The Ancient World (HUM 124 - UNC Asheville)/Significance of Creatures in Accident Stories

Creatures in accident stories

In the first week of class we were assigned to read several stories and compare and contrast them. I found that throughout most of the stories water and creatures have more significance to the creation of man.

"The Chameleon Finds" (Cherokee story)

Summary

In this story the animals were the superior ones and actually put man onto earth. The chameleon actually caught people like they were fish and put them on earth. Eventually man ruined the earth and the chameleon and other creatures left earth.

Comparing to Today

These stories represent the ideas people had about the creation of earth and evolution of people during the time this was wrote. Comparing this story to today's normal ideas of how everything revolved is very different. From what I have read animals do not have a huge contribution in the creation of man or anything. Animals today barely have any significance at all. In the Christian faith God is the one man looks up to. God is seen as a higher power. In this story the creatures are seen as the higher powers.

Importance

I think that this has a lot to do with the significance with water. Water seems to often connect to the higher power in each story. As humans we need water to survive and I think that plays a huge part in the relation to it. In The Chameleon Finds the Chameleon discovers humans in the water. In the bible there are different stories relating back to water, like Noah's ark. Living things need water and we are constantly surrounded by water. In my opinion this shows that not only does man need water to survive but man would also need living creatures.

Genesis 1-2

Summary

God spent seven days creating basically all of earth. He created water, light, sky, earth sprout, living creatures, then man, in that order.

Comparing to today

This is what the Christians believe in today, so this 'story' is still relevant to many people today.

Importance

God created water first. This goes along with the reoccurring theme of water being one of the most important elements of creation stories. The living creatures were as well brought to earth by god before man. This highlights the importance of both water and the living creatures. It seems obvious that water is significant to humans existence, but it appears that living creatures are as well.

"Why the Sun and Moon are in the Sky" (Ibibio story)

Summary

The sun and water were portrayed almost as people. The sun would visit the water, but the water could not visit the sun. The water took up too much space and told the sun that it was dangerous for him, but the sun kept persisting. When the water finally visited the sun and his wife, the moon, the water filled up the house were the sun and moon lived and kicked them out. The sun and the moon went up to the sky after getting kicked out and that is why the sun and the moon are where they are today.

Comparing to today

Today with science and all the other religions present this is an extremely unrealistic way of how the sun and moon are in the sky. It is a good story to tell but it unfortunately is not close to any of the stories that are present today. There is still some connection with the power of water though.

Importance

The water in this story carried all the creatures and still had an important role. Even though the story does not include the creation of man it still demonstrates the importance to the earth in general.