Big Ideas Simply Explained - The Mythology Book

ASIA 199 See also: The war of the gods 140–41 ■ The twilight of the gods 150–57 ■ Pangu and the creation of the world 214–15 [Ahura Mazda] is the most firm, the wisest, and the one … whose body is the most perfect, who attains his ends the most infallibly. Avesta Mazda told them that they were dead will be resurrected and Ahura Mazda depicted on a fire perfect, should obey the law, and judged. A savior called Saoshyant temple in Yazd, Iran. The ca.6th- must not worship demons—but (“one who brings benefit”) will rise century bce emblem incorporates and they were given free will to choose up and help Ahura Mazda in the adapts the winged solar disc of Ashur, between good and evil. fight for light against the many evil an ancient Assyrian deity. creations of Ahriman. Before long, Mashya and any kind, and will have created Mashyoi began to question their When Ahriman is finally nothing evil, not even death. obedience to Ahura Mazda’s defeated, Saoshyant will resurrect Humanity will have the ability to instructions and their reliance on the dead, and humanity will begin live to its full potential—without his creation. Instead, they came again. The children of Ahura any demons, disease, or up with their own innovations, Mazda will be some of the first destruction—and good will such as fire, clothes, building, and dead to be resurrected. This time, triumph over evil once and for all. ■ war. They had originally lived off Ahriman will have no influence of only plants, but now they began “Gathas” contains much of to hunt and eat meat. The demons’ Zoroastrian texts the mythology and cosmology power over humanity was growing of Zoroastrianism. Zarathustra stronger. Eventually, Ahura Mazda The teachings of Zoroastrianism was likely revising an existing gave Mashya and Mashyoi the are based on ancient Persian polytheistic religion into what ability to have children, and they literature, most specifically the would become a dualist one. in turn began to populate the earth. Avesta, which was transmitted orally for centuries before being Mostly compiled in the 8th End times collected and written down and 9th centuries ce in Persia Neither Ahura Mazda nor Ahriman during Persia’s Achaemenid and India, the Bundahishn could totally defeat the other, so empire of 550–330 bce. further developed the Avesta’s the brothers remained locked in stories on the origins and fate an eternal struggle between good Within the Avesta, the most of the universe. While not and evil. The war between Ahura critical section is the “Gathas,” considered scripture, the Mazda and Ahriman will finally a collection of hymns attributed Bundahishn helped codify culminate at the end of time, with to the prophet Zarathustra the Zoroastrian belief system. an apocalyptic battle in which the (or Zoroaster in Greek). Said to world will come to an end and the have been given to the prophet by Ahura Mazda himself, the

200 HEBYREEAWSHAMASNADAOLRPOEENNAELEIDZEHDIS BRAHMA CREATES THE COSMOS IN BRIEF I n Hindu mythology, there is Brahma transformed into no single creation myth or a deer, pursuing his own THEME creator. Narayana, however, daughter metamorphosed into Creation was the supreme being. When he a doe, for the purpose of first awoke from his cosmic sleep, committing incest with her. SOURCE he forged the creator god, Brahma, Brahmanda Purana Brahmanda Purana, from his own body. Brahma, using Anonymous, 450–950 ce. the power of his mind, made the universe and produced four sons. SETTING These sons did not know how to The beginning of cosmic time. have children, so Brahma then created 10 men, the Prajapatis, KEY FIGURES who did know how. They asked Narayana The supreme Brahma for a wife. being. Daughter and consort all of her disguises were in vain. Brahma The creator in Brahma divided himself into two, Her father turned into the male the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti): and from the left half emerged a counterpart of each animal she Brahma (the creator), Vishnu beautiful woman. Brahma’s desire became and forced himself on her, (the preserver), and Shiva for this daughter was so powerful creating all of the animal species (the destroyer). that he sprouted three extra heads across the earth. (one on each side and one behind) The Prajapatis 10 men so that he could always look at her. The daughter became known created by Brahma to begin Discomfited by his lustful stares, as Shatarupa (“one with a thousand populating the earth. his daughter rose up to the sky, so forms”). She was also revered as Brahma grew a fifth head, which Saraswati, Brahma’s consort and Saraswati Brahma’s daughter looked heavenward. goddess of wisdom, who ruled over and consort; goddess of artistic and intellectual exploits and knowledge and the arts. The daughter fled, adopting created the Sanskrit language. ■ various female animal forms as she ran—goose, mare, cow, doe—but See also: The birth of Ganesha 201 ■ The game of dice 202–03 ■ The Ramayana 204–09 ■ The fish-eyed goddess finds a husband 211

ASIA 201 SORELHNEEIVTVPIAHVHEEAPDNLTATOTC’HRSEESDHOBETOAAHYNDED THE BIRTH OF GANESHA IN BRIEF S hiva, the destroyer god, was have a bath, and told the guards to married to the goddess prevent anyone from entering. As THEME Parvati, who balanced out Parvati washed, she formed the dirt A god reborn his warlike tendencies. Parvati on her skin into a child, which desperately wanted a child, but her came to life. Still bathing, Parvati SOURCE husband did not. When he told her told her new son to guard the door. Shiva Purana, Anonymous, this yet again, Parvati decided to 750–1350 ce. When Shiva tried to access his The elephant-headed god, Ganesha, wife’s chamber, he was blocked by SETTING is often pictured riding on a rat. In a young man, who refused to let Mount Kailash, in the this 19th-century watercolor by an him pass. “Do you know who I am?” Himalayas. unknown Indian artist, he is also Shiva asked. The boy said that did playing the dhola (double drum). not matter—his job was to guard KEY FIGURES his mother’s door. “Your mother? Parvati Consort of Shiva That makes me your father,” and goddess of fertility; a bellowed the angry Shiva. Parvati’s form of Shakti, the divine son still wouldn’t let him past, so creative force. Shiva lost his temper and chopped off the boy’s head. Shiva The destroyer in the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti): Parvati’s heart was broken. She Brahma (the creator), Vishnu demanded her son be brought back (the preserver), and Shiva (the to life, or she would transform from destroyer). Gauri (the creative goddess) into Kali (the destructive goddess). Shiva Ganesha The elephant- ordered his goblin attendants, the headed god; remover of ganas, to bring back the head of the obstacles and patron of first creature they could find, which scribes; wrote down the epic was an elephant. Shiva placed Mahabharata from the sage the animal’s head on the boy’s Vyasa’s dictation. shoulders, and his son was reborn. Shiva named him Ganesha. ■ See also: Brahma creates the cosmos 200 ■ The game of dice 202–03 ■ The Ramayana 204–09 ■ Durga slays the buffalo demon 210

202 WOGARKMOINBNGLG,EITTOONISESELF! THE GAME OF DICE IN BRIEF T he Game of Dice is a the Pandavas and the Kauravas. pivotal moment in India’s Gambling with dice was a sacred THEME epic, the Mahabharata. ritual: kings could not refuse a War between relatives Thought to be the longest poem game of dice any more than they ever composed, the Mahabharata could a battle. It was linked to the SOURCE is a collection of stories that reflect concept of daiva (fate) and the Mahabharata, Vyasa, ca.4th the history and culture of Hindu century bce–2nd century ce. civilization and tell the stories of Dushasana tries to unravel families feuding for power. Draupadi’s sari, but Krishna protects SETTING her modesty. She is standing on the The kingdom of Kuru The Game of Dice tells of the cross-shaped board of the dice game, (modern-day Haryana, near legendary conflict between two chaupar, still played in India today. Delhi), India. branches of an Indian ruling family, KEY FIGURES The Kauravan brothers Duryodhana and Dushasana. The Pandavan brothers Yudhishthira, Arjuna, and Bhima. Draupadi Wife of the Pandavan brothers. Krishna An incarnation of Vishnu; god of love; one of the most revered Indian deities.

ASIA 203 See also: Ahura Mazda and Ahriman 198–99 ■ Brahma creates the cosmos 200 ■ The birth of Ganesha 201 ■ The Ramayana 204–09 The Bhagavad Gita charioteer. When Arjuna said Mounted on Arjuna’s horse, that he did not want to fight and Krishna encourages the prince to The Mahabharata details the believed killing to be wrong, fight in this 17th-century illustration power struggle between the Krishna questioned his logic, from the Mahabharata. Kauravan and Pandavan and argued that he must fulfill families, as well as the role of his duty as dharmic protector Krishna, the eighth incarnation of his kingdom. of Vishnu, in these events. The Gita, often seen as a spiritual In awe of such philosophical treatise, is an episode in the knowledge, Arjuna asked his Mahabharata, and details a friend who he really was. Krishna conversation between Krishna revealed his universal form with and Prince Arjuna—leader of the multiple heads and limbs, and Pandavas—on the eve of battle Arjuna saw the universe existing during the Kurukshetra War. in him. Arjuna then realized his Krishna appeared to own infinitesimal place in the the prince as his friend and cosmos, picked up his weapon, and fought the battle. balance between human and slave quarters, the menstruating mother had decreed that what one divine action. The story of the Draupadi was in the royal bath. She brother had won should be shared Game of Dice illustrates dharma refused to leave, but was dragged by them all. (the moral order of the universe) by her hair into the court. and the chaos that ensues when The Kauravan brothers ordered dharma breaks down. Draupadi wore only a single the five Pandavas and their wife layer of fabric—a sari with no to be disrobed. Draupadi prayed Draupadi’s humiliation underlayers—and was streaked to Krishna, and as Duryodhana’s Duryodhana, the Kauravan prince with blood. No one came to her aid brother Dushasana pulled at the and eldest son of a blind king, to preserve her modesty. To justify fabric on her body, each yard was envious of the Pandavan this outrage, the men claimed that was divinely reproduced. Try as palace. Although he had inherited Draupadi deserved no respect, he might, he could not unravel the control of much of his father’s as she had been married to five Draupadi’s never-ending sari. kingdom at Hastinapura, he was brothers from a single family. Their Finally, exhausted, Dushasana jealous of his Pandavan cousins. admitted defeat, and Bhima, one During a tour of their palace, of the Pandava brothers, vowed to Duryodhana embarrassed himself kill him one day in revenge. on several occasions, culminating in his slipping and falling into a A huge mass of cloth Exile and war pond. Draupadi, the wife of the wound from Draupadi’s Sent into exile for 12 years, the Pandavan brothers, mocked him. body lay in a heap on one Pandavas used this time to prepare side. But the original sari for war. When Krishna discovered Duryodhana then invited his their plot, however, they were cousins to a game of dice. One was still on her. forbidden from returning to their of them, Yudhishthira, played Mahabharata kingdom. Krishna attempted to and recklessly gambled away his mediate, but war was inevitable, kingdom, his brothers, and his and when it came, Bhima killed wife. His loss condemned some of Dushasana, and all the other his family to servitude, and others Kauravan brothers were killed in to 12 years’ exile. When a servant the battle. With this, the Pandavas was sent to take Draupadi to the were the rulers of Hastinapura. ■

RAMA IS VIRTUOUS AND RTHIEGFHORTEMEOOSTUASMOMNGEALNL THE RAMAYANA



206 THE RAMAYANA IN BRIEF 10. Kalki 1. Matsya 2. Kurma Harbinger of Fish Vishnu Turtle Vishnu THEME Moral conduct the End SOURCE The Ramayana, Valmiki, 9. Buddha The Incarnations 3. Varaha ca.5th century bce. The Enlightened (Avatars) of Vishnu Wild Boar SETTING Ayodhya, India; Lanka, an One Vishnu island fortress. KEY FIGURES 8. Krishna 4. Narasimha Rama Seventh incarnation of The Dark One Lion-headed Vishnu; prince of Ayodhya. Vishnu Sita Wife of Rama. Ravana A 10-headed demon. 7. Rama 6. Parashurama 5. Vamana Brahma Creator of the King of Ayodhya Axe-wielding Vishnu Dwarf Vishnu universe. Dasharatha King of Ayodhya. T he epic poem Ramayana, Meanwhile, on earth, King Lakshmana Rama’s half- written in Sanskrit and one Dasharatha of Ayodhya, despite brother. of the major works of Hindu taking three wives, still had Bharata Rama’s half-brother. literature, tells the story of Prince no son. Anxious for an heir, he Kaikeyi One of Dasharatha’s Rama of Ayodhya and his quest arranged a great fire sacrifice wives; mother of Bharata. to save his wife, Sita, from her (yajna) as an offering to Brahma. Hanuman A divine monkey. 10-headed captor, Ravana, who is the king of the Asuras, or demons. The birth of Rama [Rama], you are When Brahma looked down from famed throughout When Brahma granted a heaven at the flames of the king’s the three worlds for boon—a sacred wish—to Ravana, ritual sacrifice, it occurred to him your glory, for your prowess, as a reward for his 10,000-year fast, that while Ravana had asked for your devotion to Ravana asked Brahma to make him protection from gods and demons, your father; integrity and invincible to any god. His wish he had forgotten to ask for virtue abound in you. granted, Ravana began causing protection from man. So Brahma The Ramayana havoc across the three worlds— decided that he would bring Lord earth, air, and heaven—and the Vishnu to earth in human form to gods asked Brahma to intervene.

