I am half changed into a wolf, E-wee--I am half changed into a wolf,
E-wee. This he kept repeating as they neared the shore. The sounds were
very distinct. On the sand they saw the tracks of a wolf, as if
departing. They also saw the prints of human hands; and they soon saw
Wayoond himself, half man and half wolf, running along shore. Owasso ran
after him, crying, Ni she ma! Ni she ma! but the partly transformed
object, jumped on the bank and looked back for some time, repeating the
former words, and disappeared in the woods.
The women built a lodge at the spot, and got everything comfortable for
a long stay. The man was, however, very uneasy, and exerted his power
to regain his brother--for he kept near the lodge at night, singing in a
most pitiful strain. They always left food for him some distance from
the lodge, which he eat in the night.
The unmarried woman, who was something of a mud-jee-kee-kua-wis,
proposed to dig a pit and cover it with light sticks and leaves, for the
purpose of placing the meat on, that when he came to eat it he might
fall in. Her plan succeeded, and when they came next morning to examine
it, they were rejoiced to find the half wolf in the pit. The man had
been fasting previously, and he brought his medicines and charms, and
threw some over his brother, who, after some time, resumed his human,
shape. He was taken to the lodge, but it was some time before the change
was perfect, and still longer before he was restored to health. His
disposition, however, was soured, for he always sat and looked very
gloomy, and felt no pleasure in the society of his friends. He
recommenced hunting, in which he was very successful, for he always hung
the tail of a wolf to his girdle at his back, or at his leg-bands or
garters, which gave him great speed and vigour in overtaking animals of
the deer kind.
MAUJEEKIKUAWIS was forward in her advances toward him. He, however,
paid no attention to it, and shunned her. She continued to be very
assiduous in attending to his wants, such as cooking, and mending his
moccasins. She felt hurt and displeased at his indifference, and
resolved to play him a trick. Opportunity soon offered. The lodge was
spacious, and she dug a hole in the ground, where the young man usually
sat, covering it very carefully. When the brothers returned from the
chase, the young man threw himself down carelessly at the usual place,
and fell into the cavity, his head and feet remaining out, so that he
was unable to extricate himself. "Ha! Ha!" cried Maujeekikuawis, as she
helped him out, "you are mine, I have caught you at last, and I did it
on purpose." A smile came over the young man's face, and he said, "So be
it, I will be yours:" and from that moment they lived happily as man and
wife.
They all lived contented and happy after this, for a length of time. The
elder brother's son grew up to manhood, and was noted for his beauty,
bravery, and manliness. He was very expert in the chase, and supplied
them abundantly with food.
One evening the brothers mentioned their desire of visiting a very high
mountain in the vicinity, in order, as they said, to gratify their
curiosity, and see the country which lay beyond it. The women tried to
dissuade them, and expressed their fears lest some accident might befall
them; but their opposition was unavailing. The men prepared to depart,
and gave their parting advice to their wives and children, telling them,
that should anything serious happen, Owasso's elder son was now fully
capable of supporting them, and that the time was not far distant when
they should all meet each other in those happy hunting grounds toward
the setting sun.
The night after this parting address they left the lodge. It was very
dark, still not a breath of air could be felt--when lo! flashes of
lightning appeared, and the noise of rumbling thunder was suddenly heard
advancing from the north (where their father had gone) and the quietude
of the night gave place to one of the most terrible tempests. The dark
air was lit up with flashes of vivid and forked lightning, and the roar
of that ear-stopping thunder was incessant. At the same time the south
wind rushed on with a tremendous noise, laying the most stately trees
level with the earth.
The young men never returned, but tradition says that they were taken up
by their father from the mountain's top, and aided him in wreaking just
vengeance on all Weendigoes and magicians. For it appears that after he
was fixed in his ethereal abode, he beheld with horror the bad actions
of these wicked men. And he resolved to destroy them, and rid the earth
of such monsters, as well as to take vengeance for what he had himself
suffered from them. To this end he exerted the power the Great Spirit
had given him, by sending thunder and lightning to destroy them all.
From this period the Indian world has been free from them. Still the
imaginations of our old and young men often dwell upon their former
power, and they are led to believe that the hills, and caves, and
forests, occupied by these once visible, are still possessed by
invisible demons.
