Y[^u]! Sg[)e]! Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] hat[^u]['][n]gani[']ga, Giya[']giya[']
Sa`ka[']n[)i], ew'sat[^a][']g[)i] ts[^u]l`da[']hist[)i]. Us[)i]nu[']l[)i]
hatlasi[']ga. Tsis[']kwa-gw[^u]['] ulsge[']ta uwu[']tlani`l[)e][)i]['].
Us[)i]nuli[']yu atsahilu[']g[)i]si[']ga. Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa
nu[']tatan[^u]['][n]ta. Y[^u]!
Y[^u]! Sg[)e]! Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] hat[^u]['][n]gani[']ga, Diga[']tisk[)i]
W[^a]tige['][)i], gal[^u]['][n]lat[)i] iy[^u]['][n]ta
dits[^u]l`d[^a][']hist[)i]. Ha-n[^a][']gwa us[)i]nu[']l[)i] hatlasi[']ga.
Tsi[']skwa-gw[^u] d[)i]tu[']nila[']w'its[^u][']h[)i] higese['][)i].
Us[)i]n[^u]l[)i] k[)e]`tati[']g[^u]`lahi[']ga. Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa
ad[^u][n]ni[']ga. Y[^u]!
_Translation._
TO TREAT G[^U][n]WANI[']GIST[^U]['][n][)I]--(SECOND).
Y[^u]! Listen! Quickly you have drawn near to hearken, O Blue
Sparrow-Hawk; in the spreading tree tops you are at rest. Quickly you
have come down. The intruder is only a bird which has overshadowed
him. Swiftly you have swooped down upon it. Relief is accomplished.
Y[^u]!
Y[^u]! Listen! Quickly you have drawn near to hearken, O Brown
Rabbit-Hawk; you are at rest there above. Ha! Swiftly now you have
come down. It is only the birds which have come together for
a council. Quickly you have come and scattered them. Relief is
accomplished. Y[^u]!
_Explanation._
This formula, also for G[^u][n]wani[']gist[^u]['][n][)i] or
Atawin[)e][']h[)i], was obtained from A`wan[']ita (Young Deer), who
wrote down only the prayer and explained the treatment orally. He
coincides in the opinion that this disease in children is caused
by the birds, but says that it originates from the shadow of a bird
flying overhead having fallen upon the pregnant mother. He says
further that the disease is easily recognized in children, but that it
sometimes does not develop until the child has attained maturity, when
it is more difficult to discern the cause of the trouble, although in
the latter case dark circles around the eyes are unfailing symptoms.
The prayer--like several others from the same source--seems
incomplete, and judging from analogy is evidently incorrect in some
respects, but yet exemplifies the disease theory in a striking manner.
The disease is declared to have been caused by the birds, it being
asserted in the first paragraph that a bird has cast its shadow
upon the sufferer, while in the second it is declared that they
have gathered in council (in his body). This latter is a favorite
expression in these formulas to indicate the great number of the
disease animals. Another expression of frequent occurrence is to
the effect that the disease animals have formed a settlement or
established a townhouse in the patient's body. The disease animal,
being a bird or birds, must be dislodged by something which preys upon
birds, and accordingly the Blue Sparrow-Hawk from the tree tops and
the Brown Rabbit-Hawk (Diga[']tisk[)i]--"One who snatches up"), from
above are invoked to drive out the intruders. The former is then said
to have swooped down upon them as a hawk darts upon its prey, while
the latter is declared to have scattered the birds which were
holding a council. This being done, relief is accomplished. Y[^u]! is
a meaningless interjection frequently used to introduce or close
paragraphs or songs.
The medicine used is a warm decoction of the bark of K[^u]nst[^u][']ts[)i]
(Sassafras--Sassafras officinale), Kan[^u][n]si[']ta (Flowering
Dogwood--Cornus florida), Ud[^a][']lana (Service tree--Amelanchier
Canadensis), and Uni[']kwa (Black Gum--Nyssa multiflora), with the
roots of two species (large and small) of Da[']yakal[)i][']sk[)i]
(Wild Rose--Rosa lucida). The bark in every case is taken from the
east side of the tree, and the roots selected are also generally, if
not always, those growing toward the east. In this case the roots and
barks are not bruised, but are simply steeped in warm water for
four days. The child is then stripped and bathed all over with the
decoction morning and night for four days, no formula being used
during the bathing. It is then made to hold up its hands in front of
its face with the palms turned out toward the doctor, who takes some
of the medicine in his mouth and repeats the prayer mentally, blowing
the medicine upon the head and hands of the patient at the final _Y[^u]!_
of each paragraph. It is probable that the prayer originally consisted
of four paragraphs, or else that these two paragraphs were repeated.
