WHEN
THE
CHENOO
HOWLS
WHEN
THE
CHENOO
HOWLS
NATIVE AMERICAN TALES
OF TERROR
Joseph and James Bruchac
Illustrations by William Sauts Netamuwe Bock
Text copyright © 1998 by Joseph and James Bruchac
Illustrations copyright © 1998 by William Sauts Netamuwe Bock
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.
All the characters and events portrayed in this work are fictitious.
First published in the United States of America in 1998
by Walker Publishing Company, Inc.;
first paperback edition published in 1999.
Published simultaneously in Canada by Fitzhenry and Whiteside,
Markham, Ontario L3R 4T8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bruchac, Joseph, 1942-
When the Chenoo howls: native American tales of terror/Joseph and James Bruchac; illustrations by William Sauts Netamuwe Bock.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references
Contents: The Stone Giant (Seneca)—The Flying Head (Seneca)—Ugly face (Mohawk)—Chenoo (Passamaquoddy)—Amankamek (Lenape)—Keewahkwee (Penobscot)—Yakwawiak (Lenape)—Man Bear (Oneida)—The Spreaders (Abenaki)—Aglebemu (Penobscot)—Big Tree People (Onondaga)—Toad Woman (Abenaki)
eISBN: 978-0-802-72130-3
1. Indians of North America—Northeastern
States—Folklore. 2. Woodland Indians—Folklore.
3. Tales—Northeastern States. 4. Monsters—Juvenile literature.
[1. Woodland Indians—Folklore. 2. Indians of North
America—Northeastern States—Folklore. 3. Monsters—Folklore.
4. Folklore—Northeastern States.] I. Bruchac, James. II. Bock,
William Sauts, 1939- ill. III. Title.
E78.E2B79 1998
[398.2'089'97074]—dc21 97-48715
CIP
AC
Book design by Jennifer Ann Daddio
Printed in the United States of America
4 6 8 10 9 7 5
CONTENTS
Authors' Note
Introduction James Bruchac
THE STONE GIANT (Seneca)
THE FLYING HEAD (Seneca)
UGLY FACE (Mohawk)
CHENOO (Passamaquoddy)
AMANKAMEK (Lenape)
KEEWAHKWEE ( Penobscot)
YAKWAWIAK (Lenape)
MAN BEAR (Oneida)
THE SPREADERS (Abenaki)
AGLEBEMU (Penobscot)
BIG TREE PEOPLE (Onondaga)
TOAD WOMAN (Abenaki)
Appendix. Pronunciation Guide
AUTHORS' NOTE
In all cases, these stories are versions told in our own words of traditional tales. While we have attempted to stay true to the traditions from which these stories originate and to the many different elders who shared these stories with us over the past three decades, these are new tellings. Under sources, we have indicated where some of the written versions of these or similar stories can be found.
— JOSEPH AND JAMES BRUCHAC
INTRODUCTION
Legends have always played a major role in Northeast Woodland Native American culture. Through the oral tradition, legends have passed down tribal, regional, and family histories, stressed cultural philosophies, taught lessons, and amused Native audiences for thousands of years.
Having survived into the twentieth century, Native legends are now shared with Native and non-Native audiences alike. Aided by their positive ecological and social content, legends from all over Turtle Island are not only told in front of countless audiences but also appear in numerous anthologies, picture books, and novels. In this vast body of legends, however, one type of traditional tale has often been neglected, or at least misunderstood: the monster story. As long as our tales have been told, stories of monsters have played an important role.
During our childhood in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, my brother Jesse and I were lucky enough to have grown up hearing many Native legends. Having a storyteller as a father, on long winter nights we heard many a tale. Our favorite ones were always the monster stories. We often went to sleep on those winter nights with thoughts of Chenoos, Flying Heads, Cannibal Ogres, and Stone Giants dancing through our heads. Luckily, in most cases we took comfort in knowing these monsters were usually defeated by a brave human being — sometimes a child no older than we were then.
