Part 84 (1/2)

_Explanation._

This formula, from A?yninis book, is for the purpose of catching large fish. According to his instructions, the fisherman must first chew a small piece of Yugwil (Venus Flytrap--Diona muscipula) and spit it upon the bait and also upon the hook. Then, standing facing the stream, he recites the formula and puts the bait upon the hook. He will be able to pull out a fish at once, or if the fish are not about at the moment they will come in a very short time.

The Yugwil is put upon the bait from the idea that it will enable the hook to attract and hold the fish as the plant itself seizes and holds insects in its cup. The root is much prized by the Cherokees for this purpose, and those in the West, where the plant is not found, frequently send requests for it to their friends in Carolina.

The prayer is addressed directly to the fish, who are represented as living in settlements. The same expression as has already been mentioned is sometimes used by the doctors in speaking of the _tsgya_ or worms which are supposed to cause sickness by getting under the skin of the patient. The Blue Cat (_Amiurus, genus_) is addressed as the princ.i.p.al fish and the bait is spoken of as the white food, an expression used also of the viands prepared at the feast of the green corn dance, to indicate their wholesome character.

Let the paths from every direction recognize each other, means let the fishes, which are supposed to have regular trails through the water, a.s.semble together at the place where the speaker takes his station, as friends recognizing each other at a distance approach to greet each other, ?Whisnahi tigiwatsila, rendered our spittle shall be in agreement, is a peculiar archaic expression that can not be literally translated. It implies that there shall be such close sympathy between the fisher and the fish that their spittle shall be as the spittle of one individual. As before stated, the spittle is believed to exert an important influence upon the whole physical and mental being. The expression your spittle has become agreeable is explained by A?ynini as an a.s.sertion or wish that the fish may prove palatable, while the words rendered there shall be no loneliness imply that there shall be an abundant catch.

LOVE.

(YnWEHI UGnWA?LI I.)

Ku! Sge! _Alahiyi_ tsl?dhisti, Hige?ya tsl?diyi, hatnganiga. _Elahiyi_ iynta ditsl?dahisti, Hige?ya Tsnega. Tsisa?ti nigesnna. Tsduhiyi.

Ngwa-skini usinuliyu hnskwane?lng tsisgaya aginega. Agisa?ti nigesnna. Ngwa nnn, unega hnskwannneliga. Uhisa?ti nigesnna. Ngwa skwadetastaniga. Sa?kani utati nigesnna. Nnn unega skiksa?ntaneliga. Elaye?li iynta skwalewista?taniga Elati gesn tsitagesti.

Agisa?ti nigesnna. Agwduhiyu. Kltste unega skiga?taniga. Uhisa?ti nigesnna, gnkwatst.i.tegesti. Tsi-sa?kani agwatati nigesnna. Usinuliyu hnskwane?lng.

Ha-ngwle _Elahiyi_ iynta dhiyane?lng a?ge?ya sa?kani. Ngwa nnnhi sa?kani hntane?laneliga. Uhisa?ti-gw udan dudusagi tanelasi. Nnnhi sa?kani tadetstaniga. Ngwle hnhiyatsntaniga. Elati gesn tl?taniga.

Dedulaskn-gw ignwa?lawisti uhisa?tiyi widayela?niga. Dedulaskn-gw ignwa?lawisti uhisa?tiyi nitnneliga.

Ha-sgwahiyu itsilastalagi + + uwasahiyu, etsane?laneliga. Agisa?ti nigesnna. Agwduhi.

Ay agwadantgi aye?liyu dka?lanili dudant, uktahnsti nigesnna. Ynwi tsutsatn widudante?ti nigesnna, nitnneliga. Sgwahi itsilastalagi, etsane?laneliga klkwgi-nasi iglst?li gegane?lann.

Anisgaya anewadisn unihisa?tiyi. Tsunadaneiltiyi.

Dila-gw degnwanatseg?lawisdideg.

Ayiseta-gw udan. Tsunadaneiltiyi. Utsetsti-gw degnwanatseg?lawisdideg. Tsunadaneiltiyi.

Kaga-gw degnwanatseg?awisdideg.

Tsunadaneiltiyi. Dal?ka-gw degnwanatseg?lawisdideg.

Klkwgi iglstalagi unihisa?tiyu.

Igeski-gw nigesnna. Ayiseta-gw udan degnwanatsn?ti-deg. Ksi-gw degnwanatsn?ti-deg. Ayagg tsisgaya aginega ngwane?lanhi + + Nndgnyi it.i.tsa ditsidga. Agisa?ti nigesnna. Agwduhiyu.

Tsi-sa?kani agwatati nigesnna. Kltste unega nnitagg gkwatsnti-deg. Agisa?ti nigesnna. Ay agwadantgi aye?liyu glasiga tsdant, uktahnsti nigesnna. Ay tsigi tsdanta 0 0. Sge!

_Translation._

CONCERNING LIVING HUMANITY (LOVE).

K! Listen! In Alahiyi you repose, O Terrible Woman, O you have drawn near to hearken. There in Elahiyi you are at rest, O White Woman. No one is ever lonely when with you. You are most beautiful.

Instantly and at once you have rendered me a white man. No one is ever lonely when with me. Now you have made the path white for me. It shall never be dreary. Now you have put me into it. It shall never become blue. You have brought down to me from above the white road. There in mid-earth (mid-surface) you have placed me. I shall stand erect upon the earth. No one is ever lonely when with me. I am very handsome. You have put me into the white house. I shall be in it as it moves about and no one with me shall ever be lonely. Verily, I shall never become blue. Instantly you have caused it to be so with me.

And now there in Elahiyi you have rendered the woman blue. Now you have made the path blue for her. Let her be completely veiled in loneliness. Put her into the blue road. And now bring her down. Place her standing upon the earth. Where her feet are now and wherever she may go, let loneliness leave its mark upon her. Let her be marked out for loneliness where she stands.

Ha! I belong to the (Wolf) ( + + ) clan, that one alone which was allotted into for you. No one is ever lonely with me. I am handsome.

Let her put her soul the very center of my soul, never to turn away.