Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-05-21
SOME MUSICAL MYTHS.
THE VARIOUS BEAUTIFUL LIZ
GENDS OF oRPHEUs.
How II IL Told AmonR the Indians 81
Guiana-Among the North Ameri-
can indians this Drum 10 the
Instrument OF Angels.

nents OF mythology. but however va
rlous their exposition all seem 70
concur in the existence OF minstrel
SO accomplished as TO make trees TO
follow him and stones to move AT the
sound OF his voice.
OF all the Orpheuses OF primitive
and savage legend the unelvihzed
races indulge in these fancies no less
than their more educated brethren-
Amalivaca the divine minstrel o. the
Indians OF Guiana. is one OF the most
curious The whole earth was Gov
cred with water aud the rocks we're
Frustrated by the Hood; the beauty Of
the earth had completely disappeared
nnder the chaotic onslaught OF the
devouring elements; and mankind or
what there was left Of them. were In
despair at the ruins OF their once
beautiful habitation. the globe IL
was at this time that Amalicava
the best drummer the world had
ever seen. took his drum. made Of
the finest suakeskin. and beat up.
on IL in time and measure
so symmetrical that the waters
gradually sank delighted - the sea
and the rocks arose 10 listen In this
way. while no continued playing tho
materials Of the universe gradually
sorted themselves until they attain
cd the form they wear AT present
Amphion building the walls OF Thebes
would perhaps DO tho classical ana
logy 20 this exploit OF Amallvaca
| Amaliyaca also invented the first
musical instrument which human car
ever heard the rattle. Diviae help
was necessary 10 him towards per-
forming this triumph Of discovery
/ pOuderlng over which tho musician
wandered rostlessly and uueasily
about the banks Of the Orinoco not
/ knowing what 10 do or how % satisfy
/ mis- desire for music. In those dayA
says the legead there was no musical
sound Ia the world beyond what came
from the untaught aud sweet cadcuc0s
/ 81 the voice OF woman. Music, with
its regular beats and lis regular no.
/ Trains had no existence. but ANAL.
vaca had conceived the art In his
mind As he was walking down tho
reedy side Of the Orinoca a female
form suddenly appeared from tho
water and pluckIng Oh gourd from
. tree. gave IL him. bidding him form
an instrument thcroirom
Still moro perplexed the sage pom
dcred on his hard task. bat without
effect until a second time the water
goddess appeared. this time bringing
with her handful Of white stones from
the bottom Of the river. which she babe
him enclose in the gourd. Thus was
made the first rattlO--and perhaps tho
first instrument which human car
ever heard. So sacred and so miracu-
lous did the South American Indians
deem this discovery. that the rattle
thus invented became an Idol
The North American Indians whose
legends are a most interesting mine of
strange tradition. make tho drum the
instrument OF the Angels 4 tired
hunter once lost on tho prairie. and
overcome with fatigue and despair.
lay down on the sward and fell asleep;
when behold. In mis- dream no saw
the heavens open. and car made OF
osiers descending from the heavens
with inconceivable rnpidity
In the car were twelve beautiful
girls with golden winga who played
celestial music upon drums OF gold
Among them was his dead wife thus
sent TO him by the Great Spirit 70
show him the right way out OF the
labyrinthne prairie. She directed
him. pointing with her drumstick In
the way IN which he should 70. The
car flew up; the hunter awoke: and
the heavens were Fcsounding with the
drums OF the celestial maidens and OF
the angels in the vaults above.
The Chinese have extraordinary
superstitions relating 70 music accord.
ing to the Saturday Evening Post
According to them the creator OF the
universe hid eight sounds In the Garth.
for the express purpose OF lmpollina
mortal man to End them out; on the
same principle. we presume. thai
Jupiter in Virgil hides fire in aint and
honey ia trees In order to whst the
ardor OF mans industry in re.discoyer.
Ing the treasures.
In stone ia metal In silk In wood.
IN bamboo in pumpkins in the skins
Of animals. and in certain onrths
these sounds, according to the Chine c.
are hidden. The musical instruments
Of their orchestra are all made OF ono
or other OF these substances and tn,
: naive crodulity Of tho people hears II
the thuds Of tho gongs and th,
whistling OF the pipes the tones Of tb,
eternal sounds OF nature and Oh,
universe. as deposited in the strata o
the Garth by the Almighty Father
The Wends who. we believe ar,
the ancestors OF the modern Prus
I slams. are the centre OF many legends
, The Pied Piper Of Hamelin was
Wend; so also was the piper OF th
Harz mouDtains who appeared 81
many days a year and played unearth
ly tunes and whatsoever heard at ono
: fell into a frenzy, from which thor
was no escaping. All these pied an
, weird plpers assembled once year a
tho Broken, where there was a Qen