killed all the people except a girl and her tiny brother, who hid from
them. The brother did not grow at all. Therefore when the sister
collected firewood, she took him with her. She made him a bow and
arrow.
One day she said, "Now I must leave you for a while. Soon the
snowbirds will come and pick worms out of the wood I have cut. Shoot
one of them and bring it to me."
The boy waited. The birds came and he shot at them with his arrows. He
could not kill one. The next day he shot at them again. Then he killed
one. He came back to the wigwam with a bird.
He said, "My sister, skin it. I will wear the skins of the snowbirds."
"What shall we do with the body?" she asked.
"Cut it in two. We will put it in our broth." Now at that time, the
animals were very large. People did not eat them.
The boy killed ten snowbirds. Then his sister made a coat for him. One
day he said, "Are we alone on the Earth-plain?"
She said, "The animals who live in such a place have killed all our
relatives. You must never go there." Therefore he went in that
direction.
Now he walked a long while and met no one. Then he lay down on a knoll
where the sun had melted the snow. He fell asleep. Then Sun looked
down at him and burned his bird-skin coat. He tightened it so that the
boy was bound into it. When he awoke, the boy said to Sun, "You are
not too high. I will pay you back."
He went home. He said to his sister, "Sun has spoiled my coat." He
would not eat. He lay down on the ground. He lay ten days on one side.
Then he turned over and lay ten days on the other side.
At last he rose. He said to his sister, "Make me a snare. I shall
catch Sun."
She said, "I have no string." The boy said, "Make a string." Then she
remembered a bit of dried sinew which her father had had. So she made
a snare for him.
The boy said, "That will not do. Make a better snare." She said, "I
have no string." At last she remembered. She cut off some of her hair.
She made a string from that.
The boy said, "That will not do. Make me a noose." She thought again.
Then she remembered. She went out of the wigwam. She took something.
She made a braid out of that thing.
The boy said, "This will do." He was much pleased. When he took it, it
became a long red cord. There was much of it. He wound it around his
body.
The boy left the wigwam while Sun was at home. He did this so that he
might catch him as he came over the edge of the earth. He put the
noose at the spot just where Sun came over the edge. When Sun came
along, the noose caught his head. He was held tight, so that he could
not follow his trail in the Sky-land.
Now the animals who ruled the earth were frightened because Sun did
not follow the trail. They said, "What shall we do?" So they called a
great council. They said, "We must send someone to cut the noose."
Thus they spoke in the council.
Now all the animals were afraid to cut the cord. Sun was so hot he
would burn them. At last Dormouse said, "I will go." He stood up in
the council. He was as high as a mountain. He was the largest of all
the animals.
When Dormouse reached the place where Sun was snared, his fur began
to singe and his back to burn. It was very hot. Dormouse cut the cord
with his teeth. But so much of him was burned up, he became very
small. Therefore Dormouse is the smallest of animals. That is why he
is called Kug-e-been-gwa-kwa.
THE HARE AND THE LYNX
_Ojibwa_
Once there was a little white hare, living in a wigwam with her
grandmother. Now Grandmother sent Hare back to her native land. When
Hare had gone a short way, Lynx came down the trail. Lynx sang:
Where, pretty white one,
Where, pretty white one,
Where do you go?
"_Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee!_" cried Hare, and ran back to
Grandmother.
"See, Grandmother," she said, "Lynx came down the trail and sang,
Where, pretty white one,
Where, pretty white one,
Where do you go?"
"Ho!" said Grandmother. "Have courage! Tell Lynx you are going to your
native land."
Hare went back up the trail. Lynx stood there, so Hare sang,
To the point of land I go,
There is the home of the little white one,
There I go.
Lynx looked at the trembling little hare, and began to sing again,
Little white one, tell me,
Little white one, tell me,
Why are your ears so thin and dry?
"_Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee!_" cried little Hare, and ran back to
Grandmother.
