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
When Olelbis was building his sweat-house in Olelpanti, he cut a piece
from a white-oak tree, and this piece rolled down outside the sky to
the lower world, where it became a people in Nor Puiken, in the
southeast, and that people were there before the present Wintus came
out of the ground at Tsarau Heril.
"My dear sister has come up before the Wintus, and will be with them
hereafter," said Olelbis. "I have not settled yet how her work is to
be, have not made her ready for it."
He put his hand toward the southeast then, and took yósoü (a plant
that has a red blossom). He gave this plant to Norwan, and said,--
"Take this, my sister, and when you dance use it as a staff. It will
have a blossom on the top which will be blooming always."
He reached southeast to the same place, took a small bird, plucked a
feather from each wing, gave the feathers to Norwan, and said,--
"My sister, thrust these through your hair, just above your forehead,
one on each side. These feathers will begin to sing in the morning
early; you will know by them at what time you must begin to dance."
He stretched his hand again to the southeast, and took buri luli,
which is a little red blossom that grows in spring on a plant about a
foot high. He gave the blossoms to Norwan and said,--
"Roll this in your hands, crush it, put the juice on your face, and
make your cheeks red."
Olelbis turned then to his grandmothers, who were standing near by,
and asked if they had acorns.
"We have," said they. "We have plenty."
Olelbis took a handful, gave them to his sister, and said,--
"When you shell these acorns, rub them between your palms and hold
your hands open; blow the dust which scatters; you will see it rise
high into the trees, and acorns will come on them."
It was on the first morning after she had come to Norwan Buli that
Olelbis gave Norwan the staff, feathers, blossoms, and acorns. On the
second morning very early the feathers began to sing; then flocks of
birds of their kind came flying toward the sweat-house, and Norwan
heard a voice far up in the sky calling to her, and saying,--
"My brother's daughter, you have come upon earth before the Wintu
people, and are dancing. When you dance you must not look toward the
west, nor the north, nor the south, but turn your face and look toward
Hlihli Pui Hlutton in the southeast, the place from which your staff
and your paint came."
While this man was talking, Norwan looked up and saw him sitting with
one leg crossed upon the other. He was holding a handful of white-oak
acorns in his hand, and was sitting over the door of the sweat-house
in Olelpanti. It was Kar Kiemila.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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