Creation Myths of Primitive America Part 14

The western people danced; Sedit, Boki, all danced. While they were dancing, they dropped beautiful sh.e.l.ls. These sh.e.l.ls fell from them as snow falls from the sky, and the whole floor was covered with sh.e.l.ls, just as mountains in winter are covered with snow.

"Now sit back and look on," said Kopus. The western people sat down.

"My sons-in-law and my daughters-in-law," called Kopus to the southern people, "make ready to dance."

The two Tede Wiu brothers from Ko Nomsono were to lead the southern people in the dance. Kopus called five times; the southern people did not move. Then the elder Tede Wiu made a step and stopped; when he raised his foot to take a second step, all began to dance. Both brothers carried a load of mempak on their arms, and each had a flint knife. As they danced they attached long strings of mempak to one side of the house higher than a man's head; they extended the strings to the other side and tied them there. They stretched mempak in this way from side to side as they danced, and from end to end, lengthwise and crosswise; then they danced under it. The beautiful strings were shining in every color just above their heads. The music, the mempak, and the dancing were so beautiful that all were delighted; all people were glad; they could hardly sit still and look on.

The brothers danced up to where Kopus was sitting, took strings of sh.e.l.l and mempak from their necks and heads, and put them down before him; next they put down their two beautiful knives. When they had done this they danced away to the other end of the sweat-house, and then danced up again to where Kopus was.

Norwan rose and began to dance without knowing it. She could not help dancing. Every one looked at her. She danced with the two brothers, danced away to the other side of the house with them. Only after a time did she see that she was dancing.

The two brothers sat down; she sat with them. Then the three stood up and went out.

They had just gone when Norbis came in. He was splendidly dressed, wore mempak, had a garland of fresh young leaves on his head, and on the top of it mempak. He sat down and asked some one near by,--

"Where is my wife?"

"Norwan has gone with the two Tede Wiu brothers."

"I don't believe that!" said Norbis.

He sprang up, went around, and asked others. All said, "She is with the Tede Wiu brothers."

At last Norbis went out, taking his people. They had gone into the house, but had not danced. They followed at his call. He went swiftly to the northwest to overtake the two brothers.

The dance was at an end. All started home. Daylight was near.

The two brothers did not go to Norwan Buli Hlut, which was farther north than Ko Nomsono. They kept the woman at their own house till morning. When they reached home each of the brothers said,--

"My people, be ready for a great hunt at daybreak."

When daylight came the elder brother said,--

"Come, my people, we will eat together. You must all eat with me this morning."

While eating they heard shouts on the west bank of Bohema Mem, and soon they saw two men running toward them,--men finely dressed, with plumes on their heads. The men crossed the river, and came to the house of the Tede Wius. They were the Wul Wuhl brothers.

"We are here to tell you," said they, "that Norbis is very angry. He has roused all his people, and they are coming. He has sent us to tell you that he is beyond the Bohema Mem waiting for you. Norbis asks you to send out that woman to him."

The brothers said nothing.

"If you give her, he will go home; if not, he will fight with you."

"We cannot give her," said the elder Tede Wiu. "We did not go to the dance for her; we did not take her away from it. She came with us of her own will. If we give her away, she may come back right away to us.

She can go where she likes, but we will not give her to any one."

The two messengers took this answer to Norbis.

"I believe this man will come against us," said each of the brothers.

They went into the house and brought out elkskin armor.[4]

[4] Untanned elkskin was formerly used as armor by the Indians.

"Come, my people," said the elder, "take these, put them on."

They brought out more and more armor of untanned elkskin, and the people began to make ready for battle. It was not long till they saw two other men coming. These did not cross the river. They stood on the western bank and shouted,--

"Be ready! Prepare for battle! Norbis asks you to come to the river and cross. We will fight you on this side."

When the brothers heard this, their people put on the elkskins and hastened. The brothers left Norwan in their house, and bound it outside with mempak. The whole house was covered with mempak; no one could get out, no one could go in, they thought.

This done, the brothers crossed the river with their men. They looked down toward the south, and saw Norbis with his people moving along on the western bank of Bohema Mem, and they extended as far as the eye could see.

"There are none there but Norbis and his people," said the Wul Wuhl brothers; "they are not all like him, but they are all his people."

The forces met, and both sides began to fight at once, and fought stubbornly. Norbis drove the Tede Wiu brothers to the edge of the water, but they rallied at the river bank and drove back his forces. A second time Norbis pushed them to the river; a second time they rallied and drove him back, drove back all his people. They fought all day, each side driving the other in turn. It was a hard and b.l.o.o.d.y battle; many were killed on both sides. Neither won, and both were very angry. When night came the Tede Wiu brothers said,--

"We will stop for to-day. If you wish to fight to-morrow, we will meet you here."

"I will meet you here," answered Norbis.

The Tede Wiu brothers went home. They found Norwan where they had left her, fastened in with mempak. That evening, when all were a.s.sembled and were talking, the elder brother said:

"My people, if they want to fight to-morrow we will fight with them."

He called a messenger then and said,--

"Go you and tell my brother Sehinom Chabatu to come and help me, and to come early in the morning. Go also to Waiti Nomken, a place on the upper Bohema Mem, to two women Kawas Loimis; let them know that we are fighting. On this side of their house lives Chir Chuma, a lame man; let him know. Opposite Pas Puisono lives Katsi Herit. Tell him to come early to-morrow. A short distance from Tsarau Heril lives Wik Herit.

Tell him to be here. These are all great men, and each will bring his people. There is a man who lives at Kilichepin Kenharas. Kilichepis is his name. Tell him to come with his people. There is a man who lives at Sudi Sawul. His name is Tuichi Kelis. Tell this man that I expect him early with his people. All these big men will help us greatly."

Norbis sent messengers to his friends. They went southeast, south and southwest. He sent southeast to Saias Saias Herit and south for Hus Herit. He sent for Karili Herit; for Tcutuhl Herit.

Next morning about daylight the friends of the Tede Wiu brothers came.

All came who had been called, each bringing his own people. Friends came to Norbis in the same way; none of those invited failed on either side.

When all Tede Wiu's friends had come, the elder brother confined Norwan as on the first day. He bound the house all around with mempak.

They started then, and crossed the river with many people. Chir Chuma had come. He was so lame that he could not walk, and had two men to carry him. These were the two Siriwit brothers (whirlwinds). (The whirlwinds were people at that time.)

The Siriwits carried Chir Chuma on two sticks. He sat on the sticks.

One brother held the sticks behind, and the other in front. They moved around with great speed, and travelled as easily on water as on land. When the two brothers had crossed the river, they saw two more lame men, one coming from the north, Chali Dokos: he was carried by Wainot Herit. The other was Sawi Herit; he was coming from the west, carried by Kichinot Herit.

After Tede Wiu's forces had crossed the river, the Wul Wuhl brothers came from Norbis, and said,--

"There are many people coming from the south with Norbis to-day. You will have a heavy battle."

Sehinom saw the southern people coming, and said to the elder Tede Wiu,--

"My brother, I will be with you all the time. I will guard you."