Iroquois Cosmology

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The Iroquois Confederation was the dominant culture group in the northeastern region at the time of European contact, and as such has maintained its traditions in a fairly intact state. There are minor infiltrations of Biblical elements in the narrative, which are, however, easy to recognize.

The Iroquois had a matrilinear culture in which men and women shared power, which is reflected in this myth by the strong participation of female demi-gods in the creation. The translation is by an experienced anthropologist writing for an academic audience and so it is almost completely free of the sentimentality and prudishness that infected other contemporary books about Native American mythology and folklore.

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AN ONONDAGA VERSION

THE MANNER IN WHICH IT ESTABLISHED ITSELF, IN WHICH IT FORMED ITSELF, IN WHICH, IN ANCIENT TIME, IT CAME ABOUT THAT THE EARTH BECAME EXTANT

He who was my grandfather was wont to relate that, verily, he had heard the legend as it was customarily told by five generations of grandsires, and this is what he himself was in the habit of telling. He customarily said: Man-beings dwell in the sky, on the farther side of the visible sky [the ground separating this from the world above it]. The lodges they severally possess are customarily long. In the end of the lodges there are spread out strips of rough bark whereon lie the several mats (beds). There it is that, verily, all pass the night.

Early in the morning the warriors are in the habit of going to hunt and, as is their custom, they return every evening.

In that place there lived two persons, both down-fended, and both persons of worth. Verily, one of these persons was a woman-being, a person of worth, and down-fended; besides her there was a man-being, a person of worth, and down-fended.

In the end of the lodge there was a doorway. On the one side of it the woman-being abode, and on the other side of it the man-being abode. Sometime afterward, then, this came to pass. As soon as all the man-beings had severally departed this woman-being came forth and went thither and, moreover, arrived at the place where the man-being abode, and she carried a comb with her. She said: "Do thou arise; let me disentangle thy hair." Now, verily, he arose, and then, moreover, she disentangled his hair, and straightened it out. It continued in this manner day after day.

Sometime afterward her kindred were surprised. It seems that the life of the maiden was now changed. Day after day it became more and more manifest that now s, he would give birth to a child. Now, moreover, her mother, the ancient one, became aware of it. Then, verily, she questioned her, saying to the maiden: "Moreover, what manner of person is to be joint parent with thee?" The maiden said nothing in reply. So, now, at that time, the man-being noticed that he began to be ill. For some time it continued thus, when, verily, his mother came to the place where he lay. She said: "Where is the place wherein thou art ill?" Then the man-being said in reply: "Oh, my mother! I will now tell thee that I, alas, am about to die." And his mother replied, saying: "What manner of thing is meant by thy saying 'I shall die?'"

It is said that they who dwelt there did not know what it is for one to say "I shall die." And the reason of it was that no one living there on the sky had ever theretofore died. At that time he said: "And, verily, this will come to pass when I die: My life will go forth. Moreover, my body will become cold. Oh, my mother! thus shalt thou do on my eyes: Thou must lay both thy hands on both sides. And, moreover, thou must keep thy eyes fixed thereon when thou thinkest that now he is nearly dead. So soon as thou seest that my breathing is being made to become less, then, and not till then, must thou think that now it is that he is about to die. And then, moreover, thou wilt place thy two hands on both my eyes. Now, I shall tell thee another thing. Ye must make a burial-case. When ye finish the task of making it, then, moreover, ye must place my body therein, and, moreover, ye must lay it up in a high place."

Now, verily, she, the ancient one, had her eyes fixed on him. So soon as she believed that now he was about to die, she placed both her hands on his eyes. Just so soon as she did this she began to weep. Moreover, all those who abode in the lodge were also affected in the same way; they all wept. Sometime after he had died they set themselves to work, making a burial-case. Moreover, so soon as they had finished their task they placed his body therein, and also laid it up in a high place.

Sometime after they had laid the burial-case in the high place, the maiden, now a woman-being, gave birth to a child, which was a female, a woman-being. Then the ancient one [elder one, the mother of the maiden] said: "Moreover, what manner of person is the father of the child?" The maiden said nothing in reply.

The girl child grew rapidly in size. It was not long after this that the girl child was running about. Suddenly, it seems, the girl child began to weep. It was impossible to stop her. Five are the number of days, it is said, that the girl child continued to weep. Then the elder one [her grandmother] said: "Do ye show her the burial-case lying there in the high place." Now, verily, they carried her person, and caused her to stand up high there. Then the girl child looked at it [the corpse], and then she ceased her weeping, and also she was pleased. It was a long time before they withdrew her; and it was not a long time before she again began to weep. Now, verily, they again carried her person, and, moreover, they caused her to stand there again. So, it continued thus, that, day after day, they were in the habit of carrying her, and causing her to stand there on the high place. It was not long before she by her own efforts was able to climb up to the place where lay the dead man-being. Thus it continued to be that she at all times went to view it.

Some time afterward it thus came to pass that she came down again bringing with her what was called an armlet, that being the kind of thing that the dead man-being had clasped about his arms, and, being of the wampum variety, it was, it is said, fine-looking. The elder one said: "What manner of thing caused thee to remove it?" The girl child replied, saying: "My father said: 'Do thou remove it. It will belong to thee. I, verily, am thy parent.'" The elder one said nothing more. It continued thus that customarily, as soon as another day came, she would again climb to the place where the burial-case lay. So, now, verily, all those who were in the lodge paid no more attention to her, merely watching her grow in size. Thus it continued that day after day, at all times, she continued to go to see it [the corpse]. They heard them conversing, it is said, and they also heard, it is told, what the two said. After a while she again came down bringing with her a necklace which the dead man-being had had around his neck, and which she had removed. She, it is reported, said: "Oh, my grandmother! My father gave this to me; that is the reason I removed it." So, it is reported, until the time she was full-grown, she was in the habit of going to view the place where lay the burial-case.

At that time, it is reported, her father said: "Now, my child,. verily, thou hast grown to maturity. Moreover, I will decide upon the time when thou shalt marry." Some time afterward he said: "Thou must tell thy mother, saying: 'My father said to me, "Now thou must marry."' Now, moreover, verily, thy mother must make loaves of bread, and it must fill a large forehead-strap-borne basket. Now, moreover, thou must make the bread, and thou must have it ready by the time it becomes night."

Truly, it thus came to pass. It became night, and, verily, the elder one had it all ready. She said: "I have now made it ready. The basket is even now full of bread." Now, the maiden again climbed up to the place where lay the burial-case. At that time they heard her say: "My mother has now made everything ready." He then replied: "To-morrow thou must depart; early in the morning thou must depart. The distance from here to the place where lives the one whom thou wilt marry is such that thou wilt spend one night on thy way thither. And he is a chief whom thou art to marry, and his name, by repute, is He-holds-the-earth."

Now the next day she dressed herself. As soon as she was ready she then again ran, going again to the place where lay the dead man-being. Then she told him, saying: "The time for me to depart has arrived." Now, at that time he told her, saying: "Do thou have courage. Thy pathway throughout its course is terrifying, and the reason that it is so is that many man-beings are traveling to and fro along this pathway. Do not, moreover, speak in reply if some person, whoever he may be, addresses words to thee. And when thou hast gone one half of thy journey, thou wilt come to a river there, and, moreover, the floating log whereon persons cross is maple. When thou dost arrive there, then thou wilt know that thou art halfway on thy journey. Then thou wilt cross the river, and also pass on. Thou must continue to travel without interruption. And thou wilt have traveled some time before thou arrivest at the place where thou wilt see a large field. Thou wilt see there, moreover, a lodge standing not far away. And there beside the lodge stands the tree that is called Tooth. a Moreover, the blossoms this standing tree bears cause that world to be light, making it light for the man-beings dwelling there.

"Such, in kind, is the tree that stands beside the lodge. Just there is the lodge of the chief whom thou art to marry, and whom his people call He-holds-the-earth. When thou enterest the lodge, thou wilt look and see there in the middle of the lodge a mat spread, and there, on the mat, the chief lying down. Now, at that time, thou shalt lay thy basket down at his feet, and, moreover, thou shalt say: 'Thou and I marry.' He will say nothing. When it becomes night, he who is lying down will spread for thee a skin robe at the foot of his mat. There thou wilt stay over night. As soon as it is day again, he will say: 'Do thou arise; do thou work. Customarily one who lives in the lodge of her spouse works.' Then, verily, thou must work. He will lay down a string of corn ears and, moreover, he will say: 'Thou must soak the corn and thou must make mush.' At that time there will be a kettle of water set on the fire. As soon as it boils so that it is terrifying, thou must dissolve the meal therein. It must be boiling when thou makest the mush. He himself will speak, saying: 'Do thou undress thyself.' Moreover, thou must there undress thyself. Thou must be in thy bare skin. Nowhere wilt thou have any garment on thy body. Now, the mush will be boiling, and the mush will be hot. Verily, on thy body will fall in places the spattering mush. He will say: 'Thou must not shrink back from it;' moreover, he will have his eyes fixed on thee there. Do not shrink back from it. So soon as it is cooked, thou shalt speak, saying: 'Now, verily, it is cooked; the mush is done.' He will arise, and, moreover, he will remove the kettle, and set it aside. Then, he will say: 'Do thou seat thyself on this side.' Now then, he will say: 'My slaves, ye dogs, do ye two come hither.' They two are very large. As soon as they two arrive he will say: 'Do ye two lick her body where the mush has fallen on it.' And their tongues are like rough bark. They will lick thee, going over thy whole body, all along thy body. Blood will drop from the places where they will lick. Do not allow thy body to flinch therefrom. As soon as they two finish this task he will say: 'Now, do thou again put on thy raiment.' Now, moreover, thou must again dress thyself completely. At that time he will take the basket and set it down, saying, moreover: 'Now, thou and I marry.' So now, so far as they are concerned, the dogs, his slaves, they two will eat." That is what the dead man-being told her.

It became night. Now, at that time, they verily laid their bodies down, and they slept. It became day, and the sun was present yonder when the maiden departed. She bore on her back by the forehead strap her basket of bread. Now, verily, she traveled with a rapid gait. It was not long before she was surprised to find a river. There beside the river she stood, thinking, verily, "I have lost my way." At that time she started back. Not long afterward those who abode in the home lodge were surprised that the maiden returned. She said: "I believe I have lost my way." Now she laid her basket on the mat, and, moreover, she again ran thither and again climbed up to the place where lay the burial-case. So soon as she reached it she said: "Oh, father! I believe that I lost my way." He said: "What is the character of the land where thou believest that thou lost thy way?" "Where people habitually cross the river, thence I returned," said the maiden. She told him everything. She said: "A maple log floats at the place where they habitually cross the river." He said: "Thou hast not lost thy way." She replied: "I think the distance to the place where the river is seems too short, and that is the reason that I think that I lost my way." At that time he said: "The place that I had indicated is far. But thy person is so endowed with magic potence, thou hast immanent in thee so much orenda that it causes thy pace to be swift. Verily, so soon as thou arrivest at the river, thou shalt cross it and also shalt pass on." At that time the maiden said: "Oh, my father, now I depart." "So be it. Moreover, do thou take courage," said the dead man-being in reply. Now she again descended and again went into the lodge.

There then she placed her basket of bread on her back by means of the forehead strap. It was early in the morning when she departed. She had been traveling some time when she was surprised to hear a man-being speak to her, saying: "Do thou stand, verily." She did not stop. Aurora Borealis it was who was talking. She had passed on some distance when she heard another man-being talking to her, saying: "I am thankful that thou hast now again returned home, my child. I am hungry, desiring to eat food." She did not stop. It was Fire Dragon of the Storm who was speaking to her. Sometime after she was again at the place where people customarily crossed the river. Now, at that place, he, the chief himself, stood, desiring to try her mind, saying: "Verily, thou shouldst stop here; verily, thou shouldst rest thyself." She did not stop. She only kept right on, and, moreover, she at once crossed the river there.

She traveled on for some time, and when the sun was at yonder height she was surprised that there was spread out there a large field. At that time, verily, she stopped beside the field. Now she looked, and there in the distance she saw a lodge--the lodge of the chief. Verily, she went thither. When she arrived there, she looked, and saw that it was true that beside the lodge stood the tree Tooth, whose flowers were the source of the light of the earth there present, and also of the man-beings dwelling there. Verily, she then entered the lodge. Then she looked, and saw that in the middle of the lodge a mat was spread, and that thereon, moreover, lay the chief. Now, at that time, she removed her pack-strap burden, and then she also set the basket before him, and then, moreover, she said: "Thou and I marry," and then, moreover, she handed the basket to him. He said nothing. When it became night, he spread a mat for her at the foot of his mat, and then, moreover, he said: "Verily, here thou wilt stay overnight." Moreover, it thus came to pass. Now, verily, they laid their bodies down and they slept.

When day came to them, the chief then said: "Do thou arise. Do thou work, moreover. It is customary for one to work who is living in the family of her spouse. Thou must soak corn. Thou must set a pot on the fire. And when it boils, then thou must put the corn therein. Moreover, when it boils, then thou must again remove the pot, and thou must wash the corn. As soon as thou finishest the task thou must then, moreover, pound it so that it will become meal. Now, moreover, thou must make mush. And during the time that it is boiling thou must continue to stir it; thou must do so without interruption after thou hast begun it. Moreover,. do not allow thy body to shrink back when the mush spatters. That, moreover, will come to pass. Thou must undress thyself when thou workest. I, as to the rest, will say: 'Now it is cooked.'"

At that time he laid down there a string of corn ears, and the corn was white. So now, verily, she began her work. She undressed herself, and now, verily, she was naked. She soaked the corn, and she also washed the corn, and also pounded it, and she also made meal of it, and, now, moreover, in the pot she had set on the fire she made mush. She stirred it without interruption. But, nevertheless, it was so that she was suffering, for, verily, now there was nothing anywhere on her body. And now, moreover, it was evident that it was hot, as the mush spattered repeatedly. Some time after she was surprised that the chief said: "Now, verily, the mush which thou art making is cooked." At that time he arose to a standing position, and also removed the pot, and also set it on yonder side. At that time he said: "Do thou sit here." Now he went forward, and, taking up the basket, he took the bread therefrom, out of her basket. At that time he said: "Now, thou and I marry. Verily, so it seems, thou wert able to do it. Hitherto, no one from anywhere has been able to do it."

Now, at that time he shouted, saying: "My slaves, ye two dogs, do ye two come hither. It is necessary for me that ye two should lick this person abiding here clean of the mush that has fallen on her." Verily, she now looked and saw come forth two dogs, pure white in color and terrifying in size. So now, they two arrived at the place where she was. Now, verily, they two licked her entire body. The tongues of these two were like rough bark. So now, moreover, in whatsoever places they two licked over and along her body blood exuded therefrom. And the maiden did fortify her mind against it, and so she did not flinch from it. As soon as they two completed the task, then he himself took up sunflower oil, and with that, moreover, he anointed her body. As soon as he had finished this task he said: "Now, verily, do thou again dress thyself." Now she redressed herself entirely, and she was again clothed with raiment.

When it became night, he spread a mat for her at the foot of his mat. There they two passed two more nights. And the third day that came to them the chief said to her: "Now thou must again depart. Thou must go again to the place whence thou didst start." Then he took up the basket of the maiden and went then to the place where he kept meat of all kinds hanging in quarters. Now, verily, he took up the dried meat of the spotted fawn and put it into her basket. All the various kinds of meat he placed therein. As soon as the basket was full, he shook the basket to cause its contents to settle down. When he did shake it, there was seemingly just a little room left in it. Seven times, it is said, he shook the basket before he completely filled it. At that time he said: "Now thou must again depart. Do not, moreover, stand anywhere in the course of thy path homeward. And, moreover, when thou dost arrive there, thou must tell the people dwelling there that they, one and all, must remove the roofs from their several lodges. By and by it will become night and I will send that which is called corn. In so far as that thing is concerned, that is what man-beings will next in time live upon. This kind of thing will continue to be in existence for all time." At that time he took up the basket and also said: "Now, verily, thou shouldst bear it on thy back by means of the forehead strap." Now, at that time she departed.

Now again, as she traveled, she heard a man-being talking, saying: "Come, do thou stand." She did not stand. It was Aurora Borealis who was talking to her. She traveled on for some time, when she again heard a man-being talking, saying: "Verily, do thou stand. Now, verily, thou hast returned home. I am hungry. My child, I desire to eat food." She did not stop. In so far as he is concerned, it was White Fire Dragon who was talking to her. Now, she again arrived where she had crossed the river, and there again, beside the river, she stood. Now, moreover, she heard again a man-being saying: "Do thou stand. I desire that thou and I should converse together." She did not stop. It was the chief who was standing here seeking to tempt her mind. At once she crossed the river on the floating maple log. It was just midday when she again arrived at the place whence she departed, and she went directly into the lodge. As soon as she laid her burden down, she said: "Oh, my mother, now, hither I have returned." She, the elder one, spoke, saying: "I am thankful that thou hast arrived in peace." Then the maiden again spoke and said: "Ye severally must make preparations by severally removing the roofs from your lodges. There is an abundance of meat and corn also coming, as animals do come, when it becomes night, by and by." And at that time she at once went to the place where lay the burial-case of her dead father, and now, moreover, she again climbed up there. As soon as she reached the place, she said: "Oh, my father, I have now returned home." He said, in replying: "How fared it? Was he willing to do it?" She said: "He was willing." Now, again, he spoke, saying: "I am thankful that thou wast able to do it, as it seems. Thou art fortunate in this matter. And it seems, moreover, good, that thou shouldst, perhaps, at once return home, for the reason, verily, that the chief is immune to magic potence, that nothing can affect the orenda of Chief-who-has-the-standing-tree-called-Tooth, and whom some call He-holds-the-earth."

