descried by the two sons, he sat in a state of stupor, in the midst of
the most violent eddies. When he heard himself addressed, he stretched
forth his neck with great deliberation, and lifting himself by his
wings, flew across to their assistance. "Be careful," said the crane,
"that you do not touch the back part of my head. It is sore, and should
you press against it, I shall not be able to avoid throwing you both
into the rapids." They were, however, attentive on this point, and were
safely landed on the south shore of the river.
The crane then resumed his former position in the rapids. But the skull
now cried out, "Come, my grandfather, and carry me over, for I have
lost my children, and am sorely distressed." The aged bird flew to her
assistance. He carefully repeated the injunction that she must by no
means touch the back part of his head, which had been hurt, and was not
yet healed. She promised to obey, but soon felt a curiosity to know
where the head of her carrier had been hurt, and how so aged a bird
could have received so bad a wound. She thought it strange, and before
they were half way over the rapids, could not resist the inclination
she felt to touch the affected part. Instantly the crane threw her into
the rapids. "There," said he, "you have been of no use during your
life, you shall now be changed into something for the benefit of your
people, and it shall be called Addik Kum Maig." As the skull floated
from rock to rock, the brains were strewed in the water, in a form
resembling roes, which soon assumed the shape of a new species of fish,
possessing a whiteness of color, and peculiar flavor, which have caused
it, ever since, to be in great repute with the Indians.
The family of this man, in gratitude for their deliverance, adopted the
crane as their totem, or ancestral mark; and this continues to be the
distinguishing tribal sign of the band to this day.
[89] This term appears to be a derivative from Addik, the
reindeer, and the plural form of the generic Gumee, water,
implying deer of the water.
[90] Saut Ste. Marie.
BOKWEWA,
OR
THE HUMPBACK MAGICIAN.
ODJIBWA.
Bokwewa and his brother lived in a secluded part of the country. They
were considered as Manitoes, who had assumed mortal shapes. Bokwewa was
the most gifted in supernatural endowments, although he was deformed in
person. His brother partook more of the nature of the present race of
beings. They lived retired from the world, and undisturbed by its
cares, and passed their time in contentment and happiness.
Bokwewa,[91] owing to his deformity, was very domestic in his habits,
and gave his attention to household affairs. He instructed his brother
in the manner of pursuing game, and made him acquainted with all the
accomplishments of a sagacious and expert hunter. His brother possessed
a fine form, and an active and robust constitution; and felt a
disposition to show himself off among men. He was restive in his
seclusion, and showed a fondness for visiting remote places.
One day he told his brother that he was going to leave him; that he
wished to visit the habitations of men and procure a wife. Bokwewa
objected to his going; but his brother overruled all that he said, and
he finally departed on his travels. He travelled a long time. At length
he fell in with the footsteps of men. They were moving by encampments,
for he saw several places where they had encamped. It was in the
winter. He came to a place where one of their number had died. They had
placed the corpse on a scaffold. He went to it and took it down. He saw
that it was the corpse of a beautiful young woman. "She shall be my
wife!" he exclaimed.
He took her up, and placing her on his back, returned to his brother.
"Brother," he said, "cannot you restore her to life? Oh, do me that
favor!" Bokwewa said he would try. He performed numerous ceremonies,
and at last succeeded in restoring her to life. They lived very happily
for some time. Bokwewa was extremely kind to his brother, and did
everything to render his life happy. Being deformed and crippled, he
always remained at home, while his brother went out to hunt. And it was
by following his directions, which were those of a skilful hunter, that
he always succeeded in returning with a good store of meat.
One day he had gone out as usual, and Bokwewa was sitting in his lodge,
on the opposite side of his brother's wife, when a tall, fine young man
entered, and immediately took the woman by the hand and drew her to the
door. She resisted and called on Bokwewa, who jumped up to her
assistance. But their joint resistance was unavailing; the man
succeeded in carrying her away. In the scuffle, Bokwewa had his hump
back much bruised on the stones near the door. He crawled into the
lodge and wept very sorely, for he knew that it was a powerful Manito
who had taken the woman.
