![Yup'ik Raven Yup'ik Raven](http://ankn.uaf.edu/Resources/file.php/16/yupik.gif)
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The Creation Legend- From S.E. Alaska:The Creation
Legend
A very long time ago, Raven was flying over the big waters and saw a beautiful fish woman swimming be low. Raven fell in love with her and flew down to ask her to marry him. The fish woman was happy to see him, but before she would marry him she made him agree to one condition. "I will marry you, Raven," she said, "if you will make some land so that I don't have to swim all of the time and I can dry my hair on the beach." Raven agreed to her request and flew away to make land. He wanted someone to help him so he went to find some help. He flew around until he found a seal swimming in the warm waters. "Seal," said Raven, "I need some sand from the bottom of the sea. Will you dive down and bring up some for me?" Raven was very clever and did not tell the seal what he wanted the sand for. Seal replied, "I will have to ask Frog for the sand." Raven thought for a moment and said, "If you will ask Frog to get the sand for me, I will grant you both a favor." "Oh," said Seal, "I'd like to have a shiny, warm coat of fur to keep me warm instead of these slimy scales. Then I could swim in the colder waters and keep warm." Raven promised Seal the fur coat if he'd get the sand for him. At once Seal dived to the bottom of the sea where he found Frog. He told him of the Raven's request and promise to grant them both a favor. Frog told Seal, "Tell Raven that if he wants my sand he will have to make me Keeper-of-the-Earth's-Treasures, once and for all." Seal was amazed at such a request but told it to Raven who was also amazed. "That's asking for a lot," Raven said, "but tell Frog that if he gives me the sand I will grant his request." With that, Seal again dived down deep to speak with Frog, all the while wishing that he had asked for more than just a fur coat. When he told Frog that Raven agreed, Frog filled an old frogskin with sand and gave it to Seal. As soon as Raven had the sand, he flew high into the air where the wind was blowing the strongest. Then, he opened the frogskin and cast the sand into the wind where it was scattered to all four corners of the world. Every place that a grain of sand landed, an island was formed. Some islands were bigger than others because some sand grains were bigger than others. Once the land was made, the fish woman walked on the beach and dried her hair for the first time in her life. She agreed to marry Raven, and from their marriage came the great Raven clan. For their help, Seal received a warm fur coat and Frog became the guardian of the earth's treasures. ![]() | |
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