Chapter XVII: Part 2: also consists of Seneca legends and myths, which are (12)

Leaving his canoe, he walked toward home, as he supposed. He walked all day until night. Then he saw a hut in the woods. Going near it, he stood and listened. There was a man talking in the hut, who said: “This is the way to get great magic power. I know all about what to do to get great magic power, and I can show anyone who comes here. I know the whole world and I can give magic power to whomsoever wants it. I wish Ganyadjigowa would come. I could show him how strong magically I am. He thinks he is the strongest man under the Blue Sky.” Ganyadjigowa thought, “Why does he say this? Does he know that I am the strongest? I have been all over the world” (he had only dreamed that he had been). He still listened. Gaasyendietʻha [91] (for this was the name of the old man) continued: “I am the greatest runner and the greatest flyer in the world. I can make light go through the world. I have greater strength magically than anyone else. For several years the Duck people tried to chase me. I killed them all. I am the man appointed many, many years ago to be chief of all the people under the Blue Sky.” Ganyadjigowa said: “I would kill that man if he followed me. He must be crazy. He talks to himself all the time.”

Then Ganyadjigowa, entering the lodge, said, “You are talking about me, are you not?” “Oh, no,” replied the strange man. “Well, I will go. I thought you were talking about me,” repeated Ganyadjigowa.

Going outside the hut, Ganyadjigowa picked up two stones and striking them together, said, “I would do that way with that man if he came after me.” Gaasyendietʻha, coming out of the hut, asked, “What are you saying?” “Oh, I was saying this is the best friend I have,” declared Ganyadjigowa. “What did you say about the stone?” asked Gaasyendietʻha. “I said when my friend traveled he had to carry these stones, and if he went into the water he had to throw them away,” declared Ganyadjigowa.

Half believing what was told him, Gaasyendietʻha went back into the lodge. Ganyadjigowa laughed and laughed, thinking, “Oh, what a fool he is! He believes what I say.” Then he went into the hut again. Gaasyendietʻha said, “Why do you come here? Why do you not go home?” “Oh, I want to visit you until to-morrow morning,” said Ganyadjigowa. “No, I do not want such a man as you are around,” declared Gaasyendietʻha. “I will not trouble you. I will not chase you,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Go on home! I do not like you. You are too mean,” Gaasyendietʻha declared. Ganyadjigowa answered, “Oh, no! I am not.” Gaasyendietʻha said, “Well, stay then; but you must not talk to me.” “Very well,” said Ganyadjigowa.

Night came. Sitting down by the fire with his pipe, Gaasyendietʻha put coals into it and began to puff clouds of smoke. Ganyadjigowa said, “How do you get tobacco?” Turning around, Gaasyendietʻha looked at him. “Do not speak to me,” commanded Gaasyendietʻha. Soon Ganyadjigowa asked, “Does it taste good?” Gaasyendietʻha did not answer, but kept on smoking. Soon afterward Ganyadjigowa spoke again, saying, “How strangely the smoke is rolling around the room.” Gaasyendietʻha said, angrily, “Go out of this hut! I tell you I do not want you here.” “But you said I might stay until morning,” pleaded Ganyadjigowa. “I will be quiet now; do not put me out.” “Very well,” said Gaasyendietʻha, and smoked on.

Ganyadjigowa laughed. After a while he said: “I want to ask you a question. What is the world made of?” Gaasyendietʻha turned around, feeling cross, but he did not answer. Then Ganyadjigowa continued, “Do you believe people who say a man lives up in the Blue Sky?” Gaasyendietʻha looked at him but did not answer and kept on smoking. Then Ganyadjigowa said, “Do you believe this world stands on the Turtle’s back?” Gaasyendietʻha, now angry, said, “Did I not tell you not to talk to me?” Ganyadjigowa said, “Yes; I am going to be quiet now.” Gaasyendietʻha kept on smoking. Then Ganyadjigowa said, “Do you believe Hawenniyo [92] made the things of the world?” There was no answer. Ganyadjigowa spoke again, saying, “Well, do you believe the old folks who say that Dagwanoenyent is still alive?” Gaasyendietʻha said nothing; he merely turned and looked at him, then he turned back, still smoking. Ganyadjigowa said once more, “Do you believe the old folks who say that wind goes everywhere?” Gaasyendietʻha sprang up, saying, “I will throw you out. I told you not to talk to me.” Ganyadjigowa said, “I am going to be quiet now; do not throw me out.” Believing him, Gaasyendietʻha sat down. But after a while Ganyadjigowa began once more, “Well, do you believe the old people who say that Hinon makes rain?” He received no answer. Soon again he asked, “Do you believe the old folks who say that trouble comes to those who do not answer? Do you believe the old people who say that Hanisheonon93 is alive?” Picking up a club, Gaasyendietʻha began to strike Ganyadjigowa, who begged off with promises to be quiet. “No! get out! I do not want you here,” said Gaasyendietʻha. Ganyadjigowa begged hard. Gaasyendietʻha became cool and quiet again. Ganyadjigowa, laughing, said, “Whenever I say anything people get cool.” In the middle of the night Ganyadjigowa spoke again. While Gaasyendietʻha was still sitting by the fire smoking, he asked, “Do you believe old folks who say that water runs day and night?” Gaasyendietʻha did not answer. After a while Ganyadjigowa said, “Do you believe that trees grow?” Gaasyendietʻha stood up; he was very mad. Ganyadjigowa said, “Oh, do not be mad. I merely want to know things.” Gaasyendietʻha asked, “Do you believe Hawenniyo is alive?” “No,” replied Ganyadjigowa. “I do,” said Gaasyendietʻha. “Do you not believe he made the woods?” Gaasyendietʻha asked. “No; Hawenniyo does not make anything because he is not alive,” declared Ganyadjigowa. “Do you not believe the wind goes everywhere?” asked Gaasyendietʻha. “He goes only just outside of my person,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Oh! what a fool you are; the wind blows all over the world,” said Gaasyendietʻha. Ganyadjigowa said, “Oh, no; it goes merely around this lake.” Gaasyendietʻha said, “You can go way off there to that high mountain (pointing toward the east). You can not stand there.” “Oh, yes, I can,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Do you not believe water runs all the time?” Gaasyendietʻha persisted in questioning. “Oh, no,” said Ganyadjigowa; “when it is night, water stops.” Gaasyendietʻha said, “Well, what do you believe?”

