Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
Heron and Humming Bird agreed to race. They said to each other, "We will race for four days, and whichever first on the fourth day reaches and sits down by a big dead tree standing on the bank of the river shall own all the fish in the water." When the time for the race came, Heron started off, while Humming Bird went along or stopped as he chose. While he was going about tasting the flowers Heron overtook him and went on past, while Humming Bird when he got ready went on and overtook Heron. He passed him and when he got a considerable distance ahead tasted the flowers again. While he was flitting about, Heron kept on, reached him, and went past, but while he was going along Humming Bird overtook and passed him once more. When night came he stopped and slept. Humming Bird sat there asleep, but Heron traveled all night. He went on past and when day came Humming Bird chased him and again overtook him. They went on and the night of the fourth day Humming Bird also slept. He sat where he was until morning and then started on, but when he got to where the dead tree stood, Heron had reached it first and was sitting on it. When Humming Bird got there Heron said to him, "We agreed that whoever got to the dead tree first should own all of the water. Now all of the water is mine." Because Heron said to Humming Bird, "You must not drink water but only taste of the flowers when you travel about," Humming Bird has since merely tasted of the flowers.
This is how it has always been told.