At that time all those who dwelt there undid their lodges by removing the roofs from all severally. Then, verily, when it became night, as soon as the darkness became settled, they heard the sounds made by the raining of corn, which fell in the lodges. Then they went to sleep. When it became day, they looked and saw that in the lodges corn lay piled up, quite filling them. Now, moreover, their chief said: "Do ye severally repair your lodges. And, moreover, ye must care for it and greatly esteem it; the thing has visited our village which He-who-has-the-standing-tree-called-Tooth has given you to share with him."

In a short time they were surprised, seemingly, that the maiden was nowhere to be found. She had again departed. They knew that she had again gone to the place where stood the lodge of the chief who was her consort. Now, verily, in reference to him he himself in turn was surprised to see her return home. When it became day again, the chief noticed that seemingly it appeared that the life of the maiden, his spouse, had changed. a Thus it was that, day after day and night after night, he still considered the matter. The conditions were such that he did not know what thing was the cause that it [his spouse's condition] was thus, so he merely marveled that it had thus come to pass.

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It is certain, it is said, that it formed itself there where they two conversed, where they two breathed together; that, verily, his breath is what the maiden caught, and it is that which was the cause of the change in the life of the maiden. And, moreover, that is the child to which she gave birth. And since then, from the time that he [her spouse] let man-beings go here on the earth, the manner in which man-beings are paired has transformed itself. This is the manner in which it will continue to be; this will be its manner of being done, whereby it will be possible for the man-beings dwelling on the earth to produce ohwachiras of posterity. Thus, too, it seems, it came to pass in regard to the beast-world, their bodies all shared in the change of the manner in which they would be able to produce ohwachiras of offspring here on the earth.

Thus it was that, without interruption, it became more and more evident that the maiden would give birth to a child. At that time the chief became convinced of it, and he said: "What is the matter that thy life has changed? Verily, thou art about to have a child. Never, moreover, have thou and I shared the same mat. I believe that it is not I who is the cause that thy life has changed. Dost thou thyself know who it is?" She did not understand the meaning of what he, said.

Now, at that time, the chief began to be ill. Suddenly, it seems, she herself now became aware that her life had changed. Then she said, addressing the chief: "I believe that there is, perhaps, something the matter, as my life at the present time is not at all pleasant." He did not make any reply. Not long thereafter she again said: "My thoughts are not at all pleasant." Again he said nothing. So it continued thus that she did nothing but consider the matter, believing that something must be the matter, perhaps, that the condition of her body was such as it was. It became more and more evident that she was pregnant. Now it was evident that she was big with child.

Sometime afterward she again resolved to ask him still, once more. She said: "As a matter of fact, there must be something the matter, perhaps, that my body is in this condition. And the thoughts of my mind are not at all pleasant. One would think that there can be no doubt that, seemingly, something is about to happen, because my life is so exceedingly unpleasant." Again he said nothing. When it became night, then, verily, they laid their bodies down and they slept. So now, verily, he there repeatedly considered the matter. Now, in so far as the maiden was concerned, she still did not understand what was about to take place from the changed condition of her body. Sometime afterward the chief spoke to her, saying: "As a matter of fact, a man-being (or rather woman-being) will arrive, and she is a man-being child, and thou must care for her. She will grow in size rapidly, and her name is Zephyrs." a The maiden said nothing, for the reason that she did not understand what her spouse told her.

Not long afterward, then, verily, she gave birth to a child. She paid no attention to it. The only thing she did was to lay it on the place -where the chief customarily passed the night. After ten days' time she again took it up therefrom.

Sometime afterward the chief became aware that he began to be ill. His suffering became more and more severe. All the persons dwelling in the village came to visit him. There he lay, and sang, saying: "Ye must pull up this standing tree that is called Tooth. The earth will be torn open, and there beside the abyss ye must lay me down. And, moreover, there where my head lies, there must sit my spouse." That is what he, the Ancient One, sang. Then the man-beings dwelling there became aware that their chief was ill.

Now, verily, all came to visit him. They questioned him repeatedly, seeking to divine his Word, what thing, seemingly, was needful for him, what kind of thing, seemingly, he expected, through a dream. Thus, day after day, it continued that they sought to find his Word. After a time the female man-being child was of fair size. She was then able to runabout from place to place. But it thus continued that they kept on seeking to divine his Word. After a while, seemingly, one of the persons succeeded in finding his Word, and he said: "Now, perhaps, I myself have divined the Word of him, the ordure, our chief." He who is called Aurora Borealis said this. And when he told the chief what manner of thing his soul craved, the chief was very pleased. And when he divined his Word, he said: "Is it not this that thy dream is saying, namely, that it is direful, if it so be that no person should divine thy Word, and that it will become still more direful? And yet, moreover, it is not certain that this is what thy soul craves; that its eyes may have seen thy standing tree, Tooth as to kind, pulled up, in order that the earth be torn open, and that there be an abyss that pierces the earth, and, moreover, that there beside the abyss one shall lay thee, and at thy head thy spouse shall be seated with her legs banging down into the abyss." At that time the chief said: "Ku‘'. a I am thankful! Now, verily, the whole matter has been fulfilled by thy divining my Word."

During this time. [the duration of the dream feast], a large body of man-beings, b paid a visit there. He, the Deer, paid a visit there. He, the Great-horned Deer [the Buck], paid a visit there. He, the Spotted Fawn, paid a visit, and was there seeking to divine the Word of the chief. He, the Bear, also paid a visit. Now, he also, the Beaver, paid a visit. And he, the Wind-who-moves-about-from-place-to-place, paid a visit also. And now, also, he, the Daylight, paid a visit. Now she also, the Night, the Thick Night, paid a visit. Now also she, the Star, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Light-orb [the sun] paid a visit. And, too, the Water-of-springs, she paid a visit. Now, also, she, the Corn, paid a visit. Now, also, she, the Bean, paid a visit. Now, also, she, the Squash, paid a visit. Now, also, she, the Sunflower, paid a visit. Now, also, the Fire Dragon with the body of pure white color, he paid a visit. Now, also, the Rattle paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Red Meteor, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Spring Wind, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Great Turtle, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Otter, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Wolf, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Duck, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Fresh Water, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Yellowhammer, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Medicine, paid a visit. Moreover, all things that are produced by themselves, that produce themselves, that is, the animals, and, next to them, the small animals, the flying things, of every species, all paid a visit. Now, sometime afterward, he, the Aurora Borealis, paid a visit. And, verily, he it was who divined the Word of the chief. Verily, he said: "The great standing tree, the Tooth, must be uprooted. And wherever it has a root there severally they must stand, and they must severally lay bold of each several root. And just then, and not before, shall they be able to uproot the standing tree. The earth will be torn open. Moreover, all persons must look therein. And there, beside the abyss, they must lay thee. Now, moreover, there at thy head she with whom thou dost abide must sit with her legs hanging down into the abyss." Then, verily, the chief replied, saying: "Ku‘'. I am thankful that ye have divined my word. Now all things have been fulfilled."

Verily, it did thus come to pass that they did uproot the standing tree, Tooth, that grew beside the lodge of the chief. And all the inhabitants of that place came thither with the intention of looking into the abyss. It did thus come to pass that everyone that dwelt there did look therein. At that time the chief then said, addressing his spouse: "Now, too, let us two look into the abyss. Thou must bear her, Zephyrs, on thy back. Thou must wrap thyself with care." Now, moreover, he gave to her three ears of corn, and, next in order, the dried meat of the spotted fawn, and now, moreover, he said: "This ye two will have for provision." Now he also broke off three fagots of wood, which, moreover, he gave to her. She put them into her bosom, under her garments. Then, verily, they went thitherto the place. They arrived at the spot where the earth was torn up, and then he said: "Do thou sit here." There, verily, she sat where the earth was broken off. There she hung both legs severally into the abyss. Now, in so far as he was concerned, he, the chief, was looking into the abyss, and there his spouse sat. Now, at that time he upraised himself, and said: "Do thou took hence into the abyss." Then she did in this manner, holding with her teeth her robe with its burden. Moreover, there along the edge of the abyss she seized with her hands, and, now, moreover, she bent over to look. He said: "Do thou bend much and plainly over." So she did do thus. As soon as she bent forward very much he seized the nape of her neck and pushed her into the abyss. Verily, now at that time she fell down thence. Now, verily, the man-being child and the man-being mother of it became one again. When she arrived on earth, the child was again born. At that time the chief himself arose and said, moreover: "Now, verily, I have become myself again; I am well again. Now, moreover, do ye again set up the tree."

And the chief was jealous, and that was the cause that he became ill. He was jealous of Aurora Borealis, and, in the next place, of the Fire Dragon with the pure white body. This latter gave him much mental trouble during the time that he, the chief, whom some call He-holds-the-earth, was married.

So now, verily, her body continued to fall. Her body was falling some time before it emerged. Now, she was surprised, seemingly, that there was light below, of a blue color. She looked, and there seemed to be a lake at the spot toward which she was falling. There was nowhere any earth. There she saw many ducks on the lake [sea], whereon they, being waterfowl of all their kinds, floated severally about. Without interruption the body of the woman-being continued to fall.

Now, at that time the waterfowl, called the Loon shouted, saying: "Do ye look, a woman-being is coming in the depths of the water, her body is floating up hither." They said: "Verily, it is even so." Now, verily, in a short time the waterfowl [duck] called Bittern [Whose eyes-are-ever-gazing-upward], said: "It is true that ye believe that her body is floating up from the depths of the water. Do ye, however, look upward." All looked upward, and all, moreover, said: "Verily, it is true." They next said: "What manner of thing shall we do?" One of the persons said: "It seems, then, that there must be land in the depths of the water." At that time the Loon said: "Moreover, let us first seek to find someone who will be able to bear, the earth on his back by means of the forehead pack strap." All said, seemingly: "I shall be able to bear the earth by means of the forehead pack strap." He replied: "Let us just try; it seems best." Otter, it seems, was the first to make the attempt. As soon, then, as a large bulk of them mounted on his back, verily, he sank. In so far as he was concerned, he was not able to do anything. And they said: "Thou canst do nothing." Now many of them made the attempt. All failed to do it. Then he, the Carapace, the Great Turtle, said: "Next in turn, let me make the attempt." Then, verily, a large bulk of them mounted on his back. He was able to bear them all on his back. Then they said: "He it is who will be able to bear the earth on his back." Now, at that time, they said: "Do ye go to seek earth in the depths of the water." There were many of them who were not able to obtain earth. After a while it seems that he, the Muskrat, also made the attempt. He was able to get the ground thence. Muskrat is he who found earth. When he came up again, he rose dead, holding earth in his paws, and earth was also in his mouth. They placed all of it upon the carapace of the Turtle. Now their chief said: "Do ye hurry, and hasten yourselves in your work." Now a large number of muskrats continued to dive into the depths of the water. As fast as they floated to the surface they placed the earth on the back of the Turtle. Sometime thereafter then, verily, they finished covering the carapace with earth. Now, at that time, the carapace began to grow, and the earth with which they had covered it became the Earth.

Now, also, they said: "Now, moreover, do ye go to see and to meet this woman-being whose body is falling hither." At once a great number of the large waterfowl flew hence, joining their bodies together, and there on their joined bodies her person impinged. Then slowly the large waterfowl descended, and also they placed the woman-being there on the carapace. Moreover, the carapace had now grown much in size. Now, moreover, they said: "Now, verily, we are pleased that we have attended to the female man-being who has appeared in the same place with us."

The next day came, and she looked and saw lying there a deer, also fire and firebrands, and also a heap of wood, all of which had been brought thither. At that time she kindled a fire, using for this purpose the three fagots which she had slipt into the bosom of her garment, and of which he [the chief] had said: "Ye two will have this for a provision." At that time she laid hands on the body of the deer. She broke up its body, some of which she roasted for food. She passed three nights there, when she again gave birth, again becoming possessed of a child. The child was a female. That, verily, was the rebirth of Zephyrs. Now the elder woman-being erected a booth, thatching it with grasses. There the mother and daughter remained, one being the parent of the other.

Now the earth was large and was continually increasing in size. It was now plain where the river courses would be. There they two remained, the mother attending to the child, who increased in size very rapidly. Some time afterward she then became a maiden. And they two continued to remain there.

After a while, seemingly, the elder woman-being heard her offspring talking with someone. Now, verily, the elder woman-being was thinking about this matter, wondering: "Whence may it be that a man-being could come to talk with her." She addressed her, saying: "Who is it, moreover, who visits thee?" The maiden said nothing in reply. As soon as it became night and the darkness was complete, he, the man-being, again arrived. And just as the day dawned the elder woman-being heard him say: "I will not come again." Verily he then departed.

Not long after this the life of the maiden was changed. Moreover, it became evident that she was about to give birth to a child. After a time, when, seemingly, the maiden had only a few more days to go, she was surprised, seemingly, to hear two male man-beings talking in her body. One of the persons said: "There is no doubt that the time when man-beings will emerge to be born has now arrived." The other person replied: "Where, moreover, does it seem that thou and I should emerge?" He replied, saying: "This way, moreover, thou and I will go." Now, again, one of them spoke, saying: "It is too far. This way, right here, is near, and, seemingly, quite transparent." At that time he added, saying: "Do thou go then; so be it." Now, he started and was born. The child was a male. Then, so far as the other was concerned, he came out here through her armpit. And now, verily, he killed his mother. The grandmother saw that the child that was born first was unsurpassedly fine-looking. At that time she asked, saying: "Who, moreover, killed your mother, now dead?" Now, he who did it replied, saying: "This one here." Verily, he told a falsehood. Now, the elder woman-being seized the other one by the arm and cast his body far beyond, where he fell among grasses. Now, she there attended to the other one. It is said that they grew rapidly in size. After a while, seemingly, he was in the habit of going out, and there running about from place to place. In like manner they two grew very rapidly.

Now the child who lived out of doors kept saying: "Do thou tell thy grandmother, who, verily, is grandmother to us two, that she should make me a bow, and also an arrow." Now, verily, he told her what manner of thing the other person desired. The only result was that she. got angry, saying: "Never will I make him a bow and also an arrow. It is he, verily, who killed her who was the mother of you two."

It continued thus that the two brothers played together. They were in the habit of making a circuit of the island a floating there. And, as rapidly as they made a circuit of it, so rapidly did the earth increase in size. When, it is said, the island had grown to a great size, then he who had been cast out of doors kept saying: "Man-beings b are about to dwell here." The other person kept saying: "What manner of thing is the reason that thou dost keep saying, 'Man-beings are about to dwell here?'" He said: "The reason that I say that is that it is a matter of fact that man-beings are about to dwell here. And it is I, the Sapling, who say it." So then, this other person began to say: "I shall be called Flint."

When they two had nearly grown to maturity, it is said, then he, the Sapling, made himself a lodge, erecting a booth. And when he had completed it, he departed. He went to hunt. He shot at a bird, but he missed it, and his arrow fell into the water. Verily, he then resolved: "I will take it out of the water again." Now, there into the water he cast himself, plunging into the water. He was surprised that, seemingly, he fell there beside a doorway. Then, moreover, from the inside of the lodge a man-being spoke to him, saying: "Do thou come in, my child; I am thankful that thou hast visited my lodge. I purposely caused thee to visit the place where my lodge stands. And the reason that it has thus come to pass is that my mind was so affected by what thy grandmother keeps saying. And, moreover, I desired to give thee a bow and also an arrow which thou dost need, and which, by and by, thy brother will see, and then he will ask, saying: 'Whence didst thou get this?' Thou must say: 'My father has given it to me.'" Now, furthermore, he gave both to him. At this time he bestowed another thing; it was corn. At that time he said: "This corn, as soon as thou arrivest at home, thou must at once roast for food for thyself; and at that time thou must continue to say: 'In this manner will it continue to be that man-beings, who are about to dwell here on the earth, will be in the habit of eating it.' Thy brother will visit thy lodge, and at that time Flint will ask, saying: 'Whence didst thou get this kind of thing?' Thou must say, moreover: 'My father has given it to me.'"

Moreover, it did thus come to pass when he arrived at his home. At that time he husked the ear of corn and also laid it beside the fire; he roasted the ear. So soon as it became hot, it emitted an odor which was exceedingly appetizing. They, his grandmother's people, smelled it. She said: "Flint, do thou go to see what the Sapling is roasting for himself, moreover." He, the Flint, arose at once, and he ran thither. When he arrived there, he said: "Whence didst thou get that which thou art roasting for thyself?" He said in replying: "It is a matter of fact that my father gave it to me. And it is this that the man-beings who are about to dwell here on the earth will be in the habit of eating." Then Flint said: "My grandmother has said that thou shouldst share some with her." The Sapling replied, saying: "I am not able to do it, and the reason is that she desires to spoil it all. I desire, as a matter of fact, that man-beings, who are about to dwell here on the earth shall continue to eat it, and that it shall continue to be good." Then, verily, the lad returned home. When he arrived there, he told what he had learned, saying: "The Sapling did not consent to it." She arose at once and went thither to the place where the booth of the Sapling stood. Arriving there, she said: "What kind of thing is it that thou art roasting for thyself?" He replied, saying: "It is corn." She demanded: "Where is the place whence thou didst get it?" He said: "My father gave it to me. And it is this which the man-beings who are about to dwell here on this earth will continue to eat." She said: "Thou shouldst give a share, verily, to me." He answered and said: "I can not do it, and the reason is that thou desirest to spoil it." At that time she said: "It is but a small matter, and thou shouldst pluck off a single grain of corn and give it to me." He said: "I can not do it." She said: "It is a small matter, if thou shouldst give me the nubbin end of the corn ear." He said: "I can not do it. I desire that it shall all be good, so that the man-beings shall continue to eat it." At that time she became angry and she came forward, and, taking up some ashes, cast them on what he was roasting, and that was now spoiled. She said: "Thou desirest that that which they will continue to eat shall continue to be good. There, it will now be different." Thrice did she repeat the act that spoiled it. Then the Sapling said: "Why hast thou done that deed?"

