than an inch long, living in muddy streams in Louisiana. It
differs from the bullfrog, common frog, and tree frog.
First they met the Ancient of Panthers. The grandmother said to him,
"This is your sister's son. Look at him and wrestle with him." The
Ancient of Panthers was very brave. To show his strength, he climbed
very high up a tree which he tore to pieces, falling to the ground
with it.
Then he seized the Ancient of Tiny Frogs. But the frog caught him by
the hind legs and whipped him against a tree. He beat him so severely
that Panther's jaw was broken in many places. That is why all panthers
have a short jaw.
The Ancient of Tiny Frogs and his grandmother continued their journey.
Next they met Bear. The grandmother said to him, "Look at your
sister's son. Go and wrestle with him." Bear began to pull the limbs
off a tree to show his strength. Soon he rushed upon the Ancient of
Tiny Frogs. But that one caught Bear by the hind legs and beat him
against a tree until he broke off short his tail. That is why bears
have such very short tails.
Again the old grandmother, singing as she walked, went along the trail
with her grandson. They met Buffalo. She said, "Look at your sister's
son. Go and wrestle with him." Now Buffalo was very strong. With his
horns he uprooted a tree, and then spent some moments in breaking it
to pieces. Then he rushed at the Ancient of Tiny Frogs. But that one
caught Buffalo by the hind legs and beat him against a tree. He beat
him until the back of his neck was broken and he had a great hump on
his shoulders. So Buffalo went away, but that is why buffaloes have
such very heavy, humpbacked shoulders.
Again they walked along the trail, singing. It was not long before
they met with Deer. To him the grandmother said, "Look at your
sister's son. Go and wrestle with him." Deer leaped up to show his
agility. Then he sprang at the Ancient of Tiny Frogs. But that one
seized him by the legs and beat him against a tree, breaking his nose,
and leaving him with a very small nose, even as deer today have small
noses.
Then the Ancient of Tiny Frogs said to Deer: "I shall remain here
under the leaves. When hunters are after you and have almost reached
you, I will urge you to escape by saying, '_Pés! Pés!_' When I say
that, do your best to get away."
Hardly had he finished speaking, when he cried out, "_Pés! Pés!_ It is
so! Go quickly! Do your best!" Then Deer leaped away. For just then
the hunters had come, sure enough.
Therefore, when a tiny frog cries out now, people say that some one is
on the point of running after a deer.
THE FRIGHTENER OF HUNTERS
_Choctaw_ (_Bayou Lacomb_)
Kashehotapalo is the frightener of hunters. His head is small and
dried up, like an old man's. His legs and feet are like those of a
deer. He lives in low, swampy places, far away from men.
If the hunters come near him, when they are chasing a deer, he slips
up behind them and calls loudly. Thus he frightens them away. His
voice is like that of a woman. His name means "the woman call."
THE HUNTER AND THE ALLIGATOR
_Choctaw_ (_Bayou Lacomb_)
All the hunters in a village killed many deer one winter, except one
man. This one saw many deer. Sometimes he drew his bow and shot at
them; yet they escaped.
Now this hunter had been away from his village three days. He had seen
many deer; not one had he killed. On the third day, when the sun was
hot over his head, he saw an alligator.
Alligator was in a dry, sandy spot. He had had no water for many days.
He was dry and shriveled.
Alligator said to the hunter, "Where can water be found?" The hunter
said, "In that forest, not far away, is cold water."
"I cannot go there alone," said Alligator. "Come nearer. Do not fear."
The hunter went nearer, but he was afraid.
"You are a hunter," said Alligator, "but all the deer escape you.
Carry me into the water, and I will make you a great hunter. You shall
kill many deer."
The hunter was still afraid. Then he said, "I will carry you, but
first I must bind you so that you cannot scratch me; and your mouth,
so that you cannot bite me."
So Alligator rolled over on his back and let the hunter bind him. He
fastened his legs and mouth firmly. Then he carried Alligator on his
shoulders to the water in the forest. He unfastened the cords and
threw him in.
Alligator came to the surface three times. He said, "Take your bow and
arrow and go into the woods. You will find a small doe. Do not kill
it. Then you will find a large doe. Do not kill it. You will meet a
small buck. Do not kill that. Then you will meet a large, old buck.
Kill that."
The hunter took his bow and arrow. Everything happened just as
Alligator had foretold. Then he killed the large, old buck. So he
became a very great hunter. There was always venison in his wigwam.
