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
The Mapchemaina went to hunt on the following day, but could not kill
deer. They had no good arrow-points. The points which they had were
made of common stone. When they went back to Jigulmatu in the evening
without venison, Jupka said,--
"There is an old man in the south who kills a great many deer; his
name is Kaltsauna. I must bring him up here to show you how he kills
them. I will send some one south for him. Maibyu, you go for that old
man; you travel very quickly."
"I don't know where his house is; I cannot find him," said Maibyu.
"You would better send some one else."
"Lawalila, you go," said Jupka.
Lawalila dressed himself nicely; took his bow, quiver, and arrows, and
went. He went as quickly as though it were only one long step to
Kaltsauna's house. Kaltsauna was sitting inside the door with his legs
crossed. He was making flint arrow-points.
Lawalila stepped in at once and surprised old Kaltsauna. He had a
flint knife at his side, and made a thrust at Lawalila as if to kill
him.
"Stop. It is I, uncle; you must not kill me."
"Why do you call me uncle?" asked Kaltsauna, hiding his arrow-points
quickly.
"I have come for you, uncle. The chief sent me here. Jupka invites you
to come to Jigulmatu. He wants you to come to his house. He wants to
see you. We cannot kill deer with stone arrow-points. We have no other
kind. The chief knows that you kill deer all the time. He wants you to
come to his place and show his people how you kill deer."
Kaltsauna rubbed his hands, rubbed them clean, rubbed all the flint
dust from them, and rolled up his flints in a skin very carefully.
Next he mixed flint dust, rubbed it on his face, made paint, covered
his face with it, and thrust a piece of sharp flint through the septum
of his nose. He looked very threatening and strong when he was dressed
and armed for the road.
"I am ready; you go ahead; I will come later," said he to Lawalila.
Kaltsauna's quiver was a grizzly bearskin; his bows and arrows were
made of black oak. He put his flints under his left arm, took his bow
and arrows in his right hand.
"Go on; go ahead. I will come later; I will come by myself. Go now and
tell the chief to make a great fire of manzanita wood."
Lawalila went ahead, and gave Kaltsauna's message to Jupka. The chief
had the fire made,--a great fire of manzanita wood. "He is coming, he
is coming," said the people, when they saw Kaltsauna in the distance.
When he was near, they didn't try to look at him, they hung their
heads.
"Make way for me, make way! I'll strike unless you give me room!" said
Kaltsauna, as he came near the crowd of people.
"The old man always talks like that," said Jupka; "he is very strong.
That's why he is so bold; that's why he talks so."
"Spread out a skin," said Kaltsauna to Jupka.
The skin was spread, and Kaltsauna emptied his robe full of
arrow-points on it. He sat down then and said,--
"I will divide these and put them in different places."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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