Myths and Legends of the Great Plains | Page 5

last, on the seventh night,
only the owl, the panther, and one or two more were still awake.
Therefore, to these were given the power to see in the dark, to go about
as if it were day, and to kill and eat the birds and animals which must
sleep during the night.
Even some of the trees went to sleep. Only the cedar, the pine, the
spruce, the holly, and the laurel were awake all seven nights. Therefore
they are always green. They are also sacred trees. But to the other trees
it was said, "Because you did not stay awake, therefore you shall lose
your hair every winter."
After the plants and the animals, men began to come to the earth. At
first there was only one man and one woman. He hit her with a fish. In

seven days a little child came down to the earth. So people came to the
earth. They came so rapidly that for a time it seemed as though the
earth could not hold them all.

THE FLOOD AND THE RAINBOW
Delaware (Lenni-Lenapi)
The Lenni-Lenapi are the First People, so that they know this story is
true.
After the Creation of the earth, the Mysterious One covered it with a
blue roof. Sometimes the roof was very black. Then the Manitou of
Waters became uneasy. He feared the rain would no longer be able to
pour down upon the earth through this dark roof. Therefore the
Manitou of Waters prayed to the Mysterious One that the waters from
above be not cut off.
At once the Mysterious One commanded to blow the Spirit of the Wind,
who dwells in the Darkening Land. At once thick clouds arose. They
covered all the earth, so that the dark roof could no longer be seen.
Then the voice of the Mysterious One was heard amongst the clouds.
The voice was deep and heavy, like the sound of falling rivers.
Then the Spirit of Rain, the brother of the Spirit of Waters and the
Spirit of the Winds, poured down water from above. The waters fell for
a long time. They fell until all the earth was covered. Then the birds
took refuge in the branches of the highest trees. The animals followed
the trails to the mountain peaks.
Then the Manitou of Waters feared no longer. Therefore the Mysterious
One ordered the rain to cease and the clouds to disappear. Then
Sin-go-wi-chi-na-xa, the rainbow, was seen in the sky.
Therefore the Lenni-Lenapi watch for the rainbow, because it means
that the Mysterious One is no longer angry.

THE FIRST FIRE
Cherokee
In the beginning there was no fire and the world was cold. Then the
Thunders, who lived up in Galun'lati, sent their lightning 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 a long,
long time ago.
Every animal was anxious to go after the fire. Raven offered. He was
large and strong, so he was sent first. He flew high and far across the
water, and lighted on the sycamore tree. There he perched, wondering
what to do next. Then he looked at himself. The heat had scorched his
feathers black. Raven was so frightened he flew back across the water
without any fire.
Then little Wa-hu-hu, the Screech Owl, offered to go. He flew high and
far across the water and perched upon a hollow tree. As he sat there
looking into the hollow tree, wondering what to do, a blast of hot air
came up and hurt his eyes. Screech Owl was frightened. He flew back
as best he could, because he could hardly see. That is why his eyes are
red even to this day.
Then Hooting Owl and the Horned Owl went, but by the time they
reached the hollow tree, the fire was blazing so fiercely that the smoke
nearly blinded them. The ashes carried up by the breeze made white
rings around their eyes. So they had to come home without fire.
Therefore they have white rings around their eyes.
None of the rest of the birds would go to the fire. Then Uk-su-hi, the
racer snake, said he would go through the water and bring back fire. He
swam to the island and crawled through the grass to the tree. Then he
went into the tree by a small hole at the bottom. But the heat and smoke

were dreadful. The ground at the bottom of the tree was covered with
hot ashes. The racer darted back and forth