Transcriber’s Note:

The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

BUFFALO

Historical Society

PUBLICATIONS

VOLUME TWENTY-SEVEN

Edited by Frank H. Severance

THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH LEGENDS WERE TOLD.
From a Painting Showing the Interior of a Bark Long house, by Richard J. Tucker.

SENECA MYTHS AND FOLK TALES

BY

ARTHUR C. PARKER, M.S.

Archæologist, New York State Museum

Life Member, The Buffalo Historical Society

BUFFALO, NEW YORK:

Published by the

BUFFALO HISTORICAL SOCIETY

1923

THE TRIBUNE PUBLISHING COMPANY

PRINTERS AND BINDERS

MEADVILLE, PA.

TO

FRANK H. SEVERANCE, L.H.D., LL.D.

Secretary, The Buffalo Historical Society

President, The New York State Historical Association

WHOSE NUMEROUS ESSAYS AND HISTORICAL WRITINGS HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT, AND WHOSE INTEREST IN THE SENECA INDIANS AND THEIR HISTORY HAS NEVER WANED, THIS VOLUME OF

SENECA FOLK TALES

IS DEDICATED IN TESTIMONY OF THE AUTHOR’S SINCERE ADMIRATION AND ESTEEM.

SENECA MYTHS AND FOLK TALES

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 training to learn why the bear lost its tail, why the chipmunk has a striped back and why meteors flash in the sky.

Many years later,—it was in 1903,—the writer of this manuscript returned to the Cattaraugus reservation bringing with him his friend Mr. Raymond Harrington, for the purpose of making an archæological survey of the Cattaraugus valley for the Peabody Museum of Archæology, of Harvard University. Our base camp was on the old Silverheels farm, which occupies the site of one of the early Seneca villages of the period after the Erie war of 1654. Here also is the site of the original Lower Cattaraugus of pre-Revolutionary days.

To our camp came many Indian friends who sought to instruct Mr. Harrington and myself in the lore of the ancients. We were regaled with stories of the false faces, of the whirl-winds, of the creation of man, of the death panther, and of the legends of the great bear, but in particular we were blessed with an ample store of tales of vampire skeletons, of witches and of folk-beasts, all of whom had a special appetite for young men who dug in the ground for the buried relics of the “old-time folks.”

To us came Tahadondeh (whom the Christian people called George Jimerson), Bill Snyder, Gahweh Seneca, a lame man from Tonawanda, Frank Pierce and several others versed in folk-lore. I filled my note-books with sketches and outlines of folk-fiction, and after our return to New York, I began to transcribe some of the stories.

The following winter was spent on the reservation among the non-Christian element in a serious attempt to record folk tales, ceremonial prayers, rituals, songs and customs. A large amount of information and many stories were collected. Some of this material was published by the State Museum, the rest perished in the Capitol fire at Albany, in 1911.

Later I was able to go over my original notes with Edward Cornplanter, the local authority on Seneca religion, rites and folk-ways, and to write out the material here presented. Cornplanter’s son Jesse assisted by way of making drawings under his father’s direction. I also had the help of Skidmore Lay, Ward B. Snow, Delos B. Kittle, Mrs. John Kittle, James Crow and others. My informants from the lower reservation, the Christian district, were Aurelia Jones Miller, Fred Kennedy, George D. Jimerson, Julia Crouse, Moses Shongo, Mrs. Moses Shongo, David George, William Parker, Job King, and Chester C. Lay; and Laura Doctor and Otto Parker of the Tonawanda Reservation.

In the preparation of these versions of old Seneca tales the writer used no other texts for comparative purposes. It was thought best to rest content with the version given by the Indian informant, and to wait until a time of greater leisure came before attempting to annotate the collection. Leisure has never seemed to be the privilege of the writer, and one busy year has crowded upon another, until eighteen have passed since the tales were written down. It may be best, after all, to present the text just as it was prepared, and merely correct the spelling of a name or two. It was not until after this text was in the hands of the Buffalo Historical Society that the Curtin-Hewitt collection of Seneca folk tales appeared, and though differences will be found between our texts and those of Curtin, it must be remembered that variations are bound to occur. All versions of folk tales recorded by different individuals at different or even identical times will vary in certain particulars, as is explained hereinafter.

In the preparation of this volume the writer wishes to record his indebtedness to Mr. George Kelley Staples, Senator Henry W. Hill, Mr. George L. Tucker and Dr. Frank H. Severance, all members of the Buffalo Historical Society, for the advice and encouragement given.

Arthur C. Parker.

Buffalo Consistory,

A. A. S. R.

Nov. 26, 1922.

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

INTRODUCTION

In presenting this collection of Seneca myths and legends, the collator feels that he should explain to the general reader that he does not offer a series of tales that can be judged by present day literary standards. These Indian stories are not published for the mere entertainment of general readers, though there is much that is entertaining in them, neither are they designed as children’s fables, or for supplementary reading in schools, though it is true that some of the material may be suited for the child mind. It must be understood that if readings from this book are to be made for children, a wise selection must be made.

This collection is presented as an exposition of the unwritten literature of the Seneca Indians who still live in their ancestral domain in western New York. It is primarily a collection of folk-lore and is to be looked at in no other light. The professional anthropologist and historian will not need to be reminded of this. He will study these tales for their ethnological significance, and use them in making comparisons with similar collections from other tribes and stocks. In this manner he will determine the similarities or differences in theme, in episode and character. He will trace myth diffusion thereby and be able to chart the elements of the Seneca story.

There is an amazing lack of authentic material on Iroquois folk-lore, though much that arrogates this name to itself has been written. The writers, however, have in general so glossed the native themes with poetic and literary interpretations that the material has shrunken in value and can scarcely be considered without many reservations.

We do not pretend to have made a complete collection of all available material, but we have given a fairly representative series of myths, legends, fiction and traditions. One may examine this collection and find representative types of nearly every class of Seneca folk-lore. Multiplication is scarcely necessary.

The value of this collection is not a literary one but a scientific one. It reveals the type of tale that held the interest and attention of the Seneca; it reveals certain mental traits and tendencies; it reveals many customs and incidents in native life, and finally, it serves as an index of native psychology.

The enlightened mind will not be arrogant in its judgment of this material, but will see in it the attempts of a race still in mental childhood to give play to imagination and to explain by symbols what it otherwise could not express.

While there is much value in this collection explaining indirectly the folk-ways and the folk-thought of the Seneca and their allied kinsmen, the whole life of the people may not be judged from these legends. Much more must be presented before such a judgment is formed. Just as we gain some knowledge of present day religions, governmental methods, social organization and political economy from the general literature of the day, but only a portion, and this unsystematized, so do we catch only a glimpse of the life story of the Seneca from their folk-tales.

