How Corn came to the Earth
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
A long time ago giants lived on the Earth, and they were so strong they were not afraid of anything. When they stopped giving smoke to the gods of the four directions, Nesaru looked down upon them and was angry. "I made the giants too strong," Nesaru said. "I will not keep them. They think that they are like me. I shall destroy them by covering the Earth with water, but I will save the ordinary people."

Nesaru sent the animals to lead the ordinary people into a cave so large that all the animals and people could live there together. Then he sealed up the cave and flooded the Earth so that all the giants drowned. To remind himself that people were under the ground waiting to be released after the floodwaters were gone, Nesaru planted corn in the sky. As soon as the corn ripened, he took an ear from the field and turned it into a woman. She was the Mother-Corn.

"You must go down to the Earth," Nesaru told her, "and bring my people out from under the ground. Lead them to the place where the sun sets, for their home shall be in the west."

Mother-Corn went down to the Earth, and when she heard thunder in the east she followed the sound into the cave where the people were waiting. But the entrance closed behind her, and she could find no way to lead the people out upon the Earth. "We must leave this place, this darkness," she told them. "There is light above the ground. Who will help me take my people out of the Earth?"

The Badger came forward and said: "Mother-Corn, I will help." The Mole also stood up and said: "I will help the Badger dig through the ground, that we may see the light." Then the long-nosed Mouse came and said: "I will help the other two."

The Badger began to dig upwards. After a while he fell back exhausted. "Mother-Corn, I am very tired," he said. Then the Mole dug until he could dig no more. The long-nosed Mouse took the Mole's place, and when he became tired, the Badger began to dig again. The three took turns until at last the long nosed Mouse thrust his nose through the ground and could see a little light.

The Mouse went back and said: "Mother-Corn, I ran my nose through the Earth until I saw light, but the digging has made my nose small and pointed. After this all the people will know by my nose that it was I who dug through the Earth first."

The Mole now went up to the hole and dug all the way through. The sun had come up from the east, and it was so bright it blinded the Mole. He ran back and said: "Mother-Corn, I have been blinded by the brightness of that sun. I cannot live upon the Earth any more. I must make my home under the Earth. From this time all the Moles will be blind so they cannot see in the daylight, but they can see in the night. They shall stay under the ground in the daytime."

The Badger then went up and made the hole larger so the people could go through. When he crawled outside the Badger closed his eyes, but the rays of the sun struck him and blackened his legs and made a streak of black upon his face. He went back down and said: "Mother-Corn, I have received these black marks upon me, and I wish that I might remain this way so that people will remember that I was one of those who helped to get your people out."

"Very well," said Mother-Corn, "let it be as you say."

She then led the way out, and the people rejoiced that they were now upon the open land. While they were standing there in the sunshine, Mother-Corn said: "My people, we will now journey westward toward the place where the sun sets. Before we start, any who wish to remain here--such as the Badger, Mouse, or Mole-- may do so." Some of the animals decided to return to their burrows in the Earth; others wanted to go with Mother-Corn.

The journey was now begun. As they traveled, they could see a mountainous country rising up in front of them. They came to a deep canyon. The bluff was too steep for the people to get down, and if they should get down, the opposite side was too steep for them to climb. Mother-Corn asked for help, and a bluish-grey bird flew up, hovering on rapidly beating wings. It had a large bill, a bushy crest and a banded breast. The bird was the Kingfisher. "Mother-Corn," it said, "I will be the one to point out the way for you."

The Kingfisher flew to the other side of the canyon, and with its beak pecked repeatedly into the bank until the Earth fell into the chasm. Then the bird flew back and pecked at the other bank until enough Earth fell down to form a bridge. The people cried out their thanks. "Those who wish to join me," said the Kingfisher, "may remain here and we will make our homes in these cliffs." Some stayed, but most journeyed on.

After a while they came to another obstacle--a dark forest. The trees were so tall they seemed to reach the sun. They grew close together and were covered with thorns so that they formed an impenetrable thicket. Again Mother-Corn asked for help. This time an Owl came and stood before her, and said: "I will make a pathway for your people through this forest. Any who wish to remain with me may do so, and we shall live in this forest forever." The Owl then flew up through the timber. As it waved its wings it moved the trees to one side, so that it left a pathway for the people to go through. Mother-Corn then led the people through the forest and they passed onward. As they journeyed through the country, all at once they came to a big lake. The water was too deep and too wide to cross, and the people talked of turning back. But they could not do this, for Nesaru had ordered Mother-Corn to lead them always toward the west. A water bird with a black head and a checkered back came and stood in front of Mother-Corn, and said: "I am the Loon. I will make a pathway through this water. Let the people stop crying. I shall help them."

Mother-Corn looked at the Loon and said: "Make a pathway for us, and some of the people will remain with you here." The Loon flew and jumped into the lake, moving so swiftly that it parted the waters, and when it came out on the other side of the lake it left a pathway behind. Mother-Corn led the people across to dry land, and some turned back and became Loons. The others journeyed on.

At last they came to a level place beside a river, and Mother- Corn told them to build a village there. "Now you shall have my corn to plant," she said, "so that you, by eating of it, will grow and also multiply." After they built a village and planted the corn, Mother-Corn returned to the Upper World.

The people, however, had no rules or laws to go by, no chiefs or medicine men to advise them, and soon they were spending all their time at playing games. The first game they played was shinny ball, in which they divided into sides and used curved sticks to knock a ball through the other's goal. Then they played at throwing lances through rings placed upon the ground. As time went on, the players who lost games grew so angry that they began killing those who had beaten them.

Nesaru was displeased by the behavior of the people, and he and Mother- Corn came down to Earth. He told them that they must have a chief and some medicine men to show them how to live. While Nesaru taught the people how to choose a chief through tests of bravery and wisdom, Mother-Corn taught them songs and ceremonies. After they had chosen a chief, Nesaru gave the man his own name, and then he taught the medicine men secrets of magic. He showed them how to make pipes for offering smoke to the gods of the four directions.

