C25A. She cooks soup on the moon .16.42.44.-.47.

In the sky, on the moon, somewhere outside our world, a character (usually an old woman) is making soup. The fate of the universe depends on his (her) behavior.

Western Europe. The French (Ardèche, formerly known as Vivarais) [Big Dipper is a pot; Alcor is a little man watching when the contents start to boil; when it boils, he will pour out the contents and the world will end]: Roland 1878, Mélusine magazine, col.53 in Potanin 1899:414.

NW Coast. The Tlingits [an old woman looks after the boiler on the fire; when she quarrels with others, the boiler lid jumps, the ground shudders]: Swanton 1908b:452.

The Midwest. Kickapoo [Luna is a grandmother who sends women periods; she has the face of an old Indian woman stirring food for her family in a pot; if she stops stirring, the world will end]: Latorre, Latorre 1976:267-268; the Algonquins [the old healer knew everything but did not know when the world would end, she kept asking the Great Spirit about it; he told her to stop asking; she said that will stop when he finishes weaving a strap on her forehead carrying the load; then he will answer, but for now let her hide from people; she hid in the moon; visible there; once a month she gets up to prevent the corn she cooks in At this time, the cat dissolves its woven goods; therefore, the healer will never stop asking about the end of the world; {the text is suspiciously identical to the Iroquois}]: Judd 1904, No. 31:171-172.

Northeast. Iroquois (the band is not a decree.) [the old woman was transported to the moon because she could not predict when the world would end; you can see her weaving a strap on the moon to carry a load behind her back; once a month she gets up to prevent the porridge that is being cooked; at this time, a cat nearby is unweaving; until the end of time, the old woman will not be able to finish her work]: Smith 1883:81; seneca [there is a woman sitting on the moon embroidering a porcupine with needles; next to her a pot is on fire; whenever she gets up to stop the brew, the dog sitting next to her dissolves her handicrafts; if she finishes embroidering, the world will end]: Curtin 2001:508.

Plains. White River [an old woman in a cave embroiders a bison skin cape with porcupine needles; from time to time she gets up to prevent a brew of berries boiling on fire; every time her dog pulls out the needles; if she manages to finish the embroidery, the world will end]: Erdoes, Ortiz 1984:485-486