[Contents]FROST AND THUNDERCHARACTERSBlaiwasEagleWâhŭtusGowwáSwallowWusFoxLokBearYahyáhaäs(Always represented as a one-legged man)TsasgipsFrost That Breaks TreesGowwá and Wâhŭtus were married to the same woman; she was kin to Gowwá.One day the two men went hunting and left their wife at home. While they were gone Wus came along, and said to her: “Come to my house and be my wife. I have a big house and lots of nice blankets and beads. Why do you stay with these men? They are poor.”“I don’t want to go with you,” said the woman. “Gowwá and Wâhŭtus will come right away. If you stay here, they will kill you.”“I am not afraid of those men,” said Wus. “I am stronger than they are; I can kill them.” She couldn’t make him go away.When the men came, each had a deer on his back. “Cook some deer meat,” they said to the woman. “We are hungry.” They didn’t see Wus.She said: “A man is holding me; I can’t get up.”“You are fooling us; nobody is holding you. Hurry up and cook for us.”When the woman didn’t move Gowwá got mad and went toward her to jerk her up; then he saw Wus holding her down.The fire had gone out, and it was dark in the house. Gowwá punched the fire and said to Wâhŭtus: “There is somebody over there with a nice skin on. We’ll kill him and make a[146]blanket.” They caught Wus and pulled his skin off, then they threw him out.The next morning, when Gowwá’s mother went for water, she saw Wus and she felt sorry for him; she went to a swamp, and got cattails and wrapped them around him. Right away the cattails turned to nice fur. Wus was cured; he went home.That day, while the two men were off hunting, Lok came and stole their wife. She was afraid of him and had to go. There were five Lok brothers, living in a house under the rocks.When Gowwá and Wâhŭtus came home and found their wife gone, their old mother-in-law said: “Lok, a big, nice-looking man, came and carried her off.”The next morning Gowwá and Wâhŭtus started for Lok’s house. As they went along they practiced killing each other to see how they were going to kill Lok. Gowwá killed Wâhŭtus and went on a little way alone. Wâhŭtus came to life and overtook Gowwá. Then Wâhŭtus killed Gowwá and went on. Gowwá came to life and caught up with Wâhŭtus. So they kept on till they got to Lok’s house.Gowwá climbed to the top of the house.Wâhŭtuswent in at a hole on one side.The five brothers were lying by the fire; one jumped up, tore Wâhŭtus into little pieces and threw the pieces out. Wâhŭtus grew together, came to life, and ran into the house. Five times Lok killed Wâhŭtus, tore him to pieces, and threw the pieces out; each time Wâhŭtus ran in again.Gowwá stood on the top of the house and waited. When they had killed Wâhŭtus five times, he crept down and began throwing flint at the brothers. He was a great doctor, and right away all five of the brothers were dead. Then Wâhŭtus and Gowwá took their wife and went home.The next day while they were off hunting Yahyáhaäs came and stole their wife, and carried her off to his house. WheneverYahyáhaässaw a nice woman, he took her; he stole everybody’s wife. Five great rocks were around his house, and he lived underground, in the middle. The name of the house was[147]Hwălis; nobody but Yahyáhaäs could get into it. There were many women there; he carried them in on his shoulders.Wâhŭtus and Gowwá didn’t know how to get their wife back. At last they sent to all the people in the world and asked them to come and help break the rocks around Yahyáhaäs’ house. Everybody came, and each man tried, but no one could break off even a small piece of a rock.Then Tsasgips (Frost) came. He was such a small man they had forgotten to ask him. He said: “I can break those rocks.”The people didn’t listen to him; they kept on trying to break them. Then somebody asked: “What does that little fellow say? He talks all the time!”“He says that he can break these rocks,” said Blaiwas.Then men began to talk about Tsasgips, and to say: “Maybe he had better try. Maybe he is akiúks1and can do something.”The people got him ready, sprinkled him with white paint, so he was all white spots in front. He made, with his mouth, a noise like blowing; the first rock crumbled to pieces. He made the same noise with his mouth and struck against the second rock; the rock fell into small pieces. He broke all five rocks in the same way. Then the people killed Yahyáhaäs with arrows, but his spirit went up in the air and became Thunder. They shot a great many times at the spirit as it flew up, for they saw it rising, but they couldn’t hit it; they missed it every time.[148]1A “medicine man.”↑
