The shadows grow long and the fires are lit. Now is the time for the story tellers to teach us our lore!
The First tale is from the Turtle Clan Mohawk tribe:
The Taming of Atotarhoh
(As retold by Akalem Mitonkwa)
There came a time when Tharonhiawakon, the Creator, had decided to bring peace to the troubled peoples of the Iroquois. And, so, he sent the Peacemaker to stop the blood feuds between the Tribes of the Five Nations. Now the Peacemaker was a human messenger summoned and tested by Tharonhiawakon for this special task. Being but a man, he joined with a woman named Tsikonsaseh, an elder who had long counciled her people to seek peace. The Peacemaker was named Aiontwatha, although later generations would call him Hiawatha.
Going from nation to nation, tribe to tribe, and clan to clan they spread the peace words of Tharonhiawakon. But there was a great enemy who opposed them. He was an Onondaga named Atotarhoh and was the greatest threat to the end of the violence. His mind was so twisted and evil that instead of hair, his head grew only venomous snakes. His body, too, showed the signs of evil being bent in seven places. Yet he had great magic and was too powerful for Aiontwatha and Tsikonsaseh to approach directly until a hymn of peace could be composed that might hyponize him.
But how came Atotarhoh to such evil and become so twisted?
Atatarhoh was born of a woman unnamed in the legends. As he emerged from the womb, the midwives refused to touch him for he had, indeed, been touched by an evil hand even before his birth. He was so hideous to look upon that the midwives fled from the longhouse. The Onondaga chief entered then and was also repulsed by the sight of the new born baby.
"Go!" he told the mother, "Take this beast to the high hills and leave him there for he is not human! Let the animals feast on his twisted flesh and the earth swallow up all that remains for all times."
The Elder Women nodded in agreement with this and the saddened mother, fearful that she, too, might be cast out, did as she had been told. Wrapping Atotarhoh in a skin of a black rabbit, she carried him to the highest hill far from the longhouses of her people along the great river. Even his muffled cries seemed less than human as he was carried far away. As she looked over her shoulder she could see the flames that consumed the longhouse where he had been born. It also had to be destroyed lest the evil touch the entire nation. Long she walked and snow began to fall covering the earth. At last his mother placed him on the ground and prepared to turn away but she was a good mother and her mother's love welled in her heart. She could not just leave him on the bare ground to freeze. Looking around, she found a deep pit and dropped him in.
"I cannot let the cruel wind take you. It is not right!" she cried as she turned and left him for all time.
Now the Great Skyland Mother saw this and took pity on the infant in the hole. She sent worms and roots into the hole to nourish the child in the deep pit. Long years passed and the child grew to be a man. Yet the pit was not straight and as he grew the earth contorted his body until he was finally able to reach the rim and crawl out of the hole. Instead of thanking the Great Skyland Mother, he cursed her and called her vile names. Then he turned his evil mind to the people who had abandoned him. He would seek revenge. And that is why he cast evil magic on the people and encouraged their feuds and fighting. As he traveled far over the land the flowers stopped growing and, at the very sight of him, birds would fall dead from the sky. Men of evil hearts followed him and listened to his poisonous words but even they could not withstand the sight of him.
Now, Tharonhiawakon sent his messenger, a Crow, to Aiontwatha with the long awaited Hymn of Peace. In the shadows of the woods, Aiontwatha and Tsikonsaseh began to sing the Hymn of peace. As Atotarhoh heard the words he became mezmorized and sat very still listening to the words.
Aiontwatha drew near the back of Atotarhoh and began to use a hickory comb, that he had fashoned, to comb out the snakes from his hair. As the snakes fell away, so did the corruption in Atotarhoh's mind. When this was done, Tsikonsaseh began to straighten the twisted body which eased Atotarhoh's pain.
This kindness was fianally appreciated by Atotarhoh and he change from evil to good on the spot. Aiontwatha and Tsikonsaseh took him back to his people and set him there as one of the "Peace Chiefs". Here he worked to unite the Five Nations into a great league (or Confederation).
Atotarhoh's magic was powerful and was soon recognized by the other chiefs who made him the head of that league. Under his gentle but powerful leadership, the Longhouse of the Five Nations grew strong and was respected by all the other nations in the land.
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This is one of the Creation Tales I learned long ago.
