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| Words to Acknowledge: Waya...Wolf Gvli...Raccoon Tsiqua...Bird Gigage...Red Totsuwa...Red Bird Gvli loved to tease waya. One day gvli teased waya so much that waya became very angry. Waya began to chase gvli through the woods. Gvli, being the clever animal that he is, kept ahead of waya. Gvli came to river. Instead of jumping in the river, he quickly climbed a tall tree and peered over a branch to see what waya would do next. When waya came to the river, he saw the reflection of gvli in the water. Thinking that it was gvli, waya jumped in and tried to catch him. Waya continued to search for gvli for such a long time that he became so tired he nearly drowned. Finally, tired and exhausted, waya climbed up the river bank and fell fast asleep. After a while, gvli quietly climbed down the tree and slipped over the sleeping waya. While waya slept, gvli began to plaster the eyes of waya with mud. Then when he had finished, gvli ran off through the woods laughing to himself thinking of the clever trick he had played. After a while, waya woke up. He began to whine," Oh, someone please help me. I can't see. i can't open my eyes." But no one came to help him. Finally tsiqua uwodige heard the cries of waya. he flew over to waya and landed on his shoulder. He said, "What's the matter Brother Wolf? Can i help you?" Waya cried, "I can't open my eyes. oh, Please help me to see again." Tsiqua Uwodige said, "I'm just a little brown bird but i will help you if i can." Waya said, "Tsiqua Uwodige, if you can help me to see again, i will take you to a magic rock that oozes red paint. We will paint your feathers gigage." Tsiqua Uwodige began pecking away at the dried mud on the eyes of waya. Soon waya could open his eyes again. True to his promise waya said, "Thank you, my brother, now jump up onto my shoulder." Away they ran through the woods to the rock that oozed red paint. When they came to the rock, waya reached up and plucked a twig from a tree branch. He chewed the end of the twig until it was soft and pliable like the end of a paint brush. Then he dipped the end of the twig into the red paint and began to paint the feathers of Tsiqua, gigage. When all of his feathers were gigage, tsiqua flew off to show all of his family and friends how beautiful he was. That is why from that day to this you can see totsuwa flying around the woods in Cherokee country. |