Further Adventures of Dore and Wahre' dua

Hi dear friends and followers

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.

The next day their father again warned the twins against going to a certain place at a river, but the boys went as usual. As soon as their father was gone, Wahre'dua said, "Our father has commanded us to go to the river." "Oh no," Dore answered, "he told us not to." "Well then, give me back my scalplock if you are not going." So again Dore gave in to Wahre'dua and they went to the river.

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)

After awhile Wahre'dua saw a lot of swans in a flock. He stopped and asked them if they had seen his brother, the one who was carried off. "Oh yes, he will come back in a little while", said the swans. Wahre'dua went on weeping and singing.
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."

As soon as their father had gone, the boys, after their usual argument, started for the place. It was where the Horned Water Panthers (Itcex'hi) dwelt. When they drew near the place, Dore said, "What shall we do? These beings are very powerful and will surely kill us." Wahre'dua replied, "Let us visit them in the afternoon, for there are only certain times every day that they come out of their dens."

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.

"I have a plan," answered Wahre'dua. "Kill me with your bow and arrows, cut me up, and place my head on top of the pile of meat and cook me. When you have finished, take me to the monsters, and say the chief, 'I know you like to eat meat, so I've killed you a raccoon and butchered it for you. Eat.'"

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

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady❤ڰۣ✿

The Adventures of Dore and Wahre' dua

Hi dear friends and followers 

 

The place that is now the State of Nebraska looks like the crossroads for at least five or six tribes of Native Americans. According to the maps that I have seen, it was occupied by the Yankton and Lakota Sioux, the Ponca, Omaha, Otoe, Kansa, Arapaho, and Cheyenne Peoples. There may have been others that are not listed.

Our selections for today are Otoe legends, some of the adventures of the twins, Dore and Wahre'dua. Their birth is explained in today's bit of folklore. They are supernatural and possess powers and abilities that allow them to do things that exist only in the tallest of tall tales.

Dore and Wahre'dua: These mythical twins, whose mother was killed by a monster, are common to the folklore of many Midwestern and Eastern tribes. They are generally portrayed as heroic monster-slayers in Otoe legends.

Sharp-Elbows (Itopa'hi): A man-eating ogre with spikes on his elbows and faces on both sides of his head.

These tales are from Alanson Skinner's, Traditions of the Iowa Indians (1925). Original storytellers Robert and Julia Small, of the Iowa - Otoe Tribe. Given the age of this work, I believe that the copyright has expired.

The Adventures of Dore and Wahre' dua *********************************

One time a family went out hunting. They camped by themselves in the woods, and while the man ranged the forest hunting for game, the woman, who was pregnant, stayed at home and kept house for him.

One day while her husband was absent a man came to visit her. At first she paid no attention to the stranger, and would not even look at him. The man sat down opposite her and did everything to attract her attention; finally, as he was possessed of magic power, he caused a fire to spring up behind her. "Oh my, there is a fire behind you!" he exclaimed, but the woman reached behind her and put it out with her hands without looking up or speaking.

When her husband came home she told him about her strange visitor, and he said, "You did well. This man has evil power over women. Do not pay any attention to him, and after the fourth visit he will cease to annoy you."

Each day thereafter the stranger visited her and tried in the same manner to frighten the woman with fire, but each time she made him go away without paying him the slightest attention. On the fourth and last day, after the man had left the lodge, the woman could not resist the temptation to see him before he vanished forever, so she peeped through a crack to see what manner of being he was. Although his back was turned, for he was going away, she saw that he had two faces, one in front and one in the back of his head, and that he had long sharp bones like daggers projecting from his elbows. He was Sharp Elbows (Itopa'hi).

The being saw the woman with his rear face, and laughed and said "I knew you would finally look." He retraced his steps and stabbed her to death with his sharp elbows and went away leaving her lying there on the floor of the lodge.

When her husband returned he found her lying there still, but upon examination of her body he found her babies were still alive, so he cut her open and took them out. They were twin brothers, and, as he could not raise them both, he kept only one. The other he placed on an old log where the mice came and found him.

