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FOREWORD
FOREWORD
The author of this collection of Seneca folk-tales cannot remember when he first began to hear the wonder stories of the ancient days. His earliest recollections are of hearing the wise old men relate these tales of the mysterious past. They were called Kă´kāā, or Gă´kāā, and when this word was uttered, as a signal that the marvels of old were about to be unfolded, all the children grew silent,—and listened. In those days, back on the Cattaraugus reservation, it was a part of a child’s initial t
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METHODS EMPLOYED IN RECORDING FOLK TALES.
METHODS EMPLOYED IN RECORDING FOLK TALES.
There are several methods which may be employed in recording folk-lore, and the method used depends largely upon the purpose in mind. A poet may use one method, and grasping the plot of a tale, recast it in a verbiage entirely unsuitable and foreign to it; a fiction writer may use another plan, a school boy another, a student of philology another, a missionary another, and finally a student of folk lore still another. The poet will see only the inherent beauty of the story, and perhaps failing t
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LITERAL TRANSLATION.
LITERAL TRANSLATION.
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 wife and one child, 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 they two had the child, and one would think, judging from the circumstances that he wa
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FREE TRANSLATION.
FREE TRANSLATION.
In ancient times a race of transcendent men dwelt on the other side of the sky. In the center of a village in that land stood the lodge of Ancient One, the chief, and there he lived with his wife and one child. To his astonishment, though he had these companions, he began to feel lonely and neglected. His form grew emaciated and his “bones became dry,” for he longed for the attentions his wife now gave to his child. Just how the poet would handle this version we hesitate to conjecture but we may
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OBTAINING CORRECT VERSIONS.
OBTAINING CORRECT VERSIONS.
It might be supposed that myths and folk-tales which are orally transmitted would suffer great changes as they pass from one story teller to another, and that in time a given tale would become utterly corrupted, and indeed so changed that it would bear faint resemblance to the “original.” Yet, an examination of the myths and legends recorded by early observers, as the early missionaries, show that the modern versions have suffered no essential change. An excellent example is the Iroquoian creati
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STORY-TELLING CUSTOMS OF THE SENECA.
STORY-TELLING CUSTOMS OF THE SENECA.
Among the Seneca, in common with other Iroquois tribes, each settlement had its official story tellers whose predecessors had carefully taught them the legends and traditions of the mysterious past. According to ancient traditions, no fable, myth-tale, or story of ancient adventure might be told during the months of summer. Such practice was forbidden by “the little people” (djogĕ´o n ), the wood fairies. Should their law be violated some djogĕ´o n flying about in the form of a beetle or bird mi
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PHONETIC KEY.
PHONETIC KEY.
a as in father ā preceding sound, prolonged ă as in what ä as in hat â as in all ai as in aisle au as ou in out c as sh in shall ç as th in wealth d pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the upper teeth, as in enunciating English th in with; the only sound of d employed in writing native words e as in they ĕ as in met f as in waif g as in gig h as in hot i as in pique ĭ as in pit k as in kick n as in run ñ as ng in ring o as in note q as ch in German ich r slightly trilled; this is its
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BASIC PREMISES OF SENECA FOLK-LORE.
BASIC PREMISES OF SENECA FOLK-LORE.
The myths and legends of the Seneca are built upon certain well recognized and deeply rooted postulates. Each bit of folk-lore must have its consistency adjudged by these elements in order to be credible. Any myth or legend that offended the standards so set would immediately be rejected by the Seneca as spurious. To a large extent the premises of folk-lore are founded on folk-thought, and woe to the innovator who sought to direct his theme from the accepted thought patterns. Among the basic bel
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GODS, MAJOR SPIRITS AND FOLK-BEASTS OF THE SENECA. 1. BEINGS OF THE PRIMAL ORDER.
GODS, MAJOR SPIRITS AND FOLK-BEASTS OF THE SENECA. 1. BEINGS OF THE PRIMAL ORDER.
The first of the God Being was Te‘hao n ‘hwĕñdjaiwă’´kho n ’ or Earth Holder. It was he who ruled the sky world and lived in the great celestial lodge beneath the celestial tree. As the result of a dream this chief, who also bears the title, Ancient One, was moved to take to himself as a wife a certain maiden, known as Awĕ n hā´i‘, Mature Flower (Fertile Earth). Mature Flower consented to the betrothal, but due to the embrace of her lover inhaled his breath, and was given a child. The attention
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2. NATURE BEINGS.
2. NATURE BEINGS.
The Sun, among the nature gods, is recognized by the Seneca as a powerful being. Yet, unlike the gods in other theogenies, the Sun is a creation made after the formation of the world,—at least so it would appear from the common cosmogeny. Sun was created from the face of the earth-mother, yet it may be that her face was the sacrifice that brought the Sun into evidence. There is evidence of attempts to conceal the origin of the sun in several of the myths. He appears as the messenger of the Sky C
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3. MAGIC BEASTS AND BIRDS.
3. MAGIC BEASTS AND BIRDS.
Chief among all the creatures that inhabit the air is the wonderful O‘s‘hă´dă’geă’, the Cloudland Eagle. He seems ever to watch over mankind, especially the Iroquois, and to come to earth when great calamities threaten. Living above the clouds he collects the dews in his feathers, and some say that he has a pool of dew on his back between his shoulders. The Iroquois regard him with great reverence, for he is connected with many a worthy exploit. Horned Snake, Gas‘hais´dowăne n , has several name
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4. MAGICAL MAN-LIKE BEINGS.
4. MAGICAL MAN-LIKE BEINGS.
The Stone Giants, or Stone Coats, Gĕ n no n ´’sgwā’, are commonly described in Seneca folk-tales. They are beings like unto men, but of gigantic size and covered with coats of flint. They are not gods and are vulnerable to the assaults of celestial powers, though the arrows of men harm them not at all. The early Iroquois are reputed to have had many wars with them, and the last one is said to have been killed in a cave. Pygmies, Djogĕ´o n , are little people who live in caves. They are a tribe b
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STEREOTYPED OBJECTS AND INCIDENTS.
STEREOTYPED OBJECTS AND INCIDENTS.
