the soul of the indian-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



natural　boulders　or　flint　chips；　fitted　with　handles　of　raw…hide　or

wood；　except　the　pipes；　which　were　carved　from　a　species　of　stone

which　is　soft　when　first　quarried；　and　therefore　easily　worked　with

the　most　primitive　tools。　　Practically　all　the　flint　arrow…heads

that　we　see　in　museums　and　elsewhere　were　picked　up　or　ploughed　up；

while　some　have　been　dishonestly　sold　by　trafficking　Indians　and

others；　embedded　in　trees　and　bones。



We　had　neither　devil　nor　hell　in　our　religion　until　the　white

man　brought　them　to　us；　yet　Unk…to…mee；　the　Spider；　was　doubtless

akin　to　that　old　Serpent　who　tempted　mother　Eve。　　He　is　always

characterized　as　tricky；　treacherous；　and　at　the　same　time

affable　and　charming；　being　not　without　the　gifts　of　wit；　prophecy；

and　eloquence。　　He　is　an　adroit　magician；　able　to　assume　almost　any

form　at　will；　and　impervious　to　any　amount　of　ridicule　and　insult。　

Here　we　have；　it　appears；　the　elements　of　the　story　in　Genesis；　the

primal　Eden；　the　tempter　in　animal　form；　and　the　bringing　of　sorrow

and　death　upon　earth　through　the　elemental　sins　of　envy　and　jealousy。



The　warning　conveyed　in　the　story　of　Unk…to…mee　was　ever

used　with　success　by　Indian　parents；　and　especially　grandparents；

in　the　instruction　of　their　children。　

Ish…na…e…cha…ge；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　demigod　and　mysterious

