Reading Diary B: Cherokee Myths

READING B:

1. The Terrapin's Escape from the Wolves

It’s always fascinating to read tales of our things came to be. In this story the segments of a turtles carapace formed when he was dashed upon a rock. This is similar to the possum story in the first part of the unit.

2. The Ball Game of the Birds and Animals

I really enjoyed the part about the bat and birds coming together to make him wings.  It’s an interesting connection between birds and mammals.

3. The Race Between the Crane and the Hummingbird

I feel really sorry for the crane. He won fair and square. Awkward people need love too.

4. The Owl Gets Married

Lying for the sake of finding wife a wife seems to be a common theme in these two stories

5. The Huhu Gets Married

I’m guessing that a Huhu is an owl of some type?

6. The Uktena and the Ulûñsû'tï

7. Âgän-uni'tsï's Search For the Uktena

A snake growing out of his head…

All these stories about the Uktena make me wonder what could have inspired this story.  A diamond in his head.

8. The Red Man and the Uktena

(horned serpent petroglyph)

9. The Hunter and the Uksu'hï

10. The Ustû'tlï

11. The Snake Boy / The Snake Man

12. The Rattlesnake's Vengeance

13. The Bullfrog Lover

I've often thought a bullfrog's song sounds like repeated phrases. It's interesting how the bullfrog plays a dangerous role in these stories. I've never considered them ominous.

Reading Diary A: Myths of the Cherokee

READING A:

1.How the World Was Made

From sea to land, creation of mountains

Redness of crawfish and prohibition of eating them

Reasons for the angle of earth to sun. hands for time

North vs South hemisphere and reveral of seasons

Noctornal animals and evergreen trees

Fish=baby every 7 days. Then 1 per year
2. The First Fire

I loved the owl's stories
3. The Journey to the Sunrise

I wonder about the story of the tribe that buries surving wives alive. It seems like a unique enough custom that it should be easy to find out.

I'm impressed by the recognition of the sky as a dome.
4. Origin of the Pleiades and the Pine
5. The Moon and the Thunders
6. The Deluge

A great flood story. Warned by a dog. Has the major difference of dancing skeletons.
7. Tobacco and Strawberries
8. The Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting
9. How the Rabbit Stole the Otter's Coat

(otter)

10. Why the Possum's Tail Is Bare
11. How the Terrapin Beat the Rabbit
I was surprised to see a story similar to the well-known fable of The Tortoise and Hare but with a unique twist. The terrapin tricks the rabbit by having other turtles show up at various points along the race routes to appear to be beating the rabbit.
12. Flint Visits the Rabbit
13. The Deer and the Rabbit

These stories are part of the Cherokee Myths unit. Story source: Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900).