"See, Grandmother," said Hare, "Lynx came down the trail and sang,
Little white one, tell me,
Little white one, tell me,
Why are your ears so thin and dry?"
"Ho!" said Grandmother, "Go and tell him your uncles made them so when
they came from the South."
So Hare ran up the trail and sang,
My uncles came from the south;
They made my ears as they are.
They made them thin and dry.
And then Hare laid her little pink ears back upon her shoulders, and
started to go to the point of land. But Lynx sang again,
Why do you go away, little white one?
Why do you go away, little white one?
Why are your feet so dry and swift?
"_Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee! Tshwee!_" cried Hare and again she ran back
to Grandmother.
"Ho! do not mind him," said Grandmother. "Do not listen to him. Do not
answer him. Just run straight on."
So the little white hare ran up the trail as fast as she could. When
she came to the place where Lynx had stood, he was gone. So Hare ran
on and had almost reached her native land, on the point of land, when
Lynx sprang out of the thicket and ate her up.
WELCOME TO A BABY
_Cherokee_
Little wren is the messenger of the Birds. She pries into everything.
She gets up early in the morning and goes around to every wigwam to
get news for the Bird council. When a new baby comes into a wigwam,
she finds out whether it is a boy or a girl.
If it is a boy, the Bird council sings mournfully, "Alas! The whistle
of the arrow! My shins will burn!" Because the Birds all know that
when the boy grows older he will hunt them with his bows and arrows,
and will roast them on a stick.
But if the baby is a girl, they are glad. They sing, "Thanks! The
sound of the pestle! In her wigwam I shall surely be able to scratch
where she sweeps." Because they know that when she grows older and
beats the corn into meal, they will be able to pick up stray grains.
Cricket also is glad when the baby is a girl. He sings, "Thanks! I
shall sing in the wigwam where she lives." But if it is a boy, Cricket
laments, "_Gwo-he!_ He will shoot me! He will shoot me! He will shoot
me!" Because boys make little bows to shoot crickets and grasshoppers.
When the Cherokee Indians hear of a new baby, they ask, "Is it a bow,
or a meal sifter?" Or else they ask, "Is it ball-sticks or bread?"
BABY SONG
_Cherokee_
Ha wi ye hy u we,
Ha wi ye hy u we.
Yu we yu we he,
Ha wi ye hy u we.
The Bear is very bad, so they say,
Long time ago he was very bad, so they say.
The Bear did so and so, they say.
SONG TO THE FIREFLY
_Ojibwa_
In the hot summer evenings, when the grassy patches around the lakes
and rivers sparkle with fireflies, the Indians sing a song to them.
Flitting white-fire-bug,
Flitting white-fire-bug,
Give me your light before I go to sleep.
Give me your light before I go to sleep.
Come, little waving fire-bug.
Come, little waving fire-bug.
Light me with your bright torch.
Light me with your bright torch.[22]
[22] Saw the fire-fly, Wah-wah-taysee,
Flitting through the dusk of evening,
With the twinkle of its candle,
Lighting up the brakes and bushes;
And he sang the song of children,
Sang the song Nokomis taught him;
"Wah-wah-taysee, little fire-fly,
Little, flitting, white-fire insect ..."
--_Hiawatha_
SONG OF THE MOTHER BEARS
_Cherokee_
One day a hunter in the woods heard singing in a cave. He came near
and peeped in. It was a mother bear singing to her cubs and telling
them what to do when the hunters came after them.
Mother Bear said,
When you hear the hunter coming down the creek, then
Tsagi, tsagi, hwilahi,
Tsagi, tsagi, hwilahi,
Upstream, upstream, you must go.
Upstream, upstream, you must go.
But if you hear them coming down stream,
Ge-i, ge-i, hwilahi,
Ge-i, ge-i, hwilahi,
Downstream, downstream, you must go.
Downstream, downstream, you must go.
