ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 1

ANIMAL LEGENDS &

CREATION STORIES
Legends from Australia (Aboriginal), Iceland and
Canada

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 2

Animal Legends and Creation Stories

The Legs of the Kangaroo

an Australian Aboriginal legend

The Christmas Cat

an Icelandic legend

How Fly Saved the River

an Ojibway tale from Canada

Baiame and the Creation of Men and Women

an Australian Aboriginal Legend

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 3

The Legs of the Kangaroo

an Australian Aboriginal Legend
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many are the legends connected with this unique animal. When it arrived in Australia with its
companions on the canoe of the Whale its legs were uniform in length. It walked on all four legs,
as a dingo walks. One generation was succeeded by another, and still the Kangaroo browsed on
the plains, using his legs in the normal manner.
Then came Man the hunter, eager for meat, with threatening spear-thrower and spear that could
travel faster than any four-legged animal.

Kangaroo was resting in the shade of a tree when his sensitive ears picked up the sound of
something approaching stealthily. He bounded to his feet and saw it was a Man--and that Man
had a weapon against which he was defenceless. The only thing to do was to take refuge in
flight.

Kangaroo had seen that the strange creature threatening him with a throwing implement had only
two legs. He felt confident that his four legs would carry him out of danger without difficulty.

He had underestimated his enemy. Man proved swift and strong. His two legs were longer than
Kangaroo's four legs, and more strongly muscled. They carried Man tirelessly for hour after
hour. No matter how he extended himself, Kangaroo was unable to increase his lead. He was
saved only by the setting sun and the darkness that fell on the earth.

Exhausted by his exertions, Kangaroo fell wearily to the ground. Presently he lifted his head. A
bright light had appeared in the darkness. Man had kindled a fire to warm himself in the cold
night air. Cautiously Kangaroo edged back, rose to his feet, and tiptoed away from the revealing
light of the camp fire. In order to make no sound, he rose on his hind legs and in this manner
managed to escape.

Presently he realised that he was using only two legs instead of four, just as Man had done
during the long pursuit. It was an unusual sensation. He experimented further, and found he
could cover the ground more quickly by hopping instead of walking or running. Using his tail to
balance himself, he was able to leap further, much further than a Man could stride. It was such an
exhilarating experience that he has kept on doing it ever since.

His forelegs and paws were of little use. They grew smaller, while his hind legs grew longer and
stronger, and they have remained like that to this very day.

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 4

The Christmas Cat

from Iceland

There is a legend, that is 100-200 years old, which says that unless you get at
least one new garment to wear for Christmas you "get caught by the Christmas
Cat" or "dress the Christmas Cat" as the saying goes. The Christmas Cat was
supposed to be some kind of a monster that originally came from the other nordic
countries. But still today we talk about it and make sure that everyone has
something new to wear on Christmas otherwise you'll get caught. To give you a
better picture of the Cat I translated an icelandic poem about this kitty (you''ll
have to forgive me but I didn't make it rhyme - I'm not much of a poet).

The Christmas Cat

You all know the Cristmas Cat

And that Cat was huge indeed.
People didn't know where he came from
Or where he went.

He opened his glaring eyes wide,

The two of them glowing bright.
It took a really brave man
To look straight into them.

His whiskers, sharp as bristles,

His back arched up high.
And the claws of his hairy paws
Were a terrible sight.
He gave a wave of his strong tail,
He jumped and he clawed and he hissed.
Sometimes up in the valley,
Sometimes down by the shore.

He roamed at large, hungry and evil

In the freezing Christmas snow.
In every home
People shuddered at his name.

If one heard a pittiful "meow"

Something evil would happen soon.
Everybody knew he hunted men
But didn't care for mice.

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 5

He picked on the very poor

That no new garments got
For Christmas - who toiled
And lived in dire need.

From them he took in one fell swoop

Their whole Christmas dinner
Always eating it himself
If he possibly could.

Hence it was that the women

At their spinning-weels sat
Spinning a colorful thread
For a frock or a litle sock.

Because you mustn't let the Cat

Get hold of the litle children.
They had to get something new to wear
From the grownups each year.

And when the lights came on, on Christmas eve

And the Cat peered in,
The little children stood rosy and proud
All dressed up in their new clothes.

Some had gotten an apron

And some had gotten shoes
Or something that was needed
- That was all it took.

For all who got something new to wear

Stayed out of that pussy-cat's grasp
He then gave an awful hiss
But went on his way.

Whether he still exsists I do not know.

But his visit would be in vain
If next time everybody
Got something new to wear.

Now you might be thinking of helping

Where help is needed most.
Perhaps you'll find some children
That have nothing at all.

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 6

Perhaps searching for those

That live in a light-less world
Will give you a happy day
And a merry merry Christmas.
I hope yours will be a happy one too

Viggi
Vignir Jonsson
Reykjaveg
Iceland

This contribution comes from The Multi-Cultural Calendar, a project run by KIDLINK. You can
find out more about this excellent group by Gophering to: kids.ccit.duq.edu

How the Fly Saved the River

an Ojibway legend fron Eastern Canada

The author and artist is Ril Gaiashk.

This contribution comes from G Dufton's Grade 8 Class at Bessborough Dr.Public
School, Toronto, Canada. The original artwork and legend hangs in the front hall
of the school.

How the Fly Saved the River

Many, many years ago when the world was new, there was a
beautiful river. Fish in great numbers lived in this river, and its

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 7

water was so pure and sweet that all the animals came there to
drink.