Now, Ganyadjigowa began seemingly to believe just as Gaasyendietʻha did. Then Ganyadjigowa inquired, “Do you believe trouble will come if I tell you something, and you do not mind me?” “How can you make trouble for me? You have to die before I do,” declared Gaasyendietʻha. “I do not want to make trouble for you. Other things will do that,” said Ganyadjigowa. Gaasyendietʻha replied, “Go to sleep. I do not want to talk all night.” Gaasyendietʻha still sat by the fire smoking. Soon Ganyadjigowa said, “Do you know anything when you are asleep?” No answer. Again he asked, “What would you do if Wind should come here?” Flashing up, Gaasyendietʻha said, “Now go! I do not like you.” Ganyadjigowa began to beg, but Gaasyendietʻha, seizing him by the hair, pushed him outside. “Oh! let me go in. I will stop talking now,” pleaded Ganyadjigowa. Gaasyendietʻha would not listen. “Go away! or I will kill you,” he said. Ganyadjigowa started off. Then he thought: “That man did me ill. I wish I had magic power to blow down his lodge”; but he kept on. Gaasyendietʻha began to follow. Ganyadjigowa heard somebody coming. Looking back and seeing Gaasyendietʻha, he went into a hollow tree. Gaasyendietʻha knew where Ganyadjigowa was, but to fool him he went back a short distance and hid himself. Thereupon Ganyadjigowa said: “That is the kind of man I am. He did not see me.” So he started on. Gaasyendietʻha followed again, and seeing Ganyadjigowa, said, “Now I have you, and I am going to kill you.” “Oh, no! I do not want to make trouble for you,” replied Ganyadjigowa. “Yes, you do!”—and they began to dispute. Gaasyendietʻha said: “I will ask you a question. How can you make Wind blow down my lodge?” Ganyadjigowa answered, “Oh! I do not know how.” “Well, why did you ask the question, ‘What will you do if a heavy wind blows away your lodge?’” inquired Gaasyendietʻha. “I did not say that,” declared Ganyadjigowa. “What did you say?” demanded Gaasyendietʻha. “I said there was a wind around the lake,” was Ganyadjigowa’s reply.

“Do you believe that the earth can go down into the water?” asked Gaasyendietʻha. “No; the earth is always on top of the water,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Do you believe the earth is on the Turtle’s back?” inquired Gaasyendietʻha. “No; the Turtle is not strong enough to keep it up,” declared Ganyadjigowa. “How is it kept up?” came the question. “Oh! the earth is very thick; nobody knows how thick,” asserted Ganyadjigowa. “I believe the Turtle is strong enough to keep the earth up, and when he gets tired the earth will sink down,” Gaasyendietʻha said. “Why, that is just what I believe,” Ganyadjigowa said. “No; it is different. You do not believe as I do,” declared Gaasyendietʻha. “Well, do you know what I believe?” asked Gaasyendietʻha. “The old folks used to say that you believed the earth never goes into the water,” was Ganyadjigowa’s rejoinder. Gaasyendietʻha asked, “Well, do you believe that I can kill you?” “Yes, yes!” said Ganyadjigowa, while he kept backing away. Gaasyendietʻha threatened, “I will kill you now.” “What have I done that you should kill me?” demanded Ganyadjigowa. “You told me that I believe the earth is very thick,” said Gaasyendietʻha, turning to go home. Ganyadjigowa kept on laughing, and said, “That is the kind of a man I am.” Now, Gaasyendietʻha, on hearing this, came back quickly, and shaking him, threw him on the ground, whereupon he cried out: “Oh, my friend! do not kill me. I am always on your side.” “No; I will not stop until I kill you,” said Gaasyendietʻha. Then he thought: “Why do I kill this man? Soon Hanisheonon will come around and punish me for it,” so he let Ganyadjigowa go. Ganyadjigowa, laughing, said, “That is the kind of a man I am.”

Now Gaasyendietʻha grew very angry, and caught him by the neck, saying, “Go far away west.” Going through the air, Ganyadjigowa fell just where the sun sets. As he fell he said: “Oh! what fun to be in the air. Now, where is that man? He does not believe anything.” Gaasyendietʻha heard him, and, flying through the air, came to the spot where he was and asked, “What were you saying?” “Oh! I was saying what a nice place this is,” replied Ganyadjigowa.