The child drinks a little of the medicine at the end of each
treatment.
The use of salt is prohibited during the four days of the treatment,
the word (am[)a][']) being understood to include lye, which enters
largely into Cherokee food preparations. No chicken or other feathered
animal is allowed to enter the house during the same period, for
obvious reasons, and strangers are excluded for reasons already
explained.
HIA['] DU[']NIYUKWATISG[^U]['][n][/I] KANA[']H['E]H[^U].
Sg[)e]! N[^u][n]d[^a]g[^u]['][n]y[)i] ts[^u]l`d[^a][']hist[)i],
Kanani[']sk[)i] Gigage. Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] n[^u]['][n]n[^a] gi[']gage
h[)i]n[^u][n]ni[']ga. Hida[']w[)e]hi-g[^a]g[^u]['], ast[)i]['] digi[']gage
us[)i]n[^u][']l[)i] deh[)i]kssa['][^u][n]tani[']ga. Ulsge[']ta kane[']ge
kayu[']`ga ges[^u]['][n], tsg[^a][']ya-gw[^u] higese['][)i].
Eh[)i]st[)i][']
hituwa[']saniy'te[)i][']. Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] ast[)i]['] digi[']gage
dehada['][^u][n]tani[']ga, adi[']na ts[^u]lstai-y[^u][']`ti-gw[^u]
higese['][)i]. N[^a][']gwa g[^a]nagi[']ta da[']tsatane[']l[)i].
Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa nu[']tatan[^u]['][n]ta n[^u][n]t[^u]neli[']ga. Y[^u]!
H[)i]gay[^u]['][n]l[)i] Ts[^u]ne[']ga hat[^u]['][n]gani[']ga.
"A[']ya-g[^a]g[^u]['] gat[^u]['][n]gisge[']st[)i] ts[^u]ngili[']s[)i]
deagw[^u]lstaw[)i][']stitege[']st[)i]," tsad[^u]n[^u][']h[)i].
Na[']ski-g[^a]g[^u]['] itsa[']wes[^u][']h[)i] n[^a][']gwa us[)i]nu[']l[)i]
hatu['][n]gani[']ga. Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa n[/u]tatan[^u][']ta
n[^u][n]t[^u][']neli[']ga. Y[^u]!
Sg[)e]! Uhy[^u][n]tl[^a][']y[)i] ts[^u]l`d[^a][']histi Kanani[']sk[)i]
Sa`ka[']n[)i]. Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] n[^u]['][n]n[^a] sa`ka[']n[)i]
h[)i]n[^u][n]ni[']ga. Hida[']w[)e]hi-g[^a]g[^u]['], ast[)i][']
(di)sa`ka[']n[)i] us[)i]nu[']l[)i] deh[)i]ksa['][^u][n]tani[']ga.
Ulsge[']ta kane[']ge kayu[']`ga ges[^u]['][n], tsg[^a][']ya-gw[^u]
higese['][)i]. Eh[)i]st[)i]['] hituwa[']saniy`te([)i][']).
Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] ast[)i]['] disa`ka[']nige dehada['][^u][n]taniga,
adi[']na ts[^u]lstai-y[^u][']`ti-gw[^u] higese['][)i]. N[^a][']gwa
tsg[^a][']ya g[^u]nagi[']ta ts[^u]t[^u]neli[']ga. Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa
nu[']tatan[^u]['][n]ta n[^u][n]t[^u]neli[']ga. Y[^u]!
H[)i]gay[^u]['][n]l[)i] Ts[^u]ne[']ga hat[^u][n]gani[']ga.
"A[']ya-g[^a]g[^u]['] gat[^u]['][n]gisge[']st[)i] ts[^u]ngili[']s[)i]
deagw[^u]lstaw[)i][']stitege[']st[)i]," tsad[^u]n[^u][']h[)i].
Nas[']kig[^a]g[^u]['] itsawes[^u][']h[)i] n[^a][']gwa us[)i]nu[']l[)i]
hat[^u]['][n]gani[']ga. Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa nutatan[^u]['][n]ta
n[^u][n]t[^u]neli[']ga. Y[^u]!
Sg[)e]! Us[^u]hi[']y[)i] ts[^u]l`d[^a][']hist[)i] Kanani[']sk[)i]
[^U]['][n]nage. Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] n[^u]['][n]n[^a] [^u]['][n]nage
h[)i]n[^u][n]ni[']ga. Hida[']w[)e]hi-g[^a]g[^u]['], ast[)i][']
dig[^u]['][n]nage us[)i]nu[']l[)i] deh[)i]ksa['][^u][n]tani[']ga.
