Post by Okwes on Apr 14, 2008 13:30:37 GMT -5
How Grandmother Spider Brought Fire to the People - Cherokee
In the beginning there was no fire, and the world was cold, until the
Thunders, who lived up in Galun lati (Gah-lun-lah-tee), sent their
lightening and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore tree which grew
on an island. The animals knew it was there, because they could see the
smoke coming out at the top, but they could not get to it on account of the
water, so they held a council to decide what to do. This was in the long ago
time, when the animals could talk one to the other.
Every animal that could fly or swim was anxious to go after the fire. The
Raven offered, and because he was so large and strong they thought he could
surely do the work, so he was sent first. He flew high and far across the
water and alighted on the sycamore tree, but while he was wondering what to
do next, the heat had scorched all his feathers black, and he was frightened
and came back without the fire. The little Screech Owl (wa'huhu
[wah-hoo-hoo]) volunteered to go, and reached the place safely, but while he
was looking down into the hollow tree a blast of hot air came up and nearly
burned out his eyes. He managed to fly home as best he could, but it was a
long time before he could see well, and his eyes are red to this day. The
the Hooting Owl (Uguku [OO-goo-koo]) and the Horned Owl (Tskili [Skee-lee])
went, but by the time they got to the hollow tree, the fire was burning so
fiercely the the smoke nearly blinded them, and the ashes carried up by the
wind made white rings about their eyes. They had come home again without the
fire, but with all the rubbing they were never able to get rid of the white
rings.
Now no more of the birds would venture, and so the little Uksuhi (Ook-
soo-hee)snake, the black racer, said he would go through the water and bring
back some fire. He swam across to the island and crawled through the grass
to the tree, and went in by a small hole at the bottom. The smoke and heat
were too much for him, too, and after dodging about blindly over the hot
ashes until he was almost on fire himself he managed by good luck get out
again at the same hole, but his body had been scorched black, and he has
ever since had the habit of darting and doubling back on his track as if
trying to escape from close quarters. He came back, and the great black
snake, Gule'gi (Goo-lay-kee), "The Climber," offered to go for fire. He swam
over to the island and climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake
always does, but when he put his head down into the hole the smoke choked
him so that he fell into the burning stump, and before he could climb out
again he was as black as the Uksu'hi.
Now they held another council, for still there was no fire, and the world
was cold, but birds, snakes, and four footed animals, all had some excuse
for not going, because they were all afraid to venture near the burning
sycamore, until at last Kanane'ski Amai'yehi (Kah-nah-nay Ah-eye-yay-hee
[the Water Spider]) said she would go. This is not the water spider that
looks like a mosquito, but other one, with black downy hair and red stripes
on her body. She can run on top of the water or dive to the bottom, so there
would be no trouble to get over to the island, but the question was, How
could she bring back the fire? "I'll manage that," said the Water Spider; so
she spun a thread from her body and wove it into a tusti (toos-tee) bowl,
which she fastened on her back. Then she crossed over to the island and
through the grass to where the fire was still burning. She put one little
coal of fire into her bowl, and came back with it, and ever since we have
had fire, and the Water Spider still keeps her tusti bowl.
That is how fire came to the People.
Hope you all enjoyed the story.
Aho! We are All Related!
-=Standing Bear=-
www.indians.org/welker/fire.htm
In the beginning there was no fire, and the world was cold, until the
Thunders, who lived up in Galun lati (Gah-lun-lah-tee), sent their
lightening and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore tree which grew
on an island. The animals knew it was there, because they could see the
smoke coming out at the top, but they could not get to it on account of the
water, so they held a council to decide what to do. This was in the long ago
time, when the animals could talk one to the other.
Every animal that could fly or swim was anxious to go after the fire. The
Raven offered, and because he was so large and strong they thought he could
surely do the work, so he was sent first. He flew high and far across the
water and alighted on the sycamore tree, but while he was wondering what to
do next, the heat had scorched all his feathers black, and he was frightened
and came back without the fire. The little Screech Owl (wa'huhu
[wah-hoo-hoo]) volunteered to go, and reached the place safely, but while he
was looking down into the hollow tree a blast of hot air came up and nearly
burned out his eyes. He managed to fly home as best he could, but it was a
long time before he could see well, and his eyes are red to this day. The
the Hooting Owl (Uguku [OO-goo-koo]) and the Horned Owl (Tskili [Skee-lee])
went, but by the time they got to the hollow tree, the fire was burning so
fiercely the the smoke nearly blinded them, and the ashes carried up by the
wind made white rings about their eyes. They had come home again without the
fire, but with all the rubbing they were never able to get rid of the white
rings.
Now no more of the birds would venture, and so the little Uksuhi (Ook-
soo-hee)snake, the black racer, said he would go through the water and bring
back some fire. He swam across to the island and crawled through the grass
to the tree, and went in by a small hole at the bottom. The smoke and heat
were too much for him, too, and after dodging about blindly over the hot
ashes until he was almost on fire himself he managed by good luck get out
again at the same hole, but his body had been scorched black, and he has
ever since had the habit of darting and doubling back on his track as if
trying to escape from close quarters. He came back, and the great black
snake, Gule'gi (Goo-lay-kee), "The Climber," offered to go for fire. He swam
over to the island and climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake
always does, but when he put his head down into the hole the smoke choked
him so that he fell into the burning stump, and before he could climb out
again he was as black as the Uksu'hi.
Now they held another council, for still there was no fire, and the world
was cold, but birds, snakes, and four footed animals, all had some excuse
for not going, because they were all afraid to venture near the burning
sycamore, until at last Kanane'ski Amai'yehi (Kah-nah-nay Ah-eye-yay-hee
[the Water Spider]) said she would go. This is not the water spider that
looks like a mosquito, but other one, with black downy hair and red stripes
on her body. She can run on top of the water or dive to the bottom, so there
would be no trouble to get over to the island, but the question was, How
could she bring back the fire? "I'll manage that," said the Water Spider; so
she spun a thread from her body and wove it into a tusti (toos-tee) bowl,
which she fastened on her back. Then she crossed over to the island and
through the grass to where the fire was still burning. She put one little
coal of fire into her bowl, and came back with it, and ever since we have
had fire, and the Water Spider still keeps her tusti bowl.
That is how fire came to the People.
Hope you all enjoyed the story.
Aho! We are All Related!
-=Standing Bear=-
www.indians.org/welker/fire.htm