83. Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa
The inhabitants of a village saw an enormous Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa approaching, whereupon they were very angry and provoked to see that it could think of coming; so they got their bows and arrows ready to shoot. But the Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa called out: “Your arrows can not kill me. I have not come to harm you. I have come for tobacco, and you must collect voluntary contributions of it and give me all that you can spare.” They did not shoot, for they well knew that their arrows would have no effect except to make the Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa angry and revengeful. So they collected a quantity of tobacco, which they gave to him. Then he left them with the promise that he would never trouble them again if during their tobacco harvest they would always set aside a portion of this soothing plant for him. He kept his promise, as he never molested them after this.
84. Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa
The Onondaga say that Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa live in a cave among rocks near their reservation. They assert as a fact that they have seen Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa going along in front of these rocks and entering the cave, and they believe that many Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa live in that place. Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa are represented by the so-called False Faces, or maskers, of the Iroquois.
85. Genonsgwa
Three men were hunting in the woods. One of them, who was married, had his wife and child with him. While the men were off in the forest the woman and child remained in the lodge. The child was small and swathed to a cradleboard. [[438]]
One day when the woman returned to the lodge with water from a near-by stream, she heard talking, and, looking into the lodge, she saw a woman dressed in stone. The woman had taken up the baby and was rocking it on her knee, singing, Aʼuwah, aʼuwah (such good eating). Every little while she would take a bite out of the child’s cheek. The child screamed. Then spitting on her hand and rubbing the cheek, it became whole again, and the child stopped crying. The mother stood near the door, and seeing all this, was terrified. “Now we are going to die,” said she to herself. The Genonsgwa (Stone Coat Woman) looked up, and on seeing the mother bade her come in and be not afraid, as all would be well. Toward night the hunters returned. When they saw the woman dressed in stone, they were afraid, but the Stone Coat Woman said, “I have come to help you in hunting.”