A Few Words and phrases in Cherokee, Page 1
Pronounciation
Vowel Sounds
a: as in father or short as in rival
e: as in hate or short as in met
i: as in pig or short as in pit
o: as in note approaching aw in law
u: as (oo) in fool or short as in pull
v: as (u) in but, nasalized

Consonant Sounds
g: nearly as in English, approaching k
d: nearly as in English, approaching t
h, k, l, m, n, q, s, t, w, and y as in English

Note that do, du and dv are sounded as to, tu and tv in some words, in fact to, tu and tv could have had their own symbols according to some. Since they don't, the symbols used are still do, du and dv.

Other things to note
Sometimes vowels are unvoiced, when this is the case, I have used parenthesis around the appropriate syllable (a common transcription). Note that the consonant of that syllable is still pronounced, with the preceeding syllable.
EXAMPLE: mock is a-ye-(li)-di and pronounced a-yel-di
However, if I put two vowels in parenthesis, it represents alternate forms.
EXAMPLE: crow is ko-g(i)(a) which means that ko-gi or ko-ga are both correct.

Also,
A ? represents a glottal stop, like the sound between the syllables of Uh-Oh.
A : after a vowel means that this vowel is doubled, taking twice as long to say.
An ' after a syllable shows an accent on that syllable.
An ' after the consonant of a syllable shows that a vowel has been left out.
The syllables with "ts" can be pronounced with a "j" sound.

animal names adjectives verbs



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Animals (and some related words)
Ehna?i

alligator (also means iron pot) ... tsu-la-s-gi
animal ... ga-na-tla-i
ant ... do-sv-da-li
antelope ... a-wi-yu-sti
antlers ... a-wi-tsu-yo-ni
armadillo ... u-ya-s-ga-li


badger ... i-no-li
bait, fish ... a-su-di ga-(to)-di
bareback (literally without saddle) ... ni-ga-ya-hu-lv-na
bat ... tla-me'-ha
bay, horse ... u-wo-di-ge so-qui-li
beast (lit. 4 legged) ... nv-gi di-ga-nv-sa-di
beaver, beavers ... do'-ya
bear, bears ... yo-n(v)(a)
bed bug ... ga-lu-i-s-di
bee ... wa-du-li:-si
beef ... wa-ka ha-wi-ya
beef, fattened ... wa-ka ga-li-(tsa)-ta-nv
bird, birds ... tsi'-s'qua
blackbird ... tsi-s-qua-li-s-da
blackfox ... gv-ni-ge-tsu-li
blacksnake (climber) ... ga-le-gi
bluebird ... tsa-quo'-la-de
bluejay ... tla-i?-ga
boar ... si-qua tsu-ka-nv-s-de-na
bobcat, bobcats ... gv-he
buffalo, buffaloes ... ya'-n'-s-si' or yansa
bull ... tsu-ka-nv-s-de-na
bullfrog ... kan'-nu-na
butterfly ... ka-ma-ma
buzzard ... su-li:


camel ... ke-mi-li
cardinal ... to-tsu'-hwa
cat, cats ... we-s(a)(i)
catfish ... tsu-li-s-da-na:-li or tsu-n'-li-s-da-na'-li
centipede ... tsu-ga-no-tsi
chickadee ... tsi-ga-li:-li
chicken, chickens ... tsi-ta:-ga
chipmunk ... ki-yu:-ga
cobra ... kwa-n-da-i-o-ha
collar, horse ... u-na-ha-tlv-di
cow, cattle ... wa-ga
cowhide ... wa-ka ga-ne-ga
crawfish ... tsi:-s-dv-na
cricket ... ta-la-du
crow ... ko:-g(a)(i)


dead, animal ... u-li-wo-tsv-i
deer (singular and plural) ... v'-s-gi-yi OR a-wi
dog, dogs ... gi-tli
donkey (long-eared) ... di-ga-li-nv'-hi-dv
donkeys ... di-ni-ga-li-nv'-hi-dv
dove ... wo:-ya
dove (lit. cries for acorns) ... gu-le di-s-go-ni
dragonfly ... wa-da-du-ga
drake, male duck ... ka-wo-nu a-tsv-ya
duck ... ka-wo:-n(i)
ducklings ... ka-wo-nu a-ni-dv


eagle ... wo-ha'-li
earthworm ... u-tsi:-ya or u-ni-tsi:-ya
elephant ... ka-ma-ma (this is also the word for butterfly, it has to do with ears.)
elk ... a-wi e-qua
ewe ... a-gi-si u-no-de-na


fawn ... ah-wi a-gi-na
fish ... a-tsa?-di
fly ... tvh?-ga
flying squirrel ... te-wa
fox, foxes ... tsu'-(t)la'
fox, red ... tsu-la u-wo-di-ge
fox sparrow ... wa:-kv:-ta
frog ... wa-lo-si
fur ... u-wu-ya-ta-nv


geese ... sa-sa-u-ni-go-di
giraffe ... ga-lv-n-di a-ls-da-gi-s-gi
goat ... u'-k(a)-so?-tsa-ne-dv
goats ... u-na-k(s)-so-tsa-ne-dv
goose ... sa:-sa
grasshopper ... to-la-tsga
green snake ... se-la-gwo-ya
groundhog ... o'-ga-na'
ground squirrel ... gi-yu-ga
grubs ... s-go-yi OR tsv'-s-go'-yi
guinea, fowl ... gu-que-tsu-(na)-s-di
guinea pig ... oh-we-li


hawk ... to-wo'-d(i)
heifer ... wa-ka a-gi-na
hoot owl ... u-gu-ku
hornet ... ka-n(a)-ts(i)-s-de-tsi
horse, horses ... so'-qui-li
horsefly ... da-ma-ga
hounddog ... gi-hli di-ga?-le-nv-hi-da
howl ... ge-lu-hv-s-di
hummingbird ... wa-le-li


jack rabbit ... tse-gi tsi-s-du

kangaroo ... di-lta-de-gi tsi-s-de-tsi yu-s-di
katydid ... si-gi-gi

leopard ... tlv-da-tsi u-nv-tsa-di
lion ... tla-da-tsi or hlv-da-ji
livestock ... ga-na-hla?-i
lizard ... ti-yo'-ha-li'
locust ... lo-lo
louse, lice ... ti:-na


meadowlark (also means star) ... no:-k(i)'-si'
mink ... e:-tli
mole ... to-ni:-qua
monkey ... a-da-le-s-gi-yi'-s-gi or a-n'-da-le-s-gi-yi'-s-gi
mosquito ... do-sa
moth ... wa-so-hla
mourning dove ... gu-le di-s-go-hni-hi
mouse ... tsi-s-de-tsi
mud dauber ... di-guhl-di-s-gi


otter ... tsi-ya)
owl ... wa-hu-hi
oyster ... da-gv-na

panther, panthers (also means large wildcat) ... tlv-da-tsi'
perch ... a-go:-li OR a-ni-go:-li
pig, pigs ... si'-qua
polar bear ... yo-na u-ne-ga
porcupine ... di-li tsu-tsa-o-s-di
o'possum (lit. smiling pig) ... si-quu:-tse-ts' OR u-tse-tsdi


quail ... guhgwe


rabbit, rabbits ... tsi'-s(a)-du
raccoon, raccoons ... kv-tli
rat ... tsi-s-de-tsi
rattlesnake ... u-tso'-n(a)-ti' or u-n'-tso'-n'-ti'
redbird ... to-tsu-hwa
robin ... tsi-s-gwo-gwo rooster ... a-tsv'-ya
roosters ... a-ni-tsv'-ya


sapsucker ... kv-gwo:-ha
scorpion ... tsi-s-dv-na a-da-tsv-i-s-gi
sheep (woolly) ... u-no-de:-n(a)
sheep (plural) ... u-ni-no-de:-n(a)
skunk, skunks ... di?-li
snake ... i'-na-dv
snapping turtle ... sa-li-gu-gi
spider ... ka-na-ne'-s-gi
spiders ... a-ni-ka-na-ne'-s-gi
squirrel ... sa-lo-li


tadpole OR toad ... teh?ga
terrapin ... da-ksi
tick ... gu-ga-(i)
tiger ... hlv-da-tsi
turkey ... gv-na


wasp ... ka-n(a)-ts(i)-s-de-tsi
water mocassin ... u'-ga-n'-te:-na or (plural) u-ni-ga-n'-te:-na
weasel (lit. yellow rat) ... d-lo'-ni-ge tsi-s-de-tsi
whippoorwill ... tsgwa-le-gwa-la
winter wren ... tsi-s-tsi-s OR tsi-tsi
wolf, wolves ... wa-hya OR wa-ya
woodrat ... ka-niw-ksa u-ta-na
worms ... s-go-yi OR tsv-s-go'-yi
wren ... tse-ni'


yellowjacket ... tsa-s-ga-ya
yellow mockingbird ... hu-hu

zebra ... so-gwi-li tsu-lv-da-nv-ni





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Adjectives and some Adverbs

above ... ga-lv-la-di-dla
absolute ... u-to-hi-yu-hi-ya
abundant ... gv-wa-lo-sv-s-di
accurate ... ka-li- di-do-(la)-gi
active ... gv-hna-ga-l-s-di
alive ... gv-hna or gv-hno-da
afloat ... u-hyo-lu-ha
afraid ... a-s-ga-ha
alert ... gv-ni-ga-(li)-s-di
all ... ni-ga-dv
alone ... u-wa-sa
amazed ... a-s-gwa-ni-ga-sa
angry ... u-hna-lv-ha
another ... so?-i
anxious ... u-we-li-hi?-a
approximately ... d-lv

bad ... u-yo?-i
backwards ... a-si-ni
bashful ... u-de-ho-sa-ti
beautiful ... u-wo-du-hi
behind ... o-hni-di-dla
big ... e-qua
bold ... ni-ga-na-ye-s-gv-na
broken ... u-yo-tsv-hi

clean ... `u-da-`nv-ga-`lv-da
crazy, insane ... u-lv-no-ti-s-gi

deep ... a-s-dv-ka
dirty ... ga-da-`ha-i

eager ... a-ga-tli-yi

fast ... ga-ya-`nu-la
fat ... ga-li-tso-hi-da
free ... a-se-quu-i


gentle ... u-da-(nv)-ti

happy ... a-li-he-li-s-di
hardest or loudest ... wa-s-ta-yv (also tautest)
healthy or well ... to-hi or do-hi(also serene or peaceful)
heavy ... ga-ge-da
helpful ... a-(li)-s-de-li-s-gi

immediately ... gi-la-quu i-yv-da
important ... u-li-s-ge-da
in ... ha-wi-(na)di-tlv
insane ... nu-da-nv-dv-na
indigenous ... e-hi-ya?i

little ... `u-sti
little, tiny, small(as in a baby) ... u-s-di
lonely or lonesome ... u-hi-so-di
lost, person is ... u-le-na-hi-dv
loud ... a-s-da-ya
lovely ... u-ge-yu-di
low ... e-la-di
lower ... e-la-di-ge
lowest ... e-la-di-ge-s-to-di
loyal ... u-wo-hi-yu-hi

mad, as in mad dog ... u-hna-lv-hi
mad, I am ... a-gi-hna-lv
many ... u-go-di-di
marked ... go-we-la-nv-hi
mighty ... wu-li-ni-gv-gv
mild ... wa-ni-ga-la
miscellaneous ... tsu-da-le-nv-da
miserable ... u-tso-se-di
mistaken ... ga-li-da-s-ta-nv
moist ... ga-du-li-da
muddy ... tla-wo-du-hi
mysterious ... u-s-qua-ni-(go)-di-yu

