Hupa texts / by Pliny Earle Goddard.

  • Pliny Earle Goddard
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

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

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    TRANSLATION, Yimantuwinyai.—Creator and Culture Hero. It was at Tcoxoltewedin he came into being. From the earth behind the inner house wall he sprang into existence. There was a ringing noise like the striking together of metals at his birth. Before his coming smoke had settled on the mountain side. Rotten pieces of wood thrown up by someone fell into his hands. Where they fell there was fire. After him there grew the KIxunai everywhere in the world. Some of these who were bad he did not like. There was no food as yet in the world. One of the KIxunai had it in his keeping. He had all the deer confined inside of a mountain through the side of which was a door. Yimantuwinyai, not liking this, started out through the world to find a remedy. In the middle of the world he sat down. When he looked this way (toward Hupa) he saw a madroha tree. He took a piece of bark from it the length of the back-strap of a deer and put it in his quiver. Starting out again he came to the house of the KIxunai who was guarding the deer and entered. After sitting there sometime he put his hand into his quiver and drew out the madroha bark which had become sinew. Deer must have grown also where that man lives,” thought the KIxunai, Then Yimantuwinyai said, I am hungry for fresh venison, I am tired of dry meat.” The KIxunai went to secure the deer and Yimantuwinyai watched to see which way he went. He saw him open a door in the side of a mountain where he kept the deer, never letting them go out to feed. When Yimantuwihyai had found out what he wished to know he ran back to the house. He carried his quiver outside and put it on the roof that it might be at hand when he needed it. When the KIxunai had brought in the deer, Yimantuwinyai said, I am going out to swim because I am going to eat venison.”* As he passed out he took down his *The Hupa bathed before a meal especially one of meat.
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