The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10
RELIGION AND ROMANCE
Tales of Creation and of
Legendary Heroes.
COLLECTED FROM THE INDIANS IN CALIFORNIA.
MEXICO. AMI GUATEMALA.
BY JEREMIAH CURTIN.
Copyright, ,sSe, bv jeremiah curtin.

morning. and then go TO the river to ,hathe.
batho in the river every morning. we VIII
sweat n little, then battle"
Ses went into the sweat house first. He
made n very hot fire Of the bones Of people
whom he had killcd-there were piles OF these
homes around. Tulchuherris went out Of
sas's dwelling and went into the sweat house.
Now, my brother said Winishuyat.
when they we're at one side. this Ia the place
where Sas has killed many people. who es-
oaped death in the house. lie Is. going to
smoke you to death II he can"
The sweat house was made Of bones, and
was r~lastercd outside with mucus from Sass
nose, ~ that no smoke could escape through
the cracks. After Tulchuhcrris went In he
saw how Sas built the fire. The old man
never used wood, always bones. He piled on
bones: fat and marrow anne out, hlazed MP.
made-a great smoke. and the smell OF the
smoke was not sweet. After sweating for n
while Sas said:
~ am old now and weak. nearly blind. I
cannot stand much. My head aches. | must
TO out and rest. You stay and have n good
sweat. When you have sweated enough,
come out"
Old Sas went out. The door was small, just
large enough to crawl through. When out
eide he lay across the door and stopped the
passage with his body. so that none could go
through and no smoke could escape. After
half an hour or an hour Tulchuhcrris said:
MY father-in-law. I would like to 90 out.
why don't you go from the door and let me
pass? I have sweated enough"
"Oh. I am old and weak. J." answered Sas. ~
am lying here to rest. When I have rested a
little. my. SON in-law. I will. rise and let you
out"
Tulchuherris remained some time longer.
When nearly choked he groaned: 'Oh, I'm al
most dead"
MY brother" asked winishuyat, do you
want to die2 Do you want old Sas TO kill you.
to smoke you to deathT You don't want to die.
I don't want TO die. We are strong people.
stronger than Sas. I will tell you how to get
out. Take the bono you have and make a hole
In the north side Of the sweat house."
Tulchuherris made a hole in the wall OF tho
sweat house. He spat then and spoke to the
spittal. Make noise for An hour" said he,
land groan like me--'enh. enh. enh.' Let Sas
believe that I am here, that I am dying
Tulchuherris went out the hole, walked to
the river, washed there comfortably, went to
SaskewIl. and sat with Sass daughters. Sas
heard the groaning inside and said to himself:
''Tulchuherris is dying" After q long time the
noise stopped. and Aas felt sure that Tulchu-
herris was dead. Then hs went to the creek.
washed himself, and walked along slowly to-
ward the house. When he came near he was
saying:
''Tulchuherris. you are nobody. have An
ished you at last. I am wiser than you, stronger
than you. You were brought up in your old
grandmother's apron.r
Tulchuheris heard him. When Sas was
outside the door he stopped and said YOU,
Tulchuherris, were dug out OF the ground. You
are nobody. I have beaten you. You'll never
trouble me again."
He started to 60 into the house, and looking
around saw Tulchuherris sitting with his two
daughters.
"Were you talking OF me. father in-lawr
What we're you saying?" asked Tulchuherris.
when the old man had come in and sat down.
"Oh. my son-in-law. | don't know what I
said. but I was saying. oh. I am so old. I don't
know anything. am weak and blind. Some
times I don't know what I am doing. I think
that 1 have done wrong to my son in-law, my
poor son in-law."
Soon after Sas went out, and at one side near
the door he dug a grave for the old woman,
his wife. When he had dug 1t, he buried her
and with her all the bears and snakes. and
said: These are my children" He put
them In the same grave. and cried, singing as
he cried:
"Koki. koki, koki nom,
Roki, koki, koki nom."
Creeping. creeping. creeping west,
Creeping. creeping. creeping vest
While burying his wife and the bears and
the snakes. he had beaver teeth hanging on
strings at the back of his head and on each
side OF his face. After he had cried a while
he danced and sang, and these teeth ratified
as his head swayed from side to side. Then
he went into the house, sal down. looked at
Tulchuherris, and said;
'Tulchuherris. you are my son-in-law: your
wives, those two women, are my daughters.
For a long time they have wanted certain
things to NAV with and haya baap haroin,
me to go for them, but I am old and blind;
! went l could not get what they want. My
daughters want pets. My son-in-law, on a
small tree. not far from here, is a nest of red
headed woodpeckers. and in 1t young wood.
peckers singing every day. Your wives want
the woodpeckers. but l am blind and old; I
cannot climb the tree. but you will get the
woodpeckers. l will show you the nest"
go ahead" said Tulchuherris, ''show me the
nest"
The tree was about q mile away. Sas walked
mp to It and stopped. Tulchuherris stood near.
Both looked up, and Sas asked:
you see the nest2'
The tree was very straight. and so high that
they could barely see the top of IL; the trunk
My tather: in, law" said Tulchuherris, ~
believe that can climb the tree"
You can climb It IL | help you.", said sas,
END TO end, a great many Of them tied together,
hairs from the heads of his daughters. lie
threw the rop1 ve.r,y. high over a limb near the
hold the rope; you climb" "
Tulchuherris began to climb the rope. He
went up, up, up, till he reached the limb and
stood on 1t. Sas was on the ground holding
the other end OF the rope. When TulChuherris
let go his hold Sas pulled the rope down and
left Tulchuherrls on the limb very high in lilo
air. Sas turned home. When "A short distance |
he said:
~ w, Tulchuherris, you are nobody, Your
grandmother, NOmhawenR, Is old. She dug
YOU out of the GROUND with "A rOnt gttcl Nnn
grew up In her rettiCoat. You are not strong
you are not wise. you are only Tulchuherris
lam Sas."
When Tulchuherris looked down he was
terrified, II was 50 far to the ground.
My brother said Winishuyat. I'VE shall
get down. LeDgthen the pointed bone which
You have and 90 higher"
Tulchuherris went 20 the nest, looked in.
and saw a great many heads peeping out in
every direction all rattlesnakes; He looked
. whiIei could not think what 10 do;
TulUhuherTis stretched the bone. "Stick he