Reading Notes (B): California and the Old Southwest

Origin of the Sierra Nevadas

At a time in the world in which there was nothing but water, Hawk and Crow were perched on a pole that stuck far up out of the water. They would take turns sitting and knocking each other off the pole for ages. They created other birds that prey on fish, while also creating Duck. Duck died with mud from bottom of the water in her beak. This mud is what Hawk and Crow used to begin making the mountains. Crow's mountain range was bigger than Hawk's. This is why the Sierra Nevada Range is larger than the Coast Range.

Legend of Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La (El Capitan)

Two boys go down to the river for a swim. Afterwards, they fall asleep on a boulder near the banks of the river. They sleep so soundly that they don't realize that the boulder has been growing each and every day up until the point that they graze the surface of the moon. Their village and family members can't find them no matter how hard they look. All the animals try to jump as high as they can in order to bring the boys back down, but to no avail; they all fail. Then comes a tiny measuring worm who steadily climb up the boulder until he has traveled much farther than the lion's highest leap. At last, he reaches the top and awakes the two boys and brings them safely back to the ground. The rock is then called Tutokanula, the measuring worm or El Capitan.

The Children of Cloud

A gorgeous young woman gives birth to twin sons. Their father is Cloud, who lives far away. One day the boys question their mother about their father. She tells them of the Cloud being their father. The boys travel to the house of Wind, who is their uncle, so they can visit their father. Wind says to go to the next house, where Cloud lives. Cloud sends them back to Wind and tells them that he has something to tell them. This repeats four times before Cloud tells the twins to prove that they are his sons. He tests them and they prove they are his sons. They are thunder and lightning. This would be a cool story to build off of and has some unique ideas that I could use for my story this week.

Clouds with thunder and lightning; Public Domain Pictures

Bibliography

Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson.

Reading Notes (A): California and the Old Southwest

Three Coyote Creation Stories

Coyote began the creation of Earth, but Eagle completed it. Coyote and Fox created man; ultimately men die. Coyote also brought fire into the world in order to save the Indians from freezing. Coyote killed nine out of ten moons in order to save the Indians from freezing at night. He also killed all nine out of ten suns in order to save the world from burning up. There's only room for one each. A flood came and destroyed everyone and everything except Coyote. He planted feathers at each Indian village and there trees sprouted that turned into people. This is how the world was inhabited once again. This is a good idea for my story this week. I could make up my own creation story and use bits and pieces of this one in order to help it flow.

The Creation of the World

An Earth Doctor creates the world, including the trees, mountains, water, grass, etc. The sun and moon are made of ice. He also created the stars and the entire Milky Way galaxy.

Stars in the Milky Way; Wikimedia

Spider's Creation

A spider creates two women from two parcels by singing. More people appeared, as well as animals, birds, and insects. The spider continues to sing until the creation is complete. The two women are were mothers of all. Utset is the mother of all Indians, while Nowutset is the mother of all nations. The people are divided into clan by the spider. The spider also creates the cloud people, lightning people, thunder people, and rainbow people in order to create rain on the new Earth. The two women create the sun and the moon and also the star people so they can light up the world at night when the moon is not so bright.

The Great Fire/The Origin of Light

A man loves two women and wished to marry both of them. The women laugh at him and he proceeds to build a tule boat so he can escape before he sets the world on fire. It's a massive fire that only Coyote is able to put out after much work.

Bibliography

Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson.