March, 1905. The Traditions of the Hon — Voth. 17 



should find anybody to tell him and then if he were willing they 

 would go. 



So the Pawdolcaya ascended, flying in circles upward around these 

 two ladders. When he came up to the top he found an opening there, 

 through which he went out. After he came out he was flying around 

 and around, but did not find anybody, so he returned to the opening 

 again and came down. As he was very tired he fell down upon the 

 ground before the chiefs. When he was somewhat revived they 

 asked him, "Now, what have you found out?" "Yes," he said, 

 "I went through there and there was a large space there, but I did 

 not find anybody. When I did not find anybody I became hungry 

 and thirsty and very tired, so I have come back now." "Ishohf! 

 (Oh!)" they said. "Very well, now who else will go?" and they 

 were thinking. "Somebody else shall go," they said, and they kept 

 thinking about it. 



So they made another one, but this time a sniall one, and when they 

 were singing over it it became alive. When it had become alive they 

 saw that it was a Humming-bird (Tohcha),' which is very small, but 

 very swift and strong. "Why do you want me ?" the bird said. "Yes," 

 they said, "our children here are not with good hearts. We are not 

 living well here; we are living here in trouble. So we want you to 

 go up there for us and see what you can find out, and if the one up 

 there is kind and good, we think of going up there, and that is the 

 reason why we want you. So you go up there; you hunt somebody, 

 and if he is gentle and kind, we shall go up there." So the Tohcha 

 flew upward, circling around the two trees, went through the open- 

 ing and flew around and around, and not finding anybody also became 

 tired and came back. He flew lower and lower and alighted in front 

 of the chiefs, exhausted. When he had somewhat revived, they 

 asked him: "Now, then, what have you heard, what have you found 

 out?" "Yes," he said," yes, I flew around there that way and becamt 

 tired and exhausted and have come back." "Ishohi!" they said 

 again, "now then, we shall send somebody else." 



They then created another one, and sang over it. But this time 

 they had made a la,rger one, and when they had chanted their song 

 over it, it became alive and it was a Hawk (Kisha). " Why do you want 

 me?" the Hawk also said. "Yes," they replied, "yes, these our children 

 do not listen to us, they worry us, and we are living in trouble here, 

 and that is why we want you. You go up there and find out for us 

 and inform us." So the Hawk flew up also, passed through the open- 



' I have not been able to fully identify this bird, but from the description given me, believe it 

 to be the humming-bird, though it may be the wren. 