When his brother returned, he related all to him exactly as it
happened. He would not taste food for several days. Sometimes he would
fall to weeping for a long time, and appeared almost beside himself. At
last he said he would go in search of her. Bokwewa tried to dissuade
him from it, but he insisted.
"Well!" said he, "since you are bent on going, listen to my advice. You
will have to go south. It is a long distance to the residence of your
captive wife, and there are so many charms and temptations in the way,
I am afraid you will be led astray by them, and forget your errand. For
the people whom you will see in that country do nothing but amuse
themselves. They are very idle, gay, and effeminate, and I am fearful
they will lead you astray. Your journey is beset with difficulties. I
will mention one or two things, which you must be on your guard
against. In the course of your journey, you will come to a large
grape-vine lying across your way. You must not even taste its fruit,
for it is poisonous. Step over it. It is a snake. You will next come to
something that looks like bear's fat, transparent and tremulous. Don't
taste it, or you will be overcome by the pleasures of those people. It
is frog's eggs. These are snares laid by the way for you."
He said he would follow the advice, and bid farewell to his brother.
After travelling a long time, he came to the enchanted grape-vine. It
looked so tempting, he forgot his brother's advice and tasted the
fruit. He went on till he came to the frog's eggs. The substance so
much resembled bear's fat that he tasted it. He still went on. At
length he came to a very extensive plain. As he emerged from the forest
the sun was setting, and cast its scarlet and golden shades over all
the plain. The air was perfectly calm, and the whole prospect had the
air of an enchanted land. The most inviting fruits and flowers spread
out before the eye. At a distance he beheld a large village, filled
with people without number, and as he drew near he saw women beating
corn in silver mortars. When they saw him approaching, they cried out,
"Bokwewa's brother has come to see us." Throngs of men and women, gayly
dressed, came out to meet him. He was soon overcome by their flatteries
and pleasures, and he was not long afterward seen beating corn with
their women (the strongest proof of effeminacy), although his wife, for
whom he had mourned so much, was in that Indian metropolis.
Meantime, Bokwewa waited patiently for the return of his brother. At
length, after the lapse of several years, he set out in search of him,
and arrived in safety among the luxuriant people of the South. He met
with the same allurements on the road, and the same flattering
reception that his brother did. But he was above all temptations. The
pleasures he saw had no other effect upon him than to make him regret
the weakness of mind of those who were led away by them. He shed tears
of pity to see that his brother had laid aside the arms of a hunter,
and was seen beating corn with the women.
He ascertained where his brother's wife remained. After deliberating
some time, he went to the river where she usually came to draw water.
He there changed himself into one of those hair-snakes which are
sometimes seen in running water. When she came down, he spoke to her,
saying, "Take me up; I am Bokwewa." She then scooped him out and went
home. In a short time the Manito who had taken her away asked her for
water to drink. The lodge in which they lived was partitioned. He
occupied a secret place, and was never seen by any one but the woman.
She handed him the water containing the hair-snake, which he drank,
with the snake, and soon after was a dead Manito.
Bokwewa then resumed his former shape. He went to his brother, and used
every means to reclaim him. But he would not listen. He was so much
taken up with the pleasures and dissipations into which he had fallen,
that he refused to give them up, although Bokwewa, with tears, tried to
convince him of his foolishness, and to show him that those pleasures
could not endure for a long time. Finding that he was past reclaiming,
Bokwewa left him, and disappeared forever.
[91] _i.e._, the sudden stopping of a voice.
AGGODAGAUDA AND HIS DAUGHTER,
OR
THE MAN WITH HIS LEG TIED UP.