Indeed, in many of our traditional Native American monster legends, heroes and heroines defeat their terrible foes by using their wits and standing up against their own fears. This is well illustrated in the stories found in this book, such as the "The Flying Head" and "The Stone Giant." The point of such stories is usually quite obvious. Clear thinking and bravery can be victorious over evil and the twisted mind.
So important was the theme of defeating monsters that it even appears in many Northeast Woodland creation stories. For example, in an Abenaki tale Gluskabe first shaped the human beings out of stone. But those giant rock creatures caused great destruction. Having hearts of stone, they had no compassion for the earth and its many living creatures. After realizing his mistake, Gluskabe destroyed them, turning them back into broken stones. Only after their defeat could he make the first Abenaki people from the ash tree. These new people, unlike the stone beings, had hearts that were green and growing, allowing them to have respect for the earth and each other.
In such legends, be they creation stories or not, the monsters are almost always defeated. This, however, is not always the case in another type of monster story found in this book. That type is the cautionary monster story. Those unfamiliar with such tales could be in for a big shock. In these stories, the monsters often win. Their prey, more often than not, is young children. At times, these stories seem more to resemble an episode of Taled from the Crypt than what many have come to expect from Native American legends. Stories about creatures such as Toad Woman, who lures young children into the cedar bogs with her beautiful voice only to drown them, don't have what most would consider happy endings. Yet this type of monster tale taught the caution that, over the centuries, probably saved thousands of young lives. Despite the many romantic ideas about our northeastern wilderness, it was and continues to be riddled with danger. Indeed, in precontact times one of the leading causes of death for Native people was accidents. These accidents included drowning, falls from high places, animal attacks, and many other things that were especially dangerous for children. Tales of Toad Woman would help frighten children away from the places where potential accidents might happen —such as the marshy cedar bogs. Monsters prove to be a more effective deterrent than a parent's simple warning.
To this day on the Abenaki reserve of Odanak, stories also included in this collection are still told about the dangerous little people known as the Spreaders. These Spreaders, as the story is told to the children of the village, are said to live near a certain cliff, a cliff that in reality is a very dangerous place. Whether it be Toad Woman, Spreaders, Stone Giants, Flying Heads, or any other monsters, the images of these creatures continue, in many Native communities, to keep children away from danger.
A second use for the cautionary monster story is to warn against bad behavior. Such bad behavior may result in a monster paying a visit. "Ugly Face" and "Big Tree People" might be used by a parent or other elder when a child is acting in a
disrespectful way. In the story of the Man Bear, the hero succeeds because he remembers the advice of his elders. In the tale of Keewahkwee, the rude monster fails where the polite little boy succeeds. Among Native Americans, telling a lesson story or a cautionary tale, instead of resorting to physical punishment, has always been the preferred way to discipline a child. The aim of this type of cautionary monster story is also to help an individual child recognize bad behavior before they commit it.
Within this book are a number of different monster stories that my father, Joseph Bruchac, and I have decided to share with a wider audience. Some are heroic and cautionary. Some are traditional, and even the ones that are original tell of legendary monsters well known to our various Northeast Woodland tribes. Some take place today, not just in the distant past. We want people to realize that these stories and the Native people who tell them have not vanished. Many of our traditions are as useful today as they were a hundred or a thousand years ago. So the progression of the stories in this book is from the very distant past to very recent times. Monsters and the stories that we tell about them, new and old, continue to play an important role in many Native American communities, providing amusement and instruction. It is our belief that these stories can play a similar role for non-Native readers as well.
— JAMES BRUCHAC
THE
STONE
GIANT
One day, long ago in an Iroquois village, the people became very troubled. In those days, there were great monsters called Stone Giants. Taller than the trees, those creatures loved to eat human beings. Spears and arrows could not hurt them, for they had skins made of flint. That day, a Stone Giant had been seen on the other side of Ne-ah-gah, the big river that flowed near the village. The people were afraid that it would soon cross that river and attack them.
