The shaman and his employer then retire to a lonely spot in the mountains, in the vicinity of a small stream, and begin a new series of conjurations with the beads. After constructing a temporary shelter of bark laid over poles, the two go down to the water, the shaman taking with him two pieces of cloth, a yard or two yards in length, one white, the other black, together with seven red and seven black beads. The cloth is the shaman's pay for his services, and is furnished by his employer, who sometimes also supplies the beads. There are many formulas for conjuring with the beads, which are used on almost all important occasions, and differences also in the details of the ceremony, but the general practice is the same in all cases. The shaman selects a bend in the river where his client can look toward the east while facing up stream. The man then takes up his position on the bank or wades into the stream a short distance, where—in the ceremonial language—the water is a "hand length" (awâ[']hilû) in depth and stands silently with his eyes fixed upon the water and his back to the shaman on the bank. The shaman then lays upon the ground the two pieces of cloth, folded into convenient size, and places the red beads—typical of success and his client upon the white cloth, while the black beads—emblematic of death and the intended victim—are laid upon the black cloth. It is probable that the first cloth should properly be red instead of white, but as it is difficult to get red cloth, except in the shape of handkerchiefs, a substitution has been made, the two colors having a close mythologic relation. In former days a piece of buckskin and the small glossy, seeds of the Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare) were used instead of the cloth and beads. The formulistic name for the bead is sû[']nĭkta, which the priests are unable to analyze, the ordinary word for beads or coin being adelâ.

The shaman now takes a red bead, representing his client, between the thumb and index finger of his right hand, and a black bead, representing the victim, in like manner, in his left hand. Standing a few feet behind his client he turns toward the east, fixes his eyes upon the bead between the thumb and finger of his right hand, and addresses it as the Sû[']nĭkta Gigăge[']ĭ, the Red Bead, invoking blessings upon his client and clothing him with the red garments of success. The formula is repeated in a low chant or intonation, the voice rising at intervals, after the manner of a revival speaker. Then turning to the black bead in his left hand he addresses it in similar manner, calling down the most withering curses upon the head of the victim. Finally looking up he addresses the stream, under the name of Yû['][n]wĭ Gûnahi[']ta, the "Long Person," imploring it to protect his client and raise him to the seventh heaven, where he will be secure from all his enemies. The other, then stooping down, dips up water in his hand seven times and pours it upon his head, rubbing it upon his shoulders and breast at the same time. In some cases he dips completely under seven times, being stripped, of course, even when the water is of almost icy coldness. The shaman, then stooping down, makes a small hole in the ground with his finger, drops into it the fatal black bead, and buries it out of sight with a stamp of his foot. This ends the ceremony, which is called "taking to water."

While addressing the beads the shaman attentively observes them as they are held between the thumb and finger of his outstretched hands. In a short time they begin to move, slowly and but a short distance at first, then faster and farther, often coming down as far as the first joint of the finger or even below, with an irregular serpentine motion from side to side, returning in the same manner. Should the red bead be more lively in its movements and come down lower on the finger than the black bead, he confidently predicts for the client the speedy accomplishment of his desire. On the other hand, should the black bead surpass the red in activity, the spells of the shaman employed by the intended victim are too strong, and the whole ceremony must be gone over again with an additional and larger quantity of cloth. This must be kept up until the movements of the red beads give token of success or until they show by their sluggish motions or their failure to move down along the finger that the opposing shaman can not be overcome. In the latter case the discouraged plotter gives up all hope, considering himself as cursed by every imprecation which he has unsuccessfully invoked upon his enemy, goes home and—theoretically—lies down and dies. As a matter of fact, however, the shaman is always ready with other formulas by means of which he can ward off such fatal results, in consideration, of a sufficient quantity of cloth.

Should the first trial, which takes place at daybreak, prove unsuccessful, the shaman and his client fast until just before sunset. They then eat and remain awake until midnight, when the ceremony is repeated, and if still unsuccessful it may be repeated four times before daybreak (or the following noon?), both men remaining awake and fasting throughout the night. If still unsuccessful, they continue to fast all day until just before sundown. Then they eat again and again remain awake until midnight, when the previous night's programme is repeated. It has now become a trial of endurance between the revengeful client and his shaman on the one side and the intended victim and his shaman on the other, the latter being supposed to be industriously working countercharms all the while, as each party must subsist upon one meal per day and abstain entirely from sleep until the result has been decided one way or the other. Failure to endure this severe strain, even so much as closing the eyes in sleep for a few moments or partaking of the least nourishment excepting just before sunset, neutralizes all the previous work and places the unfortunate offender at the mercy of his more watchful enemy. If the shaman be still unsuccessful on the fourth day, he acknowledges himself defeated and gives up the contest. Should his spells prove the stronger, his victim will die within seven days, or, as the Cherokees say, seven nights. These "seven nights," however, are frequently interpreted, figuratively, to mean seven years, a rendering which often serves to relieve the shaman from a very embarrassing position.

