Tacana

(map)

The first world had ended; everywhere was water. In a huge boat were two people, Benjamin and Christina, with many animals and seeds just as Christ had advised them. After a long time the water began to sink. Benjamin sent a dove to find land, but she returned without having seen any. He later sent her out again, and she returned with some leaves in her beak. Later, the water lower still, he sent the vulture, which stayed away a long time gorging himself on decaying animals and people. Benjamin became angry and cursed him to eat only decayed meat in the future.

The earth by then had become hard, so they landed and unloaded the boat. The world looked like a large sandbank with no grass or flowers. They planted shoots and seeds of yuca, bananas, maize, and many other plants. These yielded ripe fruit after a few days. They were still missing fire, which was horded by an old frog. The Edutzi, with other spirits, had found refuge in the sky during the flood. Benjamin and Christina asked them to fetch fire. The couple bore children who grew as quickly as the plants and married each other.

Karin Hissink and Albert Hahn, Die Tacana, Band I: Erzahlungsgut (Stuttgart: W. Kohlhammer Verlag, 1961), 497.