Creation Story Cherokee - Cherokee Many, many moons ago, in the beginning of time, the earth was all water. There was no land. All the four-leggeds, all the animals, all the winged-ones, lived up in the sky on the clouds. They were waiting for the land to dry, but it would not dry. They would send one animal but he would come back unable to find dry land. The animals would regularly check the water below. Finally, after a dog had looked and reported back that it was still wet, they sent the water beetle. The water beetle dove into the water, grabbed a handful of mud at the bottom, brought it up and placed it on top of the water and it started to dry, started to build land. He brought more and more and still they waited for it to dry, still they waited and waited. Finally, they sent grandfather buzzard, the mighty buzzard, down and the land was almost dry. As the buzzard flew, he'd fly down close to the land and every time he would flap his mighty wings, he would form a mountain and a valley. That's why the Cherokee land has mountains and valleys in it today. All the animals came down and settled on the earth. After they did, they realized they had no light. So they called to Grandfather and asked would he give them light, and he did. He brought to them the sun. He put the sun down right by the ground, and it was too hot for the animals. So they pushed and pushed, till finally they got it far enough out that it would not burn all the time; but it was still so hot that the crawfish was baked. That's why, if you look at him today, he is red from the sun being too close. Finally, they got the sun far enough out so it would not burn and we would have night. And Grandfather told them, "Now that I have done this for you, I ask that all the four-legged, and all the animals, and all the plants stay awake for seven days and for seven nights." This is why today, when a warrior goes to cross his manhood, he fasts and sweats for seven days. All the animals and all the plants fell asleep except for some. The owl stayed awake, and that's why he has vision to hunt at night now. The plants, the Douglas fir, the cedar, the pine, and a few others stayed awake for seven nights and for seven days. That's why only these, among all the plants, are allowed to stay green all the year round. The other plants fell asleep and so must sleep part of every year. Such was the beginning of our lands as told by a Cherokee grandmother to her grandson. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Story Aztec - Aztec The mother of the Aztec creation story was called "Coatlique", the Lady of the Skirt of Snakes. She was created in the image of the unknown, decorated with skulls, snakes, and lacerated hands. There are no cracks in her body and she is a perfect monolith (a totality of intensity and self-containment, yet her features were square and decapitated). Coatlique was first impregnated by an obsidian knife and gave birth to Coyolxanuhqui, goddess of the moon, and to a group of male offspring, who became the stars. Then one day Coatlique found a ball of feathers, which she tucked into her bosom. When she looked for it later, it was gone, at which time she realized that she was again pregnant. Her children, the moon and stars did not believe her story. Ashamed of their mother, they resolved to kill her. A goddess could only give birth once, to the original litter of divinity and no more. During the time that they were plotting her demise, Coatlicue gave birth to the fiery god of war, Huitzilopochtli. With the help of a fire serpent, he destroyed his brothers and sister, murdering them in a rage. He beheaded Coyolxauhqui and threw her body into a deep gorge in a mountain, where it lies dismembered forever. The natural cosmos of the Indians was born of catastrophe. The heavens literally crumbled to pieces. The earth mother fell and was fertilized, while her children were torn apart by fratricide and them scattered and disjointed throughout the universe. Ometecuhlti and his wife Omecihuatl created all life in the world. Their sons: Xipe Totec - The Lord of the Springtime Huitzilopochtli - the Sun god Quetzalcoatl - the Plumed Serpent Tezcatlipoca - the god of Night and Sorcery. Coatlicue - She of the Serpent Skirt. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Story Arikara - Arikara The Great Sky Spirit, Nesaru, sometimes called the Great Mystery, was the master of all creation. Below the sky was an endless body of water where two ducks eternally swam. Nesaru made two brothers, Wolf-man and Lucky-man, who commanded the ducks to swim to the bottom of the great water and bring up some earth. With this earth, Wolf-man made the Great Plains and Lucky-Man made the hills and mountains. The two brothers went down beneath the earth and found two spiders. They explained to the spiders how to reproduce. The two spiders produced many kinds of animals and plants, including human beings. However, they also produced a race of evil giants. These giants were so evil that Nesarn eventually had to destroy them with a great flood. However, Nesarn loved human beings and saved them from destruction. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Story - Blackfoot Old Man came from the south, making the mountains, the prairies, and the forests as he passed along, making the birds and the animals also. He traveled northward making things as he went, putting red paint in the ground here and there --arranging the world as we see it today. He made the Milk River and crossed it; being tired, he went up on a little hill and lay down to rest. As he lay on his back, stretched out on the grass with his arms extended, he marked his figure with stones. You can see those rocks today, they show the shape of his body, legs, arms and hair. Going on north after he had rested, he stumbled over a knoll and fell down on his knees. He said aloud, "You are a bad thing to make me stumble so." Then he raised up two large buttes there and named them the Knees. They are called the Knees to this day. He went on farther north, and with some of the rocks he carried with him he built the Sweet Grass Hills. Old Man covered the plains with grass for the animals to feed on. He marked off a piece of ground and in it made all kinds of roots and berries to grow: camas, carrots, turnips, bitterroot, service berries, bull-berries, cherries, plums, and rosebuds. He planted trees, and he put all kinds of animals on the ground. When he created the bighorn sheep with its big head and horns, he made it out on the prairie. But it did not travel easily on the prairie; it was awkward and could not go fast. So Old Man took it by its horns, led it up into the mountain, and turned it loose. There the bighorn skipped about among the rocks and went up fearful places with ease. So Old Man said to it, "This is the kind of place that suits you; this is what you are fitted for, the rocks, and the mountains." While he was in the mountains, he made the antelope out of dirt and turned it loose to see how it would do. It ran so fast that it fell over some rocks and hurt itself. Seeing that the mountains were not the place for it, Old Man took the antelope down to the prairie and turned it loose. When he saw it running away fast and gracefully, he said, "This is what you are suited to, the broad prairie." One day Old Man decided that he would make a woman and a child. So he formed them both of clay, the woman and the child, her son. After he had molded the clay in human shape, he said to it, "You must be people." And then he covered it up and went away. The next morning he went to the place, took off the covering, looked at the images, and said "Arise and walk." They did so. They walked down to the river with their maker, and then he told them that his name was NAPI, Old Man. This is how we came to be people. It is he who made us. The first people were poor and naked, and they did not know how to do anything for themselves. Old Man showed them the roots and berries and said "You can eat these." Then he pointed to certain trees, "When the bark of these trees is young and tender, it is good. Then you can peel it off and eat it." He told the people that the animals also should be their food. "These are your herds," he said. "All these little animals that live on the ground -- squirrels, rabbits, skunks, beavers, are good to eat. You need not fear to eat their flesh. All the birds that fly, these too, I have made for you, so that you can eat of their flesh." Old Man took the first people over the prairies and through the forests, then the swamps to show them the different plants he had created. He told them what herbs were good for sicknesses, saying often, "The root of this herb or the leaf of this herb, if gathered in a certain month of the year, is good for certain sickness." In that way the people learned the power of all herbs. Then he showed them how to make weapons with which to kill the animals for their food. First, he went out and cut some service berry shoots, brought them in, and peeled the bark off them. He took one of the larger shoots, flattened it, tied a string to it, and thus made a bow. Then he caught one of the birds he had made, took feathers from its wing, split them, and tied them to a shaft of wood. At first he tied four feathers along the shaft, and with this bow sent the arrow toward its mark. But he found that it did not fly well. When he used only three feathers, it went straight to the mark. Then he went out and began to break sharp pieces off the stones. When he tied them at the ends of his arrows, he found that the black flint stones, and some white flint, made the best arrow points. When the people had learned to make bow and arrows, Old Man taught them how to shoot animals and birds. Because it is not healthful to eat animals' flesh raw, he showed the first people how to make fire. He gathered soft, dry rotten driftwood and made a punk of it. Then he found a piece of hard wood and drilled a hole in it with an arrow point. He gave the first man a pointed piece of hard wood and showed him how to roll it between his hands until sparks came out and the punk caught fire. Then he showed the people how to cook the meat of the animals they had killed and how to eat it. He told them to get a certain kind of stone that was on the land, while he found a harder stone. With the hard stone he had them hollow out the softer one and so make a kettle. Thus, they made their dishes. Old Man told the first people how to get spirit power: "Go away by yourself and go to sleep. Something will come to you in your dream that will help you. It may be some animal. Whatever this animal tells you in your sleep, you must do. Obey it. Be guided by it. If later you want help, if you are traveling alone and cry aloud for help, your prayer will be answered. It may be by an eagle, perhaps by a buffalo, perhaps by a bear. Whatever animal hears your prayer you must listen to it." That was how the first people got along in the world, by the power given to them in their dreams. After this, Old Man kept on traveling north. Many of the animals that he had created followed him. They understood when he spoke to them, and they were his servants. When he got to the north point of the Porcupine Mountains, he made some more mud images of people, blew his breath upon them, and they became people, men and women. They asked him, "What are we to eat?" By way of answer, Old Man made many images of clay in the form of buffalo. Then he blew breath upon them and they stood up. When he made signs to them, they started to run. Then he said to the people, "Those animals--buffalo--are your food." "But how can we kill them?" the people asked. "I will show you," he answered. He took them to a cliff and told them to build rock piles: "Now hide behind these piles of rocks," he said. "I will lead the buffalo this way. When they are opposite you, rise up." After telling them what to do, he started toward the herd of buffalo. When he called the animals, they started to run toward him, and they followed him until they were inside the piles of rock. Then Old Man dropped back. As the people rose up, the buffalo ran in a straight line and jumped over the cliff. "Go down and take the flesh of those animals," said Old Man. The people tried to tear the limbs apart, but they could not. Old Man went to the edge of the cliff, broke off some pieces with sharp edges, and told the people to cut the flesh with these rocks. They obeyed him. When they had skinned the buffalo, they set up some poles and put the hides on them. Thus they made a shelter to sleep under. After Old Man had taught the people all these things, he started off again, traveling north until he came to where the Bow and Elbow Rivers meet. There he made some more people and taught them the same things. >From there he went farther north. When he had gone almost to the Red Deer River, he was so tired that he lay down on a hill. The form of his body can be seen there yet, on the top of the hill where he rested. When he awoke from his sleep, he traveled farther north until he came to a high hill. He climbed to the top of it and there he sat down to rest. As he gazed over the country, he was greatly pleased by it. Looking at the steep hill below him, he said to himself, "This is a fine place for sliding. I will have some fun." And he began to slide down the hill. The marks where he slid are to be seen yet, and the place is known to all the Blackfoot tribes as "Old Man's Sliding Ground." Old Man can never die. Long ago he left the Blackfoot and went away toward the west, disappearing in the mountains. Before he started, he said to the people, "I will always take care of you, and some day I will return." Even today some people think that he spoke the truth and that when he comes back he will bring with him the buffalo, which they believe the white men have hidden. Others remember that before he left them he said that when he returned he would find them a different people. They would be living in a different world, he said, from that which he had created for them and had taught them to live in. The story above was told by Chewing Black Bones, a respected Blackfoot elder, to Ella E. Clark who later published the account in her book, "Indian Legends from the Northern Rockies". Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Story Apache - Apache The Story of Kamalapukwia (First Woman), her daughter Amjakupooka and her grandson Sakarakaamche begins the creation story of the Yavapai-Apache people. Before Kamalapukwia was born, her ancestors appeared from the underworld on the first corn plant. Her tribe had never left the big hole, now known as Montezuma Well, where they first arrived. Only one member, Ihija the dove journeyed over the edge of the big hole and saw the world. The Cloud, Gwi began to pour rain into the tribe's big hole which would soon become flooded. There was no escape for the people. Kamalapukwia's father told her that she was the only one that could be saved and would start a new tribe in the outside world. Her family placed her and Ihija in a small log canoe and packed it with food for the journey. Kamalapukwia's mother also placed a precious white stone in the log canoe and told Kamalapukwia to keep the stone with her always and it's power would keep her safe. Kamalapukwia and Ihija spent hours or perhaps days in the small dark boat until suddenly they hit solid earth. They hit the earth so hard that the cover of the boat was shaken loose and they were freed from the small boat. After leaving the boat, she began to climb Mingus Mountain to meet Nya, the sun. When she reached the top of the mountain, she sat on a rock and waited for Nya. Soon the sky became bright with yellows and reds. This frightened her because she had never seen the sun before. Kamalapukwia was tired from her weary boat ride and strenuous hike. She soon fell asleep. As Nya came closer to Kamalapukwia, he thought that she was very lonely because she was the only person in the land and he would make her a child to end her loneliness. Nya awakened Kamalapukwia and said "I am your friend; I love you and have made you my wife. I will tell you what to do. Now listen very carefully! You must not stay here. Winter will come soon, snow will cover the mountains, and you will find no food. You must go to the Red Rock country." Trembling in fear, Kamalapukwia asked "But how can I find the place? Where can I sleep? How can I find food?" Nya replied "Ihija will show you the way and will find a cave where you can make your home. He will help you find food to eat and to store for the winter. Ihija will also keep you company. In a few months when I make the earth warm again, you will have a child to keep you from being lonely. You are the First Woman, but in a few years many tribes of people will live in the land." The first snow fell as she settle in the cave at the Red Rock country. She began to prepare for the winter. Ihija, the dove, showed her where to find seeds, leaves, berries and insects to store for the winter. Nya also told her how to build a fire and make warm clothing. She was lonely during the winter because she could not leave the cave but she was warm and well fed. After Nya warmed the earth, spring finally came. Kamalapukwia's daughter Amjakupooka (Going Around the Earth) was born. Ihija stayed with Kamalapukwia until spring but left soon after and only made occassional visits with his new wife. After a few years, Kamalapukwia never saw Ihija and his wife again. As Amajakupooka grew, she was taught everything that Kamalapukia learned from Nya, Ihija and her parents. One day Kamalapukwia persuaded her daughter to go to Mingus Mountain and ask Nya to give her a child. Nya recognized Amjakupooka as his own daughter and sent her to Gwi, the cloud. She and Gwi had a son, Sakarakaamche (Lofty Wanderer). The three of them, Kamalapukwia, Amajakupooka and Sakarakaamche were very happy. One day, Amajakupooka went to the river to gather watercress and never returned. Sakarakaamche was very lonely and knew that his grandmother was worried about her daughter because she had left without the precious white stone. She had always insisted that her daughter carry the white stone for protection. Sakarakaamche would cry for his mother occassionally and his grandmother would comfort him. His grandmother began to teach Sakarakaamche how to collect seeds, grasses and berries and how to make a small bow and arrows to shoot small animals. One day Sakarakaamche told his grandmother that he was going hunting. He always looked for his mother when he left the cave, and perhaps hoped that he would find her while hunting. His grandmother reminded him to take his blue stone for protection. When he reached the hill that made the end of his territory, a very large quail suddenly appeared. Sakarakaamche hit the quail in the leg with one of his arrows. The quail cryed out "My leg is broken, fix it and I will tell you what happened to your mother." Sakarakmaache fixed the leg by rubbing it. Ahoma, the quail told Sakarakmaache about his mother. While his mother was gathering grasses and seeds on the other side of the hill, she was seen by Asha, the largest and oldest monster eagle in the land. Unfortunately, his mother had left her magic white stone at home, and Asha's children were hungry. The huge eagle swept down, picked up Sakarakmaache's mother, carried her off to the high mountain, and fed her to his children. After hearing the story of his mother, Sakarakaamche asked where he could find the monster eagle. Ahoma said "Return to this place early in the morning, and I will take you to Gwi, your father the Cloud. He will tell you what you must do." When Sakarakaamche returned home, he did not tell his grandmother the terrible news about his mother. The next morning Sakarakaamche went to meet Ahoma, the quail. He left without waking his grandmother and his grandfather, Nya, was still on the other side of the mountain and it was too dark to see his father, Gwi. He took with him his bow and arrows and his blue stone. Two nights later, Sakarakaamche returned home and told his grandmother the story about the his mother and Ahoma. The boy described how he met his father and did what his father had instructed him to do. He walked through fields for many hours, then he heard a loud noise over his head. It was Ahsa! Ahsa picked him up and carried him up to his nest on the highest mountain just as his father Gwi had described. Asha dropped him in front of his eaglets and they looked at him very hungrily. Sakarakaamche told them not to harm him because he was their brother. He asked the eaglets where their parents would sit when they returned home. He had threatened to throw them over the cliff so they told him. He waited in the spot where the parents would sit. When they returned he killed them with his powerful blue stone like his father had instructed. After the event with Asha, Sakarakaamche had now grown to be bigger and stronger. He wanted a wife but could not figure out how he could find one because the only woman was his grandmother. While thinking about his problem Sakarakaamche was playing with a piece of clay, rolling it around in his hands. To his surprise he made the shape of a woman that looked like his mother. He was pleased with his clay figure and started to make several others. The figures looked alive and Sakarakaamche thought that if they were real that he and his grandmother would no longer be lonely. He closed his eyes and dreamed of a canyon full of people. When he opened his eyes real people had come to live in the canyon. These people were known as the Yavapai-Apache people. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Story and The Importance of Dreaming - Abenaki The Great Spirit, in a time not known to us looked about and saw nothing. No colors, no beauty. Time was silent in darkness. There was no sound. Nothing could be seen or felt. The Great Spirit decided to fill this space with light and life. From his great power he commanded the sparks of creation. He ordered Tôlba, the Great Turtle to come from the waters and become the land. The Great Spirit molded the mountains and the valleys on turtle's back. He put white clouds into the blue skies. He was very happy. He said, "Everything is ready now. I will fill this place with the happy movement of life." He thought and thought about what kind of creatures he would make. Where would they live? What would they do? What would their purpose be? He wanted a perfect plan. He thought so hard that he became very tired and fell asleep. His sleep was filled with dreams of his creation. He saw strange things in his dream. He saw animals crawling on four legs, some on two. Some creatures flew with wings, some swam with fins. There were plants of all colors, covering the ground everywhere. Insects buzzed around, dogs barked, birds sang, and human beings called to each other. Everything seemed out of place. The Great Spirit thought he was having a bad dream. He thought, nothing could be this imperfect. When the Great Spirit awakened, he saw a beaver nibbling on a branch. He realized the world of his dream became his creation. Everything he dreamed about came true. When he saw the beaver make his home, and a dam to provide a pond for his family to swim in, he then knew every thing has it's place, and purpose in the time to come. It has been told among our people from generation to generation. We must not question our dreams. They are our creation. Told by Elliot Joubert Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Story - Australian told by Aunty Beryl Carmichael This is the creation story of Ngiyaampaa country, as well as the land belonging to Eaglehawk and Crow. Now long, long time ago of course, in the beginning, when there was no people, no trees, no plants whatever on this land, "Guthi-guthi", the spirit of our ancestral being, he lived up in the sky. So he came down and he wanted to create the special land for people and animals and birds to live in. So Guthi-guthi came down and he went on creating the land for the people-after he'd set the borders in place and the sacred sights, the birthing places of all the Dreamings, where all our Dreamings were to come out of. Guthi-guthi put one foot on Gunderbooka Mountain and another one at Mount Grenfell. And he looked out over the land and he could see that the land was bare. There was no water in sight, there was nothing growing. So Guthi-guthi knew that trapped in a mountain-Mount Minara-the water serpent, Weowie, he was trapped in the mountain. So Guthi-guthi called out to him, "Weowie, Weowie", but because Weowie was trapped right in the middle of the mountain, he couldn't hear him. Guthi-guthi went back up into the sky and he called out once more, "Weowie", but once again Weowie didn't respond. So Guthi-guthi came down with a roar like thunder and banged on the mountain and the mountain split open. Weowie the water serpent came out. And where the water serpent travelled he made waterholes and streams and depressions in the land. So once all that was finished, of course, Weowie went back into the mountain to live and that's where Weowie lives now, in Mount Minara. But then after that, they wanted another lot of water to come down from the north, throughout our country. Old Pundu, the Cod, it was his duty to drag and create the river known as the Darling River today. So Cod came out with Mudlark, his little mate, and they set off from the north and they created the big river. Flows right down, water flows right throughout our country, right into the sea now. And of course, this country was also created, the first two tribes put in our country were Eaglehawk and Crow. And from these two tribes came many tribal people, many tribes, and we call them sub-groups today. So my people, the Ngiyaampaa people and the Barkandji further down are all sub-groups of Eaglehawk and Crow. http://www.dreamtime.net.au/dreaming/storylist.htm http://www.dreamtime.net.au/creation/text.htm Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Stories - Japanese In the beginning, heaven and earth were not divided. Then, from the ocean of chaos, a reed arose, and that was the eternal land ruler, Kunitokotatchi. Then came the female God, Izanami, and the male, Izanagi. They stood on the floating bridge of heaven and stirred the ocean with a jewelled spear until it curdled, and so created the first island, Onokoro. They built a house on this island, with a central stone pillar that is the backbone of the world. Izanami walked one way around the pillar, and Izanagi walked the other. When they met face to face, they united in marriage. Their first child was named Hiruko, but he did not thrive, so when he was three, they placed him in a reed boat and set him adrift, he became Ebisu, God of fishermen. Then Izanami gave birth to the eight islands of Japan. And finally Izanami began to give birth to the Gods who would fashion and rule the world -- Gods of the sea and Gods of the land, Gods of wind and rain. But when Izanami gave birth to the God of fire, she was badly burned and died. Izanagi was furious with the fire God and cut him into three pieces. Then he set out to search for Izanami. He went right down into the Land of Gloom looking for her. He called her, saying, "Come back, my love. The lands we are making are not yet finished!" She came to him, saying, "You are too late. I have already eaten the food of this land, But I would like to return. Wait here for me, and I will ask permission from the spirits of the underworld. But do not try to look at me." At length, Izanagi got tired of waiting, so he broke off a tooth from the comb he wore in his hair to use as a torch and followed her. When he found her, he saw that she was already rotting and maggots were swarming over her body. She was giving birth to the eight Gods of thunder. Izanagi drew back, revolted. Izanami called after him, "Shame on you." She commanded the foul spirits of the Land of Gloom to slay him. The spirits pursued Izanagi, but he managed to escape. He threw down his headdress and it turned into grapes, which the spirits stopped to eat. Then he threw down his comb, which turned into bamboo shoots, and once again the spirits stopped to eat. By the time Izanagi reached the pass between the land of the dead and the land of the living, Izanami herself had nearly caught up with him. But Izanagi saw her coming and quickly blocked the pass with a huge boulder that it would take a thousand men to lift, so making a permanent barrier between life and death. Standing on the other side of the boulder, Izanami shouted, "Every day I will kill a thousand people, and bring them to this land!" Izanagi replied, "Every day I will cause one thousand five hundred babies to be born." Then Izanagi left Izanami to rule the Land of Gloom, and returned to the land of the living. In the Beginning: Creation Stories From Around the World by Virginia Hamilton http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/umbriel.htm Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Stories - Inuit It is said that Raven made the world. He is a man with a raven's beak. When the waters forced the ground up from the deep Raven stabbed it with his beak and fixed it into place. This first land was just big enough for the house that was on it. There were three people in the house. This was a family with a man, his wife and their little son Raven who had fixed the land. The father had a bladder hanging over his bed. After much pleading by Raven the father allowed the boy to play with it. While playing Raven damaged the bladder and light appeared. The father not wanting to have light always shining took the bladder from the boy before he could damage it further. And that is how day and night started over the land. In the Beginning: Creation Stories From Around the World by Virginia Hamilton http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/umbriel.htm Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Story - Tibet In the beginning was voidness, a vast emptiness without cause, without end. From this great voidness there arose gentle stirrings of wind, which after countless eons grew thicker and heavier, forming the mighty double thunderbolt sceptre of Dorje Gyatram. Dorje Gyatram created the clouds, which in turn created the rain. The rain fell for many years until the primeval ocean was formed. Then, all was calm, quiet, and peaceful; the ocean became clear as a mirror. Slowly the winds began to breathe once more, gently moving over the waters of the ocean, churning them continually until a light foam appeared on the surface. Just as cream is churned into butter, so were the waters of Gyatso churned into earth by the rhythmic motion of the winds. The earth rose like a mountain, and around its peaks murmured the wind, ever moving, tireless, forming cloud from which fell more rain, only this time heavier and full of salt, giving birth to the great oceans of the universe. The center of the universe is Rirap Lhunpo (Sumeru) the great four-sided mountain made of precious stones and full of beautiful things. There are rivers and streams on Rirap Lhunpo and many kinds of trees, fruits, and plants, for Rirap Lhunpo is special - it is the abode of the gods and demi-gods. Around Rirap Lhunpo is a great lake, and encircling the lake a ring of golden mountains. Beyond the ring of golden mountains is another lake, it too encircled by mountains of gold, and so on, seven lakes, seven rings of golden mountains, and outside the last ring of mountains is the lake Chi Gyatso. It is in Chi Gyatso that the four worlds are found, each like an island, with its own particular shape and distinct inhabitants. The world of the East is Lu Phak and is shaped like the half moon. People of Lu Phak live for five hundred years and they are peaceful; there is no fighting in Lu Phak. The people have bodies like giants and faces shaped like the half moon. They are not as fortunate as us, however, for they have no religion to follow. The western world is called Balang Cho and is like the sun in shape. As in Lu Phak the people are large and live for five hundred years, but they have faces shaped like the sun and they keep many kinds of cattle. The land of the North is square in shape and is called Dra Mi Nyen. People of Dra Mi Nyen have square faces and they live for a thousand years or more. In Dra Mi Nyen food and riches are abundant. Everything a man needs in his thousand-year lifetime comes to him without effort or suffering - he lives in luxury, wanting for nothing. But during the last seven days of life pain and mental torture attack the beings of Dra Mi Nyen, for then they receive a sign that they are about to die. A voice comes and whispers to them - a terrible voice - saying how they will die and what monstrous suffering they will endure in the hells after death. In the last seven days of life all their riches and possessions decay and they endure more sufferings than we experience in a lifetime. Dra Mi Nyen is known as "The Land of the Fearful Voice." Our own world in the South is called Dzambu Ling. At first our world was inhabited by gods from Rirap Lhunpo. There was no pain or sickness, nor did the gods ever want for food. They lived in contentment, spending their days in deep meditaion. There was no need for light on Dzambu Ling then, for the gods emitted a pure light from their own bodies. One day one of the gods noticed that on the surface of the earth there was a cream-like substance, and tasting it he found it to be delightful to the palate and encouraged other gods to taste it. All the gods so enjoyed eating the creamy food that they would eat nothing else, and the more they ate the more their powers diminished. No longer were they able to sit in deep meditation; the light that once shown so brightly from their bodies began to fade, and finally was lost altogether. The world was clothed in darkness, and the mighty gods of Rirap Lhunpo became human beings. Then, out of the darkness of night there appeared in the heavens the sun, and when the sun faded the moon and stars lit up the sky and illumined the world. The sun, moon, and stars appeared because of the past good deeds of the gods, and are a constant reminder to us that our world was once a peaceful, beautiful place, free from grasping, suffering, and pain. When the people of Dzambu Ling had exhausted the supply of creamy food, they began to eat the fruit of the nyugu plant. Each person had his own plant, which produced a corn-like fruit, and each day, as one fruit was eaten, another would appear, one a day, which was enough to satisfy the hunger of of the beings of Dzambu Ling. One morning a man awoke to find that instead of producing only a single fruit his plant had grown two. Feeling greedy, he ate the two fruits, but the next day his plant was empty. Needing to satisfy his hunger, the man stole someone elses plant, and so it went on and on, each person needing to steal from another in order to eat. With theft came greed, and each person, afraid of being left without, began to grow more and more nyugu plants, having to work harder and harder to ensure that he would have enough to eat. Strange things began to happen on Dzambu Ling. What used to be the peaceful abode of the gods from Rirap Lhunpo was now full of men who knew theft and greed. One day, a man felt that his genitals were causing him discomfort and tore them from his body, becoming a woman. This woman had contact with men and soon had children, who in turn had more children, and in a short time Dzambu Ling was filled with people, all of whom had to find food and places to live. The people of Dzambu Ling did not live in peace together. There was much fighting and stealing; indeed, the people of our world began to experience real suffering arising from the unsatisfactory state in which they found themselves. The people knew that in order to survive they would have to become organized. They all gathered together and decided to elect a leader of the people, whom they called Mang Kur, meaning "many people made him king." Mang Kur taught the people how to live in relative harmony, each with his own land on which to build a home and grow food. This is how our world came to be, how from gods we became human beings, subject to disease, old age, and death. When we look into the night sky, or bask in the warm brilliance of the sun, we should remember that, but for the good deeds of the gods from the precious mountain of Rirap Lhunpo, we would be living in total darkness, and but for the greed and desire of one person our world would not know the suffering it experiences today. As long as any living being draws breath, Wherever he shall be, There, in compassion Will the Buddha appear, incarnate. - Ngon tok gyen http://www.crosby-lundin.com/tibet/culture/folktales/ Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Story - Huron The Great Ruler in the world above this world had a beautiful daughter whom he loved very dearly. Much to his sorrow, she became sick. The ruler sent for the medicine man but he was unable to cure her. He said, "We will dig up the wild apple tree. We can pluck the medicine she needs from the roots of the tree." They took the young woman and let her lie under the shady branches of the tree while they dug. But as they dug, the dirt from around the roots gave way and allowed the tree to fall to the world below. The branches caught the beautiful maiden and dragged her along with the tree. Then the rent earth above closed over them. At this time the lower world was only water, the Great Water. When two swans swimming about saw the earth fall from the sky, a great clap of thunder was sounded throughout the lower region, the First Thunder ever heard. All the swimmers were startled! They looked up! There they saw the beautiful maiden standing in the Heavens, clad in flames of bright light. As she fell, the God of Thunder fell with her. Two of the swans moved close together and caught her on their backs. They soon realized that they could not carry her on their backs forever. They decided to call a meeting of the Great council. After much discussion, it was decided that they should get some of the soil that fell with the woman and place it upon the back of the Big Turtle and let the woman live there. Many of the animals dived into the water for the soil only to meet with failure. Some were drowned and came to the surface. Finally Toad volunteered to go down and see what success she could have. She was gone a long time. The animals waited and waited. Finally she returned with her mouth full of soil. Even though it was such a small amount, the Little Turtle urged that it be used. He rubbed it carefully upon the shell of the Big Turtle. Slowly they watched it grow, bigger and bigger and bigger until it became