51. THE PARTRIDGE’S SONG.
Now there was a partridge[[46]] woman who had a large family. She had a house under a big log and her house was hidden by plants. A good many people (animals) tried to find the partridge’s house because they wanted to eat her eggs or her children. Now one morning her children were all asleep and she was running about eating worms and seeds. At this time she smelled an enemy so she was alarmed for her children’s safety. Now then she sang a song to awaken them:
Djut-gan-nio, djut-gan-nio! Ho-sho-ga-he shoda-die-s!
Ya-ha-ne sho-da-ges! Ia-ha-ne sho-da-ges!
which meant that the skunk was prowling about and would soon find them if they did not scurry away. After a time they heard their mother’s song and ran into the bushes and she hid them in a safe place.
Now this is the partridge song and it is a good thing to sing it when you see or smell an enemy about a partridge’s house. It is good luck.