An Arapaho Origin Myth

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

“Origin Myth (Fragmentary).” from Traditions of the Arapaho by George A. Dorsey and Alfred L. Kroeber, 1903.

In the first place there was nothing but water, except the water-fowls; and the Grandfather saw that there was a Father [flat pipe] of the Indians floating on the water, on the four sticks (tripod). Knowing that that person floating on the water was fasting and weeping and crying, and seeing that he was really fasting for the good, the Grandfather took mercy on him. So the Father floating on the water, and who was fasting on this tripod, called all the water-fowls, and so they all came.

"Now," says this man, "I want some of you who can do the work of diving to come and search for the bottom of the sea and see if you can find dirt." So they all came in rotation according to their size. And they dived and came out dead. It took some days for these birds to dive.

Finally it was the turn of the duck, who was somewhat timid about doing this work, and he said, "I guess I will try my luck and see if I can do this work." So the duck dived and was a few days and nights under the water, and the Father who was on the tripod was anxiously watching to see the return of the duck, and the time came and he saw the sign of its return on the surface of the water as though the duck was coming. And as the duck came out of the surface of the water (his feet closed the moment he barely reached the bottom) it had mud stuck to its claws.

The Father took it and cleaned its feet, and the mud that was on its feet he put on his pipe. Still it was not satisfactory. There was not enough to do good. So the turtle came swimming toward the tripod and said, "I am going to try too." So he went down and down days and nights, for a long time. Toward the last the man saw the bubbles coming up. The circles of water began to form and the turtle came up with his feet closed together.

The Father took him and stretched his legs apart and took the mud off from the four feet. And these were the two animals that did the work in diving to the bottom of the sea to get the clay. The Father took the clay and put it with the other and spread it out thin and then he dried it. As soon as the clay was dry he went to work and just took a piece of this clay and blew it toward the northeast, and then toward the southeast and then toward the northwest, and then toward the southwest, and what was left he took and gave it a swing and commanded that the earth come. Then he took a rod and made different motions over the waters for the rivers. Where the dirt was the thickest he caused mountains.

After the earth was made, there was nothing to grow. It was barren. This man then says, "I have to have servants to watch and to dig the earth." So the Father made the sun and moon, to represent man and woman. After this, he said, "Before I do more I have got to make a man and to make a woman to inhabit this earth to represent the sun and the moon." So he went to work to make clay images of those two people, man and woman. So he made them out of clay. There they were in clay. The sun causes the trees, the grass and the vegetation to grow. After the sun and moon had been made and these two people, he caused the trees and the grass and vegetation and the animals and beasts and birds to live.

Then these two people, man and woman, were identical. This man and woman were virtuous at that time. There was nothing of connection at that time. It was commanded that there be a day and night, seasons of the year and that there should be summer and winter, that the grass be new one season and old one season. When the command was made that there were to be lodges, the Willow lodge was commanded to be, and also other lodges—the Thunder-bird, Club-Board, Buffalo Women's, Sweat lodge, Lime-Crazy, Dog-Soldier and the Old Men's lodge. The oldest one was the Sweat lodge.

Man was now asked, "Where are you going to place yourself?" After thinking of it some time he left it entirely with the Father, and they were left just the way they were, and time passed on and on, and all the fruits grew. Then the Father said for male and female beasts of every description and fowls, genital organs shall be located, but for the human beings—choice how they shall be located—that shall be decided later on.

Then the Father told this, man and woman that all the lodges or commands laid down for them should be made up of birds, beasts, and the different kinds of paints and fruits and that the animals should never be worthy to belong to any of these lodges.—D.

Dorsey, George A., and Kroeber, A. L. Traditions of the Arapaho, Field Columbian Museum, 1903.

World Mythology

A collection of myths, legends, and other stories that teach us something about the world. Note that myths are often tied into the history and religion of the people who tell them, and they should always be treated and read with respect!

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