Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/135

 Notes on the Foik-Lore of the Wyandots. 123

The Twins bom.

The Great Island was the Woman's home. It was not then so large as it afterwards was made. The Woman went all about the Great Island. Teh'-eh-toh-rahn'-tohs 1 was her lot and part. But in her wanderings she found a lodge, and, living in it, an Old Woman. She called the Old Woman Shooh-tah'-ah, — " Her Grandmother." In the Wyandot mythology, the point where the lodge of the Old Woman stood is called R5hn'-yIh-shooh-tah''-tehk-trah-zhooht, — "The place where the Woman who fell from Heaven met (or found) her Grandmother."

The Woman lived with her Grandmother. She is well now, her sickness having disappeared. But she is yehn-deh'-rih (i. e. with child), however, — and with the Tah-keh'-eh (i. e. with The Twins).

The time of the Woman who fell from Heaven was full. Of her were now born the Two Children, — The Brothers, — The Twins. Of these Children, one was Good, — the other Bad, or Evil. Hooh- mah'-yooh-wah"-neh' directed how The Twins should be named. The Good One was named Tseh'-seh-howh'-hooh n s k, — i. e. made of Fire, or The Man who was made of Fire. The Evil One was named Tah'-weh-skah'-robh n g k , — i. e. made of Flint, or The Man who was made of Flint. 2

The Deer and the Rainbow ; or, How the Animals got into the Sky.

The animals were greatly distressed and much offended by the works of Tah'-weh-skah'-rooh n s k. They saw how fortunate was the Little Turtle, who spent most of her time " keeping the heavens." She always came, to attend the Great Council, in the Black Cloud, in which were the springs, ponds, streams, and lakes.

One day the Deer said to the Rainbow : —

" Carry me up to the sky. I must see the Little Turtle."

The Rainbow did not wish to comply with the request of the Deer at that time, but wished to consult the Thunder God about the mat- ter, and so replied : —

" Come to me in the winter, when I rest on the mountain by the lake. Then I will take you up to the house of the Little Turtle."

The Deer looked and waited all winter for the Rainbow, but the Rainbow did not come. When the Rainbow came in the summer, the Deer said : —

" I waited for you all winter on the mountain by the lake ; you did not come. Why did you deceive me ? "

1 This word signifies deep grief and sorrow ; and it carries, too, some idea of repentance.

2 These names carry no signification of good and evil as we understand those terms.

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