He went up and told his grandmother to go and prepare as much oil as she
wanted. All besides, he informed her, he should keep for himself.
Some time after this, he commenced making preparations for a war
excursion against the Pearl Feather, the Manito who lived on the
opposite side of the great lake, who had killed his grandfather. The
abode of this spirit was defended, first, by fiery serpents, who hissed
fire so that no one could pass them; and, in the second place, by a
large mass of gummy matter lying on the water, so soft and adhesive,
that whoever attempted to pass, or whatever came in contact with it, was
sure to stick there.
He continued making bows and arrows without number, but he had no heads
for his arrows. At last Noko told him that an old man who lived at some
distance could make them. He sent her to get some. She soon returned
with her conaus or wrapper full.[37] Still he told her he had not
enough, and sent her again. She returned with as much more. He thought
to himself, "I must find out the way of making these heads." Cunning and
curiosity prompted him to make the discovery. But he deemed it necessary
to deceive his grandmother in so doing. "Noko," said he, "while I take
my drum and rattle, and sing my war songs, go and try to get me some
_larger_ heads for my arrows, for those you brought me are all of the
same size. Go and see whether the old man cannot make some a little
larger." He followed her as she went, keeping at a distance, and saw the
old artificer at work, and so discovered his process. He also beheld the
old man's daughter, and perceived that she was very beautiful. He felt
his breast beat with a new emotion, but said nothing. He took care to
get home before his grandmother, and commenced singing as if he had
never left his lodge. When the old woman came near, she heard his drum
and rattle, without any suspicion that he had followed her. She
delivered him the arrow-heads.
One evening the old woman said, "My son, you ought to _fast_ before you
go to war, as your brothers frequently do, to find out whether you will
be successful or not."[38] He said he had no objection, and immediately
commenced a fast for several days. He would retire every day from the
lodge so far as to be out of reach of his grandmother's voice. It seems
she had indicated this spot, and was very anxious he should fast there,
and not at another place. She had a secret motive, which she carefully
hid from him: Deception always begets suspicion. After a while he
thought to himself, "I must find out why my grandmother is so anxious
for me to fast at this spot." Next evening he went but a short distance.
She cried out, "A little farther off;" but he came nearer to the lodge,
and cried out in a low, counterfeited voice, to make it appear that he
was distant. She then replied, "That is far enough." He had got so near
that he could see all that passed in the lodge. He had not been long in
his place of concealment, when a paramour in the shape of a bear entered
the lodge. He had very long hair. They commenced talking about him, and
appeared to be improperly familiar. At that time people lived to a very
great age, and he perceived, from the marked attentions of this visiter,
that he did not think a grandmother too old to be pleased with such
attentions. He listened to their conversation some time. At last he
determined to play the visiter a trick. He took some fire, and when the
bear had turned his back, touched his long hair. When the animal felt
the flame, he jumped out, but the open air only made it burn the
fiercer, and he was seen running off in a full blaze.
Manabozho ran to his customary place of fasting, and, assuming a tone of
simplicity, began to cry out, "Noko! Noko! is it time for me to come
home?" "Yes," she cried. When he came in she told him what had taken
place, at which he appeared to be very much surprised.
After having finished his term of fasting and sung his war-song--from
which the Indians of the present day derive the custom--he embarked in
his canoe, fully prepared for war. In addition to the usual implements,
he had a plentiful supply of oil. He travelled rapidly night and day,
for he had only to will or speak, and the canoe went. At length he
arrived in sight of the fiery serpents. He stopped to view them. He saw
they were some distance apart, and that the flame only which issued from
them reached across the pass. He commenced talking as a friend to them;
but they answered, "We know you, Manabozho, you cannot pass." He then
thought of some expedient to deceive them, and hit upon this. He pushed
his canoe as near as possible. All at once he cried out, with a loud and
terrified voice, "What is that behind you?" The serpents instantly
turned their heads, when, at a single word, he passed them. "Well!"
said he, placidly, after he had got by, "how do you like my exploit?" He
then took up his bow and arrows, and with deliberate aim shot them,
which was easily done, for the serpents were stationary, and could not
move beyond a certain spot. They were of enormous length and of a bright
colour.
Having overcome the sentinel serpents, he went on in his canoe till he
came to a soft gummy portion of the lake, called PIGIU-WAGUMEE, or
Pitch-water. He took the oil and rubbed it on his canoe, and then pushed
into it. The oil softened the surface and enabled him to slip through it
with ease, although it required frequent rubbing, and a constant
reapplication of the oil. Just as his oil failed, he extricated himself
from this impediment, and was the first person who ever succeeded in
overcoming it.
