(1) Once there was a long house. It lay facing east with ten fireplaces. There were ten men, brothers, and Kunuga would say, "My dear brothers, I alone on this earth am holy, as Earthmaker made me great. We shall never live through anything that shall trouble us. (2) Every evening, each of them would bring themselves deer and bears. And Kunu would not go hunting. He would be at home every day. One day Kunu said, "My dear brothers, again, over here to a certain place, perhaps you should not go, as you yourselves have enough other places that you will be going. (3) I have placed my arrows there," said Kunu, in the evening as they all were there, they say. In the morning, they started on the hunt. Hena did it. As he was going along, unexpectedly, he came across a raccoon. Its track was really big. It was as big as a bear's foot. "If I could kill him and make my brother a robe, he would be very pleased," he thought. (4) He would trail it a ways anyway, he thought. He did trail him. Still it was not made very long ago. As he was going along, there in the distance he could see it. There it was going along. Unexpectedly, it was a very white one. Again he wanted it all the more. "Yet here surely, I will kill it. If I could make my brother a robe, he would be very pleased," he thought. (5) It went in the direction he had been forbidden to go, but he did so anyway. There it went on until it climbed up a red oak which stood there. It was hollow there, and it went up in there. As it was now evening, he thought he would wait until the next morning. There at the base of the tree, he built a fire. He gathered a great deal of wood, and (6) then in the night, unexpectedly, someone from above said, "White Raccoon, tell me a story," he said. Unexpectedly, from inside the tree, he then said, "What could I tell you? A man has arrived below and he is warming his chest," he said. "H—, my dear dog! my dear dog!" said a voice from within (the tree). He took his arrow and pointing it upwards, shot in the middle. (7) Thus he did, but they knocked him to the ground. He made a pack of him and packed him away and went home. Kunu was saying, inasmuch as Hena had not returned, "Hagagasgeijâ, I forbid you, but he would not listen or obey," he said. "In the morning, two of you had better go and look for him," he said.
The next morning, Haga and N‰xi went off together. (8) On the way, unexpectedly, there they came upon his tracks. Unexpectedly, they were trailing a raccoon. Yet the tracks were as big as his own. "KodŽ, perhaps to kill this is what he is trying to do. If we made a blanket, its hide would surely be a good blanket," they said. As it was winter, they had their snowshoes on. Unexpectedly, as they went along, they saw him there in the distance. They gave a shout. (9) He did not answer back. It, unexpectedly, turned out to be only his snowshoes there, as they were placed sticking up in the snow there. There in the snow, when they got there, looking around at the tracks, they could not find anything. The steps around the wood, that's all they found. As it was now evening, kodŽ, they decided to camp for the night. (10) "Also in the morning, we can go on with him," they said. Again they built a fire and sat by the fire opposite one another. Immediately, there was a voice from above, "White Raccoon, tell me a story." He spoke unexpectedly from the tree and said, "What could I tell you? Two men have come. Below they are warming their chests." (11) He said, unexpectedly, "Ho! my dear dog! My dear dog!" he replied. They grabbed their bows and arrows and while they were waiting, he knocked him over dead. Then he came and landed on the ground and went and caused them to be laid head to toe and carried the two of them away and went home.
Once again they did not return. Kunu was worried, (12) "My brothers, in the morning two of you must go again." In the morning, two of them went again. Then again they did the same. They did as they had at first until only one remained, N‰xixunun”ka (Youngest Born). "Little brother, given that you have gone, try and make an effort to do it and try to get back to me," he said. In the morning he started. When he came to the snowshoe tracks, he followed them. (13) He got there. He looked around for the tracks, but he saw only where they had gathered wood. He was not to go to this place. So he thought about what could be the matter with them. There he also would sleep. He built himself a fire. Right after it had grown dark, unexpectedly, it was said from above, "Tell me a story, you white raccoon," he said. Unexpectedly, here from inside the tree he made answer, (14) "What could I tell you? A man has come below and he is warming his chest," he said. "Ho, my dear dog! my dear dog!" a voice said. He went roaring as he came. He took his arrow and shot in the direction where he believed the sound came from. Again he took it a second time and shot in the direction of the sound. He landed on the earth. "Duw”! you hurt me!" he said. (15) He had shot him with one of his arrows in the leg. And also he was hit twice in the arm. "You shall suffer for this," he said. He severed a thorn bush. And he took his clothes away from him. As he walked, he kept on whipping N‰xixunun”ka's skin all the way home. N‰xixunun”ka cried has they went along. As he cried, he said, (16) "Bladder, my brother, you said that you were the only holy one, my brother," he said. He was taken over as they went over above (Bladder). "Guwa!" said Bladder. "That's what I said," he said.
In the morning he said, "I will now eat," he said. He boiled a whole bear. Once it was cooked, he laid it around the lodge on branches and began to eat. (17) Very soon he had eaten it up and he began to get ready. He wore a bear skin, and he had an otter for a tobacco pouch, and his pipe was like a big kettle. Then he started out and went in a certain direction. The first thing he came to was the white raccoon. He took the tree and threw it aside. (18) Then they came and he kicked it to pieces. There was a raccoon and it was very white. It was as big as a bear. It growled, but he killed it. Then he took it and hung it in his belt. He went on. It (the trail) would disappear as it led through the center of blades of grass, but he would rip through them with his feet. Again, it would lead through the center of a tree, (19) but he would do the same to them. He went on. The first thing he came to there was an oval lodge. He went near it. An old woman was there. The ground shook, so she went out and there, unexpectedly, a powerful man was coming. That one was there to make clay pots. She was a captive. (20) One Legged One (Wareksan”kiga) had made her into a slave. "Whatever spirit you are over this place, I give you two very nice pots," she said, holding them on either side. Bladder said, "Grandmother, it is good." Afterwards, when I shall at a future date start back home, I shall take them back home with me," he said. He came to (another) old woman. (21) Again she was scared. She had two bags of tobacco on either side of her and she came out of her lodge. She said, "Whatever you are of the various spirits over this place, I give you two bags of tobacco as a tobacco offering," she said. Bladder said, "Grandmother, it is good. When I return I shall take them as I start back home," he said. And he went on.
(22) As he went along, unexpectedly, two white cranes were standing on either side of the road. They looked up, stretching their necks out. They were about to cry out, when he scolded them, then they became meek. He grabbed them by their necks and shoved them through his belt. Now he went on and after going a ways, there lay two snakes along each side of the road, hissing at him. (23) Again, after he scolded them, they laid down on the ground. Again on both sides from above he made them captives, and he grabbed them around their necks, shoving them into his belt. There again two mountain lions were sitting on opposite sides of the road. Again they tried to growl, but when he scolded them, they became meek. (24) Again he carried them in his belt. And at the lodge door there were two mountain lions who began to groan, to growl, but he took them, grabbing them by their necks.
