the mountain he looked upward and called, “My father, where art thou?”
And a great voice sounded the word: “A son of mine shall cast the cliff
from the mountain’s edge to the summit of this peak.” Good Mind grasped
the cliff and with a mighty effort flung it to the mountain top. Again
he cried, “My father, where art thou?” The answer came, “A son of mine
shall swim the cataract from the pool below to the top.” Good Mind
leaped into the falls and swam upward to the top where the water poured
over. He stood there and cried again, “My father, where art thou?” The
voice answered, “A son of mine shall wrestle with the wind.” So, there
at the edge of a terrifying precipice Good Mind grappled with Wind and
the two wrestled, each endeavoring to throw the other over. It was a
terrible battle and Wind tore great rocks from the mountain side and
lashed the water below, but Good Mind overcame Wind, and he departed
moaning in defeat. Once more Good Mind called, “My father, where art
thou?” In awesome tones the voice replied, “A son of mine shall endure
the flame,” and immediately a flame sprang out of the mountain side and
enveloped Good Mind. It blinded him and tortured him with its cruel
heat, but he threw aside its entwining arms and ran to the mountain top
where he beheld a being sitting in the midst of a blaze of light.
“I am thy father,” said the voice. “Thou art my son.”
“I have come to receive power,” said the son. “I wish to rule all things
on the earth.”
“You have power,” answered the father. “You have conquered. I give to
you the bags of life, the containers of living creatures that will bless
the earth.”
Thus did the father and son counsel together and the son learned many
things that he should do. He learned how to avoid the attractive path
that descended to the place of the cave where Hanishe´ono^{n’} dwells.
Now the father said, “How did you come to find me, seeing I am secluded
by many elements?”
The Good Mind answered, “When I was about to start my journey Sky Woman,
my grandmother, gave me a flute and I blew upon it, making music. Now,
when the music ceased the flute spoke to me, saying, ‘This way shalt
thou go,’ and I continued to make music and the voice of the flute spoke
to me.”
Then did the father say, “Make music by the flute and listen, then shalt
thou continue to know the right direction.”
In course of time Good Mind went down the mountain and he waded the sea,
taking with him the bags with which he had been presented. As he drew
near the shore he became curious to know what was within, and he pinched
one bag hoping to feel its contents. He felt a movement inside which
increased until it became violent. The bag began to roll about on his
back until he could scarcely hold it and a portion of the mouth of the
bag slipped from his hand. Immediately the things inside began to jump
out and fall into the water with a great splash, and they were water
animals of different kinds. The other bag began to roll around on his
back but he held on tightly until he could do so no more, when a portion
of the mouth slipped and out flew many kinds of birds, some flying
seaward and others inland toward the trees. Then as before the third bag
began to roll about but he held on very tight, but it slipped and fell
into the water and many kinds of swimming creatures rushed forth,
fishes, crabs and eels. The fourth bag then began to roll about, but he
held on until he reached the land when he threw it down, and out rushed
all the good land animals, of kinds he did not know. From the bird bag
had come good insects, and from the fish bag had also come little
turtles and clams.
When Good Mind came to his grandmother beneath the tree she asked what
he had brought, for she heard music in the trees and saw creatures
scampering about. Thereupon Good Mind related what had happened, and Sky
Woman said, “We must now call all the animals and discover their names,
and moreover we must so treat them that they will have fat.”
So then she spoke, “Cavity be in the ground and be filled with oil.” The
pool of oil came, for Sky Woman had the power of creating what she
desired.
Good Mind then caught the animals one by one and brought them to his
grandmother. She took a large furry animal and cast it into the pool and
it swam very slowly across, licking up much oil. “This animal shall
hereafter be known as niagwaih, (bear) and you shall be very fat.” Next
came another animal with much fur and it swam across and licked up the
oil, and it was named degiiă’´go^n, (buffalo). So in turn were named the
elk, the moose, the badger, the woodchuck, and the raccoon, and all
received much fat. Then came the beaver (na^nga^nniă´go^n’), the
porcupine and the skunk. Now Good Mind wished the deer to enter but it
was shy and bounded away, whereupon he took a small arrow and pierced
its front leg, his aim being good. Then the deer came and swam across
the pool and oil entered the wound and healed it. This oil of the deer’s
leg is a medicine for wounds to this day and if the eyes are anointed
with it one may shoot straight.