When all this was done, Nesaru went away toward the setting sun to prepare a place for new villages. Mother-Corn led the people in his tracks across plains and streams to this country where Nesaru had planted roots and herbs for the medicine men. There they built villages along a river that the white men later called the Republican River, in Kansas.

On the first day that they came to this country, Mother-Corn told them to offer smoke to the gods in the heavens and to all animal gods. While they were doing this, a Dog came running into the camp crying, and he accused Mother- Corn of doing wrong by going away and leaving him behind. "I came from the Sun," he cried, "and the Sun-god is so angry because I was left behind that he is sending the Whirlwind to scatter the people."

Mother-Corn called on the Dog to save the people by appeasing the Whirlwind. "Only by giving up my freedom," the Dog replied, "can I do this. No longer can I hunt alone like my brother the Wolf, or roam free like the Coyote. I shall always be dependent upon the people."

But when the Whirlwind came spinning and roaring across the land, the Dog stood between it and the people. "I shall always remain with the people," he shouted to the Whirlwind. "I shall be a guardian for all their belongings."

After the wind died away, Mother-Corn said: "The gods are jealous. If you forget to give smoke to them they will grow angry and send storms.

In the rich Earth beside the river the people planted her corn, and then she said: "I shall turn into a Cedar-Tree to remind you that I am Mother-Corn, who gave you your life. It was I, Mother- Corn, who brought you from the east. I must become a Cedar-Tree to be with you. On the right side of the tree will be placed a stone to remind you of Nesaru, who brought order and wisdom to the people."

Next morning a Cedar-Tree, full-grown, stood in front of the lodges of the people. Beside it was a large stone. The people knew that Mother-Corn and Nesaru would watch over them through all time, and would keep them together and give them long life.

from a friend




Lisa







An atheist was walking through the woods.
'What majestic trees'!
'What powerful rivers'!
'What beautiful animals'!
He said to himself.

As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him.

He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him.


At that instant the Atheist cried out, 'Oh my God!'
Time Stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. 'You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident.' 'Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer'?
The atheist looked directly into the light, 'It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian'?



The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:



'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.'

How the Man got into the Moon
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
There once was a circular village in the mountains where a boy named 'Running Antelope' lived with his grandmother.

He was with a group of people who went to visit a prairie village ruled over by a cruel chief. The chief was fond of a very beautiful maiden named 'Little Hill', but could not succeed in winning her over.

When Running Antelope saw Little Hill he was smitten by her beauty, and spent most of his time with her. Finally they were married, and the couple lived in her village. However, the chief was very unhappy with this turn of events, and threatened that some day he would take her away from Running Antelope.

Almost every night when people gathered in the center of the village for games and entertainment, the chief would try to win their affection by casting beautiful and valuable pieces of coral, turquoise, and beads onto the ground for people to pick up. Running Antelope collected many beads and went home to present them to his new wife, but when he got to his lodge, Little Hill could not be found anywhere. So Running Antelope snuck up to the chief's lodge and, as he expected, he heard within the voice of Little Hill singing. He burst into the lodge, and demanded the return of his wife, but the chief pulled a knife and Running Antelope had to flee. The chief grabbed his quiver of poisoned arrows and chased after him, shooting at the young man as they ran. Running Antelope was on the verge of being overtaken by his pursuer when he came to the sandy bank of a lake. There he prayed to the Water-Spirits of the lake to save him, and without further hesitation he jumped into the waters. The Water-Spirits shot a great swirling geyser of water into the sky which hurled Running Antelope all the way to the moon. When the chief came upon this scene, he shut his eyes tightly for fear that seeing the spirits would kill him. So Running Antelope was saved from the chief, but forever separated from his beloved wife. He is the man that we see in the moon.

One day the chief was out near a lake when his eyes fell upon the reflected image of the moon. To him the image of Running Antelope was so vivid that he thought his enemy was right there in the waters, so he rushed in after him. That was his undoing, for the Water-Spirits overwhelmed him with wave upon wave of water until he drowned.

How The Old Man made People
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Long ago, when the world was new, there was no one living in it at all, except the Old Man, Na-pe, and his sometimes-friend and sometimes-enemy A-pe'si, the Coyote, and a few buffalo. There were no other people and no other animals. But the Old Man changed all that. He changed it first because he was lonely, and then because he was lazy; and maybe be shouldn't have, but anyway, he did. And this was the way of it.

Na-pe was sitting by his fire one day, trying to think of some way to amuse himself. He had plenty to eat--a whole young buffalo; no need to go hunting. He had a lodge; no work to do; and a fire. He was comfortable, but he wasn't contented. His only companion, A-pe'si the Coyote, was off somewhere on some scheme of his own, and anyway he had quarreled with A-pe'si, and they were on bad terms; so even if he had been there, Old Man would still have been lonely. He poked some sticks in the fire, threw a rock or two in the river, Lit his pipe, and walked around. . . then sat down, and thought how nice it would be to have someone to smoke with, and to talk to. "Another one, like me," he thought. And he poked some more sticks in the fire, and threw some more rocks in the river.

Then he thought, "Why not? I am the Old Man! I can make anything I want to. Why shouldn't I make another like me, and have a companion?" And he promptly went to work.

First, he found a little still pool of water, and looked at his reflection carefully, so as to know just what he wanted to make. Then he counted his bones as best he could, and felt the shape of them.

Next, he went and got some clay, modeled a lot of bones, and baked them in his fire. When they were all baked, he took them out and looked at them. Some of them were very good, but others were crooked, or too thin, or had broken in the baking. These he put aside in a little heap.

Then he began to assemble the best of the clay bones into a figure of a man. He tied them all together with buffalo sinews, and smoothed them all carefully with buffalo fat. He padded them with clay mixed with buffalo blood, and stretched over the whole thing skin taken from the inside of the buffalo. Then he sat down and lit his pipe again.

