Many winters ago two giant mosquitoes appeared on
either side of a river. These giant creatures were as tall as a good
sized pine tree. As the Indian people paddled down the river in their
canoes, these giant creatures would bend their heads and attack them
with their beaks. The mosquitoes killed many people.
Knowing that these giant mosquitoes were waiting to attack any canoe
that floated down the river, the people began to shun this particular
stream. It was then that these giant creatures moved to other streams
to seek their prey.
For a while, it was a reign of terror for the Iroquois who were great
canoe travelers. They never knew just when these giant mosquitoes
would pounce out and devour them.
Finally, one day a war party was organized to seek out these creatures
and to destroy them. Twenty warriors in two great canoes floated down
a river where they expected the mosquitoes to be. In their hands, ever
ready, they held their bows and arrows. Fastened to their belts were
their war clubs and hunting knives.
Suddenly, two shadows loomed over them and a giant beak pierced one of
the canoes. Giving their war cry, the warriors filled the air with
many arrows. The battle was terrific! The giant mosquitoes seemed to
be everywhere at the same time. in a little while, half the warriors
had been killed.
The remaining braves determined to die courageously. They hid behind
trees and bushes. They surrounded the mosquitoes who were unable to
get them because of the thick branches. The Iroquois buried many of
their arrows in the bodies of the two mosquitoes. Finally, after most
of the arrows had been shot and the supply had become low, the two
mosquitoes fell to the earth. They were covered with many wounds.
Immediately, the warriors fell upon them with their war clubs and,
with powerful blows, they tore the bodies of the mosquitoes apart.
From the blood of the two giant mosquitoes there sprang many little
mosquitoes and the air was soon filled with them> These little
mosquitoes, like their grandfathers, are fond of the taste of human
blood. They hate man for killing their grandfathers and are
continually trying to get revenge upon man for this reason.
This is how mosquitoes came to be. The battle took place on the Seneca
River in New York State.