[Contents]FROST AND THUNDERCHARACTERSBlaiwasEagleWâhŭtusGowwáSwallowWusFoxLokBearYahyáhaäs(Always represented as a one-legged man)TsasgipsFrost That Breaks TreesGowwá and Wâhŭtus were married to the same woman; she was kin to Gowwá.One day the two men went hunting and left their wife at home. While they were gone Wus came along, and said to her: “Come to my house and be my wife. I have a big house and lots of nice blankets and beads. Why do you stay with these men? They are poor.”“I don’t want to go with you,” said the woman. “Gowwá and Wâhŭtus will come right away. If you stay here, they will kill you.”“I am not afraid of those men,” said Wus. “I am stronger than they are; I can kill them.” She couldn’t make him go away.When the men came, each had a deer on his back. “Cook some deer meat,” they said to the woman. “We are hungry.” They didn’t see Wus.She said: “A man is holding me; I can’t get up.”“You are fooling us; nobody is holding you. Hurry up and cook for us.”When the woman didn’t move Gowwá got mad and went toward her to jerk her up; then he saw Wus holding her down.The fire had gone out, and it was dark in the house. Gowwá punched the fire and said to Wâhŭtus: “There is somebody over there with a nice skin on. We’ll kill him and make a[146]blanket.” They caught Wus and pulled his skin off, then they threw him out.The next morning, when Gowwá’s mother went for water, she saw Wus and she felt sorry for him; she went to a swamp, and got cattails and wrapped them around him. Right away the cattails turned to nice fur. Wus was cured; he went home.That day, while the two men were off hunting, Lok came and stole their wife. She was afraid of him and had to go. There were five Lok brothers, living in a house under the rocks.When Gowwá and Wâhŭtus came home and found their wife gone, their old mother-in-law said: “Lok, a big, nice-looking man, came and carried her off.”The next morning Gowwá and Wâhŭtus started for Lok’s house. As they went along they practiced killing each other to see how they were going to kill Lok. Gowwá killed Wâhŭtus and went on a little way alone. Wâhŭtus came to life and overtook Gowwá. Then Wâhŭtus killed Gowwá and went on. Gowwá came to life and caught up with Wâhŭtus. So they kept on till they got to Lok’s house.Gowwá climbed to the top of the house.Wâhŭtuswent in at a hole on one side.The five brothers were lying by the fire; one jumped up, tore Wâhŭtus into little pieces and threw the pieces out. Wâhŭtus grew together, came to life, and ran into the house. Five times Lok killed Wâhŭtus, tore him to pieces, and threw the pieces out; each time Wâhŭtus ran in again.Gowwá stood on the top of the house and waited. When they had killed Wâhŭtus five times, he crept down and began throwing flint at the brothers. He was a great doctor, and right away all five of the brothers were dead. Then Wâhŭtus and Gowwá took their wife and went home.The next day while they were off hunting Yahyáhaäs came and stole their wife, and carried her off to his house. WheneverYahyáhaässaw a nice woman, he took her; he stole everybody’s wife. Five great rocks were around his house, and he lived underground, in the middle. The name of the house was[147]Hwălis; nobody but Yahyáhaäs could get into it. There were many women there; he carried them in on his shoulders.Wâhŭtus and Gowwá didn’t know how to get their wife back. At last they sent to all the people in the world and asked them to come and help break the rocks around Yahyáhaäs’ house. Everybody came, and each man tried, but no one could break off even a small piece of a rock.Then Tsasgips (Frost) came. He was such a small man they had forgotten to ask him. He said: “I can break those rocks.”The people didn’t listen to him; they kept on trying to break them. Then somebody asked: “What does that little fellow say? He talks all the time!”“He says that he can break these rocks,” said Blaiwas.Then men began to talk about Tsasgips, and to say: “Maybe he had better try. Maybe he is akiúks1and can do something.”The people got him ready, sprinkled him with white paint, so he was all white spots in front. He made, with his mouth, a noise like blowing; the first rock crumbled to pieces. He made the same noise with his mouth and struck against the second rock; the rock fell into small pieces. He broke all five rocks in the same way. Then the people killed Yahyáhaäs with arrows, but his spirit went up in the air and became Thunder. They shot a great many times at the spirit as it flew up, for they saw it rising, but they couldn’t hit it; they missed it every time.[148]1A “medicine man.”↑
FROST AND THUNDER
