B69A. A dispute about time, Chipmunk participant.. 34. (.35.) .43.45.47.
A chipmunk or similar animal (weasel, pika) argues with another animal character (bear, elk, puma, snake) whether there should be light and warm or dark and cold.
Altaians, Khakas, Tuvans, (Mansi), Thompson, Kurdalen, Iroquois, Yuchi, screams, (chiroki).
Southern Siberia - Mongolia. Altaians [animals gather to set the length of the year, month, day; The bear offers a hundred years in a year, a hundred months in a year, a hundred days in a month; everyone falls silent; Laska comes running the latter, says that no animal will live its age like this; 12 months in a year, 30 days in a month; they decided so]: Khokholkov 1997:14-15; (perhaps also Kumandins [in the collection "Altai Albatynyl h & #255; mdě söstöri", vol. II, 1962, the fairy tale "The Collection of Animals" was printed]: Satlayev 1974:142); Khakas: Balter 1958 [in winter, the Chipmunk wandered into the Bear's den, replied that it was January; they began to argue how much in January days; The bear wanted spring to come soon, he cried, Thirty days; The chipmunk wanted 31 days; The bear grabbed the Chipmunk's paw on the back, stripes remained; in January 31 days]: 25-26; Troyakov 1995 [The bear and the chipmunk are arguing about how many days there will be in the first spring month; The bear wants 30, the Chipmunk 31; the bear does not want to lie in the den for an extra day, scratches the Chipmunk, there are stripes left on the skin; in a month Chipmunk 31 days]: 48-49; Tuvans [Pika (Ochotona family): summer must be doubled; Moose: mosquitoes in summer, it's hot, you don't need it at all; Pika: if it's winter all the time, you won't be able to walk on deep snow, a man will kill you; The elk tries to step on Pika in anger, she hides in a hole, its tail comes off, left under its moose hoof; The elk waited at the hole, his muzzle remained elongated, Short tail pikes]: Dachshunds 1958:206.
(Wed. Western Siberia. Mansi [The Chipmunk and the Bear argue which of them will be the first to see the sunrise; the Bear looks east, the Chipmunk looks west, the first to notice the sun's ray on the mountain; the Bear slashed it with its paw, five the stripes have remained on the skin; since then, the Chipmunk has been immediately hiding in the hole]: Rombandeeva 2005, No. 38:283-285).
The coast is the Plateau. Thompson [Black Bear and Chipmunk argue, screaming in their own way; the Bear wants darkness, the Chipmunk wants light; their powers are equal; the Bear scratches the Chipmunk with its paw (the origin of the stripes on the chipmunk's skin); if If the Bear killed the Chipmunk, there would be eternal darkness]: Teit 1898, No. XV: 61-62; kordalen [The chipmunk and the Snake live together; in winter a log smolders in their house; when it burns, spring will come; the chipmunk every now and then pokes at him with a stick to burn faster, says "Calm weather"; The snake pokes so that the word "Winter" can be heard, it does not want spring; in the morning the Chipmunk leaves the house, stings green grass, answers the Snake that there is still snow; she smells grass, repeats "Winter"; finally crawls out]: Reichard 1947, No. 32:189.
(Wed. The Midwest. Fox [Manitou wants winter and summer to last as many months as the feathers in the tail of a turkey; the hero says let there be as many stripes on the chipmunk's back]: Michelson in Boas 1916:728).
Northeast. Iroquois [Porcupine appointed animal leader; asks the audience if it should always be day or night; the issue is being discussed vigorously; the chipmunk wants an alternation between light and dark times, Repeats, There will be light, Bear sings, Night is better, even if it's always dark; when the Bear sees that the Chipmunk is winning and dawn begins, he chases the Chipmunk, having time to run his paw over him back; the trail remains; day and night alternate ever since]: Smith in Thompson 2000, No. 13:39-40; (cf. seneca [see motive F25; grandson brings a beaver to his grandmother from hunting; she splashes beaver blood between his legs, says he is now menstruating; he splashes blood on his grandmother's legs; says that menstruation will not be for men, but for women; grandson: let the menstrual period last as there are spots on the deer's skin; grandmother: as many stripes on the back of the chipmunk (four); he agrees]: Hewitt 1903: 252-253).
Southeast USA. Yuchi [Puma tries to be the sun first, people are dissatisfied; Star (Spider), then the Month shines too dim; the Sun rises and shines around the clock; The chipmunk says people need night to to multiply; the light of stars and a month is enough for this; the cougar scratches the Chipmunk in anger, leaving stripes on his back]: Speck 1909b, No. 2:104-105; screams [animals share night and day; Bear - chairman; some only want day, others only night; Chipmunk: As dark and light stripes on a raccoon's tail; Bear angrily scratches the Chipmunk with its claws, leaving stripes on his skin] : Swanton 1929, No. 1:2; (cf. teals [all living things discuss how to take revenge on people who offend them; invent diseases; ground squirrel alone does not complain about a person; for this, he is torn with his claws, the stripes remain forever]: Mooney 1900, no.4:251).