South America

In ancient time, Jaguar, the Master of Fire, ate his meat cooked, while people ate their meat raw. People scrambled to catch the animals that were their food. Jaguar, the great hunter, had bows and arrows.

Jaguar, with his flared nostrils and pointed teeth, was a powerful being. But he took pity on a poor hungry man he met in the jungle. He took the man back to his home, where a warm fire burned. The grilled meat had a delicious smell, so new to the man. He ate hungrily. Jaguar was generous with his weapons, too. He taught the man to hunt with bows and arrows. The man repaid Jaguar by killing his wife and stealing his fire.

Since then, the people have feared Jaguar's wrath. And the ferocious feline has lived alone in the jungle, wary of civilization, waiting for revenge.

Many of the ancient cultures throughout the South American Continent held some kind of belief in the supernatural power of jaguars or anacondas. They also worshipped not only the sun, but the moon, the stars, and a whole host of nature deities. Sun gods were particularly important; the Incas even called themselves the children of the sun.