The one whom the father kept he raised until he was a small boy. One day when this boy, who was named Dore was playing alone while his father was off hunting, his lost brother the mouse boy, who was named Wahre'dua came to the lodge and sang in a low voice:

"Dore thie anje thato tci wothothotcan najiro, Dore haha, Dore" (Dore, you've got a father and you eat only dried meat, Dore)
"Mieiku hatuntci ho nyi ma dotasta hajido, Dore haha, Dore"
(I've got a grandmother and I eat only wild beans, Dore)

When the man came home that night, Dore said to him, "Father, this boy comes when you are gone and sings to me."
"Oh, that is your missing brother, I couldn't save you both, so I threw him into an old log, and I guess the mice must have raised him."

Every day the lost brother came and played with Dore. He was strange and wild in his ways, like some animal. He had a good nose, and was able to smell out the enemy. Each day when he arrived he would be very suspicious. "Maybe our father is here," he would say to Dore. Then Dore would turn everything upside down to show his mouse brother that there was no one there. Each night Wahre'dua could smell his father coming and would run off to his home in the log before the man got there. Each time when he ran away Wahre'dua would say to Dore, "Forget", so that his brother would not remember to tell his father that he had been there playing so wildly.

One time Wahre'dua forgot to say "Forget", and Dore remembered and told his father about his daily visitor. "Good", said the father. "Tomorrow try to coax him to stay." But Wahre'dua refused and ran off home as usual.

The next day the father hid himself. He said to Dore, "When your brother comes today, play with him for awhile, then say to him, Look for lice in my hair. When he has finished, it will be your turn to louse him; and when you do so, wrap his scalp lock around your finger. When you have a good hold, call for me."
Dore did as he was told, and Wahre'dua was unable to escape when his father ran up. His father cut off Wahre'dua's scalplock, and from that time on the mouse boy had no longer the power to escape.

The two brothers now played together, and after a while both grew in size and stature. One day their father said to them, "Now you must not go to such and such a place, that pond that is near here."

As soon as he was out of sight, Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Father said for us to visit that pond." "Oh no", replied Dore, "He said for us to stay away from it." "Well then," answered Wahre'dua, "if you will not go with me, give me back my scalplock." Dore, it seems, wore Wahre'dua's scalplock attached to his belt, and when his brother demanded it, Dore decided to go with him.
When they arrived at the lake, they found that it was full of leeches. They took off their clothes and waded in until the leeches covered their bodies, then they came out and scraped them off into pieces of bark.

"Our father will be very pleased to see these," said Wahre'dua, so they took them home and cooked and ate some, and they put the rest away for their father to eat when he came back. When the older man returned and they set the leeches before him, however, he refused them and threw them out in disgust.

The next day he ordered the boys not to go to another place in the neighborhood, but as soon as he was gone Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Father said for us to go to that place." "Oh no," answered Dore, "He said for us to stay away from it." "Well then, if you don't want to go with me, give me back my scalplock."

When Wahre'dua said this, Dore decided to accompany him, and when they arrived at the spot they found there a great den of snakes. The twins took four box-turtle shells and made for themselves two pairs of moccasins.

Then they entered the den and trod on the heads of the greatest rattlesnakes and crushed them. They took the biggest ones home as before, and cooked and ate some of them, the rest they set aside for their father.

They also took the biggest rattlesnakes and hung them from a stick over the lodge entrance making a door that jingled when the snake's bodies were pushed aside to enter the lodge. "Our father will be pleased when he sees this," said Wahre'dua.

When their father came home he was frightened and angry. He made the boys tear down the rattling door and throw the cooked snake flesh back where they got it. He scolded them for their disobedience.

Again, the next day, when he was about to set out on his hunt, he warned them against going to a certain place. As soon as he was out of sight however, Wahre'dua said to Dore, "Father said for us to go to that place." "Oh no," answered Dore, "He said for us to stay away from it." "Well then, if you don't want to go with me, give me back my scalplock." So as usual Dore gave in to his more powerful brother, and they went to the forbidden place.

Now it so happened that at this place dwelt the U'ye (the female organ of generation of the world). This U'ye swallowed all manner of animals and people who ventured near it, for it had the ability to suck them down into its maw. When the U'ye saw the two boys approaching, it spoke to them and warned them to keep away from it.

"No matter," said the twins, "Swallow us just as you do everybody else." And they stripped off their clothes until they were naked all but their thong. They hunted for a place where there were many flint rocks, then they lay down and rolled in them, after which they ran up to the U'ye and begged it to swallow them.

The U'ye swallowed them, but immediately, finding them covered with the hard flint rock, it spat them out again, and blew upon them until it blew away all the stones that adhered to their bodies, then it swallowed them again.

