Cassie Edwards V: But Wait, There’s More.

Part of a series: Cassie Edwards 1: The First Post | Cassie Edwards 2: Savage Longings | Cassie Edwards Part 3: Running Fox | Cassie Edwards Part 4: Savage Moon | Cassie Edwards Part 5: Savage Beloved | Follow-up: Penguin (Part 1?) | Official Statement from Signet | AP Article Contains Response from Edwards  | RWA Responds to Allegations  | A centralized document for the Cassie Edwards situation

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Nikki the Super Badass Researcher contacted me yesterday upon realizing that she had a Cassie Edwards in her possession, and she had access to Google, and she had an hour to spare:

I must admit, it was worse than I feared.  My “evidence” file grew to six—6!—pages in Word.  The worst part?  I have an unsettling feeling that these are not the only questionable sections—simply the only ones I could locate via Google.  There’s one passage in particular about the male sage grouse’s mating ritual, of all things, that’s extremely suspect.

One last thing, which I thought was deliciously ironic.  The heroine’s name in this book is Candy.

I just made a noise I cannot transcribe accurately, but it was somewhere between a choke and a snort. 

Now for the Official Findings.

There were three texts heavily, shall we say, “borrowed” from:

THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA by George Amos Dorsey, published in 1904
Available at Google Books
Available in its original form at Archive.org.

CADDOAN TEXTS PAWNEE, SOUTH BAND DIALECT by Gene Weltfish, published in 1937
Available at Google Books

INDIAN BOYHOOD by Charles Alexander Eastman, published in 1902
Available at Google Books.
Available in its original form at Archive.org.

I had to get a bit tricksy when searching CADDOAN TEXTS because it’s only available for viewing snippets via Google—not full text.  Luckily, the search function provided enough phrasing to recreate the relevant passages although attempting to verify the scans of the actual words wasn’t possible due to the limited view restriction.  I’m confident the search function is accurate, however, and no weirdness thanks to OCR occurred in those sections.

Examples positively identified are pasted below along with their corresponding counterparts in the source material.  There are several damning sections, the lengthiest one located on pages 213-214 (yes, it spans two pages) and covers nearly four paragraphs.

I’ve placed the Oddly Similar sections in bold so I hope it carries over to your email programs.  Also, I’m pretty sure I caught all my typos but I may have missed one or two.  If so, apologies but Y’ALL!  My fingers are tired.

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Here’s the side by side that Nikki found and emailed us. Big hat tip and curtsey to Nikki, because this is above and beyond. In many, many ways.

SAVAGE BELOVED
Published by Leisure Books, May 2006
ISBN: 0843952733
Page 84

“There is an ancient legend telling that when the plants fail to come up, the Wichita people will cease to exist.”
[…]
“When the first shoot of corn comes up, an old woman goes there to perform a rite of thanksgiving over the plant,” he said.  “She rubs the plant with her hands in blessing, saying, ‘Oh, big bow,’ which means corn stalk.  Then she rubs a baby with her hands in a similar fashion, passing on the blessing from the plant to the child.”

He paused, smiled at Candy, then said, “Everyone is happy at the sight of the first plant.”

CADDOAN TEXTS PAWNEE, SOUTH BAND DIALECT by Gene Weltfish
Page 39

When the first shoot comes up an old woman goes there to perform a rite of thanksgiving over the plant.  She rubs the plant with her hands in blessing, saying, “Oh, big bow.”  Then directly she rubs the baby with her hands in a similar manner, passing on the blessing from the plant to the child.  Everyone is happy at the sight of the first plant.  There is an ancient legend that states that when the plants fail to come up, we will all cease to exist.

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SAVAGE BELOVED
Page 122

At one side she saw a bed with a mattress made of slender willow rods and coverings of buffalo hide.
Hanging down in front of the bed was a long curtain of buffalo hide, which she could tell could be raised or lowered at will.  The half-lowered hide seemed to be painted with war scenes.

THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA by George Amos Dorsey
Page 5

The beds consist of mattresses made of slender willow rods and coverings of buffalo hide.  Over the bed and hanging down in front, is a long curtain of buffalo hide, which can be raised or lowered at will; this is often painted with war scenes.

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SAVAGE BELOVED
Page 172

“The tattoo on my right arm, that mark in the form of a small cross, is a symbol of the stars and represents a well-known mythical hero among the Wichita.  He is called Flint-Stone-Lying-Down-Above, which in my language is spoken as Tahanetsicihadidia, the guardian of the warriors.

THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA by George Amos Dorsey
Page 2

On the back of each hand is tattooed a small design resembling the bird’s foot.  This is made immediately after the boy has killed his first bird.  Up and down the arms and across the breast may be found additional marks in the form of a small cross. […] These crosses are symbols of the stars and represent a well-known mythical hero among the Wichita called “Flint-Stone-Lying-Down-Above” (Tahanetskihadidia), who, as is told in one of the myths, is one of the guardians of the warriors.

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SAVAGE BELOVED
Page 175

“Three concentric circles are tattooed around one nipple of each Wichita woman.  These concentric rings prevent the women’s breasts from becoming pendulous in old age.”

THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA by George Amos Dorsey
Page 3

The nipple is also tattooed, and around it are three concentric circles. […]  They are also told that the concentric rings about the breasts prevent them from becoming pendulous in old age.

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SAVAGE BELOVED
Page 179

“For it is now the Moon of the Strawberries, when bears are seeking green sedges, or roots, anthills, and berries, and when buffalo sharpen and polish their horns for bloody contests among themselves.”

INDIAN BOYHOOD by Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman
Page 54

“I was once an interested and unseen spectator of a contest between a pair of grizzly bears and three buffaloes—a rash act for the bears, for it was in the moon of strawberries, when the buffaloes sharpen and polish their horns for bloody contests among themselves.”

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SAVAGE BELOVED by Cassie Edwards
Page 180

“Four of them represent the four world quarters, or gods, while the upward peak is symbolic of Man-Never-Known-On-Earth, or Kinnekasus, the Creator.”

He gestured toward the entranceway.  “And the door of all homes of my people is placed on the east side so that the sun may look into the lodge as it rises, while the small circular opening overhead is placed there not only for smoke to escape through, but also so that the sun may look into the lodge at noon, and at night, the star gods are thought to pour down their strength into our homes.”

He then gestured toward the fire pit.  “The fire’s place in all my people’s lodges is considered sacred,” he said.  “There offerings are made, food is cooked, and medicine is heated.”

THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA by George Amos Dorsey
Page 5

The four projecting poles outside stand for the four world quarters or gods, while the upward peak is symbolic of Man-Never-Known-on-Earth (Kinnekasus), the Creator in Wichita mythology.  It is said that a door is placed on the east side that the sun may look into the lodge as it rises, and that the west door is so placed that the sun may look in as it sets, while through the small circular opening overhead the sun may look in at noon.  The south door is still retained that the god of the south wind may enter.  The fireplace is considered sacred, for here offerings are made, the food is cooked, medicines heated, etc.

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SAVAGE BELOVED
Page 213-214

Each was emptying her bag, dumping the corn into one big heap.  The pile soon became so high that it looked as if wagons had been used to haul it instead of the simple carrying bags.
“The next step is to build a long, narrow ditch with mud embankments along each side against which to lean the corn,” Two Eagles explained.
[…]
“They will build a big fire and throw the ears into it,” Two Eagles said.  “The women will take turns reaching their hands in and out of the flames to turn the ears over.  They are skilled at doing this, and no one ever burns herself.  When the wood burns down, the naked ears are left to roast in the coals.  Sometimes the ears roast all night, as this gives them a delicious flavor, but today the women will just leave the corn in until the sun begins lowering in the sky.  Then whatever husks remain on the corn will be removed and the women will proceed to cut the kernels from the cobs.  For this purpose they will use a clam shell, but kernels from small-grained ears are removed with a knife.”
[…]
Candy saw some of the women spreading large hide covers over the ground, then pegging them down tight until they were smooth.
[…]
“The kernels of the roasted corn will be spread out there,” he said.  “The blue corn will be separated into three groups by size, small medium, and large.  Then they will be winnowed and put into sacks made of tanned hide.  After each sack is full, the women will beat upon it with a long stick to make sure that the grains are settled compactly into the bag.  They will place a lid inside the bag and pull the drawstring closed.  After all the bags are filled, there will be a big pile of them.”

CADDOAN TEXTS PAWNEE, SOUTH BAND DIALECT by Gene Weltfish
Page 40

Then they would dump them into one big heap.  The pile would be so high that it looked as if wagons had been used to do the hauling instead of the simple carrying bags.  The next step was to build a long narrow ditch with mud embankments along each side against which to lean the corn.

Then they would build a big fire and throw the ears of corn into it. One would have to stick one’s hand in and out of the flame repeatedly to turn the ears over, but one would never burn oneself.  When the wood has burned down the naked ears are roasted in the coals.  The corn would be left to roast all night as this gives it a delicious flavor.

