MYTHOLOGIC EXPLANATION OF PHENOMENA.
The instinctive desire in man to fathom the mystery of human life, to
solve the enigma of whence he came and whither he goes, and to account
for the marvels ever presented to his senses, has in all times excited
the imagination and originated speculation.
To explain the phenomena of life and nature the untutored mind has
seized upon every analogy suggesting the slightest clew, and imagination
has aided the crude reasoning faculties.
In the numerous Iroquois myths relating to the origin of both animate
and inanimate objects in nature there appears a reflex of the Indian's
mind as he solves, to his entire satisfaction, mysteries, many of which
are the "burning questions" of this enlightened age.
These tales only vary with the temperament of the narrator or the
exigencies of the locality. Where oft repeated they have in time been
recorded on the hearts and minds of the people either as myths or
folk-lore, embodying the fossilized knowledge and ideas of a previous
age, misinterpreted, perhaps, by those who have inherited them.
For the ethnologist who would trace in mythology the growth of the human
mind, nowhere is the harvest more rich than among the aborigines of our
own country; and prominent among these, in this lore of "faded
metaphors", are the Iroquois. To what dignity their folk-lore might have
attained had they been left to reach a lettered civilization for
themselves we cannot know; but, judging from the history of other
peoples, their first chroniclers would have accepted many of these oral
traditions as facts.
To many from whom the writer received these myths they were realities,
for there remain among these forest children those who still cling to
their oft-told tales as the only link binding them to a happier past.
Nor should they be considered as idle tales by the civilized man, who
has not yet rid himself of the shackles of superstition in a thousand
forms, and who sees daily his household gods torn down before him by
comparative mythology and its allied sciences. Let him rather accept
them reverently as the striving of the infant human mind in its search
after the unknowable, revealing that inherent something in man which
presupposes the existence of hidden forces, powers, or beings in nature.
At first, perhaps, this is a mere blind feeling, but as man develops, it
becomes an idea, then a recognized possibility; later, an article of
religious faith.
ORIGIN OF THE HUMAN RACE.
The Iroquois legend of an origin of the human race, which includes the
creation of the spirits of good and evil, is undoubtedly of modern
origin.
In the great past, deep water covered all the earth. The air was filled
with birds, and great monsters were in possession of the waters, when a
beautiful woman was seen by them falling from the sky. Then huge ducks
gathered in council and resolved to meet this wonderful creature and
break the force of her fall. So they arose, and, with pinion overlapping
pinion, unitedly received the dusky burden. Then the monsters of the
deep also gathered in council to decide which should hold this celestial
being and protect her from the terrors of the water, but none was able
except a giant tortoise, who volunteered to endure this lasting weight
upon his back. There she was gently placed, while he, constantly
increasing in size, soon became a large island. Twin boys were after a
time brought forth by the woman--one the spirit of good, who made all
good things, and caused the maize, fruit, and tobacco to grow; the other
the spirit of evil, who created the weeds and all vermin. Ever the world
was increasing in size, although occasional quakings were felt, caused
by the efforts of the monster tortoise to stretch out, or by the
contraction of his muscles.
After the lapse of ages from the time of his general creation
Ta-rhuⁿ-hiă-wăh-kuⁿ, the Sky Holder, resolved upon a special creation of
a race which should surpass all others in beauty, strength, and bravery;
so from the bosom of the great island, where they had previously
subsisted upon moles, Ta-rhuⁿ-hiă-wăh-kuⁿ brought out the six pairs,
which were destined to become the greatest of all people.
The Tuscaroras tell us that the first pair were left near a great river,
now called the Mohawk. The second family were directed to make their
home by the side of a big stone. Their descendants have been termed the
Oneidas. Another pair were left on a high hill, and have ever been
called the Onondagas. Thus each pair was left with careful instructions
in different parts of what is now known as the State of New York, except
the Tuscaroras, who were taken up the Roanoke River into North Carolina,
where Ta-rhuⁿ-hiă-wăh-kuⁿ also took up his abode, teaching them many
useful arts before his departure. This, say they, accounts for the
superiority of the Tuscaroras. But each of the six tribes will tell you
that his own was the favored one with whom Sky Holder made his
terrestrial home, while the Onondagas claim that their possession of the
council fire prove them to have been the chosen people.
Later, as the numerous families became scattered over the State, some
lived in localities where the bear was the principal game, and were
called from that circumstance the clan of the Bear. Others lived where
the beavers were trapped, and they were called the Beaver clan. For
similar reasons the Snipe, Deer, Wolf, Tortoise, and Eel clans received
their appellations.
FORMATION OF THE TURTLE CLAN.
The Turtle clan originated in a simple and straightforward fashion.
There were in early times many tortoises of the kind familiarly known as
mud turtles, inhabiting a small lake or pool. During a very hot summer
this pool became dry. The turtles thereupon set out on their travels
over the country to look for a new habitation. One of them, who was
particularly fat, suffered a good deal from this unaccustomed exercise.
After a time his shoulders became blistered under his shell from the
effect of his exertions in walking, and he, finally, by an extraordinary
effort, threw off his shell altogether. The process of transformation
and development, thus commenced, went on, and in a short time this fat
and lazy turtle became a man, who was the progenitor of the Turtle clan.
HOW THE BEAR LOST HIS TAIL.
The following was recounted to me on the "Six Nations Reserve" in
Canada, by Ka-an-er-wah, one of the few surviving grandchildren of
Brant, the Mohawk, and might be termed a modern Indian story. It
accounts for the tailless condition of the bear.
A cunning fox saw a wagon load of fish and resorted to the following
ruse to obtain some of the coveted delicacy: Feigning to be dead, he
laid himself in the road by which the fisherman must pass, who, thinking
the skin of the fox worth preserving, tossed him into his wagon and
drove on. After throwing out several fish, the fox slyly crawled out
himself. Soon he met a wolf who was informed of his good luck, and
advised to try the same experiment. The fisherman had, in the mean time,
discovered the trick, and the wolf received a good thrashing instead of
a fish dinner.
The fox next met a bear who was also anxious to procure some fish.
"Well," replied the fox, "down at the river you will find an air-hole in
the ice; just put your tail down into it as I did and you can draw out
the fish as fast as you wish." The bear followed the directions
carefully, but, the weather being cold, instead of securing a fish his
tail was frozen off.
The bear was very angry and proposed to fight a duel with the fox. The
fox chose as his seconds a dog and a cat; the bear chose a hog, and
awaited the fox at the appointed hour. As the latter was late in
appearing the bear clambered into a tree to prospect, and reported that
the fox was approaching with two men armed with guns. Thereupon the hog,
greatly frightened, begged to be covered with leaves.
Having accomplished this, the bear returned to his post in the tree.
The fox soon made his appearance, but instead of men his companions
proved to be a dog and a lame cat. While awaiting in their turn, the
cat, perceiving the slight motion of one of the uncovered ears of the
hog, sprang upon it, whereupon the squeals of the invisible pig put the
whole company to flight, and the bear never had the satisfaction of
avenging the loss of his tail.
ORIGIN OF MEDICINE.
Chief Mt. Pleasant, one of the Bear clan, relates that once on a time a
sickly old man, covered with sores, entered an Indian village where over
each wigwam was placed the sign of the clan of its possessor; for
instance, the beaver skin denoting the Beaver clan, the deer skin the
Deer clan. At each of these wigwams the old man applied for food and a
night's lodging, but his repulsive appearance rendered him an object of
scorn, and the Wolf, the Tortoise, and the Heron had bidden the abject
old man to pass on. At length, tired and weary, he arrived at a wigwam
where a bear skin betokened the clanship of its owner. This he found
inhabited by a kind-hearted woman who immediately refreshed him with
food and spread out skins for his bed. Then she was instructed by the
old man to go in search of certain herbs, which she prepared according
to his directions, and through their efficacy he was soon healed. Then
he commanded that she should treasure up this secret. A few days after,
he sickened with a fever and again commanded a search for other herbs
and was again healed. This being many times repeated he at last told his
benefactress that his mission was accomplished, and that she was now
endowed with all the secrets for curing disease in all its forms, and
that before her wigwam should grow a hemlock tree whose branches should
reach high into the air above all others, to signify that the Bear
should take precedence of all other clans, and that she and her clan
should increase and multiply.
