is most important to observe, however, that oftentimes -when the object of using a symbol is primarily for decorative purposes, -the Indian artist or needle-worker gives parts of the design “pattern -names,” often at entire variance with the real meaning of the part but -based upon real or fancied resemblance. With the Huron with whom the -decorative element is now of primary importance this seems to have been -the case. Indeed, Dr. Speck does not say that the parts of the designs -which he illustrates are symbols though he does give the names which the -Huron told him. The Huron are very likely making “trees of light” and do -not know it, in this respect being similar to their Iroquois brethren. -The designs are worked, as some of my Indian informants say, “because -they are Indian” and likewise because they have become accustomed to -them and because there seems nothing more appropriate to invent. - -[Illustration: - - Fig. 6.—Various forms of the celestial tree. Here the unit is - superposed to form the tree. -] - -This instance suggests how with change of environment myths, symbols and -ceremonial rites may lose their meaning and yet preserve their outward -form. - -The two-curve motif in Indian art is widely distributed throughout -America. In many instances it seems to have meanings similar to that -given it by the Iroquois, though there are other instances where it has -not. It is sometimes used with a few simple additions to represent the -face of the thunderbird or even the human face, at least the eyes and -nose. In a more elaborate form it is found in the Fejérvary Codex as a -tree symbol though a variation of the form in the Vienna codex makes the -cross-section of a vase. - -[Illustration: - - Fig. 7.—“The big tree in the middle of the earth.” From the Ojibwa - _Midéwiwin_. -] - -It is not strange that the simple outline should be found almost -universally. It is one of those simple conceptions in art that would -occur to any people independently. Many things in nature suggest it. It -is not its outline, however, so much as its use as a definite symbol and -its combination with others that gives it interest to the writer. - -The world-tree with its long leaves and luminous flowers is worthy of -more detailed consideration. It seems to have been a deeply imbedded -concept with the certain branches of the Algonquin stock and of the -Iroquois, affecting not only their mythology and ceremonial language but -also their decorative art. Whether the idea has a deeper and more -primitive meaning than here suggested the author does not pretend to -know. - - - E. THE SOCIETY THAT GUARDS THE MYSTIC POTENCE. - -Among the Seneca Indians for many years the most important ceremonial -society has been and now is the organization called Neh -Ho-noh-chi-noh-gah (Ne‘ Ho-no^n’tci‘no^n’´gä‘), commonly called the -“Secret Medicine Society,” and as often the “Little Water Company.” - -This society (hoĕnnidio^n’got) is instituted primarily to preserve the -mystic potence or orenda (meaning magical power) supposed to be inherent -in the medicine called the niga‘ni‘gă´ă‘ (meaning small dose), and to -preserve the methods of administering it. - -Of the several native societies that have survived among the Seneca, -none remains more exclusive, more secret or so rigorously adheres to its -ancient forms. No organization among the Seneca is so well knit together -and not one is so united in its purpose. Its members and officers are -among the most conservative and best respected men of their communities, -and they preserve the rites of the order with great fidelity. Harmony -prevails for discord of any kind would be at variance with the very -fundamental teachings of the order. No organization among the Senecas -today is so mysterious, nor does any other possess the means of -enforcing so rigorously its laws. The Honohtcinohgah is without doubt a -society of great antiquity; few Iroquois societies, perhaps, are more -so. One authority has contended that it is a tribal branch of an -organization found everywhere, among Indians throughout the continent -and produced arguments to support the theory, but an examination of its -traditions and ritual would lead to the opinion that it is purely -Iroquoian. - -In order to understand the organization it is first necessary to -understand the legend of its origin when many otherwise obscure -allusions will be made apparent. This is given in 69, under Traditions, -page 386. - - - NEH NIGAHNIGAHAH. - -The charm medicine is known as the niga‘ni‘gă´a‘ and each member -possesses a certain amount of it. The secret of compounding the -niga‘ni‘gă´a‘ rested with only one man in a tribe, who, according to the -teachings of the society, would be apprised of approaching death and -given time to transmit the knowledge to a successor whom he should -choose. According to the traditions of the Honohtcinohgah the secret -holder always foreknew the hour of his death and frequently referred to -it in lodge meetings. - -The “small dose” medicine is composed of the brains of various mammals, -birds, fish and other animals and the pollen and roots of various -plants, trees and vegetables. These ingredients are compounded and -pulverized with certain other substances as squash seeds, corn roots, -etc., and constitute the base of the niganigaah. - -That this medicine actually possesses chemical properties that react on -human tissue was proven by Dr. J. H. Salisbury, an eminent physician and -a former State chemist, who according to Mrs. H. M. Converse analyzed -and experimented with a small quantity that he had secured from a member -of the society. - -The medicine itself is of a yellowish hue and when opened in the dark -sometimes appears luminous, probably from the organic phosphorus that it -contains. The utmost caution is employed by the members of the -Honohtcinohgäh to preserve the medicine from exposure to the air in -unsafe places and from contaminating influences. It is held in a small -skin bag[95] and wrapped in many coverings of cloth and skin and finally -enclosed in a bark, wood or tin case to keep it free from moisture, -disease and dirt. - -Among the Seneca of modern times John Patterson was the last of the -holders of the secret and the secret of the precise method of -compounding the medicine died with him, he in some way having failed to -instruct a successor. The members thus doubly guard their medicine and -are loath to use it except in cases of extreme necessity for when it is -exhausted not only will they be unable to secure more but by a legend -when the medicine is gone the Senecas will forever lose their identity -as