The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-25
SOME NEW BOOKS.
American Wythol0rv.

OF the AbOrtHtnes OF this continent are
unlike those Of ancient Greece and
Rome. Egypt and India, In that they
are not systematized: but It may be
that had not the Indian folklore's de-
velopment been interrupted by the In
Prevention Of Old World ideas It would
In time have settled into An ordered,
coherent arrangement. Red indian
cosmogony and Legendary Of ~personified
natural forces differ from those Of
the elder civilizations of the Eastern
Hsanisphere IN condition. but not In
kind, says HARTLEY Burr ALEXANDER
Of the University Of Nebraska in North
Amerscon Mythology (Boston: Mar
shall Jones Company. Volume y. OF
"The Mythology Of All Races a thir-
teen volume work Of cooperative schol-
arship edited by DIR. Louis Herbert
Gray. Varying from tribe to tribe
and from clan to clan. the North
American myths exhibit fundamental
admiIaritles and uniformities that af-
ford a basis for a kind Of critical re-
construction OF a mythology" Stories
told 10 explain the causes and begin
ninEs OF things. the Indian legends and
fables may be moral ~allegories or nc
ton satirical, humorous or romantic.
They entertained and enlightened gen.
erations Of red men In the forests.
on the prairies or In the dry plains OF
the Southwest.
The author begins in the far north.
with the Eskimos. and their cos
mic perspective" is not deficient in in
terest for the explorer of the head
waters OF history's long stream, but
We turn to the territory out OF which
the American States were made. First,
che forest tribes Of h East, Algon-
auiap and Iroquoisan. OF both peoples
hunting was tho mans vocation, war
hk %avocation. Their cruelty to cap
tives II a reflection of their intense
esteem for personal courage. Alike
they had a fondness for ritual singing.
rather the chant. and dancing for
cratory and honoring the counsel Of
the elders. Their courtesy VAS fine,
their code of honor subtle but bind
ing. their pride strong. Perhaps tn"
AlROnQuians were the more puctiral
end the 1~roquoisans the more polite
people. but at the time Of the white
mans coming they We're essentially
alike in respect OF what /: is entirely
fitting to call culture.
In the heavens dwells the Great
Spirit. his power the breath of all
life, his manifestation the light that
reveals creation. The sun is his eve,
in the winds he moves through the
world. Mother Earth nourishes all liv-
ing beings, plants, beasts, men The
birds are the Intermediates between
the habitation of men ana the powers
above; serpents and the creatures nf
the waters are Intermediates com
municating with the powers below
II h visible armament is the roof
OF mans world. II il also tho floor ~
another world; and If the earth * a
floor for the Indian, 4; is a roof for
the beings below tina send upward tho
fructifying streams that nourish the
plants and trees ~ Chippewa :
world mas an eight story affair. four
above and four below. FoIr was thc
Indians sacred number In the con-
CeptiOn of the upper world as a realm,
NJ patterns we imagine that. given
a common medium for the exchange
of views. Plato OF the Greeks mlahi
have had pleasant and Improving on
versation with the early native philos
ophers of America.
The IroQuoisans recognized q Wind
Giant. at the entrance TO whose house
were a bear. a panther. n moose and Il
fawn. When the wind blew from the
north II was the bear proving. The
Uoot usipI vrn tho u-hintno ~ tb.
panther. and when the south wind
stirred the Indians SAID. The fawa is
returning 10 It's doe" When the chill
wind Of the east blew in. laden with
rain, they said The moose is spend
ing his breath Corresponding 20 the
''once upon n time" Introduction OF
our children's fables. the children o.
the forest had "A formula, thus: He
who was my grandfather was won
to relate that verify he had heard this
legend as it was customar.ly old b,
five generations Of grandsircs. anc
this Is what he himself was in tn,
habit OF telling"
The 1roquo!san cosmugony Is def.
mite. dramatic. that OF the Algnn
uuians is nebulous. their gods are los
anthropomorphic, the sequence ot
events not. so logical. They appar,
emily originated the creation myth
which the other people clarified an,
organized. Legends Of tn" flood, @
strange beings and powers. Of the gif'
or conquest of fire and weapons, have
been essentially alike among the race
all the world over.
In the mythology of the tribes of thu
Gulf region animal stories are per
haps the most characteristic element
.HAop would have been happy amonl
the Cherokces; so would Uncle Remus
The migration legend of the Creek!
II the Homeric hero story in new dress
It was the t~herokces who, under tn,
leadership of SeqIoya, made for them
selves ~ alphabet and learned L
write. The innovation was viGorousl!
opposed, but could not he p%reNerte,
even by the invention Of this fable;
When Indian and white man ~er. ere
at.d. III" Indian, who was the elder, re
cetyed u book. Will. to the White man w-r
given bow and arrows. Bu' since the IN
dian WAS neglected. OF his book the WHIT
man sol" II. leaving tho bow. IN It's place
so that thrn,"'orth the book belongei
l~efitimately 20 Ia" white man Will. hunt
mode of lIfo.
In the telling the book sometime
becomes a stone. the ho" 1t piece -
silver. There is a story that tho ncRr,
invented the locomotive. which tn
white man nnk from him Thes
tllRS nFp AllH tl,la ~ "a hiG'nri,t.I nk