Page 20 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends

Once a hunter killed an eagle that was circling over the village. The
Cherokee killed him because he had nothing to do, because he would not
eat his meat and the eagle would not threaten him. Soon after, a giant
eagle began to circle over the village, it flew in every day and kept the
entire village at bay. As soon as someone went outside to collect food or
bring water, a huge bird immediately fell down like a stone, grabbing and
tearing the person to pieces. This went on for seven days, and during those

days seven people died. When the great warrior found out about this (many
consider him a prophet who always knew about the troubles of his people),
he came to the village and promised to help people. Although the villagers
reacted with distrust to his words, because the warrior did not have a bow
or arrows to kill a bird of prey. But the great warrior did not need a weapon,
he began to sing and dance. The Cherokee laughed at him, but when the

shadow of a giant bird covered them, they hurried to take refuge in their
homes. The warrior continued his dance, he danced, and the eagle circled
over him, moving with the warrior in the same rhythm. For two days and
two nights the man and the bird danced. Finally, on the third day, when the
sun began to rise, the eagle fell from heaven to earth. Dying, he told the
warrior that he was unable to attack, because the dance simply hypnotized
him, and he could not help himself and only moved to the beat of the dance.

The warrior asked him why the eagle attacked the villagers and the eagle
replied that he was looking for a hunter who killed his younger brother. He
did not want to kill the inhabitants, he expected that a coward would come
out to him when he finally realizes that innocents are dying in the death of
his brother.
That is why eagles cannot be killed, and the eagle’s feathers are sacred.

This story teaches us that we must not allow the innocent to suffer because
of our wrongdoing.

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