Now again, another thing: he had a pot wherein he heated water. Then from the ear of corn he plucked a single grain of corn, and he put it therein, saying: "Thus shall man-beings be in the habit of doing when they prepare food for eating." Then he placed the corn in a mortar, and also said: "In this manner also shall man-beings, who are about to dwell here on the earth, continue to do." Then he took from its stand the pounder and brought it down once, and it became finished perfect meal. He said: "Thus it shall continue to be; thus shall be the manner of preparing meal among the man-beings who are about to dwell here on the earth." At that time she, his grandmother, came forward and heard what he was saying. She arrived there, and said: "Sapling, thou desirest that the man-beings shall be exceedingly happy." She went forward, and, taking off the pot from the fire, put ashes into the hot water. Now, moreover, she took the ear of corn, shelled it, and put the corn into the hot water. She said: "This, moreover, shall be their manner of doing, the method of the man-beings." At that time the Sapling said: "Thou shouldst not do thus." His grandmother did not obey him. Thence, it is said, originated the evil that causes persons customarily to speak ill when they prepare food. And, it is said, she stated her wish, thus: "This, as a matter of fact, shall be the manner of doing of the man-beings." It so continued to be. The Sapling kept saying: "The way in which thou hast done this is not good, for I desire that the man-beings shall be exceedingly happy, who are about to dwell here on this earth."

Now at that time the Sapling traveled about over the earth. Now there was a large expanse of earth visible. There was a mountain range, visible river courses, and a high clay bank, near which he passed. Now, verily, he there pondered many times. Then he made the bodies of the small game, the bodies of birds. All were in twos, and were mated, in all the clans [kinds] of birds. The volume of the sound made by all the various kinds of bird voices as they talked together was terrifying. And the Sapling kept saying: "Thus this shall continue to be, whereby the man-beings shall habitually be made happy." And now he made the bodies of the large game animals. He finished the bodies of two deer, and the two were mates. "There, that is sufficient to fill the whole earth," he said. He made all the various kinds of animals severally. All were in twos, and they, each pair, were mates [male and female].

At that time he, the Sapling, again traveled. Now the earth had grown to a very great size, and continued to grow. So now Flint became aware that the animals were ranging about. After a while then Flint concealed all the bodies of the animals. There in the high mountain was a rock cavern whereinto he drove all the animals. And then he closed it with a stone. Then Sapling became aware that the animals no longer roamed from place to place. Now, at this time, he again traveled over the entire earth. He saw on this side a mountain range. He went thither, and he arrived where the opening of the cavern was. And he then took up the great stone and opened it again. Now, he looked therein and saw that the animals abode in that place. "Do ye again go out of this place," he said. Then they came out again. And it was done very quickly. And all those that fly took the lead in coming out. At that time they, his grandmother and Flint, also noticed that the animals again became numerous. And then Flint ran, running to the place where the rock cavern was. He reached the place while they were still coming out. And he, by at once pulling down the stone again, stopped up the cavern. Verily, some of them failed, and they did not get out, and at the present time they are still there. And it came to pass that they were changed, becoming otgon [malefic] a, and the reason that it thus came to pass is that some customarily put forth their orenda for the purpose of ending the days of the man-beings; and, moreover, they still haunt the inside of the earth.

(continued below)

[wren]

(continued)



At this time Sapling again traveled about. Then he was surprised that, seemingly, a man-being came toward him, and his name was Hadu’i’ b. They two met. The man-being Hadu’i’, said: "Where is the place whence thou dost come?" The Sapling said: "I am going out viewing the earth here present. Where is the place whence on dost come?" Hadu’i’ said: "From here do I come. I am going about traveling. Verily, it is I who am the master of the earth here present." At that time the Sapling said: "I it is who finished the earth here present. If it so be that thou art the master of the earth here present, art thou able to cause yonder mountain to move itself hither?" Hadu’i’ said: "I can do it." At that time, he said: "Do thou, yonder mountain, come hither." Then they two faced about. Sometime afterward they two now faced back, and, moreover, saw that the mountain had not changed its position. At that time Sapling said: "Verily, thou art not the master of the earth here present. I, as matter of fact, am master of it. Now, next in time, I will speak." He said: "Do thou, yonder mountain, come hither." Now they two faced about. And as quickly as they two faced about again the mountain stood at their backs, The Sapling said: "What sayst thou? Am I master of it?" Then Hadu’i’ said: "It is true that thou art master of it. Thou hast finished the earth here present. Thou shouldst have pity on me that I may be suffered to live. I will aid thee, moreover. Verily, thou dost keep saying: 'Man-beings are about to dwell here on the earth here present.' In this matter, moreover, will it continue to be that I shall aid and assist thee. Moreover, I will aid the man-beings. Seeing that my body is full of orenda and even otgon, as a matter of fact, by and by the man-beings will be affected with mysterious ills. Moreover, it will be possible for them to recover if they will make an imitation of the form of my body. I, who was the first to travel over the earth here present, infected it with my orenda. And, verily, it will magically conform itself to [be marked by] the lineaments of my body. Moreover, this will come to pass. If it so be that a man-being becomes ill by the contagion of this magic power, it is here that I will aid thee. And the man-beings will then live in contentment. And, moreover, they must customarily greet me by a kinship term, saying: 'my Grandfather.' And when, customarily, the man-beings speak of me they must customarily say: 'our Grandfather'; thereby must they designate me. And I shall call the man-beings on my part by a kinship term, saying: 'my Grandchildren.' And they must make customarily a thing of wood which shall be in my likeness, being wrought thus, that will enable them to go to the several lodges, and, moreover, they who thus personate me shall be hondu’i’. a They must employ for this purpose tobacco [native tobacco]. It will be able to cause those who have become ill to recover. There, moreover, I shall take up my abode where the ground is wild and rough, and where, too, there are rock cliffs. Moreover, nothing at all obstructs me [in seeing and hearing or power]. So long as the earth shall be extant so long shall I remain there. I shall continue to aid the man-beings for that length of time." There, it is said, is the place wherein all kinds of deadly ills begot themselves--fevers,. consumptions, headaches--all were caused by Hadu’i’.

Now, at that time the Sapling again traveled. He again arrived at his lodge, and he marveled that his grandmother was angry. She took from its fastening the head, which had been cut off, of his--the Sapling's--dead mother, and she carried it away also. She bore the head away with her. When she had prepared the head, it became the sun, and the body of flesh became the nocturnal light orb. As soon as it became night, the elder woman-being and, next in order, Flint departed, going in an easterly direction. At the end of three days, then said Sapling: "I will go after the diurnal orb of light. Verily, it is not good that the human beings who are about to dwell here on the earth should continue to go about in darkness. Who, moreover, will accompany me?" A man-being, named Fisher, spoke in reply, saying: "I will accompany thee." A man-being, another person, said: "I, too, will accompany thee." It was the Raccoon who said this. Another man-being, whose name is Fox, said: "I, too, will accompany thee." There were several others, several man-beings, who, one and all, volunteered to aid Sapling. At that time Sapling said: "Moreover, who will work at the canoe?" The Beaver said: "Verily, I will make it." Another man-being, whose name was Yellowhammer, said: "I will make the hollow of it." At that time there were several others who also gave their attention to it. And then they worked at it, making the canoe. There Sapling kept saying: "Do ye make haste in the work." In a short time, now, verily, they finished it, making a canoe. Quickly, now, they prepared themselves. At that time they launched the canoe into the water. Then Sapling said: "Moreover, who shall steer the canoe?" Beaver said: "I will volunteer to do it." Otter also said: "I, too." Now they went aboard and departed. Then Sapling said: "In steering the canoe, thou must guide it eastward." Now, it ran swiftly as they paddled it onward. It was night; it was in thick darkness; in black night they propelled the canoe onward. After a while, seemingly, they then looked and saw that daylight was approaching. And when they arrived at the place whither they were going it was then daylight. They saw that there was there, seemingly, an island, and they saw that the trees standing there were very tall, and that some of them were bent over, inclining far over the sea, and there in the water where the tree tops ended the canoe stopped. Then Sapling said: "Moreover, who will go to unfasten the light orb [the sun] from its bonds yonder on the tree top?" Then Fisher said: "I will volunteer." Then Fox said: "I, too [will volunteer]." At that time Fisher climbed up high, and passed along above [the ground]. He crossed from tree to tree, going along on the branches, making his way to the place where the diurnal light orb was made fast; thither he was making his course. But, in regard to Fox, he ran along below on the ground. In a short time Fisher then arrived at the place where the diurnal light orb was made fast.

At once he repeatedly bit that by which it was secured, and, severing it, he removed the sun. Now, moreover, he cast it down to his friend, Fox, who stood near beneath him. He caught it, and now, moreover, they two fled. When they two had run half the way across the island, then Flint's grandmother noticed what had taken place. She became angry and wept, saying: "What, moreover, is the reason, O Sapling, that thou hast done this in this manner?"

Then she, the elder woman-being, arose at once, and began to run in pursuit of the two persons. Fox ran along on the ground and, in turn, Fisher crossed from tree to tree, running along the branches. Now, the elder woman-being was running close behind, and now she was about to seize Fox, who now, moreover, being wearied, cast the sun up above. Then Fisher caught it. Now, next in turn, she pursued him. And he, next in turn, when she came running close behind him and was about to seize him, being in his turn wearied, cast the sun down, and then Fox in his turn caught it. Thus, verily, it continued. Fisher was in the lead, and he at once boarded the canoe. And close behind him was Fox, holding the sun in his mouth, and he, too, at once got aboard of the canoe. Now, moreover, the canoe withdrew, and, turning around, it started away. Now, moreover, it was running far away as they paddled it onward when the elder woman-being arrived at the shore of the sea; and she there shouted, saying: "O Sapling, what, moreover, is the reason that thou hast done this thing in this manner? Thou shouldst pity me, verily, in that the sun should continue to pass thence, going thither [in its orbit, giving day and night]." He, Sapling, said nothing. She said this three times in succession. Now she exclaimed: "O thou, Fox, effuse thy orenda to cause the sun to pass habitually thence, going thither." Fox said nothing in reply. Thrice, too, did she repeat this speech. Now, again, she said: "O thou, Fisher, effuse thy orenda whereby thou canst make the sun to pass habitually thence, going thither." He said nothing. Thrice did she repeat this saying. And all the other persons, too, said nothing. She said: "O thou, Beaver, thou shouldst at this time have pity on me; do thou effuse thy orenda; moreover, thou hast the potence to cause the sun to pass thence habitually, going thither." He said nothing. Thrice, too, did she repeat this speech. All said nothing. Now, there was there a person, a man-being, whose orenda she overmatched. She said: "O thou, Otter, thou art a fine person, do thou effuse thy orenda wherein thou hast the potence to ordain [forethink] that the sun thence shall come to pass, going thither." He said: "So be it." Instantly accompanying it was her word, saying: "I am thankful." At that time Beaver said: "Now, verily, it is a direful thing, wherein thou hast done wrong." And now, moreover, he took the paddle out of the water and with it he struck poor Otter in the face, flattening his face thereby.

As soon as they arrived home Sapling said: "I am pleased that now we have returned well and successful. Now, I will fasten it up high; on high shall the sun remain fixed hereafter." At that time he then said: "Now, the sun shall pass over the sky that is visible. It shall continue to give light to the earth." Thus, moreover, it too came to pass in regard to the nocturnal light orb [the moon].

Now, Sapling traveled over the visible earth. There was in one place a river course, and he stood beside the river. There he went to work and he formed the body of a human man-being. a He completed his body and then he blew into his mouth. Thereupon, the human man-being became alive. Sapling said: "Thou thyself ownest all this that is made." So, now, verily, he repeatedly looked around, and there was there a grove whose fruit was large, and there, moreover, the sound of the birds talking together was great. So, now came another thing. Thus, in his condition he watched him, and he thought that, perhaps, he was lonesome. Now, verily, he again went to work, and he made another human man-being. Next in time he made a human woman-being. He completed her body, and then he blow into her mouth, and then she, too, became alive. He said, addressing the male man-being: "Now, this woman-being and thou marry. Do thou not ever cause her mind to be grieved. Thou must at all times hold her dear." At that time he said, addressing her who was there: "This human man-being and thou now marry. Thou must hold him dear. And ye two shall abide together for a time that will continue until death shall separate you two. Always ye two must hold one the other dear. Ye two must care for the grove bearing large fruit. For there are only a few trees that belong to you two." He said: "Moreover, do ye two not touch those which do not belong to you two. Ye two will do evil if it so be that you two touch those which do not belong to you two."

Thus, in this manner, they two remained together, the man-being paying no attention to the woman-being. The male human man-being cared not for the female human man-being. Customarily, they two laid themselves down and they two slept. Now sometime afterward, he who had completed their bodies was again passing that way, and, seeing the condition of things, thought of what he might do to arouse the minds of the two persons. Then he went forward to the place where lay the male person sleeping, and having arrived there he removed a rib from the male person, and then, next in turn, he removed a small rib from the sleeping female man-being. And now, changing the ribs, he placed the rib of the woman-being in the male human man-being, and the rib of the male human man-being he set in the human woman-being. He changed both alike. At that timer the woman-being awoke. As soon as she sat up she at once seized the place where was fixed the rib that had been hers. And, as soon as, she did this, then the man-being, too, awoke. And now verily, they both addressed words the one to the other. Then Sapling was highly pleased. He said: "Now I tell you both that, in peace, without ceasing ye both must hold one the other dear. Thou wilt do evil shouldst thou address unkind words to the one who abides with thee in this particular place. And, next in turn, he addressed the male human man-being, saying: "Do not thou ever come to dislike her with whom thou dost abide. The two human man-beings that I have made are sufficient. The ohwachira [blood-family, offspring of one mother] which ye two will produce will fill the whole earth." Then he again separated from them.

It thus came to pass that he noticed that his brother, Flint, was at work far away. Then he ordered one, saying: "Go thou after him who is at work yonder; he is my brother, Flint." At that time a person went thither, and said: "i have come for thee. Thy brother, Sapling, has sent me to bring thee with me. Then Flint said: "I am at work. By and by I shall complete it, and then, and not before, will I go thither." He again departed. He arrived home, and moreover, he brought word that Flint had said, "I am at work. I shall complete it by and by, and then, not before, will I go thither to that place." He said: "Go thou thither again. I have a matter about which I wish to converse with him." Again he arrived there, and he said: "He would that thou and he should talk together." He replied, saying: "Verily, I must first complete my work, and not until that time will I go thither." Then he again departed thence. Again he arrived home, and he said: "He yonder did not consent to come." At that time Sapling said: "He himself, forsooth, is a little more important than I. Moreover, I verily shall go thither." Thereupon Sapling went to that place. Flint did not notice it. When he arrived there, he said: "Thou art working for thyself, art thou, in thy work?" He replied, saying: "I am working. I desire to assist thee, for that it will take a long time for the man-beings to become numerous, since thou hast made only two." At that time Sapling said: "Verily, as a matter of fact, the two man-beings that I have completed are sufficient. And, in so far as thou art concerned, thou art not able to make a human man-being. Look! Verily, that which thou believest to be a man-being is not a true one." He saw standing there a long file of things which were not man-beings. There sat the beast with the face of a man-being, a monkey; a there next to him sat the ape; a and there sat the great horned owl. And there were other things also seated there. Then they all changed, and the reason of it is that they were not man-beings. Sapling said, when he overmatched their orenda: "Verily, it is good that thou, Flint, shouldst cease thy work. It is a direful thing, verily, that has come to pass." He did not consent to stop. Then Sapling said: "It is a marvelously great matter wherein thou hast erred in not obeying me when I forbade thy working." At that time Flint said: "I will not stop working, because I believe that it is necessary for me to work." Then Sapling said: "Moreover, I now forsake thee. Hence wilt thou go to the place where the earth is divided in two. Moreover, the place whither thou wilt go is a fine place."