He now came in view of land, on which he debarked in safety, and could
see the lodge of the Shining Manito, situated on a hill. He commenced
preparing for the fight, putting his arrows and clubs in order, and just
at the dawn of day began his attack, yelling and shouting, and crying
with triple voices, "Surround him! surround him! run up! run up!" making
it appear that he had many followers. He advanced crying out, "It was
you that killed my grandfather," and with this shot his arrows. The
combat continued all day. Manabozho's arrows had no effect, for his
antagonist was clothed with pure wampum. He was now reduced to three
arrows, and it was only by extraordinary agility that he could escape
the blows which the Manito kept making at him. At that moment a large
woodpecker (the ma-ma) flew past, and lit on a tree. "Manabozho," he
cried, "your adversary has a vulnerable point; shoot at the lock of hair
on the crown of his head." He shot his first arrow so as only to draw
blood from that part. The Manito made one or two unsteady steps, but
recovered himself. He began to parley, but, in the act, received a
second arrow, which brought him to his knees. But he again recovered. In
so doing, however, he exposed his head, and gave his adversary a chance
to fire his third arrow, which penetrated deep, and brought him a
lifeless corpse to the ground. Manabozho uttered his saw-saw-quan, and
taking his scalp as a trophy, he called the woodpecker to come and
receive a reward for his information. He took the blood of the Manito
and rubbed it on the woodpecker's[39] head, the feathers of which are
red to this day.
After this victory he returned home, singing songs of triumph and
beating his drum. When his grandmother heard him, she came to the shore
and welcomed him with songs and dancing. Glory fired his mind. He
displayed the trophies he had brought in the most conspicuous manner,
and felt an unconquerable desire for other adventures. He felt himself
urged by the consciousness of his power to new trials of bravery, skill,
and necromantic prowess. He had destroyed the Manito of Wealth, and
killed his guardian serpents, and eluded all his charms. He did not long
remain inactive. His next adventure was upon the water, and proved him
the prince of fishermen. He captured a fish of such monstrous size, that
the fat and oil he obtained from it formed a small lake. He therefore
invited all the animals and fowls to a banquet, and he made the order in
which they partook of this repast the measure of their fatness. As fast
as they arrived, he told them to plunge in. The bear came first, and was
followed by the deer, opossum, and such other animals as are noted for
their peculiar fatness at certain seasons. The moose and bison came
tardily. The partridge looked on till the reservoir was nearly
exhausted. The hare and marten came last, and these animals have,
consequently, no fat. When this ceremony was over, he told the
assembled animals and birds to dance, taking up his drum and crying,
"New songs from the south, come, brothers, dance." He directed them to
pass in a circle around him, and to shut their eyes. They did so. When
he saw a fat fowl pass by him, he adroitly wrung off its head, at the
same time beating his drum and singing with greater vehemence, to drown
the noise of the fluttering, and crying out, in a tone of admiration,
"That's the way, my brothers, _that's_ the way." At last a small duck
(the diver), thinking there was something wrong, opened one eye and saw
what he was doing. Giving a spring, and crying "Ha-ha-a! Manabozho is
killing us," he made for the water. Manabozho followed him, and, just as
the duck was getting into the water, gave him a kick, which is the cause
of his back being flattened and his legs being straightened out
backward, so that when he gets on land he cannot walk, and his tail
feathers are few. Meantime the other birds flew off, and the animals ran
into the woods.
After this Manabozho set out to travel. He wished to outdo all others,
and to see new countries. But after walking over America and
encountering many adventures, he became satisfied as well as fatigued.
He had heard of great feats in hunting, and felt a desire to try his
power in that way. One evening, as he was walking along the shores of a
great lake, weary and hungry, he encountered a great magician in the
form of an old wolf, with six young ones, coming towards him. The wolf,
as soon as he saw him, told his whelps to keep out of the way of
Manabozho, "for I know," continued he, "that it is him that we see
yonder." The young wolves were in the act of running off, when Manabozho
cried out, "My grandchildren, where are you going? Stop, and I will go
with you." He appeared rejoiced to see the old wolf, and asked him
whither he was journeying. Being told that they were looking out for a
place, where they could find most game, to pass the winter, he said he
should like to go with them, and addressed the old wolf in the following
words. "Brother, I have a passion for the chase; are you willing to
change me into a wolf?" He was answered favourably, and his
transformation immediately effected.
Manabozho was fond of novelty. He found himself a wolf corresponding in
size with the others, but he was not quite satisfied with the change,
crying out, "Oh, make me a little larger." They did so. "A little larger
still," he exclaimed. They said, "Let us humour him," and granted his
request. "Well," said he, "_that_ will do." He looked at his tail.