naked ... u-ye-lv-ha
named ... da-go-v-gi
nasty ... u-ne-(li)-di
national ... gv-na-de-na
near ... na-v-i
nearer ... na-(v)-ni-ge-i
nearest ... na-(v)-ni-ge-s-to-di
nearly ... na-(v)-ni-ge-s-di
neat, clean ... u-da-nv-ga-lv-da
new ... a-tse
next ... so-i
nice ... o-s-da
noiseless ... nu-no-yv-gv-na
none ... ka-ni-gi-dv notorious ... tsu-da-no-tsa-li
not ... na-s-gi-ni-ge-sv-na
numb ... u-wa-sv-hi
numerous ... u-go-di-di
nutty ... so-hi-i-yu-s-di

obedient ... u-wo-hi-yu-hi
obscene ... u-so-nv-i
obsolete ... a-di-nv-da
obvious ... a-gv-ni
occasional ... i-yu-da-li-ha-i
odd ... tsu-da-le-hna-i
of ... v-hna-i
often ... i-yu-da-li-ha
oily ... go-i-ha
okay ... ho-wa
old, person ... a-gv-yv-li
old, object ... u-we-ti
on top ... ga-du
opposite ... a-na-di-tlv
ordinary ... tsu-tsa-ta-quu
original ... a-le-(nv)-di-s-gv
over, to throw over ... ga-wo-hi-(lv)-to-di
over, more than ... ga-wo-hi-tsa-hi
overdue ... u-lo-sv-nv-hi
overhead ... ga-lv-la-di-tlv

painful ... e-hi-s-di
pale ... u-s-go-lv
peculiar ... a-se-gi
plaid ... u-na-lo-i-da
poison ... a-da-hi-hi
popular ... u-ni-lv-quo-di
positive ... u-do-hi-yu
precious ... ga-lv-quo-di
proud ... u-tlv-quo-di
restless ... a-tso-se-s-di
round ... ga-sa-qua-lv

safe ... ni-ga-na-ye-gv-na
slow u-ska-`no-la
smokey ... tsu-ga-sv-s-di
stink ... ga-(wa)-sv-gv
strong ... uh-li-ni-gi-da
sweet ... u-ga-na-s-da

true ... u-to-hi-`yu

with ... u-tlo-ya-s-di

younger ... a-yo-li-ge
youngest ... a-yo-li-ge-s-to-di



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Adverbs

down ... e-la-di
honestly ... du-yu-(yo)-dv


animal names adjectives verbs back to the Top

Verbs

Simple Verbs...

accomplish, succeed ... a-s-qua-di-s-di
ate ... `a-`ga

bite ... u-yu-si-di

come ... nv-la

dance ... a-(li)-s-gi-s-di
dream ... a-s-gi-tsga

eat ... hi-`gi


fear ... una-ye-hi-s-di
forgive ... u-ne-la-gi a-da-de-li-se-di

get ... hi-gi
give ... a-da-ne-di
go ... ha-ni-gi

have ... u-ha
help ... a-li-s-de-lv-di
hunt ... ga-no-ha-li-do-ha

is ... ge-sv-i

joke ... ga-we-(tlv)-di
join ... a-de-la-di-s-di
judge ... di-gu-(ga)-di-s-gi
jump ... di-(li)-ta-di-nv-di

keep ... a-s-qua-ni-go-to-di
kindle ... go-i-so-di
kiss ... a-da-ta-we-to-di
kneel ... di-(li)-ni-qua-nv-di
know ... o-(nv)-dv

laugh ... u-ye-tsa-s-gv
lead ... ga-ni
learn ... a-de-(lo)-qua-s-di
learning ... a-na-de-lo-quo-s-gv
leave out ... ka-no-hi-ya-s-di
legislate ... di-ka-no-wa-dv-s-di di-go-tlv-di
let ... a-(li)-s-go-(lv)-ta-nv
lick ... a-ga-na-di-s-di
like (to like) ... ga-lv-(quo)-do-di
listen, you ... hha-dv-da-s-da lit (to light) ... a-tsv-s-da-di
locate ... a-wa-ta-(nv)-hi
lose ... a-da-yo-hu-se-di
love (to love) ... a-da-ge-yu-di

promise ... a-du-ya-s-to-di

run ... at-li

sit ... a-(li)-s-dv-tlu-gv
stand ... a-le-di
standing ... ga-do-da
stop ... ha-le-`wi-sta

teaching ... da-de-yo-hv-s-gv
try ... ha-`nel-`ta

walk ... e-la-di e-da-s-di OR a?i
walks around ... e-do-ha

Not as simple...
what are they doing? ... ga-do-a-na-du-ne
I believe ... a-quo-`hi-yu
I believed ... a-quo-hi-`yu-nv
I will believe ... da-`go-hi-yu-`ni
I'm going ... `ge-`ga
I was going ... `ge-gv-`i
I will be going ... `ge-ges-`ti

I hear ... ga-`tv-gi
I heard ... ak-dv-`ga-nv
I will hear ... ga-`ga-dv-`ga-ni
I hit it ... `gv-`ni-`ga
I will hit it ... dv-`gv-ni-`la
I see ... `tsi-go-`ti
I saw ... a-gi-go-`hv
I will see him or her ... da-`tsi-go-`i

I am speaking ... Tsi-wo-ni-hu.
I'm talking ... tsi-`wo-ni
I talked ... gi-`wo-ni-`sv
I will talk ... da-tsi-`wo-ni-`si
I'm thankful ... ga li `e li `ga
I was thankful ... a qua li `he li tsv
I'll be thankful ... ga li `e li `ges `ti

I think ... ge-`li
I thought ... ge-`lis gv
I will think ... ge-`lis-ges-`ti
I'm tired ... da gi yo `we ga
I was tired ... da gi yo `we gv
I'll be tired ... da gi yo `we ges `ti

I want ... a-qua-du-`li
I wanted ... a-qua-du-`lis-ge-sti
I will want ... a-qua-du-`lis-ge-sti
I wanted(two or more items) ... `da-qua-du-`li
I will want(two or more items) ... da-qua-`lis-`ge-sti

I'm working ... da-gi-`lv-wi-sta-`ne
I was working ... da-gi-`lv-wi-sta-ne-`hv
I will be working ... da-gi-`lv-wi-sta-ne-`he sti
I don't understand ... `tla-i-`go-li-`ga
I didn't understand ... tla-ya-quol-`tsi-i
I won't understand ... tla-i-ge-go-`li-`ga

I'm hungry ... a-gi-`yo-si
I'm going to eat ... da-ga-li-sta-yvn
I will eat later ... go hi u da ga li sta yv ni
I am eating ... ga li sta yv hv sga
I have eaten ... a qual sta yv nu
I was hungry ... a gi `yo sis gv i
I'll be hungry ... a gi `yo sis `ges ti

You eat ... ha-li-s-ta-yv hv-s-ga
He/she will eat ... da-li-s-ta-yv-ni
They are eating ... a-nv-li-s-ta yv-hv-s-ga
Do you want to eat? ... tsadulis tsaldati
What am I eating ... ga-do-u-s-ti-tsi-gi
Pass me (food item) ... de-skv-si (this is used for solid foods)
Pass me(drink, gravy) ... e-s-gi-ne-hv-si
Are you hungry? ... ja-yo-si-ha-s?

I'm going home ... dv ge `si-di `quenv `sv i
I will go home ... a `qua ni gi ses `ti
Today I'm going ... ko `hi i ga-ge `ga
I went yesterday ... sv `hi-wa qua do `lv
I will go tomorrow ... su na `le-da ge `si
I'm going to town ... di`ga du `hv-ge `ga
I've been to town ... di`ga du hv-wi ge `da
I will go to town ... di`ga du`hv-a qua `nv ses `ti
I'm going to work ... da gi `lv wi sta `le `ga
I went to work ... da ge `lv wi sta ne `le `sv
I will be working ... da gi `lv wi sta ne `he `sti
I'm going to eat ... da-ga-`lis-`ta-yv-`ni
I'm riding with him ... tsi`tsa-ne
I rode with him ... tsi`tsa-ne-lv
I will ride with him ... da-tsi`tsa-ne-`li

We are going(two people) ... o-`ste-`ga
We have been(two people) ... wo-`ste-`da
We will go(2 people) ... o `ste ge `sti
We didn't understand ... tla-yo gi nol 'tse i
We will be working ... do gi ni`lv wi sta ne 'hes `ti
We are going to move(two people) ... da `yo sta da nv `si
We are going(3 or more people) ... o`tse `ga
You stay home (1 person) ... tso `le `sti
Go with me(one person) ... kstaqua du `ga

He/she ate ... ul-`sta-yv-`nv
He/she believes ... u-`wo-hi`yu
He/she is eating ... al-`sta-yv-`hv-sga
He/she hit it ... gvn`ga
He/she is hunting ... ga-no-ha-li-do-ha
He/she is laughing ... u-yets-`ga
He/she was laughing ... u-yets-`ga-`i
He/she sees ... a-go-`ti
He/she will see ... u-go-`hv
He/she is singing ... de-ka-no-`gi
He/she sang ... du-no-`gi-sv
He/she will sing ... do-da-ka-no-`gi-si
He/she is talking ... ga-`wo-ni
He/she thinks ... e-`li
He/she thought ... e-`li-sgv
He/she will think ... e-`li-s-ge-s-`ti
He/she is working ... du-`lvw-sta-ne-`i

That is mine ... is `na-a-qua-`tse-`li
This is my house ... hi `ya-gal tso `de aqua `tse `li
This is my car ... hi `ya-a tso do `di-a qua `tse `li
This is my wife ... hi `ya-ak sta `yv hv `sga
This is my son/daughter ... hi `ya-a que `tsi
This is ours ... a gi na `tse `li
This is our house ... hi `ya-gal tso`de-o gi na `tse `li
This is our car ... hi `ya-a tso do `di o gi na `tse `li
This is our child ... hi `ya-ogi `ne tsi
Is this yours? ... hi `yas-tsa `tse `li
Is this where you live? ... hi `yas-di `ste nv `sv


animal names adjectives verbs back to the Top

Vowel Sounds
a: as in father or short as in rival
e: as in hate or short as in met
i: as in pig or short as in pit
o: as in note approaching aw in law
u: as (oo) in fool or short as in pull
v: as (u) in but, nasalized

Consonant Sounds
g: nearly as in English, approaching k
d: nearly as in English, approaching t
h, k, l, m, n, q, s, t, w, and y as in English

Note that do, du and dv are sounded as to, tu and tv in some words, in fact to, tu and tv could have had their own symbols according to some. Since they don't, the symbols used are still do, du and dv.

Other things to note
Sometimes vowels are unvoiced, when this is the case, I have used parenthesis around the appropriate syllable (a common transcription). Note that the consonant of that syllable is still pronounced, with the preceeding syllable.
EXAMPLE: mock is a-ye-(li)-di and pronounced a-yel-di
However, if I put two vowels in parenthesis, it represents alternate forms.
EXAMPLE: crow is ko-g(i)(a) which means that ko-gi or ko-ga are both correct.

Also,
A ? represents a glottal stop, like the sound between the syllables of Uh-Oh.
A : after a vowel means that this vowel is doubled, taking twice as long to say.
An ' after a syllable shows an accent on that syllable.
An ' after the consonant of a syllable shows that a vowel has been left out.
The syllables with "ts" can be pronounced with a "j" sound.



