EarthBow
www.earthbow.com
.
.
Source:
From
Myths of the Cherokee, James Mooney, 1900
Once when the people were burning the woods in the fall the blaze set
fire to a poplar tree, which continued to burn until the fire went down
into the roots and burned a great hole in the ground.
It burned and burned, and the hole grew constantly larger, until the
people became frightened and were afraid it would burn the whole world.
They tried to put out the fire, but it had gone too deep, and they did not
know what to do.
At last some one said there was a man living in a house of ice far in the
north who could put out the fire, so messengers were sent, and after
traveling a long distance they came to the ice house and found the Ice Man
at home.
Free Download
Click here for info
Many more titles available from
EarthBow
eBooks
He was a little fellow with long hair hanging
down to the ground in two
plaits.
The messengers told him their errand and he at once said, "O yes, I can
help you," and began to unplait his hair. When it was all unbraided he
took it up in one band and struck it once across his other hand, and the
messengers felt a wind blow against their cheeks. A second time he struck
his hair across his hand, and a light rain began to fall.
The third time he struck his hair across his open hand there was sleet
mixed with the raindrops, and when he struck the fourth time great
hailstones fell upon the ground, as if they had come out from the ends of
his hair. "Go back now," said the lee Man, "and I shall be there
to-morrow."
So the messengers returned to their people, whom they found still gathered
helplessly about the great burning pit.
The next-day while they were all watching about the fire there came a wind
from the north, and they were afraid, for they knew that it came from the
lee Man. But the wind only made the fire blaze up higher. Then a light
rain began to fall, but the drops seemed only to make the fire hotter.
Then the shower turned to a heavy rain, with sleet and hail that killed
the blaze and made clouds of smoke and steam rise from the red coals.
The people fled to their homes for shelter, and the storm rose to a
whirlwind that drove the rain into every burning crevice and piled great
hailstones over the embers, until the fire was dead and even the smoke
ceased.
When at last it was all over and the people returned they found a lake
where the burning pit had been, and from below the water came a sound as
of embers still crackling.
Click here to Return to the Native
American Myth and Legend contents page
Book sales help EarthBow provide free content
If you find our site useful or interesting, please show your support by
buying a book today!
Shop with confidence, EarthBow is an amazon.com associate
Click one of the book links at the right to learn more about that specific title, or click the link below to see a list of all books about Native American Culture...
More Books About Native American Culture - click here
NEW!! EarthBow eBooks... Click here for more info
www.earthbow.com - Bringing Ancient Ideas to a New Age
Copyright 2004 EarthBow
Non-commercial use: Distribute freely
Commercial use: Prohibited