The prairie and forest tribes were once at war, and it required the
keenest eyes to keep out of the way of danger. Aggodagauda lived on the
borders, in the forests, but he was in a by-place not easy to find. He
was a successful hunter and fisher, although he had, by some mischance,
lost the use of one of his legs. So he had it tied, and looped up, and
got over the ground by hopping.
Use had given him great power in the sound leg, and he could hop to a
distance, which was surprising. There was nobody in the country who
could outgo him on a hunt. Even Paup-Puk-keewiss, in his best days,
could hardly excel him. But he had a great enemy in the chief or king
of the buffaloes, who frequently passed over the plains with the force
of a tempest. It was a peculiarity of Aggodagauda, that he had an only
child, a daughter, who was very beautiful, whom it was the aim of this
enemy to carry off, and he had to exert his skill to guard her from the
inroad of his great and wily opponent. To protect her the better, he
had built a log house, and it was only on the roof of this that he
could permit his daughter to take the open air, and disport herself.
Now her hair was so long, that when she untied it, the raven locks hung
down to the ground.
One fine morning, the father had prepared himself to go out a fishing,
but before leaving the lodge put her on her guard against their arch
enemy. "The sun shines," said he, "and the buffalo chief will be apt to
move this way before the sun gets to the middle point, and you must be
careful not to pass out of the house, for there is no knowing but he is
always narrowly watching. If you go out, at all, let it be on the roof,
and even there keep a sharp lookout, lest he sweep by and catch you
with his long horns." With this advice he left his lodge. But he had
scarcely got seated in his canoe, on his favorite fishing-ground, when
his ear caught opprobrious strains from his enemy. He listened again,
and the sound was now clearer than before--
"Aggodagauda--one legged man,
Man with his leg tied up;
What is he but a rapakena,[92]
Hipped, and legged?"
He immediately paddled his canoe ashore, and took his way home--hopping
a hundred rods at a leap. But when he reached his house his daughter
was gone. She had gone out on the top of the house, and sat combing her
long and beautiful hair, on the eaves of the lodge, when the buffalo
king, coming suddenly by, caught her glossy hair, and winding it about
his horns, tossed her on to his shoulders, swept off in an opposite
direction to his village. He was followed by his whole troop, who made
the plains shake under their tread. They soon reached, and dashed
across a river, and pursued their course to the chief's village, where
she was received by all with great attention. His other wives did all
they could to put the lodge in order, and the buffalo king himself was
unremitting in his kindness and attention. He took down from the walls
his pibbegwun, and began to play the softest strains, to please her
ear. Ever and anon, as the chorus paused, could be heard the words--
"Ne ne mo sha makow,
Aghi saw ge naun.
My sweetheart--my bosom is true,
You only--it is you that I love."
They brought her cold water, in bark dishes from the spring. They set
before her the choicest food. The king handed her nuts from the
pecan-tree, then he went out hunting to get her the finest meats and
water fowl. But she remained pensive, and sat fasting in her lodge day
after day, and gave him no hopes of forgiveness for his treachery.
In the mean time, Aggodagauda came home, and finding his daughter had
been stolen, determined to get her back. For this purpose he
immediately set out. He could easily track the king, until he came to
the banks of the river, and saw that he had plunged in and swam over.
But there had been a frosty night or two since, and the water was
covered with thin ice, so that he could not walk on it. He determined
to encamp till it became solid, and then crossed over and pursued the
trail. As he went along he saw branches broken off and strewed behind,
for these had been purposely cast along by the daughter, that the way
might be found. And the manner in which she had accomplished it was
this. Her hair was all untied when she was caught up, and being very
long, it caught on the branches as they darted along, and it was these
twigs that she broke off for signs to her father. When he came to the
king's lodge it was evening. Carefully approaching it, he peeped
through the sides and saw his daughter sitting disconsolately. She
immediately caught his eye, and knowing that it was her father come for
her, she all at once appeared to relent in her heart, and asking for
the dipper, said to the king, "I will go and get you a drink of water."
