{"collection":"Native American","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/nam/ca/dow/dow12.htm","path":"nam/ca/dow/dow12.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/nam/ca/dow/dow12.htm","text":"The Dawn of the World, by C. Hart Merriam, [1910]\nFRAGMENT OF A CREATION STORY OF THE NORTHERN MEWUK\nFrom Aw'kim in the upper foothills between Middle and South Forks of Cosumnes River\nPERSONAGES\nO-l\u0101'-choo the Coyote-man\nPe-t\u0101'-le the Lizard-man\nYu'-ka-loo the Meadowlark-man\nWith a note on a Southern Nissenan creation myth in which the Moon figures as one of the early divinities\nO-LA'-CHOO the Coyote-man and Pe-t\u0101'-le the little Lizard-man made the world and everything in it.\nAfter they had done this, Pe-t\u0101'-le wanted to turn into the Moon but O-l\u0101'-choo the Coyote-man and Yu'-ka-loo the Meadowlark-man would not allow him to do so. 9\n59:9 This reference to the moon is the only one I have discovered among the Mewuk creation myths. But the next people on the north--the Nissenan--count the Moon-man among the early divinities. The Southern Nissenan give the following account of the creation of man:\nIn the beginning, Pombok the Moon-man, O'-leh the Coyote-man, and Pit-chak the Lizard-man decided to make people but differed as to what the first man should be like, for each of the three wanted man to be like himself.\nAfter they had argued a long time they finally agreed that man should have a round face like the Moon-man, but they could not agree as to his hands. Coyote-man insisted that he should have paws like his own, but Lizard-man said that paws would be of no use-that man should have five fingers so he could take hold of things. Finally Lizard-man carried his point and gave man five long fingers like his own.\nCoyote-man never forgave him, and to this day the Coyote hunts the lizard and kills him whenever he can.","title":"The Dawn of the World: Part I: Ancient Myths: The Coyote and the Lizard","type":"page"}