472 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [eth.ann.W 



It is given thus in Barcia, Ensayo, page S: "Taniliien llegaron a la Provincia de 

 Yneignavin adonde les contaron aquellos Iiidios, que en cierto tiempo, avian apor- 

 tado ii ella, unas Gentes, que tenian Cola . . . de una quarta de largo, flexible, 

 queU'M estorvaba tanto, que para sentarse agujerealmn los asientos: que el Pellejo era 

 niui aspero, y como escamoso, y que comian solo Peies crudos: y aviendo estos muerto, 

 se acalxi esta Nacion, y la Verdad del Caso, con ella." 



A rlost' parallel to the Cherokee story is found among the Nisqualli of Washing- 

 ton, in a story of three [four?] brothers, who are eai)tured by a mirt-aculously strong 

 dwarf who ties them and carries them off in his canoe. "Having rounded the dis- 

 tant point, where they had first descried him, they came to a village inhabited by 

 a race of people as small as their captor, their houses, boats and utensils being all 

 in proportion to themselves. The three brothers were then taken out and thrown, 

 bound as they were, into a lodge, while a council was convened to decide upon their 

 fate. During the sitting of the council an immense flock of birds, resembling geese, 

 but much larger, pounced down upon the inhabitants and commenced a violent 

 attack. These birds had the power of throwing their sharp quills like the porcupine, 

 and although the little warriors fought with great valour, they soon became covered 

 with the piercing darts and all sunk insensible on the ground. When all resistance 

 has ceased, the birds took to flight and disapjieared. The brothers had witnessed 

 the conflict from their place of confinement, and with much labour had succeeded in 

 releasing themselves from their bonds, when they went to the battle ground, and 

 commenced pulling the quills from the apparently lifeless bodies; but no sooner had 

 they done this, than all instantly returned to consciousness" (Kane, Wanderings of 

 an Artist, pp. 2.52-253). 



75. Origin of the Be.\r (p. 325): This story was told by Swimmer, from whom 

 were also obtained the hunting songs, and was frequently referred to by other 

 informants. The Ani'-Tsa'giihi are said to have been an actual clan in ancient 

 times. For parallels, see number 76, "The Bear Man." 



Had not taken human food — The Indian is a thorough believer in the doctrine that 

 "man is what he eats." Says Adair (History of the American Indians, p. 133): 

 "They believe that nature is possessed of such a property as to transfuse into men 

 and animals the ijualities, either of the food they use or of those olijects that are pre- 

 sented to their senses. He who feeds on venison is, according to their jihysical sys- 

 tem, swifter and more sagacious than the man who lives on the flesh of the clumsy 

 bear or helpless dunghill fowls, the slow-footed tame cattle, or the heavy wallowing 

 swine. This is the reason that several of their old men recommend and say that 

 formerly their greatest chieftains observed a constant rule in their diet, and seldom 

 ate of any animal of a gross quality or heavy motion of body, fancying it conveyed 

 a dullness through the whole system and disabled them from exerting themselves 

 with proper vigour in their martial, civil, and religious duties." A continuous 

 adherence to the diet commonly used by a bear will finally give to the eater the bear 

 nature, if not also the bear form and appearance. A certain term of " white man's 

 food" will give the Indian the white man's nature, so that neither the remedies nor 

 the spells of the Indian doctor will have any effect upon him (see the author's 

 "Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees," in Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of 

 Ethnology, 1891). 



Shall lire alirays — For explanation of the doctrine of animal reincarnation, see 

 number 15, "The Four-footed Tribes." 



The doiK/s — These are fair specimens of the hunting songs found in every tribe, and 

 intended to call up the animals or to win the favor of the lords of the game (see also 

 deer songs in notes to number 3, ' ' Kana'tl and Selu " ) . As usual, the word forms are 

 slightly changed to suit the requirements of the tune. The second song was first 

 ]>ublislu'il by the author in the paper on sacred formulas, noted above. Tsi-^tu'vl, 



