[Contents]THE STONE PEOPLECHARACTERSHeûwûsThe stone that pounders are made ofNkokBird (English name unknown)WûspahláklsHairless Fox (Lakl is hair)Lŭ′luphlainikName of a hill (Lulup is eye)A great many of the Heûwûs people lived near Tula Lake. They were smooth, round people. They had no faces, but they could talk to one another. Every morning and evening a young woman passed their place on her way to the lake to catch fish. They knew when she was coming, for she sang as she traveled. They could hear her far off. Her song said: “I am a great hunter of fish and of seeds.”The young men of the Heûwûs people listened for the girl’s song and were glad when they heard it; they thought she was nice-looking, and they wanted to marry her. Some said: “We can’t talk to her;” others said: “Maybe she isn’t good; she might break us up.” “Why should we be afraid?” asked others. “If she broke us to pieces, we wouldn’t die; we shall never die.” The chief said: “Let that girl alone. I like her; every morning her song wakes me up.” One man said: “I don’t want her to pass so often; the next time she goes by here I will say something to her.”That evening when the girl passed, nobody spoke to her; some of the men wanted to, but others wouldn’t let them.Early the next morning the Heûwûs people heard the girl’s song and said to one another: “She is coming!” “She doesn’t hurt us,” said one young man. “Don’t bother her.” “Why does she come here so often?” asked another. “Maybe she belongs to this place.” One big Heûwûs said: “I am stronger than any of you. I will have this good-looking girl for a wife.” “Maybe she will break you to pieces,” said one[315]of the young men. “I am not afraid; she can’t kill me. If she hurts my body, I will hurt her in some way.”The girl listened to the Heûwûs people: when she was a long way off, she could hear them talking.Some of the young men sent their spirits to the lake to turn to fish and jump up in the water and paddle around where the girl was.“Why do you come here?” asked the girl. “You can’t fool me. You may turn to anything you like, but I will know you. I have heard you talking about me; I don’t like you. You needn’t be jealous because I go around here. This is my place. Maybe I shall live here as long as you do.”The young men were ashamed; their spirits went back to their bodies, became Heûwûs again.That evening, when the girl went home, there was a nice-looking bow lying on the path she always traveled. She said: “I wonder what man is trying to fool me now?”When she got near the creek, she met a number of the Nkok people. They asked: “Did you see a bow?”“It is back there on the trail,” said the girl. “What are you doing around here? Why do you bother me? What kind do you think I am? I belong to this earth. I was made when this earth was made. The place around here is mine. I know when anybody is trying to fool me. What could I use you for? Don’t you see that I travel as wind and air travel? I have no use for you. You will no longer be living persons; you will be hunters of fish in lakes and creeks.” Right away the men turned to birds and flew off over the water.The next morning, when the Heûwûs people heard the girl’s song, the chief said to the young men who had sent their spirits to be fish and bother her: “You have made trouble for us all. You shouldn’t have meddled with that girl. She is powerful; she will be mad now and will do us harm.”When the girl came along the trail, she saw Wûspahlákls sitting in front of her. He looked sleepy.She said: “Who are you? No living person looks as ugly as you do. Go away!”[316]Wûspahlákls lay down on the trail; he didn’t listen to her. She went around him on the north side.When she came to the Heûwûs’ place, she sat down and looked at them. She said: “Why, you nice little Heûwûs, you are as smooth as you can be.”She picked up one and struck the ground with him; he didn’t break. She said: “Oh it is not easy to break you, is it?”The Heûwûs screamed: “Oh! Oh! you hurt me! You think that I am not a living being, but I am.”“You are talking to me; I am glad,” said the girl. “That is what I want. You haven’t spoken to me before, but I have heard you talk about me. I don’t hate you. You belong here, and so do I. I thought we should be here always and be friends, but you don’t want it that way.” She put the Heûwûs down and went on. Soon she saw Wûspahlákls again; he sat on the trail in front of her. She called to him: “Get out of my way!” When he didn’t move, she took off a bone scratcher she wore around her neck, went up to him, scratched off all of his flesh, and pounded him to death. Then she went on.The next morning Wûspahlákls crossed the trail in front of her and went into the bushes. The girl stopped; she was scared. She went home, painted her body and her hair red, and started of in another direction; she traveled around everywhere and asked every one she met: “Who owns you?” She asked the rocks, the trees, the leaves. At last she asked a little hill: “Who are you?”“I am Lŭl′uphlainik,” said the hill.“Whose eye are you?” asked the girl.“I am this earth’s eye.”The girl camped by the hill, and said to it: “I want you to tell me about yourself.”The hill said: “All these things around here belong to the earth; they were made at the same time. This is not a good place for you. Over on the lake, where two little air boys live, is a nice place for you.”The girl was short and thin, and after she was painted she was red all over. She started for the lake. As she was passing[317]a mountain, a voice spoke out of it, and asked: “Where are you going?” Right away she was gone; she sank into the earth; only one eye looked out of the ground.“Where have you gone now?” asked the voice.“I am looking at you,” said the girl. “You are bad. I want you to be something else.”She came out of the ground, rubbed black paint on her hands, and on her face, from her chin to the top of her forehead. Then she asked: “Who are you who talk so much and make such a noise? I want you to go far off on the mountain, where you can’t bother people who are traveling around. Go where you won’t be seen often.”He couldn’t go unless he looked at her. She knew this, so she said: “Look at me; I want to be friends with you.”He had to look at her; he couldn’t help it.That moment he became as red as she was. She said: “I am a spirit and hereafter you will be a spirit. Sometimes we will help each other.” As soon as he looked at her, he went off to the mountain. Each spirit went its way and both will live always.[318]
[Contents]THE STONE PEOPLECHARACTERSHeûwûsThe stone that pounders are made ofNkokBird (English name unknown)WûspahláklsHairless Fox (Lakl is hair)Lŭ′luphlainikName of a hill (Lulup is eye)A great many of the Heûwûs people lived near Tula Lake. They were smooth, round people. They had no faces, but they could talk to one another. Every morning and evening a young woman passed their place on her way to the lake to catch fish. They knew when she was coming, for she sang as she traveled. They could hear her far off. Her song said: “I am a great hunter of fish and of seeds.”The young men of the Heûwûs people listened for the girl’s song and were glad when they heard it; they thought she was nice-looking, and they wanted to marry her. Some said: “We can’t talk to her;” others said: “Maybe she isn’t good; she might break us up.” “Why should we be afraid?” asked others. “If she broke us to pieces, we wouldn’t die; we shall never die.” The chief said: “Let that girl alone. I like her; every morning her song wakes me up.” One man said: “I don’t want her to pass so often; the next time she goes by here I will say something to her.”That evening when the girl passed, nobody spoke to her; some of the men wanted to, but others wouldn’t let them.Early the next morning the Heûwûs people heard the girl’s song and said to one another: “She is coming!” “She doesn’t hurt us,” said one young man. “Don’t bother her.” “Why does she come here so often?” asked another. “Maybe she belongs to this place.” One big Heûwûs said: “I am stronger than any of you. I will have this good-looking girl for a wife.” “Maybe she will break you to pieces,” said one[315]of the young men. “I am not afraid; she can’t kill me. If she hurts my body, I will hurt her in some way.”The girl listened to the Heûwûs people: when she was a long way off, she could hear them talking.Some of the young men sent their spirits to the lake to turn to fish and jump up in the water and paddle around where the girl was.“Why do you come here?” asked the girl. “You can’t fool me. You may turn to anything you like, but I will know you. I have heard you talking about me; I don’t like you. You needn’t be jealous because I go around here. This is my place. Maybe I shall live here as long as you do.”The young men were ashamed; their spirits went back to their bodies, became Heûwûs again.That evening, when the girl went home, there was a nice-looking bow lying on the path she always traveled. She said: “I wonder what man is trying to fool me now?”When she got near the creek, she met a number of the Nkok people. They asked: “Did you see a bow?”“It is back there on the trail,” said the girl. “What are you doing around here? Why do you bother me? What kind do you think I am? I belong to this earth. I was made when this earth was made. The place around here is mine. I know when anybody is trying to fool me. What could I use you for? Don’t you see that I travel as wind and air travel? I have no use for you. You will no longer be living persons; you will be hunters of fish in lakes and creeks.” Right away the men turned to birds and flew off over the water.The next morning, when the Heûwûs people heard the girl’s song, the chief said to the young men who had sent their spirits to be fish and bother her: “You have made trouble for us all. You shouldn’t have meddled with that girl. She is powerful; she will be mad now and will do us harm.”When the girl came along the trail, she saw Wûspahlákls sitting in front of her. He looked sleepy.She said: “Who are you? No living person looks as ugly as you do. Go away!”[316]Wûspahlákls lay down on the trail; he didn’t listen to her. She went around him on the north side.When she came to the Heûwûs’ place, she sat down and looked at them. She said: “Why, you nice little Heûwûs, you are as smooth as you can be.”She picked up one and struck the ground with him; he didn’t break. She said: “Oh it is not easy to break you, is it?”The Heûwûs screamed: “Oh! Oh! you hurt me! You think that I am not a living being, but I am.”