Again other animals came and one by one they were named weasel, mink,
otter, fisher, panther, lynx, wild cat, fox, wolf, big wolf, squirrel,
chipmunk, mole, and many others.
And many animals that were not desired plunged into the pool of oil, and
these Good Mind seized as they came out and he stripped them of their
fat and pulled out their bodies long. So he did to the otter, fisher,
weasel and mink. So he did to the panther, wolf, big wolf, and fox, the
lynx and the wildcat. Of these the fat to this day is not good tasting.
But after a time Evil Mind secured a bag of creatures from the road to
the Cave and unloosed it, and evil things crawled into the pool and grew
fat. So did the rattlesnake and great bugs and loathly worms.
Thus did Evil Mind secure many evil monsters and insects, and he enticed
good animals into his traps and perverted them and gave them appetites
for men-beings. He was delighted to see how fierce he could make the
animals, and set them to quarreling.
He roamed about visiting the streams of pure water made by Good Mind and
filling them with mud and slime, and he kicked rocks in the rivers and
creeks to make passage difficult, and he planted nettles and thorns in
the paths. Thus did he do to cause annoyance.
Now Good Mind sat with his grandmother beneath the tree of light and he
spoke to her of the world and how he might improve it. “Alas,” said she,
“I believe that only one more task awaits me and then I shall go upon my
path and follow your mother back to the world beyond the sky. It remains
for me to call into being certain lights in the blackness above where
Heavy Night presides.”
So saying she threw the contents of a bag into the sky and it quickly
became sprinkled with stars. And thus there came into being
constellations (haditgwă’´dā’), and of these we see the bear chase, the
dancing brothers, the seated woman, the beaver skin, the belt, and many
others.
Now it seems that Good Mind knew that there should be a luminous orb
and, so it is said, he took his mother’s face and flung it skyward and
made the sun, and took his mother’s breast and flinging it into the sky
made the moon. So it is said, but there are other accounts of the
creation of these lights. It is said that the first beings made them by
going into the sky.
Shortly after the creation of the stars (gadjĭ‘´so^n’´dă’), the
grandmother said unto Good Mind, “I believe that the time has come when
I should depart, for nearly all is finished here. There is a road from
my feet and I have a song which I shall sing by which I shall know the
path. There is one more matter that troubles me for I see that your
brother is jealous and will seek to kill you. Use great care that you
overcome him and when you have done so confine him in the cave and send
with him the evil spirit beasts, lest they injure men.”
When morning came the Sky Woman had departed and her journey was toward
the sky world.
Good Mind felt lonely and believed that his own mission was about at
end. He had been in conflict with his brother, Evil Mind, and had
sought, moreover, to overcome and to teach the Whirlwind and Wind, and
the Fire Beast.
Soon Evil Mind came proposing a hunting trip and Good Mind went with him
on the journey. When they had gone a certain distance the Evil Mind
said, “My elder brother, I perceive that you are about to call forth
men-beings who shall live on the island that we here have inhabited. I
propose to afflict them with disease and to make life difficult, for
this is not their world but mine, and I shall do as I please to spoil
it.”
Then did Good Mind answer and say, “Verily, I am about to make
man-beings who shall live here when I depart, for I am going to follow
the road skyward made first by my mother.”
“This is good news,” answered Evil Mind. “I propose that you then reveal
unto me the word that has power over your life, that I may possess it
and have power when you are gone.”
Good Mind now saw that his brother wished to destroy him, and so he
said, “It may happen that you will employ the cattail flag, whose sharp
leaves will pierce me.”
Good Mind then lay down and slumbered, but soon was awakened by Evil
Mind who was lashing him with cattail flags, and yelling loudly, “Thou
shalt die.” Good Mind arose and asked his brother what he meant by
lashing him and he answered, “I was seeking to awaken you from a dream,
for you were speaking.”
So, soon again the brother, Evil Mind, asked, “My brother, I wish to
know the word that has power over you.” And Good Mind perceiving his
intention answered, “It may be that deer-horns will have power over me;
they are sharp and hard.”
Soon Good Mind slept again and was awakened by Evil Mind beating him
with deer-horns, seeking to destroy him. They rushed inland to the foot
of the tree and fought each other about it. Evil Mind was very fierce
and rushed at his brother thrusting the horns at him and trying to
pierce his chest, his face or tear his abdomen. Finally, Good Mind
disarmed him, saying, “Look what you have done to the tree where Ancient
One was wont to care for us, and whose branches have supplied us with
food. See how you have torn this tree and stripped it of its valuable
products. This tree was designed to support the life of men-beings and
now you have injured it. I must banish you to the region of the great
cave and you shall have the name of Destroyer.”