"Oh!" cried he, "do make my tail a little longer and more bushy." They
did so. They then all started off in company, dashing up a ravine. After
getting into the woods some distance, they fell in with the tracks of
moose. The young ones went after them, Manabozho and the old wolf
following at their leisure. "Well," said the wolf, "who do you think is
the fastest of the boys? can you tell by the jumps they take?" "Why," he
replied, "that one that takes such long jumps, he is the fastest, to be
sure." "Ha! ha! you are mistaken," said the old wolf. "He makes a good
start, but he will be the first to tire out; this one, who appears to be
behind, will be the one to kill the game." They then came to the place
where the boys had started in chase. One had dropped his small bundle.
"Take that, Manabozho," said the old wolf. "Esa," he replied, "what will
I do with a dirty dogskin?" The wolf took it up; it was a beautiful
robe. "Oh, I will carry it now," said Manabozho. "Oh no," replied the
wolf, who at the moment exerted his magic power; "it is a robe of
pearls!" And from this moment he omitted no occasion to display his
superiority, both in the hunter's and magician's art, above his
conceited companion. Coming to a place where the moose had lain down,
they saw that the young wolves had made a fresh start after their prey.
"Why," said the wolf, "this moose is poor. I know by the tracks, for I
can always tell whether they are fat or not." They next came to a place
where one of the wolves had bit at the moose, and had broken one of his
teeth on a tree. "Manabozho," said the wolf, "one of your grandchildren
has shot at the game. Take his arrow; there it is." "No," he replied;
"what will I do with a dirty dog's tooth?" The old man took it up, and
behold! it was a beautiful silver arrow. When they overtook the
youngsters, they had killed a very fat moose. Manabozho was very hungry;
but, alas! such is the power of enchantment, he saw nothing but the
bones picked quite clean. He thought to himself, "Just as I expected,
dirty, greedy fellows!" However, he sat down without saying a word. At
length the old wolf spoke to one of the young ones, saying, "Give some
meat to your grandfather." One of them obeyed, and, coming near to
Manabozho, opened his mouth as if he was about to vomit. He jumped up,
saying, "You filthy dog, you have eaten so much that your stomach
refuses to hold it. Get you gone into some other place." The old wolf,
hearing the abuse, went a little to one side to see, and behold, a heap
of fresh ruddy meat, with the fat, lying all ready prepared. He was
followed by Manabozho, who, having the enchantment instantly removed,
put on a smiling face. "Amazement!" said he; "how fine the meat is."
"Yes," replied the wolf; "it is always so with us; we know our work, and
always get the best. It is not a long tail that makes a hunter."
Manabozho bit his lip.
They then commenced fixing their winter quarters, while the youngsters
went out in search of game, and soon brought in a large supply. One day,
during the absence of the young wolves, the old one amused himself in
cracking the large bones of a moose. "Manabozho," said he, "cover your
head with the robe, and do not look at me while I am at these bones, for
a piece may fly in your eye." He did as he was told; but, looking
through a rent that was in the robe, he saw what the other was about.
Just at that moment a piece flew off and hit him on the eye. He cried
out, "Tyau, why do you strike me, you old dog?" The wolf said, "You must
have been looking at me." But deception commonly leads to falsehood.
"No, no," he said, "why should I want to look at you?" "Manabozho," said
the wolf, "you _must_ have been looking, or you would not have got
hurt." "No, no," he replied again, "I was not. I will repay the saucy
wolf this," thought he to himself. So, next day, taking up a bone to
obtain the marrow, he said to the wolf, "Cover your head and don't look
at me, for I fear a piece may fly in your eye." The wolf did so. He then
took the leg-bone of the moose, and looking first to see if the wolf was
well covered, he hit him a blow with all his might. The wolf jumped up,
cried out, and fell prostrate from the effects of the blow. "Why," said
he, "do you strike me so?" "Strike you!" he replied; "no, you must have
been looking at me." "No," answered the wolf, "I say I have not." But he
persisted in the assertion, and the poor magician had to give up.
Manabozho was an expert hunter when he earnestly undertook it. He went
out one day and killed a fat moose. He was very hungry, and sat down to
eat. But immediately he fell into great doubts as to the proper point to
begin. "Well," said he, "I do not know where to commence. At the head?
