From 1887 to 1890 James Mooney, working with the Smithsonian Museum, lived among the Eastern Band of Cherokee. He came to know, love and respect them, and was in return, known, loved and respected by the Cherokee, especially by an old medicine man by the name of Swimmer. Money collected a remarkable large body of material about Cherokee culture, history, myths and sacred formulas. His book, Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee is the best source book for Cherokee myths, ceremonies and sacred formulas. Reading from Mooney’s work, one will occasionally notice some similarities to myths and stories from western civilization. Some of these similarities are due to the fact that the sustained contact between the whites and Cherokees since the mid 1700’s allowed many western ideas to filter into the Cherokee stories. But most Cherokee stories seem to have well developed long before any contact with European whites.
The Cherokee, like other native Americans, did not worship spirits and icons, but believed in one Supreme Being. They lived in harmony with their natural environment. It was their myths and sacred formulas, developed over thousands of years and passed orally from generation to generation, which helped them to do this. Myths may or may not have any bases in fact. But they become institutionalized as "truth" and have a great influence in the cultural behavior of individuals, groups and communities. They are used to teach the young many of the important lessons of life. The Cherokee chose special persons in special linages to pass on their oral traditions. Great care was taken to maintain the purity of such traditions.
Why the mink smells-
The Mink was such a great thief that at last the animals held a council about the matter. It was decided to burn him, so they caught the Mink, built a great fire, and threw him into it. As the blaze went up and they smelt the roasted flesh, they began to think he was punished enough and would probably do better in the future, so they took him out of the fire. But the Mink was already burned black and is black ever since, and whenever he is attacked or excited he smells again like roasted meat. The lesson did no good, however, and he is still as great a thief as ever.
How the turkey got its beard-
When the Terrapin won the race from the Rabbit all the animals wondered and talked about it a great deal, because they had always thought the Terrapin slow, although they knew that he was a warrior and had many conjuring secrets beside. But the Turkey was not satisfied and told the others there must be some trick about it. Said he, "I know the Terrapin can't run--he can hardly crawl--and I'm going to try him."
So one day the Turkey met the Terrapin coming home from war with a fresh scalp hanging from his neck and dragging on the ground as he traveled. The Turkey laughed at the sight and said: "That scalp don't look right on you. Your neck is too short and low down to wear it that way. Let me show you."
The Terrapin agreed and gave the scalp to the Turkey, who fastened it around his neck. "Now," said the Turkey, "I'll walk a little way and you can see how it looks." So he walked ahead a short distance and then turned and asked the Terrapin how he liked it. Said the Terrapin, "It looks very nice; it becomes you."
"Now I'll fix it in a different way and let you see how it looks," said the Turkey. So he gave the string another pull and walked ahead again. "O, that looks very nice," said the Terrapin. But the Turkey kept on walking, and when the Terrapin called to him to bring back the scalp he only walked faster and broke into a run. Then the Terrapin got out his bow and by his conjuring art shot a number of cane splints into the Turkey's leg to cripple him so that he could not run, which accounts for all the many small bones in the Turkey's leg, that are of no use whatever; but the Terrapin never caught the Turkey, who still wears the scalp from his neck.
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