Gaasyendietʻha now caused Ganyadjigowa to become Sʻhodieonskon. Then Ganyadjigowa traveled north, saying, “I must go and see where my friend lives.” Seeing a great rock on which stood a lodge, he thought, “This must be the place I dreamed of.” He went to a hut near by. A man sat there, who greeted him with, “Where do you come from?” “I come from the Great Lake,” said Ganyadjigowa. Then the man asked, “Why did you come here?” “Oh! I was lonely at home,” answered Ganyadjigowa. “Very well; what is your name?” he was asked. “Ganyadjigowa,” he replied. “What is your name?” demanded Ganyadjigowa. “Djothowandon,” was the answer. “Can I visit you?” he was asked. “No; you must go to my master first,” said Djothowandon. “Where does he live?” inquired Ganyadjigowa. “You will see his lodge on a great rock not far from here,” was the old man’s answer.

On reaching the rock Ganyadjigowa saw the lodge that stood on it. Looking in he saw an old man sitting by the fire; he thought to himself, “This is the same man who threw me off west.” The man turned, and, looking at Ganyadjigowa, said, “Well, who are you?” “I am Ganyadjigowa,” replied the visitor. “What is your name?” asked Ganyadjigowa. “I am Dagwanoenyent,” replied the man. “Will you let me stay with you a few days?” asked Ganyadjigowa. “Oh, yes! you may stay as long as you like. I am always glad to have somebody with me. I am lonely sometimes,” said the old man.

One morning Dagwanoenyent said, “Do you not want to go to see my servant?” “Oh, yes!” said Ganyadjigowa. They went to Djothowandon’s. Dagwanoenyent, looking around, said: “My servant is not at home. I think he has gone to the southern end of the earth. A very churlish people live there. He is going to try to make them good and quiet. If they do not obey him, I must go to eat them all.” “How far is it from here?” asked Ganyadjigowa. “Oh! you would not get there in fifty winters,” declared Dagwanoenyent. “If that is true,” retorted Ganyadjigowa, “it will be a hundred winters before your servant will come back.” “Oh, no!” said Dagwanoenyent; “my servant travels very fast. He will be in a place as soon as he thinks of it.” “I do not believe that,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Get out of here!” said Dagwanoenyent; “some people are coming this morning who will bewitch you if you are around here.”

Ganyadjigowa started off. Soon he saw Dahdahwat coming. When Dahdahwat came near he was going to strike Ganyadjigowa, but the latter said, “Do not kill me. I am not strong enough in orenda to fight you.” Dahdahwat chased him and kept biting him until he was dead. Then said Dahdahwat, “I have killed Sʻhodieonskon,[94] who has great power magically. I will go home now.” While on the way he saw a man coming toward him. When they met Dahdahwat greeted him with, “Where are you going?” “Oh! I am going to see the man who was killed this morning,” said the stranger. “Well, what is your name?” said Dahdahwat. “My name is Djoñiaik,” replied the stranger. “What are you going to do when you get there?” asked Dahdahwat. “Oh, nothing!” and they passed on. When Djoñiaik came to the spot where Ganyadjigowa lay and saw how Dahdahwat had bitten him, he dug many kinds of roots, and, making a powder of them, began to doctor Ganyadjigowa; he rubbed the powder over his body, and soon Ganyadjigowa was alive again. Ganyadjigowa said: “That is the kind of man I am. Where is the Dahdahwat?” Djoñiaik answered: “Do not say that. He must be near by.” Ganyadjigowa would not stop, but kept scolding and scolding, getting more angry all the time. Djoñiaik went off.

“Now, I must go to my friend, Dagwanoenyent,” said Ganyadjigowa. When he got to his friend’s lodge Dagwanoenyent laughed, saying, “A man came here to notify me that I should go to see the spot where you lay dead.” “Oh, pshaw!” said Ganyadjigowa; “I shall never die. Have you never heard the old folks say that if Sʻhodieonskon died he would soon come to life again?” “Yes,” said Dagwanoenyent, “I have heard so. Is that why you came to life?” “Yes,” declared Ganyadjigowa. “Well,” said the old man, “I want you to go where the churlish people live. My servant has come, and he says they will never be quiet. I have heard old men say that Sʻhodieonskon can make churlish people quiet.” “All right, I will go,” answered the young man. When he came down from the rock on which Dagwanoenyent’s lodge was built, Sʻhodieonskon, taking hold of the rock, tried to turn it over. Dagwanoenyent, feeling his lodge move, declared, “This must be my friend who disturbs me.” Ganyadjigowa kept at work, and at last over went the rock, breaking the lodge to pieces. The old man, who was wounded on the head, cried, “Oh! my dear friend; I must kill him now”; and, getting up, he tried to run after him, but his head was so dizzy that he soon fell. Ganyadjigowa came around the rock, and seeing the old man with blood flowing from his head, began to laugh, saying: “What does he think? Does he not know that I am stronger magically than he is?” Having rolled the rock over on Dagwanoenyent, he went on.

When he came to the place where the churlish people lived, he stood near the earth lodge in which they all dwelt, thinking, “I will roll this lodge over.” Taking hold of the end, he lifted it up. The people ran out, and, seeing a man standing there holding up the end of their lodge, they began to bite him. Then Ganyadjigowa ran with all his speed to get outside of the crowd. The people pursued him, but he escaped. “That is the kind of a man I am,” Sʻhodieonskon exclaimed.

