Thereupon the upright young man and the chief took their stations at the head of the line of dancers. When all were in line and ready the young man began to sing the songs of the pigeons, and all danced, following the leaders. In dancing they made a circuit of the lodges, moving slowly to the rhythm of the songs as they turned from the right toward the left. When the young man had sung all the songs the head of the line had reached the point of departure.
Then the chief, addressing the people, said: “We have now, indeed, performed this ceremony as it has been taught to us by the people of the pigeons; and when we shall depart from this place we must take back with us this ceremony, which will be of great benefit to us. We have learned these songs here from a superior people, and so we must cherish this ceremony. We have learned, too, that in dancing we must always make the circuit of the fires in one certain direction, namely, from the right toward the left. The reason for this is that you use your right hands either to seize or to release whatever you wish, so it is necessary that the right side at all times be on the outside of the circle of dancers, and that the part of the body in which lies our life shall at all times be on the inside of the line of dancers. Let us now make ready to start for our homes.” With loud shouts of approval and of exuberance of joy the dancers returned to their lodges to make preparations to depart for their homes.
129. The Legend of Hahadodagwatʻha
Once there dwelt together a brother and his younger sister in a lodge.
The brother had a rich suit of hair, half of which was red and the other half black. It was the daily occupation of the brother to go out hunting, and the younger sister was contented. They lived thus in peace for a long time.
One morning the brother went out as usual to hunt. He had not been gone long when seemingly he returned, laughing and looking at [[667]]his younger sister, it is said. He took a seat by her side as she sat on her bed and embraced her, whereupon she said to him: “What has happened to you?” He made no reply but attempted to throw her backward on the bed while he tickled her. At this she exclaimed: “You are abusing me; you have never before acted in this manner;” and she struggled with him as he continued to grapple with her, until at last he went out of the lodge.
Not long after this episode her brother entered the lodge. Having been injured, she was weeping. Her brother said to her: “What has happened to you? Are you, perhaps, ill?” She made no reply and would not give him any food. Then she spoke to him, saying: “It is, indeed, an awful thing, the manner in which you have abused me, your own sister.” He answered: “What have I done to you?” She replied: “You abused me and tickled me, and desired to throw me on my back. This is the reason why my mind is troubled.” Answering, he said: “Not in the least could I abuse you, for I have too much compassion for you.” But she did not believe him. Then he continued, saying, “Now: it is, perhaps, my friend who has visited you and who looks exactly like me, having hair like mine, of which half is red.” Then she said: “That is not true; at all events, it was you who came into the lodge.” Thereupon he added: “My friend made this visit, because you have now arrived at womanhood. Not far away stands the lodge where mother and son live; the son is my friend.” She told him that she would not believe a thing he had said to her. He answered that whatever happened to him happened also to his friend.
The brother himself warmed up some food and ate his meal. In the morning his sister would not arise, for she was still very angry with him; so he himself prepared his morning meal and ate it. When he had finished eating it he went out to hunt. Before going, he said to his sister: “Do not think hard of the conduct of my friend, for he only desires to marry you.”
Just after the brother had left he (as she supposed) returned and seized her as she was walking along, and they struggled desperately in the lodge. She succeeded in scratching him in the face, whereupon he left the lodge and fled.