THE GROUNDHOG DANCE
_Cherokee_
Seven wolves once caught a groundhog. They said, "Now we'll kill you
and have something to eat."
Groundhog said, "When we find good food, we should rejoice over it, as
people do in the green-corn dances. You will kill me, and I cannot
help myself. But if you want to dance, I'll sing for you. Now this is
a new dance. I will lean up against seven trees in turn. You will
dance forward and then go back. At the last turn you may kill me."
Now the Wolves were very hungry, but they wanted to learn the new
dance. Groundhog leaned up against a tree and began to sing. He sang,
_Ho wi ye a hi_
and all the Wolves danced forward. When he shouted "_Yu!_" they turned
and danced back in line.
"That's fine," said Groundhog, after the first dance was over. Then
he went to the next tree and began the second song. He sang,
_Hi ya yu we_,
and the Wolves danced forward. When he shouted "_Yu!_" they danced
back in a straight line.
At each song, Groundhog took another tree, getting closer and closer
to his hole under a stump. At the seventh song, Groundhog said,
"Now this is the last dance. When I shout '_Yu!_' all come after me.
The one who gets me may have me."
Then he sang a long time, until the Wolves were at quite a distance in
a straight line. Then he shouted "_Yu!_" and darted for his hole.
At once the Wolves turned and were after him. The foremost Wolf caught
his tail and gave it such a jerk he broke it off. That is why
Groundhog has such a short tail.
THE RACOON
_Menomini_
One day Racoon went into the woods to fast and dream. He dreamed that
someone said to him, "When you awaken, paint your face and body with
bands of black and white. That will be your own."
When Racoon awoke, he painted himself as he had been told to do. So we
see him, even to the present day.
WHY THE OPOSSUM PLAYS DEAD
_Biloxi_
The Ancient of Opossums thought that he would reach a certain pond
very early in the morning, so that he might catch the crawfish on the
shore. But someone else reached there first, and when Opossum reached
there the crawfish were all gone.
This person did this every day. Opossum did not know who it was, so he
lay in wait for him. He found it was the Ancient of Racoons.
They argued about the crawfish and the pond. They agreed to see which
could rise the earlier in the morning, go around the shore of the pond
and catch the crawfish.
Racoon said, "I rise very early. I never sleep until daylight comes."
Opossum said the same thing. Then each went home.
Now Opossum lay down in a hollow tree and slept there a long time. He
arose when the sun was very high and went to the pond. But Racoon had
been there ahead of him, and had eaten all the crawfish. Racoon sang
the Song of the Racoon as he was going home. Opossum stood listening.
He, too, sang. He sang the Song of the Opossum, thus:
_Hí na kí-yu wus-sé-di_
He met the Racoon who had eaten all the crawfish.
"Ha!" said Racoon. "I have been eating very long, and I was going
home, as I was sleepy."
Opossum said, "I, too, have been eating so long that I am sleepy, so I
am going home."
Opossum was always telling a lie. People say this of the Opossum
because if one hits that animal and throws it down for dead, soon it
gets up and walks off.
WHY THE 'POSSUM'S TAIL IS BARE
_Cherokee_
'Possum used to have a long, bushy tail and he was so proud of it that
he combed it out every morning and sang about it at the dance. Now
Rabbit had had no tail since Bear pulled it off because he was
jealous. Therefore he planned to play a trick on 'Possum.
The animals called a great council. They planned to have a dance. It
was Rabbit's business to send out the news. One day as he was passing
'Possum's house, he stopped to talk.
"Are you going to the council?" he asked.
"Yes, if I can have a special seat," said 'Possum. "I have such a
handsome tail I ought to sit where everyone can see me."
Rabbit said, "I will see that you have a special seat. And I will send
someone to comb your tail for the dance." 'Possum was very much
pleased.
Rabbit at once went to Cricket, who is an expert hair cutter;
therefore the Indians call him the barber. He told Cricket to go the
next morning and comb 'Possum's tail for the dance. He told Cricket
just what to do.
In the morning, Cricket went to 'Possum's house. 'Possum stretched
himself out on the floor and went to sleep, while Cricket combed out
his tail and wrapped a red string around it to keep it smooth until
night. But all the time, as he wound the string around, he was
snipping off the hair closely. 'Possum did not know it.
When it was night, 'Possum went to the council and took his special
seat. When it was his turn to dance, he loosened the red string from
his tail and stepped into the middle of the lodge.
