Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
There was a male child whose father was unknown and all the creatures assembled to try to discover who it was. They said, "Each of you make an arrow and bring it here, and call to him to come and
get it. The one whose arrow he comes to get will be his father." When all were assembled one of them said, "Boy, come and get the arrow." All said the same thing to no purpose. The boy did not respond. When they were through they heard someone shouting in the distance. "We thought we were all here," they said. The person kept on shouting and proved to be the Wåhgalānoh (a bird with long legs like a crane) bringing a fish which he had caught. "That is my father," said the boy. Then all ran off and disappeared.
198:1 Wåhgalānoh seems to mean "yellow crane."