DOGS: Legends and Myth

Why Dogs Sniff Each Other,

     an Algonquin tale.

Many legend's and myth's are worldwide. There is no shortage of these about dog's.
A list of North American Native Legend's and Myth which easily correlate's with other native people's tale's.
http://www.native-languages.org/legends-dogs.htm


Why Dogs Sniff Each Other
Versions of this unusual story have been noted among the Creek and the Koasati of the southeastern United States. The tale is similar to an old European story type known to folklorists as "Why Dogs Sniff at One Another" or "Why Dogs Look at One Another Under the Tail"—a variant of which is told by the modern Maya of Guatemala.
[Ed.] I have read another similar story from the Brule [Sioux], also. By the way, this story is rated PG—parental guidance suggested. The American Indian had a much more open view toward sexuality and bodily functions than the Judeo-Christian peoples that supplanted them.
There is another story about dogs, but I don't know if I should tell it. Maybe for children's ears it wouldn't sound so good.
[LISTENER INTERRUPTS:] "But you heard it as a child."
Yes they told the same story to me as a child. You know, you see dogs, they smell each other when they meet. Well, they're looking for something.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Once there was a group of dogs—they were all related to wolves at one time. The dogs all lived together, and one day they sent one of the dog after some firewood. They were getting very cold.
Well, this dog went to the camp of the Delawares to steal fire sticks, but the people became very fond of him and started to pet him and feed him.
Well, he just decided to stay with the people and not take the firewood back. Meantime the wolves and the dogs waited and waited, and he did not ever show up with the fire sticks. Finally they realized he'd just forsaken the dogs and wolves. And then after a while, they separated—the dogs and the wolves—because this dog lied to the wolves, and they became enemies.
So they called a council one day, the dogs did, and said, "We will hold this council to see what we can do about he wolves; they fight us every time they see us. So since our council house is clean and holy, we can't bring anything unclean into the council house. From now on, all of your dogs must detach your kekunëmëwoo and put them into the basket by the door."
So they all did. They threw them into the basket and went into the council house and took their seats.
Now the long dog, we call him chëmingw, a long dog dog with a long shape—he's said to be the smartest of all dogdom—he made his opening remarks. He stood up on his hind legs and said, "Well, mwekanewtuk"—that means fellow dogs—"I want to hear from each one of you. What have you to say about the wolves?"

When he closed his speech he sat back down and the other dogs got up from time to time and made their remarks.
Then, during one of the speeches, a huge wolf stuck his head in the door of the council house. The dogs became so frightened that they all ran out of the council house, knocking each other down as they bumped into each other. The whole place was in confusion as they all tried to squeeze out of the doorway.
Now, as they went by the basket, each one tried to grab his own kekunëmëwoo. But because of the confusion each one took the first one he could grab. As they ran off into the woods they put these back on, but it was pretty certain that some of the dogs had gotten the wrong one.
That's why, to this day, the dogs are still looking around for their own kekunëmëwoo. Old people insist that it's the reason dogs smell each other. Each one thinks the other may have his kekunëmëwoo.

— Nora Thompson Dean, Oklahoma