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 "I'll tell you something about stories (he said)
they are not just entertainment
don't be fooled
they're all we have,
all we have to fight off
illness and death.
Their evil is mighty
but it can't stand up to our stories.
They want to take our stories away
they want our stories to be confused, or forgotten
they would like that
they would be happy
because we will be defenseless then."
(Leslie Marmon Silko, Ceremony)
Click below to access myths and stories about water. Also be sure to send us yours to wateryear2003@unesco.org
Special thanks to Roberta Silva Yakali (14 years old), from the Centro Educacional Menino Jesus in Brazil for the drawing, Stephano Portelli, for compiling many of the myths and stories on this page, and the International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC), for offering extracts of their book, Water Stories. For more information about this project contact Giselle Weybrecht.
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 | Sinnan and the Shannon
Deep in the heart of Ireland, on the slopes of Cuilcagh Mountain there lies a tear-shaped pool. Ancient willow trees cast a shade over it and a clear stream flows out, across the green pasture and down to the valley below...
Geographical origin Ireland Language(s) English
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| The Boat of the Dead
In a cloud floating above the surface of the sea, lived two evil spirits. When they arrived close to the island of Hao, they saw through the waves the face of a woman. It was Takua, swimming in the waves looking for some food.
Geographical origin Polynesia Language(s) English, French, Spanish
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| The Bride of the Water God
A long time ago, there was a time that was very bad for the people who inhabited these lands. Bulane, the Water God, had not sent any rain for many months.
Geographical origin Africa Language(s) English, French, Spanish
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| The Great Flood
A tale is told about a young man in the past, that a day in which his father was hunting nutria and birds, left in search of a taboo nutria, and killed it.
Geographical origin southern Chile Language(s) English, French, Spanish
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| The House of Moon and Sun
Many many years ago, Sun and Water were great friends and lived together on earth. Sun visited Water very often, but Water never went to visit his friend Sun...
Geographical origin Nigeria Language(s) English, French, Spanish
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| The origin of the Amazon
The Juruna Indians lived close to the forest where there was no river. A bird called Juriti owned the drinking water, which she kept in three barrels. One day, the children of chief Cinaă were thirsty...
Geographical origin Brazil Language(s) English
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| The Teachings of the Rain God
One day, many years ago, the elephant said to the Rain God: - You should be very satisfied, for you managed to cover all earth in green; but what will happen if I tear off all the grass, all the trees and the bushes? No green will be left! Then what?
Geographical origin Kenya Language(s) English, French, Spanish
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| Well women transform lives
A testimony by a woman from Ghana: how women’s lives have been greatly enhanced by the installation of handpumps.
Geographical origin Ghana Language(s) English
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Legend
a non-historical or unverifiable story haded down by tradition from earlier times and popularly accepted as historical. |
Myth
a traditional or legendary story usually concering some being or hero, event or natural phenomena. |
 Water Comic Book
Thank you to Francisco Javier Miralles Lazaro, 2esoA IES Los Angeles, Almeria, Spain for this great comic book on the adventures of water drop. |
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