He looked at the man he had made rather critically. It wasn't exactly what he had wanted, but still it was better than nothing.

"I will make some more," said Na-pe.

He picked the new man up and blew smoke into his eyes, nose, and mouth, and the figure came to life. Na-pe sat him down by the fire, and handed him the pipe. Then he went to get more clay.

All day long Na-pe worked, making men. It took a long time, because some of the bones in each lot weren't good, and he must discard them and make others. But at last he got several men, all sitting by the fire and passing the pipe around. Na-pe sat down with them, and was very happy. He left the heap of discarded bones where they were, at the doorway of his lodge.

So Na-pe and the men lived in his camp, and the men learned to hunt, and Na- pe had company, someone to smoke with, and they were all quite contented.

But the heap of left-over bones was a nuisance. Every time one of the men went in or out of Na-pe's lodge, they tripped over the bones. The wind blew through them at night, making a dreadful noise. The bones frequently tumbled over, making more of a disturbance. Na-pe intended to throw them in the river, but he was a bit lazy, and never got around to it. So the left-over bones stayed where they were.

By this time A-pe'si, the Coyote, was back from wherever he had been. He went around the camp, looking the men over, and being very superior, saying that he didn't think much of Na-pe's handiwork. He was also critical of the heap of bones at the door of the lodge. "I should think you would do something with them--make them into men," said A-pe'si, the Coyote.

"All right, I will," said Na-pe. "Only they aren't very good. It will be difficult to make men out of them!" "Oh, I'll help, I'll help!" said A-pe'si. "With my cleverness, we will make something much better than these poor creatures of yours!" So the two of them set to work. The discarded bones, clicking and tattling, were sorted out, and tied together. Then Na-pe mixed the clay and the buffalo blood to cover them. He fully intended to make the bones into men, but A-pe'si the Coyote kept interfering; consequently, when the job was done, the finished product was quite different. Na-pe surveyed it dubiously, but he blew the smoke into its eyes and nose and mouth, as he had with the men. And the woman came to life.

A-pe'si and Na-pe made the rest of the bones into women, and as they finished each one they put them all together, and the women immediately began to talk to each other. A-pe'si was very pleased with what he had done. "When I made my men," said Na-pe, "I set them down by the fire to smoke."

And even to this day, if you have one group of men, and another of women, the men will want to sit by the fire and smoke. But the women talk. And whether it is because they were made out of the left-over bones that clicked and rattled, or whether it is because A-pe'si, the Coyote --who is a noisy creature himself--had a part in their making, no one can say.

Legend of the Maid of the Mist
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Long ago, the peaceful tribe of the Ongiaras lived beside the Niagara River. For an unknown reason, Indians were dying, and it was believed that the tribe must appease the Thunder God Hinum, who lived with his two sons in a cave behind the Falls.

A first, the Indians sent canoes laden with fruit, flowers and game over the Falls, but the dying continued. The Indians then began to sacrifice the most beautiful maiden of the tribe, who was selected once a year during a ceremonial feast. One year, Lelawala, daughter of Chief Eagle Eye was chosen.

On the appointed day, Lelawala appeared on the river bank above the Falls, wearing a white doeskin robe with a wreath of woodland flowers in her hair. She stepped into a white birch bark canoe and plunged over the Falls to her death. Her father, heartbroken, leaped into his canoe and followed her.

Hinum's two sons caught Lelawala in their arms, and each desired her. She promised to accept the one who told her what evil was killing her people. The younger brother told her of a giant water snake that lay at the bottom of the river. Once a year, the monster snake grew hungry, and at night entered the village and poisoned the water. The snake then devoured the dead.

On spirit, Lelawala told her people to destroy the serpent. Indian braves mortally wounded the snake on his next yearly visit to the village. Returning to his lair on the river, the snake caught his head on one side of the river and his tail on the other, forming a semi-circle and the brink of the Horseshoe Falls. Lelawala returned to the cave of the God Hinum, where she reigns as the Maid of the Mist.

The Ancient One
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Ancient One sat in the shade of his tree in front of his cave. Red People came to him and he said to Red People, "Tell me your vision."

And Red People answered, "The elders have told us to pray in this manner, and that manner, and it is important that only we pray as we have been taught for this has been handed down to us by the elders."

"Hmmmm," said the Ancient One.

Then Black People came to him and he said to Black People, "Tell me your vision."

And Black People answered, "Our mothers have said to go to this building and that building and pray in this manner and that manner. And our fathers have said to bow in this manner and that manner when we pray. And it is important that we do only this when we pray."

"Hmmmm," said the Ancient One.

Then Yellow People came to him and he said to Yellow People, "Tell me your vision."

And Yellow People answered, "Our teachers have told us to sit in this manner and that manner and to say this thing and that thing when we pray. And it is important that we do only this when we pray."

"Hmmmm," said the Ancient One.

Then White People came to him and he said to White People, "Tell me your vision."

And White People answered, "Our Book has told us to pray in this way and that way and to do this thing and that thing, and it is very important that we do this when we pray."

"Hmmmm," said the Ancient One.

Then Ancient One spoke to the Earth and said, "Have you given the people a vision?" And the Earth said, "Yes, a special gift for each one, but the people were so busy speaking and arguing about which way is right they could not see the gift I gave each one of them." And the Ancient One asked same question of Water and Fire and Air and got the same answer. Then Ancient One asked Animal, and Bird, and Insect, and Tree, and Flower, and Sky, and Moon, and Sun, and Stars, and all of the other Spirits and each told him the same.

Ancient One thought this was very sad. He called Red People, Black People, Yellow People, and White People to him and said to them. "The ways taught to you by your Elders, and your Mothers and Fathers, and Teachers, and Books are sacred. It is good that you respect those ways, for they are the ways of your ancestors. But the ancestors no longer walk on the Face of the Earth Mother. You have forgotten your own Vision. Your Vision is right for you but no one else. Now each of you must pray for your own Visions, and be still enough to see them, so you can follow the way of the heart. It is a hard way. It is a good way.