Indians. - - - METHOD OF ADMINISTERING THE CHARMED MEDICINE. - -A person who wishes to have the medicine given him for the cure of a -wound, broken bone or specific disease, must purge himself and for three -days must abstain from the use of salt or grease. His food must be the -flesh of white birds or animals and only the white portions. The system -of the patient is then ready to receive the medicine. The medicine man -comes to his lodge and an assistant searches the house for anything that -might destroy the “life” of the medicine such as household animals, -vermin, decayed meat, blood, soiled garments, etc. These things removed -from the house, the patient is screened off and the guard patrols the -premises warning away all infected or obnoxious persons. An attendant -who has previously been dispatched to a clear running stream enters with -a bowl of water that has been dipped from the crest of the ripples as -they “sang their way down the water-road.” Not to antagonize the forces -in the water, it was dipped the way the current ran, down stream, and -not upward against it. - -Everything now being in readiness the medicine man takes a basket of -tobacco and as he repeats the ancient formula he casts pinches of the -tobacco into the flames that the sacred smoke may lift his words to the -Great Spirit. The water is then poured out in a cup and the medicine -packet opened. With a miniature ladle that holds as much of the powder -as can be held on the tip of the blade of a small penknife, the medicine -man dips three times from the medicine and drops the powder on the -surface of the water in three spots, the points of a triangle. If the -medicine floats the omen is good, if it clouds the water the results are -considered doubtful and if it sinks death may be predicted with a degree -of certainty and the medicine is thrown away. In the case of severe cuts -or contusions and broken bones the medicated water is sprinkled upon the -affected part and an amount is taken internally. A medicine song is then -chanted by the “doctor” who accompanies himself with a gourd rattle. -After the ceremony of healing, the people of the house partake of a -feast of fruit, and the medicine man departs with his fee, a pinch of -sacred tobacco. The following description of the lodge ceremony from the -lips of a Seneca will not be out of place. The story is related exactly -as it came from the tongue of the interpreter. - -Jesse Hill speaking: “Mother scraped off basswood bark, soaked it in -water and wrapped it around my leg. Next day we sent for the medicine -man. He came at sun set and sent to the creek for fresh water to be -dipped where the current was swift, with a pail not against the current. -Poured some in a tea cup and pulled out the medicine bag. Opened it with -a charmed shovel not much larger than a pin. Dipped three times. Cup of -water. Floated. Go up or down. Understood it was good medicine. Took -some in his mouth and sprayed it on my leg. Told mother to put a curtain -around my bed so no one could see me. If anyone saw any part of my body, -medicine would do no good. Soon came dark. All the animals were put out. -Took tin pail and made fire. Put in center of room and all sat around in -silence. Medicine man made prayer. Scattered tobacco mother had prepared -over fire. Took rattle made of gourd and chanted medicine song loud and -louder. Half hour pain had gone. Boiled different fruits together till -soft. Put kettle where all could help out with little dipper. Left two -doses of medicine. Eat nothing but white things. White of egg of chicken -had white feathers and eat chicken if white. Five or six days spoke -things. All certain took pain away.” - - - THE MEDICINE LODGE RITUAL. - -The Honohtcinohgah “sits,” that is, holds lodge meetings, four times -each year; in mid-winter, when the moon Nĭsha proclaims the new year, -when the deer sheds its hair, when the strawberries are ripe and when -corn is in the milk. At these ceremonies each member brings his or her -medicine to be sung for and if unable to be present sends it by -messenger. - -Only members know the exact place and time of meeting. At the entrance -of the medicine lodge, a private house of a member chosen for the -ceremony, a guard is stationed who scrutinized each person who attempts -to pass within. Across the door within is placed a heavy bench “manned” -by several stalwart youths who, should a person not entitled to see the -interior of the lodge appear, would throw their weight against the bench -and force the door shut leaving the unfortunate intruder to the mercy of -the outside guards and incoming members. - -Each member entering the lodge has with him his medicine, a quantity of -tobacco, a pipe and perhaps a rattle although most of the lodge rattles -are in the keeping of Honondiont or officers. As the members enter the -room they deposit their contribution of tobacco in a husk basket placed -for the purpose on a table at one side and then put their medicine -packets beside the basket of the sacred herb. - -The ceremony proper commences about 11 P. M. in the summer and in winter -an hour earlier and lasts until nearly daybreak. The feast makers enter -the lodge several hours previous to the ceremony and cook the food for -the feast and prepare the strawberry wine. - -The seats in the lodge are arranged around the sides of the room leaving -the center of the room open. - -When all is in readiness a Honondiont takes a basket of sacred tobacco, -oyĕñkwa oñweh, and, as he chants the opening ceremony he casts the -sacred herb into the smouldering coals. The lights are all burning and -the members are in their seats, the only exception being the feast -makers whose duties require their attention at the fireplace. - -From the manuscript notes of Mrs. Harriet Maxwell Converse, I find the -following translation of the “Line Around the Fire Ceremony.” - - - THE LINE AROUND THE FIRE CEREMONY. - - The Singer, (to the members): “This is the line around the fire - ceremony. Now I have asked blessings and made prayer.” - - The Singer sprinkles sacred tobacco on the fire. - - - (The Singer speaks to the invisible powers): - - “Now I give you incense, - You, the Great Darkness! - You, our great grand parents, here to night,— - We offer you incense! - We assemble at certain times in the year - That this may be done. - - (We trust that all believe in this medicine, - - For all are invited to partake of this medicine.) - - (Now one has resigned. We ask you to let him off in a friendly - manner. Give him good luck and take care that his friends remain in - faithful!) - - Now we offer you this incense! - Some