IROQUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



At certain times they visit their relatives above. At night they 

 hold festivals in the forests and the circle beneath many a deep 

 wood tree, where the grass refuses to grow, is the ring where the 

 dances are held. Inhabiting the darkness, the light of the sun 

 would blind them but they do not fear the moon's soft rays. The 

 creatures of the night, the bats and birds and the prowlers of the 

 darkness know the Oh-do-was and are wary for sometimes offen- 

 sive intruding animals are captured 1 and carried far beneath the 

 fields and forests, nor may they expect to be ransomed by their 

 elf guardians of the light when they visit the regions below for no 

 Jo-ga-oh ever questions the act of another. 



Thus banded the Jo-ga-oh of the earth, above and below, guard, 

 guide and advise all living nature, and protect the Indians from 

 unseen foes. The Indian, grateful for this unselfish service, reveres 

 the Little Folk and sings their praises in ceremonies and dedicates 

 dances to them. 



NEH GAN-DA-YAH OF THE FRUITS AND GRAINS 



In the divisions of the Jo-ga-oh the Gan-da-yah are the most 

 beloved by the Indians. The office of these elves is to protect 

 and advise the fruits and grains. They are the little people of the 

 sunshine who bring joy and brightness to the Indian's heart. 



In the springtime these " Little People " hide in dark sheltered 

 places and whisper to the earth as they listen to the complaints 

 of the growing seeds. When the sun bestows its full summer 

 glow they wander over the fields tinting the grains and ripening 

 the fruits and bidding all growing things to look to the sun. Their 

 labor commences with the strawberry plant, whose fruit is a special 

 gift to mankind. When the ground softens from the frost the 

 " Little People " loosen the earth around each strawberry root, 

 that its shoots may better push through to the light. They shape 

 its leaves t'o the sun, turning the blossoms upward to its touches 

 and guiding the runners to new growing places. Assisting the 



They generally are dressed in all the traditional paraphernalia of the Indian but sometimes 

 are entirely naked. Two Seneca children who described them said that they were about 

 a foot high and ran very fast. With adults they are more heard than seen and are known 

 by their drumming on the wet drum. The listening initiate who hears the tap of the ring- 

 ing water tom-tom knows instantly that the elves are calling a council and summons his 

 society to meet and make the proper offerings to these " elves who run in the darkness and 

 who wander upon the mountains." 



1 The elves are naturally unsuccessful hunters. This is not because they lack skill but 

 because the animals have learned to detect their peculiar scent. Because of this the mem- 

 bers of the Pygmy Society save the parings and scrapings from their finger nails and tie 

 them in little bags to throw among the rocks for the elves. They are believed to saturate 

 them in water and bathe in it. The animals then think that human hunters seek them 

 and are not afraid. 



