48 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



There is a dispute in the heaven-world between two parties. 

 It is a controversy about you, the children of earth. Two great 

 beings are disputing — one is the Great Ruler, the Creator, and 

 the other is the evil-minded spirit. 



You who are on earth do not know the things of heaven. 



Now the evil one said, " I am the ruler of the earth because 

 when I command I speak but once and man obeys." 



" ' Then answered the Great Ruler, " The earth is mine for I 

 have created it and you have helped me in no part.'' 



Now the evil one answered, " I do not acknowledge that you 

 have created the earth and that I helped in no part, but I sa'' 

 that when I say to men, ' Obey me,' they straightway obey, but 

 they do not hear your voice." 



Then the Great Ruler replied, " Truly the children are my own 

 for they have never done evil." 



" ' And the evil one answering said, " Nay, the children are mine 

 for when I bid one saying, ' Pick up that stick and. strike your 

 fellow,' they obey me quickly. Aye, the children are mine." 



Then was the Great Ruler very sad and he said, " Once more 

 will I send my messengers and tell them my heart and they will tell 

 my people and thus I will redeem my own." 



'' ' Then the evil one replied, " Even so it will not be long before 

 men transgress your commands. I can destroy it with a word for 

 they will do my bidding. A'erily I delight in the name Hanisse'ono. 

 It is very true that they who love my name, though they be on the 

 other side of the earth, will find me at their backs the moment 

 they pronounce my name." 



" ' Now at that time the Great Ruler spoke to the four messen- 

 gers saying, " Go tell mankind that at present they must not call 

 me Hawi'n'io', the Great Ruler, until a later time, for the Evil One 

 calls himself the Ruler of Mankind. So now whosoever is turned 

 into my way must say when he calls upon my name, Hodianok'doo" 

 Hed'iohe', our Creator. So also whosoever speaks the name of 

 the evil one must say, Segoewa'tha, The Tormentor. Then will the 

 evil one know that you have discovered who he is, for it is he who 

 will punish the wicked when they depart from this world.' "^ 

 So they said and he said. Eniaiehuk. 



1 A typical example of Iroquois philosophy. The Iroquois were fond of 

 devising stories of this character and many of them reveal the subtle reason- 

 ing powers of the Indian in a striking manner. 



