652 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [eth. anx. 32 



where the corn had been phinted. Moreover, he saw them — a great 

 company of Corn people, Bean people, and Squash people, and so far 

 as he could see they were in all respects perfect human beings. They 

 danced in a slow, gentle manner in imitation of the waving of the corn 

 stalks as they stand in the ground. Women and girls took part in 

 the dance. 



The man again heard all the songs and so learned them. At once 

 he told his people what he had seen and heard. Again the Council 

 of Ancients said : " We must perform this ceremony, too, for this is 

 part and parcel of the other." 



From this time the Corn dances and Corn songs were known and 

 used, and these are the songs that are in use at this day on the anni- 

 versaries of the various seasons, beginning with the time the people 

 plant the corn grains and ending when the strings of ears of corn 

 are stored in the lodges — the corn harvest. This ceremony is called 

 Gonda'goiiwi'sas. 



125. The Origin of White Corn, or Kanenhagenat 



In ancient times there lived a community of people at the foot of 

 a very high, steep, and rugged cliif. There came a day when they 

 heard the plaintive singing of a woman, who seemed to be on the 

 top of this almost inaccessible mountain. The mysterious woman 

 directed the words of her songs to a very old but highly respected man 

 of this small community. The burden of the songs was expressed by 

 the words : " Oh ! kinsman of my father's brother, come up here ; I 

 indeed desire greatly to become your wife." These words gave much 

 anxiety to the people who heard them, but the old man paid no 

 attention to them. 



The woman, seemingly on the mountain top, continued to sing 

 daily, however, and finally some of the people urged the old man to 

 go up to the summit to learn the designs of the persistent singer. But 

 he excused himself, saying: ''The mountain is so steep and rugged, 

 and I am now become so aged that I do not feel able to make the 

 attempt to climb its side." 



But the woman on the height, continuing her singing from day to 

 day, and the anxiety of the people becoming very marked, the chiefs 

 of the community in council finally requested the old man, whom 

 they highly respected, to go to the mountain top to unravel, if 

 possible, the meaning of the mysterious singing. They represented 

 to him the importance of this mission, since the persistent singing 

 might have some relation to the welfare of the community at large. 



After long meditation he replied to the request of the coimcil, " Oh, 

 my chiefs! at your request I will go to the mountain top to learn, 

 if it be possible, the meaning of this woman's singing." 