have had ill luck - Endeavoring to give a human being. - We hope you will take hold - And help your grandchildren, - Nor be discouraged in us! - - Now we act as we offer you incense! - You love it the most of all offerings! - With it you will hear us better - And not tire of our talking, - But love us with all power - Beyond all treasures - Or spreading you words through the air! - - All men traveling under the great heavens, - You have invited, your grandchildren and all nations! - - Oh you that make the noise, - You the great Thunderer! - Your grandchildren wish to thank you! - All your grandchildren have asked me - To offer this incense upon the mountain to you! - -[Illustration: - - _ARRANGEMENT - OF THE - LITTLE WATER LODGE_ - This diagram shows the arrangement of the lodge room of the Little - Water Company, sometimes also called the Medicine Society, the - Guards of the Mystic Potence and the Night Song Company. -] - - (Speaking to the Great Spirit, Sho-gwa-yah-dih-sah-oh): - - Oh you the Manager of All Things! - We ask you to help us, - To help us make this medicine strong! - You are the Creator, - The Most High, - The Best Friend of men! - We ask you to help us! - We implore your favor! - - I have spoken.[96] - -After the tobacco throwing ceremony the keeper of the rattles gives each -person in the circle a large gourd rattle and then the lights are -extinguished leaving the assembly in total darkness. The watcher of the -medicine uncovers the bundles exposing contents to the air and as he -does so a faint glow like a luminous cloud, according to the elect, -hovers over the table and disappears. The leader or holder of the song -gives a signal with his rattle calling the assembly to order and then -begins to beat his rattle. The people shake their rattles in regular -beats until all are in unison when the holder of the song commences the -song, which is taken up by the company. “And such a song it is! It is a -composition of nature’s sounds and thrills the very fiber of those who -hear it. It transports one from the lodge back into the dark mysterious -stone-age forest and in its wierd wild cadences it tells of the origin -of the society, of the hunter in the far south country and how when he -was killed by the enemy the animals to whom he had always been a friend -restored him to life. It tells of his pilgrimage over plain and -mountain, over river and lake, ever following the call of the night bird -and the beckoning of the winged light. It is an opera of nature’s people -that is unsurpassed.” - -The first song requires one hour for singing. Lights are then turned up -and the feast maker passes the kettle of sweetened strawberry juice and -afterward the calumet from which all draw a puff of the sacred incense. -Then comes an interval of rest in which the members smoke sacred tobacco -and discuss lodge matters. The medicine is covered before the lights are -turned up. - -With a chug of his resonant gourd rattle the leader calls the people -together for the second song which is wilder and more savage in -character. The whippoorwill’s call is heard at intervals and again the -call of the crows who tell of a feast to come. The whippoorwill song is -one that is most beautiful but it is played on the flute only at rare -intervals and then it is so short that it excites an almost painful -yearning to hear it again but there is art in this savage opera and its -performers never tire of it because it is wonderful even to them. During -the singing every person in the circle must sing and shake his rattle; -to pause is considered an evil thing. It is no small physical effort to -shake a long necked gourd a hundred and fifty times a minute for sixty -minutes without cessation. This I soon discovered when as a novitiate of -the society I was placed between a medicine woman and man and given an -extra heavy rattle. Every now and then a hand from one or the other side -would stretch forth from the inky blackness and touch my arm to see if I -were faithful and sometimes a moist ear would press against my face to -discover if I were singing and listening a moment to my attempts, would -draw back. The song in parts is pitched very high and it is a marvel -that male voices can reach it. At times the chief singers seem to employ -ventriloquism for they throw their voices about the room in a manner -that is startling to the novice. At the close of the song lights are -turned up and the berry water and calumet are passed again and a longer -period of rest is allowed. There are two other sections of the -song-ritual with rest intervals that bring the close of the song close -to daybreak. The feast makers pass the berry water and pipe again and -then imitating the cries of the crow, the ho-non-di-ont pass the bear or -boar’s head on a platter and members tear off a mouthful each with their -teeth imitating the caw of a crow as they do so. After the head is eaten -each member brings forth his pail and places it before the fireplace for -the feast maker to fill with the alloted portion of o-no‘´-kwa or hulled -corn soup. When the pails are filled one by one the company disperses -into the gray light or dawn and the medicine ceremony is over. At the -close of the last song each one takes his packet of medicine and -secretes it about his person. - -The medicine song according to the ritual of the society is necessary to -preserve the virtue of the medicine. It is an appreciation of the -founder of the order and a thanksgiving to the host of living things -that have given their life-power that the medicine might be. The spirits -of these creatures hover about the medicine which they will not desert -as long as the holder remains faithful to the conditions that they saw -fit to impose when it was given to the founder. The psychic influence of -the animals and plants is the important part of the medicine and when -the medicine is opened in the dark they are present in a shadowy form -that is said to sometimes become faintly luminous and visible. Members -are said frequently to see these spirit forms, and sometimes not -individual members only but the entire company simultaneously,—but I am -now trenching on a subject of which I am asked not to speak. There are -marvels and mysteries connected with the ceremonies of the -Honotcinohgah, suffice to say, that white men will never know, nor would -believe if told. The Indian has some sacred mysteries that will die with -him. - -Some one has suggested that Indian songs are not stable but vary from -time to time, but this idea is at once dispelled when we see a company -of fifty young men and old chanting the same song without