Hupa texts / by Pliny Earle Goddard.

  • Goddard, Pliny Earle, 1869-1928.
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Hupa texts / by Pliny Earle Goddard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    When he got back to TakimiLdih the people were making so much noise that the birds flying over nearly dropped dead.* Someone came over from Bald Hills, When they looked up a cloud had risen. It is disease that is coming; come make a dance,” said Yimantuwihyai. The Kixunai danced in the large house circling around the Are. Let me find a dancing place,” thought Yimantuwihyai. Coming up on a bank some distance down the river he thought that would be the place. He called out Salmon,” and a salmon came ashore. Going further down he called, Water,” and water boiled out of the ground. Going on down to Miskut he called again, Water.” It did not appear. There he made the place for the final dance. Then he went back to TakimiLdih. The next day they danced again. When they looked they saw the cloud had drawn back. They danced for five days and it continued to go back. Then they danced in the house five days by jumping. Afterwards they had a jumping dance at Miskut. That way it will be,” he thought, if disease comes.” Then he went south until he came to Leldih.t As he was going along south he saw someone coming toward him carrying a load. He had no eyes. When he met him he said, Eh! Old man, the load has nearly worn you out.” The old man sat down, falling over as he did so. Help me carry it,” he said. All right,” said Yimantuwihyai. Push the load on me,” said Yimantuwinyai sitting under it. When he pushed it on him he untied the strap. Yimantuwinyai jumped out and the pieces stuck up in the ground right where he had been. Yiman- tuwihyai stood facing him. It was black obsidian he was carry- ing. With them he used to kill people to eat. The blind man felt around for his victim saying, I always catch them, this one I did not catch.” Then he arranged the obsidians as usual. Yimantuwihyai said, Come, it is your turn.” No,” said the old man. Anyway,” he said, come let me push it on you.” No,” said the old man, nobody pushes it on me.” Never- *The narrator explained that the noise of the village was so great as to affect the birds. t Compare xxiv. For an account of this dance compare Life and Culture of the Hupa, p. 82.