“You are talking to me; I am glad,” said the girl. “That is what I want. You haven’t spoken to me before, but I have heard you talk about me. I don’t hate you. You belong here, and so do I. I thought we should be here always and be friends, but you don’t want it that way.” She put the Heûwûs down and went on. Soon she saw Wûspahlákls again; he sat on the trail in front of her. She called to him: “Get out of my way!” When he didn’t move, she took off a bone scratcher she wore around her neck, went up to him, scratched off all of his flesh, and pounded him to death. Then she went on.The next morning Wûspahlákls crossed the trail in front of her and went into the bushes. The girl stopped; she was scared. She went home, painted her body and her hair red, and started of in another direction; she traveled around everywhere and asked every one she met: “Who owns you?” She asked the rocks, the trees, the leaves. At last she asked a little hill: “Who are you?”“I am Lŭl′uphlainik,” said the hill.“Whose eye are you?” asked the girl.“I am this earth’s eye.”The girl camped by the hill, and said to it: “I want you to tell me about yourself.”The hill said: “All these things around here belong to the earth; they were made at the same time. This is not a good place for you. Over on the lake, where two little air boys live, is a nice place for you.”The girl was short and thin, and after she was painted she was red all over. She started for the lake. As she was passing[317]a mountain, a voice spoke out of it, and asked: “Where are you going?” Right away she was gone; she sank into the earth; only one eye looked out of the ground.“Where have you gone now?” asked the voice.“I am looking at you,” said the girl. “You are bad. I want you to be something else.”She came out of the ground, rubbed black paint on her hands, and on her face, from her chin to the top of her forehead. Then she asked: “Who are you who talk so much and make such a noise? I want you to go far off on the mountain, where you can’t bother people who are traveling around. Go where you won’t be seen often.”He couldn’t go unless he looked at her. She knew this, so she said: “Look at me; I want to be friends with you.”He had to look at her; he couldn’t help it.That moment he became as red as she was. She said: “I am a spirit and hereafter you will be a spirit. Sometimes we will help each other.” As soon as he looked at her, he went off to the mountain. Each spirit went its way and both will live always.[318]
THE STONE PEOPLE
CHARACTERSHeûwûsThe stone that pounders are made ofNkokBird (English name unknown)WûspahláklsHairless Fox (Lakl is hair)Lŭ′luphlainikName of a hill (Lulup is eye)A great many of the Heûwûs people lived near Tula Lake. They were smooth, round people. They had no faces, but they could talk to one another. Every morning and evening a young woman passed their place on her way to the lake to catch fish. They knew when she was coming, for she sang as she traveled. They could hear her far off. Her song said: “I am a great hunter of fish and of seeds.”The young men of the Heûwûs people listened for the girl’s song and were glad when they heard it; they thought she was nice-looking, and they wanted to marry her. Some said: “We can’t talk to her;” others said: “Maybe she isn’t good; she might break us up.” “Why should we be afraid?” asked others. “If she broke us to pieces, we wouldn’t die; we shall never die.” The chief said: “Let that girl alone. I like her; every morning her song wakes me up.” One man said: “I don’t want her to pass so often; the next time she goes by here I will say something to her.”That evening when the girl passed, nobody spoke to her; some of the men wanted to, but others wouldn’t let them.Early the next morning the Heûwûs people heard the girl’s song and said to one another: “She is coming!” “She doesn’t hurt us,” said one young man. “Don’t bother her.” “Why does she come here so often?” asked another. “Maybe she belongs to this place.” One big Heûwûs said: “I am stronger than any of you. I will have this good-looking girl for a wife.” “Maybe she will break you to pieces,” said one[315]of the young men. “I am not afraid; she can’t kill me. If she hurts my body, I will hurt her in some way.”The girl listened to the Heûwûs people: when she was a long way off, she could hear them talking.Some of the young men sent their spirits to the lake to turn to fish and jump up in the water and paddle around where the girl was.“Why do you come here?” asked the girl. “You can’t fool me. You may turn to anything you like, but I will know you. I have heard you talking about me; I don’t like you. You needn’t be jealous because I go around here. This is my place. Maybe I shall live here as long as you do.”The young men were ashamed; their spirits went back to their bodies, became Heûwûs again.That evening, when the girl went home, there was a nice-looking bow lying on the path she always traveled. She said: “I wonder what man is trying to fool me now?”When she got near the creek, she met a number of the Nkok people. They asked: “Did you see a bow?”