Creation Myths of Primitive America Part 18

"There must be some one there. I have never seen that thing on a limb before."

"Oh, that is nothing; that is always there," said others.

"I have never seen anything there before. I will sling a stone at it."

Notudui hurled a stone, which just pa.s.sed Bulibok's head; he didn't move. Notudui hurled another stone, almost grazed Bulibok's nose, but he never moved.

"Oh, that is a part of the limb," said some of the people: "it sticks up in that way."

"A man would move if a stone came so near him," said others.

"That is somebody; that is somebody watching us," cried a third party; and they disputed. The people watched for a while, but Bulibok sat there as motionless as the limb till, tired of watching, they went away, and forgot all about him. He slipped down from the tree then, went home, and said,--

"I sat on a tree, saw everything, and know now the best way to go.

People saw me and hurled stones. They came near hitting me twice, but I did not stir, and they let me go."

"Now, my people," said Sehinom Chabatu, "this war was not made by me.

I hate to take you to a place like that which is before us, but we must go there. I will go first; I will go alone and look at the place." He mounted the ridge, and from the top of it went underground till he came out in the chief house of the enemy. Then, thrusting his head up, he looked and saw a great many people. Soon someone saw him and said,--

"Why do you people not watch? Sehinom Chabatu may come. You say that he is dead--that you burned him to death in the sweat-house; but I don't believe that you killed him."

"Oh, he is dead long ago. We killed him; we burned him!"

Sehinom stuck out his head a second time. Again some one saw him and asked,--

"What is that over there? Maybe it is Sehinom Chabatu. I think he might come."

"Oh, he is dead long ago. Let's throw at that and see what it is."

Some one hurled a stone. It grazed Sehinom's nose and he dropped into the ground. "That is only a squirrel!" said a number of people, "Sehinom Chabatu is dead."

Sehinom went back to his army, and said to Nom Sowiwi,--

"I saw a great many people. They are the same who killed our friends.

They will kill us unless we kill them. We will move to-morrow at daybreak and fight. My brother, Tede Wiu, you must find Sutunut. When he came to my place he boasted greatly. He said that I could fight n.o.body. I want to see Sutunut. We must find him. Never mind others.

Let us find Sutunut and Koip Herit, who boasted that they had killed so many of our people."

"I will go and look at that camp before dark," said Hau Herit.

He went, and just below the hilltop he found a piece of a hollow oak-tree as long as the height of a man; he walked slowly in this dry trunk, his head just sticking above it, and of the same color. He reached the top of the ridge and went down the south side a short distance; there were no trees or brush there. As he stood looking around, his eyes above the stump, some people called out below,--

"What is that on the hill? I have never seen that thing there before."

"I see nothing but a stump," answered others.

Hau was looking around everywhere, taking notice of everything.

"There is some one there," said another man.

"Oh, that's a stump. I've seen that there all the time."

"Well, let's sling a stone at it."

Notudui took his sling and hurled a stone. Hau lowered his head a little. The stone hit the stump and made a loud noise.

"Oh, that's nothing. Don't you hear the noise? That's just a stump.

We'll throw again and be sure."

Hau was just putting his head out when he saw another stone coming.

The stone hit the stump, and made a great noise.

"There, do you think that is a person? Do you think the stone would make a noise like that if it hit some one?"

They threw no more stones. Hau waited till dark, when he went back and told Sehinom everything.

"Now, my brothers," said Sehinom Chabatu to the two Tsudi boys, "you must go to that camp. Go straight to the centre house, go into it together. Then let one go west and the other east. Look carefully, and when you see a bow, cut the string to it. Cut the strings in the first house before you part, and then cut alone. Go into each house and cut every bow-string. As you go around the houses inside, some one may see you and say, 'Look at those Tsudis,' but pay no heed, go on cutting."

The two Tsudi brothers went to the middle house together; then one went east, and the other west. They went through each house. In some they found a few bows, in others a great many. They cut till daylight was coming. They went home then, and said,--

"We cut bow-strings all night, and had to stop because daylight was coming, but we left only a few strings uncut. The people slept, except one man in the sweat-house. We don't think he ever sleeps. He talks always."

"I know him," said Sehinom. "He talks, but he is asleep while he talks [whistles]. Daylight is coming, we must go. Do the best you can, do your best, all of you."

The army was so large, and there were so many Tidoks that they spread over the country like a flood; they rushed across the hill and ran down into the valley; when the people sleeping in the houses heard them coming, they sprang up and ran for their bows.

"Oh, my bow-string is broken!" cried one.

"Oh, my bow-string is broken!" cried another.

"Give me a bow! Give me a bow!" cried a third.

This was heard all over the camp; every one was crying: "My bow-string is broken! Give me a bow!"

Sehinom's army poured in on them like great waves of water. Sehinom rushed to the chief house, and shouted,--

"Where are you, Sutunut? I want to see you. You boasted so much in Dau Paki Olel, I want to see you. Where are you, Sutunut?"

Sutunut said nothing, kept still. He was in a house a short distance away, and some one else killed him.

The southern people could not fight well without bows and arrows; they did what they could to defend themselves, but at noon they were killed to the last person, not one escaped.

Sehinom Chabatu with his chief men and all their forces started for home, leaving Kot and Ho Herit behind, with some Tidoks to fire all the houses. Just as they had set fire to everything, a new force of southern people came up, surprised them, and killed a great many.

"Sehinom Chabatu has gone," said Ho Herit, when he saw them. "New forces are coming against us. Now, Tidok people, you must fight well."

The new forces chased Ho Herit and his men. The Tidoks fought bravely.

Many were killed on both sides. Ho Herit himself was killed. Fresh people from the south were coming continually, while the Tidoks had no reinforcements. At last Kot Herit was killed, and most of the Tidoks who fought under him. Then the southern people turned and went home.

The few Tidoks who escaped with their lives went north to their own place.

Sehinom Chabatu went back to Dau Paki Olel and lived there. He and those who came home with him did not know for a long time of the second battle and the death of Kot and Ho Herit.