so and killed all the magically evil creatures. He dug up the ground
back of the lodge in the clearing and there found a bark house hidden by
the roots of the trees. There he found his mother, his father and his
sister. All were very happy that Gajihsondis had released them and
together they made their journey back to the grandfather’s lodge. When
he saw them returning he died and turned into a shriveled human skin.
This Gajihsondis rolled into a bundle and hid it in the rafters. Then he
called to the girl and she came out of the blankets from the bed at the
far side of the lodge. She was a beautiful young woman and dressed in
fine garments.
“Who is this?” asked Gajihsondis’s father and mother.
“This is my wife,” he replied. “We shall all live in a new house.”
So he took them all away and he showed them a new lodge of bark he had
built. So this is the story of Gajihsondis.
GENERAL NOTES—The introductory paragraph of this legend is not a
part of the story but is the answer which Cornplanter gave me in
response to my inquiry how it happened that so many stories began
with a recital of unnatural conditions.
There are interesting allusions in this tale, and many of them are
characteristic. These include the theme of the orphaned boy living
with an uncle or grandfather, cruel beatings or punishment by fire,
living in the ground, the boy suddenly becoming self-confident
through the reception of orenda or magical power, overcoming all
obstacles and destroying the source of evil enchantment.
There are other elements, which while characteristic in a measure,
are so striking as to be worthy of comment. In this story the cycle
of four attempts emphasizes the importance of the number four in
Seneca folk-thought. Gajihsondis kills four animals in his attempts
to learn to become a hunter, he overcomes four beasts at the spring,
he finds four paths, each in one of the prime cardinal directions,
he overcomes four magical guards of the trail. When he finally
enters the clearing and discovers the bark lodge he discovers a new
obstacle.
The unusual elements now follow. These are the discovery that the
lodge in the clearing is after all only a replica of the one in
which his grandfather and he had lived together (although the story
does not at first make this clear); the strange conception of
clothing flying from the body of the wearer, completely undressing
him, and returning to him when he awakens; the idea of the man’s
name-genius (the white deer), leaving his body when he sleeps, the
talking war club (which seems somewhat symbolic), and finally the
concept of a double personality, one portion or unit being unseen.
Gajihsondis had a soul-self which materialized and guarded his life,
gave him information and pointed out his means of restoration. The
grandfather also had a double in the person of the evil wizard in
the identical lodge.
This legend has another element which seems quite unique; it is the
power of laughter over wizardry. Gajihsondis had only to laugh at a
monster to overcome it, though he did not always do this.
I cannot help but feel that in the form here presented this tale of
the occult and mysterious is only a portion of a fuller story, the
details of which are only partially developed in this version. This
comment may apply to many of the legends, for inquiry about certain
points always brings forth additional information and frequently
other episodes.
VI.
TALES OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE
[Illustration:
MRS. JOHN BIG KITTLE.
Chief matron of the Cattaraugus Seneca Wolf Clan. Mrs. Kittle was born
on Buffalo Creek Reservation in 1822.
_Photo by E. C. Winnegar._
]
21. TWO FEATHERS AND TURKEY BROTHER.
Long ago a whole tribe had been exterminated by powerful sorcerers. Of
all the tribe only three persons remained. These were an old uncle and
his two nephews, one very young and the other on the borderline of
manhood.
The older boy was known as Two Feathers (Doä’danē´gĕ^n’), and the
younger received the name Turkey (Osoon), because he wore a robe made of
a turkey skin. It was a magic skin and the little fellow was able to fly
to the tops of trees, which gave him great pleasure.
There came a time when the uncle after watching the older nephew for
some days, said, “My nephew it is my opinion that you should prepare
yourself for your manhood. It is customary to depart from your abode and
fast until your protecting friends appear unto you. Go forth to the
river and build a sweat lodge, and when you have purified yourself,
await the coming of your protectors.”
In obedience to his uncle’s directions Two Feathers departed and built
himself a sweat lodge where he purified himself and fasted. On the tenth
day he saw a great spider dropping down from the tops of the trees, and
it spoke to him saying, “When you are in great distress I will be your
protector.” Again he saw a great black snake rising from the ground and
when it had reached the tops of the trees it spoke saying, “When you are
in great distress and need a strong friend, I will be your protector.”
When Two Feathers returned to his uncle’s lodge he was a man and he knew
that unseen powers were his friends. His uncle looked at him carefully
and said, “My nephew, it is my opinion that you have become a man. Now
it is customary for a man to seek a wife. It would make our lodge
pleasant to have a young woman cook for us. Now, far away from here in a
country to the east is a great man who has two daughters. It is my wish
that you prepare for the journey and bring back a wife. It will take you
several years,—how many I do not know.”
Two Feathers prepared for his journey and as he made his weapons his
uncle watched him. “Come here,” said the uncle. “I would like to inspect
your clothing.” So saying he looked at his nephew and then told him to
disrobe. “You are not in the condition to make a woman receive you,” he
said. “I will find a better costume for you.”
Opening his treasure chest, which he kept under his bed, the old man
took out a fine fur robe made of raccoon skin. It was most beautiful and
the fur was long and glossy. “Put this on, my nephew,” he said. Two
Feathers donned the new costume and advanced for inspection. The uncle
looked at him to discern any imperfection. “This robe is not good
enough,” he said. “You are still not in condition to seek your wife.
Disrobe and I will seek further among my treasures.”
The uncle now drew forth a robe of wildcat skin. It had short hair and
was made so that it hung down like a long shirt with many tails. There
were ears sewed around the neck and there were eyes on the sleeves.
After looking at this shirt for a moment, the old man said, “Now, my
nephew, this is a very old shirt and the wearer becomes very powerful in
magic. It has eyes and ears and will guard the wearer when he sleeps.
Put it on and let me see how you look.”
Two Feathers put on the shirt which just fitted him. It was very fine
and he greatly admired it and wished to keep it as his shirt. The Uncle,
however, surveyed it with a critical eye. Finally he said, “This shirt
is not good enough. You are still in no condition to seek a wife and to
overcome all the obstacles that lie in your trail from this lodge to
where she resides. Disrobe, I must find something different.”
This time Two Feathers disrobed with reluctance. He wanted to keep that
beautiful shirt. But as he watched his uncle he saw that another fine
outfit was forthcoming. At the bottom of the treasure chest was a bundle
done up in a deer skin folded into a case. This was opened and the uncle
took out a panther-skin shirt, a pair of leggings, a pair of moccasins,
a bow and quiver, a fisher skin pocket (pouch), a warclub and a pipe.
“Now put these things on, my nephew,” said the uncle.
Two Feathers dressed and found that the panther shirt had the head of
the panther as a cap and that the cap had two heron feathers above it.
The whole costume was wonderful to see and Two Feathers now felt that
there could be none better in all the world.
“Now, my nephew,” said the uncle. “I will show you what can be done with
your clothing and accoutrements. The heron feathers on your hood will
watch out for you and when you are in danger they will speak. Your
fisher skin bag is alive and should anyone seek to harm you when asleep
it will bite him. Your pipe and medicine root are in the bag. The
medicine will give you power to spit wampum. The black end of the root
will make dark wampum and the white end will make white wampum. Your
pipe has the head of a bear upon it and it will growl when an enemy
touches it, while the snakes on the bowl will hiss when you light your
tobacco. Your bow looks old and useless, but it is filled with powerful
magic and will guide your arrows straight.”
The uncle continued his instructions. “Now as you journey from here you
will find three enchanted spots, and all must be avoided. You will pass
a certain tree where there will be a boy playing about. He will ask you
to lift him from the ground and place him in the long branch where he
would like to swing up and down. Do not touch the boy for a sorcerer
lives in the tree and when you lift up the boy the sorcerer will grasp
you by the hair and tie you to his arrow and shoot you far away, and you
will fall through the smoke hole of a witch’s lodge and will be eaten by
her. She is the sorcerer’s wife. Further along the trail is a deep
spring where there is sparkling water. Oh nephew, do not drink this
water for there are monsters living in it who will draw you in and drown
you. Further along and near the settlement where you are to go is a
grove of very tall trees. Here you will see an old man who will hop
around strangely. He will ask you to shoot a raccoon. Oh my nephew, do
not pay any attention to him. He will be the cause of your ruin if you
heed his pleas.”
Two Feathers now understood how to proceed and was about to start when
Turkey, his younger brother, began to cry that he also wanted to go.
