Sacred Texts Native American Iroquois Index Previous Next
There were, it seems, so it is said, man-beings dwelling on the other side of the sky. So, just in the center of their village the lodge of the chief stood, wherein lived his family, consisting of his spouse and one child, a girl, that they two had.
He was surprised that then he began to become lonesome. Now, furthermore, he, the Ancient, was very lean, his bones having become dried; and the cause of this condition was that he was displeased that they two had the child, and one would think, judging from the circumstances, that he was jealous.
So now this condition of things continued until the time that he, the Ancient, indicated that they, the people, should seek to divine his Word; that is, that they should have a dream feast for the purpose of ascertaining the secret yearning of his soul [produced by its own
motion]. So now all the people severally continued to do nothing else but to assemble there. Now they there continually sought to divine his Word. They severally designated all manner of things that they severally thought that he desired. After the lapse of some time, then, one of these persons said: "Now, perhaps, I myself have divined the Word of our chief, the excrement. And the thing that he desires is that the standing tree belonging to him should be uprooted, this tree that stands hard by his lodge." The chief said: "Gwă‘'" [expressing his thanks].
So now the man-beings said: "We must be in full number and we must aid one another when we uproot this standing tree; that is, there must be a few to grasp each several root." So now they uprooted it and set it up elsewhere. Now the place whence they had uprooted the tree fell through, forming an opening through the sky earth. So now, moreover, all the man-beings inspected it. It was curious;
below them the aspect was green and nothing else in color. As soon as the man-beings had had their turns at inspecting it, then the chief said to his spouse: "Come now, let us two go to inspect it." Now she took her child astride of her back. Thither now he made his way with difficulty. He moved slowly. They two arrived at the place where the cavern was. Now he, the Ancient, himself inspected it. When he wearied of it, he said to his spouse: "Now it is thy turn. Come." "Age'," she said, "myself, I fear it." "Come now, so be it," he said, "do thou inspect it." So now she took in her mouth the ends of the mantle which she wore, and she rested herself on her hand on the right side, and she rested herself on the other side also, closing her hand on either side and grasping the earth thereby. So now she looked down below. Just as soon as she bent her neck, he seized her leg and pushed her body down thither. Now, moreover, there [i. e., in the hole] floated the body of the Fire-dragon with the white body, and,
verily, he it was whom the Ancient regarded with jealousy. Now Fire-dragon took out an ear of corn, and verily he gave it to her. As soon as she received it she placed it in her bosom. Now, another thing, the next in order, a small mortar and also the upper mortar [pestle] he gave to her. So now, again, another thing he took out of his bosom, which was a small pot. Now, again, another thing, he gave her in the next place, a bone. Now, he said: "This, verily, is what thou wilt continue to eat."
Now it was so, that below [her] all manner of otgon [malefic] male man-beings abode; of this number were the Fire-dragon, whose body was pure white in color, the Wind, and the Thick Night.
Now, they, the male man-beings, counseled together, and they said: "Well, is it not probably possible for us to give aid to the woman-being whose body is falling thence toward us?" Now every one of the man-beings spoke, saying: "I, perhaps, would be able to aid her." Black Bass said: "I, perhaps, could do it." They, the man-beings, said: "Not the least, perhaps, art thou able to do it, seeing that thou hast no sense [reason]." The Pickerel next in turn said: "I, perhaps, could do it." Then the man-beings said: "And again we say, thou canst not do even a little, because thy throat is too long [thou art a glutton]." So now Turtle spoke, saying: "Moreover, perhaps, I would be able to give aid to the person of the woman-being." Now all the man-beings confirmed this proposal. Now, moreover, Turtle floated there at the point directly toward which the body of the woman-being was falling thence. So now, on the Turtle's carapace she, the woman-being, alighted. And she, the woman-being, wept there. Some time
afterward she remembered that seemingly she still held [in her hands] earth. Now she opened her hands, and, moreover, she scattered the earth over Turtle. As soon as she did this, then it seems that this earth grew in size. So now she did thus, scattering the earth very many times [much]. In a short time the earth had become of a considerable size. Now she herself became aware that it was she herself, alone seemingly, who was forming this earth here present. So now, verily, it was her custom to travel about from place to place continually. She knew, verily, that when she traveled to and fro the earth increased in size. So now it was not long, verily, before the various kinds of shrubs grew up and also every kind of grass and reeds. In a short time she saw there entwined a vine of the wild potato. There out of doors the woman-being stood up and said: "Now, seemingly, will be present the orb of light [the sun], which shall be called the