This token of submission delighted him, and he waited with impatience
for her return. At last he went out with his followers, but nothing
could be seen or heard of the captive daughter. They sallied out in the
plains, but had not gone far, by the light of the moon, when a party of
hunters, headed by the father-in-law of Aggodagauda, set up their yells
in their rear, and a shower of arrows was poured in upon them. Many of
their numbers fell, but the king being stronger and swifter than the
rest, fled toward the west, and never again appeared in that part of
the country.
While all this was passing, Aggodagauda, who had met his daughter the
moment she came out of the lodge, and being helped by his guardian
spirit, took her on his shoulders and hopped off, a hundred steps in
one, till he reached the stream, crossed it, and brought back his
daughter in triumph to his lodge.
[92] Grasshopper.
IOSCO;
OR,
THE PRAIRIE BOYS' VISIT TO THE SUN AND MOON.
AN OTTAWA LEGEND.
One pleasant morning, five young men and a boy about ten years of age,
called Ioscoda, went out a shooting with their bows and arrows. They
left their lodges with the first appearance of daylight, and having
passed through a long reach of woods, had ascended a lofty eminence
before the sun arose. While standing there in a group, the sun suddenly
burst forth in all its effulgence. The air was so clear, that it
appeared to be at no great distance. "How very near it is," they all
said. "It cannot be far," said the eldest, "and if you will accompany
me, we will see if we cannot reach it." A loud assent burst from every
lip. Even the boy, Ioscoda, said he would go. They told him he was too
young; but he replied, "If you do not permit me to go with you, I will
mention your design to each of your parents." They then said to him,
"You shall also go with us, so be quiet."
They then fell upon the following arrangement. It was resolved that
each one should obtain from his parents as many pairs of moccasins as
he could, and also new clothing of leather. They fixed on a spot where
they would conceal all their articles, until they were ready to start
on their journey, and which would serve, in the mean time, as a place
of rendezvous, where they might secretly meet and consult. This being
arranged, they returned home.
A long time passed before they could put their plan into execution. But
they kept it a profound secret, even to the boy. They frequently met at
the appointed place, and discussed the subject. At length everything
was in readiness, and they decided on a day to set out. That morning
the boy shed tears for a pair of new leather leggings. "Don't you see,"
said he to his parents, "how my companions are dressed?" This appeal to
their pride and envy prevailed. He obtained the leggings. Artifices
were also resorted to by the others, under the plea of going out on a
special hunt. They said to one another, but in a tone that they might
be overheard, "We will see who will bring in the most game." They went
out in different directions, but soon met at the appointed place, where
they had hid the articles for their journey, with as many arrows as
they had time to make. Each one took something on his back, and they
began their march. They travelled day after day, through a thick
forest, but the sun was always at the same distance. "We must," said
they, "travel toward Waubunong,[93] and we shall get to the object, some
time or other." No one was discouraged, although winter overtook them.
They built a lodge and hunted, till they obtained as much dried meat as
they could carry, and then continued on. This they did several times;
season followed season. More than one winter overtook them. Yet none of
them became discouraged, or expressed dissatisfaction.
One day the travellers came to the banks of a river, whose waters ran
toward Waubunong. They followed it down many days. As they were
walking, one day, they came to rising grounds, from which they saw
something white or clear through the trees. They encamped on this
elevation. Next morning they came, suddenly, in view of an immense body
of water. No land could be seen as far as the eye could reach. One or
two of them lay down on the beach to drink. As soon as they got the
water in their mouths, they spit it out, and exclaimed, with surprise,
"Shewetagon awbo!" [salt water.] It was the sea. While looking on the
water, the sun arose as if from the deep, and went on its steady course
through the heavens, enlivening the scene with his cheering and
animating beams. They stood in fixed admiration, but the object
appeared to be as distant from them as ever. They thought it best to
encamp, and consult whether it were advisable to go on, or return. "We
see," said the leader, "that the sun is still on the opposite side of
this great water, but let us not be disheartened. We can walk around
the shore." To this they all assented.
