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
The two brothers stayed fishing at Tsik Tepji till a day when Keriha
said, "Let us go up the river, my brother." They went to Bohem Tehil
and stopped at a large tree. Keriha hung a salmon on a limb of it. "I
will watch this fish," said he "I'll see if Hubit comes here to eat
it."
He watched that day from dawn till dark; no one came. He watched five
days more; no one. Five other days, and five days more, and then five
days,--twenty-one in all; he saw no one.
Next morning he was waiting, when all at once he heard a noise, and
looking he saw Hubit come from the west and go to the salmon.
Norwanchakus sat some distance away, watching Keriha.
"Oh, my brother," cried Keriha, "Hubit has come. He is at the salmon.
What shall I do? I want to know where Hubit lives, I want to see his
house. I must follow him."
"My brother," answered Norwanchakus, "you say that you know more than
I. You think that you know everything. You must know what to do with
Hubit."
"Oh, my brother," said Keriha, "do not tease me. Tell me quickly what
I am to do with Hubit."
"Go straight south to a level place, get a pawit, and bring it. I will
watch Hubit while you are gone."
Keriha brought some pawit quickly. "Now what shall I do?"
"Stick one tuft in the salmon's tail, and fasten it well," said
Norwanchakus. "Let Hubit carry off the fish. You can see the tuft far
away, and follow."
Keriha fastened the tuft to the salmon, gave the fish to Hubit, and
watched. Hubit wouldn't bite, wouldn't taste. Keriha tried all day to
make him taste the salmon, tried a second day, tried five days. Hubit
wouldn't even bite it. On the sixth day Keriha said,--
"Hubit, why are you here? I thought you came to eat salmon, but now
you will not taste it."
Keriha talked five days more to Hubit, ten days in all. "Hubit, I wish
you would eat some fish and take home the rest." Hubit made no answer.
Five days more Keriha teased him, and then five days longer, twenty
days in all.
"Hubit," said Keriha on the twenty-first day, "tell me what you are
going to do; I'd like to know;" and he pushed him. Not a word from
Hubit. "Are you asleep or dead?" asked Keriha. "Hubit, you make me so
angry that I want to kill you."
All these days Keriha had watched Hubit from daylight till dark,
giving him no chance to steal the fish, and Hubit wanted salmon so
much that he would not go without it. Norwanchakus sat watching
Keriha.
"My brother," said Keriha, "I cannot make that Hubit take the salmon;
what shall I do? Tell me."
Norwanchakus said nothing.
"I am getting angry. If you cannot tell me what to do, I will kill
Hubit to-morrow."
"Why kill Hubit? You have teased him a long time; tease him a little
longer. How will you find Hubit's house, if you kill him?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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