a discord from -night till morning. The song is uniformly the same and probably has -varied but slightly since it originated. It is still intact with none of -its parts missing, although the words are archaic and some not -understood. - -The medicine men teach that if a charm packet is not sung for at least -once in a year the spirits will become restless and finally angry and -bring all manner of ill luck upon its possessor. The spirits of the -animals and plants that gave their lives for the medicine will not -tolerate neglect and will relentlessly punish the negligent holder and -many instances are cited to prove that neglect brings misfortune. The -medicine will bring about accidents that will cause sprains, severe -bruises and broken bones and finally death. I know of several persons, -myself, who becoming Christians, have neglected their medicine. Whether -the belief is true or not, some have certainly met with repeated -accidents. In every Seneca settlement the story is the same and -individuals are pointed out who having neglected their medicine have -become injured or maimed for life. Should some member of a family die -leaving his medicine its orenda will compel the person who should take -the dead one’s place to respect its desires. I will relate one instance. -When John Patterson the last holder of the secret died he left his -medicine in the loft of his house. His son, a well educated man of wide -business experience, one of the shrewdest men of the Seneca and a person -seemingly free of superstition, thought that he would allow the medicine -of his father to remain idle. He wished to have nothing to do with the -old fashioned heathenish customs of his father. Indeed he did not take -interest enough in the medicine to look for it. Several medicine -sittings passed by and the man began to suffer strange accidents. One -evening as he sat with his family on the veranda of his home (a modern -dwelling such as is found in any modern town), the members say that he -heard the medicine song floating in the air above him. He was startled -and each of the family was frightened. The singing continued until at -length it grew faint and ceased. Upon several occasions the family and -visitors heard the song issuing from the air. Mr. Patterson sent for the -leader of the lower medicine lodge, William Nephew, who asked where the -medicine was hidden. No one knew but after a search it was discovered. -Mr. Nephew ordered that a feast should be made and the rites performed. -Then was the modern educated Indian forced to join the lodge and take -his father’s seat. This story, of which I have given but the bare -outline, is commonly known among the Senecas, Mr. M. R. Harrington, of -the American Indian Museum, being perfectly familiar with the facts of -the case which he took pains to learn while staying at the Patterson -home. Howsoever this may be explained it is nevertheless considered one -of the mysteries of the medicine and the instance is not a solitary one. - -Few white people have ever been allowed in a medicine lodge and when -they have been they have not seen to witness the ceremony in full. I -know of only four who ever become members, holding the medicine: Joseph -Keppler, the publisher, and Mrs. Harriet Maxwell Converse, George K. -Staples, and George L. Tucker, with all of whom I have sat in the -medicine lodge. - - - - - BIBLIOGRAPHY - - Works Consulted in Editing This Compilation. - - - Barbeau, C. M. _Wyandot Tales_, Jour. Amer. Folk Lore, Vol. 28, - (1915), p. 83–95. - - _Huron and Wyandot Mythology_, Dept. Mines, - Canada, No. 80. - - Beauchamp, W. M. _Iroquois Trails_, Fayetteville, N. Y., 1897. - - _Iroquois Folk-Lore_, Onondaga Co. Hist. Soc., - Syracuse, 1922. - - Boaz, F. _Mythology and Folk Lore of the N. A. Indians_, - Jour. Am. Folk-Lore, Vol. 27, 375. - - Hewitt, J. N. B. _Iroquois Cosmology_, 21 An. Rept. Bur. American - Ethnology. - - Hewitt and Curtin _Seneca Myths, Fiction and Folk-Tales_, 32 An. - Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethnology. - - Leland, C. G. _Algonquin Legends._ - - Lowie, R. L. _Test Theme in N. A. Folk-Lore_, Jour. Am. - Folk-Lore, Vol. 21, 97–148. - - Mooney, James _Myths of the Cherokee_, 19 An. Rept. Bur. Amer. - Ethnology. - - Radin, Paul _Literary Aspects of N. A. Mythology_, Bulletin - 16, Canadian Department of Mines. - - _Religion of the N. A. Indians_, Jour. Amer. - Folk-Lore, Vol. 27, 335. - - Reichard, Gladys A. _Literary Types and Dissemination of Myths_, - Jour. Amer. Folk-Lore, Vol. 34, 269–307. - - Skinner, Alanson _Central Algonkian Folk-Lore_, Jour. Am. - Folk-Lore, Vol. 27, 97–100. - - _Menomini Folk Lore_, Anthrop. Papers, Amer. Mus. - Nat. Hist., Vol. XIII, 1915. - - Waterman, T. T. _Explanatory Elements in the Folk Tales of the N. - A. Indians_, Jour. Am. Folk-Lore, 38, 1. - - - - - INDEX - - -NOTE: Themes, characters, episodes and common material are indexed in -italics. Other subjects are in the usual Roman. - - _Adoption by animals_, 137. - - _Air canoe_, 97, 100, 318. - - _Air jumping_, 28. - - Albany, traditions of, 406, 407. - - America, discovery of, 383. - - _Ancient One_, 5, 59, 60. - - Ancient relics, 54. - - _Animal foster-parents_, 25, 137, 148. - - _Animal paw target_, 28, 160. - - _Animal skin, borrowing of_, 30, 132, 201. - - Animals, origin of, 67; - evil, 68, 414. - - _Animals talk to men_, 29, 137, 147, 224, 389. - - _Animated finger_, 31, 337. - - Arrow making, 98. - - Ashes, washing in, 197. - - _Astral body_, 29. - - _Ataentsic_ (see Ancient One), 6, 59, 60. - - Autumnal colors, origin of, 82. - - _Awaiting women_, 118, 135. - - - Barbeau, C. M., cited, 86 f.n., 459; - myth by, 417. - - _Bark dagger_, 31, 191. - - _Bark dolls_, 31 - (see also dolls). - - Bark lodge, 43, interior, 44; - picture, 47. - - _Basket from sky_, 86. - - _Beads, magical_, 155. - - Bear, 387. - - _Bear claw mittens_, 126. - - _Bear, monster_, 17 - (see also Niahgwahe). - - _Bears talk_, 148, 149 ff. - - _Bearded monster_, 228. - - Beauchamp, William M., 459. - - _Beaver_, 309; - evil beaver, 162, 189. - - _Beaver, white_, 17. - - Beds, 52. - - _Bewitched_, 370 - (see also witchcraft, witches, wizards). - - _Bewitched parents_, 26. - - Bibliography, 459. - - _Big Breast_, 19. - - _Bird colors, origin of_, 313. - - Blow gun, 18, 355. - - _Blue lizard_, 17, 163 - (see lizard, blue). - - _Blue otter_, 17. - - Bluesky, William, 107, f.n. - - _Boaster makes good_, 24, 350, 355, 361. - - Boas, F., 459. - - _Boiling oil_, 29, 267, 275, 291, 297, 348. - - Bone awl, 98. - - _Borrowed eyes_, 31, 105. - - _Borrowed skin_, 31, 237. - - _Boy hero_, 97, 111, 116, 122, 128, 137, 142, 