Sacred Texts  Native American  Iroquois  Index  Previous  Next 

SECTION 3

"Now the beings spoke again saying, 'This is the third word. It is a sad one and the Creator is very sad because of this third word. It seems that you have never known that a great pile of human bodies lies dead because of this word, Ono'ityi'yende, the nigâ'hos'sää`, the secret poisons in little bundles named Gawênnodûs'hä

p. 30

[paragraph continues] (compelling charms 1). Now the Creator who made us commands that they who do this evil, when they hear this message, must stop it immediately and do it nevermore while they live upon this earth-world. It matters not how much destruction they have wrought--let them repent and not fail for fear the Creator will not accept them as his own.'"

So they said and he said. Eniaiehuk.


Footnotes

30:1 Charms. Should a person die holding a secret, one may discover it by sleeping upon the ground with a handful of the grave dirt beneath his head. Then, if all conditions are perfect, the dead person will appear in three successive visions and reveal its mystery.

A young man, wishing to become a swift runner, may add to his powers by concealing in his belt a bone from the grave of some celebrated runner of the past. It is said that most famous runners of the League carried these charms.

A warrior who wishes to guard against sudden attack from behind may make an unfailing charm by cutting three slits in the back of his neck and rubbing into the wounds the oil extracted from the scalps of enemies. A peculiar soft white flesh will fill up the cuts and when completely healed will protrude. Should an enemy then approach these protruding scars will quiver and warn the warrior of danger.

The most effective charm for drawing riches is the tooth of a nia?gwahe:.


Next: Section 4