Uktena

Also known as: The Keen-eyed / the Uktena / the great Uktena serpent · Role: the great serpent the Little Men made from a man to kill the Sun · First appears: Myth 5 · The Daughter of the Sun

In Myth 5, the Little Men transformed Uktena from a man and sent him with the Rattlesnake to kill the Sun. He was later sent to Galûñ'lati, where he remained among the dangerous things.

In Myth 50, the Little Men again sent Uktena to kill the Sun, but “He failed to do the work,” and the people had him taken to Galûñ'lati. In Myth 51, Âgan-uni'tsi, having promised to find the Ulûñsû'ti, shot the sleeping Uktena through the heart at Gahû'ti mountain. Uktena pursued him but died from the wound; seven days later, Âgan-uni'tsi found the diamond from Uktena’s head and took it with him.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Little Men transformed two men into the Uktena and the Rattlesnake and sent them to kill the Sun.(Myth 5 · The Daughter of the Sun · 📍 the house)
  • With: the Little Men the Rattlesnake
  • “The Little Men made medicine again and changed one man into the great Uktena and another into the Rattlesnake and sent them to watch near the house and kill the old Sun when she came for dinner.”
• The people sent the dangerous Uktena away to Galûñ'lati.(Myth 5 · The Daughter of the Sun · 📍 Galûñ'lati)
  • “so they sent him up to Galûñ'lati, and he is there now.”
• The Little Men changed a man into Uktena and sent him to kill the Sun, but he failed.(Myth 50 · The Uktena and the Ulûñsû'ti)
  • With: the Sun
  • “the Little Men changed a man into a monster snake, which they called Uktena, ‘The Keen-eyed,’ and sent him to kill her. He failed to do the work”
• The people had Uktena taken up to Galûñ'lati to stay with the other dangerous things.(Myth 50 · The Uktena and the Ulûñsû'ti · 📍 Galûñ'lati)
  • “the people were afraid of him and had him taken up to Galûñ'lati, to stay with the other dangerous things”
• Âgan-uni'tsi was spared from torture after promising to find the Ulûñsû'ti.(Myth 51 · Âgan-Uni'tsi's Search for the Uktena)
  • With: Âgan-uni'tsi
  • “They had tied him ready for the torture when he begged for his life and engaged, if spared, to find for them the great wonder worker, the Ulûñsû'ti.”
• Âgan-uni'tsi shot the sleeping Uktena through the heart with an arrow.(Myth 51 · Âgan-Uni'tsi's Search for the Uktena · 📍 Gahû'ti mountain)
  • With: Âgan-uni'tsi
  • “The Uktena was still asleep, and, putting an arrow to his bow, Âgan-uni'tsi shot and sent the arrow through its heart, which was under the seventh spot from the serpent's head.”
• The wounded Uktena died after its poison was stopped by Âgan-uni'tsi's circle of fire.(Myth 51 · Âgan-Uni'tsi's Search for the Uktena · 📍 Gahû'ti mountain)
  • With: Âgan-uni'tsi
  • “The Uktena tried to follow, but the arrow was through his heart, and in another moment he rolled over in his death struggle, spitting poison over all the mountain side.”
• Âgan-uni'tsi found and took the diamond from the Uktena's head, becoming the tribe's greatest medicine-man.(Myth 51 · Âgan-Uni'tsi's Search for the Uktena)
  • With: Âgan-uni'tsi
  • “After seven days he went by night to the spot. The body and the bones of the snake were gone, all eaten by the birds, but he saw a bright light shining in the darkness, and going over to it he found, resting on a low-hanging branch, where a raven had dropped it, the diamond from the head of the Uktena. He wrapped it up carefully and took it with him, and from that time he became the greatest medicine-man in the whole tribe.”

Myth 50 · The Uktena and the Ulûñsû'ti

• enemies with the Sun “the Little Men changed a man into a monster snake, which they called Uktena, ‘The Keen-eyed,’ and sent him to kill her.”

Myth 51 · Âgan-Uni'tsi's Search for the Uktena

• enemies with Âgan-uni'tsi “The Uktena was still asleep, and, putting an arrow to his bow, Âgan-uni'tsi shot and sent the arrow through its heart, which was under the seventh spot from the serpent's head. The great snake raised his head, with the diamond in front flashing fire, and came straight at his enemy, but the magician, turning quickly, ran at full speed down the mountain, cleared the circle of fire and the trench at one bound, and lay down on the ground inside.”

Also listed in Other Figures — Minor Figures

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

Extracted from the original text of Myths of the Cherokee. Made with Rho MD.