At that time he cast him down, and he fell backward into the depths of the earth. There a fire was burning, and into the fire he fell supine; it was exceedingly hot. After awhile Flint said: "Oh, Sapling! Thou wouldst consent, wouldst thou not, that thou and I should converse once more together?" Sapling replied, saying: "Truly, it shall thus come to pass. Moreover, I will appoint the place of meeting to be the place where the earth is divided in two." And Flint was able to come forth from the fire. At that time then Sapling went thither, going to the point designated by him. He arrived there, and, moreover, he stood there and looked around him. He looked and saw afar a cloud floating away whereon Flint was standing. Sapling said: "What manner of thing has come to pass that thou art departing hence away?" Flint answered: "I myself did not will it." Sapling said: "Do thou come thence, hitherward." At that time the cloud that was floating away returned, and again approached the place where Sapling stood. Then this one said: "How did it happen that it started away?", Flint, replying, said: "It is not possible that I personally should have willed it." Sapling rejoined: "How did it happen that thou didst not will it?" Then Flint said: "I did not do that." Sapling said: "It is true that it is impossible for thee to do it. Moreover, thou and I, verily, are again talking together. What kind of thing desirest thou? What is it that thou needest, that thou and I should again converse together?" Flint then said: "It is this; I thought that, perhaps, thou wouldst consent that the place where I shall continue to be may be less rigorous. And thou didst say: 'Thou art going to a very fine place.' And I desire that the place where thou wilt again put me be less rigorous than the former." Sapling said: "It shall thus come to pass. I had hoped that, it may be, thou wouldst say, 'I now repent.' As a matter of fact it did not thus come to pass. Thy mind is unchanged. So, now, I shall again send thee hence. I shall send thee to the bottom of the place where it is hot." Now, at that time his body again fell downward. The place where he fell was exceedingly hot. At that time Sapling said:. "Not another time shalt thou come, forth thence." Then Sapling bound poor Flint with a hair. And he bound him with it that he should remain in the fire as long as the earth shall continue to be. Not until the time arrives when the earth shall come to an end will he then again break the bonds. Then Sapling departed thence.

Moreover, it is said that this Sapling, in the manner in which he has life, has this to befall him recurrently, that he becomes old in body, and that when, in fact, his body becomes ancient normally, he then retransforms his body in such wise that he becomes a new man-being again and again recovers his youth, so that one would think that he had just then grown to the size which a man-being customarily has when he reaches the youth of man-beings, as manifested by the change of voice at the age of puberty.

Moreover, it is so that continuously the orenda immanent in his body--the orenda with which he suffuses his person, the orenda which he projects or exhibits, through which he is possessed of force and potency--is ever full, undiminished, and all-sufficient; and, in the next place, nothing that is otkon a or deadly, nor, in the next place, even the Great Destroyer, otkon in itself and faceless, has any effect on him, he being perfectly immune to its orenda; and, in the next place, there is nothing that can bar his way or veil his faculties.

Moreover, it is verily thus with all the things that are contained in the, earth here present, that they severally retransform or exchange their bodies. It is thus with all the things [zoic] that sprout and grow, and, in the next place, with all things [actively zoic] that produce themselves and grow, and, in the next place, at, the man-beings. All these are affected in the same manner, that they severally transform their bodies, and, in the next place, that they (actively zoic) retransform their bodies, severally, without cessation.


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Footnotes
151:a Probably the yellow dog-tooth violet, Erythronium americanum.

167:a The expression "life has changed" is employed usually as a euphemism for "is pregnant."

170:a The name Zephyrs merely approximates the meaning of the original, which signifies the warm springtide zephyrs that sometimes take the form of small whirlwinds or eddies of warm air.

173:a This is an exclamation expressing gratification at having one's dream or vision divined and satisfied.

173:b The relator of this version stated that there was a reputed connection between the visits of these different personages and the presence of their kinds in the new world beneath the sky land, but he had forgotten it.

187:a Hence arose the idea so prevalent among Amerindian peoples that the earth is an island, floating on the primal sea.

187:b Here man-being means human being.

197:a In English there is no approximately exact equivalent of the term otgon, which is an adjective form denotive of the deadly, malefic, pernicious use of orenda or magic power reputed to be inherent in all beings and bodies. It usually signifies deadly in deed and monstrous in aspect.

197:b The Onondagas call this personage Hadu’i’, the Senecas Shagodiiowe‘gowā, and the Mohawks, Akoñwāră'. The Onondaga name is evidently connected with the expression hadu’ä’, signifying "he is hunch-backed," in reference to the stooping or crouching posture assumed by the impersonator, to depict old age. The Seneca name means, "He, the Great One, who protects them (= human beings)," and the Mohawk name, "The Mask," or "It, the Mask." All these names are clearly of late origin, for they refer evidently to the being ceremonially depicted in the festival for the new year. The orenda or magic power of this being was believed to be efficacious in warding off and driving away disease and pestilence, as promised in this legend, and hence the Seneca name. The Mohawk epithet arose from the fact that the impersonator usually wears a mask of wood. But these etymologies do not give a definite suggestion as to what natural object gave rise to this personification, this concept. But from a careful synthesis of the chief characteristics of this personage, it seems very probable that the whirlwind lies at the foundation of the conception.

200:a Masculine plural of hadu’i’.

209:a From this paragraph to the end of the version there is more or less admixture of trans-Atlantic ideas.

214:a The monkey and the ape were probably quite unknown to the Iroquois.

219:a See footnote on page 197.

(the end)

[wren]

A SENECA VERSION

There were, it seems, so it is said, man-beings dwelling on the other side of the sky. So, just in the center of their village the lodge of the chief stood, wherein lived his family, consisting of his spouse and one child, a girl, that they two had.

He was surprised that then he began to become lonesome. Now, furthermore, he, the Ancient, was very lean, his bones having become dried; and the cause of this condition was that he was displeased that they two had the child, and one would think, judging from the circumstances, that he was jealous.

So now this condition of things continued until the time that he, the Ancient, indicated that they, the people, should seek to divine his Word; that is, that they should have a dream feast for the purpose of ascertaining the secret yearning of his soul [produced by its own motion]. So now all the people severally continued to do nothing else but to assemble there. Now they there continually sought to divine his Word. They severally designated all manner of things that they severally thought that he desired. After the lapse of some time, then, one of these persons said: "Now, perhaps, I myself have divined the Word of our chief, the excrement. And the thing that he desires is that the standing tree belonging to him should be uprooted, this tree that stands hard by his lodge." The chief said: "Gwã‘'" [expressing his thanks].

So now the man-beings said: "We must be in full number and we must aid one another when we uproot this standing tree; that is, there must be a few to grasp each several root." So now they uprooted it and set it up elsewhere. Now the place whence they had uprooted the tree fell through, forming an opening through the sky earth. So now, moreover, all the man-beings inspected it. It was curious; below them the aspect was green and nothing else in color. As soon as the man-beings had had their turns at inspecting it, then the chief said to his spouse: "Come now, let us two go to inspect it." Now she took her child astride of her back. Thither now he made his way with difficulty. He moved slowly. They two arrived at the place where the cavern was. Now he, the Ancient, himself inspected it. When he wearied of it, he said to his spouse: "Now it is thy turn. Come." "Age'," she said, "myself, I fear it." "Come now, so be it," he said, "do thou inspect it." So now she took in her mouth the ends of the mantle which she wore, and she rested herself on her hand on the right side, and she rested herself on the other side also, closing her hand on either side and grasping the earth thereby. So now she looked down below. Just as soon as she bent her neck, he seized her leg and pushed her body down thither. Now, moreover, there [i. e., in the hole] floated the body of the Fire-dragon with the white body, and, verily, he it was whom the Ancient regarded with jealousy. Now Fire-dragon took out an ear of corn, and verily he gave it to her. As soon as she received it she placed it in her bosom. Now, another thing, the next in order, a small mortar and also the upper mortar [pestle] he gave to her. So now, again, another thing he took out of his bosom, which was a small pot. Now, again, another thing, he gave her in the next place, a bone. Now, he said: "This, verily, is what thou wilt continue to eat."

Now it was so, that below [her] all manner of otgon [malefic] male man-beings abode; of this number were the Fire-dragon, whose body was pure white in color, the Wind, and the Thick Night.

Now, they, the male man-beings, counseled together, and they said: "Well, is it not probably possible for us to give aid to the woman-being whose body is falling thence toward us?" Now every one of the man-beings spoke, saying: "I, perhaps, would be able to aid her." Black Bass said: "I, perhaps, could do it." They, the man-beings, said: "Not the least, perhaps, art thou able to do it, seeing that thou hast no sense [reason]." The Pickerel next in turn said: "I, perhaps, could do it." Then the man-beings said: "And again we say, thou canst not do even a little, because thy throat is too long [thou art a glutton]." So now Turtle spoke, saying: "Moreover, perhaps, I would be able to give aid to the person of the woman-being." Now all the man-beings confirmed this proposal. Now, moreover, Turtle floated there at the point directly toward which the body of the woman-being was falling thence. So now, on the Turtle's carapace she, the woman-being, alighted. And she, the woman-being, wept there. Some time afterward she remembered that seemingly she still held [in her hands] earth. Now she opened her hands, and, moreover, she scattered the earth over Turtle. As soon as she did this, then it seems that this earth grew in size. So now she did thus, scattering the earth very many times [much]. In a short time the earth had become of a considerable size. Now she herself became aware that it was she herself, alone seemingly, who was forming this earth here present. So now, verily, it was her custom to travel about from place to place continually. She knew, verily, that when she traveled to and fro the earth increased in size. So now it was not long, verily, before the various kinds of shrubs grew up and also every kind of grass and reeds. In a short time she saw there entwined a vine of the wild potato. There out of doors the woman-being stood up and said: "Now, seemingly, will be present the orb of light [the sun], which shall be called the diurnal one." Truly now, early in the morning, the orb of light arose and now, moreover, it started and went thither toward the place where the orb of light goes down [sets]. Verily, when the orb of light went down [set] it then became night, or dark. Now again, there out of doors she stood up, and she said, moreover: "Now, seemingly, next in order, there will be a star [spot] present here and there in many places where the sky is present [i. e., on the surface of the sky]." Now, truly, it thus came to pass. So now, there out of doors where she stood she there pointed and told, moreover, what kind of thing those stars would be called. Toward the north there are certain stars, severally present there, of which she said: "They-are-pursuing-the-bear they will be called." So now, next in order, she said another thing: "There will be a large star in existence, and it will rise customarily just before it becomes day, and it will be called, 'It-brings-the-day.'" Now, again she pointed, and again she said: "That cluster of stars yonder will be called 'the Group Visible.' And they, verily, will know [will be the sign of] the time of the year [at all times]. And that [group] is called 'They-are-dancing.'" So now, still once more, she spoke of that [which is called] "She-is-sitting." [She said]: "Verily, these will accompany them [i. e., those who form a group]. 'Beaver-its-skin-is-spread-out,' is what these shall be called. As soon, customarily, as one journeys, traveling at night, one will watch this [group]." Some time after this, she, the Ancient-bodied, again spoke repeatedly, saying: "There will dwell in a place far away man-beings. So now, also, another thing; beavers will dwell in that place where there are streams of water." Indeed, it did thus come to pass, and the cause that brought it about is that she, the Ancient-bodied, is, as a matter of fact, a controller .

So now, sometime afterward, the girl man-being, the offspring of the Ancient-bodied, had grown large in size. And so now there was also much forest lying extant. Now near by there was lying an uprooted tree, whereon it was that she, the child, was always at play. Customarily she swung, perhaps; and when she became wearied she would descend from it. There on the grass she would kneel down. It was exceedingly delightful, customarily, it is said, when the Wind entered; when she became aware that the Wind continued to enter her body, it was delightful.

Now sometime afterward the Ancient-bodied watched her, musing: "Indeed, one would think that my [man-being] offspring's body is not sole [i. e., not itself only]. "No," she said, "hast thou never customarily seen someone at times?" "No," said the girl child. Then she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "I really believe that one would think that thou art about to give birth to a child." So now, the girl child told it, saying: That there [at the swing] when, customarily, I would kneel down, I became aware that the Wind inclosed itself in my body." So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "If it be so, I say as a matter of fact, it is not certain that thou and I shall have good fortune."

Sometime afterward then, seemingly, [it became apparent] that two male children were contained in the body of the maiden. And now, verily, also they two debated together, the two saying, it is said, customarily: "Thou shalt be the elder one," "Thee just let it be," so it was thus that they two kept saying. Now, one of them, a male person who was very ugly, being covered with warts, said: "Thou shalt be the first to be born." Now the other 'person said: "Just let it be thee." Now he, the Warty, said: "Just let it be thee to be the first to be born." "So let it be," said the other person, "thou wilt fulfil thy duty, perhaps, thou thyself." "So be it," verily said he, the Warty. Now, he who was the elder was born. And then in a short time she [the Ancient-bodied] noticed that, seemingly, there was still another to be born. The other had been born only a short time when this one was also born. They had been born only a very short time when their mother died. There, verily, it is said that he, the Warty, came forth from the navel of his mother. So now, verily, she, the Ancient-bodied, wept there. Not long after this, verily, she gave attention to the twins. As soon as she finished this task she made a grave not far away, and so she there laid her dead offspring, laying her head toward the west. So now, moreover, she talked to her. She, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Now, verily, thou hast taken the lead on the path that will continue to be between the earth here and the upper side of the sky. As soon as thou arrivest there on the upper side of the sky thou must carefully prepare a place where thou wilt continue to abide, and where we shall arrive." Now, of course, she covered it. So, now, only this was left, that she customarily cared for the twins, the two children.

Again, after some time, it is said, the two male children were of large size, and verily, too, they ran about there, customarily. Afterward, the elder one, being now a youth, questioning his grandmother, asked: "Oh, grandmother, where, verily, is my father? And who, moreover, verily, is the one who is my father? Where, moreover, is the place wherein he dwells?" She, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Verily, that one who is the Wind is thy father. Whatever, moreover, is the direction from which the wind is customarily blowing, there, truly, is the place where the lodge of thy father stands." "So be it," replied the youth. So now, verily, the youth stood out of doors, and now he, moreover, observed the direction of the wind, whence it was blowing, and this too he said: "I desire to see my father, and the reason is that he would give me aid." Now, he said: "Far yonder stands the lodge of my father, the Wind; he will aid me; he will make the bodies of all the kinds of animal [man-beings]; and by all means still something else that will be an aid to me." So now he started. He had not gone far when in the distance he saw the place where stood the lodge of his father. He arrived there, and there a man-being abode who had four a children, two males and two females. The youth said: "I have now arrived. O father, it is necessary that thou shouldst aid me. And that which I need are the game [animals] and also some other things." They were all pleased that they saw him. So now he, the Ancient, their father, said: "So let it be. Truly I will fulfil all of thy requirements in coming here. In the first place, however, I will that these here, ye my children, severally shall amuse yourselves somewhat by running a race. I have a flute for which ye shall contend one with another, whereby ye shall enjoy yourselves. And I say that ye shall make a circuit of this earth here present, and also that ye shall take this flute." So now they stood at the line whence they should start. Now the visiting youth said: "I desire that here shall stand he, the Defender a [the False-face, He-defends-them], that he may aid me." Truly, it thus came to pass; the Defender came and stood there. And now, moreover, the youth said: "And I say that thou must put forth thy utmost speed for that I am going to trail thy tracks." So now truly it did thus come to pass that at all times they two [males] were in the lead throughout the entire distance covered in making the circuit [of the earth]. As soon as they started running he trailed him, and the pace was swift. In a short time now they made a circuit of it. Much did they two [males] outfoot the other two. Now he that carried the flute gave it to his father. Now he, the Ancient, took it and also said: "Now, of course, truly thou hast won from me all the things that thou desirest that I should do for thee." Now, moreover, he there laid down a bundle, a filled bag that was very heavy. So now, verily, he gave to his son, to the one who came from the other place, this bundle and also this flute that he had won, and he also said: "I say that this shall belong to you both equally, to thee and thy younger brother." So now the youth took up the bundle and bore it on his back by means of the forehead burden strap. So now he traveled along to a place where he became tired and the sack began to be heavy. So now he exclaimed, "It may be, perhaps, that I should take a rest." And so now he sat down and also examined it [the bag]. He thought, 'Let me, indeed, view them; for indeed they belong to me anyway."

Now, verily, he there unwrapt it and uncovered it. Just as soon as he opened it there were repeated shovings. Now, moreover, there all the various kinds of animals that his father had given him came forth. He was taken by surprise that all the animals so suddenly came forth. Thus it came to pass as soon as he fully opened the sack. And there, moreover, they severally trampled upon him. So the last one to come forth was the spotted fawn. Now he there shot it. On the front leg, a little above the place where the hoof joins the leg, there he bit it. It escaped from him, verily, moreover. So now he said: "Thus it will be with thee always. It will never be possible for thee to recover. And the wax [fat] that will at all times be contained therein will be a good medicine. And it will continue to be an effective medicine. As soon as anyone customarily shall have sore eyes, one must customarily anoint them with it, binding it thereon; then, customarily it will be possible for one to recover.

So then he departed again from that place. When he again arrived at the place where their lodge stood, he told his younger brother, saying: "Do thou look at what the father of us two has given us two." When he again arrived where his grandmother was, he said: "Now I have been to the place of my father on a visit. He granted me a most important matter. So do ye again go out of doors. Ye will hear the great noise [made] by all the several kinds of animals." Now they went out, and they listened to the loudness of the noise made by all the kinds of animals. Now there, their grandmother, the Ancient-bodied, she stood up, and she talked, saying: "Let it stand here; that is the elk, which this thing shall be called. Here also let another stand, one that is Just a little smaller, which shall be called a deer. Now also another thing, let it stand here, and that next in turn shall, verily, he called a bear. Now, also, another thing, next in order, let him stand here, and that next in order of time shall be called a buffalo. So that, verily, is just the number of [game animals] which are large in size. As soon, verily, as man-beings shall dwell here, those, verily, shall be the names of the different animals; when the man-beings dwell [here], then they shall give names to all the other animals."

