explore-art - Cranes in Yup'ik Folklore

Introduction:

The feathers from the Sandhill Crane are used the decorate many Yup'ik masks.

Folktale: Why the Crane Has Blue Eyes

A long time ago Crane was sitting with a group of Yup'ik people and he told this story:

During berry season: I had been flying for a long, long time, I decided to stop by a slow moving river and eat. I was so tired and hungry and the berries looked so good. Before I started eating, I looked around, the sky was blue, only a hint of clouds in the sky, the river was quiet and nobody or nothing was around me. I felt safe. I decided that I wanted to concentrate only on eating today, as I was flying for many days and was very very hungry. So instead of watching for danger while eating, I decided that I will just take out my eyes, put them on a stump and have them watch out for danger for me.

I took out my eyes and holding them in my hands, I told them, "I am going to go eat berries. Watch and call me if you see danger".
My eyes said "yes master" and so I put them on a stump facing the river.

I went about eating blueberries, and felt my way into the cranberries. Just then I heard, "Master, Master come quick I see danger!"

So I went back to the stump as fast as I could and put my eyes back in and looked around. The sky was clear, the river was quiet and all I saw was this stick floating slowly down the river. I was angry. I scolded my eyes, "There is no danger. I see nothing!"

I put my eyes back on the stump and said, "Now, watch for danger and do not bother me if it is only a stick floating down the river!"

Salmonberries- click the picture to enlarge it in a new window

I went back to the spot where I remember the blueberries, I moved on and found salmonberries. Oh, they were small and so sweet the juice was wonderful! I decided to go further and found a patch of blackberries. They too were good. All of a sudden, all sound around me went quiet and I heard my eyes calling "master, master come quick! master we are in danger! master!"

I was in the middle of eating some juicy berries so I called "what is you see?" My eyes said, "something is floating down the river master. Come quick!" Thinking about the stick from before, I slowly turned around and made my way back to the stump. But without eyes this took a long time. Meanwhile I heard my eyes calling "master help me" over and over. When I got to the blueberries the sound started to grow faint, getting further and further away! I found the stump and my eyes were gone! I should have listened. I cried. What am I to do without eyes? I could not see the fox or the wolves.

Then it came to me! The berries were round like my eyes. Why not use them?

So I felt around without my eyes I was blind, I found two nice round berries, and put them where my eyes used to be. They were blackberries. I looked up and the sky was black, the sun was black it was like night. This would not do, so I took them out and stumbled on to where the cranberries were.

I found two nice round cranberries and put them where my eyes used to be and looked up, everything was red. The sky was red, the river was red and the tundra was red, but I did not like that so I took them out and went on with my search.

I came upon some salmonberries and put them where my eyes used to be and looked around everything was orange. The sky was orange, the clouds were orange, the water was orange. I did not like the salmonberries for eyes.

I journeyed on and came upon some blueberries. I found two nice round ones. I put them where my eyes used to be and looked up and everything was beautiful. The sky was blue, the water was blue and everything looked just right.

And that is why the Crane has Blue Eyes!