Chapter XLII: Part 2 (10)

Continuing, she said to her husband: “We must instruct mankind with care in this matter, so that they shall do the essential things and sing the essential songs of the Aʻkoñwiʹʻsĕⁿʼ,[446] (the ceremony of the Corn dances). The women and the young maidens of both the Father and the Mother side in beginning this ceremony shall stand on their respective sides of the fire, forming in orderly lines with the matrons of their several clans as leaders. One side shall first sing the song which is in order, and then the other side shall sing that song; then they shall sing it alternately, while the several leaders in taking the lead must carry the turtle-shell rattle. It is important that this shall be done in order, and that the rhythm of the songs be not broken. When the song has been sung by both sides then the two lines of women shall encircle the fire and dance around it three times. This shall be done in the case of each song of the Aʻkoñwiʹʻsĕⁿʼ.

“Now, the words of the essential songs are as follows:

“(a) ‘Coming hither I heard them; I heard them sing and dance the Aʻkoñwiʹʻsĕⁿʼ.’

“(b) ‘We have now arrived—we who are about to sing and dance the Aʻkoñwiʹʻsĕⁿʼ.’

“(c) ‘Among living, growing, unplucked flowers I am walking reverently (silently, slowly).’

“(d) ‘I am now dancing among living, growing, unplucked flowers (blossoms).’

“(e) ‘We have now returned—we who are corn dancers and singers—we who are women.’

“(f) ‘You two cousins,[447] do you now get the bark bowl (for sprouting the seed corn). You two cousins, do you now get the bark bowl.’

“(g) ‘Oh! the berries have ripened. Oh! the berries have ripened—on stalk and stem.’

“(h) ‘I see (in vision) a beautiful Spring season.
“‘I see a fine field of growing corn.
“‘In the middle of this field of corn there stands a lodge of
bark.
“‘There I see a profusion of drying poles and racks.
“‘Thereon I see fine fat strings of corn hanging.
“‘On these fine fat strings of corn I see rich lively seed
corn.’

“(i) ‘Now, I am walking along. I am walking along giving thanks to the Life God.’

“These are the essential songs which mankind shall sing.”

123. THE BEAN WOMAN [448]

(A FRAGMENT)

In ancient times a people dwelling near a river bank were startled by the sound of singing, which came apparently from downstream. The voice was that of a woman, and tradition says that it was indeed the Bean-Woman who was singing.

The Bean-Woman sang, it is said, “Who shall marry me again? Let him ask me in marriage.” The Panther-Man, answering this challenge, said: “I will marry you if you will accept me for your husband.” Pausing in her singing, the Bean-Woman asked: “If I marry you what shall be the food which I shall regularly receive from you to eat?” The Panther-Man replied: “You shall always have meat in great plenty to eat.” The Bean-Woman answered: “In that case it is very probable I should die, for I do not eat that kind of food under any circumstances.”

Thereupon the Bean-Woman resumed her singing: “Who will marry me again? Is there one who is willing to marry me again? If so, let him ask me.” Then the Deer-Man approached the Bean-Woman and said: “I will marry you if you will accept me for your husband.” The Bean-Woman asked him: “What food will you regularly provide for me to eat?” The Deer-Man replied: “Browse and buds and the tender bark of trees, for these are the things which I regularly eat.” The Bean-Woman answered: “Such a marriage would not bring good fortune to me, because I have never eaten that kind of food.” So the Deer-Man departed.

Then the Bean-Woman resumed her song: “Is there not some one who is willing to marry me? If there be, let him ask me.” As she sang she heard the Bear-Man say to her: “I will marry you if you will accept me.” Whereupon she asked him: “What kind of food will you regularly provide for me to eat?” He replied: “I will provide you with nuts of various kinds, for even now I have many bark receptacles filled with nuts for food.” The Bean-Woman replied: “In this event I should most certainly die, for I have never been in the habit of eating that kind of food; so I can not accept you.”

Without feeling disappointed she resumed her singing: “Is there not some one who will marry me again? If so, let him ask me.” Then the Wolf-Man approached her, saying: “I am willing to marry you if you will accept me.” Once again the Bean-Woman asked: “If I should marry you what kind of food would you regularly provide for me to eat?” The Wolf-Man answered: “I will provide you with meat and venison.” At this the Bean-Woman said with scorn: “It is, indeed, quite proper for you to offer me meat and venison for food, but I have never had the desire to eat meat which has been stolen.” Thereupon the Wolf-Man departed.