“It is back there on the trail,” said the girl. “What are you doing around here? Why do you bother me? What kind do you think I am? I belong to this earth. I was made when this earth was made. The place around here is mine. I know when anybody is trying to fool me. What could I use you for? Don’t you see that I travel as wind and air travel? I have no use for you. You will no longer be living persons; you will be hunters of fish in lakes and creeks.” Right away the men turned to birds and flew off over the water.The next morning, when the Heûwûs people heard the girl’s song, the chief said to the young men who had sent their spirits to be fish and bother her: “You have made trouble for us all. You shouldn’t have meddled with that girl. She is powerful; she will be mad now and will do us harm.”When the girl came along the trail, she saw Wûspahlákls sitting in front of her. He looked sleepy.She said: “Who are you? No living person looks as ugly as you do. Go away!”[316]Wûspahlákls lay down on the trail; he didn’t listen to her. She went around him on the north side.When she came to the Heûwûs’ place, she sat down and looked at them. She said: “Why, you nice little Heûwûs, you are as smooth as you can be.”She picked up one and struck the ground with him; he didn’t break. She said: “Oh it is not easy to break you, is it?”The Heûwûs screamed: “Oh! Oh! you hurt me! You think that I am not a living being, but I am.”“You are talking to me; I am glad,” said the girl. “That is what I want. You haven’t spoken to me before, but I have heard you talk about me. I don’t hate you. You belong here, and so do I. I thought we should be here always and be friends, but you don’t want it that way.” She put the Heûwûs down and went on. Soon she saw Wûspahlákls again; he sat on the trail in front of her. She called to him: “Get out of my way!” When he didn’t move, she took off a bone scratcher she wore around her neck, went up to him, scratched off all of his flesh, and pounded him to death. Then she went on.The next morning Wûspahlákls crossed the trail in front of her and went into the bushes. The girl stopped; she was scared. She went home, painted her body and her hair red, and started of in another direction; she traveled around everywhere and asked every one she met: “Who owns you?” She asked the rocks, the trees, the leaves. At last she asked a little hill: “Who are you?”“I am Lŭl′uphlainik,” said the hill.“Whose eye are you?” asked the girl.“I am this earth’s eye.”The girl camped by the hill, and said to it: “I want you to tell me about yourself.”The hill said: “All these things around here belong to the earth; they were made at the same time. This is not a good place for you. Over on the lake, where two little air boys live, is a nice place for you.”The girl was short and thin, and after she was painted she was red all over. She started for the lake. As she was passing[317]a mountain, a voice spoke out of it, and asked: “Where are you going?” Right away she was gone; she sank into the earth; only one eye looked out of the ground.“Where have you gone now?” asked the voice.“I am looking at you,” said the girl. “You are bad. I want you to be something else.”She came out of the ground, rubbed black paint on her hands, and on her face, from her chin to the top of her forehead. Then she asked: “Who are you who talk so much and make such a noise? I want you to go far off on the mountain, where you can’t bother people who are traveling around. Go where you won’t be seen often.”He couldn’t go unless he looked at her. She knew this, so she said: “Look at me; I want to be friends with you.”He had to look at her; he couldn’t help it.That moment he became as red as she was. She said: “I am a spirit and hereafter you will be a spirit. Sometimes we will help each other.” As soon as he looked at her, he went off to the mountain. Each spirit went its way and both will live always.[318]
CHARACTERSHeûwûsThe stone that pounders are made ofNkokBird (English name unknown)WûspahláklsHairless Fox (Lakl is hair)Lŭ′luphlainikName of a hill (Lulup is eye)
A great many of the Heûwûs people lived near Tula Lake. They were smooth, round people. They had no faces, but they could talk to one another. Every morning and evening a young woman passed their place on her way to the lake to catch fish. They knew when she was coming, for she sang as she traveled. They could hear her far off. Her song said: “I am a great hunter of fish and of seeds.”
The young men of the Heûwûs people listened for the girl’s song and were glad when they heard it; they thought she was nice-looking, and they wanted to marry her. Some said: “We can’t talk to her;” others said: “Maybe she isn’t good; she might break us up.” “Why should we be afraid?” asked others. “If she broke us to pieces, we wouldn’t die; we shall never die.” The chief said: “Let that girl alone. I like her; every morning her song wakes me up.” One man said: “I don’t want her to pass so often; the next time she goes by here I will say something to her.”
That evening when the girl passed, nobody spoke to her; some of the men wanted to, but others wouldn’t let them.
