Douglas Island news., 1919-07-18
NATIVE MYTHS
 OF ALAsKANs
Kodiak Natives Have Curious Legends That Indicate
 Foreign Origin

natives iuDnIINNN MINN NlNHhN Ni NiN they migrate to Alaska from other countrles7
 Some oi their myths and legends arc SO nearly identical with those Of Itho bible chat it seems oa if they Imust at some carly day talked with nations having Che same traditions lbs the Egyptians and israclitoa. Are they Che descendants of tho lost ltrlbo of Israolg Did tho stories told Iin tho lrloos and baraharas Of Che raco to tho westward como down from Ono days of Moses and other biblical characters2
 No one can tell. but it is a curi- ous fact that Che Kodiak natives have ! a legend of Che first man and woman ! in close relationship to Che story of ! Adam and Evo. grass causing tho downfall Of tho original genus homo. instead Of tho traditional apple. a fruit indigenous to Persia
 According to Che Kodiak version. ! Ishliam shoa was tho master of tho world. and he was worshlpcd as Inc supreme god by Che Kodiaka up to the time of thoir conversion to Che priest of tho Russian church in Che latter part Of Ono 17m century. ' |shliam shoa created tho heavens land tho earth. but of light there was none He sent two humans. a boy and a girl. upon Che earth Co enjoy |the milncss thereof. but before go- | inr he ouioInod them not Go cat rrass rbo girl was curious to know what might be ihc result of break ! ing Che command. and said to tho boy "Lot us eat Of tho grass what harm can follow our oct2 shliam shoa win never miss what wo eat from Che abundance around us.'
 But Che boy demurrcd and urged liner to dosist, saying that it might cause them injury and that if the light camo they might Doc ashamed to look upon Che other.
 Tho girl. however could not ro- slst Che temptation. She refused Che ! fat of Che seal and Che choicest DOT uons Of game sel before hor saying l. that it was os Che stones on Che shore. unloss eaten with thc grasses springinr up SO luxuriantly around them Tho importunitics or tho girl finally had their effect and the boy and girl pluckcd Of Che graas and did eat thereof
 And beholdl Che first dawn broke iu tho eastern sky, the sun sending its rays to all parts of Che world. and tho boy and girl looked upon tho other and were ashamed of thoir nakodncss. and fashioned garments of feathers Of Che cider duck Co cover their nakcdness. And shliam Shoa was angry and demanded Of tho boy and girl why they had broken his command and eaten Of Che grass. eliminating darkness In Che world. And Che man said Che woman tompt- od him. and shliam shoa droyo them from Che land of plonty out Into tho world. whore thc boy was forced to labor and support himself and tho -irt pho had followed him. They tried to return to heaven but found tbe doors locked. and upon thc stops lending to Che home of shlIam shoa thoy looked upon one another and thc boy saw Che woman was fair Go seo They loved each other and five children were born Go thom' but died shortly after Co their great sorrow. Just before Che birth Of the sixth child shliam shoa came and asked. "why do you grieye2' They replied. "An children born to us die."
 "Do not griovo any more. said ! shliam shoa. "I win sing you a song and you shall have children there after which win grow strong and multiply and cover the earth. And they shall pay me tribute of one akin each season of Che Kaioog-ya-at oho season Che seals brecdl, and you shall live long and And good hunting"
 And thus 10 came to pass. Tho children Of Kyktag. Che first man, covered Che earth and from them Che whole human race sprang. But after several generations the pay ments Co shllam shoo ceased and were refused. wicked ones saying "Why should we pay for that which is ours?"
 And Kytag was warned that Che wators of thc sea would cover the earth and he buildod himself and his sons hugo bidarka, taking thereon Che meat of Che seal and food for a, year.
 And it came Co pass that when KyRtae and his wife and sons had embarked In their bidarlla. great storms arose and tho waters of the sen swept the earth. drowning an but Che favored Kyklag and hi. family The flood CaliaN ia said Co have destroyed every living thing and covered the face ot tho earth for tho space of a year. After sail Ing around for many days Che bi darka grounded upon Kodiak island
 where Kyk,ag landed and offered thanks to shlidm shoa.