COMPARISON OF MYTHS

The accompanying table gives in condensed form the results of a comparison of the myths of the people under consideration, those of the Yuchi as recorded by Speck, and the Cherokee myths given by Mooney. The Creek stories embrace the ones obtained by myself, those in the Tuggle collection, and the Taskigi collection of Speck. In parenthesis after each name is the total number of stories collected from the tribe in question; in the third column is the number of coincidences; in the final column the percentages. The whole number of stories is so small and the changes that would result from a single alteration so great that only the most general conclusions may be drawn from this table, and the conclusions that may be drawn are such as might have been expected. Thus the Koasati and Alabama have lived close to each other from the earliest period of which we have any record. At the present day they are near neighbors in southwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas and their languages differ little and are mutually understood by nearly everyone in the two groups. The Yuchi, Hitchiti, Alabama, and Koasati were all incorporated into the Creek confederacy in later times and were in close contact with the dominant Muskogee tribe. Natchez shows numerous Creek resemblances because a part of the tribe was long incorporated with the Upper Creeks and because, although the present series of Natchez stories was collected from the Cherokee Band, this band was located near the western edge of the Cherokee Nation and in contact with small bodies of Creeks who chose to live for a time on the Cherokee side of the common boundary. In fact, two or three Natchez stories were learned by my informant from a Creek Indian by his own statement. The Natchez-Cherokee resemblances are due to the fact that the Natchez stories come from a member of the Cherokee Band of Natchez. Koasati and Alabama on one side and Hitchiti on the other lay at the extreme edge of the old Creek country, and the later history of the two groups of peoples has run in widely separated channels. The Yuchi material, finally, is too scanty to have much significance. 267

RELATIVE RESEMBLANCES IN MYTHS

Koasati (65)	Alabama (61)	27	0.442
Creek (110)	Yuchi (21)	9	.428
Do.	Hitchiti (45)	17	.377
Do.	Natchez (43)	15	.348
Koasati (65	do.	16	.372
Cherokee (110)	do.	15	.348
Hitchiti (45)	Yuchi (21)	6	.285
Koasati (65)	do.	6	.285
Alabama (61)	Natchez (43)	12	.279
Creek (110)	Alabama (61)	16	.262
Hitchiti (45)	Natchez (43)	12	.255
Creek (110)	Koasati (65)	16	.246
Cherokee (110)	Yuchi (21)	5	.242
Natchez (43)	do.	5	.238
Alabama (61)	do.	5	.238
Cherokee (110)	Hitchiti (45)	10	.222
Alabama (61)	do.	9	.200
Cherokee (110)	Alabama (61)	12	.196
Do.	Koasati (65)	12	.184
Koasati (65)	Hitchiti (45)	8	.177
Cherokee (110)	Creek (110)	13	.118

 

In the comparative guide to the myths which follows these authorities are quoted or indicated:

BOAS, FRANZ. Tsimshian Mythology. In Thirty-first Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 1916.

BUSHNELL, DAVID I., JR. The Choctaw of Bayou Lacomb. Bull. 48, Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 1009.

Myths of the Louisiana Choctaw. In American Anthropologist, Vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 526-535, Lancaster, Pa., 1910.

CURTIN, JEREMIAH, and HEWITT, J. N. B. Seneca Fiction, Legends, and Myths. In Thirty-second Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 1918.

JONES, WILLIAM, and MICHELSON, TRUMAN. Kickapoo Tales. Publs. Amer. Ethn. Soc., Vol. ix, Leyden, 1915.

LOWIE, ROBERT H. The Test-theme in North American Mythology. In Journ. Amer. Folk-lore, Vol. 21, pp. 97-148, New York, 1008.

MOONEY, JAMES. Myths of the Cherokee. In Nineteenth Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pt. 1, Washington, 1900.

PARSONS, ELSIE CLEWS. Die Flucht auf den Baum. In Zeitschrift für Ethnologie, 54. Jahrg., pp. 1-29, Berlin, 1922.

REICHARD, GLADYS A. Literary Types and Dissemination of Myths. In Journ. Amer. Folk-lore, Vol. 34, pp. 269-307, New York, 1921.

SPECK, FRANK G. The Creek Indians of Taskigi Town. In Memoirs Amer. Anthrop. Asso., vol. ii, pt. 2, Lancaster, Pa., 1907.

--------- Ethnology of the Yuchi Indians. In Anthrop. Publs. Univ. Mus., Univ. Pa., vol. I, no. 1, Phila., 1909.

THOMPSON, STITH. European Tales among the North American Indians. A study of the Migration of Folk-tales. Colorado College Publication, Language Series, Vol. II, no. 34, pp. 319-471. Colorado Springs, 1919.

