Myths and Legends of the Great Plains Part 10

"Yes, I can," said Pheasant. So Pheasant went into the woods behind the lodge. He flew to a hollow log and drummed with his wings until the people thought he really was beating corn.

That is why the Indians have the Pheasant dance, as a part of the Green-corn dance.

WHY THE TURKEY GOBBLES

_Cherokee_

In the old days, Grouse had a good voice and Turkey had none.

Therefore Turkey asked Grouse to teach him. But Grouse wanted pay, so Turkey promised to give him some feathers for a collar. That is how the Grouse got his collar of turkey feathers.

So the Grouse began to teach Turkey. At last Grouse said, "Now you must try your voice. You must halloo."

Turkey said, "Yes."

Grouse said, "I'll stand on this hollow log, and when I tap on it, you must halloo as loudly as you can."

So Grouse climbed upon a log, ready to tap on it, but when he did so, Turkey became so excited that when he opened his mouth, he only said, "_Gobble, gobble, gobble!_"

That is why the Turkey gobbles whenever he hears a noise.

OMAHA BELIEFS

_Omaha_

Song was an integral part of Omaha life. Through song, the Omaha approached the mysterious Wakoda; through song he voiced his emotions, both individual and social; through song he embodied feelings and aspirations that eluded expression in words. In one of their ceremonies, the Wa' wa, "to sing for somebody," songs are one of the chief characteristics.

In this ceremony, the eagle is "Mother." She calls to her nestlings and upon her strong wings she bears the message of peace. Peace and its symbol, the clear, cloudless sky, are the theme of the princ.i.p.al songs. The curlew, in the early morning, stretches its neck and its wing as it sits on the roost, and utters a long note. The sound is considered an indication that the day will be cloudless.

Green represents the verdure of the earth; blue is the color of the sky; red is the color of the sun, typifying life. The eagle is the bird of tireless strength. The owl represents night, and the woodp.e.c.k.e.r the day and sun. These two birds also stand for life and death.

Wakoda gives to man the suns.h.i.+ne, the clear sky from which all storms, all clouds are absent; in the Wa' wa ceremony, they stand for peace.

In this connection, black storm clouds with their thunder and lightning are emblematic of war.

p.a.w.nEE BELIEFS

_p.a.w.nee_

At the creation of the world, lesser powers were made, because Tira'wa-tius, the Mighty Power, could not come near to man, or be seen or felt by him. These lesser powers dwell in the great circle of the sky. One is North Star; another is Brown Eagle. The Winds were the first of the lesser powers to come near man. Therefore, when man calls for aid, he calls first to the Winds. They stand at the four points, and guard the four paths down which the lesser powers come when they help mankind. The Winds are always near us, by day and by night.

The Sun is one of these powers. It comes from the mighty power above; therefore it has great strength.

Mother Earth is another power. She is very near to man. From her we get food; upon her we lie down. We live and walk on her. We could not exist without Mother Earth, without Sun, and without the Winds.

Water is another lesser power. Water is necessary to mankind.

Fire made by rubbing two sticks together is sacred. It comes direct from the power granted Toharu, vegetation, in answer to man's prayer as he rubs the sticks. When the flame leaps from the glowing wood, it is the word of the fire. The power has come near.

Blue is the color of the sky, the dwelling place of Tira' wahut, the circle of powers which watch over man. As a man paints the blue stick he sings.

Red is the color of the sun. Green is the color of Mother Earth.

Eagle is the chief of day; Owl is chief of the night; Woodp.e.c.k.e.r is chief of the trees; Duck is chief of the water.

The ear of corn represents the supernatural power that dwells in the earth, which brings forth the food that sustains life; there corn is spoken of as _h'Atira_, "mother breathing forth life." The power which dwells in the earth, which enables it to give life to all growing things, comes from above. Therefore, in the Hako, the p.a.w.nee ceremony, the ear of corn is painted with blue.

The wildcat was made to live in the forest. He has much skill and ingenuity. The wildcat shows us we must think, must use tact, must be shrewd when we set out to do anything. The wildcat is one of the sacred animals.

Trees grow along the banks of the streams; we can see them at a distance, like a long line, and we can see the river glistening in the sunlight in its length. We sing to the river, and when we come nearer and see the water and hear it rippling along, then we sing to the water, the water that ripples as it runs.

Hills were made by Tira'wa. We ascend hills when we go away alone to pray. From the top of a hill we can look over the country to see if there are enemies in sight, or if any danger is near us. We can see if we are to meet friends. The hills help man, so we sing to them.

A SONG OF HOSPITALITY[J]

_Sioux_

I am mas.h.i.+ng the berries, I am mas.h.i.+ng the berries, They say travelers are coming on the march, They say travelers are coming on the march, I stir [the berries] around, I stir them around, I take them up with a spoon of buffalo horn, I take them up with a spoon of buffalo horn, And I carry them, I carry them [to the strangers], And I carry them, I carry them [to the strangers].

"Word comes that travelers are approaching ... on the march with their children, dogs, and household property. She stirs them around with a spoon of buffalo horn and goes to offer them to the strangers.

The translation is an exact paraphrase of the rhythmic repet.i.tion of the original."

FOOTNOTE:

[J] James Mooney.

A SONG OF THE MARCH[K]

_Sioux_