diurnal one." Truly now, early in the morning, the orb of light arose and now, moreover, it started and went thither toward the place where the orb of light goes down [sets]. Verily, when the orb of light went down [set] it then became night, or dark. Now again, there out of doors she stood up, and she said, moreover: "Now, seemingly, next in order, there will be a star [spot] present here and there in many places where the sky is present [i. e., on the surface of the sky]." Now, truly, it thus came to pass. So now, there out of doors where she stood she there pointed and told, moreover, what kind of thing those stars would be called. Toward the north there are certain stars, severally present there, of which she said: "They-are-pursuing-the-bear they will be called." So now, next in order, she said another thing: "There will be a large star in existence, and it will rise customarily just before it becomes day, and it will be called, 'It-brings-the-day.'" Now, again she pointed, and again she said: "That cluster of stars yonder will be called 'the Group Visible.' And they, verily,
will know [will be the sign of] the time of the year [at all times]. And that [group] is called 'They-are-dancing.'" So now, still once more, she spoke of that [which is called] "She-is-sitting." [She said]: "Verily, these will accompany them [i. e., those who form a group]. 'Beaver-its-skin-is-spread-out,' is what these shall be called. As soon, customarily, as one journeys, traveling at night, one will watch this [group]." Some time after this, she, the Ancient-bodied, again spoke repeatedly, saying: "There will dwell in a place far away man-beings. So now, also, another thing; beavers will dwell in that place where there are streams of water." Indeed, it did thus come to pass, and the cause that brought it about is that she, the Ancient-bodied, is, as a matter of fact, a controller [a god].
So now, sometime afterward, the girl man-being, the offspring of the Ancient-bodied, had grown large in size. And so now there was also much forest lying extant. Now near by there was lying an
uprooted tree, whereon it was that she, the child, was always at play. Customarily she swung, perhaps; and when she became wearied she would descend from it. There on the grass she would kneel down. It was exceedingly delightful, customarily, it is said, when the Wind entered; when she became aware that the Wind continued to enter her body, it was delightful.
Now sometime afterward the Ancient-bodied watched her, musing: "Indeed, one would think that my [man-being] offspring's body is not sole [i. e., not itself only]. "No," she said, "hast thou never customarily seen someone at times?" "No," said the girl child. Then she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "I really believe that one would think that thou art about to give birth to a child." So now, the girl child told it, saying: That [I say] there [at the swing] when, customarily, I would
kneel down, I became aware that the Wind inclosed itself in my body." So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "If it be so, I say as a matter of fact, it is not certain that thou and I shall have good fortune."
Sometime afterward then, seemingly, [it became apparent] that two male children were contained in the body of the maiden. And now, verily, also they two debated together, the two saying, it is said, customarily: "Thou shalt be the elder one," "Thee just let it be," so it was thus that they two kept saying. Now, one of them, a male person who was very ugly, being covered with warts, said: "Thou shalt be the first to be born." Now the other 'person said: "Just let it be thee." Now he, the Warty, said: "Just let it be thee to be the first to be born." "So let it be," said the other person, "thou wilt fulfil thy duty, perhaps, thou thyself." "So be it," verily said he, the Warty. Now, he who was the elder was born. And then in a short time she [the Ancient-bodied] noticed that, seemingly, there was still
another to be born. The other had been born only a short time when this one was also born. They had been born only a very short time when their mother died. There, verily, it is said that he, the Warty, came forth from the navel of his mother. So now, verily, she, the Ancient-bodied, wept there. Not long after this, verily, she gave attention to the twins. As soon as she finished this task she made a grave not far away, and so she there laid her dead offspring, laying her head toward the west. So now, moreover, she talked to her. She, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Now, verily, thou hast taken the lead on the path that will continue to be between the earth here and the upper side of the sky. As soon as thou arrivest there on the upper side of the sky thou must carefully prepare a place where thou wilt continue to abide, and where we shall arrive." Now, of course, she covered it.
[paragraph continues] So, now, only this was left, that she customarily cared for the twins, the two children.