To complete our knowledge we must have before us works on Seneca history, ethnology, archæology, religion, government and language. Finally, we must personally know the descendents of the mighty Seneca nation of old. We must enter into the life of the people in a sympathetic way, for only then can we get at the soul of the race.

While all this is true, these folk-tales are not to be despised, for they conserve many references to themes and things that otherwise would be forgotten. Folk-lore is one of the most important mines of information that the ethnologist and historian may tap. We can never understand a race until we understand what it is thinking about, and we can never know this until we know its literature, written or unwritten. The folk-tale therefore has a special value and significance, if honestly recorded.

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 to find any beauty, will invent it and produce a tale that no Indian would ever recognize. Plot and detail will be changed, fine flowery language will be used, and perhaps the whole given the swing and meter of blank verse. This is all very well for the poet, but he has buried the personality of the folk-tale, albeit in petals of roses,—instead of allowing it nakedly to appear the living thing it is.

The fiction writer will take the original Indian tale and tear it apart with keen eyed professional discrimination. He will recast the plot, expand here and there, explain here and prune down there. He will invent names and new situations to make the story “go,” then, as a rule, he sells it to a magazine or makes a collection of tales for “a supplementary reader for children.” But are these Indian tales?

The amateur, finding good material in the Indian story will do as the fiction writer does, but he will work in foreign allusions and inconsistent elements and in other ways betray his unfamiliarity with his material. Like the fiction writer he is primarily after a story that he can dress as he pleases.

The sectarian enthusiast, recording folk-lore, will frequently seek to show the absurdity of the Indian tale, and point out the foolishness of peoples who are unacquainted with biblical teachings, but it is fortunate that all missionaries have not done this. Many have recorded folk-tales with great conscientiousness, and some of our best sources are from the notes of well informed missionaries.

The philologist will seek to make literal transcripts of every Indian word in painstaking phonetic spelling, and then secure an analytical interlinear translation. This is an accurate but awkward way of securing the tale, for readers who are accustomed to reading only straight English. It makes it a most tedious and laborious thing to read, and totally deprives the text of all literary life.

The student of folk lore starts in with a purpose. This is to secure the tale in such a manner, that without unnecessarily colored verbiage, it may be consistently dressed, and set forth in fluent English (or other modern language) in such a manner that it may be understood by an ordinary reader. The folk-lore student has still another motive and purpose, which is to so present his legend that it will awaken in the mind of his reader sensations similar to those aroused in the mind of the Indian auditor hearing it from the native raconteur. The recorder of the tale seeks to assimilate its characteristics, to become imbued with its spirit, to understand its details, to follow its language,—its sentences,—one by one, as they follow in sequence, and then he seeks to present it consistently. He adds nothing not in the original,—despite the temptation to improve the plot,—he presents the same arrangement as in the original, he uses similar idioms and exclamations, similar introductory words and phrases, and presents an honestly constructed free translation. This is far from an easy thing to do, for it frequently lays the recorder open to the charge of being a clumsy story teller. The temptation is ever present to tell a good story, and let the legend become the skeleton over which the words are woven. Needless to say, this is not an honest thing to do, and the folk-lore student resists this temptation, and gives his product a genuine presentation, regardless of what literary critics may think. He strives only to be the medium by which a native tale is transformed from its original language to that of another tongue. The thought, the form and the sequence of the story he insists must remain exactly as it was, though the verbal dress is European and not Indian.[^[1]]

Perhaps actual illustrations of these methods will serve to convey the thought we are attempting to explain. Examples follow:

TEXT IN SENECA WITH INTERLINEAR 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 was jealous.

Such is the beginning of the Seneca version of Iroquoian cosmology as given by J. N. B. Hewitt in the 21st Report of the Bureau of Ethnology. This faithful record of a native text and its translation is literally a most painstaking work involving the closest attention to the minor sounds in the language, in order that each word may be phonetically recorded. To wade through this literal translation from the beginning to the end of the myth would be too tedious for anyone but an enthusiastic student of native tongues. To the majority of readers it would be a forbidding task. Even to follow the involved language and grammatical forms of the close literal translation would tire the mind of anyone whose mother tongue was not that of the text.

A free translation, therefore becomes a prime necessity, but this must not disturb the original thought. Just how to make such a translation honestly becomes a problem beset with difficulty. Our plan is to smooth out the language, divest it of its awkward arrangement, and allow the thought to flow on. Let us attempt this in the following:

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 easily imagine that he would make the most of the land above the sky, the celestial lodge, the age of the Ancient One, his initial joy at the birth of his child, and his gradual discovery that his wife’s affection had been transferred from him to their offspring, of the agony of soul that wilted his heroic form and caused his very bones to wither and lose their marrow, and of the final madness of the Ancient One, who (to follow the myth in its fullness), had a tormenting dream which caused him to tear up the celestial tree and cast his wife into the cavernous hole that dropped down into chaos.

The plot of this myth-tale has elements that make it excellent material for the fiction writer who would recast it entirely and weave it into the thrilling story of celestial tragedy. We have seen such attempts and have been astonished at the audacity of the writer who thus presents his product as a “genuine Indian myth.” Yet, most popular versions of Indian legends are recast to such an extent that the Indian who supplied the bones would never recognize the creature the white man “teller-of-tales” has clothed with civilized flesh. As an example of such fabrication, witness the speech of Hiawatha to the assembled tribes as presented by J. V. H. Clark in his “Onondaga.” (Vol. I, p. 28 ff.) This famous speech has been passed down as Hiawatha’s own words and has been the inspiration of more than one poet, though Clark admitted in later years that he invented the entire address, basing it upon some obscure references in the original tradition. In many a work on “Indian fables for children” the so-called fable is merely an invention, and the only Indian thing about it is the dash of Indian flavor used to give the story plausibility. Indians who have never seen or read the text of such stories of course might easily be induced in various ways to sign statements vouching for them, thus contributing to the intensification of error.

It is well to analyze the folk-tale or myth for its theme and to check it against others, thereby determining whether or not it is actually authentic. If it appears unusual and unlike anything other informants have given, it may be placed in the class of doubtful fiction, and especially so if the “fable” has a “moral” attached to it.

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 creation myth, as recorded by the Jesuit fathers in the Relations.

Religious traditions, ceremonies and myths, being of a “sacred” character, must be related with a certain fidelity which forbids any real change in the content. To a lesser degree, perhaps, but not much less, the “gă´gāā” legends of the Iroquois are protected from violent alteration. The legend is a thing, to the Indian mind, and it has a certain personality. In certain instances the legend is a personal or group possession and its form and content are religiously guarded from change. With tales told for mere amusement, tales belonging to the class of mere fiction, greater liberties may be taken.