WATERMAN, T. T. The Explanatory Element in the Folk-tales of the North American Indians. In Journ. Amer. Folk-lore, Vol. 27, pp. 1-54, New York, 1914,

1 The only Creek origin myth of which I know is one obtained by Dr. Speck from the Taskigi Creeks, but these have been in such close contact with the Yuchi that it is questionable whether the story was not originally from the latter tribe. The Cherokee, Natchez, and Chitimacha, however, had a somewhat similar myth and it probably covered most of the intervening territory. In general the story is a version of the well-known Earth-diver tale, but there are two features peculiar to the Gulf area. One of these is the fact that it was the Crawfish which brought up that pellet of soil from the floor of the primeval ocean out of which our earth was formed, although the Cherokee substitute the water beetle. More important is the introduction of an attempt on the part of the birds to bring soil from beyond the horizon. This is introduced into the Taskigi and Chitimacha stories and appears to be hinted at in that of the Yuchi. Of course it is possible that it is transplanted from the Biblical story of the flood, although it may be entirely native, since apart from this one feature birds seem to have played a considerable part in the beginning of things. 2 The Earth-diver story is found all over the eastern part of North America and even reaches California. An analysis and study of the distribution of the story has been made by Gladys A. Reichard, and the results incorporated in an article in JAFL, 3 vol. 34, pp. 274-277. She cites versions from the Timagami, Missasagua, Ojibwa (of Sault Ste. Marie, North Shore, Western Ontario, and Minnesota), the Montagnais, Eastern Cree, Saulteaux, Swampy Cree, Wood Cree, Plains Cree, Western Cree, Ottawa, Gros Ventre, Hare, Sauk, Fox, Menominee, Sarsi, Carrier, Assiniboin, Iowa, Dog-Rib, Chipewayan, Arapaho, Blackfoot, Loucheux, Kaska, Beaver, Newettee, Kathlamet, Arikara, Hidatsa, Crow, Yokuts, Salinan, Maidu, Miwok, Yuchi, Cherokee, Delaware, Iroquois, Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga, and Wyandot or Huron.

2. The Flood myths of the Natchez (Natchez 1) and Cherokee (Cherokee 14) are so nearly alike that it is evident they are from a common source. The most probable suggestion regarding them would be that the Natchez had borrowed their tale from the Cherokee,

1

4. Corn Woman: Natchez 7 and 8; Koasati 6; Creek 5, 6, 7; Cherokee 3. Sometimes this is made a part of the story of Orphan.

5. The Ordering of Field Work: Natchez 7; Creek 84.

6. The Orphan: Natchez 8, 9; Alabama 17, 18; Koasati 15; Creek 6, 7, 9, 9. This is one of the typical Southeastern stories. The motive of the vagina dentata, however, which appears in two versions, is widely spread, occurring among the Bellacoola, Shuswap, Chilcotin, Kwakiutl, Newettee, Comox, StsEē'lis, Utamqt, Thompson, Shoshoni, Dakota, Arapaho, Pawnee, Maidu, Wichita, Jicarilla Apache, Chukchee (Asia), and Koryak (Asia). See Boas in Thirty-first Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 809; Waterman in JAFL, vol. 27, pp. 49-50.

7. The Magic Passage of the Ocean: Natchez 9; Alabama 12; Koasati 12, 13. As shown by the numbers, this is sometimes bound up with the story of Orphan. A detail occurs in Iroquois 116 and certain episodes in Kickapoo 10. 2

8. The Wicked Mother-in-law: Koasati 12, 14; Alabama 12; Natchez 9.

9. The Obstacle Flight: Alabama 14, 15; Koasati 17, 18; Creek 13. This is one of the most widely spread tales. It is represented in

10. Bead-spitter: Alabama 12; Koasati 12; Creek 2. This, it will be noted, is also sometimes combined with others. The spitting of beads occurs very frequently in Iroquois tales and it is in Dakota (Riggs's Grammar). The first two stories contain the Swan Maiden motive which, as is well known, is very widely spread. (See Nos. 9 and 77.)

11. The Six Brothers and the Female Man-eater: Alabama 13; Koasati 10. Compare also Speck's Yuchi, p. 149.

12. The Bear and the Fire: Alabama 5; with which Hitchiti 1 has points in common.

13. The Recovery of Water: Alabama 8; Koasati 7.

14. The Submarine People: Koasati 8; Alabama 4.

15. The Origin of Tobacco: Hitchiti 2; Creek 10, 11, 12; Yuchi, p. 146.

16. The Rolling Head: Natchez 2; Iroquois 57, 105. This occurs in other parts of America in the story of the Obstacle Flight, in Pawnee, Arapaho, Gros Ventre, Cree, Assiniboin, Carrier, Dakota, Cheyenne; independent (the "Rolling Skull ") in Yana, Maidu, Koryak (Asia), Chukchee (Asia), Arapaho, Eskimo, Blackfoot (see JAFL, vol. 27, pp. 46-47).

