Native American Legends of the Southeast: Tales from the Natchez, Caddo, Biloxi, Chickasaw, and Other Nations

4. The Under World

CHAPTER FOUR The Under World In opposition to the Above World is the Under World, which consists of water. Like the Western mythological tradition, but unlike the Western philosophical tradition, which wants to know the source of the water, the Southeastern view simply assumes its existence. Some western North American traditions affmn creation in a different way, but the Eastern Woodlands peoplewereinagreementonthewater. WebeginourexaminationoftheUnder World with an apparently simple story. Ofall the Southeastern texts collected by Swanton, the best represented is the legend of a man who was transformed into a snake. There are eight texts fromtheCreeksalone, twofrom theCherokee, and singletexts from the Yuchi, Hitchiti, and Alabama. Texts from the Seneca and Menomini complete the Eastern Woodland occurrences. Here is a Creek text about the "Snake-man." The Snake-Man • • • CREEK Two old men once wenthunting andcampedat acertain spot. Oneofthem wasveryfondoffish and said, "Iwantsomefish. " Justthentheynoticedwater dripping fromthetopofatreenearby, andthemanwhowasfond offish saidhe wouldgouptoseewhatcausedit. Arrivedthere, hefound waterinthetopofthe tree and somefish swimming in it, splashingthe water overby dashing around. He said, "Thatis what 1have been wanting," and threw them down. Then he climbeddown and ate them. The other said, "Theremay be something wrong aboutfish found up in atreethatway," buthis companioncookedand atethem nevertheless. The other did not like fish, so he did not touch them. But after the frrst man had eaten he stretched out and said that his bones achedandthatsomethingwasthematter. Theothersaid, "Itoldyoutheymight notbegood, butyouwouldeatofthem. "Thenthebodyofthefisheaterbeganto 83 assume a curious shape, more and more like that of a snake, until he had altogether turned into one. He could still talk, however, and he said, "I have many kindred. Tell them 1will be at the square ground (tcuko thlako) and ask them to come there. " Then he went into alittle stream near by, whereuponthe water bubbled up into a great boiling spring. The man that turned into a snake belonged to the Deer Clan. At the time appointed the kindred of this man assembled at the square groundto see him, and whenhecame it was with apowerful currentofwateras ifadamhadbrokenandtheywereallsweptaway; perhapstheywereturnedinto snakes. Thus the water-snake was a kind of person. These water-snakes had horns ofdifferent colors, yellow, blue, white, green, etc.I On the surface this legend seems to be a fairly straightforward didactic lesson pertaining to food taboos: whatever you do, don't eat fish found swimming ina pool in the top ofatree or at its roots. This is apeculiartaboo, in that the circumstances seem so unlikely as to be a useless taboo. Other Creek textsputitmorereasonably. Lookatthefood involvedinthistext, also from the Creeks. The Snake-Man • • • CREEK Twofriends wentouthunting. Theycametotheshoreofagreatlake, andon the shore found abig egg, which one ofthembroughtbackto camp. His friend toldhimitmightnotbegood, buthesaid, "Iamgoingtocookitanyhow. " Sohe cooked andateit, andthenthetwolaydown to sleeponoppositesidesofthefire. Duringthe nighttheonewhohad eatentheegg awakenedhis companion. "My friend, what is the matter?" said the other. "Look and see what is the matter with me." His friend looked and saw that the legs of the other were glued together. Byandby the sameonecalledtohis friend tolookathimagain, andhe found that from his body on down was the tail ofa snake. At daybreak: he said again, "Look at me now," and behold he had turned completely into a snake and lay there in a big coil. Then the Snake said, "You must leave me, but first pilot me to the hole from which we got water." They got there and the Snake went in, whereupon the earth, trees, and everything else caved in, producing a big water hole. Then the Snake raised his head out ofthe water and said, "Tell my parents and my sisters to come and see me. " So the friend went home and told them, and they asked him to guide them backto the place where the Snake hadbeenleft. WhentheygottotheshoretheSnakeshowedhimselfinthemiddle ofthe pond. He came tothe bank and crawledout, and he crawledoverthe laps ofhis parents and his other friends, shedding tears. Then he returned into the water and they went home. So the Tie-snake was created from ahuman being.2 84 Herethefood whichcausesthetransformationisanegginsteadoffish. And here is another alternative: The Snake-Man • • • CREEK Two men went hunting together. They traveled all day and when they encamped for the nightexchanged stories with each other. One said that ifyou mixed together the brains ofa black snake, a black squirrel, and a wild turkey andatethemyouwouldtumintoasnake. Theotherreplied, "lfthatisthecaseI believe I will try it... "3 Perhapsacomparativechartwillhelpmakesenseofthisdiversity. Hereisa listing ofthe Eastern Woodlands texts ofthe Snake-man legend. 1\vo Men Food 'ftee Creek 1 * F Creek 2 * F Sumu * F Creek 3 * F Creek...