188 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 196 



The animals were called together, and the question asked, "Who 

 will go and bring fire?" The 'possum first came forward and offered 

 to go; he was sent, but returned with out it; he had tried to carry it 

 with his tail, but had that member so scorched and burned that he 

 made a failure. They then sent the buzzard, he, too, failed, return- 

 ing with his head and neck badly burned P®]. A little spider then 

 said, "I mil go and get fire," upon which the beasts and birds raised 

 an uproar, ridiculing the spider, but not one was willing to undertake 

 the hazardous journey, and the spider was allowed to go. She made 

 a little boAvl of mud and placing it on her back started, spinning a 

 thread as she traced her way over the water on arriving at the fire, 

 she carefully placed some coals in her cup and returned crossing safely 

 on the bridge which she had spun P^]. 



Another story is told of how sin came into the world. A man and 

 woman brought up a large family of children in comfort and plenty, 

 with very little trouble about providing food for them. Every morn- 

 ing the father went forth and very soon returned bringing with him 

 a deer, or, turky or some other animal or fowl. At the same time 

 the mother went out and soon returned with a large basket filled with 

 ears of corn which she shelled and pounded in a mortar, thus making 

 meal for bread. 



When the children grew up, seeing with what apparent ease food 

 was provided for them, they talked to each other about it, wondering 

 that they never saw such things as their parents brought in. 



at last one proposed to watch when their parents went out and 

 follow them. 



Accordingly next morning the plan was carried out. Those who 

 followed the father, at a short distance from the cabin, saw him 

 stop and turn over a large stone that appeared to be carelessly leaned 

 against another. 



on looking closely they saw an entrance to a large Cave and in it 

 were many different kinds of animals and birds, such as their father 

 had sometimes brought in for food. The man standing at the en- 

 trance called a deer, which was lying at some distance and back of 

 some other animals, it rose immediately, as it heard the call, and came 

 close up to him. 



He picked it up, closed the mouth of the cave and returned, not 

 once seeming to suspect what his sons had done. 



When the old man was fairly out of sight, his sons, rejoicing how 

 they had outwitted him, left their hiding place, and went to the cave, 



^ This, of course, is in explanation of the hairless tail of the opossum and the colored head and neck ol 

 the buzzard. 

 27 Cf. Mooney (1900, pp. 239-242) for North CaroUna versions of the origins of the world and of fire. 



