ACTIVITY 2 – ABORIGINAL LEGENDS

HOW HUMANS OBTAINED FIRE
Algonquin Legend

It was in the time before the Great Flood, when the waters were higher than the top of the giant pine trees and almost higher than the mountains. It was very cold then, colder than it is now in the moon of the popping trees—especially since humans didn’t have fire. Only the Thunder God had fire, and everyone knows that the Thunder God has a stone in place of a heart. It never occurred to him to share with those who were less fortunate, as is the Aboriginal custom. Sometimes he would make a big noise and then shoot a flaming arrow into the clouds. The arrow would pierce a cloud, letting rain fall on everyone who was looking up to see what was going on.

Messengers had been sent to ask the Thunder God if the humans could borrow some fire for heat, but no one ever found him because he was hiding with his treasure.

The ice moons continued without a break. Something had to be done. So the humans decided to hold a big powwow to ask the animals for help. Many animals came with their wives and children. They were proud to be consulted about such an important matter, and not just about the weather and the seasons.

After all the chiefs of the different tribes had recounted how the messengers had been put on the wrong trail by evil manitous that were conniving with the Thunder God, it was the animals’ turn to speak. Back then, humans and animals were able to understand each other.

Kak, the porcupine, was the first to enter the circle. All eyes were on him. To give more weight to his words, he bit off his right thumb and spat it on the ground. Then he bit off his left thumb and spat it on the ground too. That is why porcupines now have four toes instead five on their front paws and are respected by almost all the other animals. Kak was very successful at the powwow since he simply said, “Bear is the wisest animal. Let him speak for us.”

“Well said, Kak,” cried all the animals.
“Let Bear speak and we’ll follow his advice.”

Bear lumbered into the circle, growled to clear his throat and addressed the humans. “In the hollow tree where I sleep, I had a dream. I saw a beaver swimming, a wolf running and a sparrow hawk flying. They were all heading toward where the sun disappears at the end of the day. That is where the Thunder God usually plays his big drum. You humans never go there because after the forest there’s an endless plain. In my dream, the beaver and wolf were going to find the red tongue you call ‘fire.’ Up in the sky, the sparrow hawk, which has good eyes and sees far, was guiding them. Perhaps this dream was sent by the Great Manitou. You decide.”

“It’s the Great Manitou that sent it! It’s the Great Manitou!” shouted all the humans and animals together. “Beaver, Wolf and Sparrow Hawk should go look for fire where the Thunder God plays his big drum.”

So Beaver, Wolf and Sparrow Hawk set off toward where the sun disappears at the end of the day. After a while, Wolf saw a deer. Wolf is always hungry, so he ran after the deer and forgot about his mission. But deer are fast and wily, and Wolf is running still.

Beaver kept on going, guided by Sparrow Hawk, who has good eyes and sees far. When evening came, they set up camp but continued on their way early next morning. Beaver lost time on the portages since he’s not very good at walking on the ground, but he made up for it in the water. And at long last he was swimming up the river where the Thunder God was camping in a cave on the shore with his family. They were dressed like owls, and Sparrow Hawk circled over the cave to show where they were.

At the entrance to the cave was the fire. Only its tongue could be seen licking the embers. When Beaver swam toward it, one of the Thunder God’s children saw him and shot him with a blunt arrow, the kind that Aboriginal youngsters use for hunting grouse.

Although Beaver wasn’t really hurt, he pretended he was dying. He floated toward the riverbank and let himself be picked up by the child, who tossed him near the fire, saying, “Father will be glad to have something to eat when he comes home.”

So Beaver was finally close to the fire, but he didn’t know how to pick it up or hold it. Sparrow Hawk, who has good eyes, saw his problem. He dove down and picked up a mussel shell that a muskrat had left on the riverbank. He opened his beak and dropped it near the fire so Beaver could use it to carry a burning ember. And that is why, to this day, there is a black mark near the hinge of the mussel’s shell. Holding the shell in his teeth, Beaver silently slipped into the river. And the current carried him far away before anyone in the cave noticed he was gone.

When they thought they were safe, the two accomplices split up the fire and put it where it would be most useful to humans. Sparrow Hawk put it in the trees, and Beaver put it in the grass and peat and among the stones that the Aboriginal people used for boiling water in birchbark containers before the white man brought iron pots.

Beaver and Sparrow Hawk had almost made it back to the humans’ camp when the Thunder God caught up with them. He was in a terrible rage. He was especially angry with Beaver, who had stolen the fire. He shot burning arrows at him, and Beaver dived under the water to escape. But not soon enough. One of the arrows set fire to his fine furry tail.

Beaver slapped his tail on the water to put out the fire. And that is why he now has a flat, hairless tail.