He was inside. Unexpectedly, there he was. He was using a woman for a pillow and again one to rest his legs on. And he lay on either side of them, flat on his back. (25) "Kodé, you who go about on a flat leg, I want you to skin these for me," he said to him. He threw at his chest the things he carried in his belt. They came running. All the spectators were milling around the lodge. "Kodé, something has come to the chief. About now they will do something," they said. "What could they do to him? (26) They have often tried, but never has anyone been able to do anything," the spectators said. Then he arose. He went and sat opposite him. One Legged One said, "Give me the tobacco pouch," he said. "The pipe," Bladder said, "you flat legged thing, this which you have spoken, finally you have spoken right. (27) When a man comes to see you, it is your place to supply the tobacco." Then One Legged One began to smoke. He took a few puffs there and then a long draw, and Bladder bounced up, lurching forward. When he did it the second time, he bounced up harder. The third time he did it, he again bounced higher. He almost stood up. (28) He drew for the fourth time. And this time he did so very strongly and for a long time, but he did not move. Then he blew out the tobacco from the pipe. "Korá, djáha-á! nijí, I thought you were filling the pipe for me. When a man goes visiting, it is your place to supply the tobacco," he said. (29) He started to fill the pipe, saying, "I am preparing the pipe," he (Bladder) said. They thought that the pipe that One Legged One had was large, this one, it was bigger still. Now he filled it. He took a few puffs and then took a long draw. One Legged One bounced up. He inhaled a second time. (30) And then again he bounced up even more. Again having drawn in for a third time, again even more he bounced up. Now for the fourth time, One Legged One sat in a different position. Having had it burned for the fourth time, he leapt up, landing in the fire head first. It caused the woman to scream and she pulled him out. (31) Bladder blew out his own pipe. "You homely, flat legged one who does this, why does it disturb my smoking by this jumping around? This much I will do." That was all he got. This was the way he had been doing it to them and he would usually kill them, but this time he was the victim.
Then One Legged One said, "Heat one of those stones there," he said. (32) Now then, that thing which you are speaking is good. When a man goes visiting, as I am now, he is usually given a sweat bath. I am weary and you will do me good." A big black stone was put in the fire. It steamed and they went ahead. They made a steam bath house. The lodge poles were very close to one another. (33) It would be impossible for them to get out. "Hâhó," said One Legged One, "undress and we will have a steam bath." "Howo," said Bladder. He entered, and as he undressed, he did it. He threw his tobacco pouch at the tobacco pouch owned by One Legged One. The tobacco pouches fought among themselves, and One Legged One's was torn up. (34) The tobacco was scattered about. His coat which again he had there nearby, again he threw the coat there. Again, One Legged One's coat was all torn up. Then they went into the sweat bath that they had made. "Make it as strong as possible," One Legged One said. They went inside and covered the lodge completely. (35) Then they poured oil on the stone. Then it lay there sizzling. But again Bladder liked it all the more and he blew on himself. "Koda, why indeed not pour on more?" and he took it away from him. Then he did it and then he poured it on the stone. One Legged One tried to get out. (36) He ordered the ones outside to open it for him, so they opened it. Indeed, he was nearly smothered. The spectators at least were so thick that they drew up the sides all around. The spectators in the village all assembled. And they dressed themselves and again they sat opposite one another. Then One Legged One said, "Why not tell a waikâ?" he said. (37) "Howo, why don't you do it and tell a waikâ? Why don't you tell one?" he said. "Hâhó, hicdjâge, I myself will tell one," he said. "Ho, there One Legged One lived." "Hâ, Flat Legged One!" "He was the only great spirit. Earthmaker created him great first. There he ruled over a town. (38) He lived, hâhó, in a long house, and the long house was full of women. Everyone of them was a wife of his. He was a holy one. And there lived these ten men and the oldest one, called 'Bladder', spoke of himself as being holy. They say it is not so. They say that he did not amount to anything. (39) They say that he was not the equal of One Legged One. "Hâ, Flat Legged One!" Therefore, he sent one of his dogs over to where he was. There, every night, One Legged One would go after one." "Hâ, you flat legged one!" "Finally, he went after the youngest one. Thus he did, this great spirit shot him in the leg, (40) and also Youngest Born got him in the arms. So he took a thorn bush and whipped him all the way home. He came back around taking him back over Bladder's lodge. It's not true that he did thus to threaten him. He had spoken of himself as being great and it was not so, and so One Legged One, he himself was made one of the great ones, and that is why he did it." (41) "Hâ, you flat legged thing," Bladder would say every once in a while in reply. "And then Bladder came, but he did not kill him off on purpose. When he smoked he could have killed him, but he did not do it by design. Again he could have killed him while he was in the sweat bath, but he also did not do it on purpose. But now when they do 'Kick One Another', he will kill him. (42) Hâhâ, it is ended. Your turn to tell one," he said. In his turn, Bladder said, "And what could I tell you? When 'Bladder', as they call him, was about to be sent there by Earthmaker to go to the earth, all the various spirits that Earthmaker had created, they were all gathered together. After all of them were gathered together there, (43) so that he himself was to go there for the purpose of putting out of the way all the bad spirits. There one legged one, the flat legged one, peeped over the edges of the earth. He came, and he landed. There he made himself his younger brothers. And there he lived. And he knew of it. When he was going to do these things, thus he now let them happen. It didn't amount to anything. (44) When the youngest brother came back crying as he was taken over, there he could almost have taken him down. But he did not do it. But because he is coming to his home and he will do it. That is why he did not come there to kill him. Having made all the things do it, he kept on sticking them in his belt as he came. And he came to the lodge, and when he went in, (45) there, unexpectedly, was Flat Legged One lying on his back. He threw the things at him. There at the center, he could have killed him, but he did not do it. And again he could have killed him in his smoking, but he also did not do it. He could have killed him while he was doing his sweat bath, but he also did not do it. (46) But he intends to kill him yet. Hâhâ, you flat legged thing, it is ended." One Legged One said, "I ask you, what shall it be? You name it." "But what were the things done to try each other?" he said. "As you will not say anything about it, I will not say anything," he said. Then One Legged One said, "We will play Kicking One Another," he said. (47) "You flat legged thing, will you kick