Iroquois Indians; Mohawk language -- Texts; Onondaga language -- Texts
I. a. Now--now this day--now I come to your door where you are mourning
in great darkness, prostrate with grief. For this reason we have come
here to mourn with you. I will enter your door, and come before the
ashes, and mourn with you there; and I will speak these words to comfort
you.
I. b. Now our uncle has passed away, he who used to work for all, that
they might see the brighter days to come,--for the whole body of
warriors and also for the whole body of women, and also the children
that were running around, and also for the little ones creeping on the
ground, and also those that are tied to the cradle-boards; for all these
he used to work that they might see the bright days to come. This we
say, we three brothers.
I. c. Now the ancient lawgivers have declared--our uncles that are gone,
and also our elder brothers--they have said, it is worth twenty--it was
valued at twenty--and this was the price of the one who is dead. And we
put our words on it (_i.e._ the wampum), and they recall his
name--the one that is dead. This we say and do, we three brothers.
I. d. Now there is another thing we say, we younger brothers. He who has
worked for us has gone afar off; and he also will in time take with him
all these--the whole body of warriors and also the whole body of
women--they will go with him. Rut it is still harder when the woman
shall die, because with her the line is lost. And also the grandchildren
and the little ones who are running aruund--these he will take away; and
also those that are creeping on the ground, and also those that are on
the cradle-boards; all these he will takeaway with him.
1. e. Now then another thing we will say, we three brothers. Now you
must feel for us; for we came here of our own good-will--came to your
door that we might say this. And we will say that we will try to do you
good. When the grave has been made, we will make it still better. We
will adorn it, and cover it with moss. We will do this, we three
brothers.
2. Now another thing we will say, we younger brothers. You are mourning
in the deep darkness. I will make the sky clear for you, so that you
will not see a cloud. And also I will give the sun to shine upon you, so
that you can look upon it peacefully when it goes down: You shall see it
when it is going. Yea! the sun shall seem to be hanging just over you,
and you shall look upon it peacefully as it goes down. Now I have hope
that you will yet see the pleasant days. This we say and do, we three
brothers.
3. Now then another thing we say, we younger brothers. Now we will open
your ears, and also your throat, for there is something that has been
choking you and we will also give you the water that shall wash down all
the troubles in your throat. We shall hope that after this your mind
will recover its cheerfulness. This we say and do, we three brothers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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