1. Lonely bark lodge. Hero and associates live in secluded hut. 2. Twins play in ground. Twins find an underground world in which they live and play. 3. Hero spies upon associate through hole in his blanket. Discovers the secret of associate’s power. Tries this in associate’s absence. 4. Monster is shot in vulnerable spot in bottom of foot and is killed. 5. Hero in contest kills magical animal. He alone is able to pull out the arrow, thereby establishing his claim to power or reward. 6. Hero’s d
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COMPONENTS OF THE COSMOLOGICAL MYTH.
COMPONENTS OF THE COSMOLOGICAL MYTH.
1. Sky world. A world above the clouds inhabited by transcendent beings. 2. Celestial tree. A wonderful tree in the center of the sky world. 3. Sky woman. Falls through hole made by uprooted sky tree and brings a promised child with her. 4. Primal turtle. Rises from sea to receive sky woman. 5. Earth diver. Animals dive to secure earth for turtle’s back. 6. World-tree. Springs up from root of sky tree brought down by sky woman. Grows in the “middle of the world.” Flowers of light. 7. Female firs
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III. THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THE LEGENDS WERE TOLD
III. THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THE LEGENDS WERE TOLD
Let us journey backward into the forgotten yesterday; let us catch a fleeting glimpse of a little village along the creek of Doshowey. It is during the closing year of the Eighteenth Century. The time is in the moon Nĭsha (January), and the whole earth is covered by a thick blanket of heavy snow. There is a deeply worn trail along the bank of the creek, but nobody walks in the trail, for it is as deeply rutted as it is deeply trodden. It is not now a road but a trench floored with rough ice and
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1. HOW THE WORLD BEGAN.
1. HOW THE WORLD BEGAN.
Beyond the dome we call the sky there is another world. There in the most ancient of times was a fair country where lived the great chief of the up-above-world and his people, the celestial beings. This chief had a wife who was very aged in body, having survived many seasons. In that upper world there were many things of which men of today know nothing. This world floated like a great cloud and journeyed where the great chief wished it to go. The crust of that world was not thick, but none of th
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2. THE BROTHERS WHO CLIMBED TO THE SKY.
2. THE BROTHERS WHO CLIMBED TO THE SKY.
There were once three brothers who had spent their lives as hunters. At last one growing tired of the chase suggested that, as a break in the monotony of existence, they would walk to the end of the earth where the sky touched the water of the great seas. This proposition met with favor with all and together they set out on their long journey. Many years of adventure were spent, when at last they reached the spot where the sky bends down to earth (gaenhyakdondye). For two changes of the moon the
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3. THE DEATH PANTHER.[12]
3. THE DEATH PANTHER.[12]
Now the old folk say this is true. Two boys were fast friends and always were seen together. Their favorite sport was to play in the waters of a deep lake that washed the feet of a tall white-headed mountain that lay a distance from the village. One day as they splashed in the water, swimming, diving, and sporting as boys do, one suggested that they both dive at the same instant and see which could remain below the surface the longer. This suggestion was at once acted upon and each time they dov
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4. THE GREAT BEAR CONSTELLATION.
4. THE GREAT BEAR CONSTELLATION.
In the days of the first people, before the creation of our kind of man-beings, there were seven brothers. All were hunters, but one was not as skillful as the others, and he was called the Lazy One. The brothers on a certain occasion had failed to find any game though they had hunted many moons. They became very hungry and their minds were charged with magic because of their long fast. When their hunger seemed unendurable they resolved to go out and make one last effort to find game. One brothe
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5. THE SEVEN BROTHERS OF THE STAR CLUSTER.[15]
5. THE SEVEN BROTHERS OF THE STAR CLUSTER.[15]
Seven brothers [16] had been trained as young warriors. Each day they practised in front of their mother’s lodge, but this did not please the mother. With the boys was an uncle whose custom it was to sit outside the lodge door and drum upon a water drum, that the boys might learn to dance correctly. In time the boys became perfect in their dancing, and then announced that they were about to depart on an expedition to test their skill. The seven assembled about the war post and began their dance.
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6. THE SEVEN STAR DANCERS.[17]
6. THE SEVEN STAR DANCERS.[17]
Now this even happened a long time ago in the days when the whole world was new. Our Creator it was (S‘hoñgwadiĕnnu’k´dăon), had finished his work. One of the first men beings lived with his nephew in a lodge near a river. The river was broad and had a wide sandy shore. The nephew received the name Djinaĕñ’´dă’ and his uncle sent him away to dream on the shore of the river, there to stay and dream until his dream helpers appeared. For a long time he did not eat, but drank water and sweat himself
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7. THE COMING OF SPRING.[19]
7. THE COMING OF SPRING.[19]
In the ancient times when this world was new an old man wandered over the land in search of a suitable camping spot. He was a fierce old man and had long white flowing hair. The ground grew hard like flint where his footsteps fell, and when he breathed the leaves and grasses dropped and dried up red, and fell. When he splashed through the rivers the water stopped running and stood solid. On and on the old man journeyed until at last on the shores of a great lake by a high mountain he halted. He
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8. THE COMING OF DEATH.
8. THE COMING OF DEATH.
When the world was first made men-beings did not know that they must die sometime. In those days everyone was happy and neither men and women nor children were afraid of anything. They did not think of anything but doing what pleased them. At one time, in those days, a prominent man was found prone upon the grass. He was limp and had no breath. He did not breathe. The men-beings that saw him did not know what had happened. The man was not asleep because he did not awaken. When they placed him on
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9. ORIGIN OF FOLK STORIES.
