Northwest Creation Story

Raven was so lonely. One day he paced back and forth on the sandy beach feeling quite forlorn. Except for the trees , the moon, the sun, water and a few animals, The world was empty. His heart wished for the company of other creatures.

Suddenly a large clam pushed through the sand making an eerie bubbling sound. Raven watched and listened intently as the clam slowly opened up. He was surprised and happy to see tiny people emerging from the shell. All were talking, smiling, and shaking the sand off their tiny bodies. Men, women, and children spread around the island.

Raven was pleased and proud with his work. He sang a beautiful song of great joy and greeting. He had brought the first people to the world.

from archives of "Blue Panther"

an old Maidu story about

MOUNTAIN-LION AND HIS CHILDREN

 

Mountain-Lion went off to hunt deer. Having put provisions of different sorts on his back, he started off, and, travelling for some time, he camped for the night. He slept, and in the morning, after having breakfasted, after having made ready his bow, he went hunting

 

He kept travelling about, and, after having shot a deer, carried it on his back to camp towards evening. Then, skinning it, he prepared and dried the meat; and when it was partially dry, after having packed it in a sack, in the morning he went off. And continuing on his way, he reached home.

 

His two children, who usually came out to meet him, were not there. He heard nothing. "What has happened!" he wondered. Then laying down the deer, after having sat down, he peeped into his winter-house.

 

Some one lay there on the ground, alongside of his wife. "I wonder where my two children have gone!" he thought. Again he peeped in, but did not see them. "I wonder where they have gone!" he thought.

 

He searched about for tracks. He followed the tracks along the trail. Then he turned back again towards the house, and returned thither. He set fire to it, he burned down the house.

 

While the two children were staying in the house, while they were playing, that man (Lizard) crawled in toward them. He sat down, and remained there sitting. "Your father, where has he gone?" he said.

 

They did not answer. They ran behind their mother, being afraid.

 

Then that old woman spoke. "He has gone to hunt deer," she said. "Ho!" said he, and, after having sat a while, went across, and sat down close beside her, remained sitting there.

 

"What are you doing?" she said. "What am I doing? I am going to marry you," he said. "What are you saying? I am already married," said she. Nevertheless I am going to marry you," he said.

 

Then he seized her. "Because of our having done thus, 'In olden times they wronged women, even though having children,' it is thus that mortal men, evil-speaking men, stealing women, shall say," he said.

 

"Women believing, this, even though married, shall take another husband," said he. So saying, he lay down alongside her, and the woman made no reply.

 

The two children stood still behind the fire. Then, taking hold of each other's hands, they crawled out. And when they had stood around for a while outside, they went off; and, having dug open an ant-hill, they crawled into it. Going off angry, they kept on downwards, and camped for the night. The sister was the younger, it is said; the boy, the older.

 

They had gone on ahead, it is said, when after them that old man (Mountain-Lion), returning home, coming back with game from the hunt, burned down the house.

 

Thereafter the old man searched, he followed their tracks. Far he could not track them. Where they had gone about playing, he followed the tracks. He went about crying, all day he cried. He sought their tracks, but he did not see them. He could not track them anywhere. So he went off northwestward, and, going as far as he could, he went around towards the south. He went across and around towards the east, and came on to the northwest, searching for tracks, it is said. He went all around the world, but did not see tracks.

 

He went farther. "To what country, to what country, have they gone, that I have not found their tracks?" he said. Then he went on, went to the place where the sun goes down, came around toward the south. Going farther, he came hither, went where the sun rises, went sorrowing greatly. "What country have they gone to, that I have not seen them?" he said.

 

He departed, crossed over to the east, and, travelling in a circle, went to the north. "To what country, I wonder, have they gone, that I have not seen them!" he said. Every day he travelled, crying, till he reached the place whence he had set out. Then, sitting down, he remained there. He wept.

 

After a while he spoke. "What countries I have travelled! I will go back," he said. So he went back, kept travelling, and after a while reached his own country, his house. Then, from where their tracks had started, he followed them; kept following, followed to where, having gone a little distance from the house, they had stopped.

 

He could not understand. What is to be done, I wonder!" he said. Then, after he had stood around for a while, having looked here and there, he scraped away the sand at the ant-hill. The opening continued on down, and he crawled into it. Near by was the place where (the children) had camped for the night, and from there again he saw the tracks. So then he camped for the night. In the morning, having gotten up, he went on.

 

Having gone a little ways, the children had camped. His sister having grown tired, the boy had carried her, and, having carried her a little ways, he made her get down. This was the way they had done: always again going a little farther on, they had camped.

 

Seeing this, (Mountain-Lion) went on; seeing where they had camped, he went off; and, having gone a little farther, he camped. The two children, killing some birds, had eaten them there; in coming thus far, they had grown a little larger. Then they had gone on, kept travelling, going a little farther, and had camped again. And at that place, digging camas, they had eaten their supper. (Mountain-Lion) reached that place, and went on.

 

Then again, going a little ways, they had camped; and the old man, reaching there, camped for the night. They had shot ducks; they had gathered all kinds of roots, all kinds of food; then they had had supper. Reaching that spot, the old man saw all this, and camped there. And having, eaten all such sorts of food, he slept. In the morning, having breakfasted, he went on.

 

From there the old man, they say, kept travelling, eating food, and camped just where they had camped; then, continuing on his way, he went on. Having departed towards a distant country, they had camped, they had shot a young deer, they had made a bow. The bow was left behind, a little seed-beater was left behind. After using them, they had left them, and had gone on from there.

 

The old man reached that place and camped. Taking down the deer which hung there, he roasted it, roasted camas in the ashes, and ate supper. In the morning he arose, cooked some deer, roasted some camas, and breakfasted. Then he went off, kept travelling, and again came to where they had camped. A large deer was hanging there. A tray-basket was left behind, a root-digger was left behind, a large bow was left behind, well-made things had been left.

 

He arrived at this place; he ate supper, roasting deer, baking camas, taking it out of the fire, sifting it with the tray basket. Having prepared things well, he supped. In the morning, arising, he did just the same again,--roasting deer, baking camas, taking it out into the tray-basket, fixing it, sifting it. Then, when he had breakfasted, he went.

 

Having gone, it seemed as if he had nearly caught up with them. He kept travelling, and again reached the place where they had camped. They had shot a cinnamon-bear; skinning it, fixing the hide nicely, they had hung it up. At this place they left a little pack-basket, a tray-basket, a digging-stick they had abandoned.

 

He arrived at that place. "I have almost caught up," he thought. Then taking down the bear, roasting it, roasting it well, he supped. After he had slept, in the morning he arose and breakfasted. Then he went on, he went away. When they went off, the children left a hut behind. Putting it together with bark, fixing it, covering it over, they had camped. He arrived there. A burden-basket was left, a winnowing-tray was left, a quiver was hung up, deer was hung up, bear was hung up.

 

Having arrived, he built a fire; then taking down the deer, roasting it, he supped. Then he slept; and in the morning, having arisen, he roasted some deer and breakfasted. Then he went away, kept going until he reached where they had camped. When he had arrived, a black-bear hide was hanging there, a fisher-skin quiver was left; a burden-basket, a winnowing basket, were left. "I think I have almost caught up," he said. And, having finished eating his breakfast, he went on.