The drummers began to beat the drum. 'Possum began to sing, "See my
beautiful tail."
Every man shouted and 'Possum danced around the circle again, singing,
"See what a fine color it has." They all shouted again, and 'Possum
went on dancing, as he sang, "See how it sweeps the ground."
Then the animals all shouted so that 'Possum wondered what it meant.
He looked around. Every man was laughing at him. Then he looked down
at his beautiful tail. It was as bare as a lizard's tail. There was
not a hair on it.
He was so astonished and ashamed that he could not say a word. He
rolled over on the ground and grinned, just as he does today when
taken by surprise.
WHY 'POSSUM HAS A LARGE MOUTH
_Choctaw_ (_Bayou Lacomb_)
Very little food there was for Deer one dry season. He became thin and
weak. One day he met 'Possum. Deer at once exclaimed, "Why, 'Possum,
how fat you are! How do you keep so fat when I cannot find enough to
eat?"
'Possum said, "I live on persimmons. They are very large this year, so
I have all I want to eat."
"How do you get the persimmons?" asked Deer. "They grow so high!"
"That is easy," said 'Possum. "I go to the top of a high hill. Then I
run down and strike a persimmon tree so hard with my head that all the
ripe persimmons drop on the ground. Then I sit there and eat them."
"That is easily done," said Deer. "I will try it. Now watch me."
'Possum waited. Deer went to the top of a nearby hill. He ran down and
struck the tree with his head. 'Possum watched him, laughing. He
opened his mouth so wide while he laughed that he stretched it. That
is why 'Possum has such a large mouth.
[Illustration: SHELL PINS MADE AND USED BY INDIANS OF THE
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. FOUND IN GRAVES.
_From Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology._]
THE PORCUPINE AND THE TWO SISTERS
_Menomini_
Once there dwelt in a village two sisters, who were the swiftest
runners in the Menomini tribe. Towards the setting sun was another
village, two days' walk away.
The sisters wished to visit this village. They began to run at great
speed. At noon they came to a hollow tree lying across the trail. In
the snow on the ground, there, behold! lay the trail of Porcupine,
leading to the hollow tree. One of them broke off a stick and began to
poke into the log, that Porcupine might come out. She said, "Let's
have some fun with him."
"No," said the other sister, "he is a manido. We should leave him
alone."
But the girl with a stick poked into the hollow log until Porcupine
came out. Then she caught him and pulled out his long quills and threw
them in the snow. The other said, "No, it is cold. Porcupine will need
his robe."
At last the sisters ran on. The village was still far away.
Now when they left Porcupine, he crawled up a tall pine tree until he
reached the very top. Then he faced the north and began to shake his
small rattle, singing in time to its sound.
Soon the sky darkened. Snow began to fall. Now the sisters could not
run rapidly because of the deepening snow.
One looked back and saw Porcupine in the tree top, shaking his rattle.
She said, "We must go back to our own village. I am afraid some harm
will overtake us."
The other answered, "No, let us go on. We need not fear Porcupine."
The snow became deeper, so they rolled up their blankets as they ran
on.
When the sun followed the trail over the edge of the world, the
sisters could not even see the village. Still they ran on. Then in the
late evening they came to a stream which they knew was near the
village.
Behold! It was dark. The snow was very deep. The sisters no longer had
strength. They could hear voices in the village. They could not call
loud enough to be heard. Thus they perished in the snow.
One should never harm Porcupine because he is a manido.
THE WOLF AND THE DOG
_Cherokee_
In the beginning, so they say, Dog was put on the mountain side and
Wolf beside the fire. When winter came, Dog could not stand the cold,
and drove Wolf away from the fire. Wolf ran into the mountains and he
liked it so well that he has stayed there ever since.
THE CATFISH AND THE MOOSE
_Menomini_
Once when the Catfish were all together in one place in the water, the
Catfish chief said, "I have often seen a moose come to the edge of the
water to eat grass. Let us watch for him and kill him and eat him. He
always comes when the sun is a little way up in the sky."
The Catfish agreed to attack Moose. So they went to watch. They crept
everywhere in among the grass and rushes when Moose came down to the
water's edge, slowly picking at the grass. All the tribe watched to
see what the Catfish chief would do. He slipped slowly through the
marshy grass to where Moose was standing. He thrust his spear into
Moose's leg.
