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In ancient times, there lived
some very large snakes that glittered nearly as bright as the sun. They
had two horns on their heads, and they possessed a magic power of
attraction. To see one of these snakes was always a bad omen.
Whoever tried to escape from one instead ran directly toward the snake
and was devoured. Only a highly skilled medicine man or hunter could kill
a two- horned snake.
It required a very special medicine or power.
The
hunter had to shoot his arrow into the seventh stripe of the snake's skin.
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One day a Shawnee Indian youth was held captive by the Cherokees.
He was
promised his freedom if he could find and kill a horned snake. He hunted
for many, many days in caves, over wild mountains, and at last found one
high in the Tennessee Mountains.
The Shawnee youth made a large circle of fire by burning pine cones. Then
he walked toward the two-horned snake. When it saw the hunter, the snake
slowly raised its head. The Shawnee youth shouted, "Freedom or death!"
He then aimed carefully and shot his arrow through the seventh stripe of
the horned snake's skin. Turning quickly, he jumped into the centre of the
ring of fire, where he felt safe from the snake.
A stream of poison flowed from the snake, but was stopped by the fire.
Because of the Shawnee youth's bravery, the grateful Cherokees granted him
his freedom as they had promised.
Four days later, some of the Cherokees went to the spot where the youth
had killed the horned snake. They gathered fragments of snake bones and
skin, tying them into a sacred bundle. These they kept carefully for their
children and grandchildren, because they believed the sacred bundle would
bring good fortune to their tribe.
Also on the same spot, a small lake formed containing black water. Into
this water the Cherokee women dipped their twigs used in their basket
making. This is how they learned to dye their baskets black, along with
other colors.
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