So, verily, now, he, the youth, said: "I desire that there shall be a hollow here [in the ground], and that it shall be full of oil." Verily, it thus came to pass. Now, moreover, he said: "Hither let him [anthropic], the buffalo, come." In just a short time it then stood there. Now he said: "Therein do thou plunge thyself." Thus, truly, did it come to pass. On the farther side it landed from the oil pool, having become as fat as it is possible for it to be. So now again he said: "Hither let him [anthropic] come next in order of time, the bear." In a short time now the bear stood there. Moreover, he now said again: "Therein do thou, next in order, plunge thyself into that oil." Thus, truly, did it come to pass. On the farther side it landed from the oil pool, having become as fat as it is possible for it to be. So now he said: "What is it thou wilt do, and in what manner, to aid [human] man-beings?" "This, seemingly, is all; I shall just flee from him," it said. So now he loaded it by inserting meat into its legs. And now, verily, its legs are very large. So now he said: "Let the deer next in order stand here." As soon as it stood there, he said:

"There into that oil thou shalt plunge thyself." Now of course he [anthropic] cast his body therein, and landed from the oil pool on the other side, and it [zoic] was as fat as it was possible for it to be. So now he said: "With what and in what manner wilt thou aid the [human] man-beings?" "As for me, I shall not flee from him," it said. He said: "With what, and in what manner, moreover, wilt thou just do it?" "I will just bite them repeatedly," it replied. So now he, the youth, said: "Thus, just so, and only so, shall it be with thee," and now, moreover, he removed severally its upper teeth. Then he said: "Now the bodies of all those things which have horns, the buffalo, and the elk, etc., inherit the effect of this change." That is the reason that they [anthropic] have no upper teeth. All these several small things, the raccoon, woodchuck [or badger], porcupine, and also the skunk, all cast their bodies therein; therein they [zoic] plunged themselves. So only that is the number of those who were received. So next in order are those (z.) who were not accepted. I say that these, the Fisher, the Otter, and the Mink, and the Weasel [were the ones]. So that was the number of those who were excluded, [being set] aside, and who assembled there near by. So the Mink now cast his body into the oil. As soon as he came up out of it the youth seized him there, and he held him up, and he stripped his body through his hands, and that is the reason that his body did become somewhat longer. Now, verily, again it thus came to pass. Their bodies shared the change [into the character they now have], namely, those of the Fisher, and the Otter, and the Mink, and the Weasel. And this is the number of those [zoic] whose bodies next shared this transformation there--the Wolf, and the Panther, and the Fox. All these were excluded, being set aside.

So now the two male children were in the habit of going away. Day after day they two went to a great distance; there far away they two were in the habit of setting traps. So then day after day they two were in the habit of going away. So for some time now they [masc. anthropic] who severally had otgon a natures, and they also whose bodies were otgon in nature, hated them [the two boys]. Now, of course, they two, verily, in going away, were in the habit of going together. So that , moreover, one day the elder one said: "Thou alone, for the time being, go thither. Thou alone next in time shalt view our several set traps." So moreover , that truly it did thus come to pass. As soon now as he was far away they [masc. anthropic] whose bodies are otgon by nature killed him there. So now he, the elder one, became aware that they had killed his younger brother. So now he began to cry. And that when it made him weep the most, when he said in his crying, '’ĕñ‘, ’ĕñ‘', ’ĕñ‘', ’ĕñ‘'' then there were noises made in several places in the sky that is present. So now they [masc. anthr.] who are severally otgon, and also they [zoic] whose bodies are severally otgon, now, verily, became alarmed. Now, moreover, they said: "In just a short time only, we believe, the sky will fall, perhaps, as soon, we think, as he weeps much; it is preferable that he, his younger brother, shall return; nothing else [will stop it]." So now of course the youth became ashamed because such a large number of persons severally became aware that he was weeping. So now verily he did close up his lodge, all places therein where there were openings [crevices]. So now just after he had completed his task of closing up the openings, in just a short time, now thence, from the outside, Flint spoke, saying: "Oh, elder brother, now I have returned." So now he the elder one, who was shut up indoors, said: "It can not be that thou shouldst come in. Thou shalt just depart, thou thyself. Thou shalt take the lead on the path whereon went the mother of us two. There thou too shalt print thy tracks. I say that thou shalt trail the tracks of her who was our mother. Moreover, not far hence, there thou shalt seat thyself. So there now thou shalt observe the kind of life that customarily the human man-beings will live who will dwell on the earth. So now there, moreover, the path will divide itself where thou wilt abide. One of the ways will lead thither to the place where is the abode of His-word-is-master, a and the other will lead to the place where abides He-dwells-in-caves. b And also thou wilt have servants, they-[masc.]-dwell-in-caves. So that., moreover , thou shalt take this thing-to-blow, this flute, and that thou shalt constantly continue to blow it. Just as soon, customarily, as one's breath ends, one shall hear customarily from what direction speaks the flute.

(continued below)

[wren]

(continued)

Sometime afterward the youth now began to wonder, soliloquizing: "What is, perhaps, verily, in great measure, the reason that my grandmother does not eat wild potatoes?" Now, verily, he asked her, saying: "Oh, grandmother, what is it, verily, and why dost thou not in great measure eat wild potatoes?" "I customarily, all alone, by myself eat food she said; "I eat it [food], as a matter of fact." Now he mused, "Now, verily, I will watch her in the night, now just soon to be." So now he made an opening in his robe. Now, verily, he laid himself down, pretending to be asleep. Thence, nevertheless, he was looking, out of the place where he had made a hole in his robe. Now, moreover, he was looking out of the place where he had made an opening in the robe, and he was watching the place where his grandmother abode customarily. So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, went out. Now, moreover, she looked in the direction of the sunrising. Now the Star, the Day-bringer, was risen. Now she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Now of course, so it is, I will remove my pot sitting [over the fire]." So now truly she removed the pot [from the fire] and also put the wild potatoes in a bowl of bark, and there was just one bowlful. So now, next in order, she rummaged among her belongings in a bag which she pulled out, and now, verily, she there took out corn. So now she parched it for herself. Now, moreover, it popped. There was quite a pile of the popped corn. Now, verily, she took out a mortar of small size. Moreover, she struck repeated blows on the mortar, and the mortar grew in size, and it grew to a size that was just right. Now she took out the upper mortar a [pestle] from her bag. Now again she struck it repeated blows and it, too, increased in size. So now she pounded the corn, making meal. So now again she searched in her bag. She took thence again a small pot, and she, too, again did in like manner, striking repeated blows upon it, and it, too, increased in size. Now she there set up the pot, and also made mush therein. So, as soon as it was cooked she again rummaged in her bag. So now she took from it a bone, a beaver bone. Now again, verily, she scraped the bone, and she poured the bone-dust into the pot, and now, moreover, at once there floated oil on its surface. Now, of course, she took the pot from the fire. So now she ate the food. Verily, now, the youth went to sleep. Now early in the morning again [as usual] she, the Ancient-bodied, went away to dig wild potatoes. As soon as she disappeared as she went, then he went to the place where his grandmother customarily abode. Now, moreover, he began to rummage [among her belongings]. He took out an ear of corn which had only a few grains left fixed to it, there being, perhaps, only three and a half rows of grains left. So now he began to shell the corn; he shelled it all. So now he parched it for himself. Now, moreover, it popped, bursting iteratively, there being quite a heap, quite a large amount of it. Again he rummaged. Again he there took out a mortar of small size and also an upper mortar [pestle]. So now he used this to strike that, and now, moreover, both increased in size. And now he poured the parched corn. So now he in the mortar pounded it, and now verily it became meal. Now again he searched in her bag, and he took therefrom a small pot, and now used something else to strike upon it blows; then it, too, increased in size. Now, verily, he there set up the pot [on the fire] and also put water in it. So now he therein poured all this meal. Now, of course, he made mush. So now again he searched in the bag of his grandmother, and therefrom he took a bone, and he put it therein, and the mush became abundant.

"Ho‘ho‘',"e kept chuckling. "It tastes good." Now soon thereafter his grandmother returned. She said: "Well, what manner of thing art thou doing?" "I have made mush," the youth said, "and it is pleasant, too. Do thou eat of it, so be it, oh, grandmother. There is an abundance of mush." So now she wept, saying: "Now, verily, thou hast killed me. As a matter of fact, that was all there was left for me." "It is not good," he said, "that thou dost begrudge it. I will get other corn and also bone.'

So now the next day he made his preparations. When he finished his task, he said: "Now it is that I am going to depart." So now, verily, he departed. He arrived at the place where dwell man-beings. As soon as he arrived near the village he then made his preparations. I say that he made a deer out of his bow, and, next in order, a wolf out of his arrow; he made these for himself. Now he said: "Whenever it be that ye two run through the village it will customarily be that one will be just on the point of overtaking the other." Next in order he himself made into an Ancient-bodied one. So now he went to the place where they [masc.], the man-beings, abode. So now, sometime after he had arrived there, then, verily, they gave him food, gave to the Ancient-bodied. During the time that he was eating they heard a wolf approach, barking. One would just think that it was pursuing something. So now they all went out of doors. They saw a wolf pursuing a deer which was approaching them, and saw that, moreover, it was about to seize it. So now all ran thither. So now he was alone, and the Ancient-bodied ate. As soon as they had all gone, he now thrust his body into the place where, severally, the strings of corn hung. Two strings of corn he took off, and now, moreover, he placed them on his shoulder and he went out at once. He was running far away when they noticed [what he had done], but, verily, they did not at all pursue him. Again he arrived at their lodge. So now he cast them down where his grandmother abode. "Here," he said: "Thou wilt do with this as seems good to thee. Thou mayest decide, perhaps, to plant some of it." When it was day, he said: "Well, I will go to kill a beaver." Now, moreover, he went to the place that his grandmother had pointed out, saying that such things would dwell there. So he arrived there, and then, also, he saw the place where the beavers had a lodge. Then he saw one standing there. He shot it there and killed it. So then he placed its body on his back by means of the forehead pack-strap and then, moreover, he departed for home. Some time afterward he arrived at the place where their lodge stood. Thus, also, again did he do; there where his grandmother was sitting he cast it. "Here," he said. "So be it," she, the Ancient-bodied, said.

So now out of doors they two skinned it. They two held its body in many places. So when they two were nearly through their task there was a pool of blood on the green hide. So then she, the Ancient-bodied, took up a handful of the blood and cast it on the loins of her grandson. "Ha‘ha‘'," she, the Ancient-bodied, said, "now, verily, my grandson, thou becomest catamenial." "Fie upon it," said the youth, "it is not for us males to be so affected as a habit; but ye, ye females, shall be affected thus habitually every month." Now, again he took up a handful of clotted blood and cast it between the thighs of his grandmother, and now, he said: "Thou, of course, verily, hast now become catamenial." So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, began to weep, and she said: "Moreover, customarily, for how long a period will it be thus as an habitual thing?" Then the youth said: "[As many days] as there are spots on the fawn. So long, verily, shall be the time that it will continue to be thus." Now again she began to weep, the Ancient-bodied. So now she said: "It is not possible for me to consent that it shall be thus." "How many, moreover, then, shall they be?" he said. "I would accept the number of stripes on the back of a chipmunk," she said. "So be it," said the youth. So then he said: "Customarily, four days shall a woman-being remain out of doors. Then, customarily, as soon as she has washed all her garments, she shall reenter the place where they, her ohwachira a, abide."

So some time afterward she, the Ancient-bodied, said repeatedly: "And there shall be mountains, seemingly, over the surface of the earth here present." And now, verily, it did thus come to pass. "And, too, there shall be rivers on the surface of the earth," again she said. Now, of course, truly it did thus come to pass.

Now the youth said: "Now I think that thou and I should return home; that thou and I should go to that place which my mother has made ready for us; that there thou and I should remain forever." "So be it," she, the Ancient-bodied, said.

So then it was true that his grandmother and he departed. So then, verily, they two went up on high. So this is the end of the legend.


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Footnotes
233:a The use of the number four here is remarkable. It seems that the two female children are introduced merely to retain the number four, since they do not take any part in the events of the legend. It appears to the writer that the visiting boy and his warty brother are here inadvertently displaced by the narrator by the substitution of the two girls for the reason given above, owing to his or a predecessor's failure to recall all the parts of the legend. This form has emphasized the importance of the twins to the practical exclusion of the other brothers. In the Algonquian Potawatomi genesis narrative, which, like those of its congeners, appears to be derived from a source common to-both Iroquoian and Algonquian narrators, four male children are named as the offspring of the personage here called Wind. For the Potawatomi version consult De Smet, Oregon Missions, page 347.

234:a This is the Seneca name for the Hadu’'ĭ of the Onondagas.

242:a Otgon signifies malefic. It denotes specifically the evil or destructive use of orenda, or magic power.

244:a This is the name of the God of the Christians.

244:b This is the name of the devil of the Christians.

246:a This term goes back to the time when upper and lower grinder had the same name.

253:a See first note on page 255 ( a).

(the end)

[wren]

A MOHAWK VERSION

In the regions above there dwelt man-beings who knew not what it is to see one weep, nor what it is for one to die; sorrow and death were thus unknown to them. And the lodges belonging to them, to each of the ohwachiras a [families], were large, and very long, because each ohwachira usually abode in a single lodge.

And so it was that within the circumference of the village there was one lodge which claimed two persons, a male man-being and a female man-being. Moreover, these two man-beings were related to each other as brother and sister; and they two were dehninō'taton b [down-fended]. In the morning, after eating their first meal, it was customary for the people to go forth to their several duties.

All the lodges belonging to the inhabitants of this place faced the rising and extended toward the setting sun. Now then, as to the place where these two down-fended persons abode, on the south side of the lodge there was an added room wherein dwelt the woman-being; but the man-being lived in an added room on the north side of the lodge.

Then in the morning, when all had gone forth, the woman-being habitually availed herself of this opportunity to pass through her doorway, then to cross the large room, and, on the opposite side of it, to enter the place wherein abode the man-being. There habitually she dressed his hair, and when she had finished doing this, it was her custom to come forth and cross over to the other side of the lodge where was her own abiding place. So then, in this manner it was that she daily devoted her attention to him, dressing and arranging his hair.

Then, after a time, it came to pass that she to whom this female person belonged perceived that, indeed, it would seem that she was in delicate health; that one would indeed think that she was about to give birth to a child. So then, after a time, they questioned her, saving: "To whom of the man-beings living within the borders of the village art thou about to have a child?" But she, the girl child, did not answer a single word. Thus, then, it was at other times; they questioned her repeatedly, but she said nothing in answer to their queries.

At last the day of her confinement came, and she gave birth to a child, and the child was a girl, but she persisted in refusing to tell who was its father. But in the time preceding the birth of the girl child this selfsame man-being at times heard his kinsfolk in conversation say that his sister was about to give birth to a child. Now the man-being spent his time in meditating on this event, and after awhile he began to be ill. And, moreover, when the moment of his death had arrived, his mother sat beside his bed, gazing at him in his illness. She knew not what it was; moreover, never before had she seen anyone ill, because, in truth, no one had ever died in the place where these man-beings lived. So then, when his breathing had nearly ended, he then told his mother, saying to her: "Now, very soon shall I die." To that, also, his mother replied, saying: "What thing is that, the thing that thou sayest? What is about to happen?" When he answered, he said: "My breathing will cease; besides that, my flesh will become cold, and then, also, the joints of my bones will become stiff, And when I cease breathing thou must close my eyes, using thy hands. At that time thou wilt weep, even as it itself will move thee [that is, thou wilt instinctively weep]. Besides that, the others, severally, who are in the lodge and who have their eyes fixed on me when I die, all these, I say, will be affected in the same manner. Ye will weep and your minds will be grieved." Notwithstanding this explanation, his mother did not understand anything he had said to her. And now, besides this, he told her still something more. He said: "When I am dead ye will make a burial-case. Ye will use your best skill, and ye will dress and adorn my body. Then ye will place my body in the burial-case, and then ye will close it up, and in the added room toward the rising sun, on the inside of the lodge, ye will prepare well a place for it and place it up high."

So then, verily, when he had actually ceased breathing, his mother closed his eyes, using her hands to do this. Just as soon as this was accomplished, she wept; and also those others, including all those who were onlookers, were affected in just the same manner; they all wept, notwithstanding that never before this time had they known anyone, to die or to weep.

Now then, indeed, they made him a burial-case, then there, high up in the added room in the lodge, they prepared a place with care, and thereon they put the burial-case.

And the girl child lived in the very best of health, and, besides that, she grew in size very rapidly. Moreover, she had now reached that size and age when she could run hither and thither, playing about habitually. Besides this she could now talk.

Suddenly those in the lodge were greatly surprised that the child began to weep. For never before had it so happened to those who had children that these would be in the habit of weeping. So then her mother petted her, endeavoring to divert her mind, doing many things for this purpose; nevertheless she failed to quiet her. Other persons tried to soothe her by petting her, but none of their efforts succeeded in quieting her. After a while the mother of the child said: "Ye might try to quiet her by showing her that burial-case that lies up high, yonder, wherein the body of the dead man-being lies." So then they took the child up there and uncovered the burial-case. Now of course, she looked upon the dead man-being, and she immediately ceased from weeping. After a long time they brought her down therefrom, for she no longer lamented. And, besides this, her mind was again at ease.

It was so for a very long time. Then she began to weep again, and so, this time, her mother, as soon as possible, took her child up to where the dead man-being lay, and the child immediately ceased her lamenting. Again it was along time before one took her down therefrom. Now again she went tranquilly about from place to place playing joyfully.

So then they made a ladder, and they erected the ladder so that whenever she should desire to see the dead man-being, it would then be possible for her to climb up to him by herself. Then, when she again desired to see the dead person, she climbed up there, though she did so by herself.

