Stories of the Cahto Tribe
Milk-snake among the Eels
(This is a line-by-line translation (within the limits of English readability)
They were collecting brush, they say.
Ten people gathered wood, they say.
They made a fire, they say.
When it was evening two (eels) swam there, they say.
One swam there, they say.
Three swam there, they say.
Five swam there, they say.
Ten swam there, they say.
One swam there, they say.
There were none, they say.
For a long time one swam there, they say.
Two swam there, they say.
Ten swam there, they say.
As many as twenty swam there, they say.
When a milksnake (California Kingsnake) swam there the people ran away, they say.
Two people stood in the water, they say.
The milksnake swam there, they say.
They left them, they say.
"Go home," the people said, they say.
Before dawn they quit because they were afraid.
That is all.
Professor Goddard's Translation
They were cutting brush. Ten men cut wood. They had a fire. When it was evening two eels swam there. One eel by itself was swimming. Three were swimming. Five were swimming. Ten were swimming. One swam by itself. There were none. One swam by itself for a long time. Two swam there. Ten swam there. Twenty swam there. When a milk-snake swam there the people ran off. Two persons were standing in the water. The milk-snake swam there. They left.
"Go home," they said.
Before it was morning the people quit fishing because they were afraid.
That is all.
(Based on Cahto oral traditions and beliefs)
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