Nanahboozhoo's Ride on the Back of the Buzzard, who
Lets Him Fall--A Short-lived Triumph--Why the Buzzard
has No Feathers on His Head or Neck.
One beautiful warm day, when the leaves of the trees were all bright and
golden with their autumnal tints, the children were visiting at the tent of
Souwanas.
The old man was making a beautiful little bow and a quiver full of arrows
for Sagastao while the old wife was manufacturing an elaborate baby cradle,
of the Indian pattern, for Minnehaha, in which she could carry her favorite
doll in the style popular among the Indian girls.
The children were much interested in watching these highly-prized gifts
being prepared for them, and of course had much to say in the way of thanks
to those who were doing so much to add to their happiness.
While they were thus busy several canoes were seen coming from the south.
As the wind was favorable sails had been improvised out of blankets, each
fastened to a couple of oars, and with these simple appliances they sped
rapidly along. Seeing Souwanas's wigwam on the point of land the Indians
came to the shore and smoked and chatted for a short time ere they
resumed their journey toward the north.
[Illustration: The Indian story-teller.]
They had in their canoes quite a variety of game, and among them a large
ill-smelling bird called a turkey-buzzard. It was said that the young
Indian hunter who had shot it thought at first that it really was a turkey,
but he found out his mistake when he went to lift it from the ground where
it had fallen. The odor was so offensive that at first he thought he would
leave it behind, but when he remembered that often some of the large
feathers were used in ornamental work he decided to bring it along.
The children were interested in its appearance, as this was the first dead
turkey-buzzard they had ever seen.
"Look, Souwanas," said Minnehaha, "the poor birdie has no feathers on its
neck or head. It must be very cold there when the winter comes."
"Well, I think that, as likely as not, it was its own fault that it lost
its feathers," said Sagastao, and then he added as he poked the rank bird
over with a stick:
"I would not be surprised to hear that Nanahboozhoo had something to do
with it."
"Nanahboozhoo had," said Souwanas, "and it was because of a mean trick that
the buzzard played upon him. And now that these Indians are off, who are in
a hurry to reach Poplar Point, if you will sit down on the rocks in the
warm sunshine I will tell you the story."
No second invitation was necessary, so while the children seated
themselves near him on the; smooth granite rock the old man continued his
arrow making and told them the following story:
"One day when Nanahboozhoo was walking through the country he saw the
buzzard soaring up high in the air. Like an eagle, he was making graceful
circles round and round with very little effort. After a time the buzzard
flew down to the earth, and there he stood on a rock with his great wings
outstretched. Nanahboozhoo quietly approached and entered into conversation
with him.
"'Brother Buzzard,' he said, 'you must be very happy when sailing around up
there in the blue sky where you can so easily see everything that is going
on down here on the world below you. I wish you would take me up there on
your back and let me see how this world looks from that high place in the
blue sky, where you live so much.'
"The buzzard on hearing this request at once flew down to the side of
Nanahboozhoo and said:
"'I will with pleasure take you up on my back and let you see, as you
desire, how the world looks from that high place.'
"Then Nanahboozhoo, seeing how smooth was the back of the great bird, said:
"'Brother Buzzard, your back is so smooth that I am afraid I will slip off,
so you must be careful not to sweep round too rapidly in your circles in
the sky.'
"The buzzard told Nanahboozhoo that he would be very careful although at
the same time he was resolved, if it were possible, to play a trick on him;
for he had a grudge of some long standing against him which Nanahboozhoo
seemed to have forgotten.
"Nanahboozhoo then mounted on the back of the great buzzard and held by his
feathers as well as he possibly could. The buzzard then took a short run,
sprang from the ground, and spreading his great strong wings speedily rose
up higher and higher in the sky.
"Nanahboozhoo at first felt rather timid as he found himself thus rapidly
soaring through the air, especially as it was so difficult for him to keep
his seat. When the buzzard began circling round and round it was even more
difficult, for the body of the bird leaned over more and more as his speed
increased. But Nanahboozhoo was very clever, and after a while he became
more accustomed to his queer position and was very much interested in the
splendid sights of the great world beneath him, over which he could now see
for such a great distance. Lakes and rivers, forests and mountains, all
gave delight to Nanahboozhoo, who had wonderful powers of vision.