17. The Star-Husband: Koasati 4. A thorough study of the story and its distribution is given by Miss Reichard in JAFL, vol. 34, pp. 270-272. She cites the above story and versions from the Caddo, Wichita, Oto, Shoshoni, Mandan, Gros Ventre, Kutenai, Songish, Cheyenne, Dakota, Blackfoot, Arapaho, Crow, Hidatsa, Kiowa, Pawnee, Arikara, Micmac, Ts`ets`aut, Tahltan, Shuswap, Quileute, and Quinault.

18. The Pleiades: Koasati 2; Cherokee 10. Cf. Natchez 14.

19. The Cannibal Woman: Natchez 4. Iroquois 70 and 79 are similar. See Waterman in JAFL, vol. 27, p. 48, where similar stories are cited under the head "Son-in-law Tested," from the Cheyenne, Cree, Maidu, Wintun, Yana, Chinook, Kwakiutl, Micmac, Assiniboin, Gros Ventre, Omaha, Carrier, Chilcotin, Kathlamet, Tsimshian, Nootka, Nimkish, Newettee, and Koryak (Asia).

20. The Cannibal's Seven Sons: Natchez 3. A detail similar to one in this story occurs in Iroquois 22.

21. The Swinging Grapevines: Alabama 4. A swing, though in another connection, occurs in a set of stories placed by Waterman

22. Blue Hawk Brings down the Iron: Koasati 24. Cf. an episode in Iroquois 58 and also Northwest Coast stories told by the Tsimshian and Haida (Thirty-first Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 855-856).

23. The Visit to the Sky: Alabama 20, 21, 22; Koasati 26; Yuchi, p. 144; Cherokee 5. Iroquois 48 contains similarities. Cf. Bushnell, Choctaw of Bayou Lacomb, p. 35.

24. The Ghost Robs the Hunter: Alabama 28; Koasati 38.

25. The Hunter and His Dogs: Natchez 15; Hitchiti 9, 10; Creek 17, 18; Taskigi, pp. 160-161. Also cf. Koasati 32. There is a psychological connection between these stories and one given by Boas (Thirty-first Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 825 ff.), which he traces among the Tsimshian, Tlingit, Haida, Kwakiutl, Chilcotin, Carrier, Loucheux, Hare Indians, Central Eskimo, East Greenland Eskimo, Smith Sound Eskimo, Assiniboin, Arapaho, and Osage.

26. The Man Carried off by the Tie-snake: Natchez 16 (from a Creek source); Hitchiti 16; Cherokee 53.

27. The Visit to the Nest of the Monster Bird: Natchez 18; Cherokee 64; Alabama 43; Koasati 31; Hitchiti 6. The last three show a considerable number of divergencies from the rest.

28. The Pygmies: Natchez 19; Alabama 31; Cherokee 74. The belief in pygmy people was shared by nearly all North American tribes.

29. The White Bear; Alabama 30, 32; Koasati 27.

30. The Bear's Revenge: Alabama 34; Koasati 29.

31. The Alligator Benefactor: Alabama 35, 36; Choctaw of Bayou Lacomb, p. 32.

32. The Hunter, the Hawk, and the Owl: Alabama 38, 39; Koasati 33.

33. The Monster Lizard: Alabama 40; Koasati 36; Creek 19, 20, 21. The removal of eyeballs by a wildcat mentioned in Creek 19 is an element widely spread among American myths. Waterman (JAFL, vol. 27, pp. 44-45) finds it among the Nez Percé, Arapaho, Jicarilla Apache, Navaho, Hopi, Zuñi, Blackfoot, Assiniboin, Sia, Quinault, and the Koryak of Northeastern Asia. The plucking out of eyes appears in Tsimshian, Tlingit, and Haida (see Thirty-first Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 746-747).

34. The Monster Black Snake: Alabama 41; Koasati 25; Creek 22.

35. The Man Who Turned into a Snake: Alabama 42; Hitchiti 17; Creek 23, 24, 25, 26, 27; Cherokee 57; Iroquois 14 (also cf. 32).

36. The Hunter Visits the Bear: Koasati 28; Cherokee 76.

37. The Owl Persecutors: Koasati 34, 35; Hitchiti 11. The resemblance between the last and the others is, however, only general. Also see Choctaw of Bayou Lacomb, pp. 33, 34.

Footnotes

269:1 See also Gatschet in Am. Anthrop. (o. s.), VI, pp. 279-280.

269:2 In a paper entitled "Mythology of the Indians of Louisiana and the Texas Coast," published in the Journal of American Folk-Lore. vol. XX, no. LXXIX, pp. 285-289, I mistakenly quoted Du Pratz as having stated that earth was brought from beyond the horizon by the cardinal. What he does say is that this bird brought fire to men after the flood.

269:3 These letters refer to the Journal of American Folk-Lore.

270:1 Personal information from T. Michelson.

270:2 The Iroquois numbers are those in the report by Curtin and Hewitt. The Kickapoo numbers are those in the publication by Jones and Michelson.