This is the second part of a three-part legend of the Otoe Monster Killers. I have chosen to present this because it's not every day that I can find this complete of a recounting of what is a real myth. So here are the
Further Adventures of Dore and Wahre' dua
When the boys got home they found their father was very much frightened by their power.
The next day he told them to stay away from another place where their grandmother lived, near a spring. As soon as he was gone, Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Our father has ordered us to go and visit our grandmother." "Oh no," Dore answered, "he told us not to." "Well then, give me back my scalplock if you are not going."
So as usual Dore was persuaded, and they went and found the grandmother sitting on a rock by the spring. They ordered her to come down, as their father wanted her to come to their lodge. "Oh no," said the old woman, "I have sat here for years and years and I have never moved." "Well then, I will carry you," said Wahre'dua, and he took her on his back and carried her home to their lodge.
When they go there he told her to get off, but the old lady refused. Even when Wahre'dua and Dore beat her and pulled at her they could not get her loose. Finally even Wahre'dua had to lie down with the old woman still on his back. He told Dore to cover him up with his robe, so Dore concealed him.
When their father came back he asked why Wahre'dua was lying down, and Dore replied that his brother was sick. The father lifted up the blanket and saw the old woman. "Didn't I tell you not to bother your grandmother? Now take her back where she belongs."
Wahre'dua did as his father told him, and when he reached the spot again the old woman descended and resumed her seat once more.
There were many wild fowl on the water, but no person could swim across. This time Wahre'dua held back, but Dore wanted to cross so he called a swan and got on its back. He wanted it to help him get some ducks, but it paid no attention and carried him away. Wahre'dua began to search for Dore. He asked every bird that came along where his brother was, but none of them could tell him, so he searched and wept and sang this song:
Dore, Dore, mitheskeeanokonye
Dore, Dore, mitheskeeanokonye
(Dore, Dore, if it had been me, I'd fly)
Presently a swan began circling down from the heavens and lit near Wahre'dua and Dore got off its back. "Why are you crying, my brother?" he asked.
"I'm singing about you, my brother. I'm proud of you," answered Wahre'dua. "Let us go now, we can return tomorrow and be revenged on these swans."
Although Dore said he had been well treated by the swan, the next day the twins returned and this time Wahre'dua mounted on the swan's back. He took its neck and twisted it, so that from that day to this all swans' necks are curved. The boys killed many swans as a punishment and some they brought home to their father, who was frightened and angry, for he took these to be holy birds.
When their father saw how really powerful they were, so that nothing seemed to be impossible, he decided to tell them that the worst of their tasks lay before them.
The next day he said to the twins, "There is a place yonder that is the most dangerous of all. Don't go there, yet if you are determined to visit it, do so."
In the afternoon when the sun was shining and the sky was clear, the boys visited the Horned Water Panthers as they had planned. They went right up to the chief of them all and announced themselves as visitors. "Hau," said the Panther chief, "You two, Dore and Wahre'dua, may come to our lodge under the earth."
The twins went down into the lodge of the Horned Water Panthers, and when they got inside, there were many spirits there. These Panthers eat only people; and, although they brought the boys meat from all over the world, they would not touch it. As soon as their visit was over and they were out in the world once more, Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Let us kill these dangerous monsters."
"How can we do that?" asked Dore.
And so Dore killed Wahre'dua and butchered him. Wahre'dua first told him to stand back out of the way, when the kettle was boiling to watch his head, and when he saw it wink throw his blanket to one side, and shout, "Look out Grandfather." Dore carried his brother's body to the chief of the Horned Water Panthers, and said, "Grandpa, I know you like to eat meat, so I found this raccoon and killed and butchered it for you. Eat."
The chief of the Horned Water Panthers said, "Hau, I thank you, my grandson," and he called all his people to feast. As soon as the kettle began to boil over, Dore, who was watching Wahre'dua's head closely, saw one eye wink, so he stepped back, threw his blanket to one side and cried, "Look out Grandfather!"
Instantly Wahre'dua came to life and sprang out of the kettle, spattering the scalding water all over the panthers and crippling many. Then the twins took their warclubs and their bows and arrows and shot or clubbed many of them to death. They took the blood and some of the carcasses and climbed up on the bluff that stood over the home of the Water Panthers. They drew up the meat and boiled the panthers, horns and all in their kettle. "Our father will be pleased to eat this," said Wahre'dua.
But when their father came home he refused to eat it, although they told him of the wonders they had performed.
Their father told them that there was a tree in the vicinity to which he did not want them to go. The next day Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Our father said we were to visit that tree." "Oh no," Dore answered, "he told us not to." "Well then, give me back my scalplock if you are not going."
