At the beginning of creation, the only things in existence were Areop-Enap (a spider) and the sea.[1] Areop-Enap searched for food in the darkness and found an enormous clam (in some accounts a Tridacna clam).[2] Before he could stun it, the clam swallowed him and snapped shut again. In the darkness, Areop-Enap explored the clam's insides, and found a tiny snail (or in some accounts, a Triton's Horn shellfish).
Areop-Enap placed the snail under his arm and lay down and slept for three days, directing some of his power to the snail.[3] Then he found a second, larger snail which he placed under his arm and again slept for three days, transferring some of his power to the snail. On waking, Areop-Enap asked the smaller snail to climb to the hinge of the shell and pry the clam open. As the snail moved across the clam's flesh, it left a phosphorescent trail, in the light of which Areop-Enap saw a white worm (or in some accounts, a caterpillar) called Rigi. Ignoring the snail, Areop-Enap cast a strength spell on Rigi and persuaded him to try to open the clam.
Time and again Rigi set his head against the upper shell and his tail against the lower shell, and heaved. The clam resisted and sweat poured from Rigi, making a pool in the lower shell, then a lake and finally a sea. The saltiness of the water killed the clam and opened the shell. Areop-Enap made the lower shell into Earth and the upper shell into the sky and set the smaller snail west of the sky-shell where it became the Moon. The second snail was set to the east and became the Sun. Areop-Enap made islands from clam-flesh and clothed them in vegetation made from his own web-thread. Finally he turned to Rigi and found that he had drowned in his own sweat, killed by his own exertions. Areop-Enap wrapped him in a cocoon of silk and hung him in the sky to become the Milky Way.
Areop-Enap created humans from stones so they could support the sky, and then discovered there were other creatures in the newly created world. So he created a winged creature or flying bird from the dirt under his nails and set it to annoy the creatures so that they called to each other to kill it. In this way Areop-Enap learned the names of the inhabitants of the world.
areop, enap, this, article, about, mythological, creature, fictional, character, same, name, secrets, immortal, nicholas, flamel, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sour. This article is about a mythological creature For the fictional character of the same name see The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Areop Enap news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2009 Learn how and when to remove this message Areop Enap Nauruan old spider played a major part in the creation of the world in the indigenous myths of the people of Nauru Creation myth editAt the beginning of creation the only things in existence were Areop Enap a spider and the sea 1 Areop Enap searched for food in the darkness and found an enormous clam in some accounts a Tridacna clam 2 Before he could stun it the clam swallowed him and snapped shut again In the darkness Areop Enap explored the clam s insides and found a tiny snail or in some accounts a Triton s Horn shellfish Areop Enap placed the snail under his arm and lay down and slept for three days directing some of his power to the snail 3 Then he found a second larger snail which he placed under his arm and again slept for three days transferring some of his power to the snail On waking Areop Enap asked the smaller snail to climb to the hinge of the shell and pry the clam open As the snail moved across the clam s flesh it left a phosphorescent trail in the light of which Areop Enap saw a white worm or in some accounts a caterpillar called Rigi Ignoring the snail Areop Enap cast a strength spell on Rigi and persuaded him to try to open the clam Time and again Rigi set his head against the upper shell and his tail against the lower shell and heaved The clam resisted and sweat poured from Rigi making a pool in the lower shell then a lake and finally a sea The saltiness of the water killed the clam and opened the shell Areop Enap made the lower shell into Earth and the upper shell into the sky and set the smaller snail west of the sky shell where it became the Moon The second snail was set to the east and became the Sun Areop Enap made islands from clam flesh and clothed them in vegetation made from his own web thread Finally he turned to Rigi and found that he had drowned in his own sweat killed by his own exertions Areop Enap wrapped him in a cocoon of silk and hung him in the sky to become the Milky Way Areop Enap created humans from stones so they could support the sky and then discovered there were other creatures in the newly created world So he created a winged creature or flying bird from the dirt under his nails and set it to annoy the creatures so that they called to each other to kill it In this way Areop Enap learned the names of the inhabitants of the world See also editCreation mythReferences edit Patricia Turner Charles Russell Coulter 2001 Dictionary of Ancient Deities Oxford University Press p 65 ISBN 0 19 514504 6 Retrieved 23 March 2009 Roland Burrage Dixon 1964 Oceanic mythology Forgotten Books p 236 ISBN 1 60506 952 3 Retrieved 23 March 2009 Marilyn Reid 2007 Mythical Star Signs Lulu com p 116 ISBN 978 1 84753 623 5 Retrieved 23 March 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Areop Enap amp oldid 1221437469, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
