Flood Myths

China:

Version One:

A 22-year-long flood, caused by the worker god Gong Gong (Common Worker) who as always was striving to overthrow the divine order,
A committee of lesser gods chose Gun to control the flood, and with the help of Owl and Tortoise he strives mightily to do just that. However, partly because of the monster Xiang Liu he is unsuccessful and so the flood drives people to mountains and treetops.
In desperation the supernatural hero Gun dammed up the waters with Growing Soil stolen from heaven. The heavenly ruler Shun discovered the theft and that the application was not fully successful so he killed him. He ordered his son Yu to complete the flood control. To do that Yu is given the soil to control the flood, and dry the land. Then he must kill the nine-human-headed monster Xiang Liu that Gong Gong sent to frustrate the flood control efforts of Yu. When Yu beheads Xiang Liu the blood of the monster further pollutes the soil, and Yu must dig huge pits to store the blood in them, and save the remaining soil.

The soil dug out of the pits is used to create foundations for temples to praise the gods. Yu has worked so hard that half is body is shrivelled up. He loses his hair on his legs and it does not grow back, and his fingernails do not grow. However his prodigious efforts succeeds and the flood is controlled.

Yu calls a meeting of the heavenly gods and condemns Gong Gong and suggests that he be exiled from heaven and earth to prevent anymore disasters. Heaven agrees and Gong Gong is exiled.

Version Two:

Nu Gua is a great creator god. She is a smith god of great potency. When the world is threatened by flood and fire she smelts a five-colored cosmic stone to restore the sky. She then props up the new sky to the eternal mountains by cutting the limbs off a tortoise and placing it under the four cornered earth for stability. She burns reeds and stops and soaks up the flood water with their ashes.

Version Three:

The first born of heaven (Gun) is given the task to stop the flood which Gong Gong has started. He is unable to do so and so heaven kills him. After three days his son Yu is born from his belly and the shamans ressurect Gun in order to mediate between heaven and his son, and all mankind. Yu succeeds at controlling the flood so the order of heaven and earth is restored.

Version Four:

In the official versino used by the Emperor of all dynasties since it was created, the flood begins and snakes and dragons run before the waters creating panic and anarchy. Hibiscus (Shun) orders Yu to control the flood. Working faithfully and diligently Yu digs channels so the water can escape to the sea. Then he drives the snakes and dragons out of the land and order is restored to heaven and earth.

Kammu (northern Thailand):

A brother and sister, warned of the upcoming flood by a mouse, sealed themselves inside a drum, and emerged again after the flood receded. They looked far and wide for mates, but they were the only survivors. A malcoha cuckoo sang to them, "brother and sister should embrace one another." They slept together. After seven years, the child was born as a gourd. A little later, hearing noises from the gourd, they burnt a hole in its shell, and people of the different races came out, first Rumeet, then Kammu, Thai, Westerner, and Chinese. [Lindell et. al., in Dundes]

Ifugaos (Philippines):

A great draught dried up all the rivers. The old men suggested digging in a river bed to find the soul of the river. After three days of digging, a great spring gushed forth, but while the Ifugaos celebrated, a storm came, the river kept rising, and the elders advised people to run for the mountains. Only two people made it to safety, a brother and sister, on seperate mountains. After six months, the waters receded. The sister later found herself with child and ran away in shame, but the god Maknongan assured her that her shame had no foundation. [Demitrio, in Dundes]

Batak (Sumatra):

Naga-Padoha, the giant snake on which the earth rests, grew tired of its burden and shook it off into the sea. But the god Batara-Guru caused a mountain to fall into the water to preserve his daughter. From her, the human race is descended. Later, the earth was replaced onto the head of the snake. [Kelsen, in Dundes]

Kabadi (New Guinea):

Lohero and his brother were angry with their neighbors, so they put a human bone into a small stream. Soon a great flood came forth, and the people had to retreat to the highest peaks until the sea receded. Some people descended, and others made their homes on the ridges. [Kelsen, in Dundes]

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