9. ORIGIN OF FOLK STORIES.
There was once a boy who had no home. His parents were dead and his uncles would not care for him. In order to live this boy, whose name was Gaqka, or Crow, made a bower of branches for an abiding place and hunted birds and squirrels for food. He had almost no clothing but was very ragged and dirty. When the people from the village saw him they called him Filth-Covered-One, and laughed as they passed by, holding their noses. No one thought he would ever amount to anything, which made him feel he
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10. THE FORBIDDEN ARROW AND THE QUILT OF MEN’S EYES.[20]
10. THE FORBIDDEN ARROW AND THE QUILT OF MEN’S EYES.[20]
Now (it seems), there were twin brothers one named Younger and the other Driven. The brothers were accustomed to play about two hills. Driven would go up one hill and jump to the summit of the other. Younger would stay in the valley between and amuse himself by shooting arrows at him as he jumped. Now as Driven jumped Younger sang a song: Now their grandmother always forbade them to use a certain arrow. This arrow belonged to their father who used it. They played day after day in this manner. Af
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11. CORN GRINDER, THE GRANDSON.[21]
11. CORN GRINDER, THE GRANDSON.[21]
In a clearing in a thick pine forest there lived an old man and woman. Their lodge was far away from any Indian village, for they had no liking for the company of other people. They were a strange couple and often talked with trees, and the trees would answer them. With the old folk lived a boy, their grandson, but he found no pleasure in the society of his grandparents, for they would never speak to him except to admonish him not to wander beyond certain limits. “Go east, go west, go north,” th
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12. HE-GOES-TO-LISTEN.[22]
12. HE-GOES-TO-LISTEN.[22]
In the old days when the Senecas were strong on the Genesee there lived near a large hill that rose from a river, a boy and his uncle. When the boy was born he was named Hatondas, meaning He goes to listen . This name was bestowed because just before his birth his mother had dreamed that when he should arrive at a marriageable age two singing women would come from afar to be his wives. The mother also dreamed that she would die. In order to prepare him for his marriage she therefore sewed three
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13. HATONDAS, THE LISTENER, FINDS A WIFE.[23]
13. HATONDAS, THE LISTENER, FINDS A WIFE.[23]
Hatondas was a poor orphan boy who lived with his uncle, an old man who was very wrinkled. They lived in a lodge far removed from any settlement, so that the boy grew up not knowing how other people acted. The old uncle became more and more abusive and threw hot coals on Hatondas seeking to mutilate him. The boy never lifted his hand to strike his uncle but received his wounds without murmuring. After a time the uncle said, “Now is the time when you must go up the hill and listen to all kinds of
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14. THE ORIGIN OF THE CHESTNUT TREE.
14. THE ORIGIN OF THE CHESTNUT TREE.
In a lodge that stood alone in a land of hills lived Dadjedondji with his older brother Hawiyas. Dadjedondji busied himself each day in the forests hunting game, catching fish, gathering fruits, berries, roots and nuts and studying the wonders of the woods. He prepared his own meals in the lodge and always ate them alone, for, strange to relate, his brother steadfastly refused to eat with him or, indeed, to eat in the presence of anyone. He never hunted or cooked, but sat all day smoking moodily
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15. DIVIDED BODY RESCUES A GIRL FROM A WIZARD’S ISLAND.
15. DIVIDED BODY RESCUES A GIRL FROM A WIZARD’S ISLAND.
A brother and younger sister dwelt in a lodge together. The sister cooked the meals and the brother did the hunting. The brother, whose name was Crow, never allowed his sister to leave the lodge. “Oh my sister,” he would say, “Do not even venture to the spring.” When the young man went on a hunting trip he would set his dog as guard over his sister and caution him to prevent her from leaving the lodge. On a certain morning the girl began to debate with herself the reasons why she should be kept
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16. THE ORIGIN OF THE BUFFALO SOCIETY.
16. THE ORIGIN OF THE BUFFALO SOCIETY.
A youth who had wandered out into the plains of the West in search of game, lost the trail, and though he searched with all diligence he was unable to find it again. Throwing himself upon the ground he brooded over his ill fortune and longed with all the intenseness of his soul that he might be again back in his native village. It was sunset and in the gloaming the youth saw a company of people gathered about a fire, evidently in earnest council. Cautiously he advanced, hoping to learn who the p
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17. THE BOY WHO COULD NOT UNDERSTAND.
17. THE BOY WHO COULD NOT UNDERSTAND.
There was a boy who had been reared in the woods by an old woman who never thought it worth while to teach him oratory [25] or rhetoric [26] . He had never attended a council or listened to a sachem’s speech and so he never learned the use of words. When the old woman died the boy’s grandfather came and took him home with him hoping to make him useful. The boy was very obedient and obeyed every word commanded. His grandfather began to have confidence in him and one day sent him out to locate a b
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18. THE BOY WHO LIVED WITH THE BEARS.
18. THE BOY WHO LIVED WITH THE BEARS.
Hono‘ was an unloved stepson. His foster father never had a kind word for him and begrudged the very food that little Hono‘ ate. “You eat like a wolf,” the harsh man would snap. “It is a nuisance to feed you.” “Agē´,” sighed little Hono‘, “when I am a man and can hunt and fight I will repay you. Then will you like me?” implored the boy, but his evil guardian only growled. At length the stepfather began to cast about how he might rid himself of the child and after some meditation decided to feign
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19. THE SEVENTH SON.[28]
19. THE SEVENTH SON.[28]
My grandfather used to tell it to go to sleep by. There were seven brothers two years apart. Their grandparents took care of them. They were all extra hunters. It seems the way my grandfather told it, each one shot an animal and used its skin for a short skirt; one had bear skin and the others different skins. The grandparents knew of a family of beautiful daughters a good ways east that would make good wives, but had bad habits. Oh my, they were queer folks. It seems each boy must go out when h
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20. THE BOY WHO OVERCAME ALL MAGIC BY LAUGHTER.[30]
20. THE BOY WHO OVERCAME ALL MAGIC BY LAUGHTER.[30]
The world was once visited by a demon of enchantment who scattered all the people and bewitched all the animals, all the trees, all the lakes, all the rivers, all the boys and girls and all the older people. Strange to say, nobody knew that they had been enchanted; they only knew that all their wishes were thwarted and that there was misery everywhere. Now, Gajihsondis did not know that he had been placed under an evil spell. He was a boy and was filled with all the ambitions of a boy, but all h
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21. TWO FEATHERS AND TURKEY BROTHER.
