115. THE TWO OLD MEN

Two old men went hunting. One had an eye drawn down and was called

Uk-kwûnagi'ta, "Eye-drawn-down." The other had an arm twisted out

of shape and was called Uk-ku'sûñtsûti, "Bent-bow-shape." They

killed a deer and cooked the meat in a pot. The second old man

dipped a piece of bread into the soup and smacked his lips as

he ate it. "Is it good?" said the first old man. Said the other,

"Hayû'! uk-kwûnagi'sti--Yes, sir! It will draw down one's eye."

Thought the first old man to himself, "He means me." So he

dipped a piece of bread into the pot, and smacked his lips as he

tasted it. "Do you find it good?" said the other old man. Said his

comrade, "Hayû'! uk-ku'sûñtsûteti'--Yes, sir! It will twist up one's

arm." Thought the second old man, "He means me"; so he got very angry

and struck the first old man, and then they fought until each killed

the other.

Myths of the Cherokee Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology · 第 172 / 197 题