The Light Stealer

Giant sat in the heavens, looking down upon the world.  There was not much going on, so The Trickster decided to have a bit of fun.  He put on a raven skin and dove to earth.  As he flew over the water, he dropped a stone, which turned into an island.  He landed on the island, and took some seeds from his pocket.  Then he flew over the land and dropped seeds, and all kinds of fruit trees sprang up.  Then he flew over the waters again and dropped fish eggs, which became trout and other fish.

Giant was still feeling mischievous, so he spotted the home of one of the goddesses.  In her home was the maa.  So he turned himself into a baby and hid inside of her.  He was soon born, and a remarkable baby he was!  He could sit up and speak before he was a month old, and his parents marveled at him.  One day, as he sat on the floor, cooing and laughing, he began to speak.  "Maa!  Maa!"  His father - or, rather, the man who thought he was the father - said, "I believe he wants the maa."  So they took it down form the hearth and gave it to him.  He rolled it along the floor, and soon they ignored him.

So giant, seeing the opportunity, grabbed the maa, shed his baby form, and took off running.  The gods were angry, and ran after him.  "Giant is taking the maa!" they cried.

Giant stood on the bank of a river, where people were fishing.  "Give me some fish!" he cried.

"No!  You are Giant!  You are a liar!"

"I will break the maa if you do not give me fish!" 

But the people refused.  So Giant broke the maa upon the ground, and the earth had daylight.  Then Giant put on the raven skin again, and flew off into the sky.

-From the Tsimshian peoples of Alaska, found in Giants: Legends and Lore of Goliaths


This week's myth is a classic example of Telephone Mythology at work.  The parallels between this Alaskan myth and the Greek myth of Prometheus are astonishing, and, unless we believe that Telephone Mythology is possible, difficult to dismiss.

If you are unfamiliar with the story of Prometheus, here's a quick explanation:

Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus, both Titans, were charged with creating the world and everything in it.  They split up the job, with Epimetheus creating the animals and people.  However, since he was rather liberal with his materials, when it came time to create man, he didn't have anything "special" left.  So Prometheus ascended into heaven, stole fire from the sun, and gave it to the newly-created humans.  This action earned him the nickname of "Trickster," but it also enraged the gods, who eventually punished him for his deeds.

Now consider:

In the Greek myth:                                          In the Alaskan myth:
1) A giant partially creates the world             1) A giant partially creates the world
2) Prometheus is known as a "trickster."        2) Giant is known as a "liar"
3) Prometheus brings fire from the sun to      3) Giant brings the light of the sun to the world
     earth.
4) The gods are angry with Prometheus         4) The gods are angry with Giant.


Coincidence?  Possibly, but if we're honest and realistic the parallels are far too similar to truly dismiss as independently invented.  It would, in fact, take far more blind faith to believe that these two myths were invented independently of each other than to believe that the story was passed down from generation to generation and culture to culture until it evolved into the story we see in the Native Americans of Alaska.

Telephone Mythology, which requires a singular event in the history of mankind that we commonly call The Tower of Babel, is not a popular theory.  And, while this week's myth certainly does not prove anything - after all, none of us were there - it does suggest that much of ancient literature may be more than just symbolism and superstition.  So now, readers, I leave it in your hands:  what do you think of Telephone Mythology?  Possible, plausible, or preposterous?