ASIA 207 See also: Brahma creates the cosmos 200 ■ The game of dice 202–03 ■ The birth of Ganesha 201 The marriages of Prince Rama and his brothers are depicted in this miniature (ca.1700-1750). This Pahari (meaning “from the mountains”) art is from India’s Himachal Pradesh region. defeat Ravana. King Dasharatha’s and his father’s favorite. But son Rama into the wilderness. prayers were granted, and sons on the eve of the great event, Rama’s wife, Sita, demanded to join were born to each of his three Dasharatha’s third wife, Kaikeyi, her husband in banishment, wives: Rama to Kausalya; the twins reminded her husband of two boons as did his loyal half-brother Lakshmana and Shatrughna to he had granted her many years Lakshmana. As the three left the Sumitra; and Bharata to Kaikeyi. earlier. She demanded that Rama palace for exile, King Dasharatha be banished to the wilderness for died of a broken heart. The princes all grew up learning 14 years and that her son, Bharata, the arts of warfare and reading be crowned king instead. Duty Bharata discovered his mother’s sacred texts. One day, the sage bound, the king ordered his beloved plot and followed Rama into the Vishvamitra came seeking help forest, begging him to return and ❯❯ to defeat the demons that were disturbing sacrificial rites in the forest. Rama and his half-brother Lakshmana accompanied the sage, and learned how to use divine weaponry. Vishvamitra praised Rama’s skill, telling him he had been born to rid the world of evil. The prince is banished Twelve years later, the aging Dasharatha prepared to have Rama crowned as king. Rama was the bravest and most virtuous son, Rama battles the superhuman The worship of Rama Characterized by duty, integrity, Asura (sometimes referred to as and devotion, Rama’s rule over “titans”) on an illustrated Ramayana Rama is the seventh incarnation the perfect, utopian society at folio from about 1700. of Vishnu and a major Hindu deity Ayodhya extended to the whole in his own right. From the 1st world and became known as millennium bce, Rama was widely ramraj. Mahatma Gandhi used recognized as an avatar of Vishnu this ideal to visualize a new and considered “the ideal man.” age of democracy, religious By around the 12th century ce, tolerance, and equal justice for he came to be revered as a god. all during India’s independence movement against British rule, Rama worship strengthened which finally ended in 1947. significantly in the late 16th century when Tulsidas, a poet- Each year, Rama’s birthday saint and devotee of Rama, wrote is marked by the spring festival, the epic poem Ramcharitmanas, Rama Navami, and his life is which equated Rama with celebrated during the Hindu fall Brahman, the Supreme Being. festival of Navratri.

208 THE RAMAYANA claim his rightful throne. But leading Rama farther into the forest. He [Rama] may Rama was steadfast in his duty Lakshmana heard Rama’s voice be poor, he may to carry out his father’s orders, calling out for help; he drew a have been turned and so Bharata reluctantly ruled protective circle around Sita and left out of his kingdom, in his half-brother’s absence, her to follow the voice. Now that but my husband keeping Rama’s golden sandals Sita was alone, a hermit appeared on the throne, ready for his return. asking for food. Wanting to uphold must retain her people’s generosity, Sita stepped my respect. Sita’s abduction outside of the circle. The hermit The Ramayana Thirteen years later, in the forest by shed his disguise, revealing himself the sparkling Godavari River, the as the demon, Ravana, with 10 heads who was traveling with Lakshmana demoness Shurpanakha appeared and 20 arms. He threw Sita over his in search of Sita. When they passed and fell in love with the beautiful shoulder, and summoned his flying through the land of the apes, they Rama. Failing to seduce him, she chariot. The old vulture Jatayu, met the monkey hero Hanuman. then pursued Lakshmana. Spurned who had been keeping watch over The monkeys showed them the again, Shurpanakha became the three exiles, tried to block the fallen jewelry, which formed a trail incensed and flew toward Sita in chariot, but Ravana chopped off that led toward Lanka. The only a rage. The brothers caught the one of its wings. missing piece, Rama realized, was demoness and cut off her nose his wife’s hairpin. and ears. The following day, when Ravana’s chariot flew across the Shurpanakha’s brothers came to seas to the island of Lanka, where Rescue and war avenge her, Rama and Lakshmana the demon was king. Piece by Hanuman assumed a gargantuan showered them with arrows. Little piece, Sita dropped her jewelry from form and leapt across the sea to did they know that Shurpanaka the chariot, leaving a trail behind Lanka. He crisscrossed the island had another brother, Ravana, who her. When they landed, Sita refused looking everywhere for Sita, but would also seek revenge. to live in Ravana’s palace, so he left was unable to find her until he saw her in a garden of ashoka trees. a beautiful, solitary woman in a One day, Sita spotted a golden Determined to woo her, he sang to garden, wearing a single hairpin. deer by their forest settlement and her, told her stories, and showered Hanuman approached Sita, became bewitched by it. Rama, her with compliments, sweet- reassuring her of his good intent on pleasing his wife, tried to smelling flowers, and fine jewels— character and divine lineage, capture it for her. The deer fled, but Sita remained faithful to Rama, and gave her Rama’s signet ring as proof he came from Rama. Hanuman told Sita to jump onto his back so he could safely deliver her back across the sea, but she The vulture Jatayu lies wounded amidst the wreckage of Ravana’s cart, after trying to stop him from abducting Sita, in this 18th-century manuscript illustration made in the Kangra style.

ASIA 209 refused, insisting that only house of another man. Sita plunged The hero Rama and 10-headed her husband should liberate her. into the flames and Agni, Lord Ravana take aim at each other on a Hanuman asked her for a token of Fire, returned her unscathed, late-18th-century ceremonial hanging he could show Rama to help proving her innocence. Now back in that is a fine example of kalamkari comfort him, so she gave Ayodhya after 14 long years in exile, textile painting from south India. him her hairpin, which she had Rama was at last crowned king. kept as a symbol of her status as the sage’s poem. When the story a married woman. In a final book of the Ramayana, was performed for Rama, he was likely added later, Sita’s chastity overwhelmed with grief. Valmiki Hanuman then created chaos was questioned further. Following brought Sita to him, but she called in Lanka, killing many of Ravana’s town gossip, Rama banished his upon the earth mother, who had warriors before allowing himself beloved to the forest. She was once given birth to her, to free her to be caught and delivered to the watched over by the sage Valmiki, from this unjust world. With this, demon. Now face-to-face with who was, at the time, composing the earth opened, and Sita Ravana, he urged him to let Sita the Ramayana. Sita gave birth to vanished into the ground forever. ■ go, but Ravana set his tail on fire. twin boys, who learned to recite Hanuman escaped and used his interpreting the text and of blazing tail to set the citadel aflame. A living text painting its various scenes as Over the next five days, his army of miniatures. During the 16th monkeys built a long bridge to The Ramayana is one of the century, the Mughal emperor Lanka, made of stones inscribed world’s longest epic poems and Akbar had the poem translated with Rama’s name. A bloody war in Hindu tradition is considered into Persian and painted on the ensued between the armies of the first example of poetry. walls at his court. Ravana and Rama, ending with Attributed to the revered poet Rama’s slaying of the demon and Valmiki, the core material Locations featured in the reuniting at last with his beloved is dated to ca.500 bce, but Ramayana are still revered as Sita. On Ravana’s death, his noble the story is thought not to religious and pilgrimage sites, brother Vibhishana was crowned have been fixed in its current and the story continues to be the new king of Lanka. form until a millennium later. told in various media—from poetry, drama, song, and dance Rama tests Sita The Ramayana’s story is to puppet shows, films, cartoons, Now together again, Rama asked known throughout the Indian and comics. A television version Sita to perform a test of fire to prove subcontinent to Hindus, Jains, in the 1980s was watched by her chastity after living at the and Buddhists. Muslim scholars more than 100 million viewers. and poets have a long history of

210 IRWAUOMLRETLRDHOSEFLTAHDEY, DURGA SLAYS THE BUFFALO DEMON IN BRIEF In Hindu mythology, the buffalo Durga slays Mahishasura in his demon Mahishasura sought horned male form as she sits astride her THEME immortality to secure a victory lion amid deities in this 19th-century Triumph of good over evil for his fellow Asuras over the image by Indian painter Raji Ravi Rama. benevolent deities, the Devas. He SOURCE undertook a long penance to the shape-shifting into different forms, “Devi Mahatmya” (“Glory of god Brahma, but the creator god until finally the goddess cut off his the Goddess”), Markandeya rejected his request. Mahishasura head, ending his terrible reign. Purana, Anonymous, then asked that he should not be 5th–7th century ce. killed by any man, nor by the Durga’s victory is celebrated Trimurti—the Hindu Trinity of during her annual 10-day festival, SETTING Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma called Durga Puja in northeastern Heaven. agreed, knowing what was to be. India and Dashain in Nepal. ■ KEY FIGURES Mahishasura amassed his Mahishasura Buffalo Demon. troops, first devastating the earth, then defeating the Devas in the Brahma The Creator in the heavens, forcing them to flee. Indra, Hindu Trinity (Trimurti). king of the gods, begged the Trimurti to find a solution. Brahma, Vishnu The Preserver in the Vishnu, and Shiva focused their Hindu Trinity (Trimurti). power into a great flame, from which emerged the goddess Durga, who Shiva The Destroyer in the preexisted as a cosmic force and Hindu Trinity (Trimurti). was celebrated as a creator of the universe. Clutching an array of Indra King of the gods. weapons given to her by the gods, the many-armed goddess rode her Durga Warrior goddess and lion into battle and destroyed the preexisting cosmic force, also army of the Asuras. Mahishasura known as Devi and Shakti. attacked her repeatedly, sometimes See also: ■ Brahma creates the cosmos 200 ■ The game of dice 202–03 ■ The Ramayana 204–09

ASIA 211 FOGI!RSMAHNE-ETEYNMEAEDKSBGHLOIIDS! DSE! SS! THE FISH-EYED GODDESS FINDS A HUSBAND IN BRIEF M eenakshi is known as Pandya, who prayed for a child. The the Fish-Eyed Goddess, gods brought forth a daughter with THEME having been blessed three breasts from a pit of fire. A Marriage with beautiful fish-shaped eyes. divine voice told the king that the She was regarded as the divine third breast would vanish when his SOURCE ruler of the city of Madurai by the daughter met the husband of her Tiruvilayaadal Puranam Pandyan Dynasty—sea traders and destiny. The king named her (“The Sacred Sports of sailors who adopted the symbol of Meenakshi, and taught her shastras Shiva”), Paranjothi Munivar, the fish on their coins and flags. (traditional sciences) to prepare her 17th century ce. for the throne. The legend of the Fish-Eyed SETTING Goddess, who has inspired hymns Holy matrimony Madurai, Tamil Nadu, and rituals, tells of a Pandyan king Following the death of her father, South India. of Madurai named Malayadwaja Meenakshi, now a powerful warrior, traveled north to wage war on KEY FIGURES You shine with the his enemies. She conquered the Meenakshi Divine ruler of the green emerald splendor! abodes of Brahma, Vishnu, and Pandyan Kingdom; avatar You are the spouse of Shiva. the Devas, traveling farther to (incarnation) of Parvati. Your eyes resemble fish! the abode of Shiva. She triumphed Sacred Songs of India over Shiva’s attendants and his bull Malayadwaja Pandya guardian, Nandi. Next in her line Second Pandyan king; father V. K. Subramanian (1998) of attack was the hermit Shiva of Meenakshi. himself, but the moment they looked at each other, she realized Brahma The Creator in the she must be an incarnation of his Hindu Trinity (Trimurti). consort Parvati, goddess of fertility, love, and devotion. That instant, Vishnu The Preserver in the Meenakshi lost her third breast. Hindu Trinity (Trimurti). Shiva and Meenakshi traveled to Madurai and were married. ■ Shiva The Destroyer in the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti). See also: The game of dice 202–03 ■ The Ramayana 204–09 ■ Durga slays the buffalo demon 210 Parvati Goddess of fertility; consort of Shiva the Destroyer.