CHARACTERSBlaiwasEagleWâhŭtusGowwáSwallowWusFoxLokBearYahyáhaäs(Always represented as a one-legged man)TsasgipsFrost That Breaks TreesGowwá and Wâhŭtus were married to the same woman; she was kin to Gowwá.One day the two men went hunting and left their wife at home. While they were gone Wus came along, and said to her: “Come to my house and be my wife. I have a big house and lots of nice blankets and beads. Why do you stay with these men? They are poor.”“I don’t want to go with you,” said the woman. “Gowwá and Wâhŭtus will come right away. If you stay here, they will kill you.”“I am not afraid of those men,” said Wus. “I am stronger than they are; I can kill them.” She couldn’t make him go away.When the men came, each had a deer on his back. “Cook some deer meat,” they said to the woman. “We are hungry.” They didn’t see Wus.She said: “A man is holding me; I can’t get up.”“You are fooling us; nobody is holding you. Hurry up and cook for us.”When the woman didn’t move Gowwá got mad and went toward her to jerk her up; then he saw Wus holding her down.The fire had gone out, and it was dark in the house. Gowwá punched the fire and said to Wâhŭtus: “There is somebody over there with a nice skin on. We’ll kill him and make a[146]blanket.” They caught Wus and pulled his skin off, then they threw him out.The next morning, when Gowwá’s mother went for water, she saw Wus and she felt sorry for him; she went to a swamp, and got cattails and wrapped them around him. Right away the cattails turned to nice fur. Wus was cured; he went home.That day, while the two men were off hunting, Lok came and stole their wife. She was afraid of him and had to go. There were five Lok brothers, living in a house under the rocks.When Gowwá and Wâhŭtus came home and found their wife gone, their old mother-in-law said: “Lok, a big, nice-looking man, came and carried her off.”The next morning Gowwá and Wâhŭtus started for Lok’s house. As they went along they practiced killing each other to see how they were going to kill Lok. Gowwá killed Wâhŭtus and went on a little way alone. Wâhŭtus came to life and overtook Gowwá. Then Wâhŭtus killed Gowwá and went on. Gowwá came to life and caught up with Wâhŭtus. So they kept on till they got to Lok’s house.Gowwá climbed to the top of the house.Wâhŭtuswent in at a hole on one side.The five brothers were lying by the fire; one jumped up, tore Wâhŭtus into little pieces and threw the pieces out. Wâhŭtus grew together, came to life, and ran into the house. Five times Lok killed Wâhŭtus, tore him to pieces, and threw the pieces out; each time Wâhŭtus ran in again.Gowwá stood on the top of the house and waited. When they had killed Wâhŭtus five times, he crept down and began throwing flint at the brothers. He was a great doctor, and right away all five of the brothers were dead. Then Wâhŭtus and Gowwá took their wife and went home.The next day while they were off hunting Yahyáhaäs came and stole their wife, and carried her off to his house. WheneverYahyáhaässaw a nice woman, he took her; he stole everybody’s wife. Five great rocks were around his house, and he lived underground, in the middle. The name of the house was[147]Hwălis; nobody but Yahyáhaäs could get into it. There were many women there; he carried them in on his shoulders.Wâhŭtus and Gowwá didn’t know how to get their wife back. At last they sent to all the people in the world and asked them to come and help break the rocks around Yahyáhaäs’ house. Everybody came, and each man tried, but no one could break off even a small piece of a rock.Then Tsasgips (Frost) came. He was such a small man they had forgotten to ask him. He said: “I can break those rocks.”The people didn’t listen to him; they kept on trying to break them. Then somebody asked: “What does that little fellow say? He talks all the time!”“He says that he can break these rocks,” said Blaiwas.Then men began to talk about Tsasgips, and to say: “Maybe he had better try. Maybe he is akiúks1and can do something.”The people got him ready, sprinkled him with white paint, so he was all white spots in front. He made, with his mouth, a noise like blowing; the first rock crumbled to pieces. He made the same noise with his mouth and struck against the second rock; the rock fell into small pieces. He broke all five rocks in the same way. Then the people killed Yahyáhaäs with arrows, but his spirit went up in the air and became Thunder. They shot a great many times at the spirit as it flew up, for they saw it rising, but they couldn’t hit it; they missed it every time.[148]
CHARACTERSBlaiwasEagleWâhŭtusGowwáSwallowWusFoxLokBearYahyáhaäs(Always represented as a one-legged man)TsasgipsFrost That Breaks Trees
Gowwá and Wâhŭtus were married to the same woman; she was kin to Gowwá.
