Post by Okwes on Dec 28, 2007 11:07:19 GMT -5
Fire Race - Karuk
A long time ago, only the three Yellow Jacket sisters had fire. Even though
other animals froze, the fire was kept from them. Wise Old Coyote, however,
devises a plan to steal the fire, and enlists the other animals to help.
Coyote diverts the yellow jackets, seizes a burning stick, and runs away. As
the yellow jackets chase him, he hands it off to Eagle, who hands it to
Mountain Lion. Several hand-offs later, Frog hides a hot coal in his mouth
on a river bottom, and the yellow jackets give up. When Frog spits the coal
out, Willow Tree swallows it, and Coyote shows the animals how to extract
it: by rubbing two sticks together over dry moss. Now that the animals have
fire, each night they gather in a circle while the elders tell stories. An
meaningful tale which stresses the importance of the natural world and our
need to live cooperatively with it.
www.indians.org/welker/coyofire.htm
A long time ago, only the three Yellow Jacket sisters had fire. Even though
other animals froze, the fire was kept from them. Wise Old Coyote, however,
devises a plan to steal the fire, and enlists the other animals to help.
Coyote diverts the yellow jackets, seizes a burning stick, and runs away. As
the yellow jackets chase him, he hands it off to Eagle, who hands it to
Mountain Lion. Several hand-offs later, Frog hides a hot coal in his mouth
on a river bottom, and the yellow jackets give up. When Frog spits the coal
out, Willow Tree swallows it, and Coyote shows the animals how to extract
it: by rubbing two sticks together over dry moss. Now that the animals have
fire, each night they gather in a circle while the elders tell stories. An
meaningful tale which stresses the importance of the natural world and our
need to live cooperatively with it.
www.indians.org/welker/coyofire.htm