Ulsge[']ta kane[']ge kayu[']`ga ges[^u]['][n], tsg[^a][']ya-gw[^u]
higese['][)i]. Eh[)i]st[)i]['] hituwa[']saniy`te[)i][']. Us[)i]nu[']l[)i]
ast[)i]['] dig[^u]['][n]nage dehada['][^u][n]tani[']ga, adi[']na
ts[^u]lstai-y[^u][']`ti-gw[^u] higese['][)i]. N[^a][']gwa tsg[^a][']ya
g[^u]nagi[']ta ts[^u]t[^u]neli[']ga. Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa nutatan[^u]['][n]ta
n[^u][n]t[^u]neli[']ga. Y[^u]!
H[)i]gay[^u]['][n]l[)i] Ts[^u]ne[']ga hat[^u][n]gani[']ga.
"A[']ya-g[^a]g[^u]['] gat[^u]['][n]gisge[']st[)i] ts[^u]ngili[']s[)i]
deagw[^u]lstaw[)i][']stitege[']st[)i]," tsad[^u]n[^u][']h[)i].
Na[']skig[^a]g[^u]['] itsawes[^u][']h[)i] n[^a][']gwa us[)i]nu[']l[)i]
hat[^u]['][n]gani[']ga. Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa nutatan[^u]['][n]ta
n[^u][n]t[^u]neli[']ga. Y[^u]!
Sg[)e]! Gal[^u]['][n]lat[)i] ts[^u]l`d[^a][']hist[)i], Kanani[']sk[)i]
Ts[^u]ne[']ga. Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] n[^u]['][n]n[^a] une[']ga
h[)i]n[^u][n]ni[']ga.
Hida[']w[)e]hi-g[^a]g[^u]['], ast[)i]['] tsune[']ga us[)i]nu[']l[)i]
deh[)i]ksa['][^u][n] tani[']ga. Ulsge[']ta kane[']ge kayu[']`ga
ges[^u]['][n], tsg[^a][']ya-gw[^u] higese['][)i]. Eh[)i]st[)i][']
hituwa[']s[)a]niy'te[)i][']. Us[)i]nu[']l[)i] ast[)i]['] tsune[']ga
dehada['][^u][n]tani[']ga, adi[']na ts[^u]lstai-y[^u][']`ti-gw[^u]
higese['][)i].
N[^a][']gwa tsg[^a][']ya g[^u]nagi[']ta ts[^u]t[^u]neli[']ga.
Uts[)i]n[)a][']wa
nu[']tatan[^u]['][n]ta, n[^u][n]t[^u]neli[']ga. Y[^u]!
H[)i]gay[^u]['][n]l[)i] Ts[^u]ne[']ga hat[^u]['][n]gani[']ga.
"A[']ya-g[^a]g[^u]['] gat[^u]['][n]gisge[']st[)i] ts[^u]ngili[']s[)i]
deagw[^u]lstaw[)i][']stitege[']st[)i]," tsad[^u]n[^u][']h[)i].
Naski-g[^a]g[^u][']
itsawes[^u][']h[)i] n[^a][']gwa us[)i]nu[']l[)i] hat[^u][n]gani[']ga.
U[']ts[)i]na[']wa nutatan[^u]['][n]ta n[^u][n]t[^u]neli[']ga. Y[^u]!
(Degasi[']sisg[^u]['][n][)i])--Hi[)a]['] duniyukwa[']tisg[^u]['][n][)i]
d[)i]kan[^u]['][n]w[^a]t[)i] [)a]tan[^u]['][n]sida[']h[)i] y[)i][']g[)i].
Na[']sk[)i] dig[^u][']nstan[)e][']`ti-gw[^u] [^u]l[)e][']
ts[)i]ts[^a]t[^u][']
yie[']lis[^u]. Nig[^u][n][']-gw[^u] us[^u][']na [_for_ us[^u]nda[']na?]
g[^u]['][n]tat[)i] nay[^a][']ga n[^u]['][n]wat[)i]
unan[^u]['][n]sk[)a]`la['][)i].
Kane[']ska dal[^a][']nige unaste[']tla ts[)i][']g[)i]. Se[']lu
d[)i]gah[^u]`n[^u][']h[)i] tsuni[']yah[)i]st[)i]['] n[^u][']`k[)i]
tsus[^u][']hita, kan[^a]he[']na-`n[^u] nask[)i]['] iga['][)i]
udan[^u][']st[)i]
hi[']g[)i] nay[^a][']ga.
_Translation._