* * * * *
[NOTE. This story, it will be perceived, very much resembles, in some of
its incidents, one previously inserted from the Odjibwa. It also
embraces one of the principal incidents in the allegory of the "Forsaken
Boy," from the same source.]
FOOTNOTES:
[59] Thunder is invariably _personified_ by the Algic Indians. There is
no other mode of describing it in their vocabulary.
[60] This taciturnity is characteristic of the American Indians, who
seldom speak or manifest any emotion when events of this nature take
place in actual life, especially if hard feelings have been excited in
either party.
SHAWONDASEE.
FROM THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE ODJIBWAS.
Mudjekewis and nine brothers conquered the Mammoth Bear, and obtained
the Sacred Belt of Wampum, the great object of previous warlike
enterprise, and the great means of happiness to men. The chief honour of
this achievement was awarded to Mudjekewis, the youngest of the ten, who
received the government of the West Winds. He is therefore called
KABEYUN, the father of the winds. To his son, WABUN, he gave the East;
to SHAWONDASEE, the south, and to KABIBONOKKA, the North. Manabozho,
being an illegitimate son, was left unprovided. When he grew up, and
obtained the secret of his birth, he went to war against his father,
KABEYUN, and having brought the latter to terms, he received the
government of the Northwest Winds, ruling jointly with his brother
KABIBONOKKA the tempests from that quarter of the heavens.
Shawondasee is represented as an affluent, plethoric old man, who has
grown unwieldy from repletion, and seldom moves. He keeps his eyes
steadfastly fixed on the north. When he sighs, in autumn, we have those
balmy southern airs, which communicate warmth and delight over the
northern hemisphere, and make the _Indian Summer_.
One day, while gazing toward the north, he beheld a beautiful young
woman of slender and majestic form, standing on the plains. She appeared
in the same place for several days, but what most attracted his
admiration, was her bright and flowing locks of yellow hair. Ever
dilatory, however, he contented himself with gazing. At length he saw,
or fancied he saw, her head enveloped in a pure white mass like snow.
This excited his jealousy toward his brother Kabibonokka, and he threw
out a succession of short and rapid sighs--when lo! the air was filled
with light filaments of a silvery hue, but the object of his affections
had for ever vanished. In reality, the southern airs had blown off the
finewinged seed-vessels of the prairie dandelion.
"My son," said the narrator, "it is not wise to differ in our tastes
from other people; nor ought we to put off, through slothfulness, what
is best done at once." Had Shawondasee conformed to the tastes of his
countrymen, he would not have been an admirer of _yellow_ hair; and if
he had evinced a proper activity in his youth, his mind would not have
run flower-gathering in his age.
THE LINNET AND EAGLE.
FROM THE ODJIBWA.
The birds met together one day, to try which could fly the highest. Some
flew up very swift, but soon got tired, and were passed by others of
stronger wing. But the eagle went up beyond them all, and was ready to
claim the victory, when the gray linnet, a very small bird, flew from
the eagle's back, where it had perched unperceived, and being fresh and
unexhausted, succeeded in going the highest. When the birds came down,
and met in council to award the prize, it was given to the eagle,
because that bird had not only gone up nearer to the sun than any of the
larger birds, but it had carried the linnet on its back.
Hence the feathers of the eagle are esteemed the most honourable marks
for a warrior, as it is not only considered the bravest bird, but also
endowed with strength to soar the highest.
THE MOOSE AND WOODPECKER.
FROM THE PILLAGERS.[61]
After Manabozho had killed the Prince of Serpents, he was living in a
state of great want, completely deserted by his powers, as a deity, and
not able to procure the ordinary means of subsistence. He was at this
time living with his wife and children, in a remote part of the country,
where he could get no game. He was miserably poor. It was winter, and he
had not the common Indian comforts.
He said to his wife, one day, I will go out a walking, and see if I
cannot find some lodges. After walking some time he saw a lodge at a
distance. The children were playing at the door. When they saw him
approaching they ran into the lodge, and told their parents that
Manabozho was coming. It was the residence of the large redheaded
Woodpecker. He came to the lodge door and asked him to enter. He did so.