Neither the uncle nor Two Feathers could dissuade him, and so he, too,
made ready for departure.
Off they went on the journey. Turkey flew ahead in short flights and
called back from the tree tops the condition of the trail, for it was
very early in the morning and it was still quite dark. Very rapidly they
traveled, until by noon they had traveled a distance that takes ordinary
people three years to go. This was because Turkey flew and Two Feathers
wore magic moccasins which made him take very long strides. They now saw
a trail lodge and sat down to rest. Soon they espied a small boy playing
about a large oak. As he played he came nearer in a friendly manner and
asked to be placed in the long branch of the tree that he might swing up
and down. Two Feathers placed the boy on a stump and put this under the
tree. As he did this there was a great roar as if the wind were moving
through the forest, and two gigantic arms came down and grabbed the
stump, at the same time fixing it to the tip of a large arrow, and soon
the stump flew through the air and into the witch’s lodge and knocked
her into the fire.
Two Feathers and Turkey now went on their journey and in a short time
came to a clearing where there was a fine spring of bubbling water
continually outflowing. “Oh brother, do not drink,” said Turkey.
“Remember what our uncle told us.” Two Feathers went on, but being very
thirsty turned back and knelt by the spring to drink. As he leaned over
a horrible creature leaped from the water and endeavored to pull him in.
Two Feathers gave a pull and jumped back, throwing the monster into the
clearing. “Oh put me back,” it cried. Two Feathers asked Turkey to watch
it, then he went back to the spring to drink, but as he did so another
monster covered with hair leaped at him and hung onto his head. Two
Feathers pulled again and dragged the monster out, placing it in the
care of Turkey. A third time this was repeated, after which both boys
drank from the spring. The clearing was a spot where had once been a
prosperous village, but sorcerers had poisoned the spring and killed all
the people by dragging them into the depths of the water.
Two Feathers and Turkey made a fire and burned the monsters, and their
heads bursting with shrieks, there flew away a flock of screech-owls.
The journey continued until it was near sunset. The boys sat down again
and soon observed that they were in a grove of very tall trees.
Presently they noticed an old man dancing about and shouting, “Hai‘,
hai‘, hai‘, hai‘.” In a moment he approached and said, “Oh my nephews,
there is a raccoon on that branch and I have no bow or arrow. I wish you
would shoot it for me.”
Two Feathers would not listen to Turkey, who flew about gobbling, in
order to draw his attention to the warning their uncle had given.
“Most truly, my uncle,” said Two Feathers. “I will shoot that raccoon
for you. It is a very easy matter.” So saying, he took out an arrow,
strung his bow and shot. “Hiñg,” went the arrow and hit the raccoon,
piercing its heart.
Now in an altogether unexpected way the raccoon ran from the limb to the
trunk of the tree and down a large hole at the top where the tree was
broken off.
“Oh my nephew,” cried the old man in distress. “I am too old and weak
from lack of food to climb after the raccoon, which has gone into its
hole to die. Oh my nephew, climb after it for me.”
“That will be easy uncle,” said Two Feathers. “I will climb now.”
“Oh no, no, no! Do not spoil your clothing which I see is very nice.
Take it off beneath the tree and I will watch it for you.” So Two
Feathers took off all his clothing and climbed the tree.
Up he went like a squirrel and soon was at the top, but as he stood
looking down into the hole he heard a noise behind him and caught a
glimpse of the old man who shoved him into the hole. Down went Two
Feathers into the hollow of the tree, and down into a pit beneath the
roots where he smelt the flesh of victims and felt their bones beneath
his feet. He knew that he had been trapped. Outside he could hear Turkey
calling with a gobbling call, and he knew that something evil was in
progress.
The old man descended the tree by a route known to himself by long
familiarity, and then he went to the clothing which Two Feathers had
left behind. “I have been looking for nephew’s clothing for I expected
that he would pass this way. Now I shall be able to cross the river and
take the great man’s daughter as my wife. Now I shall possess great
magical power.”
Off went the old man, looking renewed in body and becoming more and more
handsome with every step. Soon he reached the river and standing upon
the bank he gave a loud clear call that could be heard for a long ways.
On the other side of the river was a long house and the voice penetrated
it. The elder of two sisters, ran out and taking her canoe paddled it
across the stream.