So saying he used his good power to overcome Evil Mind’s otgont (evil
power) and thrust him into the mouth of the cave, and with him all
manner of enchanted beasts. There he placed the white buffalo, the
poison beaver, the poison otter, snakes and many bewitched things that
were otgont. So there to this day abides Evil Mind seeking to emerge,
and his voice is heard giving orders.
Then Good Mind went back to the tree and soon saw a being walking about.
He walked over to the place where the being was pacing to and fro. He
saw that it was S’hagodiiwe^n‘´gōwā, who was a giant with a grotesque
face. “I am master of the earth,” roared this being (called also Great
Defender), for he was the whirlwind. “If you are master,” said Good
Mind, “prove your power.”
Defender said, “What shall be our test?”
“Let this be the test,” said Good Mind, “that the mountain yonder shall
approach us at your bidding.”
So Defender spoke saying, “Mountain, come hither.” And they turned their
backs that they might not see it coming until it stood at their backs.
Soon they turned about again and the mountain had not moved.
“So now, I shall command,” said Good Mind, and he spoke saying,
“Mountain, come hither,” and they turned their backs. There was a
rushing of air and Defender turned to see what was behind him and fell
against the onrushing mountain, and it bent his nose and twisted his
mouth, and from this he never recovered.
Then did Defender say, “I do now acknowledge you to be master. Command
me and I will obey.”
“Since you love to wander,” said Good Mind, “it shall be your duty to
move about over the earth and stir up things. You shall abandon your
evil intentions and seek to overcome your otgont nature, changing it to
be of benefit to man-beings, whom I am about to create.”
“Then,” said Defender, “shall man-beings offer incense tobacco to me and
make a song that is pleasing to me, and they shall carve my likeness
from the substance of trees, and my orenda will enter the likeness of my
face and it shall be a help to men-beings and they shall use the face as
I shall direct. Then shall all the diseases that I may cause depart and
I shall be satisfied.”
Again Good Mind wandered, being melancholy. Looking up he saw another
being approaching.
“I am Thunder,” said the being.
“What can you do to be a help to me?” asked Good Mind.
“I can wash the earth and make drink for the trees and grass,” said
Thunder.
“What can you do to be a benefit to the men-beings I am about to
create?” asked Good Mind.
“I shall slay evil monsters when they escape from the under-world,” said
Thunder. “I shall have scouts who will notify me and I shall shoot all
otgont beings.”
Then was Good Mind satisfied, and he pulled up a tree and saw the water
fill the cavity where the roots had been. Long he gazed into the water
until he saw a reflection of his own image. “Like unto that will I make
men-beings,” he thought. So then he took clay and molded it into small
images of men and women. These he placed on the ground and when they
were dry he spoke to them and they sprang up and lived.
When he saw them he said unto them, “All this world I give unto you. It
is from me that you shall say you are descended and you are the children
of the first born of earth, and you shall say that you are the flesh of
Iagĕ^n’´tci, she the Ancient Bodied One.”
When he had acquainted them with the other first beings, and shown them
how to hunt and fish and to eat of the fruits of the land, he told them
that they should seek to live together as friends and brothers and that
they should treat each other well.
He told them how to give incense of tobacco, for Awĕ^n‘hā´i‘, Ancient
Bodied One, had stripped the heaven world of tobacco when she fell, and
thus its incense should be a pleasing one into which men-beings might
speak their words when addressing him hereafter. These and many other
things did he tell them.
Soon he vanished from the sight of created men beings, and he took all
the first beings with him upon the sky road.
Soon men-beings began to increase and they covered the earth, and from
them we are descended. Many things have happened since those days, so
much that all can never be told.
2. THE BROTHERS WHO CLIMBED TO THE SKY.
There were once three brothers who had spent their lives as hunters. At
last one growing tired of the chase suggested that, as a break in the
monotony of existence, they would walk to the end of the earth where the
sky touched the water of the great seas. This proposition met with favor
with all and together they set out on their long journey. Many years of
adventure were spent, when at last they reached the spot where the sky
bends down to earth (gaenhyakdondye).
