Week 11 Extra Credit Reading: California and the Old Southwest, Part B

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Origin of the Sierra Nevadas and Coast Range:
  • nothing but water in world
  • Tulare Lake present day=pole standing out of water--Hawk and Crow perched there
  • fight over standing on perch and prey on fish
  • created Duck, who died with mud in mouth--used to make mountains
  • Hawk made east range, Crow made west--met at Mt. Shasta--crows=larger
  • Hawk accused crow of stealing--chewed tobacco to make him wise--turned mountains around and put range where crows was--Sierra Nevada Range is larger than Coast Range
Legend of Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La (El Capitan):
  • 2 boys living in valley--went to swim
  • went to shore and got on boulder by water--fell asleep
  • boulder grew every day and lifted boys beyond tribe=lost
  • council of animals rescued boys from top of rock by leaping--only worm was able to creep up side to reach top
  • got boys down safely--rock="Tutokanula"=measuring worm
How Bluebird and Coyote Got Their Colors:
  • bluebird was very ugly color
  • knew of lake where no river flowed in/out--bathed 4x every morning for 4 mornings with special song
  • 4th morning came out of lake featherless
  • next morning came out with blue feathers
  • coyote watching bluebird--asked how got new color (he was bright green)
  • coyote did same and sang song--became beautiful blue
  • one day ran into stump so hard dust covered body


(Photo of coyote by Justin Johnsen)


Coyote's Eyes:
  • coyote traveling and saw bird--thought it was graceful so went to ask what beautiful things its working with--didnt understand
  • bird took eyes and threw them up in air--told eyes to come and they went back into head but now much brighter
  • coyote asked bird to do that for him--worked and wanted to do it again but bird said no
  • coyote persisted--did it again but bird began to leave, so coyote cried--bird annoyed and told to go away
  • coyote refused--finally bird gathered gum from pinon tree and made eyes yellow
Bibliography: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson (1912).

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