As soon as they were in the maw of the U'ye they found themselves in a vast dark place. There were many people and animals there, some dead and digested, some dying, and some newly captured. There was no escape, although they wandered and searched for many days. They asked all the animals and people whom they met, but none had any hope of escape. Dore wept at times and was frightened, but Wahre'dua only laughed.

Finally they searched all over their bodies to see if they could find any flint left there, but none could be discovered until finally Wahre'dua found a little particle under his foreskin. He took it and commanded it to grow in the shape of a flint knife, and such was his magic power that it did so at once.

It is said that this U'ye had a heart, liver and throat, as well as a stomach, so Wahre'dua went to its diaphragm and cut it with his knife. This only tickled the U'ye, but at last he hacked his way through it and cut off the heart.

Then the U'ye died, and all became dark, for it shut its mouth. Then Wahre'dua began to cut a hole out of its side. Through this the twins and all the other living captives escaped. When the U'ye died it shuddered so that all over the earth the fact was known by the earthquake, and everyone knew it was the twins that had done the deed. Since then the world has never had an U'ye.
When the boys got home they found their father was very much frightened by their power.

There are more legends of Dore and Wahre'dua but we will stop here for today.

Thank you so very much for sharing your time with me. Please give me your thoughts about these legends. I'd love to know if they are something that you like. Thanks again.

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady❤ڰۣ✿

Maggalie and Angor

Hi, dear friend and followers. Well, here we are

Wednesday, half the week gone by already, and time to resume my poem stories.

Maggalie and Angor

A dragon and a magic spell;

a dragon caught in a whirling cyclone;

from the heavens it falls,

with the grace of a stone.

Being spat out by the furious storm

the dragon sees, as plainly as day,

that his landing on the ground will be hard.

Down in a heap, near the water he lands,

among the thickets and stones at the rivers edge.

A sharp descent, to say the least;

one that would have broken the stoutest of necks

Filled with glee and misery every day,

Dwarves at work and elves at play.

Excitement haunts your every step

when you are in a place not yours.

Dragon scrambles out of the thickets,

somewhat dazed, but still alive.

He stood and roared and billowed flame

to see that he could defend himself.

With a flip through the air,

as light as a lark,

he entered the water;

'neath the current dark.

The dragon resurfaced a distance upstream,

in a peaceful pond that fed into a brook.

He clambered out onto the peaceful bank,

and lay on the green grass, in a hidden nook.

Now they say one can get there

by enchanted dream or magic spell;

but the truth is that there is a Fairy Land

and dragon missed his home he knew so well.

This world was his, to live in and love.

'tis as wicked as hell, nice as heaven above.

He knew that the dream and the spell were out,

and there was one other way to get back to Fairy Land.

He decided to rest before trying his plan.

And sleep he did, until the evening of the day.

"So listen well, and take my advice,"

a tiny voice within him spoke,

"and listen to what I am about to tell you;

and you will be there on the evening of tomorrow."

Upon awakening the dragon looked to the east

for this was the way of his destination;

east to the land of the Faie folk and safety.

he could not stay where he was any longer,

for great harm to him would surely come

in this place so foreign, 

this world between worlds.

He spread his great wings and took two full flaps;

they sounded like air filled sails on a tall, fast ship!

Over the wilderness the dragon flew

out of sight of frightened human eyes.

Came the dusk and he landed

not far from his start,

on a leaf-covered dirt road that was on the way

out of this place, the world between worlds.

A mist arose on the forest floor;

the forest soon became but a silhouette

to either side the leaf-covered road.

It was fast growing into darkness, 

when the dragon stopped and turned to his right,

and quickly disappeared into the forest,

Feeling relieved not to be as exposed,

not as he had been on the open road.

"A forest of mystery and fear," he thought,

"where one's imagination can run wild."

"Cease your movements!" his inner voice told him

"Hark! A sound!" the thought he had heard

The dragon hissed and spread his wings,

and prepared to defend himself as only dragons could.

Then he said, in a deep growl,

"Show yourself, whoever you are!

Lest I roast you and eat you,

afore the arising of the sun!"

The bushes rustled, and a small form appeared,

dark against the first shades of dawn,

and before him stool, transfixed, not afraid,

by the large form which stood before it.

The dragon's night vision clearly noted,

a girl who looked to be around ten;

her red hair and green eyes accenting her fair face.

If they both had been in Fairy Land,

he would not have known the difference,

between this girl and the others of her kind.