So then, in this way matters progressed while she was growing to maturity. Whenever she desired to see the one who had died, she would habitually climb up to him. In addition to these things, it was usual, when she sat on the place where the burial-case lay, that those who abode in the lodge heard her conversing, just as though she were replying to all that he said; besides this, at times she would laugh.

But, when the time of her maturity had come, when this child had grown up, and she had again come down, as was her habit, from the place where the dead man-being lay, she said: "Mother, my father said"--when she said "my father," it then became certain who was her father--"'Now thou shalt be married. Far away toward the sunrising there he lives, and he it is who is the chief of the people that dwell there, and he it is that there, in that place, will be married to thee.' And now, besides this, he said: 'Thou shalt tell thy mother that she shall fill one burden basket with bread of sodden corn, putting forth her best skill in making it, and that she shall mix berries with the bread, which thou wilt bear with the forehead strap on thy back, when thou goest to the place where he dwells to whom thou shalt be married."'

Then it was that her mother made bread of corn softened by boiling, and she mixed berries with the corn bread. So then, when it was cooked, she placed it in a burden basket, and it filled it very full.

It was then, at this time, that the young woman-being said: "I believe I will go and tell it to my father." It was then that she again climbed up to the place where the dead man-being lay. Then those who were in the lodge heard her say: "Father, my mother has finished the bread." But that he made any reply to this, no one heard. So then it was in this manner that she conversed there with her dead father. Sometimes she would say: "So be it; I will." At other times she would laugh. So after a while she came down and said: "My father said: 'To-morrow very early in the morning thou shalt start.'"

So then, when the next day came, and also when they had finished eating their morning meal, the young woman-being at this time said: "Now I believe I will start; but I will also tell my father, I believe." At this time she now went thither where stood the ladder, and, climbing up to the place whereon lay the burial-case of the dead man-being, she said: "Father, I shall now start on my journey." So then again it was from what she herself said that it was learned that he was her father.

It was at this time that he told her all that would befall her on her journey to her destination, and, moreover, what would happen after her arrival. So then, after she again came down, her mother took up for her the burden basket which was full of bread, and placed it on the back of the young woman-being, to be borne by means of the forehead strap, and then the young woman-being went forth from the lodge and started on her journey, the path extending away toward the sunrising; and thither did she wend her way.

So it was surprising to her what a short distance the sun had raised itself when she arrived at the place where her father had told her there was a river, where a floating log served as a crossing, and at which place it was the custom for wayfarers to remain over night, as it was just one day's journey away. So the young woman-being now concluded, therefore, that she had lost her way, thinking that she had taken a wrong path. She then retraced her steps. Only a very short distance again had the sun gone when she returned to the place whence she had started, and she said: "I do not know but that I have lost my way. So I will question my father about it again." She thereupon climbed up again to the place where her father lay in the burial-case. Those who were in. the house heard her say: "Father, I came back thinking that, perhaps, I had lost my way, for the reason that I arrived so quickly at the point thou describedest to me as the place where I should have to remain over night; for the sun had moved scarcely any distance before I arrived where thou hadst told me there would be a river which is crossed by means of a log. This, then, is the aspect of the place whence I returned." At this time, then, he made answer to this, and she alone heard the things that he said, and those other people who were in the lodge did not hear what things he said. It is told that he replied, saying: "Indeed, thou hadst not lost thy way." Now it is reported that he said: "What kind of a log is it that is used in crossing there?" She answered, it is said: "Maple is the kind of log that is used at the crossing, and the log is supported by clumps of young saplings of basswood and ironwood, respectively, on either side of the stream." He replied, it is said: "That appears to be accurate, indeed, in fact, thou didst not lose thy way." At this time, then, she descended and again started on her journey.

And again, it seems, the sun had moved only just a little before she again arrived at the place whence she had returned. So she just kept on her journey and crossed the river.

So, having gone only a short distance farther on her way, she heard a man-being in the shrubbery say therefrom: "Ahem!" She of course paid no attention to him, but kept on her way, since her father had told her what would happen to her on the journey. Thus, in this manner, she did nothing except hasten as she traveled on to her destination. Besides this, at times, another man-being would say from out of the shrubbery: "Ahem!" But she kept on her course, only hastening her pace as much as possible as she continued her journey. But when she had arrived near the point where she should leave the forest, she was surprised to see a man-being coming toward her on the path, and he, when coming, at a distance began to talk, saving: "Stand thou, for a short time. Rest thyself, for now thou must be wearied." But she acted as though she had not heard what he said, for she only kept on walking. He gave up hope, because she would not even stop, so all that he then did was to mock her, saving: "Art thou not ashamed, since the man thou comest to seek is so old?" But, nevertheless, she did not stop. She did not change her course nor cease from moving onward, because her father had told her all that would happen to her while she trudged on her journey; this, then, is the reason that she did not stand. So then, after a while, she reached a grassy clearing--a clearing that was very large--in the center of which there lay a village, and the lodge of the chief of these people stood just in the middle of that village. Thither, then, to that place she went. And when she arrived at the place where stood his lodge, she kept right on and entered it. In the center of the lodge the fire burned, and on both sides of the fire were raised beds of mats. There the chief lay. She went on and placed beside him her basket of bread, and she said: "We two marry." So he spoke in reply saying: "Do thou sit on the other side of the fire." Thus, then, it came to pass, that they two had the fire between them, and besides this they uttered not a word together even until it became dark. Then, when the time came, after dark, that people retire to sleep habitually, he made up his mat bed. After finishing it he made her a mat bed at the foot of his. He then said: "Thou shalt lie here." So thereupon she lay down there, and he also lay down. They did not lie together; they only placed their feet together [sole to sole].

And when morning dawned, they two then arose. And now he himself kindled a fire, and when he had finished making the fire he then crossed the threshold into another room: he then came out bearing an onora [string of ears] of white corn. He said: "Do thou work. It is customary that one who is living among the people of her spouse must work. Thou must make mush of hulled corn." So she thereupon shelled the corn, and he himself went to bring water. He also got a pot, a pot that belonged to him, and that was very large. He poured the water into the pot and hung it over the fire.

And when she had finished shelling the corn, she hulled it, parboiling the corn in the water. And when the corn was parboiled, she then poured the grains into a mortar. She then got the pestle from where it stood, and pounded the corn to meal. She brought the pestle down only once, and the meal was finished. The chief marveled at this, for he had never seen one make meal in so short a time. When she finished the meal, the water in the pot which he had hung over the fire was boiling. She, thereupon, of course, was about to put the meal into it, but he said: "Do thou remove thy garments." So she then divested herself of her garments. She finished this work, and then put the meal into the water. Now she stirred it, using a pot stick for the purpose. But the man himself lay alongside on the mat bed, having his eyes fixed upon her as she worked. So, of course, as the mush continually spattered, drops of it fell continually in divers places on her, all along her naked body. But she acted just as though she did not feel this. When the mush was sufficiently cooked, her whole naked body was fully bespattered with mush. At this moment he himself now removed the pot from the fire, and then, moreover, he opened a door not far away and said: "My slaves, do ye two come hither." Thereupon thence emerged two animals; they were two large dogs. He said: "Do ye two wipe from along her naked body the mush spots that have fallen on her." Thereupon his slaves, two individuals in number, and besides of equal size, went thither to the place where she was standing. Now, of course, they two licked her naked body many times in many places. But, it is said, their two tongues were so sharp that it was just as if one should draw a hot rod along over her naked body. It is said that wherever they two licked the blood came at once. So it is said that when they two had finished this work, she stood there bathed in blood. He thereupon said: "Now, do thou dress thyself again." And she did redress herself. But, it is said, he said to his two slaves: "Come, my slaves, do ye two eat, for now the food that was made for you is cooked." So then the two beasts ate. And when they two had finished eating, he said to them: "Now do ye two reenter the other room." Thereupon they two reentered the other room, and moreover he shut them up therein.

Then, it is reported, he said: "It is true, is it not, that thou desirest that thou and I should marry? So, now, thou and I do marry."

So then the things that came to pass as they did during the time she was there were all known to her beforehand, because her father had indeed foretold all these things to her; hence she was able with fortitude to suffer the burns without flinching, when the mush spattered on her while she was cooking. If she had flinched when the drops of hot mush fell on her, he would have said to her: "I do not believe that it is true that it is thy wish that thou and I should marry." Besides this she bore with fortitude the pain at the time when the two
dogs licked the mush from her body. If she had flinched to the point of refusing to finish her undertaking, it is also certain that he would have said: "It is of course not true that thou desirest that thou and I should marry."

And when his two beasts had finished eating, he then, it is said, showed her just where his food lay. Thereupon she prepared it, and when she had completed the preparation thereof, they two then ate the morning meal.

It is said that she passed three nights there, and they two did not once lie together. Only this was done, it is reported: When they two lay down to sleep, they two placed their feet together, both placing their heads in opposite directions.

Then, it is said, on the third morning, he said: "Now thou shalt again go thither to the place whence thou hast come. One basket of dried venison thou shalt bear thither on thy back by means of the forehead strap. I will give some meat to thy people. Moreover, the entire village of people with whom thou dwellest in one place must all share alike in the division of the meat when thou arrivest there."

Thereupon, it is told, he climbed up above and drew down quarters of meat that had been dried. It is said that he piled it very high in the lodge before he descended. He then put the meat into her burden basket until it was full. Then, it is told, he took up the basket, and he shook the basket to pack the meat close. It actually did settle so much, it is told, that there was but a small quantity [apparently] in the basket. Now, he again began to put meat into the basket. It was again filled. And he again shook it to cause it to settle, and again it settled until it occupied but a very small space in the basket. Thus he used all the meat thrown down, and yet the basket was not full. Thrice, it is told, he drew down the quarters of meat, and each time, it is said, did the meat nearly fill the lodge. Not until then was the basket filled. So then, when the basket was full, it is told, he said: "When thou arrivest there, thou and the inhabitants of the place must assemble in council, and the meat shall be equally divided among you. Moreover, thou must tell them that they severally must remove the thatched roofs from their lodges when the evening darkness comes, and that they must severally go out of them. And they must store all the corn [hail] that will fall in the lodges, for, indeed, verily, it will rain corn [hail] this very night when thou arrivest there. So now thou must bear on thy back by means of the forehead strap this basket of dried venison." Thereupon he took up the basket for her, and he said: "Thou must carefully adjust the burden strap in the proper place, because it will then not be possible for thee to move the burden strap to a new place, no matter how tired soever thou mayest become, until thou indeed arrivest there. Now, at that time thou must remove thy burden." So then, when she had completed her preparations, she adjusted the burden strap so that it passed over her forehead at the fittest point. She then said: "Now I believe I have completed my preparations, as well as chosen just where the burden strap shall pass." Thereupon he released his hands from holding up the basket for her, and now, moreover, she started on her journey homeward.

Now, moreover, the basket she carried on her back was not at all heavy. But when she had gone perhaps one-half of the way back on her journey, the burden began to be heavy in a small measure. Then, as she continued her journey, it gradually became heavier. The instant she reached the inside of the lodge, the burden strap became detached and the basket fell to the ground, and the dried meat fell out of it. The meat filled the space within the lodge, for did she not bring much meat on her back? For thrice, is it not true, he had pulled down meat in his lodge when he was putting the meat into her basket at the time when he was making up her burden? It was then that she told them that they must remove the thatched roofs from their lodges when it became evening.

Then she said: "He has sent you some meat. Now then, my kinsfolk, take up this meat lying in the lodge." Then at that time her people took up the dried meat, and so they all carried it away. She then said: "Ye must remove the thatched roofs from the lodges that severally belong to you the first time ye go to sleep, because my spouse has sent word that he will give you some white corn [white grains] during the time that ye will again be asleep. It will rain white grains while ye again are asleep." So, when it became dark, it showered corn [hail] during the entire night, and so by this means they had much grain [hail] when day dawned.

Then, in truth, they removed the roofs from their several lodges, and they retired to sleep. So, when they awakened, in truth, then there was very much corn [hail] lying in the lodges. The white corn [grain] lay above one's knees in depth. Thus lay the white corn, for so long as they slept it showered white corn [grain]. The reason that he gave her people corn was because he had espoused one of their people.

After a suitable time she started back, going to the lodge of her spouse. Verily she again made the journey in the same time that it took her the first time she went thither. So then, when she arrived there, she of course at that time related to him all that had happened to her during her journey to and from home. Of course they two now abode together, for the reason, of course, that they two were espoused.

After a time he then said: "I am ill." So then, his people marveled at what he said, for the reason that they did not know what it was for one to be ill. So, therefore, at the time when they comprehended what had occurred in regard to him, they, of course, individually, as was customary, studied the matter, and informed the man who was ill what to do. It would seem, one would imagine, that his illness did not abate thereby, even though many different persons made the attempt, and his recovery was yet an unaccomplished task. So thus it stood; they continued to seek to divine his Word. Then, therefore, when they failed to cure his illness, they questioned him, saving: "How, then, perhaps, may we do that thou mayest recover from thy illness?' Then he answered them, saying: "I am thinking that, perhaps, I should recover from my illness if ye would uproot the tree standing in my dooryard [on my shade], and if there beside the place from which ye uproot the tree I should lay myself in a position recumbent."

So thereupon his people uprooted the tree that stood in his dooryard. This tree belonged to the species wild cherry [dogwood; in Tuscarora, Nakwĕñnĕn’iĕñthuç], and was constantly adorned with blossoms that gave light to the people dwelling there; for these flowers were white, and it was because of this that the blossoms gave light, and, therefore, they were the light orb [sun] of the people dwelling there.

So when they had uprooted the tree, he said to his spouse: "Do thou spread for me something there beside the place where stood the tree." Thereupon she, in fact, spread something for him there, and he then lay down on what she had spread for him. And so, when he lay there, he said to his spouse: "Here sit thou, beside my body." Now at that time she did sit beside his body as he lay there. He then said to her: "Do thou hang thy legs down into the abyss." For where they had uprooted the tree there came to be a deep hole, which extended through to the nether world, and the earth was upturned about it.

(continued below)

[wren]

(continued)

That, then, it is true, came to pass, that while he lay there his suffering was mitigated. All his people were assembled there, and moreover, they had their eyes fixed on him as he lay there ill, marveling at this thing that had befallen him himself; for the people dwelling here did not know what it is to be ill. So then, when he had, seemingly, recovered from his illness, he turned himself over, turning upon his side, and then, resting himself on his elbows, he at the same time looked into the hole. After a while he said: "Do thou look thither into the hole to see what things are occurring there in yonder place." He said this to his spouse. Thereupon she bent forward her body into the hole and looked therein. Whereupon he placed his fingers against the nape of her neck and pushed her, and she fell into the hole. Then he arose to a standing posture, and said to his people: "Now do ye replace the tree that ye have uprooted. Here, verily, it lies." They immediately reset the tree, so that it stood just as it did before the time they uprooted it.

But as to this woman-being, she of course fell into the hole, and kept falling in the darkness thereof. After a while she passed through it. Now when she had passed through the thickness thereof to the other world she of course looked about her in all directions, and saw on all sides of her that everything was blue in color; that there was nothing else for her to see. She knew nothing of what would, perhaps, happen to her, for she did not cease from falling. But after a time she looked and saw something; but she knew nothing of the thing she saw. But, verily, she now indeed was looking on a great expanse of water, albeit she herself did not know what it was.

So this is what she saw: On the surface of the water, floating about hither and thither, like veritable canoes, were all forms and kinds of ducks (waterfowl). Thereupon Loon noticed her, and he suddenly shouted, saying: "A man-being, a female one is coming up from the depths of the water." Then Bittern spoke in turn, saying: "She is not indeed coming up out of the depths of the water." He said: "She is indeed falling from above." Whereupon they held a council to decide what they should do to provide for her welfare. They finally decided to invite the Great Turtle to come. Loon thereupon said to him: "Thou shouldst float thy body above the place where thou art in the depths of the water." In the first place, they sent a large number of ducks of various kinds. These flew and elevated themselves in a very compact body and went up to meet her on high.. And on their backs, thereupon did her body alight. Then slowly they descended, bearing her body on their backs.

Great Turtle had satisfactorily caused his carapace to float. There upon his back they placed her. Then Loon said: "Come, ye who are deep divers, which one of you is able to dive so as to fetch up earth?" Thereupon one by one they severally dived into the water. It was at this time that Beaver made the attempt and dived. The time was long and there was only silence. It was a long time before his back reappeared. He came up dead, his breathing having failed him. Thereupon they examined his paws, but he had brought up no earth. Then Otter said: "Well, let it be my turn now; let me make another attempt." Whereupon he dived. A longer time elapsed before he came to the surface. He also came up dead in his turn. They then examined his paws also. Neither did he, it is said, bring up any earth. It was then that Muskrat said: "I also will make the desperate attempt." So then he dove into the water. It was a still longer time that he, in turn, was under water. Then, after a while, he floated to the surface, coming up dead, having lost his breath. Thereupon, again, they examined the inside of his paws also. They found mud. He brought up his paws and his mouth full of mud.

It was then that they made use of this mud. They coated the edge of the carapace of the Great Turtle with the mud. Now it was that other muskrats, in their turns, dived into the water to fetch mud. They floated to the surface dead. In this way they worked until they had made a circuit of the carapace of the Great Turtle, placing mud thereon, until the two portions of the work came together. Thereupon Loon said: "Now there is enough. Now it will suffice." Thereupon the muskrats ceased from diving to fetch up mud.