The Bean-Woman resumed singing, as before: “Is there any one who is willing to marry me again? If there is, then let him ask me.” Then the Corn-Man, drawing near, said: “I am willing to marry you if you will accept me.” In reply she asked: “If I should marry you what will you give me for my regular food?” The Corn-Man’s answer was: “You shall have sweet corn to eat at all times.” In reply the Bean-Woman said: “I pray that it may so come to pass. I am, indeed, thankful for this offer, for it is a well-known fact that I am in need of it.” When the Corn-Man had heard her answer, he said to her: “Come to me.” Rushing forward, she threw her arms around his neck and embraced him, saying: “This is, indeed, a condition established by Him who sent us, by Him who created our bodies, beginning with the time when the earth was new.” They dwelt together contented and happy.

This is the reason that the bean vine is at all times found entwined around the cornstalk.

124. THE LEGEND OF ONENHA (THE CORN)

The event related in the following legend came to pass in ancient times in the land inhabited by the Tuscarora; and Corn-Woman herself declared this event to men.

In that ancient time there lived in that land a man who was alone, and who had no kindred or friends in that place. He became very ill; so ill that he was no longer able to leave his mat on the couch. Of course there was no fire in his abode for he was unable to obtain fuel to keep a fire burning; besides there was nothing for him to eat. He began to be very sorrowful, expressing his grief thus: “Verily, I have become poor and miserable indeed. I am hungry, too, and, perhaps, I shall die by starvation.”

While he was ill it was usual for him to lie with his head covered. There came a day when he heard the sound of voices, which he inferred were those of women. Uncovering his head he listened intently to learn something about the voices he heard. Then he heard one woman addressing another: “What do you think of this matter? The man who dwells with us is very ill; truly he is in a wretched condition, and he lacks care and attention.” Then he heard the reply: “It is befitting, it would seem, that we assist him at once to recover his health, for we know that while he enjoyed good health it was customary for him to respect and honor us in his travels. This is, indeed, what he was wont to do: In whatever place he was traveling, on finding along the trail one of our sisters who had strayed or become lost, and so had become the victim of want, he would take her up and speak to her words of pity, saying: ‘Thou art in need and in distress; thou art lost on thy way, and there is no possibility for anyone except me to have mercy on thee.’ Then he would care for her. For this reason we should now repay him for all these acts of kindness by aiding him, since now it is he who is forsaken and in need of care.” The man who was ill now sat up with uncovered head, thinking, “I shall see them; I shall have a look at the two women who are conversing.” But he saw no one, and so was disappointed. For several days he overheard these two women talking, but he was not able to see any person around him.

There came a night, however, when the ill man had a dream, in which he saw a woman of low stature but of fine appearance, with beautiful long hair. In the dream she said to him: “I have been requested to come to you (do you know it?) to tell you that we will now aid you in your illness. We desire to have you stop thinking that you are about to die and that you are poor and wretched because you have no kindred or friends. Moreover, be of good courage, for you shall be well again before long, and shall again travel much. This, too, shall come to pass: A shower of rain shall come, whereupon you must arise and place some receptacle where the raindrops may fall into it, and all the water that falls into this receptacle you must drink. This shall suffice to cure you of your illness. It is we who are making a repayment of an obligation which is due you from us. We are merely doing our part in aiding you at this time, because you have so many times had compassion on us during the long time you have been traveling over the earth. For it was your wont when you were traveling on whatsoever paths they were, when you saw lying on the trail ‘Corn,’ ‘a Bean,’ or the ‘Seed of the Ancient Squash’—we are of course sisters—to take her up and have pity on her, saying: ‘Thou art lost and forsaken even on the trail.’ It is for these acts of kindness that we shall now, I say, repay thee.[449]

“Moreover, it shall come to pass that you will hear us when we sing and dance the Corn dances to give thanks that you are again to travel over the earth, for such is, indeed, our custom when we are happy.

“Know this, too, that when mankind give attention to us, when we are born (sprout) out of the earth, and when they till the ground whereon we stand, we give thanks for this attention. Again, when they form the hills of earth around us, we also rejoice; then, too, when they enlarge the hills to accommodate our growing bodies we regularly give thanks by singing and dancing the Corn dances; and when they pluck the ears of corn, gather them in heaps in the middle of the field, husk them, and braid them into osteⁿʼsaʼs (corn-strings), and hang these on frames or lintels of poles, we also give thanks in like manner; and as soon as these strings have dried and they bring us into the lodges we give thanks and rejoice by singing and dancing Corn dances.

“Now, I bid you do this. Tell all human beings whom you shall meet that they, too, must sing and dance the Corn dances when they wish to express their thanksgiving at the time they are pleased to see us come to maturity again; and this is the reason that they must perform this ceremony. It is we, of course, who continue to assist you by furnishing that on which you human beings subsist. So be of good courage and cherish my words.”

