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
They took beautiful presents, shells and otter-skins, put them on
their backs, and started; went without waiting, travelled all night,
travelled quickly. They were at Wamarawi next morning. They went to
the two brothers, gave them presents, begged them to bring their
husbands to life again.
The brothers were willing at last to do this.
There was a great spring near their sweat-house, a spring as large as
a lake of good size, and the brothers told the women from Wahkalu and
their own two sisters to carry the bones to that water.
The Wahkalu women and the two sisters took baskets, carried bones all
that day, and put them in the spring. At sunset the field was clear
and all the bones were in the water.
"Now," said the brothers to the women from Wahkalu, "you must camp far
away from the spring, and not go near it till broad daylight
to-morrow; and our sisters you must not rise up to-night to go out of
the sweat-house."
The two brothers closed the top of the sweat-house and did not sleep
themselves.
About daylight they heard talking at the spring, then more talking,
and later a great sound of voices. At broad daylight all had come out
of the spring, and all the place around was full of people, crowds of
people everywhere.
The two brothers looked from the top of the sweat-house, saw all Haka
Kaina's army standing there strong and well. Each man had his pack
with its treasures, the plunder brought from Hwipajusi's village; each
had on his war-dress and feathers. Hwipajusi's three daughters were
there, too, as well as ever.
Haka Kaina went to the house of the Mini Aunas and talked to the
brothers. He gave them otter-skins, beads, elkskins. He was grateful
and very kind; called them cousins. After that he went home with his
army and women. All those left at Wahkalu came out to meet the men,
went far, danced, danced because all had come to life again and
because the three girls were brought back.
The men put away their bows, arrows, and elkskins; all washed the
paint from their faces.
"Now give us plenty to eat," said Haka Kaina.
They went into the sweat-house; all ate and talked till midnight. At
midnight each went to his own place and rested.
TITINDI MAUPA AND PAIOWA, THE YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF WAKARA
PERSONAGES
After each name is given that of the creature or thing into which the
personage was changed subsequently.
=Hemauna Márimi=, ----; =Hitchinna=, wildcat; =Lawalila=, chicken
hawk; =Paiowa=, new moon's youngest daughter; =Titildi Marimi=, black
bear woman; =Titindi Maupa=, her brother; =Topuna=, mountain lion;
=Tuina=, the sun; =Wakara=, new moon.
* * * * *
Titindi Maupa lived at a place called Kurulsa Mauna, where he had two
sisters. Three miles west of that place lived young Topuna with his
father, who had a great sweat-house at Motiri Mauna.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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