Kernels from small-grained ears were removed with a knife. Large hide covers were then spread out upon the ground and pegged down tight so that they would be very smooth and upon these the kernels were spread out to dry.

When the kernels were dry they were winnowed and put into sacks made of tanned hide.  After each sack was full they would beat upon it with a long stick to make sure the grains settled compactly into the bag.  Then they would place a lid inside the bag […] pull the drawstring.  After we had filled them there would be a big pile of bags.

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SAVAGE BELOVED
Page 220

Still in their pods, the beans had been spread out upon a hide pegged to the ground.  When the beans had dried, they were beaten with a stick to release them from the pods.  Finally the beans were winnowed and then packed in bags.
[…]
The first step was to peel the pumpkins.  Then some were cut spirally into strips from top to bottom, while others were cut into rings and hung on a cross-pole to dry.

After the whole pumpkin had been stripped, there was a disc left at the bottom, which was known as the “Sitting One.”  The pumpkin pieces were then left to dry for about a day.  Afterward, the women gathered again to complete the process.  The pumpkin strips were braided and formed into mats, which were left out in the sun to dry.

CADDOAN TEXTS PAWNEE, SOUTH BAND DIALECT by Gene Weltfish
Pages 40-41

The beans in their pods would be spread out upon a hide which was pegged to the ground and when they were dry would be beaten with a stick to release them from the pods.
[…]
The first step was to peel the pumpkins. Then if it is decided that braided pumpkin mats are to be made, the pumpkins are cut spirally into strips from top to bottom. Other pumpkins are cut into rings and hung on a cross pole to dry. After the whole pumpkin has been stripped there is left a disc at the bottom which is known as “Sitting-one.”  The pumpkin is then left to dry for about a day when it is in the proper stage for braiding and for the stringing of the bottom discs.  After they are braided, the pumpkin mats are left out in the sun to dry.

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SAVAGE BELOVED
Page 231

“The moon is the special guardian of Wichita women, for the moon is a woman and possesses all the powers that women desire.  It was the moon taught the first woman on earth and gave her power.  She instructs women as to the time of the monthly sickness, informs them when they are pregnant, and when the child is to be born.  She has told them that after birth the child must be offered to her by passing the hands over the child’s body and raising it aloft to the moon.  At that time the moon is asked to bestow her blessings upon the child, that he or she may grow into power rapidly, for she, herself, has the power to increase rapidly in size.”

MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA by George Amos Dorsey
Page 19

The Moon is the special guardian of the women, for she is a woman and possesses all the powers which women desire. She it was who taught the first woman on earth and gave her power. She instructs the women as to the time of the monthly sickness, informs them when they are pregnant, and when the child is to be born, and has told them that after birth the child must be offered to her by passing the hands over the child’s body and raising it aloft, offering it to the Moon, at which time she is asked to bestow her blessing upon the child, that he may grow into power rapidly, for she herself has the power to increase rapidly in size.

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SAVAGE BELOVED by Cassie Edwards
Page 340

“That star in the north is known as the ‘Ghost-Bear,’” Two Eagles said.  “It is said that a man who was traveling in the far north came upon another man who said, ‘This is my burial place.  I live in the far north.  If you accept whatever I offer you, I will give you power.  You shall have power over the herbs to cure people, for I am a medicine man.  If an accident should happen, or if sickness should arrive, I will give you a way to heal.  In your doctoring you should look to the sun, for my powers are derived from him.  Before you begin doctoring, offer me smoke.’ The man was then informed that it was the Ghost Bear who was talking to him, and upon looking again, he saw that it was a Ghost Bear.  The man looked back and the Ghost Bear had become a star.”

MYTHOLOGY OF THE WICHITA by George Amos Dorsey
Page 18

Next in importance is a star in the north known as the “Ghost-Bear.” This star is of comparatively recent origin, for it is said that a certain man who traveled in the far north saw a human being standing before him, who said to him: “This is my burial place. I live in the far north. There I live. Should you like some of my power, and should you accept whatever I offer you I will give you power. You shall have the power over the herbs to cure people, for I am a medicine-man. If an accident should happen, or if sickness should arise, I will give you a way to heal, and in your doctoring you should look to the Sun, for my powers are derived from him. Before you begin doctoring, offer me smoke.” Thereupon the man was informed that it was the Ghost-Bear who was talking to him, and upon looking again he saw that it was a Ghost-Bear. The man looked back and the Ghost-Bear had become a star.