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
You have told about one, now tell about the other.' He
thought a while and asked, 'Why do you want to know so much? Sanihas
is in the other bag.' He would tell no more, and I came away."
When Patkilis had told all this, Keriha said, after thinking a while:
"This is the best news that we have heard in this world yet; some one
of us ought to go there. We must bring those two bags here. If we open
one, the world will be dark; if we open the other, there will be
daylight. Those acorns, too, are good. You must send some one for
those two bags."
"There is a man up north here, Pawnit. He could go; send for him,"
said Patkilis.
They sent for him, and he came. They told him what they wanted.
"I can go for those things," said he, "but I don't like to go alone.
My brothers, you bring a man here who lives up north, Tsaik. He is
blind of one eye."
When Tsaik came and heard about the acorns, he said: "I should like to
have them; they are good. If I go, I will take the acorns, and you can
bring the two bags," said he to Pawnit. "When you come to that hill in
the east," said Patkilis to Pawnit, "you will see many houses on the
north side of it, and many on the south, where people are dancing; but
go to the north, and right in the middle of the village you will see a
big house, with the door toward the south. When you go in, don't let
the blind boy know that there are two of you. Let one talk to him
while the other takes the bags. The one talking will make him believe
that he came from the south side of the hill, where people are
dancing. When you are going in through the door, you will see the two
bags right opposite, both smooth and very full. Get those bags, so
that we can see what kind of place this is. We want plenty of light.
We want darkness, too, so that there may not be too much light."
Pawnit and Tsaik started off on their journey. How long the journey
lasted no one knows. They went beyond the sky and reached the eastern
hill, they saw the villages south and north of it, and heard a great
noise of dancing at the south. They went to the northern village,
found the big house in the middle of it, and stopped before the door.
"Go in," said Tsaik. "I will stay outside. I have a strap. I am going
to carry away the acorn baskets. You go in. I will stay here and tie
them together."
Pawnit went in and sat down on the west side. The blind boy was lying
on the east side.
"Well, blind boy," said Pawnit, "I am cold. I have been dancing. I
have come here to warm myself."
"I should like to know why you people come here while there is
dancing at the other side," said the blind boy.
Pawnit made no answer, but went out to see what Tsaik was doing.
"Where are you, Tsaik?" asked he.
"I am here making ready to carry acorns," answered Tsaik.
Just then they saw some one near them. "Who is this?" asked Pawnit.
"I am here," said Patkilis. "Come, Pawnit, you and I will go in and
get the two bags. You, Tsaik, take the acorns."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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