With regard to the oracle of the whole proceeding, the beads do move; but the explanation is simple, although the Indians account for it by saying that the beads become alive by the recitation of the sacred formula. The shaman is laboring under strong, though suppressed, emotion. He stands with his hands stretched out in a constrained position, every muscle tense, his breast heaving and voice trembling from the effort, and the natural result is that before he is done praying his fingers begin to twitch involuntarily and thus cause the beads to move. As before stated, their motion is irregular; but the peculiar delicacy of touch acquired by long practice probably imparts more directness to their movements than would at first seem possible.

HIĂ['] A[']NE[']TSÂ UGÛ['][n]WA[']LĬ AMÂ[']YĬ DITSÛ['][n]STA[']TĬ.

Sgĕ! Ha-nâgwa ă[']stĭ une[']ga aksâ[']û[n]tanû['][n] usĭnu[']lĭ a'ne[']tsâ unatsâ[']nû[n]tse[']lahĭ akta[']'tĭ adû[n]ni[']ga.

Iyu[']stĭ utadâ[']ta, iyu[']stĭ tsunadâ[']ita. Nû[n]nâ[']hĭ anite[']lahĕhû['] ige[']skĭ nige[']sû[n]na. Dû[']ksi-gwu['] dedu[']natsgû'la[']wate[']gû. Da[']'sû[n] unilâtsi[']satû. Sa'ka[']ni unati[']satû['].

Nû[n]nâ[']hĭ dâ[']tadu[']nina[']watĭ['] a[']yû-'nû['] digwatseli[']ga a'ne[']tsâ unatsâ[']nû[n]tse[']lahĭ. Tla[']mehû Gigage[']ĭ sâ[']gwa danûtsgû[']'lani[']ga. Igû['][n]yĭ galû['][n]lâ ge[']sû[n] i[']yû[n] kanû['][n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ[']hĭstâ[']gĭ. Ta[']line galû['][n]lâ ge[']su[n] i[']yû[n] kanû['][n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ[']hĭstâ[']gĭ. He[']nilû danûtsgû[']'lani[']ga. Tla[']ma û[n]ni[']ta a[']nigwalu[']gĭ gû[n]tla[']'tisge[']stĭ, ase[']gwû nige[']sû[n]na.

Du[']talĕ a'ne[']tsâ unatsâ[']nû[n]tse[']lahĭ saligu[']gi-gwû dedu[']natsgû[']'lawĭsti[']tegû[']. Elawi[']nĭ da[']'sû[n] unilâtsi[']satû.

Tsâ[']ine digalû['][n]latiyu['][n] Să[']niwă Gi[']gageĭ sâ[']gwa danûtsgû[']'lani[']ga, asĕ'gâ[']gĭ nige[']sû[n]na. Kanû['][n]lagĭ [u]*wâhâ[']hĭstâ[']gĭ nû[']'gine digalû['][n]latiyû['][n]. Gulĭ[']sgulĭ['] Sa'ka[']ni sâ[']gwa danûtsgû[']'lani[']ga, asĕ'gâ[']gĭ nige[']sû[n]na. Kanû['][n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ[']hĭstâgĭ hĭ[']skine digalû['][n]latiyû['][n]. Tsŭtsŭ['] Sa'ka[']ni sâ[']gwa danûtsgû[']'lani[']ga, asĕ'gâ[']gĭ nige[']sû[n]na.

Du[']talĕ a'ne[']tsâ utsâ[']nû[n]tse[']lahĭ Tĭne[']gwa Sa'ka[']ni sâ[']gwa danûtsgû[']'lani[']ga, ige[']skĭ nige[']sû[n]na. Da[']'sû[n] unilâtsi[']satû. Kanû['][n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ[']hĭstâ[']gĭ sutali[']ne digalû['][n]latiyû['][n]. A[']nigâsta[']ya sâ[']gwa danûtsgu[']'lani[']ga, asĕ'gâ[']gĭ nige[']su[n]na. Kanû['][n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ[']hĭstâ[']gĭ kûl'kwâgine digalû['][n]latiyû['][n]. Wâtatû[']ga Sa'ka[']ni sâ[']gwa danûtsgû[']'lani[']ga, asĕ'gâ[']gĭ nige[']sû[n]na.