212 TYAOHLLUE TKAHIRNEEGWTOOOVRBELERD THE ORIGINS OF THE BAIGA IN BRIEF T he Baiga people from the the month of Jeth (May), just before area around the Mandla the rainy season, when she is said THEME hills in central India believe to lie ready to be impregnated. Protecting Mother Earth that their male ancestor, Nanga Baiga, was a great magician. Keepers of the world SOURCE According to legend, he was the Bhagavan the Creator spread the The Baiga, Verrier Elwin, 1939. first man and Nanga Baigin was Earth out flat, but could not stop it the first woman. from moving around. He invited SETTING Nanga Baiga and Nanga Baigin to Soon after the creation of The Baiga people believe that help him secure the four corners of the world, the state of Madhya their early ancestors were born the world. Nanga Baiga sacrificed a Pradesh, central India. beneath a cluster of bamboo trees, sow to Dharti Mata, and a white having emerged from the womb of cock to Thakur Deo. KEY FIGURES the earth mother Dharti Mata. She Nanga Baiga Male ancestor is the consort of Thakur Deo, the Dharti Mata, who had been of the Baiga people. Lord of the Village and the oldest rocking back and forth, stood and most venerated of the Baiga perfectly still when drops of the Nanga Baigin Female gods. Dharti Mata is worshipped in sow’s blood fell on her. She was ancestor of the Baiga people. pleased with the sacrifice and told All the kingdoms of the Nanga Baiga that from now on she Dharti Mata The Baiga world may fall to pieces, but would listen to him when she people’s Mother Earth. he who is made of earth and became angry and started to rock. Thakur Deo The Baiga is lord of the earth shall Nanga Baiga and Nanga Baigin people’s Lord of the Village. never forsake it. found four large nails and drove The Baiga them into the corners of the earth Bhagavan The Creator. to keep it steady. Bhagavan told the Baiga pair that they must guard the world and keep its nails in place. And with that, they became the keepers of the world. When Bhagavan had finished creating the world, he asked all of the tribes to assemble, for he wanted to assign them a king. Once everyone had come together,

ASIA 213 See also: Brahma creates the cosmos 200 ■ The birth of Ganesha 201 ■ The game of dice 202–03 ■ The Ramayana 204–09 Members of the Baiga take part in the three-day Dharohar festival hosted in Indore, India. The event is a celebration of World Tribal Day, held annually on August 9, and is a showcase of tribal culture. Bhagavan saw that many were that they must never plow the when rainfall is expected. Once the dressed in their finery, while Nanga Earth for she was their mother. Creator had taught Nanga Baiga (meaning nude) Baiga wore nothing Instead, he told them to cut down everything he needed to know for but leaves. He took Nanga Baiga the undergrowth, burn it, and sow his people to survive, it was time and positioned him on his throne, seeds in the ashes. They would not for the Baiga to receive the seeds. making him king over all the world. gain riches, but they would grow As Nanga Baiga took them from enough to survive. Bhagavan, some fell from his hand. Nanga Baiga was pleased, but The Creator told him: “It is good, it because a member of the Gond Bhagavan then showed Nanga should be so, for only the poor will people had once shown great Baiga how to follow this slash-and- ever be content to be servants of kindness to him, he replied: “Make burn method of farming, and told Dharti Mata.” ■ the Gond king, for he is my brother.” him that the seeds are best sown The Creator honored the request and rewarded Nanga Baiga with his blessing. Serving Mother Earth Bhagavan told Nanga Baiga that, as long as they did not forsake the Earth, the Baiga people would survive. Then he told him how to cultivate the land. He said that the Baiga could dig roots and eat them, or pick leaves and sell them, but Women collect leaves in the Baiga farming today years, rather than staying put forest. Like other Baiga farmers, they and exhausting the ground by continue to follow the agricultural An Adivasi (tribal) group, most of continually cultivating it. practices set out by Bhagavan. whom live in and around the state of Madhya Pradesh, central India, During the 19th century, the Baiga farmers often live in colonial forest officials forced hilly terrain and avoid the plow. many Baiga people to adopt the Instead, they practice a traditional plow. One Baiga is reported to form of slash-and-burn cultivation have said, “When … we first called bewar, as described in the touched the plow, a man died in Baiga foundation myth above. every village.” It is out of the same respect The Baiga people coexist for Mother Earth that the Baiga with the Gond people—another remain semi-nomadic. The Adivasi group—and have done practice of shifting, or rotating, so for many centuries. The Gond cultivation means that they move favor the same agricultural to a new plot of ground every few practices, which are sustainable in the face of climate change.

214 BTYAHENCEGAHMEBAEEVCTEAHNMESEE, YAIRNTH PANGU AND THE CREATION OF THE WORLD IN BRIEF A ccording to the most prior to his hatching from the egg, commonly accepted his body had been twisted around THEME (Daoist) Chinese creation to fit inside its confines. The creation of the story, before the creation of the universe from chaos universe there was only formless Rising heavens chaos. Eventually, a cosmic egg Pangu could not stand to be SOURCE emerged from the chaos, and constrained inside the egg so he Historical Records of the coalesced over the course of 18,000 smashed his way out. The whites Three Sovereign Divinities years. Inside the egg was the first became heaven and the yolk and the Five Gods, Xu Zheng, living entity, Pangu: a semi-divine became the earth, while the larger 3rd century ce; The Master human who, according to Xu pieces of shell became the sun and Who Embraces Simplicity: Zheng’s account of his myth, took moon, and the smaller pieces Inner Chapters, Ge Hong, the form of a horned, furry giant. turned into the stars. 4th century ce. Other descriptions of Pangu portrayed him with the head of a In one version of the myth, after SETTING cat, the trunk of a serpent, and the Pangu hatched, he split dark Yin The beginning of time. paws of a tiger. His name, “Pangu,” from light Yang—the oppositional literally translates to “coiled principles of nature, which were KEY FIGURE antiquity” in Chinese, because born from chaos. Over the next Pangu The first living being; 18,000 years, Pangu transformed creator of the Earth; a semi- nine times each day. Every day the divine human portrayed with ethereal Yang rose 10 feet (3 m) animal qualities. higher, forming heaven, while the heavy Yin sank 10 feet (3 m) deeper and became the Earth. Pangu, who stood between the two to keep them apart, grew 10 feet (3 m) taller each day, becoming a giant. He grew to be 28,000 miles (45,000 km) Pangu is often portrayed as a dwarf clothed with leaves, as he is in this illustration from an anonymous Chinese text (ca. 1800) which depicted important figures in Chinese history.

ASIA 215 See also: Creation 18–23 ■ Creation of the universe 130–33 ■ Yi shoots the sun 216–17 ■ Jumong 230–31 ■ Cherokee creation 236–39 Pangu’s body Left arm: (Mount Heng, His breath became the wind became the five Shanxi Province) and clouds; his voice became sacred mountains. peals of thunder. His left eye Each corresponded to “Permanent Mountain” one of the five Chinese Element: Water became the sun; his right cardinal points: north, eye became the moon. east, south, west, and center. Historical Records of the Three Sovereign Divinities Feet: (Mount Belly: (Mount Song, Head: Hua, Shanxi Henan Province) (Mount Tai, and the Five Gods “Lofty Mountain” Shandong Province) Element: Earth Province) Yin and Yang “Splendid Mountain” “Tranquil The maintenance of the Element: Mountain” correct balance of the universe Element: is a key theme of Daoist Metal thinking. This is expressed Wood through the concept of Yin and Yang—a phrase generally Right arm: (Mount Heng, familiar in the Western world Hunan Province) as representing the dual or opposing characteristics “Balancing Mountain” of one entity. Element: Fire The words “Yin” and tall—the distance between Yin and semen gave rise to the seas and “Yang” translate as the “dark Yang. Pangu was more divine than rivers, while his muscles and veins side” and “sunny side” of a heaven and more sacred than the acted as tunnels in the earth. His hill, respectively. More Earth, but some accounts suggest teeth and bones became metal and broadly, though, they stand for that he had divine assistance in his rock, and his bone marrow, pearls the dual features that make up creation of the universe. He was and jade. Pangu’s body hair the cosmos, such as woman aided by cosmic beings: a unicorn, became the plants and trees. Some and man, birth and death, and a tortoise, a phoenix, and a dragon. accounts say that the small fleas heaven and Earth. Although that lived on his body became these forces might appear to Shaping the earth people after being touched by the be opposites, they are, in fact, Once the heavens and Earth had wind; others suggest that Pangu complementary. Neither Yin formed, Pangu began to die. His formed the human race from clay. nor Yang is regarded as being body divided up to create the most superior or able to exist important features of the universe. Pangu’s arms, head, belly, and without the other. According His breath became the wind and feet became China’s five sacred to the I Ching, the ancient the clouds, and his voice was the mountains—sites of religious Chinese book of divination, thunder. His right eye became the ceremony connected to one of the natural catastrophes, such as moon and his left turned into the five elements and the five cardinal famine and flood, are caused sun. His hair became the stars, points. Mount Tai was believed to by a loss of equilibrium while his sweat and bodily fluids have been formed from Pangu’s between Yin and Yang. became the rain. Pangu’s blood and head, because of its location in the east, where the sun rises. ■

216 RSSTHOHCESEOAER1VC0AEHTSSIUONONNGFSCTGEAHR,LEALIN YI SHOOTS THE SUN IN BRIEF O riginally there were 10 caused the temperature on Earth to suns. Xihe, a solar deity, rise to dangerous levels, scorching THEME had given birth to them the lands and preventing plants Saving humanity by her husband, Di Jun, a god of from growing. The people were too agriculture. The spirits of the suns hot to breathe and came close to SOURCES were three-legged crows. Every starvation. To make matters worse, The Huainanzi (“Writings of day, Xihe harnessed one of the terrible monsters emerged and the Masters of Huainan”), divine sun birds to her carriage and roamed the land. They included a Anonymous, 2nd century bce; traveled around the world, bringing man-eating boa constrictor, a giant Shan Hai Jing (“The Classic of light and heat to its people. One bird, and a huge wild boar with Mountains and Seas”), day, disaster struck when all 10 sun sharp tusks. Xihe and Di Jun were Anonymous, 1st century bce. birds flew into the sky at once. This unable to persuade the suns to depart the heavens. SETTING Ancient China. Yao saves the day At this time, Yao, the ruler of China, KEY FIGURES urged Di Jun to send help, which Xihe A solar deity. arrived in the form of Yi the archer. Yi came down to Earth carrying the Di Jun Xihe’s husband, god of red bow and white arrows that Di the eastern sky, and an Jun had given to him. Yi hunted agricultural deity. down the deadly beasts, and saved humanity from their attacks. He Yao A legendary Chinese then turned to the problem of the 10 emperor (ca. 24th century bce) suns. Drawing his bow, Yi shot an who served as a model of arrow at one of the suns. The sun wisdom and virtue. exploded, and its three-legged crow spirit fell to earth. One by one, Yi Yi A skilled bowman. Yi shoots at the suns in an image Xiwangmu A Chinese from the Shan Hai Jing. One version of goddess. the myth relates that the suns fell into the sea, forming a rock that evaporated Chang’e Yi’s wife. water to stop the sea flooding the land.