Then the ill man awoke and verily he saw a rainstorm on the horizon which was approaching. He arose, and taking a bark bowl he set it outside of the lodge where the raindrops would fall into it. In a short time it began to rain and the raindrops soon filled the bowl. He proceeded at once to drink the rain water and began to recover his health.

The following night as he lay on his couch he heard the voices of women singing. He noticed that there had come on the drying poles in the lodge several strings of ears of corn and further that these strings swayed slightly to and fro, and that the singing proceeded from the grains of corn, in the guise of women, on the ears. Some of the words employed in these songs were: “Among the Flowers I am moving reverently,” “Among the Flowers I am singing and dancing;” and the women’s voices he heard saying: “The Fruit or Berries are ripe, the Fruit or Berries are ripe,” and many other songs of the Corn dances. Thereafter the sick man rapidly regained his wonted health and again traveled over the earth.

In time the man returned to his own people and related to them all his experiences, and he sang for them the songs that he had heard sung by the Corn women. It was at this time that the Council of Ancients—the Elders—of the people said publicly: “We are indeed fortunate to learn of this matter; and we must regularly perform this ceremony in the time to come.”

Not long after this event the man who had been ill again heard the singing of the Corn women; he heard them singing in the place where the corn had been planted. Moreover, he saw them—a great company of Corn people, Bean people, and Squash people, and so far as he could see they were in all respects perfect human beings. They danced in a slow, gentle manner in imitation of the waving of the corn stalks as they stand in the ground. Women and girls took part in the dance.

The man again heard all the songs and so learned them. At once he told his people what he had seen and heard. Again the Council of Ancients said: “We must perform this ceremony, too, for this is part and parcel of the other.”

From this time the Corn dances and Corn songs were known and used, and these are the songs that are in use at this day on the anniversaries of the various seasons, beginning with the time the people plant the corn grains and ending when the strings of ears of corn are stored in the lodges—the corn harvest. This ceremony is called Goñdăʻgoñwiʹsas.

125. THE ORIGIN OF WHITE CORN, OR KANĔÑHAGĔÑÄT

In ancient times there lived a community of people at the foot of a very high, steep, and rugged cliff. There came a day when they heard the plaintive singing of a woman, who seemed to be on the top of this almost inaccessible mountain. The mysterious woman directed the words of her songs to a very old but highly respected man of this small community. The burden of the songs was expressed by the words: “Oh! kinsman of my father’s brother, come up here; I indeed desire greatly to become your wife.” These words gave much anxiety to the people who heard them, but the old man paid no attention to them.

The woman, seemingly on the mountain top, continued to sing daily, however, and finally some of the people urged the old man to go up to the summit to learn the designs of the persistent singer. But he excused himself, saying: “The mountain is so steep and rugged, and I am now become so aged that I do not feel able to make the attempt to climb its side.”

But the woman on the height, continuing her singing from day to day, and the anxiety of the people becoming very marked, the chiefs of the community in council finally requested the old man, whom they highly respected, to go to the mountain top to unravel, if possible, the meaning of the mysterious singing. They represented to him the importance of this mission, since the persistent singing might have some relation to the welfare of the community at large.

After long meditation he replied to the request of the council, “Oh, my chiefs! at your request I will go to the mountain top to learn, if it be possible, the meaning of this woman’s singing.”

Having made the necessary preparations the old man started, and after overcoming many difficulties he finally reached the summit of the mountain. There he saw a young, fine-looking woman, who stood not far from the brink of the cliff. She had been standing in that position while he was painfully wending his way up the mountain side and urged him to have patience and courage to persist in his attempt to climb the mountain. Seeing that he had reached the top of the mountain, the young woman beckoned him to her side, at the same time saying: “Do thou come to me, Oh, my friend! I desire to share my mat with thee.” Drawing near to the young woman, the aged man said kindly to her: “I am unfortunately past the age when it might have been in my power to comply with your request.” But the young woman replied: “Fear not, but draw near me. I will endow thee with the power which will enable thee to comply with my desire. So come close to me. Now, mark my words and carefully cherish them. Out of the ground at the spot whereon I have lain a plant shall sprout and grow. Care tenderly for this, for it shall be a boon to your people, a chief source of food to them; and it shall be called Kanĕñhagĕñät; that is to say, White Corn. In five days from now you must return to care for what you will find growing out of the ground, as I have already told you. As for me, I shall die.” The aged man drew near the woman and embraced her. Time passed and he swooned. When he finally recovered his senses he discovered that the young woman had disappeared—vanished into thin air—and he believed that he had embraced a vision. Arising from the ground, he returned to his people at the foot of the mountain.