the Great Island, North America. Here the Woman-Who-Fell-From-Heaven lived. Since that time the Toad has been held in high esteem by the Wyandotte People and none of them would harm her to this day. They call her by the Wyandotte name that means Our Grandmother" - Mah-shoos-tah-ah. Reposted with permission of Neshoba Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Seneca - Seneca There were, it seems, so it is said, man-beings dwelling on the other side of the sky. So, just in the center of their village the lodge of the chief stood, wherein lived his family, consisting of his spouse and one child, a girl, that they two had. He was surprised that then he began to become lonesome. Now, furthermore, he, the Ancient, was very lean, his bones having become dried; and the cause of this condition was that he was displeased that they two had the child, and one would think, judging from the circumstances, that he was jealous. So now this condition of things continued until the time that he, the Ancient, indicated that they, the people, should seek to divine his Word; that is, that they should have a dream feast for the purpose of ascertaining the secret yearning of his soul [produced by its own motion]. So now all the people severally continued to do nothing else but to assemble there. Now they there continually sought to divine his Word. They severally designated all manner of things that they severally thought that he desired. After the lapse of some time, then, one of these persons said: "Now, perhaps, I myself have divined the Word of our chief, the excrement. And the thing that he desires is that the standing tree belonging to him should be uprooted, this tree that stands hard by his lodge." The chief said: "Gw?''" [expressing his thanks]. So now the man-beings said: "We must be in full number and we must aid one another when we uproot this standing tree; that is, there must be a few to grasp each several root." So now they uprooted it and set it up elsewhere. Now the place whence they had uprooted the tree fell through, forming an opening through the sky earth. So now, moreover, all the man-beings inspected it. It was curious; below them the aspect was green and nothing else in color. As soon as the man-beings had had their turns at inspecting it, then the chief said to his spouse: "Come now, let us two go to inspect it." Now she took her child astride of her back. Thither now he made his way with difficulty. He moved slowly. They two arrived at the place where the cavern was. Now he, the Ancient, himself inspected it. When he wearied of it, he said to his spouse: "Now it is thy turn. Come." "Age'," she said, "myself, I fear it." "Come now, so be it," he said, "do thou inspect it." So now she took in her mouth the ends of the mantle which she wore, and she rested herself on her hand on the right side, and she rested herself on the other side also, closing her hand on either side and grasping the earth thereby. So now she looked down below. Just as soon as she bent her neck, he seized her leg and pushed her body down thither. Now, moreover, there [i. e., in the hole] floated the body of the Fire-dragon with the white body, and, verily, he it was whom the Ancient regarded with jealousy. Now Fire-dragon took out an ear of corn, and verily he gave it to her. As soon as she received it she placed it in her bosom. Now, another thing, the next in order, a small mortar and also the upper mortar [pestle] he gave to her. So now, again, another thing he took out of his bosom, which was a small pot. Now, again, another thing, he gave her in the next place, a bone. Now, he said: "This, verily, is what thou wilt continue to eat." Now it was so, that below [her] all manner of otgon [malefic] male man-beings abode; of this number were the Fire-dragon, whose body was pure white in color, the Wind, and the Thick Night. Now, they, the male man-beings, counseled together, and they said: "Well, is it not probably possible for us to give aid to the woman-being whose body is falling thence toward us?" Now every one of the man-beings spoke, saying: "I, perhaps, would be able to aid her." Black Bass said: "I, perhaps, could do it." They, the man-beings, said: "Not the least, perhaps, art thou able to do it, seeing that thou hast no sense [reason]." The Pickerel next in turn said: "I, perhaps, could do it." Then the man-beings said: "And again we say, thou canst not do even a little, because thy throat is too long [thou art a glutton]." So now Turtle spoke, saying: "Moreover, perhaps, I would be able to give aid to the person of the woman-being." Now all the man-beings confirmed this proposal. Now, moreover, Turtle floated there at the point directly toward which the body of the woman-being was falling thence. So now, on the Turtle's carapace she, the woman-being, alighted. And she, the woman-being, wept there. Some time afterward she remembered that seemingly she still held [in her hands] earth. Now she opened her hands, and, moreover, she scattered the earth over Turtle. As soon as she did this, then it seems that this earth grew in size. So now she did thus, scattering the earth very many times [much]. In a short time the earth had become of a considerable size. Now she herself became aware that it was she herself, alone seemingly, who was forming this earth here present. So now, verily, it was her custom to travel about from place to place continually. She knew, verily, that when she traveled to and fro the earth increased in size. So now it was not long, verily, before the various kinds of shrubs grew up and also every kind of grass and reeds. In a short time she saw there entwined a vine of the wild potato. There out of doors the woman-being stood up and said: "Now, seemingly, will be present the orb of light [the sun], which shall be called the diurnal one." Truly now, early in the morning, the orb of light arose and now, moreover, it started and went thither toward the place where the orb of light goes down [sets]. Verily, when the orb of light went down [set] it then became night, or dark. Now again, there out of doors she stood up, and she said, moreover: "Now, seemingly, next in order, there will be a star [spot] present here and there in many places where the sky is present [i. e., on the surface of the sky]." Now, truly, it thus came to pass. So now, there out of doors where she stood she there pointed and told, moreover, what kind of thing those stars would be called. Toward the north there are certain stars, severally present there, of which she said: "They-are-pursuing-the-bear they will be called." So now, next in order, she said another thing: "There will be a large star in existence, and it will rise customarily just before it becomes day, and it will be called, 'It-brings-the-day.'" Now, again she pointed, and again she said: "That cluster of stars yonder will be called 'the Group Visible.' And they, verily, will know [will be the sign of] the time of the year [at all times]. And that [group] is called 'They-are-dancing.'" So now, still once more, she spoke of that [which is called] "She-is-sitting." [She said]: "Verily, these will accompany them [i. e., those who form a group]. 'Beaver-its-skin-is-spread-out,' is what these shall be called. As soon, customarily, as one journeys, traveling at night, one will watch this [group]." Some time after this, she, the Ancient-bodied, again spoke repeatedly, saying: "There will dwell in a place far away man-beings. So now, also, another thing; beavers will dwell in that place where there are streams of water." Indeed, it did thus come to pass, and the cause that brought it about is that she, the Ancient-bodied, is, as a matter of fact, a controller [a god]. So now, sometime afterward, the girl man-being, the offspring of the Ancient-bodied, had grown large in size. And so now there was also much forest lying extant. Now near by there was lying an uprooted tree, whereon it was that she, the child, was always at play. Customarily she swung, perhaps; and when she became wearied she would descend from it. There on the grass she would kneel down. It was exceedingly delightful, customarily, it is said, when the Wind entered; when she became aware that the Wind continued to enter her body, it was delightful. Now sometime afterward the Ancient-bodied watched her, musing: "Indeed, one would think that my [man-being] offspring's body is not sole [i. e., not itself only]. "No," she said, "hast thou never customarily seen someone at times?" "No," said the girl child. Then she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "I really believe that one would think that thou art about to give birth to a child." So now, the girl child told it, saying: That [I say] there [at the swing] when, customarily, I would kneel down, I became aware that the Wind inclosed itself in my body." So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "If it be so, I say as a matter of fact, it is not certain that thou and I shall have good fortune." Sometime afterward then, seemingly, [it became apparent] that two male children were contained in the body of the maiden. And now, verily, also they two debated together, the two saying, it is said, customarily: "Thou shalt be the elder one," "Thee just let it be," so it was thus that they two kept saying. Now, one of them, a male person who was very ugly, being covered with warts, said: "Thou shalt be the first to be born." Now the other 'person said: "Just let it be thee." Now he, the Warty, said: "Just let it be thee to be the first to be born." "So let it be," said the other person, "thou wilt fulfil thy duty, perhaps, thou thyself." "So be it," verily said he, the Warty. Now, he who was the elder was born. And then in a short time she [the Ancient-bodied] noticed that, seemingly, there was still another to be born. The other had been born only a short time when this one was also born. They had been born only a very short time when their mother died. There, verily, it is said that he, the Warty, came forth from the navel of his mother. So now, verily, she, the Ancient-bodied, wept there. Not long after this, verily, she gave attention to the twins. As soon as she finished this task she made a grave not far away, and so she there laid her dead offspring, laying her head toward the west. So now, moreover, she talked to her. She, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Now, verily, thou hast taken the lead on the path that will continue to be between the earth here and the upper side of the sky. As soon as thou arrivest there on the upper side of the sky thou must carefully prepare a place where thou wilt continue to abide, and where we shall arrive." Now, of course, she covered it. So, now, only this was left, that she customarily cared for the twins, the two children. Again, after some time, it is said, the two male children were of large size, and verily, too, they ran about there, customarily. Afterward, the elder one, being now a youth, questioning his grandmother, asked: "Oh, grandmother, where, verily, is my father? And who, moreover, verily, is the one who is my father? Where, moreover, is the place wherein he dwells?" She, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Verily, that one who is the Wind is thy father. Whatever, moreover, is the direction from which the wind is customarily blowing, there, truly, is the place where the lodge of thy father stands." "So be it," replied the youth. So now, verily, the youth stood out of doors, and now he, moreover, observed the direction of the wind, whence it was blowing, and this too he said: "I desire to see my father, and the reason is that he would give me aid." Now, he said: "Far yonder stands the lodge of my father, the Wind; he will aid me; he will make the bodies of all the kinds of animal [man-beings]; and by all means still something else that will be an aid to me." So now he started. He had not gone far when in the distance he saw the place where stood the lodge of his father. He arrived there, and there a man-being abode who had four a children, two males and two females. The youth said: "I have now arrived. O father, it is necessary that thou shouldst aid me. And that which I need are the game [animals] and also some other things." They were all pleased that they saw him. So now he, the Ancient, their father, said: "So let it be. Truly I will fulfil all of thy requirements in coming here. In the first place, however, I will that these here, ye my children, severally shall amuse yourselves somewhat by running a race. I have a flute for which ye shall contend one with another, whereby ye shall enjoy yourselves. And I say that ye shall make a circuit of this earth here present, and also that ye shall take this flute." So now they stood at the line whence they should start. Now the visiting youth said: "I desire that here shall stand he, the Defender a [the False-face, He-defends-them], that he may aid me." Truly, it thus came to pass; the Defender came and stood there. And now, moreover, the youth said: "And I say that thou must put forth thy utmost speed for that I am going to trail thy tracks." So now truly it did thus come to pass that at all times they two [males] were in the lead throughout the entire distance covered in making the circuit [of the earth]. As soon as they started running he trailed him, and the pace was swift. In a short time now they made a circuit of it. Much did they two [males] outfoot the other two. Now he that carried the flute gave it to his father. Now he, the Ancient, took it and also said: "Now, of course, truly thou hast won from me all the things that thou desirest that I should do for thee." Now, moreover, he there laid down a bundle, a filled bag that was very heavy. So now, verily, he gave to his son, to the one who came from the other place, this bundle and also this flute that he had won, and he also said: "I say that this shall belong to you both equally, to thee and thy younger brother." So now the youth took up the bundle and bore it on his back by means of the forehead burden strap. So now he traveled along to a place where he became tired and the sack began to be heavy. So now he exclaimed, "It may be, perhaps, that I should take a rest." And so now he sat down and also examined it [the bag]. He thought, 'Let me, indeed, view them; for indeed they belong to me anyway." Now, verily, he there unwrapt it and uncovered it. Just as soon as he opened it there were repeated shovings. Now, moreover, there all the various kinds of animals that his father had given him came forth. He was taken by surprise that all the animals so suddenly came forth. Thus it came to pass as soon as he fully opened the sack. And there, moreover, they severally trampled upon him. So the last one to come forth was the spotted fawn. Now he there shot it. On the front leg, a little above the place where the hoof joins the leg, there he bit it. It escaped from him, verily, moreover. So now he said: "Thus it will be with thee always. It will never be possible for thee to recover. And the wax [fat] that will at all times be contained therein will be a good medicine. And it will continue to be an effective medicine. As soon as anyone customarily shall have sore eyes, one must customarily anoint them with it, binding it thereon; then, customarily it will be possible for one to recover. So then he departed again from that place. When he again arrived at the place where their lodge stood, he told his younger brother, saying: "Do thou look at what the father of us two has given us two." When he again arrived where his grandmother was, he said: "Now I have been to the place of my father on a visit. He granted me a most important matter. So do ye again go out of doors. Ye will hear the great noise [made] by all the several kinds of animals." Now they went out, and they listened to the loudness of the noise made by all the kinds of animals. Now there, their grandmother, the Ancient-bodied, she stood up, and she talked, saying: "Let it stand here; that is the elk, which this thing shall be called. Here also let another stand, one that is Just a little smaller, which shall be called a deer. Now also another thing, let it stand here, and that next in turn shall, verily, he called a bear. Now, also, another thing, next in order, let him stand here, and that next in order of time shall be called a buffalo. So that, verily, is just the number of [game animals] which are large in size. As soon, verily, as man-beings shall dwell here, those, verily, shall be the names of the different animals; when the man-beings dwell [here], then they shall give names to all the other animals." So, verily, now, he, the youth, said: "I desire that there shall be a hollow here [in the ground], and that it shall be full of oil." Verily, it thus came to pass. Now, moreover, he said: "Hither let him [anthropic], the buffalo, come." In just a short time it then stood there. Now he said: "Therein do thou plunge thyself." Thus, truly, did it come to pass. On the farther side it landed from the oil pool, having become as fat as it is possible for it to be. So now again he said: "Hither let him [anthropic] come next in order of time, the bear." In a short time now the bear stood there. Moreover, he now said again: "Therein do thou, next in order, plunge thyself into that oil." Thus, truly, did it come to pass. On the farther side it landed from the oil pool, having become as fat as it is possible for it to be. So now he said: "What is it thou wilt do, and in what manner, to aid [human] man-beings?" "This, seemingly, is all; I shall just flee from him," it said. So now he loaded it by inserting meat into its legs. And now, verily, its legs are very large. So now he said: "Let the deer next in order stand here." As soon as it stood there, he said: "There into that oil thou shalt plunge thyself." Now of course he [anthropic] cast his body therein, and landed from the oil pool on the other side, and it [zoic] was as fat as it was possible for it to be. So now he said: "With what and in what manner wilt thou aid the [human] man-beings?" "As for me, I shall not flee from him," it said. He said: "With what, and in what manner, moreover, wilt thou just do it?" "I will just bite them repeatedly," it replied. So now he, the youth, said: "Thus, just so, and only so, shall it be with thee," and now, moreover, he removed severally its upper teeth. Then he said: "Now the bodies of all those things which have horns, the buffalo, and the elk, etc., inherit the effect of this change." That is the reason that they [anthropic] have no upper teeth. All these several small things, the raccoon, woodchuck [or badger], porcupine, and also the skunk, all cast their bodies therein; therein they [zoic] plunged themselves. So only that is the number of those who were received. So next in order are those (z.) who were not accepted. I say that these, the Fisher, the Otter, and the Mink, and the Weasel [were the ones]. So that was the number of those who were excluded, [being set] aside, and who assembled there near by. So the Mink now cast his body into the oil. As soon as he came up out of it the youth seized him there, and he held him up, and he stripped his body through his hands, and that is the reason that his body did become somewhat longer. Now, verily, again it thus came to pass. Their bodies shared the change [into the character they now have], namely, those of the Fisher, and the Otter, and the Mink, and the Weasel. And this is the number of those [zoic] whose bodies next shared this transformation there--the Wolf, and the Panther, and the Fox. All these were excluded, being set aside. So now the two male children were in the habit of going away. Day after day they two went to a great distance; there far away they two were in the habit of setting traps. So then day after day they two were in the habit of going away. So for some time now they [masc. anthropic] who severally had otgon a natures, and they also whose bodies were otgon in nature, hated them [the two boys]. Now, of course, they two, verily, in going away, were in the habit of going together. So that [I say], moreover, one day the elder one said: "Thou alone, for the time being, go thither. Thou alone next in time shalt view our several set traps." So moreover [I say], that truly it did thus come to pass. As soon now as he was far away they [masc. anthropic] whose bodies are otgon by nature killed him there. So now he, the elder one, became aware that they had killed his younger brother. So now he began to cry. And [I say] that when it made him weep the most, when he said in his crying, ''?ñ', '?ñ'', '?ñ'', '?ñ''' then there were noises made in several places in the sky that is present. So now they [masc. anthr.] who are severally otgon, and also they [zoic] whose bodies are severally otgon, now, verily, became alarmed. Now, moreover, they said: "In just a short time only, we believe, the sky will fall, perhaps, as soon, we think, as he weeps much; it is preferable that he, his younger brother, shall return; nothing else [will stop it]." So now of course the youth became ashamed because such a large number of persons severally became aware that he was weeping. So now verily he did close up his lodge, all places therein where there were openings [crevices]. So now just after he had completed his task of closing up the openings, in just a short time, now thence, from the outside, Flint spoke, saying: "Oh, elder brother, now I have returned." So now he the elder one, who was shut up indoors, said: "It can not be that thou shouldst come in. Thou shalt just depart, thou thyself. Thou shalt take the lead on the path whereon went the mother of us two. There thou too shalt print thy tracks. I say that thou shalt trail the tracks of her who was our mother. Moreover, not far hence, there thou shalt seat thyself. So there now thou shalt observe the kind of life that customarily the human man-beings will live who will dwell on the earth. So now there, moreover, the path will divide itself where thou wilt abide. One of the ways will lead thither to the place where is the abode of His-word-is-master, a and the other will lead to the place where abides He-dwells-in-caves. b And also thou wilt have servants, they-[masc.]-dwell-in-caves. So that., moreover [I say], thou shalt take this thing-to-blow, this flute, and that thou shalt constantly continue to blow it. Just as soon, customarily, as one's breath ends, one shall hear customarily from what direction speaks the flute. Sometime afterward the youth now began to wonder, soliloquizing: "What is, perhaps, verily, in great measure, the reason that my grandmother does not eat wild potatoes?" Now, verily, he asked her, saying: "Oh, grandmother, what is it, verily, and why dost thou not in great measure eat wild potatoes?" "I customarily, all alone, by myself eat food she said; "I eat it [food], as a matter of fact." Now he mused, "Now, verily, I will watch her in the night, now just soon to be." So now he made an opening in his robe. Now, verily, he laid himself down, pretending to be asleep. Thence, nevertheless, he was looking, out of the place where he had made a hole in his robe. Now, moreover, he was looking out of the place where he had made an opening in the robe, and he was watching the place where his grandmother abode customarily. So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, went out. Now, moreover, she looked in the direction of the sunrising. Now the Star, the Day-bringer, was risen. Now she, the Ancient-bodied, said: "Now of course, so it is, I will remove my pot sitting [over the fire]." So now truly she removed the pot [from the fire] and also put the wild potatoes in a bowl of bark, and there was just one bowlful. So now, next in order, she rummaged among her belongings in a bag which she pulled out, and now, verily, she there took out corn. So now she parched it for herself. Now, moreover, it popped. There was quite a pile of the popped corn. Now, verily, she took out a mortar of small size. Moreover, she struck repeated blows on the mortar, and the mortar grew in size, and it grew to a size that was just right. Now she took out the upper mortar a [pestle] from her bag. Now again she struck it repeated blows and it, too, increased in size. So now she pounded the corn, making meal. So now again she searched in her bag. She took thence again a small pot, and she, too, again did in like manner, striking repeated blows upon it, and it, too, increased in size. Now she there set up the pot, and also made mush therein. So, as soon as it was cooked she again rummaged in her bag. So now she took from it a bone, a beaver bone. Now again, verily, she scraped the bone, and she poured the bone-dust into the pot, and now, moreover, at once there floated oil on its surface. Now, of course, she took the pot from the fire. So now she ate the food. Verily, now, the youth went to sleep. Now early in the morning again [as usual] she, the Ancient-bodied, went away to dig wild potatoes. As soon as she disappeared as she went, then he went to the place where his grandmother customarily abode. Now, moreover, he began to rummage [among her belongings]. He took out an ear of corn which had only a few grains left fixed to it, there being, perhaps, only three and a half rows of grains left. So now he began to shell the corn; he shelled it all. So now he parched it for himself. Now, moreover, it popped, bursting iteratively, there being quite a heap, quite a large amount of it. Again he rummaged. Again he there took out a mortar of small size and also an upper mortar [pestle]. So now he used this to strike that, and now, moreover, both increased in size. And now he poured the parched corn. So now he in the mortar pounded it, and now verily it became meal. Now again he searched in her bag, and he took therefrom a small pot, and now used something else to strike upon it blows; then it, too, increased in size. Now, verily, he there set up the pot [on the fire] and also put water in it. So now he therein poured all this meal. Now, of course, he made mush. So now again he searched in the bag of his grandmother, and therefrom he took a bone, and he put it therein, and the mush became abundant. "Ho'ho'',"e kept chuckling. "It tastes good." Now soon thereafter his grandmother returned. She said: "Well, what manner of thing art thou doing?" "I have made mush," the youth said, "and it is pleasant, too. Do thou eat of it, so be it, oh, grandmother. There is an abundance of mush." So now she wept, saying: "Now, verily, thou hast killed me. As a matter of fact, that was all there was left for me." "It is not good," he said, "that thou dost begrudge it. I will get other corn and also bone.' So now the next day he made his preparations. When he finished his task, he said: "Now it is that I am going to depart." So now, verily, he departed. He arrived at the place where dwell man-beings. As soon as he arrived near the village he then made his preparations. I say that he made a deer out of his bow, and, next in order, a wolf out of his arrow; he made these for himself. Now he said: "Whenever it be that ye two run through the village it will customarily be that one will be just on the point of overtaking the other." Next in order he himself made into an Ancient-bodied one. So now he went to the place where they [masc.], the man-beings, abode. So now, sometime after he had arrived there, then, verily, they gave him food, gave to the Ancient-bodied. During the time that he was eating they heard a wolf approach, barking. One would just think that it was pursuing something. So now they all went out of doors. They saw a wolf pursuing a deer which was approaching them, and saw that, moreover, it was about to seize it. So now all ran thither. So now he was alone, and the Ancient-bodied ate. As soon as they had all gone, he now thrust his body into the place where, severally, the strings of corn hung. Two strings of corn he took off, and now, moreover, he placed them on his shoulder and he went out at once. He was running far away when they noticed [what he had done], but, verily, they did not at all pursue him. Again he arrived at their lodge. So now he cast them down where his grandmother abode. "Here," he said: "Thou wilt do with this as seems good to thee. Thou mayest decide, perhaps, to plant some of it." When it was day, he said: "Well, I will go to kill a beaver." Now, moreover, he went to the place that his grandmother had pointed out, saying that such things would dwell there. So he arrived there, and then, also, he saw the place where the beavers had a lodge. Then he saw one standing there. He shot it there and killed it. So then he placed its body on his back by means of the forehead pack-strap and then, moreover, he departed for home. Some time afterward he arrived at the place where their lodge stood. Thus, also, again did he do; there where his grandmother was sitting he cast it. "Here," he said. "So be it," she, the Ancient-bodied, said. So now out of doors they two skinned it. They two held its body in many places. So when they two were nearly through their task there was a pool of blood on the green hide. So then she, the Ancient-bodied, took up a handful of the blood and cast it on the loins of her grandson. "Ha'ha''," she, the Ancient-bodied, said, "now, verily, my grandson, thou becomest catamenial." "Fie upon it," said the youth, "it is not for us males to be so affected as a habit; but ye, ye females, shall be affected thus habitually every month." Now, again he took up a handful of clotted blood and cast it between the thighs of his grandmother, and now, he said: "Thou, of course, verily, hast now become catamenial." So now, she, the Ancient-bodied, began to weep, and she said: "Moreover, customarily, for how long a period will it be thus as an habitual thing?" Then the youth said: "[As many days] as there are spots on the fawn. So long, verily, shall be the time that it will continue to be thus." Now again she began to weep, the Ancient-bodied. So now she said: "It is not possible for me to consent that it shall be thus." "How many, moreover, then, shall they be?" he said. "I would accept the number of stripes on the back of a chipmunk," she said. "So be it," said the youth. So then he said: "Customarily, four days shall a woman-being remain out of doors. Then, customarily, as soon as she has washed all her garments, she shall reenter the place where they, her ohwachira a, abide." So some time afterward she, the Ancient-bodied, said repeatedly: "And there shall be mountains, seemingly, over the surface of the earth here present." And now, verily, it did thus come to pass. "And, too, there shall be rivers on the surface of the earth," again she said. Now, of course, truly it did thus come to pass. Now the youth said: "Now I think that thou and I should return home; that thou and I should go to that place which my mother has made ready for us; that there thou and I should remain forever." "So be it," she, the Ancient-bodied, said. So then it was true that his grandmother and he departed. So then, verily, they two went up on high. So this is the end of the legend. Iroquoian Cosmology By J. N. B. Hewitt [1903] Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Salish 2 - Salish The ancients all had greater powers and cunning than either animals or people. Besides the ancients, real people lived on the earth at that time. Old One made the people out of the last balls of mud he took from the earth. They were so ignorant that they were the most helpless of all the creatures Old One had made. The difficulty with the early world was that most of the ancients were selfish, and they were also very stupid in some ways. They did not know which creatures were deer and which were people, and sometimes they ate people by mistake. At last Old One said, "There will soon be no people if I let things go on like this." So he sent Coyote to teach the Indians how to do things. And Coyote began to travel on the earth, teaching the Indians, making life easier and better for them, and performing many wonderful deeds. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Buffalo Field Campaign Yellowstone Bison Update from the Field June 3, 2010 NOTE: This will be the last weekly email Update from the Field for the 2009-2010 field season. Beginning June 17, Updates will come to you every other Thursday until November 15. We will also contact you with Special Alerts to bring you news requiring your immediate attention. Thank you for being with us for the buffalo! ------------------------------ ------------------------------ * Update from the Field * Victory for Wild Buffalo in Montana * BFC Newsletter Coming Soon! * BFC Looking for Summer Outreach Volunteers * Last Words * Kill Tally * Useful Links ------------------------------ * Update from the Field This is the time when the landscape around here starts to get lonely. Most of the buffalo have been hazed off of their chosen ground, into Yellowstone National Park, where the grass is not as green, the park visitors hound their every move, and many, many of their kind have already been pushed. We continue patrols after the huge hazes of last week, finding one lone bull here, a small family group there. For the most part, the land is empty of our buffalo friends. Where once people could enjoy the priceless company of North America's largest land mammal throughout our national forests, the intolerance of Montana's livestock industry forces people to pay $25 to see them in Yellowstone. One very special buffalo has gotten the area's attention lately, however, and it's one of those wonderful cases of reprieve that we all need to celebrate. A huge, majestic bull buffalo has been spending his time in and around the town of West Yellowstone over the past few weeks. He has been hazed and continues to return to the green lawns, school fields and shop front shrubbery of West Yellowstone. Memorial Day weekend, of course, brought many visitors to the little town, and many of those visitors have probably never been around a wild bison before, so our bull buffalo friend found himself sought out by visitors who continued to get just a little too close (or in some cases, a LOT too close!). We got word over the weekend that the plan had been put forth to kill this majestic animal, just after the Memorial Day crowds had left. We knew that he had many friends in town, though, and we went to work, reaching out to our allies in the area, to the media, and most of all, to the visitors who were coming out to enjoy his presence. Other residents put out their own materials, too, to ask for tolerance and space for this bull. We even offered to the town the service of our patrols staying in the the area of the bull to ask visitors to keep their distance, and to educate them a bit about the plight of the wild bison. Within a matter of days we got word from the Chief of Police and from the Town Council that they would absolutely NOT kill the bull, and that while he will be pushed again to the confines of Yellowstone National Park, he would be safe while in the streets of West Yellowstone. It is a victory for one beautiful bull buffalo, and one that comes from all of our diverse allies pulling together. View the series of fliers distributed by the community of West Yellowstone: * Buffalo Field Campaign: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/Condemned_BFCflyer_cindy2010-1.jpg * Local Citizen, Rose Patnode: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/SaveTheColonel_Rose2010.jpg * West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/TownBull_WYCoC2010.jpg Unfortunately, Tuesday's news of victory was followed on Wednesday by yet another day of full hazing. Approximately 60 buffalo - mamas with their yearlings and newborn calves - were hazed by horsemen and helicopter from the south side of the Madison River - the cattle-free public land of Gallatin National Forest - to well inside Yellowstone National Park. This was another fourteen-plus mile day for these moms and calves, one group of whom swam across the rain-swelled Madison in an attempt to escape the haze, only to be harassed again on the other side by more horseman. Once again, these wild buffalo were chased from their chosen ground; once again, a helicopter and horsemen disrupted not just the buffalo, but countless species of wildlife within the Yellowstone ecosystem; and once again, the law enforcement working on the scene "for our safety" kept us far back from their operations, preventing us, for the most part, from effectively documenting and witnessing this harassment of wildlife. But, like the buffalo, we persist. We are out there again today, documenting as agents haze the few remaining buffalo off of cattle-free Horse Butte, forcing them for miles deep into Yellowstone. We are watching the agents' every move, cameras in hand, letting them know that we will always be there to stand with the buffalo they harass; despite their overwhelming law enforcement presence, despite their threats and orders, despite their abuse and citations. At the end of the day some part of us hopes to find one or two buffalo who have escaped the haze, one or two to spend a quiet moment with; these animals that teach us so much. Another part of us, though, hopes to find the landscape empty, lonely again, so they have no one to haze tomorrow. ------------------------------ * Victory for Wild Buffalo in Montana! On May 27, 2010, Montana District Judge John Brown ruled against the Montana Stockgrowers, who filed suit to force or kill all wild buffalo that remain in Montana after May 15 of each year. Though the decision came too late for the hundreds of wild buffalo who had been inhabiting the western landscape outside Yellowstone National Park, Horse Butte residents and the EarthJustice legal team prevailed over rancher interests, for the buffalo. What will this court ruling mean for wild buffalo next year? Learn more http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/legal/horsebutte.html ------------------------------ * BFC 2010 Newsletter Coming Soon! Buffalo Field Campaign will be mailing our 2010 Newsletter next month and we want to make sure you receive one. If your mailing address has changed since you last heard from us, or if you're not on our list of supporters and would like to receive a newsletter, please contact us with your current address. Also, please let us know if you would like us to send multiple copies that you can distribute to friends, family, and in your community. Send your name, address, zip code, and email address to [email protected] and we'll be sure to update our records. ------------------------------ * BFC Looking for Summer Outreach Volunteers Buffalo Field Campaign still has a few openings for summer education and outreach volunteers. If you can commit to spending three weeks with us, most of which will be spent inside be grandeur of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, to help educate Park visitors about what's happening to America's last wild buffalo, please get in touch! Drop a line to [email protected] or call 406-646-0070 with questions or to apply. Thank you! ------------------------------ * Last Words "Only seven years ago we made a treaty by which we were assured that the buffalo country should be left to us forever. Now they threaten to take that from us also." ~ Sitting Bull, Hunkpapa Lakota Medicine Man and Chief (1831-1890) Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to [email protected] Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you'll see them here! ------------------------------ * Kill Tally AMERICAN BUFFALO ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S. 2009-2010 Total: 6 2009-2010 Slaughter: 0 2009-2010 Hunt: 4 2009-2010 Quarantine: 0 2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 2* 2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0 *Two bulls that were drugged by APHIS on 5/4/10 were shot by DOL later that evening. 2008-2009 Total: 22 2007-2008 Total: 1,631 Total Since 2000: 3,708* *includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortality ----------------------------- Media & Outreach Buffalo Field Campaign P.O. Box 957 West Yellowstone, MT 59758 406-646-0070 [email protected] http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org BFC is the only group working in the field every day in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S. KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/6876/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3647 Join Buffalo Field Campaign -- It's Free! http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/6876/signUp.jsp?key=3378 Tell-a-Friend: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=3835 Take Action! http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26453 Unsubscribe http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/7926/p/salsa/supporter/unsubscribe/public/?unsubscribe_page_KEY=42 --

