An Iroquois Story Of The Little Dipper

An Iroquois Story Of The Little Dipper

    
You all know the stars that are called the Pleiades. Sometimes, but wrongly, they are called the Little Dipper. They are a group of seven little stars that look as if they were quite close together.The Iroquois tell this story about them: There were once seven little Indian boys who were great friends. Every evening they used to come to a little mound to dance and feast. They would first eat their corn and beans, and then one of their number would sit upon the mound and sing, while the others danced around the mound. One time they thought they would have a much grander feast than usual, and each agreed upon what he would bring for it. But their parents would not give them what they wanted, and the little lads met at the mound without their feast. The singer took his place and began his song, while his companions started to dance. As they danced they forgot their sorrows and "their heads and hearts grew lighter," until at last they flew up into the air. Their parents saw them as they rose, and cried out to them to return; but up and up they went until they were changed into the seven stars. Now, one of the Pleiades is dimmer than the rest, and they say that it is the little singer, who is homesick and pale because he wants to return but cannot.

Iroquois Indian's Legend of a Pygmy Race

Iroquois Indian's Legend of a Pygmy Race

Pipe depicting a pygmy from an Oklahoma Mississippian burial mound. 

When the Cherokees were dwelling in the swamps of Florida the Iroquois made a practice of swooping down on them and raiding their camps. On one occasion the raiding party was absent from home for close on two years. On the eve of their return one of their number, a chieftain, fell ill, and the rest of the party were at a loss to know what to do with him. Obviously, if they carried him home with them he would considerably impede their progress. Besides, there was the possibility that he might not recover, and all their labour would be to no purpose. Thus they debated far into the night, and finally decided to abandon him to his fate and return by themselves. The sick man, unable to stir hand or foot, overheard their decision, but he bore it stoically, like an Indian warrior. Nevertheless, when he heard the last swish of their paddles as they crossed the river he could not help thinking of the friends and kindred he would probably never see again.

When the raiders reached home they were closely questioned as to the whereabouts of the missing chief, and the inquiries were all the more anxious because the sick man had been a great favourite among his people. The guilty warriors answered evasively. They 
did not know what had become of their comrade, they said. Possibly he had been lost or killed in Florida.

Meanwhile the sick man lay dying on the banks of the river. Suddenly he heard, quite close at hand, the gentle sound of a canoe. The vessel drew in close to the bank, and, full in view of the warrior, three pigmy men disembarked. They regarded the stranger with some surprise. At length one who seemed to be the leader advanced and spoke to him, bidding him await their return, and promising to look after him. They were going, he said, to a certain 'salt-lick,' where many curious animals watered, in order to kill some for food.

Origins of the Osage Indian Tribe

Origins of the Osage Indian Tribe

Osage medicine man with bird feathers depicting their origins with birds who gave them bodies and souls in their ascent from the lower to upper worlds.

1 The first of the race
Was saying, "Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies.
3 "We shall seek bodies for our children.
"Ho, younger brother! you shall attend to it."
They reached one upper world and stood.
6 There they were not human beings.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must seek bodies for our children."
9 They reached the second upper world and stood.
There they were not human beings.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
12 "We must seek bodies for our children."
They reached the third upper world and stood.
There they were not human beings.
15 "Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must seek bodies for our children."
They reached the fourth upper world and stood.
18 There they became human beings.
Still, the children were without (human) bodies.
"We must continue to seek bodies for our children."
21 They returned to the third upper world and stood.
The children were really without bodies.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
24 "We must continue to seek bodies for our children."
They returned to the second upper world and stood.
The children did not find bodies for themselves.
27 "Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must make an examination awhile longer."
They returned to the first upper world and stood.
30 They came to a red oak and were standing on it.
On a very fine day they came hither and stood.
Kaxe-wahü-san (the Black Bear), who was then moving,
33 Came directly to them and stood.
"Ho, elder brother!" (said the Black Bear.)
"You shall continue to burn my feet for me."
36 "Ho, Kaxe-wahü-san!" was he (the Tsiɔu) saying.
Kaxe-wahü-san went to the star Watse-ʇuʞa.
"Ho, grandfather!" he was saying.
39 "The children have no bodies."
Watse-ʇuʞa replied, "Can I give the children bodies?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
42 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then Kaxe-wahü-san went to the star Watse-minʞa.
44 "Ho, grandmother!" he said;
"The children have no bodies."
She replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
48 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the mysterious one of day.
"Ho, grandfather!" said he;
51 "The children have no bodies."
Said he, "Can I give the children bodies?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
54 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the mysterious one of night.
"Ho, grandfather!" said he;
57 "The children have no bodies, grandfather!"
The Moon replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
60 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Pleiades, saying,
"Ho, grandfathers!
63 "The children have no bodies."
One of these replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
66 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the constellation called Three Deer.
"Ho, grandfather," said he;
69 "The children have no bodies."
The latter replied, "Can I give the children bodies?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
72 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Morning Star, saying,
"Ho, grandfather!
75 "The children have no bodies."
The star replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
78 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Small Star, saying,
"Ho, grandfather!
81 "The children have no bodies."
The star replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
84 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
The female Red Bird, who had been moving, was sitting on her nest.
To her he came, saying,
87 "Ho, grandmother!
"The children have no bodies."
She replied, "I can cause your children to have (human) bodies from my own,
90 "My left wing shall be a left arm for the children.
"My right wing shall be a right arm for them.
"My head shall be a head for them.
93 "My mouth shall be a mouth for them.
"My forehead shall be a forehead for them.
"My neck shall be a neck for them.
96 "My throat shall be a throat for them.
"My chest shall be a chest for them.
98 "My bowels shall be bowels for them.
"My thighs shall be thighs for them.
"My knees shall be knees for them.
"The calves of my legs shall be calves of their legs.
102 "My heels shall be their heels.
"My toes shall be their toes.
"My claws shall be their toenails.
105 "You shall continue to exist without any cause of destruction for your race.
"Your children shall live as human beings.
"The speech (or breath) of children will I bestow on your children."