250 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [eth.ann.19 



4. ORIGIN OF DISEASE AND MEDICINE 



In the old days the beasts, birds, tishes, insects, and plants could all 

 talk, and they and the people lived tog-ether in peace and friendship. 

 But as time went on the people increased so rapidly that their settle- 

 ments spread over the whole earth, and the poor animals found them- 

 selves beginning to be cramped for room. This was bad enougfh, but 

 to make it worse Man invented bows, knives, blowguns, spears, and 

 hooks, and began to slaughter the larger animals, birds, and fishes for 

 their flesh or their skins, while the smaller creatures, such as the 

 frogs and worms, were crushed and trodden upon without thought, out 

 of i^ure carelessness or contempt. So the aniuials resolved to consult 

 upon measures for their common safety. 



The Bears were the first to meet in council in their townhouse under 

 Kuwa'hi mountain, the "Mulberry place,'" and the old White Bear 

 chief presided. After each in turn had complained of the way in which 

 Man killed their friends, ate their flesh, and used their skins for his 

 own purposes, it was decided to begin war at once against him. Some 

 one asked what weapons Man used to destroy them. ' " Bows and arrows, 

 of course," cried all the Bears in chorus. "And what are they made 

 of? " was the next c(uestion. "The bow of wood, and the string of our 

 entrails," replied one of the Bears. It was then proposed that they 

 -make a bow and sonie arrows and see if they could not use the same 

 weapons against Man himself. So one Bear got a nice piece of locust 

 wood and another sacrificed himself for the good of the rest in order 

 to furnish a piece of his entrails for the string. But when everything 

 was ready and the first Bear stepped up to make the trial, it was found 

 that in letting the arrow fly after drawing back the bow, his long claws 

 caught the string and spoiled the shot. This was annoying, but some 

 one suggested that they might trim his claws, which was accordingly 

 done, and on a second trial it was found that the arrow went straight 

 to the mark. But here the chief, the old White Bear, objected, say- 

 ing it was necessary that they should have long claws in order to be 

 able to climb trees. " One of us has already died to furnish the bow- 

 string, and if w^e now cut ofl' our claws we must all starve together. 

 It is Ijetter to trust to the teeth and claws that natui'e gave us, for it is 

 plain that man's weapons were not intended for us."' 



No one could think of any better plan, so the old chief dismissed the 

 council and the Bears dispersed to the woods and thickets without hav- 

 ing concerted any way to prevent the inci'ease of the human race. 

 Had the result of the council been otherwise, we should now be at war 

 with the Bears, but as it is, the hunter does not even ask the Bear's par- 

 don when he kills one. 



The Deer next held a council under their chief, the Little Deer, and 

 after some talk decided to send rheumatism to everj' hunter who should 



