Week 3 Reading Diary: The Attack

For the extra credit reading assignment I choose, Native American Hero Tales to read. For my reading Diary I am writing about the story, The Attack on the Giant Elk and the Great Eagle. I always find it interesting how many Native Americans tales are about how things were created. For instance in this tale as an Indian is fighting the mighty elk, mountain ranges were created. The elk was tearing up the first form the ground trying to get to the Indian. In the process because the Elk was so grand and might all the ground he tour up left mountain ranges.

The Giant Elk

I also found it interesting that in this story the Giant Elk and the Great Eagle were enemies of the Indian. Form other reading of Indian mythology animals have been the ones to help. At this point in this though the Eagle and Elk where above the Indian. The Indian who took down the Giant Elk and the Great Eagle went down to be a hero in history. His name was Jonayaiyin, he was said to have grown into a man in just four days.

In the story Jonayaiyin was given arrows by his mother to kill the elk. This isn't how the elk died though. Anyway Once he killed the Great Elk he made a coat from his hide and took the antlers with him. The when he was at battle with the Great Eagle, he used the elks antlers to kill the Great Eagle. I enjoyed how the two were tied together.

Great Eagle

Another part that made the story interesting was when Jonayaiyin one to kill the elk, he had help from  others. These others where a lizard and a gopher. Once Jonayaiyin told the lizard and gopher his story and how the elk had been an enemy to the Indians they helped at once.

In reading this story I never guessed what was going to happen next. I was always surprised with the outcome, of course in a good way.