A giant moose heard about the river and he too came there to
drink. But he was so big, and he drank so much, that soon the
water began to sink lower and lower.

The beavers were worried. The water around their lodges was
disappearing. Soon their homes would be destroyed.

The muskrats were worried, too. What would they do if the water
vanished? How could they live?

The fish were very worried. The other animals could live on land if
the water dried up, but they couldn't.

All the animals tried to think of a way to drive the moose from the
river, but he was so big that they were too afraid to try. Even the
bear was afraid of him.

At last the fly said he would try to drive the moose away. All the
animals laughed and jeered. How could a tiny fly frighten a giant
moose? The fly said nothing, but that day, as soon as the moose
appeared, he went into action.

He landed on the moose's foreleg and bit sharply. The moose

stamped his foot harder, and each time he stamped, the ground
sank and the water rushed in to fill it up. Then the fly jumped
about all over the moose, biting and biting and biting until the
moose was in a frenzy. He dashed madly about the banks of the
river, shaking his head, stamping his feet, snorting and blowing,
but he couldn't get rid of that pesky fly. At last the moose fled from
the river, and didn't come back.

The fly was very proud of his achievement, and boasted to the
other animals, "Even the small can fight the strong if they use
their brains to think."

Ojibway - an explanation:

The tribes called "Chippewa" (a corruption of Ojibway, itself not the native
name) generally call themselves Anishnabeg people. This
linguistic/ethnic/cultural group, which is located around the Great Lakes in the
U.S. and Canada, is comprised of many tribes and reserves--most of these defined
by modern (that is 19th century) treaties with the respective governments of the
U.S. and Canada.

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 8

The above information is supplied by Paula Giese, who can be contacted by e-

mail at pgiese@gold.tc.umn.edu. Paula is the webmistress of a web site for Indian
Schools in the US and Canada. Her site includes more stories from the Indian
Nations.

The First Men and Women

an Australian Aboriginal Legend

AND again like the Lord God, Baiame walked on the earth he had
made, among the plants and animals, and created man and woman
to rule over them. He fashioned them from the dust of the ridges,
and said,

'These are the plants you shall eat--these and these, but not the
animals I have created.'

Having set them in a good place, the All-Father departed.

To the first man and woman, children were born and to them in
turn children who enjoyed the work of the hands of Baiame. His
world had begun to be populated, and men and women praised
Baiame for providing for all their needs. Sun and rain brought life
to the plants that provided their sustenance.

All was well in the world they had received from the bountiful
provider, until a year when the rain ceased to fall. There was little
water. The flowers failed to fruit, leaves fell from the dry, withered
stems, and there was hunger in the land--a new and terrifying
experience for men, women, and little children who had never
lacked for food and drink.

In desperation a man killed some of the forbidden animals, and

shared the kangaroo-rats he had caught with his wife. They offered
some of the flesh to one of their friends but, remembering
Baiame's prohibition, he refused it. The man was ill with hunger.
They did their best to persuade him to eat, but he remained
steadfast in his refusal. At length, wearying of their importunity, he

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 9

staggered to his feet, turning his back on the tempting food, and
walked away.

Shrugging their shoulders, the husband and wife went on with their
meal. Once they were satisfied, they thought again of their friend
and wondered whether they could persuade him to eat. Taking the
remains of the meal with them, they followed his trail. It led across
a broad plain and disappeared at the edge of a river. They
wondered how he had crossed it and, more importantly, how they
themselves could cross. In spite of the fact that it had dwindled in
size, owing to the prolonged drought, it was running too swiftly for
them to wade or swim.

They could see him, some little distance away on the farther side,
lying at the foot of a tall gum tree. They were on the point of
turning back when they saw a coal-black figure, half man half
beast, dropping from the branches of the tree and stooping over the
man who was lying there. They shouted a warning, but were too
far away for him to hear, even if he were awake. The black
monster picked up the inert body, carried it up into the branches
and disappeared. They could only think that the tree trunk was
hollow and that the monster had retreated to its home with his
lifeless burden.

One event succeeded another with bewildering rapidity. A puff of

smoke billowed from the tree. The two frightened observers heard
a rending sound as the tree lifted itself from the ground, its roots
snapping one by one, and soared across the river, rising as it took a
course to the south. As it passed by they had a momentary glimpse
of two large, glaring eyes within its shadow, and two white
cockatoos with frantically flapping wings, trying to catch up with
the flying tree, straining to reach the shelter of its branches.

Within minutes the tree, the cockatoos, and the glaring eyes had
dwindled to a speck, far to the south, far above their heads.

For the first time since creation, death had come to one of the men
whom Baiame had created, for the monster within the tree trunk
was Yowee, the Spirit of Death.

In the desolation of a drought-stricken world, all living things

mourned because a man who was alive was now as dead as the
kangaroo-rats that had been killed for food. Baiame's intention for
the men and animals he loved had been thwarted. 'The swamp oak
trees sighed incessantly, the gum trees shed tears of blood, which
crystallised as red gum,' wrote Roland Robinson, in relating this

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ANIMAL LEGENDS & CREATION STORIES 10

legend of the Kamilroi tribe in his book Wandjina.* 'To this day,'
he continued, 'to the tribes of that part is the Southern Cross known
as "Yaraandoo"--the place of the White Gum tree--and the Pointers
as "Mouyi", the white cockatoos.'

It was a sad conclusion to the hopes of a world in the making, but

the bright cross of the Southern Cross is a sign to men that there is
a place for them in the limitless regions of space, the home of the
All-Father himself, and that beyond death lies a new creation.

* Lansdowne Press.

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