Native American Legends
Seek your father
A Seneca Legend
Esquire Johnson, an old Seneca Chief described the origin of the
twins Good and Evil, and said the Sun was made by the Good-minded
twin out of the face of his dead mother, the first earth-woman,
who was the daughter of the Sky- woman.
Another version of this Seneca legend, dated 1876, tells practically
the same story, but names the Sky-woman as having borne first a
daughter, who, without any knowledge of a man, became that earth-mother
of the twins Good and Evil. That daughter died giving birth to the
twins, and she was buried by her mother, the Sky-woman.
Sky-woman said to her grandson the good-mined-spirit, "Now
you must go and seek your father. When you find him, you must ask
him to give you power."
She pointed to the East and said to him, "He lives in that
direction. You must go on and on, until you reach the limits of
this huge island. Then continue onward, as you must paddle upon
the waters, until you come to a high mountain, which rises straight
up out of the water. You must climb this mountain to the summit.
There you will see a wonderful being, sitting on the highest peak.
You must say to him, 'I am your son.'
"Your father is the Sun, and through you, he is also the father
of mankind, because of your earthly origin from my daughter."
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