Remembering the words of the young woman to the effect that he must return to the mountain top to obtain a mysterious plant, at the end of five days the old man returned to the summit. There he found on the spot whereon the young woman had lain a growing corn plant. He carefully pruned away from it all weeds and placed rich, fine earth around its rootlets, and also watered it from a neighboring spring.

Taking great delight in caring for this corn plant, the aged man came frequently to the mountain top to attend to it. In course of time it had grown to maturity, bearing three ripened ears of white corn. These he carefully husked and carried back to his lodge. In the spring he assembled all the people of the community and divided the corn among them equally, a few grains to each family; and he instructed them in the method of planting and caring for the corn, telling them that in time it would become one of their staple food plants. Such is, it is said, the manner in which the white corn originated among the Tuscarora, who have generously shared the seed with neighboring tribes and kindred.

126. THE ORIGIN OF THE PORCUPINE PEOPLE OR CLAN [450]

In ancient times, it is said, a people dwelling in a certain country, having become very numerous, decided to divide into equal parts their hunting grounds and the game animals living on them. This division of lands took place at a public assembly.

It was solemnly agreed that all persons should respect the boundary marks separating their own lands from those of their neighbors; that no person should cross such boundary lines for the purpose of hunting game animals; and that any person violating this agreement would be guilty of trespass. The part assigned to every family (ohwachira) was, indeed, very large, being considered sufficiently extensive to provide sustenance for that family. It was still further agreed that when the trespass should be discovered the aggrieved people might, after learning all the facts in the case, exterminate the family of the transgressor, unless a suitable expiatory recompense were offered and accepted from such clan and family. This compact was solemnly kept for many years and the several contracting clans or peoples lived in great harmony.

There came a day, however, when a hunter from one of these neighboring clans deliberately violated the compact of his clan with their neighbors by crossing the boundary line into the territory of an adjoining people and there killing some game animal. His act, which was soon discovered, led to a long and bloody war between the two families, resulting in the virtual extermination of the clan of the offender.

Only one man escaped the vengeance of the offended family. He saved himself by flight from his home and succeeded in avoiding his pursuers by dropping into a deep cavern in a rocky cliff far from his land. Having passed through the entrance of the cavern, the man saw that the passage led to a very large open space, which he found to be well lighted. In the center of a spacious field he saw a lodge, which attracted his attention. While watching for some sign of life in the lodge, he was gratified to see a woman emerge therefrom and then reenter.

Going back into the passageway to the cavern, the man kept a close watch on the lodge. In a short time another woman came out, followed by the woman he had first seen. The two walked splay-footed toward the place where the fugitive had concealed himself. On reaching the opening of the cavern they stopped, and one said to the other: “Let us go back home, for I smell the smoke of a fire.” Thereupon the two started back down from the entrance. So they quickly returned to the lodge and at once reentered it. Shortly afterward a man came out of the lodge. He shook himself as a dog shakes himself after coming up out of the water, and it seemed to the fugitive that the place became lighter.[450a] The man came directly to the mouth of the cavern and then returned to the lodge. He told the women that the scent in the entrance was not that of smoke but of a human being.

Again the two women came forth, this time to find the source of the human odor that scented the cavern’s mouth. They were not long in discovering the man, who had seated himself near the entrance. Approaching him, the elder woman said: “Whence have you come, Human Being?” In reply the man said: “I came in here to conceal myself from my enemies. All my people have been killed in a day.” The elder woman answered: “We invite you to our home. Will you not come home with us?” The man replied: “I willingly accept your invitation. I will go home with you. Let us start now.”

In a short time they reached the lodge, and on entering it the brother of the two women greeted the man, saying: “Be of good cheer. Fear not. No harm will come to you. You shall not suffer any want. You shall marry my elder sister, and there is plenty of food in this lodge and in our store-cache.” The fugitive was greatly delighted with his reception, and he informed the man that he agreed to the proposals made to him by his host, and he took up his abode there with these three people.

The bridegroom was indeed very happy, for he kept saying: “I am very happy, for my wife loves me. I am indeed glad to be here in this place with you.” It was not long before he and his loving wife were blessed with an infant son. They all lived in comfort and amity.

When the man had lived in this place about 15 years and had become the father of a number of interesting children, his brother-in-law one day said to him: “The time has now arrived when you should return to the place whence you fled to this cavern home; and when you depart you should take back with you your wife and your children. They are now your own people, although they are of our blood too.”