When the imposter was in the canoe he said, “I have come a long ways to
reach this place. I am a great hunter and am looking for a wife.”
“I think I would like to have you for my husband,” said the girl. “I
will take you to our lodge and show you where we live.”
When the imposter came to the lodge he met the chief, and said he had
come as a son-in-law. “You will do,” said the Chief. “Go in and see
where we live.”
Going into the lodge the Chief’s wife gave him food and then the young
woman showed him her bed. It was a fine bed with many soft robes of skin
and a curtain made of fox skins sewed together. “Here is where you will
lodge, as my husband,” said the girl. So that night Imposter ate wedding
bread and was married.
When Two Feathers awoke the next morning he was very sick and could
scarcely stand. His bed had been a place of filth and terror. His head
felt light and he could see lights before his eyes. He began to think
how he might escape, and then remembered that he had dreamed of the
spider. “Come, my friend Spider,” he called, “release me, for you
promised to be my protector.”
In a moment a great spider appeared above the opening and let down a
braided strand of web. Two Feathers grasped it and was drawn up nearly
to the top, when the web broke and he fell into the tree. He was greatly
disappointed, but determined to call upon the black snake. “Come, my
friend Black Snake,” he called, “release me, for you promised to deliver
me from trouble.” In another moment a great serpent had climbed the tree
and let down its tail, which coiled about Two Feathers and drew him
forth. It then vanished.
Turkey was happy to see his brother and helped him put on the dirty
clothing left by the old man. Two Feathers dressed with great difficulty
and when he had put on the stiff worn-out moccasins and scabby looking
cap, he looked like a very old man who was very sick. Slowly Turkey and
he walked down the trail to the river. At length they reached the bank,
and Two Feathers called, but his voice was so weak it could not be
heard. It was like a whisper. Turkey then called and when he did so a
young woman went down to the river and leaped in a canoe. Imposter saw
her. “O do not go across,” he said. “It is only a dirty old man with a
turkey.”
The young woman did not like Imposter, and gave him no heed. Across the
river she went and took Two Feathers and Turkey in her canoe. When they
were part way over the river Two Feathers said, “I have come a long ways
to this place. My name is Two Feathers and I am a young man seeking a
wife.”
“It is apparent that you are an old man,” said the girl. “I am the only
girl whom you can marry, but how can you who look so old and filthy
expect to secure a wife?”
“I met with trouble as I approached the river,” answered Two Feathers.
“I helped an old man who wanted me to kill a raccoon but it was only a
wizardly creation of his and he required that I should take off my
clothing and climb after it. I removed my clothing, which had great
power, and climbed the tree. When I was looking into the hole he pushed
me in, and there were bones beneath.”
“Alas,” said the girl, “I am of the opinion that my brothers are among
the victims.”
When they landed on the opposite side, the girl led the lame old man to
the lodge and told him to look in. “I have brought my husband,” said
she. Thereupon Imposter spoke to the Chief and asked if he would allow
his daughter to marry a diseased old man. The Chief looked at Two
Feathers and answered, “I am of the opinion that my daughter knows her
own mind in this matter.”
So the girl took Two Feathers into the lodge and showed him her bed. It
was a most beautiful bed and its robes were of the softest doe skin,
with a mattress of deer hair beneath. The walls and top were covered
with porcupine quill embroidery like a box, and the curtain was of
martin skins sewed together, and the apartment had sweet herbs hung
within, to make it pleasant. The platform over the bed was arranged as a
sleeping place for Turkey.
At supper Two Feathers ate marriage bread, but nobody spoke to him but
his wife, for he was not attractive in appearance and added nothing to
the strength of the lodge, only providing another mouth to feed, when
famine was almost upon them. When all had eaten Imposter took off his
pouch of fisher skin and said that he would now smoke. He placed his
hand in the mouth to reach for the pipe, and gave a wild cry, for the
fisher bit his wrist and caused him great pain. In dropping the bag the
magic medicine fell out, and being only like a withered root it was not
noticed, so Two Feathers grabbed it and hid it in his bosom.
The time for sleep came and all retired. Imposter would not lay off his
garments, much to the disgust of his wife. He was afraid that Two
Feathers would steal them, and he knew that though he slept Turkey was
watching.