The Bridge of the Gods
An American Indian Legend - Northwest Region
In the days of the animal people, a great bird lived in the land of the setting sun. It was Thunderbird. All of the animal people were afraid of it. Thunderbird created five high mountains and then said to the animal people, "I made a law that no one is to pass over these five high mountains. If any one does, I will kill him. No one is to come where I live."

Wolf did not believe the law. "I will go," declared Wolf. "I will be the first to see what Thunderbird will do to me."

"I will go with you," said Wolf's four brothers.

So the five Wolf brothers went to the first mountain. They stood in a row, and each stepped with his right foot at the same time. Immediately the five wolf brothers were dead.

When the animal people heard that the five Wolf brothers were dead, Grizzly Bear, the strongest of the animals, decided that he would go.

"I will cross over the mountains," announced Grizzly Bear. "I will not die as the Wolf Brothers have died."

"We will go with you," said Grizzly Bear's four brothers.

So the five Grizzly Bear brothers went to the first mountain. They stood in a row, and each stepped with his right foot, all at the same time. Then each stepped with his left foot, all at the same time. Immediately the five Grizzly Bears were dead.

"I will go now," said Cougar. "I will take a long step and leap over the mountain."

Cougar's four brothers went with him. They made one leap together, and then all were dead.

"We will go next," said the five Beaver brothers. "We will go under the mountain. We will not be killed. We will not be like the Wolf brothers, the Grizzly brothers, and the Cougar brothers."

But as they tried to cross under the mountains, all five Beaver brothers were killed.

Then Coyote's oldest son said, "I will talk to the mountains. I will break down the law so that people may live and pass to the sunset."

His four brothers went with him, and two of them talked to the five mountains. They made the mountains move up and down; they made the mountains dance and shake. But the five sons of Coyote were killed. The five mountains still stood. No one could pass over or under them to the sunset.

Coyote's sons had not told their father their plans. He had told them that they must never stay away from home overnight. When they did not return, he knew that they had been killed by Thunderbird. Coyote was wiser than the others. He had been instructed in wisdom by the Spirit Chief.

After his sons had been gone five nights, Coyote was sure that they were dead. He cried loud and long. He went to a lonely place in the mountains and rolled on the ground, wailing and howling with grief.

Then he prayed to the Spirit Chief for strength to bring his five sons back to life.

After Coyote had cried and prayed for a long time, he heard a voice. "You cannot break the law of the Thunderbird. You cannot go over the five mountains. Thunderbird has made the law."

Coyote continued crying and praying, rolling on the ground in a lonely place in the mountains. After a time he heard the voice again.

"The only thing you can do is to go up to the Above-World. It will take you five days and five nights. There you will be told how you can bring your five sons to life again."

So for five days and five nights Coyote traveled to the Above- World. There he told his troubles to the Spirit Chief. "Give me strength," he ended. "Give me so much strength that I can fight Thunderbird. Then the people can cross over the mountains to the sunset."

At last the Spirit Chief promised to help.

"I will blind the eyes of Thunderbird," he promised. "Then you can go over the five mountains and kill him.

"I will tell you what you must do," continued the Spirit Chief. "When you get back to the earth, find the big bird called Eagle. He has great strength. Ask him for a feather from his youngest son. Ask for a feather, a small feather from under his wing. This feather is downy and has great strength. It has power running out from the heart because it grows near the heart. Return now to the earth."

After five days and five nights, Coyote reached the earth again. He found Eagle and told him all that the Great Spirit had said. Then he asked, "Will you give me the feather that grows nearest the heart of your youngest son?"

"I will do as the Spirit Chief bids," replied Eagle. "If he told you to come to me, then I will give you my power to fight Thunderbird."

"Fast for ten days and ten nights," he had said. "If you will go without food and drink for ten days and nights, you will be changed to a feather. You will then be able to go anywhere."

So Coyote fasted. After ten days and ten nights, he was turned into a feather, like the one Eagle had given him. He floated through the air toward the five mountains. At a distance from them, he made a noise like thunder, as the Spirit Chief had told him to do. Three times he made a slow, deep rumbling, off toward the sunrise.

Thunderbird heard the rumble and asked, "Who is making this noise? I alone was given the power to make that rumbling sound. This noise must be coming from the Above-World. I am dead! I am dead! I am dead!"

A fourth time Coyote rumbled, this time closer to Thunderbird. Thunderbird became angry. "I will kill whomever this is that is making the noise. I will kill him! I will kill him!" he repeated angrily.

Thunderbird made a mighty noise, a greater thunder than Coyote had made. Coyote, in the form of a feather, went into the air, higher and higher and ever higher. He darted and whirled, but could not be seen.

Thunderbird was afraid. He knew that if a fifth rumble of thunder came he would be dead. He sought the deep water of Great River, to hide himself there. He heard Coyote far above him.

Coyote prayed to the Spirit Chief. "Help me one more time, just one more time. Help me kill Thunderbird so that the people may live, so that my sons will come to life again."

The Spirit Chief heard Coyote and helped him. Thunderbird sank deeper into the water, terrified. Coyote, still invisible above him, made a greater noise than ever, a noise like the bursting of the world. The five mountains crumbled and fell. Pieces of the mountain, floating down the Great River, formed islands along its course.

Thunderbird died, and his giant body formed a great bridge above the river. The five sons of Coyote and all the other animal people who had been killed by Thunderbird came back to life.

Though many hundreds of snows had passed, the great bridge formed from the rocks that had been made out of Thunderbird's body still stood above the river. It was there long after the first Indians came to the earth. The Indians always called it "the Bridge of the Gods." No one must look at the rocks of the bridge. People knew that some day it would fall. They must not anger the Spirit Chief by looking at it, their wise men told them.