After making the necessary preparations by packing up their small belongings, the man with his wife and children bade their kindred farewell and started for their future home. Passing through the mouth of the cavern they emerged into a dense forest of large trees, in which there were here and there bare tracts. In this region the husband and father found much game, consisting of deer, bear, wild turkeys, partridges, quail, rabbits, elk, moose, and many other animals which served as food. When they had erected a camp in a sheltered place in the forest the father spent his time in hunting to support his family. As he went from place to place through the forest he met a number of other hunters, whom he invited to visit his camp. These visitors brought their wives along to see the newcomers. They were greatly surprised to find that the wife and the children spoke a strange language, which was not understood by any of the visitors, although easily comprehended by the husband. At last one of the visitors asked: “Of what clan are you?” directing his question to the wife of the host. The host replied for her: “She is of the Porcupine clan of the Wañʹdat tribe. I am of the Wañʹdat tribe, too.” After a long silence one of the visitors said: “How did you receive such a name?” The host replied, “The Porcupines gave me that name.” Then the visitors exclaimed: “We have found a new people, who are called Wañʹdat, and we must love them as we do our own peoples and tribes. Let us greet them as our friends.”

From this time the family of the Porcupine clan of the Wañʹdat had many friends and before a long time had passed they had become very numerous. The children of the women were called the Porcupine people. Their numbers made them powerful and influential. They were well fed and strong physically. They were fine hunters, knowing well where to find game of all kinds, where to gather nuts of all edible kinds and various kinds of berries and small fruits, and they knew also just where the wild pigeons had their roosts.

They noted the whereabouts of these places, and when the season was fully come their leaders and chiefs would call to their people in a loud voice: “Come! Let us go to feed ourselves abundantly where the wild pigeons have now prepared their roosts for the purpose of breeding.” At this time the wild pigeons were so numerous that many flocks stretched over large tracts of territory, darkening the light of the sun and making with their wings a loud rushing sound resembling that of an approaching tornado. Giving heed to the call of their leaders, the people would make the necessary preparations to go to the roosts of the wild pigeons. Having reached the designated place, the people quickly put up temporary camps and then went out at once to kill the squabs, which they brought to their lodges to broil and eat with boiled corn bread and corn soup. All were delighted with the bounty of nature—the gift of the Master of Life.

Having thus spent part of the summer killing wild pigeons, after the birds had departed, a leader among the people would say: “Oh! friends, cousins, and kindred, the deer have gone in this direction and are now fat and in good condition to be killed for food and for their skins. Let us then decamp now and go to the place where they may be found. Up and let us be going. Let us lose no time in delay.” So leaving the grounds of the pigeon roost early in the autumn, they would journey to the lands where the deer were accustomed to feed and to raise their young. There they would erect temporary camps and make ready for the deer hunt. Then the good hunters led out small parties in quest of the deer and in this manner usually succeeded in killing large numbers of them. The venison they dried for their winter supply of food, and the skins they tanned into fine buckskin for leggings and moccasins and other garments; and so these people were warm and contented during the winter months. They shot the deer with bows and arrows and caught some with traps, in the setting of which they were adepts. Thus they made the natural food supply of their home country contribute to their welfare and comfort, and being well fed they were strong, alert, and resourceful.

These people were very observant of the phases and phenomena of nature, and had signs by which to foreknow coming events. Should they wish to know the degree of the cold of an approaching winter they would watch carefully the muskrats as they prepared their winter quarters. If the lining of the winter home of the animal was made thin the people would conclude that the coming winter would be mild; but if thick, that it would be severe.

Another sign from which they judged the severity of an approaching winter was the condition of the deerskins which they secured. If these were thin and if the hair on them was short and not close, the people would conclude that the coming winter would be mild. If the people saw the bears making their winter quarters of leaves early in the autumn they would infer that the approaching winter would be very severe.

If much hail fell during the autumn and winter the people concluded that there would be much fruit and many nuts the coming season.

Again, should a person traveling through the forest lose his way he would notice on which side of a tall straight tree trunk moss was growing. Assuming this to be the north side he would thus get his bearings.

Should a person see a rock damp from the humidity in the air he would forecast rain for the following day.

If a person observed wild ducks and wild geese disporting themselves actively in the water he would anticipate showers for three days.

The foregoing are some of the signs and omens which the Porcupine clan taught to their neighbors, and through these they were able to forecast coming events with great success. These things made the Porcupine clan of the Wañʹdat tribe noted for wisdom and foresight.

127. THE ORIGIN OF THE BEAR SONGS AND DANCES

Concerning the origin of the Bear songs and dances the following legend is told by our ancestors, said a Seneca shaman. This is what took place when these songs and dances became manifest on their human side, or rather, became manifest in their relation to human beings in their quest of happiness.

In the past, it is said, a boy was kidnaped from a temporary camp of some hunters. It happened in this manner. A woman of the hunting party was left alone at the camp while the hunters were out in the forest for the day; it was her duty to keep the fire and to have food cooked when the hunters returned in the evening. The woman had a child, a boy, who was then nearly 2 years of age. The little fellow played outside of the lodge while his mother was busy around the fire or with her other duties inside of the lodge, feeling that her child could take care of himself in the meantime.