Early the next morning the Heûwûs people heard the girl’s song and said to one another: “She is coming!” “She doesn’t hurt us,” said one young man. “Don’t bother her.” “Why does she come here so often?” asked another. “Maybe she belongs to this place.” One big Heûwûs said: “I am stronger than any of you. I will have this good-looking girl for a wife.” “Maybe she will break you to pieces,” said one[315]of the young men. “I am not afraid; she can’t kill me. If she hurts my body, I will hurt her in some way.”
The girl listened to the Heûwûs people: when she was a long way off, she could hear them talking.
Some of the young men sent their spirits to the lake to turn to fish and jump up in the water and paddle around where the girl was.
“Why do you come here?” asked the girl. “You can’t fool me. You may turn to anything you like, but I will know you. I have heard you talking about me; I don’t like you. You needn’t be jealous because I go around here. This is my place. Maybe I shall live here as long as you do.”
The young men were ashamed; their spirits went back to their bodies, became Heûwûs again.
That evening, when the girl went home, there was a nice-looking bow lying on the path she always traveled. She said: “I wonder what man is trying to fool me now?”
When she got near the creek, she met a number of the Nkok people. They asked: “Did you see a bow?”
“It is back there on the trail,” said the girl. “What are you doing around here? Why do you bother me? What kind do you think I am? I belong to this earth. I was made when this earth was made. The place around here is mine. I know when anybody is trying to fool me. What could I use you for? Don’t you see that I travel as wind and air travel? I have no use for you. You will no longer be living persons; you will be hunters of fish in lakes and creeks.” Right away the men turned to birds and flew off over the water.
The next morning, when the Heûwûs people heard the girl’s song, the chief said to the young men who had sent their spirits to be fish and bother her: “You have made trouble for us all. You shouldn’t have meddled with that girl. She is powerful; she will be mad now and will do us harm.”
When the girl came along the trail, she saw Wûspahlákls sitting in front of her. He looked sleepy.
She said: “Who are you? No living person looks as ugly as you do. Go away!”[316]
Wûspahlákls lay down on the trail; he didn’t listen to her. She went around him on the north side.
When she came to the Heûwûs’ place, she sat down and looked at them. She said: “Why, you nice little Heûwûs, you are as smooth as you can be.”
She picked up one and struck the ground with him; he didn’t break. She said: “Oh it is not easy to break you, is it?”
The Heûwûs screamed: “Oh! Oh! you hurt me! You think that I am not a living being, but I am.”
“You are talking to me; I am glad,” said the girl. “That is what I want. You haven’t spoken to me before, but I have heard you talk about me. I don’t hate you. You belong here, and so do I. I thought we should be here always and be friends, but you don’t want it that way.” She put the Heûwûs down and went on. Soon she saw Wûspahlákls again; he sat on the trail in front of her. She called to him: “Get out of my way!” When he didn’t move, she took off a bone scratcher she wore around her neck, went up to him, scratched off all of his flesh, and pounded him to death. Then she went on.
The next morning Wûspahlákls crossed the trail in front of her and went into the bushes. The girl stopped; she was scared. She went home, painted her body and her hair red, and started of in another direction; she traveled around everywhere and asked every one she met: “Who owns you?” She asked the rocks, the trees, the leaves. At last she asked a little hill: “Who are you?”
“I am Lŭl′uphlainik,” said the hill.
“Whose eye are you?” asked the girl.
“I am this earth’s eye.”
The girl camped by the hill, and said to it: “I want you to tell me about yourself.”
The hill said: “All these things around here belong to the earth; they were made at the same time. This is not a good place for you. Over on the lake, where two little air boys live, is a nice place for you.”
The girl was short and thin, and after she was painted she was red all over. She started for the lake. As she was passing[317]a mountain, a voice spoke out of it, and asked: “Where are you going?” Right away she was gone; she sank into the earth; only one eye looked out of the ground.
“Where have you gone now?” asked the voice.
“I am looking at you,” said the girl. “You are bad. I want you to be something else.”
She came out of the ground, rubbed black paint on her hands, and on her face, from her chin to the top of her forehead. Then she asked: “Who are you who talk so much and make such a noise? I want you to go far off on the mountain, where you can’t bother people who are traveling around. Go where you won’t be seen often.”
He couldn’t go unless he looked at her. She knew this, so she said: “Look at me; I want to be friends with you.”
He had to look at her; he couldn’t help it.
That moment he became as red as she was. She said: “I am a spirit and hereafter you will be a spirit. Sometimes we will help each other.” As soon as he looked at her, he went off to the mountain. Each spirit went its way and both will live always.[318]