Another hunter out in the woods one day thought he heard a woman
singing to a baby. He followed the sound up a creek until he came to a
cave under the bushes. Inside there was a mother bear rocking her cub
in her paws and singing to it,
Let me carry you on my back,
Let me carry you on my back,
Let me carry you on my back,
Let me carry you on my back,
On the sunny side go to sleep.
On the sunny side go to sleep.
This was after some of the people had become bears. The hunter knew
they were of the Ani Tsagulin tribe.[23]
[23] See "Origin of the Bear."
THE MAN IN THE STUMP
_Cherokee_
An Indian had a field of corn ripening in the sun. One day when he
wanted to look at it, he climbed a stump. Now the stump was hollow and
in it was a nest of bear cubs. The man slipped and fell down upon the
cubs.
At once the cubs began calling for their mother, and Mother Bear came
running. She began to climb down into the stump backwards. Then the
Indian caught hold of her leg; thus she became frightened. She began
to climb out and dragged the Indian also to the top of the stump. Thus
he got out of the stump.
THE ANTS AND THE KATYDIDS
_Biloxi_
The Ancient of Ants was building a house. She worked hard to finish
her house before the cold weather came.
Now when it was very cold, the Katydid and the Locust reached her
house, asking for shelter. They said they had no houses.
The Ancient of Ants scolded them. She said, "After you are grown up,
in the warm weather, you sing all the time, instead of building a
house." She would not let them come into her house.
Then the Katydid and the Locust were ashamed, and as the weather was
very cold, they died. That is why katydids and locusts die every
winter, while the ants live in their warm houses. But the katydids and
locusts never do anything in warm weather but sing.
WHEN THE OWL MARRIED
_Cherokee_
Once there was a widow with only one daughter. She said often, "You
should marry and then there will be a man to go hunting."
Then one day a man came courting the daughter. He said, "Will you
marry me?"
The girl said, "I can only marry a good worker. We need a man who is a
good hunter and who will work in the cornfield."
"I am exactly that sort of a man," he said. So the mother said they
might marry.
Then the next morning the mother gave the man a hoe. She said, "Go,
hoe the corn. When breakfast is ready I will call you." Then she went
to call him. She followed a sound as of someone hoeing on stony soil.
When she reached the place, there was only a small circle of hoed
ground. Over in the thicket someone said, "Hoo-hoo!"
When the man came back in the evening, the mother said, "Where have
you been all day?"
He said, "Hard at work."
The mother said, "I couldn't find you."
"I was over in the thicket cutting sticks to mark off the field," he
said.
"But you did not come to the lodge to eat at all," she answered.
"I was too busy," he said.
Early the next morning he started off with his hoe over his shoulder.
Then the mother went again to call him, when the meal was ready. The
hoe was lying there, but there was no sign of work done. And away over
in the thicket, she heard a hu-hu calling, _Sau-h! sau-h! sau-h!
hoo-hoo! hoo-hoo! hoo-hoo! chi! chi! chi! whew!_
Now when the man came home that night, the mother asked,
"What have you been doing all day?"
"Working hard," he said.
"But you were not there when I came after you."
"Oh, I went over in the thicket awhile," said the man, "to see some of
my relatives."
Then the mother said, "I have lived here a long while, and no one
lives in that swamp but lazy hu-hus. My daughter wants a husband that
can work and not a hu-hu!" And she drove him from the house.
THE KITE AND THE EAGLE
Kite was very boastful. One day he spoke scornfully of Eagle, who
heard his words. Kite began to sing in a loud voice,
I alone,
I alone,
Can go up,
So as to seem as if hanging from the blue sky.
Eagle answered scornfully. He sang,
Who is this,
Who is this,
Who boasts of flying so high?
Kite was ashamed. He answered in a small voice, "Oh, I was only
singing of the great Khakate. It is he who is said to fly so high."
Eagle answered, "Oh, you crooked tongue! You are below my notice."