 

Now he had grown very old. Continuing on thus far, when he looked up, he saw there was a great winter-house. Keeping on his way, he arrived there, being very old. And arriving there, beside the winter-house, outside the house, he sat down. Then sitting there, he stretched himself out, and lay on his back.

 

They saw and spoke of the very old man, "Who has come?" they said. Then that woman who had a father came out. She recognized her father. "It is my father! My father has come!" she said. Then her brother came out, and, coming out, he looked repeatedly at him. But, being so old, he could hardly recognize him. So, going into the house, he brought out his bow, and shot him who lay there. His father died.

 

After a while he lifted him on his shoulder, and carried him to a spring, and laid him in it. Then in the morning, waking and rising as a young man, he came out. He came into the house. His daughter lived there, married, having children. His son also similarly was living there, having children. And the old man having come in, they gave him breakfast.

 

Then, having breakfasted, they talked together. "We, our mother being seized by some kind of mysterious person, became afraid and ran away. We came as far as this," they said. Then they remained in that country in the olden time.

 

 

Maidu Texts, by Roland B. Dixon; Publications of the American Ethnological Society, Volume IV; Late E. J. Brill Publishers and Printers, Leyden, [1912] and is now in the public domain.

from archives of Blue Panther

The Mountain Spirits

Mountain Spirit - Nez Perce

 

 

Allalimyah, a mountain spirit or spirit of the wind. He was in the form of a person. A tall old man taller than any tree. Walking to and fro continually never resting, never eating, wailing and weeping blood, tears of blood constantly dripping not only from this eyes but from the great staff in his hand.

 

Many of the people a long time ago tried to touch this person, cannot tell whether man or woman. They grabbed but found nothing but air in their hands. With his breath he started all the breezes. If he did rest a moment it was at his turning places one of these was over at that mountain between Moscow and Spokane and the other turning place near Asotin he was on the go all the time first one way then turned went back over the same road.

 

That mountain is where the Nez Perce and Umatillas took refuge at the time of the great flood when all other places but that one mountain had been submerged. The stone is there yet in which they found their kouse - looks they tell just like one of their old morters.

 

Alla lim yah was a great spirit ranked higher than the spirit of the cold or heat. He it was who sent the way a kin in form of bird or beast to their sons or daughters when alone on the mountains.

from archives of Blue Panther

Mouse Road

Mouse Road, The Great Warrior

 

When the battle was finally almost over,
All of the Mouse Road's Cheyenne brothers lay dead.

But Mouse Road has fought with such skill and
courage that his Crow enemies sent a word bringer to
his to his rifle pit.

 

 

" We will not kill you " , they said, for
" You are a brave and
honorable man, a worthy enemy.
In you we see the same traits we admire in our men.
We will draw off now while you ride away in peace.
Go, brave one".

 

 

"I will not thank you for your praise," Mouse Road replied,
"for your words are only truth and I have earned them.
I also trust your words.

But, there around me lie my comrades,
dead as stones.
I trained for war with them, learned the secrets
of the hunt with them
and bounced their children on my knee.
How will I return to my village without them?
Why would I want to?
Come and finish this sport.

I am for you."

 

 

And three more of Mouse Road's enemies were sent under
that day before the last Cheyenne brave was slain.

from Blue Panther's archives

an Old story ...

Mistakes Of Old-Man – Blackfoot

ALL night the storm raged, and in the morning the plains were white with snow. The sun came and the light was blinding, but the hunters were abroad early, as usual.

That day the children came to my camp, and I told them several stories that appeal to white children. They were deeply interested, and asked many questions. Not until the hunters returned did my visitors leave.

That night War Eagle told us of the mistakes of Old-man. He said:

"Old-man made a great many mistakes in making things in the world, but he worked until he had everything good. I told you at the beginning that Old-man made mistakes, but I didn't tell you what they were, so now I shall tell you.

"One of the things he did that was wrong, was to make the Big-Horn to live on the plains. Yes, he made him on the plains and turned him loose, to make his living there. Of course the Big-Horn couldn't run on the plains, and Old-man wondered what was wrong. Finally, he said: 'Come here, Big-Horn!' and the Big-Horn came to him. Old-man stuck his arm through the circle his horns made, and dragged the Big-Horn far up into the mountains. There he set him free again, and sat down to watch him. Ho! It made Old-man dizzy to watch the Big-Horn run about on the ragged cliffs. He saw at once that this was the country the Big-Horn liked, and he left him there. Yes, he left him there forever, and there he stays, seldom coming down to the lower country.

"While Old-man was waiting to see what the Big-Horn would do in the high mountains, he made an Antelope and set him free with the Big-Horn. Ho! But the Antelope stumbled and fell down among the rocks. He couldn't run at all; could hardly stand up. So Old-man called to the Antelope to come back to him, and the Antelope did come to him. Then he called to the Big-Horn, and said:

"'You are all right, I guess, but this one isn't, and I'll have to take him somewhere else.'

"He dragged the Antelope down to the prairie country, and set him free there. Then he watched him a minute; that was as long as the Antelope was in sight, for he was afraid Old-man might take him back to the mountains.

"He said: 'I guess that fellow was made for the plains, all right, so I'll leave him there'; and he did. That is why the Antelope always stays on the plains, even to-day. He likes it better.

"That wasn't a very long story; sometime when you get older I will tell you some different stories, but that will be all for this time, I guess. Ho!"   

Frank B.Linderman
Indian Why Stories , Sparks From War Eagle's Lodge-Fire , Frank B.Linderman, [CO SKEE SEE CO COT] , Published: 1915 , And Is Now In The Public Domain.

from Blue Panther's archives



 

Mochomo

ONCE there was a Mochomo, a chieftain of the ants who was driving a mule train of little mochomos. One night it turned very cold and snowed, and the snow killed every one of his train of mules.

"I shall go to the king of the snow," said Mochomo, "He has killed all of my mules!" He went to the house of the king of the snow, saying, "I am angry. Your snow killed my mule train! If you are a brave man you will fight me!"

"Oh, no," said the king of the snow, "I am not brave. I am very soft and weak. There is a man who is stronger than I am and he is the sun. When the sun shines on me I disappear."

"Well, I will go to see the sun then," shouted Mochomo. And he strode off. To the sun he said, "The snow has killed all my train of mules. You are braver than the snow, so I am going to fight you, since you are so strong."

"Oh, no," said the sun, "there is one who is stronger than I. That is the clouds. I have no strength when they cover me."

So Mochomo went to the king of the clouds, offering to fight him. The king of the clouds said, "The strongest of all is the wind. It blows me wherever it wills."

"Then I shall have to fight the wind. Where does he live?" asked Mochomo.

"Down there in that blacksmith shop," said the king of the clouds.

Mochomo went down to the blacksmith shop and strode up to the bellows.

"I am very angry. The snow killed all of my mules. Since you are the strongest and bravest, I am going to fight you!" he shouted.

The bellows made no answer. Then suddenly they blew very hard, blowing the angry Mochomo, chief of the ants, far away.

