"When you shell these acorns, rub them between your palms and hold
your hands open; blow the dust which scatters; you will see it rise
high into the trees, and acorns will come on them."
It was on the first morning after she had come to Norwan Buli that
Olelbis gave Norwan the staff, feathers, blossoms, and acorns. On the
second morning very early the feathers began to sing; then flocks of
birds of their kind came flying toward the sweat-house, and Norwan
heard a voice far up in the sky calling to her, and saying,--
"My brother's daughter, you have come upon earth before the Wintu
people, and are dancing. When you dance you must not look toward the
west, nor the north, nor the south, but turn your face and look toward
Hlihli Pui Hlutton in the southeast, the place from which your staff
and your paint came."
While this man was talking, Norwan looked up and saw him sitting with
one leg crossed upon the other. He was holding a handful of white-oak
acorns in his hand, and was sitting over the door of the sweat-house
in Olelpanti. It was Kar Kiemila.
"Now, my brother," said Olelbis to Hessiha, who lived with him in
Olelpanti, "I think it is best for you to go down to our sister and
stay with her. Live with her always. When your feathers drop away or
are pulled off hereafter, they will become like you, and there will be
hessihas on the earth everywhere. Our sister will tell you what to do.
You will stay with her, never leave her. The people will call our
sister Bastepomas, because she is the food-giving woman. When you see
anything, let her know; when you hear anything, tell her; when you
want to do anything, ask leave of her."
Hessiha went down to live with his sister. Next day he saw a woman
coming from the east and going west. He told Norwan, and she said,--
"Watch which way she goes, my brother. Perhaps she will come to us
here."
He watched. She came straight to Norwan Buli.
"My younger sister," said she to Norwan, "I came out in the east, but
I don't like to live there. I have left that place, and am going far
away to the west. In the evening look westward, a little after sunset,
you will see a red, yellow, and white person, Nomdal Lenas Loimis. I
am she. I shall look nice. That is the kind of person that I am. I
shall live in the west always, and you will see me there as streaks of
colored light. I will turn my face to the east every evening on
pleasant days, and all the Wintu people will say when they see me,
'Winis Nomdal Lenas Loimis'" (look at Nomdal Lenas Loimis).
"Very well," said Norwan, "I am glad to hear what you say, my elder
sister."
Nomdal Lenas went off to the west. She was an immensely large woman
with a big face, her hair was cut across her forehead, and this made
it look beautiful. She was the first woman in the world who cut her
hair in that fashion. Her face was painted in streaks of red, yellow,
and white.
Next morning Hessiha saw another woman coming from the east. She
stopped at Norwan Buli, and said,--
"My younger sister, we came upon this earth at the same time, before
the Wintu people. I am going to the west a little distance. I came out
in the east, but I did not like the place there. I am going to Bohem
Buli. I will stay there and live on the north side of the mountain. I
will be a mountain woman. My name is Kukupiwit Pokte."
She went to Bohem Buli.
Norwan danced always during daylight, never stopped in the daytime,
never rested till evening.
Norbis Kiemila, the white oak which rolled to the southeast, looked
toward the northwest and saw Norwan. "I see my wife on this earth,"
said he.
One evening Hessiha and Norwan were in the sweat-house, and Hessiha
said,--
"My sister, I have heard news to-day from Norbis Kiemila. He says that
you are to be his wife."
She said nothing, and Hessiha talked on: "My sister, I heard a man say
that he would come to see you. He lives at Sonomyai--he is Sedit,
Sedit of Sonomyai."
"My brother," said Norwan, "what are you telling me?"
"I am telling you, my sister, what I have heard. Sedit is coming."
"Why does he come? I don't like him. He has a bad breath."
Next morning Norwan rose and began to dance.
"My sister," said Hessiha, that evening, "I hear that a man is coming
from Chanahl Puyuk, a good man. His name is Kaukau Herit. He is coming
to see you."
"Why does he come here?" asked Norwan. "His neck is too long, his legs
are too long."
"Well, my sister, I have heard that a man who lives far away west is
coming to see you, Kobalus Herit. He is a good man. He lives at Nomken
Kobalus Waimemton."
"That man has a crooked nose," said Norwan, "and a crooked mouth. I
don't like him, he is all twisted."