something, doing this much kicking with a flat leg? Hicdjâge, we will do it perhaps, despite a leg as slim as yours; and you did say you would do it," he said. "Hâhó," he said. The spectators crowded around discussing the matter. Some said, "Here is where he will kill him, as that is when he usually has been doing it to them," they said. (48) Some, discussing it, said, "He (One Legged One) will get killed, as he has beaten him at all others whatever exactly like this," some said bluntly. Then they came out. "You kick me first," said One Legged One. "Do as you usually do -- kick me first, seeing as how you made the rules when you kicked them, you flat legged thing." (49) "All right, hicdjâge, I will kick you first," he said. Up he went until now he was out of sight. "Djáha-á, where did he go, that one who was lately such a big mouth?" he said. The spectators also, "Yes, that did give him pleasure," they said. (50) He turned around and walked back and was about to go back in when he landed on the earth. Kodedja, you flat legged thing, are you going somewhere? Niji, I believe it was you who suggested doing Kick One Another. How is it, again, that you're leaving?" He returned and kicked him a second time. And again thus he went. The fourth time, he did not move. (51) It was now his turn to kick One Legged One. As the man was there, up he went. After awhile, his one leg came off and fell to the ground. Again all his arms, his torso, his limbs, they fell in pieces. "The flat thing will have abused the people. It was he who did just this. Burn him and again all there are of his children, and again all his wives who are pregnant, also in addition burn them." (52) There they burned all of them, then he did it. He gathered the bones of his brothers, all of them, and there he laid them out. He said, "Ho, brothers, a tree is falling on us, run!" As he said this, the bones joined back together. (53) Again a second time he said, "Ho, brothers, a precipice is falling on us, run!" As he said this, the sinews came together there. Again the third time he said, "Ho, brothers, the heavens are falling on us, run! The only vacant spot will be over here." As he said this, their bodies became whole. (54) Again the fourth time, "Brothers, we are being rushed upon by a warparty, run!" After he said this, "Howo," they said, and got up. Unexpectedly, there was no one there. "Hohohowá, we were enjoying our sleep a lot," they said. Then Youngest Born said, "My dear brothers, we were dead," he said. "Hohó," they said. (55) Then they knew it there. Then the villagers said, "Hohó, wherever different places we have come from, we will go and keep a village for you," they said, but "Now one of the village, he himself should govern you as he usually did, as we came to kill the one who has been doing it to you. (56) You may have it (the village) in peace," he said to them. They thanked him. Then they went home.
Then he came there to the first one who had offered tobacco to him. "Grandmother, go back there where you used to live. I have killed the evil spirits," he said to her. The old woman thanked him very much. All the tobacco there in the house, all of it, she gave him. (57) They were supplied with the remainder of the tobacco. And again they came there to the one who made pots. Again they told her about it. Since they killed him, she thanked them. There again, she gave them all the pots. When everyone got there, again the remainder of those who did not have them, they carried pots and went on. And they finally got home.
(58) There, this one, Bladder, here on earth he came to gamble with all things that were evil, who abused people, but he did not do it. This one only did he kill, One Legged One; he was the greatest of the bad spirits, but he alone he killed. Earthmaker created One Legged One as the first man. (59) Since he was the very first man that he had made, he did not make him right. The leg was on the other side only, and the leg was flat. Therefore, he threw him onto the earth as condemned. One Legged One, therefore, was not as holy as Bladder. Bladder was, at least, the second son of Earthmaker. (60) And here Bladder came to his stopping point there. He failed in the mission for which he was sent. So he gambled. The creator made him. He made him and put within him all things, the grasses and herbs that are good for repairing Light and Life; the trees, meaning particularly those good for life, so that the people might have it for their lives. [1]
(333) Hâhâ, now then, Earthmaker sent them to fix this earth again and again. In the beginning, the reason why he did it, they say, is that many of the bad spirits were living wild. Well, finally, the third time he made with his own hands a man whom he called "Bladder" (Wadexúga). "Hâhâ´, Bladder, you go and try to fix everything. (334) The two-legged walkers they made poor for me, and they might bring them to an end for me. Try to do it and try to end all the devils, as many as there are," he told him. And so now when he came -- ho! -- he came to us. "If I do it alone, I won't end them very soon. Only this way of doing it will end them soon," he thought. Ho, now thus he made a long house for himself. (335) So a long house with two fireplaces, thus he made, and also he made brothers for himself. Ten men he made for himself. Ho, now he left with them all manner of sharp things, and, "Well my younger brothers, you are not to be afraid of anything. Earthmaker made me alone great. Not anyone is equal to me. (336) What one can you fear? And anything you fear on this earth, as many as there are that are not good, go over and kill all of them," he said, they say. And so, ho!, now they went about the earth. Yet in the evening, when they returned, he would say, "My younger brothers, there is nothing that is not afraid of you. (337) Earthmaker made me alone great. No one is equal to me. There is nothing to be afraid of," he told them. Again the next morning, again when they finished eating, now then, again all of them in the course of time were on this earth. Equal to -- ho! -- Earthmaker above, he thought that way about himself. He thought himself equal to the great devil. (338) He (Herecgúnina) was disliking Bladder. Búa! Kará, he was saying he thinks how great a thing he is.
Hó, Herecgúnina had a dog who was a raccoon, a white raccoon, which he sent out. In the course of time, he came to them. There he went into a hollow tree and sat there. And the brothers of Kunu saw that the tracks had gone by. "Ho! a really big raccoon has gone by here," they said. Kára, now he did it, and (339) wérakirakuni, in the evening, just about dark, he got to him. He climbed up into the tree. "Kodé, tomorrow I can kill him." Since his moccasins were very wet, he took them off. He built a fire and there he sat. Korá, just about that time, a bit after the sun had gone down, "White raccoooon! Tell me a stooory!" he said. Up above, this one of Herecgúnina -- werakirakuni! -- (340) the raccoon also said, "Hó-o-o! What could I tell you? Kunu's younger brother, the younger one, is down below the hill there, his little breast is streaked as he looks at me-e-e!" "Hó-o-o! Kára, after a bit now there is going to be heeelp!" he said advancing. When he was just about there, he took his arrow and he now pointed his arrow up above. (341) Now he (the raccoon) ran away with him. When Herecgúnina got him back, now -- hó! -- he skinned him and here the flesh of his body he now ate.