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Nouns

act ... i-ya-dv-ne-di
air ... u-no-le

beads ... a-de-la-di-ya-tso-di
string of beads ... a-de-la-di-ya-tlo di
beauty ... u-wo-du
bed ... ga-`ni-tlv-`di-`sti
bedroom ... a-`sv-sti-ka-nv-`su-lv
blame ... a-da-du-hi-s-to-di
bridge ... a-sv-`tlv-i

car ... `a-`tso-du-`di
circle ... a-de-yo-ha
city ... ga-du-`hv-i
country ... s-ga-`du-gi

dawn ... u-gi-tsi-s-gv
death, animal ... u-li-wo-s-di
death, person ... a-yo-hu-hi-s-di
dirt ... ga-da
disgrace ... u-de-ho-hi-s-di
door ... a-s-`du-di
doorway ... ga-lo-`hi `sti
dream ... a-s-gi-(ti)-s-di
dresser ... di-se-`hi-sti
drum ... a-hu-li
dust ... ko-s-du

ear (my ear) ... tsi-le-ni
his ear ... ga-le-ni
earring ... a-tli-i-do
earth ... e-lo-hi-no

faith ... go-hi-yu-di
fame ... di-ga-no-tsa-li
family ... du-da-ti-h-na?v?i
feather ... u-gi-da-li
fever ... u-di-le-hv-s-gi
field ... tso-ge-si
fire ... a-tsi-la
floor ... ya-te-no-ha
flower ... hu-tsi-lv-ha or a-ji-lv-s-gi
forest ... a-do-hi
fork ... yv-`gi
freedom ... a-du-da-le-s-di
friend, his/hers ... u-na-li
friend, my ... o-gi-na-li
friends ... tsu-na-li

gain ... u-ne-quo-i-s-di
garden ... a-wi-sv-nv
grass ... ga-`nu-lv
grease ... go-i

happiness ... a-li-he-li-tsi-da-s-di
haven ... ni-ga-na-ve-gv-na na-hna-i (lit. safe place)
hay ... ka-ne-s-ga
health ... a-ye-lv nu-dv-na-de-gv
heart ... a-da-nv-to
highway, big road ... u-`ta-`na-nv-`no-hi
hill ... ga-du-si
home ... o-we-`nv-`sv
honesty ... du-yu-(yo)-dv
hoop ... ga-sa-qua-lv
hope ... u-tu-gi
horn ... u-yo-na
hothouse ... o-si
hotel ... tsu-ni-sv-s-di
hours .. i-tsu-tli-lo-dv
house ... gal-`tso-de
my house ... a-que-nv-sv
Honeysuckle ... gv-na-gi-tlv-ge-i
hunter ... ga-no-ha-li-do-hi

ice cream ... a-(ga)-da-tlv-da-u-ne-s-da-la
Indian ... a-yv-wi-ya
individual ... a-si-yv-wi-ha
infant ... a-yo-li
instant ... u-li-s-di
iron pot ... tsu-la-s-gi
Island ... u-hna-lu-dv-i
it ... na -s-gi
itself ... ni-da-do-(la)-gv-na

jacket ... ga-sa-le-na
jail ... di-da-s-du-di
jar ... gu-gu tsu-la-s-ga
jaw ... a-yu-ge-ni
jelly ... u-lo-sv-i
joke ... ga-we-(tlv)-di
journal ... de-go-we-lv
journey ... vi-s-vi
joy ... u-li-he-li-s-di
jug ... ga-da-gu-gu
juice ... u-da-ne-nv-hi
justice ... du-yu-(gu)-dv

keeper ... u-(ga)-se-di
king ... u-gv-wi-yu-hi
kitchen ... a-da-`sta-ti
knife ... ha-yel-`sdi

lake, pond, bay ... v-da-li
lamp ... a-`tsv-s-ta
land ... ga-to-hi
lawn ... `o-ni
life ... v-le-ni-to-hv
loss ... a-yo-hv-se-lv

method ... i-gv-ne-di
mist ... ka-nu-yo-la-di?a
moon ... sv-no-yi e-hi nv-da or nv-da (also means sun)
mountain ... o-da-lv?i
music ... di-ka-nu-gi-dv
musical instrument ... di-ka-no-gi-s-di

napkin ... e-s-gi-nv-si
near by, place ... e-s-ga-ni

oneself ... o-wa-sa
other ... so-i
others ... a-ni-so-i

pain ... e-hi-s-dv
peace ... nv-wa-do-hi-ya-da
person ... si-yv-wi
phone ... di-li-no-`he-`di
place ... na-hna-i
plate ... `a-se-li-do
praise ... ga-lv-quo-do-di
pride ... a-tlv-quo-dv

rain ... a-ga-s-ga
rainbow ... u-nv-quo-la-da
river ... u-we-yv?i OR e-quo-ni
road ... nv-~no-`hi
rock ... nv-ya

shell ... u-ya-s-ga
shirt ... a-s-ga-yv u-nu-wo-hi
smoke signal ... tsu-na-lu-gi
snow ... v-(na)-tsi
song ... ka-no-gi-s-di
spirit ... a-da-nv-do
spoon ... a-di-`to-di
spring (of water) ... ga-nu-go-gv?i
star ... no-ki-si
stone ... nv-ya
storehouses ... u-na-wa-da-li
strawberry ... a-nv
stream ... u-we-yv-i
street ... ga-la-`nv-da
strength ... nu-li-ne-gv-gv
success ... a-s-gwa-di-s-di
sugar ... ga-li-se-tsi
sun ... nv-do-i-ga-e-hi or nv-da (also means moon)
sunset ... wu-de-li-gv
sunshine ... a-ga-li-ha

table or chair ... ga-`sgi-lo
tears (cry) ... tsu-ga-sa-wo-dv
thunder ... ah-yv-da-gwa-lo-sgi
tongue ... ga-(nv)-go
town ... ga-du-hv?-i
tracks ... di-la-si-nv
trees ... de-tlu-`gv
truth ... du-yu-(yo)-dv

valley ... u-ge-da-li-yv

water ... a-ma
weight ... nu-da-ge-sv
wind ... u-no-le
window ... tso-`la-`na
world ... e-`lo-`hi

yard ... `o-`ni
young animal, dog or cat ... a-da
young animal, horse or cow ... a-gi-na

Miscellaneous Items

I Love You ... gv-ge-yu-hi

People and Kin words...
I ... yv
he ... a-tsv-ya-i
me ... a-`ya

baby ... u-`sti
boy ... a `tsu tsa
boys ... ah-choo-jah-a-ni-tsu-tsa

child ... a-yo-li
child ... oo-s-dee-a -`yo-li
children ... di-ni-`yo-tli

egg, child of ... u-we-tsi
elder man ... u-dv-so-nv-hi
elder woman ... a-ga-yv-li-ge
everyone ... ni-ga-du-wu
everybody- na-ni-v-qu-u

family ... si-da-ne-lv
female ... a-ge-yv
friend, his/hers ... u-na-li
friend, my ... o-gi-na-li
friends ... tsu-na-li

girl ... a-ge -`hu-tsa
girls ... ah-gay-hu-ge-jah aneigehutsa

keeper ... u-(ga)-se-di
king ... u-gv-wi-yu-hi

Indian ... a-yv-wi-ya

Jehovah ... yi-ho-wa
Jerusalem ... tsi-lu-si-la-mi
Jesus ... tsi-sa

Lord ... ga-lu-hlo

man, men ... u-we-ji-a-ska-`ya
Medicine man ... di-da-nv-wi-s-gi

someone- gi-lo-a-si-yv-wi
somebody ... gi-lo-i

Warrior ... a-ya-wis-gi or di-tli-hi
Spirit warrior ... a-da-nv-do di-tli-hi
Witch ... a-tsa-s-gi-li
Wizard ... a-dv-ne-li-s-gi
woman ... `ge ya
women ... ah-gay-yah anigeya

young child ... a-yu-li
young lady ... a-ta
young man ... a-wi-na


Kin ... go-hu-sti-a-na-da-dv-ni
brother ... da-nv-tli
brothers ... a-na-da-nv-tli
my brother ... tso-s-da-nv-tli
his brother ... di-na-da-nv-tli
her brother ... u-do-i
brother-in-law ... a-na-lo-si
We are brothers ... tso-s-da-da-a-nv-tli

my sister (female) ... v-gi-lv
my sister (male) ... v-gi-do
her sister ... u-lv
his sister- u-do
They are sisters ... di-na-da-lv
We are sisters ... tso-sda-da-lv

daughter ... u-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa
daughters ... tsu-we-tsi a-ni-ge-hu-tsa
husband ... ah-sa-ga-ya a-ni-ne-la

Mother ... e-`tsi
my mother ... v-ge-tsi
our mother ... e-`tsi
Father ... e-`do-`da
my father ... eh-doh-da-hv-ge-do-da
your father ... tsa-du-da
our father ... o-gi-du-da

Grandmother ... e-li-si
Grandfather ... e-du-di
my grandmother ... v-gi-li-si
my grandfather ... v-gi-du-di
paternal grandmother ... e-ni-si

Aunt ... e-tlo-`gi
their aunt ... u-lo-`gi
Uncle ... e-du-`sti
Cousin ... go-hu-s-di-a-na-da-dv-ni

Basic Greetings, and useful phrases...
Hello ... O-si-yo
How are you? ... (t)do-`hi-tsu
I am fine ... (t)`o-si-gwu
Are you fine? ... to-hi-ju
Fine ... o-s-di
Good ... o-s-da
No good ... tla-o-s-da
Okay ... ho wa
Bad ... u-yo-i
Yes, I'm fine ... (t)do`hi-qu-u
And you? ... ni-na

Good morning ... o-s-da sunalei
Good evening ... o-s-da sv-hi-ye-yi
Good night ... o-s-da sv-no-i
Please ... ho-wa-tsu
Thank you, thanks ... wa-do
You're welcome ... gv-li-e-li-ga
Welcome ... tsi-lu -gi
Goodbye(speaking to one person) ... do-na-da-`go-v-i
Goodbye(speaking to a group) ... do-`da-ga-g`hv-i
Goodbye is literally 'until we see each other (meet) again' or 'let's see each other again'

Yes ... v (pronounced uh)
No ... tla
Not ... kla
I don't know ... thlah-tla-ya-gwa-n-ta

I'm sorry ... gaest-ost yuh-wa da-nv-ta (note, the first part or this is spelled as it is pronounced, I could not find the syllables)
Good peace ... to-hi-du (A state of body, mind, and Spirit)
What is your name? ... ga-do-de-tsa do
(Your name) is my name, My name is ... da-qua-dov (your name)
This is (name or object) ... hi- a (name)
(Name) is his/her name ... du-do (name)
Where is (name or object) ... ha-tlv...?
Good for you ... o-s-da-du
What is this? ... do-i-s-di-hi-na
What time is it? ... he-la-ya-a-hli-li
Which is it? ... do-u-sdi
Where do you live? ... ha-dlv-hi-he-la

Are you Cherokee? ... hi-tsa-la-gi-s
I don't understand ... tla-i-go-li-ga
I know some Cherokee ... ga-yo tsi wo-ni tsa-la-gi
I understand a little Cherokee ... u-s-ti go-li-ga wo-ni tsa-la-gi
I speak a little Cherokee ... u-s-ti tsi wo-ni tsa-la-gi

Days, Months and Time words...
Days of the Week ... joh-sgoh
Sunday ... Do-da-gwa-sgv
Monday ... Do-da-wo-hnv
Tuesday ... Ta-li-ne-i-ga
Wednesday ... No-i-ne-i-ga
Thursday ... Nv-gi-ne-i-ga
Friday ... Ju-na-gi-lo-sdi
Saturday ... Do-da-gwi-de-na

