A New Legend For The People

(Cherokee)

     Many, many years ago, when animals could talk, they were divided into tribes, bands and clans, much like we are today. The Hawks were some of the proudest of all animals. They were strong and great in number. Each year they would hold tribal councils and dances. The sound of their drum and wings would fill the earth.
     As time went on a great enemy came. A large and powerful bird which they had never seen before. When this bird would fly overhead, the whole sky would be as if it were night in the middle of the day. This bird passed over and caused many of the Hawks to be driven away from the land Grandfather had given them. He passed over again and caused many of the Hawks to die. Finally, he passed over and caused many of the Hawks to be separated from others into many different places. Over time, these separated Hawks lost all contact with their brothers and sisters. They began to live with the other birds; the red birds, the blue jays and others.
     As time passed, the children of the separated Hawks grew up thinking they belonged with the other tribes. Sometimes their parents would even tell them they belonged there. Many years passed and the great, great grandchildren of the Hawks began to feel different from the other birds they had called family for so long. While the other birds wanted to search for worms, they wanted to soar in the air. When they saw game in the fields, they would be overcome with the desire to capture and eat it.
     Slowly the separated Hawks began to know they were not the Red Birds or Blue Jays or any of the other birds they had been living with. Slowly they learned that they were Hawks and that there were other Hawks like them, living in other places. They learned of the Hawk Drums and Dances. These things stirred up the spirit of the Hawk inside them and they knew that they had to return to their families. One day all the separated Hawks got together and started out on the long journey home. After a long time, they reached the land of their Grandfathers. They found the other Hawks who had been left behind. This was the place they belonged and they knew it. Something inside told them so.
     The Hawks who had been left behind were not interested in the new arrivals. "Who are you?", they asked. "What makes you think you are like us?" "We are Hawks", replied the new arrivals. "You may say you are Hawks but you are not part of us". Sadly, the separated Hawks left. They felt as if they had no other place to go, so they returned to the lands and tribes they had lived with for so long. The separated Hawks remembered the song of the Hawks they had learned and the dance they had seen. They began to sing the songs and dance the dances. Yet their hearts were heavy for their brothers and sisters.
     One day the separated Hawks learned the old enemy of the Hawks had returned. He was once again making war with their brothers and sisters. Now however, the Hawks who had remained were smaller in number. The Hawks who had remained, it was learned, would most surely be destroyed this time by this great bird. The war cry went out among the separated Hawks. They gathered together. They made arrows, they fasted, they danced; they mad ready for war.
     When the time was right, the separated Hawks set ambushes for the enemy of their fellow Hawks. The war was on. Because of the help of the separated Hawks, the enemy was defeated and all the Hawks once again lived together.
     As Standing Deer pointed out at the end of the story that he had submitted, "I'm sure the point of this story is clear".
    

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This story was published in the Southeastern Cherokee Council's newsletter, "S.E.C.C.I. Talking Leaves". The issue it was printed in is May, 1998.

Ball Game of the Birds and the Animals

(Cherokee)

The following story explains the origin of a custom of the Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.

The Cherokee used to prepare for a popular ball game by holding a dance the night before.

While the drummers beat on their drums, the rest of the people chanted songs.

Before the game, each player asked the help of the bat and of the flying squirrel.

For good luck, each player tied a small piece of bat's wing to the stick he would hit the ball with.

Long ago, the animals sent a message to the birds. "Let us have a big ball game. We will defeat you in a big ball game."

The birds answered, "We will meet you. We will defeat you in a big ball game." So the plans were made. The day was set. At a certain place, all the animals gathered, ready to throw the ball to the birds in the trees. On the side of the animals were the bear, the deer, and the terrapin or turtle. The bear was heavier than the other animals.  He was heavier than all the birds put together. The deer could run faster than the other animals could. The turtle had a very thick shell. So the animals felt sure that they would win the game.

The birds, too, felt sure that they would win. On their side were the eagle, the hawk, and the great raven. All three could fly swiftly. All three had farseeing eyes. All three were strong and had sharp beaks that could tear.

In the treetops the birds smoothed their feathers. Then they watched every movement of the animals on the ground below them. As they watched, two small creatures climbed up the tree toward the leader of the birds. These two creatures were but a little bigger than mice.

"Will you let us join in the game?" they asked the leader of the birds. The leader looked at them for a moment. He saw that they had four feet. "Why don't you join the animals?" he asked them. "Because you have four feet, you really belong on the other side." "We asked to play the game on their side," the tiny creatures answered. "But they laughed at us because we are so small. They do not want us."

The leader of the birds felt sorry for them. So did the eagle, the hawk, and the other birds.

"But how can they join us when they have no wings?" the birds asked each other. "Let us make wings for the little fellows," one of the birds suggested. "We can make wings from the head of the drum," another bird suggested. The drum had been used in the dance the night before. Its head was the skin of a groundhog. The birds cut two pieces of leather from it, shaped them like wings, and fastened them to the legs of one of the little fellows. Thus they made the first bat.

The leader gave directions. He said to the bat, "When I toss the ball, you catch it. Don't let it touch the ground. The bat caught it. He dodged and circled. He zigzagged very fast. He kept the ball always in motion, never letting it touch the ground. The birds were glad they had made wings for him. "What shall we do with the other little fellow?" asked the leader of the birds. "We have used up all our leather in making the wings for the bat."

The birds thought and thought. At last one of them had an idea. "Let us make wings for him by stretching his skin," suggested the eagle. So eagle and hawk, two of the biggest birds, seized the little fellow. With their strong bills they tugged and pulled at his fur. In a few minutes they stretched the skin between his front feet and his hind feet. His own fur made wings. Thus they made the first flying squirrel.

When the leader tossed the ball, flying squirrel caught it and carried it to another tree. From there he threw it to the eagle. Eagle caught it and threw it to another bird. The birds kept the ball in the air for some time, but at last they dropped it. Just before it reached the ground, the bat seized it. Dodging and circling and zigzagging, he kept out of the way of the deer and other swift animals. At last bat threw the ball in at the goal.