IROQUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



37 



In the ages of his solitary confinement, he does not forget his 

 strength, and punishes the winds to subjection when they suddenly 

 rear for flight. 



At the entrance of his abode and reined to his hands, are four 

 watchers 1 : the Bear (north wind), Panther (west wind), Moose 

 (east wind), and Fawn (south wind). 



When Ga-oh unbinds Bear, it leads its hurricane winter winds 

 to Earth; when he loosens Panther, its stealthy west winds creep 

 down and follow Earth with their snarling blasts; when Moose is 

 released, its east wind meets the Sun and its misty breath floats 

 over the Sun's path blinding it with rains, and when Ga-oh unlocks 

 his reins from Fawn, its soothing south winds whisper to Earth 

 and she summons her Spring, who comes planting the seeds for 

 the summer sunglow. 



Though in his subjugation of the winds it is Ga-oh's duty to 

 pacify them, frequently they are influenced by his varying moods. 

 When Ga-oh is contented and happy, gentle and invigorating 

 breezes fan Earth ; when irritated by his confinement and Ga-oh is 

 restless, strong winds agitate the waters and bend the forest trees; 

 and when frenzied to mighty throes, Ga-oh becomes vehement, 

 ugly blasts go forth, uprooting trees, dashing the streams into 



1 The American Indians of both continents personified the four winds and the allusions 

 to the wind spirits in their mythology are strong and beautiful. The four winds are usually 

 regarded as the spirits of the four cardinal points, or the four corners of the earth. The 

 subsequent development of a simple myth has often obscured the original meaning but in 

 the wind myths the inferences are so strong that the winds as the four characters are not 

 long hidden to the careful student. 



The Algonquins and Sioux trace their origin to four ancestors which inquiry reveals to be 

 the four winds. In Iroquois mythology the daughter of the sky woman in some versions is 

 said to have been " wrapped around " with a wind by whom she became the mother of twin 

 boys. The Creeks are more specific and say that they sprang from four beings who came 

 from the four corners of the world and built a sacred fire where they met. In many of the 

 American languages the names for the four directions are the names for the winds of these 

 directions also. The Sioux call the four quarters of the globe, ta-te-onye-toba, which 

 literally means, whence four winds come. Among the Mayas the names for the cardinal 

 points are the names for the winds. Invocation to the winds has been a common practice 

 among all nations. The Aztecs prayed to Tlalocs, the god of showers: " Ye who dwell at 

 the four corners of the earth, at the north, at the south, at the east, at the west . . ." 

 [Sahagun. Hist, de la Neuva Espanas, p. 375] The Eskimos invoked Sillam Innua, the 

 owner of the winds, and believed that his abode was the haven of departed souls. Thus in 

 sickness they prayed to the four winds to summon a new soul for the afflicted person, and 

 called each wind by name, Pauna (east), Sauna (west), Auna (north), Kauna (south) 

 [Egends. Nachrichten von Gronland]. One of the most beautiful invocations of the 

 Iroquois is the wind song sung by the priest of the Gai'wiio' as he stands at the northeast 

 corner of the Long House and sings the wind song to greet the rising sun. 



Some of these references will be found in Brinton's Myths of the New World. Kirkland 

 relates that the Tuscaroras told him that in their religion were four " little gods." In the 

 east was Tyogetaet, rising tip or making his appearance, (sunrise or dawn); in the west was 

 Yucataghphki, twilight, in the north was Jothoel, somewhat cold; in the south, Unte. 



Invocation of the winds by Aryan and Semitic races was a common thing, nor are instances 

 lacking in the sacred scriptures, see Ezekiel 37:9 and Revelations 7:1. 