January ... Month of the Cold Moon ... du-no-lv-ta-ni
February ... Month of the Bony Moon ... ka-ga-li
March ... Month of the Windy Moon ... a-nu-yi
April ... Month of the Flower Moon ... ka-wa-ni
May ... Month of the Planting Moon ... a-na-a-gv-ti
June ... Month of the Green Corn Moon ... de-ha-lu-yi
July ... Month of the Ripe Corn Moon ... gu-ye-quo-ni
August ... Month of the End of the Fruit Moon ... ga-lo-ni-i
September ... Month of the Nut Moon ... du-li-i-s-di
October ... Month of the Harvest Moon ... du-ni-nv-di
November ... Month of the Trading Moon ... nu-da-de-qua
December ... Month of the Snow Moon ... v-s-gi-ga

after ... u-lo-so-nv
daytime ... i-`ga
evening ... sv-hi-ye-yi
ever ... i-yu-quo
forever ...i-go-hi-da-quu-ge-sv
morning ... su-na-le-i
night ... sv-no-i
noon ... `i-ga
now ... nv
today ... ko-hi-`i-`ga
tonight ... ko-`hi-u-`sv
tomorrow ... su-`n-le

Numbers ... di-se-s-di
one ... sa-`qu-u-i
two ... `ta-`li
three ... `tso-`i
four ... `nv-`gi
five ... `hi-s-`gi
six ... su-da-`li
seven ... ga-li-`quo-`gi
eight ... (t)su-`ne-la
nine ... `so-`ne-`la
ten ... s-go-`hi

eleven ... sa-du-i
twelve ... ta-(li)-di-i
thirteen ... tso-ga-du-i
fourteen ... ni-ga-du-i
fifteen ... s-gi-ga-du-i
sixteen ... da-la-du
seventeen- ... ga-(li)-qua-du
eighteen ... ne-la-du
nineteen ... so-ne-la-du

twenty ... ta-(li)-s-go-hi
twenty-one ... ta-(li)-s-go-sa-quu-i
leave off the last syllable of the word twenty and add numbers one to nine
thirty ... tso-s-go-hi
forty ... nv-(gi)-s-go-hi
fifty ... su-da-(li)-s-go-hi
sixty ... su-da-(li)-s-go-hi
seventy ... ga-(li)-qua-s-go-hi
eighty ... ne-(li)-s-go-hi
ninety ... so-ne-(li)-s-go-hi
one hundred ... s-go-hi-(tsu)-qui
for numbers thirty to ninety-nine leave off the last syllable (hi) and add numbers one through nine.

Colors...
black ... gv-na-ge-i
blue ... sa-go-ni-ge-i
brown ... u-wo-di-ge
green ... i-tse-i-yu-s-di
gray ... u-s-go-lv sa-go-ni-ge
gold ... da-lo-ni-ge-i
orange ... a-sa-lo-ni-ge
pink ... gi-ga-ge-i-yu-s-di
purple ... gi-ge-s-di
red ... gi-ga-ge
silver ... a-de-lv u-ne-gv
white ... u-ne-ga
yellow ... da-lo-ni-ge

The Creation Story
A Papago Legend
Long ago, they say, when the Earth was not yet finished, darkness lay upon the water and they rubbed each other. The sound they made was like the sound at the edge of a pond.

There, on the water, in the darkness, in the noise, and in a very strong wind, a child was born. One day he got up and found something stuck to him. It was algae. So he took some of the algae and from it made the termites. The termites gathered a lot of algae and First Born tried to decide how to make a seat so the wind could not blow it anywhere. This is the song he sang:

Earth Medicine Man finished the Earth.

Come near and see it and do something to it.

He made it round.

Come near and see it and do something to it.

In this way, First Born finished the Earth. Then he made all animal life and plant life.

There was neither sun nor moon then, and it was always dark. The living things didn't like the darkness, so they got together and told First Born to make something so that the Earth would have light. Then the people would be able to see each other and live contentedly with each other.

So First Born said, "All right. You name what will come up in the Sky to give you light."

They discussed it thoroughly and finally agreed that it would be named "sun".

Next First Born made the moon and stars, and the paths that they always follow. He said, "There will be plenty of prickly pears and the people will always be happy."

That's the way First Born prepared the Earth for us. Then he went away.

Then the Sky came down and met the Earth, and the first one to come forth was I'itoi, our Elder Brother.

The Sky met the Earth again, and Coyote came forth.

The Sky met the Earth again, and Buzzard came forth.

Elder Brother, Earth Magician, and Coyote began their work of creation, each creating things different from the other. Elder Brother created people out of clay and gave then the "crimson evening," which is regarded by the Tohono O'odham as one of the most beautiful sights in the region. The sunset light is reflected on the mountains with a peculiar radiance.

Elder Brother told the Tohono O'odham to remain where they were in that land which is the center of all things.

And there the desert people have always lived. They are living there this very day. And from his home among the towering cliffs and crags of Baboquivari, the lonely, cloud-veiled peak, their Elder Brother, I'itoi, spirit of goodness, who must dwell in the center of all things, watches over them.

Native American Legends
How Glooskap made the Elves and Fairies, and then Man of an Ash tree, and last of all, Beasts, and of his coming at the last day
A Passamaquoddy Legend
Glooskap came first of all into this country, into Nova Scotia, Maine, Canada, into the land of the Wabanaki, next to sunrise. There were no Indians here then (only wild Indians very far to the west).

First born were the Mikumwess, the Oonahgemessuk, the small Elves, little men, dwellers in rocks.

And in this way he made Man: He took his bow and arrows and shot at trees, the basket-trees, the Ash. Then Indians came out of the bark of the Ash-trees. And then the Mikumwess said ... called tree-man...

Glooskap made all the animals. He made them at first very large. Then he said to Moose, the great Moose who was as tall as Ketawkqu's, "What would you do should you see an Indian coming?" Moose replied, "I would tear down the trees on him." Then Glooskap saw that the Moose was too strong, and made him smaller, so that Indians could kill him.

Then he said to the Squirrel, who was of the size of a Wolf, What would you do if you should meet an Indian? And the Squirrel answered, "I would scratch down trees on him." Then Glooskap said, "You also are too strong," and he made him little.

Then he asked the great White Bear what he would do if he met an Indian; and the Bear said, "Eat him." And the Master bade him go and live among rocks and ice, where he would see no Indians.

So he questioned all the beasts, changing their size or allotting their lives according to their answers.

He took the Loon for his dog; but the Loon absented himself so much that he chose for this service two wolves, one black and one white. But the Loons are always his tale-bearers.

Many years ago a man very far to the North wished to cross a bay, a great distance, from one point to another. As he was stepping into his canoe he saw a man with two dogs, one black and one white, who asked to be set across. The Indian said, "You may go, but what will become of your dogs?" Then the stranger replied, "Let them go round by land." "Nay," replied the Indian, "that is much too far." But the stranger saying nothing, he put him across. And as they reached the landing place there stood the dogs. But when he turned his head to address the man, he was gone. So he said to himself, "I have seen Glooskap."

Yet again, but this was not so many years ago, far in the North there were at a certain place many Indians assembled. And there was a frightful commotion, caused by the ground heaving and rumbling; the rocks shook and fell, they were greatly alarmed, and lo! Glooskap stood before them, and said, "I go away now, but I shall return again; when you feel the ground tremble, then know it is I." So they will know when the last great war is to be, for then Glooskap will make the ground shake with an awful noise.

Glooskap was no friend of the Beavers; he slew many of them. Up on the Tobaic are two salt-water rocks (that is, rocks by the ocean-side, near a freshwater stream). The Great Beaver, standing there one day, was seen by Glooskap miles away, who had forbidden him that place. Then picking up a large rock where he stood by the shore, he threw it all that distance at the Beaver, who indeed dodged it; but when another came, the beast ran into a mountain, and has never come forth to this day. But the rocks which the master threw are yet to be seen.

This very interesting tradition was taken down by Mrs. W. Wallace Brown from a very old Passamaquoddy Indian woman named Molly Sepsis, who could not speak a word of English, with the aid of another younger woman named Sarah.

It will be observed that it is said in the beginning that Glooskap produced the first human beings from the ash-tree. Ash and Elm in the Edda were the Adam and Eve of the human race. There were no intelligent men on earth--

"Until there came three
mighty and benevolent
Aesir to the world
from their assembly
nearly powerless,
Ash and Embla (Ash and Elm),
void of destiny.

"Spirit they possessed not,
sense they had not,
blood nor motive powers,
nor goodly color.
Spirit gave Odin,
sense gave Hoenir,
blood gave Lodur
and good color. "

It is certain, however, that the ash was the typic tree of all life, since the next verse of the Völuspa is devoted to Yggdrasil, the tree of existence, or of the world itself. It may be observed that in the Finnish poem of Kalévala it is by the destruction of the great oak that Wäinämöien, aided by the hero of the sea, causes all things to grow. The early clearing away of trees, as a first step towards culture, may be symbolized in the shooting of arrows at the ash.

The wolf, as a beast for the deity to ride, is strongly Eddaic.

"Magic songs they sung,
rode on Wolves,
the god (Odin) and gods

We have here within a few lines, accordingly, the ash as the parent of mankind, and wolves as the beasts of transport for the supreme deity, both in the Indian legend and in the Edda.

As Glooskap is directly declared in one tradition to keep by him as an attendant a being who is the course of the sun and of the seasons, it may be assumed that the black and white wolf represent day and night.

Again, great stress is laid in the Glooskap legend upon the fact that the last great day of battle with Malsum. the Wolf, and the frost-giants, stone-giants, and other powers of evil, shall be announced by an earthquake.

"Trembles Yggdrasil's
Ash yet standing,
groans that aged tree ...
and the Wolf runs ...
The monster's kin goes
all with the Wolf...
Tile stony hills are dashed together,
The giantesses totter.
Then arises Hlin's second grief
When Odin goes
with the wolf to fight."

Word for word, ash-tree, giantesses, the supreme god fighting with a wolf, and falling hills, are given in the Indian myth. This is not the Christian Day of Judgment, but the Norse.

In this myth Glooskap has two wolves, one black and the other white. This is an indication of day and night, since he is distinctly stated to have as an attendant Kulpejotei, who typifies the course of the seasons. In the Eddas (Ragnarok) we are told that one wolf now follows the, sun, another the moon; one Fenris, the other Moongarm:--

"The moon's devourer
In a troll's disguise."

The magic arrows of Glooskap are of course worldwide, and date from the shafts of Abaris and those used among the ancient Jews for divination. But it may be observed that those of the Indian hero are like the "Guse arrows," described in Oervarodd's Saga, which always hit their mark and return to the one who shoots them.

It is important here to compare this old Algonquin account of the Creation with that of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, as given by David Cusick, himself an Indian:--

"There was a woman who was with child, with twins. She descended from the higher world, and was received on the turtle. While she was in the distress of travail, one of the infants in her womb was moved by an evil desire, and determined to pass out under the side of the parent's arm, and the other infant endeavored in vain to prevent his design. They entered the dark world by compulsion, and their mother expired in a few minutes. One of them possessed a gentle disposition, and was named Enigorio, the Good Mind. The other possessed an insolence of character, and was called Enigonhahetgea; that is, the Bad Mind. The Good Mind was not content to remain in a dark situation, and was desirous to create a great light in the dark world; but the Bad Mind was desirous that the world should remain in its original state. The Good Mind, determined to prosecute his design, began the work of creation. Of his mother's head he made the sun, of her body the moon. After he had made creeks and rivers, animals and fishes, he formed two images of the dust of the ground in his own likeness, male and female, and by his breathing into their nostrils he gave them living souls, and named them ea gwe howe, that is a real people; and he gave the Great Island all the animals--of game for the inheritance of the people... The Bad Mind, while his brother was making the universe, went through the island, and made numerous high mountains and falls of water and great steeps, and also created reptiles which would be injurious to mankind; but the Good Mind restored the island to its former condition. The Bad Mind made two images of clay in the form of mankind, but while he was giving them existence they became apes. The Good Mind discovered his brother's contrivances, and aided in giving them living souls.