This is a fragment of a European fable variously named "L'Hormiguita," "El Aguila," or "El Zancudo." It has been recorded in other collections of folklore on this continent from New Mexico, Jalisco, and Oaxaca (Boas 1912: 221-222).

Yaqui Myths and Legends, by Ruth Warner Giddings; Illustrated by Laurie Cook; University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ (Univ. Ariz. Anthropological Paper No. 2) [1959] [1959, Copyright not registered or renewed] and is now in the public domain.

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Posted by: "Blue Panther" <>

 

Kwakiutl story: Otter

Mink goes to make War with his Friend Land, Otter

(Dictated by MalE'd, a Kwâ'gul, 1893.)


"Let us go and make war, friend," said Born-to-be-the-Sun to Land-Otter. "Whom shall we make war against, friend?" said, on his part, Land-Otter to Born-to-be-the-Sun. "Those are the ones whom we will take, on the beach, the Innumerable-Ones." Then they started in the morning. If was fogy. They paddled to an island. "Ê, ê, ê, ê!" said Born-to-be-the-Sun. "Back-water! My nose-ornament fell into the water." Then his friend tried to back-water. Born-to-be-the-Sun stood up in the canoe and dived. He was not under water long when he came up carrying sea-eggs in the fold of his blanket. Then he ate them. He only lied when he said that his nose ornament fell into the water. What he meant was, that he had seen the sea-eggs. Give me some, friend," said his friend Land-Otter. "Don't," said Born-to-be-the-Sun. "Do those who war here and there give to each other? Just go, friend," said Born-to-be-the-Sun to his friend Land-Otter.

Then Land-Otter dived. He came up again, and Land-Otter did not get anything. "How did you do it, friend?" said Land-Otter, questioning his friend. "Put your face up and pull your knees up when you come up." Then Land-Otter dived, and Born-to-be-the-Sun jumped up in the canoe, went to the bow of the canoe, and took what murdered by itself Land-Otter. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun was standing in the canoe, ready for his friend to come up lying on his back. When his face came up, Born-to-be-the-Sun speared his friend just over the breast-bone. Then his friend was dead. He just pushed his friend into the water.

Then Born-to-be-the-Sun went ashore. He went out of the canoe and sat down on the beach. He pulled out his musk-bag and transformed it into a man, who was sitting there, small, on the beach. Then he spoke to his past Musk-Bag. "To what tribe do you belong, slave?" Thus said Born-to-be-the-Sun. "I am the Musk-Bag of Born-to-be-the-Sun," [only] said the child. "Don't say that, slave," said Born-to-be-the-Sun. "You shall say, when you are asked, 'I am the prince of the Innumerable-Ones.'" Then he went home. The Musk-Bag was sitting in the bow of the canoe. He said that he had taken him in war. Then he wailed for his past friend, "Tsanâ'nanâ'! My friend died by going behind the houses, tsanâ'nanâ'! My friend died by going in front of the houses, tsanâ'nanâ'!"--"Our chief says something important on the water," said his tribe. Then he went ashore. Born-to-be-the-Sun went out of the canoe. Then he pulled out of the canoe the slave he had gotten. The slave was questioned. "To what tribe do you belong, slave?" Thus was said by the tribe of Born-to-be-the-Sun. "I am the musk-bag, of Born-to-be-the-Sun," [only] said the slave. Then he was made fun of. They just threw at each other the musk-bag of Born-to-be-the-Sun; and Born-to-be-the-Sun's sister sang for him, "Try to sit on it! Try to sit on his musk-bag!" Then Born-to-be-the-Sun tried to sit on his musk-bag, and he caught it. He put it back in its place.

Then he entered the house. Then the wife of the dead friend came in. She was dressed well, and inquired what had killed her dead husband. "Don't!" said Born-to-be-the-Sun. "Go to your house. Let me point out what killed my dead friend. Just stop up all the holes in your house." Then the woman went home. Immediately she stopped up the holes. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun entered her house. "That is what killed my past friend," he said, pointing to her forehead. He went down pointing at the body of the woman. "Lean back, that I may point out all that killed my friend. Open your legs! That is what killed my friend." There was no place on the woman's groins that he did not point at. Then he climbed on Sawbill-Duck-Woman. He only wanted to cohabit with Sawbill-Duck-Woman. "I am the one who did it to my dead friend." That is the end. 1

Footnotes:
161:1 For the story of Mink and the Wolves, see F. Boas, The Social Organization and the Secret Societies of the Kwakiutl Indians (Annual Report of the U. S. National Museum for 1895, p. 725).

Kwakiutl Tales, by Franz Boas; (Columbia University Contributions to Anthropology, Volume II) New York: Columbia University Press; [1910] and is now in the public domain.


 

Kwakiutl story: Mink

Mink imitates his Hosts


The people were invited by Thrush-Woman to go to a feast with their friends. They sat down in the house, and Thrush-Woman arose and broke salmon-berry bushes, and huckle-berry bushes. Then she put down a dish, and put salmon-berry bushes and huckle-berry bushes by its side. Then Thrush-Woman said, "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'! Then the salmon-berry bushes became green. Then she said again, "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!" and the salmon-berries and the huckle-berries became red. Then she said again, "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!",  and all the salmon-berries and huckle-berries became ripe.
Then she put them into a dish and placed them before the guests, and the salmon-berries were eaten with spoons. Then they finished and went home.

"Mother," said Born-to-be-the-Sun, "I want very much to give a feast."--"You don't say so! What provisions may you have for a feast," said Mother. "Shall I not do just the same as my, friend did when she just broke the salmon-berries and huckle-berries?"--"You are like her!"

Then Born-to-be-the-Sun invited Thrush-Woman and Sparrow and Water-Ousel and Hawk. "We shall dine at Born-to-be-the-Sun's. "We will go at once," they said. The guests came, and sat down in the house. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun broke off salmon-berries and huckle-berries, and took a dish and put the salmon-berries by its side. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun said "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!" but there was not one (berry); and again he said "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!"

Nothing.

Then again he said "WâxwaxolîdzElî'dzElî'dzElî'!" just one little green one was there. Those whom he tried to invite just went out. "I tried to tell you that she would make you ashamed." Thus said Mother to him.


Then Water-Ousel invited Born-to-be-the-Sun and his friends. They came and sat down. Then he took a dish, and stretched out his foot over the rim. Then he struck the side of his foot, and salmon-eggs came out. Then the dish was full. Then he put the dishes before his guests. He finished. They went out, and Born-to-be-the-Sun took the rest of the salmon-eggs home.

"Mother," said Born-to-be-the-Sun, "let me give, a feast also."--"And what may you have to give a feast with?"--"But shall I not do the same as my friend Water-Ousel has done?"

"You are the same as he is! Everything about you is quite different."--"What should be difficult about it?"--"Go on, you ugly one, who makes (me) really ashamed!" Then Born-to-be-the-Sun invited (people) in.

"We will eat with spoons," he said to his friends. His friends came and sat down in the house. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun took a dish, and Born-to-be-the-Sun stretched out his foot over the dish. Then he struck the side of his foot. One little salmon-roe was there. Then those whom he had invited in vain just went out.


Then Hawk invited his friends in. The guests came and sat down in the house. Then he went out and put on his hawk garment. He sat on the end of a pole which stuck out over the water. He said, "MESê' mESê' mESe'ku mESe'ku!"