Again, after some time, it is said, the two male children were of large size, and verily, too, they ran about there, customarily. Afterward, the elder one, being now a youth, questioning his grandmother, asked: "Oh, grandmother, where, verily, is my father? And who, moreover, verily, is the one who is my father? Where, moreover, is the place wherein he dwells?" She, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Verily, that one who is the Wind is thy father. Whatever, moreover, is the direction from which the wind is customarily blowing, there, truly, is the place where the lodge of thy father stands." "So be it," replied the youth. So now, verily, the youth stood out of doors, and now he, moreover, observed the direction of the wind, whence it was blowing, and this too he said: "I desire to see my father, and the reason is that
he would give me aid." Now, he said: "Far yonder stands the lodge of my father, the Wind; he will aid me; he will make the bodies of all the kinds of animal [man-beings]; and by all means still something else that will be an aid to me." So now he started. He had not gone far when in the distance he saw the place where stood the lodge of his father. He arrived there, and there a man-being abode who had four a children, two males and two females. The youth said: "I have now arrived. O father, it is necessary that thou shouldst aid me. And that which I need are the game [animals] and also some other things." They were all pleased that they saw him. So now he, the Ancient, their father, said: "So let it be. Truly I will fulfil all of thy requirements
in coming here. In the first place, however, I will that these here, ye my children, severally shall amuse yourselves somewhat by running a race. I have a flute for which ye shall contend one with another, whereby ye shall enjoy yourselves. And I say that ye shall make a circuit of this earth here present, and also that ye shall take this flute." So now they stood at the line whence they should start. Now the visiting youth said: "I desire that here shall stand he, the Defender a [the False-face, He-defends-them], that he may aid me." Truly, it thus came to pass; the Defender came and stood there. And now, moreover, the youth said: "And I say that thou must put forth thy utmost speed for that I am going to trail thy tracks." So now truly it did thus come to pass that at all times they two [males] were in the lead throughout the entire distance covered in making the circuit [of the earth]. As soon as they started running he trailed him, and the pace was swift. In a short time now they made a circuit of it. Much did they two [males] outfoot the other two. Now he that
carried the flute gave it to his father. Now he, the Ancient, took it and also said: "Now, of course, truly thou hast won from me all the things that thou desirest that I should do for thee." Now, moreover, he there laid down a bundle, a filled bag that was very heavy. So now, verily, he gave to his son, to the one who came from the other place, this bundle and also this flute that he had won, and he also said: "I say that this shall belong to you both equally, to thee and thy younger brother." So now the youth took up the bundle and bore it on his back by means of the forehead burden strap. So now he traveled along to a place where he became tired and the sack began to be heavy. So now he exclaimed, "It may be, perhaps, that I should take a rest." And so now he sat down and also examined it [the bag]. He thought, 'Let me, indeed, view them; for indeed they belong to me anyway."
[paragraph continues] Now, verily, he there unwrapt it and uncovered it. Just as soon as he opened it there were repeated shovings. Now, moreover, there all the various kinds of animals that his father had given him came forth. He was taken by surprise that all the animals so suddenly came forth. Thus it came to pass as soon as he fully opened the sack. And there, moreover, they severally trampled upon him. So the last one to come forth was the spotted fawn. Now he there shot it. On the front leg, a little above the place where the hoof joins the leg, there he bit it. It escaped from him, verily, moreover. So now he said: "Thus it will be with thee always. It will never be possible for thee to recover. And the wax [fat] that will at all times be contained therein will be a good medicine. And it will continue to be an effective medicine. As soon as anyone customarily shall have sore eyes, one must customarily anoint them with it, binding it thereon; then, customarily it will be possible for one to recover.
So then he departed again from that place. When he again arrived at the place where their lodge stood, he told his younger brother, saying: "Do thou look at what the father of us two has given us two." When he again arrived where his grandmother was, he said: "Now I have been to the place of my father on a visit. He granted me a most important matter. So do ye again go out of doors. Ye will hear the great noise [made] by all the several kinds of animals." Now they went out, and they listened to the loudness of the noise made by all the kinds of animals. Now there, their grandmother, the Ancient-bodied, she stood up, and she talked, saying: "Let it stand here; that is the elk, which this thing shall be called. Here also let another stand, one that is Just a little smaller, which shall be called a deer. Now also another thing, let it stand here, and that
next in turn shall, verily, he called a bear. Now, also, another thing, next in order, let him stand here, and that next in order of time shall be called a buffalo. So that, verily, is just the number of [game animals] which are large in size. As soon, verily, as man-beings shall dwell here, those, verily, shall be the names of the different animals; when the man-beings dwell [here], then they shall give names to all the other animals."