One day, when the men had gone on their usual hunting trips in the forest, the woman fell asleep while the child was outside of the lodge playing by himself. Suddenly he was surprised to see a strange man coming toward him. This man, whom the child did not know, came directly to the place where he was at play. When he reached the child he said: “My child, I have come for you. You shall go with me to our lodge. My children desire that you should visit us, and you and they shall play together regularly. The reason for this is that you are entirely alone, and they will amuse you so that your mind will be contented.” Then they two started away. They arrived at the lodge of the strange man, where they found two small boys of the same size who lived there. On entering the lodge the father said: “I have now brought here the person whom you two for a long time have desired me to bring to you, so now your wish has been fulfilled. You two must love and be kind to him; you must never hurt him; you two must not annoy or vex him; let there be peace and pleasantness during the time that he shall be on a visit to us. So, whatever happens, be kind to him.”

The three children went around from place to place and played together. The visiting boy observed carefully all that he saw in and about the lodge. He saw what these people were accustomed to eat; that they lived on various kinds of nuts, on honey, and on huckleberries, mulberries, and various other kinds of berries. All these things he understood. He saw, too, that they had plenty of corn, on which they lived, as well as on the berries and honey and nuts.

The visiting boy had been there for some time when it became the custom for him to accompany the other two children around from place to place; he would accompany them when they went out to seek for nuts. He learned that they prized the chestnut above all other kinds of nuts; that next to these they highly prized honey; and next to this they prized huckleberries and mulberries. It was the custom of these people in gathering these things to work independently to get for themselves as much of these articles of food as was possible when they were in season.

After the lapse of many days spent thus the headman of this lodge, who had brought the child there, said to his little guest: “Now I am about to tell you something. You must tell the human beings when you have returned to your home what I will now reveal to you as our wishes. You shall tell them that we have strong desires that there might be found a way by which we could be enabled to give aid to mankind whenever they may be forced into a critical situation by means of sickness, which is wont to befall mankind. You shall know that we have observed in the past that disease travels about from place to place; and it comes to pass, as we have observed, that when it has selected its victim this person at once realizes that he has pains in a certain part of the body. It is well known that if they would remember to call on us we certainly have the power to cause this evil thing to turn aside so that it shall pass on one side or the other of the person, in such manner that the person will not become very ill and he will soon recover his usual health.

“Now look at what belongs to us and which it is our custom to use. Examine this carefully. It is this that we use when it so happens that a man while out hunting takes a course directly toward the place in which we abide. This object is held up before us, and the hunter is turned away from us.”

The young child, on looking at the object, saw a forked wooden rod in the hands of the strange man. Thereupon the man said to the child: “This is the way in which I regularly use this thing.” So saying, he held the forked rod up before himself, and continued: “The support of the forks must point toward the hunter, and as he follows the direction of the rod he is bound to pass on one or the other side of the place in which we abide. As he passes I guide the rod around past my side toward the rear of our position. Thus we ward off the hunter from finding and injuring us.

“It is this thing we shall use in giving aid to mankind in their necessities if they will only appeal to us to aid them, and this is the way in which we shall proceed to do so. In the first place, when the people desire to make their appeal to us they shall prepare a drink composed of huckleberries and of mulberries, into which they shall put maple sugar. When they have prepared this drink they shall collect native tobacco, which they shall cast upon the fire, at the same time saying: ‘Oh, you Bears! do you now partake of this native tobacco—tobacco which our Creator has provided for us, and with which He intended that mankind should support their prayers to Him, no matter to what object of His creation they wished to direct their appeals.’ So, now, you Bears, who move from place to place in the forest, and all with whom you are united in bonds of mutual aid, we ask you to assist in bringing about such conditions that we shall think in peace, and that those who are being called away by death may recover health and contentment of mind.

“Now the drink of berry juices has been prepared and sweetened with maple sugar—the drink which you Bears so highly prize; and now mankind are about to assume your bodily forms, and they will then touch you in making their appeals to you. Then one shall cast native tobacco on the fire, at the same time saying, ‘Now, be it known that there shall begin the ceremony which is of you, Bears.’ Then the people shall be exsufflated [451] by the masters of ceremony; and the people shall take a drink of the berry beverage, and in taking it each person shall say, ‘I give thanks unto you severally, you Bears.’ This is all that is necessary to be done. Then, verily, the duty devolves upon us to give aid to mankind. But when we are engaged in giving the aid we shall not be seen by mankind. Moreover, this shall be done. You must take back with you the songs which we are accustomed to use when we wish to enjoy ourselves in our dances.”

