Why Hawks Have Thin Legs… A Caddo LegendBottom of Form
Chicken-Hawk was a poor hunter and never succeeded in bringing his family more than a little mouse or some game that he had begged from another hunter. One time he met Eagle and asked him if he would not help him kill an antelope that he had seen not very far away. Hawk pretended that he had killed many such big game before, and acted as if he were being kind to Eagle in asking him to help him. Eagle said he would if he could have half of the meat. Hawk said that he could, and so they agreed to go hunting for the antelope the next morning. Hawk went on home, and when he arrived he told his family that he had shot an antelope through the head, but that he could not kill him, and so he had run him into a place for the night, and that he would return in the morning and kill him. Hawk arose the next morning and went to the place where he was to meet Eagle. They started on the hunt and hunted half a day. They found the antelope in the mountain. Eagle killed it, and then Hawk came down and they divided the meat. Eagle took his meat and went away. Hawk took his meat and went straight home to show it to his family, for he was very proud of it. He told them that he had met a person who had never tasted antelope meat and who was a poor hunter, and so he had given him part of his meat, but that the person promised to pay him back some day. His family were so well pleased that they told every one what a good hunter Hawk was. One time, after the antelope meat was gone, a friend, who had heard what a good hunter Hawk was, came to visit him, especially to see if the reports were true. Hawk hunted all one day, but returned with only a mouse. The friend refused to eat the mouse. Again Hawk hunted all day, but could not find anything. As he was returning home he felt so ashamed, that he cut some of the meat off of his legs to take home for his friend to eat, rather than admit that he had not found any game. For that reason hawks have no meat on their legs.
The Origin of Corn…..A Natchez Legend
Corn-woman lived at a certain place in company with twin girls. When the corn was all gone she went into the corn house, taking two baskets, and came out with the baskets full. They lived on the hominy which she made from this.
One time the girls looked into this corn house and saw nothing there. They said to each other, "Where does she get it? Next time she goes in there we will creep up and watch her."
When the corn was all gone she started to go in and they saw her. So they crept after her and when she entered and closed the door they peeped through a crack. They saw her set down the basket, stand astride of it and danced. In this way she filled one basket with corn. Then she stood over the other and danced again. That basket was now full of beans. After that the girls ran away.
"Let us not eat it," they said. "She defecates and then feeds us with the excrement." So when the hominy was cooked they did not eat it, and from that she knew they had seen her. "Since you think it is filthy, you will have to help yourselves from now on. Kill me and burn my body. When summer comes things will spring up on the place where it was burned and you must cultivate them, and when they are matured they will be your food."
They killed Corn-woman and burned her body and when summer came corn, beans, and pumpkins sprang up. They kept cultivating these and every day, when they stopped, stuck their tools up in the ground and went away. But on their return more ground would be worked over and the tools would be sticking up in different places.
They said, "Let us creep up and find out who is hoeing for us," and they did so. When they looked they saw that the tools were doing it of themselves and they laughed. Immediately the tools fell down and did not work for them any more. They did not know that it was just those two tools which were helping them and they themselves spoiled it.
Why Eagle Has Black Feathers…. A Tunica-Biloxi Legend
The three white eagle feathers with black trim and detail refer to one of the most ancient of Tunica-Biloxi myths. It is about a tribal priest who wished to send a prayer to the sun, but didn't know how to get it there. He called upon his friend the bear, who said -- for in those days men and animals could understand one another plainly -- that he could carry it only to the top of the tallest tree. Fortunately, the bear knew someone able to deliver the prayer all the way to the sun: Brother Eagle. And the eagle, according to the legend, circled ever higher and higher until he reached the sun -- a beautiful woman. She said to the eagle, "Wait, give me one of your feathers, I will kiss it with my hot breath, and then you carry it back to the Tunica-Biloxi as a sign that I have chosen them as my people." And that is why, to this day, the top of an eagle's feather is still scorched black from the kiss of the sun. And that is also why the sun is symbolized on the feathers of the Tunica-Biloxi flag by the black-edged red dot on each feather hanging beneath the central design.
Why There is Fire in Wood… An Atakapa Legend
Fire first came from the Great Being, Kutnakin. He gave it into the care of an Indian so old that he was blind.
Now the Indians all knew that fire was good, therefore they tried to steal it. The old man could not see them when they came stealthily to his wigwam, but he could feel the presence of anyone. Then he would beat about him with his stick until he drove away the seekers for fire.
Now one day an Indian seized the fire suddenly. At once the Watcher of the Fire began beating about him with his stick, until the thief dropped the fire. But the old man did not know he had dropped it. He still beat about him so fiercely with his stick that he pounded some of the fire into a log.
That is why fire is in wood.
When Bear Lost Fire…A Coushatta Legend
Bear roamed through thick forests, eating sweet honey from bee hives, fishing in rushing streams, and sleeping through long winters in deep, warm caves. Strong and powerful, Bear owned Fire. Bear carried Fire everywhere, but one day Bear grew distracted by an abundance of tasty acorns. Bear set Fire on the ground, then gobbled up acorns with no thought to Fire.
Soon Fire burned low and grew afraid, for Bear moved farther away under ancient trees, tossing acorns into massive jaws. "Help me!" Fire tried to burn brighter but with no success. Bear didn't hear, having spotted a beehive. Thoughts of a thick yellow comb dripping with sticky sweetness danced in Bear's head.
"Feed me!" Fire called desperately, almost extinguished from lack of fuel. The people gathered pecans under nearby trees. They heard Fire cry out, but they knew it was dangerous to go near Bear who owned Fire. Still they could not ignore the helpless cries. "What do you eat?" the people asked. "Wood. I need wood." The people quickly gathered a piece of wood from each direction, then returned. They laid a stick across Fire toward the north. They laid a stick across Fire toward the west. They laid a stick across Fire toward the south. They laid a stick across Fire toward the east. And finally Fire blazed up. "You saved me." Fire burned brightly.
A loud roar came from under the oak trees, and Bear rushed into the clearing. The people scattered in all directions, dropping their baskets of pecans. Bear reached down to take back Fire but jerked away, burned for the first time. "Go away," Fire said. "You forgot me so I no longer know you." Bear rose up high on two legs, growling and whining, but to no avail. Fire no longer knew Bear, so the mighty beast lumbered unhappily away with no interest in acorns or honey now. "Come get me," Fire called to the people. "If you take care of me, I will take care of you." And the People came for Fire.