Many days passed and Two Feathers looked more sick than ever, while
Imposter grew more bold. Yet he never went on a hunt for he had no bow
and arrows; these he had failed to pick up from Two Feather’s outfit,
for they had looked so old and ill made. One night Two Feathers told his
wife that he must have a large bowl when he awoke, for he had eaten an
herb. So the next morning he called for the bark bowl, and taking it
opened his mouth and blew into it, filling it with dark wampum, to the
brim. “Present this to your father,” said Two Feathers, and the young
woman did so to the great delight of the old man, who said, “Ah, I knew
that he was a great man.”
Now when Imposter saw what had been done he felt that he had lost favor,
so he asked his wife for a bowl and taking an emetic filled the bowl
with all manner of foul lizards, toads and worms that he had eaten.
Ordering his wife to take this to the Chief, he strutted about proudly.
When the Chief saw the malodorous mess he roared in great anger and
drove his son-in-law from the lodge.
The next night Two Feathers ate of the root again and called for the
bowl. This time he filled it with white wampum to the delight and
gratification of the Chief, who again said, “I am of the opinion that we
entertain a great man.” Imposter tried to imitate Two Feathers once more
but only produced little round worms that so fouled the bark bowl that
the Chief ordered the wife to scrub it all day to clean it.
That night there was a great feast and Imposter ate so much that he was
forced to remove his clothing, and he was so sleepy that he threw it at
the foot of the bed and on the floor. Long he slept, and failed to
awaken in the morning. Two Feathers was up very early and before anyone
else. He took his bow and magic arrows and killed a great quantity of
deer which he dragged to the lodge. Then he took his own fine clothing,
which had become frayed and soiled and put it on. Immediately it became
bright and new. Two Feathers also began to grow more and more youthful
until he entirely recovered. His wife was very happy. The Chief,
moreover, was glad and called all the people to a council.
Two Feathers was the central figure in this council and exhibited the
powers of his costume. He pointed his pouch toward a woman and she fell
down dead; he sprinkled her with medicine and she rose to her feet. He
smoked his pipe and the bear upon it blinked its eyes and opened its
mouth, while the snakes on the stem wriggled as if alive. The eyes of
the panther hood glowed and the feathers spoke. Then again Two Feathers
made wampum. Everybody was satisfied, most of all the Chief and his
daughter.
After a while Imposter awoke and found his wife looking at him in
disgust. “You are a filthy old man,” she said. “I will have no more to
do with you.” She kicked him out of bed and made him put on his old
clothes. “You lied to me,” she said and led him to a hole where the
women customarily threw their garbage and thrust him in. Then she went
away from him and nobody ever saw him again.
The Chief then said that it was his wish that all the people follow Two
Feathers back to his home, for he was a great man and had slain all the
wizards and monsters that infested the path. So they went and it took
them a good many years to return. Turkey was now a man and took off his
turkey clothes and dressed like a warrior. He, too, found a good-looking
girl and married her.
After a long time the people all came to the uncle’s lodge and he was a
very old man. Two Feathers told what he had done and the uncle was
happy. He now had women to cook for him, and he felt that the world was
rid of sorcerers. Then the old lodge was repaired and all the people
dwelt there, and if you can find it you will find the people dwelling
there to this day.
22. TWO FEATHERS AND WOODCHUCK LEGGINGS.[33]
Now this is a Two Feathers story. All the old people of the old-time
knew about this; and it happened a long time ago.
Do´ciowe^n‘ was the place where they lived,—an old uncle and his nephew.
The young man was called Two Feathers and the uncle was known by name as
Woodchuck Leggings.
Two Feathers was a hunter and never feared to hunt any animal, but he
was kind to the animals and could talk to them, so they became his
friends. He had a pet bear in a small yard and he had a wolf that he had
tamed. He said that it was the same as a man.
Now you ought to know that he had fine clothes. They were made of white
buckskin and embroidered all over with porcupine quills. He had also a
tobacco pouch made of a spotted fawn’s skin with the feet and head on
and in this he kept a pipe having a bear’s head carved on it, and eyes
that rolled when the jaws of the bear chewed the tobacco inside. He had
a gŭstoñ´we‘ (feathered hat), with two feathers in front, and on the hat
there were two chirping birds.
Two Feathers acquired magic and became very strong, but he did not let
anyone know that he was Hotci´no^n’ga‘, (a charm holder).