Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
A man was courting a woman and they were seated on the ground at a certain place. Some time afterwards the man came back to the spot and saw a small weed growing up just where the woman had been sitting. He went several times, until the weed got to be of some height. Now he began to care for it. When it was
about a foot high he took off some leaves and smelt of them and they smelt good to him, and others he would throw into the fire, finding the odor they gave forth in burning very agreeable. He cultivated this plant until it gave forth seed. Tobacco was gotten in this manner, and since this man and woman were very happy when they were there and were very peacefully inclined toward each other tobacco has ever since been used in concluding peace and friendship among the Indian tribes. (Told by Jackson Lewis.)