Myths and Tales of the Southeastern Indians: Title Page
Myths and Tales of the Southeastern Indians: Title Page
Myths and Tales of the Southeastern Indians: Title Page
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ought to be divided like <strong>the</strong> rings on Woot-Kew's tail."<br />
The animals were surprised at <strong>the</strong> wisdom <strong>of</strong> Chew-thlock-chew. The adopted his plan <strong>and</strong> divided day <strong>and</strong> night like <strong>the</strong> rings on<br />
Woot-Kew's tail, succeeding each o<strong>the</strong>r in regular order.<br />
No-koos-see from envy scratched <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> Chew-thlock-chew <strong>and</strong> thus caused <strong>the</strong> stripes on <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> all his descendants, <strong>the</strong> ground<br />
squirrels.<br />
2. BEAD-SPITTER AND THROWN-AWAY 2 (3, 10)<br />
Bead-spitter (KonpkesM'fkå) lived in a certain place. Two young women heard <strong>the</strong> name <strong>and</strong>, thinking that it must belong to some<br />
person, started out to find him. They traveled an entire day <strong>and</strong> when it was getting dark met Rabbit. "Where are you going?" he said. "We<br />
are going to Bead-spitter's." "Ku ku ku ku," he exclaimed, "you are naming somebody." "We do not know him," <strong>the</strong>y replied, "but we<br />
thought <strong>the</strong>re might be such a person <strong>and</strong> so we set out to find him." "What do you want <strong>of</strong> him?" "We want some beads." "You can't go<br />
until morning," said Rabbit. "Remain here all night." They did so, <strong>and</strong> Rabbit slept with one <strong>of</strong><br />
p. 3<br />
<strong>the</strong>m. In <strong>the</strong> morning he had disappeared, but when he came back he had a mouthful <strong>of</strong> beads which he blew all about. The one he had<br />
slept with ga<strong>the</strong>red <strong>the</strong>m up <strong>and</strong> began stringing <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>and</strong> she said to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, "You string some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se beads also," which she began<br />
doing.<br />
Rabbit had taken <strong>the</strong>se beads from <strong>the</strong> young buzzards while <strong>the</strong>ir mo<strong>the</strong>r was away, <strong>and</strong> when she came back <strong>the</strong>y told her what he had<br />
done. At that she became angry <strong>and</strong> started <strong>of</strong>f to Rabbit's house. There she called out, "PasikM'ly' (a story name <strong>of</strong> Rabbit) what have<br />
you done to my children? You have done <strong>the</strong>m great injury.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> young women heard <strong>the</strong>se words <strong>the</strong>y pulled <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong>ir beads, dropped <strong>the</strong>m upon <strong>the</strong> ground, <strong>and</strong> started away. Late that evening<br />
<strong>the</strong>y came upon Ground Squirrel (Tciloktco), <strong>and</strong> he said to <strong>the</strong>m, "Where are you going?" "We are going to Turkey-killer's (Pin-l+'dja's),"<br />
<strong>the</strong>y answered. "It is a long distance," he replied. "You had better stay all night." They replied that <strong>the</strong>y had been deceived before <strong>and</strong><br />
hesitated to do so, but he answered that he was no "underminer," <strong>and</strong> he urged <strong>the</strong>m to remain because it was late. "As you come near <strong>the</strong><br />
dwelling <strong>of</strong> Turkey-killer, you will begin to find turkey fea<strong>the</strong>rs, at first only a few <strong>and</strong> as you go on more <strong>and</strong> more. They will be deeper<br />
<strong>and</strong> deeper <strong>and</strong> when <strong>the</strong>y are over your heads you will have arrived at his house." "Then, we think we will stay with you," <strong>the</strong>y answered.<br />
They did so, <strong>and</strong> set out again in <strong>the</strong> morning, but found that during <strong>the</strong> night Ground Squirrel had gotten inside <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dumplings (odj<br />
M'tådja-haga) <strong>the</strong>y carried <strong>and</strong> eaten <strong>the</strong>m all out.<br />