No! People will laugh, and say 'he ate him backward.'" He went to the
side. "No!" said he, "they will say I ate him sideways." He then went to
the hind-quarter. "No!" said he, "they will say I ate him forward. I
will commence _here_, say what they will." He took a delicate piece from
the rump, and was just ready to put it in his mouth, when a tree close
by made a creaking noise, caused by the rubbing of one large branch
against another. This annoyed him. "Why!" he exclaimed, "I cannot eat
when I hear such a noise. Stop! stop!" said he to the tree. He was
putting the morsel again to his mouth, when the noise was repeated. He
put it down, exclaiming, "_I cannot eat_ with such a noise;" and
immediately left the meat, although very hungry, to go and put a stop to
the noise. He climbed the tree and was pulling at the limb, when his arm
was caught between the two branches so that he could not extricate
himself. While thus held fast, he saw a pack of wolves coming in the
direction towards his meat. "Go that way! go that way!" he cried out;
"what would you come to get here?" The wolves talked among themselves
and said, "Manabozho must have something there, or he would not tell us
to go another way." "I begin to know him," said an old wolf, "and all
his tricks. Let us go forward and see." They came on, and finding the
moose, soon made way with the whole carcass. Manabozho looked on
wishfully to see them eat till they were fully satisfied, and they left
him nothing but the bare bones. The next heavy blast of wind opened the
branches and liberated him. He went home, thinking to himself, "See the
effect of meddling with frivolous things when I had certain good in my
possession."
Next day the old wolf addressed him thus: "My brother, I am going to
separate from you, but I will leave behind me one of the young wolves to
be your hunter." He then departed. In the act Manabozho was
disenchanted, and again resumed his mortal shape. He was sorrowful and
dejected, but soon resumed his wonted air of cheerfulness. The young
wolf who was left with him was a good hunter, and never failed to keep
the lodge well supplied with meat. One day he addressed him as follows:
"My grandson, I had a dream last night, and it does not portend good. It
is of the large lake which lies in _that_ direction (pointing). You must
be careful never to cross it, even if the ice should appear good. If you
should come to it at night weary or hungry, you must make the circuit of
it." Spring commenced, and the snow was melting fast before the rays of
the sun, when one evening the wolf came to this lake, weary with the
day's chase. He disliked to go so far to make the circuit of it.
"Hwooh!" he exclaimed, "there can be no great harm in trying the ice, as
it appears to be sound. Nesho[40] is over cautious on this point." But
he had not got half way across when the ice gave way and he fell in, and
was immediately seized by the serpents, who knew it was Manabozho's
grandson, and were thirsting for revenge upon him. Manabozho sat
pensively in his lodge.
Night came on, but no son returned. The second and third night passed,
but he did not appear. He became very desolate and sorrowful. "Ah!" said
he, "he must have disobeyed me, and has lost his life in that lake I
told him of. Well!" said he at last, "I must mourn for him." So he took
coal and blackened his face. But he was much perplexed as to the right
mode. "I wonder," said he, "how I must do it? I will cry 'Oh! my
grandson! Oh! my grandson!'" He burst out a laughing. "No! no! that
won't do. I will try so--'Oh! my heart! Oh! my heart! ha! ha! ha!' That
won't do either. I will cry 'Oh my grandson _obiquadj_!'"[41] This
satisfied him, and he remained in his lodge and fasted, till his days of
mourning were over. "Now," said he, "I will go in search of him." He set
out and travelled some time. At last he came to a great lake. He then
raised the same cries of lamentation for his grandson which had pleased
him. He sat down near a small brook that emptied itself into the lake,
and repeated his cries. Soon a bird called _Ke-ske-mun-i-see_[42] came
near to him. The bird inquired, "What are you doing here?" "Nothing," he
replied; "but can you tell me whether any one lives in this lake, and
what brings you here yourself?" "Yes!" responded the bird; "the Prince
of Serpents lives here, and I am watching to see whether the obiquadj of
Manabozho's grandson will not drift ashore, for he was killed by the
serpents last spring. But are you not Manabozho himself?" "No," he
answered, with his usual deceit; "how do you think _he_ could get to
this place? But tell me, do the serpents ever appear? when? and where?
Tell me all about their habits." "Do you see that beautiful white sandy
beach?" said the bird. "Yes!" he answered. "It is there," continued the
Kingfisher, "that they bask in the sun. Before they come out, the lake
will appear perfectly calm; not even a ripple will appear. After midday
(na-wi-qua) you will see them."
"Thank you," he replied; "I am Manabozho himself. I have come in search
of the body of my son, and to seek my revenge. Come near me that I may
put a medal round your neck as a reward for your information." The bird
unsuspectingly came near, and received a white medal, which can be seen
to this day.[43] While bestowing the medal, he attempted slyly to wring
the bird's head off, but it escaped him, with only a disturbance of the
crown feathers of its head, which are rumpled backward. He had found out
all he wanted to know, and then desired to conceal the knowledge of his
purposes by killing his informant.