Then Eagle soared high into the sky. But just as soon as he was out of
hearing, Kite began to sing again in a very loud voice,
I alone,
I alone,
Can go up,
So as to seem as if hanging from the blue sky.
THE LINNET AND THE EAGLE
_Ojibwa_
All the Birds met in council, each claiming to fly the highest. Each
one claimed to be the chief. Therefore the council decided that each
bird should fly toward the Sky-land.
Some of the birds flew very swiftly; but they tired and flew back to
earth. Now Eagle went far above all. When Eagle could fly no farther,
Linnet, who had perched upon Eagle's back, flew up. Far above Eagle
flew the tiny gray bird.
Now when the Birds held a council again, Eagle was made chief. Eagle
had flown higher than all the rest, and had carried Linnet on his
back.
HOW PARTRIDGE GOT HIS WHISTLE
_Cherokee_
In the old days, Terrapin had a fine whistle and Partridge had none.
Terrapin whistled constantly. He was always boasting of his fine
whistle.
One day Partridge said, "Let me try your whistle."
Terrapin said, "No." He was afraid Partridge would try some trick.
Partridge said, "Oh, if you are afraid, stay right here while I use
it."
So Terrapin gave it to him. Partridge strutted around, whistling
constantly.
He said, "How does it sound with me?"
"You do it very well," said Terrapin, walking by his side.
"Now how do you like it?" asked Partridge, running ahead.
"It's fine," said Terrapin, trying to keep up with him. "But don't run
so fast!"
"How do you like it now?" asked Partridge, spreading his wings and
flying to a tree top. Terrapin could only look up at him.
Partridge never gave the whistle back. He has it even to this day. And
Terrapin was so ashamed because Partridge stole his whistle, and
Turkey had stolen his scalp, that he shuts himself up in his box
whenever anyone comes near him.
HOW KINGFISHER GOT HIS BILL
_Cherokee_
Some of the old men say that Kingfisher was meant in the beginning to
be a water bird, but because he had no web on his feet and not a good
bill, he could not get enough to eat. The animals knew of this, so
they held a council. Afterwards they made him a bill like a long,
sharp awl. This fish gig he was to use spearing fish. When they
fastened it on to his mouth, he flew first to the top of a tree. Then
he darted down into the water and came up with a fish on his bill. And
ever since, Kingfisher has been the best fisherman.
But some of the old people say it was this way.
Blacksnake found Yellowhammer's nest in the hollow tree and killed all
the young birds. Yellowhammer at once went to the Little People for
help. They sent her to Kingfisher. So she went on to him.
Kingfisher came at once, and after flying back and forth past the hole
in the hollow tree, he made a quick dart at the snake and pulled him
out, dead. When they looked, they saw he had pierced Blacksnake with
a slender fish he carried in his bill. Therefore the Little People
said he would make good use of a spear, so they gave him his long
bill.
WHY THE BLACKBIRD HAS RED WINGS
_Chitimacha_
One day an Indian became so angry with everyone that he set the sea
marshes on fire because he wanted to burn up the world.
A little blackbird saw it. He flew up into a tree and shouted, "_Ku
nam wi cu! Ku nam wi cu!_ The world and all is going to burn."
The man said, "If you do not go away, I will kill you." But the bird
only kept shouting, "_Ku nam wi cu!_ The world and all is going to
burn."
Then the Indian threw a shell and hit the little bird on the wings,
making them bleed. That is how the red-winged blackbird came by its
red wings.
Now when people saw the marshes burning, they quickly ran down and
killed game which had been driven from it by the fire. Then they said
to the angry man,
"Because you put fire in those tall weeds, the deer and bear and other
animals have been driven out and we have killed them. You have aided
us by burning them."
Nowadays when the red-winged blackbird comes around the house, he
still shouts, _Ku nam wi cu_, so they say.
