TEXT: ANIMAL LEGENDS 
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  1
   
   
   
   
  ANIMAL LEGENDS 
   
  Legends from Australia (Aboriginal), Iceland and 
  Canada 
   
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  ANIMAL LEGENDS 
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  2
  Animal Legends 
  The Legs of the Kangaroo 
  an Australian Aboriginal legend  
  The Christmas Cat 
  an Icelandic legend  
  How Fly Saved the River 
  an Ojibway tale from Canada 
   
  
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  The Legs of the Kangaroo 
   
  an Australian Aboriginal Legend 
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  Many are the legends connected with this unique animal. When it arrived in Australia with its 
  companions on the canoe of the Whale its legs were uniform in length. It walked on all four legs, 
  as a dingo walks. One generation was succeeded by another, and still the Kangaroo browsed on 
  the plains, using his legs in the normal manner. 
  Then came Man the hunter, eager for meat, with threatening spear-thrower and spear that could 
  travel faster than any four-legged animal. 
   
  Kangaroo was resting in the shade of a tree when his sensitive ears picked up the sound of 
  something approaching stealthily. He bounded to his feet and saw it was a Man--and that Man 
  had a weapon against which he was defenceless. The only thing to do was to take refuge in 
  flight. 
   
  Kangaroo had seen that the strange creature threatening him with a throwing implement had only 
  two legs. He felt confident that his four legs would carry him out of danger without difficulty. 
   
  He had underestimated his enemy. Man proved swift and strong. His two legs were longer than 
  Kangaroo's four legs, and more strongly muscled. They carried Man tirelessly for hour after 
  hour. No matter how he extended himself, Kangaroo was unable to increase his lead. He was 
  saved only by the setting sun and the darkness that fell on the earth. 
   
  Exhausted by his exertions, Kangaroo fell wearily to the ground. Presently he lifted his head. A 
  bright light had appeared in the darkness. Man had kindled a fire to warm himself in the cold 
  night air. Cautiously Kangaroo edged back, rose to his feet, and tiptoed away from the revealing 
  light of the camp fire. In order to make no sound, he rose on his hind legs and in this manner 
  managed to escape. 
   
  Presently he realised that he was using only two legs instead of four, just as Man had done 
  during the long pursuit. It was an unusual sensation. He experimented further, and found he 
  could cover the ground more quickly by hopping instead of walking or running. Using his tail to 
  balance himself, he was able to leap further, much further than a Man could stride. It was such an 
  exhilarating experience that he has kept on doing it ever since. 
   
  His forelegs and paws were of little use. They grew smaller, while his hind legs grew longer and 
  stronger, and they have remained like that to this very day. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  The Christmas Cat 
   
  from Iceland  
   
  There is a legend, that is 100-200 years old, which says that unless you get at 
  least one new garment to wear for Christmas you "get caught by the Christmas 
  Cat" or "dress the Christmas Cat" as the saying goes. The Christmas Cat was 
  supposed to be some kind of a monster that originally came from the other nordic 
  countries. But still today we talk about it and make sure that everyone has 
  something new to wear on Christmas otherwise you'll get caught. To give you a 
  better picture of the Cat I translated an icelandic poem about this kitty (you''ll 
  have to forgive me but I didn't make it rhyme - I'm not much of a poet).  
  The Christmas Cat  
  You all know the Cristmas Cat  
  And that Cat was huge indeed.  
  People didn't know where he came from  
  Or where he went.  
  He opened his glaring eyes wide,  
  The two of them glowing bright.  
  It took a really brave man  
  To look straight into them.  
  His whiskers, sharp as bristles,  
  His back arched up high.  
  And the claws of his hairy paws  
  Were a terrible sight.  
  He gave a wave of his strong tail,  
  He jumped and he clawed and he hissed.  
  Sometimes up in the valley,  
  Sometimes down by the shore.  
  He roamed at large, hungry and evil  
  In the freezing Christmas snow.  
  In every home  
  People shuddered at his name.  
  If one heard a pittiful "meow"  
  Something evil would happen soon.  
  Everybody knew he hunted men  
  But didn't care for mice.  
  
