I would really like to write a story from the perspective of the Uktena and the other animals that the medicine man encounters on his way to find the Ulûñsû'tî. The medicine man was arrogant and dismissed them, but I thought they seemed fearsome and would like to give them the attention they deserve. Also, I don't understand how the people were following the medicine man everywhere? Why would they follow him in his search for the giant scary snake that kills your family if you look at it? The logic is not sound, and it's something I would fix in a rewrite. I also didn't quite understand how the Uktena's blood was poisonous, but fine for dyeing clothes in after it formed a lake? However, that's an easily fixable detail. I also wasn't really a fan of the medicine man as a character, and if I were writing a story based off these readings, I would also consider changing him to be more humble and respectful of all of the animals that he encounters.
I was also incredibly surprised that it was only barely mentioned that the rattlesnake is sent to kill THE SUN!?!? If that doesn't have it's own story, it needs to. I'm almost regretting doing a planning post last week because I would love to come up with an incredibly dramatic tale for that. I can't believe that part of one of the Uktena stories only got one line, and I want to know or create more.
Out of curiosity, I google the Uktena, and found out that similar
horned serpents appear in a lot of Native American and even European mythology. I feel like there has to be some sort of real creature that existed at some point. Granted, we have mythological creatures like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster today, so maybe it wasn't real. Or maybe the aforementioned do exist...hmm.
Image: Uktena.
Source.
Bibliography: Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900).
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