So, verily, now, he, the youth, said: "I desire that there shall be a hollow here [in the ground], and that it shall be full of oil." Verily, it thus came to pass. Now, moreover, he said: "Hither let him [anthropic], the buffalo, come." In just a short time it then stood there. Now he said: "Therein do thou plunge thyself." Thus, truly, did it come to pass. On the farther side it landed from the oil pool, having become as fat as it is possible for it to be. So now again he
said: "Hither let him [anthropic] come next in order of time, the bear." In a short time now the bear stood there. Moreover, he now said again: "Therein do thou, next in order, plunge thyself into that oil." Thus, truly, did it come to pass. On the farther side it landed from the oil pool, having become as fat as it is possible for it to be. So now he said: "What is it thou wilt do, and in what manner, to aid [human] man-beings?" "This, seemingly, is all; I shall just flee from him," it said. So now he loaded it by inserting meat into its legs. And now, verily, its legs are very large. So now he said: "Let the deer next in order stand here." As soon as it stood there, he said:
"There into that oil thou shalt plunge thyself." Now of course he [anthropic] cast his body therein, and landed from the oil pool on the other side, and it [zoic] was as fat as it was possible for it to be. So now he said: "With what and in what manner wilt thou aid the [human]
man-beings?" "As for me, I shall not flee from him," it said. He said: "With what, and in what manner, moreover, wilt thou just do it?" "I will just bite them repeatedly," it replied. So now he, the youth, said: "Thus, just so, and only so, shall it be with thee," and now, moreover, he removed severally its upper teeth. Then he said: "Now the bodies of all those things which have horns, the buffalo, and the elk, etc., inherit the effect of this change." That is the reason that they [anthropic] have no upper teeth. All these several small things, the raccoon, woodchuck [or badger], porcupine, and also the skunk, all cast their bodies therein; therein they [zoic] plunged themselves. So only that is the number of those who were received. So next in order are those (z.) who were not accepted. I say that these, the Fisher, the Otter, and the Mink, and the Weasel [were
the ones]. So that was the number of those who were excluded, [being set] aside, and who assembled there near by. So the Mink now cast his body into the oil. As soon as he came up out of it the youth seized him there, and he held him up, and he stripped his body through his hands, and that is the reason that his body did become somewhat longer. Now, verily, again it thus came to pass. Their bodies shared the change [into the character they now have], namely, those of the Fisher, and the Otter, and the Mink, and the Weasel. And this is the number of those [zoic] whose bodies next shared this transformation there--the Wolf, and the Panther, and the Fox. All these were excluded, being set aside.
So now the two male children were in the habit of going away. Day after day they two went to a great distance; there far away they two were in the habit of setting traps. So then day after day they two
were in the habit of going away. So for some time now they [masc. anthropic] who severally had otgon a natures, and they also whose bodies were otgon in nature, hated them [the two boys]. Now, of course, they two, verily, in going away, were in the habit of going together. So that [I say], moreover, one day the elder one said: "Thou alone, for the time being, go thither. Thou alone next in time shalt view our several set traps." So moreover [I say], that truly it did thus come to pass. As soon now as he was far away they [masc. anthropic] whose bodies are otgon by nature killed him there. So now he, the elder one, became aware that they had killed his younger brother. So now he began to cry. And [I say] that when it made him weep the most, when he said in his crying, '’ĕñ‘, ’ĕñ‘', ’ĕñ‘', ’ĕñ‘'' then there were noises made in several places in the sky that is present. So now they [masc. anthr.] who are severally
otgon, and also they [zoic] whose bodies are severally otgon, now, verily, became alarmed. Now, moreover, they said: "In just a short time only, we believe, the sky will fall, perhaps, as soon, we think, as he weeps much; it is preferable that he, his younger brother, shall return; nothing else [will stop it]." So now of course the youth became ashamed because such a large number of persons severally became aware that he was weeping. So now verily he did close up his lodge, all places therein where there were openings [crevices]. So now just after he had completed his task of closing up the openings, in just a short time, now thence, from the outside, Flint spoke, saying: "Oh, elder brother, now I have returned." So now he the elder one, who was shut up indoors, said: "It can not be that thou shouldst come in. Thou shalt just depart, thou thyself. Thou shalt take the lead on the path whereon went the mother of us two. There
thou too shalt print thy tracks. I say that thou shalt trail the tracks of her who was our mother. Moreover, not far hence, there thou shalt seat thyself. So there now thou shalt observe the kind of life that customarily the human man-beings will live who will dwell on the earth. So now there, moreover, the path will divide itself where thou wilt abide. One of the ways will lead thither to the place where is the abode of His-word-is-master, a and the other will lead to the place where abides He-dwells-in-caves. b And also thou wilt have servants, they-[masc.]-dwell-in-caves. So that., moreover [I say], thou shalt take this thing-to-blow, this flute, and that thou shalt constantly continue to blow it. Just as soon, customarily, as one's breath ends, one shall hear customarily from what direction speaks the flute.