21. TWO FEATHERS AND TURKEY BROTHER.
Long ago a whole tribe had been exterminated by powerful sorcerers. Of all the tribe only three persons remained. These were an old uncle and his two nephews, one very young and the other on the borderline of manhood. The older boy was known as Two Feathers (Doä’danē´gĕ n ’), and the younger received the name Turkey (Osoon), because he wore a robe made of a turkey skin. It was a magic skin and the little fellow was able to fly to the tops of trees, which gave him great pleasure. There came a tim
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22. TWO FEATHERS AND WOODCHUCK LEGGINGS.[33]
22. TWO FEATHERS AND WOODCHUCK LEGGINGS.[33]
Now this is a Two Feathers story. All the old people of the old-time knew about this; and it happened a long time ago. Do´ciowe n ‘ was the place where they lived,—an old uncle and his nephew. The young man was called Two Feathers and the uncle was known by name as Woodchuck Leggings. Two Feathers was a hunter and never feared to hunt any animal, but he was kind to the animals and could talk to them, so they became his friends. He had a pet bear in a small yard and he had a wolf that he had tame
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23. HOW TURKEY BOY SQUEEZED THE HEARTS OF A SORCERER AND HIS SEVEN SISTERS.
23. HOW TURKEY BOY SQUEEZED THE HEARTS OF A SORCERER AND HIS SEVEN SISTERS.
There was an old woman who lived with her grandson, Osoon (Turkey), in a lonely lodge a long ways from a settlement. The lodge was old and very large, but only the two lived in it, for all others had been killed by sorcerers. Winter was coming on and the old woman was busily engaged each day in gathering firewood for the winter’s store. Every day she would cry as she started on her journey and when she returned she would cry again, for she was old and weak. After a time the boy, Turkey, asked hi
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24. CORN RAINS INTO EMPTY BARRELS.
24. CORN RAINS INTO EMPTY BARRELS.
At one time there was nothing to eat on all the earth. Nearly all the people had starved to death, and a few that remained gathered together on a high hill. They lived on boiled bark. There was a certain young man who kept saying all the time, “It will be better after a while.” Nobody believed him because things were getting worse each day. His brother used to torture him with sharp stones and say harsh things to him. The young man, however, kept thinking that something would happen soon. After
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25. TWENTGOWA AND THE MISCHIEF MAKER.[34]
25. TWENTGOWA AND THE MISCHIEF MAKER.[34]
There was once a very lazy man named Twentgowa. He had a wife and several children. Twentgowa was always giving excuses to his wife as to why he did not hunt game more often like other men. Twentgowa often went into the deep woods and had a mossy rock near a river where he would lie and dream of the things he would like to do and how he would kill big game animals if he only had a chance. More and more often he repaired to his favorite spot as his wife scolded him for not bringing home game. One
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26. THE HORNED SERPENT RUNS AWAY WITH A GIRL WHO IS RESCUED BY THE THUNDERER.
26. THE HORNED SERPENT RUNS AWAY WITH A GIRL WHO IS RESCUED BY THE THUNDERER.
There was a Thunderer named Hi’´no n who often hovered about a village where he sought to attract the attention of a certain young woman. He was a very friendly man and would have nothing to do with witches. He hated all kinds of sorcery and his great chief up in the sky whom we call Grandfather Thunder hated all wizardry and sorcery too. All the Thunderers killed witches when they could find them at their evil work. Now, this Hi’´no n was very sure that he would win the girl he wanted and he vi
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27. THE GREAT SERPENT AND THE YOUNG WIFE.
27. THE GREAT SERPENT AND THE YOUNG WIFE.
There was a certain young man who married a young woman. Now the young man had three sisters who were very jealous of the young wife, because of her beauty and skill, and because of their brother’s affection for her. And so it was that the trio resolved to devise a plot and destroy the young wife. It was the season when huckleberries are ripe and the sisters had invited the wife to take a canoe trip with them to a small island that arose from the middle of a large lake. Huckleberries were report
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28. BUSHY HEAD THE BEWITCHED WARRIOR RESCUES TWO LOST DAUGHTERS AND WINS THEM AS WIVES.[36]
28. BUSHY HEAD THE BEWITCHED WARRIOR RESCUES TWO LOST DAUGHTERS AND WINS THEM AS WIVES.[36]
The daughters of a woman who was a clan matron and name-holder disappeared. She grieved greatly, but her husband who was chief of another clan said nothing. He was a bad man and was chief because he had lied about his brother Donya´dassi. Now Donya´dassi had once been a skillful hunter but his hunting charms had been stolen, and so with his wife, Gawīsas, he lived away from the village in a poor bark hut. The mother of the lost daughters, whose children should some day be in the sachemship line,
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29. THE FLINT CHIP THROWER.
29. THE FLINT CHIP THROWER.
Long ago Tĕg´wandă’ [37] married a beautiful maiden and went far away with her to his hunting grounds. Tĕg´wandă’ was famous as a successful hunter but his wife’s family had “dry bones”, [38] so her elder sister and mother took council together and said, “Come, let us go and live with Tĕg´wandă’ and we shall ever be filled.” The prospect of a never failing supply of venison and bear was tempting to those who had long subsisted on tubers and maize. The wife of Tĕg´wandă’ was kind and never questi
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30. THE DUEL OF THE DREAM TEST BETWEEN UNCLE AND NEPHEW.
30. THE DUEL OF THE DREAM TEST BETWEEN UNCLE AND NEPHEW.
There was a great long house built of poles and bark. This long house was in a secluded place where men were not accustomed to come, but there were sorcerers who knew its location, but shunned it, for there lived Shogo n ‘´gwā‘s and his nephew Djoñiaik. The nephew was young when the uncle assumed charge of him, and he had no real regard for the boy, for he had slain by sorcery all his near relatives, and knew that he must some day overcome the orenda (magic) that had accrued to the boy, or he hi
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31. THE VAMPIRE SIRENS WHO WERE OVERCOME BY THE BOY WHOSE UNCLE POSSESSED A MAGIC FLUTE.
31. THE VAMPIRE SIRENS WHO WERE OVERCOME BY THE BOY WHOSE UNCLE POSSESSED A MAGIC FLUTE.
There was a long bark lodge, alone by itself in a small clearing. Here dwelt an elderly man and his nephew. Hadno’´sĕ n , the uncle, possessed a marvelous flute, which he kept in his war bundle, wherein also were all his charms for luck in warfare and in hunting. The flute possessed great power, and it was the oracle most consulted by the old man. Misfortune had befallen the people through the machinations of certain sorcerers, and the flute remained the only potent charm left by which the old m
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32. YOUNGER BROTHER ELUDES HIS SISTER-IN-LAW BY CREATING OBSTACLES AND LIBERATES OLDER BROTHER.
