446 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKKE [eth.aNX.19 



or Nahurac, possess miraculous attrilmtcs givcMi them l)y tin- fjrcat c-roator, Tirawa. 

 "The Pawiicos know of five places where these animals meet to hold council — five 

 of these Nahurac lodges." He gives a detailed descriiition <if eacli. The fourth is a 

 mound-shaped liill, on the top of which is a dee|) well or water hole, into which the 

 Pawnee throw offerings. The fifth is a rock hill in Kan.sas, known to the whites as 

 Guide rock, and "in the side of tlie liill there is a great hole where the Nalinrac hold 

 councils." ' 



The same helief is noted l>y Chatelain in Angola, West Africa: "In African folk 

 tales the animal world, as also the spirit world, is organized and governed just like 

 the human world. In Angola the elephant is the supreme king of all animal crea- 

 titin, and the special chief of the edible tribe of wild animals. Next to him in rank 

 the lion is sjiecial chief of the tribe of ferocious beasts and highest vassal of the ele- 

 phant. Chief of the reptile tril)e is the python. Chief of the finny tril)e is, in the 

 interior, the di-lemla, the largest river fish. Chief of the feathery tribe is the bil-nlu 

 hi liKiiihi, largest of the eagles. Among the domestic animals the sceptre belongs to 

 the bull; among the locusts to the one called di-ngundu. Even the ants and termites 

 have their kings or (jueens. Every chief or king has Ins court, consisting of the 

 nr/ohiiiihoh', landala, and other officers, his j)arliament of ma-kola and his plebeian 

 subjects, just like any human African siiha" (Folk tales of Angola, p. 22). 



Askhif/ pardon of animals — For other Cherokee references see remarks upon the 

 Little Deer, the Wolf, and the Rattlesnake; also number 4, "Origin of Disease and 

 Medicine," and number 58, "The Rattlesnake's Vengeance." This custom was 

 doubtless general among the tribes, as it is thoroughly in consonance with Indian 

 idea. The trader Henry thus relates a characteristic instance among the Ojibwa in 

 1764 on the occasion of his killing a bear near the winter camp: 



"The bear being dead, all my assistants approached, and all, but more particularly 

 my old mother (as I was wont to call her), took his head in their hands, stroking 

 and kissing it several times; begging a thousand pardons for taking away her life; 

 calling her their relation and grandmother; and requesting her not to lay the fault 

 upon them, since it was truly an Englishman that had put her to death. 



" This ceremony was not of long duration; and if it was I that killed their grand- 

 mother, they were not themselves behind-hand in what remained to be performed. 

 The skin being taken off, we found the fat in several places six inclies deep. This, 

 being (livided into two parts, loaded tM'o persons; and the flesh parts were as much 

 as four persons could carry. In all, the carcass must have exceeded five hundred 

 weight. 



"As soon as we reached the lodge, the Vjear's head was adorned with all the 

 trinkets in the possession of the family, such as silver arm-bands and wrist-bands, and 

 belts of wampum; and then laid upon a scaffold, set up for its reception, within the 

 lodge. Near the nose was placed a large quantity of tobacco. 



"The next morning no sooner appeared, than preparations were made for a feast to 

 the manes. The lodge was cleaned and swept; and the head of the bear lifted up, 

 and a new stroud of blanket, which had never been used before, spread under it. 

 The pipes were now lit; and W'awatam blew tobacco smoke into the nostrils of the 

 bear, telling me to do the same, and thus appease the anger of the bear on account 

 of my having killed her. I endeavored to persuade my benefactor and friendly 

 adviser, that she no longer had any life, and assured him that I was under no apjire- 

 hension from her displeasure; but, the first proposition olitained no credit, and the 

 second gave but little satisfaction. 



"At length, the feast being ready, Wawatam commenced a speech, resembling, in 

 many things, his address to the manes of his relations and departed companions; 

 but, having this peculiarity, that he here deplored the necessity under which men 



•G. B. Grinnell, Pawnee Hero Stories and Folktales, with Notes on the Origin, Customs, and 

 Character of the Pawnee People; New York. 1.H89. pp. 3.>S-3.i9. 



