Creation Myths of Primitive America: In relation to the Religious History and Mental Development of MankindCurtin, Jeremiah
Religion
Creation Myths of Primitive America: In relation to the Religious History and Mental Development of Mankind
Curtin, Jeremiah
Creation -- Mythology; Indian mythology -- North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
Hwipajusi sent ten other men, men who were very wise and cunning.
These ten were Itchi Watibila, Chini Pachuna, Maibyu, Tsigaga,
Maltama, Howichi Laina, Aichuch Hisipa, Tsawila, Haiyude Maupa, Tarku
Wana. These ten men came near the sweat-house, sat down, and hid there
in the evening.
"I will go up first on the sweat-house," said Maibyu; "you are too
heavy, your tread is heavy. If you go, they will hear you, they will
wake up; we shall be killed, like the ten who came before us."
"I know the man who watches the girls," said Maibyu; "he whistles all
night, but he sleeps; no one in the sweat-house sleeps more soundly
than he does. Now, when he is asleep, I will go down and take the
girls from him."
"I will go myself," said Itchi Watibila.
Haka Kaina's people danced that evening, and played till late at
night. Hwipajusi's ten men crept near and watched the people dancing,
but no one saw them. Haka Kaina sat inside the sweat-house, smoking
and talking, talking loud; the ten heard his voice. At last, when it
was late, all the men went into the sweat-house and other houses, and
in time they were asleep everywhere. All were silent except Hohwitina,
who sat watching the girls at the central pillar; and he whistled all
the time.
The ten went around the sweat-house; saw that all were sleeping. They
heard no noise but the whistling of Hohwitina.
"I know that he is asleep now," said Itchi Watibila.
Four men went to the top of the sweat-house. The watcher was whistling
not so loudly, but whistling. Itchi Watibila gave his arrows to Chini
Pachuna, and Chini Pachuna gave them to Maibyu, for he had to lift up
the girls.
"That man sleeps, I know," said Itchi Watibila; and he went down
slowly along the pillar, reached the bottom, and sat a while to
listen. He looked closely at Hohwitina, and saw that he was whistling
with his eyes shut. Itchi Watibila laughed to himself. He saw that one
girl was tied to each of Hohwitina's arms and one to his waist from
behind. The girls were awake, all three of them.
Itchi Watibila untied the right-hand girl carefully; raised her to
Chini Pachuna, who gave her to Maibyu at the top of the sweat-house.
Hohwitina whistled on, and Itchi Watibila took the left-hand girl,
raised her to the other man; at last he took the third, the youngest
daughter of Hwipajusi, made no noise, raised her to the others, then
climbed up himself, rested a moment on the top of the sweat-house,
looked down. Hohwitina was whistling away and asleep all the time. The
ten slipped down without noise and started home; hurried off toward
the south with Hwipajusi's three daughters.
Old Haka Kaina rose up at daylight, walked around the sweat-house,
went to the central pillar to look at Hohwitina and the three girls he
was guarding. He saw Hohwitina, heard how he was whistling, saw nobody
near him,--no girls tied to his arms or his waist.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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