Myths and Legends of the Great Plains Part 8

All around the birds in flocks are flying.

Dipping, rising, circling, see them coming.

See, many birds are flocking here, All about us now together coming.

Yonder see the birds in flocks, come flying; Dipping, rising, circling, see them gather.

Loud is the sound their winging makes.

Rus.h.i.+ng, come they on the trees alighting.

From the flock an eagle now comes flying; Dipping, rising, circling, comes she hither.

Loud screams the eagle, flying swift, As an eagle flies, her nestlings seeking.

It is Kawas coming, Kawas flying; Dipping, rising, circling, she advances.

See! Nearer she comes, nearer comes.

Now, alighted, she her nest is making.

Yonder people like the birds are flocking; See them circling, this side, that side coming.

Loud is the sound their moving makes, As together come they, onward come they.

FOOTNOTE:

[H] Rendition by Alice C. Fletcher.

SONG OF KAWAS, THE EAGLE[I]

_p.a.w.nee_

O'er the prairie flits in ever widening circles the shadow of a bird about me as I walk; Upward turn my eyes, Kawas looks upon me, she turns with flapping wings and far away she flies.

Round about a tree in ever widening circles an eagle flies, alert watching o'er his nest; Loudly whistles he, a challenge sending far, o'er the country wide it echoes, there defying foes.

FOOTNOTE:

[I] Rendition by Alice C. Fletcher.

THE EAGLE'S REVENGE

_Cherokee_

Once a hunter in the mountains heard a noise at night like a rus.h.i.+ng wind. He went outside his tepee, and found an eagle was sitting on the drying pole, feasting at the deer he had shot. So he shot the eagle.

The next morning the hunter took the deer back to the village. He told how he had shot the deer and then the eagle. Therefore the chief sent out men to bring in the eagle, and have an Eagle dance.

That night when they were dancing, there was a _whoop_ outside. A strange warrior walked into the circle. He was not of that village.

They thought he had come from one of the other Cherokee villages.

This warrior told how he had killed a man. At the end of the story, he yelled, "_Hi!_" One of the men with rattles, who was leading the dance, fell dead. The stranger sang of another deed. At the end he yelled, "_Hi!_" Another rattler fell dead. The people were frightened.

But the stranger sang of another great deed. Then again he yelled, "_Hi!_" Again a man with the rattles fell dead. So all seven men who had rattles and who were leading the dance fell dead. And the people were too frightened to leave the lodge where they were dancing.

Then the stranger vanished into the darkness. Long after they learned that the stranger was the brother of the eagle that had been killed.

THE RACE BETWEEN HUMMING BIRD AND CRANE

_Cherokee_

Humming Bird and Crane were both in love with a pretty woman. She liked Humming Bird, who was handsome. Crane was ugly, but he would not give up the pretty woman. So at last to get rid of him, she told them they must have a race, and that she would marry the winner. Now Humming Bird flew like a flash of light; but Crane was heavy and slow.

The birds started from the woman's house to fly around the world to the beginning. Humming Bird flew off like an arrow. He flew all day and when he stopped to roost he was far ahead.

Crane flew heavily, but he flew all night long. He stopped at daylight at a creek to rest. Humming Bird waked up, and flew on again, and soon he reached a creek, and behold! there was Crane, spearing tadpoles with his long bill. Humming Bird flew on.

Soon Crane started on and flew all night as before. Humming Bird slept on his roost.

Next morning Humming Bird flew on and Crane was far, far ahead. The fourth day, Crane was spearing tadpoles for dinner when Humming Bird caught up with him. By the seventh day Crane was a whole night's travel ahead. At last he reached the beginning again. He stopped at the creek and preened his feathers, and then in the early morning went to the woman's house. Humming Bird was far, far behind.

But the woman declared she would not marry so ugly a man as Crane.

Therefore she remained single.

RABBIT AND THE TURKEYS

_Omaha_

Rabbit was going somewhere. At length he reached a place where there were wild Turkeys.

"Come," said Rabbit. "I will sing dancing songs for you."

Turkeys went to him saying, "Oho! Rabbit will sing dancing songs for us!"

"When I sing for you, you larger ones must go around the circle next to me. Beware lest you open your eyes. Should one of you open his eyes, your eyes shall be red," said Rabbit.

Then he began to sing,

Alas for the gazer!

Eyes red! Eyes red!

Spread out your tails!