No^77r' ^^^ "^^^ WAHNENAUHI MANUSCRIPT — ^KILPATRICK 189 



saying, they would show the old folks that they too could bring in 

 some thing. They moved the stone away — though it was very heavy, 

 and they were obliged to use all their united strength. 



When the cave was opened, the animals, instead of waiting to be 

 picked up, all made a rush for the entrance, and leaping past the 

 frightened and bewildered boys, scattered in all directions and disap- 

 peared in the wilderness, while the guilty offenders could do nothing 

 but gaze in stupified amazement as they saw them escape. There 

 were animals of all kinds, large and small — Buffaloes, deer, elks, 

 antelopes, raccoons and squirrels; even catamounts and panthers, 

 wolves and foxes, and many others, all fleeing together; at the same 

 time birds of every kind were seen emerging from the opening, all 

 in the same wild confusion as the quadrupeds: — Turkeys, geese, 

 swans, ducks, quails, eagles, hawks and owls. 



Those who followed the mother, saw her enter a small cabin, which 

 they had never seen before, and close the door. 



The culprits found a small crack through which they could peer. 



They saw the woman place a basket on the ground, and standing 

 over it shook herself vigourously, jumping up and down when lo! 

 and behold! large ears of corn began to fall into the basket, when 

 it was well filled she took it up, and placing it on her head came out, 

 fastened the door and prepared their breakfast as usual. When the 

 meal was finished in silence, the man spoke to his children, telling 

 them that he was aware of what they had done, that now he must 

 die, and they would be obliged to provide for themselves, he made 

 bows and arrows for them, then sent them to hunt for the animals 

 that they had turned loose. 



Then the mother told them that, as they had found out her secret, 

 she could do nothing more for them, that she would die, and they must 

 drag her body around over the ground, that where ever her body was 

 dragged, corn would come up, of this they were to make their bread. 

 she told them that they must always save some for seed and plant 

 every year.[^^] 



I have heard a story about the "Little People", or, "Children." 

 "Nuh-na-yie" [^^] is the Cherokee name for them. It was said that in 

 old times they were very numerous; they were inoffensive, and would 

 often help any persons whom they found in distress, especially children 

 who were lost, if a child were found, the Nuh-na-yie would appoint 

 several of their number to take care of it and supply it with food imtil 

 it could be restored to its parents or friends, for this reason they 



28 Mooney (1900, pp. 248-249. 431) quotes the Wahnenauhi versions of these myths. I taped a rather 

 lengthy version of the "Origin of Com" myth in Cherokee County, Okla., In the summer of 1961 (Kil- 

 patrick and Kilpatrick, 1964, pp. 129-134). 



2« Nv:nihi ('they who continue to live')- Oi:nihi is the form more often used in everyday speech. 



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