Du[']talĕ a'ne[']tsâ unatsâ[']nû[n]tse[']lahĭ, Yâ[']na dedu[']natsgû[']'lawĭstani[']ga, ige[']skĭ nige[']sû[n]na. Da'sû[n] du[']nilâtsi[']satû. Kanû['][n]lagĭ de[']tagaskalâ[']û[n]tanû['][n], igû[n][']wûlstanûhi-gwûdi[']na tsuye[']listi gesû['][n]ĭ. Akta[']'tĭ adû[n]ni[']ga.

Sgĕ! Nâ[']gwa t'skĭ[']nâne[']lĭ ta[']lădŭ['] iyû['][n]ta a[']gwatseli[']ga, Wătatu[']ga Tsûne[']ga. Tsuye[']listĭ gesû['][n]ĭ skĭ[']nâhû[n]sĭ['] a[']gwatseli[']ga—kanû['][n]lagĭ a[']gwatseli[']ga. Nă[']'nâ utadâ[']ta kanû['][n]lagĭ dedu[']skalâ[']asi[']ga.

Dedû[']ndagû['][n]yastani[']ga, gû[n]wâ[']hisâ[']nûhĭ. Yû!

Translation.

THIS CONCERNS THE BALL PLAY—TO TAKE THEM TO WATER WITH IT.

Listen! Ha! Now where the white thread has been let down, quickly we are about to examine into (the fate of) the admirers of the ball play.

They are of—such a (iyu[']stĭ) descent. They are called—so and so (iyu[']stĭ). They are shaking the road which shall never be joyful. The miserable Terrapin has come and fastened himself upon them as they go about. They have lost all strength. They have become entirely blue.

But now my admirers of the ball play have their roads lying along in this direction. The Red Bat has come and made himself one of them. There in the first heaven are the pleasing stakes. There in the second heaven are the pleasing stakes. The Pewee has come and joined them. The immortal ball stick shall place itself upon the whoop, never to be defeated.

As for the lovers of the ball play on the other side, the common Turtle has come and fastened himself upon them as they go about. Under the earth they have lost all strength.

The pleasing stakes are in the third heaven. The Red Tlăniwă has come and made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated. The pleasing stakes are in the fourth heaven. The Blue Fly-catcher has made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated. The pleasing stakes are in the fifth heaven. The Blue Martin has made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated.

The other lovers of the ball play, the Blue Mole has come and fastened upon them, that they may never be joyous. They have lost all strength.

The pleasing stakes are there in the sixth heaven. The Chimney Swift has made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated. The pleasing stakes are in the seventh heaven. The Blue Dragon-fly has made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated.

As for the other admirers of the ball play, the Bear has just come and fastened him upon them, that they may never be happy. They have lost all strength. He has let the stakes slip from his grasp and there shall be nothing left for their share.

The examination is ended.

Listen! Now let me know that the twelve are mine, O White Dragon-fly. Tell me that the share is to be mine—that the stakes are mine. As for the player there on the other side, he has been forced to let go his hold upon the stakes.

Now they are become exultant and happy. Yû!

Explanation.

