Creation Myths of Primitive America: In relation to the Religious History and Mental Development of MankindCurtin, Jeremiah
Religion
Creation Myths of Primitive America: In relation to the Religious History and Mental Development of Mankind
Curtin, Jeremiah
Creation -- Mythology; Indian mythology -- North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
Hau came forward and put down a stone cup. He held his ear over it,
scratched the ear, and out came a stream of manzanita berries. These
were the first manzanita. No one had ever seen those berries in the
world before. Waida Dikit ate a handful of the berries and sat
down--said nothing. All the people hurried to eat, crowded around the
cup, ate as long as they were able, but could not decrease the
berries. Presently Waida Dikit began to itch. He did not know what
troubled him. Soon spots came out all over his body--red, yellow, and
black. This was because he had eaten the berries. His spirit was
afraid of what he had eaten. His spirit did not wish that he should
eat berries, they were not his kind of food; and that was why the
spots came out on him. It was his spirit's fear that brought out the
spots, and he has been spotted ever since. He ate not because he
wished, but because he was master of the house. It was for him to
taste everything, or people would think it bad food.
Now Wima came, put down a basket, and untied a white wristband which
he wore, held his hand down, and wild plums dropped into the basket
and filled it.
This time Waida Dikit sent Tichelis to taste the plums and set out the
basket. People ate, but there were as many plums as before.
These different kinds of food were given to the world for the first
time then, and this is why we have them now.
Tsaik came to the middle of the sweat-house. He tapped the ground with
his nose, and out came a great pile of acorns.
Sedit had eaten as much as he could, and was angry because any was put
away. He kept saying to Patkilis, "I don't like that."
"Sedit," answered Patkilis, "I have warned you against talking so
much. Don't you know that after a while all the new kind of people,
the people to come, will use food in this way, eat what they want, and
put the rest away?"
"You people have talked and been friendly," said Waida Dikit. "This is
the food we need; this will be our only food hereafter."
"Well," said Kanhlalas, standing up, "I think we have almost finished.
If we stay here too long, some bad people may see us and talk about
what we are doing."
Others said: "Yes, we have given all the food we have. If this
gathering lasts longer, bad people may find us and make trouble."
"That is true," said the assembly; "let us part."
"We will part," said Waida Dikit. "I am going to my old house and will
stay there forever. If salmon come up the Wini Mem, they will come as
far as my house and go back."
Next morning all set out for their homes. Tsihl changed his mind on
the road, and went back to Tede Puyuk, where he found that all had
gone except Sedit, Patkilis, Nop, and Hau. These four were outside
the sweat-house, and Tsihl said,--
"We have come back to look at this place again; it pleases us."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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