BALL GAME OF THE BIRDS AND ANIMALS
_Cherokee_
Once the Animals challenged the Birds to a great ball play, and the
Birds accepted. The Animals met near the river, in a smooth grassy
field. The Birds met in the tree top over by the ridge.
Now the leader of the Animals was Bear. He was very strong and heavy.
All the way to the river he tossed up big logs to show his strength
and boasted of how he would win against the Birds. Terrapin was with
the Animals. He was not the little terrapin we have now, but the first
Terrapin. His shell was so hard the heaviest blows could not hurt him,
and he was very large. On the way to the river he rose on his hind
feet and dropped heavily again. He did this many times, bragging that
thus he would crush any bird that tried to take the ball from him.
Then there was Deer, who could outrun all the others. And there were
many other animals.
Now the leader of the Birds was Eagle; and also Hawk, and the great
Tlanuwa. They were all swift and strong of flight.
Now first they had a ball dance. Then after the dance, as the birds
sat in the trees, two tiny little animals no larger than field mice
climbed up the tree where Eagle sat. They crept out to the branch tips
to Eagle.
They said, "We wish to play ball."
Eagle looked at them. They were four-footed. He said, "Why don't you
join the Animals? You belong there."
"The Animals make fun of us," they said. "They drive us away because
we are small."
Eagle pitied them. He said, "But you have no wings."
Then at once Eagle and Hawk and all the Birds held a council in the
trees. At last they said to the little fellows, "We will make wings
for you."
But they could not think just how to do it. Then a Bird said, "The
head of our drum is made of groundhog skin. Let us make wings from
that." So they took two pieces of leather from the drum and shaped
them for wings. They stretched them with cane splints and fastened
them on the forelegs of one of the little animals. So they made
Tlameha, the Bat. They began to teach him.
First they threw the ball to him. Bat dropped and circled about in the
air on his new wings. He did not let the ball drop. The Birds saw at
once he would be one of their best men.
Now they wished to give wings also to the second little animal, but
there was no more leather. And there was no more time. Then somebody
said they might make wings for the other man by stretching his skin.
Therefore two large birds took hold from opposite sides with their
strong bills. Thus they stretched his skin. Thus they made Tewa, the
Flying Squirrel.
Then Eagle threw to him the ball. At once Flying Squirrel sprang after
it, caught it in his teeth, and carried it through the air to another
tree nearby.
Then the game began. Almost at the first toss, Flying Squirrel caught
the ball and carried it up a tree. Then he threw it to the Birds, who
kept it in the air for some time. When it dropped to the earth, Bear
rushed to get it, but Martin darted after it and threw it to Bat, who
was flying near the ground. Bat doubled and dodged with the ball, and
kept it out of the way of Deer. At last Bat threw it between the
posts. So the Birds won the game.
Bear and Terrapin, who had boasted of what they would do, never had a
chance to touch the ball.
Because Martin saved the ball when it dropped to the ground, the Birds
afterwards gave him a gourd in which to build his nest. He still has
it.
WHY THE BIRDS HAVE SHARP TAILS
_Biloxi_
Once upon a time, they say, the world turned over. Then the waters
rose very high and many people died. A woman took two children and
lodged in a tree. She sat there waiting for the waters to sink, for
she had no way of reaching the ground.
When the woman saw the Ancient of Red-headed Buzzards, she called to
him, "Help me to get down and I will give you one of the children." He
assisted her, but she did not give him the child.
The waters were so deep that the birds were clinging by their claws to
the clouds, but their tails were under water. That is why their tails
are always sharp. One of these birds was the Ancient of Yellowhammers.
Therefore its tailfeathers are sharp at the ends. The large Red-headed
Woodpecker was there, too, and the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, and that
is why their tails have their present shape.
[Illustration: SPIDER GORGETS.