teacher；　whose　function　it　was　to　initiate　the　first　man　into　his

tasks　and　pleasures　here　on　earth。



After　the　battle　with　the　animals；　there　followed　a　battle

with　the　elements；　which　in　some　measure　parallels　the　Old

Testament　story　of　the　flood。　　In　this　case；　the　purpose　seems　to

have　been　to　destroy　the　wicked　animal　people；　who　were　too　many

and　too　strong　for　the　lone　man。



The　legend　tells　us　that　when　fall　came；　the　First…Born

advised　his　younger　brother　to　make　for　himself　a　warm　tent

of　buffalo　skins；　and　to　store　up　much　food。　　No　sooner　had　he　done

this　than　it　began　to　snow；　and　the　snow　fell　steadily　during　many

moons。　　The　Little　Boy　Man　made　for　himself　snow…shoes；　and　was

thus　enabled　to　hunt　easily；　while　the　animals　fled　from　him　with

difficulty。　　Finally　wolves；　foxes；　and　ravens　came　to　his　door　to

beg　for　food；　and　he　helped　them；　but　many　of　the　fiercer　wild

animals　died　of　cold　and　starvation。



One　day；　when　the　hungry　ones　appeared；　the　snow　was　higher

than　the　tops　of　the　teepee　poles；　but　the　Little　Boy　Man's　fire

kept　a　hole　open　and　clear。　　Down　this　hole　they　peered；

and　lo！　the　man　had　rubbed　ashes　on　his　face　by　the　advice　of　his

Elder　Brother；　and　they　both　lay　silent　and　motionless　on　either

side　of　the　fire。



Then　the　fox　barked　and　the　raven　cawed　his　signal　to　the

wandering　tribes；　and　they　all　rejoiced　and　said：　〃Now　they　are

both　dying　or　dead；　and　we　shall　have　no　more　trouble！〃　　But　the

sun　appeared；　and　a　warm　wind　melted　the　snow…banks；　so　that　the

land　was　full　of　water。　　The　young　man　and　his　Teacher　made　a

birch…bark　canoe；　which　floated　upon　the　surface　of　the　flood；

while　of　the　animals　there　were　saved　only　a　few；　who　had

found　a　foothold　upon　the　highest　peaks。



The　youth　had　now　passed　triumphantly　through　the　various

ordeals　of　his　manhood。　　One　day　his　Elder　Brother　spoke　to　him　and

said：　〃You　have　now　conquered　the　animal　people；　and　withstood　the

force　of　the　elements。　　You　have　subdued　the　earth　to　your　will；

and　still　you　are　alone！　　It　is　time　to　go　forth　and　find　a　woman

whom　you　can　love；　and　by　whose　help　you　may　reproduce　your　kind。〃



〃But　how　am　I　to　do　this？〃　replied　the　first　man；　who　was　only

an　inexperienced　boy。　　〃I　am　here　alone；　as　you　say；　and　I

know　not　where　to　find　a　woman　or　a　mate！〃



〃Go　forth　and　seek　her；〃　replied　the　Great　Teacher；　and

forthwith　the　youth　set　out　on　his　wanderings　in　search　of　a　wife。　

He　had　no　idea　how　to　make　love；　so　that　the　first　courtship　was

done　by　the　pretty　and　coquettish　maidens　of　the　Bird；　Beaver；　and

Bear　tribes。　　There　are　some　touching　and　whimsical　love　stories

which　the　rich　imagination　of　the　Indian　has　woven　into　this　old

legend。



It　is　said；　for　example；　that　at　his　first　camp　he　had　built

for　himself　a　lodge　of　green　boughs　in　the　midst　of　the　forest；　and

that　there　his　reverie　was　interrupted　by　a　voice　from　the

wildernessa　voice　that　was　irresistibly　and　profoundly　sweet。　　In

some　mysterious　way；　the　soul　of　the　young　man　was　touched　as　it　had

never　been　before；　for　this　call　of　exquisite　tenderness　and

allurement　was　the　voice　of　the　eternal　woman！



Presently　a　charming　little　girl　stood　timidly　at　the　door　of

his　pine…bough　wigwam。　　She　was　modestly　dressed　in　gray；　with　a

touch　of　jet　about　her　pretty　face；　and　she　carried　a　basket　of

wild　cherries　which　she　shyly　offered　to　the　young　man。　　So　the

rover　was　subdued；　and　love　turned　loose　upon　the　world　to　upbuild

and　to　destroy！　　When　at　last　she　left　him；　he　peeped

through　the　door　after　her；　but　saw　only　a　robin；　with　head　turned

archly　to　one　side；　fluttering　away　among　the　trees。



His　next　camp　was　beside　a　clear；　running　stream；　where　a

plump　and　industrious　maid　was　busily　at　work　chopping　wood。　　He

fell　promptly　in　love　with　her　also；　and　for　some　time　they　lived

together　in　her　cosy　house　by　the　waterside。　　After　their　boy　was

born；　the　wanderer　wished　very　much　to　go　back　to　his　Elder　Brother

and　to　show　him　his　wife　and　child。　　But　the　beaver…woman　refused

to　go；　so　at　last　he　went　alone　for　a　short　visit。　　When　he

returned；　there　was　only　a　trickle　of　water　beside　the

broken　dam；　the　beautiful　home　was　left　desolate；　and　wife　and

child　were　gone　forever！



