The times., 1899-03-19
Indian Lore.

dents CT the development of the humal
mind. Mr.. Curtin has bscome widel!
known of late as the translator OF Sienk e
wicsz's works, but he is also the autho
of several very valuable books on tn
folklore Of Ireland, Russia, the Weste:l
Slsvs. and the Magyars. The present wo-l
deals with Indian myths in their re,atio.
TO the religious history and mental d.
velopment of mankind. In addition t.
their scientific interest they offer fial,
for some cnterprising writer of imagina
tive stories and poems. If someone will
vivid imagination and a tho-ouy q
knowledge of the Indian mind chose ts
take these legends as basis for a bool
of fairy tales, We should have a volun,
as fascinating as the Jungle Books:'
and they would be equally valuable as the
groundwork of a postic narrative on the
line CT ''Hiawatha." Perhaps in the
course of the development OF American
literature some one will undertake II S
delightful task.
Mr.. Curtin explains the general signif-
canoe OF Indian myths in his introduction
and his account of the Indian scheme oi
creation is remarkably interesting. 1t ap-
pears that this system of Indian theology
NoS hhc"A BlaClCdlly 10 eil tnS lrlDeS on
the continent, varying only in detail The
Indian tradition Is that there have been
three periods in the history of the world
In the third Of which We are now living;
that the first period was one of perfect
harmony. the second of violence collision,
and conflict, the outcome of which was the
creation of all animals except man. The
red man is the only recognized representa-
tive of the human species; there is no men,
fion of any other race.
The Indian describes the American mytb
system as follows:
There was 4 world before this one in which we
are living at present; that was the world of the
frst people, who were different from us alto
gether. Those people were very numerous so
numerous that il count could be made of all
the stars in the sky, all the feathers on birds
fli the hairs and fur on animals, all the hairs of
our own heads, they would not be so numerous
es the first people
These people lived very long in peace in con-
cord, in harmony, in happiness. No man knows
no man can tell, how long they Lived in that
way. Al last the minds of all except a very
small number were changed; they fell into con-
fict; one offended another consciously or un-
consciously; one injured another with or without
intention; one wanted sone special thing, an
other wanted that very thing also. Conflict set
IN. and because of this came a time of aciiyity
and struggle, TO which there was no end or stop
IN the great majority of the first people-that
Is, all except a Small nuInber-were turned into
The various kinds of living creatures that are on
Garth now or have ever been on earth eycent
man-ihat Is all kinds of beasts birds. REPTILES
fsh. worms, and insects. as well as trees plants
grasses, rocks, and some mountains: they were
turned into ever! thing that we see on earth or
In the sky.
That small number of the former people who
dc not quarrel-thcse great first people Of The
Old time who remained Of mind and harmo.
nous--leit the nth, called away west ward
passed the i...e where the skv comes down 10
earth and touches it. sailed to places beyond:
Stayed there or withdrew TO upper regions and
lived in them happily. lived in agreement live
90 TO-DAY, and will live in the same way here.
The American creation myths. so far as We
know them. form simply a series of accounts o.
The conflicts, happenings. and various methods
by which the first world was changed into the
world now existing. This change was effected
In various ways In the myths OF certain tribes
or nations IL is mainly by struggles between
hostile personages- One god Of great power and
character overcomcs vast number of opponents
and changes each into some beast. bird plant
or insect; but always the resultant beast or other
creature corresponds in power Of mind or in
some leading quality Of character with the god
from whose position il has fallen Each
departs in the form which the enemy seemed 10
irnpose, but which really belonged 10 him
There are cases in which the hero transforms
numerous and mighty enemies indirectly through
q SPECIAL wish which he possesses For exarnrle
company OF the first people are invited 10 a
least, and while all are eating with great relish
he slips out unnotcd, walks around the house.
and utteTx, he goes the magic formula 81
wish the walls of this house to be ainf tbo roc,
also Next moment the whole house is flint.
walled. the roof is flint also. After that he saws.
II wish this house 10 be red-hot" 1t is red.bot
immediately. His enemies inside are in a dread.
ful predicament; they rush about wildly: they
roar; they lock for opening: there Is none:
they see no escape; they find no issue Their
heads burst from, heat Out of one head springs
an owl, and flies away through the srnoke.hole.
out OF another buzzard which escapes through
The saiEe place. out OF the third comes 4 hawk
which follows the other two: orr Of a fonrfb
some other bird. Thus the action continues TIL
every head IN the flint house bursts onen and
lets out its occupant. All fly away, and thus
the whole company is metamorphosed Each
turns into that which his QUALITIES called for.
which his nature demanded; he becomes cut.
wzrdly and visibly that which before he had been
internally and in secret
The hero in the above case could not wish his
opponents metamo-phosed directly: he could not
wish tins whenever he pleased or wherever he
met the great company; he had TO ind.ice them
TO enter The house, which he turned by his wish
into flint and then heated them. When the mo.
ment Of terrible anguish came on them The true
nature OF each OF those people grew evident:
each bead burst open. and out sprang the real
person.
All those Of the first people whose minds had
been modified; who, 80 10 speak hsd grown spe-
ciaiizeo internally, WHO were different from that
winch they had been 10 start with. were forced to
ciiange also externally, and could not escape or
avoid that great power whose shadow was an
felt il.
Contrast the philosophical accuracy OF
this notion of evolution with the chap;er
In Milton's Paradise Lost in which the
beasts are described as created by single
word from an anthropomorphic ruler of the
crr rulf
ground. the lion kicking TO get his hind
legs free OF the earth, Contrast this no.
tion OF the evolution of character with Mil
tons notion OF the government of heaven,
And contract the idea of the Indian nomen-
clature. growing out Of the nature of the
beasts themselves, with Milton's picture
Of Adam cataioguing the animals in Para
disc, Which is the poet and which the
savage? There are ideals In civilization
which are considerably inferior to the
natural, primeval conceptions of things.
Children in the last generation were taught
that God made the world, and their minds
conceived an overgTown human being shap-
ing with his fingers everything in the rni-
verse, from the leaves on the trees to the
peaks OF 2 mountain range. This is what
the Indian child was taught In regard TO
the creation of certain landmarks which
he saw in his daily life:
Thee are cases in which the first people were
% modified mentally that they are eonscious of
what has happened within them. The, are ready
for The change; they are willing 10 undergo il;
but there is no immediate occasion, no impend.
ing struggle IN which an opponent could nave
The strength 10 transform them These people
Transform themselves by the uttcrahcc of a wish
and produce thei7 own mctamor5hoses. There
are stin others who knew, as do all. that new
race is coming; that they will be changed when
u comes unless they are changed some time car
Her. They know that they must be changed as
soon as they sec the new people or n sign or a
mark OF their coming. These unchanged first
cfpI. t..