"Finding that his brother continually thwarted him, the Good Mind admonished him to behave better. The Bad Mind then offered a challenge to his brother, on condition that the victor should rule the universe. The Good Mind was willing. He falsely mentioned that whipping with flags [bulrushes] would destroy his temporal life, and earnestly solicited his brother to observe the instrument of death, saying that by using deer-horns he would expire. [This is very obscure in Cusick's Indian-English.] On the day appointed the battle began; it lasted for two days; they tore up the trees and mountains; at last the Good Mind gained the victory by using the horns. The last words uttered by the Bad Mind were that he would have equal power over the souls of mankind after their death, and so sank down to eternal doom and became the Evil Spirit."

Contrasted with this hardly heathen cosmogony, which shows recent Bible influence throughout, the Algonquin narrative reads like a song from the Edda. That the latter is the original and the older there can be no doubt. Between the "Good Mind," making man "from the dust of the earth," and Glooskap, rousing him by magic arrows from the ash-tree, there is a great difference. It may be observed that the fight with horns is explained in another legend in this book, called the Chenoo, and that these horns are the magic horns of the Chepitch calm, or Great Serpent, who is somewhat like the dragon.

In the Algonquin story, two Loons are Glooskap's "tale-bearers," which occasion him great anxiety by their prolonged absences. This is distinctly stated in the Indian legend, as it is of Odin's birds in the Edda. Odin has, as news-bringers, two ravens.

"Hugin and Munin
Fly each day
over the spacious earth.
I fear for Hugin
that he comes not back,
yet more anxious am I
for Munin."

The Loons, indeed, occasioned Glooskap so much trouble by absences that he took wolves in their place. The ravens of the Edda are probably of biblical origin. But it is a most extraordinary coincidence that the Indians have a corresponding perversion of Scripture, for they say that Glooskap, when he was in the ark, that is as Noah, sent out a white dove, which returned to him colored black, and became a raven. This is not, however, related as part of the myth.

The Ancient History of the Six Nations, by David Cusick, gives us in one particular a strange coincidence with the Edda. It tells us that the Bad Mind, the principle of Evil, forced himself out into life, as Cusick expresses it in his broken Indian-English, "under the side of the parent's arm;" that is, through the armpit. In the Edda (Vafthrudnismal, 33) we are told of the first beings born on earth that they were twins, begotten by the two feet of a giant, and born out of his armpit.

"Under the armpit grew,
't is said of the Hrîmthurs,
a girl and boy together;
foot with foot begat,
of that wise Jötun,
a six-headed son."

There are in these six lines six coincidences with red Indian mythology:

(1.) The Evil principle as a Jötun's first-born in the one and the Bad Mind in the other are born of the mother's armpit.

(2.) In one of the tales of Lox, the Indian devil, also a giant, we are told that his feet are male and female.

(3.) In both faiths this is the first birth on earth.

(4.) The six-headed demon appears in a Micmac tale.

(5.) There is in both the Eddaic and the Wabanaki account a very remarkable coincidence in this: that there is a Titanic or giant birth of twins on earth, followed by the creation of man from the ash-tree.

(6.) The Evil principle, whether it be the Wolf-Lox in the Wabanaki myths, or Loki in the Norse, often turns himself into a woman. Thus the male and female sex of the first-born twins is identified.

According to the Edda, the order of births on earth was as follows:--

First, two giants were born from the mother's armpit.

Secondly, the dwarfs were created.

Thirdly, man was made from the ash-tree.

According to the Wabanaki, this was the order:--

First, two giants were born, one from his mother's armpit.

Secondly, the dwarfs (Mikumwessuk) were created from the bark of the ash-tree.

Thirdly, man was made from the trunk of the ash.

The account of the creation of the dwarfs is wanting in the present manuscript.

Native American Legends
The First World
A Navajo Legend
The First World, Ni'hodilqil, was black as black wool. It had four corners, and over these appeared four clouds. These four clouds contained within themselves the elements of the First World. They were in color, black, white, blue, and yellow.

The Black Cloud represented the Female Being or Substance. For as a child sleeps when being nursed, so life slept in the darkness of the Female Being. The White Cloud represented the Male Being or Substance. He was the Dawn, the Light-Which-Awakens, of the First World.

In the East, at the place where the Black Cloud and the White Cloud met, First Man, Atse'hastqin was formed; and with him was formed the white corn, perfect in shape, with kernels covering the whole ear. Dolionot i'ni is the name of this first seed corn, and it is also the name of the place where the Black Cloud and the White Cloud met.

The First World was small in size, a floating island in mist or water. On it there grew one tree, a pine tree, which was later brought to the present world for firewood.

Man was not, however, in his present form. The conception was of a male and a female being who were to become man and woman. The creatures of the First World are thought of as the Mist People; they had no definite form, but were to change to men, beasts, birds, and reptiles of this world.

Now on the western side of the First World, in a place that later was to become the Land of Sunset, there appeared the Blue Cloud, and opposite it there appeared the Yellow Cloud. Where they came together First Woman was formed, and with her the yellow corn. This ear of corn was also perfect. With First Woman there came the white shell and the turquoise and the yucca.

First Man stood on the eastern side of the First World. He represented the Dawn and was the Life Giver. First Woman stood opposite in the West. She represented Darkness and Death.

First Man burned a crystal for a fire. The crystal belonged to the male and was the symbol of the mind and of clear seeing. When First Man burned it, it was the mind's awakening.

First Woman burned her turquoise for a fire. They saw each other's lights in the distance. When the Black Cloud and the White Cloud rose higher in the sky, First Man set out to find the turquoise light. He went twice without success, and again a third time; then he broke a forked branch from his tree, and, looking through the fork, he marked the place where the light burned. And the fourth time he walked to it and found smoke coming from a home.

"Here is the home I could not find," First Man said.

First Woman answered: "Oh, it is you. I saw you walking around and I wondered why you did not come."

Again the same thing happened when the Blue Cloud and the Yellow Cloud rose higher in the sky. First Woman saw a light and she went out to find it. Three times she was unsuccessful, but the fourth time she saw the smoke and she found the home of First Man.

"I wondered what this thing could be," she said.

"I saw you walking and I wondered why you did not come to me," First Man answered.

First Woman saw that First Man had a crystal for a fire, and she saw that it was stronger than her turquoise fire. And as she was thinking, First Man spoke to her. "Why do you not come with your fire and we will live together." The woman agreed to this. So instead of the man going to the woman, as is the custom now, the woman went to the man.

About this time there came another person, the Great-Coyote-Who-Was- Formed-in-the-Water, and he was in the form of a male being. He told the two that he had been hatched from an egg. He knew all that was under the water and all that was in the skies.

First Man placed this person ahead of himself in all things. The three began to plan what was to come to pass; and while they were thus occupied another being came to them. He also had the form of a man, but he wore a hairy coat, lined with white fur, that fell to his knees and was belted in at the waist. His name was Atse'hashke', First Angry or Coyote.

He said to the three: "You believe that you were the first persons. You are mistaken. I was living when you were formed."

Then four beings came together. They were yellow in color and were called the tsts'na. or wasp people. They knew the secret of shooting evil and could harm others. They were very powerful.

This made eight people.

Four more beings came. They were small in size and wore red shirts and had little black eyes. They were the naazo'zi or spider ants. They knew how to sting, and were a great people.

After these came a whole crowd of beings. Dark colored they were, with thick lips and dark, protruding eyes. They were the wolazhi'ni, the black ants. They also knew the secret of shooting evil and were powerful; but they killed each other steadily.

By this time there were many people. Then came a multitude of little creatures. They were peaceful and harmless, but the odor from them was unpleasant. They were called the wolazhi'ni nlchu nigi, meaning that which emits an odor.

And after the wasps and the different ant people there came the beetles, dragonflies, bat people, the Spider Man and Woman, and the Salt Man and Woman, and others that rightfully had no definite form but were among those people who peopled the First World. And this world, being small in size, became crowded, and the people quarreled and fought among themselves, and in all ways made living very unhappy.

The Second World
A Navajo Legend
Because of the strife in the First World, First Man, First Woman, the Great- Coyote-Who-Was-Formed-in-the-Water, and the Coyote called First Angry, followed by all the others, climbed up from the World of Darkness and Dampness to the Second or Blue World.

They found a number of people already living there: blue birds, blue hawks, blue jays, blue herons, and all the blue-feathered beings. The powerful swallow people lived there also, and these people made the Second World unpleasant for those who had come from the First World. There was fighting and killing.

The First Four found an opening in the World of Blue Haze; and they climbed through this and led the people up into the Third or Yellow world.

Native American Legends
The Third World
A Navajo Legend
The bluebird was the first to reach the Third or Yellow World. After him came the First Four and all the others.

A great river crossed this land from north to south. It was the Female River. There was another river crossing it from east to West, it was the Male River. This Male River flowed through the Female River and on; and the name of this place is tqo alna'osdli, the Crossing of the waters. There were six mountains in the Third World.

In the East was Sis na' jin, the Standing Black Sash. Its ceremonial name is Yol gai'dzil, the Dawn or White Shell Mountain.

In the South stood Tso'dzil, the Great Mountain, also called Mountain Tongue. Its ceremonial name is Yodolt i'zhi dzil, the Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain.

In the West stood Dook'oslid, and the meaning of this name is forgotten. Its ceremonial name is Dichi'li dzil, the Abalone Shell Mountain.

In the North stood Debe'ntsa, Many Sheep Mountain. Its ceremonial name is Bash'zhini dzil, Obsidian Mountain.

Then there was Dzil na'odili, the Upper Mountain. It was very sacred; and its name means also the Center Place, and the people moved around it. Its ceremonial name is Ntl'is dzil, Precious Stone or Banded Rock Mountain.

There was still another mountain called Chol'i'i or Dzil na'odili choli, and it was also a sacred mountain.

There was no sun in this land, only the two rivers and the six mountains. And these rivers and mountains were not in their present form, but rather the substance of mountains and rivers as were First Man, First Woman, and the others.

Now beyond Sis na' jin, in the east, there lived the Turquoise Hermaphrodite, Ashton nutli. He was also known as the Turquoise Boy. And near this person grew the male reed. Beyond, still farther in the east, there lived a people called the Hadahuneya'nigi, the Mirage or Agate People. Still farther in the east there lived twelve beings called the Naaskiddi.

And beyond the home of these beings there lived four others--the Holy Man, the Holy Woman, the Holy Boy, and the Holy Girl.

In the West there lived the White Shell Hermaphrodite or Girl, and with her was the big female reed which grew at the water's edge. It had no tassel. Beyond her in the West there lived another stone people called the Hadahunes'tqin, the Ground Heat People. Still farther on there lived another twelve beings, but these were all females. And again, in the Far West, there lived four Holy Ones.

