refer to the moon's supposed influence over women. In Cherokee mythology the
moon is a man. The ordinary name is nû'ndâ, or more fully, nû'ndâ
sûnnâyë'hï, "the sun living in the night," while the sun
itself is designated as nû'nndâ igë'hï, "the sun living in the
day."
By the red spittle of Agë'`yagu'ga and the red dress with which the lover is
clothed are meant the red paint which he puts upon himself. This in former days
was procured from a deep red clay known as ela-wâ'tï, or "reddish brown
clay." The word red as used in the formula is emblematic of success in
attaining his object, besides being the actual color of the paint. Red, in
connection with dress or ornamentation, has always been a favorite color with
Indians throughout America, and there is some evidence that among the Cherokees
it was regarded also as having a mysterious protective power. In all these
formulas the lover renders the woman blue or disconsolate and uneasy in mind as
a preliminary to fixing her thoughts upon himself. (See next formula.)
(YÛ'nWË'HÏ UGÛ'nWA`LÏ
II.)
Yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï.
Galû'nlatï, datsila'ï--Yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï,
yû'nwëhï.
Nûndâgû'nyï gatla'ahï--Yû'nwëhï.
{p. 380}
Gë`yagu'ga Gi'gage, tsûwatsi'la gi'gage tsiye'la skïna'dû`lani'ga-- Yû'nwëhï,
yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï.
Hiä-`nû' atawe'ladi'yï kanâ'hëhû galûnlti'tla.
Translation.
SONG FOR PAINTING.
Yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï,
yû'nwëhï.
I am come from above--Yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï,
yû'nwëhï.
I am come down from the Sun Land--yû'nwëhï.
O Red Agë`yagu'ga. you have come and put your
red spittle upon my body--Yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï, yû'nwëhï!.
And this above is to recite while one is painting
himself.
Explanation.
This formula, from Gatigwanasti, immediately follows the one
last given, in the manuscript book, and evidently comes immediately after it
also in practical use. The expressions used have been already explained. The
one using the formula first bathes in the running stream, reciting at the same
time the previous formula "Amâ'yï Ä'tawasti'yï." He then repairs to
some convenient spot with his paint, beads, and other paraphernalia and
proceeds to adorn himself for the dance, which usually begins about an hour
after