, 1873-07-06
FAMOUS LEGENDS.
storfos Which AprOnr Common to tho
EQumnrs EEaCcs
H. 4sxat.x

stories Which ArrOnr Comm on to tho
E1ttnann Mace.
from tho Nation.
Curious "a It mhy be- 1t was entirely to DO or
roctel that far away undor tho equator on the
banks Of tho Amazonian streams, tho invostiga-
tor OF folklore should como upon the namo talos
that arc told to clillron in nursery rooms un1or
tho Arctic circle. Tho adventure OF our jack
tho Giant Killer, who challenged tho Welsh
giant to cat With him, Prof. 1Iartt heard related
in Tupi language In Brazilian foroat; tho
Hkurupiras" aro anthropomorpho wood
spiriss characterized by roverso foot, who
lead the trayelcr aatray, perlapB to
destruction, but who, though generally
malofcont, sometimes do man good turn;
many myths relate how tho hunter has boen
presented by ono Of thom with une1ring arrowo
that cannot miBs tho mark. Man may aomo-
times outwit them; and 1t IL told Of them that a
hunter played on him Jack tho Giaut Killers
trick, and induced him to cut himBnH opsn and
thus commit suicide. 80, too. tho Tupi OiRra, or
water-sprito, like tho mermaid or lurly Of North
ern mythology, enticoB human beings to her
homo beneath tho water. Again, tho Amazonian
indiana nar1ato tho story Of match ut running
betweon tortoise and deor. Tho formor eta-
tons her relatives along tho course at short dis
tancos, and boats her antagonist IA fable
found also in Africa and sinm," romarks Prof.
Hart; found also In tho sea Islands, wo will add,
which illustrates tho general truth that tho race
is not always to tho swift. Tho swan mniden
the Indians havo also; only with thom 1t ia
dress Of parrot foathors that the spirit lays
sumo It, and becomes Ills wifo aud the mothor Of
= now tribe. Bohsss aud bird-myths, Prof. Hartt
found numerous in the Tupi. One Of those is
.bout SECOND 1a Tss tostoiso. III, He ~ wngsr,s gSa,
ashore, and then going, to q taplr, he
water. Tho tapir and tho tortoise then pro
Good to the wator'e edge, where tho ti'h awaits
together with a aipo, Wins tlo wager, for, after
themselves Exhausted by tho endoaver which, -
saoh &c hs has ss.ns sd' n s tho S or ,ot
ingenious but equally ef1ootivo manner, cheats
tho night~hhwk.
Once on . timo tho night-hawk spoke like
people. His hhtrt wng ~, yery pretty, beoHuso It
ugly. The ibis looked Ut tho night hawk, and
was pleased with tho night.Iswks shirt.
TIE s e'%9 t. t9 tho ,hFt sa' to Of ma ths
wish to borrow ny shirt Z" The ibis anaverod: !:
u wish 10 arnuBo mysolf; aud go to dance"
"Until vhen3" the night-hawk asked. 70 tfIa
the ibia answered. "un.il tl,reo days aftor'"'
4Ho uihuk-4hHh eoOh w LIE 0AllA AAA kAf0 ~
to tho Ibis. ''Horo II is, do not cheat mo I
| await thee" The ibB went away nover did ho
return he wont completely away from tho
night-hawl nover did ho appear In his sight
again. The nieht-hawk awaited him but ho ap-
pearcd not. And tho night-hawk wopt; ho
cried and said !: "1bis, bring back my hhlrt to
mol" Always ho criod on account Of the ibis.
This is why tho night-Aawk goes clad in nons,
bro attire, whlo tho ibis il Of gay plumage, and
porEapa It is to nuswor tho Question: Why ID
tho ibis rod" TINT tho fabe Was invented; II so,
it goos into largo clasa-as for instance tho
class containing the fablo which makos tho aspen
ehiycr because it furnished wood for tho crosa OF
Christ; the one which marks tho haddock with
thumb-and-nnger marl because Saint Pcscr
hold him by tho right hand. aud took the tribute
money from the tlsh's mouth with tho loft, and n
tllournnd other similar fancies, known to moro
ambitious poets than those Of the case. and hut,
and llearthstone, as wol as to these. We do not
know enough OF our Tupi to gueas whether tho
demand Of the night-hawk FOR hin shirt resen,-
bios his natural cry, aud Prof Hartt does not in-
form III.