Myth 15d

Certain persons, however, having knowledge of the proper atonement rites, may kill wolves with impunity, and are hired for this purpose by others who have suffered from raids upon their fish traps or their stock. Like the eagle killer (see “The Bird Tribes”), the professional wolf killer, after killing one of these animals, addresses to it a prayer in which he seeks to turn aside the vengeance of the tribe by laying the burden of blame upon the people of some other settlement. He then unscrews the barrel of his gun and inserts into it seven small sourwood rods heated over the fire, and allows it to remain thus overnight in the running stream; in the morning the rods are taken out and the barrel is thoroughly dried and cleaned. The dog ( giʻlĭ′ ), although as much a part of Indian life among the Cherokee as in other tribes, hardly appears in folklore. One myth makes him responsible for the milky way; another represents him as driving the wolf from the comfortable house fire and taking the place for himself. He figures also in connection with the deluge. There is no tradition of the introduction of the horse ( sâ′gwălĭ , asâ′gwălihû′ , “a pack or burden”) or of the cow ( wa′ʻka , from the Spanish, vaca ). The hog is called sĭkwă , this being originally the name of the opossum, which somewhat resembles it in expression, and which is now distinguished as sĭkwă utse′tstĭ , “grinning sĭkwă.” In the same way the sheep, another introduced animal, is called aʻwĭ′ unăde′na , “woolly deer”; the goat, aʻwĭ′ ahănu′lăhĭ , “bearded deer,” and the mule, sâ′gwă′lĭ digû′lanăhi′ta , “long-eared horse.” The cat, also obtained from the whites, is called wesă , an attempt at the English “pussy.” When it purrs by the fireside, the children say it is counting in Cherokee, “ ta′ladu′, nûñ′gĭ, ta′ladu′, nûñ′gĭ, ” “sixteen, four, sixteen, four.” The elephant, which a few of the Cherokee have seen in shows, is called by them kăma′mă u′tănû , “great butterfly,” from the supposed resemblance of its long trunk and flapping ears to the proboscis and wings of that insect. The anatomical peculiarities of the opossum, of both sexes, are the subject of much curious speculation among the Indians, many of whom believe that its young are produced without any help from the male. It occurs in one or two of the minor myths. The fox ( tsu′ʻlă ) is mentioned in one of the formulas, but does not appear in the tribal folklore. The black fox is known by a different name ( inâ′lĭ ). The odor of the skunk ( dĭlă′ ) is believed to keep off contagious diseases, and the scent bag is therefore taken out and hung over the doorway, a small hole being pierced in it in order that the contents may ooze out upon the timbers. At times, as in the smallpox epidemic of 1866, the entire body of the animal was thus hung up, and in some cases, as an additional safeguard, the meat was cooked and eaten and the oil rubbed over the skin of the person.