ASIA 217 See also: Pangu and the creation of the world 214–15 ■ The adventures of the Monkey King 218–19 ■ The legend of the five suns 248–55 So Yi was the first to bring goddess Xiwangmu gave Yi an Xiwangmu gives the elixir merciful relief to the world elixir of immortality, but it proved of immortality to Yi. below from all its hardships. to be his undoing. Yi, who was a Yi does not mortal, did not want to imbibe the drink it. Shan Hai Jing elixir because he could not bear to Fengmeng tries be separated from his wife. to steal it. shot down the suns until just one Chang’e drinks remained. Yao told Yi to spare this One day, Fengmeng, who was the elixir instead. last sun, as the people still needed jealous of his master’s skill and its heat and light. For this action, fame, broke into Yi’s house while Immortal, Chang’e which saved humanity and restored the archer was out hunting. flies to the moon. order to the world, Yao was given Fengmeng demanded the elixir the title “Son of Heaven.” He is from Chang’e. Rather than give it to revered in Chinese legends as a him, she drank it herself. Now wise and judicious sovereign. immortal, she flew to the nearest celestial body, the moon, so she Tragic existence could remain close to her husband. Yi had arrived on Earth with his When Yi found that his wife was wife, Chang’e, and apprentice, gone, he set up an altar to her and Fengmeng. As a reward for laid out her favorite foods as an shooting the sun birds, the Chinese offering to her; he did this every year to mark the day she had left. Yi’s life came to an end when treacherous Fengmeng beat him to death with a branch from a peach tree so that he himself could be the greatest archer on Earth. After his death, Yi was worshipped as Zongbu, a god who prevents disaster. His wife is now venerated as the spirit of the moon. ■ An actress dressed as Chang’e The Mid-Autumn festival Chinese deities who are still flies up to a model moon during revered. Gathering at night with the Mid-Autumn Festival in Jinhua, On the 15th day of the 8th lunar friends and family, people burn Zhejiang Province of China. month, when the moon is full, incense, pray, and offer food to the Mid-Autumn Festival is the lunar deity, just as Yi did celebrated in China and Vietnam when Chang’e had departed the and by people of Chinese and Earth. The best known of the Vietnamese origin worldwide. foods is mooncake, a circular The event, which dates back to pastry commonly filled with a around 1600 bce, is traditionally a sweet bean paste. The round thanksgiving for the annual rice or shape of the cakes is symbolic wheat harvest, marked by social of togetherness and unity. As gatherings and offerings for a well as being offered to the bountiful year to come. moon goddess, these cakes are often given to friends and family A central feature of the festival at this time, usually in elaborate, is the veneration of the moon beautiful packaging. goddess Chang’e, one of many

218 IOCT’LHOCLEERANRENEODSRAGSMEANOOTDFFHEGTTHOHEETOSKY THE ADVENTURES OF THE MONKEY KING IN BRIEF T he classical Chinese story him a position at court, hoping of Sun Wukong begins it would end his exploits. Sun THEME with the union of heaven Wukong expected a senior office, The path to enlightenment and Earth. From this union, a stone but was given the lowly post of egg was created which emerged superintendent of stables. When SOURCE from the Mountain of Flowers and he realized how unimportant his Journey to the West, Wu Fruit. From the egg, a monkey was position was, he flew into a rage. Cheng’en, ca.1500–82. born named Sun Wukong. At first, He declared himself the Great Sage Sun Wukong played with the other and equal to the Jade Emperor. SETTING animals who lived on the mountain. Ancient China and India. Eventually he grew in ambition, At first, the Jade Emperor tried and, declaring himself the Monkey to placate Sun Wukong by making KEY FIGURES King, became a demon. With his him the guardian of the Heavenly Sun Wukong The new status, Sun Wukong became Peach Orchard. The entente ended, Monkey King. an immensely powerful and skilled however, when Sun Wukong was fighter, able to transform into 72 not invited to a banquet with the The Jade Emperor The different animals and objects and other deities. He rebelled against mythical ruler of heaven. leap halfway around the world in a the Jade Emperor, stole and ate the single jump. He armed himself with peaches of immortality from the The Buddha The founder a gold-banded staff, which could of Buddhism, who lived magically change size according and taught in India from to his needs. the 6th–4th century bce. Immortal and imprisoned How dare they treat me [Sun Xuanzang A Buddhist monk. Despite his status as the Monkey Wukong] with such contempt? King, when it came time for Sun Guanyin The Buddhist Wukong to die, he was dragged On the Mountain of Flowers goddess of mercy. to the Underworld. Instead of and Fruit I am a king. submitting to his fate, however, he Journey to the West Zhu Bajie A half-pig, half- erased his name from the Register man; Xuanzang’s disciple. of Life and Death, making himself immortal. Hearing of Sun Wukong’s Sha Wujing A river monster; activities, the Jade Emperor, ruler of Xuanzang’s disciple. heaven, summoned him and gave

ASIA 219 See also: The war of the gods and Titans 32–33 ■ Pangu and the creation of the world 214–15 ■ Yi shoots the sun 216–17 garden, and defeated all of the Wukong, who was freed from his Xuanzang forces the Emperor sent to kill him. mountain prison. To keep him under With all other hopes lost, the Jade control, Guanyin placed a band The figure of Xuanzang Emperor appealed to the Buddha to around his head that would tighten in literature was based on control Sun Wukong. The Buddha if Xuanzang chanted a particular a historical figure. Born seized him in his hand, which he mantra. The next disciple was Zhu ca. 602 ce, in Luoyang, central transformed into an enchanted Bajie, a former immortal banished China, he was ordained as a mountain—the rebellious Monkey from heaven for drunkenness and novice monk at 13, and as a King was now trapped indefinitely. reborn on earth as a pig monster. full monk seven years later. Lastly was Sha Wujing, also a former Dutiful disciples immortal, exiled from heaven for Buddhism had arrived in Several centuries later, a Chinese smashing a crystal goblet—he was China from India in the 3rd monk called Xuanzang made a now a grotesque river monster. century bce. Xuanzang’s pilgrimage west to India to gather concern was that the texts more complete versions of Buddhist Xuanzang’s 17-year ordeal was being used to study Buddhism texts than there were in China. beset with hazards engineered by were often incomplete and Xuanzang was helped by Guanyin, the Buddha in order to cultivate his inaccurate. He decided to the goddess of mercy, who arranged spiritual growth. Finally, Xuanzang journey to India himself to for several disciples to protect him returned the sacred writings to study and to collect the texts. in his journey, to atone for their past China and was given Buddhahood. Despite an imperial ban on misdeeds. The first was Sun Sun Wukong had proved a loyal foreign travel at the time, and effective bodyguard, protecting Xuanzang set out in 629 ce, Xuanzang is aided by Zhu Bajie and Xuanzang from many demons. returning 17 years later Sha Wujing, pictured here crossing As a reward, Sun Wukong was also with hundreds of Buddhist a river as they approach the Great elevated to the status of Buddha texts in Sanskrit. Buddha Temple, in Zhangye, in (“awakened one”), and was the Gansu Province of China. subsequently awarded the title At the request of Emperor of “Victorious Fighting Buddha.” ■ Taizong of the Tang dynasty, Xuanzang also compiled an account of his journey entitled Great Tang Records on the Western Regions. This work would go on to inspire Wu Cheng’en’s Journey to the West, now viewed as one of the most influential Chinese novels of all time. Xuanzang studied for the rest of his life in Chang’an, now Xi’an, where Indian Buddhist texts were translated into Chinese.

220 HMMTHAAAVEKKIYIENNWGIGTEFSTINHNSTIEPSOILHRNAEINTTDSDOS, IZANAGI AND IZANAMI IN BRIEF T he first heavenly deities The eight islands gave Izanagi (“He who of ancient Japan THEME beckoned”) and Izanami The creation of Japan (“She who beckoned”) the task of IKI SADO and its spirits making Japan—known as the OKI YAMATO kuniumi (“creation of the land”). SOURCE From their union, they were to TSUSHIMA AWAJI Kojiki (“Records of Ancient produce Oyashima, comprising the Matters”), O no Yasumaro, eight largest Japanese islands, and IYO 712 ce. also six smaller islands. To do this, TSUKUSHI the couple made an earthly home. SETTING From the bridge between heaven well until Izanami gave birth to Japan in the Age of Spirits. and Earth, Izanagi used a jeweled Kagutsuchi (“Flickering Flame spear to stir up the sea below. As Elder”), a fire spirit who burned her KEY FIGURES he withdrew the spear, clumps of so severely during labor that she Izanagi Creator god. salt fell from it to form an isle where died. Izanagi took his sword and Izanagi and Izanami were married. beheaded Kagutsuchi, whose Izanami Izanagi’s younger During the ceremony, Izanami corpse produced eight warrior gods sister and wife. spoke first, admiring her husband, and eight mountain gods. “What a fine young man!” Kagutsuchi A fire spirit. Izanagi then journeyed to the Birth and death Underworld to retrieve Izanami. Yomotsu-shikome A hideous Izanami soon gave birth to two Standing outside the hall where she hag. islands, but they were misshapen. was staying, he asked her to come The couple asked the spirits why back to Earth. Izanami replied that Tsukuyomi God of the moon and were told that it was because she had to seek permission to leave and night. Izanami had spoken first at their because she had eaten food cooked wedding. Repeating the ceremony, at the hearth of the Underworld, an Amaterasu Goddess of the they took care that Izanagi was the act that bound her there. sun and universe. first to speak. The next births were the beautiful islands of Japan. When Izanagi grew impatient Susanoo God of the sea for a response, he looked into the and storms. Izanagi and Izanami then hall. There he beheld Izanami’s created many spirits to represent Japan’s natural features. All was

See also: Creation 18–23 ■ Creation of the universe 130–33 ■ Brahma creates ASIA 221 the cosmos 200–01 ■ Cherokee creation 236–38 Shintoism decayed body, crawling with Izanagi brandishes the spear to maggots. Angered that Izanagi whip up brine to create Onogoro, the Japan’s main religion, Shinto should see her like this, Izanami island home of Japan’s creator deities, (“way of the gods”) draws sent the hag Yomotsu-shikome in an illustration by 19th-century on the nation’s indigenous (“Ugly Woman of the Underworld”) to Japanese artist Kawanabe Kyosai. beliefs. Its practices were chase him away, along with eight first recorded in two early thunder spirits that had emerged clothing became 12 spirits, and 8th-century texts, the Kojiki from her corpse and 1,500 warriors. when he washed his body, he (“Records of Ancient Matters”) created 14 more. The last three and Nihon Shoki (“Chronicles Izanagi fled back to Earth and were the most mighty gods: from of Japan”), both of which rolled a boulder across the portal his right eye came Tsukuyomi, include the creation myth to the Underworld. Izanami and spirit of the moon; from his left eye of Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi stood on either side of the sprang Amaterasu, spirit of the With no particular founder and boulder, and he declared they were sun; from his nose came Susanoo, no strict dogma, Shintoism divorced. Utterly bereft, Izanami who ruled the sea and storms. The encompasses many different swore to strangle 1,000 people conflict between Amaterasu, also a traditions and influences. Its every day, but Izanagi vowed to goddess of fertility, and Susanoo, most important feature is the counter this with 1,500 births. whose forces destroyed crops, worship of kami (spirits), would soon rival the epic enmity which are often forces of Feeling unclean after his between Izanagi and Izanami. ■ nature that reside in features contact with the dead, Izanagi of the landscape such as rocks disrobed and bathed. His discarded and rivers. Kami also include venerated ancestors who perform the role of guardians for their descendants. Kami are revered through prayer and ritual, which can take place at small household altars called kamidana (“god shelves”), where the family kami are enshrined and offerings are laid. There are also larger public shrines that house national kami and the sacred objects associated with them. The union of Izanami and Izanagi is represented by the sacred Meoto Iwa (“Wedded Rocks”), linked by a rope bridge, near the Ise Grand Shrine in southern Japan.

222 IN BRIEF EOAAVRLFELOCRSMAYELAWANHMNEIETRRIEES THEME Sibling rivalry SUSANOO AND AMATERASU SOURCE Kojiki (“Records of Ancient Matters”), O no Yasumaro, 712 ce. SETTING Japan in the Age of Spirits. KEY FIGURES Izanagi Creator deity. Amaterasu Goddess of the universe; daughter of Izanagi. Susanoo God of the sea and storms; son of Izanagi. Omoikane God of wisdom. O-ge-tsu-hime Food spirit. Ashinazuchi Old man spirit, whose daughter Kushi-nada- hime marries Susanoo. Yamata-no-Orochi An eight-headed dragon. A materasu, goddess of the sun, and her younger brother Susanoo, god of the sea, quarreled constantly, and Susanoo often played tricks on his sister. Tired of his mischief, their father, Izanagi, ordered Susanoo to go into exile in the Underworld. Before he left, however, Susanoo journeyed to the heavens in order to see his sister. Believing he had come to steal her realm, Amaterasu was alarmed at her brother’s arrival. She parted her hair and strung it with precious pendants, which she also hung from her arms. She then armed herself with a bow and 1,500 arrows, and when Susanoo arrived, she

ASIA 223 See also: Ahura Mazda and Ahriman 198–99 ■ Pangu and the creation of the world 214–15 ■ Izanagi and Izanami 220–21 When he went up to Susanoo, armed with his sword, heaven, all the mountains sets about killing the dragon who had slain seven sisters. The god’s previous and rivers boomed and behavior would be forgiven when he the land shook. saved the final sister from the dragon. Kojiki them, and spat them out, producing three female sea spirits. Susanoo then asked Amaterasu for her pendants. He bit them into small pieces and spat them out, creating five male spirits. stomped on the ground and Sibling conflict demanded to know the reason After this exchange, relations for his visit. Saying that he had between Amaterasu and Susanoo only come to say farewell, Susanoo were initially peaceful. However, suggested that they give each Susanoo quickly resumed his other a personal possession and former bad behavior. He declared use them to produce spirit-offspring that the children born from his as a sign of good faith. sword were “weak-limbed women” and ran amok through his sister’s To show that his intentions heavenly realm in a destructive were good, Susanoo handed rampage. He devastated her rice Amaterasu his sword. She broke it paddies and threw excrement in three and rinsed the pieces in about the hall where she had the well of the heavens. She then celebrated the harvest feast. put them in her mouth, chewed Susanoo then went to the hall where Amaterasu and other spirits were weaving cloth. He broke a ❯❯ Kojiki heroes and the imperial lineages of the rulers of Japan, all the The Kojiki (“Records of Ancient way to the death of Empress Matters”) is Japan’s oldest Suiko in 628 ce. surviving written work. Based on oral tradition, it is a mixture The compiler of the Kojiki of dialogue, song, narration, and was a nobleman and chronicler commentary, and provides a called O no Yasumaro. He long and wide-ranging history carried out the task on the of the four islands of Japan. orders of Empress Genmei, who reigned from 707 to 715 ce The first book, set in the Age and wanted Japan’s myths and of Spirits, recounts the story of legends to be recorded more how Japan and its spirits were accurately. Once completed, the created and developed. The Kojiki became highly influential second and third books are set in the development of beliefs, in the Age of Mortals and detail practices, and customs in the the deeds of legendary human Shinto religion.

