“I know not how the truth may be,
I tell the tale as ’twas told me.”
The myths related here are from the great story tellers like Ayunini, or “Swimmer,” who was the greatest of all, but while he ranked first and lived during the time that tried men’s hearts, having been born about 1835, and died in March, 1899, his stories can only be perpetuated by putting them in print, and we are indebted to him for many of these beautiful stories, which should be perpetuated at least so long as one of the Cherokee tribe shall live.
Sequoya. Inventor of the Cherokee Alphabet. |
John Ax (Itagu-nuhi). The great story teller. |
Everglades of Florida. Home of the Seminoles. | |
Next in rank of importance comes Itagunahi, better known among the English-speaking people as John Axe, who was born in the year 1800, saw the battle of Horseshoe Bend, witnessed the removal of the Cherokee tribe in 1838. He knew its history and almost all of the myths, legends and stories, transmitted many of them to the white man for record, and while he never spoke English, he was a very versatile and interesting man of the old type of Indians, and strong to the last days; he lived to near 100 years, then passed to the Happy Hunting Grounds.
To John D. Wofford, of the Western Reservation or tribe, we are indebted for much information, which would have been lost except for his wonderful knowledge.
All the story-tellers prefaced their remarks by saying, “This is what the old folks used to tell us when we were boys.”
Cherokee myths may be classified as sacred myths, animal stories, local legends, and historical traditions. The sacred myths were not for every one, but only those might hear who observed the proper form and ceremony.
In the old times the myth-keepers and priests were accustomed to meet together at night in the asi, or low-built log sleeping house, to recite the traditions and discuss their secret knowledge. At times those who desired instruction from an adept in the sacred lore of the tribe would meet the priest by appointment in the asi, where they sat up all night talking, with only the light of a small fire burning in the middle of the floor. At daybreak the whole party went down to the running stream, where the pupils or hearers of the myths stripped themselves and were scratched upon the naked skin with a bone tooth comb in the hands of the priest, after which they waded out, facing the rising sun, and dipped seven times under the water, while the priest recited prayers upon the bank. The purificatory rite, which was observed more than a century ago by Adair, is also a part of the ceremonial of the ball play, the green-corn dance, and, in fact, every important ritual performance. Before beginning one of the stories of the sacred class the informant would sometimes suggest jokingly that the author first submit to being scratched and, “Go to water.”