II.
1. Maskanako; the Lenape words would be mechek, great, achgook, snake; but maska is more allied to the Cree maskaw, strong, hard, solid. Raf. translates the close of the line "when men had become bad."
2. Schingalan, to hate; from the adjective schingi, disliking, unwilling. This is the contrary of wingi, liking, willing. Both are from the subjective radical n or ni, I, Ego, the latter with the prefix wĕl, signifying pleasurable sensation ([see page 104]).
Shawelendamep, preterite form, strengthened by the prefix ksch, of the verb acquiwelendam, Zeis., to disquiet, to trouble; it has not the passive sense given in Rafinesque's translation. All verbs terminating in elendam signify a disposition of mind, the root being again the subjective n, ego. Raf. translates: "This strong snake had become the foe of the Jins, and they became troubled, hating each other."
3. Palliton, from palli, elsewhere (from what was intended), hence "to spoil something, to do it wrong," and later "to fall out, to fight."
Lungundowin, from langan, easy, light to do, Chipeway, nin nangan, I find it light, of no trouble; hence, "peace" as being a time free from trouble; and by a third application of the idea, elangomellan, friends, those who are at peace with us.
4. Raf. translates this line: "Less men with dead-keeper fighting," which is a total misunderstanding of the words. On the derivation of nihanlowit see ante, [page 102].
6. On nakowa, see I, line 14. Here I consider it a derivative from nacha, three, and both the sense of the line and the symbol, with three marks to the right of the figure, indicate this meaning. The three antagonists are the monster, the waters, and the Great Snake himself.
7. The repetition of the words is to add force to the phrase.
8. This is an important line, as indicating the origin of the Walam Olum. Nanaboush is not the Delaware form of the name of the Algonkin hero-god, so far as known, but the Chipeway Nanabooshoo, Tanner, Nanibajou, McKinney, properly Nānâboj, the Trickster, the Cheater, allied to Chip. nin nanabanis, I am cheated. This term, like the Cree Wisakketjâk, which has the same meaning (fourbe, trompeur, Lacombe), was applied to the hero-god of these nations on account of his exhaustless ingenuity in devising tricks, ruses, disguises and transformations, to overcome the various other divine powers with whom he came in conflict. This seemingly depreciatory term arose from the same admiration of versatility of powers which has imparted such universal popularity to the story of the wily (πολυτροπος) Ulysses, and the trickery of Master Reynard.
The appearance of this form of the name indicates that the version of the legend here given has been influenced by Chipeway associations, as, indeed, we might expect, since it was obtained in Indiana, where the Delawares were in constant intercourse with their Chipeway neighbors.
Tulapit menapit = tulpe epit, menatey epit, "it was then at the turtle, it was then at the island." The form Tula has given rise to the strangest theorizing about this line, as, of course, the antiquaries could not resist the temptation to see in it a reference to the Tula or Tollan of Aztec mythology, the capital city of the Toltecs and the home of Quetzalcoatl.
The similarity of the words is purely fortuitous. The Lenape word tulpe means turtle or tortoise, especially, says Zeisberger, a water or sea turtle. In their mythology, as I have already shown ([ante, p. 134]) the earth was supposed to be floating on a boundless ocean, as a turtle floats on the surface of a pond. Hence, symbolically, the turtle represents the dry land.
Maskaboush = Chip. mashka, strong, wabos, usually translated hare or rabbit, but really "White One." I have fully explained this mistaken sense of the word in American Hero Myths, pp. 41, 42, and elsewhere.
9. The Algonkin myth relates that Michabo or Nanaboj after having formed the earth on the primal ocean, walked round and round it, and by this act increased it constantly in size.
Rafinesque's translation is:—"Being born creeping, he is ready to move and dwell at Tula;" and in his note to the line he adds, "Tula is the ancient seat of the Toltecas and Mexican nations in Asia; the Tulan or Turan of Central Tartary."
The entire absence of connected meaning in this and other lines of Rafinesque's translation is strong evidence that he did not fabricate the text; otherwise he would certainly have assigned it some coherent sense.
The turtle is, as usual, the symbol of the land or earth ([see page 133]).
12. Manito-dasin, the Divine Maiden, or the Daughter of the Gods, as it might be freely translated. The reference is to the Virgin who at the beginning of things descended from heaven, and alighting on the back of the turtle became the mother of Nanaboj and his brothers. She was well known in Eastern Algonkin mythology, as I have already shown. ([See above, p. 131].)
13. This and the three following verses form, observes Rafinesque, a rhymed hymn to Nanabush.
14. In this line the men are referred to as Linapi, not lennowak as before. Here then begins the particular history of the Lenape tribe, whose chief sub-tribe was the Turtle clan.
The meaning of the line is very obscure. It seems to refer to the origin of the Unami, or Turtle sub-tribe of the Delawares.
16. Kwamipokho, translated by Raf. "plain and mountain," does not appear to me to bear any such rendering. I take it as a form of champeecheneu, Z. "it is still or stagnant water," the appropriateness of which to the context is evident.
Sitwalikho, Raf. renders "path of cave," deriving it obviously from tsit, foot, and woalheu, a hole. It has no sort of meaning in this rendering, and I assume, therefore, that it is a derivative from tschitqui, silent.
Maskan wagan, probably an error for maskanakon, as in v. I.
Palliwi, palliwi, "is elsewhere, is elsewhere," or, "is foiled, is overcome."