"Where do you come from, child?" the dragon asked 

in a deep voice, mellow compared to its initial growl.

The child was startled by the dragons tone;

she stepped back a couple paces, then stopped.

She knew about dragons, from stories of the faie;

but she did not know that they could talk.

The bright amber eyes of the dragon softened

and ceased to glare downward as he looked at the child.

"Where are you from, child?" he asked again,

in a softer voice, to allay her fears.

The girl dropped the hood of her fur-trimmed cape;

to the dragon she spoke in so tiny a voice:

"I am from here. I live here. This is home, my home."

"How long have you lived here?" the dragon replied.

"All of my life, I remember no place else."

"You have not gone with the others. Why?" he said.

She pulled back her hair and showed him why: 

two long pointed ears, as plain as the day.

The dragon, he knew, from whence she came;

Her people lived in the other world,

the Fairy Land that was his destination!

She put her hood back on her head,

then turned and motioned for him to follow.

She led the way as they walked to a steep ravine;

it was lined by a thick forest on both sides.

Upon reaching the bottom of the ravine,

there lay silhouetted by the morning mist,

what appeared to be a large, grassy mound.

To the eastern side of the hillock she stood,

to open a door which a moment ago,

was invisible to the unknowing eye.

Inside was space for a dragon to fit;

At the center, a hearth kept the chills at bay.

The dragon laid upon the coals with a sigh.

The structure was of sheets of steel,

with wooden walls, as was the floor;

lit well by chandeliers and candelabra

and fragrant oil lamps upon the shelves.

This dwelling, it was furnished complete.

"No doubt that all was built and supplied,

with throw-aways from the human folk," he thought,

Then turned again to look at the child.

She was one of the Elfin, that he knew.

But how long away from her kinfolk was she?

Was she lost in a time between times, like he?

She had no recall of how she got here.

She only knew of the life she had made;

and that it would be a fatal move

to expose herself to the raging humans.

"Would you come with me?" the dragon asked,

as he noticed the child was not so much a child.

She was one of the Fairy folk whose vitality glowed!

Her beauty far brighter than the brightest of stars

on a summer night 'neath the silver moon!

A creature of magic, she was, as he.

Of this world not, where the humans forbid 

enchantment and magic and live in dreary gray.

"What is your name, child, 

or should I say young lady? the dragon queried

in the softest of voices.

The girl stood, dropped her cape, and then to reveal 

a stunning, pale blue dress, floor length, with gold trim;

it was homespun, as all her garments were.

Her brilliant unbraided red hair,

flashed as she lowered her head;

speaking quietly and shyly her name she told:

My name is Maggalie, a name of my choice.

And how shall I call you, my fine dragon?

"Angor. I am a forest dragon," came the reply.

"If there be names for dragons, that it would be."

"I know little of the Fairy Land, Maggalie said.

"I know little of the worlds from this one aside,

save what I have learned from discarded books.

This world you speak of, what is it like? Maggalie asked.

"It is light. All is magic. It is colors, and hues.

If you wish, I would be pleased to take you there.

Maybe that is where you will find your real home," Angor said.

The girl stood silently for a time, to think;

lips pursed, tapping them with her right index finger.

Then she spoke thus: "That would be my delight!"

"I have been lonely for others like me and

I thought that I was the only one left.

I knew I was different from those who live here

and here difference can spell my death."

"Then let us go, my lady! Angor exclaimed.

He stood, fully tall, 

then waved towards the door,

with his right front appendage.

"Yes," she said as she wrapped herself in her fur cape.

Outside she climbed on Angor's back,

then turned and took one final look,

at what had been her only home,

for who knows for how many years past.

Angor gave two huge, jumping leaps

as he beat his great wings and they were aloft.

Maggalie trusted the great beast beneath her.

She slid forward to lay upon his back

and embraced his strong neck 

with her delicate arms,

to the steady beat of the huge wings.

She drifted into a safe, sound sleep.

Through the thick fog, Angor flew.

There were times that he 

could not see land or sky.

He shook himself to awaken

the slumbering Maggalie

and told her to brace for rough going.

No sooner had he finished speaking

than a huge whirlwind came up from below them.

Into it they were drawn like a bug,

into what looked like the eye of a tornado,

Angor fought the winds and stayed aloft.

The eye closed and they were buffeted about

as Maggalie held onto Angor for her life.

Suddenly, again were they were in clear blue sky.

