Portrait of Mass Murder. Welby Thomas Cox, Jr.

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СКАЧАТЬ ter dem. a certain youth wus seen ter withdraw 'imself from de circle av soshal amusements, an' yer man wandered away alone in de groves, as 'is favorite resort."

      Translation:

      (“I have seen the stakes, which was all that remained of Big Thunder, after he was dried up and blown away. The Oneidas have a tradition about the deluge, which is very singular. According to their story, an unlimited expanse of water covered the whole space now occupied by the world we live in. At this time the whole human family dwelt in a country situated in the upper regions of the air. Everything needed for comfort and pleasure was found. The people did not know what death was, nor its attendant, sickness or disease; and their minds were free from jealousy, hatred, or revenge. At length it happened that all of this was changed, and care and trouble came to them. A certain youth was seen to withdraw himself from the circle of social amusements, and he wandered away alone in the groves, as his favorite resort.)

      Grannie B.:

       "Care an' sorrow marked 'is countenance, an' 'is body, from long abstinence from grub, began ter make 'imself luk ter 'is lads loike a skeleton av a paddy. anxious looks cud not solve de mystery av 'is grief; an' by-and-by, weakened in body an' soul, yer man yielded ter 'is companions, an' promised ter disclose de cause av 'is trouble, on condishun dat they wud dig up by de roots a certain pine-tree, lay 'imself in 'is blanket by de edge av de 'ole, an' place 'is struggle an' strife by 'is side; at once al' 'ands were ready. de fatal tree wus taken up by de roots; in doin' whaich de earth wus opened, an' a passage made into de abyss below. de blanket wus spread by de 'ole; de youth lay upon it de struggle an' strife also (soon ter be a mother) tuk 'er sate by 'is side. de shower av savages, anxious ter nu de cause av such fierce quare an' unheard-of conduct, pressed close around; whaen, al' av a sudden, ter their 'orror an' surprise, yer man seized upon yer won an' thru 'er 'eadlong into de regions av darkness below! den, risin' from de groun', yer man towl de people dat yer man 'ad for sum time suspected dat 'is struggle an' strife wus untrue ter 'imself, an' so, 'avin' got rid av de cause av 'is trouble, yer man wud soon recover 'is 'ealth an' 'ard tack."

      Translation:

      (Care and sorrow marked his countenance, and his body, from long abstinence from food, began to make him look to his friends like a skeleton of a man. Anxious looks could not solve the mystery of his grief; and by-and-by, weakened in body and soul, he yielded to his companions, and promised to disclose the cause of his trouble, on condition that they would dig up by the roots a certain pine-tree, lay him in his blanket by the edge of the hole, and place his wife by his side; at once all hands were ready. The fatal tree was taken up by the roots; in doing which the earth was opened, and a passage made into the abyss below. The blanket was spread by the hole; the youth lay upon it the wife also (soon to be a mother) took her seat by his side. The crowd, anxious to know the cause of such strange and unheard-of conduct, pressed close around; when, all of a sudden, to their horror and surprise, he seized upon the woman and threw her headlong into the regions of darkness below! Then, rising from the ground, he told the people that he had for some time suspected that his wife was untrue to him, and so, having got rid of the cause of his trouble, he would soon recover his health and spirits.)

       Grannie B.:

       "Al' dohs amphibious animals whaich nigh inhabit dis warrld den roamed through de watery waste ter whaich yer won, in 'er fall, wus nigh 'astenin'. de loon first discovered 'er comin', an' called a council in 'aste ter prepare for 'er recepshun,--observin' dat de animal whaich approached wus a 'uman bein', an' dat earth wus necessary for its accommodashun. de first tin' ter be tart av wus, who shud support de burden? the sea-bear first presented 'imself for a trial av 'is strength. at once de other animals gathered roun' an' jumped upon 'is back; while de bear, unable ter bear up such a weight, sank beneath de water, an' wus by al' de shower av savages judged unequal ter support de weight av de earth. several others presented themselves, were tried, an' foun' wantin'. but last av al' came de turtle, modestly tenderin' 'is broad shell as de basis av de earth nigh ter be formed. de beasts den made a trial av 'is strength ter bear by 'eapin' themselves on 'is back, an' findin' by their united pressure they cud not sink 'imself below de surface, adjudged 'imself de 'onor av supportin' de warrld on 'is back."

