_Wyandot_
An old man lived with his nephew. Every day the nephew went
somewhere. Every day the uncle asked, “Well, where have you been
today? What did you see today?”
One day the nephew said, “I have pulled off Eagle’s feather.” And in
truth he had Eagle’s tail feather. His uncle at once exclaimed,
“Danger! We are in danger!”
Then he hung the eagle feather in the smoke hole of his house. Soon
Eagle came and stood for a while over the smoke hole. The uncle
exclaimed, “Danger! We are in danger! We must have a council at
once!”
So they called a council of all the animals. The young man sent
around saying, “Come, for there is danger!” They all came at once.
The old man stood at the door of his house. Some of the animals he
would not allow to enter. He said to Deer, to Bear, and to Wolf, “I
do not want you at this council. You can run too fast.” Only the
animals that could not run fast were allowed to form a council.
Turtle came, and Otter and Skunk and Porcupine and others.
Then they held their council. Each said what he would do in case of
danger. Porcupine said, “I will shoot my quills through them when
they come near me.” They all said things like that.
Then the people from the council all ran away to where a big tree
stood, for fear Eagle would come. For safety they all climbed the
tree. Then Eagle came and stood over the smoke hole for the second
time, but the feather was not there. Turtle had carried it away.
Now the tree that all the people had climbed was very rotten. A
strong wind came and blew it down, so the animal people were
scattered all about. Porcupine had been covered with bits of rotten
wood. Therefore Porcupine climbed up on Turtle’s back, to hide him,
and they went away. Turtle carried the Eagle’s feather. Now all
along the way Porcupine kept scattering ashes on Turtle’s trail so
Eagle would not see him. But Eagle followed the trail of ashes.
Then, just as he got to the bank of the river, Eagle’s friends
caught Turtle.
They said, “We will throw Turtle into the fire.” Turtle pretended to
enjoy it very much. Then they struck him, but they hit Turtle on his
shell. They could not see that he minded it. Then someone said, “Let
us drown Turtle.” Turtle began to cry, “Oh, no! I am afraid of the
water!” Then they dragged him toward the water. Turtle pushed
back—he pushed back, and he cried. That is why someone said, “Let us
drop him to the bottom of the water. That is the place for him.” So
it was done. They threw him in. They could see Turtle lying on his
back on the bottom of the water. Then they left him.
At once Turtle turned over and swam to a log near the opposite
shore. Turtle climbed on that log, and waved Eagle’s feather high in
the air. He shouted, “Ki-he.” Truly, that is the cry of one who has
overpowered his enemy.
Now Eagle’s friends heard it. They gathered on the shore. They said,
“Who will bring back Eagle’s feather?” They held a council. One
said, “No, I cannot go there.” Another said, “No, I would be drowned
if I went there.” At last Otter said, “I will try it.” So he did.
Now Turtle sat on that log waving the feather. Otter darted across
the river and reached that log where Turtle was sitting. Turtle
dropped off the back side into the water. Soon Otter began to yell,
“Oh-oh! He is hurting me so badly!” Turtle was pinching him all
over. Otter yelled, “Oh, he is pinching me all over!”
Therefore Turtle kept that feather of Eagle’s. Turtle cannot be
overpowered by anyone—so the Wyandots say.