Notwithstanding all this, it is certain that there are several versions of each legend. Certain groups tell the myth or legend in different ways. There are short versions and long versions and there are Seneca versions and Mohawk versions. In order to ascertain the “correct version” we must examine several versions as related by different narrators, and then after making an outline of the episodes, the characters and the motives, determine what the central theme of all is. We can in this manner judge what is essential and what is non-essential.

There is a wide variation in the language used in the narration of some legends, just as there is in the relation of modern stories told over the banquet table. A better example of variation, is to consider the innumerable versions of common nursery stories, as Puss in Boots, Cinderella, or Aladdin’s Lamp. Yet the theme of the story and the episodes, to say nothing of the characters, remain unchanged. Just so with most Iroquois folk-lore, much depends upon the author-raconteur. Some will add explanatory matter, some will add picturesque descriptions, some will add an abundance of conversation, and some will expand on the emotions of the characters. There is a wide individual variation in these matters, and much depends upon the training and education of the narrator, as well as upon his temperament. Language may differ somewhat, but the theme must remain,—the real story must never suffer essential change.

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´oⁿ), the wood fairies. Should their law be violated some djogĕ´oⁿ flying about in the form of a beetle or bird might discover the offender and report him to their chief. Upon this an omen would warn the forgetful Indian. Failing to observe the sign some evil would befall the culprit. Bees might sting his lips or his tongue would swell and fill his mouth, snakes might crawl in his bed and choke him while he slept, and so on, until he was punished and forced to desist from forbidden talk.

Certain spirits were reputed to enforce this law for two purposes; first, that no animal should become offended by man’s boasting of his triumph over beasts, or at the same time learn too much of human cunning, and fly forever the haunts of mankind; and second, that no animal, who listening to tales of wonder, adventure or humor, should become so interested as to forget its place in nature, and pondering over the mysteries of man’s words, wander dazed and aimless through the forest. To listen to stories in the summer time made trees and plants as well as animals and men lazy, and therefore scanty crops, lean game and shiftless people resulted. To listen to stories made the birds forget to fly to the south when winter came, it made the animals neglect to store up winter coats of fur. All the world stops work when a good story is told and afterwards forgets its wonted duty in marveling. Thus the modern Iroquois, following the old-time custom, reserves his tales of adventures, myth and fable for winter when the year’s work is over and all nature slumbers.

The story teller (Hage´otă’) when he finds an audience about him or wishes to call one, announces his intention to recite a folk-tale, (gă´gāā, or in the plural, gägä‘´shoⁿ’´o‘) by exclaiming “I’´newa’eñgegĕ´odĕⁿ, Hau’´nio‘´ djadaoⁿ “diĭⁿus!” The auditors eagerly reply “Heⁿ‘´” which is the assenting to the proposed relation of the folk-tale.

At intervals during the relation of a story the auditors must exclaim “hĕⁿ‘´.” This is the sign that they were listening. If there was no frequent response of “he,” the story teller would stop and inquire what fault was found with him or his story.

It was not only considered a breach of courtesy for a listener to fall asleep, but also a positive omen of evil to the guilty party. If any one for any reason wished to sleep or to leave the room, he must request the narrator to “tie the story,” “eⁿsĕgägha‘´a.” Failing to say this and afterwards desiring to hear the remainder of the tale, the narrator would refuse, for if he related it at all it must be from the beginning through, unless “tied.” Thus “ĕⁿsĕgäha‘´a” was the magic word by which a legend might be told as a serial (from ĕⁿsege´odĕ).

A story teller was known as “Hage´otă’” and his stock of tales called “ganondas‘hägoⁿ”. Each listener gave the story teller a small gift, as a bead, small round brooch, beads, tobacco, or other trinket. To tell stories was called “ĕⁿsege´odĕⁿ”, and the gift was termed “dagwa´niatcis,” now an obsolete word.

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 only sound

s as in sop

t pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the upper teeth, as in enunciating the English th in with; this is its only sound

u as in rule

ŭ as in rut

w as in wit

y as in ye

dj as j in judge

hw as wh in what

tc as ch in church

ⁿ marks nasalized vowels, thus eⁿ, oⁿ, aiⁿ, ĕⁿ, äⁿ, âⁿ

‘ indicates an aspiration or soft emission of breath

’ marks the glottal stop, ä’, ĕⁿ’

t‘h In this combination t and h are separately uttered, as th in the English words hothouse, foothold

I
FUNDAMENTAL FACTORS IN SENECA FOLK-LORE

SENECA MYTHS AND FOLK-TALES

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 beliefs upon which the folk-tale is built are the following:

Unseen spirits. Spirits pervade all nature and affect man for good or evil. Their desires and plans must be satisfied by man. There are both good and evil spirits. Spirits may inhabit anything in nature.

Conflict of good and evil spirits. Good spirits are constantly making war upon evil spirits.

Magical power. There is such a thing as orenda or magical power. Such power makes its possessor the master over the natural order of things. This orenda may be acquired in various ways. It may be residual, and therefore an attribute of the individual, or it may be inherent in some charm or fetish. Virtuous persons may be given a good orenda, which is always more powerful in the end than the evil orenda which is possessed by witches and sorcerers.

Transformation. Any being possessing orenda may transform himself into any form,—animate or inanimate, as his orenda gives power. Anything seen in nature may be a temporary or a permanent transformation of a being having orenda. Transformation may be by command or by entering the skin of the creature whose form one desires to assume. Animals having orenda may assume human form and mingle with human beings. A group of people, therefore, may in reality be a transformed group of animals, and likewise with individuals.

All nature is conscious. Everything in the Seneca philosophy lives and is conscious. It is a being and in communication with other parts of nature. Anything in nature may be spoken to and it will hear what one has said. It may be induced to act in one’s behalf.

All living creatures have souls. The Seneca believes that animals have souls that are alike in their nature to the souls of human beings. The hunter, therefore, propitiates the soul of the animal he kills, and explains why he killed it. The souls of friendly animals help man, if man has been courteous, and has properly propitiated them. Souls of evil animals injure men and must be “bought off.” The souls of all creatures return to the Maker of Souls just as man’s does.

Master of souls. There is in the heaven world a Master of life and soul. He allows his subordinate spirits to rule the earth-world and concerns himself generally with his own realm. Souls that return to him are taken apart and readjusted that they may function properly in the immortal realm. Evil is therefore conceived in a measure as a maladjustment of the soul’s parts.

