Myths and Legends of British North America/The Rainbow Trail (Wyandot)
THE RAINBOW TRAIL
Wyandot
BIG TURTLE had sent Small Turtle into Sky Land to make a light for the Earth Plain. So Little Turtle became the Keeper of the Sky. She lived in the sky. Whenever she was needed at a council, she was called by Deer, the herald whose voice "goes a long ways." At once she came down on a cloud.
After a while Deer wanted to go into Sky Land. He went to ask Rainbow to help him. Rainbow said, "Oh, no!" and Deer had to go away. But Deer kept thinking about the Sky Land. Then he went again to Rainbow. Deer said, "Please take me up into the Sky Land," so Rainbow spread wide the broad trail and Deer leaped up until he reached the top of it. Thus Deer went into Sky Land.
Now Big Turtle called a council of all the animals. All came except Deer and Little Turtle. Big Turtle asked, "Where is Deer?" but no one answered. Yet some of the animals knew. Big Turtle said to the runners, "Go find Deer." The runners came back after a long time. They said, "People say Deer has gone into Sky Land." Hawk also said that. Then Big Turtle was angry. He said, "Sky Land is Little Turtle's country. And where is Little Turtle?"
Deer was the only one whose voice "goes a long ways." He should have called Little Turtle out of Sky Land. But he was up in Sky Land and no one could make her hear. But at last they shouted until Little Turtle heard and came down. But no council could be held without Deer.
The animals said, "Oh, what shall we do?" Little Turtle said, "Deer is now up in the sky. He has been there for some time, running around everywhere."
Little Turtle said, "Rainbow has a beautiful trail. Deer went up that way." Then she said, "I will show you the Rainbow trail." So all the animals followed her. Then Big Turtle spoke. He said, "Since Deer has gone to Sky Land, we will all follow him there!" So Rainbow took them all up on the trail of many colors. The animals are up there also; so they say.
From "Memoirs, American Museum of Natural History"
Canoe and Paddles
All Indian designs are symbolical. Those on the canoe and paddles represent the eye of the raven and the whale