Hó! and, werakirakúni, Kunu had not gotten back that night, so when it became day, Hénaga again now trailed his brother's tracks. Hogí, there were his snowshoes only sticking up there. "Hoho! here he must have done it." (342) When he got there, there was nothing visible whereby he might guide himself. He also stuck his snowshoes there and again, a second time, "White Raccoooooon! Tell me a story!" "Hoooo! What could I tell you? Kunu's brother, Hena, who is also here, he is sticking out his chest and beating it as he looks at me." "Hooooo! it is good!" "Daaaaaax!" He came forth. Now he just started. He pointed an arrow towards him. (343) Now they took him away. Now they skinned him and ate his flesh. They kept right on.
Ha-a, finally, they took all of them. And now only the youngest one remained. "Hâhá, my little brother, try hard. Do it with might! (344) He used to be smart. Find out who it is that is doing it and try to get back. I myself will go. We'll first see who is doing it," he said. "Now then, I will come back." Now then, Nâghixonúnîka started off and now the tracks were such that they were still visible. When he got there, wérakirakuni, there these snowshoes were sticking up. "Hâhâ´, so this is the way it is," he thought. Now then, now he removed them and there he put his snowshoes to dry. (345) Now then, now he built himself a fire and now -- ho! -- he warmed himself. "White raccooooon! Tell me a story!" he said. "Hoooo! what could I tell you? Before, even I myself used to say it." The youngest one just stuck his chest out. Come and warm yourself. He is looking at me. Dooooooooox!" Ho, he placed his arrow and (346) now then, he didn't see anything, but now about where he thought -- dáp! he made it sound. "Du-í-i-i!" he said. "Even the older ones did not do that way with me. You're small, but you did hurt me." Now then, now he continually whipped him with a thorn bush, whipping him on his back. Then there he sang, they say, (347) but he sang a song about his older brother,
Hó, my younger brother!
I will get there!
he said. Now then, now he was about to get the pipe ready -- gúo! -- he brought out a pipe that was just like a flaring-edged kettle. Now then, now the marten-fisher (wasák), it is said, he had as a shirt. 
Now then, he put it on completely alive, and furthermore, the marten-fisher (wazáñk) had as a tobacco pouch. (348) He put tobacco into it -- guó! -- now he began to smoke it and the whole earth filled with smoke. He did it and now he started off to where his younger brothers were dying. He got there. So now he shoved that tree over. That white raccoon squeeked around there, and then he therefore took it up and stuck him in his belt. (349) Now he struck him in his belt alive.
Now then, he started. Finally, he got there. When he went on in, there a woman had his legs over her head and again one also had his head and his head rested on her legs and now, ho, this one, ho, hohó, Herecgúnina did thus: he took his pipe and began to smoke. Yet, only four times he went "puff, puff." (350) Wadexúga thus was unmoved by anything. He (Herecgúnina) knocked out the pipe and put it over there. "Kodé, djáha! why did you not pass the pipe to me?" "Those that smoke have pipes. If you're used to smoking, you'd have one," said Herecgúniga. (351) "Okay, I also have a small one with me. Just this they always give to smoke when they visit one another, is why I said it." Ho, now then, he also -- ho! -- Bladder filled the pipe, he filled it and right from the beginning, now then, Bladder filled the pipe and right from the beginning -- "hi" -- is the sound he made. Kára, [thus] Erecgúniga [now] almost fell into the fire. (352) Yet again, "Puff!," was the sound he made. Again, he very nearly fell in. "Wó wó, I was about to smoke this. What are you doing?" he said. Bladder now knocked his pipe out. "Ho! how fearless you are toward me! Is the reason that you came to decide what we will do? Will we gamble?" "Yes." (353) "And we will kick one another." "Okay. Now then, you first, since you said it; you will kick me first," Bladder said. "Okay."
Now then, Bladder stood there. One Legged One hopped toward him and flapped his leg. Now from there Bladder became invisible. He went up above there to Earthmaker. (354) Finally, he got to Earthmaker's. "Hâhá, you sent me to work here. This one having done all that to them, now I have come to know it. My workers also, everyone of them, he has killed for me. So what shall I do? You are seeing me, but I must do what I thought that I came for," he said. "Hâhâ´o, I said that I meant him particularly. (355) Now, when you get back, kill him then. Whatever you can do to him, you may do it," he said.
Werakirakúni, now -- ho! -- this house was filled with containers, again now, filled with more. Finally, One Legged One again came back. Again he came in. "Hohó, what, are you again back here lying around? Weren't we suppose to gamble before now? (356) Will I not also kick you?" "Hó," he said. Now then, he went and stood. "Ho! will you not stand still here?" Bladder ran up and "djóp!". Huhu-u-u! now he shattered him. Now his body fell flattened in pieces, here, there, and everywhere. Like pieces of large rock, here and there they would be like grayish or greenish dew. (357) That's the sort of thing it was, and some of that also fell on stumps. Now blood was on the wood as well as on branches of trees, and that's the way they used to be. There he brought them to an end. Hâhâ´, here it will be that way.
Woirakirakúni, now -- hó! -- that town consequently had been very much afraid (of One Legged One), but Bladder had made them very much alive. (358) Now -- hó! -- they gave him a woman. They also offered him a little child. Then he said, "And I didn't think he was that sort. And he gave this to me already, so I'll have it; but Earthmaker asked me to work, so that's the reason I'm about. How (else) could I, and how could I be here? As many a thing as has been making you poor, all of them are finished. (359) Now you will live well. Hâhá, now I also will have to go above. In the course of time, should he come again, then I will also return," this way he spoke, they say. That far afterwards -- hó! -- we are living well. Anytime that Herecgúnina himself comes, Bladder will come.
(360) This, the end, has arrived. [2]
What follows is a transcription of the original text of Meeker.
{2} Koo noo ga (Kunuga = Wadexuga), and his brothers were eight. Those who say there were ten count the name of his manhood, Wah teh gho ga, and the name of Wah reh ksan kee ka.
The names of the first four were Koo noo ga, Hay noo ga [Henuga], Hay gay ga [Hagaga], and Nah ghee ga [Naghiga], but, after the eighth, the latter was Nah ghee gheh deh ga [Naghixedega], or big Nah ghee ga. (Whether or not the other names underwent a similar change does not appear. These are family names to this day.)
The names of the other four were Koo noo gho no neenk [Kunuxununîka], Hay noo gho no neenk [Henuxununîka], Hay gay gho no neenk [Hagaxununîka], and Nah ghee gho no neenk [Naghixununîka], that is little Koo noo ga and so forth.