Moose said, "Who has thrust a spear into my leg?" He looked down and
saw the Catfish tribe. At once he began to trample upon them with his
hoofs. He killed many, but others escaped and swam down the river.
Catfish still carry spears, but their heads are flat, because Moose
tramped them down in the mud.
TURTLE
_Menomini_
There was a large camp in which Miqkano, the Turtle, took up his
abode. He built a wigwam but he had no one to keep house for him. He
thought he needed a wife.
Now Turtle found a young woman whom he liked. He said, "I want you to
be my wife."
She said, "How are you going to provide for me? You cannot keep up
with the rest of the people when they move."
Turtle replied, "I can keep up with the best of your people."
Then the young woman wanted to put him off. She said, "Oh, well, I
will marry you in the spring."
Turtle was vexed with this. At last he said, "I shall go to war and
take some captives. When I return in the spring, I shall expect you to
marry me."
Then Turtle prepared to go on the war path. He called all his friends,
the Turtles, to him. He left camp, followed by a throng of curious
Indians. The young woman he wanted to marry laughed as the Turtles
moved away. They were so very slow.
Turtle was vexed again. He said, "In four days from now you will
surely mourn for me because I shall be at a great distance from you."
"Why," said the girl, laughing, "in four days from this time you will
scarcely be out of sight."
Turtle immediately corrected himself, and said, "I did not mean four
days, but four years. Then I shall return."
Now the Turtles started off. They traveled slowly on until one day
they found a great tree lying across their trail.
Turtle said, "This we cannot pass unless we go around it. That would
take too long. What shall we do?"
Some said, "Let us burn a hole through the trunk," but in this they
did not succeed.
Therefore they had to turn back home, but it was a long time before
they came near the Indian village again. They wanted to appear as
successful warriors, so as they came near, they set up the war song.
The Indians heard them. They at once ran out to see the scalps and the
spoils. But when they came near, the Turtles each seized an Indian by
the arm and said,
"We take you our prisoners. You are our spoils."
The Indians who were captured in this way were very angry. Now the
Turtle chief had captured the young woman he said he was going to
marry. He said to the Indian girl, "Now that I have you I will keep
you."
Now it was necessary to organize a dance to celebrate the victory over
the Indians. Everyone dressed in his best robe and beads. Turtle sang,
"Whoever comes near me will die, will die, will die!" and the others
danced around him in a circle. At once the Indians became alarmed.
Each one fled to his own lodge, in the village. Turtle also went to
the village, but he arrived much later because he could not travel so
fast.
Someone said to him, "That girl has married another man."
"Is that true?" stormed Turtle. "Let me see the man."
So he went to that wigwam. He called, "I am going for the woman who
promised to be my wife."
Her husband said, "Here comes Turtle. Now what is to be done?"
"I shall take care of that," said his wife.
Turtle came in and seized her. He said, "Come along with me. You
belong to me."
She pulled back. She said, "You broke your promise." The husband said
also, "Yes, you promised to go to war and bring back some prisoners.
You failed to do so."
Turtle said, "I did go. I returned with many prisoners." Then he
picked up the young woman and carried her off.
Now when Turtle arrived at his own wigwam, the young woman went at
once to a friend and borrowed a large kettle. She filled it with water
and set it on to boil. Turtle became afraid. He said, "What are you
doing?"
She said, "I am heating some water. Do you know how to swim?"
"Oh, yes," said Turtle. "I can swim."
The young woman said, "You jump in the water and swim. I can wash your
shell."
So Turtle tried to swim in the hot water. Then the other Turtles,
seeing their chief swimming in the kettle, climbed over the edge and
jumped into the water. Thus Turtle and his warriors were conquered.
THE WORSHIP OF THE SUN
_Ojibwa_
Long ago, an Ojibwa Indian and his wife lived on the shores of Lake
Huron. They had one son, who was named "O-na-wut-a-qui-o,
He-that-catches-the-clouds."
Now the boy was very handsome, and his parents thought highly of him,
but he refused to make the fast of his tribe. His father gave him
charcoal; yet he would not blacken his face. They refused him food;
but he wandered along the shore, and ate the eggs of birds. One day
his father took from him by force the eggs of the birds. He took them
violently. Then he threw charcoal to him. Then did the boy blacken his
face and begin his fast.
Now he fell asleep. A beautiful woman came down through the air and
stood beside him. She said, "I have come for you. Step in my trail."