Rather than do this, Dore gave in as usual and went with Wahre'dua. It is said that this is a true story of the beginning of the Indian race, and many of the medicines that were found in the medicine bags of otter skin used in the Mankanye Washi are derived from Wahre'dua's hair. These twins made the world possible for men to live here. There is another tale, which concerns the killing of monsters and which resembles this one, which is called A'ho'ge.
Now the twins went to the tree and Wahre'dua climbed up into it and there he found a nest containing four little winged men. "Oh, my brother, these are cute little fellows," he called to Dore. He picked up one and asked it, "What is your name?"
"Thunder-man (Kho'manyi)," answered the Being. "Oh my brother," called out Wahre'dua, "here goes Thunder-man", and he dropped the little god to Dore, who caught him.
Wahre'dua picked up the second being and asked it, "What is your name?"
"Lightning-man (Ukrimanyi)," answered the Being. "Oh my brother," called out Wahre'dua, "here goes Lightning-man", and he dropped the little god to Dore, who caught him.
Wahre'dua picked up the third being and asked it, "What is your name?"
"Rain-man (I'yomani)," answered the Being. "Oh my brother," called out Wahre'dua, "here goes Rain-man", and he dropped the little god to Dore, who caught him.
Wahre'dua picked up the fourth being and asked it, "What is your name?"
"Little-god (Wakandaiinye)," answered the Being. "Oh my brother," called out Wahre'dua, "here goes Little-god", and he dropped the little god to Dore. "Before you take me away, Wahre'dua, I want to sing," said Little-god and he sang:
"Itugo, itugo, urihi."
(My grandfather, my grandfather, come home. Wahre'dua has taken us.)
But if the Thunder spirits had power, Wahre'dua and Dore had more. A great cloud came up immediately, rain fell, and there was much lightning. Dore had a piece of flint and hid under it, but Wahre'dua turned himself into a wren and flew around the trees so that the thunder and lightning could not harm him. When the storm was over, the twins came back and took home the little beings. They told Kho'manyi to thunder. When he did this for them he would raise his wings. Then they told Ukrimanyi to make lightning and he opened his eyes and the lightning flashed. I'yomani they caused to raise his wings and the rain fell.
Even at a distance their father could tell by these disturbances what they had done, and he came home. The boys were sure that he would be proud of their performance, but when he saw what they had done, he ordered them to take the four little beings back, and this they did.
The next day the father of the boys predicted that someone was coming from across the Great Water to bother and harass them. "They will disturb our hunting ground (Woki'noka); it is a race of giants called Waruska who will do this. These people kill all living things where they live, even to the frogs."
The twins decided to make war on the giants, so they ordered their former friends the swans to come and make a bridge for them across the ocean. The birds did this by putting their heads and tails together alternately and the boys ran across. Being imbued with supernatural power, they were able to get over in one half day, great though the distance was.
On the other side thy saw many tracks of giants and their monstrous dogs. Wahre'dua said to Dore: "Now that we're over here I want you to do as I say. When we draw close to the village, put our bow and arrows in good shape; then I'll play raccoon again. Kill me and butcher me and bring me to the chief of the Waruska to feast on. When you put me in the pot, place me head first. Have your bow ready and when the water boils, cry 'This ought to be under the water,' and strike me on the buttocks with your bow to drive the body down. Then look out for yourself."
Dore killed Wahre'dua, cut him up and brought him to the chief of the Giants telling him that it was a raccoon that he had prepared to feast him and his people. The Giant chief accepted the offering and led Dore into his village.
When Dore came up to the cooking place and all the assembled giants crowded around they were disappointed in the small size of his offering and began to grumble, "There is hardly enough. This one also ought to be in there."
When the water began to boil Wahre'dua's buttocks began to bob about on the surface, so Dore took his bow and struck them, exclaiming, "This ought to be under the water." The giants had drawn close to watch the kettle boil, but Dore sprang back and cried, "Grandfather, look out!" and Wahre'dua leaped from the pot splashing the boiling water over the giants and scalding many.
Then he and his brother shot and clubbed the giants to death, killing so many that they were nearly wiped out, and have never again been so numerous as to threaten the safety of mankind. They scalped all their victims and made themselves robes from the scalps. Then they went home, crossing the Great Water by means of their bridge of swans. They brought with them their trophies for their father's joy, even if he should scold them.
The next day their father said to the twins, "There is a place over yonder in the hills where I don't want you to go and visit the people." As soon as he was out of sight, Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Our father wants us to go over and visit those people in the hills." "Oh no," answered Dore, "he told us not to go there." "Very well then, give me back my scalplock."
So Dore gave in to Wahre'dua, and the twin boys started out for the forbidden place. These people were called Hompathrotci, and were spirits with long flat head sharp at the top, who used to dwell in the great buttes along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
These people were very fond of footracing and they at once challenged the twins to race. The twins staked their lives against the lives of two of the beings.
