THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FIVE NATIONS 1/ 



Everywhere there was peril and everywhere mourning. Men 

 were ragged with sacrifice and the women scarred with the flints, 

 so everywhere there was misery. Feuds with outer nations, feuds 

 with brother nations, feuds of sister towns and feuds of famiHes 

 and of clans made every warrior a stealthy man who liked to kill. 



Then in those days there was no great law. Our founder had 

 not yet come to create peace and give united strength to the Real 

 Men, the Ongwe-oweh. 



In those same days the Onondagas had no peace. A man's life 

 was valued as nothing. For any slight ofifence a man or woman 

 was killed by his enemy and in this manner feuds started between 

 families and clans. At night none dared leave their doorways lest 

 they be struck down by an enemy's war club. Such was the con- 

 dition when there was no Great Law. 



South of the Onondaga town lived an evil-minded man. His 

 lodge was in a swale and his nest was made of bulrushes. His body 

 was distorted by seven crooks and his long tangled locks were 

 adorned by writhing living serpents. Moreover, this monster was 

 a devourer of raw meat, even of human flesh. He was also a master 

 of wizardry and by his magic he destroyed men but he could not 

 be destroyed. Adodarhoh was the name of the evil man. 



Notwithstanding the evil character of Adadarhoh the people of 

 Onondaga, the Nation of Many Hills, obeyed his commands and 

 though it cost many lives they satisfied his insane whims, so much 

 did they fear him for his sorcery. 



The time came, however, when the Onondaga people could endure 

 him no longer. A council was called to devise a way to pacify him 

 and to entreat him to cease his evil ways. Hayonwatha called the 

 council for he had many times sought to clear the mind of Ado- 

 darhoh and straighten his crooked body. So then the council was 

 held in the house of Hayontawatha. It was decided that half the 

 people should go by boat across the creek where it widens and 

 that others should skirt the shore. Adodarhoh was not in his nest 

 in the swale but in a new spot across the wide place in the creek. 



The boats started and the people walked. From the bushes that 

 overhung the shore a loud voice sounded. " Stand quickly and 

 look behind you for a storm will overwhelm you." 



In dismay the people arose in their canoes and turned about. 

 As they did so the canoes overturned and the men were plunged 

 into the water and many were drowned. A few escaped and then 

 all survivors returned to the village. So had Adodarhoh frustrated 

 the attempt to meet with him. 



