At the beginning when Kumah placed her children on the earth they could go anywhere they pleased, eat the abundant plants and trees, hunt the animals, drink from the rivers, and admire the sky, the sun, the moon, and the stars. The one element they did not have, however, was the fire. This made them weak and at the mercy of the forces of nature.

When her children asked Kumah for the fire, Kumah told them: “To get the fire you must ask Nyianká who is the ruler of the earth and water”.

One day Hotehuridi, one of her sons, told his brothers and sisters he would go get the fire from Nyianká as he was the strongest and the best hunter. He walked a long journey through many rivers and lands until he found Nyianká. He asked Nyianká for the fire but Nyianká immediately refused, as this was his one true power. Hotehuridi took his spear and threw it at Nyianká, but the spear just shattered against Nyianká’s scaled hard skin. Nyianká was furious, and in a bout of rage he ate Hotehuridi.

The days went by and Hotehuridi’s siblings started to note that he had not returned. The siblings asked the arawatos (monkeys) who recounted exactly what had happened. After a long discussion the siblings decided that they should try again to get the fire.

“I will go get the fire”, said Naitcah, “as I am the best at the art of deception”.

And so it was decided.

As happened to her brother, she had to go through many rivers and lands. Finally, she found Nyianká who was lying down tired because he had eaten Hotehuridi. Naitcah asked him for the fire, but she was again rejected. Therefore, in an act of deception, Naitcah waited for Nyianká to go to sleep and then grabbed the fire. Nyianká heard the noise, and in a bout of rage he ate Naitcah.

The days went by and the rest of the siblings started to note that Naitcah had not returned. The siblings asked the arawatos who told them exactly what had happened. They began a long and heated discussion on what to do. Some argued that they didn’t want to upset Nyianká any more, as this had not given them what they were looking for, while others argued about the fire’s great importance to their survival.

While the siblings were discussing, Kayuushi, the youngest of them all, started the journey. As happened to his brother and sister he had to go through many rivers and lands. Finally he found Nyianká who was lying down tired because he had eaten Naitcah and Hotehuridi. Kayuushi asked him for the fire, and he was again rejected. He decided to wait for Nyianká to go to sleep and then he took the fire. Nyianká again heard the noise and in a bout of rage he ate Kayuushi.

Kayuushi was prepared for this and once inside Nyianká he took his knife and cut Nyianká’s tongue. Nyianká opened his mouth, screaming in pain, and in an instant Kayuushi came out with Naitcah and Hotehuridi by his side. As Nyianká continued to scream in pain, Kayuushi took the fire and alongside Naitcah and Hotehuridi, they ran as fast as they could, safely returning to their land. Everyone was happy to see them, and most importantly, they had the fire.

Now mankind has become strong. Nyianká lost his tongue, the fire, and the earth. He now rules the rivers instead. Naitcah went on to have many strong and smart children and Hotehuridi trained the new generation of warriors. Kayuushi will forever be the savior of mankind. Kumah has done her job, so she will rest but always with an eye open to make sure that her children continue to do well.