224 SUSANOO AND AMATERASU hole through its ceiling and dropped So the high plains of heaven entrance of the cavern and began a sacred colt that he had skinned were cast into utter to dance on it. As she danced, she into their midst, causing chaos. The bared her breasts and pulled her shock made one of the spirits inside darkness … endless night girdle down past her waist. The slam her weaving shuttle into herself, came to cover the world. other spirits laughed uproariously. causing a fatal injury. Amaterasu was so appalled and frightened she Kojiki Hearing the commotion, hid in a cave deep in the center Amaterasu curiously peered out of of the Earth called Ama-no-Iwato pendants (known as the Yasakani- the cavern. As she emerged, she (“Heaven’s Boulder Cavern”) and no-Magatama) and an eight-sided caught sight of her reflection in the refused to leave. This plunged the mirror (called the Yata-no-Kagami). mirror. As she was momentarily world into darkness. transfixed, Ame-no-Tajikarao, a Uprooting a tree, Omoikane strong god hiding close by, pulled The spirits gathered together planted it outside the entrance her out into the open. A sacred rope outside the cavern to persuade to the cavern. He strung the upper was flung over the cavern’s entrance Amaterasu to come out of hiding. branches with the pendants and the to stop her going back into the cave. Omoikane, the god of wisdom and lower branches with prayer strips The other spirits told Amaterasu adviser to the spirits of heaven, made of white mulberry paper and she could no longer withhold her devised a cunning plan. He gathered blue hemp. In the middle of the tree, radiance. She agreed never to hide hard stone from the upper reaches of he hung the eight-sided mirror. herself again and once more the the Milky Way and iron from the The dawn goddess Ame-no-Uzume world was bathed in her light. mountains of heaven. Using these then overturned a bucket near the materials, he then instructed other Death and rebirth spirits to fashion small curved With Amaterasu out of hiding, the gods had to decide what to do with Amaterasu hides in a cave, but Susanoo, who, in acting erratically, the spirits trick her into leaving. Here, selfishly, and destructively, had in Utagawa Kunisada’s 19th-century committed a serious breach of woodblock print, she emerges from traditional Japanese moral values. the darkness radiating divine light. First, in punishment for his actions,

ASIA 225 he had his fingernails, toenails, and The Imperial Regalia of Japan, also known as the three facial hair torn off. He was then to sacred treasures, were passed from Amaterasu’s grandson be exiled from heaven to Earth. to the Emperor and were used as part of the enthronement ceremony. They represent wisdom, benevolence, and valor. When the spirits also imposed a fine of 1,000 tables laden with Yata-no-Kagami Yasakani-no- Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi food, Susanoo asked the female (Eight-Sided Mirror) Magatama (Pendant) (Grass-Cutting food spirit, O-ge-tsu-hime, for help Used by the gods to Decorated the tree Sword) in finding food. She agreed, but lure Ame-no-Uzume-no- around which Ame- Given to Amaterasu pulled the food from her nose, Mikoto from her cave. no-Uzume danced. by Susanoo. mouth, and backside. Susanoo found this so offensive that he slew The old man, Ashi-nazu-chi, said elderly couple to make a batch of her, but O-ge-tsu-hime’s corpse that the couple had once had eight extra-strong sake, and to make a flourished again, mirroring the daughters, but each year one had fence with eight doors—at each harvest cycle of death and rebirth. been devoured by a dragon called one, they were to place a cask of Silkworms emerged from her head. Yamata-no-Orochi. Now only their the sake. When the dragon Rice came from her eyes, millet youngest daughter, Kushi-nada- arrived, it drank from each of the from her ears, red beans from her hime, was left. casks. The sake was so strong nose, barley from her reproductive that the beast quickly fell asleep. organs, and soybeans from her rear. Killing the dragon Susanoo then hacked it into These grains and beans were Susanoo was told that the dragon pieces. Inside the corpse, he transformed into seeds, and had eight heads and eight tails, found a mighty blade which he Susanoo sowed and harvested and was so huge that it spanned later gave to Amaterasu to atone them to pay his fine. eight valleys and eight peaks. for his bad behavior. With the He agreed to kill the dragon in dragon slain, Susanoo and Kushi- After being banished from return for Kushi-nada-hime’s hand nada-hime married and had six heaven, Susanoo went to Mount in marriage. Susanoo ordered the generations of offspring. ■ Torikami, on the Spirit River. As he walked through the countryside, he saw a chopstick floating down the river and, following the direction from which it had come, he found an elderly couple with a beautiful daughter. All three were weeping. Kami and the Japanese emperors Emperor Hirohito (1901–1989) After her dispute with Susanoo emperor of Japan, who was said is dressed for his coronation in 1928. was resolved, Amaterasu turned to have reigned in 660–585 bce. At this time, Hirohito was revered as to bringing order to the Earth. Jimmu’s chief wife was a a direct descendant of the gods. Her two sons were unable descendent of Susanoo and to accomplish this task, but Kushi-nada-hime. As such, the eventually her grandson Ninigi emperors were regarded as was sent down. Amaterasu gave being the direct descendants him three powerful treasures: of many of the most important the pendants, the mirror, and the kami (spirits worshipped in the sword that Susanoo had given her. Shinto religion). The emperor’s traditional title is Tenno Ninigi brought order to Japan. (“heavenly sovereign”). In 1945, He married Kono-hana-sakuya- however, as part of Japan’s hime, the granddaughter of the surrender after World War II, original creators, Izanagi and Emperor Hirohito renounced Izanami. Ninigi’s great-grandson his divine status. was Jimmu, the legendary first

226 ITYSOHGUEORSOKRDYICWEOORFLD FIRE AND RICE IN BRIEF T he story of Wigan and lived in the Upstream region and his brother Kabigat is the Downstream region, and the THEME a founding myth of the Alabat gods, who lived in the The origins of agriculture Ifaguo, a tribe originating in the moutains and owned the game. highlands of the Philippines. It The omen was good, so Wigan and SOURCES explores the symbiotic relationship Kabigat took their spears and dogs The Religion of the Ifugaos, between humanity’s Earthworld into the hills in search of a wild pig. Roy Franklin Barton, 1946; The and the Skyworld of the gods, Mythology of the Ifugaos, Roy and how they negotiated their To the heavens Franklin Barton, 1955. mutual sustenance. The brothers entered the forest and, sighting a pig, sent their dogs SETTING In Kayang, Wigan and Kabigat running, yelling encouragement. Kayang, in Luzon, the wanted to go hunting. To see if They drove their quarry ever Philippines. their hunt would prove successful, upward until it eventually climbed Wigan chose his fattest chicken up into the Skyworld. Wigan and KEY FIGURES and sacrificed it to several lesser Kabigat followed the pig all the way Wigan Ifugao hunter; brother gods, such as the Tired-Ones, who up to the Skyworld. They found it of Kabigat. by the house of the gods Lidum and Hinumbían, and Wigan speared it. Kabigat Ifugao hunter; brother of Wigan. When Hinumbían rebuked Wigan for killing one of the pigs of Bugan Wigan’s wife. the Skyworld, Wigan replied, “This is no pig of yours. We followed it all Lidum “The Giver”; a male the way from Kayang.” Then Wigan god of the Skyworld. and Kabigat carried the dead pig to Lidum and Hinumbían's granary Hinumbían A male god of and, cutting it up, shared it with the Skyworld; shared a home the gods. Both gods took small with Lidum. A seated Bulul (rice god) holds Dinipaan The blacksmith a basket used for harvesting. This god of the Upstream Region. 15th-century wooden carving, made for an Ifugao home or granary, comes from the island of Luzon, in the Philippines.

ASIA 227 See also: Prometheus helps mankind 36–39 ■ Nanga Baiga 212–13 ■ The killing of Luma-Luma 308–09 pieces of the flesh, mixed them with blood and rice, and ate them raw. They asked Wigan and Kabigat why they were not eating, and Wigan told them that they would not eat raw meat. Mutual gifts They called for Wigan to come The Ifugao rice terraces in Wigan and Kabigat took their and take back the fire—instead, he the mountains of Luzon were built share down to the Earthworld, quenched it with water, then built 2,000 years ago. Watered by intricate where they made fire with a the gods a fireplace to contain the irrigation systems, they were handed bamboo drill, and cooked both flames. In return, the grateful gods down from one generation to another. meat and rice. They summoned told Wigan and Kabigat exactly the spirits of the place, children how to cultivate and store the rice, fields, causing water to gush out of either Lidum or Hinumbían, and how to make the rice fields. and irrigate the fields. With this, and gave them food to eat. These Wigan knew that he would soon spirits took the food back to the Feeding humanity become the first human to harvest Skyworld to share with their Back in Kayang, Wigan told his the rice of the gods. fathers. Delighted with the tasty wife, Bugan, that in order to create offerings, Lidum and Hinumbían the rice fields, she must wrap When the rice was ripe, the summoned Wigan and Kabigat herself in a blanket and remain blacksmith god made knives for and asked them for the precious absolutely still while he stabbed the harvest and exchanged them gift of fire. In exchange, they the earth repeatedly with a digging for Wigan’s chickens. Wigan stored offered jewels, but Wigan held stick. After he had created eight the rice in the granary with rituals out for the Skyworld rice, which was fields, Bugan moved; from then on, and sacrifices to the gods of the so much better than the bearded when Wigan stabbed the ground, Skyworld, the Underworld, and the rice that grew in the Earthworld. he turned over just a small amount Upstream region, and to the Bulul of soil. Wigan reprimanded her, but granary gods. Wigan invoked the The gods opened up their Bugan said, “We have enough. Our gods again, so that in Kayang the granary, and gave Wigan two children can increase the fields.” rice should always increase and bundles of seed rice. In return, Appeased by this, Wigan stabbed flourish and, in doing so, would Wigan made them a fire. The gods his stick into the bank above the mirror the seasonal cycle of birth, excitedly carried the fire into the death, and renewal. ■ house, but set the house ablaze. Thou, Rice, here! Multiply like sands … The Religion of the Ifugaos

228 FDCTOHARUNEERN’AGTEDUEEWNDDAWAASACNANIATGMTYGIAOEANNONCMDAWLLHEOD THE LEGENDARY FOUNDATION OF KOREA IN BRIEF O ne of the oldest foundation he was sad to see his son go, myths of Korea, the story Hwanin realized that Hwanung THEME of Hwanung and his son would be a good ruler for mankind. Origin of the nation cemented in Korean culture the Hwanin then opened the gates belief that its people are composed of heaven and commanded his SOURCE of a single homogeneous group. son to make his way to Mount Samguk Yusa (“Memorabilia According to this myth, all Koreans T’aebaek-san (somewhere in or of the Three Kingdoms”), descend from the legendary close to what is now Korea). Iryon, 1277 ce. founder of the ancient kingdom of Choson, established in 2333 bce. Accompanied by 3,000 spirits, SETTING Hwanung descended from heaven Mount T’aebaek-san, and the The descent onto the summit of the mountain. ancient kingdom of Choson. Hwanung was the son of Hwanin, the king of heaven and supreme Mount T’aebaek-san was the KEY FIGURES deity. One day, Hwanung asked his legendary home of Hwanung’s sacred Hwanin King of heaven. father if he could descend to Earth city. The mythical mountain’s location and govern his own land. Although is unknown, but this peak in Korea’s Hwanung Son of the king Gangwon region now bears its name. of heaven; first ruler of Earth. Ungnyeo A bear who was transformed into a woman. Dan’gun Wanggeom Son of Hwanung and Ungnyeo; founder of the first Korean kingdom.

