He who was named Yanáuluha carried ever in his hand a staff which now
in the daylight appeared plumed and covered with feathers of beautiful
colors--yellow, blue-green, and red, white, black, and varied. Attached
to it were shells and other potent contents of the under-world. When
the people saw all these things and the beautiful baton, and heard the
song-like tinkle of the sacred shells, they stretched forth their hands
like little children and cried out, asking many questions.
Yanáuluha, and other priests (_shiwanáteuna_) having been made wise by
teaching of the masters of life (god-beings) with self-magic-knowing
(_yam tsépan ánikwanan_), replied: "It is a staff of extension,
wherewith to test the hearts and understandings of children." Then he
balanced it in his hand and struck with it a hard place and blew upon
it. Amid the plumes appeared four round things, seeds of moving beings,
mere eggs were they, two blue like the sky or turkis; two dun-red like
the flesh of the Earth-mother.
Again the people cried out with wonder and ecstasy, and again asked
they questions, many.
"These be," said he who was named Yanáuluha, "the seed of living
things; both the cherishers and annoyancers, of summer time; choose
ye without greed which ye will have for to follow! For from one twain
shall issue beings of beautiful plumage, colored like the verdure
and fruitage of summer; and whither they fly and ye follow, shall be
everlastingly manifest summer, and without toil, the pain whereof ye
ken not, fields full fertile of food shall flourish there. And from the
other twain shall issue beings evil, uncolored, black, piebald with
white; and whither these two shall fly and ye follow, shall strive
winter with summer; fields furnished only by labor such as ye wot not
of shall ye find there, and contended for between their offspring and
yours shall be the food-fruits thereof."
"The blue! the blue!" cried the people, and those who were most hasty
and strongest strove for the blue eggs, leaving the other eggs for
those who had waited. "See," said they as they carried them with much
gentleness and laid them, as one would the new-born, in soft sand on
the sunny side of a cliff, watching them day by day, "precious of color
are these; surely then, of precious things they must be the seed!"
And "Yea verily!" said they when the eggs cracked and worms issued,
presently becoming birds with open eyes and with pinfeathers under
their skins, "Verily we chose with understanding, for see! yellow
and blue, red and green are their dresses, even seen through their
skins!" So they fed the pair freely of the food that men favor--thus
alas! cherishing their appetites for food of all kinds! But when their
feathers appeared they were _black_ with white bandings; for ravens
were they! And they flew away mocking our fathers and croaking coarse
laughs!
And the other eggs held by those who had waited and by their father
Yanáuluha, became gorgeous macaws and were wafted by him with a toss
of his wand to the far southward summer-land. As father, yet child of
the macaw, he chose as the symbol and name of himself and as father of
these his more deliberate children--those who had waited--the macaw and
the kindred of the macaw, the Múla-kwe; whilst those who had chosen the
ravens became the Raven-people, or the Kâ´kâ-kwe.
Thus first was our nation divided into the People of Winter and the
People of Summer. Of the Winter those who chose the raven, who were
many and strong; and of the Summer those who cherished the macaw, who
were fewer and less lusty, yet of prudent understanding because more
deliberate. Hence, Yanáuluha their father, being wise, saw readily
the light and ways of the Sun-father, and being made partaker of his
breath, thus became among men as the Sun-father is among the little
moons of the sky; and speaker to and of the Sun-father himself, keeper
and dispenser of precious things and commandments, Pékwi Shíwani
Éhkona (and Earliest Priest of the Sun). He and his sisters became
also the seed of all priests who pertain to the Midmost clan-line of
the priest-fathers of the people themselves "masters of the house of
houses." By him also, and his seed, were established and made good the
priests-keepers of things.
THE ORIGIN AND NAMING OF TOTEM-CLANS AND CREATURE KINDS, AND THE
DIVISION AND NAMING OF SPACES AND THINGS.
The Twain Beloved and priest fathers gathered in council for the naming
and selection of man-groups and creature-kinds (_tánawe_), spaces, and
things. Thus determined they that the creatures and things of summer
and the southern space pertained to the Southern people, or Children of
the Producing Earth-mother; and those of winter and northern space, to
the Winter people, or Children of the Forcing or Quickening Sky-father.
Of the Children of Summer, some loved and understood most the Sun,
hence became the fathers of the Sun people (Yä´tok’ya-kwe). Some
loved more the water, and became the Toad people (Ták‘ya-kwe), Turtle
people (Étâa-kwe), or Frog people (Ták‘yaiuna-kwe), who so much love
the water. Others, again loved the seeds of earth and became the
People of Seed (Tâatém‘hlanah-kwe), such as those of the First-growing
grass (Pétâa-kwe, now Aíyaho-kwe), and of the Tobacco (Ána-kwe). Yet
still others loved the warmth and became the Fire or Badger people
(Tónashi-kwe). According, then, to their natures and inclinations or
their gifts from below or of the Masters of Life, they chose or were
chosen for their totems.
Thus, too, it was with the People of Winter or the North. They chose,
or were chosen and named, according to their resemblances or aptitudes;
some as the Bear people (Aíŋshi-kwe), Coyote people (Súski-kwe), or
Deer people (Shóhoita-kwe); others as the Crane people (Kâ´lokta-kwe),
Turkey people (Tóna-kwe) or Grouse people (Póyi-kwe). In this wise it
came to pass that the Áshiwe were divided of old in such wise as are
their children today, into _ánotiwe_ (clans or kinties) of brothers
and sisters who may not marry one another, but from one to another of
kin. Yea, and as the Earth-mother had increased and kept within herself
all beings, cherishing them apart from their father even after they
came forth, so were these our mothers and sisters made the keepers of
the kin-names and of the seed thereof, nor may the children of each be
cherished by any others of kin.
Now the Beloved Foremost Ones (Úan Éhkon Áteona) of these clans were
prepared by instruction of the gods and the fathers of the house of
houses and by being breathed of them (_púak‘yanapk‘ya_), whereby
they became _áshiwani_ or priests also, but only the priests of
possession, master keepers of sacred things and mysteries (_tíkitlapon
ámosi_), each according to his nature of kinship. It was thus that
the warmth-wanting (_ték‘yä‘hlna shema_) Badger-people were given
the great shell (_tsúlikéinan ‘hlana_), the heart or navel of which
is potent or sensitive of fire, as of the earthquake and the inner
fire is the coiled navel of the Earth-mother. On the sunny sides of
hills burrow the badgers, finding and dwelling amongst the dry roots
whence is fire. Thus the "Two Badgers" were made keepers of the sacred
heart-shell (_súti k’ili achi_), makers and wardens of fire. So, too,
were the Bear, Crane, and Grouse people given the _múetone_, or the
contained seed-substance of hail, snow and new soil (for the bear
sleeps, no longer guarding when winter comes, and with the returning
crane, in the wake of the duck, comes winter in the trail of the white
growing grouse). So, to the Toad and other water people, descended to
them from Yanáuluha the _k‘yáetone_, or the contained seed-substance
of water; and to the Átâa-kwe, or All-seed-people, especially to the
First-growing-grass people and the Tobacco people, was given of him
also, the _chúetone_, or the contained seed-substance of corn grains.