Sometime afterward the youth now began to wonder, soliloquizing: "What is, perhaps, verily, in great measure, the reason that my grandmother does not eat wild potatoes?" Now, verily, he asked her,
saying: "Oh, grandmother, what is it, verily, and why dost thou not in great measure eat wild potatoes?" "I customarily, all alone, by myself eat food she said; "I eat it [food], as a matter of fact." Now he mused, "Now, verily, I will watch her in the night, now just soon to be." So now he made an opening in his robe. Now, verily, he laid himself down, pretending to be asleep. Thence, nevertheless, he was looking, out of the place where he had made a hole in his robe. Now, moreover, he was looking out of the place where he had made an opening in the robe, and he was watching the place where his grandmother abode customarily. So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, went out. Now, moreover, she looked in the direction of the sunrising. Now the Star, the Day-bringer, was risen. Now she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Now of course, so it is, I will remove my pot sitting [over the fire]." So now truly she removed the pot
[from the fire] and also put the wild potatoes in a bowl of bark, and there was just one bowlful. So now, next in order, she rummaged among her belongings in a bag which she pulled out, and now, verily, she there took out corn. So now she parched it for herself. Now, moreover, it popped. There was quite a pile of the popped corn. Now, verily, she took out a mortar of small size. Moreover, she struck repeated blows on the mortar, and the mortar grew in size, and it grew to a size that was just right. Now she took out the upper mortar a [pestle] from her bag. Now again she struck it repeated blows and it, too, increased in size. So now she pounded the corn, making meal. So now again she searched in her bag. She took thence again a small pot, and she, too, again did in like manner, striking repeated blows upon it, and it, too, increased in size. Now
she there set up the pot, and also made mush therein. So, as soon as it was cooked she again rummaged in her bag. So now she took from it a bone, a beaver bone. Now again, verily, she scraped the bone, and she poured the bone-dust into the pot, and now, moreover, at once there floated oil on its surface. Now, of course, she took the pot from the fire. So now she ate the food. Verily, now, the youth went to sleep. Now early in the morning again [as usual] she, the Ancient-bodied, went away to dig wild potatoes. As soon as she disappeared as she went, then he went to the place where his grandmother customarily abode. Now, moreover, he began to rummage [among her belongings]. He took out an ear of corn which had only a few grains left fixed to it, there being, perhaps, only three and a half rows of grains left. So now he began to shell the corn; he shelled it all.
[paragraph continues] So now he parched it for himself. Now, moreover, it popped, bursting iteratively, there being quite a heap, quite a large amount of it. Again he rummaged. Again he there took out a mortar of small size and also an upper mortar [pestle]. So now he used this to strike that, and now, moreover, both increased in size. And now he poured the parched corn. So now he in the mortar pounded it, and now verily it became meal. Now again he searched in her bag, and he took therefrom a small pot, and now used something else to strike upon it blows; then it, too, increased in size. Now, verily, he there set up the pot [on the fire] and also put water in it. So now he therein poured all this meal. Now, of course, he made mush. So now again he searched in the bag of his grandmother, and therefrom he took a bone, and he put it therein, and the mush became abundant.
[paragraph continues] "Ho‘ho‘',"e kept chuckling. "It tastes good." Now soon thereafter his grandmother returned. She said: "Well, what manner of thing art thou doing?" "I have made mush," the youth said, "and it is pleasant, too. Do thou eat of it, so be it, oh, grandmother. There is an abundance of mush." So now she wept, saying: "Now, verily, thou hast killed me. As a matter of fact, that was all there was left for me." "It is not good," he said, "that thou dost begrudge it. I will get other corn and also bone.'