Creation Onondaga - Onondaga THE MANNER IN WHICH IT ESTABLISHED ITSELF, IN WHICH IT FORMED ITSELF, IN WHICH, IN ANCIENT TIME, IT CAME ABOUT THAT THE EARTH BECAME EXTANT He who was my grandfather was wont to relate that, verily, he had heard the legend as it was customarily told by five generations of grandsires, and this is what he himself was in the habit of telling. He customarily said: Man-beings dwell in the sky, on the farther side of the visible sky [the ground separating this from the world above it]. The lodges they severally possess are customarily long. In the end of the lodges there are spread out strips of rough bark whereon lie the several mats (beds). There it is that, verily, all pass the night. Early in the morning the warriors are in the habit of going to hunt and, as is their custom, they return every evening. In that place there lived two persons, both down-fended, and both persons of worth. Verily, one of these persons was a woman-being, a person of worth, and down-fended; besides her there was a man-being, a person of worth, and down-fended. In the end of the lodge there was a doorway. On the one side of it the woman-being abode, and on the other side of it the man-being abode. Sometime afterward, then, this came to pass. As soon as all the man-beings had severally departed this woman-being came forth and went thither and, moreover, arrived at the place where the man-being abode, and she carried a comb with her. She said: "Do thou arise; let me disentangle thy hair." Now, verily, he arose, and then, moreover, she disentangled his hair, and straightened it out. It continued in this manner day after day. Sometime afterward her kindred were surprised. It seems that the life of the maiden was now changed. Day after day it became more and more manifest that now s, he would give birth to a child. Now, moreover, her mother, the ancient one, became aware of it. Then, verily, she questioned her, saying to the maiden: "Moreover, what manner of person is to be joint parent with thee?" The maiden said nothing in reply. So, now, at that time, the man-being noticed that he began to be ill. For some time it continued thus, when, verily, his mother came to the place where he lay. She said: "Where is the place wherein thou art ill?" Then the man-being said in reply: "Oh, my mother! I will now tell thee that I, alas, am about to die." And his mother replied, saying: "What manner of thing is meant by thy saying 'I shall die?'" It is said that they who dwelt there did not know what it is for one to say "I shall die." And the reason of it was that no one living there on the sky had ever theretofore died. At that time he said: "And, verily, this will come to pass when I die: My life will go forth. Moreover, my body will become cold. Oh, my mother! thus shalt thou do on my eyes: Thou must lay both thy hands on both sides. And, moreover, thou must keep thy eyes fixed thereon when thou thinkest that now he is [I am] nearly dead. So soon as thou seest that my breathing is being made to become less, then, and not till then, must thou think that now it is that he is about to die. And then, moreover, thou wilt place thy two hands on both my eyes. Now, I shall tell thee another thing. Ye must make a burial-case. When ye finish the task of making it, then, moreover, ye must place my body therein, and, moreover, ye must lay it up in a high place." Now, verily, she, the ancient one, had her eyes fixed on him. So soon as she believed that now he was about to die, she placed both her hands on his eyes. Just so soon as she did this she began to weep. Moreover, all those who abode in the lodge were also affected in the same way; they all wept. Sometime after he had died they set themselves to work, making a burial-case. Moreover, so soon as they had finished their task they placed his body therein, and also laid it up in a high place. Sometime after they had laid the burial-case in the high place, the maiden, now a woman-being, gave birth to a child, which was a female, a woman-being. Then the ancient one [elder one, the mother of the maiden] said: "Moreover, what manner of person is the father of the child?" The maiden said nothing in reply. The girl child grew rapidly in size. It was not long after this that the girl child was running about. Suddenly, it seems, the girl child began to weep. It was impossible to stop her. Five are the number of days, it is said, that the girl child continued to weep. Then the elder one [her grandmother] said: "Do ye show her the burial-case lying there in the high place." Now, verily, they carried her person, and caused her to stand up high there. Then the girl child looked at it [the corpse], and then she ceased her weeping, and also she was pleased. It was a long time before they withdrew her; and it was not a long time before she again began to weep. Now, verily, they again carried her person, and, moreover, they caused her to stand there again. So, it continued thus, that, day after day, they were in the habit of carrying her, and causing her to stand there on the high place. It was not long before she by her own efforts was able to climb up to the place where lay the dead man-being. Thus it continued to be that she at all times went to view it. Some time afterward it thus came to pass that she came down again bringing with her what was called an armlet, that being the kind of thing that the dead man-being had clasped about his arms, and, being of the wampum variety, it was, it is said, fine-looking. The elder one said: "What manner of thing caused thee to remove it?" The girl child replied, saying: "My father said: 'Do thou remove it. It will belong to thee. I, verily, am thy parent.'" The elder one said nothing more. It continued thus that customarily, as soon as another day came, she would again climb to the place where the burial-case lay. So, now, verily, all those who were in the lodge paid no more attention to her, merely watching her grow in size. Thus it continued that day after day, at all times, she continued to go to see it [the corpse]. They heard them conversing, it is said, and they also heard, it is told, what the two said. After a while she again came down bringing with her a necklace which the dead man-being had had around his neck, and which she had removed. She, it is reported, said: "Oh, my grandmother! My father gave this to me; that is the reason I removed it." So, it is reported, until the time she was full-grown, she was in the habit of going to view the place where lay the burial-case. At that time, it is reported, her father said: "Now, my child,. verily, thou hast grown to maturity. Moreover, I will decide upon the time when thou shalt marry." Some time afterward he said: "Thou must tell thy mother, saying: 'My father said to me, "Now thou must marry."' Now, moreover, verily, thy mother must make loaves of bread, and it must fill a large forehead-strap-borne basket. Now, moreover, thou must make the bread, and thou must have it ready by the time it becomes night." Truly, it thus came to pass. It became night, and, verily, the elder one had it all ready. She said: "I have now made it ready. The basket is even now full of bread." Now, the maiden again climbed up to the place where lay the burial-case. At that time they heard her say: "My mother has now made everything ready." He then replied: "To-morrow thou must depart; early in the morning thou must depart. The distance from here to the place where lives the one whom thou wilt marry is such that thou wilt spend one night on thy way thither. And he is a chief whom thou art to marry, and his name, by repute, is He-holds-the-earth." Now the next day she dressed herself. As soon as she was ready she then again ran, going again to the place where lay the dead man-being. Then she told him, saying: "The time for me to depart has arrived." Now, at that time he told her, saying: "Do thou have courage. Thy pathway throughout its course is terrifying, and the reason that it is so is that many man-beings are traveling to and fro along this pathway. Do not, moreover, speak in reply if some person, whoever he may be, addresses words to thee. And when thou hast gone one half of thy journey, thou wilt come to a river there, and, moreover, the floating log whereon persons cross is maple. When thou dost arrive there, then thou wilt know that thou art halfway on thy journey. Then thou wilt cross the river, and also pass on. Thou must continue to travel without interruption. And thou wilt have traveled some time before thou arrivest at the place where thou wilt see a large field. Thou wilt see there, moreover, a lodge standing not far away. And there beside the lodge stands the tree that is called Tooth. a Moreover, the blossoms this standing tree bears cause that world to be light, making it light for the man-beings dwelling there. "Such, in kind, is the tree that stands beside the lodge. Just there is the lodge of the chief whom thou art to marry, and whom his people call He-holds-the-earth. When thou enterest the lodge, thou wilt look and see there in the middle of the lodge a mat spread, and there, on the mat, the chief lying down. Now, at that time, thou shalt lay thy basket down at his feet, and, moreover, thou shalt say: 'Thou and I marry.' He will say nothing. When it becomes night, he who is lying down will spread for thee a skin robe at the foot of his mat. There thou wilt stay over night. As soon as it is day again, he will say: 'Do thou arise; do thou work. Customarily one who lives in the lodge of her spouse works.' Then, verily, thou must work. He will lay down a string of corn ears and, moreover, he will say: 'Thou must soak the corn and thou must make mush.' At that time there will be a kettle of water set on the fire. As soon as it boils so that it is terrifying, thou must dissolve the meal therein. It must be boiling when thou makest the mush. He himself will speak, saying: 'Do thou undress thyself.' Moreover, thou must there undress thyself. Thou must be in thy bare skin. Nowhere wilt thou have any garment on thy body. Now, the mush will be boiling, and the mush will be hot. Verily, on thy body will fall in places the spattering mush. He will say: 'Thou must not shrink back from it;' moreover, he will have his eyes fixed on thee there. Do not shrink back from it. So soon as it is cooked, thou shalt speak, saying: 'Now, verily, it is cooked; the mush is done.' He will arise, and, moreover, he will remove the kettle, and set it aside. Then, he will say: 'Do thou seat thyself on this side.' Now then, he will say: 'My slaves, ye dogs, do ye two come hither.' They two are very large. As soon as they two arrive he will say: 'Do ye two lick her body where the mush has fallen on it.' And their tongues are like rough bark. They will lick thee, going over thy whole body, all along thy body. Blood will drop from the places where they will lick. Do not allow thy body to flinch there from. As soon as they two finish this task he will say: 'Now, do thou again put on thy raiment.' Now, moreover, thou must again dress thyself completely. At that time he will take the basket and set it down, saying, moreover: 'Now, thou and I marry.' So now, so far as they are concerned, the dogs, his slaves, they two will eat." That is what the dead man-being told her. It became night. Now, at that time, they verily laid their bodies down, and they slept. It became day, and the sun was present yonder when the maiden departed. She bore on her back by the forehead strap her basket of bread. Now, verily, she traveled with a rapid gait. It was not long before she was surprised to find a river. There beside the river she stood, thinking, verily, "I have lost my way." At that time she started back. Not long afterward those who abode in the home lodge were surprised that the maiden returned. She said: "I believe I have lost my way." Now she laid her basket on the mat, and, moreover, she again ran thither and again climbed up to the place where lay the burial-case. So soon as she reached it she said: "Oh, father! I believe that I lost my way." He said: "What is the character of the land where thou believest that thou lost thy way?" "Where people habitually cross the river, thence I returned," said the maiden. She told him everything. She said: "A maple log floats at the place where they habitually cross the river." He said: "Thou hast not lost thy way." She replied: "I think the distance to the place where the river is seems too short, and that is the reason that I think that I lost my way." At that time he said: "The place that I had indicated is far. But thy person is so endowed with magic potence, thou hast immanent in thee so much orenda that it causes thy pace to be swift. Verily, so soon as thou arrivest at the river, thou shalt cross it and also shalt pass on." At that time the maiden said: "Oh, my father, now I depart." "So be it. Moreover, do thou take courage," said the dead man-being in reply. Now she again descended and again went into the lodge. There then she placed her basket of bread on her back by means of the forehead strap. It was early in the morning when she departed. She had been traveling some time when she was surprised to hear a man-being speak to her, saying: "Do thou stand, verily." She did not stop. Aurora Borealis it was who was talking. She had passed on some distance when she heard another man-being talking to her, saying: "I am thankful that thou hast now again returned home, my child. I am hungry, desiring to eat food." She did not stop. It was Fire Dragon of the Storm who was speaking to her. Sometime after she was again at the place where people customarily crossed the river. Now, at that place, he, the chief himself, stood, desiring to try her mind, saying: "Verily, thou shouldst stop here; verily, thou shouldst rest thyself." She did not stop. She only kept right on, and, moreover, she at once crossed the river there. She traveled on for some time, and when the sun was at yonder height she was surprised that there was spread out there a large field. At that time, verily, she stopped beside the field. Now she looked, and there in the distance she saw a lodge--the lodge of the chief. Verily, she went thither. When she arrived there, she looked, and saw that it was true that beside the lodge stood the tree Tooth, whose flowers were the source of the light of the earth there present, and also of the man-beings dwelling there. Verily, she then entered the lodge. Then she looked, and saw that in the middle of the lodge a mat was spread, and that thereon, moreover, lay the chief. Now, at that time, she removed her pack-strap burden, and then she also set the basket before him, and then, moreover, she said: "Thou and I marry," and then, moreover, she handed the basket to him. He said nothing. When it became night, he spread a mat for her at the foot of his mat, and then, moreover, he said: "Verily, here thou wilt stay overnight." Moreover, it thus came to pass. Now, verily, they laid their bodies down and they slept. When day came to them, the chief then said: "Do thou arise. Do thou work, moreover. It is customary for one to work who is living in the family of her spouse. Thou must soak corn. Thou must set a pot on the fire. And when it boils, then thou must put the corn therein. Moreover, when it boils, then thou must again remove the pot, and thou must wash the corn. As soon as thou finishest the task thou must then, moreover, pound it so that it will become meal. Now, moreover, thou must make mush. And during the time that it is boiling thou must continue to stir it; thou must do so without interruption after thou hast begun it. Moreover,. do not allow thy body to shrink back when the mush spatters. That, moreover, will come to pass. Thou must undress thyself when thou workest. I, as to the rest, will say: 'Now it is cooked.'" At that time he laid down there a string of corn ears, and the corn was white. So now, verily, she began her work. She undressed herself, and now, verily, she was naked. She soaked the corn, and she also washed the corn, and also pounded it, and she also made meal of it, and, now, moreover, in the pot she had set on the fire she made mush. She stirred it without interruption. But, nevertheless, it was so that she was suffering, for, verily, now there was nothing anywhere on her body. And now, moreover, it was evident that it was hot, as the mush spattered repeatedly. Some time after she was surprised that the chief said: "Now, verily, the mush which thou art making is cooked." At that time he arose to a standing position, and also removed the pot, and also set it on yonder side. At that time he said: "Do thou sit here." Now he went forward, and, taking up the basket, he took the bread therefrom, out of her basket. At that time he said: "Now, thou and I marry. Verily, so it seems, thou wert able to do it. Hitherto, no one from anywhere has been able to do it." Now, at that time he shouted, saying: "My slaves, ye two dogs, do ye two come hither. It is necessary for me that ye two should lick this person abiding here clean of the mush that has fallen on her." Verily, she now looked and saw come forth two dogs, pure white in color and terrifying in size. So now, they two arrived at the place where she was. Now, verily, they two