He walked westward until night, when he came to a cliff. Descending a short distance on one side, he saw a hole in the cliff wall. “Somebody seems to be living here,” thought he; “I will go in and see.” Inside he found a large room in which sat an old man; then another room, and another, until he saw seven. “Well,” asked Ganyadjigowa, “what are you folk doing in the cliff?” “Why do you want to know?” they demanded. “Oh! I go around the world to make all quiet and happy,” said the young man. “We do not believe you, and we do not want you here,” they continued. These were all brothers—seven Sigweont. “Do you believe that Hanisheonon is alive?” asked Ganyadjigowa. “Oh, no!” they said. “What do you believe?” the young man inquired. “We believe that Hanisheonon is Hayadagwennio.” [95] Then Ganyadjigowa said, “Well, do you believe that the earth is thin and stands on a Turtle?” “No; the earth is thick,” they declared. “Do you believe that Hanisheonon made the earth?” asked Ganyadjigowa. “No; we believe that Hayadagwennio made the world,” they replied. “Did you ever hear of anyone living covered up in the earth?” the young man asked. “No,” was the response. “Now we will tell you that we are the fathers of Hanisheonon,” said Sigweont.96 These old men would not believe Ganyadjigowa, who, becoming discouraged, said, “I am going away.”

While turning around Ganyadjigowa saw a lodge in the woods. Disdis [97] lived here. Hearing a thumping noise from within, Ganyadjigowa, looking through a crack, saw an old man who had a thin piece of wood into which he was pounding something. Then he would put the wooden object into his face. “Well, I have never seen such a man as that. He is making a mask,” thought Ganyadjigowa. “I will take the roof off his lodge and afterward make it rain.” Getting into the lodge he threw off the roof. The old man did not know the roof was off. Then going into the spring near by, Ganyadjigowa shook his wings so that the water flew high and came back just to the spot where the old man’s lodge was. “My lodge is getting old,” said the old man; “the rain comes into it. I must go to sit where it is dry;” but he could find no dry place. “Well, what is the reason of this?” thought he. Then he left his work, saying, “I will go to find somebody to make a new cover for my lodge.” He heard a noise at the spring and saw somebody standing in the water. Going to the spring, he asked, “Well, what are you doing?” “Oh! I am trying to fish,” replied Ganyadjigowa; “when I get the water away it will be easy.” “Get out!” said the old man; “that is my spring. If you do not go I will kill you.” “Oh! I am not afraid of you. You are too old. You are not strong magically now,” was the young man’s answer. “Well, I can kill you quickly,” retorted the old man. “No; you are too old,” Ganyadjigowa declared. “Say, old man, I want to ask you a question. Do you believe Hanisheonon is alive?” “Oh, no! I am Hanisheonon myself,” said the old man. “Oh, no! you are not. Do you believe the earth is resting on the back of a Turtle?” inquired Ganyadjigowa. “No; I am holding up this earth myself,” said Disdis. “Do you believe water always runs?” demanded the young man. “That is not true; when it gets to the lake it stops,” said the old man. “If that is what water does, the lake would be more than full,” asserted the young man. “Oh! the water goes into the ground again and comes out in the springs,” replied the old man. “Oh!” said Ganyadjigowa, “I told you the water was always going.” The old man held his head down. Ganyadjigowa asked again, “If mud goes into swamps will it stay there?” “No; I do not think so,” said the old man. Then Ganyadjigowa said: “I will give you another question: Do you believe what the old folk say—that they went all over the world?” “Oh, no!” answered the old man; “I do not think so.” “Well, I must go away,” said Ganyadjigowa; “I do not think I can do anything with you.”

After traveling a long while, one morning Ganyadjigowa came to a lodge. Looking in, he saw an old man, Ganenaitha,[98] sitting by the fire. Soon the old man said: “It seems to me that my nephew is around here. Yes, I think my nephew is around here somewhere. Well, my nephew, come in. Why do you stay outside? I suppose you have come to visit me. Come in.” “Well,” answered Ganyadjigowa, “this is the first time I have found my uncle. I will go in, for my uncle wants me to do so.” Entering the lodge, he asked. “Well, uncle, what do you want?” “Oh! I just want to see you to have a very amusing game which I always play when anyone comes to visit me. We wager our necks. I have splendid canoes made of white flint with which to race on the waters.” “Very well,” said Ganyadjigowa, “that is what I used to play with.” The old man started to get the canoes, and bringing them all out, said, “Now, take your choice.” Looking carefully and seeing a poor old canoe, Ganyadjigowa said, “This will do for me.” “Oh, pshaw!” answered the old man; “that is the worst one I have; you ought to take something better. That canoe can not help you. It will tip over when you sail it.” This was, however, the boat possessed of the greatest power, which the old man wanted to use himself. “Well,” said the old man, “let us go there.” Now the lake was a little way inland. When at the edge of the lake, they put the boats on the water, the old man saying, Hau onen. The two canoes started. Ganyadjigowa’s canoe having the greater magic power, the old man was left behind. When Ganyadjigowa got to the other end of the lake he said, “Where is my uncle,” and sat waiting. After a great while he saw the old man coming, away behind. When the latter came up, he said, “Let us rest until to-morrow.” After a while Ganyadjigowa pretended to go to sleep. The old man looking at him, said, “He is asleep now;” so getting into Ganyadjigowa’s boat, he said to it, “I want you to go where the sun goes down.” Ganyadjigowa heard all. The boat rushed off through the air. Ganyadjigowa, getting up, looked at his uncle’s boat. “What a mean boat my uncle has,” he said, then exclaiming, “I want you to go where my uncle has gone.” Thereupon with a white flint stone he struck the bow of the boat. The canoe, becoming alive, went very fast, faster than his uncle in the old boat. While flying Ganyadjigowa commenced his song, “Now we are in the race of my uncle—Onen daondiyentadon nhaknosen.”