So now the next day he made his preparations. When he finished his task, he said: "Now it is that I am going to depart." So now, verily, he departed. He arrived at the place where dwell man-beings. As soon as he arrived near the village he then made his preparations. I say that he made a deer out of his bow, and, next in order, a wolf
out of his arrow; he made these for himself. Now he said: "Whenever it be that ye two run through the village it will customarily be that one will be just on the point of overtaking the other." Next in order he himself made into an Ancient-bodied one. So now he went to the place where they [masc.], the man-beings, abode. So now, sometime after he had arrived there, then, verily, they gave him food, gave to the Ancient-bodied. During the time that he was eating they heard a wolf approach, barking. One would just think that it was pursuing something. So now they all went out of doors. They saw a wolf pursuing a deer which was approaching them, and saw that, moreover, it was about to seize it. So now all ran thither. So now he was alone, and the Ancient-bodied ate. As soon as they had all gone, he now thrust his body into the place where, severally, the
strings of corn hung. Two strings of corn he took off, and now, moreover, he placed them on his shoulder and he went out at once. He was running far away when they noticed [what he had done], but, verily, they did not at all pursue him. Again he arrived at their lodge. So now he cast them down where his grandmother abode. "Here," he said: "Thou wilt do with this as seems good to thee. Thou mayest decide, perhaps, to plant some of it." When it was day, he said: "Well, I will go to kill a beaver." Now, moreover, he went to the place that his grandmother had pointed out, saying that such things would dwell there. So he arrived there, and then, also, he saw the place where the beavers had a lodge. Then he saw one standing there. He shot it there and killed it. So then he placed its body on his back by means of the forehead pack-strap and then, moreover, he departed for home. Some time afterward he arrived
at the place where their lodge stood. Thus, also, again did he do; there where his grandmother was sitting he cast it. "Here," he said. "So be it," she, the Ancient-bodied, said.
So now out of doors they two skinned it. They two held its body in many places. So when they two were nearly through their task there was a pool of blood on the green hide. So then she, the Ancient-bodied, took up a handful of the blood and cast it on the loins of her grandson. "Ha‘ha‘'," she, the Ancient-bodied, said, "now, verily, my grandson, thou becomest catamenial." "Fie upon it," said the youth, "it is not for us males to be so affected as a habit; but ye, ye females, shall be affected thus habitually every month." Now, again he took up a handful of clotted blood and cast it between the thighs of his grandmother, and now, he said: "Thou, of course, verily, hast
now become catamenial." So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, began to weep, and she said: "Moreover, customarily, for how long a period will it be thus as an habitual thing?" Then the youth said: "[As many days] as there are spots on the fawn. So long, verily, shall be the time that it will continue to be thus." Now again she began to weep, the Ancient-bodied. So now she said: "It is not possible for me to consent that it shall be thus." "How many, moreover, then, shall they be?" he said. "I would accept the number of stripes on the back of a chipmunk," she said. "So be it," said the youth. So then he said: "Customarily, four days shall a woman-being remain out of doors. Then, customarily, as soon as she has washed all her garments, she shall reenter the place where they, her ohwachira a, abide."
So some time afterward she, the Ancient-bodied, said repeatedly: "And there shall be mountains, seemingly, over the surface of the earth here present." And now, verily, it did thus come to pass. "And, too, there shall be rivers on the surface of the earth," again she said. Now, of course, truly it did thus come to pass.
Now the youth said: "Now I think that thou and I should return home; that thou and I should go to that place which my mother has made ready for us; that there thou and I should remain forever." "So be it," she, the Ancient-bodied, said.
So then it was true that his grandmother and he departed. So then, verily, they two went up on high. So this is the end of the legend.
233:a The use of the number four here is remarkable. It seems that the two female children are introduced merely to retain the number four, since they do not take any part in the events of the legend. It appears to the writer that the visiting boy and his warty brother are here inadvertently displaced by the narrator by the substitution of the two girls for the reason given above, owing to his or a predecessor's failure to recall all the parts of the legend. This form has emphasized the importance of the twins to the practical exclusion of the other brothers. In the Algonquian Potawatomi genesis narrative, which, like those of its congeners, appears to be derived from a source common to-both Iroquoian and Algonquian narrators, four male children are named as the offspring of the personage here called Wind. For the Potawatomi version consult De Smet, Oregon Missions, page 347.
234:a This is the Seneca name for the Hadu’'ĭ of the Onondagas.
242:a Otgon signifies malefic. It denotes specifically the evil or destructive use of orenda, or magic power.
244:a This is the name of the God of the Christians.
244:b This is the name of the devil of the Christians.
246:a This term goes back to the time when upper and lower grinder had the same name.
253:a See first note on page 255 ( a).