Canku Ota

 

(Many Paths)

 
 

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

 
 

February 10, 2001 - Issue 29

 
 

 
     
 

How Poison Came into the World

 
 

Choctaw Legend

 
     

A very long time ago, when the world was new, there was a certain plant that grew in the shallow waters of the bayous. It grew in the place where the Choctaw people went to bathe or swim. This plant was a vine, and was very poisonous. Whenever the people touched this vine, they would get very sick and would die.

This vine liked the Choctaw people, though, and it felt sorry for them. It didn't want to cause them so much pain and sorrow. But, it couldn't show itself to them, because it grew beneath the surface, of the bayou. So, it decided to give away it's poison. It called all of the chiefs of the small people of the swamps---the wasps, bees and snakes. It told them that it wanted to give away it's poison.

These small chiefs held a council about the vine's offer. They had no poison and were often stepped on, by the others. They agreed to share the poison.

Bee spoke first. "I will take a small part of your poison," he said. "I will only use it to defend my hive. I will warn people away before I poison them, and even if I shall have to use my poison, it will kill me to do so, therefore, I will use it very carefully."


Wasp spoke next. "I will take a small part of your poison, also," he said. "Then I will be able to protect my nest. But, I will warn people by buzzing close to them before I poison them. I will keep my poison in my tail."

Water Moccasin spoke. "I will take some of your poison. I will use it only if people step on me. I will hold it in my mouth and when I open my mouth people will see how white it is and they will know to stay away from me."

Rattlesnake spoke last. "I will take a good bit of your poison," he said. I will take all that is left. I will hold it in my mouth, too. And, before I strike someone, I will use my tail to warn them. Intesha Intesha Intesha Intesha. That is the sound that I will make to let them know that they are too close."

So, it was done. The vine gave up it's poison to the bees, wasps, water moccasins and the rattlesnakes. Now the shallow waters of the bayous were safe for the Choctaw people. Where once that vine had poison, now it had small flowers. From then on, only those who were foolish and did not listen to the warnings of the small ones, who took the vine's poisons, were hurt.

Now, reread the story, and without peaking, answer these questions:

  1. The bee, wasp, water moccasin and rattlesnake are all given poison by the vine. How do they plan to use their poison? How does each of them warn about the poison? What happens to a honeybee when it stings someone?
  2. Why do animals have painful bites and stings? Can you name some other animals with these defenses?
  3. Which animals do you like? Which animals don't you like? Why?

Print and color your own rattlesnake picture:
Rattler

Rattlers

Throughout the world there are many snakes whose venomous bite can be fatal to humans. However, in the United States there are only four -- the Coral Snake, the Copperhead, the Cottonmouth Water Moccasin and the Rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes come in 16 distinct varieties. There are numerous subspecies and color variations, but they are all positively identified by the jointed rattles on the tail. While most of the rattlers are concentrated in the southwestern United States, they extend north, east and south in diminishing numbers and varieties, so that every contiguous state has one or more varieties.

Some kinds of snakes lay eggs. In others, including rattlesnakes, eggs are retained in the mother's body until hatched, and the young are born alive. Sometimes the female rattler is killed with the young still in her body, a phenomenon giving rise to the folk tale that she swallows her babies to protect them from danger.

Mating usually occurs in the spring. The young are born between August and October. Rattler babies have venom and short fangs and are dangerous from birth. In fact, they are more pugnacious than the adults. Although unable to make a rattling sound, the youngsters throw themselves into a defensive pose and strike repeatedly when disturbed.

Young rattlers are completely independent of the mother. They remain in the area of their birth for the first 7 to 10 days, until they shed their first baby skin and add their first rattle. The litter then begins to disperse and begin the search for food. Many newborn do not survive the first year, either dying of hunger or being eaten by birds and animals. Even if they survive the first summer, they may perish during the first winter, if they can't find a suitable warm crevice in which to hibernate.

If all goes well, youngsters grow rapidly. Each time they come out of hibernation, they shed their skin, and with each skin shedding (molting) a new rattle appears. During the rapid growth of the first few years, they may molt three times annually. Thus, the number of rattles is not a true indicator of age. Rattles also wear out or break off, so it is unusual to find an adult snake with more than 8 or 10 rattles.

Rattlesnakes eat lizards and small rodents such as ground squirrels, small rabbits, rats and mice, striking rather than attempting to hold their prey. When the hollow fangs of the rattler penetrate the victim's flesh, venom is injected as though through twin hypodermic needles. Most small prey is immediately stunned. If a larger animal runs some distance before it dies, it is followed by the snake and swallowed whole.

The rattlesnake is a member group of snakes called pit vipers. A pit between the eyes is used to sense heat sources. The tongue is used to sample the air. When hunting or disturbed, it coils and prepares to lunge at its prey. Its mouth contains two razor-sharp hollow fangs that pump poison venom. The snake does not inject venom with each strike and when it does it may either inject a little or a fair amount. If no venom is used, a person should consider themselves lucky. The venom is quick acting and treatment for snakebite at a hospital is often necessary. It causes a breakdown and death of affected tissue. This is not a snake to play around with.

Many people spend a lifetime hunting, fishing or otherwise enjoying the outdoors and never see a rattlesnake. Very few people are actually bitten by rattlesnakes, yet because the bite is extremely painful and can be fatal, you should always keep alert and watch where you step or put your hands when you are in the field. Be careful after dark as well, for on warm nights rattlesnakes are out and about searching for food.

Most rattlesnakes, when disturbed, normally try to withdraw But if they think they are cornered, the explosive sizzling buzz of their rattles is an unmistakable warning to retreat and is a sound that will long be remembered.

Listen to a rattlesnake here:
Rattlesnake

 

This page has a rattlesnake that you can paint and print
Rattlesnake Printout-Enchanted Learning
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/paint/subjects/reptiles/snakes/Rattlercoloring.shtml

 

 
     
 

 
     
 

 
  Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.  
     
 

Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.

 
     

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