ASIA 229 See also: The founding of Athens 56–57 ■ The founding of Rome 102–05 ■ Izanagi and Izanami 220–21 ■ Jumong 230–31 The Samguk Yusa peninsula has been invaded by the Mongols, China, and The oldest record of the myth of Japan through the centuries. Dan’gun is to be found in the The story received renewed Samguk Yusa (“Memorabilia of attention in the 20th century the Three Kingdoms”), compiled when it was used to justify state in 1277 by the Buddhist monk nationalism, territorial claims, Iryon. The work is a collection of and Korean unification. This Korean folk tales that was arose in 1948 amid Cold War written in the era of the Mongol international tensions that were empire (1206–1368). unfolding on Korean soil, with the North, supported by China The Dan’gun myth affirms and the Soviet Union, fighting the primordial origins of the the South, backed by the US Korean people and is seen as and other Western countries. proof of their divine right to rule This division remains today. over their homeland. The Korean He arrived under a sandalwood that reflected the values of tree, where he established a sacred the heavenly society he was city, Shinsi (“City of God”), and bringing to Earth. appointed the noble spirits of the wind, rain, and clouds as ministers Heir to the throne Dan’gun with mountain peaks of a government composed of 360 One day, a bear and a tiger came behind him. This was painted by departments. Hwanung himself to Hwanung and begged him to Chae Yong-sin, around 1850. Yong-sin took on the title of divine ruler transform them into human beings. was a prominent and successful of the human realm. He agreed, and gave them each a 19th-century portrait painter. piece of sacred mugwort plant and This enabled him to supervise 20 bulbs of garlic. He told them Dan’gun grew to become a wise agriculture, the preservation of to eat it all and to stay in the dark and powerful leader, and eventually life, the curing of disease, the for 100 days in order to become took over the land that his father, meting out of punishments, and human. They accepted the bargain, Hwanung, had governed. Dan’gun the establishment of a moral order and went to a cave where they founded the first Korean kingdom, would be out of the sunlight. But and called it Choson. He If you eat this and the tiger, driven by hunger, soon established its capital near do not see daylight gave up and left. The bear patiently the city which is known today remained and was transformed as Pyongyang. for 100 days, into a beautiful woman at the you will receive end of the 100 days. Later, Dan’gun moved the a human form. capital to another city—Asadal, on The bear-woman, Ungnyeo, was Mount Paegak. He ruled the nation Hwanung deeply grateful to Hwanung and for 1,500 years. At the age of 1,908, made daily offerings for him on the Dan’gun returned to the sacred summit of the T’aebaek mountain. city of Shinsi on T’aebaek-san, Although she had no husband, and was immortalized, becoming she prayed for a son. Moved by a mountain god. ■ her heartfelt prayers, Hwanung transformed himself into a human and had a child with her, whom she named Dan’gun Wanggeom.

230 RHSYUUAAYENHSWMSCHAOA’ISSRNUEEBSMOASNDAEYDDDEITTSHE JUMONG IN BRIEF T he myth of Jumong, the millennium ce. The story charts the Holy King of the East, creation of this new state and the THEME can be traced back to the founding of an enduring dynasty. The founding of a dynasty foundation of the kingdom of Koguryo, one of the Three One day, Celestial Emperor SOURCE Kingdoms of Korea that succeeded Cheonje sent his son Hae Mosu Gusamguksa (\"Old History of Choson and dominated the Korean down to Earth, where he came the Three Kingdoms\"), Kim peninsula for much of the 1st across Yuhwa bathing by the Busik, 1145 ce; A Dictionary of Ungsim Pond with her two sisters. Creation Myths, D. A. Leeming and M. A. Leeming, 1996. Yuhwa is … … raped by Hae Mosu … SETTING … exiled to Mount … made a concubine by The kingdom of Koguryo. T’aebaek-san … King Geumwa … … and gives birth to KEY FIGURES … impregnated by an egg. Cheonje Celestial emperor. sunshine … Hae Mosu Son of Cheonje. Yuhwa Daughter of the river god Habaek. Habaek Yuhwa’s father; god of the Yalu River. Geumwa King of Dongbuyeo; Yuhwa’s lover. Jumong Son of Hae Mosu and Yuhwa; born from an egg. The egg hatches to reveal Jumong.

See also: Origin of the universe 18–23 ■ The Kalevala 160–61 ■ ASIA 231 The legendary foundation of Korea 228–29 The egg Hae Mosu descends from heaven in a golden carriage pulled by five The powerful, primordial dragons. Hae Mosu died before he motif of the egg features at was able to see his son, Jumong, the heart of creation myths found a new dynasty. around the world. In several traditions, such as the tale of Captivated by her beauty, he took who was touched by her beauty Pangu in Chinese mythology, all three women to his palace on and sorrow, and decided to make the universe begins as an egg, the Yalu River, just beneath Ungin- her his concubine. from which all life hatches and san (Bear Spirit Mountain) where develops. In other myths, such he trapped them. Her two sisters When Hae Mosu—who bitterly as the story of Jumong, the managed to escape, but Yuhwa resented his defeat by Yuhwa’s birth of a human from the was left alone with Hae Mosu, father—made the rays of the sun primordial egg in miraculous who raped her. caress her body, she became circumstances defies nature, pregnant and gave birth to an egg and signals the cosmically When Habaek, Yuhwa’s father, five days later. The king quickly ordained role of the hero in found out, he was outraged and realized the egg was not his but shaping future events. confronted Hae Mosu. He told that of the celestial prince. Unable Habaek that he had been sent from to smash its unbreakable shell, he In producing a heroic the heavens and he intended to returned the egg to Yuhwa, who protagonist, the egg is marry Yuhwa. To test if the man wrapped it in a cloth and placed not only a potent symbol did have the power of the heavens, it in a warm spot. When the egg of new life, but a gift from Habaek challenged him to a duel. finally hatched, a child was born. the universe that enables the When he realized Hae Mosu By the age of 7, he was able to foundation of an entire nation had the strength of a god, he tried make his own bows and arrows, and—in Jumong's case—a to trap him in an enormous leather and was then named Jumong new era for Korea under pocket after getting him drunk. (\"Excellent Archer\"). his leadership. Similar Hae Mosu burst through the national origin myths can be pocket and fled, never to see Narrow escape found in the ancient folktales Habaek or Yuhwa again. When Jumong was 12, King of many nations, including Geumwa's sons, bitterly jealous of Finland, Egypt, Angola, The young archer his abilities, conspired to have him and India. Now alone, Yuhwa was sent killed. Learning that his life was in into exile by her father to the danger, Jumong fled to the River The Orphic egg, in Greece, southern side of Mount T’aebaek- Om, where he cried out that he was was believed to hatch the san. Yuhwa was discovered there the grandson of the Ruler of hermaphroditic deity Phanes, also by King Geumwa of Dongbuyeo, Heaven. Rising up from the fast- known as Protogenus, from whom flowing waters of the river, all other gods were descended. terrapins and fish formed a bridge over which he could cross. As soon as he was safely on the other side, the bridge dissolved and left his pursuers stranded on the other side. Jumong traveled on, reaching Cholbon-ju in 37 bce and founding his capital there. He named the new state Koguryo and took \"Ko\" as his surname, beginning the longest dynasty in Korean history. ■

THE AME

RICAS

234 INTRODUCTION The Maya The Inca Empire The Popol Vuh Pedro Sarmiento’s civilization farms is founded under the tracks Quiché History of the Incas creation myths, charts Inca culture the lowlands of command of Sapa including the tale and mythology in Central America. Inca Pachacuti. of the Hero Twins. extensive detail. CA.750 BCE–800 CE 1438 CA.1554–1558 1572 1345 1492 1558 1830 The Aztec capital The explorer The Codex The US Indian of Tenochtitlán is Christopher Columbus Chimalpopoca Removal Act forces founded—the largest manuscript is Native Americans from city of its time in the lands in the Bahamas, written, detailing their lands and destroys discovering the “New Aztec legends. much of their culture. Americas. World” of the Americas. T he first humans to settle mythology from the 12th–16th many myths were preserved in the Americas were centuries CE. The indigenous in writing for the first time. They the Paleo-Indians, who peoples of North America also were documented by European crossed into North America from developed highly diverse cultures writers such as Johannes Wilbert, Asia about 22,000 years ago. and legends—from the Inuit of the exploring remote areas which lay Over subsequent millennia, they Arctic, who emerged in the 11th undiscovered by the Old World. migrated south and by 16,500 BCE, century CE, to the Navajo nation, However, many Native American Patagonia at the southern tip of who migrated to the southwest and First Nations Canadian myths South America had been settled in around 1400 CE. were lost by the end of the 18th by peoples such as the Tehuelche. century as settlers and new colonies Old World vs. New attacked the native cultures and From about 3500 BCE onward, The arrival of Europeans in the late forced them to assimilate to the Mesoamerican civilization emerged 15th century transformed the New settlers’ way of life. in Central America, establishing World; the diseases they carried the first cities in around 1800 BCE. killed millions, and conversion to Methods of storytelling The myths and legends of these Christianity and Westernization Native Americans did not generally early peoples were highly influential erased many indigenous myths. use written languages until their on later civilizations, such as the While the damage caused to the first contact with white settlers. All Maya, who flourished from 750 BCE Americas by the arrival of European branches of American mythology to the 9th century CE, and the settlers is incalculable, subsequent were once preserved by oral Aztec Empire, which developed first-hand interactions with the tradition, but some Mesoamerican in the 13th–16th centuries CE. In indigenous peoples meant that, peoples, such as the Maya and South America, the Inca rose to from the 16th century onward, Aztecs, developed systems of prominence and developed their

THE AMERICAS 235 Edward W. Nelson The discoveries A. L. Kroeber’s Johannes Wilbert and collects over 10,000 of Russian linguist Yurok Myths collects Karin Simoneau publish artifacts to write creation myths and The Eskimo about Yuri Knorosov biographies of the a compilation of Folk help to decipher Literature of the Bering Straight. Maya hieroglyphs. Yurok tribe. Tehuelche Indians. 1899 1952 1976 1984 1900 1970 1979 1992 James Mooney’s Johannes Wilbert’s G. M. Mullett’s John Bierhorst’s History Myths of the collection, Folk Spider Woman and Mythology of the Cherokee collates Stories recounts Aztecs translates the the mythology of Literature of the varied tales from Codex Chimalpopoca. Warao Indians, Hopi mythology. that tribe. is published. hieroglyphs that allowed them to who appeared as a spider in many religion. In particular, it shows the record their myths in collections Native American mythologies and deep links between humanity, such as the Popol Vuh and the was humanity’s teacher. the natural world, and the cosmos. Codex Chimalpopoca. Other peoples American myths conceptualize used different systems to document The hero who helped or taught the cosmos in unique ways. The their tales. The Inca, for example, humanity was a recurring theme in Cherokee creation myth, for may have used knotted cords. American myths. The Warao people example, portrays the world as an of South America honored a figure island afloat on the sea, held up by Common beginnings called Haburi who invented the cords, while the Warao envision In general, most American peoples dugout canoe. The Maya “Hero their world as a land mass entirely believed in a creator deity. Many Twins” helped humans by defeating encircled by the ocean. of the most central myths of the the Lords of the Underworld, saving Americas detail how heaven, Earth, humans from sacrifice. The Hero American myths often included and all living beings were created. Twins also share characteristics the celestial bodies. The rivalry For the Inca, this was Viracocha, with trickster gods. These cunning between the sun and moon is who made the cosmos. Kóoch, the deities are also popular in North a common theme, occurring in Tehuelche sky father, had a similar American myths, such as the several Aztec, Inca, and Tehuelche role. The Aztecs believed the Raven tales of the Inuit and First myths. For the Aztecs in particular, universe was initially brought into Nations peoples. existence was based on a cycle of being by a dual male-female god five suns and eras, each ending in called Ometeotl, who also created Understanding the universe destruction, and human sacrifice the first four gods. Another key The mythology of the Americas is was essential to preventing the creator figure was the Earth Mother, deeply bound with their indigenous fall of the fifth and final sun—and peoples’ views on spirituality and with it, the end of the world. ■