32. YOUNGER BROTHER ELUDES HIS SISTER-IN-LAW BY CREATING OBSTACLES AND LIBERATES OLDER BROTHER.
Far from any settlement of Oñgwe Hoñwe‘, there was a lonely lodge wherein dwelt two brothers, one older than the other. Older Brother was the hunter and provided meat for the lodge, and Younger Brother cooked the food. All things went well until upon a certain day Older came home with no game. Younger carefully observed his clothing and found fresh blood stains upon it, thereby knowing that he had killed game. Day by day the brother now returned without game of any kind, although his body and cl
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33. THE ISLAND OF THE CANNIBAL.
33. THE ISLAND OF THE CANNIBAL.
Ganondai´yeo lived with his aged grandparents in the depths of a great wood. The old people were always sad but Ganondai´yeo was never able to discover the cause and inquiry would only bring the injunction, “Never go west!” The boy obeyed and played happily in the forest to the north and the south and the east but shunned the dark woods to the west. At length Ganondai´yeo began to reason upon the matter: “Never go west,” he said to himself. “Now why may not I go west? Is not west as good as east
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34. THE TWELVE BROTHERS AND THE WRAITH OF THE EVIL WARRIOR.
34. THE TWELVE BROTHERS AND THE WRAITH OF THE EVIL WARRIOR.
Twelve brothers had planned a war expedition and singing their songs had started a war dance. Scarcely had they begun when a messenger came running towards them and related that Hadi´ĭŭsgōwa´, the greatest warrior of the nation, was dying and wished the twelve brothers to officiate at his funeral. In respect to the man who far and wide had the name of being the most terrible and successful warrior in all the world the twelve brothers postponed their dance and hurried to minister to the dying war
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35. THE CANNIBAL AND HIS NEPHEW.
35. THE CANNIBAL AND HIS NEPHEW.
De‘o´niot was Oñgwe Iās, a man-eater. He had developed his man-flesh appetite early in his childhood because his mother had associated with witches. He lived in a hidden place far away from other human habitations. The only human creature who came near him and was not eaten was his nephew who lived on the other side of the partition that divided his long bark house. The cannibal was fond of his nephew and did not wish to come into close contact with him, lest his appetite for flesh become too st
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36. A YOUTH’S DOUBLE ABUSES HIS SISTER.
36. A YOUTH’S DOUBLE ABUSES HIS SISTER.
There was a lodge in the forest where very few people ever came, and there dwelt a young man and his sister. The youth was unlike other persons for one half of his head had hair of a reddish cast, while the other side was black. He used to leave his sister in the lodge and go away on long hunting trips. On one occasion the young woman, his sister, saw, so she thought, her brother coming down the path to the lodge. “I thought you just went away to hunt,” said the sister. “Oh, I thought I would co
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37. MURDERED DOUBLE SPEAKS THROUGH FIRE.
37. MURDERED DOUBLE SPEAKS THROUGH FIRE.
After lying as dead for a time the youth’s inherent magic began to bring about a restoration of life. Soon he sat up and looked at his sister. Then he spoke. “Oh my sister,” he said. “The mother of my friend will shortly come for him, believing him married to you. We must dispose of my friend’s body and when the woman comes we must act as if we were husband and wife.” The youth now removed the stones of the fireplace and dug a deep hole beneath. In this he buried the body of his slain friend, sm
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38. THE VAMPIRE CORPSE.[39]
38. THE VAMPIRE CORPSE.[39]
An old man had a house far back in the woods, a long ways from any village. It stood in the midst of a good hunting ground. The old man always welcomed any hunting party and provided them with all the utensils necessary for curing their meats and tanning their pelts. It seemed however, that the place was haunted by an evil spirit that delighted to inflict those who tarried there with very bad dreams, and sometimes it killed them by sucking out their blood like a weasel. One time, so it is said,
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39. THE MAN WHO EXHALED FIRE—HIS DOGS AND THE WOLVES.[40]
39. THE MAN WHO EXHALED FIRE—HIS DOGS AND THE WOLVES.[40]
Now this is great. A man had a dog and was always kind to it and the dog loved the man. Now this man would smoke tobacco after he had eaten his evening meal. Smoke issued from his mouth and sparks of fire flew from his pipe. The dog noticed this. The man was a hunter and had large stores of meat hung up on poles and stored in his lodge. This was fortunate for the man because game was now very scarce. The wolves about were ravenous. They came from great distances toward the lodge of the hunter be
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40. THE TURTLE’S WAR PARTY.[41]
40. THE TURTLE’S WAR PARTY.[41]
Turtles have never done anything wonderful since the foundation of the world. This is what a discontented turtle thought. “Now it is for me to show myself a leader of warriors and thus bring glory to the turtles.” Thus the turtle set about to devise a song by which he should call volunteers together. After a prolonged study he composed a tune and chose the words of a stirring war song, crawled into his canoe and paddled down the river, singing as he went. A wolf running along the shore lifted hi
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41. THE RACE OF THE TURTLE AND THE BEAVER.
41. THE RACE OF THE TURTLE AND THE BEAVER.
There was a turtle who lived in a deep hole in a stream. He lingered there and it was a favorite spot for his fishing. On the shore there was a swampy place where he hid himself when not in the stream. One day it grew very cold and the turtle felt very sleepy. He looked about for a soft spot in the mud and found one beneath some tall sheltering rushes. “Here I will sleep,” said he. So saying he slept. When he opened his eyes there was a vast expanse of water over his head. Everything had changed
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42. THE WOLF AND THE RACCOON AND HOW THE BIRDS WERE PAINTED.