After some time, the Woodpecker, who was a magician, said to his wife,
Have you nothing to give Manabozho, he must be hungry. She answered, No.
In the centre of the lodge stood a large white tamarack tree. The
Woodpecker flew on to it, and commenced going up, turning his head on
each side of the tree, and every now and then driving in his bill. At
last he drew something out of the tree, and threw it down, when, behold!
a fine, fat racoon on the ground. He drew out six or seven more. He then
descended, and told his wife to prepare them. Manabozho, he said, this
is the only thing we eat. What else can we give you? It is very good,
replied Manabozho. They smoked their pipes and conversed with each
other. After eating, the great spirit-chief got ready to go home. The
Woodpecker said to his wife, Give him the remaining racoons to take home
for his children. In the act of leaving the lodge he dropped
intentionally one of his mittens, which was soon after observed. Run,
said the Woodpecker to his eldest son, and give it to him. But don't
give it into his hand; throw it at him, for there is no knowing him, he
acts so curiously. The boy did as he was bid. Nemesho (my grandfather),
said he, as he came up to him, you have left one of your mittens--here
it is. Yes, said he, affecting to be ignorant of the circumstance, it is
so. But don't throw it, you will soil it on the snow. The lad, however,
threw it, and was about to return. List, said Manabozho, is that all you
eat,--do you eat nothing else with the racoon. No, replied the young
Woodpecker. Tell your father, he answered, to come and visit me, and let
him bring a sack. I will give him what he shall eat with his racoon
meat. When the young one reported this to his father, the old man turned
up his nose at the invitation. What does the old fellow think he has
got! exclaimed he.
Some time after the Woodpecker went to pay a visit to Manabozho. He was
received with the usual attention. It had been the boast of Manabozho,
in former days, that he could do what any other being in the creation
could, whether man or animal. He affected to have the sagacity of all
animals, to understand their language, and to be capable of exactly
imitating it. And in his visits to men, it was his custom to return,
exactly, the treatment he had received. He was very ceremonious in
following the very voice and manner of his entertainers. The Woodpecker
had no sooner entered his lodge, therefore, than he commenced playing
the mimic. He had previously directed his wife to change his lodge, so
as to enclose a large dry tamarack tree. What can I give you, said he to
the Woodpecker; but as we eat, so shall you eat. He then put a long
piece of bone in his nose, in imitation of the bill of this bird, and
jumping on the tamarack tree, attempted to climb it, doing as he had
seen the Woodpecker do. He turned his head first on one side, then on
the other. He made awkward efforts to ascend, but continually slipped
down. He struck the tree with the bone in his nose, until at last he
drove it so far up his nostrils that the blood began to flow, and he
fell down senseless at the foot of the tree. The Woodpecker started
after his drum and rattle to restore him, and having got them, succeeded
in bringing him to. As soon as he came to his senses, he began to lay
the blame of his failure to his wife, saying to his guest, Nemesho, it
is this woman relation of yours,--_she_ is the cause of my not
succeeding. She has rendered me a worthless fellow. Before I took her I
could also get racoons. The Woodpecker said nothing, but flying on the
tree, drew out several fine racoons. Here, said he, this is the way _we_
do, and left him with apparent contempt.
Severe weather continued, and Manabozho still suffered for the want of
food. One day he walked out, and came to a lodge, which was occupied by
the Moose, (Moez.) The young Mozonsug[62] saw him and told their father
Manabozho was at the door. He told them to invite him in. Being seated
they entered into conversation. At last the Moose, who was a Meet a,
said, What shall we give Manabozho to eat? We have nothing. His wife was
seated with her back toward him, making garters. He walked up to her,
and untying the covering of the armlet from her back, cut off a large
piece of flesh from the square of her shoulder.[63] He then put some
medicine on it, which immediately healed the wound. The skin did not
even appear to have been broken, and his wife was so little affected by
it, that she did not so much as leave off her work, till he told her to
prepare the flesh for eating. Manabozho, said he, this is all we eat,
and it is all we can give you.
After they had finished eating Manabozho set out for home, but
intentionally, as before, dropped one of his _minjekawun_, or mittens.
