IROQUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



Three times must the clan spirit bring the totem. Nine suns 

 had lighted the forest, nine nights had darkened the lodge. The 

 tenth day dawned frowning and gloomy, and the chiefs came. 



They shook the lodge poles and bade him appear. " Not yet 

 today," he^replied, " I have fasted and dreamed, yet the clan 

 spirit came but once. Return tomorrow." Again on the morrow 

 they came. V One day more," pleaded O-go-ne-sas, but his voice 

 was low and weak. Again on the morrow came the chiefs, an- 

 nouncing that his time had passed, and again he implored for one 

 day more. " If the spirit does not attend me I will go — tomor- 

 row I will depart with you." His voice had grown faint and the 

 chiefs were anxious. Cautiously parting the hemlock branches, 

 they saw O-go-ne-sas painting his body, as only the dying do 

 before departing, and they pondered. His life had been pure and 

 free from evil. Had his clan spirit refused him? 



On the morrow the chiefs again shook the lodge poles. There 

 was no response save a trembling of the hemlock branches ; and a 

 strange silence seemed to have fallen in the forest. 



The awed chiefs wondered, and entered the lodge. O-go-ne-sas 

 was not there, but a bird flew down to a branch on the lodge and 

 began to speak. 



" I am he whom you seek. My body is no more on earth. I 

 was O-go-ne-sas. I fasted and waited, but my clan spirit came 

 only once to show me my totem. I knew not the reason. I had 

 done no evil. My spirit was pure. Death was the friend who 

 aided me to flee the disgrace which would follow me if denied by 

 my clan spirit. He who would have been my totem, knew not the 

 winter. He had hidden from its winds and could not be found. 

 Now he has received me into his spirit, and I am Jis-go-ga, 1 the 

 Robin! 



Do not sorrow, nor mourn me. I will return and bring the 

 Spring to you. I will sing to the trees, and young leaves will come 

 forth to listen. I will swing on the wild cherry and its blossoms 

 will welcome me. I will carry the gray shadows of the Spring morn- 

 ing on my wings. I will not hide in the forest, I will nest by your 

 lodges. Your children will know that the Spring is coming when 

 they hear my voice. Though the snowfall may cover my path, 

 it will melt into singing streams when it hears my wings rustling. 

 I was willing, and painted my body red when I felt my spirit depart- 

 ing, and now I carry its red glow on my breast as its shield." 



1 The name Jis-go-ga is one which has been borne by several noted war chiefs and is con- 

 sidered one of the strong names. 