42. THE WOLF AND THE RACCOON AND HOW THE BIRDS WERE PAINTED.
There was a wolf, T‘hă‘hyoñ´nī‘, a friend of the birds. He always helped the birds and told them where to find food. Now Djoagă’, the raccoon disliked Tah´yoni and when he met him one day he made insulting remarks. Tah´yonĭ’ became angry and snapped at Djoaga. The raccoon rolled over on his back and with teeth and claws was on the defensive. Tah´yonĭ’ then did not want to fight. The raccoon did not wish to fight, moreover. So when the wolf turned his head Djoagă ran up a tree where he could insu
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43. THE CHIPMUNK’S STRIPES.
43. THE CHIPMUNK’S STRIPES.
There was a hungry bear. He could find nothing to eat. At length he caught a chipmunk and held it a prisoner. After a while he intended to eat it. Now the bear was about to eat the chipmunk when the little animal begged that it might be allowed to sing his death chant and dance his last dance. So the bear let him free for a time but watched him closely. Now the chipmunk sang this song: Now he sang this over and over as he danced over the leaf mold of the forest. After some time he felt a soft sp
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44. THE RABBIT SONG.
44. THE RABBIT SONG.
There was a certain woman who was accustomed to ridiculing Gwaio, the rabbit. She called him Honishogwadusshe. Usually she called him Hegowa (gallops). One day Gwaio was running by this woman’s house. She saw him and came out to deride him for she always thought rabbits queer animals. When she saw him she sang a song. This is what she sang: Now this made Gwaio embarrassed and he hastened to escape from the sound of the song. He ran very far but soon saw the woman again singing as before. Then he
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45. THE RABBIT GAMBLER.
45. THE RABBIT GAMBLER.
In old times there was a rabbit,—Osīda Hodaweo, that was his name. Now Osīda was a gambler and was continually winning games. He had a deadly enemy, Sēno,—that was his name, a skunk. Now this Sēno loved two sisters. He never gambled but always had plenty to eat. Osīda, also loved the same two sisters. He gambled and had stores of goods. So Osīda was the choice of the women but his grandmother said that they would be fickle and would desert him when his luck changed. Then Osīda laughed at the old
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46. THE RACCOON AND THE CRABS.
46. THE RACCOON AND THE CRABS.
There was a raccoon who was fond of crabs. It was his custom to catch the crabs when they swam out from under a rock in the water. After a time the crabs learned how he caught them and when he came near the water they would hide under a flat rock and not come out until a sentinel told them that the raccoon had gone. The raccoon thought it strange that the crabs had grown so wary and resolved to play a trick. He crept to the bank of the brook and lay upon his back pretending to be dead. After som
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47. THE CRAB’S EYES.
47. THE CRAB’S EYES.
Now a crab slept so long that his eyes dried up. When he awoke he did not know where he was. He could not open his eyes because they had dried up in his head. So he strained for a long time. He crawled along endeavoring to find his way to water. As he crawled he kept striving. After a time he came across an obstruction. So he sang this song: And the tree answered, “I am the oak!” “Oh! Oh!” cried the crab, “How far I am from water!” Now he crawled along straining his eyes and singing his song. He
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48. HOW THE SQUIRREL GAVE A BLANKET TO HIS WARRIOR, ROBBED THE WOODCHUCK OF HIS TAIL AND THE FROG OF HIS TEETH.[43]
48. HOW THE SQUIRREL GAVE A BLANKET TO HIS WARRIOR, ROBBED THE WOODCHUCK OF HIS TAIL AND THE FROG OF HIS TEETH.[43]
There was a time when animals and birds were very large. So, also, trees were more lofty and rivers broader. This was long ago. Now, in those days there was a great chief of the squirrels, and he was very wise. It was his custom to go stealthily through the forest and watch his people as they worked or sported. One autumn morning as he lay concealed by the leaves on the limb of a giant oak, he heard a chattering voice call from a hemlock. It was the voice of a squirrel. “All the autumn days I ha
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49. THE CHICKADEE’S SONG.[44]
49. THE CHICKADEE’S SONG.[44]
Djikdjunkwa was a lonely chickadee. She was very sad and sat on the limb of a tree singing a sorrowful tune. Then she flew to another tree and listened for an answering call. A wolf passing by heard her crying song and tears came in his eyes. “Let me be your helper?” he asked. “What kind of food do you eat, good friend?” asked she. “Raw meat, raw meat,” exclaimed the wolf, seeking to lure the Chickadee to him. But Chickadee screamed a fluttering note and flew away. Soon again she sang her song.
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50. THE BIRD WOMAN.[45]
50. THE BIRD WOMAN.[45]
Sitting mournfully on the edge of her nest was a heart-broken Gonadjodjo, (Chewink). Her husband had been blown away on the breath of a storm and the bird mother was left alone to care for her hungry brood. All day long she had waited for her mate to return but, alas, he seemed to have forgotten her. Disconsolate, she listened to her children’s cries. When she would fly to find their food they would shiver with cold and when she nestled them under her wings they would scream for bugs and seeds a
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51. THE PARTRIDGE’S SONG.
51. THE PARTRIDGE’S SONG.
Now there was a partridge [46] woman who had a large family. She had a house under a big log and her house was hidden by plants. A good many people (animals) tried to find the partridge’s house because they wanted to eat her eggs or her children. Now one morning her children were all asleep and she was running about eating worms and seeds. At this time she smelled an enemy so she was alarmed for her children’s safety. Now then she sang a song to awaken them: which meant that the skunk was prowli
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52. A TALE OF THE DJOGEON OR PYGMIES.
52. A TALE OF THE DJOGEON OR PYGMIES.
There was a young man named Snow who lived with his parents along the bank of a river. He played about the door yard every day and sometimes swam in the river. When he was very young he obeyed everything his father told him and refrained from going toward the south, where he had been forbidden to venture. One morning he took his bow and arrows and began to hunt cedar waxwings. It was spring time and there were many of these birds on the tall trees. Just as he was about to shoot, the birds flew t
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53. BEYOND-THE-RAPIDS AND THE STONE GIANT.