licked her entire body. The tongues of these two were like rough bark. So now, moreover, in whatsoever places they two licked over and along her body blood exuded therefrom. And the maiden did fortify her mind against it, and so she did not flinch from it. As soon as they two completed the task, then he himself took up sunflower oil, and with that, moreover, he anointed her body. As soon as he had finished this task he said: "Now, verily, do thou again dress thyself." Now she redressed herself entirely, and she was again clothed with raiment. When it became night, he spread a mat for her at the foot of his mat. There they two passed two more nights. And the third day that came to them the chief said to her: "Now thou must again depart. Thou must go again to the place whence thou didst start." Then he took up the basket of the maiden and went then to the place where he kept meat of all kinds hanging in quarters. Now, verily, he took up the dried meat of the spotted fawn and put it into her basket. All the various kinds of meat he placed therein. As soon as the basket was full, he shook the basket to cause its contents to settle down. When he did shake it, there was seemingly just a little room left in it. Seven times, it is said, he shook the basket before he completely filled it. At that time he said: "Now thou must again depart. Do not, moreover, stand anywhere in the course of thy path homeward. And, moreover, when thou dost arrive there, thou must tell the people dwelling there that they, one and all, must remove the roofs from their several lodges. By and by it will become night and I will send that which is called corn. In so far as that thing is concerned, that is what man-beings will next in time live upon. This kind of thing will continue to be in existence for all time." At that time he took up the basket and also said: "Now, verily, thou shouldst bear it on thy back by means of the forehead strap." Now, at that time she departed. Now again, as she traveled, she heard a man-being talking, saying: "Come, do thou stand." She did not stand. It was Aurora Borealis who was talking to her. She traveled on for some time, when she again heard a man-being talking, saying: "Verily, do thou stand. Now, verily, thou hast returned home. I am hungry. My child, I desire to eat food." She did not stop. In so far as he is concerned, it was White Fire Dragon who was talking to her. Now, she again arrived where she had crossed the river, and there again, beside the river, she stood. Now, moreover, she heard again a man-being saying: "Do thou stand. I desire that thou and I should converse together." She did not stop. It was the chief who was standing here seeking to tempt her mind. At once she crossed the river on the floating maple log. It was just midday when she again arrived at the place whence she departed, and she went directly into the lodge. As soon as she laid her burden down, she said: "Oh, my mother, now, hither I have returned." She, the elder one, spoke, saying: "I am thankful that thou hast arrived in peace." Then the maiden again spoke and said: "Ye severally must make preparations by severally removing the roofs from your lodges. There is an abundance of meat and corn also coming, as animals do come, when it becomes night, by and by." And at that time she at once went to the place where lay the burial-case of her dead father, and now, moreover, she again climbed up there. As soon as she reached the place, she said: "Oh, my father, I have now returned home." He said, in replying: "How fared it? Was he willing to do it?" She said: "He was willing." Now, again, he spoke, saying: "I am thankful that thou wast able to do it, as it seems. Thou art fortunate in this matter. And it seems, moreover, good, that thou shouldst, perhaps, at once return home, for the reason, verily, that the chief is immune to magic potence, that nothing can affect the orenda of Chief-who-has-the-standing-tree-called-Tooth, and whom some call He-holds-the-earth." At that time all those who dwelt there undid their lodges by removing the roofs from all severally. Then, verily, when it became night, as soon as the darkness became settled, they heard the sounds made by the raining of corn, which fell in the lodges. Then they went to sleep. When it became day, they looked and saw that in the lodges corn lay piled up, quite filling them. Now, moreover, their chief said: "Do ye severally repair your lodges. And, moreover, ye must care for it and greatly esteem it; the thing has visited our village which He-who-has-the-standing-tree-called-Tooth has given you to share with him." In a short time they were surprised, seemingly, that the maiden was nowhere to be found. She had again departed. They knew that she had again gone to the place where stood the lodge of the chief who was her consort. Now, verily, in reference to him he himself in turn was surprised to see her return home. When it became day again, the chief noticed that seemingly it appeared that the life of the maiden, his spouse, had changed. a Thus it was that, day after day and night after night, he still considered the matter. The conditions were such that he did not know what thing was the cause that it [his spouse's condition] was thus, so he merely marveled that it had thus come to pass. It is certain, it is said, that it formed itself there where they two conversed, where they two breathed together; that, verily, his breath is what the maiden caught, and it is that which was the cause of the change in the life of the maiden. And, moreover, that is the child to which she gave birth. And since then, from the time that he [her spouse] let man-beings go here on the earth, the manner in which man-beings are paired has transformed itself. This is the manner in which it will continue to be; this will be its manner of being done, whereby it will be possible for the man-beings dwelling on the earth to produce ohwachiras of posterity. Thus, too, it seems, it came to pass in regard to the beast-world, their bodies all shared in the change of the manner in which they would be able to produce ohwachiras of offspring here on the earth. Thus it was that, without interruption, it became more and more evident that the maiden would give birth to a child. At that time the chief became convinced of it, and he said: "What is the matter that thy life has changed? Verily, thou art about to have a child. Never, moreover, have thou and I shared the same mat. I believe that it is not I who is the cause that thy life has changed. Dost thou thyself know who it is?" She did not understand the meaning of what he, said. Now, at that time, the chief began to be ill. Suddenly, it seems, she herself now became aware that her life had changed. Then she said, addressing the chief: "I believe that there is, perhaps, something the matter, as my life at the present time is not at all pleasant." He did not make any reply. Not long thereafter she again said: "My thoughts are not at all pleasant." Again he said nothing. So it continued thus that she did nothing but consider the matter, believing that something must be the matter, perhaps, that the condition of her body was such as it was. It became more and more evident that she was pregnant. Now it was evident that she was big with child. Sometime afterward she again resolved to ask him still, once more. She said: "As a matter of fact, there must be something the matter, perhaps, that my body is in this condition. And the thoughts of my mind are not at all pleasant. One would think that there can be no doubt that, seemingly, something is about to happen, because my life is so exceedingly unpleasant." Again he said nothing. When it became night, then, verily, they laid their bodies down and they slept. So now, verily, he there repeatedly considered the matter. Now, in so far as the maiden was concerned, she still did not understand what was about to take place from the changed condition of her body. Sometime afterward the chief spoke to her, saying: "As a matter of fact, a man-being (or rather woman-being) will arrive, and she is a man-being child, and thou must care for her. She will grow in size rapidly, and her name is Zephyrs." a The maiden said nothing, for the reason that she did not understand what her spouse told her. Not long afterward, then, verily, she gave birth to a child. She paid no attention to it. The only thing she did was to lay it on the place -where the chief customarily passed the night. After ten days' time she again took it up there from. Sometime afterward the chief became aware that he began to be ill. His suffering became more and more severe. All the persons dwelling in the village came to visit him. There he lay, and sang, saying: "Ye must pull up this standing tree that is called Tooth. The earth will be torn open, and there beside the abyss ye must lay me down. And, moreover, there where my head lies, there must sit my spouse." That is what he, the Ancient One, sang. Then the man-beings dwelling there became aware that their chief was ill. Now, verily, all came to visit him. They questioned him repeatedly, seeking to divine his Word, what thing, seemingly, was needful for him, what kind of thing, seemingly, he expected, through a dream. Thus, day after day, it continued that they sought to find his Word. After a time the female man-being child was of fair size. She was then able to runabout from place to place. But it thus continued that they kept on seeking to divine his Word. After a while, seemingly, one of the persons succeeded in finding his Word, and he said: "Now, perhaps, I myself have divined the Word of him, the ordure, our chief." He who is called Aurora Borealis said this. And when he told the chief what manner of thing his soul craved, the chief was very pleased. And when he divined his Word, he said: "Is it not this that thy dream is saying, namely, that it is direful, if it so be that no person should divine thy Word, and that it will become still more direful? And yet, moreover, it is not certain that this is what thy soul craves; that its eyes may have seen thy standing tree, Tooth as to kind, pulled up, in order that the earth be torn open, and that there be an abyss that pierces the earth, and, moreover, that there beside the abyss one shall lay thee, and at thy head thy spouse shall be seated with her legs banging down into the abyss." At that time the chief said: "Ku''. a I am thankful! Now, verily, the whole matter has been fulfilled by thy divining my Word." During this time. [the duration of the dream feast], a large body of man-beings, b paid a visit there. He, the Deer, paid a visit there. He, the Great-horned Deer [the Buck], paid a visit there. He, the Spotted Fawn, paid a visit, and was there seeking to divine the Word of the chief. He, the Bear, also paid a visit. Now, he also, the Beaver, paid a visit. And he, the Wind-who-moves-about-from-place-to-place, paid a visit also. And now, also, he, the Daylight, paid a visit. Now she also, the Night, the Thick Night, paid a visit. Now also she, the Star, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Light-orb [the sun] paid a visit. And, too, the Water-of-springs, she paid a visit. Now, also, she, the Corn, paid a visit. Now, also, she, the Bean, paid a visit. Now, also, she, the Squash, paid a visit. Now, also, she, the Sunflower, paid a visit. Now, also, the Fire Dragon with the body of pure white color, he paid a visit. Now, also, the Rattle paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Red Meteor, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Spring Wind, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Great Turtle, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Otter, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Wolf, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Duck, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Fresh Water, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Yellowhammer, paid a visit. Now, also, he, the Medicine, paid a visit. Moreover, all things that are produced by themselves, that produce themselves, that is, the animals, and, next to them, the small animals, the flying things, of every species, all paid a visit. Now, sometime afterward, he, the Aurora Borealis, paid a visit. And, verily, he it was who divined the Word of the chief. Verily, he said: "The great standing tree, the Tooth, must be uprooted. And wherever it has a root there severally they must stand, and they must severally lay bold of each several root. And just then, and not before, shall they be able to uproot the standing tree. The earth will be torn open. Moreover, all persons must look therein. And there, beside the abyss, they must lay thee. Now, moreover, there at thy head she with whom thou dost abide must sit with her legs hanging down into the abyss." Then, verily, the chief replied, saying: "Ku''. I am thankful that ye have divined my word. Now all things have been fulfilled." Verily, it did thus come to pass that they did uproot the standing tree, Tooth, that grew beside the lodge of the chief. And all the inhabitants of that place came thither with the intention of looking into the abyss. It did thus come to pass that everyone that dwelt there did look therein. At that time the chief then said, addressing his spouse: "Now, too, let us two look into the abyss. Thou must bear her, Zephyrs, on thy back. Thou must wrap thyself with care." Now, moreover, he gave to her three ears of corn, and, next in order, the dried meat of the spotted fawn, and now, moreover, he said: "This ye two will have for provision." Now he also broke off three fagots of wood, which, moreover, he gave to her. She put them into her bosom, under her garments. Then, verily, they went thitherto the place. They arrived at the spot where the earth was torn up, and then he said: "Do thou sit here." There, verily, she sat where the earth was broken off. There she hung both legs severally into the abyss. Now, in so far as he was concerned, he, the chief, was looking into the abyss, and there his spouse sat. Now, at that time he upraised himself, and said: "Do thou took hence into the abyss." Then she did in this manner, holding with her teeth her robe with its burden. Moreover, there along the edge of the abyss she seized with her hands, and, now, moreover, she bent over to look. He said: "Do thou bend much and plainly over." So she did do thus. As soon as she bent forward very much he seized the nape of her neck and pushed her into the abyss. Verily, now at that time she fell down thence. Now, verily, the man-being child and the man-being mother of it became one again. When she arrived on earth, the child was again born. At that time the chief himself arose and said, moreover: "Now, verily, I have become myself again; I am well again. Now, moreover, do ye again set up the tree." And the chief was jealous, and that was the cause that he became ill. He was jealous of Aurora Borealis, and, in the next place, of the Fire Dragon with the pure white body. This latter gave him much mental trouble during the time that he, the chief, whom some call He-holds-the-earth, was married. So now, verily, her body continued to fall. Her body was falling some time before it emerged. Now, she was surprised, seemingly, that there was light below, of a blue color. She looked, and there seemed to be a lake at the spot toward which she was falling. There was nowhere any earth. There she saw many ducks on the lake [sea], whereon they, being waterfowl of all their kinds, floated severally about. Without interruption the body of the woman-being continued to fall. Now, at that time the waterfowl, called the Loon shouted, saying: "Do ye look, a woman-being is coming in the depths of the water, her body is floating up hither." They said: "Verily, it is even so." Now, verily, in a short time the waterfowl [duck] called Bittern [Whose eyes-are-ever-gazing-upward], said: "It is true that ye believe that her body is floating up from the depths of the water. Do ye, however, look upward." All looked upward, and all, moreover, said: "Verily, it is true." They next said: "What manner of thing shall we do?" One of the persons said: "It seems, then, that there must be land in the depths of the water." At that time the Loon said: "Moreover, let us first seek to find someone who will be able to bear, the earth on his back by means of the forehead pack strap." All said, seemingly: "I shall be able to bear the earth by means of the forehead pack strap." He replied: "Let us just try; it seems best." Otter, it seems, was the first to make the attempt. As soon, then, as a large bulk of them mounted on his back, verily, he sank. In so far as he was concerned, he was not able to do anything. And they said: "Thou canst do nothing." Now many of them made the attempt. All failed to do it. Then he, the Carapace, the Great Turtle, said: "Next in turn, let me make the attempt." Then, verily, a large bulk of them mounted on his back. He was able to bear them all on his back. Then they said: "He it is who will be able to bear the earth on his back." Now, at that time, they said: "Do ye go to seek earth in the depths of the water." There were many of them who were not able to obtain earth. After a while it seems that he, the Muskrat, also made the attempt. He was able to get the ground thence. Muskrat is he who found earth. When he came up again, he rose dead, holding earth in his paws, and earth was also in his mouth. They placed all of it upon the carapace of the Turtle. Now their chief said: "Do ye hurry, and hasten yourselves in your work." Now a large number of muskrats continued to dive into the depths of the water. As fast as they floated to the surface they placed the earth on the back of the Turtle. Sometime thereafter then, verily, they finished covering the carapace with earth. Now, at that time, the carapace began to grow, and the earth with which they had covered it became the Earth. Now, also, they said: "Now, moreover, do ye go to see and to meet this woman-being whose body is falling hither." At once a great number of the large waterfowl flew hence, joining their bodies together, and there on their joined bodies her person impinged. Then slowly the large waterfowl descended, and also they placed the woman-being there on the carapace. Moreover, the carapace had now grown much in size. Now, moreover, they said: "Now, verily, we are pleased that we have attended to the female man-being who has appeared in the same place with us." The next day came, and she looked and saw lying there a deer, also fire and firebrands, and also a heap of wood, all of which had been brought thither. At that time she kindled a fire, using for this purpose the three fagots which she had slipt into the bosom of her garment, and of which he [the chief] had said: "Ye two will have this for a provision." At that time she laid hands on the body of the deer. She broke up its body, some of which she roasted for food. She passed three nights there, when she again gave birth, again becoming possessed of a child. The child was a female. That, verily, was the rebirth of Zephyrs. Now the elder woman-being erected a booth, thatching it with grasses. There the mother and daughter remained, one being the parent of the other. Now the earth was large and was continually increasing in size. It was now plain where the river courses would be. There they two remained, the mother