In the beginning there was no fire, and the world was cold, until
the Thunders (Ani'-Hyûñ'tikwalâ'ski), who lived up in Galûñ'lati,
sent their lightning and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore
tree which grew on an island. The animals knew it was there, because
they could see the smoke coming out at the top, but they could not
get to it on account of the water, so they held a council to decide
what to do. This was a long time ago.
Every animal that could fly or swim was anxious to go after the
fire. The Raven offered, and because he was so large and strong they
thought he could surely do the work, so he was sent first. He flew
high and far across the water and alighted on the sycamore tree,
but while he was wondering what to do next, the heat had scorched all
his feathers black, and he was frightened and came back without the
fire. The little Screech-owl (Wa'huhu') volunteered to go, and reached
the place safely, but while he was looking down into the hollow tree
a blast of hot air came up and nearly burned out his eyes. He managed
to fly home as best he could, but it was a long time before he could
see well, and his eyes are red to this day. Then the Hooting Owl
(U'guku') and the Horned Owl (Tskili') went, but by the time they got
to the hollow tree the fire was burning so fiercely that the smoke
nearly blinded them, and the ashes carried up by the wind made white
rings about their eyes. They had to come home again without the fire,
but with all their rubbing they were never able to get rid of the
white rings.
Now no more of the birds would venture, and so the little Uksu'hi
snake, the black racer, said he would go through the water and bring
back some fire. He swam across to the island and crawled through the
grass to the tree, and went in by a small hole at the bottom. The
heat and smoke were too much for him, too, and after dodging about
blindly over the hot ashes until he was almost on fire himself he
managed by good luck to get out again at the same hole, but his
body had been scorched black, and he has ever since had the habit
of darting and doubling on his track as if trying to escape from
close quarters. He came back, and the great blacksnake, Gûle'gi,
"The Climber," offered to go for fire. He swam over to the island and
climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake always does,
but when he put his head down into the hole the smoke choked him so
that he fell into the burning stump, and before he could climb out
again he was as black as the Uksu'hi.
Now they held another council, for still there was no fire, and the
world was cold, but birds, snakes, and four-footed animals, all had
some excuse for not going, because they were all afraid to venture
near the burning sycamore, until at last Kanane'ski Amai'yehi (the
Water Spider) said she would go. This is not the water spider that
looks like a mosquito, but the other one, with black downy hair and
red stripes on her body. She can run on top of the water or dive to
the bottom, so there would be no trouble to get over to the island,
but the question was, How could she bring back the fire? "I'll manage
that," said the Water Spider; so she spun a thread from her body and
wove it into a tusti bowl, which she fastened on her back. Then she
crossed over to the island and through the grass to where the fire
was still burning. She put one little coal of fire into her bowl,
and came back with it, and ever since we have had fire, and the Water
Spider still keeps her tusti bowl.