In a little while he saw a small speck ahead. As he drew nearer, the speck became larger and larger. At last they arrived at the place where the sun goes down, and the old man reaching there first, Ganyadjigowa said: “You cheated me. I am going to cut your head off.” The old man answered: “Oh! I have not cheated you. I tried to wake you, but I could not, so I let it go.” “Why did you come so far? You live way back at the other end of the earth,” declared the young man. “Oh, that is nothing; I came to see how the sun goes down,” was the reply. “No; I think you tried to get away from me,” said Ganyadjigowa. “No; I was going back soon,” retorted the old man. “Well, let us go,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Very well,” said the old man. Soon they went back, whereupon Ganenaitha said: “Now go to sleep. I want you to stay until morning.” But Ganyadjigowa did not sleep, but watched the old man until morning. Then he said, “Now, let us start. Wait until I say ‘Go.’” Having gotten into their canoes, the old man said “Go!” They both went very fast—the new boat faster than the other. Getting back to the starting place first, Ganyadjigowa looked back—away off was a speck; this was the old man returning. When he came in the latter asked, “Do you know what this lake is called?” “No,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Its name is Ganyodaigowane, ‘Great Lake.’” Taking out a basswood knife, Ganyadjigowa thereupon cut off the old man’s head.

Then Ganyadjigowa went northwestward in his own boat until he came to the edge of some rocks, where he saw a lodge. Soon a man came out and greeted him. “Well, what are you living around here for?” asked Ganyadjigowa. “Oh! so I can see down the valley where people live. When they kill game I go and steal some of it,” came the reply. “I will give you a name,” said Ganyadjigowa; “I will call you Gaga.” [99] “Very well. I like that. I can steal better now,” replied the man.

As Ganyadjigowa walked along the edge of the rock he saw a great hemlock forest. While standing among the trees he heard some one saying Hihi. “Well, who is Hihi?” [100] he wondered. Soon he saw someone in a tree. “Oh! what an evil-looking man you are,” said Ganyadjigowa; “shall I give you a good name?” “What can you call me? My name is good enough,” said the man. “I will call you Hihi.” Hihi laughed, for he was glad he had a name. Ganyadjigowa came to a brook with rocky banks, and, going down to the water, he saw an ugly-looking old man, who said: “I am glad you are here. I am very hungry, so I will eat you.” “Oh! I am not good eating. I taste very insipid. Do not kill me,” replied Ganyadjigowa. “Why do you come here, then?” he demanded. Ganyadjigowa answered, “What would you do if the rocks should fall upon you?” “Oh! I should be glad. I have wanted for a long time to be covered up,” was the rejoinder. “Do you believe that Hanisheonon is alive?” asked Ganyadjigowa. “Yes,” he responded. Ganyadjigowa’s next question was, “Do you believe the earth rests on the Turtle’s back?” “Yes; I am standing on the Turtle,” the man answered. “I did not ask you where you were standing,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Well, then, what did you ask me?” said the man. “Nothing. I tell you that Hanisheonon was killed last night,” said Ganyadjigowa. The man began to cry. He cried louder and louder until many of his people, hearing him, came and asked, “Did that man make you cry?” “Oh! I heard that Hanisheonon was dead,” he replied. Now all began to cry. Ganyadjigowa said: “Why do you cry? You are free now. I should be glad.” “Well, I am not glad,” said the man. “I will give you a name,” said Ganyadjigowa; “I will call you Genonsgwa (“Stone Giant”).”

Ganyadjigowa started off, after saying to Genonsgwa and to his people, “I should be glad if you caught me.” The Genonsgwa, who were angry, followed him. They ran hard but they could not catch him. Ganyadjigowa began to fly, going up, up, up, until he reached the clouds. There he saw people. “Well, who are living here? I never before heard that people were living here,” he mused. Soon a man came near him who wore beautiful, downy clothes. He greeted Ganyadjigowa with, “Where are you from?” “From below,” was the answer. “How did you come?” was the next question. “Through the air,” was the response. “I suppose you bring news?” “No; I came for amusement,” said Ganyadjigowa. “What is your name?” he was asked. “Ganyadjigowa,” he replied. “I will give you a name.” “Very well,” said the man. “I will call you Sʻhadahgeah. This place where you live is strange,” declared Ganyadjigowa. “Yes; I can see all over the world,” came the answer. “Well, how can I see?” said Ganyadjigowa. “Look right straight down,” the man said. Ganyadjigowa, looking straight down, saw all over the world. It did not seem far down. Ganyadjigowa asked, “Do you know the man who lives by the side of the lake down there? He is a very mean man.” “You must not do anything to that man,” responded Sʻhadahgeah;[101] “he has great orenda (magic power). He is chief of all gods. We are afraid of him. You must go now. The Wind is coming. It will kill you if you stay here.”

