The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

and Daring Trip
Into the unknown
in order that o may not starve I
will tell you this: If you will break
of a branch bearing each kind of fruit
and plant this in the ground. water 1t
carefully every day, tending and pro-
tecting it. it will grow and produce
each seed after its kind. Thus you
may continue 10 eat Of the fruit Of
the tree. But you will have to work
for it,"
Following the instructions of Duwid
the first men set about breaking of
branches from the great tree and
planting them. selecting those which
bore different kinds Of fruit and vege-
tables. Presently, however. they grew
tired Of labor and stopped. Hence,
when the tree was cut down only a
few Of the many varieties of food
which it grew had been saved for
mankind, and so there are to-day only
a few species of edible plants in the
world. II the first people had been
So aS't NsAHs' "pbAt
been found in greater plenty. More
over, TO his day it is necessary to
work in order to make the cassava
grow.
The stump Of the tree endures. 1t
is pointed out in the form of a steep
rock, which indeed resembles the trunk
of a great tree.
This is not the only legend current
arn,nu fhaSa ,rNlas ,ha, hos , tn,,y1
lar touch. There is the one about
Tuminkar's son. Tum!nkar, the god.
had a son called Tumlnkardan. \
time came when Tum.nkar had a great
fight with a certain giant Bowkur. who
lived upon the earth. During the war
that ragged between these W. Tumin-
kar's son was killed. Then the god
took a hand and fought with thunder
and lightning against Bowkur's bow
n arrows. The giant was eventually
defeated and driven from the earth
and fastened TO the sky, so that he
might not return. He is the conStel-
lat!on Orion. He shoots occasional
arrows at Tuminkar, and these are
the meieors sometimes seen shooting
across the sky.
Beyond the Karawaimln Mountains
is a great white rock. Under this rock
Tuminkar buried his son. BY this
time men had learned from the cre-
atur the various arts OF life, but
after buryirg his son he decided to
leave the earth and dwell up above.
Before going, however, he told the
people that when the great rock be-
You'd the Karawaimin Mountains wears
away his son will come forth and be
their leader. teacher and friend. The
Indians have now lost most Of the
knowledge given them at the begin
ming and await the coming Of Tumin-
kardan to teach them once more the
things they have forgotten.
This legend is held Of the creation
of three of the animals:
AS each animal was called into en-
istence by the god he received his
proper form. size, color and call, II
was then asked where he would prefer
To live and what he would prefer to
eat. The first ANNA was the jasuar.
When he was asked where he would
live II what he would eat, he looked
about and saw the trees and the men
'who had just been created. He said:
Il prefer to live on the ground and To
eat men" He was allowed his choice.
The second animal was the monkey.
When he was asked where he would
live and what he would eat, he looked
around and saw the jaguar. He re-
piled: Il do not like the fellow on
the ground. Therefore l will live in
the trees and eat nuts" So he too
vas granted his choice.
And the third animal was the tapir.
While he was being finished the
monkey was looking on from the
branches OF a tree. Said he to him
self: "Now If that fellow should choose
to live up in the trees he will be a
great nuisance. He is So clumsy that
he will always be in my way, and he
Is so heavy that he Will break down
the trees. He really ought 10 live ON
the ground, but l can see well enough
that he will not want to live with the
jaguar.'
So the monkey climbed down to the
ground and went close to the tapir.
When Tuminkar asked the tapir where
he would like to live and what he
would like to eat. the monkey whis-
pered in his ear: Don't say any
thing. 1t will be very uncomfortable
for you up in the trees, and the jaguar
will eat up everything on the ground.
Don't say anything The tapir was
silent. The creator repeated his ques-
tion. and again the monkey gave his
whispered warning. The tapir an
swered nothing to his maker.
W~hereupon Tuminkar said to the
tapir: "You seem to be a very stupid
fellow. Go get your living wherever
You can" To this day the tap.r is a
silent fellow. and though he lives on
the ground he eats the leaves OF the
trees, which ne pulls down with his
long nose.