Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-25


TX fishes and insects could
all talk. and they and the human race lived to-
gether in peace and friendship. But, as time
went on. the people increased so rapidly tina.
their settlements spread over the whole earth
and the poor animals found themselves
cramped for room. To add to their
misfortunes men invented bows, knives,
blow guns, spears and hooks and be-
gan to kill the larger creatures for their flesh
or skins, while the smaller ones, like the frogs
and worms, were crushed and trodden upon
without mercy. In this state of affairs the ami
mals resolved to consult on measures for their
common safety
THE BEARS WAGE WAR.
The beans were the first to meet in council.
After each individual in turn had made COM
plant Of the way in which men killed their
relatives, devoured their flesh and used their
SKINS for purposes Of adornment. it was decided
TO begin war at once against the human race.
Some one asked what weapons they could use,
and It was decided to make bow and arrows.
80 one bear procured q piece of locust wood
and another sacrificed himself fo- the good of
the rest in order to furnish a portion of his en-
trails for the string. When the first bear stepped
up to try shot his long claws caught in the
string and spoiled the aim.
This was annoying but another suggested that
he could overcome the difficulty BY cutting his
claws, which was done, and on a second trial
the arrow went straight TO the mark. But here
the chief, the old white bear, interposed and
said II was necessary that they should have long
claws in order to climb trees. Zone of us has
already died to furnish the bow string" he de-
clared, land if We now cut off our claws we
shall all have to starve together" No one
could suggest any better plan, so the bears dis
persed to their forest haunts without having
concerted any means for destroying the human
race. Had the result of the council been diff
ferent bears and men would now be ut war, but
as it is the hunter does not even ask the bear e
pardon when he kills one.
THE DEERs' REVENGE.
The deer next held acouncil under their chief,
Little Deer, and after some elaboration re-
solved to inflict rheumatism upon every hunter
who should kill one Of their number, unless he
took care to ask their pardon for the offense.
They sent notice of this decision to the Indians
Now, whenever the hunter brings down deer.
the Little Deer, who is as swift as the wind and
cannot be wounded, runs quickly TO the spot,
and bending over the blood stains asks the
spirit Of the deer if it has heard the prayer Of
the hunter for pardon. II the reply be Eyes,"
all is well. but if it is negative the Little Deer
follows the hunter to his lodge and strikes him
with rheumatism SO that he is rendered on the
instant q helpless cripple.
Next came the fishes and reptiles, who had
their own grievances against humanity. They
held joint council and determined to make
their Oppressors dream Of snakes twininC about
them in Shiny folds or eating raw and decayine
fish. SO that they would lose appetite, sicken
and die. Thus it is that snake and fish dreams
are accounted for. Finally the birds, insects
and smaller animals came together for a like
purpose, and the grub worm presided over the
deliberations. Votes were taken as to the guilt
Of ms ba alala 4.
cast ballot in his favor. This SO enraged the
others that they fell upon the ground squirrel
and tore him with their teeth and
claws: The stripes remain On his back
to this day. The assembly then be-
gan to invent and name various dis
eases with which to afiict mankind. and at the
end Of the list it was decided that childbirth
should sometimes prore fatal to women. The
grub worm was so overjoyed at this clever idea
that he fell over backward and could not get on
his feet again, but had to wriggle off on his
back, as the grub worm has done ever since.
PLANTS TO HELP HUMANITY.
Now, when the plants, who were friendly to
man, heard what had been done by the animals.
they determined to defeat their evil designs.
Every tree. shrub and herb. down even to the
grasses and moses, agreed TO furnish a remedy
for some one Of the newly invented diseases,
and each said: 81 shall come to helm human,
III.
Thus medicine originated, and the plants every
one Of which has its use if it was only known,
furnish antidotes to counterfeit the evils wrought
by the revengeful animals. When the doctor is
in doubt what treatment to apply for the relief
OF patient the spirit of the plant suggests to
him the proper remedy.
THE CHEROKEE REMEDIES.
Like most primitive peoples the Cherokees
believed that disease and death are not natural,
but are due to the evil influences of animal
spirits, ghosts and witches. Their theory of
medicine Is development of the fetch idea
For a complaint caused by the rabbit the anti
dote must be a plant called rabbits ear" or
rabbits tall for snake dreams the plant used
Is ~snake's tooth; for worms q plant resem-
bling worm in appearance is employed and for
inhamed eyes flower having the appearance
and name OF .'deer's eye" is specific. A yell
low root must be good when the patient vo,nits
yellow bile. As cure for forgetfulness moth
ing is equal to decoction of burrs which stick
SO fast, and a similar prepaRtion of the wiry
roots Of the ''devi's shoe strings" is necessarily
an efficacious wash for toughening the ball play
er's muscles.
This system is pure application of the "sim-
lila similibus curantur" theory. Though OBJ
viously crude il must be remembered that
within 200 years judicial courts in the most civil
ized countries of the world have condemned
women to be burned TO death for producing
oASAitcbS W cpCus uuQ AQC0utavlO0s. Mnen
the roots, herbs and banks which enter into
the prescription of the Indian physician
have been gathered, he ties them up in a
package, which he takes to q running stream
and throws into the water. Should the pack
age float his treatment may be expected TO be
successful II it sinks he must collect new
package.
THE cHERoKEEs AND PoLYrHEIsM
The Cherokee Indian was originally polytbs-
list. To him the spirit world was only Q st.dowy
counterpart Of this one. He had no great spirit.
no happy hunting ground, no heaven, no he'll.
all Of which ideas were first introduced to the
American aborigines by Christian missionaries,
Consequently, death had for him no terror
and he awaited the inevitable end with no
anxiety as to the future. All his prayers were
for temporal and tangible blessings-for health
for long life, for success in the chase in fishing
in war and In love, for good crops, for protec-
ton and for revenge. OF the formulas used In
such prayers and for the cure Of diseases the
bureau Of ethnology has recently secured a most
interesting collection. Among them are love
charms, TO gain the affections Of woman OF 20
cause her to hate o rival; failing charms, hunt
ing charms, including the songs, without which
no one could ever hope TO hin any game; pray
ers to make the corn grow, to Brighten away
storms and to drive Oh witches; prayers for
acquiring influence in council and success in
the ball play.
LOVE CHARMS.
The great number Of love charms in
IL