One day the two men went hunting and left their wife at home. While they were gone Wus came along, and said to her: “Come to my house and be my wife. I have a big house and lots of nice blankets and beads. Why do you stay with these men? They are poor.”
“I don’t want to go with you,” said the woman. “Gowwá and Wâhŭtus will come right away. If you stay here, they will kill you.”
“I am not afraid of those men,” said Wus. “I am stronger than they are; I can kill them.” She couldn’t make him go away.
When the men came, each had a deer on his back. “Cook some deer meat,” they said to the woman. “We are hungry.” They didn’t see Wus.
She said: “A man is holding me; I can’t get up.”
“You are fooling us; nobody is holding you. Hurry up and cook for us.”
When the woman didn’t move Gowwá got mad and went toward her to jerk her up; then he saw Wus holding her down.
The fire had gone out, and it was dark in the house. Gowwá punched the fire and said to Wâhŭtus: “There is somebody over there with a nice skin on. We’ll kill him and make a[146]blanket.” They caught Wus and pulled his skin off, then they threw him out.
The next morning, when Gowwá’s mother went for water, she saw Wus and she felt sorry for him; she went to a swamp, and got cattails and wrapped them around him. Right away the cattails turned to nice fur. Wus was cured; he went home.
That day, while the two men were off hunting, Lok came and stole their wife. She was afraid of him and had to go. There were five Lok brothers, living in a house under the rocks.
When Gowwá and Wâhŭtus came home and found their wife gone, their old mother-in-law said: “Lok, a big, nice-looking man, came and carried her off.”
The next morning Gowwá and Wâhŭtus started for Lok’s house. As they went along they practiced killing each other to see how they were going to kill Lok. Gowwá killed Wâhŭtus and went on a little way alone. Wâhŭtus came to life and overtook Gowwá. Then Wâhŭtus killed Gowwá and went on. Gowwá came to life and caught up with Wâhŭtus. So they kept on till they got to Lok’s house.
Gowwá climbed to the top of the house.Wâhŭtuswent in at a hole on one side.
The five brothers were lying by the fire; one jumped up, tore Wâhŭtus into little pieces and threw the pieces out. Wâhŭtus grew together, came to life, and ran into the house. Five times Lok killed Wâhŭtus, tore him to pieces, and threw the pieces out; each time Wâhŭtus ran in again.
Gowwá stood on the top of the house and waited. When they had killed Wâhŭtus five times, he crept down and began throwing flint at the brothers. He was a great doctor, and right away all five of the brothers were dead. Then Wâhŭtus and Gowwá took their wife and went home.
The next day while they were off hunting Yahyáhaäs came and stole their wife, and carried her off to his house. WheneverYahyáhaässaw a nice woman, he took her; he stole everybody’s wife. Five great rocks were around his house, and he lived underground, in the middle. The name of the house was[147]Hwălis; nobody but Yahyáhaäs could get into it. There were many women there; he carried them in on his shoulders.
Wâhŭtus and Gowwá didn’t know how to get their wife back. At last they sent to all the people in the world and asked them to come and help break the rocks around Yahyáhaäs’ house. Everybody came, and each man tried, but no one could break off even a small piece of a rock.
Then Tsasgips (Frost) came. He was such a small man they had forgotten to ask him. He said: “I can break those rocks.”
The people didn’t listen to him; they kept on trying to break them. Then somebody asked: “What does that little fellow say? He talks all the time!”
“He says that he can break these rocks,” said Blaiwas.
Then men began to talk about Tsasgips, and to say: “Maybe he had better try. Maybe he is akiúks1and can do something.”
The people got him ready, sprinkled him with white paint, so he was all white spots in front. He made, with his mouth, a noise like blowing; the first rock crumbled to pieces. He made the same noise with his mouth and struck against the second rock; the rock fell into small pieces. He broke all five rocks in the same way. Then the people killed Yahyáhaäs with arrows, but his spirit went up in the air and became Thunder. They shot a great many times at the spirit as it flew up, for they saw it rising, but they couldn’t hit it; they missed it every time.[148]
1A “medicine man.”↑
1A “medicine man.”↑
1A “medicine man.”↑
1A “medicine man.”↑