For two changes of the moon they camped near this spot and watched the
mysterious things that happened about the blue dome’s rim. Each day it
rose high from the earth and fell back upon the sea. When it rose the
water would recede and when it fell the water would rise high on the
shore. Finally two brothers desired to run upon the sand beneath the rim
of the bowl but the third brother hung back and was afraid, but seeing
the others afar off he ran beneath the rim and hastened to overtake them
but just as the two stepped out from the farther side of the blue wall
it came down and the third was crushed; but his spirit sped forward like
the wind on its journey. The two mourned the loss of their brother in
this summary way but continued their adventure.
Now on the other side of the sky all things seemed turned around. Before
them was a high rounded hill and when they ascended it they found a
large village in the distance. A man came running toward them. It was
their brother.
“How came you here, brother?” they asked. “We did not see you pass us,”
but all the other brother would say was, “Never hesitate, never delay!”
and passed on.
They saw an old man approaching. His youthful vigor and strong,
well-proportioned body surprised them. No earthly symptoms of old age
had he. His white hair alone betokened that.
Coming near he greeted them. “I am the Father of All,” he said, “and my
son is T‘haho^n’hiawă’´ko^n, the Great Spirit. He is the ruler of all
below. Now let me advise you. When you see him call him quickly and say
‘Nya‘wĕ‘´skäno’’! If you fail to speak first he will say, ‘you are
mine,’ and you will no more be men but spirits as your brother is.”
The brothers went their way and came to a high white lodge. As they
walked up the path a tall handsome man stepped out.
“Nyawĕ‘´skäno’!” shouted the brothers in chorus.
“Dogĕ^ns!” responded the being. “Come in. I have been watching you a
long time.”
The brothers entered the lodge.
“How are your bodies, men?” asked the being.
“Good indeed!” replied the brothers.
“Untrue,” said the great being. “I am the Master of Life and know! One
of you must lie down and I will purify him first, and then the other.”
One brother placed himself upon the ground. Master of Life took a small
shell, placed it to his lips, tapped him upon the neck, and then
carefully sealed the shell with a lump of clay. He now began to skin the
prostrate man. He stripped every muscle from its fastenings, took out
the organs, and separated the bones. He cleansed each fibre from
corruption and disease with a fluid from his mouth and then put the man
together again. The same process was repeated with the second brother.
Then, placing the shells upon their mouths, he loosened the clay and
tapped the necks of the men. Sitting up they said, “It seems as if we
have slept.”
“Every power of your bodies is renewed,” said the Master of Life. “How
would you like to test your skill now?” And, leading the way, he entered
a beautiful forest surrounded by a hedge. The borders of the grove were
lined with beds of vegetables and flowers.
“Come into the inner part of my garden,” said the Master of Life, “and
see my droves of deer.”
A stalwart buck with proud branching antlers came bounding toward them.
“He is the swiftest of all my runners,” said the Master of Life. “Try to
catch him.”
The men followed after and easily overtook the fleeing deer.
“He has given us good speed,” said the brothers, nor was this the only
power. For long they tried their skill in every way and found it equal
to any task that creatures could perform.
Returning to the great white lodge the brothers saw a messenger of
wondrous swiftness come speeding toward them. Upon his wide expanded
chest was suspended a brilliant ball of light. In some unknown tongue he
shouted as he dashed by on his journey.
“Do you understand his words, or do you even know him?” asked the
Master. “He is Sun, my messenger, Ho‘sĕ^n’äge‘´dagōwā. Each day he
brings me news. Nothing from east to west escapes his eyes. He has just
told me of a war raging even now between your people and another nation,
so come, let us look down upon the earth.”
Going to a high hill the men looked down through a hole in the sky and
saw the struggling bands of men, saw the flaming lodges, and even the
cries of anguish and rage.
“Such things men will ever do,” said the Master of Life as he led them
away.
The brothers lived long in the upper world and learned much that their
tongues never could tell. They saw untenanted villages awaiting the
coming of tribes yet to be born and saw their own lodges where they
should be when they came again as spirits. Many good things the great
Master of Life told them, and our preachers proclaim them now.
At last the Master told them they must depart, and, guided by two
messengers, they descended to the earth by night and slept on the
ground.
In the morning they discovered that their native village was overgrown
with trees, and following a path through the woods came to another
settlement. In a council they told their story and no one knew them
except a sister, aged and on the verge of the grave.
“The war of which you speak,” said they, “took place fifty years ago.”
The men did not love earth now but longed for their lodges in the sky
world. They were men of wonderful physical power and neither pestilence
nor enchantments could kill them but two fiery shafts of the sky did.