ORIGIN OF WAMPUM.
A man while walking in a forest saw an unusually large bird covered with
a heavily clustered coating of wampum. He immediately informed his
people and chiefs, whereupon the head chief offered as a prize his
beautiful daughter to one who would capture the bird, dead or alive,
which apparently had come from another world. Whereupon the warriors,
with bows and arrows, went to the "tree of promise," and as each lucky
one barely hit the bird it would throw off a large quantity of the
coveted coating, which, like the Lernæan hydra's heads, multiplied by
being cropped. At last, when the warriors were despairing of success, a
little boy from a neighboring tribe came to satisfy his curiosity by
seeing the wonderful bird of which he had heard, but as his people were
at war with this tribe he was not permitted by the warriors to try his
skill at archery, and was even threatened with death. But the head chief
said, "He is a mere boy; let him shoot on equal terms with you who are
brave and fearless warriors." His decision being final, the boy, with
unequaled skill, brought the coveted bird to the ground.
Having received the daughter of the head chief in marriage, he divided
the oh-ko-äh between his own tribe and that into which he had married,
and peace was declared between them. Then the boy husband decreed that
wampum should be the price of peace and blood, which was adopted by all
nations. Hence arose the custom of giving belts of wampum to satisfy
violated honor, hospitality, or national privilege.
ORIGIN OF TOBACCO.
A boat filled with medicine men passed near a river bank, where a loud
voice had proclaimed to all the inhabitants to remain indoors; but some,
disobeying, died immediately. The next day the boat was sought for and
found, containing a strange being at each end, both fast asleep. A loud
voice was then heard saying that the destroying of these creatures would
result in a great blessing to the Indian.
So they were decoyed into a neighboring council-house, where they were
put to death and burned, and from their ashes rose the tobacco plant.
ORIGIN OF PLUMAGE.
In the beginning the birds, having been created naked, remained hidden,
being ashamed of their nakedness. But at last they assembled in a great
council and petitioned the gods to give them some kind of covering. They
were told that their coverings were all ready, but were a long way off,
and they must either go or send for them. Accordingly, another council
was held to induce some bird to go in search of the plumage, but each
had some excuse for not going. At last a turkey-buzzard volunteered to
go and bring the feathery uniforms. It being a long journey to the place
whence he must bring them, he (who had been a clean bird heretofore) was
obliged to eat carrion and filth of all kinds; hence his present nature.
At length, directed by the gods, he found the coverings, and selfishly
appropriated to himself the most beautifully colored one, but finding he
could not fly in this, he continued trying them on until he selected
his present suit, in which, although it is the least beautiful of any,
he can so gracefully ride through the air. The good turkey-buzzard then
returned, bearing the feathery garments, from which each bird chose his
present colored suit.
WHY THE CHIPMUNK HAS THE BLACK STRIPE ON HIS BACK.
Once upon a time the porcupine was appointed to be the leader of all the
animals. Soon after his appointment he called them all together and
presented the question, "Shall we have night all the time and darkness,
or daylight with its sunshine?" This was a very important question, and
a violent discussion arose, some wishing for daylight and the sun to
rule, and others for continual night.
The chipmunk wished for night and day, weeks and months, and night to be
separate from the days, so he began singing, "The light will come; we
must have light," which he continued to repeat. Meanwhile the bear began
singing, "Night is best; we must have darkness."
While the chipmunk was singing, the day began to dawn. Then the other
party saw that the chipmunk was prevailing, and were very angry; and
their leader, the bear, pursued the chipmunk, who managed to escape
uninjured, the huge paw of the bear simply grazing his back as he
entered his hole in a hollow tree, leaving its black imprint, which the
chipmunk has ever since retained. But night and day have ever continued
to alternate.
ORIGIN OF THE CONSTELLATIONS.
Iroquois tradition tells us that the sun and moon existed before the
creation of the earth, but the stars had all been mortals or favored
animals and birds.
Seven little Indian boys were once accustomed to bring at eve their corn
and beans to a little mound, upon the top of which, after their feast,
the sweetest of their singers would sit and sing for his mates who
danced around the mound. On one occasion they resolved on a more
sumptuous feast, and each was to contribute towards a savory soup. But
the parents refused them the needed supplies, and they met for a
feastless dance. Their heads and hearts grew lighter as they flew around
the mound, until suddenly the whole company whirled off into the air.
