The wintry winds had already begun to whistle and the waves to rise when the Drake and his mate gathered their half-grown brood together on the shore of their far northern lake. “Wife,” said he, “it is now time to take the children southward, to the Warm Countries which they have never yet seen!” Very […]
Category: Folklore
It is never wise to be loud if you are small and the Crane is near
In the heart of the woods there lay a cool, green pond. The shores of the pond were set with ranks of tall bulrushes that waved crisply in the wind, and in the shallow bays there were fleets of broad water lily leaves. Among the rushes and reeds and in the quiet water there dwelt […]
How Hummingbird won the hearts of the villagers
Not far from Rainbow Cave on the Sacred Mountain in what is now New Mexico, Hummingbird Hoya lived with his beloved grandmother long ago. “I think I will go to Kiakima to see what their clansmen are doing,” Hoya said one day to his beloved grandmother. Because he was so small and wanted to be […]
How the Kingfisher came to be, Ceyx and Halcyon
Ceyx was king of Thessaly and was son of Hesperus (Helios), the Day-star, and the glow of his beauty reminded one of his father. Halcyone, the daughter of Aeolus, was his wife, and devotedly attached to him. Now Ceyx was in deep affliction for the loss of his brother. He thought best, therefore, to make […]
The death of the young Sparrow bride
Once upon a time there lived a cock-sparrow and his wife, who were both growing old. But despite his years the cock-sparrow was a gay, festive old bird, who plumed himself upon his appearance, and was quite a ladies’ man. So he cast his eyes on a lively young hen, and determined to marry her, […]
Children beware, do not drink dirty water
A quail had more than 20 children and with them she wandered over the whole country in search of water and could not find it. It was very hot and they were all crying. Where can we get some water? Where can we get some water ? But for a long time they could find […]
Why the Bluebird is blue and Coyote is not
The bluebird was once a very ugly color. But there was a lake where no river flowed in or out and the bird bathed in this four times every morning for four mornings. On the fourth morning it shed all its feathers and came out in its bare skin, but on the fifth morning it […]
The Chief Kingfisher and his guest
Txamsem went walking, not knowing which way to turn. He came to a creek, and saw a house in front of him. It was a very nice house. He went toward it; and when he went in, he saw a good-looking young man who was making a hook. When Txamsem entered, the young man looked […]
Txamsem steals Thrush’s Salmonberries
Txamsem went walking, not knowing which way to turn. He came to a large river where there were many salmonberry bushes. There was a house, and Txamsem went toward it. There he saw a fine-looking man the Tlnush, who invited Txamsem in. The good-looking young man took some dried salmon, roasted them, put them in […]
Why the Cormorant can’t speak properly
Txamsem went walking, not knowing which way to turn. He went toward the sea; and, behold! he saw a house some distance away. He came near, entered, and sat down on one side of the fire. A man was there with his wife. This was the house of Chief Cormorant. The man’s wife arose and […]