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  He picked on the very poor  
  That no new garments got  
  For Christmas - who toiled  
  And lived in dire need.  
  From them he took in one fell swoop  
  Their whole Christmas dinner  
  Always eating it himself  
  If he possibly could.  
  Hence it was that the women  
  At their spinning-weels sat  
  Spinning a colorful thread  
  For a frock or a litle sock.  
  Because you mustn't let the Cat  
  Get hold of the litle children.  
  They had to get something new to wear  
  From the grownups each year.  
  And when the lights came on, on Christmas eve  
  And the Cat peered in,  
  The little children stood rosy and proud  
  All dressed up in their new clothes.  
  Some had gotten an apron  
  And some had gotten shoes  
  Or something that was needed  
  - That was all it took.  
  For all who got something new to wear  
  Stayed out of that pussy-cat's grasp  
  He then gave an awful hiss  
  But went on his way.  
  Whether he still exsists I do not know.  
  But his visit would be in vain  
  If next time everybody  
  Got something new to wear.  
  Now you might be thinking of helping  
  Where help is needed most.  
  Perhaps you'll find some children  
  That have nothing at all.  
  
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  Perhaps searching for those  
  That live in a light-less world  
  Will give you a happy day  
  And a merry merry Christmas.  
  I hope yours will be a happy one too  
  Viggi  
  Vignir Jonsson  
  Reykjaveg  
  Iceland  
  This contribution comes from The Multi-Cultural Calendar, a project run by KIDLINK. You can 
  find out more about this excellent group by Gophering to: kids.ccit.duq.edu 
   
   
   
  How the Fly Saved the River  
  an Ojibway legend fron Eastern Canada  
  The author and artist is Ril Gaiashk.  
  This contribution comes from G Dufton's Grade 8 Class at Bessborough Dr.Public 
  School, Toronto, Canada. The original artwork and legend hangs in the front hall 
  of the school.  
   
   
  How the Fly Saved the River  
  Many, many years ago when the world was new, there was a 
  beautiful river. Fish in great numbers lived in this river, and its 
  
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  water was so pure and sweet that all the animals came there to 
  drink.  
  A giant moose heard about the river and he too came there to 
  drink. But he was so big, and he drank so much, that soon the 
  water began to sink lower and lower.  
  The beavers were worried. The water around their lodges was 
  disappearing. Soon their homes would be destroyed.  
  The muskrats were worried, too. What would they do if the water 
  vanished? How could they live?  
  The fish were very worried. The other animals could live on land if 
  the water dried up, but they couldn't.  
  All the animals tried to think of a way to drive the moose from the 
  river, but he was so big that they were too afraid to try. Even the 
  bear was afraid of him.  
  At last the fly said he would try to drive the moose away. All the 
  animals laughed and jeered. How could a tiny fly frighten a giant 
  moose? The fly said nothing, but that day, as soon as the moose 
  appeared, he went into action.  
  He landed on the moose's foreleg and bit sharply. The moose 
  stamped his foot harder, and each time he stamped, the ground 
  sank and the water rushed in to fill it up. Then the fly jumped 
  about all over the moose, biting and biting and biting until the 
  moose was in a frenzy. He dashed madly about the banks of the 
  river, shaking his head, stamping his feet, snorting and blowing, 
  but he couldn't get rid of that pesky fly. At last the moose fled from 
  the river, and didn't come back.  
  The fly was very proud of his achievement, and boasted to the 
  other animals, "Even the small can fight the strong if they use 
  their brains to think."  
  Ojibway - an explanation:  
  The tribes called "Chippewa" (a corruption of Ojibway, itself not the native 
  name) generally call themselves Anishnabeg people. This 
  linguistic/ethnic/cultural group, which is located around the Great Lakes in the 
  U.S. and Canada, is comprised of many tribes and reserves--most of these defined 
  by modern (that is 19th century) treaties with the respective governments of the 
  U.S. and Canada.  
  
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  The above information is supplied by Paula Giese, who can be contacted by e-
  mail at pgiese@gold.tc.umn.edu. Paula is the webmistress of a web site for Indian 
  Schools in the US and Canada. Her site includes more stories from the Indian 
  Nations. 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Browse/Resources/_GM Books/Myth/Animal Legends Legends from Australia (Aboriginal), Iceland & Canada.pdf