Thereupon Ganyadjigowa went straight down. Then looking around, he saw somebody coming out of the ground. Going to the spot, he said: “What are you doing? Why do you live in the ground?” “Oh! I have always lived there. You need not bother me,” came the reply. “I will not bother you,” said Ganyadjigowa; “I came merely to ask you a question: Is Hanisheonon alive?” “No; Hanisheonon is, I think, not alive. I believe Hanisheonon is magically a great power,” said the man. “Well, do you know where Hanisheonon lives?” inquired Ganyadjigowa. “Yes,” was the reply. “Where is the place?” continued Ganyadjigowa. “Right in the ground. That is why I live in the ground,” said the man. “Well, do you think you have the same power as Hanisheonon?” he was asked. “Oh, no!” he replied. “Can you kill the people?” again queried Ganyadjigowa. He answered, “Yes.” “Have you a name?” asked Ganyadjigowa. “I do not want a name,” he said. “Well, I will give you a name anyhow. I will call you Onoqgontgowa,” [102] said the young man. The man hung down his head; then, raising it again, he said, “Can you call me another name?” “No; that is the name that suits you best. You are bad-looking,” said Ganyadjigowa. The man cried (i.e., buzzed)—he was a winged Djihonsdonqgwen.103 “Well,” said Onoqgontgowa, “when they talk about me, they shall say Onoqgontgowa.”

Traveling on, Ganyadjigowa came to the lodge of Gaasyendietʻha, in which he saw an old man asleep. Ganyadjigowa went in. The old man, waking up, began to sing, “Now he has come.” Ganyadjigowa thought, “Why does he sing about me?” Gaasyendietʻha said to himself: “Oh! I have the backache. Why have I got it? Where is my friend, Ganyadjigowa? I would like to see him—he is such a strange fellow.” Ganyadjigowa looked around the room, and seeing a mallet, began to hit the old man on the head with it. The latter said, “I believe mosquitoes are biting my head,” whereupon Ganyadjigowa hit him again. “Well, it seems to me I hear Ganyadjigowa talking,” said the man. He turned over—sure enough there was Ganyadjigowa. The old man said: “What are you doing to my head? Why did you hit me? Do you suppose I will let you pound me?” “Oh, no! I did not strike you. I will call you my grandfather, and we will be good friends,” said Ganyadjigowa. “Very well; sit at the other end of the fire and be quiet,” replied Gaasyendietʻha. Ganyadjigowa sat down. After a while he asked, “Do you know who planted the trees?” “Yes; the man in the blue sky,” was the reply. “Oh, no! I planted them all,” said Ganyadjigowa. The men talked along as they had done the first time at Gaasyendietʻha’s house. At length Ganyadjigowa asked, “What can kill you?” “Oh! a flag stalk that grows in swamps. If you strike me with that it will kill me,” answered the old man. Ganyadjigowa went out to hunt for the flag and found a stalk. When he came back, the old man was eating wild cranberries. Ganyadjigowa hit him with the flag, which he thought went into his body, for the old man’s face was all red from the cranberries. Turning, Gaasyendietʻha asked: “Why do you strike me? You hurt me.” Ganyadjigowa, laughing, said, “The old man’s mouth is all bloody.” Thereupon he ran away because he thought the old man was going to die.

Soon Ganyadjigowa saw a lodge in the side of a high rock. He stood before it, thinking, “How can I throw that lodge down?” Soon the man living there came down and they greeted each other. Ganyadjigowa asked, “Why do you live in the rock? Will it not fall?” “No,” the man replied. “What would you do if a hard rain should come? Can you live on the level land?” was Ganyadjigowa’s next query. “No; I always live on the rocks. When I talk everybody hears me,” said the old man. “Go up and let me hear you talk,” commanded Ganyadjigowa. Going up, the man said, Wiahah. Ganyadjigowa replied: “That will do. Come down. I am traveling and giving names. I will give you one, so whosoever speaks of you hereafter will call you Gwiyee.[104] Now I want you to be quiet and not chase the people.” This is why Gwiyee never chases others.

Ganyadjigowa now went home. He was proud and said: “I killed the old man who was called so powerful magically. I must go to-morrow to see him.” The next morning he went to Gaasyendietʻha’s lodge, where he heard singing. “What kind of man is he? I thought I killed him,” mused Ganyadjigowa. The song ran, “I shall kill Ganyadjigowa as soon as I see him.” In a little while the old man, ceasing his song, began to talk. “Now I will go to see Ganyadjigowa and kill him.” Thereupon Ganyadjigowa said, “My grandfather means to kill me, but I will burn his lodge,” and piling up a great quantity of brush, he set the lodge on fire. The blaze mounted very high. Gaasyendietʻha said: “I believe the lodge is burning. I think Ganyadjigowa is doing this.” He was very angry, and sprang through the fire. The first thing Ganyadjigowa knew there was the old man, who asked, “Why did you make this fire?” “Oh! I did not make it. I came to blow it out,” he answered. Gaasyendietʻha continued, “Who made it?” “I do not know. I have just come,” said Ganyadjigowa. They kept on talking, but the old man did not believe Ganyadjigowa and pounded him to death. Thereupon Gaasyendietʻha whooped: “That is the kind of a man I am. I am the most powerful man under the blue sky because I have the most powerful orenda.” The people all over the world, hearing his outcry, exclaimed, “Ganyadjigowa is dead!”