Within this land there lived the Kisa'ni, the ancients of the Pueblo People. On the six mountains there lived the Cave Dwellers or Great Swallow People. On the mountains lived also the light and dark squirrels, chipmunks, mice, rats, the turkey people, the deer and cat people, the spider people, and the lizards and snakes. The beaver people lived along the rivers, and the frogs and turtles and all the underwater people in the water.

So far all the people were similar. They had no definite form, but they had been given different names because of different characteristics.

Now the plan was to plant.

First Man called the people together. He brought forth the white corn which had been formed with him. First Woman brought the yellow corn. They laid the perfect ears side by side; then they asked one person from among the many to come and help them. The Turkey stepped forward. They asked him where he had come from, and he said that he had come from the Gray Mountain.

He danced back and forth four times, then he shook his feather coat and there dropped from his clothing four kernels of corn, one gray, one blue, one black, and one red. Another person was asked to help in the plan of the planting. The Big Snake came forward. He likewise brought forth four seeds, the pumpkin, the watermelon, the cantaloupe, and the muskmelon. His plants all crawl on the ground.

They planted the seeds, and their harvest was great.

After the harvest the Turquoise Boy from the East came and visited First Woman. When First Man returned to his home he found his wife with this boy. First Woman told her husband that Ashon nutli' was of her flesh and not of his flesh. She said that she had used her own fire, the turquoise, and had ground her own yellow corn into meal. This corn she had planted and cared for herself.

Now at that time there were four chiefs: Big Snake, Mountain Lion, Otter, and Bear. And it was the custom when the black cloud rose in the morning for First Man to come out of his dwelling and speak to the people. After First Man had spoken the four chief s told them what they should do that day. They also spoke of the past and of the future.

But after First Man found his wife with another he would not come out to speak to the people. The black cloud rose higher, but First Man would not leave his dwelling; neither would he eat or drink. No one spoke to the people for 4 days. All during this time First Man remained silent, and would not touch food or water.

Four times the white cloud rose. Then the four chiefs went to First Man and demanded to know why he would not speak to the people. The chiefs asked this question three times, and a fourth, before First Man would answer them.

He told them to bring him an emetic. This he took and purified himself. First Man then asked them to send the hermaphrodite to him. When he came First Man asked him if the metate and brush were his.

He said that they were.

First Man asked him if he could cook and prepare food like a woman, if he could weave, and brush the hair. And when he had assured First Man that he could do all manner of woman's work, First Man said: "Go and prepare food and bring it to me." After he had eaten, First Man told the four chiefs what he had seen, and what his wife had said.

At this time the Great-Coyote-Who-Was-Formed-in-the-Water came to First Man and told him to cross the river. They made a big raft and crossed at the place where the Male River followed through the Female River. And all the male beings left the female beings on the river bank; and as they rowed across the river they looked back and saw that First Woman and the female beings were laughing. They were also behaving very wickedly.

In the beginning the women did not mind being alone. They cleared and planted a small field. On the other side of the river First Man and the chiefs hunted and planted their seeds. They had a good harvest. Nadle ground the corn and cooked the food. Four seasons passed. The men continued to have plenty and were happy; but the women became lazy, and only weeds grew on their land. The women wanted fresh meat. Some of them tried to join the men and were drowned in the river.

First Woman made a plan. As the women had no way to satisfy their passions, some fashioned long narrow rocks, some used the feathers of the turkey, and some used strange plants (cactus). First Woman told them to use these things. One woman brought forth a big stone. This stone-child was later the Great Stone that rolled over the earth killing men. Another woman brought forth the Big Birds of Tsa bida'hi; and others gave birth to the giants and monsters who later destroyed many people.

On the opposite side of the river the same condition existed. The men, wishing to satisfy their passions, killed the females of mountain sheep, lion, and antelope. Lightning struck these men. When First Man learned of this he warned his men that they would all be killed. He told them that they were indulging in a dangerous practice. Then the second chief spoke: he said that life was hard and that it was a pity to see women drowned. He asked why they should not bring the women across the river and all live together again.

"Now we can see for ourselves what comes from our wrong doing," he said. "We will know how to act in the future." The three other chiefs of the animals agreed with him, so First Man told them to go and bring the women.

After the women had been brought over the river First Man spoke: "We must be purified," he said. "Everyone must bathe. The men must dry themselves with white corn meal, and the women, with yellow."

This they did, living apart for 4 days. After the fourth day First Woman came and threw her right arm around her husband. She spoke to the others and said that she could see her mistakes, but with her husband's help she would henceforth lead a good life. Then all the male and female beings came and lived with each other again.

The people moved to different parts of the land. Some time passed; then First Woman became troubled by the monotony of life. She made a plan. She went to Atse'hashke, the Coyote called First Angry, and giving him the rainbow she said: "I have suffered greatly in the past. I have suffered from want of meat and corn and clothing. Many of my maidens have died. I have suffered many things. Take the rainbow and go to the place where the rivers cross. Bring me the two pretty children of Tqo holt sodi, the Water Buffalo, a boy and a girl.

The Coyote agreed to do this. He walked over the rainbow. He entered the home of the Water Buffalo and stole the two children; and these he hid in his big skin coat with the white fur lining. And when he returned he refused to take off his coat, but pulled it around himself and looked very wise.

After this happened the people saw white light in the East and in the South and West and North. One of the deer people ran to the East, and returning, said that the white light was a great sheet of water. The sparrow hawk flew to the South, the great hawk to the West, and the kingfisher to the North. They returned and said that a flood was coming. The kingfisher said that the water was greater in the North, and that it was near.

The flood was coming and the Earth was sinking. And all this happened because the Coyote had stolen the two children of the Water Buffalo, and only First Woman and the Coyote knew the truth.

When First Man learned of the coming of the water he sent word to all the people, and he told them to come to the mountain called Sis na'jin. He told them to bring with them all of the seeds of the plants used for food. All living beings were to gather on the top of Sis na'jin. First Man traveled to the six sacred mountains, and, gathering earth from them, he put it in his medicine bag.

The water rose steadily.

When all the people were halfway up Sis na' jin, First Man discovered that he had forgotten his medicine bag. Now this bag contained not only the earth from the six sacred mountains, but his magic, the medicine he used to call the rain down upon the earth and to make things grow. He could not live without his medicine bag, and be wished to jump into the rising water; but the others begged him not to do this. They went to the kingfisher and asked him to dive into the water and recover the bag. This the bird did. When First Man had his medicine bag again in his possession he breathed on it four times and thanked his people.

When they had all arrived it was found that the Turquoise Boy had brought with him the big Male Reed; and the White Shell Girl had brought with her the big Female Reed.

Another person brought poison ivy; and another, cotton, which was later used for cloth. This person was the spider. First Man had with him his spruce tree which he planted on the top of Sis na'jin. He used his fox medicine to make it grow; but the spruce tree began to send out branches and to taper at the top, so First Man planted the big Male Reed. All the people blew on it, and it grew and grow until it reached the canopy of the sky.

They tried to blow inside the reed, but it was solid. They asked the woodpecker to drill out the hard heart. Soon they were able to peek through the opening, but they had to blow and blow before it was large enough to climb through. They climbed up inside the big male reed, and after them the water continued to rise.

Native American Legends
The Fourth World
A Navajo Legend
When the people reached the Fourth World they saw that it was not a very large place. Some say that it was called the White World; but not all medicine men agree that this is so.

The last person to crawl through the reed was the turkey from Gray Mountain. His feather coat was flecked with foam, for after him came the water. And with the water came the female Water Buffalo who pushed her head through the opening in the reed. She had a great quantity of curly hair which floated on the water, and she had two horns, half black and half yellow. From the tips of the horns the lightning flashed.

First Man asked the Water Buffalo why she had come and why she had sent the flood. She said nothing. Then the Coyote drew the two babies from his coat and said that it was, perhaps, because of them.

The Turquoise Boy took a basket and filled it with turquoise. On top of the turquoise he placed the blue pollen, tha'di'thee do tlij, from the blue flowers, and the yellow pollen from the corn; and on top of these he placed the pollen from the water flags, tquel aqa'di din; and, again on top of these he placed the crystal, which is river pollen.

This basket he gave to the Coyote who put it between the horns of the Water Buffalo. The Coyote said that with this sacred offering he would give back the male child. He said that the male child would be known as the Black Cloud or Male Rain, and that he would bring the thunder and lightning.

The female child he would keep. She would be known as the Blue, Yellow, and White Clouds or Female Rain. She would be the gentle rain that would moisten the earth and. help them to live. So he kept the female child, and he placed the male child on the sacred basket between the horns of the Water Buffalo. And the Water Buffalo disappeared, and the waters with her.

After the water sank there appeared another person. They did not know him, and they asked him where he had come from. He told them that he was the badger, nahashch'id, and that he had been formed where the Yellow Cloud had touched the Earth. Afterward this Yellow Cloud turned out to be a sunbeam.

Native American Legends
The Fifth World
A Navajo Legend
First Man was not satisfied with the Fourth World. It was a small barren land; and the great water had soaked the earth and made the sowing of seeds impossible. He planted the big Female Reed and it grew up to the vaulted roof of this Fourth World. First Man sent the newcomer, the badger, up inside the reed, but before he reached the upper world water began to drip, so he returned and said that he was frightened.

At this time there came another strange being. First Man asked him where he had been formed, and he told him that he had come from the Earth itself. This was the locust. He said that it was now his turn to do something, and he offered to climb up the reed.

The locust made a headband of a little reed, and on his forehead he crossed two arrows. These arrows were dressed with yellow tail feathers. With this sacred headdress and the help of all the Holy Beings the locust climbed up to the Fifth World. He dug his way through the reed as he digs in the earth now. He then pushed through mud until he came to water. When he emerged he saw a black water bird swimming toward him. He had arrows crossed on the back of his head and big eyes.

The bird said: "What are you doing here? This is not your country." And continuing, he told the locust that unless he could make magic be would not allow him to remain.

The black water bird drew an arrow from back of his head, and shoving it into his mouth drew it out his nether extremity. He inserted it underneath his body and drew it out of his mouth.

"That is nothing," said the locust. He took the arrows from his headband and pulled them both ways through his body, between his shell and his heart. The bird believed that the locust possessed great medicine, and he swam away to the East, taking the water with him.

Then came the blue water bird from the South, and the yellow water bird from the West, and the white water bird from the North, and everything happened as before. The locust performed the magic with his arrows; and when the last water bird had gone he found himself sitting on land.

The locust returned to the lower world and told the people that the beings above had strong medicine, and that he had had great difficulty getting the best of them.

Now two dark clouds and two white clouds rose, and this meant that two nights and two days had passed, for there was still no sun. First Man again sent the badger to the upper world, and he returned covered with mud, terrible mud. First Man gathered chips of turquoise which he offered to the five Chiefs of the Winds who lived in the uppermost world of all. They were pleased with the gift, and they sent down the winds and dried the Fifth World.

First Man and his people saw four dark clouds and four white clouds pass, and then they sent the badger up the reed. This time when the badger returned he said that he had come out on solid earth. So First Man and First Woman led the people to the Fifth World, which some call the Many Colored Earth and some the Changeable Earth. They emerged through a lake surrounded by four mountains. The water bubbles in this lake when anyone goes near.

Now after all the people had emerged from the lower worlds First Man and First Woman dressed the Mountain Lion with yellow, black, white, and grayish corn and placed him on one side. They dressed the Wolf with white tail feathers and placed him on the other side. They divided the people into two groups.

The first group was told to choose whichever chief they wished. They made their choice, and, although they thought they had chosen the Mountain Lion, they found that they had taken the Wolf for their chief. The Mountain Lion was the chief for the other side. And these people who had the Mountain Lion for their chief turned out to be the people of the Earth. They were to plant seeds and harvest corn.