1. From a Mound, Missouri.
2. From a Stone Grave, Illinois.
3. From a Mound, Illinois.
4. From a Mound, Tennessee.
_From Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology._]
THE WILDCAT AND THE TURKEYS
_Biloxi_
The Ancient of Wildcats had been creeping up on the Wild Turkeys
trying to catch some. He tried in vain. Then he got a bag, crawled
inside, and rolled himself along. He rolled himself to the Ancient of
Turkey Gobblers.
Wildcat said, "Get into my bag and see what fun it is to roll."
The Ancient of Turkey Gobblers crawled into the bag. Wildcat tied up
the end and rolled it along for some time. After he had rolled it
quite a distance, he stopped and untied the bag.
"It is very good," said the First of All the Turkey Gobblers. Then he
said to the other Wild Turkeys, "Get in the bag and see how pleasant
it is."
But the young Turkeys were afraid. Gobbler urged them to try the new
game. At last one young Turkey stepped into the bag. Wildcat tied the
end and pretended that he was going to roll it. It would not go.
"It will not go because it is too light. There is only one in it,"
said Wildcat. "Let another young Turkey step in."
At last another young Turkey stepped in. Wildcat tied the bag, threw
it over his shoulder and ran home. When he reached home he laid the
bag down.
Then Wildcat said to his mother, "I have brought home something on my
back, and placed it outside. Beware lest you untie the bag."
His mother said to herself, "I wonder what it can be." So she untied
the bag. One of the turkeys flew out. She managed to catch the other
one. She caught both feet with one hand, and both wings with the
other. She cried out, "Help! Help! I have caught four!"
The Ancient of Wildcats scolded his mother. Then he killed the turkey
and cooked it. His mother went into another room.
Then Wildcat spread his feast. As he was eating the Turkey he made a
constant noise. He walked back and forth. He talked continually and
kept up a steady rattling. When he stopped the noise a little he said,
"I am going home," as if a guest were speaking. He said this again and
again. He made a noise with his feet as if people were walking about.
He ate all the turkey except the hip bone.
THE BRANT AND THE OTTER
_Biloxi_
Once upon a time the Ancient of Brants and the Ancient of Otters were
living as friends. One day the Ancient of Otters said to the Ancient
of Brants, "Come to see me tomorrow," and departed.
Brant went to make the call. When he arrived, the Ancient of Otters
said, "Halloo! I have nothing at all for you to eat! Sit down!" Then
he went fishing. He used a "leather vine" which he jerked now and then
to straighten it. He caught many fish. When he reached home he cooked
them.
When the fish were cooked, ready for the feast, the Ancient of Otters
put some into a very flat dish. But the Ancient of Brants could not
eat from a flat dish. All he could do was to hit his bill against the
dish, and raise his head as if swallowing something. But Otter ate
rapidly.
Otter said to his guest, "Have you eaten enough?"
"Yes, I am satisfied," said Brant.
"No, you are not satisfied," said Otter. He took more fish and placed
them in the flat dish, eating rapidly as before. Brant could only hit
his bill against the side of the dish.
When the Ancient of Brants was departing, he said to Otter, "Come to
see me tomorrow."
When Otter reached the house of the Ancient of Brants the next day,
Brant cried, "Halloo! I have nothing at all to give you to eat! Sit
down!"
Then the Ancient of Brants went fishing, using a "leather vine" which
he jerked now and then to straighten it. He caught many fish and took
them home to cook them. When the fish were cooked, they began to
feast. But the Ancient of Brants had put some into a small round dish.
Ancient of Otters could not get his mouth into the dish. But Brant ate
rapidly.
"Have you eaten enough?" Brant asked, after a while.
Otter replied, "Yes, I am satisfied."
"Nonsense!" said the Ancient of Brants. "How could you possibly be
satisfied! I have served you as you served me."
But this ended their friendship.
THE TINY FROG AND THE PANTHER
_Biloxi_
The Ancient of Tiny Frogs[24] was shut up by his grandmother, so that
he might learn magic. Then she took him on a journey.