They were the ancestors of the eight clans:
| 1. Wah neenk hee kee kah ratch. | Birds | |
| 2. Gheh hee kee kah ratch | Hills [sic] | |
| 3. Honch hee kee kah ratch | Bears | |
| 4. Wah kchay ghee hee kee kah ratch | Buffaloes [sic] | |
| 5. Ho hee kee kah ratch | Fishes | |
| 6. Chah hee kee kah ratch | Deer or Elks | |
| 7. Shunk chunk hee kee kah ratch | Wolves | |
| 8. Wah kang hee kee kah ratch | Thunder Spirits |
Koonooga went hunting and tracked a raccoon until it went over the cliff into a deep gorge, and Koonooga fell over the cliff but he lodged in the branches of a large tree which grew high up on the side of the bank very near the top.
{3} After many hours when Koonooga did not return, his brothers went forth in search of him and followed on his trail until they came to the place where he was hanging. They looked over and saw Koonooga. They talked of how they could rescue him, and one said in one way and another in another, until it at last came the turn of Nah ghe gho no neenk, who said "We will make ourselves fast together with our carrying straps and so form a chain of ourselves by which we can bring him up". And it was done in this manner.
And Koonooga said: "My brothers, do not be afraid of any man nor of any animal nor of anything whatever. I myself am ghopena [xopina] - the good and the wise, mysterious being, the wisest and bravest and mightiest, and into whatever danger any one of you or even I, myself, should come, by my might and wisdom and mystery we shall always be safe in the end.
There is another man besides ourselves; he thinks himself so wise and brave and mighty that he claims to be more mysterious than I, but be not afraid of him."
Many times the long camp trailed to the same tree the animal Koonooga had followed. At length Ha nah ga or Hay noo ga went to the lower end of the gorge to come up it to the tree where the animal made its home. And when the day had {4} passed and the night also and the next morning came, Hah gah ga set forth in quest of Hay nah ga, and when the day had passed away and the night also and the morning came, Nah ghe ga set forth in quest of Hah gah ga. And when the day had passed and the night also and the morning had come again and again, at length it came the turn of Nah ghe gho no neenk to go in search of the animal that none of them had captured and also to learn why none of his brothers returned.
Nah ghee gho no neenk followed the trail of his brothers. He, as well as they, wore snowshoes, and when he had gone far down the gorge to where it grew wider and its banks sloped, he entered, turned, and sought the spot where the animal made its den. He found the tree to be hollow: In the opening at the bottom, a fire had been recently kindled. Near by, in a row, were six pairs of snow shoes stuck in the snow and standing upright.
Nah-ghee-ghononeenk was weary. His feet were cold and wet. Before long he had built a fire in the same place, taken off his snowshoes also, stood them up in the snow by the side of those of his brothers and seated himself to warm his feet at the fire. He was just going to sleep as he sat when he was roused by a noise that he at first thought was made by the animal descending in the tree on ac[ount] of the smoke that was made by the fire he had kindled.
{5} But turning his eyes upward, he beheld Wah reh ksan ke ka coming down out of the sky, and quickly fitting an arrow to his bow, he shot, but without effect. Again and a third time he discharged an arrow with the same result, but the fourth stuck into the side of Wah reh ksan ke ka, but did not kill him, so poor Nah ghee gho no neenk was soon in the grasp of his enemy and borne away to "his own place".
"In all my life I have never had any one hurt me that way before", said Wah reh ksan kee ka. Then he whipped Nah ghee ghononeenk with briers until, in mortal agony, the "little man" cried and sang or chanted,
| Wa teh ho ne gra, | Wadexunîkra, | |
| He nih sjih. | hinixdjî, | |
| Na sha na | nicana | |
| Wa ne gho pe na, | wanixopina, | |
| He sha rah. | hicera. | |
| Wa teh ho ne gra, | Wadexunîkra, | |
| He nih sjih. | hinixdjî, | |
| Na sha na | nicana | |
| Wa ne gho pe na, | wanixopina, | |
| He sha rah. | hicera, | |
| Wa teh ho ne gra, | Wadexunîkra, | |
| He nih sjih. | hinixdjî. |
{6} Now the first word meant Koonooga to whom he sang; the second word means "my oldest elder brother"; the third, "you yourself alone"; the fourth, "a good wise spirit or angel"; the last "so you said". It was as if he had reproached Koonooga by calling upon him by name and saying "Oh, oldest of all my brothers, you said that you alone are mighty, wise and a mysterious being."
Koonooga heard him "clear round the world" and came to him "over the sky." He found poor Nah ghee gho no neenk bound and used to stop the entrance to Wah reh ksan ke ka's tent, to keep out the cold.
Koonooga remained as a guest of his brother's captor during the night, and when asked to tell a story to pass away the time, he excused himself on the ground of not knowing any story and urged his host to tell one. So Wah reh ksan ke ka told how he had strangled Koonooga's brothers, taken off their skins, inflated them with air, and preserved the flesh for food. He exhibited the lifelike but empty skins of Koonooga's brothers standing, as it were, on guard around the tent.
"And why did you not kill Nagheeghononeenk also?" asked Koonooga.
"He is small and would make but {7} little food" was the reply, "so I preserved him alive, to torture him for causing me pain with his arrow. In all my life no one has ever hurt me in that way until now."
"And now" said Koonooga "I have come to kill you, for the cries of my little brother came to me clear round the world."
But it was now morning and Wäreh Ksankeka proposed that they should determine who had the greatest prowess by playing ball or shinny, -- an aboriginal game in which a block of wood is struck with a club, the players each having a long club and either striking in turn or competing for a chance to strike.
Koonooga acquiesced and his opponent delivered the first blow, but instead of striking the block of wood, he knocked off the head of Koonooga, which flew up to the sky, and passed through it into the presence of Mah-oo-nah or "He-who-made-the-world." Before it fell, the head asked permission to kill Wah reh ksan ke ka but recieved no reply. So it fell to the earth and fixed itself on the neck where it fitted exactly as before.
It was now Koonooga's turn to strike who did with his opponent exactly as had been done with himself, and when the head {8}of Wah reh ksan ke ka asked permission of Ma-oo-nah to kill Koo noo ga, Mah oo na did not reply. And this was repeated until the head of each had been knocked off and flew upward through the sky three times, receiving no response from Mahoonah and attaching itself again to the still living body.
But when Koonooga's head ascended for the fourth time and asked permission to kill his antagonist, Mah oo na said "ho jah" that is to say "All right." So when the head of Wah reh ksan ke ka was in the sky for the fourth time, before it fell, Koonooga pushed the body away. So perished Wah reh ksan ke ka.
He had many wives and some say that their children were adopted by Nah ghee gho no neenk to be the Spirit clan or Spirit family. And Nah ghee gho no neenk became the morning star, but his brothers became clouds.
Each of the brothers married the sister of another brother except Nah ghee gho no neenk who never married. So members of the same family or clan do not intermarry.
Some say Koo nooga brought his brothers to life and they married afterward, others say they were married before. [3]
by Felix White, Sr.
retold by Richard Dieterle
Earthmaker gave Bladder the mission of killing the evil spirits that plagued the two-legged walkers, so he set his aim upon the chief of those spirits, Herecgúniga himself. When Herecgúniga learned of this, he made himself hard to find. Bladder said to himself, "Here I am all alone. I miss my brothers Trickster and Turtle, and I have no one to keep me company." Then it occurred to him that he could create his own brothers for companionship. So Bladder sat down and made himself ten brothers. Then he spoke to his creations: "Well now, my brothers -- I want you to stay in this lodge at all times. You will be tempted to venture out, especially when you see certain things happening nearby; but do not go out, as I do not want to lose you."
Bladder constantly went on expeditions in search of his arch-enemy Herecgúniga, but he was a great spirit in his own right, and knew perfectly well what was going on. One day Bladder went out on one of his expeditions, but some time later he came back to the lodge to talk to his brothers. Then he left again. One of the brothers heard something some ways off from the lodge and decided to find out what was going on. He never came back. One of the brothers said, "What happened to the little one?" The others told him where he had headed before he disappeared, then added, "You'd better go and find him. It is what Kunu would want." So this brother went out following the trail of the first brother, but he never returned either. Consequently, the next brother in line found it his duty to find the missing pair, and so on, until just one of the brothers remained behind in the lodge alone. This brother said to himself, "It would be shameful indeed if I alone sat here in the lodge when Kunu came back. I must go out in search of my brothers." He disappeared following the same trail as the others.
When Bladder returned, there, unexpectedly, was an empty lodge. He picked up the trail of his brothers leading off in a certain direction, and began to follow it. He read the signs in the trail, and then he knew it: "The one I have been looking for has taken each of my brothers." He soon came to the lodge of Herecgúniga, who on earth, was known as "One Legged One." Herecgúniga had killed all of Bladder's brothers. He made them into tobacco pouches which he hung on his lodge walls. Bladder went into the lodge and beat Herecgúniga into complete submission.
He took the tobacco pouches back to his lodge and revived his brothers. "Well now, my brothers," said Bladder, "clearly you want to roam perhaps. It was not right for me to ask you to remain cooped up in this lodge. Therefore, I shall make it so that you will roam the mountains, the valleys, the hills, and the woods." Then Bladder made his brothers into wolves and set them free to roam over the face of the earth. This is why we find wolves roaming everywhere today. [4]
by Philip Longtail (Sîtcseretcka), Buffalo Clan
translated by James Owen Dorsey
This version is fragmentary, missing its last half.
(13) Once upon a time there was a long lodge, in which dwelt several brothers. These went hunting every day, leaving the youngest one [Naxi xununiga] at home. The eldest brother said to the others who went hunting: "You are my brothers. Hunt just as you deem best." And in the morning they all departed, leaving the youngest one to take care of the lodge. By and by a man entered the lodge very suddenly, saying to the youth, "Whither have your brothers gone?" The youth replied, "They have all gone hunting." "I have come to invite your brothers to play a game: therefore when they come home in the evening be sure to tell them." The youth consented, but when his brothers had returned, he forgot about the man who had come in the morning.
The next day the brothers departed again. And again did the stranger appear, repeating his request. Once more did the youth forget to tell his brothers. After a like experience on the third day, the visitor threatened the youth if he failed to deliver his message. And when he learned on the fourth morning of the negligence of the youth, he became very angry, knocked him down, and beat him severely.
After the departure of the man, the youth took a stick which he hit upon the ground as he continued saying, "I will tell my (14) brothers when they come home." He continued saying this all day. When evening came, the eldest brother returned, and was alarmed at beholding the queer behaviour of his youngest brother. He was at a loss how to proceed. At length he said, "O my brother, what is the matter with you?" But the youth spoke not. He continued doing as he had done during the day. At length all the brothers returned. Then the youth told them about the invitation brought by the man. Then the eldest brother said, "Let us go tomorrow." In the morning the eldest brother led them. When they had reached the top of a hill, they found a lodge there in which the men were awaiting them.
The eldest brother spoke to the men, inquiring the nature of the contest. The men on the other side said that they would contend in a race. After agreeing to this, the eldest brother urged his brothers to tell about their dreams or visions. The youngest brother said that he had had a vision of the sun. So it was decided that the youngest brother should contend against the other men. Bets were made, and the opponents proceeded to the starting-point. They said that they would run back after reaching a large prairie. On noticing that the youth dropped a little behind in the race, the eldest brother exclaimed, "O youngest brother, why are you lagging behind?" Then the youngest brother started to run a little faster. His opponents had almost reached the goal, when the youth made a desperate effort and distanced them all, seizing the banner [5]; (7, line 7) he was the first to have done such a thing, and having it, he passed along. The young men all cried out each for himself. After they finished, they took the stakes and went to their own home.
(8) In the morning they went hunting again, and the same man who had invited them to play suddenly enterred and said to the young man again that they would have a game together. The young man replied, "They will go." It was evening by the time his elder brothers had come home. Then he told it to them again. Kunu said that they might go. In the morning they started to play the game together. When they got there they sat and waited for the other side to come. Now they bet against one another on a wrestling match. Kunu said he would contend with them. Then at length (9) they began to wrestle. They wrestled all day long. Then finally by evening, Kunu threw him to the ground. After they had won, they took the stakes with them and went home.
In the morning, not a one of them went out to hunt. Then a man suddenly enterred. He had come to invite them to play again. Then they said they would go. Thus every other day they went there. ... [6]
["The rest of this myth was forgotten by the narrator" - J.O. Dorsey].
This is a fragment of Version 5 dictated to J. O. Dorsey by Reuben David St. Cyr in the year 1886.
"There was a long lodge where Watexuga [Wadexúga = Bladder] dwelt with his brothers. They moved regularly every day in pursuit of game. Only Naxixunuxtciniga [the fifth and youngest son] did not walk there regularly. In the remote past when Watexuga was alone with his brothers he told them something. His brothers lived with him. How they liked hunting ..." [7]
Meeker gives the following prefatory material. "An insignificant tribe of the Siouan family [the Hotcâgara] has, or quite recently had, a sort of fraternity called the medicine lodge. Members of distant tribes came to it for instruction, and it seems to have commanded respect a generation or more ago, but recently the Omaha dance has supplanted it. From those who had received this instruction the following account was obtained, under promise not to reveal the informants' names lest the enmity of the tribe be incurred. ... But the version of the medicine lodge says the Monster was the first created, was made of stone, and had one leg or foot broken off, either by being dropped or by cracking off as he lay before the fire to dry, so another was made to be the progenitor of the human race, which thereby incurred his enmity. The chief account of him concerns his hand-to-hand conflict with Bladder."
"In the great duel, the Monster struck off the head of Bladder, and it flew up and up into the Divine Presence, where it asked, 'Shall I kill him' (with reference to his opponent). Receiving no response, it fell upon the neck where it belonged, and was reunited. Bladder then, in his turn, struck off the head of the Monster, and exactly the same thing occurred as to the head of Bladder. These blows were repeated in turn, for the conflict grew out of an Indian ball game. Since Bladder suffered first, he was first to ask permission to kill his adversary for the fourth time, at which he received permission, and while the head of the Monster was in the air, he pushed aside the body. Not falling upon its wonted place, the head of the Monster rebounded and continues to rebound to this day in the form of the sun!
There were brothers made for Bladder, so there were eight all told. Six of these had been captured, slain, flayed, eaten, and their skins inflated with air. The principle of life was in these skins, and after the duel they were transformed into clouds by the power of Bladder. The youngest had been captured, but was not slain. He became the Morning Star. ... All this is known to the young men, the women, and the children. ... The story states that Bladder and his brothers took the wives of the Monster." [8]
Commentary. Version 1. "a robe" -- bladders used to shoot shells in the Medicine Rite would typically be made of the skin (head included) of otters. Thus the bladder would be in a "robe".
"someone from above" -- this is the voice of the character One Legged One to be introduced later.
"White Raccoon" -- Wakeskaga, a proper name. He is the pet of One Legged One, and as such has a "dog name". On calling a raccoon a "dog", see below.
"my dear dog!" -- a reference to White Raccoon -- see below in Version 2.
"Bladder" -- this is the first time in the story that we are told that Kunu is Bladder (Wadexúga).
"torn up" -- Oliver LaMère (the translator) adds in a note, "The tobacco pouches were made out of some kind of animal's skin and they became alive and fought." [9]
"koda" -- either a variant of kodé, or a misprint (/Ko t/ for /Ko te/).
"Kick One Another" -- this is a rough game played in olden times. The players took turns kicking one another until one or the other was incapacitated.
"He threw the things at him" -- by "the things" (wajâra) he means the animal guards that he had overcome. He took them out of his belt and threw them in the face of One Legged One.
"at the center" -- the greatest prestige, and a white eagle feather, went to anyone who killed an enemy in the center of his lodge in the center of the village (where the chief lived).
"grasses and herbs" -- this translates a single word, xawî, which means both indifferently (cf. the Icelandic and Old Norse gras, which has the same denotation). The translator (Oliver LaMère) adds a note on the backside of page 59: "The Indians use a bladder for [a] syringe and they put all kinds of medicines in it before using it, is what I think it means that the creator put all sorts of grasses and trees in him."
"Light and Life" -- Radin's conventional translation (elsewhere) of the word hâp, "light, day." It is particularly in the Medicine Rite that the word hâp is used in this metaphorical sense.
Version 2. "the two-legged walkers" -- a formulaic expression, especially common in the Medicine Rite, referring to human beings.
"the devils" -- the Hotcâk is (h)erecgúnina. Ordinarily, this is a proper name for the chief of all the bad spirits. This is the first instance in which it has been found to refer to devils in general.
"sharp things" -- Hotcâk, wap'áhe. It is an expression used to denote weapons in particular.
"he thought that way about himself" -- what Bladder has said already would be thought inexcusably arrogant in Hotcâk thinking; but considering himself superior to Earthmaker is an atrocious form of hubris.
"Herecgúnina" -- here we encounter this word as the proper name of the Hotcâk Devil, who was immediately before called "the great devil" (herecgúnina xedera).
"a dog who was a raccoon" -- a paradoxical expression in English. To the early Hotcâgara, the dog was defined in many respects by his function, which was originally an animal that was used to tow things, like dog teams still do in the Arctic north. When the horse came along, it was called, "the great dog" cûkxedera, because it superseded the dog in this function. The dog had, or acquired, another function -- to substitute for a human in the sacrifice to Disease Giver. As such, the Hotcâgara treated their dogs almost as if they were humans, even setting places for them to eat alongside the family at meal time. For Herecgúnina, then, this great white raccoon was an animal intimate who was his most devoted servant, although not a humanoid being like himself.
"Kunu" -- a birth order name given to the first born son, regardless of his clan. This Kunu is not Bladder, but the eldest of the brothers that Bladder created for himself.
"his little breast is streaked" -- a reference to the fact that his ribs were showing through his skin. [10]
"Henaga" -- a birth order name for the second born son, the second of the brothers that Bladder created for himself.
"he is sticking out his chest" -- a reference to the fact that his skin has been inflated into a bladder.
"Daaaaax!" -- the sound dax represents the roar of an animal. See dóx below.
"Nañghixonúniñka" -- this is a birth order name and means "Youngest Son."
"Dooooooooox!" -- dóx is a variant rendering of the sound of an animal roar. See dáx above.
"Du-í-i-i!" -- a cry of pain (translated as "ouch").
"marten-fisher" -- called first wasák, and two lines later, a wazáñk. The translation says in the first instance that it is "some kind of bear," and in the second, "an animal." Dorsey's vocabulary list identifies a wazáñgara as the fisher. Compare George's wazûkera, "fisher," described by him "as a relative of the marten"; however, the Hotcâk Wazidjatci gives tcapoghuîk as the word for fisher, essentially George's term for the marten; and the former say that wazûk is the word for marten. For the marten, Radin-Marino gives us dos. There is very little difference between the marten and the fisher (who both belong to the genus Martes), so it is possible that the Hotcâk name refers to both indifferently. The fisher (which does not eat fish) is larger, and has a special liking for rabbits and porcupines as food.
"puff, puff" -- this was said in English by the raconteur, Charlie Houghton. It takes a certain skill to say this word, since Hotcâk has no /f/.
"hi" -- a representation of the sound of inhaling.
"Bladder became invisible" -- meaning that he was kicked so high in the air that he could no longer be seen from the ground (as opposed to a magical transformation).
"djóp!" -- a representation of the sound made when the foot makes contact during a kicking.
"that town" -- a hitherto unmentioned town over which One Legged One had held sway and terrorized.
Version 3. "Kunu" -- this is Wadexúga, or Bladder, the eldest brother.
"his brothers were eight" -- this is contrived so as to be twice the sacred number 4. The normal count of clans would be eleven. This number will match the birth order names.
"raccoon" -- the raccoon is associated with Trickster because it is an animal that misleads. Thus it is also associated, apparently, with Waterspirits, as we see in The Were-fish, where a transformed raccoon, when eaten, turns a hunter into a Waterspirit.
"to go in search of the animal that none of them had captured and also to learn why none of his brothers returned" -- this is identical to the theme of Warughapara in which each brother in turns seeks after the evil spirit who took away their sister.
"sang or chanted" -- this song, Wadexunîkra, hinixdjî, nicana wanixopina, hicera, is very close to that of Version 1 -- Wadexúra, hinixdjî, nicana wanixopinije, hicéjaré, hinixdjî. The song in Version 3 should be translated as, "Little Bladder, my dear elder brother, you alone are the holy one, you told me." That of Version 1 reads, "Bladder, my dear older brother, you alone are holy, you seem to have told me, my dear elder brother".
Version 5. "he had had a vision of the sun. So it was decided that the youngest brother should contend against the other men" -- the sun, even though he is a grandfather and therefore an old man, is the fastest of all runners. Therefore, since the young man was blessed by the sun, it is natural that he should be the one to contend in the foot race.
Version 7. "in the form of the sun" -- Meeker adds in the way of explanation, "Except the conclusion, this story may be told to any man, woman, or child; but only old men or wise men are initiated into the secret that the sun is the head of the monster, worshiped in the Sun Dance, instituted by Bladder." The mention of the Sun Dance is conflating Lakota material with the Hotcâk.
"all this is known" -- Meeker switches from the Hotcâk to the Lakota versions without indicating it to the reader. The following remarks following those above, seem to be from the Lakota version -- "Sometimes the seven [brothers of Bladder] appear as the Seven Stars [the Pleiades]. ... But only the initiated are to know that the Bladder himself is the sky, the part of which that we see being the inner surface of his thorax, we being in the cavity of the thorax, which appears as a skin bag in the Turtle Story."
General Comments. Version 1 of this waikâ reveals Kunu to be none other than Bladder himself, which is confirmed in version 2 in the "name of his manhood," Wateghoga, which is a corruption of Wadexúga, "Bladder." [11] We also know that Wareksankeka corresponds to One Legged One, so the name probably comes form rek, reg, "upper leg," and ksâ, "to cut [off]." [12] Thus the name was probably, Wareksâgéga, "He whose Upper Leg has been Cut [Off]."
In the list of clans given in the original text, Kunu corresponds to the Bird "Clan" -- actually three clans: Eagle, Hawk, and Pigeon -- and the youngest (Morning Star) corresponds to the Thunderbird Clan. The English side of the list contains a clan name not hitherto met with: "Hills." On the other hand, missing from the English list is the Waterspirit Clan, which turns out to be clan #4 in the Hotcâk side of the list, where it is mistranslated as "Buffalo." The Gheh of #2 is probably a misreading of the word Cheh (Tce), which means "buffalo." The clan called "Hills" in English is called "Buffalo" in Hotcâk, suggesting that #4 and #2 were switched. This might mean that the Waterspirit Clan is identical to the Hills Clan, especially since Waterspirits are said to live under hills. For the identity of hills and Waterspirits, see Hare Gets Swallowed, especially the Comparative Material (Omaha). On the other hand, "Little Hill" (Coghoknîka) is a Buffalo Clan name. [13] What is more likely still, however, is that Mr. Meeker took down the list in Hotcâk, then later had it translated by someone else. He misread the word Che as Ghe which his translator took to be Xe, "Hill." The Snake Clan is also missing, although it is probably represented in the Fish clan. The proper rendering and translation of this list should therefore be:
| 1. Wanîk' Hik'ik'áradjera | Bird | |
| 2. Tce Hik'ik'áradjera | Buffalo | |
| 3. Hûdj Hik'ik'áradjera | Bear | |
| 4. Waktcexi Hik'ik'áradjera | Waterspirit | |
| 5. Ho Hik'ik'áradjera | Fish (+ Snake?) | |
| 6. Tca Hik'ik'áradjera | Deer (+ Elk) | |
| 7. Cûktcûk' Hik'ik'áradjera | Wolf | |
| 8. Wak'âdja Hik'ik'áradjera | Thunder Spirit |
The list is so contrived as to make the number of clans twice the sacred number four. It is probable, nevertheless, that the English side of the list is more accurate with respect to order. The position of honor belongs to the last (Thunderbird) because the youngest is the strongest. After that, it should go: Bird (Upper Moiety), Waterspirit (chiefs of the Lower Moiety), Bear (Soldiers or police), Buffalo (special assistants [criers] to the chief), ... with Wolves being last in accord with Thunderbird Clan ideology. The Deer-Elk Clan should really outrank the Fish Clan, but we know almost nothing about the latter, so it is hard to be certain.
The original text also says that Morning Star founded the "Spirit Clan," where we may take "Spirit" to be a rough translation of Wakâdja, "Divine Ones," the literal term for Thunderbirds. It is odd that this clan would allow that its founders were the sons and wives of Herecgúnina. That Morning Star takes his place in some sense, shows a certain closeness between the two. In one version of the Bluehorn set of myths, the character that is to be identified with Morning Star, is there said to be Herecgúnina.
Bladder's brothers are said to be clouds, and when they were killed by the evil spirit they were turned into bladders. One connection between bladders and clouds is the use of bladders to eject oil or water on hot stones to generate the clouds of steam or vapor used in sweat baths. Since clouds carry water, they may be thought of as giant bladders themselves. In version 3, they are tobacco pouches/wolves. Besides the obvious connection of tobacco smoke to clouds, wolves are, like clouds, shape changers who roam everywhere on earth much as clouds do in the welkin. Wolves also have a special conection to water (see 1, 2).
Version 3 also has a new element: Bladder goes out on his expedition, then mysteriously returns to talk to his brothers. It is shortly thereafter that the first brother takes off after something he hears in the distance. This is strongly suggestive of theme found in an episode of "The Green Man," and elsewhere, of the evil spirit assuming the form of the good spirit and visiting the latter's relatives while he is out. He then causes them to do something that they have been warned not to do, which results in catastrophe.