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It is said that the snakes, the deer, and the ginseng act as allies, so
that an injury to one is avenged by all. The feeling toward snakes is one
of mingled fear and reverence, and every precaution is taken to avoid
killing or offending one, especially the rattlesnake.
He who kills a snake. will soon see others; and should he kill a second
one, so many will come around him whichever way he may turn that he will
become dazed at the sight of their glistening eyes and darting tongues and
will go wandering about like a crazy man, unable to find his way out of
the woods.
To guard against this misfortune there are certain prayers which the
initiated say in order that a snake may not cross their path, and on
meeting the first one of the season the hunter humbly begs of him, "Let us
not see each other this summer."
Certain smells, as that of the wild parsnip, and certain songs, as those
of the Unika'wï or Townhouse dance, are offensive to the snakes and make
them angry. For this reason the Unika'wï is held only late in the fall,
after they have retired to their dens for the winter.
When one dreams of being bitten by a snake he must be treated the same as
for an actual bite, because it is a snake ghost that has. bitten him;
otherwise the place will swell and ulcerate in the same way, even though
it be years afterwards. For fear of offending them, even in speaking, it
is never said that a man has been bitten by a snake, but only that he has
been "scratched by a brier." Most of the beliefs and customs in this
connection have more special reference to the rattlesnake.
The rattlesnake is called utsa'nätï which may be rendered, "he has a
bell," alluding to the rattle. According to a myth given elsewhere, he was
once a man, and was transformed to his present shape that he might save
the human race from extermination by the Sun, a mission which he
accomplished successfully after others had failed.
By the old men he is also spoken of as "the Thunder's necklace" (see the
story of Ûñtsaiyï'), and to kill one is to destroy one of the most prized
ornaments of the thunder god. In one of the formulas addressed to the
Little Men, the sons of the Thunder, they are implored to take the disease
snake to themselves, because "it is just what you adorn yourselves with."
For obvious reason the rattlesnake is regarded as the chief of the snake
tribe and is feared and. respected accordingly. Few Cherokee will venture
to kill one except under absolute necessity, and even then the crime must
be atoned for by asking pardon of the snake ghost, either in person or
through the mediation of a priest, according to a set formula. Otherwise
the relatives of the dead snake will send one of their number to track up
the offender and bite him so that he will die (see story, "The
Rattlesnake's Vengeance").
The only thing of which the rattlesnake is afraid is said to be the plant
known as campion, or "rattlesnake's master" (Silene stellata), which is
used by the doctors to counteract the effect of the bite, and it is
believed that a snake will flee in terror from the hunter who carries a
small piece of the root about his person. Chewed linn bark is also applied
to the bite, perhaps from the supposed occult connection between the snake
and the thunder, as this tree is said to be immune from the lightning
stroke.
Notwithstanding the fear of the rattlesnake, his rattles, teeth, flesh,
and oil are greatly prized for occult or medical uses, the snakes being
killed for this purpose by certain priests who know the necessary rites
and formulas for obtaining pardon.
This device for whipping the devil around the stump, and incidentally
increasing their own revenues, is a common trick of Indian medicine men.
Outsiders desiring to acquire this secret knowledge are discouraged by
being told that it is a dangerous thing to learn, for the reason that the
new initiate is almost certain to be bitten, in order that the snakes may
"try" him to know if he has correctly learned the formula.
When a rattlesnake is killed the head must be cut off and buried an arm's
length deep in the ground and the body carefully hidden away in a hollow
log. If it is left exposed to the weather, the angry snakes will send such
torrents of rain that all the streams will overflow their banks. Moreover,
they will tell their friends, the deer, and the ginseng in the mountains,
so that these will hide themselves and the hunters will seek them in vain.
The tooth of a rattlesnake which has been killed by the priest with the
proper ceremonies while the snake was lying stretched out from east to
west is used to scarify patients preliminary to applying the medicine in
certain ailments. Before using it the doctor holds it between the thumb
and finger of his right hand and addresses it in a prayer, at the end of
which the tooth "becomes alive," when it is ready for the operation.
The explanation is that the tense, nervous grhtml of the doctor causes his
hand to twitch and the tooth to move slightly between his fingers. The
rattles are worn on the head, and sometimes a portion of the flesh is
eaten by ball players to make them more terrible to their opponents, but
it is said to have the bad effect of making them cross to their wives.
From the lower half of the body, thought to be the fattest portion, the
oil is extracted and is in as great repute among the Indians for
rheumatism and sore joints as among the white mountaineers. The doctor who
prepares the oil must also eat the flesh of the snake.
In certain seasons of epidemic a roasted (barbecued) rattlesnake was kept
hanging up in the house, and every morning the father of the family bit
off a small piece and chewed it, mixing it then with water, which he spit
upon the bodies of the others to preserve them from the contagion. It was
said to be a sure cure, but apt to make the patients hot tempered.
The copperhead, wâ'dige-askâ'lï "brown-head," although feared on account
of its poisonous bite, is hated, instead of being regarded with
veneration, as is the rattlesnake. It is believed to be a descendant of a
great mythic serpent (see number 5) and is said to have "eyes of fire," on
account of their intense brightness.
The blacksnake is called gûle'gï, "the climber." Biting its body is said
to be a preventive of toothache, and there is also a belief, perhaps
derived from the whites, that if the body of one be hung upon a tree it
will bring rain within three (four_) days. The small greensnake is called,
sälikwâ'yï, the same name being also applied to a certain plant, the
Eryngium virginianum, or bear grass, whose long, slender leaves bear some
resemblance to a greensnake.
As with the blacksnake, it is believed that toothache may be prevented and
sound teeth insured as long as life lasts by biting the greensnake along
its body. It must be held by the head and tail, and all the teeth at once
pressed down four times along the middle of its body, but without biting
into the flesh or injuring the snake.
Some informants say that the operation must be repeated four times upon as
many snakes and that a certain food taboo must also be observed. The water
moccasin, kanegwâ'tï, is not specially regarded, but a very rare wood
snake, said to resemble it except that it has blue eyes, is considered to
have great supernatural powers, in what way is not specified.
The repulsive but harmless spreading adder (Heterodon) is called
dalïkstä', "vomiter," on account of its habit of spitting, and sometimes
kwandäya'hû, a word of uncertain etymology. It was formerly a man, but was
transformed into a snake in order to accomplish the destruction of the
Daughter of the Sun (see the story). For its failure on this occasion it
is generally despised.
The Wahnenauhi manuscript mentions a legend of a great serpent called on
account of its color the "ground snake." To see it was an omen of death to
the one who saw it, and if it was seen by several persons some great
tribal calamity was expected. For traditions and beliefs in regard to the
Uktena, the Uksuhï, and other mythic serpents, see under those headings.
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