The First Fire
In the beginning there was no fire, and the world was cold, until the Thunders (Ani-Hyun tikwala ski),
who lived up in Galun lati, sent their lightning and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore tree
which grew on an island. The animals knew it was there, because they could see the smoke
coming out at the top, but they could not get to it on account of the water,
so they held a council to decide what to do. This was a long time ago.
Every animal that could fly or swim was anxious to go after the fire. The Raven offered, and because he
was so large and strong they thought he could surely do the work, so he was sent first. He flew
high and far across the water and alighted on the sycamore tree, but while he was wondering
what to do next, the heat had scorched all his feathers black, and he was frightened and came
back without the fire. The little Screech-owl (Wa huhu) volunteered to go, and reached the place safely,
but while he was looking down into the hollow tree a blast of hot air came up and nearly burned out his
eyes. He managed to fly home as best he could, but it was a long time before he could see well, and his
eyes are red to this day. Then the Hooting Owl (U guku) and the Horned Owl (Tskili) went, but by
the time they got to the hollow tree the fire was burning so fiercely that the smoke nearly blinded
them, and the ashes carried up by the wind made white rings about their eyes. They had to come home
again without the fire, but with all their rubbing they were never able to get rid of the white rings.
Now no more of the birds would venture, and so the little Uksuhi snake, the black racer, said he would go
through the water and bring back some fire. He swam across to the island and crawled through the grass
to the tree, and went in by a small hole at the bottom. The heat and smoke were too much for him,
too, and after dodging about blindly over the hot ashes until he was almost on fire himself he managed
by good luck to get out again at the same hole, but his body had been scorched black, and he has ever
since had the habit of darting and doubling on his track as if trying to escape from close quarters.
He came back, and the great blacksnake, Gule gi, “The Climber,” offered to go for fire. He swam over
to the island and climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake always does, but when he
put his head down into the hole the smoke choked him so that he fell into the burning stump, and
before he could climb out again he was as black as the Uksu hi.
Now they held another council, for still there was no fire, and the world was cold, but birds, snakes,
and four-footed animals, all had some excuse for not going, because they were all afraid to venture
near the burning sycamore, until at last Kanane ski Amai yehi (the Water Spider) said she would go.
This is not the water spider that looks like a mosquito, but the other one, with black downy hair
and red stripes on her body. She can run on top of the water or dive to the bottom, so there
would be no trouble to get over to the island, but the question was, How could she bring back the fire?
“I’ll manage that,” said the Water Spider; so she spun a thread from her body and wove it into
a tusti bowl, which she fastened on her back. Then she crossed over to the island and through
the grass to where the fire was still burning. She put one little coal of fire into her bowl, and
came back with it, and ever since we have had fire, and the Water Spider still keeps her tusti bowl.
---Excerpt from the book “History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees” by James Mooney
who lived up in Galun lati, sent their lightning and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore tree
which grew on an island. The animals knew it was there, because they could see the smoke
coming out at the top, but they could not get to it on account of the water,
so they held a council to decide what to do. This was a long time ago.
Every animal that could fly or swim was anxious to go after the fire. The Raven offered, and because he
was so large and strong they thought he could surely do the work, so he was sent first. He flew
high and far across the water and alighted on the sycamore tree, but while he was wondering
what to do next, the heat had scorched all his feathers black, and he was frightened and came
back without the fire. The little Screech-owl (Wa huhu) volunteered to go, and reached the place safely,
but while he was looking down into the hollow tree a blast of hot air came up and nearly burned out his
eyes. He managed to fly home as best he could, but it was a long time before he could see well, and his
eyes are red to this day. Then the Hooting Owl (U guku) and the Horned Owl (Tskili) went, but by
the time they got to the hollow tree the fire was burning so fiercely that the smoke nearly blinded
them, and the ashes carried up by the wind made white rings about their eyes. They had to come home
again without the fire, but with all their rubbing they were never able to get rid of the white rings.
Now no more of the birds would venture, and so the little Uksuhi snake, the black racer, said he would go
through the water and bring back some fire. He swam across to the island and crawled through the grass
to the tree, and went in by a small hole at the bottom. The heat and smoke were too much for him,
too, and after dodging about blindly over the hot ashes until he was almost on fire himself he managed
by good luck to get out again at the same hole, but his body had been scorched black, and he has ever
since had the habit of darting and doubling on his track as if trying to escape from close quarters.
He came back, and the great blacksnake, Gule gi, “The Climber,” offered to go for fire. He swam over
to the island and climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake always does, but when he
put his head down into the hole the smoke choked him so that he fell into the burning stump, and
before he could climb out again he was as black as the Uksu hi.
Now they held another council, for still there was no fire, and the world was cold, but birds, snakes,
and four-footed animals, all had some excuse for not going, because they were all afraid to venture
near the burning sycamore, until at last Kanane ski Amai yehi (the Water Spider) said she would go.
This is not the water spider that looks like a mosquito, but the other one, with black downy hair
and red stripes on her body. She can run on top of the water or dive to the bottom, so there
would be no trouble to get over to the island, but the question was, How could she bring back the fire?
“I’ll manage that,” said the Water Spider; so she spun a thread from her body and wove it into
a tusti bowl, which she fastened on her back. Then she crossed over to the island and through
the grass to where the fire was still burning. She put one little coal of fire into her bowl, and
came back with it, and ever since we have had fire, and the Water Spider still keeps her tusti bowl.
---Excerpt from the book “History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees” by James Mooney