Now, verily, this man-being sat on the carapace of the Great Turtle. After the lapse of sufficient time, she went to sleep. After a while she awoke. Now then, the carapace of the Great Turtle was covered with mud. Then, moreover, the earth whereon she sat had become enlarged in size. At that time she looked and saw that willows had grown up to bushes along the edge of the water. Then also, when she again awoke, the carcass of a deer, recently killed, lay there, and now besides this, a small fire burned there, and besides this, a sharp stone lay there. Now, of course, she dressed and quartered the carcass of the deer and roasted some pieces thereof, and she ate her fill. So, when she had finished her repast, she again looked about her. Now, assuredly, the earth had increased much in size, for the earth grew very rapidly. She, moreover, saw another thing; she saw growing shrubs of the rose-willow along the edge of the water.

Moreover, not long after, she saw a small rivulet take up its course. Thus, then, things came to pass in their turn. Rapidly was the earth increasing in size. She then looked and saw all species of herbs and grasses spring from the earth, and also saw that they began to grow toward maturity.

Now also, when the time had come for her to be delivered, she gave birth to a female man-being, a girl child. Then, of course, they two, mother and daughter, remained there together. It was quite astonishing how rapidly the girl child grew. So then, when she had attained her growth, she of course was a maiden. They two were alone; no other man-being moved about there in any place.

So then, of course, when she had grown up and was a maiden, then, of course, her mother was in the habit of admonishing her child, saying, customarily: "Thou wilt tell me what manner of person it is who will visit thee, and who will say customarily: 'I desire that thou and I should marry.' Do not thou give ear to this; but say, customarily: 'Not until I first ask my mother."'

Now then, in this manner, matters progressed. First one, then another, came along, severally asking her to become his wife, and she customarily replied: "Not until I first ask my mother." When she would tell her mother what manner of person had asked her to marry him, her mother would answer, saying customarily: "No; he is not the person." But after a while the maiden said: "One who has a deep fringe along his legs and arms paid a visit." The elder woman said: "That is the one, I think, that it will be proper for you to marry." Thereupon she returned to the place where the young man stood. She said: "We should marry, she says." The young man answered, saying: "When it is dark, I shall return." So then, when the appointed time arrived, he also came back. Then it was that he paid court to her. But, I think, they two, he and the maid, did not lie together. When she lay down so that she could sleep, he laid one of his arrows beside her body. Thereupon he departed. Then, at his return, he again took his arrow and departed again, carrying the arrow away with him. He never came back afterward.

After a while the elder woman became aware that the maiden was growing in size, caused by the fact that she was pregnant.

So when the day of her delivery had come, she brought forth twins, two male infants. But during the time that she was in travail, the maiden heard the two talking within her body. One of them said: "This is the place through which we two shall emerge from here. It is a much shorter way, for, look thou, there are many transparent places." But the other person said: "Not at all. Assuredly, we should kill her by doing this thing. Howbeit, let us go out that other way, the way that one, having become a human being, will use as an exit. We will turn around and in a downward direction we two will go." So then the former one confirmed what this one had proposed, when this one said: "Thus it shall continue to be."

But, however, he now contested another matter. He did not comply when the, second one said: "Do thou take the lead." He said: "Not at all; do thou go ahead." So then it was in this manner that they two contended, and he who said: "Right in this very place let us two go straight out, for assuredly this way is as near as that," gained his point. Finally, the other agreed that he himself should take the lead. At that time, then, he turned about, and at once he was born. So at that time his grandmother took him up and cared for him. Then she laid him aside. At that time she again gave attention to her [the daughter], for now, indeed, another travail did she suffer. But that other one emerged in another place. He came out of her armpit. So, as to him, he killed his mother. Then, his grandmother took him up and attended to his needs also. She completed this task and laid him alongside of the one who had first come. So thereupon she devoted her attention to her child who was dead. Then, turning herself about to face the place where she had laid the two infants, she said: "Which of you two destroyed my child?" One of them answered, saving: "Verily, he himself it is, I believe." This one who had answered was a very marvelously strange person as to his form. His flesh was nothing but flint. a Over the top of his head there was, indeed, a sharp comb of flint. It was therefore on this account that he emerged by way of her armpit.


But the flesh of the other was in all respects similar in kind to that of a man-being. He spoke, saying: "He himself, indeed, killed her." The other one replied, saying: "Not at all, indeed." He again said: "Indeed, he himself killed her." Thus then, in this manner, the two debated. But he who was guilty of killing her did not swerve from his denial, and so then he finally won his point. Whereupon their grandmother seized the body of him whose flesh was verily that of a man-being and with all her might cast him far into the bushes. But the other, whose flesh was flint, was taken up and cared for by her. And it was also wonderful how much she loved him.

Now, in its turn, she again laid her hands on the flesh body of her girl child, who was verily now not alive. She cut off her head and said: "Even though thou art now dead, yet, albeit, thou shalt continue to have a function to perform." And now she took up the flesh body and hung it on a tree standing hard by her lodge, and she said: "Thou shalt continue to give light to this earth here present. But the head also she hung in another place, and she said: "Thou also shalt continue to have a function. Thou shalt have less power to give light." Thus then she completed her arrangements for supplying herself with light. Now, assuredly, she had made fast the sun for herself, and also the moon. She imposed on them the duty of furnishing her with light for their part. Verily, indeed, it was the head of her girl child who was dead that she used to make the moon, but her body she made into the sun. They were to be fixed always in one place, and were not to be moving from place to place. Now, besides this, she restricted them to herself and her grandson, saying: "We two, entirely alone, shall ever be supplied by this light. No other person shall use it, only we two ourselves."

When she had now, indeed, finished all of her task, she was surprised by the moving of the, grasses at the spot whither she had cast the other one of her grandchildren. He was alive; he had not died; for she thought when she had cast him far away that he would, of course, die, but, howbeit, he had not died. He walked about there among the bushes. But after a while he came thence toward the lodge of his grandmother, but she ordered him away, saying: "Go thou far off yonder. I have no desire whatever to look on thee, for thou it is, assuredly, who hast killed my girl child. So, then, therefore, go thou far off yonder." Verily, he then went from there. But, albeit, he was moving about in a place not far from the place where the lodge stood. Besides this, the male child was in good health, and his growth was rapid.

After awhile he made for himself a bow and also an arrow. Of course he now went about shooting from place to place. He went, indeed, about from place to place, for now, of course, the earth was indeed of considerable size. The earth, indeed, verily continued to grow in size. So at times he would return to the side of the lodge. The, other boy, his younger brother, looked and saw that he had a bow and also an arrow. Then he spoke to her, his grandmother, saying: "Thou shouldst make for me a bow and also an arrow, so that I also should have them." So, thereupon, she made him a bow and also an arrow; and, then, therefore, they both had bows and arrows.

So now, verily, they two wandered about shooting. So then he whose body was exactly like that of a man-being went in his shooting along a lake shore, even at the water's edge. There stood a clump of bushes there, whereon rested a flock of birds. He shot at them and they flew over the lake, but the arrow fell into the water. Thereupon he went thither to the water's edge, and cast himself into the lake; he desired to go and recover his arrow. So when he leaped into the water, he did not feel that he had plunged into the water, because he fell supine on the ground. There was no water there. He arose and was surprised that a lodge stood there, and that he had arisen beside the doorway. He looked into the lodge and saw a man sitting therein. The man who was sitting in the lodge said: "Enter thou here." So then he entered, and he who sat therein said: "Thou hast now arrived. I assuredly invited thee that thou shouldst come here. Here, then, lies the reason that I sent for thee. It is because I hear customarily the kind of language thy grandmother uses toward thee. She tells thee that she does not love thee, and the reason of it is that she believes that what Tawĭ'skaron’ customarily says is true. He says, customarily, of course, that thou killedst her who was the mother of you two. Now, what he customarily says is not true, and the grandmother of you two firmly believes the things that he says, so that is the reason that I desire that thou shouldst come hither. For the fact is, she discriminates between you two, loving him, but not thee. Here, then, I have made a bow and an arrow as well for thee. Here, then, take them." So thereupon he accepted them. They were marvelously fine in appearance. He said: "Thou must make use of these as thou goest about shooting, for sometimes thou hast asked thy grandmother to make thee a bow somewhat better than the one thou madest for thyself, yet she would, customarily, not give ear to it, and besides that she would habitually refuse, and then order thee away. She would customarily say: 'Go thou from here. I have no desire to be looking at thee, for thou art the one assuredly who killed my girl child.' Now this, customarily, was the kind of discourse she spoke. So now, then, another thing. Here, of course, are two ears of sweet corn. These thou must take away with thee. One of the ears is not yet ripe; it is still in its milky state, but, as to the other. it is mature. Thou must take them with thee. As to the one in the milky state, thou must roast it for thyself; but as to the one that is mature, it shall be for seed corn." Thereupon, then, when he had finished speaking, telling him all things, he said: "Here they are, then." Whereupon he took them.

It was at this time also that he told him, saying: "But, as to that, I am thy parent." That was said by him whose lodge stood there and who is the Great Turtle. Then the young man departed.

So then when he had returned home in traveling, he would habitually run along the lake shore and would say, customarily: "Let this earth keep on growing." He said: "People call me Maple Sprout [Sapling].," Verily, as far as he customarily ran, so far the earth grew anew, and., besides that, maple saplings customarily would produce themselves. So then, it was his custom to do thus. On whatever side in turn he would run along the shore of the lake, just as far as he would run, just so far would this come to pass: new earth would form itself, and also maple saplings formed themselves into trees. He also said, customarily, as he ran along: "Let the earth increase in size" and: "Maple Sapling will people habitually call me." Thus it was, by means of this kind, that the earth became enlarged to the size it now has when we look at the size of this world.

So then, at this time, in turn, he formed severally the various bodies of the animals. Therefore, Sapling customarily would take up a handful of earth, and would cast it upward. Customarily, many hundreds of living things, as many as the handfuls he threw up, flew away in different directions. He customarily said: "This shall continue to be your condition. When ye wander from place to place, ye must go in flocks." Thereupon a duty devolved upon this species of animals, for example, that they should habitually make roosts. Now, of course, different animals were severally asked to volunteer to aid man. Whichever of them would give ear to this, would say to it: "I, I think, will volunteer." Thereupon they would customarily ask him, saying: "Well then, permit us to see in what way thou wilt act when thou protectest thy offspring." The Bear, therefore, volunteered. Now then he acted so rudely that it was very marvelously terrifying. The manner in which he would act ugly would, I think, kill people. Thus, indeed, he exhibited to them how he would defend his offspring. They said: "Not at all, we think, shouldst thou volunteer." Whereupon, of course, others offered themselves as volunteers. Nevertheless, none were acceptable, because their methods of defending their offspring were terrible. So one after another volunteered. After a while the Pigeon said: "It is time now, I think, that I should volunteer." Whereupon, assuredly, they said: "How then wilt thou do when thou protectest thy offspring? Let us see." Then Pigeon flew hither and thither, uttering cries as it went. Then sometimes it would again alight on a bough of a tree. In a short time it would again fly, winging its way from place to place, uttering cries. So then they said: "Now, this will be suitable." At the same time they had lying by them a dish containing bear's oil; they therein immersed Pigeon, and they said: "So fat shall thy offspring customarily be." It is for this reason that the young of the pigeon are as fat as a bear usually is.

During this time Tawĭ'skaron’ was watching what Sapling was doing. Thereupon he began to imitate him by also making animal bodies. But this work was too difficult for him to allow his doing it correctly. He failed to make correctly the bodies of the animals just as they are. He formed the body of a bird as he knew it. So, when he had finished its form, he let it go, and now, I think, it flew. Forsooth, it succeeded in flying, but it flew without any objective point. And, I believe, it did not become a bird. Now then he had completed the body of what we know as the bat. So then, when he, Sapling, had completed in their order the bodies of the marvelously various kinds of animals, they began to wander over the face of the earth here present.

Then, as Sapling was traveling about over the face of the earth, he, after a while, marveled greatly that he could not in any place still see the different kinds of animals. Thereupon he traveled about over the face of the earth seeking for them. He also thought, forsooth: "This is an astonishing matter; where, perhaps, have they gone--they, the animals whose bodies I have made?" So then, while he went from place to place, and while he was looking for the animals, he was startled. Near him a leaf made a noise, and looking thither he was surprised to see a mouse peering up there among the leaves. The mouse that he saw is called the Deer-mouse, and, of course, he had intended to shoot it, but the Deer-mouse spoke to him, saying: "Do thou not kill me. I will tell thee then where have gone those things thou art seeking, the animals." So then in truth he resolved not to kill it, and then he spoke and said: "Whither then have the animals gone?" Thereupon the Deer-mouse said: "In that direction there is a range of great mountains of rock. There in the rocks they abide, and are indeed shut up. If, when thou arrivest there, thou lookest, thou wilt see a large stone placed over the cavern, which stone one has used for the purpose of closing it up. It is Tawĭ'skaron’ himself and his grandmother who have together done this; it is they who imprisoned the, animals." So then, therefore, he went thither. It was true then that a stone lay over the place where was the opening into the rock; it was closed therewith. So he then removed the stone from it, and he now said: "Do ye all come forth. For, assuredly, when I caused you to be alive, did I intend that ye should be imprisoned here. Assuredly, I intended that ye should continue to roam from place to place over this earth, which I have caused to be extant." Thereupon they did in fact come forth. There was a rumbling sound, as their feet gave forth sounds while they kept coming forth. So, at this time, the grandmother of Tawĭ'skaron’ said: "What thing, perhaps, is now happening? There is a rumbling sound." She thus addressed her grandson, Tawĭ'skaron’. Before Tawĭ'skaron’ could reply, she spoke again, saying: "It is true, undoubtedly, that Sapling has found them there where thou and I have the animals imprisoned. So then, let us two go at once to the place wherein we two immured them." Then at once they two went out, and without delay ran thither. So when they two arrived there, it was even so; the Sapling stood there, having opened the cavern in the rock, and verily a line of animals ever so long was running. The two rushed forward and took up the stone again, and again shut in those that had not come out, and these are animals great in size and now dwelling therein.

Sapling kept saying: "Do ye two not again immure them." Nevertheless, Tawĭ'skaron’ and his grandmother just placed thereon other stones. So then the kinds of animals that we know are only those that came out again.

So then it came to pass that Sapling, as he traveled from place to place, went, after a while, along the shore of the lake. There, not far away, he saw Tawĭ'skaron’, making for himself a bridge of stone [ice] across the lake, which already extended far out on the water. a Thereupon Sapling went to the place where he went on working. So then, when he arrived there, he said: "Tawĭ'skaron’, what is this that thou art doing for thyself?" He replied, saying: "I am making a pathway for myself." And then, pointing in the direction toward which he was building the bridge, he added: "In that direction there is a land where dwell great animals of fierce dispositions. As soon as I complete my pathway to that other land, thereon will they habitually come over. Along this pathway will they be in the habit of coming across the lake to eat habitually the flesh of human beings who are about to be [who are about to dwell here] on this earth." So then Sapling said to him: "Thou shouldst cease the work that thou art doing. Assuredly the intention of thy mind is not good." He replied, saying: "I will not cease from what I am doing, for, of course, it is good that these great animals shall be in the habit of coming hither to eat the flesh of human beings who will dwell here."

So, of course, he did not obey and cease from building the bridge for himself. Thereupon Sapling turned back and reached dry land. So along the shore of the sea grew shrubs. He saw a bird sitting on a limb of one. The bird belonged to the class of birds that we are accustomed to call the bluebirds. Sapling then said to the Bluebird b: "Thou shalt kill a cricket. Thou shalt remove one hind leg from it, and thou shalt hold it in thy mouth, and thou shalt go thither to the very place where Tawĭ'skaron’ is working. Hard by the place where he is working thou shalt alight, and thou shalt cry out." The bird replied, saying: "Yo‘' [very well]."

Thereupon it verily did seek for a cricket. After a while it found one, and killed it, too. Then it pulled out one of its hind legs and put it into its mouth to hold, and then it flew, winging its way to the place where Tawĭ'skaron’ was at work making himself a bridge. There it

alighted hard by him at his task. Of course it then shouted, saying: "Kwe‘, kwe‘, kwe‘, kwe‘, kwe‘." a Thereupon Tawĭ'skaron’ upraised his head and looked and saw a bird sitting there. He believed from what he saw that it held in its mouth the thigh of a man-being, and also that its mouth was wholly covered with blood. It was then that Tawĭ'skaron’ sprang up at once and fled. As fast as he ran the bridge which he was making was dissipated. a


(continued below)

[wren]

(continued)

Now then, verily, the father of Sapling had given him sweet corn, and now he roasted this corn. A great odor, a sweet odor, was diffused. So when the grandmother of Tawĭ'skaron’ smelt it, she said: "What other thing again is Sapling roasting for himself?" She addressed Tawĭ'skaron’ saying: "Well, let us two go to see it, where he has his fire built." Now, of course, they two had at once uprisen, and they two ran. They two arrived where he had kindled his fire, and they two saw that it was true that he was roasting for himself an ear of sweet corn. Verily, the fatness was issuing from it in streams on the grains, along the rows of grains until only the cob was left, so fat was the corn. The grandmother of Tawĭ'skaron’ said: "Whence didst thou bring this?" He replied: "My father gave it to me." She answered, saying: "Thou dost even intend that the kinds of men who are to dwell here shall live as pleasantly as this, hereon this earth." And just then she took up a handful of ashes, and she cast them on the ear of corn that was roasting. At once the fat of the corn ceased from issuing from the roasting ear. But Sapling very severely rebuked his grandmother for doing this. Whereupon he again took up the ear of corn and wiped off the ashes that had fallen upon it. Then he again set it to roast; but it was just possible for it to exude only a small amount of fatness again, as it is now when one roasts ears for himself. It is barely visible, so little does the fatness exude.

