Native American Legends
The origin of Fire
A Yaudanchi Yokut Legend
The people in the foothills had no fire. Only to the west in the
plains was there a man who had fire, and he had it all.
Now when he slept, the antelope, selected for its swiftness, was
sent to steal his fire. It took it and fled. It was again in sight
of the place from which it had started, when a rain came, which
put out the fire.
Then others tried to bring it. The last was the jackrabbit. After
he had stolen the fire, he bid in a thick brush, shek'ei. There
he burrowed. Then he crouched over the fire, holding it in his hands
under his belly. From this the palms of his hands are black. When
he stole the fire it was not extinguished; and so he obtained it
for the people.
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