350 MYTHS OF THE CHEKUKEE [ETH.ANN.ia 



house iuul the wouiiin said "This is where I live," iuul took him in and 

 fixed a lied for him and made him eomfortable. 



By this time he was ver_y hungry, but the woman knew his thoughts 

 and said, " We must get him something to eat." She took one of the 

 bodies that the hunters had just brought in and out ofi' a slice to roast. 

 The man was terribly frightened, Init she read his thoughts again and 

 said, ''I see you can not eat our food." Then she turned awaj- from 

 him and held her hands lieforc her stomach — .yo — and when she turned 

 around again she had them full of bread and l)eans such as he used to 

 have at home. 



So it was every day, until soon ho was well and sti"ong again. Then 

 she told him he might go home now, l)ut he must he sure not to speak 

 to anyone for seven days, and if any of his friends should question 

 him he must make signs as if his throat were sore and keep silent. 

 She went with him along the same trail to the water's edge, and the 

 water closed over her and he went back alone to Tikwali'tsi. When 

 he came there his friends were surprised, because they thought he 

 had wandered off and died in the woods. They asked him where 

 he had been, but he only pointed to his throat and said nothing, so 

 they thought he was not yet well and let him alone until the seven 

 days were past, when he liegan to talk again and told the whole stoiy. 



Historical Traditions 

 88. first contact with whites 



There are a few stories concerning the first contact of the Cherokee 

 with whites and negroes. The}" are very modern and have little value 

 as myths, but throw some light upon the Indian estimate of the differ- 

 ent races. 



One story relates how the first whites came from the east and tried 

 to enter into friendly relations, but the Indians would have nothing to 

 do with them for a long time. At last the whites left a jug of whisky 

 and a dipper near a spring fre((uented by the Indians. The Indians 

 came along, tasted the liquor, which they had never known before, 

 and liked it so well that they ended by all getting comfortably drunk. 

 While they were in this happy fram(> of mind some white men came 

 up, and this time the Indians shook hands with them and thev have 

 been friends after a fashion ever since. This may possibly be a Chero- 

 kee adaptation of the story of Hudson's first landing on the island of 

 Manhattan. 



■X- * * * * « * 



At the creation an uluusu'ti was given to the white man, and a piece 

 of silver to the Indian. But the white man despised the stone and 

 threw it awa}'^ while the Indian did the same with the silver. In 

 going about the white man afterward found the silver piece and put it 



