Tuesday, September 21, 2010

http://4allthingschange.blogspot.com/

When I heard the assignment of reciting a myth by memory, I too panic and got sick to my stomach.  I don't have an issue with speaking in front of people, I do it all the time, but I have to have my notes.  I admire those that have great memories, but I am not one of these people.  Everything I do or need to do is written down.  Here is the creation myth I chose:

Grandmother Spider Steals the Fire - Choctaw people of Tennesee & Mississippi

Basically when the Choctaw people came upon the ground, their greatone had placed them there in a type of cocoon.  Being blind and bound the great spirit took pity on them and tore away the cocoon, unfold their limbs and opened their eyes.  But the eyes saw nothing.  The world had no sun, moon or stars.

Note:  When I speak of the Choctaw people, it includes per their world humans and animals.

Sometime later after eat or be eating had gone on, a voice from the dark spoke.  "I hear there is fire in the east."  Not knowing what fire could be, they decided to go steal some.

Opossum volunteered first.  Once he arrived a the fire he place a piece on his tail (a tail full of the most wonderful hair of all mamals).  Suddenly the tail hair went up in smoke and flames.  Returning without fire, but with a tail of no hair (this is why possums have not hair on their tails), the Buzzard volunteered next.

Arriving a the fire, Buzzard took a piece and placed it on his head.  Instantly his head went up in smoke and flames.  He too returned only with a bald head and no fire (this is why buzzards have not head/face feathers).

Another voice spoke up.  It was Crow.  "I'll go."  So Crow was off to get a piece of fire.  Crow's back then were pure white.  It was a very busy night by the fire that evening.  Then when Crow had a chance, he snuck up to the fire and while trying to figure out how to carry a piece back, the smoke and sut covered her pure white feathers.  Giving up, he also returned with no fire.

Now, while all these volunteers were volunteering, Grandmother Sprider kept asking too, but no one would let her go.  But after 3 failed attemps, she spoke up lound and said, "I"LL GO!"  So they all agreed to let her go fetch a peice of fire.

On the way to the fire, she found a stream with clay.  She used her wonderful legs to mold the clay into a small pot and lid.  She placed a piece of fire into the pot and headed back to the west.

Since no one could see because the world was dark, they thought Grandmother Spider failed.  But she informed them that she had a piece of fire.  Since fire seemed to be dangerous to animals, no one wanted to help her get the fire to a safe place.  Then a small voice came from the village.  "I'll help."  It was a human.  From that point on, Grandmother Spider educated the human on how to use and store the fire.

Now they call her Grandmother Spider Firebringer.

The end.

I found this on a web-site under emergence myths.

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