The Story of Tijaiha, the Sorcerer.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 956, 27 June 1890, Page 8

The Story of Tijaiha, the Sorcerer.

HORATIO FI ALB, IN ‘AMERICAN FOLK LORE.’ One of the most notable of the mauy folk-tales of his nation which my eloquent friend, chief Mandaroug (Joseph White), related to me with much animation, aud which his intelligent French wife translated with similar readiness and spiiit, had a peculiar into eat from its reference to the tffcll known belief of the Indians in a dose connection between human beings and the lower animalß, and in the preternatu: al powers which these brute colleagues could sometimes communicate to their human friends. I give it precisely as it was transcribed in my journal, fifteen years ago, from notes taken at the time :

When the French came (so the chief’s words were rendered) the missionaries tried to prevail on the Indiana to receive their religion. They asked the Indians if they knew anything about God. 1 he Indians

replied that they did ; that three or four times a year they had meetings, at which the women and children were present, and then the ohiefs told them what to do and warned them against evil practices. The missionaries said that this was good, but that there was a better way, which they ought to know. They ought to become Chrirtians. But the Indians said, ‘We have many friends among the creatures about us. Some of us have snake friends, some eagles, and the like. How can we desert our friends?’ The priests replied, ‘There is only one God.’ ‘ No,’said the Indians, ‘there are two Gorls, one for the Indians, and the other for the whites.’ The discussion lasted three days. Finally, the priests said it was true—there were two Gods, Jesus and the Holy Ghost. One of these might be the same as the Indian God. The Indians could follow all his commands which were good, and also obey the commands of Jesus. But they would have to give up their allies among the brutes.

Some of the Hurona became Christians, but others refused to acoept the new religion. Among these was a noted warrior, a young man, named Tijaiha. On one occasion he left the town with his family to hunt on the Huron River. One day, coming to a deep pool near the river, he beheld a violent commotion in the water, which was evidently made by a living creature. Of what nature it might be he did not know, though he be* lieved it to be a grsat serpent, and to be possessed, like many of the wild creatures, of supernatural powers. Thereupon, after the fashion of the Indians, he fasted for ten days, eating occasionaliy only a few morsels to preserve life ; and he prayed to the creature that some of its power might be bestowed on him: At the end of the third day a voioe from the disturbed pool asked him what he wanted. He replied that he wanted to have such power given to him that he could vanquish and destroy all his enemies. She (the creature) replied that this power should be conferred upon him if he would grant her what she desired. He asked what this was, and was told that she would require one of his children. If he would grant this demand he might come at night and learn from her the secret which would give him the power he sought for. He objected to this sacrifice, but offered in place of the child, to give an old woman, bis wife’s mother. The creature accepted the substitute, and the bargain was concluded. That night Tijaiha returned to the pool, and learned wlxat he was to do. He was to prepare a cedar arrow, with which he must shoot the creature when she should appear, at his call, above the water. From the wound he could then draw a small quantity of blood, the posession of which would render him invincible, and enable him to destroy his enemies. But as this blood was a deadly poison, and even it 3 effluvia might be mortal, he must prepare an antidote from the juice of a plant which she named. On the following day he procured the plant, and his wife —who knew nothing of the fatal price he was to pay—assisted him in making the infusion. He also made a cedar arrow, and, with bow in hand, repaired to the pool. At his call the water began to rise, boiling fearfully. As it rose, an animal came forth. It proved to be a large bird, a ‘diver,’ and the warrior said, ‘This is not the one,’ and let it go. The water boiled and rose higher, and a porcupine came out. * Neither is this the one,’ said the warrior, and, withdrew his arrow from his bow. Then the water rose in fury to the level of the bank, and the head of a hugl) horned serpent, with distended jaws and flaming eyes, rose and stared at Tijaiha. ‘ This is the one,’ he said, and shot the creature in the neck. The blood gushed forth, and he caught, in a vessel whioh he held ready, about half a pint. Then he ran toward his lodge, but before he reached it he had become nearly blind and all but helpless. His wife put the kettle to his lips. He drank the antidote, and p*-e-Bentlyjvomited the blaok poison, and regained his strength. In the morning he called to his wife’s mother, but she was dead. She had perished without a touch from a human hand, fn this manner he became possessed of a talisman which, as he believed, would give him a charmed life, and secure him the victory over his enemies. But in some.way it became known that he had been the cause of the mother’s death. This crime excited the indignation of his people, and he dared not go back to them. He took refuge with the Iroquois, and became a noted war-chief among them. After some time he resolved, in an evil hour, to lead an attack against his own people. He set forth at the head of a strong party of warriors, and arrived at the Wyandot settlement, near the present town of Sandwich. It was the season of corn planting, and two of Tijaiha’s aunts had come out on that day to plant their fields. They were women of high rank in the tribe (‘for’ said Mrs White, * they have high people and common people among them, just like the white folks ’), and Tijaiha knew that their death would arouse the whole tribe. Ho ordered his followers to kill them. This they did, and then retreated into the forest t:> the northward, carefully covering their tracks, lo escape pursuit. Their leacier’s expectation was that the Huron warriors,would go off in another direction in search of their enemies, thus leaving the defenceless town at his mercy. When the Hurons found the bodies they were greatly excited. They searched for ten days "without discovering any trace of the murderers. Their chief then consulted a noted soothsayer, who promised that on the following day he would tell him all. During tho night the soothsayer made his incantations, and in the morning informed the Huroiis that the deed had been done by a party of froquois, under the lead of Tijaiha. liie enemy, he said, was lurking in the.- woods, and h-.- could guide them to the spot; but they must wait ten days before starting. The Hurona waited impatiently until ten days had expired, and then placed tho old sooth, sayer on. horseback, and followed him. He led them through the forest directly to the encampment of their enemies. On seeing them they waited till evening, and through the night, till daybreak. Then, according to their custom, they shouted to their sleeping foes, and rushed upon them. They killed every man in the camp ; but on examining carefully the bodies, they were annoyed to find thxt Tijaiha was not among them.

Being hungry, they seated themselves to eat, and the chief feeling thirßty, told his son to take his kettle and bring them some water. * Where shall I find water here? ’ asked the boy. ‘These men must have had water,’ replied his father. * Look for the path they have made to it.’ The lad looked, and found the path, and, following it, came to a deep spring or pool under a tree. As he was stooping down to it a man rose partly out of the pool, and bade the youth take him prisoner. The affrighted boy ran to the camp and told what he had seen. All shouted ‘Tijaiha,’ and rushed to the pool, where they dragged him forth by the hair. He stood defiant and sneering, while they attempted to kill him. Their blows seemed powerless to injure him. He caught the tomahawks which were aimed at him, and hurled them back. At length a warrior, exclaimed, ‘ I will finish him,’ plunged a knife into his breast and tore out his heart. Thrown on the ground, it bounded like a living thing, tiil the warrior split it open with his knife. Thus ended Tijaiha’s evil career. His contract with the serpent had only led him to crime and death.