Soon almost everyone in that village was talking about it. What could they do? One of the people in that village happened to be Skunny-Wundy, whose name means "Cross-the-Creek." He had been given that name because he loved to play near the stream that flowed not far from their village. Skunny-Wundy knew better than anyone all of the shallow places where one could cross. Skunny-Wundy was not a big person, but he was very quick to see things.
Sitting on a rock, his stone hatchet on the ground beside him, Skunny-Wundy sat and listened quietly as he repaired a torn moccasin. That was unusual, for Skunny-Wundy loved to talk. Of all the people in that village, no one loved to joke and talk more than he did.
"Those Stone Giants are very dangerous," said one man.
"I've heard they've been known to destroy whole villages," said another.
"Who would ever be brave enough to face such a creature?" one young woman asked. "Everyone is afraid of them."
Skunny-Wundy could stand it no longer.
"I'm not afraid of that Stone Giant!" Skunny-Wundy exclaimed. He was always as quick at bragging as he was at making jokes. "I've killed dozens of Stone Giants!"
Soon people were gathered around him.
"You've killed Stone Giants?" the woman asked.
"Of course I have. I am Skunny-Wundy, the greatest of warriors!" he answered, speaking louder as the crowd around him got bigger. "I could easily take care of that Stone Giant down by the river. Stone Giants run at the very sound of my name."
Then Skunny-Wundy began to brag about his many battles with Stone Giants. Even though none of those battles had ever taken place, he described them in great detail. Before long, everyone in the village had heard his tales. As he talked, Skunny-Wundy continued to work on his moccasin. When the final stitch had been sewn, Skunny-Wundy looked up. To his surprise, all of the people in the village had disappeared.
"Where did everyone go?"
Skunny-Wundy walked toward the main longhouse. As he approached, he heard the sound of many voices coming from inside. Apparently, they were having some sort of meeting.
"I wonder what they're talking about?" Skunny-Wundy said.
Just as he said that, the people began to come out of the lodge. All of them nodded and smiled at him. The last to come out was one of the village elders, who walked right over to Skunny-Wundy.
"After hearing of your many battles, the whole village has decided you should be the one to confront the Stone Giant," the old man said.
Skunny-Wundy had put himself on the spot. Everyone in the village was looking at him, waiting for his reply.
"I . . . would be honored," he said.
Skunny-Wundy picked up his hatchet, stuck it into his belt, and started through the woods toward the river. As he walked, he scolded himself for having such loose lips. Skunny-Wundy was so upset that he didn't realize how fast he was walking. Before he knew it, he had reached the edge of the river. Looking over at him from the opposite shore stood the Stone Giant.
"Stay where you are! I'm coming over to eat you!" the Stone Giant roared.
Skunny-Wundy froze.
The Stone Giant slowly waded into the water, heading straight toward him. However, when it reached the deepest part of the river, the Stone Giant's head went completely underwater. Skunny-Wundy got an idea. Running upstream to the shallow part of the river, he quickly crossed over. Before the Stone Giant reached the shore, Skunny-Wundy was standing on the opposite side, directly across from him.
The Stone Giant looked around in confusion.
"Hey," Skunny-Wundy yelled, "I thought you were coming to get me!"
The Stone Giant turned back toward the river, a confused and angry look on its face. Wading in as before, it headed once again toward Skunny-Wundy. And, just as before, Skunny-Wundy ran to the shallow place and crossed the river. When the Stone Giant came out again, Skunny-Wundy stood on the other side.
"What's the matter, are you scared of me? Why haven't you come over here?" he yelled.
"I'm going to rip you to pieces, little man!!!"
The Stone Giant howled as it entered the water for the third time, totally unaware of the way Skunny-Wundy was tricking it.
"Sooner or later," Skunny-Wundy said to himself as he crossed the river yet again, "this not-so-smart Stone Giant will get tired of this and go away."