Ghosts. The manes of departed men and animals wander over their familiar haunts and startle men by their “materializations.” Wandering ghosts generally want something and must have their desires satisfied. The evil of the living person is intensified in the ghost. A ghost is the body spirit and not the real psychic personality.

EDWARD CORNPLANTER—SOSONDOWA
Leading chief of the Cattaraugus Wolf Clan and High Priest of the Ganiodaiu religion. Mr. Cornplanter was probably the last of the New York Iroquois who knew by heart every one of the ancient ceremonial rituals. He died in June, 1918, aged 67, and was buried near the Newtown Long House.

Dreams. Dreams are experiences of the soul as it leaves the body during sleep. The dream god guides the soul to its dream experience. Dreams that prompt the individual to certain desires must be interpreted by a chosen person or by volunteer guessers, and the desire must be satisfied, or calamity will befall the dreamer as well as the unsuccessful guesser. Prophetic dreams must guide action and dream demands must not be lightly set aside.

Monsters. There are monsters that men seldom see. These affect the welfare and the destiny of man. They are generally evil and seek to destroy and sometimes to eat human beings.

Wizards. There are such beings as wizards, witches and sorcerers. These beings possess an evil orenda and seek to destroy innocent people.

GODS, MAJOR SPIRITS AND FOLK-BEASTS OF THE SENECA.

1. BEINGS OF THE PRIMAL ORDER.

The first of the God Being was Te‘haoⁿ‘hwĕñdjaiwă’´khoⁿ’ 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 Awĕⁿhā´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 she gave this child caused the Ancient One to be moved to jealousy, this emotion being aroused in him through the machinations of the Fire Beast, whose invisibility rendered his work the more subtle. Little is known through mythology of Ancient One, since his field is a celestial one, and he seldom interferes with the doings of men of our present order. Of his unhappy wife, who was cast through the hole made by the uprooting of the celestial tree we learn more.[^[2]]

The wife of the Ancient One was Iageⁿ’´tci‘, also meaning Ancient One (Body). We recognize her in the Huron myths as recorded or mentioned in the Jesuit Relations as Ataentsic (Ataaentsik). In Onondaga this would be Eiă’tăgĕⁿ‘´tci‘. Her story is given in all versions of the creation myth.

Her personal name seldom appears, but Hewitt gives it as Awĕⁿ‘hā´i‘, this referring to her maturity, or ability to bring forth seed. In some versions the Chief casts his wife into the abyss made by uprooting the celestial tree, Gaiⁿiă’´tgä’´hei‘; in others her own curiosity is responsible. The tree in such versions is uprooted as a dream demand and her enraged husband pushes her into the hole made thereby through the crust of the heaven world. After the completion of the earth-world the sky mother returned by way of an etherial path that plainly was visible to her, this having been made by her daughter, the first born and the first to die of earth creatures.

Fire Beast (Gaăs‘ioñdie´t‘hă’), appears to have been one of the important primal beings, and to have exercised a malign influence even upon the inhabitants of the celestial world. He is described as of “sky color” or invisible, and he is only detected at all when he emits streams and flashes of light from his head. When a meteor flashes the Iroquois recognizes the Fire Beast. His appearance is counted as a sign of direful calamity and death.

THE THUNDER SPIRIT
This is the powerful Hihnon, one of the principal spirits in the Seneca pantheon. Drawing by Jesse Cornplanter.

Whirlwind (S‘hagodiiweⁿ‘´gōwā or Hadu’´i’), was also a primal power of great importance. He is the controller of the violent winds, and he takes his name, He-who-defends-us, from his promise to help mankind when threatened by calamity. His symbol is the crooked-mouthed false face. There is also the concept of the four defenders, one for each of the cardinal directions. It was Whirlwind who boasted his power to the Good Mind (Iouskeha) and who had the contest with him of mountain moving. The face became mutilated by the mountain coming too quickly against it, at the command of the Good Mind. Agreeing that he was now a subordinate he agreed furthermore, to drive away disease and pestilence and to defend men-beings, who should be thereafter created, from malign influences. His face carved in wood, after certain propitiatory and invocatory ceremonies, was and still is used by the conservative Iroquois in their ceremonial events, particularly at the mid-winter thanksgiving, when parties of masked figures go from house to house, singing the magical songs deemed potent for this purpose. The common name is Hadu’´i’, but in all ceremonies the full Seneca appellation is given, (Shagodiiwĕⁿ´‘gōwā).

The Thunderer, Hĭ’´noⁿ’, was another of the great beings, but he appears in the second order of mythology, as a servant to Iouskeha. He occupies a high place in the category of Iroquois gods, so high a place that it is an open question whether or not the Great Being whom the Iroquois now address as Hawĕñi´o’ is not identical with the Thunderer, though there is also a recognition of the Thunderer as a separate being. The name Hawĕñi´o’, apparently is derived from owĕñ´nă’, (voice) and i´o’ (good, great, majestic or beautiful). The initial Ha is the masculine sign. The name thus means, He-great-voice. This alludes to the thunder. The Thunderer is a mighty being, the maker of rains. He wrinkles his brow and the thunder rolls, he winks his eyes and lightnings flash like arrows of fire. The Thunderer hates all evil spirits, and he is charged with terrorizing the otgont or malicious dwellers of the under-world to return to their cave. He seeks to slay the under water serpent and all folk-beasts that would use evil magic.

The benificient earth-god was T‘hahoⁿ’hiawă’´koⁿ, the light or elder twin of the Sky Woman’s daughter. He is variously called Iouskeha (Huron), Hă’ni‘go‘´io’, Good Mind, Elder Brother, and Sky Holder. It was he who watched at the grave of his mother, and discovered the food plants. It was he who set forth on the journey “to the East” and obtained from his father the power to rule. He made the earth habitable for man, obtained the mastery over the Thunderer and the Whirlwind, and even made his grandmother, Eiă’tăgĕⁿ‘´tci‘ (Awĕⁿ‘hā´i‘) play the game of plum stones, the result of which should determine who should rule the earth. He animated his plum stone dice and gave them understanding, ordered them to arrange themselves as he directed, and thereby won the highest count in a single throw. This gave him mastery over his evil brother Tawis´karoⁿ (the icy or flinty one), for the grandmother sympathised with this ugly twin brother of his. In the heaven world, T‘hahoⁿ’hiawă’´koⁿ, now lives with his grandmother, in the reunited family of celestial beings, and though he grows very old he has the power of renewing himself at will, and exercises this power over good souls that come into the heaven world. He created man after observing his own reflection in a pool of water, after which he made miniature figures in clay and commanded them to live.