Then a steel-head salmon swam along; and he took it with his talons, and took it to the house and roasted it, that his friends might eat it whole. Then they finished, and went out and went home. Born-to-be-the-Sun went to his house.

"Mother, let me also invite (the people)."--"Don't say so. Again you want to do that, and what have you got to give a feast with?"--"Can I not just borrow the hawk garment of my friend Hawk?"--"This little thing will really make (me) ashamed. You think you will succeed, because you have no sense or shame," said Mother.

Then Born-to-be-the-Sun invited his friends. They came and sat down. Then he went to borrow (the hawk garment).

"Friend, let me borrow your hawk garment."--"Go and take it." Then Born-to-be-the-Sun put on the bird garment, and sat down on the end of a pole sticking out over the water. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun said, "MESê' mESê' mESe'ku mESe'ku!"

A steel-head salmon came. He tried to grasp it with his talons. He only fell into the water; and he just paddled ashore with his wings. Then he was advised by his friends, "Don't try to jump. Just let yourself drop down."

Then he spread his wings to dry the bird garment. Now they became dry. He said, "MESê' mESê' mESe'ku mESe'ku!" and a spring salmon came. Then he jumped and soared. Then the intestines of Born-to-be-the-Sun just hung down, and Born-to-be-the-Sun just hung from the top of the tree. Then he was taken by his friends. "What are you doing?"--"I don't know," said Born-to-be-the-Sun. Then his friends went out. That is the end.


Kwakiutl Tales, by Franz Boas; (Columbia University Contributions to Anthropology, Volume II) New York: Columbia University Press; [1910] and is now in the public domain.


from archives of Blue Panther

Kwakiutl story of MINK

Mink is deserted by his Wife



Then he went to his house with his wife. Then his wife was pregnant, and gave birth to a child. Her child was a boy. Then Sawbill-Duck-Woman said, "Let us go and see the ancestors of this baby."

Then he went to Woodpecker. He said, "Please have pity on me (and give me) a little drop for this baby."

Then Born-to-be-the-Sun was given red ochre. Born-to-be-the-Sun tried to put a little in the mouth of the child. "Don't (put in) too much," said his wife. He just finished trying to put a little into the mouth (of the child). "It does not taste bad, it tastes sweet."--"Verily, that rascal has no sense. Let us just go." Then they went home. The two were in the canoe, he and his wife. They paddled along the rocks, and Born-to-be-the-Sun looked into the water. Then he saw sea-eggs. He backed-water and dived headlong. Then he carried the sea-eggs in the fold of his blanket.


"Go on!" said, on her part, his wife, "and stay longer." His wife thought that she would leave him. Then Born-to-be-the-Sun dived. He came again carrying sea-eggs in the fold of his blanket. "Indeed, you were not long under water. Try to walk about on the ground below. Go again and try to get plenty," said his wife, on her part. Then he dived; and as soon as he dived, his wife paddled away. She left him, and looked back often. When she had gone a long way, Born-to-be-the-Sun emerged.

"What are you doing, my dear? Come, I got a great many. Oh, come!" he said, on his part. "Do come, try to be a chieftainess,--a big chieftainess,--else I will call you an ugly one with matted hair on the pubes."

Then Born-to-the-Sun went ashore and walked along the rocks. He sat down on the rocks and ate the sea-eggs. He did not care that he was left by his wife. He started again. He did not forget the sea he was anxious to eat them. He desired them much. He was careful when he sat down on the rock and ate the sea-eggs. Then his wife returned home, and Born-to-be-the-Sun finished having wives. He was just left by his wife. That is the end.

Kwakiutl Tales, by Franz Boas; (Columbia University Contributions to Anthropology, Volume II) New York: Columbia University Press; [1910] and is now in the public domain.


archives of Blue Panther
 

A Hidden Story

Acheria, The Fox: a Basque story

ONE day a fox was hungry. He did not know what to think. He saw a shepherd pass every day with his flock, and he said to himself that he ought to steal his milk and his cheese, and to have a good feast; but he needed some one to help him in order to effect anything. So he goes off to find a wolf, and he says to him,

"Wolf, wolf! we ought to have a feast with such a shepherd's milk and cheese. You, you shall go to where the flocks are feeding, and from a distance you must howl, 'Uhur, uhur, uhur.' The man, after having milked his sheep, drives them into the field, with his dog, very early in the morning, and he stops at home to do his work, and then he makes his cheese; and, when you have begun to howl 'Uhur, uhur,' and the dog to bark, the shepherd will leave everything else, and will go off full speed. During this time I will steal the milk, and we will share it when you come to me."

The wolf agreed to have a feast, and set out. He did just what the fox had told him. The dog began to bark when the wolf approached. And when the man heard that he went off, leaving everything, and our fox goes and steals the vessel in which the curdled milk was. What does he do then, before the arrival of the wolf? He gently, gently takes off the cream, thinly, thinly, and he eats all the contents of the jug. After he has eaten all, he fills it up with dirt, and puts back the cream on the top, and he awaits the wolf at the place where he had told him. The fox says to him, since it is he who is to make the division, that as the top is much better than the underneath part, the one who should choose that should have only that, and the other all the rest. "Choose now which you would like."

The wolf says to him,

"I will not have the top; I prefer what is at the bottom."

The fox then takes the top, and gives the poor wolf the vessel full of dirt. 1 When he saw that, the wolf got angry; but the fox said to him,

"It is not my fault. Apparently the shepherd makes it like that."

And the fox goes off well filled.

Another day he was again very hungry, and did not know what to contrive. Every day he saw a boy pass by on the road with his father's dinner. He says to a blackbird,

"Blackbird, you don't know what we ought to do? We ought to have a good dinner. A boy will pass by here directly. You will go in front of him, and when the boy goes to catch you, you will go on a little farther, limping, and when you shall have done that a little while the boy will get impatient, and he will put down his basket in order to catch you quicker. I will take the basket, and will go to such a spot, and we will share it, and will make a good dinner."

The blackbird says to him, "Yes."

When the boy passes, the blackbird goes in front of the boy, limping, limping. When the boy stoops (to catch him), the blackbird escapes a little further on. At last the boy, getting impatient, puts his basket on the ground, in order to go quicker after the blackbird. The fox, who kept watching to get hold of the basket, goes off with it, not to the place agreed upon, but to his hole, and there he stuffs himself, eating the blackbird's share as well as his own.

Then he says to himself,

"I shall do no good stopping here. The wolf is my enemy, and the blackbird, too. Something will happen to me if I stay here. I must go off to the other side of the water."

He goes and stands at the water's edge. A boatman happened to pass, and he said to him:

"Ho! man, ho! Will you, then, cross me over this water? I will tell you three truths."

The man said to him, "Yes."

The fox jumps (into the boat), and he begins to say:

"People say that maize bread is as good as wheaten bread. That is a falsehood. Wheaten bread is better. That is one truth."

When he was in the middle of the river, he said:

"People say, too, 'What a fine night; it is just as clear as the day!' That's a lie. The day is always clearer. That is the second truth."

And he told him the third as they were getting near the bank.

"Oh! man, man, you have a bad pair of trousers on, and they will get much worse, if you do not pass over people who pay you more than I."

