Book Name:

Myths of the Cherokee

A hunter in the woods one day heard singing in a cave. He came near and peeped in, and it was a mother bear singing to her cubs and telling them what to do when the hunters came after them.

Said the mother bear to the cubs, "When you hear the hunters coming down the creek, then-

Tsâ'gï, tsâ'gï, hwï'lahï';

Tsâ'gï, tsâ'gï, hwï'lahï.

Upstream, upstream, you (must) go;

Upstream, upstream, you (must) go.

But if you hear them coming up the creek, children, then –

Ge'i, ge'i, hwï'lahï';

Ge'i, ge'i, hwï'lahï';

Downstream, downstream, you (must) go;

Downstream, downstream, you (must) go."

* * * * * * *

Another hunter out in the woods one day thought he heard a woman singing to a baby. He followed the sound up to the head of the branch until he came to a cave under the bushes, and inside was a mother bear rocking her cub in her paws and singing to it this baby song, which the Ani'-Tsâ'gûhï used to know before they were turned into bears:

Ha'-mama', ha'-mama', ha'-mama', ha'-mama';

Udâ'hale'yï hi'lûñnû, hi'lûñnû;

Udâ'hale'yï hi'lûñnû, hi'lûñnû.

Let me carry you on my back (four times);

On the sunny side go to sleep, go to sleep;

On the sunny side go to sleep, go to sleep.

Comments:

[1] The first of these songs was obtained from Ayâsta, and was unknown to Swimmer. The second song was obtained also from Ayâsta, who knew only the verses, while Swimmer knew both the verses and the story which gives them their setting.

The first has an exact parallel among the Creeks, which is thus given in the “Baby Songs” of the Tuggle manuscript:

Ah tan Down the stream

Ah yah chokese if you hear

Mah kah cho kofe chase going

Hoche yoke saw up the stream

Lit kahts chars, run,

Lit kahts chars. run.

A thle poo Up the stream

Ahyohchokese if you hear

Mah kah cho kofe the chase going

Thorne yoke saw to the high mountain

Lit karts chars, run,

Lit karts chars. run.

Translation

If you hear the noise of the chase

Going down the stream

Then run up the stream.

If you hear the noise of the chase

Going up the stream

Then run to the high mountain,

Then run to the high mountain.

Abstract: