D4q1. Bat and fire. (.19.21.22.48.51.52.)

The bat is involved in producing fire.

Melanesia. The Torres Strait Islands (western) [were people who had fire between their thumb and forefinger; the bat brought their fire to people]: Haddon 1904, No. 5:17.

Tibet is the Northeast of India. Sherdukpen [Sirinpus are demons living beyond the Himalayas, in the same place as the country of women; they owned fire, baked birds, people ate raw meat; the bat brought baked poultry from there, people liked it ; the bat volunteered to bring fire; the fire was like a balloon, she stole it, gave it to people; told the pursuers that she was their father-in-law, the Sirinpa stopped pursuing]: Elwin 1958b, No. 11:256-257.

Burma - Indochina. Wa (kava) [rain filled the fire, a man sent a bird to heaven, where Thunder showed how to produce fire by friction]: Obayashi 1966:47-48; muongi [fire in heaven; first ruler of Tá Can sent a bat after him; when she grabbed the hot coals, evil spirits sprayed them with water; then the ruler sent a gadfly; the spirits again filled the coals with water, but the gadfly saw how to get fire by friction with split bamboo sticks and taught people; got the right to bite cattle and people]: Grigoreva 2019:58.

California. Nisenan [fire is only in the west; the bat offered the lizard to get it; she stole the coal, but on the way back she came across cranes that chased it; the lizard had to be abandoned coal, the grass caught fire; when the bat saw the roaring fire, she was frightened, asked the lizard to cover its eyes with resin, burned its tail and head, asked the wind to clear its eyes, but some of the resin remained; so the bat can't see well and looks burnt]: Powell 1877:343-344; kawaiisu [four options; other people (panamint or Western shoshones) own fire; the chief (obviously Coyote) commands him get it; The Bat (or Woodpecker with the help of the Raven) kidnaps it; covers it with its wings from the rain]: Zigmond 1980, No. 7:43-44.

NW Mexico. Northern tepehuans [there was no fire, people ate raw food, got sick; The Bat noticed the fire, flew through two worlds, there are many people dancing; when everyone is drunk, Nutria and Skunk stole the fire; the first ancestors became birds and animals; the world drowned three times and has since remained as it is]: Olmos Aguilara 2005:289-290.

Mesoamerica Quiche [all tribes sacrifice Tohil, receive fire from him; the Kakchikels have the god Chamalkan, the Bat; they steal fire]: Popol-Vuh 1959:90.