The followers of the Wolf chief became the animals and birds; they turned into all the creatures that fly and crawl and run and swim.

And after all the beings were divided, and each had his own form, they went their ways.

This is the. story of the Four Dark Worlds and the Fifth, the World we live in. Some medicine men tell us that there are two worlds above us, the first is the World of the Spirits of Living Things, the second is the Place of Melting into One.

The origin of Earth
A Tuskegee Legend
Before the beginning, water was everywhere. But no people, animals, or Earth were visible.

There were birds, however, who held a council to decide if it might be best to have all land or all water. "Let us have land, so we can have more food," said some of the birds. Others said, "Let's have all water, because we like it this way."

Subsequently, they appointed Eagle as their Chief who was to decide one way or the other. Eagle decided upon land and asked, "Who will go and search for land?"

Dove volunteered first and flew away. In four days he completed his hunt and returned, reporting, "I could not find land anywhere."

Crawfish came swimming along and was asked by the council to help search for land. He disappeared under the water for four days. When he arose to the surface again, he held some dirt in his claws. He had found some land deep in the water.

Crawfish made a ball of the dirt and handed it to Chief Eagle, who then flew away with it. Four days later he returned and said to the council, "Now there is land, an island has been formed-- follow me!"

The whole bird colony flew after Eagle to see the new land, though it was a very small island. Gradually, the land began to grow larger and larger as the water became lower and lower. More islands appeared and these grew together, creating larger islands into one Earth.

Tuskegee Indians say they were chosen by the Great Spirit to be the first people to live upon the new Earth, a long, long time ago.

Moshup the Giant
A Wampanoag Legend
Before the first European settlers came to this land, there lived on the coast of Massachusetts a giant named Moshup. Moshup lived among the Wampanoag Indians both on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. Now there are many tales and variations to this story about Moshup, but the one that we like the best goes something like this.

Moshup, an Indian giant who once lived on the mainland of Massachusetts, decided one day to settle down on the beautiful island of Martha's Vineyard.

Moshup loved to sit on the top of a hill on the Vineyard near a town now called Gay Head. There is still evidence of his grand seat there in the crater above the cliffs.

Moshup loved whale meat, which he would catch with his hands, then cook over a fire he made by ripping the trees that surrounded him out of the ground. He did so much of this that there are barely any trees left today in the town of Gay Head.

To catch the whales, Moshup threw stones into the water to step on, and that is how the rocks between Cuttyhunk and the mainland called the Devil's bridge came to be.

Moshup also loved the Indians who lived nearby him, and he would share his whale meat with them. He fed them so well that one year they gathered all of the tobacco they had harvested and gave it to Moshup to show their appreciation.

In his great pipe, Moshup smoked the tobacco, which was barely enough for a man his size, then he emptied the ashes into the water, and that is how the island of Nantucket came to be.

One day Moshup told the Indians that a new breed of man, with fairer skin than they would soon be coming to their land. He warned the Indians not to let them on their shore, for if they did, the Indians would live no more.

Then Moshup quietly slipped away into the choppy waters off the bay. Soon after, the pale faced men came ashore, and landed near the place where Moshup once lay. The Indians greeted them with friendship and let them stay, and Moshup has not been seen since that day.

The Skin Shifting Old Woman
A Wichita Legend
In the story of Healthy-Flint-Stone-Man, it is told that he was a powerful man and lived in a village and was a chief of the place. He was not a man of heavy build, but was slim.

Often when a man is of this type of build he is called "Healthy-Flint-Stone- Man," after the man in the story. Healthy-Flint-Stone-Man had parents, but at this time he had no wife. Soon afterwards he married, and his wife was the prettiest woman that ever lived in the village. When she married Healthy-Flint-Stone-Man they lived at his home. She was liked by his parents, for she was a good worker and kind-hearted. As was their custom, the men of the village came at night to visit Healthy-Flint-Stone-Man, and his wife did the cooking to feed them, so that he liked her all the more, and was kind to her.

Early in the morning a strange woman by the name of Little-Old-Woman came to their place and asked the wife to go with her to get wood. Out of kindness to Little-Old-Woman she went with her, leaving her husband at home. Little-Old-Woman knew where all the dry wood was to be found. When they reached the place where she thought there was plenty of wood they did not stop. They went on past, although there was plenty of good dry wood. The wife began to cut wood for the old woman and some for herself. When she had cut enough for both she fixed it into two bundles, one for each. Little-Old-Woman knelt by her pile and waited for the wife to help her up. Little-Old-Woman then helped the wife in the same way, and they started toward their home. They talked on the way about their manner of life at home. Arrived at the village, the old woman went to her home. When the wife got home she began to do her work.

Again, the second time, the old woman came around and asked the wife to go with her to fetch wood. They started away together, and this time went farther than on the first time to get their wood, though they passed much good wood. The wife cut wood for both and arranged it in two piles, but this time she herself first knelt by her pile and asked the old woman to take hold of her hands and pull her up; then the wife helped the old woman with her load. They returned home, and on the way the old woman said to the wife, "If you will go with me to fetch wood for the fourth time I shall need no more help from you." They again went far beyond where any other women had gone to get wood. When they got to the village they parted. The wife wondered why the old woman came to her for help. She found the men passing the time talking of the past as usual. She kept on doing her duty day after day.

The third time the old woman came for the wife to ask her to help her fetch wood, as she was all out of it again. Again they went out, and this time they went still further for the wood, and now they were getting a long way from the village. The wife cut wood and arranged it in two bundles, one for each of them to carry. This time it was the old woman's turn first to be helped up with the wood. They helped each other, and on the way home the old woman told the wife that they had only once more to go for wood, and the work would all be done. She always seemed thankful for the help she received. They reached the village and went to their homes. The wife found her men as usual, and commenced to do her work. After the men were through eating they went home, though some stayed late in the night.

Finally the old woman came the fourth time to ask the wife to go with her and help her fetch some wood. This time they went about twice as far as they had gone the third time from the village. When the old woman thought they were far enough they stopped, and the wife began cutting wood for both of them. When she had cut enough she arranged it in two bundles. Now it was the wife's turn to be helped up with the wood, but the old woman refused to do it as usual and told her to go ahead and kneel by the bundle of wood. The wife refused. Now, each tried to persuade the other to kneel first against the bundle of wood. The old woman finally prevailed, and the wife knelt against the wood, and as she put her robe around her neck the old woman seemed pleased to help her, but as the old woman was fixing the carrying ropes she tightened them, after slipping them around the wife's neck until the wife fell at full length, as though dying.

The old woman sat down to rest, as she was tired from choking the wife. Soon she got up and untied the wife. Now, they were in the thick timber, and there was flowing water through it. After the old woman had killed the wife she blew into the top of her head and blew the skin from her, hair and all. This she did because she envied the wife her good looks, since the wife was the best-looking woman in the village, and her husband was good- looking and well thought of by all the prominent men, and the old woman wanted to be treated as well as the wife had been treated. Then the old woman began to put on the wife's skin, but the wife was a little smaller than the old woman, though the old woman managed to stretch the skin and drew it over her, fitting herself to it. Then she smoothed down the skin until it fitted her nicely. She took the wife's body to the flowing water and threw it in, having found a place that was never visited by anyone, and that had no trail leading to it. She then went to her pile of wood and took it to her home. She found the men visiting the chief.

The chief did not discover that she was not his wife. The old woman knew all about the former wife's ways, for she had talked much with her when they were coming home with the wood, and she had asked the wife all sorts of questions about her husband. She understood how the men carried on at the chief's place. The wife had told the chief that the old woman had said that they were to go for wood four different times, and the last time being the fourth time, he supposed it was all over and his wife had got through with the old woman. So, as the old woman was doing his wife's duty, he thought her to be his wife until the time came when the skin began to decay and the hair to come off. Still there were big crowds of men around, and the old woman began to be fearful lest they would find her out. So she made as if she were sick. The chief tried to get a man to doctor her, but she refused to be doctored. Finally he hired a servant to doctor her. This was the man who always sat right by the entrance, ready to do errands or carry announcements to the people. His name was Buffalo-Crow-Man. He had a dark complexion. The old woman began to rave at his medicine working. He began to tell who the old woman was, saying that there was no need of doctoring her; that she was a fraud and an evil spirit; and that she had become the wife of the chief through her bad deeds. The old woman told the chief not to believe the servant; and that he himself was a fraud and was trying to get her to do something wrong. The servant then stood at the feet of the old woman and began to sing.

Then over her body he went and jumped at her head. Then he commenced to sing again, first on her left side, then on her right. He sang the song four times, and while he was doing this the decayed hide came off from her. The servant told the men to take her out and take her life for what she had done to the chief's wife, telling how she had fooled the chief. They did as they were told. The servant told the men he had suspected the old woman when she had come around to get the wife to go after wood with her; that when going after wood they always went a long distance, so that no one could observe them, but that he had always flown very high over them, so they could not see him, and had watched them; that on the fourth time they went for wood he had seen the old woman choke the wife with the wife's rope; how the old woman had secured the whole skin of the wife and had thrown her body into the flowing water. He told the men where the place was, and directed them there the next day. The men went to their homes, feeling very sad for the wicked thing the old woman had done.

On the next day the chief went as directed, and he came to a place where he found a pile of wood that belonged to his former wife. He went to the place where he supposed his wife to be. He sat down and commenced to weep. There he stayed all night and the next day. He returned to his home, but he could not forget the occurrence. So he went back again and stayed another night and again returned home. The chief was full of sorrow. He went back to the place the third time, and when he got there he sat down and commenced to weep. Again he stayed all night, and early next morning it was foggy and he could not see far. While he sat and wept he faced the east, and he was on the west side of the flowing waters, so that he also faced the flowing water wherein his wife's body was thrown.

He heard some one singing, but he was unable to catch the sound so that he could locate the place where the sound came from. He finally discovered that it came from the flowing water. He went toward the place and listened, and indeed it was his wife's voice, and this is what she sang:

Woman-having-Powers-in-the-Water,
Woman-having-Powers-in-the-Water,
I am the one (you seek),
I am here in the water.

As he went near the river he saw in the middle of the water his wife standing on the water. She told him to go back home and tell his parents to clean their grass-lodge and to purify the room by burning sage. She told her husband that he might then return and take her home; that he should tell his parents not to weep when she should return, but that they should rejoice at her return to life, and that after that he could take her home. So the man started to his home. After he arrived he told his mother to clean and purify the lodge; and that he had found his wife and that he was going back again to get her. He told her that neither she nor any of their friends should weep at sight of the woman. While his mother was doing this cleaning he went back to the river and stayed one more night, and early in the morning he heard the woman singing again. He knew that he was to bring his wife back to his home. When he heard her sing he went straight to her. She came out of the water and he met her. She began to tell her husband about her troubles--how she met troubles and how he was deceived. That day they went to their home, and Flint-Stone-Man's parents were glad to see his wife back once more. They lived together until long afterward.

Huron Creation Myth
A Wyandot (Huron) Legend
In the beginning there was only one water and the water animals that lived in it.

Then a woman fell from a torn place in the sky. She was a divine woman, full of power. Two loons flying over the water saw her falling. They flew under her, close together, making a pillow for her to sit on.

The loons held her up and cried for help. They could be heard for a long way as they called for other animals to come.

The snapping turtle called all the other animals to aid in saving the divine woman's life.

The animals decided the woman needed earth to live on.

Turtle said, "Dive down in the water and bring up some earth."

So they did that, those animals. A beaver went down. A muskrat went down. Others stayed down too long, and they died.

