AMERICAN INDIAN LEGENDS

ON

UFOS AND ABDUCTIONS
 

PART I -- WHAT THE STARS ARE LIKE

Source:
Myths of the Cherokee
U. S. Government Printing Office
Nineteenth Annual Report of the U.S. Bureau of American Ethnology, 1900

This is exact text.  Commentary follows.
 
 

"There are different opinions about the stars.  Some say they are balls of light.  Others say they are human.  But most people say they are living creatures covered with luminous fur or feathers. 
 "On night a hunting party camping in the mountains noticed two lights like large stars moving along the top of a distant ridge.  They wondered and watched until the lights disappeared on the other side.  The next night, and the next, they say the lights again moving along the ridge, and after talking over the matter decided to go on the morrow and try to learn the cause.  In the morning they started out and went until they came to the ridge, where, after searching for some time, they found two strange creatures about so large (making a circle with outstretched arms), with round bodies covered in find fur or downy feathers, from which small heads stuck out like the heads of a terrapin.  As the breeze played upon these feather showers of sparks flew out. 
 "The hunters carried the strange creatures back to the camp, intending to take them home to the settlements on their return.  They kept them several days and noticed that every night they would grow bright and shine like great stars, although by day they were only balls of gray fur, except when the wind stirred and made the sparks fly out.  They kept very quiet, and no one thought of their trying to escape, when, on the seventh night, they suddenly rose from the ground like balls of fire and were soon above the tree tops.  Higher and higher they went, while the wondering hunters watched, until at last they were only two bright points of light in the dark sky, and then the hunters knew that they were stars."

 

Commentary:

 

1. The description of two bright lights moving along a distant ridge is typical of many modern UFO reports.

2. The size of the objects was large.  (Making a circle with outstretched arms.)
 

3. They had round bodies.  This again is typical of many reports of "saucer" objects seen at close proximity.
 

4. We do not know the meaning of "small heads stuck out like the heads of a terrapin."  Many reports describe cupolas, turrets, or other appurtenances.
 

5. The were covered in fine fur or downy feathers. "By day they were only balls of gray fur."  Many reports describe a silvery or gray metallic surface observed during daylight.  The Cherokee would naturally compare from their familiarity with flying creatures.  The word "fine" shows the sleekness of the surface.
 

6. "As the breeze played upon these feather showers of sparks flew out."  Again, many reports show rotating lights, or other strange lighting effects.  Compare with Ezekiel 1:13.

"In the midst of the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning."
 

7. The phrase "living creatures" describes the startling intelligent movement of the objects and their behavior.  Both the Cherokee and Ezekiel use the same phrase.  The Urantia Papers describe seraphic transports as living intelligent beings.
 

8. The description of the objects being carried back to camp by the hunters is an Indian interpolation.  The difficulty with it is seen in the phrase, "They kept very quiet, and no one thought of their trying to escape."  This suggests that the hunters were either within the objects or were not allowed to leave the vicinity of the objects, and were kept in restraint for several days.  The restraint would be typical of modern abduction reports, but there is nothing in the account to otherwise explain this remark.
 

9. The subsequent behavior of the objects is further confirmation of modern reports.  The statement that "They suddenly rose from the ground like balls of fire and were soon above the tree tops," repeats current descriptions in identical language.

In the next report I shall discuss one Cherokee abduction account.

 

Ernest