Tawis´karoⁿ, was the second born of the daughter of the Sky Woman. He was of destructive nature, and found his way to life through the axilla of his mother, killing her at birth. His heart was made of ice or of flint (the words are similar). His delight is in destroying living things, especially by freezing. He created all the evil beasts, serpents, insects and birds. He invented thorns, briars, and by kicking at the earth made cliffs and precipices. During his career he stole all the good animals and hid them in a cave; he drove all the birds away. His great feat was in stealing the sun and hiding it in the far southwest. Aided by the fires which his brother, T‘hahoⁿ’hiwă’´koⁿ, and his cohorts secured, the birds and animals were found and the sun was released. This of course typifies the annual triumph of summer over winter, the return of the migrating birds, and the return of the heat of the sun. Tawis´karoⁿ is then confined to his cavern, hence his name Hanis‘he´onoⁿ, meaning He who dwells in the earth. With the coming of the Christian missionaries, Tawiskaro was identified with the Christian devil, (Hă’nigoiĕt´gä‘, bad mind).[^[3]] Strangely, about this time it was the Thunder god, instead of the good-minded Sky Holder, who was metamorphosed into the Great Spirit, Hawĕñi´o’, this name being the Seneca equivalent for Jehovah (God).[^[4]]

Lesser known gods were Ai‘koⁿ’ the Dream god, Haskotă´hiāhāks, the Head Opener, and Deiodă‘sondăi’koⁿ‘, Thick Night. Aikon, caused the dreams which demanded interpretation, and Haskotahiahaks, opened the heads of soul-bodies as they passed over the sky-trail (Milky Way), and examined them for good and evil thoughts, after which he ate the brains.

Cosmic trees. There is a marvelous tree in the center of the heaven world. It bears all manner of fruits and flowers. (See cosmological myth, p. [59].)

There is a great tree in the center of the earth. Its top touches the sky. It grew in the world of the first order and it bore flowers of light. To touch this tree is to acquire great magical power. The Whirlwinds rub their rattles against it and become full of orenda.

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 Chief and as the special god of war, Ho‘sgĕⁿ’age‘´dăgōwā. He also appears as existing before the birth of the primal twins, and it appears that he is the being who sat on the mountain “to the east across the sea,” and who gave power to the Good Mind, or T’hahoⁿhiawă’´koⁿ. It thus appears there is an imperfect assimilation of conflicting myths, probably from different sources.

THE SPIRIT OF DIONHEKON
In this drawing the spirit of the food plants is shown touching the shoulder of Handsome Lake, the Seneca Prophet. Drawing by Jesse Cornplanter.

Each day the Sun starts from his resting place in the branches of the celestial tree, takes his path under the lifted east sky, rolls up the dome and commences his unerring watch of the movements of men. Wherever there is light, there is the messenger of the Sky Chief watching human behaviour. Returning at night, he recites all that he has observed on earth.

He bears the name Endĕ´ka Gää‘´kwă, Diurnal Orb of Light.

The Moon is Soi‘´ka Gää‘´kwă, Nocturnal Orb of Light, and she is hailed as “Our Grandmother.” In each of her several phases she has a different name and function. She is watched by the females as a sign of health, and by the men as a sign of hunting luck. By the Moon time is regulated, and each monthly moon has a special name. Of all heavenly bodies she is the most mysterious, though not the most powerful.

Morning Star, Gĕndeñ´wit‘hă, is one of the great beings of the sky and her appearance is watched as an omen. It appears that once Morning Star was an important celestial personage, but the Iroquois have drifted away from giving her special honors. She appears in several rolls, sometimes as a siren who lures hunters into a luckless marriage, mysteriously leaving them to wander the world over in search of her. She appears to have charmed an elk into loving her, and also as a rescuer of starving villages in time of famine. She is called Gadjĭ‘soⁿ´dă’ gĕndeñ´wit‘hă’.

THE FLYING HEAD OF THE WIND
This is the whirlwind or Dagwanoeient. Drawing by Jesse Cornplanter.

Storm Wind, Dagwanoeient, (Dagwano‘ĕñ´iĕn) is a being of great activity, and he has a whole tribe of subordinates bearing his name. He appears to men as a Flying Head, with long streaming hair, and his exploits are generally discreditable. He is a great wizard and takes delight in destroying things. His friends are generally sorcerers and otgont (evilly potent) beasts. Many legends are related about Dagwanoeient in his various forms, for he has several transformations.

Gä´ha‘, the zephyr, is a softer wind than the stormy Dagwanoeient, and appears to be of a kindlier disposition. While Gä´ha‘ may have done magical things, it was not malign, and there are legends that tell how Gaha wooed some fair forest maid and married her. Gaha helps plant grow and is associated with the warm season when fruits ripen and mature.

THE SPIRIT OF THE FROST
This is Haht´ho, the spirit of the frost who signals by knocking on the trees in winter. Drawing by Jesse Cornplanter.

The Frost god is known as Hă’´tho‘, and he is described as a fierce and relentless old man who lives where frosts and ice abound the year around. His home in the north is called Othowege. It is he who brings the frost and who causes the snows to sweep over the earth. His clothing is ice and he carries a maul with which he pounds the ice on rivers and lakes, making them crack with a resounding boom. He also causes that peculiar knocking sound on trees when the weather is very cold. He has one great enemy, it is the spirit of Spring, who assisted by Thaw drives him from the region that he has invaded and sends him grumbling back to the northland. The Frost god has as his friends Dagwanoeient, the Storm Wind, and Falling Hail.

The Hail spirit is called Owisondyon. He loves to startle people by coming unexpectedly in the warm months of early summer and to pelt the growing crops with his icy missiles. Sometimes he is given the name, Dehodyadgaowen, meaning Divided Body.

The Spring god is Dedio‘s‘hwineq´doⁿ, and he is young and very muscular. He loves to wrestle with the winter winds and even enters Ha’´tho’s lodge and teases him to desperation while his faithful ally, Thaw, plays havoc with the ice and the drifts outside. Spring tortures the Winter god with a medicine made of blackberry juice, for Winter god knows that when blackberries grow winter is beyond the power of injuring the world. At last Spring and Winter have a wrestling match in which Winter is overcome and his bodily form melts upon the ground, while his spirit whines away, driven north by the south winds. Spring lives in Onē´naⁿ’ge‘, Sunshine land.

The Thaw god is Dăgā’ĕⁿ‘´dă, the faithful ally of Spring. When he comes, in mid-winter he appears suddenly and begins to wreck the icy blankets that winter has placed over the earth. Winter then knows that Spring is coming and exerts all his magic to freeze the world again and to make his reign even more terrible. Time passes and Thaw comes again bringing his master, Spring, and then there is a fight to the finish, and Spring is supreme, while Thaw pursues ever to torment Hă’´tho‘, on his frontiers.

