Craig
10-23-2003, 05:04 PM
Bhudda John Two Fish: Tuskie
September 22, 2002
Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh - A Tuscarora Tale
A certain Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh (demon) was passing through a deep and wild wood when he saw a tree stump standing and judged that it had been cut by humans 5 years before.
He walked on and on, and found again a tree stump standing and saw that it had been cut only 1 year before. To himself, he said 'hai' and thought that humans must dwell not far away.
A short distance later he found many stumps of freshly cut trees, their bark barely dead. Again he muttered 'hai' to himself, knowing that a village and its longhouses must be close.
Finally, he came to a broad and well-beaten path that lead to a large village and began to consider, "How shall I conduct myself with these people?"
As he thought and watched, he saw a hornet's nest as large as a man's head hanging within easy reach. He stoppered the hole of the nest, making sure the little warriors were firmly bottled inside and then cut the branch the nest was attached to.
He then took the branch with the nest and struck out for the great council house of the village, where he could hear sounds of dance and celebration.
Inside the nest, the hornets buzzing made an odd and exciting music. Arriving at the council house, he found the people dancing and, claiming that it was an instrument, offered his hornet's nest for sale. The people heard the strange and entrancing music and exclaimed, "Let us buy it!" Paying with their wampum beads, their earrings, their bracelets, their tobacco and whatever could be found, they bought the instrument and added it to the drums and rattles, the voices and the song.
Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh said, "When the music within wanes, pull the stopper and the music will revive,"
So the people danced to the new music and the council house became filled with the entire village.
Then, as the dancing was at its height and the people whirled on light feet to the singing tones, the music started to die. A quick thinking musician pulled the stopper from the nest. Nothing happened so he shook the branch. The music started again, and from the nest burst a cloud of angry hornets that stung all the people, all the dancers, all the musicians, all the clan mothers and all the chiefs.
Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh stood quietly in the crowd watching the result of his clever sale and cruel trick.
The stung chiefs immediately called a council and ordered the death of the salesman. Now, Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh looked like a young man, but he bent his back forward and rubbed his hands on his face til he was covered with wrinkles.
Those hunting Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh saw only an old man as they passed by him, saying, "No, it can not be that one."
...
September 22, 2002
Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh - A Tuscarora Tale
A certain Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh (demon) was passing through a deep and wild wood when he saw a tree stump standing and judged that it had been cut by humans 5 years before.
He walked on and on, and found again a tree stump standing and saw that it had been cut only 1 year before. To himself, he said 'hai' and thought that humans must dwell not far away.
A short distance later he found many stumps of freshly cut trees, their bark barely dead. Again he muttered 'hai' to himself, knowing that a village and its longhouses must be close.
Finally, he came to a broad and well-beaten path that lead to a large village and began to consider, "How shall I conduct myself with these people?"
As he thought and watched, he saw a hornet's nest as large as a man's head hanging within easy reach. He stoppered the hole of the nest, making sure the little warriors were firmly bottled inside and then cut the branch the nest was attached to.
He then took the branch with the nest and struck out for the great council house of the village, where he could hear sounds of dance and celebration.
Inside the nest, the hornets buzzing made an odd and exciting music. Arriving at the council house, he found the people dancing and, claiming that it was an instrument, offered his hornet's nest for sale. The people heard the strange and entrancing music and exclaimed, "Let us buy it!" Paying with their wampum beads, their earrings, their bracelets, their tobacco and whatever could be found, they bought the instrument and added it to the drums and rattles, the voices and the song.
Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh said, "When the music within wanes, pull the stopper and the music will revive,"
So the people danced to the new music and the council house became filled with the entire village.
Then, as the dancing was at its height and the people whirled on light feet to the singing tones, the music started to die. A quick thinking musician pulled the stopper from the nest. Nothing happened so he shook the branch. The music started again, and from the nest burst a cloud of angry hornets that stung all the people, all the dancers, all the musicians, all the clan mothers and all the chiefs.
Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh stood quietly in the crowd watching the result of his clever sale and cruel trick.
The stung chiefs immediately called a council and ordered the death of the salesman. Now, Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh looked like a young man, but he bent his back forward and rubbed his hands on his face til he was covered with wrinkles.
Those hunting Shoo-tea-ruh-shuh saw only an old man as they passed by him, saying, "No, it can not be that one."
...