      Translation:

      ("All those amphibious animals which now inhabit this world then roamed through the watery waste to which this woman, in her fall, was now hastening. The loon first discovered her coming, and called a council in haste to prepare for her reception,--observing that the animal which approached was a human being, and that earth was necessary for its accommodation. The first thing to be thought of was, who should support the burden?

      The sea-bear first presented himself for a trial of his strength. At once the other animals gathered round and jumped upon his back; while the bear, unable to bear up such a weight, sank beneath the water, and was by all the crowd judged unequal to support the weight of the earth. Several others presented themselves, were tried, and found wanting. But last of all came the turtle, modestly tendering his broad shell as the basis of the earth now to be formed. The beasts then made a trial of his strength to bear by heaping themselves on his back, and finding by their united pressure they could not sink him below the surface, adjudged him the honor of supporting the world on his back.")

       Grannie B.:

       "Thus, a foundashun bein' foun', de next subject av tart wus 'oy ter procure earth. several av de most expert divers plunged ter de 'ole av de sea an' came up dead; but de _mink_ at last though yer man shared de seem fate, broot up in 'is claws a wee quantity av dirt. dis wus placed on de back av de turtle. in de mean while yer won kept on fallin', till at last she alighted on de turtle's back. de earth 'ad already grown ter de size av a man's foot wha she fifty, wi' wan foot coverin' de other. by-and-by she 'ad room for both lempsor', an' wus able ter sit down. de earth continued ter expan', an' whaen its plain wus covered wi' green grass, an' streams ran, whaich poured into de ocean, she built 'er a gaff on de sea-shore. not long after, she 'ad a bottle av water, an' she lived on waaat gru naturally, till de wane wus grown ter be article. several av de animals wanted ter marry 'er, they bein' changed into de forms av young men; but de ma wud not consent, 'til de turtle offered 'imself as a beau, an' wus accepted. after she 'ad lain 'erself down ter sleep, de turtle placed two arrows on 'er body, in de shape av a cross: wan 'eaded wi' flint, de other wi' de rough bark av a tree. by-and-by she 'ad two sons, but got away 'erself."

      Translation:

      ("Thus, a foundation being found, the next subject of thought was how to procure earth. Several of the most expert divers plunged to the bottom of the sea and came up dead; but the _mink_ at last though he shared the same fate, brought up in his claws a small quantity of dirt. This was placed on the back of the turtle.

      In the mean while the woman kept on falling, till at last she alighted on the turtle's back. The earth had already grown to the size of a man's foot where she stood, with one foot covering the other. By-and-by she had room for both feet, and was able to sit down. The earth continued to expand, and when its plain was covered with green grass, and streams ran, which poured into the ocean, she built her a house on the sea-shore. Not long after, she had a daughter, and she lived on what grew naturally, till the child was grown to be a woman. Several of the animals wanted to marry her, they being changed into the forms of young men; but the mother would not consent, until the turtle offered himself as a beau, and was accepted. After she had lain herself down to sleep, the turtle placed two arrows on her body, in the shape of a cross: one headed with flint, the other with the rough bark of a tree. By-and-by she had two sons, but died herself.")

       Grannie B.:

       "De grandmother wus so cheesed aff at 'er death dat she thru de laddies into de sea. scarcely 'ad she reached 'er wigwam whaen de laddies 'ad overtaken 'er at de dure. she den tart best ter let dem live; an' dividin' de body av 'er bottle av water in СКАЧАТЬ