attending to the child, who increased in size very rapidly. Some time afterward she then became a maiden. And they two continued to remain there. After a while, seemingly, the elder woman-being heard her offspring talking with someone. Now, verily, the elder woman-being was thinking about this matter, wondering: "Whence may it be that a man-being could come to talk with her." She addressed her, saying: "Who is it, moreover, who visits thee?" The maiden said nothing in reply. As soon as it became night and the darkness was complete, he, the man-being, again arrived. And just as the day dawned the elder woman-being heard him say: "I will not come again." Verily he then departed. Not long after this the life of the maiden was changed. Moreover, it became evident that she was about to give birth to a child. After a time, when, seemingly, the maiden had only a few more days to go, she was surprised, seemingly, to hear two male man-beings talking in her body. One of the persons said: "There is no doubt that the time when man-beings will emerge to be born has now arrived." The other person replied: "Where, moreover, does it seem that thou and I should emerge?" He replied, saying: "This way, moreover, thou and I will go." Now, again, one of them spoke, saying: "It is too far. This way, right here, is near, and, seemingly, quite transparent." At that time he added, saying: "Do thou go then; so be it." Now, he started and was born. The child was a male. Then, so far as the other was concerned, he came out here through her armpit. And now, verily, he killed his mother. The grandmother saw that the child that was born first was unsurpassedly fine-looking. At that time she asked, saying: "Who, moreover, killed your mother, now dead?" Now, he who did it replied, saying: "This one here." Verily, he told a falsehood. Now, the elder woman-being seized the other one by the arm and cast his body far beyond, where he fell among grasses. Now, she there attended to the other one. It is said that they grew rapidly in size. After a while, seemingly, he was in the habit of going out, and there running about from place to place. In like manner they two grew very rapidly. Now the child who lived out of doors kept saying: "Do thou tell thy grandmother, who, verily, is grandmother to us two, that she should make me a bow, and also an arrow." Now, verily, he told her what manner of thing the other person desired. The only result was that she. got angry, saying: "Never will I make him a bow and also an arrow. It is he, verily, who killed her who was the mother of you two." It continued thus that the two brothers played together. They were in the habit of making a circuit of the island a floating there. And, as rapidly as they made a circuit of it, so rapidly did the earth increase in size. When, it is said, the island had grown to a great size, then he who had been cast out of doors kept saying: "Man-beings b are about to dwell here." The other person kept saying: "What manner of thing is the reason that thou dost keep saying, 'Man-beings are about to dwell here?'" He said: "The reason that I say that is that it is a matter of fact that man-beings are about to dwell here. And it is I, the Sapling, who say it." So then, this other person began to say: "I shall be called Flint." When they two had nearly grown to maturity, it is said, then he, the Sapling, made himself a lodge, erecting a booth. And when he had completed it, he departed. He went to hunt. He shot at a bird, but he missed it, and his arrow fell into the water. Verily, he then resolved: "I will take it out of the water again." Now, there into the water he cast himself, plunging into the water. He was surprised that, seemingly, he fell there beside a doorway. Then, moreover, from the inside of the lodge a man-being spoke to him, saying: "Do thou come in, my child; I am thankful that thou hast visited my lodge. I purposely caused thee to visit the place where my lodge stands. And the reason that it has thus come to pass is that my mind was so affected by what thy grandmother keeps saying. And, moreover, I desired to give thee a bow and also an arrow which thou dost need, and which, by and by, thy brother will see, and then he will ask, saying: 'Whence didst thou get this?' Thou must say: 'My father has given it to me.'" Now, furthermore, he gave both to him. At this time he bestowed another thing; it was corn. At that time he said: "This corn, as soon as thou arrivest at home, thou must at once roast for food for thyself; and at that time thou must continue to say: 'In this manner will it continue to be that man-beings, who are about to dwell here on the earth, will be in the habit of eating it.' Thy brother will visit thy lodge, and at that time Flint will ask, saying: 'Whence didst thou get this kind of thing?' Thou must say, moreover: 'My father has given it to me.'" Moreover, it did thus come to pass when he arrived at his home. At that time he husked the ear of corn and also laid it beside the fire; he roasted the ear. So soon as it became hot, it emitted an odor which was exceedingly appetizing. They, his grandmother's people, smelled it. She said: "Flint, do thou go to see what the Sapling is roasting for himself, moreover." He, the Flint, arose at once, and he ran thither. When he arrived there, he said: "Whence didst thou get that which thou art roasting for thyself?" He said in replying: "It is a matter of fact that my father gave it to me. And it is this that the man-beings who are about to dwell here on the earth will be in the habit of eating." Then Flint said: "My grandmother has said that thou shouldst share some with her." The Sapling replied, saying: "I am not able to do it, and the reason is that she desires to spoil it all. I desire, as a matter of fact, that man-beings, who are about to dwell here on the earth shall continue to eat it, and that it shall continue to be good." Then, verily, the lad returned home. When he arrived there, he told what he had learned, saying: "The Sapling did not consent to it." She arose at once and went thither to the place where the booth of the Sapling stood. Arriving there, she said: "What kind of thing is it that thou art roasting for thyself?" He replied, saying: "It is corn." She demanded: "Where is the place whence thou didst get it?" He said: "My father gave it to me. And it is this which the man-beings who are about to dwell here on this earth will continue to eat." She said: "Thou shouldst give a share, verily, to me." He answered and said: "I can not do it, and the reason is that thou desirest to spoil it." At that time she said: "It is but a small matter, and thou shouldst pluck off a single grain of corn and give it to me." He said: "I can not do it." She said: "It is a small matter, if thou shouldst give me the nubbin end of the corn ear." He said: "I can not do it. I desire that it shall all be good, so that the man-beings shall continue to eat it." At that time she became angry and she came forward, and, taking up some ashes, cast them on what he was roasting, and that was now spoiled. She said: "Thou desirest that that which they will continue to eat shall continue to be good. There, it will now be different." Thrice did she repeat the act that spoiled it. Then the Sapling said: "Why hast thou done that deed?" Now again, another thing: he had a pot wherein he heated water. Then from the ear of corn he plucked a single grain of corn, and he put it therein, saying: "Thus shall man-beings be in the habit of doing when they prepare food for eating." Then he placed the corn in a mortar, and also said: "In this manner also shall man-beings, who are about to dwell here on the earth, continue to do." Then he took from its stand the pounder and brought it down once, and it became finished perfect meal. He said: "Thus it shall continue to be; thus shall be the manner of preparing meal among the man-beings who are about to dwell here on the earth." At that time she, his grandmother, came forward and heard what he was saying. She arrived there, and said: "Sapling, thou desirest that the man-beings shall be exceedingly happy." She went forward, and, taking off the pot from the fire, put ashes into the hot water. Now, moreover, she took the ear of corn, shelled it, and put the corn into the hot water. She said: "This, moreover, shall be their manner of doing, the method of the man-beings." At that time the Sapling said: "Thou shouldst not do thus." His grandmother did not obey him. Thence, it is said, originated the evil that causes persons customarily to speak ill when they prepare food. And, it is said, she stated her wish, thus: "This, as a matter of fact, shall be the manner of doing of the man-beings." It so continued to be. The Sapling kept saying: "The way in which thou hast done this is not good, for I desire that the man-beings shall be exceedingly happy, who are about to dwell here on this earth." Now at that time the Sapling traveled about over the earth. Now there was a large expanse of earth visible. There was a mountain range, visible river courses, and a high clay bank, near which he passed. Now, verily, he there pondered many times. Then he made the bodies of the small game, the bodies of birds. All were in twos, and were mated, in all the clans [kinds] of birds. The volume of the sound made by all the various kinds of bird voices as they talked together was terrifying. And the Sapling kept saying: "Thus this shall continue to be, whereby the man-beings shall habitually be made happy." And now he made the bodies of the large game animals. He finished the bodies of two deer, and the two were mates. "There, that is sufficient to fill the whole earth," he said. He made all the various kinds of animals severally. All were in twos, and they, each pair, were mates [male and female]. At that time he, the Sapling, again traveled. Now the earth had grown to a very great size, and continued to grow. So now Flint became aware that the animals were ranging about. After a while then Flint concealed all the bodies of the animals. There in the high mountain was a rock cavern whereinto he drove all the animals. And then he closed it with a stone. Then Sapling became aware that the animals no longer roamed from place to place. Now, at this time, he again traveled over the entire earth. He saw on this side a mountain range. He went thither, and he arrived where the opening of the cavern was. And he then took up the great stone and opened it again. Now, he looked therein and saw that the animals abode in that place. "Do ye again go out of this place," he said. Then they came out again. And it was done very quickly. And all those that fly took the lead in coming out. At that time they, his grandmother and Flint, also noticed that the animals again became numerous. And then Flint ran, running to the place where the rock cavern was. He reached the place while they were still coming out. And he, by at once pulling down the stone again, stopped up the cavern. Verily, some of them failed, and they did not get out, and at the present time they are still there. And it came to pass that they were changed, becoming otgon [malefic] a, and the reason that it thus came to pass is that some customarily put forth their orenda for the purpose of ending the days of the man-beings; and, moreover, they still haunt the inside of the earth. At this time Sapling again traveled about. Then he was surprised that, seemingly, a man-being came toward him, and his name was Hadu'i' b. They two met. The man-being Hadu'i', said: "Where is the place whence thou dost come?" The Sapling said: "I am going out viewing the earth here present. Where is the place whence on dost come?" Hadu'i' said: "From here do I come. I amgoing about traveling. Verily, it is I who am the master of the earth here present." At that time the Sapling said: "I it is who finished the earth here present. If it so be that thou art the master of the earth here present, art thou able to cause yonder mountain to move itself hither?" Hadu'i' said: "I can do it." At that time, he said: "Do thou, yonder mountain, come hither." Then they two faced about. Sometime afterward they two now faced back, and, moreover, saw that the mountain had not changed its position. At that time Sapling said: "Verily, thou art not the master of the earth here present. I, as matter of fact, am master of it. Now, next in time, I will speak." He said: "Do thou, yonder mountain, come hither." Now they two faced about. And as quickly as they two faced about again the mountain stood at their backs, The Sapling said: "What sayst thou? Am I master of it?" Then Hadu'i' said: "It is true that thou art master of it. Thou hast finished the earth here present. Thou shouldst have pity on me that I may be suffered to live. I will aid thee, moreover. Verily, thou dost keep saying: 'Man-beings are about to dwell here on the earth here present.' In this matter, moreover, will it continue to be that I shall aid and assist thee. Moreover, I will aid the man-beings. Seeing that my body is full of orenda and even otgon, as a matter of fact, by and by the man-beings will be affected with mysterious ills. Moreover, it will be possible for them to recover if they will make an imitation of the form of my body. I, who was the first to travel over the earth here present, infected it with my orenda. And, verily, it will magically conform itself to [be marked by] the lineaments of my body. Moreover, this will come to pass. If it so be that a man-being becomes ill by the contagion of this magic power, it is here that I will aid thee. And the man-beings will then live in contentment. And, moreover, they must customarily greet me by a kinship term, saying: 'my Grandfather.' And when, customarily, the man-beings speak of me they must customarily say: 'our Grandfather'; thereby must they designate me. And I shall call the man-beings on my part by a kinship term, saying: 'my Grandchildren.' And they must make customarily a thing of wood which shall be in my likeness, being wrought thus, that will enable them to go to the several lodges, and, moreover, they who thus personate me shall be hondu'i'. a They must employ for this purpose tobacco [native tobacco]. It will be able to cause those who have become ill to recover. There, moreover, I shall take up my abode where the ground is wild and rough, and where, too, there are rock cliffs. Moreover, nothing at all obstructs me [in seeing and hearing or power]. So long as the earth shall be extant so long shall I remain there. I shall continue to aid the man-beings for that length of time." There, it is said, is the place wherein all kinds of deadly ills begot themselves--fevers,. consumptions, headaches--all were caused by Hadu'i'. Now, at that time the Sapling again traveled. He again arrived at his lodge, and he marveled that his grandmother was angry. She took from its fastening the head, which had been cut off, of his--the Sapling's--dead mother, and she carried it away also. She bore the head away with her. When she had prepared the head, it became the sun, and the body of flesh became the nocturnal light orb. As soon as it became night, the elder woman-being and, next in order, Flint departed, going in an easterly direction. At the end of three days, then said Sapling: "I will go after the diurnal orb of light. Verily, it is not good that the human beings who are about to dwell here on the earth should continue to go about in darkness. Who, moreover, will accompany me?" A man-being, named Fisher, spoke in reply, saying: "I will accompany thee." A man-being, another person, said: "I, too, will accompany thee." It was the Raccoon who said this. Another man-being, whose name is Fox, said: "I, too, will accompany thee." There were several others, several man-beings, who, one and all, volunteered to aid Sapling. At that time Sapling said: "Moreover, who will work at the canoe?" The Beaver said: "Verily, I will make it." Another man-being, whose name was Yellowhammer, said: "I will make the hollow of it." At that time there were several others who also gave their attention to it. And then they worked at it, making the canoe. There Sapling kept saying: "Do ye make haste in the work." In a short time, now, verily, they finished it, making a canoe. Quickly, now, they prepared themselves. At that time they launched the canoe into the water. Then Sapling said: "Moreover, who shall steer the canoe?" Beaver said: "I will volunteer to do it." Otter also said: "I, too." Now they went aboard and departed. Then Sapling said: "In steering the canoe, thou must guide it eastward." Now, it ran swiftly as they paddled it onward. It was night; it was in thick darkness; in black night they propelled the canoe onward. After a while, seemingly, they then looked and saw that daylight was approaching. And when they arrived at the place whither they were going it was then daylight. They saw that there was there, seemingly, an island, and they saw that the trees standing there were very tall, and that some of them were bent over, inclining far over the sea, and there in the water where the tree tops ended the canoe stopped. Then Sapling said: "Moreover, who will go to unfasten the light orb [the sun] from its bonds yonder on the tree top?" Then Fisher said: "I will volunteer." Then Fox said: "I, too [will volunteer]." At that time Fisher climbed up high, and passed along above [the ground]. He crossed from tree to tree, going along on the branches, making his way to the place where the diurnal light orb was made fast; thither he was making his course. But, in regard to Fox, he ran along below on the ground. In a short time Fisher then arrived at the place where the diurnal light orb was made fast. At once he repeatedly bit that by which it was secured, and, severing it, he removed the sun. Now, moreover, he cast it down to his friend, Fox, who stood near beneath him. He caught it, and now, moreover, they two fled. When they two had run half the way across the island, then Flint's grandmother noticed what had taken place. She became angry and wept, saying: "What, moreover, is the reason, O Sapling, that thou hast done this in this manner?" Then she, the elder woman-being, arose at once, and began to run in pursuit of the two persons. Fox ran along on the ground and, in turn, Fisher crossed from tree to tree, running along the branches. Now, the elder woman-being was running close behind, and now she was about to seize Fox, who now, moreover, being wearied, cast the sun up above. Then Fisher caught it. Now, next in turn, she pursued him. And he, next in turn, when she came running close behind him and was about to seize him, being in his turn wearied, cast the sun down, and then Fox in his turn caught it. Thus, verily, it continued. Fisher was in the lead, and he at once boarded the canoe. And close behind him was Fox, holding the sun in his mouth, and he, too, at once got aboard of the canoe. Now, moreover, the canoe withdrew, and, turning around, it started away. Now, moreover, it was running far away as they paddled it onward when the elder woman-being arrived at the shore of the sea; and she there shouted, saying: "O Sapling, what, moreover, is the reason that thou hast done this thing in this manner? Thou shouldst pity me, verily, in that the sun should continue to pass thence, going thither [in its orbit, giving day and night]." He, Sapling, said nothing. She said this