147, 154, 159, 173, 200, - 241, 253, 269, 280, 342, 359, 426. - - _Box contains girls_, 28, 234, 250. - - _Brother and sister_, 293, 344. - - _Brothers_, 261, 278; - as tormentor, 205, 206. - - _Buffalo, chief_, 138; - stampedes herd, 138. - - Buffalo, early, 37. - - Buffalo Historical Society, cited, 42 f.n. - - _Buffalo one rib_, 33, 139. - - Buffalo songs, 141. - - _Bungling boy_, 142. - - _Bungling guest_, 26, 209 ff. - - Bundles, of magical objects, 163, 222, 368, 369, 372, 376. - - Burmaster, Everett R., notes by, 369. - - _Burning corpse_, 282, 300. - - - Camouflage, 356. - - _Cannibal_, 133, 156, 203, 269, 271, 284, 335, 345. - - Canoe, 134, 256, 269, 305, 342, 427. - - Capture, 356. - - Cattaraugus reservation, ix. - - _Cave of giant_, 397–398. - - Cedar waxwings, 331. - - _Celestial tree_, 6, 12, 33, 59, 60, 411, 417, 433. - - Charm holders’ society, 393. - - Charms, witch, 366, 376. - - _Cheek tying_, 118, 119, 124. - - Cherokee, 358, 422. - - _Chestnuts, origin of_, 132. - - Chewink, 326. - - Chickadee, 325. - - Clay pots, 54. - - Cleansing, 391. - - _Cloudland eagle_, described, 16, 387. - - Child killer, 282. - - _Chipmunk’s stripes_, 314. - - Clothing of Seneca, 41, 48. - - Clouds, scouts of Thunderer, 226. - - Coffin, 298. - - Colden, C., quoted, 431. - - Columbus, C., 384. - - Comet, origin of, 80, f.n. - - _Concealed hearts_, 28, 202, 274. - - _Conception by entrance_, 105. - - _Conflict between Good and Evil_, 69–70. - - _Contest with sorcerers_, 23, 168, 245–252, 265, 351. - - Converse, H. M., 446, 456. - - _Corn maiden_, 206. - - Cornplanter, Edward, picture, plate 2; - cited, 85, f.n., 107, f.n., 146, f.n., 153, f.n., 199, f.n., 305, - f.n., 383, 386, f.n. - - _Corn rains_, 28, 205. - - _Cornstalk, magic_, 392. - - Corn storage, 53. - - _Cosmic trees_, 10, 415, 431. - - _Cosmogony_, 59, 411. - - Costumes of characters, described, 155, 174–175, 184, 218, 278. - - Council, 182, 281, 422, 429. - - Crabs (crawfish), 319, 321. - - _Creation of man_, 69–70, 71, 416, 434. - - _Creator_, 86. - - Cripples, origin of, 107, 158, 204, - (see skeletons restored). - - _Crow_, 325, 388. - - - _Dancing maidens_, celestial, 86; - conjured, 215. - - _Daughters, lost_, 228; - beautiful, 154. - - _Death, origin of_, 93. - - Deer, 202. - - _Dekanawida_, 403. - - Descent, 423. - - _Dew eagle_, 387, - (see cloudland eagle). - - _Divided Body_, 133. - - _Divided lodge_, 200, 235, 284. - (See forbidden chamber.) - - Doctor, Laura M., 372, f.n. - - _Dog_, guard, 133, 136; - turns to stone, 136; - guardian, 202; - carries refugee, 295; - saves master, 303; - witch’s transformation, 378. - - _Dolls, magic_, 130, 272, 273, 345; - witch, 374, 423. - - _Door-flap action_, 30, 259. - - _Door-post tying_, 121, 261. - - _Double deceives sister_, 25, 290. - - _Dream animals_, rescues hero, 24; - in form of deer, 166; - spider, snake, 173; - appears, 179. - - _Dream demand_, 27, 187, 245, 259. - - _Dream fast_, 241. - - _Dream god_ (Aikon), 10. - - _Dream helpers_, 29, 173. - - _Dreams_, 4, 423. - - Drum, 138, 201. - - _Dry hand_, 19, 368. - - _Dual existence_, 168. - - _Ducks, leg tying_, 214. - - _Duel_, 168, 231; - _of dream tests_, 245, 259; - rejected, 335. - - _Dwarf, a monster_, 228. - - - _Earth diver_, 33, 62, 412, 419. - - _Earth-god_, 8. - - _Earth Holder_, 5. - - _Education of young_, 142. - - _Elk, magic_, 188; - _carries hero away_, 236. - - _Enchanted clearing_, 31, 165. - - _Enchanted family_, 109, 159, 169, 173, 200, 242, 268, 297, 348. - - _Enchanted girls_, 31, 169, 275. - - _Enchanted lodge_, 109, 165. - - _Enchanted spring_, 31. - - _Entrapped_, 178, 267, 270, 287, 348. - - _Evil banished_, 34, 71. - - _Evil Mind_ (Tawiskaro), 9, 64, 69, 71. - - _Eye plaster_, 312, 321. - - - _False Faces_, 8, 342, 347, 399; - society of, 400–401, 435. - - _Famine_, 185, 205, 337. - - Fat, origin of, 67. - - _Father search_, 34, 65, 413, 414. - - _Filthy hero_, 97, 123, 426. - - _Fire beast_, 6, 61, 79. - - _Fire drill_, 271. - - _Fire-place burial_, 28, 293. - - _Fish line, magical_, 30, 125, 263. - - Five Nations, 358, 395; - confederation, 405, 436. - - _Flayed skin_, 32, 130, 201. - - _Flesh-eating water_, 33. - - _Flint chips_, throwing, 28, 236. - - _Flint lodge_, 28, 261. - - _Flute, magic_, 66, 253. - - _Flying heads_, 13, 40. - - Folk-lore, xv; - types of texts, xix; - fabricated, xxi; - obtaining versions, xxii; - Seneca unchanged, 55. - - _Food plants, origin of_, 64. - - _Food wasting taboo_, 206. - - _Forbidden chamber_, 29, 201, - (see divided lodge). - - _Forbidden direction_, 108, 154, 201, 254, 269, 321. - - _Four, magical number_, 162 ff., 170 f.n. - - _Friend of animals_, 386. - - _Frog, evil_, 162, 322. - - _Frost god_, 14; - overcome, 91. - - _Funeral, pyre_, 282; - customs, 425. - - - Games, 38–40. - - George, David, an informant, 153. - - _Ghostly legs_, 18. - - _Ghosts_, 4, 279. - - _Giant_, 285, 336. - - _Giantess, human_, 112. - - Gifts, 233. - - _Glutton destroyer_, 19. - - Gods and folk-beasts, 5, 16. - - _Good Mind_, 7, 8, 12, 64, 73, 92, 395. - - _Grandfather and grandson_, 142, 159. - - _Grandmother and grandson_, 200. - - _Grasshopper’s leg_, 340. - - _Great Bear constellation_, 81. - - _Great Ruler_, 340, 395. - - _Great Spirit_, 75. - - _Grinding bodies_, 232. - - - _Hail_, 15. - - Haiowentha (Haiwatha), 404. - - _Hair tied to earth_, 30, 255, 259. - - Handsome Lake, 45, 366, 383. - - _Harpy_, 267. - - Harrington, Mark Raymond, ix, 456. - - _Hawenio_, 8. - - _Head hitting_, 244, 259. - - _Head Opener_, 10. - - _Hearts detached_, 28, 202, 274. - - _Heart pinching_, 319. - - _Heart squeezing_, 28, 203. - - _Hero enchanted_, 179, 192. - - _Hero pulls out arrow_, 27, 195. - - Hewitt, J. N. B., xx, 6, 442. - - Hickory nut oil, 295. - - _Hidden lodge child_, 24, 167, 249. - - Hill, Hon. Henry W., xi. - - _Hoarded water_, 23, 34. - - _Holder of Heavens_, 395. - - _Hole in the ground_, 147, 159, 256, 266. - - _Hollow log regeneration_, 29, 100, 120, 124, 237. - - _Hollow tree_, 176, 177, 215. - - _Horned serpent_, 16, 218; - picture facing 218; - scales of, 222; - rescues woman, 225. - - _Hornet warriors_, 155 ff. - - _House of women_, 102, 156, 250. - - _Hunter_, 182, 186, 254, 262, 350, 386. - - _Hunters, classes of_, 152. - - _Hunting practice_, 241. - - _Hydra_, 230. - - - Idioms, 142. - - Idol, 423. - - _Immaculate conception_, 34, 63. - - _Imposter_, 180; - _fails_, 24, 182, 192. - - _Immediate maturity_, 63, 64, - (see _precocious twins_). - - _Inexhaustible kettle_, 30, 129. - - _Ioueskha_, 7, 8. - - Informants, ix, x, 199. - - _Invisible friend_, 114. - - _Iroquois_, 386, 387, 401. - - _Island, lonely_, 223, 256, 270. - - - Jack