Native American Legends
God had a Dog
A Kato Legend
Nagaicho, the creator, set out to create the world, and he took
along a dog. He placed four big pillars at the corners of the earth
to hold up the sky. He created man from the dirt, and then he created
woman.
The sun became hot, the moon was cold, and trees grew everywhere.
Waves danced on the surface of the ocean and all the creatures of
the seas swam in it and were happy.
Then Nagaicho saw that the creatures of the earth needed water.
He dragged his feet deep into the Earth and created rivers. He poked
his fingers into the Earth and created flowing springs.
And the elk and the deer came to drink at the rivers and springs.
"Drink", Nagaicho said to the dog. And the dog drank
from the sweet water, and Nagaicho himself lay down and drank.
"It is good. They will all drink it," said Nagaicho.
Then Nagaicho piled rocks around the edge of the water and made
lakes and ponds.
"Drink the good water" he said to the dog. "Drink,
my dog."
And the dog drank, and Nagaicho lay down and plunged his face in
the water and drank.
"It is good," he said. "Bears and people will drink
here," he said.
The Nagaicho put salamanders and turtles and little eels in the
creeks.
He put grizzlies and deer in the mountains and panthers and jack
rabbits.
So Nagaicho walked along, creating the creatures.
"Walk behind me, my dog," said Nagaicho. "Let us
look at all that is made."
The trees were tall; the streams were full of fish. The little
valleys had grown wide and full of flowering brush.
"Walk fast, my dog," he said. "The land is good."
Acorns and chestnuts hung on the trees. Berries crowded the bushes.
There were many birds and snakes. The grass had grown. Grasshoppers
were leaping about. There was clover.
"We made it good, my dog," said Nagaicho. And so they
started back, Nagaicho and his dog.
The mountains were high; the land was flat; the creeks were full
of trout. The good water raced over the rocks.
They walked along. "We are nearly home, my dog," said
Nagaicho. "I will drink water. You too drink," he said
to the dog.
The face of the earth was covered with growing things. The creatures
were multiplying upon it.
And Nagaicho went back into the North with his dog.
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