National Republican., 1875-07-13
Am.,on,.n fortoi,. nyth..

Professor hsrtt OF Cornell University, has pub
lshed, at Rio Janeiro, little pam phlet on "Ama-
xon Tortoise Myths" When on the great river
in 1870, reviewing the work OF Professor Agassis,
he was brought into very intimate relations with
the population Of the Amazon Valley. and he
acquired the language, the Llngua Geral or mod
ern Tupi- which is spoken among them. One
night while vssrily padding near Santareu, the
faithful steersman, Msciel, began to talk to the
Indian boatmen to keep them from going to
sleep. Mr.. Hsrtt listened eagerly and found him
recountiug q story. He followed as best he
could, jotting down in his notebook the leading
points in the story, meanwhile joining heartily in
the laughter Of the men to encourage the mar.
tor. The next day he took the 't1rst opportunity
to tell Maciel how much he had ejoyed his story,
and to beg that he would dictate ft to him In Lin
qua Geral. He had already received long train
was soon recorded; but for long time 1t was all
in vain that he coaxed him to tell another. It
was Maciel who related to Professor Hartt the
following story Of
HOW A TORTOISE KILLED TWO JAGUARs.
One day jabuti tortoise was amusing himself
by climbing hill, drawing into his shell his head
and legs and allowing himself to roll down to the
bottom, which was reached in safety.
AJaguar, happening to pass by, observed the
proceedings and inquired:
What are you doing, Jabuti2''
,o, ION, am playing, Jaguar," answered the tor
Let me see how you play" +" said the jagzar.
Inc JaDul then ascended the hill, and, as be-
fore, came rolling down. The Jaguar was much
pleased, and said:
81 am going to play Also"
well, !" returned the tortoise, "climb the hill
and then come rolling down as did"
The jaguar attempted to INIT to the Jabuti, but
at the loot Of the hill struck his head against
By and by there came along another jagusr, to
whom the tortoise remarked that he was gong TO
play. So the labuti said to q tree: "openI" and
the tree obeyed. Then the jabuti, entering into
the tree, said: "Shut tree!' and the trunk closed
up, imprisonlng the jabuti, but y hen the latter
said: -" ANU ~ ~ s. 'A'H
"JabutI, I sant also to plsy a. you have done"
the isguar entered It. He then commanded It to
close upon him, and It obeyed, and when he said:
.S2P .S0Pen tree !" he walked out much pleased; But
toise: II want TO play again" So the jaguar
repeated the experiment, but when he had en-
died.
The Significance of this story is thus guessed
at:
"Both parts of this story appear to have the
same meaning, and represent the victory Of the
sun over the moon during the Iunations. In the
first part Of the story the sun rolls down the west
ern sky to appear again unhurt, but the moon, in
attempting 20 follow the EXAMPLES extinguished.
The myth, II this be the true explanation, seems
Incomplete, and would suggest that perhaps, on
search, the perfect form might be found, which
would probably be as follows:
jabuti, as he has Just rolled down the western
sky, and desires to follow his example. Next
day, and for many days, he is successful, but by
and by, afler losing his strength gradually, the
jaguar (the old moon) descends and Is extin-
gulshed.
ain the second part, the setting sun, or tor
toise, cieayes the forest the evening and disap
pears in It, to issue again safely on the morrow.
The moon, or jaguar. follows his example safely,
but on repeating the experiment Is destroyed, the
extinction Of the old moon probably appearing to
the Indian q destruction. the new moon being
another moon, or q second oncs.
"That the tortoise should enter into be i'm
prisoned In, and issue unharmed from the forest,
Is a most natural form for the myth; for, in q
forestclothed country like the AmaZonas, the
sun ordinarily seems to set among and rise out
Of the trees. The sun also has the power of split
ting the trunks of trees; in which latter case he
manu.
THE splitting Of the earth and of rocks and
trees by solar heroes Is common in NEUROLOGICAL
tales, the world over, and the second part Of the
story Just related has many parallels"