"At length, as they rose up higher and higher in the blue sky, Nanahboozhoo
shouted out in his delight as far away in the distance he recognized the
wigwam of his grandmother, Nokomis. Indeed so delighted was he that for a
moment he let go his hold on the buzzard and swung up his arms in his
excitement. The treacherous buzzard noticed this, saw it was the
opportunity for which he had been watching, and circled round so suddenly
that his body was tilted over, and before Nanahboozhoo could regain his
grip he slipped off the smooth back and fell like a stone to the ground. So
terrible was the force with which he struck the earth that he was knocked
senseless, and lay there for a long time like one dead.
"But, as I have told you, Nanahboozhoo was more than human and nothing
could really kill him. So it happened that after a while he recovered his
senses, but he was annoyed, disgusted, that he had allowed the buzzard to
play such a mean trick on him.
"Then he prepared to resume his journey, and of course he looked up to see
if there were any sign of the buzzard. He had not far to look, for there,
up in the sky, not far off, was the old buzzard laughing at the trick he
had played upon Nanahboozhoo, and much pleased with his own cleverness in
deceiving one known to be so crafty.
"'Laugh away, old buzzard,' said Nanahboozhoo. 'You have had the best of me
this time, but look out! For I will put a mark upon you for this trick of
yours that will enable your friends and your enemies to recognize you both
by day and by night.'
"But the buzzard, from his high safe place in the sky, only laughed back in
derision, and said:
"'No, indeed, Nanahboozhoo, you will do nothing of the kind. You have been
deceiving the other creatures, but in me you have found your match. You
cannot deceive me. And now, especially as you have threatened me, I will
always be on the watch for you.'
[Illustration: "Nanahboozhoo then mounted on the back of the great
buzzard."]
"Nanahboozhoo made no reply to this boastful speech, but he did a lot of
thinking, and he soon had his plans laid to teach Mr. Buzzard a lesson he
would never forget.
"Resuming his journey he pushed on as though nothing had happened.
"The buzzard was at first suspicious and watched him for some time. Then
seeing nothing unusual in his movements he flew away into the distant sky.
"Nanahboozhoo, in order to carry out his plan to punish the buzzard,
resolved to turn himself into a dead deer. He knew that the buzzard lived
on dead animals of all kinds. He chose a high spot, visible from a great
distance, and there he laid himself down and changed himself into the body
of a great deer. It was not long before the various animals and birds that
subsist on such things began to gather round this dead body.
"The buzzard, that has such wonderful eyes, to see great distances, saw
from afar this gathering of the birds and animals, and as he was ever on
the lookout for such things he soon joined the rest of the creatures around
the deer. He flew round and round it several times, for he was at first
somewhat suspicious. The closest inspection, however, showed him that it
was only a dead deer, and that was the unanimous opinion of all the other
animals and birds that gathered there. There could be no doubt in any
creature's mind but that it was a deer and that it was quite dead.
"The buzzard, now that all his suspicions were gone, in his great greed to
get the best he could savagely began, with his powerful beak, tearing a
hole in the side of the body that he might get down to the rich fat that is
around the kidneys. This is what those fierce, greedy birds always try to
get first. Deeper and deeper into the flesh he tore, until at length he was
able to crowd in his head and neck to reach the dainty morsels he so much
prized.
"This was just what Nanahboozhoo was waiting for, and when the head and
neck of the buzzard were completely hidden in the body up jumped the deer,
and as he did so the flesh closed up so tightly around the head and neck of
the buzzard that the greedy bird was there securely held.
"'Ha, ha, old buzzard! I did catch you after all, as I said I would,' said
Nanahboozhoo. 'Now pull out your neck and head.'
"The buzzard with very great difficulty at length succeeded in drawing his
head out of the side of the deer. The effort to do so, however, was so
great that he lost all of the beautiful feathers that once adorned his head
and neck. From that day they have never grown on him again, and there is
nothing there to be seen but the red rough-looking skin.
"'Never again,' said Nanahboozhoo, 'will feathers cover your neck or head,
and so your friends and enemies, as they see you, will be reminded of how
Nanahboozhoo punished you for playing one of your tricks on him. And also
from this time forward your food will only be of the rankest kind, and the
disagreeable odor will so cling to you that even in the darkest nights your
hateful presence will be detected and shunned.'
"Thus," added Souwanas, "the buzzard is the most despised of birds, because
he is such an ugly fellow, with his featherless head and neck, and because
his disagreeable odor taints the sweet air wherever he goes."