On his fifth trip, however, Skunny-Wundy's hatchet fell from his belt and was left behind. When the Stone Giant came out of the water, that hatchet was the first thing it saw.
"What is this?" the stone giant growled. It bent over to pick up the hatchet. Watching from the opposite shore, Skunny-Wundy feared his trick was over. He hid behind a big tree.
"Hah! This could not hurt anything!" the Stone Giant rumbled, licking the hatchet's blade. "It is not even sharp!"
The Stone Giant threw Skunny-Wundy's little hatchet at a nearby tree. To the surprise of the Stone Giant —and Skunny-Wundy —when the hatchet struck the tree, it split that tree right in half.
"What is this?" the Stone Giant said, totally baffled. It reached down and picked up the hatchet again. This time it threw the hatchet at a huge boulder on the opposite side of the stream. As soon as that hatchet struck the boulder, the huge stone, too, was split in half. It was then that Skunny-Wundy remembered two things about Stone Giants. The first was that the saliva of a Stone Giant was very powerful. If a Stone Giant licked something, whatever it licked would have great power, too. The second thing Skunny-Wundy remembered was that Stone Giants are very stupid. This one was obviously so stupid that it did not even realize it was the one who had made that hatchet so powerful.
"That hatchet has great power," the Stone Giant growled. "Whoever owns it must be a great warrior."
Skunny-Wundy stepped out from behind the big tree. He walked over to the split rock, reached down, and picked up his hatchet.
"Ah," Skunny-Wundy said, "here is my hatchet. I must have dropped it."
"Who are you?" the Stone Giant asked. There was a frightened look on its face.
"I am the great warrior Skunny-Wundy. If you do not leave here for good I will split you in half!" Skunny-Wundy lifted his hatchet up over his head.
"Great warrior,
do not kill me. I will go away," the Stone Giant rumbled. "I will never come back."
Then the Stone Giant turned and ran as fast it could away from the river.
Skunny-Wundy watched with a big smile on his face. When he got back to the village, he would have yet another story to tell about defeating a Stone Giant. But this story would be true, and his magic hatchet would prove it.
THE STONE GIANT (SENECA)
Skunny-Wundy is one of the favorite trickster heroes of traditional Seneca tales. He is often described as boastful and vain. There are aspects of Skunny-Wundy's character that get him into trouble — aspects that it would not be wise to copy. However, Skunny-Wundy, whose name means "Cross-the-Creek," is also clever and resourceful. In more than one story he defeats a Stone Giant, a monster whose skin is as hard as flint. The Seneca name for Stone Giant, in fact, is Genonsgwa, or "Flint Coat." But a flexible hero like Skunny-Wundy is always a match for someone as stiff as a Stone Giant.
Sources:
Iroquo'u Folk Lore} by William M. Beauchamp (Port Washington, N.Y.: Kennikat Press, 1965; reissue of 1922 edition).
Legends of the Longhoude, by Jesse J. Cornplanter (Port Washington, N.Y.: Kennikat Press, 1938).
Seneca Myths and Folk Tales, by Arthur C. Parker (Buffalo, N.Y.: Buffalo Historical Society, 1923).
THE
FLYING
HEAD
One day, long ago, a Mohawk woman was out gathering berries in the forest. She had traveled far from her lodge, with her baby strapped to her back. Her basket almost full, the woman had just turned to head home when she heard the sound of snapping branches and rustling leaves overhead.
As the sound got closer and closer, the woman soon realized it was the sound of a Flying Head. She looked up, and a chill went down her spine as she dropped the berries she had been picking. She could see the monster flying through the sky. She could see the gleam of its big sharp teeth. A giant head with long, flowing hair and no body, it had two huge paws, like those of a giant bear, that stuck out from each side of its neck. The woman took a deep breath. She knew that she and her baby were in great danger. Flying Heads had huge appetites. They were so greedy that they would eat just about anything in the forest, especially human beings.
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