Indians of the Yosemite Valley and Vicinity - Their History, Customs and Traditions by Galen Clark
page 59 of 82 (71%)
page 59 of 82 (71%)
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They prospered and built other towns outside of Ah-wah´-nee,
and became a great nation. They learned wisdom by experience and by observing how the Great Spirit taught the animals and insects to live, and they believed that their children could absorb the cunning of the wild creatures. And so the young son of their chieftain was made to sleep in the skins of the beaver and coyote, that he might grow wise in building, and keen of scent in following game. On some days he was fed with _la-pe´-si_ that he might become a good swimmer, and on other days the eggs of the great _to-tau´-kon_ (crane) were his food, that he might grow tall and keen of sight, and have a clear, ringing voice. He was also fed on the flesh of the _he´-ker_ that he might be fleet of foot, and on that of the great _yo-sem´-i-te_ (grizzly bear) to make him powerful in combat. And the little boy grew up and became a great and wise chieftain, and he was also a rain wizard, and brought timely rains for the crops. As was the custom in giving names to all Indians, his name was changed from time to time, as his character developed, until he was called Choo´-too-se-ka´, meaning the Supreme Good. His grand _o-chum_ (house) was built at the base of the great rock called To-tau-kon-nu´-la [El Capitan], because the great _to-tau´-kons_ made their nests and raised their young in a meadow at its summit, and their loud ringing cries resounded over the whole Valley. As the moons and snows passed, this great rock and all the great rocky walls around the Valley grew in height, and the hills |
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