The Klickitat Indians had a different law. Only a few men necessary to paddle the canoes would pass under the bridge. All the others would land when they approached the Bridge of the Gods, walk around to the opposite side of it, and there reenter the canoes. The oarsmen always bade their friends good-bye, fearing that the bridge would fall while they were passing under it.

After many snows, no one knows how many, the prophecy of the wise men came true. The Bridge of the Gods fell. The rocks that had once been the body of Thunderbird formed the rapids in the river that were long known as Cascades of the Columbia.

The Eagle and the Snake
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
In the beginning, the Great Creator formed Mother Earth in the heavens and was pleased. Mother Earth was a beautiful sight. The Great Creator decided to add living creatures to take care of Her. The creatures were all beautiful in the Great Creators mind, but he decided to give two of them greater power and knowledge in order to help protect the great Mother Earth. The Great Creator chose the eagle and the snake to bestow this great honor upon. The eagle was the master of the skies and the snake was so close to Mother Earth that the Great Creator felt it would make the perfect protector on the ground.

The majority of eagles and snakes got along very well initially. They communicated freely with each other and all of the other creatures were in awe of them. However, there was one snake named "White Eye" that seemed to have more power than all of the other snakes. White Eye was not friendly to his brother the eagle. White Eye was very jealous that the Great Creator enabled the eagle to be such a beautiful creature and have the ability to fly free through the skies. White Eye thought "I am jusssssst assssss powerful assssss the eagle, yet I am ugly and musssssst crawl along the ground like a lower form of life. Ssssssomeday, I will take Mother Earth completely away from the eagle and be the complete ruler of all creaturessssss. Of thissssss I PROMISSSSSSE!"

As time passed, the greatest eagle of all, named "Redman" became aware that he possessed superior powers that all other eagles were unaware of. He was also aware that White Eye was a powerful trouble maker and that certain discoveries of powers from the Great Creator must never fall into the possession of that evil snake. Redman discovered an art called "shape shifting".

He discovered that he could, after deep, silent prayer and soft chanting, actually change his physical body into an all together different form. As Redman began to experiment with his newly discovered power, he discovered that he could assume the shape of an upright being with two legs and two arms. As Redman looked into Chilhowie lake one day, he discovered that his two-legged form was actually a beautiful shape with a reddish hue to the skin covering. The two-legged form also looked very impressive with two arms with hands and fingers and toes on the feet attached to the two legs. Redman was very happy. As he began to experiment with his new form, he was impressed to see that he would be able to do many things that could be very helpful in taking loving care of Mother Earth.

Redman met with eight of the most trusted eagles to discuss the new power. The eight eagles were named "Sioux", "Cherokee", "Cheyenne", "Apache", "Chippewa", "Iroquois" and "Seminole". These eight eagles together began to experiment with the new form that Redman had discovered and they agreed that there was much that could be done for mother earth with this new form. The eight then returned to their respective eagle families and met secretly with the wisest male and female eagles to discuss their plan. The plan was simple enough. These chosen eagles would select the best male and female eagles to shape shift to the new form and from their different locations upon Mother Earth, they would reproduce in the new form and be even better able to take care of Her and all of Her creatures.

One day when Redman was walking through the woods, he came across White Eye. Needless to say, White Eye was stunned. "SSSSSSSoooooo Redman ... what issssss thissssss?" Redman was immediately fearful of White Eye's evil powers and was momentarily speechless. "SSSSSSSooooo Redman! I ssssssaid ... what issssss thissssss?" "Oh, hello White Eye", said Redman. "This is a new form that I have discovered and I believe that this form may enable me to better serve the Great Creator in protecting Mother Earth." "I sssssssee." said White Eye. "Won't you be ssssssso kind assssss to sssssshow me how to do that, sssssso that I may alsssssso help protect our dear Mother Earth?"

Redman thought quickly and said "Well White Eye, right now I am simply experimenting with the form. If it ends up being as good as I think it may be, I'll talk to all of the creatures to discuss it. I have to go now. Farewell White Eye."

Now White Eye was furious! He must know how to assume that beautiful form! White Eye returned home and gathered together the most evil snakes that he could find to discuss this new situation. The other snakes were amazed! They all agreed to a secret pact that would enable them to search hard and secretly to discover how Redman had been able to assume this beautiful new form!

Low and behold, the snakes began seeing these new upright creatures all around their areas of Mother Earth, and the eagles seemed to be multiplying rapidly in the new form. White Eye was absolutely furious! He called a meeting of the evil snakes and they decided to kill one of the new upright eagles with the two-legged shape.

One day White Eye and his evil friends saw a lone upright eagle and they approached him in a seemingly friendly manner, complimenting his new form. As the snakes questions became more aggressive, the eagle decided to run. However, it was too late. The snakes attacked. As the eagle was dying, in his weakened condition, White Eye summoned his greatest, most focussed power, which was the ability to telepathically impart knowledge and ideas from other creatures. If the eagle were healthy, he would have been able to escape, or mentally try to block White Eyes mind reading. Unfortunately, the poor eagle was very weak from the attack of the evil snakes and White Eye successfully gained the process of shape shifting.

White Eye let out an enormous, evil, blood curdling laugh. That was the final sound the dying eagle heard in his physical life on Mother Earth. White Eye was laughing hysterically! The other snakes gathered around. "What issssss it White Eye? What issssss sssssso funny?" Suddenly White Eye's beady little snake eyes narrowed and he became very nasty looking. "Now I know how to transsssssform; my ugly body into the beautiful new form!" said White Eye. White Eye ordered the other evil snakes to leave him alone for awhile, and he promised that he would rejoin them as soon as he had tried the new shape shifting idea that he had taken from the poor dying eagle. The other snakes left as White Eye had requested.

