Stickball Player

(Stickball Game)

Each village or township would have stickball players. They would play this game against each other for the beauty of the game. Other times this game was used to settle disputes against each other or other tribes. This game was sometimes called "The Little Game of War." The game was used to prevent war (death/injury) against one another.

The medicine man (Shaman) would challenge another township/village by arriving outside the village before day break. There he would wait until day break then yell, "Da-la-la," (Remember the little woodpecker.) The Shaman would call out until he heard a reply. The game was on.

Woodpecker

(Da-La-La)

The Woodpecker and the Cherokee

Long before written history, the Cherokee spoke of the little woodpecker. Although small and beautiful, the Cherokee used its motions as medicine to call for a stickball game. They watched him as he hunted for food. He would peck the tree trunk a number of times then he would listen. If he did not hear movement, he would peck again until he found his prey.

Spider Brings The Fire

In the beginning there was no fire, the world was cold. The Thunder Beings who live above sent the lightning and put the fire at the bottom of a hollow log on an island. The animals knew it was there, because they could see the glow of the fire on the island. They called for a great council to discuss how to get the fire. All the animals were excited and volunteered to bring the fire to the main land first. The Raven was the first to go. Raven was a beautiful white bird. When Raven flew into the rising smoke it caused his feathers to turn black. To this day, that is why the Raven is black. Raven turned back. Other birds tried, Hoot Owl, Screech Owl and Horned Owl, but they failed. The others began to make excuses why they could not go. At last the little spider was selected all the others laughed and said, "You're so small, what can you do?" The little spider said nothing, but set out to go get the fire after walking across the water to the island, she set about weaving a small basket from her webbing. Then she placed a hot ember in the basket and came back. To this day that is why the Cherokee have fire.

The Water Beetle Dayuni si' Beaver's Grandchild

How the World Was Made

Before the Earth, all lived above in the sky. The place became very crowded. Below there was only water. As the crowd grew in the sky, they began to wonder what was below the water. At last, Dayun si' "Beaver's Grandchild", the little water beetle offered to go and see what it could learn. It darted in every direction over the surface of the water but could find no firm place to rest. Then it dived to the bottom and came up with some soft mud, which began to grow and spread until it became the island, which we call the Earth.