Story of the Rainbow After the Flood

The "rainbow" is included in the flood legend of the Chibcha Indians of South America. "Bochica" came from the east and traveled the earth, creating all things and imposing laws. He then disappeared into the west leaving his footprint on a rock. Following him was "Chie" whose teaching contradicted his own and who urged men to rejoice and make merry. "Bochica" then turned the evil "Chie" into an owl as punishment. But in retaliation, "Chie" helped "Chibchachum" bring a great flood. When the flood came, many people prayed and "Bochia" came and opened a breach in the earth to allow the waters to escape. When he appeared, he was sitting on a rainbow. (WM, p. 486.)

After the Flood, A Freezing, Snowing Cold Country

There is also a legend which gives solid evidence of the snow and cold after the flood. In 1836, Constantine Samuel Rafinesque wrote a work on the "Lenni-Lenapi" or Delaware Indians and their legends. It is called "The American Nations" and is found today in "The Lenaapae and Their Legends", translated by Daniel Garrison Brinton, published by Scholarly Press, 1972. This particular legend begins by telling of a time "when there was nothing but sea-water on top of the land,"followed by the creation of the sun, moon, stars and man. Then, came the "golden age" followed by "the fall: "All were willingly pleased, all were easy-thinking, and all were well-happified. But after a while a snake-priest, Powako, brings on earth secretly the snake-worship (Initako) of the god of the snakes, Wakon. And there came wickedness, crime and unhappiness. And bad weather was coming, distemper was coming, and death was coming. All this happened very long ago at the first land, Netamaki, beyond the great ocean Kitahikau."

Next follows "the Song of the Flood", of which the following is an excerpt.... "Much water is rushing, much go to hills, much penetrate, much destroying." After telling of "Nana-bush" who "becomes the ancestor of beings and men", the next song tells of the condition of man after the flood.: "It freezes was there; it snows was there; it is cold was there." They go to a milder region divide into tillers and hunter. It makes perfect sense that we should find reference to the snow, freezing and ice among these people- they traveled through it, while those nearer to Babel may not have even been aware of its existence.

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