Berry’s town, 42, 45. - - _Jealous father_, 228. - - _Jealous sister_, 99. - - _Jealous sister-in-law_, 26, 223. - - Jemmy, Tommy, 365. - - Jimerson, George D. (Tahadondeh), 122, f.n., 337 f.n., 342, f.n., 380, - f.n., 396, f.n. - - Johnson, Esquire, relation by, 411, 421. - - - Kennedy, Fred, ix, 370. - - Keppler, Joseph, 456. - - _Kicking over tree_, 29, 204, 276. - - Kittle, Delos Big, ix, 403, 407, f.n. - - - Ladders, 51. - - Lacrosse playing, 104. - - _Laughter overcomes magic_, 162, ff. - - _Lazy man_, 208. - - _Legends, origin of_, 97. - - _Leg sharpening_, 31, 213. - - Leland, Charles G., 459. - - _Levitation_, 83, 199, f.n., 256. - - _Lice hunting_, 30, 255. - - Listener, (see Hatondas), 116, 122, 154. - - _Lizard, blue_, 17, 163. - - _Lodge entraps unwary_, 156. - - _Lonely bird_, 29, 325, 326. - - _Lonely lodge_, 184, 200, 241, 253, 262, 284, 290, 298, 344, 349. - - Long House, 421. - - _Lost children_, 228. - - _Love glance_, 185. - - _Love powder_, 373. - - _Lover wins mate_, 26. - - Lowie, Robert L., 459. - - _Lustration_, 391. - - - _Magic arrow_, 29, 100, 185, 191, 195, 263, 345. - - _Magic canoe_, 30, 97, 100. - - _Magic birds_, 31, 186. - - _Magic cap_, 175, 184, 352. - - _Magic feathers_, 31, 352. - - _Magic hair_, 336. - - _Magic moccasins_, (see running moccasins), 176. - - _Magic nut_, 129. - - _Magic path_, 135, 155, 162. - - _Magic pipe_, 175, 186. - - _Magic pouch_, 30, 116, 119, 128, 175, 181. - - _Magical power_, 3, - (see also Orenda). - - _Magic remedy_, 114, 257. - - _Magic root_, 175. - - _Magic spring_, 31, 133, 162, 177. - - _Magic suit_, 30, 167, 174, 178, 181, 220. - - _Maiden comes for husband_, 205, 284. - - _Maiden restored_, 169. - - _Man making_, 34, 69, 71, 416. - - _Marksman_, 161, 241, 253. - - _Marriage bread_, 60, 123, 181, 205. - - _Marry me_, 205, 284. - - Mask, making of, 401. - - _Master of Life_, 75, 76. - - _Mats, floor_, 165. - - _Medicine_, 175, 181, 388, 445, 447, ff. - - Methods of recording, xvii. - - Miller, Aurelia Jones, 153, f.n., 158, f.n., 340, f.n., 394, f.n. - - Miller, Guy, 108, f.n. - - _Mischief Maker_, 18, 208, 278. - - Mole, skin borrowed, 132, f.n., 201. - - _Moly_ (a magical plant), 258. - - _Monster marries girl_, 26. - - _Monster race_, 24, 140, 351. - - _Monsters_, 5, 130, 177. - - _Moon_, 12, 416. - - Mooney, James, 459. - - Morgan, Lewis Henry, 441. - - _Morning Star_, 12. - - _Mother-in-law_, 235. - - _Mound_, 139, 206, 230, 242, 274. - - Mourning, 424. - - _Mutilating nephew_, 117, 242. - - - _Nail parings_, 332. - - _Name-genius_, 170, f.n., 300. - - _Name guessing_, 241. - - _Nature conscious_, 4. - - _Nephew_, (see uncle). - - Neutral, 45. - - New Year’s ceremonial, 424. - - _Niahgwahe_, 126, 295, 344, 345, 351, 358. - - _North wind_, 88. - - - _Obstacles intervene_, 129. - - _Obstacles produced_, 26, 264, 266, 296. - - _Oil, pool of_, 67. - - _Ongwe Ias_, (see cannibal). - - _Ordeals_, 241, 252. - - _Orenda_ (magical power), 3, 10, 159, 184, 241, 445. - - _Otter, blue_, 17. - - _Overcoming monsters_, 23, 162 ff. - - _Owls_, evil, 164; 177; - good, 387. - - _Owls from witches’ heads_, 28, 157, 164, 177, 283. - - - _Pacifying monsters_, 28. - - _Paddle, magical_, 256. - - Paint, ceremonial, 167. - - _Painting face_, 278–279. - - _Panther, evil_, 165. - - _Partridge_, 328. - - _Patting gives power_, 204, 252, 255, 263. - - Peabody Museum of American Ethnology and Archaeology, ix. - - _Peace Tree_, 431, 436, 442. - - _Pestle and mortar_, 112. - - Pigeons, 424. - - _Pigeon feathers_, 265, 297, 347. - - _Pine tree, origin_, 85. - - Pipe, 175, 186. - - _Pleiades_, origin, 86. - - Poison cups, 231. - - _Porcupine monster_, 428. - - Pouch, 99, 165, 175, 332. - - _Powered finger_, 31. - - _Power, magically acquired_, 23, 263. - - _Power testing_, 71, 241–252. - - Precipice, 266. - - _Precocious twins_, 23, 101, 104, 126, 135, 268. - - _Predestined mates_, 16, 122, 168. - - _Primal beings_, 34, 412. - - _Propitiation_, 424. - - _Provoker_, 229. - - _Puberty ceremony_, 173. - - Purging, 391. - - _Pursued by enemies_, 113, 125, 190, 280, 295, 299. - - _Pursuer delayed_, 113, 130, 264, 296, 299, 345. - - _Pygmies_, (Djogeon), 18, 32, 332. - - - Quapaw, 422. - - _Quilt of eyes_, 31, 102, 106. - - - _Rabbit, runs in circle_, 316; - _a gambler_, 317. - - _Raccoon and Crabs_, 319. - - _Raccoon outwits Wolf_, 312. - - _Race with monster_, 140, 351. - - Radin, Paul, 459. - - Red Jacket, 365. - - _Reducible dog_, 32, 124, 294. - - _Reducible sister_, 28, 234, 249, 345. - - _Reduction by magic_, 255, 263. - - _Refugees_, 285. - - _Refuge in hollow log_, 281. - - _Regeneration_, 31, 75, 87, 429. - - Reichard, Gladys, 459. - - _Rescued girls_, 232–233, 249. - - _Restoration from enchantment_, 107, 115, 169, 201, 251–252, 258, 261, - 276–277, 288, 348. - - _Retaliation_, 242–243, 259, 261. - - Ritual, 449 ff. - - _Rival twins_, 34, 69, 70. - - _Root, magic_, 175, 258. - - _Running moccasins_, 29, 176, 264, 345. - - - _Saliva gives power_, 30, 81, 114; - heals, 213, 257, 334–335, 338. - - _Salt, used as charm_, 236. - - _Scalding fluid missile_, 109, 113. - - _Scalping_, 280, 342, 357, 387. - - _Scolding wife_, 208 ff. - - _Search for relatives_, 135, 159, 201. - - _Seeds from heaven_, 61. - - Seneca folk-tales, basic beliefs, 3; - legendary origin, 97. - - Seneca Indians, story-telling customs, xxiii; - basic beliefs, 3, - condition of, 45–46, - story-telling customs, 50; - beliefs, 365. - - _Serpent progeny_, 222. - - _Seven-headed monster_, 230, 232. - - Severance, Frank H., dedication to, v; - mentioned, xi. - - _Sharp bone_ (witch weapon), 370, 377. - - _Shell wampum_, 404. - - _Shooting practice_, 160. - - _Singing women_, 102. - - _Sinking basket_, 230. - - _Sister, enchanted_, 249, 275. - - _Sisters are witches_, 131, 259. - - Six Nations, 340. - - _Skeletons restored_, 27, 29, 107, 158, 204, 252, 258, 276. - - Skinner, Alanson, 24, 459. - - _Skin man_ (see flayed skin). - - _Skull, talking_, 32, 242, 270. - - _Skunniwundi_, 334, 337. - - _Sky basket_, 86. - - _Sky Holder_, 8. - - _Sky Journey_, 27, 74, 87. - - _Sky woman_, 9, 33, 60, 63. - - _Sky World_, 33, 59, 74, 411. - - _Slippery hillside_, 156, 267, 287. - - _Smeared hair_, 156. - - _Snake grows fast_, 33. - - _Snowshoes_, 199. - - Snowsnake game, 38; - drawing of, 39. - - Society, 400, 445. - - Sogogo (Bushy Head), 228. - - _Song of magic_, 130, 186, 236, 245, 247, 254, 271, 390, 455. - - _Son-in-law put to tests_, 23. - - _Son testing_, 34, 65, 414. - - _Sorcerer’s line_, 263. - - _Sorcerer’s island_, 26, 270. - - _Soul path_, 69. - - _Souls of creatures_, 4. - - _Soup spoiling_, 110, 229–230. - - _South Wind_, 