By <strong>and</strong> by <strong>the</strong>y came to <strong>the</strong> fea<strong>the</strong>rs which lay deeper upon <strong>the</strong> ground as <strong>the</strong>y proceeded, <strong>and</strong> when <strong>the</strong>se were over <strong>the</strong>ir heads <strong>the</strong>y came<br />
out into <strong>the</strong> yard <strong>of</strong> Turkey-killer's house. "Whi<strong>the</strong>r are-you traveling?" said Turkey-killer. "We heard that <strong>the</strong>re was a bead-spitter <strong>and</strong> we<br />
wanted some beads. That is why we came." "I am <strong>the</strong> one," he answered, "but I cannot provide <strong>the</strong> beads until to-morrow morning <strong>and</strong> you<br />
must remain all night."<br />
So <strong>the</strong> young women spent <strong>the</strong> night at that place. After daybreak <strong>the</strong> man came to <strong>the</strong>m <strong>and</strong> said, "Was anything wrongful done to you<br />
while you were on <strong>the</strong> way?" The one with whom Rabbit had slept denied it. "Then everything will be all right," he said. He gave a new<br />
s<strong>of</strong>ki riddle to each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m <strong>and</strong> continued, "Go to <strong>the</strong> creek <strong>and</strong> dip up water <strong>and</strong> if your story is true you can bring <strong>the</strong>m back full but if it<br />
is false <strong>the</strong> water will run through." So <strong>the</strong>y went down to <strong>the</strong> creek <strong>and</strong> dipped <strong>the</strong>ir riddles into it, but when <strong>the</strong>y took <strong>the</strong>m up <strong>the</strong> water<br />
ran through <strong>the</strong> riddle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> woman with whom Rabbit had slept, while that in <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r remained. When she brought it to <strong>the</strong> house <strong>the</strong><br />
man told her to sift, <strong>and</strong> as <strong>the</strong> water<br />
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<strong>Myths</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tales</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>astern <strong>Indians</strong>: <strong>Title</strong> <strong>Page</strong><br />
came through it turned into beads. Then he told both <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m to string <strong>the</strong>se beads, but while he kept <strong>the</strong> one who was honest as his wife,<br />
he sent <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r back.<br />
Sometime later Bead-spitter's wife was with child. Her husb<strong>and</strong> was a great hunter <strong>and</strong> was <strong>of</strong>f continually. One time he crossed <strong>the</strong> river<br />
in a canoe <strong>and</strong> went <strong>of</strong>f hunting. When he came back, however, he found his canoe had been taken back to <strong>the</strong> side on which stood his<br />
dwelling. He shouted to his wife to come over <strong>and</strong> fetch him but she did not reply <strong>and</strong> he was obliged to swim across. In a window <strong>of</strong> his<br />
house he saw what appeared to be his wife painted <strong>and</strong> dressed in fine clo<strong>the</strong>s <strong>and</strong> he said to her, "I shouted to you for a long time but it<br />
seems that you were too busily engaged in combing your hair to hear me." Then he punched at her with <strong>the</strong> butt <strong>of</strong> his gun <strong>and</strong> she fell<br />
back out <strong>of</strong> sight. He went in <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>n found that what he had taken for his wife was only an image <strong>of</strong> her. During his absence she had<br />
been eaten by a Kolowa ("Gorilla") who had afterwards set up <strong>the</strong> image. The Kolowa had, however, left <strong>the</strong> woman's abdomen, <strong>and</strong> on<br />
opening it <strong>the</strong> hunter found a baby inside, still alive. He saved it <strong>and</strong> took care <strong>of</strong> it, throwing <strong>the</strong> afterbirth into a thicket back <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
house.<br />
He fed his child, which was a boy, on gruel <strong>and</strong> soup. After some years had passed <strong>the</strong> child wanted a bow <strong>and</strong> arrows, <strong>and</strong> his fa<strong>the</strong>r<br />
made some small ones for him. He was much surprised, however, when his son insisted that he make two bows with a blunt arrow <strong>and</strong> a<br />
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