The Little People

Submitted by Native North American Travelling College

In the olden times when my people lived more or less with nature's own way, when they were able to converse with animals, when strange things happened, when great beasts and birds were common, these little people lived in their various modes of habitation; they were very close friends of the "Ong-weh-onh-weh" or "Real Humans" as we are called. They made contact with our people in many different ways. To us, they are known as "Djo-geh-onh," and were considered more powerful even though they were very small. They had a way of making friends to little boys of our people, often taking them with them to their homes, which may be some place among the Rocky places or Caves.

One of the legends tells of an Indian boy about the age of seven who was out hunting little birds. He had his little bow and arrow to shoot what he may see, as it was the custom in those days, to teach their growing boys all the sports of the hunt and chase as a major part of their early training - it was their school-time. This little boy was wandering on, when he finally came to a river to see if he could see some water-fowl to shoot. He had no sooner reached the edge of the water when he heard a swishing noise in the direction of up-stream. Looking up, he was surprised to see a tiny canoe shoot around the bend of the stream at a rapid speed. In the canoe were two of the tiniest little men that the boy ever had seen. They came right up to where the boy stood and stopped. Both had a tiny bow and a quiver of arrows.

They both greeted the boy, then one of them asked him thus, "How would you like to trade your bow and arrows with one of us?"

Then the boy thought how foolish it would be to do so, as their bows and arrows were much smaller than his; so he said, "How foolish it would be to do so, why, yours are so much smaller than mine."

Then one of them took a bow and strung it and taking an arrow he shot it straight up, the arrow disappeared into the sky and did not come down at all. Saying at the same time,

"That may be true, but all great things on earth are not always the biggest; you may live to learn that." Then they took their canoe-paddles and with one stroke disappeared around the bend of the river.

The boy was surprised; so he went back to his home, where he was staying with his grandmother. He told her all about what happened. Then his grandmother scolded her grandson, saying: "You made a big mistake by your refusal to accept the trade. Had you taken one of their bows and arrows, you could take any game that you desired, as they are magic."

Hereafter never be too hasty in judging people as you see them, for you never know who or what they may be. "That is one legend, then there are others. There are three different tribes of these "Djo-geh-onh," each living according to their type. There are the tribe who dwell underneath the rocks and caverns. It is their work to watch constantly the "White Buffaloes" that dwell underground - if they came out above, they would cause much suffering to mankind.

Then there are the tribes who live among the plants. It is they that cause the green things to come up in spring; they paint the flowers their colors and paint the fruit when the time comes; they also painted the corn all the different tints. And the third tribe are the ones who dwell along the streams and are called "Stone Throwers." They can throw big rocks long distance, uproot big trees, and are very powerful in every way, but are very friendly to the earth-children. They are mentioned in some of our songs, and the Dark Dance is especially dedicated to them. They are very fond of "Ong-weh-onh-weh" and the "Oh-yenh-gwa-onhweh," the sacred Indian Tobacco. Dah Nih-toh. This completes all about "Djo-geh-onh."