Now the grandmother of Sapling fetched ripened corn that Sapling had planted, and she shelled it. Then she poured it into a mortar. And now she took the pestle and with it pounded the corn, and she made haste in her pounding, and she said: "Verily, thou wouldst have mankind exceedingly well provided. Verily, they shall customarily be much wearied in getting bread to eat. In this manner then shall they customarily do with the mortar and also the pestle." She herself had finished them. Whereupon Sapling rebuked her for what she had done. He, in regard to this matter, said: "That which thou hast done is not good."

Then, verily, while Sapling was traveling, he was surprised to find that it became dark. So then he mused, saying: "Why, this seems to be a marvelous matter, this thing that thus takes place." Thereupon he returned homeward. Arrived there, he found the sun in no place whatsoever, nor did he find Tawĭ'skaron’ and his grandmother. It was then that he looked about him. So then he looked and saw a light which was like the dawn. Therefrom he understood that the sun was in that place. He therefore sought servants who would accompany him to fetch the sun. Spider volunteered; so also did Beaver; so also did Hare; so also did Otter. So at this time they made themselves a canoe. When they had completed the canoe, they all then placed themselves in the canoe, and they then of course began to paddle, directing their course toward the place where the dawn shone forth, toward the place where lay the sun. The trees stood together, and on their tops lay the sun. So then Sapling said: "Thou, Beaver, do thou cut down the tree; and thou, Spider, shalt climb the tree, and at the top of the tree thou shalt fasten thy cord. Then thou shalt descend, hanging by thy cord, until thou reachest the ground." And he said to Hare: "As soon as the tree falls, thou must seize the sun. Thou art assuredly an adept at skulking through the underbrush. No matter how difficult the ground be, thou art able of course to flee by stealth, if at this time it so be that one pursue thee from place to place." He said: "But thou, Otter, shalt care for the canoe. If it be so that we all get aboard the canoe, thou shalt turn back the canoe at once."


All this, then, came to pass. Beaver, of course, worked there, biting out pieces from the tree; and Spider, for his part, climbed to the tree top, and having reached the top, he then, verily, fastened his cord about it. Thereupon he let himself down, and again alighted on the earth. So then, when there was, of course, little to cut, and the prospect was encouraging that it would be possible to fell the tree, then Spider pulled on the cord. Then, in fact, the tree toppled over.

Thereupon Hare rushed forward and seized the sun, for, indeed, Tawĭ'skaron’ and his grandmother both came running up. It was then that Hare fled, taking the sun away with him. Now, of course, they pursued him in many places; he fleetly scurried through the shrubbery. After a time he directed his course straight for the canoe; for then, indeed, the others, his friends, were aboard the canoe. He came thither on the bound, and got aboard the canoe. At the same time with this, Otter pushed off the canoe, and they again began to paddle.

So then, as they rowed back, Otter, it is said, did verily continue to talk. They forbade him, but he did not obey. Then a person struck him a blow with a paddle on his mouth. (It is for this reason that now the mouth of the Otter is such that one would think that it had been broken off long ago. His lower jaw is shorter than the upper. It is plain where one struck him with a paddle.)

So when they had arrived at home, Sapling said: "It shall not continue to be thus, that a single person rules over the sun." Then it was that he cast the sun up to the center of the sky, saving: "There where the sky is present, thereto must thou keep thyself attached, and, besides this, thou shalt continuously journey onward." He pointed thither, and said: "'The place where it plunges itself into the deep [that is, the west]' people will habitually call the place whither thou shalt habitually descend, the place wherein thou shalt habitually be immersed. At these times, verily, darkness will come upon the earth present here; and 'The place where the sun rises [that is, the east]' people will habitually call the place whence thou wilt habitually peer out, and people will say, 'Now the Sun has come out.' Then shalt thou raise thyself upward therefrom. Thus thou shalt continue to have this function to perform. Thou shalt continue to give light to this earth." Besides this he said: "Whensoever mankind mention thee, they will ever say customarily: 'He is the Great Warrior who supplies us with light.'" So then, in its turn, now came of course the luminary, the Moon, which was his mother's head, and which his grandmother had also placed on the top of a standing tree. This, too, he threw up to the sky, saying: "The power of thy light at night shall be less." He added: "At times they will see thee in full. Every night thy size shall diminish until it is gone. Then again, thou shalt every night increase in size from a small beginning. Every night, then, thou shalt grow until the time comes when thou hast completed thy growth. So now, thus it shall be as to thy mode of existence." Moreover he said: "Whenever mankind who shall dwell here on earth mention thee, they will keep saying customarily: 'Our Grandmother, the luminary pertaining to the night.'"

Then Sapling now formed the body of a man a and also that of a woman [of the race of mankind]. His younger brother, Tawĭ'skaron’, watched him there. So then, when he had, of course, caused them to live, he placed them together.

Then it was that Sapling started upon a journey to inspect the condition of the things he had finished on the earth then standing forth. Then, at that time, he came again to review those things and to see what things man [of the human race] was doing.

Then he returned to the place in which he had given them liberty. So then he found the two doing nothing except sleeping habitually. He merely looked at them, and went away. But when he came again their condition was unchanged; they slept habitually. Thus then, in this manner matters stood the very few times he visited them, the condition was unchanged; they slept customarily. Thereupon he took a rib from each, and substituted the one for the other, and replaced each one in the other body Then, of course, he watched them, thinking of what perhaps might now happen. It was therefore not long before the woman awoke. Then she sat up. At once she touched the breast of the man lying at her side, just where he had placed her rib, and, of course, that tickled him. Thereupon he awoke. Then, of course, that matter was started--that matter which concerns mankind in their living; and they also started that matter for which in their kind their bodies are provided--that matter for which reason he is a male human being and she a female human being.

Then Tawĭ'skaron’ also formed a human being, but he was not able to imitate Sapling, as the form of the human being he poorly made showed. Tawĭ'skaron’ addressed Sapling, saying: "Do thou look, I also am able, myself, to form a human being." So when Sapling looked at that which made him say "I am able to form a human being," he saw that what he had formed were not human beings at all. The things he formed were possessed of human faces and the bodies of otkon [monsters], subtly made otkon. Sapling spoke to him, saving: "That assuredly is the reason that I forbade thee, for of course thou art not able to do as I myself am doing continually." Tawĭ'skaron’ answered, saying: "Thou wilt nevertheless see that I can after all do as thyself art doing continually, because, indeed, I possess as much power as thou hast." Now, verily, at this time they two separated. And now, Sapling again traveled from place to place on the surface of the earth. He went to view things that he had completed. After a while, then, Sapling promenaded along the shore of the sea. There he saw Tawĭ'skaron’ standing about in different places. At the water's edge lay the body of a man-being who was as white as foam a. When Sapling arrived there, he said: "What is this that thou art doing?" Tawĭ'skaron’ replied, saying: "Assuredly, I have made the body of a male man-being. This person whose body lies here is better-looking than is the one whom thou hast made." Assuredly, I have told thee that I have as much power as thou hast; yea, that my power is greater than is thy power. Look thou, assuredly his body is as white as is the body of the one whom thou hast formed." Sapling answered, saying: "What thou sayest is assuredly true. So then, if it be so, let me be looking while he makes movements of his body and arises. Well, let him stand, and also let him walk." Whereupon Flint said: "Come! Do thou arise. But he that lay there did not make a single movement. Then, of course, Tawĭ'skaron’ put forth all his skill to cause this being to live and then to arise. He did everything possible to do it but he could not effect his purpose and failed to cause him to come to life, for he did not come to life. Then Sapling said: "Is this not what I have been saying, that thou art not able to do as I can do?" He added: "What purpose, in its turn, will be served by having his body lying here, having no life? Is it only this, that he shall always lie here? That is the reason that I habitually forbid thee to make also the things that thou seest me making; for, assuredly, thou art not able to do the things that I am doing." So then, of course, Tawĭ'skaron’ said: "Well, then, do thou cause that one there to live." So, in truth, Sapling consented to this. He drew near to the place where the man lay, and bent over and breathed into his nostrils, and he at once began to breathe, and lived. He said to him: "Do thou arise and also do thou stand, also do thou keep traveling about on this earth." The body of a woman had he also formed at that place. Sapling caused both of them to live.

Tawĭ'skaron’ spoiled and undid some of the things that Sapling had prepared. The rivers to-day in their different courses have been changed, for, in forming the rivers, Sapling provided them with two currents, each running in a contrary course, currents made for floating objects in opposite directions; or it may be that it is a better explanation to say that in the middle of the river there was a division, each side going in a direction contrary to that of the opposite side, because Sapling had intended that mankind should not have, as a usual thing, any difficult labor while they should be traveling. If, for any reason, a person would wish to descend the current, it would indeed not be a difficult matter simply to place himself in a canoe, and then, of course, to descend the current of the river; and then, if it should be necessary for him to return, he would, of course, paddle his canoe over to the other side of the river, and just as soon as he passed the division of the stream then, of course, his canoe would turn back, and he would then again be descending the current. So that is what Sapling had intended; that mankind should be thus fortunate while they were traveling about on rivers, but Tawĭ'skaron’ undid this.

Now, moreover, Tawĭ'skaron’ himself formed these uplifted mountains; these mountains that are great, and also these divers rocky cliffs-he himself made them, so that mankind who would dwell here would have cause to fear in their continual travelings.


Now, moreover, Sapling and also Tawĭ'skaron’ dwelt together in one lodge, each occupying one side of the fire opposite to that of the other. It was then, verily, usual when they two had returned to abide in the lodge, that Tawĭ'skaron’ kept questioning Sapling, asking him what object he feared, and what would most quickly kill him. Sapling replied: "A weed that grows in the swampy places, a sedge called 'it-cuts-a-person,' is one thing. I think, when I do think of it, that that weed struck against my body by someone would cut it. I do believe that it would cut through my body." Then Tawĭ'skaron’ replied, saying: "Is there no other object which gives thee fear?" Sapling, answering, said: "I usually think that the spike of a cattail flag would kill me if one should strike me on the body with it." (These two things that Sapling spoke of, his father had told him to say, when he had been at his father's lodge.)

At that time Sapling said: "What thing then dost thou fear?" Tawĭ'skaron’ said: "Yellow flint, and also the horns of a deer. I suppose, when I do think of it, that I should perhaps die at once should one strike me with either."

So after that when Sapling traveled, if he saw a stone of the yellow chert kind, he would customarily pick it up and place it high on some object, and also, if he saw a deer's horn, he would pick it up and would place it high on some object.

Then, verily, it came to pass that they two had again returned home. The height of one side of their lodge was not great, but the height of the other side was greater. Sapling occupied the side which had the greater and Tawĭ'skaron’ the side which had the lesser height. Then it was that Sapling increased the intensity of the fire by putting hickory bark on it. Then, assuredly, it became a hot fire, and then, assuredly, the legs of Tawĭ'skaron’ began to chip and flake off from the intense heat of the fire. Then, of course, Tawĭ'skaron’ said: "Thou hast made too great afire. Do thou not put another piece of bark on the fire." But Sapling nevertheless put on the fire another piece of bark, and then, of course, the fire became greater. Now the fire was indeed hot, and now, too, Tawĭ'skaron’s whole body was now flaking off in chert chips. Now, too, he was angry, because Sapling kept putting more bark on the fire, and, besides that, his side of the lodge having only a slight height, he had only very little space in which to abide. Now he writhed in the heat; indeed, Tawĭ'skaron’ became so angry that he ran out at once, and running into the marsh, he there broke stalks of the sedge called "it-cuts-a-person." Then he came thence on a run to the lodge, and then said: "Sapling, I now kill thee," and then struck him blows with the stalks he had brought back. So then they two now began to fight, the one using the stalk striking the other blows. But after a while Tawĭ'skaron’ became aware that his blows against Sapling did not cut him. Whereupon he then darted out again, and then went to get this time the spike of the cattail flag. So then, as soon as he returned, he rushed at Sapling and struck him blows. Again his blows failed to cut him. Then it was that Tawĭ'skaron’ fled, and then Sapling pursued him. Now, of course, they two ran. In ever direction over the entire earth they two ran. So whenever Sapling saw a yellow flint stone or a deer horn on a high place he would customarily seize it suddenly, and would hit Tawĭ'skaron’ therewith. Customarily chert chips would fly when he hit him. Thus then he hit him as they went running. Whenever Sapling saw a horn or a yellow chert stone he would seize it suddenly and hit Tawĭ'skaron’ with it. Then after a while he killed him. Now, at this time, toward the west, where the earth extends thitherward, there lies athwart the view a range of large mountains that cross the whole earth. There, so it is said, his body lies extended. He fell there when he was killed. Now, besides, it is plain, when we consider in what condition the earth is, that when we look about we see that the surface is uneven, some places being high, even ranges of mountain, while some are for their part low. This was, of course, done by the two as they ran from place to place, fighting as they went. That is the reason that the surface of the earth is uneven.

Now then, as it was the custom of Sapling to travel, he met a male man-being. Sapling said: "What dost thou as thou goest?" He replied, saying: "I come inspecting the earth, to see whether it is just as I put it forth." Sapling replied, saying: "Verily, indeed, this is a marvelous matter about which thou art now on thy way, for the reason that assuredly it was I, Myself, who completed this earth." The other person answered and said: "Not at all; for I myself have completed this earth." Whereupon Sapling replied, saying: "Well then, if it be so, let it be made plain verily, that thou didst complete this earth. He added: "At our two backs, at a distance, there is a range of high mountains of rock which is in appearance like a wall, so perpendicular are the rocks. Hither must thou move them close to thy body. If, perhaps, thou art able to do this, it will be certain that thou didst indeed complete this earth; if thou wilt only speak, telling that mountain range to move itself hither." He added: "Now do it then." Thereupon the other person said: "Thus it will, I think, come to pass." Then he called out, saying: "Come thou, yon mountain range, move thyself hither. Do thou stand beside my body." But the mountain range remained there; the mountain was still there unchanged. It did not move thence. Sapling spoke and said: "There, that is exactly what I have been saying, that thou hast not established this earth." The other person again replied, saying: "Well then, let it become evident, if it be true, that thou hast established the earth. Come then, do thou move that rock mountain hither." Sapling replied and said: "Thus then will I do." Thereupon he called out to the range of mountains. He said: "Come, move thyself hither." Then, verily, it moved itself thence. Close to his body, at his back, did it come to a standstill. The cliff even lightly grazed his shoulder blades. Then Sapling said: "Now turn thyself around to the opposite side and look where the range of mountains is." Whereupon he turned about and the rock struck his nose and, as to him, his nose became awry. Then at that time he spoke, saying: "Truly, indeed, thou hast established this earth here present. It was not at all I who did it. If, then, thou wilt consent to it that I may live, I will then ever continue to aid thee. I will protect at all times thy people who are to dwell on this earth." Sapling replying said: "Truly it shall thus come to pass. Mask shall mankind ever call thee, and also Grandfather."

Then, verily, during the time that Sapling was again traveling to inspect anew the things that he had finished on this earth, then he saw another male man-being. He addressed him, saying: "What art thou doing on thy way?" The other said: "It seemed that it became necessary for me to see thee." Sapling replied: That is undoubtedly true." The other person answered and said: "I desire that thou shouldst consent to permit me still to live. If thou wilt then consent to what I say, I will give assistance to thee; I will watch over their bodies, and I will also give them life and support and, moreover, I will continue to defend mankind, whom thou wilt cause to dwell on this earth which thou hast completed." Replying, Sapling said: "Let me see what kind of power thou hast." Thereupon the male man-being, whose name of old is Hi’non’ [Thunder], started upon a run and went up into the clouds. Now, verily, rumblings were heard; it thundered in the clouds, and lightnings were also emitted, and moreover many flashes shot forth, seeming as though only one from their rapidity. So then the man-being descended again where Sapling was standing, and he said: "Now assuredly thou didst see what kind of power I have." Sapling, replying, said: "It is true indeed that thou art able to do just as thou didst tell me not long ago." Then he continued: "Art thou able to cast water habitually on this earth as the summers come?" The other answered, saying: "I am able to do so." Sapling said in reply: "So then let me see how thou wilt do this." The other person replied: "Yo‘; so be it." Now he again ascended on high where the clouds are present. Now then again it thundered, and besides, the lightning flashed, and the clouds became thick, and besides this they became black. Then it came forward, from the sea did it come over the dry land, raining a, it came. It was marvelous as it came along. Then of course the rain passed. Then he again returned to the place where Sapling was moving about. So then Sapling spoke to him, saying: "What thou art able to do is satisfactory. So it will indeed come to pass. It shall follow closely the course pointed out in thy request. So now, indeed, it will be thy duty to travel continually, for it was thou thyself that requested this. Do thou not then ever fail to do thy duty. Thou must, of course, ever be vigilant; if at whatever time it be there come dangers to the lives of men because great serpents move from place to place in the depths of this earth and also in the sea; if it come to pass that at some time these great serpents desire to seize people as they severally travel from place to place, thou must at once kill such serpents, and when thou killest them, they will be that on which thou shalt feed. Other animals also, equal in otkon orenda [malefic magic power] a to these, all such shall fare like them. Thou wilt ever have these to watch--have these as thy adversaries. Now then, of course, I have finished this matter. Now then such is the office thou hast assumed. Mankind will name thee "Our Grandfatherwhose-voice-is-customarilv-uttered-in-divers-places."' Then, indeed, they two parted company. There the, legend ends.