This formula, from the A'yû[n]inĭ manuscript is one of those used by the shaman in taking the ball players to water before the game. The ceremony is performed in connection with red and black beads, as described in the formula just given for destroying life. The formulistic name given to the ball players signifies literally, "admirers of the ball play." The Tlă[']niwă (să[']niwă in the Middle dialect) is the mythic great hawk, as large and powerful as the roc of Arabian tales. The shaman begins by declaring that it is his purpose to examine or inquire into the fate of the ball players, and then gives his attention by turns to his friends and their opponents, fixing his eyes upon the red bead while praying for his clients, and upon the black bead while speaking of their rivals. His friends he raises gradually to the seventh or highest galû['][n]latĭ. This word literally signifies height, and is the name given to the abode of the gods dwelling above the earth, and is also used to mean heaven in the Cherokee bible translation. The opposing players, on the other hand, are put down under the earth, and are made to resemble animals slow and clumsy of movement, while on behalf of his friends the shaman invokes the aid of swift-flying birds, which, according to the Indian belief, never by any chance fail to secure their prey. The birds invoked are the He[']nilû or wood pewee (Contopus virens), the Tlăniwă or mythic hawk, the Gulĭ[']sgulĭ['] or great crested flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus), the Tsûtsû or martin (Progne subis), and the A[']nigâsta[']ya or chimney swift (Chaetura pelasgia). In the idiom of the formulas it is said that these "have just come and are sticking to them" (the players), the same word (danûtsgû[']lani'ga) being used to express the devoted attention of a lover to his mistress. The Watatuga, a small species of dragon-fly, is also invoked, together with the bat, which, according to a Cherokee myth, once took sides with the birds in a great ball contest with the four-footed animals, and won the victory for the birds by reason of his superior skill in dodging. This myth explains also why birds, and no quadrupeds, are invoked by the shaman to the aid of his friends. In accordance with the regular color symbolism the flycatcher, martin, and dragon-fly, like the bat and the tlă[']niwă, should be red, the color of success, instead of blue, evidently so written by mistake. The white thread is frequently mentioned in the formulas, but in this instance the reference is not clear. The twelve refers to the number of runs made in the game.

Index.

A'wanita, or Young Deer, Cherokee formulas furnished by 316 Ayasta, Cherokee manuscript obtained from 313 A'yû[n][']inĭ, or Swimmer, Cherokee manuscripts obtained from 310-312 Bathing in medical practice of Cherokees 333-334, 335-336 Bleeding, practice of among the Cherokees 334-335 Brinton, D.G., cited on linguistic value of Indian records 318 Catawba Killer, Cherokee formulas furnished by 316 Cherokees, paper on Sacred Formulas of, by James Mooney 301-397 bathing, rubbing, and bleeding in medical practice of 333-336 manuscripts of, containing sacred, medical, and other formulas, character and age of 307-318 medical practice of, list of plants used in 324-327 medicine dance of 337 color symbolism of 342-343 gods of, and their abiding places 340-342 religion of 319 Cherokee Sacred Formulas, language of 343-344 specimens of 344-397 for rheumatism 345-351 for snake bite 351-353 for worms 353-356 for neuralgia 356-359 for fever and ague 359-363 for child birth 363-364 for biliousness 365-366 for ordeal diseases 367-369 for hunting and fishing 369-375 for love 375-384 to kill a witch 384-386 to find something 386-387 to prevent a storm 387-388 for going to war 388-391 for destroying an enemy 391-395 for ball play 395-397 Color symbolism of the Cherokees 342, 343 Disease, Cherokee theory of 322-324 Disease and medicine, Cherokee tradition of origin of 319-322 Gahuni manuscript of Cherokee formulas 313, 314 Gatigwanasti manuscript of Cherokee formulas 312, 313 Gods of the Cherokees and their abiding places 340-342 Haywood, John, cited on witchcraft beliefs among the Cherokees 322 Inali manuscript of Cherokee formulas 314-316 Long, W.W., collection of Cherokee formulas and songs prepared by 317 Medical practice of Cherokees, plants used 322-331 Medicine dance of Cherokees 337 Mooney, James, paper on sacred formulas of the Cherokees, by 301-397 Names, importance attached to, in Cherokee sacred formulas 343 Plants used by Cherokees for medical purposes 322-331 ceremonies for gathering 339 Religion of the Cherokees, character of 319 Religion of the Cherokees, gods of 340-342 Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, paper by James Mooney on 301-397 Sanitary regulations among the Cherokee Indians, neglect of 332, 333 Shamans, decline of power of among Cherokees 336 mode of payment of among Cherokees 337-339 Sweat bath, use of, among Cherokees 333-334 Swimmer manuscript of Cherokee formulas 310, 312 Tabu among Cherokees, illustrations of 331-332 Takwatihi, or Catawba-Killer, Cherokee formulas furnished by 316 Will West, collection of Cherokee formulas and songs prepared by 317 Young Deer, Cherokee formulas furnished by 316



Errors:

Missing or superfluous quotation marks have been silently corrected.

... while closely watching the motions ... [original has "the / the" at line break] formulas obtained from Tsiskwa, Awanita, and / Takwtihi [error for Takwati[']hĭ ?] Sgĕ! Ha-nâ[']gwa hû[n]hatû['][n]gani[']ga [all parentheses in this paragraph shown as printed] (hetsatsa[']û[n]tani[']ga [mismatched parenthesis in original]

THE END