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
When Hehku put her hands out, she held them together in front before
opening them, and sang "Wahau Putokya jinda Marimi" (You will not win
against Putokya Marimi); and the bone went to the side opposite the
one guessed. The singing made it go. When Kaitsiki guessed "north," if
the bone was in Hehku's right hand, the south side, it stayed there;
if it was in her left hand, the north side, it went to her right. In
this way no one could ever win against Hehku.
"Play again," said Hehku.
Kaitsiki bet and lost. He lost one thing after another till he bet his
last, a belt of red-headed woodpecker scalps. It was very beautiful.
Hehku was glad.
"This is the bet," said she, "that Perriwiri Yupa always makes. He
bets a girdle like this when I play with him."
"I will guess south all the time now," said Kaitsiki. He lost five
times, then changed his mind, guessed north.
All the Mapchemainas looked on, watched the play, but said nothing.
They knew what was coming; knew that Kaitsiki would lose. He guessed
north five times; lost his girdle.
"I have nothing more to bet; you have won all I had," said Kaitsiki.
"Bet yourself," said Hehku. "I will bet all I have won from you."
Kaitsiki bet himself. He guessed south first, and lost.
"Oh, if I had only bet north!" said he. Next time he bet north, and
lost.
"Oh, if I had said south!"
He went on in this way till he lost his ten counters and himself.
Hehku threw the finger-bone on the ground; the earth shook; there was
a noise like thunder. The bone flew up, struck Kaitsiki, killed him.
Miniau Marimi threw him out through the roof to the north of the
sweat-house.
"I will play now," said Ahalamila, sitting down in the place left by
Kaitsiki. He guessed, lost, guessed on and played till he lost
everything; bet himself, lost, was killed and thrown north of the
sweat-house. Petaina played next, lost everything, was killed and
thrown out. All in the sweat-house except Jupka played and lost, one
after another, first all they had and then themselves. After Petaina
came Matdasi, Tsurewa, Jihkulu, and then Tsanunewa, who remained at
Jigulmatu.
Hehku danced with delight when Tsanunewa lost. She threw him out of
the sweat-house herself, then played with others till none were left
except Jupka.
Jupka rose up then and said: "Now we will try. I will guess once; that
will finish the play and settle all."
"I am willing," said Hehku.
Jupka brought a blue stone and sat on it. He had a walking-stick made
of the heart of sugar-pine; this he put at his side.
Hehku arranged the bone, put it in her left hand, and Jupka said
"lililim" (let it be north) but said the word in such a way that
another would think he said "ililim," and Hehku thought so, too; the
bone remained in her left hand. She brought both hands from behind her
back, opened them, and was going to throw the bone to kill Jupka.
"Stop! What did I say?" asked Jupka.
"Ililim."
"No, I said 'lililim;' look north and see."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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