"That's very true," said the man; and the fox leapt ashore.

Then I was by the side of the river, and I learnt these three truths, and I have never forgotten them since.

Footnotes: 

44:1 Cf. Campbell's tale, "The Keg of Butter," Vol. III., 98, where the fox cheats the wolf by giving him, the bottoms of the oats and the tops of the potatoes. See also the references there given.

From the archives of Blue Panther


http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/basque/bl/bl17.htm

How the Crow Came to be Black – Lakota / Brule

In days long past, when the earth and the people on it were still young, all crows were white as snow. In those ancient times the people had neither horses nor firearms nor weapons of iron. Yet they depended upon the buffalo hunt to give them enough food to survive. Hunting the big buffalo on foot with stone-tipped weapons was hard, uncertain, and dangerous. The crows made things even more difficult for the hunters, because they were friends of the buffalo. Soaring high above the prairie, they could see everything that was going on. Whenever they spied hunters approaching a buffalo herd, they flew to their friends and, perching between their horns, warned them: “Caw, caw, caw, cousins, hunters are coming. They are creeping up through that gully over there. They are coming up behind that hill. Watch out! Caw, caw, caw!” 

Hearing this, the buffalo would stampede, and the people starved. The people held a council to decide what to do. Now, among the crows was a huge one, twice as big as all the others. This crow was their leader. One wise old chief got up and made this suggestion: “We must capture the big white crow,” he said, “and teach him a lesson. It’s either that or go hungry. ”He brought out a large buffalo skin, with the head and horns still attached. He put it on the back of a young brave, saying: “Nephew, sneak among the buffalo. They will think you are one of them, and you can capture the big white crow.” 

Disguised as a buffalo, the young man crept among the herd as if he were grazing. The big, shaggy beasts paid him no attention. Then the hunters marched out from their camp after him, their bows at the ready. As they approached the herd, the crows came flying, as usual, warning the buffalo: “Caw, caw, caw, cousins, the hunters are coming to kill you. Watch out for their arrows. Caw, caw, caw!” and as usual, all the buffalo stampeded off and away - all, that is, except the young hunter in disguise under his shaggy skin, who pretended to go on grazing as before. Then the big white crow came gliding down, perched on the hunter’s shoulders, and flapping his wings, said: “Caw, caw, caw, brother, are you deaf? The hunters are close by, just over the hill. Save yourself!” 

But the young brave reached out from under the buffalo skin and grabbed the crow by the legs. With a rawhide string he tied the big bird’s feet and fastened the other end to a stone. No matter how the crow struggled, he could not escape. Again the people sat in council. 

“What shall we do with this big, bad crow, who has made us go hungry again and again?” “I’ll burn him up!” answered one angry hunter, and before anybody could stop him, he yanked the crow from the hands of his captor and thrust it into the council fire, string, stone and all. “This will teach you,” he said. Of course, the string that held the stone burned through almost at once, and the big crow managed to fly out of the fire. But he was badly singed, and some of his feathers were charred. Though he was still big, he was no longer white. 

“Caw, caw, caw,” he cried, flying away as quickly as he could, “I’ll never do it again; I’ll stop warning the buffalo, and so will the Crow nation. I promise! Caw, caw, caw.” Thus the crow escaped. But ever since, all crows have been black.

Told by Good White Buffalo at Winner, Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota, 1964.

Run, Rabbit, Run a Wabanki story

It was late winter or very early spring, for snow still lay on the ground, when Ableegumooch the Rabbit entertained two friends at a maple syrup feast. The two friends were Keoonik the Otter and Miko the Squirrel.

As they happily licked the last of the syrup off their paws, they exchanged news.

"Last night," said Miko, "the moon looked into my den and woke me, and I heard wolves talking outside. I heard them offer Lusifee the Wild Cat two strings of wampum to kill somebody!"

"Really?" asked the rabbit, with interest. "Who?"

"They didn't mention any name," said the squirrel, "but only spoke of him as a servant and friend of Glooscap, one full of tricks, who knows his way through the forest."

"Whoever he is," said Keoonik darkly, "he is as good as dead, for that Lusifee is a cunning tracker and absolutely cold-blooded."
"A friend of our Master's," mused Ableegumooch, "could be any of us."

"Someone full of tricks," remarked the otter uneasily. "It could even be me!"
"Hah!" snorted the rabbit, "you know very well that I am the one most full of tricks hereabouts." And Keoonik did not deny it, for he had suffered much in the past from the rabbit's mischief. Miko gave a little shiver.

"You know, when they spoke of one who knew his way through the forest, I couldn't help wondering if they meant me, for I can find my way through the trees better than most."

"Nonsense!" snapped Ableegumooch. "Anything a squirrel can do, a rabbit can do better. After all, I am Glooscap's official forest guide. And his very good friend," he added proudly.

"The thing is," said Keoonik, his eyes dwelling unconsciously on the rabbit, "to find someone who fits all three requirements-- someone full of tricks, one who knows the forest, and one who is a servant and friend of the Great Chief."

The rabbit jumped as if a bee had stung him.
"Oh my! It's me he's after!"
Keoonik tried to comfort the stricken rabbit.
"We'll stand by you," he said. "Won't we, Miko?"
"Y-yes," said the squirrel doubtfully, for he feared that even the three of them together would be no match for the ferocious cat.

"Thanks, my friends," said Ableegumooch, heartened by their loyalty, "but I may not need your help. I have a plan."
Miko asked what he had in mind.

"Strength and speed are on Lusifee's side, so I must rely on craft," said Ableegumooch and grinned mysteriously. "When a rabbit's skin falls short, he must borrow another's. Well, he's sure to come here to find me. I'm off!" And the rabbit sprang into the air, landing a long distance from his lodge, so as to leave no track near his home. Ableegumooch kept jumping in this way until he thought he was out of scent and sight, then scampered away like the wind.

Keoonik and Miko scurried to a hiding place nearby and waited to see what would happen. Presently, sure enough, Lusifee the Wild Cat appeared, slinking along with nose to the earth, his yellow eyes gleaming and his great paws padding silently over the snow.

Finding the rabbit's wigwam empty, he snarled with disappointed fury. However, taking the wigwam for a center, he kept going round and round it, making each circle a little wider than the one before, until at last he found the rabbit's scent. He kept on circling until he reached the spot where the rabbit had stopped jumping. Then, swearing by his tail to catch Ableegumooch and kill him, he set out swiftly on a clear trail.

As the day passed, Lusifee knew by the freshness of the track that he was overtaking the rabbit, but he did not catch sight of his prey while daylight lasted. As night fell, Lusifee came upon a wigwam all alone on the open marsh, and he poked his head inside. There sat a grave and dignified old fox, whose white hair stuck up oddly on either side of his head. When asked if he had seen Ableegumooch, the old fellow shook his head, but invited Lusifee to pass the night with him.

"You can continue your search in the morning," he said in a helpful manner. So, being tired and hungry, Lusifee accepted the invitation, and after a good supper, lay down by the fire and slept soundly.

Towards morning, however, he began to shiver and feel most uncomfortable. Waking at last, he looked around in amazement. He was no longer in the warm lodge but lying on the open marsh with snow blowing over him. Then Lusifee saw dimly the marks of a rabbit's feet and knew Ableegumooch had fooled him. The rabbit, artful at disguise, had masqueraded as the fox and had removed himself and the wigwam while Lusifee slept.

Resuming the chase in a great rage, the cat swore by his teeth, as well as by his tail, that Ableegumooch would die before nightfall. But when darkness came again, he had still not caught sight of the rabbit.

Stopping at the first village he came to, which was that of a porcupine tribe, he asked the first young porcupine he met if he had seen a rabbit pass this way.

"Hush!" said the porcupine. "Can't you see we are listening to the storyteller?" Then Lusifee noticed that the whole tribe was gathered around the fire listening to an old porcupine with white whiskers and oddly-shaped ears. In the land of the Wabanaki, the storyteller is greatly respected, and it is considered most impolite to interrupt him. So the cat was obliged to wait until the stories were over. Then he turned once more to the young porcupine.

"But have you seen a rabbit?"

"Hundreds of them," answered the other impatiently, "are racing about in the cedar swamp near here. You can have as many as you want."

"Those aren't the ones I'm after," complained the cat. "I want Ableegumooch, Glooscap's forest guide."

The young porcupine said he knew of no other sort of rabbit save the wild wood ones, but perhaps the storyteller who was old and wise could tell him something.

So Lusifee went to the storyteller and asked if he had seen a rabbit pass by.

"Rabbit?" The storyteller rattled his quills as he thought, and the cat moved back prudently. "No, I've seen no rabbit. But, my friend, you look tired. You may pass the night with me, if you like, in my lodge outside the village."

The cat was glad of the invitation and went to sleep in a warm bed. Much later, he awoke, all a-shake and a-shiver in a wet cedar swamp, the wind blowing ten times worse than the night before, and all around him the tracks of a rabbit.

Lusifee sprang up more enraged than ever and, swearing now by his claws, as well as by his teeth and his tail, to be revenged on the rabbit, he set out again on the trail. He ran all day and at night came to another village, inhabited by a tribe of bears. He was so weary he could only gasp out:

"Have--you--seen--a rab--bit?" q

The bears said they had not, but invited him to join in a feast with them, and when they had done eating, they politely asked him for a song. Now the cat was very vain about his voice, and right willingly he lifted up his voice in a song of hate against rabbits. The bears applauded and invited him to join in the dancing, but the cat begged to be excused on account of weariness and sat to one side, watching.

Now one of the bears was smaller than the others and his ears were somewhat longer than bears' are usually. How ever, he was a great dancer and leaped higher in the air than any other. As he passed by Lusifee he accidentally, it seemed, gave the cat a fierce kick, cutting his head and knocking him senseless.

When the cat came back to consciousness, he found him self in a wigwam outside the village. A medicine man of the bear tribe was bending over him and the cat noticed that he wore long white feathers on either side of his head. By now Lusifee was growing more suspicious and he looked at the medicine man with narrowed eyes.

"I was asking if any rabbits had been around here," said Lusifee, "and truly you look very much like one yourself. How did you get that split lip?"

"Oh, that is very simple," said the medicine man, who was no other than Ableegumooch, of course. "Once I was hammering wampum beads, and the stone on which I beat them broke in halves and one piece flew up and split my lip."

"But why are the soles of your feet so yellow, like a rabbit's?"

"Simple, again," said the medicine man. "I was once preparing some tobacco and as I needed both hands to work, I held it down with my feet--so the tobacco stained them yellow."

Then Lusifee suspected no more and allowed the medicine man to doctor his cuts with salve, after which he fell asleep. But, alas, once more the unhappy cat awoke in dreadful misery, his head swollen and aching, his wound stuffed now with hemlock needles instead of salve.

Now Lusifee swore by his body and soul, as well as by his teeth and his claws and his tail, to kill the next thing he met, rabbit, or any other!

Forgetting pain and cold, he rushed off, exulting when he found the track of Ableegumooch very fresh. Evidently the rabbit too was tiring from the race and could not be far off. Yes, there was the tricky follow just ahead! In fact Ableegumooch had been obliged to stop short as he came to the edge of a broad river. The cat grinned with triumph, for he knew that rabbits are no good at swimming. "You can't escape me now," he shouted. Poor Ableegumooch. He could run no further.

Far away on Blomidon's misty summit, Glooscap saw all that had happened and knew the rabbit had done all he could by himself. The Great Chief began to smoke his pipe very hard, puffing black rings into the blue sky, where they changed at once into birds.

Down in the forest, Ableegumooch had turned at bay and Lusifee was prepared to spring--when, suddenly, down from the sky hurled a great flock of giant hawks screaming their war cries. Lusifee snarled and turned to meet them, but they bore him down by force of numbers--picking at his eyes and beating him with their wings- -until at last, screaming with fear, the cat turned tail and fled into the forest, where if he is not dead he is running still!

Trembling with fright, Ableegumooch sank down to rest at last. He was not half so cocky as he had been when he started out, for he knew that but for the hawks he would have been a dead rabbit. A flute was playing far off, and the rabbit listened. Then he knew who had sent the hawks to him in the nick of time.

"Thank you, Master," he whispered. Glooscap, far off on Blomidon, nodded--and played a triumphant tune to the returning birds.

Now, kespeadooksit--the story ends.  - from the archives of Blue Panther

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.



from archives of Blue Panther

Micmaq Story

GLOOSCAP Changes Bad into Good

When Glooscap came in from the sea, he was riding his canoe, which was made of stone. He ran aground near what we now call St. John. He had been chasing 2 giant beavers. He was trying to stop them from raising any trouble.

He tried to stop them right there, where the Reversing Falls is today. He built a dam so they couldn’t go up the river. But still, the beavers managed to get past Glooscap, and travelled up the “Beautiful River”, which is now called the St. John River. 

Glooscap took 2 stones and threw them at these beavers. One stone landed a long way up the river and became Grand Falls.

The other stone hit the beaver. It landed in a rocky area, which is now called Plaster Rock. To this day, you can still see the red clay on the river bank. They say that this comes from the blood of the beaver.

Glooscap often used animals who were bad to make something good. He paddled up and down this Beautiful River (St. John) many times.

Even near Kingsclear where Glooscap came up, long before the Mactaquac Dam was built, he used the ledges to hold on to when he fell. Glooscap even left his image on those rocks. And where he left his snowshoes is where they were transformed and turned into The Snowshoe Islands.

These are all sacred places. Even the little people lived near the village of Kingsclear.

As retold by

Elder Charles Solomon of Kingsclear & Luke Simon of Big Cove

Early Sport

HOW THE ALLIGATOR'S NOSE WAS BROKEN – Creek

"In the old days," said Fixco, the Seminole, "all the animals determined upon a big ball play. 

The 4-footed animals, with the Alligator for their chief, challenged the fowls, with the Eagle at their head, for a game. Sides were chosen, the poles put up, the ground measured off, and the medicine men conjured the balls.

