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
He tried to go to the top of the mountain and make a hole there. He
could not roll up in any way. He fell back each time that he tried. He
could travel on level ground only, he could only rise by bounding.
"I cannot go up there, I am not able," said he.
He lay down close to the entrance of the cave and thought a while. He
made up his mind to bound like a ball, to spring from point to point,
higher and higher, on neighboring mountains, till he got very high,
and then come down on the top of Wamarawi. He did this, went far up on
the top of other and higher mountains till at last he was very high;
then with a great bound he came down on the top of Wamarawi, came down
with a terrible crash. He made an awfully big hole in it, bigger than
all the four holes he had made in the sides put together; and this
hole did not close, but it did not reach the cave.
After that blow he came again to level ground. He lay there and said
to himself: "I have tried five times to get at those people. I will
try once more. I may get at them this time."
He went high up in the sky, higher than before. He was angrier and
madder than ever, and he came down with a louder crash; the whole
mountain shook and trembled. No one inside the cave was laughing now;
all the people were terrified.
Putokya went almost through to the cave. The rock above the people was
very thin after this blow, and the hole did not close again.
"I will not try any more," said Putokya; "I cannot get at the people."
He was discouraged, and left Wamarawi.
All the people within were in terror. "If he tries once more, we are
lost," said they. "He will burst through and eat us, eat every one of
us."
The great hole remained on that mountain top, and people say that
there is a lake up there now with goldfish in it.
Putokya started north, went toward Pulshu Aina, his own village. As he
went toward home, he made a great roaring and wind, cut down trees and
brush, people, beasts, everything that he met; he left a clean road
behind. He swept through Pulshu Aina, and went farther north, went
almost to Jigulmatu.
Metsi was coming down to the south, along the same trail; he was very
well dressed. Metsi always dressed well. He wore a splendid elkskin
belt and a hair net; he was fine-looking.
Metsi was right in the middle of the trail. He had learned that
Putokya was out killing people in the south; he heard the roar a great
way off, and said to himself,--
"I hear Putokya; he is killing all the people."
Metsi thought over what he was to do. "I will meet him. I will say to
this Putokya, 'You are smart, you are good, but you are sick. I will
cure you.'"
Metsi took off all his fine clothes in a hurry and hid them, made
himself naked. "I must be quick," said he; "the noise and wind are
coming nearer and nearer. I wish a rusty old basket to be here before
me." The basket was there. He wished for an old strap to carry it. The
old strap was there with the basket.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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