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
Norwanchakus had always carried his ash stick from the fish-net. When
he was going, he thrust it into the ground at Tsarau Heril. "I will
leave this here," said he, "and people to come will make pipes of it."
There is plenty of ash to this day in Tsarau Heril.
At the other side of the sky the brothers parted. Norwanchakus went up
on high, and stayed there. Keriha went far away to the east, and is
living there now.
KELE AND SEDIT
PERSONAGES
After each name is given that of the creature or thing into which the
personage was changed subsequently.
=Hinwu=, big owl; =Kele=, mountain wolf; =Kleréu Lulimet=, wild lily;
=Pili Lúlimet=, reed grass blossom; =Pokok=, ground owl; =Pom Piweki=,
crooked land; =Satok Pokaila=, ----; =Sas=, the sun; =Tsurat=,
red-headed woodpecker; =Tunhlucha=, frog.
* * * * *
In Puidal Winnem lived Kele. Olelbis built a great sweat-house there,
and told him to stay in it. Kele was old and lived all alone in that
place; lived there a long time, thinking, making up his mind what to
do,--he was lonely and thirsty. "Why did Olelbis put me here?" thought
he.
Once he rose about daybreak, hurried out, went westward, went to a
creek. A great clump of mountain maples stood near the bank. Kele saw
a straight stick among all the others. He cut the stick, drew it out,
and took off a short piece. On the way home he split the stick,
smoothed it, and fixed it as he walked. He put the two sticks overhead
in the sweat-house, went out a second time, found a white oak sapling,
firm and strong, cut a piece two feet long from it, put it at the
hearth. The next day he lay with his back to the fire, lay there all
night without sleeping. Just before daybreak he heard steps, and was
struck on the back. A minute later he was struck again in the same
place. The old man rose then and made a good fire of manzanita wood.
It was daylight, and Kele said: "My children, come to the fire, warm
yourselves, sweat, and then swim in the creek."
Two girls came to the fire, warmed themselves standing, and soon they
were sweating from heat.
"My daughters," said Kele, "there is a creek near here. Go and swim in
it."
These girls were from the stick that Kele had split in two parts and
put in the house wall. The girls bathed in the creek, came back, and
were good-looking. When they came in, Kele brought venison for his two
daughters to eat.
"My daughters," said the old man, "I will tell you something. You must
go to work, do good things. There are roots in the woods all around
us, roots fit for food. You need to walk. Go out and get roots." They
went out to dig wild lily roots. After that they went every morning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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