The　deserted　husband　sat　alone　upon　the　bank；　sleepless　and

faint　with　grief；　until　he　was　consoled　by　a　comely　young　woman　in

glossy　black；　who　took　compassion　upon　his　distress　and　soothed　him

with　food　and　loving　attentions。　　This　was　the　bear…woman；　from

whom　again　he　was　afterward　separated　by　some　mishap。　　The　story

goes　that　he　had　children　by　each　of　his　many　wives；　some　of　whom

resembled　their　father；　and　these　became　the　ancestors　of　the　human

race；　while　those　who　bore　the　characteristics　of　their

mother　returned　to　her　clan。　　It　is　also　said　that　such　as　were

abnormal　or　monstrous　in　form　were　forbidden　to　reproduce　their

kind；　and　all　love　and　mating　between　man　and　the　animal　creation

was　from　that　time　forth　strictly　prohibited。　　There　are　some

curious　traditions　of　young　men　and　maidens　who　transgressed　this

law　unknowingly；　being　seduced　and　deceived　by　a　magnificent　buck

deer；　perhaps；　or　a　graceful　doe；　and　whose　fall　was　punished　with

death。



The　animal　totems　so　general　among　the　tribes　were　said　to

have　descended　to　them　from　their　great…grandmother's　clan；

and　the　legend　was　often　quoted　in　support　of　our　close　friendship

with　the　animal　people。　　I　have　sometimes　wondered　why　the

scientific　doctrine　of　man's　descent　has　not　in　the　same　way

apparently　increased　the　white　man's　respect　for　these　our　humbler

kin。



Of　the　many　later　heroes　or　Hiawathas　who　appear　in　this

voluminous　unwritten　book　of　ours；　each　introduced　an　epoch　in　the

long　story　of　man　and　his　environment。　　There　is；　for　example；　the

Avenger　of　the　Innocent；　who　sprang　from　a　clot　of　blood；　the

ragged　little　boy　who　won　fame　and　a　wife　by　shooting　the

Red　Eagle　of　fateful　omen；　and　the　Star　Boy；　who　was　the　off…spring

of　a　mortal　maiden　and　a　Star。



It　was　this　last　who　fought　for　man　against　his　strongest

enemies；　such　as　Wazeeyah；　the　Cold　or　North…Wind。　　There　was　a

desperate　battle　between　these　two；　in　which　first　one　had　the

advantage　and　then　the　other；　until　both　were　exhausted　and

declared　a　truce。　　While　he　rested；　Star　Boy　continued　to　fan

himself　with　his　great　fan　of　eagle　feathers；　and　the　snow　melted

so　fast　that　North…Wind　was　forced　to　arrange　a　treaty　of　peace；　by

which　he　was　only　to　control　one　half　the　year。　　So　it　was

that　the　orderly　march　of　the　seasons　was　established；　and　every

year　Star　Boy　with　his　fan　of　eagle　feathers　sets　in　motion　the

warm　winds　that　usher　in　the　spring。











VI



ON　THE　BORDER…LAND　OF

SPIRITS



Death　and　Funeral　Customs。　　The　Sacred　Lock　of　Hair。　　Reincarnation

and　the　Converse　of　Spirits。　　Occult　and　Psychic　Powers。　　The　Gift

of　Prophecy。



The　attitude　of　the　Indian　toward　death；　the　test　and　background　of

life；　is　entirely　consistent　with　his　character　and　philosophy。　

Death　has　no　terrors　for　him；　he　meets　it　with　simplicity　and

perfect　calm；　seeking　only　an　honorable　end　as　his　last　gift　to　his

family　and　descendants。　　Therefore　he　courts　death　in　battle；　on

the　other　hand；　he　would　regard　it　as　disgraceful　to　be

killed　in　a　private　quarrel。　　If　one　be　dying　at　home；　it　is

customary　to　carry　his　bed　out　of　doors　as　the　end　approaches；　that

his　spirit　may　pass　under　the　open　sky。



Next　to　this；　the　matter　that　concerns　him　most　is　the　parting

with　his　dear　ones；　especially　if　he　have　any　little　children　who

must　be　left　behind　to　suffer　want。　　His　family　affections　are

strong；　and　he　grieves　intensely　for　the　lost；　even　though　he　has

unbounded　faith　in　a　spiritual　companionship。



The　outward　signs　of　mourning　for　the　dead　are　far　more

spontaneous　and　convincing　than　is　the　correct　and

well…ordered　black　of　civilization。　　Both　men　and　women　among　us

loosen　their　hair　and　cut　it　according　to　the　degree　of

relationship　or　of　devotion。　　Consistent　with　the　idea　of

sacrificing　all　personal　beauty　and　adornment；　they　trim　off

likewise　from　the　dress　its　fringes　and　ornaments；　perhaps　cut　it

short；　or　cut　the　robe　or　blanket　in　two。　　The　men　blacken　their

faces；　and　widows　or　bereaved　parents　sometimes　gash　their　arms　and

legs　till　they　are　covered　with　blood。　　Giving　themselves　up　wholly

to　their　grief；　they　are　no　longer　concerned　about　any　earthly

possession；　and　often　give　away　all　that　they　have　to　the

first