1898-99. | PRIMITIVE NATURE STUDY, 3I7 
What majesty there is in the simple story of creation as sung by the 
Dinkas, of the White Nile region in Africa! 
“Upon the day when God all things created, 
Created he the sun : 
The sun goes up and down, and comes again— 
Created he the moon ; 
The moon goes up and down, and comes again— 
Created he the stars ; 
The stars go up and down, and come again— 
Created he mankind ; 
Man comes forth, goes to earth, returns no more.” 
—(Ratzel, Races of Mankind, I1., 354.) 
The music of the spheres is there, we canalmost hear “the circling planets 
in their course.” To this race the great nature-hymn of Addison would 
be an old-time possession. At the other extremity stand complicated 
legends of enormous length, elaborate finish and beauty of expression, 
inconceivably brilliant and forceful description, wealth of quaint, naive, 
yet seldom childish imagery, wonderful imagination and deep insight 
into the hidden things of nature and of man. Such a great primitive 
work of art has been preserved for all time by Mr. F. H. Cushing, in his 
“ Zuni Creation Myths.” The perusal of this product of aboriginal genius 
is sufficient to make any man tread with unshod feet and bowed head, 
the holy ground from which such fruitage sprang. The glory of the 
seasons, the life of bird and beast and insect, the beauty of plant and 
flower, the noise of running waters, the rosy dawn, the quiet, holy night, 
the energy that dwells in all, the thought of man and God are there. 
You must, however, read it for yourselves. I can cite but a few brief 
extracts here. First listen to the song which the Beloved Twins sang to 
the despairing race of man, in one of its direst extremities (73¢2 Ann. 
Rep. Bur. of Ethnol., p. 406) : 
‘* Look now, ve faithless and witless ! 
The mothers who love not their offspring 
And cherish them not thro’ all danger, 
Must lose them anon, as the wood-bird, 
Who sits not her nest, doth her broodlings ! 
Fear not, but cleave fast to your children, 
Though they strange-turn and frightful of seeming! 
‘Tis the magic of water, and wildness 
Of heart, and will pass (as men’s laughter 
Doth pass when the joy thought is sobered), 
As ye win your way forth from the waters.” (p. 431.) 
Another isthe protest of the people—priests, when the children 
murmured, and they sought to hush them, telling them not to sadden 
