THE ORIGIN OF LIGHTNING 
“ A boy had violated his own mother. His father, 
discovering the misdeed and wishing to punish him 
severely, in fact, get rid of the boy altogether, sent him 
to several dangerous places to collect various things for 
him, such as wild fruit, etc. The son, fearing disaster, 
went to his grandmother for help. She in turn called 
first one bird and then another for their advice. The 
father had sent his son to fetch some small gourds (bappo 
rogo), which grew floating on or suspended above the 
water of a lagoon. But the lagoon was filled with the 
souls of deceased Bororos and evil spirits. In the first 
instance the grandmother begged for the help of the 
pio duddo (or colibri). This obliging bird accompanied 
the boy to the lagoon and, flying over the water, with its 
beak cut the twigs of the small gourds, and one by one 
brought them to the boy, who had wisely remained on 
dry land in order not to be seized by the evil spirits 
which lay concealed in the water. When the bird was 
about to bring the dried gourds back, the seeds which 
were inside rattled and aroused the evil spirits of the 
lagoon. Up they all sprang; but the colibri was too 
swift for them, and the gourds were safely delivered to 
the boy. The boy brought them to his father, who, 
amazed at seeing his son still alive, sent him next to fetch 
some large gourds, such as those used by the barih at 
funerals and in high ceremonies. 
“ The boy went once more to his grandmother, and 
she this time recommended him to a dove ( metugo). 
When the dove and the boy arrived at the lake, the dove 
cut some large gourds, but, unfortunately, in so doing 
made a noise. The souls and evil spirits of the lake leapt 
out and dispatched numerous arrows to kill the dove, 
but, as luck would have it, dove and bappo (gourds) 
escaped unhurt. The boy handed the large gourds to 
his astounded father, who could not imagine how the boy 
had escaped death a second time. 
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