Читать книгу Seneca myths and folk tales - Arthur C. Parker - Страница 18

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Chief among all the creatures that inhabit the air is the wonderful O‘s‘hă´dă’geă’, the Cloudland Eagle. He seems ever to watch over mankind, especially the Iroquois, and to come to earth when great calamities threaten. Living above the clouds he collects the dews in his feathers, and some say that he has a pool of dew on his back between his shoulders. The Iroquois regard him with great reverence, for he is connected with many a worthy exploit.

Horned Snake, Gas‘hais´dowăneⁿ, has several names among which are Doonă’´gaes and Djoⁿdi’´gwadoⁿ. He is a monster serpent of the underwaters and his head is adorned with antlers of great spread, though he is also said to have monster horns shaped like a buffalo’s. He is capable of transforming himself to the appearance of a man, and as such delights in luring maidens to his abode. In a few instances he appears as the gallant rescuer of women marooned on bewitched islands. Like other monsters he has a brood of his kind, he having females as well. These sometimes lure men under water and seek to transform them by inducing them to put on the garments they wear. Horned Snake is hated by the Thunderer, who spares no energy to kill him before he can dive.

Monster Bear, Niă’´gwai’he´gōwā, is the most feared of magic beasts and one of the most frequent among them to enter in to the fortunes of men. He loves to race and in various forms which he assumes, seeks to get men, and particularly boys, to bet their lives on the race, which generally lasts from sunrise to sunset. He has a vulnerable spot on the bottom of one of his feet and unless some hero hits this the monster does not die. His bones form important parts of “magic medicine” and the dust from one of his leg bones if taken as a medicine is reputed to make a runner invincible.

White Beaver, Naⁿgaⁿniă’´goⁿ, is an otgont beast who lives in magic waters. He seldom appears, but when he does he means disaster. Usually he is represented as the transformed son of a great witch. He is sometimes called Diat´dagwŭt.

Blue Otter, is another magic beast whose home is in the water. His function is to poison springs. He has another function, that of inflicting disease by his magic, and in this way he secures offerings of tobacco.

Blue Lizard, Djai´nosgōwa, seems to be a beast looking something like an alligator. He lives in pools and is the servant of wizards and witches.