53. BEYOND-THE-RAPIDS AND THE STONE GIANT.
Skŭn´niwŭndi [47] was a great fighter. His name as a warrior was famous everywhere and he was called the greatest war chief in the world. Skŭnniwŭn´di was a great name. Skŭnniwŭn´di was passing along the bank of a river one time when he heard his name called out, “Kwe Skŭnniwŭn´di,” some voice was saying. “You are the best fighter in the world,—you are the best fighter in the world.” Skŭnniwŭn´di looked up and saw across the river a terrible Genonsgwä, a stonish giant, a female giant. So he answ
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54. THE ANIMATED FINGER.[49]
54. THE ANIMATED FINGER.[49]
There was a boy named Skunniwundi who was a hunter. It was a time when there was a great famine and game was very scarce. The people were starving. Skunniwundi thought he would find out why there was no game. Long he had been warned not to go north, but north he went. When he had traveled a long ways he saw something moving in the rocks ahead of him. Concealing himself in a hole he watched. Soon he saw two stone coated women approaching. They were looking for food. Then did Skunniwundi know that
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55. THE STONE GIANT’S BATTLE.[50]
55. THE STONE GIANT’S BATTLE.[50]
The stone giants had conquered all the tribes of the north and had grown tired of such easy combats. So they came toward the south and heard of the fame of the Six Nations and right away desired to fight with them. In order to present a formidable force they sent messengers back to their own north country with orders to bring back a fresh party of warriors. These crossed the north ocean and coming to the Niagara river made a path of rocks across it and walked over without even wetting the soles
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56. THE BOY AND THE FALSE FACE.[51]
56. THE BOY AND THE FALSE FACE.[51]
There was a certain tribe that had been almost exterminated by a hostile people in the west. The western warriors would swoop down on the settlements on the Lake (Ontario) and carry off many captives and scalps. Now there was a boy who had no settled home. His parents were dead and his grandmother also. He was a wanderer and showed no special ability in anything. Now this boy was named No´gwăgwă and he began to have dreams. He dreamed that a great false face came to him and said, “You must lead
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57. HOW A BOY OUTWITTED A NIA’´GWAHE.
57. HOW A BOY OUTWITTED A NIA’´GWAHE.
Great sickness had killed many men and Sondowĕk´owa, the beast of Death, had touched the father and mother of two children, who lived far back in a place in the forest away from the villages. The children, a boy and a little girl, were left alone to care for themselves. The baby sister was swinging in a grapevine hammock one morning, when from over the hill came floating a song. The boy glanced out from the lodge and saw an old woman hobbling down hill and crooning as she went. He did not like t
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58. NIA’´GWAHE THE MAMMOTH BEAR.[52]
58. NIA’´GWAHE THE MAMMOTH BEAR.[52]
In the olden times in the valley of the Dociowĕh lived a newly married couple. Their lodge was far back by the big rocks and when danger threatened they hid in the caves. After a time there came to the young wife two baby boys. When the twins were five weeks old the mother died. The father was at first dumb with grief for his heart was very heavy. Then looking up toward the heavens he sang, “I see a hemlock tree. It has but two branches. The tree is twisted in the hurricane and is broken midway.
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59. THE BOY AND THE NIA’´GWAHE.
59. THE BOY AND THE NIA’´GWAHE.
The Five Nations had waged a war with the Snake People who lived in caves (the Cherokee). The Five Nations became exhausted. Both began to see that the cause was not worth such a loss of life, and so a treaty of peace was made. Each party promised to send warriors, women and families to settle with the other, and thus, by mutual adoptions and inter-marriage weave a bond of friendship. The day arrived for the mutual emigrations, and patiently the Five Nations awaited the coming of their visitors,
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SENECA BELIEF IN WITCHCRAFT.
SENECA BELIEF IN WITCHCRAFT.
It will be remembered that one of the first major tests of the authority of the State of New York over the Seneca Indians occurred in 1821 when Thomas Jemmy, a Buffalo Creek Indian, was indicted in a state court for the murder of a witch. Jemmy had been chosen executioner of the witch, after the order of tribal law, but his action aroused the attention of the neighboring whites who took court action against him. Jemmy was defended by Red Jacket whose speech in defense of the accused man is a cla
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62. OVERCOMING A WITCH.[54]
62. OVERCOMING A WITCH.[54]
A strong man began to feel sick and could not tell what troubled him. He took all kinds of medicine and went to three doctors but he grew steadily worse. After a while he could work no more and went to the home of a friend for help. His friend told him to stay with him until he recovered. He was given a room on the far side of the house and as it had only one window it could be easily darkened. He was very weak and could eat only one meal a day. This caused him to stay in bed most of the time. A
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63. THE SCORNED WITCH WOMAN.[55]
63. THE SCORNED WITCH WOMAN.[55]
There was a beautiful young woman, the daughter of a witch. When the old witch died her husband wanted to burn up her bundles of witch poisons, because he was a Christian, but the beautiful daughter said, “Father, let us keep this bundle; you never can tell what might happen if we should destroy it.” So she hid the bundle. Now, there was a handsome young fellow living in the neighborhood and he came to the house once or twice to see her father. The young woman determined to get this young man so
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64. CATCHING A WITCH BUNDLE.[56]
64. CATCHING A WITCH BUNDLE.[56]
One night three men came to the house of a man named William and asked him to go with them to a place on the Four-mile Level. It seemed that a man by the name of Jesse —— had been having very bad luck and had lost one child after another by some strange disease. William was reminded of this and asked by one of the men, a Tonawanda witch doctor, to assist in the hunt for the mysterious source of death. He consented and went along with the party. Reaching the desired spot the witch doctor took a f
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65. WITCH WITH A DOG TRANSFORMATION.[57]
65. WITCH WITH A DOG TRANSFORMATION.[57]
A sick woman with a wasting disease noticed that every night something would peek in her window. Her husband could find no evidence of this until one night after a snow storm he found the tracks of a large dog outside the window. Following the tracks to the road he saw that they became human footprints and were lost in the other tracks at the side of the road. The next morning among the friends that called upon the sick woman was an old lady who lived near the creek in a small house. She was a w
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66. WITCH STEALS CHILDREN’S HEARTS.[58]
66. WITCH STEALS CHILDREN’S HEARTS.[58]
There was an old woman who always helped with children’s funerals, and would sit up all night while the tired parents slept. She would lock the door and stay with the dead children. Everybody thought she was a nice old woman until one time a woman walking by her house saw a witch light fly out of her chimney and go into the graveyard. “Hoh,” she said to herself, “I guess old lady E—— must be a witch.” Soon thereafter another child died and the old lady came as usual to help with the funeral. Tha
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67. HOTCIWAHO. (HAMMER IN HIS BELT.)
