Reading Notes: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson, Part A

The Children of Cloud: This story had interesting characters by introducing the wind, sun and cloud as potential fathers of the children. They were in pursuit for their father which the mother directed to them as the cloud however they had to g through a series of tests by both the wind and cloud to prove. After proving that they are the children of the cloud, they stayed in their father’s house for a very long time. One day they missed their mother and demanded that they get sent back to their mother. To do that they went through many obstacles with alterations with ravens, roadrunner, hawk, eagle and coyote. With the help of the cloud through lightning and thunder, they were able to surpass them all. This was all a representation of why thunder and lightning go place to place and why mescals are large and near Tucson. Great story to describe a historical native American belief. 

Sierra Nevada and Coast Range

Origin of the Sierra Nevadas and Coast Range: This story is about the Sierra Nevada and Coast range. The story behind it is very interesting using two animals the crow and hawk as a symbol to each region. The crow and the hawk were both pushing the mud and parallel directions until they reached at the northern point. The crow however had gathered much more than the Hawk by stealing the hawks mud. The Hawk then chewed some Indian tobacco that made him wise and was able to take a hold of the mountains. This led to him having a greater range. This story serves as the mythical explanation of why Sierra Nevada Range is larger than the Coast range. The use of animals is symbolic to the desert setting that the author intended for. Additionally, the mentioning of Indian tobacco is representative of the famous native American chewing tobacco culture.