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 grandmothers gave a second root, a tule root, and Olelbis threw
this far up north, where one end stuck in the ground as had the
grapevine root, and from the other end flowed Pui Mem--there is much
tule at the head of Pui Mem to this day.
Olelbis took his sky pole again and made deep furrows down southward
from Bohema Mem, large ones for large rivers and smaller ones for
creeks. Water flowed and filled the furrows, flowed southward till it
reached the place where Kuntihle found the first fish; and when the
large river reached that little pond, fish went out of it into the
river, and from the river into all creeks and rivers.
When the rivers were finished, and water was running in them, Olelbis
saw an acorn tree in the east, outside the sky. He looked on the north
side of the tree and saw some one hammering. He hurled a stone from
his sling, struck down the person, and sent Tilitchi to bring him.
Tilitchi brought him.
"Of what people is this one?" asked he of the old women.
"He is of a good people," answered they. "Put him on the central
pillar of the sweat-house; we call him Tsurat."
Tsurat was only stunned. When Tsurat was taken to the central pillar,
he climbed it, stopping every little while and hammering. The sound
which he made, "Ya-tuck! ya-tuck!" was heard outside the
sweat-house,--a good sound; all liked to hear it.
Olelbis saw on the same tree another of the same family. When he was
brought, the old women said, "This is Min Taitai; put him on the
ground east of the fire"--the fire was in the middle.
Min Taitai began to talk to himself. They could hear two words, "Wit,
wit!" (coming back, coming back).
Olelbis stunned a third person, who was brought by Tilitchi. The old
women said, "He, too, is of a good people, he is Hessiha; let him be
with Min Taitai, and put a basket of red earth and water near them."
Min Taitai talked on to himself, "Wit, wit!"
"Who is 'Wit, wit?'" asked Hessiha.
"Sas" (the sun), answered Min Taitai, "was going down, and now he is
coming back; that is who 'Wit, wit' is."
"Who is coming back?" asked Hessiha.
"Sas is coming back."
"Sas is not coming back, he is going on."
(In winter Sas goes down south, and in summer he comes back north. Min
Taitai was saying Sas is coming back, up north. Hessiha thought he was
saying Sas has gone down toward the west, and now is coming back east
without setting.)
"Wit, wit" (coming back, coming back), said Min Taitai.
"Cherep, cherep!" (going on, going on), said Hessiha.
Soon they came to blows, began to fight; when fighting, Hessiha took
red mud from the basket and threw it. Min Taitai took mud, too, and
threw it at Hessiha. Both were soon covered with mud and water.
Clover, beautiful grasses, and plants of all kinds were growing around
the sweat-house in Olelpanti. The whole place was a mass of blossoms.
"Now, my grandmothers," said Olelbis, "tell me what you think. All
that ground below us is bare; there is nothing on it. What can we do
for it?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account