67. HOTCIWAHO. (HAMMER IN HIS BELT.)
This was near a river. There lived Hotciwaho an old man. His house was apart from all others and his grandson lived with him. Now this Hotciwaho wore women’s clothes and beneath his skirt he wore a hammer (mallet), and he would hide by the springs back of the rocks and kill children when they came for water. He would strike them on their heads when they stooped over to dip. Their bodies would be found at the spring by the people who after a time found so many that they thought some subtle poison
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68. HOW AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED.
68. HOW AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED.
According to Chief Cornplanter, Handsome Lake taught that America was discovered in the manner here related. A great queen had among her servants a young minister. Upon a certain occasion she requested him to dust some books that she had hidden in an old chest. Now when the young man reached the bottom of the chest he found a wonderful book which he opened and read. It told that the white men had killed the son of the Creator and it said, moreover, that he had promised to return in three days an
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69. ORIGIN OF THE CHARM HOLDERS’ MEDICINE SOCIETY.[59]
69. ORIGIN OF THE CHARM HOLDERS’ MEDICINE SOCIETY.[59]
There was in old times a young chief who was a hunter of great cunning, but though he killed many animals he never took advantage of their positions. He never shot a swimming deer or a doe with a fawn, he never killed an animal fatigued by a long run nor took one unawares. Before the hunt he always threw tobacco and made a ceremony to ask permission to kill game. Nor was he ever ungrateful to the animals of the woods who had been his friends for so many years. The flesh that was useless he left
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70. ORIGIN OF THE FALSE FACE COMPANY.
70. ORIGIN OF THE FALSE FACE COMPANY.
There were different things in the olden days, strange happenings, strange animals and birds, and strange people. It seems that they do not live any more, so men only half believe the tales of them now. The stone giants are a kind of men-being that are now gone. What we have heard about them I will tell. There was once a far north country where a race of giants dwelt. They were very tall and bony. It was cold in that north country and the giants lived on fish and raw flesh. When the summer came
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71. THE ORIGIN OF THE LONG HOUSE.[63]
71. THE ORIGIN OF THE LONG HOUSE.[63]
Chief Big Kittle relates the following story of the origin of the League of the Five Nations. Where the Mohawk river empties into the Hudson in ancient times there was a Mohawk village. The people there were fierce and warlike and were continually sending out war parties against other settlements and returning would bring back long strings of scalps to number the lives they had destroyed. But sometimes they left their own scalps behind and never returned. They loved warfare better than all other
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72. DEAD TIMBER, A TRADITION OF ALBANY.[64]
72. DEAD TIMBER, A TRADITION OF ALBANY.[64]
There was a time of wars. The white men were angry with the Indians and organized an expedition against them. The Mohawk had done something and the white men were going up the Hudson river to fight them. Now an Indian family lived in Ganonoh (Manhattan island), and the father said to the boy, “Take this oshoe and run up to our people and do not stop until you warn them that the white soldiers are coming.” So the boy ran and when he had found a canoe he crossed over the river and ran again. Now w
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A. ORIGIN OF THE WORLD.
A. ORIGIN OF THE WORLD.
Many moons ago, there was a vast expanse of water, seemingly boundless in extent. Above it was the great blue arch of air, but no signs of anything solid or tangible. High above the lofty blue expanse of the clear sky was an unseen floating island, sufficiently firm to allow trees to grow upon it, and there men-beings were. There was one great Chief who gave the law to all the Ongweh or beings on the Island. In the center of the Island there grew a tree so tall that no one of the beings who live
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B. THE WYANDOT CREATION MYTH (Extract).
B. THE WYANDOT CREATION MYTH (Extract).
“The people lived beyond.” They were Wyandots. Word was sent out that the chief’s only daughter was very sick; and that all the doctors had in vain tried to cure her disease. A specially appointed messenger brought back a very old doctor that lived far away from the rest of the people. When he saw the chief’s daughter he told the people, at once, that they must dig around the roots of a wild apple tree that was growing just a little way out from the chief’s lodge. Many of the people at once bega
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C. AN INTERVIEW WITH “ESQ.” JOHNSON BY MRS. ASHER WRIGHT.[66]
C. AN INTERVIEW WITH “ESQ.” JOHNSON BY MRS. ASHER WRIGHT.[66]
Esquire Johnson does not recollect the name of the man who first gave the name Nan-do-wah-gaah [67] and then went to where they lived and said to them, “You are O-non-dah-ge-gaah,” [68] and then he went to another place and said to the residents, “You are Ga-nyah-ge-o-noh,” [69] and then he came to where he called them O-ne-yut-gaah, [70] then again to another place and said “You are Que-yu-gwe-o-noh”; [71] five nations, for the Tuscaroras were then at the South. This was long before the confede
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D. EMBLEMATIC TREES IN IROQUOIAN MYTHOLOGY.[83]
D. EMBLEMATIC TREES IN IROQUOIAN MYTHOLOGY.[83]
A student of Iroquoian folk-lore, ceremony or history will note the many striking instances in which sacred or symbolic trees are mentioned. One finds allusions to such trees not only in the myths and traditions which have long been known to literature and in the speeches of Iroquois chiefs when met in council with the French and English colonists, but also in the more recently discovered wampum codes and in the rituals of the folk-cults. There are many references to the “tree of peace” in the c
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E. THE SOCIETY THAT GUARDS THE MYSTIC POTENCE.
E. THE SOCIETY THAT GUARDS THE MYSTIC POTENCE.
Among the Seneca Indians for many years the most important ceremonial society has been and now is the organization called Neh Ho-noh-chi-noh-gah (Ne‘ Ho-no n ’tci‘no n ’´gä‘), commonly called the “Secret Medicine Society,” and as often the “Little Water Company.” This society (hoĕnnidio n ’got) is instituted primarily to preserve the mystic potence or orenda (meaning magical power) supposed to be inherent in the medicine called the niga‘ni‘gă´ă‘ (meaning small dose), and to preserve the methods
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