Each time, Turtle looked inside their mouths when they came up, but there was no earth to be found.

Toad went under the water. He stayed too long, and he nearly died. But when Turtle looked inside Toad's mouth, he found a little earth. The woman took it and put it all around on Turtle's shell. That was the start of the earth.

Dry land grew until it formed a country, then another country, and all the earth.. To this day, Turtle holds up the earth.

Time passed, and the divine woman had twin boys. They were opposites, her sons. One was good, and one was bad. One was born as children are usually born, in a normal way. But the other one broke out of his mother's side, and she died.

When the divine woman was buried, all of the plants needed for life on earth sprang from the ground above her. From her head came the pumpkin vine. Maize came from her chest. Pole beans grew from her legs.

The divine woman's sons grew up. The evil one was Tawis-karong. The good one was Tijus-kaha. They were to prepare the earth so that humans could live on it. But they found they could not live together. And so they separated, with each one taking his own portion of the earth to prepare.

The bad brother, Tawis-karong, made monstrous animals, fierce and terrifying. He made wolves and bears, and snakes of giant size. He made mosquitoes huge, the size of wild turkeys. And he made an enormous toad. It drank up the fresh water that was on the earth. All of it.

The good brother, Tijus-kaha, made proper animals that were of use to human beings. He made the dove, and the mockingbird, and the partridge. And one day, the partridge flew toward the land of Tawis-karong.

"Why do you go there?" Tijus-kaha asked the partridge.

"I go because there is no water. And I hear there is some in your brother's land," said the partridge.

Tijus-kaha didn't believe the bird. So he followed, and finally he came to his evil brother's land. He saw all of the outlandish, giant animals his brother had made. Tijus-kaha didn't beat them down.

And then he saw the giant toad. He cut it open. Out came the earth's fresh water. Tijus-kaha didn't kill any [more] of his brother's creations. But he made them smaller, of normal size so that human beings could be leaders over them.

His mother's spirit came to Tijus-kaha in a dream. She warned him about his evil brother. And sure enough, one day, the two brothers had to come face to face. They decided they could not share the earth. They would have a duel to see who would be master of the world.

Each had to overcome the other with a single weapon. Tijus-kaha, the good, could only be killing if beaten to death with a bag full of corn or beans. The evil brother could be killed only by using the horn of a deer or other wild animal. then the brothers fixed the fighting ground where the battle would begin.

The first turn went to the evil brother, Tawis-karong. He pounded his brother with a bag of beans. He beat him until Tijus-kaha was nearly dead. But not quite. He got his strength back, and he chased Tawis-karong. Now it was his turn.

He beat his evil brother with a deer horn. Finally, Tijus-kaha took his brother's life away. But still the evil brother wasn't completely destroyed. "I have gone to the far west," he said. "All the races of men will follow me to the west when they die."

It is the belief of the Hurons to this day. When they die, their spirits go to the far west, where they will dwell forever.

Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished.

Even the rocks which seem to be dumb,and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people. And the dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than to yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.
^^Chef Seattle of the Suquamish^^ 1853

this is for you Jackie,

Native American Legends
Lakota Creation Myth
A Lakota Legend
There was another world before this one. But the people of that world did not behave themselves. Displeased, the Creating Power set out to make a new world. He sang several songs to bring rain, which poured stronger with each song.

As he sang the fourth song, the earth split apart and water gushed up through the many cracks, causing a flood. By the time the rain stopped, all of the people and nearly all of the animals had drowned. Only Kangi the crow survived.

Kangi pleaded with the Creating Power to make him a new place to rest. So the Creating Power decided the time had come to make his new world. From his huge pipe bag, which contained all types of animals and birds, the Creating Power selected four animals known for their ability to remain under water for a long time. He sent each in turn to retrieve a lump of mud from beneath the flood waters. First the loon dove deep into the dark waters, but it was unable to reach the bottom. The otter, even with its strong webbed feet, also failed. Next, the beaver used its large flat tail to propel itself deep under the water, but it too brought nothing back. Finally, the Creating Power took the turtle from his pipe bag and urged it to bring back some mud.

Turtle stayed under the water for so long that everyone was sure it had drowned. Then, with a splash, the turtle broke the water's surface! Mud filled its feet and claws and the cracks between its upper and lower shells. Singing, the Creating Power shaped the mud in his hands and spread it on the water, where it was just big enough for himself and the crow. He then shook two long eagle wing feathers over the mud until earth spread wide and varied, overcoming the waters. Feeling sadness for the dry land, the Creating Power cried tears that became oceans, streams, and lakes. He named the new land Turtle Continent in honor of the turtle who provided the mud from which it was formed.

The Creating Power then took many animals and birds from his great pipe bag and spread them across the earth. From red, white, black, and yellow earth, he made men and women. The Creating Power gave the people his sacred pipe and told them to live by it. He warned them about the fate of the people who came before them. He promised all would be well if all living things learned to live in harmony. But the world would be destroyed again if they made it bad and ugly.

i will psot more Lakota souix as i go along.

Wado [thank you]

Native American Legends

How the Lakota Sioux came to be Brule

A Lakota Legend:

This story was told to me by a Santee grandmother.

A long time ago, a really long time when the world was still freshly made, Unktehi the water monster fought the people and caused a great flood. Perhaps the Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka, was angry with us for some reason. Maybe he let Unktehi win out because he wanted to make a better kind of human being.

Well, the waters got higher and higher. Finally everything was flooded except the hill next to the place where the sacred red pipe stone quarry lies today. The people climbed up there to save themselves, but it was no use. The water swept over that hill. Waves tumbled the rocks and pinnacles, smashing them down on the people. Everyone was killed, and all the blood jelled, making one big pool.

The blood turned to pipe stone and created the pipe stone quarry, the grave of those ancient ones. That's why the pipe, made of that red rock, is so sacred to us. Its red bowl is the flesh and blood of our ancestors, its stem is the backbone of those people long dead, the smoke rising from it is their breath. I tell you, that pipe, that *chanunpa*, comes alive when used in a ceremony; you can feel power flowing from it.

Unktehi, the big water monster, was also turned to stone. Maybe Tunkshila, the Grandfather Spirit, punished her for making the flood. Her bones are in the Badlands now. Her back forms a long high ridge, and you can see her vertebrae sticking out in a great row of red and yellow rocks. I have seen them. It scared me when I was on that ridge, for I felt Unktehi. She was moving beneath me, wanting to topple me.

Well, when all the people were killed so many generations ago, one girl survived, a beautiful girl. It happened this way: When the water swept over the hill where they tried to seek refuge, a big spotted eagle, Wanblee Galeshka, swept down and let her grab hold of his feet. With her hanging on, he flew to the top of a tall tree which stood on the highest stone pinnacle in the Black Hills. That was the eagle's home. It became the only spot not covered with water.

If the people had gotten up there, they would have survived, but it was a needle-like rock as smooth and steep as the skyscrapers you got now in the big cities. My grandfather told me that maybe the rock was not in the Black Hills; maybe it was the Devil's Tower, as white men call it , that place in Wyoming.

Both places are sacred. Wanblee kept that beautiful girl with him and made her his wife. There was a closer connection then between people and animals, so he could do it. The eagle's wife became pregnant and bore him twins, a boy and a girl. She was happy, and said: "Now we will have people again. *Washtay*, it is good."

The children were born right there, on top of that cliff. When the waters finally subsided, Wanblee helped the children and their mother down from his rock and put them on the earth, telling them: Be a nation, become a great Nation - the Lakota Oyate."

The boy and girl grew up. He was the only man on earth, she the only woman of child-bearing age. They married; they had children. A nation was born.

So we are descended from the eagle. We are an eagle nation. That is good, something to be proud of, because the eagle is the wisest of birds. He is the Great Spirit's messenger; he is a great warrior. That is why we always wore the eagle plume, and still wear it. We are a great nation.

It is I, Lame Deer, who said this.

- Told by Lame Deer in Winner, South Dakota, in 1969.

Native American Legends
Origin of the Lakota Peace Pipe
A Lakota Legend
Long, long ago, two young and handsome Lakota were chosen by their band to find out where the buffalo were. While the men were riding in the buffalo country, they saw someone in the distance walking toward them.

As always they were on the watch for any enemy. So they hid in some bushes and waited. At last the figure came up the slope. To their surprise, the figure walking toward them was a woman.

When she came closer, she stopped and looked at them. They knew that she could see them, even in their hiding place. On her left arm she carried what looked like a stick in a bundle of sagebrush. Her face was beautiful.

One of the men said, "She is more beautiful than anyone I have ever seen. I want her for my wife."

But the other man replied, "How dare you have such a thought? She is wondrously beautiful and holy--far above ordinary people."

Though still at a distance, the woman heard them talking. She laid down her bundle and spoke to them. "Come. What is it you wish?"

The man who had spoken first went up to her and laid his hands on her as if to claim her. At once, from somewhere above, there came a whirlwind. Then there came a mist, which hid the man and the woman. When the mist cleared, the other man saw the woman with the bundle again on her arm. But his friend was a pile of bones at her feet.

The man stood silent in wonder and awe. Then the beautiful woman spoke to him. "I am on a journey to your people. Among them is a good man whose name is Bull Walking Upright. I am coming to see him especially.

"Go on ahead of me and tell your people that I am on my way. Ask them to move camp and to pitch their tents in a circle. Ask them to leave an opening in the circle, facing the north. In the center of the circle, make a large tipi, also facing the north. There I will meet Bull Walking Upright and his people."

The man saw to it that all her directions were followed. When she reached the camp, she removed the sagebrush from the gift she was carrying. The gift was a small pipe made of red stone. On it was carved the tiny outline of a buffalo calf.

The pipe she gave to Bull Walking Upright, and then she taught him the prayers he should pray to the Strong One Above. "When you pray to the Strong One Above, you must use this pipe in the ceremony. When you are hungry, unwrap the pipe and lay it bare in the air. Then the buffalo will come where the men can easily hunt and kill them. So the children, the men, and the women will have food and be happy."

The beautiful woman also told him how the people should behave in order to live peacefully together. She taught them the prayers they should say when praying to their Mother Earth. She told him how they should decorate themselves for ceremonies.

"The Earth," she said, "is your mother. So, for special ceremonies, you will decorate yourselves as your mother does--in black and red, in brown and white. These are the colors of the buffalo also.

"Above all else, remember that this is a peace pipe that I have given you. You will smoke it before all ceremonies. You will smoke it before making treaties. It will bring peaceful thoughts into your minds. If you will use it when you pray to the Strong One above and to Mother Earth you will be sure to receive the blessings that you ask."

When the woman had completed her message, she turned and slowly walked away. All the people watched her in awe. Outside the opening of the circle, she stopped for an instant and then lay down on the ground. She rose again in the form of a black buffalo cow. Again she lay down and then arose in the form of a red buffalo cow. A third time she lay down, and arose as a brown buffalo cow. The fourth and last time she had the form of a spotlessly white buffalo cow. Then she walked toward the north into the distance and finally disappeared over a far-off hill.

Bull Walking Upright kept the peace pipe carefully wrapped most of the time. Every little while he called all his people together, untied the bundle, and repeated the lessons he had been taught by the beautiful woman. And he used it in prayers and other ceremonies until he was more than one hundred years old.

When he became feeble, he held a great feast. There he gave the pipe and the lessons to Sunrise, a worthy man. In a similar way the pipe was passed down from generation to generation. "As long as the pipe is used," the beautiful woman had said, "Your people will live and will be happy. As soon as it is forgotten, the people will perish."