How the Rattlesnakes Came to be what they Are

Name: How the Rattlesnakes Came to be what they Are
Author: Frank Hamilton Cushing

The narrative describes a time when Rattlesnakes were once human beings living in a village called Yathlpewʻnan. The story begins with children who wish to play on the sandbanks near a river, taking their younger sister with them. Despite their mother's warning to be cautious, the little girl runs into the path of an older sibling sliding down the hill, resulting in a tragic accident that leads to her death. The children mourn their sister, singing a lament as they carry her home. The mother, upon seeing them approach, realizes the calamity and expresses her grief through a traditional cry, which is echoed by the grandmother and the rest of the village. The collective sorrow causes everyone to faint, and when they regain consciousness, they find themselves transformed into Rattlesnakes, unable to rise and instead wriggling along the ground. The tale concludes with a moral reflection on the past humanity of the Rattlesnakes, emphasizing a respect for life and a reminder not to kill them needlessly, as they were once a proud people. The story serves as an origin myth, explaining the transformation of humans into Rattlesnakes and imparting a lesson about care, responsibility, and the consequences of actions.

By Frank Hamilton Cushing · First published 1883 · Genre: Mythology, Fable, Fantasy · 824 words

First lines

Know you that long, long ago there lived at Yathlpewʻnan, as live there now, many Rattlesnakes; but then they were men and women, only of a Rattlesnake kind.

One day the little children of one of the houses there wished to go out to play at sliding down the sandbanks south of the Bitter Pond on the other side of our river. So they cried out to their parents: "Let us go, O mother, grandmother, father! and take our little sister to play on the sunny side of the sandbanks."

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How the Rattlesnakes Came to be what they Are is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frank Hamilton Cushing, dated 1883 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Frank Hamilton Cushing
Date: 1883 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mythology, Fable, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Folklore
Length: 824 words
Structure: 1 section, 17 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Mythology — The story explains the origin of rattlesnakes through a mythological narrative involving transformation and moral lessons.
Fable — The narrative conveys a moral lesson about care and consequences, typical of fables.
Fantasy — The anthropomorphism of rattlesnakes and the magical elements of the story place it within the fantasy genre.
Children's Literature — The simple language and themes of family and caution make it suitable for a children's audience.