1. The Giant Crab and the Giant Snake, Bunun tribe
A long time ago, the land and the ocean were each ruled by a giant crab and a giant snake. The giant crab protected the land, preventing it from moving and invading the ocean, while the giant snake wrapped its body around the ocean, ensuring that the waters wouldn't flood the land. This balance kept the world stable for a time, but eventually, the two creatures began to grow weary of each other and started bickering, eventually deciding to settle their differences through combat.
The battle began with the giant snake striking first. It opened its mouth and bit into the back of the giant crab. However, the crab's shell was too strong to be pierced, and the bite only left two distinct, curved indentations on the crab's back—marks that all crabs bear to this day. When it was the crab's turn, it swiftly used its claws to cut the giant snake into three pieces, and the snake perished.
With the snake's death, the ocean lost its control. The waters began to churn violently, spilling over and flooding the land, causing a great deluge. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the giant crab hastily retreated to a large rock on a mountain, seeking refuge from the rising waters.
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2. The Story of Shooting the Sun,Bunun tribe
In ancient times, there were two suns in the sky, making it impossible to distinguish between day and night, and the heat was unbearable. One day, a mother was working in the field and left her baby on a pile of grass. Unfortunately, the child was scorched by the sun and died. The mother was heartbroken, and her husband, upon hearing the news, was furious. He ordered their eldest son to shoot down the sun. The eldest son gathered some millet and set off on his journey.
When he reached the seaside, he prepared to shoot the sun, but every time he aimed, the sun was never in the direction he had predicted. Several days passed, and finally, the sun rose in the direction he had foreseen. With one swift arrow, he shot the sun in its eye. This wounded sun became what we now know as the moon. To this day, we honor the moon every month to comfort it, so that it doesn't burn with the same intense heat again.
The warrior who shot the sun left home as a young man, but when he returned, he was an old man with white hair.
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3. Silik the Bird and the Giant Stone, Ataya tribe
A long time ago, in the spiritual realm, there were two sisters: Cyaqung (賈布), the elder sister, and Silik (希利克), the younger one. Their father, before passing away, had intended to give them a special honey with divine powers. However, the greedy Cyaqung drank not only her share but also deceived Silik into giving up hers. Consuming too much of this honey, however, led to a loss of divine strength.
Unaware of the effects, the sisters later heard that the Atayal tribe was discussing who should become their guardian bird. Confident in her strength, Cyaqung proposed a contest: she and Silik would each try to move a large stone, and the one who succeeded would be chosen as the guardian bird of the tribe. The tribe agreed to the challenge.
When the contest began, Cyaqung, sure she would win, tried first but could not move the massive stone, no matter how hard she tried. Next, it was Silik's turn. With ease, Silik lifted the stone and carried it across a river, setting it down effortlessly on the other side, thus winning the contest.
After this, the Atayal people honored Silik as their spiritual bird, helping them foretell good and bad fortune. In contrast, Cyaqung, in her anger and jealousy, often flew to the rooftops of human homes, cursing them—thus becoming what we know today as the crow.
This tale explains why the Atayal people revere Silik and why the crow is associated with misfortune and curses.
