The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-07-05
HARE GOD AND THE SUN,
CURIOUS INDIAN LEGEND OF HOW
THE EARTH WAS FLOODED:

VI 3"SSAAo w dSullRUOu Was Uu0
only portion of the world that was not i'm
mersed in the flood, and that it was a place
OF refuge for an Indian and his wife, who
became the Adam and Eve of the Indian
race. The following legend of the south
western Indians gives a singular origin of
the flood, and is told in the simple and
childish fashion pecult:-r to savage people.
The incidents of the journey suggest the
BEer Rabbit and his contemporaries in ne
gro fable. i
As the Hare God slept one day the sun
burned his back, and waking in wrath he
get out to fight the aggressor. Onthe way
he became hungry and took some corn,
M when those who had planted it found
that 1t had been stolen they set off in pur-
su1t. The Hare God burrowed into the
ground, and when his pursuers shot thei,
Arrows into the hole he turned them aside
with his magic breath. When they began
to dig for him he made his way by a secret
passage to a'gallery in q rock above, and
when they had dug far down he hurled
hds magic ball and caved the earth in o.
their heads.
"You are buried in a hole that you dug
tor yourselves" he shouted. Fighting is
Ike eating to me. Ihave set out to kill.
ADvOAyVAo L u1ccU WILL UO my OuCuy. NO~
body shall escape my wrath"
SLAUGHTER ON H WAY.
Next day he saw two men heating rocks
and chipping arrow heads from them. "Let
me help you" he said, "for hot rocks can't
burn me-" would you have US think that
you are a ghost?" they replied. "No, but
am a better man than you. Hold me on
these rocks, and if I don't burn you must
Let me do the same to you"
The men complied, and heating the
stones to redness they placed him on them,
falling to see that by his magic breath he
kept a current of mir between him and the
surface. Rising unhurt he demanded that
they should submit to the torture and they
did so. When their flesh had been burned
to the entrails, and they were dead, he
sounded his war whoop and went on.
Next day he met two women picking
berries, and bade them blow the leaves and
thorns into his eyes: They did so, but lbs
magic breath saved his eveballs. "You are
he answered, "but a common person.
me show you," and he pulled the thorns
you are caught with your own chaff. am
WI &Ay WUy ~ NIL UuO 0uAs ia 10 SOOu
practice" And he slew them, sounded his
war whoop and went on.
Next day he saw two women making
water jugs of willow baskets lined with
pitch, and heard one of them say, "Here
destroy him?" "What were you sayingP"
Here m our grandson Ia common form
Of endearment)." SIS that all? Let me
get into the water jug. Now braid the
neck" They braided the neck very small
and laughed to think they had entrapped
him, but with his magic breath he burst
his prison and offered to braid jugs about
them to prove that while they could hold
water they could not hold men and wo-
men.
POWER OF THE MAGIC BALL.
They consented, and when the jugs were
finished he told them to jump out. Try as
they might they could not break the viii
low withes, and he rolled them about,
laughing and deriding them for their folly.
"You are bottled in your own jugs" said
he. +" Tam on my way to slay the Sun.
In time I shall learn how" Then, killing
them with his magic ball, he sounded the
war whoop and went on.
Next day he met the Bear, who was dig
cling q hole to hide in, for he had heard of
the Hare God and was afraid. Don't
fear" said the Hare God. 81 nm not the
man to hide from. How could u little fell
low like me hurt SO many people?" And
he helped the Bear to dig his den, but when
Il was finished he hid behind a rock and as
the Bear thrust his head near him he
launched his ball at his face and made an
end of him. II was afraid of this warrior,
but now he Is dead in his own den" said
the Hare God, and sounding his wal whoop
he went On.
Next day he met the Tarantula, q know
ing fellow, who had club that would deal
q fatal blow. to others, but would not hurt
himself. He began to groan as the Hare
God came near, and cried that he had q
pain, caused by an evil spirit, in his head,
and asked to have it beaten out. The Hare
God took the weapon and whacked sound
". but when the Tarantula shouted,
AHarder," he guessed that tho club was
enchanted and changed it for his magic
ball, which finished the Tarantula at once.
saThat is q blow Of your own seeking" re-
marked the slayer. II am on my way to
Kill the Sun, Now I know I can do it"
And sounding his war whoop he went on.
THE EARTH IS DELUGED.
Next day he came to the edge OF the
world and looked off into the space where
thousands Of careless people had fallen, and
thare he passed the night undera little tree.
with the coming of the dawn he stood on
the brink Of the earth and the instant that
the Sun appeared he flung the magic ball
full in his face. The Sun was broken into
thousand pieces that spattered over the
earth and kindled q mighty CONFEDERATION.
The Hare. God crept under the tree that
had sheltered him on the night before, but
that was of no avail against the increasing
heat. He tried to run away but the fire
burned. off his toes, then his feet, then his
lees, then his body, so that he ran on;his
hands. and when his hands were burned
OF he walked on the stumps of his arms.
At last only his head was left and that
rolled along over hill and.valley until 1t
struck q rock, when the eyes burst and the
tears that rushed forth spread over the
land. putting out the flames but creatinga
GOOD. When the deluge had subsidized the
SIM wa conquered, and ct his trial before
the other gods was scolded for his conduct
and condemned after that to travel across
the sky every day by the same trail.
Brooklyn Eagle.
a Rats Queer Hiding Place.
Miss Eva McFadden, Of Oxford, had an
adventure with q rat one day recently.
ahe took q loaf Of bread from the pantry,
SnA vhan ah0nt tn cut IL rat jumped out