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Shadow-Like Beings
The Kashehotapolo is a creature that is neither man nor beast. While having the legs and hoofs of a deer, its body is that of a man. His head and face are small and shriveled, and it is said that one will experience evil if they look upon it. When hunters go near the swamps it inhabits, it sneaks behind them to call loudly before quickly fleeing. Although it does not harm man, it takes delight in their fright as it yells a sound that resembles a woman’s scream. For that reason it was named Kashehotapolo (kashesho, “woman”; tapalo, “call”).

The Origin of Poison
In a shallow pool of water where the Choctaw people would bathe there was a poison vine. All that would touch the vine would die. The vine liked the Choctaw people and did not want them to die, but could not warn them when its poison would infect the water. It decided to rid itself of its poison and called the chiefs of the snakes, bees, and wasps because they had all been trampled on and accidentally killed by men. The chiefs came to an agreement to take and share the vine’s poison between themselves as a warning and deterrent from being trampled on.

The bees were the first to take the poison, saying they will take a small amount so as to protect their hives. But because they liked the Choctaw people, they said that they will not kill them with the poison, and instead when they are forced to use it they will kill themselves, showing that the bees are not man’s enemy.

The next to take the poison were the wasps, who said they will buzz in the ear of man as a warning before they attack to protect their nests.

Finally, the snakes took the rest of the poison. But because they too liked the Choctaw, they promised that they will always warn them with their rattle before they strike to give them the chance to flee.

From then on, it was only the foolish who did not heed the warnings of the small that were hurt from the vine’s poison.

The Brothers Tashka and Walo
Two brothers named Tashka and Walo followed the sun for many years from childhood to adulthood. They would follow it throughout its life in the day until it died over the horizon in the evening. One day, the sun laid rest over a great expanse of water and the boys swam into the water, going underneath.

They emerged in the home of the sun, with women all around—the stars and the moon. The moon was the sun’s wife and asked them how did they get there. The boys said that they followed the sun for many years since they were boys, and so the sun told his wife to boil water, which he then placed the boys into until their skin fell off. The sun asked if they knew their way back home. The boys replied no as they looked over the edge of the sky, seeing land, but not being able to discern their home from such a height.

The sun then asked why they had followed him for all these years, to which the brothers replied only to see where he had died. The sun agreed to send them home but instructed them not to talk for four days after they returned, or they would surely die. He called a buzzard to fly them home, and after they had landed an old man recognized them and went to tell their mother. The mother, scared since she had not seen them for many days, made them talk to her. They told her of their tale and how that they will die because they did not keep their promise to the sun.

After this the mother was very worried and they returned home and told the tales of the many years they had followed the sun. After telling all of what they knew, they died and entered heaven.

Dog's Lifespan
Soon after the great spirit created all the animals and humans, he asked each how long their lives should be. The dog was the first to respond, excited by the promise of a long life, and asked for 10 years. The rest of the animals did not know how long they wanted, so the spirit gave them the years he thought was best.

He gave humans 3 centuries of life and told the dog that, although its life was short, its quality of life will be determined by its master. If the master was good to the dog, feeding, loving, and caring for it, it will prosper and live long. If the master neglected and abused it, it will live a short and miserable life.

The Origin of Grasshoppers and Ants
During the emergence from Nanih Waiya, the grasshoppers journeyed with man to reach the surface and spread in all directions. But in the travel to the surface, the mother of the grasshoppers was stepped on by the men, stopping the rest of her children from reaching the surface. From then on the Choctaw called the creatures eske ilay (“mother dead”).

As the men emerged from the hill and spread throughout the lands, they would trample on many other grasshoppers, killing and harming the orphaned children. Fearing that they will all be killed as the men multiplied while continuing to emerge from Nanih Waiya, the grasshoppers pleaded to Aba for aid. Soon after, Aba closed the passageway, trapping many men who had yet to reach the surface within the cavern.

In an act of mercy, Aba transformed these men into ants, allowing them to rule the caverns in the ground for the rest of history.