"The day came and they all met on the ground. The animals ran around their poles, all painted and dressed up, while the birds flew and screamed around their poles. At last the ball was tossed into the air and the game began. The Alligator caught the ball as it came down and, grasping it in his teeth, ran toward the poles. The birds in vain attempted to snatch it from him and at last gave it up in utter despair. The Eagle, however, soared aloft and circled in the air till almost out of sight, and then like an arrow he swooped to the earth and struck the Alligator on the nose and broke it. The Alligator's wife had run along with her old man and was shouting at the top of her voice: 

"Look at the little striped alligator's daddy, just look at him," while all the animals shouted in triumph.

"But when the Eagle struck the Alligator all was changed. The Alligator's teeth opened on the ball and the Turkey poked his head in among the teeth, pulled it out, and ran to the poles of the birds and threw the ball between them.

"The fowls won the game and ever since that time the Alligator has had a sunken place on his nose where the Eagle broke it."


Myths and Tales of the Southeastern Indians, by John R. Swanton; Smithsonian Institution, USGPO, Washington, D.C.; Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 88 [1929] and is now in the public domain.(creek)



from archives of Blue Panther

How Rabbit Got The Widow's Daughter

Christies Cabaret of Glendale

September 10, 2013

An old woman had a beautiful daughter with whom Rabbit was in love. So he went to the old woman and asked to marry her. But the old woman made excuses, saying that the girl was not old enough, did not understand housework, etc. Rabbit thereupon went off and made a plan, which he proceeded to carry out. He took a cane and made a hole in the back of the fireplace so that the sound could come through the fire. Then one night he got behind the fire and spoke through his cane, saying: "Anyone who has a growing daughter and does not allow her to marry will surely die, will surely die." Then the old woman was frightened and said to her daughter: "Listen to this. When he comes back you had better marry him." And so Rabbit got the girl.

Myths and Tales of the Southeastern Indians, by John R. Swanton; Smithsonian Institution, USGPO, Washington, D.C.; Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 88 [1929] and is now in the public domain.(Creek)

archives of Blue Panther

Nicole Scherzinger, formerly with the Pussy Cat Dolls on the beach.

How Maui obtained the Sacred Jawbone

Soon after he had found where his parents lived Maui carried off and slew his first victim. She was the daughter of Maru te whare aitu, and when he had dealt with her in a brutal fashion he dealt with her father also. By means of enchantments he caused this old man's crops to wither, and they were all destroyed. He then decided to make another visit to his parents, and this time he remained for a while in the country of the manapau trees.

One day he noticed that some people were in the habit of carrying to a certain place some kono, or small baskets of food, for some old person.

'Who is that food for?' he asked them, and one of the people who were going with it answered: 'It is for your ancestress Muri ranga whenua.'

"Where does she live?'' he asked, and they answered, 'Over there.'

'All right,' he said. 'That will do now. Leave the kono here. I will take them to her myself.'

From that time on Maui himself carried the daily presents of food that were meant for that old woman. But he never gave them to her. He merely went towards the place where she lived and hid the food in the bushes, and this he did for many days. 

At length the old chieftainess realised that there was some mischief going on, and the next time Maui came by she put her nose in the air and sniffed. She sniffed and sniffed, feeling sure that there was food not far away. By now she was greatly exasperated by her many days of hunger, and her stomach began to swell out, ready to eat up Maui as soon as he came within reach. Leaning on her stick the old woman turned towards the south, and sniffed the air, but no scent of food or man could she detect. She turned her nose round slowly to the east, and then to the north, sniffing carefully at every angle. Still no scent of food or man could she detect, and she would have devoured either, instantly . She almost thought she must have been mistaken, but then she turned to the west for one more time. From the west, the scent of a man came plainly to her nose, and she cried: 'I know from the smell in this breeze that someone is close to me.' 

As she began to feel about her with her stick Maui murmured something, and she knew at once that he was a descendant of hers. Her stomach, which had been distended to a great size, began to shrink again. This was fortunate for Maui. If his scent had not been carried to that old woman's nose by the westerly breeze, she would certainly have eaten him up.

When her stomach had resumed its normal size the old woman asked him, 'Are you Maui?' and he answered in a respectful voice: 'Even so.' Then she drew near and peered at him with her eyes that were nearly blind. 'Why did you cheat your old ancestress like that?' She said. 'Why have you been hiding my dinner, so that I have had nothing to eat these many days?' And she pointed with a crooked finger to her toothless and empty mouth. 'Ei?' she asked, and poked young Maui with her finger.

In a voice that showed he was not in the least afraid of her, Maui answered: 'I was anxious that your jawbone, which has magic properties, should be given to me.

'Take it,' said that old woman. 'It has been kept for you till now.' So saying she took her jawbone-for she was dead all down one side from being starved-and handed it to Maui. He carried it to the stream to wash off the blood and the bits of rotten flesh, and the blood went into the kokopu, giving that fish its reddish colour. After this he returned with the jawbone to the place where his brothers lived.

Soon afterwards Maui took a wife, and this led to the 1st of the exploits that he performed with the help of the jawbone of his ancestress. His wife went one day to wash herself in a still stream, and while she was in the water Tuna roa, the ancestor of eels, came slithering around her and made himself objectionable. That is, he touched her most improperly. When she went home she said to Maui: 'There is a man in that pool with very smooth skin.'

Maui at once felt jealous and decided to kill Tuna. He dug a trench beside the pool, and laid down 9 logs as skids, so that Tuna might slide over them as when a canoe is launched. Then he told his wife to sit near the trench while he put up a screen to hide himself. Soon Tuna was seen swimming towards her, and as he slithered over the skids Maui ran out and slew him with the enchanted weapon. One end of Tuna went into the sea and became the ngoiro, or conger eel. The other end became the fresh-water eel and is still called tuna. A part of him became the kareao, or supple-jack, whose smooth black canes, like eels among the river-weed, entangle the forest undergrowth today. And the blood of Tuna was absorbed by the rimu, the totara, and other trees, giving their wood its reddish colour.

After this exploit Maui lived quietly with his wife, and children were born to them.


 story from the Maori of New Zealand
from the archives of Blue Panther

AWARENESS

How Men First Played the Game of Ball - Apalache 


In ancient times the great chief Ytonaslaq, whose name meant Sleeping Fire in the Apalachee language, had no family but his young granddaughter Nico Taijulo. Her name meant Sun Woman. 

Sleeping Fire had for an enemy a chief who called himself Lightning Bolt, as if he had great powers. Lightning Bolt lived in a village nearby, and his shamans had told him that one day a son of Sun Woman would kill him. He was full of fear as Sun Woman grew up from childhood. When Sun Woman was grown, she took up a water jar every morning and went to the stream for water like other daughters and granddaughters. One day, between the village and the stream, she did have a child, a boy. Because she feared that Lightning Bolt would try to kill him if he knew that the child was hers, she hid him in the bushes by the path. She knew that he would soon be found. Then she took up her jar of water and went home to her grand-father, just as she always did. Panther, Bear, and Jay saw her go. When they came along through the bushes, they found the baby, and argued what to do. 

"We must take it to Sleeping Fire," said Jay at last. "He always knows best." And so Bear picked up Sun Woman's son, and they took him to his great- grandfather. 

"Do not speak of this child to anyone," Sleeping Fire told Panther, Bear, and Jay. "No one must know that my granddaughter has a son. That one who calls himself Lightning Bolt will be afraid of him, and try to kill him if he hears. We will call the boy Chita." 

