Dear John,
I found the word A'tosis used in an Indian Mystery Plar "Seekers" by Amy
Redpath Lady Roddick -
[Enter Atosis and Rattle Snakes, appearing from some
long grass.]
Atosis. Here we come trailing our sinuous length,
Hidden our fangs, cruel weapons of strength.
Loving great Glooskap, on innocence bent,
Kindness breeds kindness and love brings content.
Snakes less assertive than men are oft times,
Once we were men ; but now barken our crimes :
Turtle-shell rattles with pebbles between
Jeering we shook, as we vented our spleen,
Now we dance cheerfully, rattle our tails,
Waving our heads to the tune that prevails.
Rattlesnakes.
Don't know if that helps answer your question just decided to pass it along.
Steven A. Walker
On Tue, Dec 8, 2009 at 4:37 PM, yan.shapiro <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear John,
>
> I've found something similar in the book "Kuldskap the Master And
> Other Algonkin Poems"
>
> http://www.archive.org/stream/kulskapmastero00lelauoft/kulskapmastero00lelauoft_djvu.txt
>
>
> THE ORIGIN OF THE RATTLESNAKES
>
> You know A'tosis, the Snake?
> Truly all snakes are evil,
> But worst among them all
> Is the Rattlesnake their master.
> Well I In the olden time,
> The Rattlesnakes were Indians,
> And they were very saucy :
> Men said they were all face,
> And never could be frozen;
>
> ***
>
> p. 226
>
> He said, "I am A'tosis,
> The King of all the Serpents";
> Little she cared for his nature,
> She talked with him of love,
> She returned his fond embraces;
> Every day she came to meet him,
> And often in the night.
>
>
> p. 364 GLOSSARY
>
> A'tosis, " snake " (P.) ; in M. mtaaskum, clearly not cognate.
>
>
>
> Hope it helps.
>
> Yan
>
> J> We are currently annotating Kipling's splendid series of
> J> articles, Brazilian Sketches (1927) , which includes an account of
> J> his visit to a snake farm in San Paulo.
>
> J> In it he refers to snakes as 'A'tosis', which Harbord thought
> J> to be from the Greek. Can someone more scholarly than I help with
> J> the meaning and derivation of the word ?
>
> J> Most grateful for any help !
>
> J> All good wishes, John R
>
|