Now White Eye became very quiet and began to really focus on the energy of the universe. After a few moments, he felt a very unusual tingling and began to softly chant the words that the dying eagle had known to utter in order to successfully shape shift to the upright, two-legged form. "Hey - Ya...Hey-Ya...Hey - Ya...Hey Ya." White Eye knew the exact cadence and inflections for the chant. After a few more minutes, White Eye felt an enormous rushing of energy entering his ugly snake body. White Eye suddenly screamed out in pain, as the energy rush was beyond description. White Eye passed out of consciousness. When he felt himself awakening, he felt very different and strange. As his eyes began to regain their sight, White Eye saw something that he could not believe! He had arms and hands and legs and feet! Just like Redman! He was ecstatic! The only difference was that his skin covering was a white color. Redman's had been slightly reddish. White Eye was actually glad that he was a different color than the eagle! He thought, "This will make it easy for us snakes to know what upright creatures are snakes and what upright creatures are the loathsome eagles!"

White Eye found that at first, it was hard to make the new form work. He practiced for awhile and then could not wait to show his evil friends! He ran through the woods to the place where he was to meet them. The other snakes at first were frightened, but then excited! "Issssss that really you, White Eye?" "Yes it is." Said White Eye without any trace of the hissing that always had been part of his language. He immediately showed the other evil snakes how to shape shift, and they began to try it. They too were white, but very happy!

The evil snakes spent time practicing shape shifting and did many different things in order to master the new shape shifting idea that White Eye had discovered. None of the snakes had any tell tale sign of the evil hissing that accompanied their language when in the upright form. However, when they shape shifted back to their original snake form, the hissing would return. The snakes made a pact to act friendly at first to the upright eagles in order to make them believe that they were their friends. But White Eye had vowed long ago that the snakes would take everything away from the eagles and this vow would never be forgotten! Then the upright snakes would have control of Mother Earth and all of her creatures.

As the snakes began to experiment with their new form, they discovered that they could take things from mother earth that would help them become even more powerful. The evil snakes began to get very greedy and no longer even remembered, let alone did they act like that they were actually supposed to protect Mother Earth. No, now the snakes thought only of themselves and their greedy plan to take over Mother Earth from the beautiful upright eagles.

In the beginning, the upright snakes were congregated in the east, where their meeting had taken place, and where they had originally killed the upright eagle. In their self-serving greed, they forgot all about their family's and simply stayed where they were to reproduce and learn more about their new upright form. The upright snakes began to discover how to make deadly weapons from the gifts of Mother Earth. They began to kill other creatures simply for a strange, sick enjoyment that they began to feel in their new, powerful, upright form. The other creatures became very frightened of the upright snakes, and that fear continues even today.

Meanwhile, the upright eagles continued their peaceful, loving care for Mother Earth. Some of the eagles made some unwise choices as to who would be the appropriate selections for the shape shifting plan and some of the shape shifted eagles also became overly aggressive in their new form. Redman was very upset about these aggressive eagles, but it was beyond his control. He did however banish them from the circle of good eagles until such time that they would exist peacefully with their fellow eagles.

The Great Creator soon became concerned about the problems that were occurring on Mother Earth as a result of the shape shifting. He sent word with his most trusted raven for Redman and White Eye to meet him on Mt. LeConte, the next Sunday morning at sunrise. When sunrise came on Mt. LeConte that Sunday morning, only Redman had come to meet with the Great Creator. The Great Creator expressed to Redman disappointment. The Great Creator explained to Redman that he should have discussed his new plan with him first. He still loved Redman and he made that clear. He went on to explain to Redman that he would eliminate the ability to shape shift from all creatures except for Redman himself. The Great Creator went on to explain to Redman that from then on, only the highest medicine eagles could be taught about shape shifting, and they were to understand that they were not then to teach it to anyone else!

The Great Creator passed over Mother Earth and did as he said he would. He eliminated the shape shifting ability of all creatures, except Redman. At first White Eye was very angry. He new that he had defied the Great Creator by not attending the meeting at Mt. LeConte, but in his greed, he did not care. White Eye knew that enough snakes had already shape shifted and were reproducing rapidly enough, so that his great plan to take Mother Earth from the eagles would still be possible.

As time passed, the upright snakes and eagles lost even the memory that they had originally been different creatures. The upright snakes became known simply as "white eyes". The upright eagles became simply known as "red men". Only Redman himself retained the knowledge of how all of this had come to pass. Even the evil White Eye soon forgot about how he had become upright. However, White Eye did still have the intense, burning desire to control Mother Earth. In his mind, as well as all of the other white eye creatures, the hatred of the redskin creatures continued, and their collective greed could not be denied. They took, and took, and took from Mother Earth.

As more time passed, the white eyes multiplied and soon needed additional space to greedily take the resources from Mother Earth that they had grown to need. The white eyes began to move westward, where they encountered more red men. The red men tried to help the white eyes understand that Mother Earth should be loved and taken care of. At first, the white eyes pretended to befriend the red men. The white eyes were really not interested in what the red men said. They really just wanted to steal from them and take their land. The white eyes lied to the red men and even began killing them.

White Eye had become a great military leader with the white eyes and was determined to take all of Mother Earth from the red men. He was willing to kill as many of them as was necessary in order to keep his promise of long ago. There came a great, greedy hostility that even brought death to the women and children of the red men. The white eyes lied, cheated and stole their beloved lands from them.

As more time passed and these treacheries grew more outrageous, great war erupted. The white eyes far outnumbered the red men, and even though the red men were fierce, tenacious fighters, the odds were simply impossible. Finally, the white eyes and their evil leader White Eye had militarily conquered the red men. However, they could never conquer their spirit.

The red men were treated in a terrible fashion. They were forced to live in communities against their will, far from their beloved homelands. Their rights were completely stripped away from them. They were humiliated and disgraced by the white eyes. Through all of this, Redman became very bitter. He was saddened that he had brought all of this to pass. He vowed to reclaim Mother Earth from the white eyes.

Redman struggled to try to develop a plan to reclaim Mother Earth for the rest of his life in the physical world. Redman banished himself in self-imposed shame. He retreated to a remote, but beautiful area known as Gregory's Bald near Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee.