236 ISTSHELAEAOENAFDRWFTLAHOTIAESTRIANGGIIANNAT CHEROKEE CREATION IN BRIEF N ative American creation suggest that animals existed myths typically entwine before the earth did, when THEME the natural and spiritual everything was water. They lived Creation of the world worlds, often endowing godlike high above this, in a spirit realm attributes to animals, the sky, and called Gälûñ’lätï. SOURCE the Earth. Many involve a Great Oral tradition, recorded in Spirit who creates the world and The animals looked down on the Myths of the Cherokee, everything in it. Within these broad water and wondered what lay James Mooney, 1900. similarities, however, tribal myths beneath the surface. One of the vary greatly. For the Inuit, living on creatures, Water Beetle, offered to SETTING the edge of the Arctic Ocean, the explore, but there was no place to The beginning of time. goddess Sedna is a key figure land, so he dove deep under the responsible for creating all marine water. He found some muddy clay KEY FIGURES life. In Iroquois mythology, coming and swam up with it, placing it on Water Beetle Dâyuni’sï from the northeastern woodlands, the water’s surface. (“Beaver’s Grandchild”); the the Earth comes into being on the first creature to create the land back of a giant sea turtle. The clay spread, forming a large that became the earth. island. Long cords at each of the The island four cardinal points fastened the Buzzard The animal The Cherokee live in the southeast earth to the spirit realm in the sky. responsible for the earth’s woodlands. Like the Iroquois tale, At some point in the future, when mountains and valleys. the Cherokee creation myth begins the Earth grows too old, the cords with a watery world. Some versions will break and the Earth will sink Tsiska’gïlï The red crawfish. back into the water. Brother and Sister The first From the sky, the animals humans. watched as the island grew. The birds flew down to inspect the new land. It was still soft and muddy, so after waiting a while longer, Buzzard swooped down and flew The water beetle Dâyuni’sï (“Beaver’s Grandchild”), carved by the sculptor John Julius Wilnoty (1940–2016), a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

THE AMERICAS 237 See also: Creation 18–23 ■ Creation of the world by Pangu 214–15 ■ San creation myth 284 ■ The dreaming 302–07 3. Touching the The Creation Story 1. Four cords Anetso clay, Buzzard connect the spirit creates valleys Spirit realm realm, Gälûñ’lätï, In Cherokee mythology, during and mountains. to the earthly realm. the time before the brother and sister came to live on 2. Water Beetle North Earth, there was a competition forms the earth between birds and the other from clay. East animals. The birds turned Water some small creatures into bats West and flying squirrels so they could join the birds in playing South against the other animals. Island This myth is reflected in the ball game of anetso, which over the island. Wherever his tired days and seven nights to keep is at the heart of Cherokee wings brushed the ground, they watch. They had been told to do tribal identity. The Cherokee carved out deep valleys; wherever this by their creator, long before have played the game, a he flew up again, mountains the Earth was even made. Those precursor of lacrosse, for sprung up. This explains why the that managed to stay awake were hundreds of years. Even today, Cherokee’s traditional homelands rewarded. This explains why elders retell the story of the contain so many mountains. animals such as owls and panthers mythical first competition to can see and hunt at night. The players before a game. Night and day cedar, the pine, and other plants When the soil was completely dry, also stayed awake, and they were Anetso is a fiercely physical the animals descended to Earth rewarded with the ability to remain game, where rough tackles are and found it was very dark. So they green in every season. encouraged, but it is also took the sun and made it move deeply spiritual. A tribal across the sky from east to west Human beings member known as a “conjurer” each day. At first, the sun was too Man eventually came to live upon helps to prepare the athletes close to the earth, and so hot that the island. The first people were a with cleansing rituals before it burned the crawfish Tsiska’gïlï’, brother and sister. The brother and after matches, while other turning it red. The Cherokee struck the sister with a fish and tribal members perform believe that this spoiled the told her to bear children. Every dances and ceremonies. crawfish’s meat, and will not eat it. seven days after this, the woman gave birth to a child. However, the Because you [deciduous The animals moved the sun up population grew so rapidly that trees] have not endured to until it was seven handbreadths the world started to become too the end, you shall lose your high, sitting just under the sky crowded. From then on, women arch. After this, the animals and could only give birth once a year. ■ hair every winter. plants tried to stay awake for seven Myths of the Cherokee

238 WLIFEEAVIEARMOF SPIDER WOMAN IN BRIEF M any of the southwestern also revere the Spider Grandmother tribes of the United as Gogyeng Sowuhti, a spirit of THEME States, such as the Hopi, wisdom and medicine. She dwells Creation the Keres, the Choctaw, and the in the Underworld, which the Hopi Navajo, all share similar creation see as a place from which all life is SOURCE myths explaining how the first born and must emerge. Oral tradition, recorded in humans came to be. The Hopi Spider Woman Stories, G. M. creation myth states that in the Creating nature Mullett, 1979; A Dictionary of beginning, all that existed was According to the Hopi, Tawa and Creation Myths, David Adams water. It hung between the realm the Earth Mother worked together Leeming and Margaret above—the skies—and the realm to create the world. Gazing at the Adams Leeming, 1995. below, which would become the earth. Tawa, the Sun Father, SETTING controlled everything above, and The beginning of time; the Spider Woman, the Earth Mother, southwestern United States. ruled below. KEY FIGURES Creating nature Tawa The Sun Father; Spider Woman, also known as a creator god. “Thinking Woman,” or “Spider Grandmother,” was a creator Spider Woman The Earth goddess, said to be as old as time, Mother; a creator goddess. yet as young as eternity. To the Navajo, Spider Woman is also a teacher who gave the sacred art of weaving to humanity. The Hopi refer to the creator goddess as Kokyangwuti in their language, but Spider Rock is a stone spire 830 feet (250 m) tall formed 230 million years ago in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. It is traditionally regarded as the lair of Spider Woman.

THE AMERICAS 239 See also: Cherokee creation 236–37 ■ The Woge settle a dispute 240–41 ■ The raven and the whale 242–43 Spider Woman carries a cross, They lay still until she covered Together the first gods symbolizing fire, on this Mississipian them in a blanket she had woven. placed a sacred blanket over shell disc (c.1000 ce). The Choctaw As she murmured over them, the new beings and chanted believe fire was gifted to humans by the creatures stirred, and Spider the song of life. The beings Spider Woman after animals refused it. Woman gave each a spirit. stirred into life. empty sky, Spider Woman spun a Tawa and Spider Woman then A Dictionary of huge web, laced it with dew, and decided to create humans to care Creation Myths threw it out into the sky, creating for the animals. Again, Spider stars above. Then Tawa and Spider Woman fashioned these new When they reached the surface, Woman decided to populate the beings from clay, and she and Spider Woman showed her people earth with animals. Tawa laid the blanket over them. the power of the soil, running it This time, however, they did not through her hands and teaching Tawa dreamed of birds flying move, so, gathering them in her them about growing food. She said and fish swimming in the waters, arms, she and Tawa sang until that crops would flourish in their and Spider Woman formed these the humans came to life. Tawa lands because Tawa would shine animals one by one out of clay. would bring light to shine upon his light and rain would fall. Spider them each day and rain would Woman then returned to the fall. The Sun Father and the Earth Underworld, promising the people Mother now decided that they had that she and Tawa would always fulfilled their roles and would not watch over their creations. ■ create any more beings, instead allowing them to multiply. Parting guidance Spider Woman divided the growing people into tribes, giving them their names and languages. The Hopi, Zuni, Ute, Comanche, and Pueblo people were led from the Underworld by Spider Woman. Navajo weaving is also central to their holistic spirituality, which makes no While many historians believe distinction between art and daily that the Navajo learned the art life. Through example and their of weaving from the Pueblos, stories, elders still teach this Navajo mythology teaches that worldview today. Spider Woman brought spinning and weaving to the tribe, Young weavers hear the myth sharing her knowledge with the of the art’s origins at the same people. According to the Navajo, time as they begin to learn the Spider Woman’s son made the process. Before they start, elders first spindles from lightning and instruct them to find a spider web the first loom from the sun, sky, in the early morning, still sparkling and earth. with dew, and to place their palm on the web without destroying Weaving blankets and rugs it. In this way, their spirits can remains a valuable source of receive Spider Woman’s sacred income for the Navajo, but it gift of weaving.

240 BDEOVEAUEGNTRICNWYETAEFHLDOILNERFEGIRRTWOSBKMIELICNLTAHCUAOSTMEE THE WOGE SETTLE A DISPUTE IN BRIEF C entral to the culture of the told to the American anthropologist Yurok and other Native Alfred L. Kroeber in the early 1900s THEME Americans are traditional by Jim, a Yurok from Pekwan in Bringing balance to ceremonies that feature sacred present-day Humboldt County. the world dances. Among the most important is the Deerskin Dance (deer were a In the time of the Woge—the SOURCES crucial food source), which is still ancient spirit beings that the Yurok Oral tradition transcribed in performed during World Renewal considered to be the First People— World Renewal: A Cult System rituals to safeguard the earth. In of Native Northwest California, Yurok mythology, the dance is also A Hupa man stands spear in hand A. L. Kroeber and E. W. Gifford, specifically associated with the ready to fish in a photo from 1923 by 1949. building of a salmon dam. The Edward S. Curtis. At this time, salmon account of the dance’s origins was were important for survival in the areas SETTING where tribes had rights to fish. Northwestern California in the time of the Woge. KEY FIGURES Woge The first people of the Yurok tribe; ancient beings who lived along the Klamath River. Kepel Ancestors of the Yurok tribe, living upstream from the Turip villagers. Turip A tribe living downstream from the Kepel.

THE AMERICAS 241 See also: Cherokee creation 236–37 ■ Spider Woman 238–39 ■ Raven and the whale 242–43 ■ The first canoe 258–59 Spiritual leaders Men and women who take on natural medicine to treat sickness. Traditionally, Yurok and Hupa the role of spiritual leader in In the past, they were often called shamans were women who received Native American communities upon to predict the future, or to their calling in dreams. This Hupa still command great respect. bring good fishing or hunting. shaman was photographed in 1923. Although many tribes no longer use the word “shaman,” such Traditionally, spiritual leaders leaders are said to receive power of northwestern California play and knowledge, primarily a key role in the annual World through dreams, from ancestral Renewal ceremonies. To prepare, prehuman spirits who departed the leaders go to nearby hills to or transformed themselves into fast and pray, and call upon the animals, trees, rocks, and plants healing powers of their ancestral when humans arrived. Many of spirits. During the ritual, wearing today’s leaders are healers, masks and regalia, they perform using their spiritual powers and healing rites and take part in the sacred dances. large salmon no longer swam up it up and let them keep it. We will for the smoke from villagers’ fires the Klamath River to where the take care of this dam also; we shall indicating that, as promised, they Kepel lived. They could only catch visit now and then to see it.” had come together at Klamath small fish, and became upset since River to remake the salmon dam. the salmon were their staple food. The Kepel man who had taken The cause was a dam erected near the Turip dam then announced that Every year, the Yurok reenacted the mouth of the river by the Turip; it would stay at his village and the dam-building in fall, at the peak the mature fish coming from the declared that a Deerskin Dance of the salmon season. This ritual ocean to spawn upriver could not should begin “because everything culminated in the Deerskin Dance, swim beyond that point. will come out well from that.” He performed by men bearing poles called on the people to dance and hung with deerskins, followed by a One Kepel man decided they to rebuild the dam every year, Jump Dance. The event, which should remove the dam and take it warning that “much sickness” Kroeber saw and described, to their village. With help from his would result if they failed to do so. continued into the 20th century. ■ people, he pulled it from the river and carried it off. The people of Watchful spirits Very well, keep it well. Turip were angered by the loss of Then the Woge, who approved of Hold to it as long as they their dam. They wanted it back the dam, began to leave the Kepel make the Deerskin Dance, and set off toward Kepel to try villagers to find places from which because it will be good to regain it. they could watch over all of the people. At each place they vowed to for the people. A peaceful settlement create a Deerskin Dance to bring World Renewal As the Turip people approached, good fortune, and the people at their chief saw the many Kepel each of these new sites were villagers at work installing their happy; upriver at Olar, for instance, new dam. Fearing that his people they said: “When it is bad in the might be killed if they attacked, world, it will become well again he decided not to fight the Kepel when they dance here.” people. As they stood on the hillside overlooking the dam, he Some Woge stayed close to told his men, “We had better give Kepel, going up into 10 small hills overlooking the village to watch out

242 SSTHHHEEADWWEAHOSAFLTEHE THE RAVEN AND THE WHALE IN BRIEF F or the Inuit in Alaska and from the disasters that befell him. other parts of the western In many retellings of the story, THEME Arctic region, Raven was the trickster hero was entirely Animal tricksters a powerful creator god. He created manipulative and self-serving, the world, bringing light, man, and while other adaptations allowed SOURCE animals into being. At the same Raven to redeem himself through Oral tradition recorded in The time, Raven was a trickster and healing dances and songs. Central Eskimo about Bering Strait, a shape-shifter, concealing his to each story, however, was the Edward W. Nelson, 1899. human form inside a bird’s body. sacred sacrifice of the whale, and This is a common characteristic the honoring of its inua, or soul. SETTING of other animal heroes in Native The Arctic in ancient times. American myth. Raven sees the whale According to one Inuit myth, Raven KEY FIGURES Inuit stories involving Raven gazed out at sea from the shore, Raven Creator of the world, and the whale explored the dual admiring the world he had created. a trickster god. nature of Raven’s transformation: he In the wide expanse of blue, he changed his shape, but also learned spied a large, graceful shape Whale A sea creature honored moving through the water. Curious, by the Inuit. Raven flew closer and realized it was a whale. He had never seen the A woman The inua, the heart inside of this mammoth creature and soul, or spirit, of the whale. and commanded the great beast to open its mouth. When the whale obeyed, Raven flew inside, carrying his fire drill, as he always did. He found himself in a room, beautifully lit by a lamp at one end and guarded by a young woman. The Inuit carved masks, such as this 19th-century stylized raven, to wear at ritual dances. Animal masks were popular, but masks could also represent people or characteristics.

