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
"Wake up, jump up, my sons," cried he, calling to the people; "enemies
were here last night."
All hurried out and saw two bodies and two heads. One asked, "Who is
this lying dead?" A second asked, "Who is the other man?"
"I know them both," said Hwipajusi. "One is Bohkwi, the other Simu
Nupchowa, two great men in Haka Kaina's forces."
The two lay there behind the sweat-house all the day. That evening
Hwipajusi summoned in his people, and talked to them. "Fix your arrows
well, look at your bows, and have all your arms ready. Haka Kaina will
send men here against us; he wants to steal my daughters again, or
take them away in spite of me."
They waited at Wahkalu for Bohkwi and Simu Nupchowa. When the two men
did not come, old Haka Kaina said, "I think those two men are dead."
He called all his people together and said: "We must go down and make
war on Hwipajusi; there is no other way. He stole those three girls
from me. Those three girls are mine. I must have them back again."
All dressed next morning, put on their feathers, blackened their
faces.
"Now, my men," said Haka Kaina; "arm, stand out on a broad place, let
me see you, then stand in a circle round the sweat-house. I want to
see how you look when all together."
They went out and stood together on a broad place. Haka Kaina was a
long time going among them. After that all came back and stood in a
circle around the whole sweat-house. All shouted and sprang about a
good while; then they went back, took off their big elkskin armor.
"You look well," said Haka Kaina. "You are ready for war, and we will
start to-morrow early."
Next morning the women painted their faces, put on feathers and beads,
danced behind the men, sang, and said good words to them at parting.
As the men marched along southward, there were so many that the dust
which rose from them went up to the sun. They went forward singing.
Haka Kaina himself sang as he led this great army. When near
Hwipajusi's country, Haka Kaina sent Pokil Kama, Gaman Atpa,
Pahninopa, and Tsanu Noipa to examine everything and bring back news.
These four men saw many villages belonging to different people, and
visited four of them. They went to the villages of Pareko, Chapilkeya,
Chil Wareko, and Chil Dayauna. They saw a great many people at these
four villages; each chief had an immense sweat-house, and Chil
Dayauna's people had elkskin armor to fight in.
The four men went back about dusk and had not seen all that there was
to see. They said to Haka Kaina, "We saw a great many people; you must
be careful; our people must fight well."
Haka Kaina's men sharpened their arrow-points.
Two Tsoplaina boys went with Haka Kaina. The chief was very fond of
these boys, and they liked him. They heard what the four scouts had
said, and at dusk these two boys went to Hwipajusi's and saw the three
girls playing around the fire.
"Look, look at the mouse," said one of the girls.
"That is a mouse coming after you," said Hwipajusi, laughing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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