three times in succession. Now she exclaimed: "O thou, Fox, effuse thy orenda to cause the sun to pass habitually thence, going thither." Fox said nothing in reply. Thrice, too, did she repeat this speech. Now, again, she said: "O thou, Fisher, effuse thy orenda whereby thou canst make the sun to pass habitually thence, going thither." He said nothing. Thrice did she repeat this saying. And all the other persons, too, said nothing. She said: "O thou, Beaver, thou shouldst at this time have pity on me; do thou effuse thy orenda; moreover, thou hast the potence to cause the sun to pass thence habitually, going thither." He said nothing. Thrice, too, did she repeat this speech. All said nothing. Now, there was there a person, a man-being, whose orenda she overmatched. She said: "O thou, Otter, thou art a fine person, do thou effuse thy orenda wherein thou hast the potence to ordain [forethink] that the sun thence shall come to pass, going thither." He said: "So be it." Instantly accompanying it was her word, saying: "I am thankful." At that time Beaver said: "Now, verily, it is a direful thing, wherein thou hast done wrong." And now, moreover, he took the paddle out of the water and with it he struck poor Otter in the face, flattening his face thereby. As soon as they arrived home Sapling said: "I am pleased that now we have returned well and successful. Now, I will fasten it up high; on high shall the sun remain fixed hereafter." At that time he then said: "Now, the sun shall pass over the sky that is visible. It shall continue to give light to the earth." Thus, moreover, it too came to pass in regard to the nocturnal light orb [the moon]. Now, Sapling traveled over the visible earth. There was in one place a river course, and he stood beside the river. There he went to work and he formed the body of a human man-being. a He completed his body and then he blew into his mouth. Thereupon, the human man-being became alive. Sapling said: "Thou thyself ownest all this that is made." So, now, verily, he repeatedly looked around, and there was there a grove whose fruit was large, and there, moreover, the sound of the birds talking together was great. So, now came another thing. Thus, in his condition he watched him, and he thought that, perhaps, he was lonesome. Now, verily, he again went to work, and he made another human man-being. Next in time he made a human woman-being. He completed her body, and then he blow into her mouth, and then she, too, became alive. He said, addressing the male man-being: "Now, this woman-being and thou marry. Do thou not ever cause her mind to be grieved. Thou must at all times hold her dear." At that time he said, addressing her who was there: "This human man-being and thou now marry. Thou must hold him dear. And ye two shall abide together for a time that will continue until death shall separate you two. Always ye two must hold one the other dear. Ye two must care for the grove bearing large fruit. For there are only a few trees that belong to you two." He said: "Moreover, do ye two not touch those which do not belong to you two. Ye two will do evil if it so be that you two touch those which do not belong to you two." Thus, in this manner, they two remained together, the man-being paying no attention to the woman-being. The male human man-being cared not for the female human man-being. Customarily, they two laid themselves down and they two slept. Now sometime afterward, he who had completed their bodies was again passing that way, and, seeing the condition of things, thought of what he might do to arouse the minds of the two persons. Then he went forward to the place where lay the male person sleeping, and having arrived there he removed a rib from the male person, and then, next in turn, he removed a small rib from the sleeping female man-being. And now, changing the ribs, he placed the rib of the woman-being in the male human man-being, and the rib of the male human man-being he set in the human woman-being. He changed both alike. At that timer the woman-being awoke. As soon as she sat up she at once seized the place where was fixed the rib that had been hers. And, as soon as, she did this, then the man-being, too, awoke. And now verily, they both addressed words the one to the other. Then Sapling was highly pleased. He said: "Now I tell you both that, in peace, without ceasing ye both must hold one the other dear. Thou wilt do evil shouldst thou address unkind words to the one who abides with thee in this particular place. And, next in turn, he addressed the male human man-being, saying: "Do not thou ever come to dislike her with whom thou dost abide. The two human man-beings that I have made are sufficient. The ohwachira [blood-family, offspring of one mother] which ye two will produce will fill the whole earth." Then he again separated from them. It thus came to pass that he noticed that his brother, Flint, was at work far away. Then he ordered one, saying: "Go thou after him who is at work yonder; he is my brother, Flint." At that time a person went thither, and said: "i have come for thee. Thy brother, Sapling, has sent me to bring thee with me. Then Flint said: "I am at work. By and by I shall complete it, and then, and not before, will I go thither." He again departed. He arrived home, and moreover, he brought word that Flint had said, "I am at work. I shall complete it by and by, and then, not before, will I go thither to that place." He said: "Go thou thither again. I have a matter about which I wish to converse with him." Again he arrived there, and he said: "He would that thou and he should talk together." He replied, saying: "Verily, I must first complete my work, and not until that time will I go thither." Then he again departed thence. Again he arrived home, and he said: "He yonder did not consent to come." At that time Sapling said: "He himself, forsooth, is a little more important than I. Moreover, I verily shall go thither." Thereupon Sapling went to that place. Flint did not notice it. When he arrived there, he said: "Thou art working for thyself, art thou, in thy work?" He replied, saying: "I am working. I desire to assist thee, for that it will take a long time for the man-beings to become numerous, since thou hast made only two." At that time Sapling said: "Verily, as a matter of fact, the two man-beings that I have completed are sufficient. And, in so far as thou art concerned, thou art not able to make a human man-being. Look! Verily, that which thou believest to be a man-being is not a true one." He saw standing there a long file of things which were not man-beings. There sat the beast with the face of a man-being, a monkey; a there next to him sat the ape; a and there sat the great horned owl. And there were other things also seated there. Then they all changed, and the reason of it is that they were not man-beings. Sapling said, when he overmatched their orenda: "Verily, it is good that thou, Flint, shouldst cease thy work. It is a direful thing, verily, that has come to pass." He did not consent to stop. Then Sapling said: "It is a marvelously great matter wherein thou hast erred in not obeying me when I forbade thy working." At that time Flint said: "I will not stop working, because I believe that it is necessary for me to work." Then Sapling said: "Moreover, I now forsake thee. Hence wilt thou go to the place where the earth is divided in two. Moreover, the place whither thou wilt go is a fine place." At that time he cast him down, and he fell backward into the depths of the earth. There a fire was burning, and into the fire he fell supine; it was exceedingly hot. After awhile Flint said: "Oh, Sapling! Thou wouldst consent, wouldst thou not, that thou and I should converse once more together?" Sapling replied, saying: "Truly, it shall thus come to pass. Moreover, I will appoint the place of meeting to be the place where the earth is divided in two." And Flint was able to come forth from the fire. At that time then Sapling went thither, going to the point designated by him. He arrived there, and, moreover, he stood there and looked around him. He looked and saw afar a cloud floating away whereon Flint was standing. Sapling said: "What manner of thing has come to pass that thou art departing hence away?" Flint answered: "I myself did not will it." Sapling said: "Do thou come thence, hitherward." At that time the cloud that was floating away returned, and again approached the place where Sapling stood. Then this one said: "How did it happen that it started away?", Flint, replying, said: "It is not possible that I personally should have willed it." Sapling rejoined: "How did it happen that thou didst not will it?" Then Flint said: "I did not do that." Sapling said: "It is true that it is impossible for thee to do it. Moreover, thou and I, verily, are again talking together. What kind of thing desirest thou? What is it that thou needest, that thou and I should again converse together?" Flint then said: "It is this; I thought that, perhaps, thou wouldst consent that the place where I shall continue to be may be less rigorous. And thou didst sa

Creation of the Yakama world - Yakama In the beginning of the world, all the water. Whee-me-me-ow-ah, the Great Chief Above, lived up in the sky all alone. When he decided to make the world, he went down to the shallow places in the water and began to throw up great handfuls of mud that became land. He piled some of the mud so high that it froze hard and made the mountains. When the rain came, it turned into ice and snow on top of the high mountains. Some of the mud was hardened into rocks. Since that time the rocks have not changed - they have only become harder. The Great Chief Above made trees grow on the earth, and also roots and berries. He made a man out of a ball of mud and told him to take fish from the waters, and deer and other game from the forests. When the man became lonely, the Great Chief Above made a woman to be his companion and taught her how to dress skins, how to find bark and roots, and how to make baskets out of them. He taught her which berries to gather for food and how to pick them and dry them. He showed her how to cook the salmon and the game that the man brought. Once when the woman was asleep, she had a dream, and in it she wondered what more she could do to please the man. She prayed to the Great Chief Above for help. He answered her prayer by blowing his breath on her and giving her something which she could not see or hear, smell or touch. This invisible something was preserved in a basket. Through it, the first woman taught her daughters and granddaughters the designs and skills which had been taught her. But in spite of all the things the Great Chief Above did for them, the new people quarreled. They bickered so much that Mother Earth was angry, and in her anger she shook the mountains so hard that those hanging over the narrow part of Big River fell down. The rocks, falling into the water, dammed the stream and also made rapids and waterfalls. Many people and animals were killed and buried under the rocks and mountains. Someday the Great Chief Above will overturn those mountains and rocks. Then the spirits that once lived in the bones buried there will go back into them. At present those spirits live in the tops of the mountains, watching their children on the earth and waiting for the great change which is to come. The voices of these spirits can be heard in the mountains at all times. Mourners who wail for their dead hear spirit voices reply, and thus they know that their lost ones are always near. We did not know all this by ourselves; we were told it by our fathers and grandfathers, who learned it from their fathers and grandfathers. No one knows when the Great Chief Above will overturn the mountains. But we do know this: the spirits will return only to the remains of people who in life kept the beliefs of their grandfathers. Only their bones will be preserved under the mountains. Reported by Ella Clark in 1953. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation of the World - Inuit The Raven and his wife created the world. They made the cape of Uñi´sak out of a nose of an eider-duck (Somatheria spectabilis); the peninsula of Alaska, of a long belt-knife; and the island Ima´lik (one of the Diomedes), of a button of the scabbard (with which it is clasped around the hip). They made reindeer of their hair, and dogs of their nails, and sea-water of their urine. Told by Ñ?pe´wgi, an Asiatic Eskimo man, in the village of Uñi´sak, at Indian Point, May, 1901. Footnotes 1 This fragment seems to include material from two different sources, - one belonging to the Raven cycle, and probably borrowed from the Chukchee; the other referring to the creation of Uñi´sak and Alaska, undoubtedly Eskimo. The Eskimo of Siberia WALDEMAR BOGORAS Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Salish - Salish Old-Man-in-the-Sky created the world. Then he drained all the water off the earth and crowded it into the big salt holes now called the oceans. The land became dry except for the lakes and rivers. Old Man Coyote often became lonely and went up to the Sky World just to talk. One time he was so unhappy that he was crying. Old- Man-in-the-Sky questioned him. "Why are you so unhappy that you are crying? Have I not made much land for you to run around on? Are not Chief Beaver, Chief Otter, Chief Bear, and Chief Buffalo on the land to keep you company?" Old Man Coyote sat down and cried more tears. Old-Man-in-the-Sky became cross and began to scold him. "Foolish Old Man Coyote, you must not drop so much water down upon the land. Have I not worked many days to dry it? Soon you will have it all covered with water again. What is the trouble with you? What more do you want to make you happy?" "I am very lonely because I have no one to talk to," he replied. "Chief Beaver, Chief Otter, Chief Bear, and Chief Buffalo are busy with their families. They do not have time to visit with me. I want people of my own, so that I may watch over them." "Then stop this shedding of water," said Old-Man-in-the-Sky. "If you will stop annoying me with your visits, I will make people for you. Take this parfleche. It is a bag made of rawhide. Take it some place in the mountain where there is red earth. Fill it and bring it back up to me." Old Man Coyote took the bag made of the skin of an animal and traveled many days and nights. At last he came to a mountain where there was much red soil. He was very weary after such a long journey but he managed to fill the parfleche. Then he was sleepy. "I will lie down to sleep for a while. When I waken, I will run swiftly back to Old-Man-in-the-Sky." He slept very soundly. After a while, Mountain Sheep came along. He saw the bag and looked to see what was in it. "The poor fool has come a long distance to get such a big load of red soil," he said to himself. "I do not know what he wants it for, but I will have fun with him." Mountain Sheep dumped all of the red soil out upon the mountain. He filled the lower part of the parfleche with white solid, and the upper part with red soil. Then laughing heartily, he ran to his hiding place. Soon Old Man Coyote woke up. He tied the top of the bag and hurried with it to Old-Man-in-the-Sky. When he arrived with it, the sun was going to sleep. It was so dark that the two of them could hardly see the soil in the parfleche. Old-Man-in-the-Sky took the dirt and said, "I will make this soil into the forms of two men and two women." He did not see that half of the soil was red and the other half white. Then he said to Old Man Coyote, "Take these to the dry land below. They are your people. You can talk with them. So do not come up here to trouble me." Then he finished shaping the two men and two women -- in the darkness. Old Man Coyote put them in the parfleche and carried them down to dry land. In the morning he took them out and put breath into them. He was surprised to see that one pair was red and the other was white. "Now I know that Mountain Sheep came while I was asleep. I cannot keep these two colors together." He thought a while. Then he carried the white ones to the land by the big salt hole. The red ones he kept in his own land so that he could visit with them. That is how Indians and white people came to the earth. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation of the World - Ojibwa Wenebojo, having outwitted the evil manidog by trickery, at last found himself stranded in the pine tree. He crept higher, begging the tree to stretch as tall as it could. Finally the waters stopped just below Wenebojo's nose. He saw lots of animals swimming around and asked them all, in turn, to dive down and bring up a little earth, so that he and they might live. The loon tried, then the otter and the beaver, but all of them were drowned before they could bring back any earth. Finally, the muskrat went down, but he too passed out as he came to the surface. "Poor little fellow, " said Wenebojo, "You tried hard." But he saw the muskrat clutching something in his paw: a few grains of sand and a bit of mud. Wenebojo breathed on the muskrat and restored his life, then he took the mud and rolled it in his hands. Soon he had enough for a small island and he called the other animals to climb out of the water. He sent a huge bird to fly around the island and enlarge it. The bird was gone four days [four is a magic number], but Wenebojo said that was not enough and he sent out the eagle to make the land larger. Having created the world, Wenebojo said "Here is where my aunts and uncles and all my relatives can make their home." Then Wenebojo cut up the body of one of the evil manidog and fed part of it to the woodchuck, who had once saved his life. Into a hollow he put the rest of the food and when some of it turned into oil or fat, and Wenebojo told the animals to help themselves. The woodchuck was told to work only in the summertime; in the winter he could rest in a snug den and sleep, and each spring he would have a new coat. Before that, most of the animals had lived on grass and other plants, but now they could eat meat if they wished. The rabbit came and took a little stick with which he touched himself high on the back. The deer and other animals that eat grass all touched themselves on their flanks. Wenebojo told the deer he could eat moss. The bear drank some of the fat, as did the smaller animals who eat meat. All those who sipped the fat were turned into manidog and are the guardian spirits of every Indian who fasts. Wenebojo then named the plants, herbs, and roots and instructed the Indians in the use of these plants. Wenebojo's grandmother, Nokomis, also has a lodge somewhere in that land. Reposted with Permission from Neshoba Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation of the World - Inuit The Raven and his wife created the world. They made the cape of Uñi´sak out of a nose of an eider-duck (Somatheria spectabilis); the peninsula of Alaska, of a long belt-knife; and the island Ima´lik (one of the Diomedes), of a button of the scabbard (with which it is clasped around the hip). They made reindeer of their hair, and dogs of their nails, and sea-water of their urine. The Eskimo of Siberia by Waldemar Bogoras [Leiden & New York, 1913] Told by Ñ?pe´w?i, an Asiatic Eskimo man, in the village of Uñi´sak, at Indian Point, May, 1901. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]