592 IROQUOIAN COSMOLOGY 



ETH. ANN. 43 



they had performed the ceremony, then, at that time, the Elder Ones 

 said, "So then, now, that must be considered; what manner of thing 

 shall we do with these things which have alighted in the midst of us. 

 Is it, that we shall portion them, verily?" At that time, one there 

 present said, "I, personally, in considering this matter as it is, believe 

 that, perhaps, we all as one have an equal right to them. So then, 

 presumably, that will result in good that we as one shall all just 

 assist one another,^' when we place them in the ground, that next, 

 when they will grow up, we as one will just assist one another in 

 attending to them in one place, and that next, when they will mature 

 we as one will assist one another to harvest them. So then, it will 

 thus come to pass that, at the time, when we shall have it in abun- 

 dance, then, and not till then, shall we divide them up severally." At 

 that time, then, the Elder Ones considered the matter. At some time 

 after they decided that, truly, it should thus come to pass that they 

 only as one should assist one another. At that time, then, they 

 worked in this manner. 



Very early spring came, then, at that time, the entire body of people 

 assembled themselves; then they, the Elder Ones, said, "That, pre- 

 sumabty, shall be the first thing, of which we shall seek aid, is the 

 Great Gamble (Bet).** They upon whom we continue to live, our 

 Mothers, the Corn, also the Bean, and also the Native Squash, will 

 be the chief personages therein. Verily indeed, we shall bet the fruit 

 pits for them. So then, until after we shall have accomplished this 

 matter, then we shall place them in the ground. Thus we shall then 

 do as De'hae°'hiyawa,"kho°' has ordered it." At that time, now, 

 again, another person said, "That, verily, presumably, will truly 

 result in good, that we shall do thus. So then, we shall make use of 

 that which happened in the days that have been in the past, when 

 De'hae°'hiyawa"kho°' and his Grandmother, the Sere-Flower, bet 

 together. They two wagered all that which grows upon the earth 

 here present. So then, verily, it will thus come to pass that we shall 

 contend with our mothers, the several women." 



At that time, now, they the Elder Ones, agreed to the matter, that 

 it thus should come to pass. Now, then, at that time, they severally 

 made their preparations and they did bet; the male human beings 

 overcome their opponents. At that time now, they said, "Thus, then 

 it shall come to pass, when these anniversaries recur. Customarily, 

 that will be the first thing to be done, the Great Gamble shall be per- 

 formed. So then, our Mothers upon whom we live, every one of the 

 sisters, shall become the chief persons." 



At that time, now, they began to plant them. \Yhen they had fin- 

 ished the work of placing them all in the ground, then they again 

 assembled themselves. And the ceremony of the Great Feather 



See notes on p. 611. 



