VII., -. BIBLICAL TALES.
105. Creation of the Horse1 and the Story ofA'tam and Im.2
When this earth was very young, only two people lived on it. - a man called A'tam and a woman called Im.3 The Chief4 (or God) lived in the upper world, and the Outcast5 (or Devil) lived in the lower world. They were. enemies to each other, and tried to do each other harm, but God was he more powerful. He frequently visited the earth and talked with A'tam
and Im.One day the Devil created an animal like a horse, and made it appear before the man and woman. When the latter saw it, she said, "That' is God come to visit us;" but A'tam said it was not. At last, however, he believed it must be God, and they went and spoke with it. Soon afterwards God ppeared, and then they recognized the difference. He was angry and said, "Why do you mistake the Devil for me and converse with him' Have I not told you he is evil, and will do you harm:" Then, looking at the animal, he said to the couple, "`Well. since this beast is here, I will so transform him that he will be useful to you." He wetted both his thumbs, pressed hem on the animal's front legs, and thus marked him, saying, "Henceforth you will be a horse and a servant and plaything of the people, who will ride
and use you for many purposes. You will be a valuable slave of man."Now the mosquitos were tormenting the horse very much, so God plucked some long grass which grew near by, and threw it at the animal's backside, and it became a long tail. He also threw some on the horse's neck, and it became a mane. He said, "Henceforth you will be able to protect yourself from the mosquitos." Then he plucked out more grass, and threw it ahead f the horse, saying, "That will be your food." It turned into bunch-grass, which soon spread over the whole country.
Now God departed, telling the man and woman he would soon return and show them which trees bore the proper kinds of food to eat. Hitherto they had eaten no fruit, for they did not know the edible varieties. At that time all trees bore fruit, and the pines and firs in particular had large sweet fruit. Now the Devil appeared, and, pretending to be God, he took the large long fruit of the white pine,6 and gave it to Im. She thought he was...
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1This story seems to be altogether of biblical origin, except the part about the creation of the horse god.
2 The most common Indian pronunciation of the names Adam and Eve.
3 It is said they were very ignorant and poor or helpless
4 'The Chief," the above Chief," or 'the big Chief," are Indian appellations for God.
5 C'samen (Outcast"), the common Thompson name for the Devil.
6 At that time the white pine bore the largest and sweetest of all fruit.