One of the young Moose took it to him, telling him that his father had
sent him with it. He had been cautioned not to hand it to him, but to
throw it at him. Having done so, contrary to the remonstrance of
Manabozho, he was going back when the latter cried out BAKAH! BAKAH![64]
Is _that_[65] the only kind of meat you eat? Tell me. Yes, answered the
young man, that is all, we have nothing else. Tell your father, he
replied, to come and visit me, and I will give him what you shall eat
with your meat. The old Moose listened to this message with indignity. I
wonder what he thinks he has got, poor fellow!
He was bound, however, to obey the invitation, and went accordingly,
taking along a cedar sack, for he had been told to bring one. Manabozho
received him in the same manner he had himself been received,--repeating
the same remarks, and attempted to supply the lack of food in the same
manner. To this end he had requested his wife to busy herself in making
garters. He arose and untied the covering of her back as he had seen the
Moose do. He then cut her back shockingly, paying no attention to her
cries or resistance, until he saw her fall down, from the loss of blood.
Manabozho, said the Moose, you are killing your wife. He immediately ran
for his drum and rattle, and restored her to life by his skill. He had
no sooner done this than Manabozho began to lay the blame of his ill
success on his wife. Why, Nemesho, said he, this woman, this relation of
yours--she is making me a most worthless fellow. Formerly, I procured my
meat in this way. But now I can accomplish nothing.
The Moose then cut large pieces of flesh off his own thighs, without the
least injury to himself, and gave them to Manabozho, saying with a
contemptuous air, this is the way _we_ do. He then left the lodge.
After these visits Manabozho was sitting pensively in his lodge one day,
with his head down. He heard the wind whistling around it, and thought,
by attentively listening, he could hear the voice of some one speaking
to him. It seemed to say to him; Great chief, why are you sorrowful. Am
not I your friend--your guardian Spirit? He immediately took up his
rattle, and without leaving his sitting posture, began to sing the chant
which at the close of every stanza has the chorus of "WHAW LAY LE AW."
When he had devoted a long time to this chant, he laid his rattle aside,
and determined to fast. For this purpose he went to a cave, and built a
very small fire near which he laid down, first telling his wife, that
neither she nor the children must come near him, till he had finished
his fast. At the end of seven days he came back to the lodge, pale and
emaciated. His wife in the meantime had dug through the snow, and got a
small quantity of the root called truffles. These she boiled and set
before him. When he had finished his repast; he took his large bow and
bent it. Then placing a strong arrow to the string, he drew it back, and
sent the arrow, with the strength of a giant, through the side of his
bark lodge. There, said he to his wife, go to the outside, and you will
find a large bear, shot through the heart. She did so, and found one as
he had predicted.
He then sent the children out to get red willow sticks. Of these he cut
off as many pieces, of equal length, as would serve to invite his
friends to a feast. A red stick was sent to each one, not forgetting the
Moose and the Woodpecker.
When they arrived they were astonished to see such a profusion of meat
cooked for them, at such a time of scarcity. Manabozho understood their
glances and felt a conscious pride in making such a display. Akewazi,
said he, to one of the oldest of the party, the weather is very cold,
and the snow lasts a long time. We can kill nothing now but small
squirrels. And I have sent for you to help me eat some of them. The
Woodpecker was the first to put a mouthful of the bear's meat to his
mouth, but he had no sooner begun to taste it, than it changed into a
dry powder, and set him coughing. It appeared as bitter as ashes. The
Moose felt the same effect, and began to cough. Each one, in turn, was
added to the number of coughers. But they had too much sense of decorum,
and respect for their entertainer, to say any thing. The meat looked
very fine. They thought they would try more of it. But the more they
ate, the faster they coughed and the louder became the uproar, until
Manabozho, exerting his former power, which he now felt to be renewed,
transformed them all into the ADJIDAMO, or squirrel, an animal which is
still found to have the habit of barking, or coughing, whenever it sees
any one approach its nest.
FOOTNOTES:
[61] A warlike tribe of the Algic stock located at the sources of the
Mississippi.
[62] Diminutive form, plural number, of the noun Moez.