48. HADENTʻHENI AND HANIGONGENDATʻHA [105]

In old times two young men living in a village were great friends, and on this account everybody disliked and shunned them. They could find no lodge in which to live, hence they said to each other: “Since everyone dislikes us, the sooner we get out of this place the better.” So at last they went toward the south.

On the way, whenever night overtook them they looked around for some place where dry leaves had fallen, so that there they might rest comfortably. All they had to eat at first was evergreens and lichens. Having made bows and arrows, they killed small birds. The young men were at this time about 20 years old. After they got out of the thick woods they came to marshy ground, but they still kept on. Occasionally one would say to the other, “I am afraid we shall never get through this rough place,” but his companion would encourage him, and on they would go.

One day about noon they came to a large hemlock tree. “Climb up and look around,” said one; “see if there are any people in sight.” The limbs of the tree came almost to the ground, hence he climbed it easily. From the top he saw a beautiful trail leading from the tree through the air. He called to his companion, “Throw down your bow and arrows and come up to see what a splendid trail I have found.” The latter went up, and looking at the trail, said, “Let us try it and see where it leads.” They looked in every direction but saw no woods in any direction. It had been necessary that in whatever they undertook to do they should be of one mind. As they were now of one mind, they started off. The trail proceeding from the tree seemed as solid as if on the earth, and it extended as far away as they could see.

The young men traveled on without knowing that they were going up until they had reached another world, which seemed very pleasant. The leader said, however: “Do not stop. Let us go on and see where the trail will take us.” On the road there was plenty of game, but they gave no heed to it. After a while they came to a bark lodge out of which smoke was rising. One of the young men said, “It is customary for travelers to call at a lodge on the road and find who is living there; let us look in here.” The elder went in first. The lodge was of bark with a piece of bark suspended for a door. Pulling this aside, they saw an old man sitting within, who saluted them with: “I know the trouble you have had to undergo and how people disliked you; it is I who have called you. You shall stay with me a short time. You have come from the lower world. When there, you often spoke of the higher world, and I influenced you to follow the trail that leads up here. Now, come into my lodge and make a short stay, for I have promised to go elsewhere. As soon as you are gone, I shall go.” The young men went into the lodge. The speaker, who seemed about middle-aged, continued: “You people down there often speak of an Elder Brother in the sky. I am he who makes light for you. I am Kaahkwa, the Sun. Hawenniyo commands me, saying that I must give you light. This is my resting place, but I can stay here only a short time. Whenever you come this way, you must stop. I am always here at midday.” Thereupon he started toward the west, saying, “I go under the earth and come out in the east, and when you reach the next lodge you must stop.”

They parted, and the two men soon came to the second lodge. One said to the other, “We must call at this lodge, as the Sun told us to do.” The lodge looked exactly like the other. Entering, the young men saw an old woman, to whom they said, “How do you do, grandmother?” “I am thankful that you have come,” said she; “it was your brother who sent you here. It is now time for you to eat. You have been long without food.” In one part of the room they saw a bark bowl containing boiled squash, which was evidently just out of the pot. They sat down, and the old woman gave each of them half a squash and a quarter of a loaf of corn bread, saying, “This will be enough for both.” “No,” answered one of the young men; “there is not more here than I can eat.” The old woman replied: “It is enough; when you return, stop and I will give you more. It is I whom people down below call the Moon.” When they entered her lodge, she was sewing skins. She continued: “It is the order of Hawenniyo that I make light for people on the earth, so that they can see at night. It is only at certain times that you see me completely. I tell you now that you must be on your guard, for the path before you is full of danger and difficulties. You must be brave and must never look at anything not in your path, for your enemy is outside of it; never heed anything you see or hear, for if you do, you are lost. You will soon pass this dangerous path, but remember my advice.”

As the young men traveled on they saw all kinds of fruit and game. The first would call out,[106] “Stop! come and eat; this is very good.” But keeping in mind the old woman’s words, they paid no heed. Each fruit had a phrase of its own, with which it begged the young men to come and eat it. After they had passed this place, they said, “Perhaps we are out of trouble now; we shall soon come to the lodge where the old woman told us to stop.”

After passing the first place they came to another. The first fruit was full of witchcraft or enchantment; if they had eaten of it, they would have become bewitched. At the second place, however, after eating plums and huckleberries they felt refreshed. The old woman had told them that animals were numerous along their path, but they passed these without harm.

After a while they saw another lodge in the distance, whereupon one of the young men said: “We are now in the place where we shall meet the greatest difficulty. We have no idea of our own except to follow the advice given; since we have set out to come and are here, we must endure what we meet.” They talked in this way until they came to the lodge. Finding a man who called himself their uncle, they saluted him. He said: “I am glad that your brother has sent you. You are going to a large assembly, but you can not join it unless I transform you.” [107] One of the young men responded: “How so? We are men. Why should we be transformed? We have come here in our proper forms. Why should we change?” “You have come here as you are, but it is my duty to prepare you to enter the assembly of this upper world,” replied the man.

