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Origin of Disease & Medicine
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| According to Cherokee legend, many years ago all animals, plants, and humans lived in harmony with the ability to speak to each other. As years passed, humans multiplied in great numbers and their weapons became more destructive. As their population grew, so did their desire to conquer the animals for food, clothing, and sport. The animals feared their destruction at the hand of Man. White Bear, the chief of the bear tribe, met with his bears and they decided to wage war on Man. Next the deer joined in, followed by the fish and reptiles. Each animal tribe had their own response to the human's carelessness but after many negative ideas they settled on one tactic: disease. For every cruel act inflicted by Man, the animals created a disease to inflict on them. When the plants, who were friends of the humans, heard of the plans for disease they decided to help. The end result was that for every disease created by the animals, the plants would provide an antidote for healing.
Adapted from James Mooney, Myths of the Cherokee (Washington: Government Printing Office 1900), 250-52. |