{"id":23979,"date":"2022-10-16T21:21:55","date_gmt":"2022-10-16T21:21:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/?page_id=23979"},"modified":"2022-10-16T21:25:21","modified_gmt":"2022-10-16T21:25:21","slug":"black-squirrel-choctaw","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/choctaw-mythology\/black-squirrel-choctaw\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Squirrel Choctaw"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"23979\" class=\"elementor elementor-23979\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-61d0e23 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"61d0e23\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2c08da6\" data-id=\"2c08da6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8c5a242 elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"8c5a242\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/choctaw-mythology\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Choctaw-Chickasaw Mythology<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4aea8a8\" data-id=\"4aea8a8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-35efb10 elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"35efb10\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.firstpeople.us\/FP-Html-Legends\/EclipseOfTheSunBlamedOnBlackSquirrel-Choctaw.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Wiki<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9bf680c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9bf680c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-146b668\" data-id=\"146b668\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c5f0c54 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c5f0c54\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The\u00a0<strong>Chactas<\/strong> (Where <a href=\"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/choctaw-mythology\/\">Choctaws<\/a>) are a Native American tribe native to the southeastern United States (Mississippi, <a href=\"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/creek-seminole-mythology\/\">Alabama<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/mythes-et-legendes-muskogeens-2136\/\">Louisiana<\/a>). here is <a href=\"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/\">legend<\/a> in English: Eclipse of the Sun blamed on Black Squirrel<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9347 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/cropped-AlphaOmega-e1602613368367.png\" alt=\"Eclipse of the Sun blamed on Black Squirrel\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" title=\"\"><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f9ef99a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f9ef99a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-30a99a4\" data-id=\"30a99a4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a33d1c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2a33d1c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/choctaw-mythology\/black-squirrel-choctaw\/#Eclipse-of-the-Sun-blamed-on-Black-Squirrel\" >Eclipse of the Sun blamed on Black Squirrel<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Eclipse-of-the-Sun-blamed-on-Black-Squirrel\"><\/span>Eclipse of the Sun blamed on Black Squirrel<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-55df770 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"55df770\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d0be7af\" data-id=\"d0be7af\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a8262b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5a8262b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/choctaw-mythology\/\">Choctaw<\/a> history, solar eclipses were attributed to black squirrels,<br \/>or a black squirrel, supposed to be eating the luminary, and they<br \/>must be driven off if mankind were still to enjoy the heat and light. Cushman says:<\/p><p>The Choctaw\u2026 attributed an eclipse of the sun to a black squirrel,<br \/>whose eccentricities often led it into mischief, and, among other<br \/>things, that of trying to eat up the sun at different intervals.<br \/>When thus inclined, they believed, which was confirmed by long experience,<br \/>that the only effective means to prevent so fearful a catastrophe<br \/>befalling the world as the blotting out of that indispensable luminary,<br \/>was to favor the little, black epicure with a first-class scare;<\/p><p>therefore, whenever he manifested an inclination to indulge in a<br \/>meal on the sun, every ingenuity was called into requisition to<br \/>give him a genuine fright so that he would be induced, at least,<br \/>to postpone his meal on the sun at that particular time and seek<br \/>a lunch elsewhere.\u00a0<\/p><p>As soon, therefore, as the sun began to draw<br \/>its lunar veil over its face, the cry was heard from every mount<br \/>from the Dan to the Beersheba of their then wide extended territory,<br \/>echoing from hill to dale, &quot;Funi lusa hushi umpa!&quot; funi lusa<br \/>hushi umpa,\u201d according to our phraseology, the black squirrel<br \/>is eating the sun! Then and there was heard a sound of tumult by<br \/>day in the Choctaw Nation for the space of an hour or two.\u00a0<\/p><p>Far exceeding that said to have been heard by night in Belgium&#039;s Capital, and<br \/>sufficient in the conglomeration of discordant tones terrific, if<br \/>heard by the distant, little, fastidious squirrel, to have made<br \/>him lose forever afterward all relish for a mess of suns for an<br \/>early or late dinner.<\/p><p>The shouts of the women and children mingling with the ringing<br \/>of discordant bells as the vociferous pounding and beating of earsplitting<br \/>tin pans and cups mingling in \u201cwild confusion worse confounded,\u201d<br \/>yet in sweet unison with a first-class orchestra of yelping, howling,<br \/>barking dogs gratuitously thrown in by the innumerable and highly<br \/>excited curs, produced a din, which even a \u201cFuni lusa,\u201d<br \/>had he heard it, could scarcely have endured even to have indulged<br \/>in a nibble or two of the sun, though urged by the demands of a week&#039;s fasting.<\/p><p>But during the wild scene the men were not idle spectators, or<br \/>indifferent listeners. Each stood a few paces in front of his cabin<br \/>door with no outward manifestation of excitement whatever \u2013 so characteristic<br \/>of the Indian warrior but with his trusty rifle in hand, which so<br \/>oft had proved a sincere friend in many hours of trial, which he<br \/>loaded and fired in rapid succession at the distant, devastating<br \/>squirrel, with the same coolness and calm deliberation that he did<br \/>when shooting at his game.\u00a0<\/p><p>More than once have I witnessed the fearful<br \/>yet novel scene. When it happened to be the time of a total eclipse<br \/>of the sun, a sufficient evidence that the little, black epicure<br \/>meant business in regard to having a square meal, though it took<br \/>the whole sun to furnish it, then indeed there were sounds of revelry<br \/>and tumult unsurpassed by any ever heard before, either in \u201cBelgium\u201d<br \/>or elsewhere.<\/p><p>Then the women shrieked and redoubled their efforts upon the tin<br \/>pans, which, under the desperate blows, strained every vocal organ<br \/>to do its utmost and whole duty in loud response, while the excited<br \/>children scream and beat their tin cups, and the sympathetic dogs<br \/>(whose name was legion) barked and howled \u2013 all seemingly determined<br \/>not to fall the one behind the other in their duty since the occasion<br \/>demanded it;\u00a0<\/p><p>while the warriors still stood in profound and meditative<br \/>silence, but firm and undaunted, as they quickly loaded and fired<br \/>their rifles, each time taking deliberate aim, if perchance the<br \/>last shot might prove the successful one; then, as the moon&#039;s shadow<br \/>began to move from the disk of the sun, the joyful shout was heard<br \/>above the mighty din &quot;Funi-lusa-osh mahlatah!&quot; \u00bb The black<br \/>squirrel is frightened.<\/p><p>But the din remained unabated until the sun again appeared in its<br \/>usual splendor, and all nature again assumed its harmonious course.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mythology Choctaw-Chickasaw Wiki The Chactas (or Choctaws) are a Native American tribe from the southeastern United States (Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana). Here is \u2026 <\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3702,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23979","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23979"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23984,"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23979\/revisions\/23984"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythslegendes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}