The spirits of sustenance are known as Dioⁿ’he´koⁿ, and they are represented as the inseparable spirits of the corn, the bean and the squash. They are sometimes referred to as “the three sisters.” The ceremonial dance in their honor is called Goñdă‘goñwi´sas. There are many legends of these spirits of sustenance and the wise men and women of ancient times tell of hearing them talk together in the fields where they grow together.

Tide spirit is known as S‘hagowe´not‘ha, and it is he who controls the rising and falling of the great waters, twice in each day. It is said that he controls the lifting of the sky’s rim in the land of Gaenhyakdondye (the horizon), which allows the sun to emerge in the morning and depart at night. Sometimes he tempts canoemen far out to sea and then crushes them under the edge of the sky’s rim. He sometimes lures disobedient boys to lonely islands where witches and wizards live on human flesh. Altogether, aside from certain functions, he is an evil monster.

Will-o’-the-wisp, or Gahai’´, is known as the witch’s torch. It is not a spirit of the first order, but merely a flying light which directs sorcerers and witches to their victims. Sometimes it guides them to the spots where they may find their charms. Sorcerers have been detected by the frequent appearance of their Gahai’´, which leaves their smoke hole and guides them as they ride in mid air on their evil journeys.

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´dowăneⁿ, has several names among which are Doonă’´gaes and Djoⁿdi’´gwadoⁿ. He is a monster serpent of the underwaters and his head is adorned with antlers of great spread, though he is also said to have monster horns shaped like a buffalo’s. He is capable of transforming himself to the appearance of a man, and as such delights in luring maidens to his abode. In a few instances he appears as the gallant rescuer of women marooned on bewitched islands. Like other monsters he has a brood of his kind, he having females as well. These sometimes lure men under water and seek to transform them by inducing them to put on the garments they wear. Horned Snake is hated by the Thunderer, who spares no energy to kill him before he can dive.

Monster Bear, Niă’´gwai’he´gōwā, is the most feared of magic beasts and one of the most frequent among them to enter in to the fortunes of men. He loves to race and in various forms which he assumes, seeks to get men, and particularly boys, to bet their lives on the race, which generally lasts from sunrise to sunset. He has a vulnerable spot on the bottom of one of his feet and unless some hero hits this the monster does not die. His bones form important parts of “magic medicine” and the dust from one of his leg bones if taken as a medicine is reputed to make a runner invincible.

White Beaver, Naⁿgaⁿniă’´goⁿ, is an otgont beast who lives in magic waters. He seldom appears, but when he does he means disaster. Usually he is represented as the transformed son of a great witch. He is sometimes called Diat´dagwŭt.

Blue Otter, is another magic beast whose home is in the water. His function is to poison springs. He has another function, that of inflicting disease by his magic, and in this way he secures offerings of tobacco.

Blue Lizard, Djai´nosgōwa, seems to be a beast looking something like an alligator. He lives in pools and is the servant of wizards and witches.

4. MAGICAL MAN-LIKE BEINGS.

The Stone Giants, or Stone Coats, Gĕⁿnoⁿ´’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´oⁿ, are little people who live in caves. They are a tribe by themselves and live in houses as men do. They frequent deep gulches and the borders of streams. In some ways they are tricky, but in general do not injure men. They are not successful hunters and are grateful for the fingernail parings of human beings. These are saved by the thoughtful and tied in little bundles which are thrown over cliffs for the Djogeon to gather as “hunting medicine.” They also require tobacco and when they require it they will tap their water drums in their meeting places. The observant then make up little packages of tobacco which they throw to them. Out of gratitude for favors they frequently warn men of danger or assist them to fortune.

Mischief Maker, S’hodi´oⁿsko, is a trickster, and sometimes is called the “brother of death.” He delights in playing practical jokes, regardless of how they result. He possesses a store of magic and is able to transform himself into many forms. It is related in one legend that in the end he repented and returned to the sky world in a column of smoke. This appears however, to be an allusion to the Algonkin trickster.

Ghostly Legs, Ganos´has‘ho´oⁿ’, are beings composed only of a pair of legs, having a face directly in front, though the face is seldom seen. They appear only in the dark and no one has ever made a complete examination of one. They have no arms or bodies, but are like the lower bodies of men, cut off at the waist, and on either loin gleams a faintly glowing eye. Some have only one eye which protrudes and draws in as it observes an intended victim. The Ghostly Legs are always, or nearly always running rapidly when seen. They usually betoken death and disaster. No one knows from whence they come or whither they go. Indians of today on some of the reservations claim to have seen these creatures. While they have never been known to injure anyone they are at the same time as greatly feared as ghosts.

Sagoⁿ’´dada‘´kwŭs, (Sagodadahkwus) is a grotesque being with a lean, hungry looking body, and an insatiable appetite. He seeks out gluttons, and catching them in the dark, takes a long spoon which he inserts into their vitals and spoons out his food. For fear anything may be lost he carries a kettle into which he places everything he cannot immediately eat. He is the spirit of gluttony, and is the terror of all who gorge themselves unduly. It is well for a man who overeats to stay indoors at night, lest He-who-eats-inwards devour everything within him. So, with his kettle and spoon, Sagodadahkwus wanders over the earth looking for the gluttons.

Gonoñk´goĕs, the Big Breast, is a gigantic woman whose breasts hang down like pillows. She roams the earth looking for lovers who sit close together in the dark. If they make one remark that seems to be improper in their love making, or if they stay at their love making too long, she leans over them, catching their faces beneath her breasts and smothering them. Then she stands upright, still holding the smothered lovers to her bosom, and walking to a cliff, leans over and drops them into the dark depths below.

O’´nia‘täⁿ, the Dry Hand, is a mysterious mummified arm that flies about to bewitch those who pry into the affairs of others by asking too many questions. It will thrust its fingers in the eyes of the peeper who tries to watch others out of idle curiosity. Generally the touch of this hand means death.

II.
THEMES AND MATERIALS

There are certain characteristic types of action to be found in Seneca folk-tales, and these are closely followed in all tales. However rambling a tale may be it never departs from certain stereotyped themes, expressing as they do the accepted idea patterns over which the story is woven. Among these themes we mention the following:

1. Transformation. Characters in the story are able to transform themselves into any person, animal or object, as their orenda or magical power gives them power. The Seneca believed in transformation to such an extent that he was never sure that a rolling stone, a vagrant leaf fluttering along, a scolding bird or a curious animal, might not be some “powered” person in a transformation stage.

