POMO CREATION MYTH

COYOTE TOOK A DIPPER OF WATER AND THREW IT UP INTO THE SKY. AS THE WATER SPRINKLED BACK DOWN, CLOUDS FORMED IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH INCREASING AND SPREADING UNTIL THEY CAME TOGETHER UNTIL IN THE EAQST WHERE THE SUN RISES. THEN THEY TRAVELEDWEST UNTIL THEY CONVENED THE ENTIRE SKY. THIS TOOK FOUR DAYS.

COYOTE NEXT TOOK AN OAK GULL AND CUT IT SO THAT IT HAD FIVE CORNERS. THIS HE THREW UP INTO THE SKY AND IMMEDIATELY IT BECAME THE SUN. HE MADE MOON OUT OF BLUE CLAY AND THREW HER UP INTO THE SKY.

SUN SAID TO MOON, "I WILL MAKE YOU MY MOTHER. YOU KNOW WHO MADE US."

YES SAID MOON. I DO AND WILL TELL YOU. HE MADE THE SKY ALSO. IT WAS COYOTE.

COYOTE ASKED "HOW SHALL WE MAKE IT DARK?"

MOON SAID WE'LL MAKE A BIG FIRE AND THEN TAKE A WILLOW CLUB AND STRIKE IT AND MAKE IT GO OUT. THAT WILL MAKE IT DARK. COYOTE DID THAT AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES NIGHT.

COYOTE SAID MOTHER YOU WILL NOT COME OUT FOR TWO OR THREE NIGHTS SOMETIMES AND THEN YOU WILL COME OUT AND GROW AGAIN.

SUN SAID I WILL NOT GO OUT. I WILL RISE EVERY MORNING REGULARLY. NOW WE WILL HAVE TO SEPARATE. BUT FIRST HOW SHALL WE MAKE THE EARTH SHAKE?

MOON REPLIED WHEN I SHAKE MY HEAD THIS WILL BE AN EARTHQUAKE.

COYOTE THEN SAID "NOW I WILL CREATE ALL THINGS". HE CREATED ALL THE VARIOUS BIRDS, ANIMALS, PLANTS ALL KINDS OF FOOD. HE CREATED ALL THESE AND TOLD THEM JUST WHAT THEY WERE TO DO. HE CREATED ALL OF THESE AND TOLD THEM JUST WHAT TO DO, HOW SOME OF THEM WERE TO LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS, IN THE WATER AND SO ON.

HE THEN SAID I WILL LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS AND WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. EVEN IF THEY KILL COYOTES. I WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

UC BERKELEY ARCHIVES