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
=Ahalamila=, gray wolf; =Au Mujaupa=, master of fire; =Chil Daiauna=,
big hail; =Chil Wareko=, big rain; =Juhauju=, west wind; =Júkami=,
north wind; =Jukilauyu=, east wind; =Juwaju=, south wind; =Gagi=,
crow; =Metsi=, coyote; =Patcha=, snow; =Sabil Keyu=, small hail;
=Shushu Marimi=, dog woman; =Siwegi=, a small bird, unknown.
* * * * *
In the beginning Au Mujaupa had fire very far down south on the other
side of a big river. The people in this country had no real fire; they
had a kind of fire, but it wasn't good. It just warmed a little; it
wouldn't cook like the fire which we have now. People killed deer and
fished, but they had to eat fish and venison raw.
In the west people had fire, but it wouldn't cook. In the north there
were many people, and in the east; but they had no fire that would
cook.
"There must be fire in some place," said the people at Pawi; "how can
we find it?"
"I will go out to-night to look," said Ahalamila.
That night he went to look for fire. He went to the top of Wahkanopa,
looked east and west, saw no fire in either place. Next he looked
north; no fire in the north. He looked south; saw no fire anywhere.
Ahalamila came home and talked to the chief and people. "I saw no
fire," said he; "I could not see any, but I will go to a better place
the next time and take some one with me. I will go to-morrow night to
the top of Wahkalu. Who here has a good head, who a sharp eye to see
fire? I want to look for fire to-morrow night from the top of Wahkalu;
from that place I will look all around the whole world to find fire."
"We have a man here," said the chief, "who can see through a tree, who
can see down through the earth to bed rock, who can see through a
mountain. You can take him to-morrow night with you. He is Siwegi."
Ahalamila went to Siwegi. "Will you go to-morrow night to look for
fire?" asked he.
"I will go if the way is not too long."
"Oh," said Ahalamila, "it will not be long. I will shorten it."
Siwegi agreed to go; and when the time came, they started. Ahalamila
doubled up the trail and made it short; in an hour they were on the
top of Wahkalu, both ready now to look for fire. The night is very
dark; they can see the smallest fire easily.
They look to the east, look with great care, look a good while, see no
fire; they look to the north in the same way, see no fire; they look
to the west, no fire there. Now Ahalamila looks south, looks a long
time, and sees nothing: he looks half an hour to the south, sees a
little glimmer like a light very far away.
"Siwegi," said he, "I see a small light down south; it seems like
fire far away. I think it is fire."
"Look again," said Siwegi, "look sharply. Maybe it is fire."
"I have looked enough, I think it is fire," said Ahalamila; "but I
want you to see it, I want you to look now."
Siwegi looked a little while. "Yes, that is fire," said he.
"Well," said Ahalamila, "we see fire, we know that it is far off in
the south."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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