TALKING SNAKE

How Snake got his forked tongue –Chumash

"Once a long time ago every tribe had some legends. 

I am going to tell you about the Chumash's main legend."

Once when the world was still new in what is now called California a snake had a rectangular shaped tongue. He had trouble getting water because there was a big drought and the only water there came out of a hole guarded by a great mountain lion, and a great bobcat. They would only let you have water if you had a tongue that wasn't all 90-degree angles because they said that their enemy on the other side of the world had all 90-degree angles. All who had that type of tongue had tried to get water had to fight one of them, all who fought them so far died. One-day snake tried to get water and inquired, " Can I have some gulps of water?"

They replied, "No, unless you want to have your fate sealed."

Then he left and thought about what to do he questioned himself should I turn their enemy or not. He finally decided to try and find a way to get his tongue different shaped. Everything he tried failed. One day it hailed. The snake was so thirsty he stuck his tongue out to get one piece of ice but they were coming down so fast that one hit his tongue so his tongue wasn't rectangular anymore. Then he asked them again and they let him have his gulps of water. They even let him guard the water with them. That is the legend of how the snake got his forked tongue.



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