148 ANIMISM AND yOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS [bth. axn. 30 



61. The above, is the tradition, ahiiost word for word as it was told 

 to me by an old Carib, but no explanation was forthcoming as to the 

 origin of the tree itself. Brett however ascribes it to Tamosi 

 (BrB, 103-114) in the same way that he gives Makiinaima credit 

 (BrB, 126) for the similarly wonderful Akawai tree. In the latter 

 case the immediately preceding sentence, however, shows an un- 

 doubted bias due to Christian influences: "Makunaima made all the 

 beasts and bii'ds, all of one speech, bade them live in unity, and put 

 his Son, the first man, in charge of them." The same author gives 

 also an addition to the story as above narrated, by the mention of a 

 fountain or swelUng waters in the stump, or under the roots, of this 

 wonderful tree, the overflowing of which is temporarily checked by 

 means of a rugged rock (Carib) or an inverted basket (Akawai). 

 Owing to the reputed wickedness of the people in the one case, and 

 the miscliief of a howling monkey in the other, the waters are let loose, 

 and a flood occurs, wliich overwhelms nearly everything, most of the 

 people being destroyed. "Some try to escape by climbmg a liigh 

 kokerite palm whose top reached the heavens, but a poor woman 

 not in a condition to chmb led the way, and halfway up was turned 

 into stone by terror and exhaustion: none could help her and none 

 could pass over her, and all who tried to do so became rocks Hkewise. 

 A few survivors then chmbed a komoo palm and so saved themselves" 

 (BrB, 106). 



62. Among the mainland Indians, I can find no explanations cur- 

 rent concerning the origin of the first bhds and beasts. Brett's 

 statement that Makunaima made them (BrB, 126) appears to lack 

 confirmation. The Island Caribs had a tradition that Louquo, their 

 fu-st man (Sect. 51), "made fishes out of scrapings and fragments of 

 cassava, which he threw into the water"- (BBR, 227). Many an 

 animal lias been derived from the sphit (Sects. 69, 161) of mortal 

 men. 



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