It was early spring when Redman arrived at Gregory's Bald and the area was alive with beautiful creatures and beautiful wild flowers were everywhere. Redman loved this spot and the beauty of it helped ease his pain. Each and every spring Gregory's Bald virtually comes to life and is absolutely covered with the most splendid display of wild azaleas imaginable. The sight was so magnificent that it always seemed to renew Redman's spirit. However, his thoughts of what had happened as a result of white eyes greed could never escape his tormented mind. Redman continuously searched his soul about how to regain his beloved red mans homelands.

However, the real opportunities seemed to diminish more and more as time passed by and Redman grew older and older. Finally, Redman's time in the physical world was drawing to an end. He spoke daily with the Great Creator through ceremonies, chants and words. The Great Creator was sympathetic to Redman's plight, but could do very little for him.

Redman fell into a deep sleep one beautiful spring morning. In his sleep, the Great Creator appeared to him. The Great Creator told Redman that his time in the physical world was ending. The Great Creator told Redman that he would allow him certain abilities to interact with the physical world on a limited basis, once he passed into the spirit world. The Great Creator told Redman that he would be allowed to maintain his spirit world existence in very close parallel to the physical world and that he would be able to see what was happening in the physical world. This way, if and when Redman saw an opportunity to influence earthly events in his limited capacity, then he was to feel free to do so. In this way, the Great Creator had allowed Redman an opportunity to guide his peoples destiny if the right opportunity presented itself. Redman was extremely grateful and was filled with great hope for the future of the red men.

Time in the spirit world is completely unlike time in the physical world. There are no human emotions to confuse or distort reality, and time is immaterial. Redman was finally able to exist in peace and happiness. He knew that someday, somehow the opportunity would present itself for the red men to return to a peaceful, harmonious time when they could once again provide the dear Mother Earth with the loving care that once had been possible. He knew that he would be ready and when the right time did come, the red men would have the Great Creator to thank for their opportunity to reclaim their beloved Mother Earth. This we know is true, for the legend says that it is so.

THE END?

The Possum and the Jaguar
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
The mother of the small possum told her son, "I think it's time that you went out and found someone to be your godfather."

So it was that the little possum went out to search for a godfather. First he headed for the jaguar's lair. The jaguar came to attention thinking that this would be an easy meal. The possum, however, quickly shouted out the purpose of his visit. "Señ or Jaguar, excuse me for bothering you, but the only thing I want is to ask if you would like to be my godfather."

"Ah, so you want me to be your godfather?" the jaguar asked.

"Yes," the possum replied.

"Very well, if that's what you want, then that's how it will be. Tomorrow I'll come for you so that we can go out and eat," the jaguar said.

"Very good, Godfather. I will be ready and waiting in the morning."

The next day the jaguar arrived at the possum's house and announced, "I have come to see my godson."

"Of course," the mother said. "Come in. He's waiting for you." So the possum went with his godfather to the plain where there was a little fountain or "eye of the water."

There other animals came to drink. Then the jaguar told the possum, "Get up in this tree and when I shout 'now there's meat', you should come quickly to find me."

"Very good, I'll do it, Godfather," said the possum and hid himself among the limbs of the tree. At noon the thirsty cattle began to come down the hills to the spring, and the last to arrive was a black bull.

"Now I will procure some food for my godson," said the jaguar. So while the bull was drinking the jaguar leaped out of his hiding place and attacked. He felled the bull in the mud at the edge of the spring. When the meal was ready the jaguar shouted, "Godson, come quickly. "Eat all that you want, dear godson. There is plenty of meat," the jaguar said.

The possum began to eat, but he could hardly finish a mouthful.

"Eat, eat, my godson. Don't waste the food we now have so abundantly," the jaguar said.

"Thank you godfather, but my stomach is very small and I cannot eat much," the possum answered.

The jaguar ate all that he could and left part of the kill for other animals. As they were leaving his godson said, "Many thank;s godfather, now it is my turn to invite you to a banquet as you have invited me."

On the day of the invitation the jaguar arrived at his godson's house. This time the possum was ready to provide the food for the banquet, and the jaguar accompanied his godson in search of meat. The possum headed toward a little village where some laborers had chickens and turkeys in their pens. They paused at the edge of the village to wait until everyone went to sleep.

At midnight the possum entered a pen to hunt. One by one he was carrying off the chickens and turkeys for his godfather to eat. The jaguar said he was still hungry, so the possum returned to the pen to capture more hens. This time the hens made a great racket and woke up their owners who came out with dogs, sticks and machetes, ready to chase those who were ravaging the hen house. They searched the plain with flaming pine torches but found nothing.

A few days later the little possum said to his mother, "Come with me to eat, Mama. I know how my godfather got very good meat and I will do the same."

His mother went with him to the scene of the hunt. "Climb up that tree while I hide in the bushes at the side of the spring When I shout, 'Now there is meat' I want you to come quickly."

In this manner the possum hid himself in the same place from which his godfather had ambushed his prey. At noon the cattle began to come down from the hill to drink before they took their rest. In a little while a single bull also came down. While the bull drank water the possum leaped upon him in the same way his godfather had done. But the bull was not frightened and simply began to shake himself to get rid of this tickling on his shoulder. As he shook himself he hurled the possum into the air. He landed and stuck in the mud. Unable to get out, the possum called to his mother for help.

"Come here, Mama. Now there is meat" he shouted. His mother jumped to the ground thinking the meat was now ready.

When she got to the spring she discovered her son almost dead, and she leaped to his rescue. But she too got trapped in the mire where it is said the two sadly died.

The Story of Creation
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
When Tu-chai-pai made the world, the Earth was the woman, the sky was the man. The sky came down upon the Earth. The world in the beginning was a pure lake covered with tules. Tu-chai-pai and his younger brother, Yo-ko-mat- is, sat together, stooping far over, bowed down by the weight of the sky. The Maker said to his brother, "What am I going to do?"