Dore told Wahre'dua that he would run first, so he raced the beings for ten miles and won, so that two of the beings were forfeit. Then Dore wagered these two and the lives of himself and his brother against four of them on another race, and won that. Then he bet the eight against eight more beings, and so on, doubling his bet each time until he had won the lives of all of them. Then the twins divided the captives into two companies and made them kill each other until all were wiped out, a few who were away hunting at the time being all that escaped, so that they were never again able seriously to molest mankind.
Then the twins took the scalps of the slain and went home, saying that their father would be pleased but he was very much frightened, for the beings were very powerful spirits who made people have fits.
The next day their father said to the twins, "You boys have done so much I think I'll tell you about the Sharp Elbows, they are the ones who killed your mother. See if you cannot kill them and be revenged."
These Sharp Elbows look like persons except that they had long sharp bones like awls or daggers projecting from their elbows and two faces, one in the front and one in the back of their heads. The sacred pipe of the Black Bear Gens has a stone bowl that is made in representation of one of these powerful spirits, probably because one of the ancestors of the gens had some supernatural experience with one of these spirits.
As soon as their father was gone, Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Well, we have killed all of the monsters except these, let us finish them too. Kill me again for a raccoon and make a singed coon dish for them. Put my head on top, and face me towards the rear of the wigwam. When you see me wink, jump to the door, throw back your blanket, and cry, 'Look out, Grandpa'."
Dore obeyed and killed and prepared his brother. Then he carried the dish to the chief of the Sharp Elbows saying: "Grandfather, I have brought you a dish of singed coon."
The chief caused Dore to bring the body of his brother into their lodge and place him in the kettle. All the monsters gathered round to watch it cook, and they grumbled because there was not enough and determined to kill and cook Dore as soon as he had finished stewing the coon for them.
When Dore, who was watching very closely, saw Wahre'dua wink, he threw back his robe, sprang to the door and cried, "I'm ready, grandpa!" Then Wahre'dua came to life, upset the bucket and spilled the boiling water all over the awl-elbow monsters who in their agony began fighting among themselves, stabbing each other to death, while the twins escaped and hid until the spirits had all killed each other.
Then they went back into the lodge and cut all the awls of bone from the elbows of their slain enemies. "Now our father will be glad for he can use these awls to patch up his clothes," they said.
This time their father was pleased that they had killed all these dangerous monsters. He knew that his sons could control the animals of earth and air. However, he thought that he had better flee because he feared that they would finally kill him also, so he sent them out to discover the four corners of the earth.
This is the second part of what I found to be a three-part legend of the adventures of the monster killers of the Otoe/Iowa people, Dore and Wahre'dua. I hope that you have enjoyed these stories. I will post the last part if you want to see it, OK? Thank you again for sharing your time with me
The chief of the Horned Water Panthers said, "Hau, I thank you, my grandson," and he called all his people to feast. As soon as the kettle began to boil over, Dore, who was watching Wahre'dua's head closely, saw one eye wink, so he stepped back, threw his blanket to one side and cried, "Look out Grandfather!"
Instantly Wahre'dua came to life and sprang out of the kettle, spattering the scalding water all over the panthers and crippling many. Then the twins took their warclubs and their bows and arrows and shot or clubbed many of them to death. They took the blood and some of the carcasses and climbed up on the bluff that stood over the home of the Water Panthers. They drew up the meat and boiled the panthers, horns and all in their kettle. "Our father will be pleased to eat this," said Wahre'dua.
But when their father came home he refused to eat it, although they told him of the wonders they had performed.
Their father told them that there was a tree in the vicinity to which he did not want them to go. The next day Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Our father said we were to visit that tree." "Oh no," Dore answered, "he told us not to." "Well then, give me back my scalplock if you are not going."
Now the twins went to the tree and Wahre'dua climbed up into it and there he found a nest containing four little winged men. "Oh, my brother, these are cute little fellows," he called to Dore. He picked up one and asked it, "What is your name?"
Wahre'dua picked up the second being and asked it, "What is your name?"
Wahre'dua picked up the third being and asked it, "What is your name?"
Wahre'dua picked up the fourth being and asked it, "What is your name?"
"Little-god (Wakandaiinye)," answered the Being. "Oh my brother," called out Wahre'dua, "here goes Little-god", and he dropped the little god to Dore. "Before you take me away, Wahre'dua, I want to sing," said Little-god and he sang:
"Itugo, itugo, urihi."
(My grandfather, my grandfather, come home. Wahre'dua has taken us.)