2. Magically acquired power. The hero of a tale finds himself in a predicament and through his effort to extricate himself is endowed with magical power by which he overcomes enemies and difficulties.

3. Overcoming monsters. The journey of the hero is beset with magical monsters that seek to destroy him. The hero uses his wits and his orenda and subdues them.

4. Precocious twins. Twins are born of a romantic marriage, particularly where the hero or heroine has lost a relative. The twins rapidly grow to maturity and set forth to conquer.

5. Contest with sorcerers. The hero is placed in opposition to a sorcerer and matches his power against him, finally killing the sorcerer.

6. Son-in-law put to tests. The hero is allowed to retain his place, possessions or mate providing he procures certain magical objects for the sorcerer. In some stories an evil mother-in-law demands such objects as the magical beaver, white otter, or blue lizard. The hero obtains them very quickly and sometimes calls a feast to eat them. The mother-in-law is angry because these beasts are her brothers.

This is a widely diffused theme and is found from one coast to another.

7. Dream animal rescues hero. The hero finds himself in a predicament and remembering that a helper appeared to him in a dream, calls upon it for rescue. A rescue is made.

8. Race with monster. A monster, generally a monster bear, becomes enraged at or jealous of the hero. The monster challenges the hero to a race, the winner to kill the loser. The hero wins, generally by aid of some fetish given by his uncle or grandfather.

9. Boaster makes good. The hero boasts his power to do certain things, as to run faster than any living creature. He is warned to stop before the spirits of swift-running beings hear him. He continues to boast and a monster comes to the door to make the challenge. See 8, supra, for a continuation of this theme.

10. Imposter fails. A jealous rival overcomes the hero and strips him of his clothing. Hero becomes weak and old while Imposter becomes youthful. Imposter now assumes the character and rights of the hero. Finally he endeavors to perform the magical tricks of the hero and fails miserably.[^[5]]

11. Thrown away boy. A child is thrown away because it seems too small to live, or it is lost in a blood clot and cast into a hollow stump. Thrown-away lives and becomes a powerful being that achieves wonders.

12. Hidden lodge child. A child born with a caul is concealed in a lodge, generally under an enclosed bed. It is cared for by some elderly person, generally an uncle or aunt. A normal brother endeavors to rescue it, being told of its existence by some magical being; or, the child is hidden to protect it from an evil sorcerer who wants to steal it. Hero overcomes sorcerer.

13. Double deceives sister. A youth lives in a secluded cabin with his sister. The youth’s double comes to the lodge when the hero is absent, endeavoring to seduce the sister. Double is repulsed. Sister will not believe brother has not insulted her. Brother finally makes a sudden return from a hunting trip and apprehends the double, killing him.[^[6]]

14. Uncle and Nephew. An uncle and nephew live together in a secluded lodge. Uncle generally becomes jealous of youth’s ability and desires the woman predestined for the nephew. In other cases uncle assists nephew to find lost parents. Generally the uncle guards the nephew and forbids him to go in a certain direction. Nephew disobeys orders.

15. Evil stepfather. Step-father endeavors to rid himself of an unpromising stepson. Hides the boy in a cave or hole which he stones up. Boy is rescued and taught by animals, and finally returns a powerful being and confronts stepfather.

16. Witch mother-in-law. A youth marries the daughter of a witch who endeavors to cause his death through conflict with monsters.[^[7]]

17. Animal foster-parents. Animals find an abandoned boy. They discuss which one will care for him. A mother bear generally succeeds in securing him and takes him to a hollow tree where he is protected and educated in animal lore.

18. Bewitched parents. A boy finds that he has no parents. Asks his uncle or grandfather where they are. Is told that they are under some evil enchantment and secured in a place beset with magical monsters. Boy overcomes obstacles and rescues parents.

19. Obstacles produced magically. The hero is beset by a witch or monster and flees. Upon being pressed the hero creates obstacles by dropping a stone and causing it to become an unsurmountable cliff. He casts pigeon feathers and conjures them into a great flock that makes a slime that is impassable, or he finds “uncles” who interpose barriers for him, as webs, nets, holes, pits, etc. Hero finally escapes to lodge of a waiting mother-in-law.

20. Lover wins mate. Young man marries girl of his choice in spite of tricks of older rival and enmity of sorcerers. This must have been a popular theme in a society where the old were married to the young.

21. Jealous sister-in-law. Sister-in-law offended at hero’s choice seeks to harm bride or to kill hero.

22. Magical monster marries girl. The monster may be the horned snake or the Thunderer.

23. Thunderer wars upon horned snake. The Thunder god hates the horned serpent and fights it.

24. Turtle’s war party. Turtle gathers a company of offensive and loyal warriors. All are killed in action save turtle who begs not to be placed in water when captured. He is thrust in river and escapes.

25. Bungling Guest. An evilly inclined trickster plays practical jokes. Performs magical acts and induces a guest to imitate. Success attends in presence of Trickster and perhaps once in a private rehearsal, but miserable failure attends demonstration before others.

26. Sorcerer’s Island. Sorcerer lures hero to enchanted island. Sorcerer has control of the tides and currents of water.

27. Restoring Skeletons. Hero finds bones of persons slain by sorcery. Commands them to arise quickly, “before I kick over a hickory tree,” and skeletons rise so quickly that bones are mismated. Popular ending of stories.

28. Vampire Corpse. Body of dead sorcerer revives and procures hearts of living victims which it eats at leisure in its grave.

29. Dream Demand. Hero guesses the meaning of a fabricated dream and satisfies it, thereby thwarting intentions of the witch who pretended to dream.

30. Sky Journey. Brothers journey to rim of horizon and seek to go under it and enter the sky world. All succeed but one who is so cautious that he makes a late start. Sky comes down and crushes him. His spirit speeds ahead and greets living brothers when they arrive. Regeneration by Master of Life.

STEREOTYPED OBJECTS AND INCIDENTS.

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 double buried in fireplace speaks through fire and reveals his murder to his mother.

7. Burning witch’s head explodes sending forth cloud of owls.

8. Sorcerer controls flow of waters. Almost captures hero fleeing in a canoe by drawing the current of the water toward himself. Hero reverses current and escapes.

9. Magical objects are concealed under a bed. Hero dreams he wants them in retaliation for his “uncle’s” evil desires.

10. Pursuing or sentinel monsters are pacified by gifts of meat.

11. Youth not yet able to hunt practices shooting at an animal’s paw, hung on lodge rafter.

12. Sorcerers’ hearts or livers are concealed in a safe place in their lodges, guarded by conjured dogs or ducks. Hero finds hearts and destroys sorcerers.

13. Hero obtains hearts of enemies and squeezes them, causing enemies to faint. He dashes them on rocks and kills enemies.

