The Athapacan Story Summary

The Athapascan Story is a creation story told by American Indians who lived in North America near Canada and Alaska. It tells how Asintmah was the first woman and how she built a loom and wove together the blanket of the earth. She was walking in the forest when everything became still. At this moment, she knew that the first humans had been born. The story ends by explaining that the Athapascan people remember the one who gave them life, and takes care of the Earth to thank her. Oannes the Fish was a creature the Babylonians believed had two heads and the feet like a man’s. He would come up out of the sea during the day and spend it with man. He taught man about art, science and law and how to separate seeds to farm, and construct cities. After he taught them these things he returned to the sea.
After the six days God created the first man to tend to the earth. God realized that the man was lonely so He brought every living creature to him, but nothing was found that would be a suitable companion. God created woman when the man slept by taking one of the man’s ribs and some dust to create woman. They were suitable partners and were the first husband and wife on the earth. In the Jackal and the Color Blue a shakàl was stuck in a pot of indigo and was died a deep color of blue. When he realized he was a deep blue he believed he was divine and came to the other shakàls and made them pay homage to him. Then he deceived a herd of lions, tigers, and bears to believe he was god and cast off the shakàls. The shakàls knowing he was one of them, devised a plan to have him howl like they did so the animals would see his decietefulness and destroy him. The plan worked and when he howled, he was