Next morning they took the northerly shore, to walk around it, but had
only gone a short distance when they came to a large river. They again
encamped, and while sitting before the fire, the question was put,
whether any one of them had ever dreamed of water, or of walking on it.
After a long silence, the eldest said he had. Soon after they lay down
to sleep. When they arose the following morning, the eldest addressed
them: "We have done wrong in coming north. Last night my spirit
appeared to me, and told me to go south, and that but a short distance
beyond the spot we left yesterday, we should come to a river with high
banks. That by looking off its mouth, we should see an island, which
would approach to us. He directed that we should all get on it. He then
told me to cast my eyes toward the water. I did so, and I saw all he
had declared. He then informed me that we must return south, and wait
at the river until the day after tomorrow. I believe all that was
revealed to me in this dream, and that we shall do well to follow it."
The party immediately retraced their footsteps in exact obedience to
these intimations. Toward the evening they came to the borders of the
indicated river. It had high banks, behind which they encamped, and
here they patiently awaited the fulfilment of the dream. The appointed
day arrived. They said, "We will see if that which has been said will
be seen." Midday is the promised time. Early in the morning two had
gone to the shore to keep a look-out. They waited anxiously for the
middle of the day, straining their eyes to see if they could discover
anything. Suddenly they raised a shout. "Ewaddee suh neen! There it is!
There it is!" On rushing to the spot they beheld something like an
_island_ steadily advancing toward the shore. As it approached, they
could discover that something was moving on it in various directions.
They said, "It is a Manito, let us be off into the woods." "No, no,"
cried the eldest, "let us stay and watch." It now became stationary,
and lost much of its imagined height. They could only see _three_
trees, as they thought, resembling trees in a pinery that had been
burnt. The wind, which had been off the sea, now died away into a
perfect calm. They saw something leaving the fancied island and
approaching the shore, throwing and flapping its wings, like a loon
when he attempts to fly in calm weather. It entered the mouth of the
river. They were on the point of running away, but the eldest dissuaded
them. "Let us hide in this hollow," he said, "and we will see what it
can be." They did so. They soon heard the sounds of chopping, and
quickly after they heard the falling of trees. Suddenly a man came up
to the place of their concealment. He stood still and gazed at them.
They did the same in utter amazement. After looking at them for some
time, the person advanced and extended his hand toward them. The eldest
took it, and they shook hands. He then spoke, but they could not
understand each other. He then cried out for his comrades. They came,
and examined very minutely their dresses. They again tried to converse.
Finding it impossible, the strangers then motioned to the Naubequon,
and to the Naubequon-ais,[94] wishing them to embark. They consulted
with each other for a short time. The eldest then motioned that they
should go on board. They embarked on board the boat, which they found
to be loaded with wood. When they reached the side of the supposed
island, they were surprised to see a great number of people, who all
came to the side and looked at them with open mouths. One spoke out,
above the others, and appeared to be the leader. He motioned them to
get on board. He looked at and examined them, and took them down into
the cabin, and set things before them to eat. He treated them very
kindly.
When they came on deck again, all the sails were spread, and they were
fast losing sight of land. In the course of the night and the following
day they were sick at the stomach, but soon recovered. When they had
been out at sea ten days, they became sorrowful, as they could not
converse with those who had hats on.[95]
The following night Ioscoda dreamed that his spirit appeared to him. He
told him not to be discouraged, that he would open his ears, so as to
be able to understand the people with hats. I will not permit you to
understand much, said he, only sufficient to reveal your wants, and to
know what is said to you. He repeated this dream to his friends, and
they were satisfied and encouraged by it. When they had been out about
thirty days, the master of the ship told them, and motioned them to
change their dresses of leather, for such as his people wore; for if
they did not, his master would be displeased. It was on this occasion
that the elder first understood a few words of the language. The first
phrase he comprehended was _La que notte_, and from one word to another
he was soon able to speak it.