Thereupon, the strange man began to sing the songs, and these songs the child learned and brought back with him to his own lodge. In the songs the singer employs these words: “No matter what a human being may desire to do this shall accomplish his desire.” “I know all the virtues of the things that grow on plants on the earth.” These are the words of the songs which the child heard the strange man sing to him.

This is what took place in the lodge from which the child was stolen when the mother of the child awoke from her sleep. Finding that the boy was missing, she hunted for him everywhere. When the men returned from hunting they at once joined the mother in searching for the lost boy, but they failed to find him. They sought for him even to the banks of a river which flowed at some distance from the lodge; they even sought for the tracks of the boy on both sides of the river. Then, boarding canoes, they went up and down the river to learn if possible whether the child had been drowned or not, but they were unable to find any trace of him in the water. Next they turned their attention to the neighboring forest, which they thoroughly searched, but they did not find him.

By this time they were much troubled in mind because of the child who was lost, indeed. Then the father of the child went out to hunt, and when he returned he said to his wife: “It is, perhaps, the proper thing for us to prepare a ‘reunion’ feast; for it seems true that our child has perished.” Thereupon the mother set to work preparing the food. When it was ready she placed it on the ground in the customary place for eating, and they two sat down to eat. Taking a portion of the food they were eating and setting it aside, the mother said: “As respects this food thy and my child does now become its owner and disposer.” Thus they finished their feast of “reunion of the living.”

After the lapse of some time the mother said to her husband: “Perhaps we two should now leave for our home, going back to our own people, because it is true that I am not at peace in my mind on account of what has happened to us.” The husband consented to her proposition, and they packed their meat and their small belongings and, boarding a canoe, started for their home. After their arrival at home the news of what happened to them spread among their people. After some days the mother of the lost child said to her husband: “Is it not perhaps a good thing for us to go back to the place in which our child was lost? It is now nearing the anniversary of the disappearance of our dear child, and it seems good that we two should be there when that time shall come again, so that we may prepare food there again just as we did when he was still with us.” Her husband replied: “Let it be done as you desire. I am willing to go.”

After making their usual preparations they again started for their hunting grounds. They went most of the way by canoe. At last they reached the place where they had encamped when their child was lost, and they kindled their fire in the same place again. Then the father went out to hunt as usual.

One day the mother said: “The day has now come which is the anniversary of the loss of our child. We two shall now have a feast of the ‘reunion of the living,’ and we shall set aside a portion for our lost child; and it shall come to pass just as if he were present with us.” So, as soon as the food was ready, she set it on the ground in the usual place and they two began to eat. She also took a portion of the food and, setting it aside, said: “This food which I have set aside I give to my child.” When they had finished this meal they gave thanks for life and for the food which nature supplied to them.

Then the mother of the lost child said: “Now, there is nothing for us to do but to start for our home. We will go back to the place where dwell our own people. We will do this because this place is so unpleasant, for indeed I can do nothing but think about the misfortune which befell us two in the days which have past.” Her husband, agreeing with her, said: “I see no reason why that, too, may not be done, for I, too, am in the same frame of mind as you are. My thoughts are not at all pleasant, so we will not remain here any longer.”

At that time they left the hunting camp and started for home, where they soon arrived by canoe and a short land journey. On their way the woman took her seat in the bow of the canoe, while the husband sat in the stern and paddled. The woman wistfully viewed the banks of the river as they moved along rapidly. When they had gone quite a distance the woman noticed a mountain which stood on one side of the river, and which was covered with a dense growth of small shrubs and undergrowth. As she watched this mountain top she was surprised and agitated to see her lost child walking there at the edge of the dense undergrowth. At once recognizing him, she sprang up in the canoe, frantically exclaiming, “Oh! I see my and thy child again. Look, there he is walking along.” The father, too, recognized their son whom they mourned as dead and hastened to bring the canoe to the river bank at the point nearest to the place where the child had been seen. As soon as the canoe reached the land they both alighted. The father then went directly toward the child, who apparently awaited them; the mother was following at her husband’s heels. But as they approached him the child fled away into the shrubbery, and they pursued him. The father had some difficulty in overtaking him. When the father had caught him the mother came up to them. Then the delighted parents began to ask the child questions, but he did not give any answer. He did not seem to be able to make a reply, and they saw that the child was too much frightened to be able to understand them. So the father lifted him in his arms and carried him back to the canoe. They saw that his face and hands and feet were all still natural in appearance, but that the other parts of his body were covered with fine fur; in this respect he was just like a bear. Again boarding the canoe and hastening home, they soon arrived among their people.