Skyland Woman's Wish
(Onen tsi ne'i nakkara)
(As retold by Akalem Mitonkwa)
One of our oldest tales says that one night Skyland Woman dreamed that the great sky tree must be uprooted. Since she was heavy with child, her dream was very strong and urgent. She told her husband, Skyland Chief, of this dream and he ordered the tree to be uprooted even as the dream had fortold it. As the last root gave way, Skyland Woman peered through the hole that it had made. There she saw the earth far below all covered by water and mists. It was then that she swooned and fell through the hole. She grabbed at a branch of the skyland tree that was laying near the hole but only managed to strip away a few leaves and seeds. Down she fell toward the earth.
But her fall did not go unnoticed. Birds in the air and the animals of the water saw her falling. The birds said "Someone comes. We must help her!"
It was the geese, largest of the birds, that flew up and caught her between their wings and stopped her fall. The other animals, seeing that she would need a place to stand, dove to the bottom of the water and began to bring up the dirt from the earth below. But all failed until the muskrat had his turn. The muskrat brought up a great mound of the earth and looked around for a place to put it where it would not sink back into the sea.
"Use my back!" offered the Great Turtle rising to the surface of the water. The muskrat spread the moist earth on the turtle's back and dove for more. Many times the muskrat dove and each time returned with piles of earth. Soon the turtle's back was completely covered and the geese lowered Skyland Woman on the moist soil. As she walked around, the seed fell into her footprints. It is from these seeds that the first plants began to grow. Tired from her fall and inspection of the Great Turtle's back, she fell into a deep sleep. And when she woke, she gave birth to her child. A girl she had and it was the first child on earth. Skyland Woman then had a vision that her daughter would surely marry The West Wind. In this union would the earth be populated by The People. This is a strong story that I tell, for the women are the ones who foster life, nurture the corn, squash, and beans who are The Three Sisters of Life! Remember it well.
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The Turtle Island
(Ulinawa Amayeli)
After Skyland Woman had the Skyland Tree uprooted leaving the whole in the sky, Star Woman was angered. She set about banishing the Skyland People for this misdeed. But as we saw in the last legend, Skyland Woman was saved by the animals of the great ocean.
The Great Turtle had offered his back so that earth could be pulled up from the ocean bottom so that Skyland Woman would have a place to bear her child.
The legend continues that the dirt brought up by the Mskrat was placed on the Great Turtle's back and seeded by Skyland Woman. It was the Beavers that followed her around packing down the soil and making the land firm. All of the other creatures came from the water and the sky to live on this land in harmony with Skyland Woman as their center: their heart. The plants began to grow and food was provided for all. Thus, it is, that the only land became known as Turtle Island. Before long, the animals and birds became too many for the Great Turtle to carry alone. The Beavers began chewing down the trees on Turtle Island to make rafts. This would help the Great Turtle carry his load. The Muskrats dove deep into the Ocean and brought up more ground to cover the rafts. Now it was time for Skyland Woman's daughter to seed the ground. The young girl took the seed from every kind of plant and tree that grew on Turtle Island. With love and care she planted each one. She would poke a hole in the ground with her finger and drop a seed in. The Great Brown Bear followed her and pressed the soil closed with his massive paw.
As she was nearing the edge of one of the rafts and out of sight of her mother, West Wind came up and tried to make off with her. The Great Brown Bear gave a roar and charged into West Wind. The fought long and hard. Around and around they went and in their struggle, they created a great whirlwind. The princess was carried high into the sky Star Woman saw this and sent the Hawk to snatch her and take her back to Skyland. But the Thunderbird was keener of sight and faster on the wing. His talons closed around the Princess just a winglength ahead of the Hawk and he carried her back to her mother.
After a very long time, the Great Brwon Bear and West Wind grew tired. Neither could defeat the other and they called a truce. Going to Skyland Woman at the heart of Turtle Island, West Wind asked for the Princess's hand in marriage. Skyland Woman could not see the face of West Wind.
"My eyes grow tired in this dim light. Can no one bring me more light that I may see the one who askes for my daughter?"
Even before she had finished her question, there was a mighty beating of wings in the east. Over the horizon came the Great Thunderbird carrying the Sun in his talons. Slowly he moved across the sky looking for a place to put the Sun down. Yet he could find none. If he put the Sun on the land all of the plants would burn up and if he put it in the water its fire would go out. This was the first dawn. With no place to put the Sun, the Great Thunderbird kept circling around the earth. As he passed over the western horizon, it became night again and this was the first sunset. But it was enough. Skyland Woman had seen the face of West Wind and remembered her vision. Her daughter also fell in love with West Wind and they were married by the Great Owl on Turtle Island. From this union came all the people of the earth. They are the farmers by their mother's guidance and they are the wanderers from their father's example. They lived in great harmony with all of the plants, and animals, and birds on Turtle Island.
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