Free Parallel Myths by J.F. Bierlein Page A

brother’s vulnerability. Finally, as Glooskap could tell no lies, he confided that he could be killed only by an owl feather. Knowing this, Malsum made a dart from an owl feather and killed Glooskap. The power of good is so strong, however, that Glooskap rose from the dead, ready to avenge himself. Alive again, Glooskap also knew that Malsum would continue to plot against him.
    Glooskap realized that he had no choice but to destroy Malsum in order that good would survive and his creatures would continue to live. So he went to a stream and attracted his evil brother by loudly saying that a certain flowering reed could also kill him. Glooskap then pulled a fern plant out by the roots and flung it at Malsum, who fell to the ground dead. Malsum’s spirit went underground and became a wicked wolf-spirit that still occasionally torments humans and animals, but fears the light of day.
    Iroquois
    T he first humans lived up beyond the sky as there was no earth beneath. One day, a great chiefs daughter became ill and no cure could be found. A wise old man recommended that they dig up the roots of a certain tree in order to cure her. The people all worked together and dug a great hole around the base of the tree. In time, however, both the chiefs daughter and the tree fell through the hole into the world below.
    Below there was only a vast sea where two swans continuously swam. When the tree and the girl fell into the water, there was a clap of thunder. The swans heard this and came to see what had happened. They saw that the girl had fallen from the sky and went to save her. As this was all very strange to the swans, they went to the Great Turtle, wisest of all creatures, for advice.
    The Great Turtle told them that the tree and the girl were a goodomen. He then commanded all the creatures to find the tree and bring up the magic soil that was attached to its roots. The swans were assigned to take this magic earth and build an island for the girl to live on. All of the animals were involved in the search for the tree, but only an old toad was successful in bringing up any of the soil. She swam to the bottom, returned to spit out a mouthful of the dirt, and then died. The mouthful of earth then turned into a vast land mass.
    But the earth was still dark at this time. The girl told the Great Turtle that there was light in the world above. So the Great Turtle instructed the burrowing animals to bore holes in the sky for light to shine through.
    The girl is the mother of all living things. There are a number of theories of how she conceived the first humans on earth. One is that she was impregnated when she fell into the sea. Another is that the action of the magic earth with the sea caused her to conceive. In any case, the human race is the result of the union of the land and sea, as well as having origins in the sky above.
     
    Yuma
    I n the very beginning, there was nothing but water and darkness. The water sloshed around, splashing foam and spray. Some of the spray congealed and formed the sky. Kokomaht, the Creator, lived underneath the water and was two beings in one. He rose up out of the water and said his own name, Kokomaht, the Father and Creator of all.
    But out of himself came another being called Bakotahl. When the other being called to Kokomaht out of the water, he asked, “Did you rise up from the water with your eyes open or shut?” Kokomaht knew that this other was evil, and decided to deceive Bakotahl, answering that his eyes had been open. So Bakotahl emerged from the water with his eyes open and became blind. Evil ones to this very day are still blind:
bakotahl
means “the blind one.” All things made byKokomaht were good, while all things that Bakotahl produced were evil.
    The two stood on the waters as there was no firm land created yet. Kokomaht asked his blind brother, “Where is the north?” But, being blind, Bakotahl pointed toward the south.
    Then Kokomaht responded, “That is not the north,” and then