90. - - _Speaking first_, 75, 229. - - _Speaking trees_, 399. - - Speck, Frank G., 449, f.n., 442, f.n. - - _Spider_, 173, 346. - - _Spring god_, 15, 89, 90. - - _Spirit in tree_, 341. - - _Squirrel_, 322. - - Staples, George Kelley, xi, 456. - - _Stars, origin of_, 69. - - State Museum of New York, x, 440. - - _Step-father_, 25, 147. - - _Stolen eyes_, 31, 102. - - _Stone coats_, 335, 337; - country of, 394. - - _Stone giants_, 18, 334, 337, 340; - battle of, 341, 394, 395, 425. - - _Stone throwers_, 331. - - _Storage platforms_, 44. - - Story teller, xxv, 49–50. - - Story-telling customs, xxiii, 50. - - _Stream crossing_, 334, 338. - - _Stored property_, 200, 220, 303. - - _Storm wind_, 13, 15, 32. - - Story bag, 50, 99. - - _Strawberry_ patch (magic), 201. - - _Sudden friend_, 33, 134, 208, 257, 342. - - _Sun god_, 10, 76. - - _Sustenance, spirits of_, 15. - - _Sweat lodge_, 31, 106, 173, 196, 221, 233, 276. - - _Sweeping_, 230, 231. - - _Swift Runner_, 350. - - _Sympathetic magic_, 374, 375. - - - _Taboo violated_, 28, 109, 254, 269. - - _Talking flute_, 29. - - _Talking moccasins_, 31. - - _Talking skull_, 32, 242, 270. - - _Tawiskaro_ (Evil Mind), 9; - names of, 10. - - _Tempter_, 176, 177, 269, 294, 344. - - Text, interlinear, xix. - - _Thaw_, 15. - - _Thrown away boy_, 24. - - Thunder spirit, picture of, 7, 8, 218; - wars on horned serpent, 222, 225; - wars with giants, 341, 426; - house of, 428. - - _Thunder wars upon horned serpent_, 26, 219, 225–227, 428. - - _Tide spirit_, 16. - - _Toad rescues hero_, 266. - - _Tobacco incense_, 73, - demanded, 98, 186, 226, 242, 271, 332, 347; - offered, 386, 401, 424, 448. - - Toboggan, 250. - - Tonawanda, 366, 370. - - Totem, 208. - - Totemic carving, 42. - - Trail lodge, 278. - - _Tripping on door-sill_, 243. - - _Transformation_, 3, 23, 105, 244, 266, 295, 347, 352, 366, 378. - - Tucker, George L., xi, 456. - - _Turkey_ (a character), 173, 200. - - _Turtle outwits beaver_, 309. - - _Turtle, primal_, 33, 62, 414, 418. - - _Turtle shell rattles_, 435. - - _Turtle’s war party_, 26, 305. - - _Tusks_, 356, 361. - - _Twins_, 63, 101, 126, 135, 268, 349, 412. - - _Two Feathers_, 184. - - - _Uncle and nephew_, 25, 173, 184, 241, 253, 284. - - _Underbed sanctuary_, 28, 174, 202, 248, 249. - - _Underground lodge_, 169, 178. - - _Underground playing_, 27, 104. - - _Underwater cave_, 221. - - _Unseen spirits_, 3. - - _Unstoppable song_, 216. - - _Unwelcome guest_, 235. - - _Usurper_ (see imposter), 228. - - - _Vampire corpse_, 27, 278, 298, 381. - - _Vulnerable spot_, 127, 139, 348, 355, 361. - - - Walker, B. N. O., cited, 420, f.n. - - _Walking into ground_, 29, 104. - - Walum Olam, 438. - - _Wampum_, 116, 131, 202, 404, 424. - - Wampum belt, 358. - - _Wampum deer_, 188. - - _Wampum eagle_, 32, 194, 198. - - _Wampum spitting_, 175, 181, 187. - - _Wampum tears_, 30, 114. - - _War club, magical_, 167. - - _War god_, 12. - - _War party_, 278, 342, 355. - - Washington, George, 45. - - Waterman, T. T., 459. - - _Water swallowing_, 28, 125. - - Wenroe, 45. - - _Whirlwind_, 6. - - _White beaver_, 17. - - _White otter_, magical, 266. - - _White pebble_, 32, 125, 189, 265. - - _Wife hunt_, 174. - - _Wife rescues husband_, 237. - - _Will-o’-wisp_, 16. - - _Window peeker_, 378. - - _Winged light_, 392. - - _Witch doctor_, 366, 373, 381. - - _Witches_, 131, 157, 158, 259, 344, 365; - overcoming, 370; - killed, 370, 372; - transformation, 378, 380. - - _Witch mother-in-law_, 189, 198, 259, 294. - - _Wizardry_, 159, 201, 246, 365. - - _Wizards_, 5, 168, 183, 201, 245, 253, 259, 260, 282, 300, 365. - - _Wolf_, 305, 312, 325, 387. - - Woodchuck, 322. - - _Woodchuck Leggings_, 184. - - _World-Tree_, 33, 416, 431, 434. - - Wright, Laura M., records interview, 421. - - Wyandots, 417; - myth of creation, 417. - - - _Youngest sister chosen_, 86, 181, 268. - - - _Zephyr_, 13. - ------ - -Footnote 1: - - This is important in order to preserve every folk-motive and element - by which the tale may be compared in detail with those of other tribes - and stocks. - -Footnote 2: - - Consult Hewitt in Handbook of the American Indians, under his article - Teharonhiawagon. We have re-edited some of our notes in accord with - his findings. - -Footnote 3: - - S‘hagoewat´‘ha, also meaning He-punishes-them. - -Footnote 4: - - Oddly enough, the original Hebrew concept of Yahweh, (Jehovah) was of - a God of elements, particularly the storms. He manifested himself in - the thunder’s roar and by the lightning’s flash, and blew like a great - wind from the Ark of the Covenant, terrifying the Philistines. - -Footnote 5: - - Skinner in _J. A. F. L._ 27–29, cites this as a central Algonkin - theme. - -Footnote 6: - - Skinner in _Anthrop._ P. of A. M. N. H. XIII, 528, cites this as a - Menomini theme. - -Footnote 7: - - See 6, _supra_, for continuation of motif. - -Footnote 8: - - There is an interesting anecdote concerning Major Jack Berry in the - first Annual Report of the Buffalo Historical Society, page 175. Jack - Berry Town was on the present site of Gardenville. He was born in - Little Beard Town in the Genesee country and had his home on Squawkie - Hill until he removed to the Buffalo tract. He was an ardent admirer - of Red Jacket. - -Footnote 9: - - In another version this chief was killed and his body hidden in the - trunk of the celestial tree. Another chief, a rival, desired to marry - the daughter of the deceased one and indeed took her in the manner - here related. In this version it was the bride who desired to have the - tree uprooted in order that she might hunt for her father’s body. The - concealing of the body of the celestial father in the body of a tree - reminds one of the legend of Osiris. - -Footnote 10: - - We use this name for convenience only. - -Footnote 11: - - This was because the Creator had first spoken. To have resisted death - by the hand of a mysterious power one must salute it with its own - greeting. - -Footnote 12: - - Related by Edward Cornplanter, Jan., 1905, at Newtown, Cattaraugus - reservation. - -Footnote 13: - - A comet or shooting star is considered a sign of the death panther. - -Footnote 14: - - In this manner he hoped to absorb the power or strength of his - brothers. - -Footnote 15: - - Related by Edward Cornplanter. - -Footnote 16: - - Cf. Barbeau, Origin of Seven Stars, Huron Mythology, p. 59. - -Footnote 17: - - The Pleiades. - -Footnote 18: - - Cf. Barbeau, C. M., Huron and Wyandot Mythology, p. 56. - -Footnote 19: - - Related by Aurelia Miller, Jan., 1905. - -Footnote 20: - - Related by Edward Cornplanter (Great Night) and recorded as translated - by William Bluesky, Ganosho. - -Footnote 21: - - Related by Guy Miller, a Tuscarora, Jan., 1905. - -Footnote 22: - - This legend is related almost verbatim as it came from the lips of - Gohweh Seneca, an old Tonawanda Seneca. - -Footnote 23: - - Related by George D. Jimerson. This version is apparently a mixture of - two distinct legends. - -Footnote 24: - - Fires were kindled in large wooden dugouts. A mat or pan of clay - prevented the embers from injuring the canoe. - -Footnote 25: - - Oratory—hai´wanotă’. - -Footnote 26: - - Rhetoric—haya´dushäiendī. - -Footnote 27: - - This may be a modern interpolation. - -Footnote 28: - - A legend, written verbatim as told in Indian-English by Aurelia Jones - Miller, Gah-yoh´wes, whose grandfather, Chief Warrior, told it to her - when she was a child. - -Footnote 29: - - The Seneca seldom use any other word to describe a sorcerer, when - relating legends in English. - -Footnote 30: - - Related by Edward Cornplanter. - -Footnote 31: - - Or, a burning brand from the fireplace. - -Footnote 32: - - His charm bundles, because he believed them to have lost potency. - -Footnote 33: - - Related by George D. Jimerson (Tahadondeh), 1903. - -Footnote 34: - - Related by Edward Cornplanter, 1905. - -Footnote 35: - - He’´no^n is the Thunder Spirit. - -Footnote 36: - - Related by Mrs. Aurelia Jones Miller, Seneca, March, 1905. Mrs. Miller - said that she had heard this story among the Six Nations of Canada and - that she thought it might be of Mohawk origin. - -Footnote 37: - - Meaning flint, properly Hot‘´hagwen’´da’. - -Footnote 38: - - “Dry bones” is a Seneca idiom meaning “lean from lack of food.” - -Footnote 39: - - Related by Edward Cornplanter, and later by George D. Jimerson. - -Footnote 40: - - Related by Edward Cornplanter, 1905. - -Footnote 41: - - Related by Chief Cornplanter, 1904. - -Footnote 42: - - Because he realized that he was scatophagous. - -Footnote 43: - - From Mrs. Aurelia Miller. - -Footnote 44: - - Cornplanter says, “Some girls sing this song and boys know what they - mean.” - -Footnote 45: - - Related by Chief Cornplanter, 1905. - -Footnote 46: - - Partridge in Seneca is Deyenego sda´sden’, meaning, Her two wings are - large. - -Footnote 47: - - Meaning Beyond-the-Rapids. - -Footnote 48: - - This episode is identical with that recorded by Barbeau in a Huron - myth. - -Footnote 49: - - Related May, 1906, by George Jameson, Tahadondeh, Cattaraugus Seneca. - -Footnote 50: - - Related January, 1905, by Aurelia Jones Miller, Cattaraugus Seneca. - -Footnote 51: - - Related by George (Dondeh) Jimerson. This legend shows the use of a - large false face as a war bundle charm. - -Footnote 52: - - Related by George D. Jimerson (Tahadondeh), June, 1903, at the - Silverheels’ homestead, Cattaraugus Reservation. - -Footnote 53: - - From notes supplied by Everett R. Burmaster. - -Footnote 54: - - Related by Fred Kennedy, 1903. - -Footnote 55: - - Related by Laura M. Doctor, of the Tonawanda reservation. - -Footnote 56: - - Related by William Parker, Cattaraugus reservation, 1904. - -Footnote 57: - - Related by Fred Kennedy. - -Footnote 58: - - Related by Aurelia Jones Miller, 1905. - -Footnote 59: - - Related by Chief E. Cornplanter. - -Footnote 60: - - Related by Aurelia Jones Miller, Seneca, 1905. - -Footnote 61: - - This portion of the legend was related by George D. Jimerson. - -Footnote 62: - - Related by Edward Cornplanter. - -Footnote 63: - - Related by Delos B. Kittle, Jan., 1905, at Newtown, Cattaraugus - reservation. - -Footnote 64: - - Related by Delos Big Kittle. - -Footnote 65: - - From the original notes of Laura M. Wright, the missionary to the - Seneca, 1835–1887. The manuscript bears the date 1876. - -Footnote 66: - - Copied _verbatim et literatim_ from the manuscript notes of Mrs. Asher - Wright, who interviewed Johnson in 1870. - -Footnote 67: - - The Seneca. - -Footnote 68: - - The Onondaga. - -Footnote 69: - - The Mohawk. - -Footnote 70: - - The Oneida. - -Footnote 71: - - The Cayuga. - -Footnote 72: - - Johnson’s estimate is wrong, the number of sachems being as follows: - the Mohawks, 9; the Oneidas, 9; the Onondagas, 14; the Cayugas, 10; - the Senecas, 8; making the Council of 50. Note that while he says that - the Senecas have only four he gives the names of seven. There were - eight and he names all but Ga-ne-o-di-yo, Handsome Lake. He may have - withheld this name on account of prejudice against him, for - Ga-ne-o-di-yo at this time was in disrepute on account of his - assumption of the role of prophet of “The New Religion.” - -Footnote 73: - - The Helper. - -Footnote 74: - - Falling Day. - -Footnote 75: - - Great Forehead. - -Footnote 76: - - Level Heavens. - -Footnote 77: - - Hair Burned Off. - -Footnote 78: - - Open Door. (This sachemship was once held by Gen. Ely S. Parker.) - -Footnote 79: - - The Confederate or League of the Five Nations Capitol or Long House. - -Footnote 80: - - The national Long House of the Seneca. - -Footnote 81: - - This was probably in 1798. - -Footnote 82: - - Wampum. - -Footnote 83: - - First published in _American Anthropologist_, Oct.-Dec., 1912. - -Footnote 84: - - Colden, History of the Five Nations, reprint, p. 58, New York, 1866. - -Footnote 85: - - Lahontan, Voyages, Vol I, p 42. London, 1735. - -Footnote 86: - - Connelly, W. E., Wyandot Folk Lore, Topeka, 1899. - -Footnote 87: - - Archaeological Report of Ontario, 1905. Boyle, David; The Iroquois, p. - 147. - -Footnote 88: - - Journal of a Voyage to New York in 1679–80, by Jasper Dankers and - Peter Slyter. Translated in Vol I, Trans. L. I. Hist. Soc. 1867. - -Footnote 89: - - With the New England Indians the idea was held that men were found by - Glooskape in a hole made by an arrow which he had shot into an ash - tree. - -Footnote 90: - - Brinton: Lenape and their Legends, p. 170. Phila., 1885. - -Footnote 91: - - Lafitau, Moeurs des Savvages Ameriquains, Tome II, plate 3, page 43, - Paris, 1724. - -Footnote 92: - - See Speck, F.G., Huron Moose Hair Embroidery, Amer. Anthropologist, - N.S., Vol. 13, no. 1, p 1. - -Footnote 93: - - Hewitt, Iroquois Cosmology, Part I, p. 151; 21 An. Rept. Bur. Am. - Eth., Washington, 1903. - -Footnote 94: - - Speck, op. cit. - -Footnote 95: - - The wrapping must not be from the skin of any “medicine animal.” - -Footnote 96: - - Recorded literally as translated by Wm. Jones. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES - - - 1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. - 2. Anachronistic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as - printed. - 3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Seneca myths and folk tales, by Arthur C. 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