The inconsolable parents called in vain for them to return, but it was
too late. Higher and higher they arose, whirling around their singer,
until, transformed into bright stars, they took their places in the
firmament, where, as the Pleiades, they are dancing still, the
brightness of the singer having been dimmed, however, on account of his
desire to return to earth.
A party of hunters were once in pursuit of a bear, when they were
attacked by a monster stone giant, and all but three destroyed. The
three together, with the bear, were carried by invisible spirits up into
the sky, where the bear can still be seen, pursued by the first hunter
with his bow, the second with the kettle, and the third, who, farther
behind, is gathering sticks. Only in fall do the arrows of the hunters
pierce the bear, when his dripping blood tinges the autumn foliage. Then
for a time he is invisible, but afterwards reappears.
An old man, despised and rejected by his people, took his bundle and
staff and went up into a high mountain, where he began singing the death
chant. Those below, who were watching him, saw him slowly rise into the
air, his chant ever growing fainter and fainter, until it finally ceased
as he took his place in the heavens, where his stooping figure, staff,
and bundle have ever since been visible, and are pointed out as
Nă-gê-tci (the old man).
An old woman, gifted with the power of divination, was unhappy because
she could not also foretell when the world would come to an end. For
this she was transported to the moon, where to this day she is clearly
to be seen weaving a forehead-strap. Once a month she stirs the boiling
kettle of hominy before her, during which occupation the cat, ever by
her side, unravels her net, and so she must continue until the end of
time, for never until then will her work be finished.
As the pole star was ever the Indian's guide, so the northern lights
were ever to him the indication of coming events. Were they white,
frosty weather would follow; if yellow, disease and pestilence; while
red predicted war and bloodshed: and a mottled sky in the springtime was
ever the harbinger of a good corn season.
THE POLE STAR.
A large party of Indians, while moving in search of new hunting grounds,
wandered on for many moons, finding but little game. At last they
arrived at the banks of a great river, entirely unknown to them, where
they had to stop, not having the material to build boats. Lost and
nearly famished with hunger, the head chief was taken very ill, and it
was decided to hold a council to devise means for returning to their old
homes. During the dance, and while the tobacco was burning, a little
being like a child came up, saying she was sent to be their guide.
Accordingly they broke up their camp and started with her that night.
Preceding them, with only a gi-wăh, or small war-club, she led them
on until daylight and then commanded them to rest while she prepared
their food. This they did, and when awakened by her they found a great
feast in readiness for them. Then she bade them farewell, with the
assurance of returning to them again in the evening.
True to her word, at evening she reappeared, bringing with her a skin
jug, from which she poured out some liquid into a horn cup, and bade
them each to taste of it. At first they feared to do so, but at last
yielding they began to feel very strong. She then informed them that
they had a long journey to make that night. Again they followed her, and
in the early morn arrived at a great plain, where she bade them rest
again for the day, with the exception of a few warriors who were to be
shown where they could find plenty of game. Two of the warriors had
accompanied her but a short distance when they encountered a herd of
deer, of which she bade them kill all they wished in her absence, and
then, again promising to return at night, she took leave of them. At
night-fall she returned, saying her own chief would soon follow her to
explain to them how they could reach their own homes in safety. In a
short time he arrived, with a great number of his race, and immediately
all held council together and informed the Indians that they were now in
the territory of the pigmies, who would teach them a sign, already in
the sky, which would be to them a sure guide whenever they were lost;
and the pigmies pointed out the pole star and told them that in the
north, where the sun never goes, while other stars moved about, this
particular star should stand still, as the Indian's guide in his
wanderings, and that they were then but to follow its light and they
would soon return to their tribe, where they would find plenty of game,
&c.
Then they thanked the good pigmies, and traveled every night until
they arrived safely in their homes, where, when they had recounted
all their adventures, the head chief called a meeting of all the
tribes and said they ought to give this star a name. So they called it
ti-yn-sõu-dă-go-êrr (the star which never moves), by which name it is
called unto this day.