CREATION MYTHS OF PRIMITIVE AMERICA IN RELATION TO THE RELIGOUS HISTORY AND MENTAL DEVELOPMENT OF MANKIND

Jeremiah Curtin (Author of "Myths and Folk-Lore of Ireland," "Myths and Folk-Tales of the Russians, Western Slavs, and Magyars," "Hero-Tales of Ireland," etc.

Published by Williams & Norgate, 14 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, 1899

About this Item

First impression of the true first edition. Please note that this is an Ex-Library copy and is therefore a reading copy only. Tissue-guarded frontispiece sepia photograph showing: 'Jeremiah Curtin in the Ruins of Palenque, Central America. ***Good in terracotta cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to spine and front board. Top edge of text-block gilt. Fore-edge and bottom edge of text-block untrimmed (rough-cut) as called for. Boards rubbed and slightly marked. Offsetting from library label to bottom of rear board. Boards slightly rubbed at corners. Head and tail of spine rubbed and creased and nicked. Spine and edges of boards slightly faded. White library classification numbers to tail of spine. Old library form and ticket to front paste-down. Remains of top of library form to front free endpaper. Blind embossed oval library stamp and small library ink stamp to bottom of title-page and a contemporaneous library slip tipped into recto of title-page. Ink library stamp to bottom of final page. Spine tight. No dustwrapper. 222mm x 150mm. xxxix pages prelims including long introduction by the author written October 11, 1898, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. plus 532 pages including comprehensive notes and index to rear. ***Contents: Introduction; Olelbis; Olebis and Mem Loimis; Norwan; Tulchuherris; Sedit and the Two Brothers Hus; Hawt; Norwanchakus and Keriha; Kele and Sedit; Kol Tibichi; The Winning of Halai Auna at the House of Tuina; The Hakas and the Tennas; Ilhataina; Hitchinnia; Tirukala; Sukonia's Wives and the 'Ichpul Sisters; The Finding of Fire; Haka Kaina; Titindi Maupa and Paiowa, the Youngest Daughter of Wakara; The Two Sisters, Haka Lasi and Tsore Jowa; Te Dream of Juiwaiyu and his Journey to Damhauja's Country; The Flight of Tsanunewa and Defeat of Hehku; The First Battle in the World and the Making of Yana; Notes, and Names of places. ***'The creation myths of America form a complete system; they give a detailed and circumstantial account of the origin of this world and of all things and creatures contained in it. In the course of the various narratives which compose this myth system an earlier world is described to us, with an order of existence and a method of conduct on which the life of primitive man in America was patterned. ---***--- Described briefly and by an Indian, the American myth system is as follows: "There was a world before this one in which we are living at present; that was the world of the first people, who were different from us altogether. Those people were very numerous, so numerous that if a count could be made of all the stars in the sky, all the feathers on the birds, all the hair and fur on animals, all the hairs of our own heads, they would not be so numerous as the first people." ' (Quote from the first page of the introduction by the author). ***First impression of the true first edition. An Ex-library copy in nice, complete condition suitable for rebinding. *** Rare. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.

Seller Inventory # 3379

Bibliographic Details

• Title: CREATION MYTHS OF PRIMITIVE AMERICA IN RELATION TO THE RELIGOUS HISTORY AND MENTAL DEVELOPMENT OF MANKIND
• Publisher: Williams & Norgate, 14 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London
• Publication Date: 1899
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition
• Printing: First Impression
• Condition: Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • Esoteric & Religious Beliefs
  • First Editions
  • Antiquarian