At once he began to rise through the air. They passed through an
opening in the sky, and he found himself on the Sky-plain. There were
flowers on the beautiful plain, and streams of fresh, cold water. The
valleys were green and fair. Birds were singing. The Sky-land was very
beautiful.
There was but one lodge, and it was divided into two parts. In one end
were bright and glowing robes, spears, and bows and arrows. At the
other end, the garments of a woman were hung.
The woman said, "My brother is coming and I must hide you." So she put
him in a corner and spread over him a broad, shining belt. When the
brother came in, he was very richly dressed, and glowing. He took down
his great pipe and his tobacco.
At last, he said, "Nemissa, my elder sister, when will you end these
doings? The Greatest of Spirits has commanded that you should not take
away the children of earth. I know of the coming of O-na-wut-a-qui-o."
Then he called out, "Come out of your hiding. You will get hungry if
you remain there." When the boy came out, he gave him a handsome pipe
of red sandstone, and a bow and arrows.
So the boy stayed in the Sky-land. But soon he found that every
morning, very early, the brother left the wigwam. He returned in the
evening, and then the sister left it and was gone all night. One day
he said to the brother, "Let me go with you." "Yes," said the brother,
and the next morning they started off.
The two traveled a long while over a smooth plain. It was a very long
journey. He became hungry. At last he said, "Is there no game?"
"Wait until we reach the place where I always stop to eat," said the
brother. So they journeyed on. At last they came to a place spread
over with fine mats. It was near a hole in the Sky-plain.
The Indian looked down through the hole. Below were great lakes and
the villages of his people. He could see in one place feasting and
dancing, and in another a war party silently stealing upon the enemy.
In a green plain young warriors were playing ball.
The brother said, "Do you see those children?" and he sent a dart down
from the Sky-plain. At once a little boy fell to the ground. Then all
the people gathered about the lodge of his father. The Indian, looking
down through the hole, could hear the _she-she-gwan_ of the _meta_,
and the loud singing. Then Sun, the brother, called down, "Send me up
a white dog."
Immediately a white dog was killed by the medicine men, and roasted,
because the child's father ordered a feast. All the wise men and the
medicine men were there.
Sun said to the Indian, "Their ears are open and they listen to my
voice."
Now the Indians on the Earth-plain divided the dog, and placed pieces
on the bark for those who were at that feast. Then the master of the
feast called up, "We send this to thee, Great Manito." At once the
roasted dog came up to Sun in the Sky-plain. Thus Sun and the Indian
had food. Then Sun healed the boy whom he had struck down. Then he
began again to travel along the trail in the Sky-plain, and they
reached their wigwam by another road.
Then O-na-wut-a-qui-o began to weary of the Sky-land. At last he said
to Moon, "I wish to go home."
Moon said, "Since you like better the care and poverty of the earth,
you may return. I will take you back."
At once the Indian youth awoke. He was in the very plain where he had
fallen asleep after he had blackened his face and begun his fast. But
his mother said he had been gone a year.
TASHKA AND WALO
_Choctaw_ (_Bayou Lacomb_)
Tashka and Walo were brothers. They lived a long while ago, so they
say. Every morning they saw Sun come up over the edge of the earth.
Then he followed the trail through the sky.
When they were four years old, they started to follow Sun's trail.
They walked all day, but that night when Sun died, they were still in
their own country. They knew all the hills and rivers. Then they
slept.
Next morning they began again to follow Sun, but when he died at the
edge of the earth, they could still see their own land.
Then they followed Sun many years. At last they became grown men.
One day they reached a great sea-water. There was no land except the
shore on which they stood. When Sun went down over the edge of the
earth that day, they saw him sink into the waters. Then they crossed
the sea-water, to the edge. So they came to Sun's home.
All around there were many women. The stars are women, and Moon also.
Moon is Sun's wife.
Moon asked them how they had found their way. They were very far from
their own land. They said, "For many years we have followed Sun's
trail."
Sun said, "Do you know your way home?" They said, "No." So Sun took
them up to the edge of the water. They could see the earth, but they
could not see their own land.
Sun asked, "Why did you follow me?" They said, "We wished to see where
you lived."
Sun said, "I will send you home. But for four days you must not speak
a word to any person. If you do not speak, you shall live long. You
shall have much wealth."
Then Sun called to Buzzard. He put the two brothers on Buzzard's back.
He said, "Take them back to earth." So Buzzard started for the earth.
Now the clouds are halfway between heaven and earth. The wind never
blows above the clouds, so they say.