[63] The dress of the females in the Odjibwa nation, consists of
sleeves, open on the inner side of the arm from the elbow up, and
terminating in large square folds, falling from the shoulders, which are
tied at the back of the neck with ribbon or binding. The sleeves are
separately made, and not attached to the breast garment, which consists
of square folds of cloth, ornamented and sustained by shoulder straps.
To untie the sleeves or armlets, as is here described, is therefore to
expose the shoulders, but not the back--a simple devise, quickly
accomplished, by which the magician could readily exercise his art
almost imperceptibly to the object.
[64] Stop! stop!
[65] It is difficult to throw into the English pronoun the whole of the
meaning of the Indian. Pronouns in this language being, like other parts
of speech, transitive; they are at once indicative both of the actor,
personal, and relative, and the nature of the object, or subject of the
action, or relation. This, and that, are not used in the elementary form
these pronouns invariably possess in the English. Inflections are put to
them indicating the class of natural objects to which they refer. A noun
masculine or feminine, requiring an animate pronoun, a noun inanimate, a
pronoun inanimate.
WEENG.
FROM THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE CHIPPEWAS.
Sleep is personified by the Algic race, under the name of Weeng.[66] But
the power of the Indian Morpheus is executed in a peculiar manner, and
by a novel agency. Weeng seldom acts directly in inducing sleep, but he
exercises dominion over hosts of gnome-like beings, who are everywhere
present, and are constantly on the alert. These beings are invisible to
common eyes. Each one is armed with a tiny puggamaugon, or club, and
when he observes a person sitting or reclining under circumstances
favourable to sleep, he nimbly climbs upon his forehead and inflicts a
blow. The first blow only creates drowsiness, the second makes the
person lethargic, so that he occasionally closes his eyelids, the third
produces sound sleep. It is the constant duty of these little emissaries
to put every one to sleep whom they encounter--men, women, and
children. And they are found secreted around the bed, or on small
protuberances of the bark of the Indian lodges. They hide themselves in
the GUSHKEEPITAUGUN, or smoking pouch of the hunter, and when he sits
down to light his pipe in the woods, are ready to fly out and exert
their sleep-compelling power. If they succeed, the game is suffered to
pass, and the hunter obliged to return to his lodge without a reward.
In general, however, they are represented to possess friendly
dispositions, seeking constantly to restore vigour and elasticity to the
exhausted body. But being without judgment, their power is sometimes
exerted at the hazard of reputation, or even life. Sleep may be induced
in a person carelessly floating in his canoe, above a fall; or in a war
party, on the borders of an enemy's country; or in a female, without the
protection of the lodge circle. Although their peculiar season of action
is in the night, they are also alert during the day.
While the forms of these gnomes are believed to be those of _ininees_,
little or fairy men, the figure of Weeng himself is unknown, and it is
not certain that he has ever been seen. Most of what is known on this
subject, is derived from Iagoo, who related, that going out one day with
his dogs to hunt, he passed through a wide range of thicket, where he
lost his dogs. He became much alarmed, for they were faithful animals,
and he was greatly attached to them. He called out, and made every
exertion to recover them in vain. At length he came to a spot where he
found them asleep, having incautiously ran near the residence of Weeng.
After great exertions he aroused them, but not without having felt the
power of somnolency himself. As he cast up his eyes from the place where
the dogs were lying, he saw the Spirit of Sleep sitting upon a branch of
a tree. He was in the shape of a giant insect, or _monetoas_, with many
wings from his back, which made a low deep murmuring sound, like distant
falling water. But Iagoo himself, being a very great liar and braggart,
but little credit was given to his narration.
Weeng is not only the dispenser of sleep, but it seems, he is also the
author of dulness, which renders the word susceptible of an ironical
use. If an orator fails, he is said to be struck by Weeng. If a warrior
_lingers_, he has ventured too near the sleepy god. If children begin to
nod or yawn, the Indian mother looks up smilingly, and says, "they have
been struck by Weeng," and puts them to bed.
FOOTNOTES:
[66] This word has the _g_ sounded hard, as if it were followed by a
half sound of _k_--a common sound for _g_ final in the Odjibwa.
IAGOO.
FROM THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE CHIPPEWAS.