September 06, 2004

Don't go digging potatoes.

So I'm reading through the American Lit reading for tomorrow. Oh, my. The American Indians do indeed have some entertaining stories. Take this passage from "A Tale of the Sky World." This account describes one aspect of creation. At this moment in the story, the only humans on the Earth are a woman and her daughter.


Before long the young daughter gave signs that she was about to become a mother. Her mother reproved her, saying that she had violated the injunction not to face the east, as her condition showed that she had faced the wrong way while digging potatoes... When the days of her delivery were at hand, she overheard twins within her body in a hot debate as to which should be born first and as to the proper place of exit, one declaring that he was going to emerge through the armpit of his mother, the other saying that he would emerge in the natural way.

Needless to say, Scholl, Anna, and Ardith were all highly entertained when I read this to them in the Ice Cave. I shall leave it to Scholl to repeat Scholl's comments.

Ever wondered why I'm getting an English minor?

Posted by Gallagher at September 6, 2004 08:27 PM