Traditions of the North American Indians, Vol. 1Jones, James Athearn
History
Traditions of the North American Indians, Vol. 1
Jones, James Athearn
Indians of North America -- Folklore
"Go now, and rake up the ashes of the sacrifice-fire into a heap,
putting all the coals together, and gathering up the brands. When the
great star of evening rises, open the ashes, put in the body of the Mad
Buffalo, lay on much wood, and kindle a fire in it. Let all the nation
be called together, for all must assist in laying wood upon the fire.
But they must put on no pine, nor the tree which bears white flowers,
nor the grape-vine which yields no fruit, nor the shrub whose dew
blisters the flesh. The fire must be kept burning two whole moons; it
must not go out, it must burn day and night. On the first day of the
third moon, put no wood on the fire, but let it die. On the morning of
the second day, the Shawanos must all come to the heap of ashes, every
man, woman, and child, must come, and the aged who cannot walk must be
helped thither. Then Chenos and the head chief must bring out the
beautiful woman, and place her near the ashes. Be not terrified at what
you see, and do what Chenos shall tell you; this is the will of the
Great Spirit."
When he had finished these words, he began to swell until he had reached
his former bulk and stature. Then at each of his shoulders came out a
wing of the colour of the gold-headed pigeon. Gently shaking these, he
took flight from the land of the Shawanos, and was never seen in those
beautiful regions again.
The Shawanos did as he bade them. They put the beautiful woman into the
house of the great council, and then went and raked up the coals of the
fire and the unquenched brands, and covered them with ashes. When the
morning came, they laid the body of the head warrior on the ashes, and
built a great fire over it. They kept this fire burning two whole moons.
But they were careful to burn no pine, nor the tree which bears
poisonous flowers, nor the vine which yields no grapes, nor the shrub
whose dew blisters the flesh. On the first day of the third moon, they
let the fire go out, and with the next sun all the Shawanos, men, women,
and children, even the aged whose knees trembled so much that they could
not walk, came or were brought together beside the embers. Then the
priest and the head chief brought the beautiful woman from the cabin,
and placed her beside the ashes. The Mequachake tribe, who were the
priests of the nation, stood nearest, then the Kiskapocoke tribe, who
were the greatest warriors. By and by, there was a terrible puffing and
blowing in the ashes, which flew towards the sun, and the great star,
and the River of Rivers, and the land of the Walkullas. At last, the
priests and warriors who could see began to clap their hands, and dance,
crying out "Piqua!" which in the Shawanos tongue means "a man coming out
of the ashes," or a "man made of ashes." They told no lie. There he
stood, a man tall and strait as a young pine, looking like a Shawanos,
but he was handsomer than any man of our nation. The first thing he did
was to utter the war-whoop, and cry for paint, a club, a bow and arrow,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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