Below she saw that magical place 

where daisies sing songs like little birds.

Between the sun and showers,

the tall grasses sing a melody

about this new world she was now in.

Butterfly flowers are there beside the way.

All about her insects flew;

but they were not insects at all.

All about tiny fairy beings flew.

This place was as Angor described,

a place of light and colors and hues;

all beings spoke to her; 

the plant beings;

the animal beings; 

the bird beings;

the fairy beings;

as well as those of the sea.

Then she saw them,

the woodland beings,

beings like her!

She now knew that after all these years,

she had finally found her home;

the home she could only dream about,

when she lived alone, in the other world.

A handsome Elfin fellow came to her,

and offered his arm for his lady to take.

On his arm, he lead her to the home tree.

Then said to her, Do you not recognize me, Maggalie dear ?

She did not recognize the form, but she knew what dwelt within.

I appreciate your sharing this time with me.  I'm grateful for your thoughts on this poem and everything that I post.  Thanks again and have a great Wednesday!

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady❤ڰۣ✿

Ponca Tradition of Finding Horses.

Hi dear friends and folloers

The Ponca are a People who occupied territory in northern Nebraska and southern South Dakota. They spoke a Siouan language and were both farmers and hunters. They lived in sod or earthen lodges and used a teepee when on hunting trips.

Their mythology contained some characters familiar to us: A Creator; a trickster who is the fallen son of a deity; the rabbit; the coyote, and the fox. I am sure that there are others, like the crow and the magpie, but I have not researched their place in the legends.

The story that follows is the

Ponca Tradition of Finding Horses.
Long ago, the people followed the Missouri River northward to a place where they could step over the water. Then they turned, and were going across the land. Then they met the Padouca [Comanche].

At that time the Ponca had no animals but dogs to help them carry burdens. Wherever they went they had to go on foot, but the people were strong and fleet. They could run a great distance and not be weary.
One day when they were hunting buffalo, they met the Padouca. Then they had many battles with them. The Padouca were mounted on strange animals. At first the Ponca thought it was all one animal.

The Padouca had bows made from elk horn. They were not very long, nor were they very strong. They boiled the horn until it was soft; then they scraped it, and bound it together with sinews and glue. Their arrows were tipped with bone. They fought also with a stone battle-ax. The handle was a sapling; a grooved stone ax head, pointed at both ends, was fastened to this with rawhides.

So the Padouca were terrible fighters. They protected their horses with a covering of thick rawhide cut in round pieces, and put together like fish scales. They spread glue over the outside and then sand. So when the Comanches fought, the arrows of their enemies glanced off the horses' armor. Then the Padouca made breastplates for themselves like those of the horses.

When the Ponca met these terrible warriors, they were afraid. They thought man and horse were one. They named it "Kawa" because they noticed the odor of the horse. Then they knew by this odor when the Padouca were coming. When a man smelled the horses, he would run to the camp and say, "The wind tells us the Kawa are coming." Then the Ponca would make ready to defend themselves.

The Ponca had many battles with the Comanches. They did not know how to use the animals, so they killed the horses as well as the men. Neither could they find out where the Padouca lived.

One day the two tribes had a great battle. The people fought all day. Sometimes the Ponca were driven back, sometimes the Padouca. Then at last a Ponca shot a Padouca so that he fell from his horse. Then the battle ceased. After this, one of the Padouca came toward the Ponca and said in plain Ponca,

"Who are you? What do you call yourselves?"

The Ponca replied, "We call ourselves Ponca. You speak our language, are you of our tribe?"

The other said, "No. I speak your language as a gift from a Ponca spirit. One day I lay on a Ponca grave after a battle. Then a man rose from the grave and spoke to me. So I know your language."

Then it was agreed to make peace. The tribes visited each other. The Ponca traded their bows and arrows for horses. They knew where the Padouca lived. Then the Padouca taught the Ponca how to ride, and how to put burdens on the horses.

When the Ponca had learned how to ride, and had horses, they went to war again. They attacked the Padouca in their own village. They attacked them so many times and stole so many of their horses that at last the Padouca fled. We do not know where they went. The Ponca followed the Platte River toward the rising sun; then they came back to the Missouri, and they brought their horses with them.

Thank you again for dropping by and taking a few minutes to read the Native American Legends and myths I would appreciate knowing what your thoughts are on it. Have a wonderful week.

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady❤ڰۣ✿