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
"Wear it around your head always so that when you travel in the night
you will be seen by all people."
Sas put the fox-skin around his head, and fastened the mokos crosswise
in front of his forehead. The fire-drill he fastened in his hair
behind, placing it upright. At sunrise we see the hair of the fox-skin
around Sas's head before we see Sas himself.
Next Tulchuherris threw up two red berries, saying,--
"Take these and make red cheeks on each side of your face, so that
when you rise in the morning you will be bright, and make everything
bright."
Tulchuherris went west and got some white roots from the mountain,
threw them to Sas, and said, "Put these across your forehead."
Next he stretched his right hand westward, and two large shells, blue
inside, came to his palm. He threw these to Sas and said,--
"Put these on your forehead for a sign when you come up in the
morning. There is a place in the east which is all fire. When you
reach that place, go in and warm yourself. Go to Olelpanti now.
Olelbis, your father, lives there. He will tell you where to go."
Sas went to Olelpanti, where he found a wonderful and very big
sweat-house. It was toward morning, and Olelbis was lying down,
covered with a blanket. While sleeping he heard a noise, and when he
woke he saw some one near him. He knew who it was. Sas turned to him
and said,--
"My father, I am split. I thought myself the strongest person in the
world, but I was not. Tulchuherris is the strongest."
"Well, my son Sas," asked Olelbis, "where do you wish to be, and how
do you wish to live?"
"I have come to ask you," replied Sas.
"Well," answered Olelbis, "you must travel all the time, and it is
better that you go from east to west. If you go north and travel
southward, I don't think that will be well. If you go west and travel
eastward, I don't think that will be well, either. If you go south and
travel northward, I don't think that will be right.
"I think that best which Tulchuherris told you. He told you to go east
and travel to the west. He said that there is a hot place in the east,
that you must go into that place and get hot before you start every
morning. I will show you the road from east to west. In a place right
south of this is a very big tree, a tobacco tree, just half-way
between east and west. When you come from the east, sit down in the
shade of that tree, rest a few minutes, and go on. Never forget your
porcupine quiver or other ornaments when you travel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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