Week 10 Storytelling: Tutokanula, Leader of All

(El Capitan courtesy of the USAF)

There was once a competition held amongst all of the animals in the world to determine who should lead them. A council was held and all animal races sent a representative. They met up and tried to decide on a way for them to choose a leader. The fish of the sea wanted to have a competition to see who could swim the fastest and the furthest. The animals that ran on land wanted to have a race. The simians wanted to have a contest to see who could climb the highest tree. The debate went on for weeks with a resolution no where in sight.

As the debate raged amongst the animals, two little boys decided to take a nap on a boulder by the river they were playing with. They slept as sound as a rock which caused it to grow rapidly. Eventually the rock grew so high that the boy’s own tribe could not find them. And still the boys slept.

It came to the attention of the animals in the council that the boys were trapped high atop the magic boulder. Someone would have to reach the top to try and wakeup the boys to bring them down. It was decided that since they could not produce an impartial competition to choose their leader that this would serve in its stead.

Every animal in the council tried jumping onto the rock wall to try and reach the top. From the smallest animal to the largest they all tried jumping onto the cliff face but they all fell short as the rock reached high into the heavens. However, there was one who did not try jumping onto the rock. Measuring-Worm upon learning of the boys terrible fate immediately started climbing up the rock. For one whole season he climbed steadily up until he reached the boys. He then woke them up and together they climbed back down the way they came.

This is why the rock is known to all as Tutokanula, as it is where Measuring-Worm became leader of all the animals.

Author’s Note: The original story is known as Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La (El Capitan). In the original story two boys get stuck high atop a growing rock and all the animals hold a special council to try and save the boys. All the animals try and jump onto the top of the rock but all fall short. Finally Measuring-Worm spends an entire snow climbing his way to the top where he gets the boys and brings them down. I liked this story because it shows that even if you do not have the talents everyone else possess you can still succeed if you persevere. The rock is known as El Capitan to white men and that gave me the idea to have the council be convened for a competition but they end up helping the boys.

Bibliography: The stories from these reading notes come from Judson's California and Old Southwest unit. The specific story is the Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La (El Capitan).