Sacred Texts
Native American
California
The Dawn of the World
Myths and Weird Tales Told by the Mewan [Miwok] Indians of California
by C. Hart Merriam
[1910]
Title Page
Contents
Illustrations
Preface
Introduction
Note
Part I: Ancient Myths
Stories of the First People--People Who Lived Before Real People Were Created
How
Wit'-tab-bah
the Robin Got His Red Breast
How
Ah-ha'-le
Stole the Sun For the Valley People
How
Ah-ha'-le
Stole The Morning
How
Tol'-le-loo
got the Fire for the Mountain People
Why the Lizard Man did not Restore Dead People to Life
The Coyote and the Lizard
How the People Got Five Fingers; How they Obtained Fire; and How They Broke up into Tribes
The Birth of
Wek'-wek
and the Creation of Man
Ke'-lok
and his
Han-na'-boo
The Creation of Man
How they got the Fire
How
Kah'-kool
the Raven Became a Great Hunter
How
Kah'-kah-loo
The Ravens Became People
The Bear and the Fawns
The Bear and the Fawns
How the Children of
He-le'-jah
Became People
The Greed of
His'-sik
the Skunk
Nek'-na-ka'-tah
The Rock Maiden
The Jealousy of
Wek'-wek
and the Death of
Lo'-wut
The Defeat of
O-la'-nah
the Coyote-Man
How
Sah'-te
Set The World On Fire
How
Cha'-ka
the Tule-wren Shot out the Sun
How
Wek'-wek
Was Saved From the Flood
Why the Bodega Bay Indians can not Stand Cold
Hoi-ah'-ko Tales of the Southern Mewuk
Yel'-lo-kin
And
Oo-wel'-lin
, The Man-eating Giants
O-wel'-lin
the Rock Giant
Tim-me-la'-le
the Thunder
Wek'-wek's
Search for his Father
Wek-wek's
Search for his Sister
Wek'-wek's
Visit to the Underworld People
Tah'-low
The Thunder And
Tah'-kip'
The Lightning
He'-koo-lās
The Sun-Woman
How
O'-ye
The Coyote-Man Discovered His Wife
Part 2: Present Day Myths
Part 2: Present Day Myths
Beliefs Concerning Animals
Bears Resemble People and Like to Dance
How
He-le'-jah
the Cougar Hunts Deer
How
Too-le'-ze
, The Timber-Wolf Hunts Deer
Too'-cha-mo
, The Stump, And
Choo'-koo Heng-il'-nah-as'-se
, The Lost Dog
The First Teeth go to
Soo-wah-tah
, the Gopher
O-lel'-le
the Mysterious Bird of the Cold Springs
Soo-koo'-me
The Great Horned Owl
The Meadowlark, a Gossip and Troublemaker
Ki'-ki'-ah
The Mountain Bluejay
Where the Ducks and Geese go to Breed
Po'-ko-moo
The Poison Spider
Where
Koo'-tah
the Money-clam Came From
Beliefs concerning Ghosts and the Sign of Death
Ghosts Follow the Pathway of the Wind
Three Birds Scream to Frighten the Ghosts
Ghosts May Come Back in
Soo-koo'-me
the Owl
A Hole in the Nose Saves Turning into a Fish
What Good and Bad Ghosts Turn into
Ghosts Hide in Stumps and Whirlwinds
Ghosts Hunt for a Big Animal in the Ocean
Wah-tib'-sah
the Sign of Death
Beliefs Concerning Natural Phenomena
Thunder
The Rainbow
The Earthquake
Noise
The Echo
How the World Grew
Beliefs Concerning Witches, Pigmies, Giants, and other Fabulous Beings
How Witches Kill People
Pigmies and Water People
The Devil of San Rafael
Ho-hā'-pe
the River Mermaid
The Rock Giants
Che-ha-lum'-che
The Rock Giant Of Calaveras County
Oo'-le
The Rock Giant of the Chowchilla Foothills
Loo'-poo-oi'-yes
The Rock Giant of Tamalpais
Kā'-lum-me
the Rock Giant of Wennok Valley
Scientific Names of the Animals
Scientific Names of the Trees and other Plants
Bibliography of California Mythology
![Recital of the Ancient Myths in the Roundhouse at Night [Public Domain Image]](img/front.jpg)