Indian Boyhood [20]
had occurred to interest her during the day was immediately repeated for my benefit.
There were certain questions upon which Oese- dah held me to be authority, and asked with the hope of increasing her little store of knowledge. I have often heard her declare to her girl compan- ions: "I know it is true; Ohiyesa said so!" Uncheedah was partly responsible for this, for when any questions came up which lay within the sphere of man's observation, she would say:
"Ohiyesa ought to know that: he is a man-- I am not! You had better ask him."
The truth was that she had herself explained to me many of the subjects under discussion.
I was occasionally referred to little Oesedah in the same manner, and I always accepted her child- ish elucidations of any matter upon which I had been advised to consult her, because I knew the source of her wisdom. In this simple way we were made to be teachers of one another.
Very often we discussed some topic before our common instructor, or answered her questions to- gether, in order to show which had the readier mind.
"To what tribe does the lizard belong?" inquired Uncheedah, upon one of these occasions.
"To the four-legged tribe," I shouted.
Oesedah, with her usual quickness, flashed out the answer:
"It belongs to the creeping tribe."
The Indians divided all animals into four gen- eral classes: 1st, those that walk upon four legs; 2nd, those that fly; 3rd, those that swim with fins; 4th, those that creep.
Of course I endeavored to support my assertion that the lizard belongs where I had placed it, be-. cause he has four distinct legs which propel him everywhere, on the ground or in the water. But my opponent claimed that the creature under dispute does not walk, but creeps. My strongest argument was that it had legs; but Oesedah insisted that its body touches the ground as it moves. As a last resort, I volunteered to go find one, and demon- strate the point in question.
The lizard having been brought, we smoothed off the ground and strewed ashes on it so that we could see the track. Then I raised the question: "What constitutes creeping, and what constitutes walking?"
Uncheedah was the judge, and she stated, with- out any hesitation, that an animal must stand clear of the ground on the support of its legs, and walk with the body above the legs, and not in contact with the ground, in order to be termed a walker; while a creeper is one that, regardless of its legs, if it has them, drags its body upon the ground. Upon hearing the judge's decision, I yielded at once to my opponent.
At another time, when I was engaged in a sim- ilar discussion with my brother Chatanna, Oesedah came to my rescue. Our grandmother had asked us:
"What bird shows most judgment in caring for its young?"
Chatanna at once exclaimed:
"The eagle!" but I held my peace for a mo- ment, because I was confused--so many birds came into my mind at once. I finally declared:
"It is the oriole!"
Chatanna was asked to state all the evidence that he had in support of the eagle's good sense in rearing its young. He proceeded with an air of confidence:
"The eagle is the wisest of all birds. Its nest is made in the safest possible place, upon a high and inaccessible cliff. It provides its young with an abundance of fresh meat. They have the fresh- est of air. They are brought up under the spell of the grandest scenes, and inspired with lofty feelings and bravery. They see that all other be- ings live beneath them, and that they are the chil- dren of the King of Birds. A young eagle shows the spirit of a warrior while still in the nest.
"Being exposed to the inclemency of the weather the young eaglets are hardy. They are accustomed to hear the mutterings of the Thunder Bird and the sighings of the Great Mystery. Why, the lit- tle eagles cannot help being as noble as they are, because their parents selected for them so lofty and inspiring a home! How happy they must be when they find themselves above the clouds, and behold the zigzag flashes of lightning all
There were certain questions upon which Oese- dah held me to be authority, and asked with the hope of increasing her little store of knowledge. I have often heard her declare to her girl compan- ions: "I know it is true; Ohiyesa said so!" Uncheedah was partly responsible for this, for when any questions came up which lay within the sphere of man's observation, she would say:
"Ohiyesa ought to know that: he is a man-- I am not! You had better ask him."
The truth was that she had herself explained to me many of the subjects under discussion.
I was occasionally referred to little Oesedah in the same manner, and I always accepted her child- ish elucidations of any matter upon which I had been advised to consult her, because I knew the source of her wisdom. In this simple way we were made to be teachers of one another.
Very often we discussed some topic before our common instructor, or answered her questions to- gether, in order to show which had the readier mind.
"To what tribe does the lizard belong?" inquired Uncheedah, upon one of these occasions.
"To the four-legged tribe," I shouted.
Oesedah, with her usual quickness, flashed out the answer:
"It belongs to the creeping tribe."
The Indians divided all animals into four gen- eral classes: 1st, those that walk upon four legs; 2nd, those that fly; 3rd, those that swim with fins; 4th, those that creep.
Of course I endeavored to support my assertion that the lizard belongs where I had placed it, be-. cause he has four distinct legs which propel him everywhere, on the ground or in the water. But my opponent claimed that the creature under dispute does not walk, but creeps. My strongest argument was that it had legs; but Oesedah insisted that its body touches the ground as it moves. As a last resort, I volunteered to go find one, and demon- strate the point in question.
The lizard having been brought, we smoothed off the ground and strewed ashes on it so that we could see the track. Then I raised the question: "What constitutes creeping, and what constitutes walking?"
Uncheedah was the judge, and she stated, with- out any hesitation, that an animal must stand clear of the ground on the support of its legs, and walk with the body above the legs, and not in contact with the ground, in order to be termed a walker; while a creeper is one that, regardless of its legs, if it has them, drags its body upon the ground. Upon hearing the judge's decision, I yielded at once to my opponent.
At another time, when I was engaged in a sim- ilar discussion with my brother Chatanna, Oesedah came to my rescue. Our grandmother had asked us:
"What bird shows most judgment in caring for its young?"
Chatanna at once exclaimed:
"The eagle!" but I held my peace for a mo- ment, because I was confused--so many birds came into my mind at once. I finally declared:
"It is the oriole!"
Chatanna was asked to state all the evidence that he had in support of the eagle's good sense in rearing its young. He proceeded with an air of confidence:
"The eagle is the wisest of all birds. Its nest is made in the safest possible place, upon a high and inaccessible cliff. It provides its young with an abundance of fresh meat. They have the fresh- est of air. They are brought up under the spell of the grandest scenes, and inspired with lofty feelings and bravery. They see that all other be- ings live beneath them, and that they are the chil- dren of the King of Birds. A young eagle shows the spirit of a warrior while still in the nest.
"Being exposed to the inclemency of the weather the young eaglets are hardy. They are accustomed to hear the mutterings of the Thunder Bird and the sighings of the Great Mystery. Why, the lit- tle eagles cannot help being as noble as they are, because their parents selected for them so lofty and inspiring a home! How happy they must be when they find themselves above the clouds, and behold the zigzag flashes of lightning all