Читать книгу Seneca myths and folk tales - Arthur C. Parker - Страница 23

1. Dream helpers. These are animals or persons that have come to the hero in a dream and promised to assist him in times of peril.

2. Astral body. The hero has an astral self that appears in times of great danger and points out a way of escape.

3. Hollow log regeneration. Hero who has been abused or conjured is regenerated by passing through a hollow log.

4. Talking flute. The flute kept in a “bundle” talks to hero’s friend and informs him of condition, or it tells hero where he may find game.

5. Running moccasins. Hero pursued takes off moccasins and orders them to run ahead and make tracks that baffle pursuer.

6. Magic Arrow. An invincible arrow that kills whatever it is aimed at. It may be shot promiscuously into the air and game will return with it, falling dead at hero’s feet. No one but hero can withdraw arrow.

7. Forbidden chamber. A certain walled-off part of the lodge is forbidden to the hero, who in older relative’s absence explores it, causing anger of magical beings.

8. Door-flap action. Sorcerer commands hero to perform dream demand by going out of door and consummating demand before the door curtain flaps back.

9. Magic fish line. Sorcerer hooks hero’s fleeing canoe with a magical fish line. Hero burns off line by emptying pipe upon it.

10. Hero ties his hair to earth. When hero suspects he is in the hands of a sorceress he ties a hair to a root before he sleeps. Sorceress makes off with him but cannot go beyond the stretching length of the hair and is compelled to return.

11. Lice hunting. Sorceress hunts lice in hero’s head, lulling him to sleep.

12. Saliva gives power. If a powered being touches any object or weapon with his saliva it takes some of his power.

13. Wampum tears. Captured hero or heroine when tortured sheds wampum tears which enemies greedily take.

14. Magical animal skins. Hero or sorcerer has enchanted skins which he can conjure to living animals. He may enter a skin and assume the characteristics of its original owner.

15. Magic pouch. The pouch of animal skin holds the hero’s utensils, tobacco and pipe. It may be conjured to a living thing.

16. Magic suit. A self-cleaning suit that gives power to wearer.

17. Magic canoe. A canoe that has unusual speed and may be paddled into the air.

18. Inexhaustible kettle. Hero’s friend puts scrapings of corn or nut into it and it expands enormously supplying enough food. Hero tries the experiment and expands kettle too greatly bursting the lodge.

19. Magical springs. Springs that have been enchanted by sorcerers are the dwelling places of monsters that lure the unwary to drink. The monster then drags in his victim and eats him.

20. Enchanted clearings. Clearings guarded by monsters who prevent hero from visiting sorcerer living in a lodge within.

21. Bark dagger. Hero incapacitated by thrust of bark dagger piercing his back. Villain steals hero’s clothing and impersonates him. See Imposter.

22. Sweat lodge regeneration. Hero recovers through a sweat of bear’s grease. Lodge covered with a fat bear pelt.

23. Powered finger. Hero has power to kill animals by pointing his finger at them.

24. Animated finger. Hero obtains a magic finger that stands in his palm, pointing out the location of anything he desires.

25. Sharpened legs. A character is able to whittle his legs to points and use them as spears.

25. Borrowed skin. Hero borrows skin (coat) of deer, mole, or other animal, and entering it moves about without exciting suspicion of enemy.

26. Borrowed eyes. Hero borrows eyes of deer or owl for a blind uncle enabling him to recover his own eyes or to see for a few moments a long lost relative, generally a brother.

27. Stolen eyes. Sorceresses rob young men of their eyes.

28. Quilt of eyes. Quilt made of winking eyes stolen from young men who have looked at the witches who continually sew upon such a quilt.

29. Girls in box. Enchanted girls hidden in a bark box come forth upon demand of conjurer. The enchantment is not of an evil nature.

30. Enchanted feathers. These placed upon hero’s hat give him great power, particularly for running.

31. Enchanted birds. Hero has enchanted birds upon his hat that bring coals to light his pipe.

32. Bark dolls. Dolls are enchanted so that they speak for their maker, deceiving evil pursuer of hero.

33. Talking moccasins. Moccasins placed in lodge talk to evil pursuer, setting him or her astray.

34. Reducible dog. A tiny dog that is kept in a pouch. It may be enlarged to a size sufficient to carry the hero or his fleeing sister. Upon being patted with the hand or magic rod it becomes reduced to a size almost invisible.

35. Talking skull. Hero finds the skull of his uncle. It asks him for tobacco and then directs him how to overcome sorcery.

36. Flayed skin. A human skin is the slave of sorcerers and guards their lodge, clearing or path, screaming out the presence of intruders. It may be revived by hero who removes the enchantment.

37. Wampum eagle. An eagle covered with wampum. Many people shoot at this eagle trying to kill it. Only the hero can with his magic arrow.

38. White beaver. A magical beaver, generally the “brother” of a witch, is killed by hero who invites in friends to help eat the beast.

39. Blue lizard. Lives in a magic spring and lures the unwary to death by pulling them into the water.

40. Flying heads. These are spirits of the storm winds. They are generally evil characters in stories.

41. Pygmies. There are tribes of “little people” living under ground or in rocky places. They have valuable charms and can be forced to give them to men. They have a ceremony in which they delight. If men beings perform this ceremony favor is gained. They like tobacco and nail parings.

42. Buffalo one rib. A magically endowed buffalo kills men. It cannot be injured by arrows because it has only one rib, a bony plate protecting its entire body. Vulnerable in the bottom of one foot.

43. Fast-growing snake. A boy finds a pretty snake and feeds it. It grows enormously and soon eats a deer. Game is exhausted and snake goes after human beings.

44. White pebble. A white stone is given magical power and when thrown at a magical monster hits and kills it.

45. Flesh-eating water. The water of a magical lake eats the flesh from the bones of the unwary. Monsters living in it are immune.

46. Sudden friend. Hero in predicament sees a strange person before him who announces that he is a friend and will help the hero escape. Tells hero what to do.