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
"You my people, we will all dance to-night and to-morrow morning we
will go to hunt. Do not leave home, any of you. Let all stay. We will
have a great hunt. Katkatchila, will you stay with us?" asked he. "I
shall be glad if you go and hunt with us."
"I will go with you," said Katkatchila. "I am glad to go."
They danced all night. Next morning, after they had eaten, and just as
they were starting off to hunt, the chief said to his people,--
"I will send my grandson with Katkatchila, and some of you, my sons,
stay near him."
Some said to others: "When Katkatchila shoots a deer, let us run right
up and take out of the deer the thing with which he killed it, and
then we won't give it back to him."
"Do you stay with him, too," said Torihas to Kaisus, who was a swift
runner.
The whole party, a great many people, went to Hau Buli to hunt. When
they got onto the mountain they saw ten deer. Katkatchila shot without
delay; as soon as he shot a deer fell, and Kaisus, who was ready, made
a rush and ran up to the deer, but Katkatchila was there before him
and had taken out the weapon.
He killed all ten of the deer one after another, and Kaisus ran each
time to be first at the fallen body, but Katkatchila was always ahead
of him. When they went home Kaisus carried one deer, and told of all
they had done, saying,--
"Now you people, go and bring in the other deer. I don't believe any
man among us can run as fast as Katkatchila; he is a wonderful runner.
I don't know what he uses to kill game, and I don't think we can get
it away from him."
That night Hau spoke up among his friends and said, "I will go with
Katkatchila to-morrow and see what I can do."
A great many of the people talked about Katkatchila that night,
saying,--
"We do not think that he will ever come to us again, so we must all do
our best to get his weapon while he is here."
Katkatchila was ready to go home after the hunt, but Torihas persuaded
him, saying: "Stay one day more. Hunt with us to-morrow."
Katkatchila agreed to stay. Next morning they went to hunt. Hau went
among others, and stayed near Katkatchila all the time.
On the mountain they saw ten deer again. Katkatchila stood back to
shoot. Hau was ready to spring forward to get the weapon. The moment
the weapon was shot, Hau ran with all his strength, reached the deer
first, took out the weapon and hid it in his ear.
That moment Katkatchila was there. "You have taken my flint!" cried
he. "Give it back!"
"I have not taken it," said Hau. "I have nothing of yours. I have just
come."
"You have it. I saw you take it," said Katkatchila.
"I took nothing. I only put my hand on the deer's head."
"I saw you take it."
"No, you did not. I haven't it."
Katkatchila kept asking all day for his flint, but Hau would neither
give it back nor own that he had it. At last, when the sun was almost
down, Katkatchila turned to Hau and said,--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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