Dying and Death
Kono of Sierra Leone
The Supreme Being entrusted the new skins for the people to the Dog but when the Snake over heard the Dog explaining what was in his bundle he slipped away and stole it and he shared the new skins with other snakes. The Dog and the man went to God but it was too late, the snake kept the skins. Since then humans have died.’
-Parrinder. G.
Bassari of West Africa
Unumbotte came down from the sky and asked: “Who ate the fruit?” They answered: “We did.” Unumbotte asked: “Who told you that you could eat that fruit?” They replied: “Snake did.” Unumbotte asked: “Why did you listen to Snake?” They said: “We were hungry.” Unumbotte questioned Antelope: “Are you hungry, too?” Antelope said: “Yes, I get hungry. I like to eat grass.” Since then, Antelope has lived in the wild, eating grass. Unumbotte then gave sorghum to Man, also yams and millet. And the people gathered in eating groups that would always eat from the same bowl, never the bowls of the other groups it was from this that differences in language arose. And ever since then, the people have ruled the land. But Snake was given by Unumbotte a medicine with which to bite people.
-Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell “The Power of Myth”. PBS.
Persian
Consequently they fell, and forfeited the eternal happiness for which they were destined. They killed beasts, and clothed themselves in their skins. The evil demon obtained still more perfect power over their minds,598
BlackfootIndians
The Sun and Moon had known that feather woman would dig up the Great Turnip despite their warnings. They were very sad because she had disobeyed them and must now be banished forever from the Sky-Country. Her husband said to her “You can never return to the Sky-Country. You have committed great sin and brought unhappiness and death into the world” Hearing this was too much for Feather Woman to bear; soon she died of her unhappiness. The Sun explained to Feather Woman’s son that the people on earth were suffering as a result of Feather Woman’s disobedience.599
Mesopotamia
The food and drink that Anu king of the gods offered would have made Adapa immortal. “Why has Ea revealed to impure mankind The heart of heaven and earth? A heart... has created within him, has made him a name? What can we do with him? Food of life Bring him, that be man, eat.”Food of lifeThey brought him, but he ate not. Water of life They brought him, but he drank not. Garments They brought him. He clothed himself. Oil They brought him. He anointed himself. So Anu condemned Adapa to death. Anu looked at him; he wondered at him.” Come, Adapa, why hast thou not eaten, not drunken? Now thou shalt not live.”
... men ...Ea, my lord Said: “Eat not, drink not.” Take him and bring him back to his earth.600
598 DOANE .T. W pg.8.
599 Parallel Mythology
600 Coleman. J. A. p. 19.and R.W. Rogers ADAPA AND THE FOOD OF LIFE
Burmese
The sun-god discovered Apauk-kyit-hok’s deception and was angry and from then on allowed men to die.601
Ancient Australians
Letting the firewood drop to the ground, she began to climb the tree. Suddenly there was a rush of air and a dark shape with huge black wings enveloped her. It was Narahdarn the bat, whom Baiame had put there to guard his yarran tree. The first woman ran home and hid in the darkest corner. The evil she had done could never be remedied. She had released Narahdarn into the world, and from that day onward he became the symbol of death that afflicts all of the descendants of the first man. It was the end of a golden age for the first man and his wife, and the yarran tree wept at the thought.602
Ancient Australians; Murray River
Nooralie the Great Spirit was so annoyed that his faithful friend had been disturbed that he brought death to men and women as the final act of creation.603
601 Coleman. J. A. p. 78.
602 Reed .A.W. pp 298-299.
603 Reed .A.W. pp 104.
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