And so the boy Chita grew up as an orphan, but his great-grandfather and mother made sure that he was cared for. He grew tall and strong, and was better than anyone else at shooting with the bow and arrow. He was better at hitting the rolling stone with his lances in the game of chunkey. He was better at every skill and game. When he was twenty, he was given the strange name of Eslaf-yoopi, though no one but his mother knew what it meant. At the same time his great- grandfather Sleeping Fire warned him again about the man who called himself Lightning Bolt. 

Now, the wicked Lightning Bolt had wondered for a long time whether the orphan boy was Sun Woman's son. He thought often of the warning his shamans had given, and when he heard how strong and brave Eslaf-yoopi was, he was afraid. I must know! Lightning Bolt thought. Then he thought. If I can set a trap for Eslaf-yoopi and kill him, at least I will know that he is not the one I should fear. 

So, Lightning Bolt went out looking for the young man, and found him. "Hoh, Eslaf-yoopi!" Lightning Bolt said. "Can you help me? I am making arrowheads and need more flints. It will be a good thing if you bring me a basketful from the bottom of the spring in the Great Sinkhole. They are the best flints." 

Eslaf-yoopi agreed, but remembered Sleeping Fire's warning, and went to tell his great-grandfather of all this. "It is good you come to me," Sleeping Fire said. "The spring in that place is so deep that you might never come up again." He took a handful of shell beads from a pouch and put them in the basket his great-grandson carried. "Hear me: When you come to the Great Sinkhole you will see a little bird diving into the water. Give him these beads, and ask him to bring up flints for you." 

Eslaf-yoopi did this, and Diving Bird was happy to have the beads. He brought up flints enough from the bottom of the spring to fill the young man's basket, and Eslaf-yoopi took them to Lightning Bolt. Lightning Bolt was not pleased to see him, but he smiled and thanked him. 

"These will do well," he said, "but when I have made the arrowheads, I will need many shafts for my arrows. Can you help me? The best arrows are made from canes that come from the canebrake in the Great Thicket. It will be a good thing if you cut an arm-load of canes and bring them to me for my arrows." 

Once again Eslaf-yoopi agreed, but again he went to tell his great- grandfather of all this. 

"It is good you come to me," said Sleeping Fire, "for the canebrake Lightning Bolt spoke of is deep in the Great Thicket. It is a dangerous place where there are many poisonous snakes. Hear me: To be safe, you must make hoops from grapevines and take them with you. When a snake comes, you must roll a hoop past it. When each snake turns to chase the hoop, you can cut canes until the next appears." Eslaf-yoopi did this, and cut canes until he had rolled away all of his grapevine hoops. Then he ran from the canebrake and out of the Great Thicket to the place where Lightning Bolt was. When Lightning Bolt saw him he was not pleased, but he smiled and thanked him. 

"These will do well," Lightning Bolt said, "but when I have fastened the points to all these shafts, I will need feathers with which to fletch them. Can you help me? Eagle feathers are best, and there is a nest of eagles in the tallest tree on the High Hill. It will be a good thing if you kill the parent eagles for their feathers, and bring the little eaglets to me alive." 

"I will," said Eslaf-yoopi, but this time, too, he went first to tell his great-grandfather what Lightning Bolt had asked of him. 

"Hoh!" said Sleeping Fire. "It is good that you have come to me, for the eagles in the tallest tree kill everyone who tries to rob their nest. They will claw at your hands and try to peck out your eyes so that you will fall. Hear me: You must cut a large gourd to cover your head and two smaller ones to cover the backs of your hands, and you must carry a lariat to throw over and tie up the eagles when they attack you." 

And that is what Eslaf-yoopi did. He cut a hole in the bottom of a large gourd and eyeholes to see through, and put it over his head. He tied pieces of gourd over the backs of his hands, and took up his lariat and a basket. Then he went to find the tallest tree on the High Hill and climb it. When he came to the nest in the top of the tree, he caught the eagles and killed them, and plucked out their pinions and tail feathers. He put feathers and the little eaglets in the basket, and he climbed down and took them to Lightning Bolt.

When Lightning Bolt saw Eslaf-yoopi coming, he was dismayed. "None of my tricks can kill this young man," he said to himself. "I must find a way for my warriors to destroy him." So he smiled and thanked Eslaf- yoopi, and said, "When you return home, tell your chief Sleeping Fire that I have thought of a new ball game that will be a good thing for fifty of his people and fifty of mine to play. We will play it with a hard ball on a field with a goal-post. To score a goal, the players must kick the ball so that it hits the post. The first side to make 6 goals will win, for after 11 goals the game will end." 

Eslaf-yoopi thought this ball game a fine idea, and returned to his own village to tell his great-grandfather the news. 

"Indeed," said Sleeping Fire, "a new game is a good thing, but this Lightning Bolt has a wicked heart. We must take great care to make good medicine. The players must keep vigil the night before the match, and our old men must search their dreams for omens so that we can place the benches for our players on the lucky side of the field. We will make new fire, too, for a torchbearer to carry at the head of the players on their way to the ball plaza." Old Sleeping Fire smiled. "And when we come there, we will test this one who calls himself Lightning Bolt. We will say that we have only 45 ballplayers who wish to play." 

And all that is what they did. On the day set for the game. Sleeping Fire's people set out with drums and dancing. When they came to the ball game place, Eslaf-yoopi wrapped his feather cloak around him and leaned against a post as if he were feeling ill. When the other side learned that Sleeping Fire was 5 players short, they would not cut their own side, but hid their glee and said, "Hurry and choose any 5 from these watching. We are ready to begin." Sleeping Fire chose Eslaf-yoopi and 4 others who had pretended to be sick or clumsy, and in this way they tricked the other side into thinking they would win easily. 

The 100 players poured into the middle of the field, and Lightning Bolt threw the ball among them. Then the battle began. The players could only make goals by kicking the ball, but they could catch it with their hands and run with it until they were tackled. At once all of the 100 players fell in a great heap on top of the ball carrier, kicking and pulling and hitting. The players on the other side attacked Eslaf-yoopi more than anyone, trying to break his bones or kill him, but they could not. Eslaf-yoopi hid his anger until his team had made 6 goals, and won, and then-7! At once he let out a great roar and a flash that terrified the players and watchers. It shook the plaza ground under their feet. 

"Lightning-Flash! That is what 'Eslaf-yoopi' means! Eslaf-yoopi is the true Lightning!" the people cried. "Only the Sun's son could have such power." 

"No!" cried the false Lightning Bolt. "I will show you! I will beat him! I challenge Eslaf-yoopi to a game of chunkey." 

So they played chunkey, but once again the true Lightning's side won. The false Lightning Bolt feared for his life, and when the game was over he and his men ran away. He made fog and mist rise up to hide the way they went, but the true Lightning and the warriors of his great-grandfather Sleeping Fire found and fought and destroyed them. When Sleeping Fire's people returned to the ball-game ground, they made a special new goal pole in honor of the true Lightning, and ever afterward played the new game of ball in his honor.

Taken from the book The Wonderful Sky Boat and Other Native American Tales of the Southeast retold by Jane Louise Curry