THE AMERICAS 243 See also: Cherokee creation 236–37 ■ Spider Woman 238–39 ■ The Woge settle a dispute 240–41 ■ The Hero Twins 244–47 Carved from wood, this mask takes the form of a whale, but also resembles a canoe with oars. It may have been worn during Inuit ceremonies to ensure a successful hunt. The raven raised one of touch the tube from which the to the shore. As soon as the people its wings, pushed up its beak, oil was dripping while she was heard about the whale, they ran to out of the room. The same thing the shore to cut away the meat, and like a mask, to the top of happened the next day, and the day Raven escaped unnoticed. He its head, and changed at after that. Each time the woman returned as a man and warned the fetched food for Raven, she warned people that if they found a fire drill once into a man. him not to touch the oil. inside the whale they would die. The Eskimo about For three days, Raven was The people ran away in fright Bering Strait patient, but on the fourth day, he while Raven, transformed back into could not contain his greed. As a bird once more, gave thanks to Raven recognized the woman as soon as the woman had left the the whale’s inua for the feast he the whale’s inua, its heart and soul. room, Raven clawed at the tube and was about to enjoy. ■ The woman told Raven to stand licked the oil as fast as he could. back from the lamp. He did as she When he ripped the tube from the asked but noticed that oil dripped ceiling to make the oil flow faster, into the lamp from a tube running the oil gushed out, flooded the along the whale’s backbone. whale’s belly, and extinguished the lamp, plunging the room into Tempted by the oil total darkness. The inua offered to fetch berries and oil for her guest. Before she left The inua never returned. Raven the room, she warned Raven not to rolled around inside the whale as it thrashed about in the ocean. The great animal only became still as the waves washed its dead body The sacred whale hunt weapons. These rituals showed great respect to the whale and The whale hunt is an ancient Inuit its spirit, and represented deeply practice, central to the Artic held beliefs that the hunters’ people’s survival and beliefs, a success depended on securing version of which continues today. the spirit’s cooperation. Whaling communities prepared for the annual hunt by making new After the hunt, the Inuit clothes and boat covers. Hunters welcomed the dead whale with performed cleansing ceremonies a gift of fresh water presented in and armed themselves with a ceremonial bucket. They sang specially carved amulets and songs to celebrate the whale’s sacrifice. Honoring the whale in Inuit people traditionally hunted this way ensured success the narwhals and other whales, sea otters, following year, for the whale’s and seals. They also fished for salmon spirit would return to the sea to through holes in the ice. tell other whales that it had been well treated.

244 IN BRIEF BTAAOENNLDDTOHTTNEHHGEEOSTSMTHUOOENORONNE THEME Sacrifice and rebirth THE HERO TWINS SOURCES Popol Vuh, Anonymous, mid-16th century. SETTING Earth; Xibalba (The Maya Underworld), at the beginning of time. KEY FIGURES Hun-Hunahpu Father of the Hero Twins. Xquic Moon goddess; mother of the Hero Twins. Hunahpu and Xbalanque The Hero Twins; sons of Hun-Hunahpu and Xquic. Vucub-Caquix Macaw god; father of Zipacana and Cabrakan. Hun-Came and Vucub- Came The two highest death gods of the Underworld. H un-Hunahpu and Vucub- Hunahpu were the twin sons of the divine match- maker Xpiacoc and the midwife goddess Xmucane. Hun-Hunahpu’s wife was a deity called Xbaquiyalo, and together they had twins: Hun- Chowen and Hun-Batz. The twins’ boisterous ball-playing attracted the anger of the Lords of Xibalba, a deadly Underworld of disease and decay. The Lords lured the twins to the Underworld to play the ball game against them. Before the game could take place, however, the twins were subjected to a series of challenges. When they failed, they were sacrificed and buried

See also: The adventures of Thor and Loki in Jötunheim 146–47 ■ The epic of THE AMERICAS 245 Gilgamesh 190–97 ■ The legend of the five suns 248–55 The Popol Vuh Xpiacoc Xmucane The divine lineage Hun-Hunahpu Vucub-Hunahpu of the Hero Twins is The Popol Vuh provides the described in the first fullest account of many key half of the Popol Vuh. Maya myths, and is perhaps Hun-Hunahpu and the most important sacred his wife, Xbaquiyalo, Mesoamerican document still had twins, but he in existence. It is divided into conceived the Hero three parts: the first concerns Twins through Xquic. the world’s creation, the second focuses on the tale of Xbaquiyalo Xquic Hunahpu and Xblanque, and the third depicts the founding Hun-Chowen Hun-Batz of the Quiché dynasty. Hunahpu Xbalanque Drawing on centuries of oral tradition, the Popol Vuh beneath the ball court in the was originally written in Maya Underworld. Hun-Hunahpu was hieroglyphs from 1554–1558. It decapitated and his head hung was consulted whenever the from a calabash tree as a warning Lords of the Quiché gathered to those who might cross them. in council (Popol Vuh means Even after death, he retained his “Book of Counsel”). After the potency. His spittle dripped into Spanish arrived in the early the hand of the moon goddess 16th century, they burned Xquic and impregnated her. Maya hieroglyphic books, but the Popol Vuh survived and Xquic, fleeing her angry father was secretly transcribed into in the Underworld, sought refuge Quiché, a Maya language, with Hun-Hunahpu’s mother on using the Roman alphabet. earth. Xmucane accepted her ❯❯ A copy of the transcribed Xquic picks Hun-Hunahpu’s head document found its way to from the forbidden tree, mistaking it for Chichicastenango, a town in a gourd, in this illustration by Gilbert the Guatemalan highlands. James for The Myths of Mexico and From 1701 to 1703, the parish Peru, by Lewis Spence (1913). priest, Francisco Ximénez, translated the text in parallel Quiché and Spanish columns. His manuscript remains the oldest surviving written account of the Popol Vuh. Extracts from the Popul Vuh manuscript, as translated by Ximénez, are kept in the Rossbach Archaeological Museum in Chichicastenango, Guatemala.

246 THE HERO TWINS The Hero Twins play against so embarrassed by their new Zipacna, a demon crocodile the lords of the Underworld in a stone appearance that they ran away monster, and Cabrakan, the relief from the South Ballcourt in the from home. earthquake god. Zipacna had ancient city of El Tajin, Mexico. earlier killed the Four Hundred Taming unruly gods Boys, who were the gods of alcohol. into her household. Xquic gave The storm god Huracan asked the Hunahpu and Xbalanque made a birth to Hunahpu and Xbalanque, Hero Twins to defeat the boastful fake crab out of flowers and a rock who grew up to be the Hero Twins. macaw god Vucub-Caquix, who and placed it in a narrow space claimed his metal nose was the Young cunning moon and his shiny nest was the Afterward you will come back The Hero Twins’ older half-brothers, sun. The Hero Twins approached to life again … did Hun-Chowen and Hun-Batz, him while he was feeding in a tree worried that the new arrivals would and shot at him with a blowgun. He you not bring us here in overshadow them, and tried to kill got away, so the Hero Twins turned order that we should entertain them. They forced Hunahpu and to trickery. They persuaded two you, the lords, your sons, and Xbalanque to hunt for them, but elderly gods, Great White Peccary the twins used this slight to get and Great White Coati, to approach your vassals? the better of them. They told Hun- Vucub-Caquix posing as healers. Popol Vuh Chowen and Hun-Batz that some The macaw god accepted their birds they had shot were caught in help, but they pulled out his high branches and had not fallen ornaments and replaced his eyes down. When Hun-Chowen and with corn kernels. Robbed of his Hun-Batz climbed up to get them, splendor, he perished. the tree grew so tall that they were unable to descend. Marooned there, Huracan then requested that they turned into monkeys, but were the Hero Twins dispatch Vucub- Caquix’s equally boastful sons,

THE AMERICAS 247 beneath an overhanging mountain. burning them in a stone pit. The The Mesoamerican ballgame was a Zipacana crawled into the crevice. Hero Twins had been informed ritual sport dating back to the 2nd When he tried to grab it, the Twins of this plan, and willingly jumped millennium bce. Sculptural reliefs at brought the mountain down on into the flames. Their bones were ballcourts after ca. 800 ce indicate the him, turning him into stone. ground down into powder and sport may have included dumped into a river. After five days, human sacrifice. The Zipacna’s brother Cabrakan, they were reborn as catfish and courts, which were the earthquake god, prided himself then took human form. The Hero around 197 feet (60 m) on bringing down mountains. The Twins wandered the Underworld long, included two goal Hero Twins told him that they knew as anonymous vagabonds and won rings through which of a perpetually growing mountain. great fame as wizards. The lords of players tried to get a Goal Cabrakan demanded to be shown the Underworld summoned them to sideview it so he could destroy it. As he perform, not knowing they were heavy rubber ball. followed the Hero Twins, he grew the Hero Twins. hungry. They fed him a roasted End Wall bird they had enchanted. When he In their show, Xbalanque ate it, he grew weak, and the Hero seemed to sacrifice Hunahpu, Bench Bench Twins tied him up and buried him. rolling his decapitated head along Wall Wall Now he held up mountains rather the floor, removing his heart, and than destroying them. then bringing him back to life. Goals When Hun-Came and Vucub-Came Final match demanded the trick be done on Playing One day, as the Hero Twins them, Xbalanque and Hunahpu Alley played ball, their noisy playing promptly sacrificed them. Revealing once again disturbed the lords of their true identity as the Hero End Wall the Underworld, who summoned Twins, they refused to resurrect Hunahpu and Xbalanque to their victims. From then on, they another game in the Underworld. declared, there would be no more human sacrifices to the lords of The lords of the Underworld the Underworld. The Hero Twins won the first match, and the Hero then ascended into the heavens; Twins had to spend a night in Xbalanque became the sun and Razor House, which was full of Hunahpu the moon. This brought sharp stone knives that moved of the cosmos to its present order. ■ their own accord. The Hero Twins survived by persuading the blades Interpreting the Hero Twins to stop moving. They survived the drafts and hail of the Cold House, Some scholars have challenged the full moon, and that the beasts of Jaguar House, and the interpretation of Hunahpu his mother Xquic accounts the flames of Fire House. Their final becoming the moon. This is for its other phases. Other trial was Bat House. Disaster struck because the Maya generally interpretations paint the when a bat swooped down and view the moon as feminine. myth as an exploration of the beheaded Hunahpu. Xbalanque As such, it is suggested that possibility of rebirth through made a new head for his brother Hunahpu actually became the rite of sacrifice. using a squash, or gourd, and the Venus, the morning star. Hero Twins resumed playing, using Many of these uncertainties Hunahpu’s head as a ball. The Hero Another tradition sees the stem from the Popol Vuh itself. Twins distracted their opponents, Hero Twins as representing Even though it draws on an reattached Hunahpu’s head, and different phases of the sun, with ancient myth, the original won the match. Hunahpu symbolizing the day Mayan text was composed and Xbalanque the night. There decades after the arrival of the Furious at their defeat, the is even a theory that proposes Spanish, which may have led to lords of the Underworld plotted to that Hunahpu only represents inconsistencies in its content. kill Hunahpu and Xbalanque by

SUNSO THEN THE WENT INTO THE SKY THE LEGEND OF THE FIVE SUNS