There is another world under this, and it is like ours in
everything--animals, plants, and people--save that the seasons are
different. The streams that come down from the mountains are the
trails by which we reach this underworld, and the springs at their
heads are the doorways by which we enter it, but to do this one must
fast and go to water and have one of the underground people for a
guide. We know that the seasons in the underworld are different from
ours, because the water in the springs is always warmer in winter
and cooler in summer than the outer air.
When the animals and plants were first made--we do not know by
whom--they were told to watch and keep awake for seven nights,
just as young men now fast and keep awake when they pray to their
medicine. They tried to do this, and nearly all were awake through
the first night, but the next night several dropped off to sleep,
and the third night others were asleep, and then others, until,
on the seventh night, of all the animals only the owl, the panther,
and one or two more were still awake. To these were given the power
to see and to go about in the dark, and to make prey of the birds
and animals which must sleep at night. Of the trees only the cedar,
the pine, the spruce, the holly, and the laurel were awake to the
end, and to them it was given to be always green and to be greatest
for medicine, but to the others it was said: "Because you have not
endured to the end you shall lose your hair every winter."
Men came after the animals and plants. At first there were only a
brother and sister until he struck her with a fish and told her to
multiply, and so it was. In seven days a child was born to her, and
thereafter every seven days another, and they increased very fast
until there was danger that the world could not keep them. Then it
was made that a woman should have only one child in a year, and it
has been so ever since.
2. THE FIRST FIRE
In the beginning there was no fire, and the world was cold, until
the Thunders (Ani'-Hyûñ'tikwalâ'ski), who lived up in Galûñ'lati,
sent their lightning and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore
tree which grew on an island. The animals knew it was there, because
they could see the smoke coming out at the top, but they could not
get to it on account of the water, so they held a council to decide
what to do. This was a long time ago.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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