14. Hero conjures lodge of witches into flint. Orders it to become red hot and so destroys enemies.

15. Hero learns how to jump through the air.

16. Hero reduces sister to miniature and places her in a conical arrow tip, shooting her away to safety. Hero follows by magic flight creating obstacles as he goes.

17. Corn rains down into empty bins of starving people. Corn maiden comes to marry hero whose younger brother is ungrateful for food, casting it in fire thereby burning Corn Maiden’s body. She departs.

18. Powered man throws flint chips calling upon them to kill animals.

19. Hero violates taboo. Calamity impends but hero overcomes.

20. Heroine kills pursuing monster by throwing boiling oil into its face.

21. Hero kicks over tree and causes skeletons to rise in flesh. Bones are mismated through haste. Origin of cripples.

22. Hero or twin heroes walk into the ground and disappear.

23. Lonely bird sings for a mate. Various creatures seek to comfort lonely bird but all are rejected until a natural mate calls and is found injured or trapped. Released by lonely bird who flies away with him.

24. Animals talk to men. Some animal warns hero of impending danger and plans escape.

OBJECTS.

1. Dream helpers. These are animals or persons that have come to the hero in a dream and promised to assist him in times of peril.

2. Astral body. The hero has an astral self that appears in times of great danger and points out a way of escape.

3. Hollow log regeneration. Hero who has been abused or conjured is regenerated by passing through a hollow log.

4. Talking flute. The flute kept in a “bundle” talks to hero’s friend and informs him of condition, or it tells hero where he may find game.

5. Running moccasins. Hero pursued takes off moccasins and orders them to run ahead and make tracks that baffle pursuer.

6. Magic Arrow. An invincible arrow that kills whatever it is aimed at. It may be shot promiscuously into the air and game will return with it, falling dead at hero’s feet. No one but hero can withdraw arrow.

7. Forbidden chamber. A certain walled-off part of the lodge is forbidden to the hero, who in older relative’s absence explores it, causing anger of magical beings.

8. Door-flap action. Sorcerer commands hero to perform dream demand by going out of door and consummating demand before the door curtain flaps back.

9. Magic fish line. Sorcerer hooks hero’s fleeing canoe with a magical fish line. Hero burns off line by emptying pipe upon it.

10. Hero ties his hair to earth. When hero suspects he is in the hands of a sorceress he ties a hair to a root before he sleeps. Sorceress makes off with him but cannot go beyond the stretching length of the hair and is compelled to return.

11. Lice hunting. Sorceress hunts lice in hero’s head, lulling him to sleep.

12. Saliva gives power. If a powered being touches any object or weapon with his saliva it takes some of his power.

13. Wampum tears. Captured hero or heroine when tortured sheds wampum tears which enemies greedily take.

14. Magical animal skins. Hero or sorcerer has enchanted skins which he can conjure to living animals. He may enter a skin and assume the characteristics of its original owner.

15. Magic pouch. The pouch of animal skin holds the hero’s utensils, tobacco and pipe. It may be conjured to a living thing.

16. Magic suit. A self-cleaning suit that gives power to wearer.

17. Magic canoe. A canoe that has unusual speed and may be paddled into the air.

18. Inexhaustible kettle. Hero’s friend puts scrapings of corn or nut into it and it expands enormously supplying enough food. Hero tries the experiment and expands kettle too greatly bursting the lodge.

19. Magical springs. Springs that have been enchanted by sorcerers are the dwelling places of monsters that lure the unwary to drink. The monster then drags in his victim and eats him.

20. Enchanted clearings. Clearings guarded by monsters who prevent hero from visiting sorcerer living in a lodge within.

21. Bark dagger. Hero incapacitated by thrust of bark dagger piercing his back. Villain steals hero’s clothing and impersonates him. See Imposter.

22. Sweat lodge regeneration. Hero recovers through a sweat of bear’s grease. Lodge covered with a fat bear pelt.

23. Powered finger. Hero has power to kill animals by pointing his finger at them.

24. Animated finger. Hero obtains a magic finger that stands in his palm, pointing out the location of anything he desires.

25. Sharpened legs. A character is able to whittle his legs to points and use them as spears.

25. Borrowed skin. Hero borrows skin (coat) of deer, mole, or other animal, and entering it moves about without exciting suspicion of enemy.

26. Borrowed eyes. Hero borrows eyes of deer or owl for a blind uncle enabling him to recover his own eyes or to see for a few moments a long lost relative, generally a brother.

27. Stolen eyes. Sorceresses rob young men of their eyes.

28. Quilt of eyes. Quilt made of winking eyes stolen from young men who have looked at the witches who continually sew upon such a quilt.

29. Girls in box. Enchanted girls hidden in a bark box come forth upon demand of conjurer. The enchantment is not of an evil nature.

30. Enchanted feathers. These placed upon hero’s hat give him great power, particularly for running.

31. Enchanted birds. Hero has enchanted birds upon his hat that bring coals to light his pipe.

32. Bark dolls. Dolls are enchanted so that they speak for their maker, deceiving evil pursuer of hero.

33. Talking moccasins. Moccasins placed in lodge talk to evil pursuer, setting him or her astray.

34. Reducible dog. A tiny dog that is kept in a pouch. It may be enlarged to a size sufficient to carry the hero or his fleeing sister. Upon being patted with the hand or magic rod it becomes reduced to a size almost invisible.

35. Talking skull. Hero finds the skull of his uncle. It asks him for tobacco and then directs him how to overcome sorcery.

36. Flayed skin. A human skin is the slave of sorcerers and guards their lodge, clearing or path, screaming out the presence of intruders. It may be revived by hero who removes the enchantment.

37. Wampum eagle. An eagle covered with wampum. Many people shoot at this eagle trying to kill it. Only the hero can with his magic arrow.

38. White beaver. A magical beaver, generally the “brother” of a witch, is killed by hero who invites in friends to help eat the beast.

39. Blue lizard. Lives in a magic spring and lures the unwary to death by pulling them into the water.

40. Flying heads. These are spirits of the storm winds. They are generally evil characters in stories.

41. Pygmies. There are tribes of “little people” living under ground or in rocky places. They have valuable charms and can be forced to give them to men. They have a ceremony in which they delight. If men beings perform this ceremony favor is gained. They like tobacco and nail parings.

42. Buffalo one rib. A magically endowed buffalo kills men. It cannot be injured by arrows because it has only one rib, a bony plate protecting its entire body. Vulnerable in the bottom of one foot.

43. Fast-growing snake. A boy finds a pretty snake and feeds it. It grows enormously and soon eats a deer. Game is exhausted and snake goes after human beings.