But if the Thunder spirits had power, Wahre'dua and Dore had more. A great cloud came up immediately, rain fell, and there was much lightning. Dore had a piece of flint and hid under it, but Wahre'dua turned himself into a wren and flew around the trees so that the thunder and lightning could not harm him. When the storm was over, the twins came back and took home the little beings. They told Kho'manyi to thunder. When he did this for them he would raise his wings. Then they told Ukrimanyi to make lightning and he opened his eyes and the lightning flashed. I'yomani they caused to raise his wings and the rain fell.
Even at a distance their father could tell by these disturbances what they had done, and he came home. The boys were sure that he would be proud of their performance, but when he saw what they had done, he ordered them to take the four little beings back, and this they did.
The next day the father of the boys predicted that someone was coming from across the Great Water to bother and harass them. "They will disturb our hunting ground (Woki'noka); it is a race of giants called Waruska who will do this. These people kill all living things where they live, even to the frogs."
The twins decided to make war on the giants, so they ordered their former friends the swans to come and make a bridge for them across the ocean. The birds did this by putting their heads and tails together alternately and the boys ran across. Being imbued with supernatural power, they were able to get over in one half day, great though the distance was.
Dore killed Wahre'dua, cut him up and brought him to the chief of the Giants telling him that it was a raccoon that he had prepared to feast him and his people. The Giant chief accepted the offering and led Dore into his village.
When Dore came up to the cooking place and all the assembled giants crowded around they were disappointed in the small size of his offering and began to grumble, "There is hardly enough. This one also ought to be in there."
When the water began to boil Wahre'dua's buttocks began to bob about on the surface, so Dore took his bow and struck them, exclaiming, "This ought to be under the water." The giants had drawn close to watch the kettle boil, but Dore sprang back and cried, "Grandfather, look out!" and Wahre'dua leaped from the pot splashing the boiling water over the giants and scalding many.
Then he and his brother shot and clubbed the giants to death, killing so many that they were nearly wiped out, and have never again been so numerous as to threaten the safety of mankind. They scalped all their victims and made themselves robes from the scalps. Then they went home, crossing the Great Water by means of their bridge of swans. They brought with them their trophies for their father's joy, even if he should scold them.
The next day their father said to the twins, "There is a place over yonder in the hills where I don't want you to go and visit the people." As soon as he was out of sight, Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Our father wants us to go over and visit those people in the hills." "Oh no," answered Dore, "he told us not to go there." "Very well then, give me back my scalplock."
So Dore gave in to Wahre'dua, and the twin boys started out for the forbidden place. These people were called Hompathrotci, and were spirits with long flat head sharp at the top, who used to dwell in the great buttes along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
These people were very fond of footracing and they at once challenged the twins to race. The twins staked their lives against the lives of two of the beings.
Dore told Wahre'dua that he would run first, so he raced the beings for ten miles and won, so that two of the beings were forfeit. Then Dore wagered these two and the lives of himself and his brother against four of them on another race, and won that. Then he bet the eight against eight more beings, and so on, doubling his bet each time until he had won the lives of all of them. Then the twins divided the captives into two companies and made them kill each other until all were wiped out, a few who were away hunting at the time being all that escaped, so that they were never again able seriously to molest mankind.
Then the twins took the scalps of the slain and went home, saying that their father would be pleased but he was very much frightened, for the beings were very powerful spirits who made people have fits.
The next day their father said to the twins, "You boys have done so much I think I'll tell you about the Sharp Elbows, they are the ones who killed your mother. See if you cannot kill them and be revenged."
As soon as their father was gone, Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Well, we have killed all of the monsters except these, let us finish them too. Kill me again for a raccoon and make a singed coon dish for them. Put my head on top, and face me towards the rear of the wigwam. When you see me wink, jump to the door, throw back your blanket, and cry, 'Look out, Grandpa'."
Dore obeyed and killed and prepared his brother. Then he carried the dish to the chief of the Sharp Elbows saying: "Grandfather, I have brought you a dish of singed coon."
The chief caused Dore to bring the body of his brother into their lodge and place him in the kettle. All the monsters gathered round to watch it cook, and they grumbled because there was not enough and determined to kill and cook Dore as soon as he had finished stewing the coon for them.
When Dore, who was watching very closely, saw Wahre'dua wink, he threw back his robe, sprang to the door and cried, "I'm ready, grandpa!" Then Wahre'dua came to life, upset the bucket and spilled the boiling water all over the awl-elbow monsters who in their agony began fighting among themselves, stabbing each other to death, while the twins escaped and hid until the spirits had all killed each other.
This is the second part of what I found to be a three-part legend of the adventures of the monster killers of the Otoe/Iowa people, Dore and Wahre'dua. I hope that you have enjoyed these stories. I will post the last part if you want to see it, OK? Thank you again for sharing your time with me
✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady❤ڰۣ✿
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