After they had reached their home lodge the children of their neighbors came to visit the newcomer, and they began to play together. At first it was quite impossible for the recovered child to converse with the other children; it was a long time before he was again able to talk even a little. Gradually, however, he became able to carry on an extended conversation with them.

There soon came a time when he voluntarily began to relate to his father and mother the circumstances under which he had been lost to them. He told them that a strange man had carried him away to his home. The child carefully told what things he had seen that were strange to him, what he had seen when he had traveled around with the strange people, and what these people used for food. He said that the strange man who had taken him away had instructed him to carry back a message which he should relate in detail to his people. This gave all that was necessary to enable them to perform the ceremony of the Bears, and he also taught the people all the songs of the Bears, which he had been taught by the Bear people expressly to be taught in turn to the people of the stolen child.

The child told the people that he had lived with the Bear people during the time he had been in captivity. He told the people the correct use of the forked rod of wood in turning away from the people the course of disease, by means of which the Bear people were able usually to cause the hunter to pass by the hiding place of bears, for which he might be on the hunt.

It was in this manner that the Bear ceremony was revealed to mankind, so that it is possible for them to perform it. Such is the legend of the origin of the Bear ceremony, as it is called.

128. THE ORIGIN OF THE PIGEON SONGS AND DANCES

This is the manner in which the origin of the Pigeon songs and dances was disclosed to human beings in ancient times. These birds had formed a nesting place, or one might say more properly that they had assembled at a so-called pigeon roost.

Having received knowledge of this fortunate circumstance a great number of men and women with their children, starting from their villages, went to the place where the pigeons had formed their roost. In time these people arrived at their rendezvous and they at once began to build their temporary camps according to their ohwachiras and clans and kindreds.

There went with this concourse of people a man who had just reached the age of puberty and who had no evil habits. He was a very good person. Then it came to pass that they began to travel from place to place through the roost to kill such pigeons as they needed. At this time the upright young man heard the tumult arising from the cries of the pigeons holding converse together and he also saw the pigeons in vast numbers wheeling in circles.

Suddenly he was greatly surprised to see flying among the pigeons one white in color as to its body. He watched it for a moment flying in circles, when, leaving the others, the white pigeon came flying toward the place where the upright young man was standing and alighted very near to him. At once the pigeon began to speak, saying: “Be it known to you that we have selected you to tell your people what it is we desire the most, what it is we most need. You must tell your chief that we do not like to have so many among you who are in this place who do not remember Him who has created us. There are indeed many whose thoughts are only of evil things which they desire to do to please themselves. We wish that those among you who have these thoughts should put away evil longings and purposes, and we believe that whoever does not do so will suffer some grave misfortune.

“We further wish you and your people to join with us as a custom in offering thanksgivings to Him who created us when each day shall return to us, and also when each evening comes upon us. We think it is profitable that this should come to pass as I have suggested. You see us when the morning comes making a great tumult, and you hear us all talking while we circle around the place in which we have our roost. The reason for this action is the giving of thanks. We are offering thanksgivings to Him who has created our bodies. In the evening this again takes place; we again offer up thanksgivings to Him; and you see us then making circles around our roosting place, and there is the accompaniment of sound and the confusion of voices which you hear. Now, know this: We are performing the ceremony of the dance, and we are all singing. This signifies that we are happy; we are full of joy.

“We have no remonstrance to make against your coming to this place seeking to obtain the young growing persons of those whose bodies are such as ours. Indeed, you wish that these shall become a source of contentment and satisfaction—these, the offspring of the pigeons. So it is that we have none but the kindest of feelings toward you in this pursuit of your desires. You must know, too, that He who created our bodies has ordained that this (flesh) shall be for the welfare and contentment of human beings dwelling on the earth.

“You must know further that I, on whom you are looking, I, who am speaking to you, am indeed the oldest person among my people, and it is on account of my great age that they have chosen me to come to you to tell you our wishes and to teach you our songs. You, too, are able to sing them. It is needful that you shall enjoy yourselves; that you shall dance in order to do this; and that all your people who are here shall take part. In dancing you shall make circuits around the places where you have kindled your fires. When you have finished the singing and the dancing you shall go with your chief to make an offering of tobacco at the very border of our encampment, where you two shall stand to perform this ceremony. When you have kindled a fire you shall cast native tobacco thereon, and while thus occupied you must pray our Creator to permit you and your people to pass your period of sojourn here in health and in prosperity. At that time your chief, too, shall cast something on the fire—things of which you make daily use, and these objects shall become the prayer (the word) [452] or message of the people. Furthermore, we together, your and my people, must unite in the performance of this ceremony, and we must also be of one accord when we make this prayer and request of the Creator of our bodies. Now it is for you to return to your people and tell them fully what I have said to you. This is what I have to say.”