The other young man, looking steadfastly at his uncle, was not frightened nor discouraged. The old man, going to another part of the lodge, brought a long strip of bark, which he laid out lengthwise, saying, “The first that came shall be transformed first.” Thereupon he called him to come and lie on the bark. When the latter had done so, the man asked, “Are you ready?” “Yes,” was the young man’s reply. At that moment the uncle blew through his hand on the young man’s head, separating the bones and flesh, which fell in two heaps. The other nephew, who stood looking on, saw that the uncle separated the parts of every bone, and after wiping them, put them aside, cleaned; and he thought, “My luck is hard. I am alone here; my friend is gone. That must have been very painful.” After every bone had been wiped and put in place, the old man said to the one yet unchanged, “Now, be ready.” Then he blew through his hands on the head of the skeleton with force sufficient to send the skeleton a long distance. Thereupon the skeleton again became a man, ready for the assembly. This was the way in which each man had to be purified.

The second nephew, not wishing to be treated in that manner, did not go forward willingly. But when the uncle was ready he gave the word, when it seemed that the nephew could not hold back. Lying on the bark, he was treated as his friend had been, while the latter in turn looked on. Because he was not so willing to submit, the body of the second youth was more difficult to clean. The old man washed and wiped each bone. The flesh remained in a heap by itself. The uncle took more uncleanness from this nephew than from the first. After he had finished the cleaning, he put the bones in place again, and saying, “Take care,” blew on the skull with such force that the skeleton was shot off a long distance, becoming a beautiful young man. The uncle said: “Sit down. You are now transformed. Now let us go outdoors and I will try you.”

Going outside the lodge, the three stood in the clearing. At that time a deer was feeding on the grass, and the uncle told one of the young men to catch it, while to the deer he called out, “Be on your guard; my nephew is going to kill you.” The deer sprang off, but had made only a few bounds when the young man seized it. Seeing how he caught the deer, and knowing that if he could catch a deer he was fit for any race, the uncle said, “You are now ready to join the people of this world.” Then he told the second nephew to catch the deer, at the same time calling to the deer, “Look out! if you are caught, you will lose your life.” The deer sprang off, but the young man, soon overtaking it, brought the animal to the old man, who said: “You also are ready. You can now go to this great assembly and see what you can do.”

They started but had not gone far when they saw a man approaching. They saw him go down into a little hollow ahead and come up, walking very fast. As they met he said to them: “You have come, brothers, and the object of your mission shall be accomplished. Your Elder Brother wished you to come, so now you shall go with me to this great assembly. He who has charge of it is the same person who made the lower world, from which you have come. As you can not well go alone, I have been sent to conduct you.” They went at what seemed to the young men incredible speed. Soon they could hear a noise as of a great many voices, which increased continually. The man said: “It is the sound of mirth from the assembly.” When they drew near there seemed to be a large settlement. The man said: “Your sister has her lodge off at one end of the settlement, and your brothers are there, too; but you can not go into their lodge. You have not died [108] yet, so you must pass through the same change as they have done in order to enter their dwellings.” As they went along they felt a great desire to go in but knew they would not be admitted. They inhaled the odor of every flower on their path. After a while their guide pointed to a Long Lodge, saying: “That is the lodge of Hawenniyo,109 who made the world below and who allowed you to come here. We will sit on the threshold, and afterward we will go in.” The Long Lodge, which was built with very low walls, was hung inside with boughs, which gave out a delightful odor. As the air moved a perfume came from the flowers and herbs within. On entering they saw a great many people who had come to praise Hawenniyo and to have part in the Green Corn dance. These people never noticed that two beings of human flesh and form were present, because the young men had been purified. A man came out of the assembly and proclaimed from a high place what things were to be done. The guide said: “This is the one whom you call Hawenniyo.” The young men looked on with great wonder to see so many dancing together. During an interval in the dance the guide said: “You understand, probably, why you have been allowed to visit this place. It is here that those who are good in the other world come when they die. Now, I will go back with you. When you reach home you shall tell your people what you have seen since I first met you.”110 The guide then turned back, and the young men went on alone.

The youths traveled very swiftly, calling at each place at which they had stopped when coming, but only to return thanks, as they were now on the way home. On reaching the Sun’s lodge, the Sun said: “You are going home now. It is I who caused you to come hither. You have been traveling 10 days. What we call one day here is a year in the other world. Ten years ago you started from your home below.” When they got back to the lower world they were 30 years old. The 10 years seemed no longer than the interval between going in the morning and coming in the evening. The Sun took them as far as the hemlock tree from which the trail began, where they found their bows and arrows sticking in the ground, covered with moss. As the Sun took them in his hand he wiped off the moss, and immediately they were as new as if just made. He said that the people of the place where these travelers lived had moved away, adding: “I will direct you to them.” In those times a mile was as far as a man could see, and it was 12 “looks” from the hemlock tree to the site of the settlement. When they came to the end of 12 “looks” the Sun said, “This is where you started.” Here clearings and little hillocks where corn had grown were still to be seen where formerly grass was growing everywhere. The Sun said: “You will find your people 12 ‘looks’ farther on; when you come to the first lodge you must ask the old man whether he had heard years ago of two boys who were lost, and learn the number of years from that time until the settlement moved. If he gives you no information, go to the next lodge, where you will find an old woman; ask her the same questions. Now we must part.”