the genus Erianthus, and the inference follows that the stalk of the plant
was formerly used for arrow shafts. Red implies that the arrow is always
successful in reaching the mark aimed at, and in this instance may refer also
to its being bloody when withdrawn from the body of the animal. Inagë'hï,
"dwellers in the wilderness," is the generic term for game, including
birds, but A`wani'ta has another formula intended especially for deer.
(YÂ'NA TÏ'KANÂGI'TA.)
He +! Hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä'.
Tsistuyi' nehandu'yanû, Tsistuyi' nehandu'yanû--Yoho' +!
He +! Hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä'.
Kuwâhi' nehandu'yanû', Kuwâhi nehandu'yanû--Yoho' +!
He +! Hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä, hayuya'haniwä'.
Uyâ`ye' nehandu'yanû', Uyâ`ye' nehandu'yanû'--Yoho' +!
He +! Hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä, hayuya'haniwä'.
Gâtekwâ'(hï) nehandu'yanû', Gâtekwâ'(hï) nehandu'yanû'--Yoho' +!
Û lë-`nû' asëhï' tadeya'statakûnï' gûnnage astû'tsïkï'.
Translation.
BEAR SONG.
He! Hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä',
hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä'.
In Rabbit Place you were conceived (repeat)--Yoho' +!
He! Hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä'.
In Mulberry Place you were conceived (repeat)--Yoho' +!
He! Hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä'.
In Uyâ'`yë you were conceived (repeat)--Yoho' +!
He! Hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä', hayuya'haniwä'.
In the Great Swamp (?) you were conceived
(repeat)--Yoho' +!
And now surely we and the good black things, the best of all, shall see each
other.
{p. 374}
Explanation.
This song, obtained from A`yû'ninï in connection with the story
of the Origin of the Bear, as already mentioned, is sung by the bear hunter, in
order to attract the bears, while on his way from the camp to the place where
he expects to hunt during the day. It is one of those taught the Cherokees by
the Ani-Tsâ'kahï before they lost their human shape and were transformed into
bears. The melody is simple and plaintive.
The song consists of four verses followed by a short
recitation. Each verse begins with a loud prolonged He +! and
ends with Yoho' +! uttered in the same manner. Hayuya'haniwä' has
no meaning. Tsistu'yï, Kuwâ'hï, Uyâ'`yë, and Gâte'kwâhï are four mountains, in
each of which the bears have a townhouse and hold a dance before going into
their dens for the winter. The first three named are high peaks in the Smoky
Mountains, on the Tennessee line, in the neighborhood of Clingman's Dome and
Mount