They then journeyed back to the great white lodge, but this time could
not return.[11]
3. THE DEATH PANTHER.[12]
Now the old folk say this is true.
Two boys were fast friends and always were seen together. Their favorite
sport was to play in the waters of a deep lake that washed the feet of a
tall white-headed mountain that lay a distance from the village.
One day as they splashed in the water, swimming, diving, and sporting as
boys do, one suggested that they both dive at the same instant and see
which could remain below the surface the longer. This suggestion was at
once acted upon and each time they dove they remained below a greater
time.
In the course of the game one of the boys, Oohoosha, by name, discovered
a flat projecting rock to which he could cling. As he lay holding fast
to the rock after a dive he saw a hazy indistinct object approaching him
and when it neared him he saw that it was a tall warrior whose smooth
glistening body was the color of the sky or the color of clear water
when the clouds pass over.
“Come with me,” said the man, in a friendly manner and although he had
never heard this language before, Oohoosha strangely understood it now.
So, marveling, he followed.
The dark green water began to clear and in the distance, he thought he
saw a number of boys playing ball. The guide led Oohoosha into a large
moss-covered council hall where a stout preacher, with a yellow and pink
face, swaying body and large round eyes was declaiming to the people.
“God created all good things and made men as well as fish!” he shouted,
as the bubbles floated up from his mouth. “The earth people are his
children as well as we, so why should not we who know and foreknow many
things, notify them that trouble is coming and warn them to avoid it?”
“I will go,” said the boy’s friend, as he pulled his cap. “It is my
office.”
The preacher rolled his eyes and looked at the speaker, with a shudder
and then called out, “Gaă‘sioñdie´t’hă’ has promised to go. May he
succeed!”
The preacher sat down and the dances began, and long and solemnly the
people danced. After these ceremonies the boy’s friend told him that he
must go up to the earth-world and warn men of disaster. He took him to
his lodge and bade him care for it during his absence. He was to have
free access to everything save the back room of the lodge which he must
shun. With a few general instructions he departed, leaving Oohoosha to
care for his interests.
For four moons the boy kept watch, over the lodge and dwelt there but no
one came near him, and when at last the friend returned Oohoosha asked
how he had fared.
“Ah!” sighed the man, “do not ask me. You must not stay here longer, for
in my madness you may see me as I am. I am the messenger of death. He is
Sondowekowa, I am Gahachendietoh. I am in disguise but should you see me
you would soon die, so depart and preach what I whisper that henceforth
mankind may profit.”
With trembling limbs and blanched face the boy listened to the whispered
words of his friend and when he had learned all, he shot upward to the
surface of the lake. Striking out he swam to the shore and searching
beneath a rock shelter he found his clothing as fresh as when he had
doffed them. Dressing, he set out to find his comrade. He came to the
village but found on its site only charred and blackened frames. A
deep-trodden trail bordered with the bones of dogs and fragments of
kettles led away to the west, and following it Oohoosha saw a new
village, but only a few houses were there. The people who moved like
ghosts silently about were gaunt and scarred.
Suddenly a lodge door opened and out rushed his old comrade, who seeing
Oohoosha, drew back with a cry of fear and surprise; but Oohosha
calling, he came forward timidly and took his hand. Looking at him
doubtfully he spoke.
“Oh, Oohoosha!” he cried. “How came you back from death! I thought you
drowned four moons ago when we dived in the lake.”
“While I clung to a rock,” answered Oohoosha, “a man came to me and said
‘follow!’ I did not drown but lived this while in the underwater world.
Now, tell me, why is the village so altered and why do the people stalk
silently about, with dull eyes?”
“Ah me!” said the comrade. “A devastating war has been waged and we are
reduced in number; a terrible famine has swept away the game and crops;
a pestilence carried away all but a handful of our people, then to add
to our trouble a marauding band came and burned our village while we
slept.”
“And did no warning sign appear?” asked Oohoosha.
“Yes, but we knew it not as such until it was long too late and then we
noticed a blue panther floating high in the trees. He had no visible
face but from his tail shot flames of fire.”[13]
“That creature,” exclaimed Oohoosha, “is the herald of disaster. His
name is Gaă‘sioñdie´t’hă’ and when he is seen all men must burn tobacco.
Tobacco incense is the sign that disaster is not wanted and when he has
breathed it he will go away satisfied with the offering and turn aside
the impending evil. But come, I must call a council and tell the
people.”
4. THE GREAT BEAR CONSTELLATION.