A Guide to MythologyClarke, Helen A. (Helen Archibald)
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A Guide to Mythology
Clarke, Helen A. (Helen Archibald)
Mythology -- Juvenile literature
The Fisher and his friend beheld very long lodges, and the celestial
inhabitants amusing themselves at a distance. Words cannot express the
beauty and charm of the place. The lodges were empty of inhabitants,
but they saw them lined with _mocuks_, of different sizes, filled with
birds and fowls of different plumage. Ojeeg thought of his son, and
immediately commenced cutting open the mocuks and letting out the birds,
who descended in whole flocks through the opening which they had made.
The warm air of those regions also rushed down through the opening, and
spread its genial influence over the north.
When the celestial inhabitants saw the birds let loose, and the warm
gales descending, they raised a shout like thunder, and ran for their
lodges. But it was too late. Spring, summer, and autumn had gone; even
perpetual summer had almost all gone; but they separated it with a blow,
and only a part descended; but the ends were so mangled that, wherever it
prevails among the lower inhabitants, it is always sickly.
When the Wolverine heard the noise, he made for the opening and safely
descended. Not so the Fisher. Anxious to fulfil his son’s wishes, he
continued to break open the _mocuks_. He was, at last, obliged to run
also, but the opening was now closed by the inhabitants. He ran with
all his might over the plains of heaven, and, it would appear, took a
northerly direction. He saw his pursuers so close that he had to climb
the first large tree that he came to. They commenced shooting at him
with their arrows, but without effect, for all his body was invulnerable
except the space of about an inch near the tip of his tail. At last one
of the arrows hit the spot, for he had in this chase assumed the shape of
the Fisher after whom he was named.
He looked down from the tree, and saw some among his assailants with
the totems of his ancestors. He claimed relationship, and told them to
desist, which they only did at the approach of night. He then came down
to try and find an opening in the celestial plain, by which he might
descend to the earth. But he could find none. At last, becoming faint
from the loss of blood from the wound on his tail, he laid himself down
toward the north of the plain, and, stretching out his limbs, said: “I
have fulfilled my promise to my son, though it has cost me my life;
but I die satisfied in the idea that I have done so much good, not only
for him, but for my fellow-beings. Hereafter I will be a sign to the
inhabitants below for ages to come, who will venerate my name for having
succeeded in procuring the varying seasons. They will now have from eight
to ten moons without snow.”
He was found dead next morning, but they left him as they found him, with
the arrow sticking in his tail, as it can be plainly seen, at this time,
in the heavens.
THE LEGEND OF MAUI
(_Polynesian_)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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