"I do not know," said Yo-ko-mat-is.

"Let us go a little farther," said the Maker.

So they went a little farther and sat down to rest. "Now what am I going to do?" said Tu-chai-pai.

"I do not know, my brother."

All of this time the Maker knew what he was about to do, but he was asking his brother's help. Then he said, "We-hicht, we-hicht, we-hicht," three times. He took tobacco in his hand. and rubbed it fine and blew upon it three times. Every time he blew, the heavens rose higher above their heads.

Younger brother did the same thing because the Maker asked him to do it. The heavens went higher and higher and so did the sky. Then they did it both together, "We-hicht, we-hicht, we-hicht," and both took tobacco, rubbed it, and puffed hard upon it, sending the sky so high it formed a concave arch.

Then they placed North, South, East, and West. Tu-chai-pai made a line upon the ground.

"Why do you make that line?" asked younger brother.

"I am making the line from East to West and name them so. Now you make a line from North to South."

Yo-ko-mat-is thought very hard. How would he arrange it? Then he drew a cross-line from top to bottom. He named the top line North, and the bottom line South. Then he asked, "Why are we doing this?"

The Maker said, "I will tell you. Three or four men are coming from the East, and from the West three or four Indians are coming."

The brother asked, "Do four men come from the North, and two or three men come from the South?"

Tu-chai-pai said, "Yes. Now I am going to make hills and valleys and little hollows of water."

"Why are you making all of these things?"

The Maker explained, "After a while when men come and are walking back and forth in the world, they will need to drink water or they will die." He had already made the ocean, but he needed little water places for the people.

Then he made the forests and said, "After a while men will die of cold unless I make wood for them to burn. What are we going to do now?"

"I do not know," replied younger brother.

"We are going to dig in the ground and find mud to make the first people, the Indians." So he dug in the ground and took mud to make the first men, and after that the first women. He made the men easily, but he had much trouble making women. It took him a long time.

After the Indians, he made the Mexicans and finished all his making. He then called out very loudly, "People, you can never die and you can never get tired, so you can walk all the time." But then he made them sleep at night, to keep them from walking in the darkness. At last he told them that they must travel toward the East, where the sun's light was coming out for the first time.

The Indians then came out and searched for the light, and at last they found light and were exceedingly glad to see the Sun. The Maker called out to his brother, "It's time to make the Moon. You call out and make the Moon to shine, as I have made the Sun. Sometime the Moon will die. When it grows smaller and smaller, men will know it is going to die, and they must run races to try and keep up with the dying moon."

The villagers talked about the matter and they understood their part and that Tu-chai-pai would be watching to see that they did what he wanted them to do. When the Maker completed all of this, he created nothing more. But he was always thinking how to make Earth and Sky better for all the Indians.

The Sugar Maple (Axsìnamìnshi)
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Long ago, Axsìnamìnshi, the Sugar Maple, was suffering from an intense itching caused by grubs and beetles burrowing beneath his bark. Though he had many arms and fingers, he could not scratch himself. The itching became unbearable, and all that he could do was to writhe in discomfort and torment. He could do nothing by himself to relieve his suffering!

Finally, unable to bear the itching any longer, he called out to the squirrels, porcupines, and beavers to help him, but they were concerned only with their own affairs and they did not offer any help. All they did was to offer their sympathy.

Next, Sugar Maple called to the birds. They too, felt sorry for him, but could do nothing.

Then, Papa'xes, Woodpecker, came along, and he said he could help. So, he brought his cousins, Ulikwàn, Flicker; and Titàs, the Downy Woodpecker. All of them worked very hard and finally were able to pick up every pest from Sugar Maple's bark, and his itching stopped! What a relief! Axsìnamìnshi thanked Woodpecker and his cousins most happily, and they thanked Sugar Maple for the good meal of grubs and beetles.

Years later, Papa'xes was in distress. Not knowing what to do, he at last came to Axsìnamìnshi, who he hadn't seen in a long time, and he related a sad story to him. Due to a long period without rain, Papa'xes was dying of thirst, and he asked Sugar Maple if he might help.

Sugar Maple, remembering the help he had received from Woodpecker, told him, "Go to my trunk and drill some holes and they will fill up with sap."

Woodpecker flew down and pecked away at the trunk, making many holes. The holes filled up with sap, and Woodpecker drank and joyfully slaked his thirst. Woodpeckers have been drinking from trees ever since.

It was from the Woodpecker, that our Lenape'wak learned that trees give sap and can be tapped.

The Warm Wind Brothers vs. The Cold Wind Brothers
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
This is a story about two tribes that lived during the last Ice Age, many years ago. One of these tribes was called the Tribe of the Warm Wind. The people lived in the Dry Falls-Vantafe area. Wherever they camped, they were in warm country. The chief of the Warm Wind people had five sons.

The second tribe was the Tribe of the Cold Wind. The chief of this tribe also had five sons. Wherever the Cold Wind people settled, cold weather followed. All the lakes and rivers froze, and snow fell.

When the Tribe of the Cold Wind tried to move south, they were stopped by the Tribe of the Warm Wind. The Cold Wind people held council and decided that if they would kill the five brothers in the Warm Wind tribe, they could go south whenever they wished.

They asked Coyote to deliver a challenge for a duel between the five brothers in the Warm Wind tribe and the five brothers in the Cold Wind tribe. The challenge was accepted, and the date was set. Then Coyote traveled around to tell all the people in both tribes about the contest.

When the day arrived, both tribes gathered at the place for the duel. Two warriors fought at a time, one Warm Wind brother against one Cold Wind brother. The young warriors of the Cold Wind people were much stronger than their rivals. Soon all the Warm Wind brothers had been killed.

The Tribe of the Cold Wind now had the power to rule, and they ruled strongly and severely. The country became cold. The rivers and lakes froze solid, and snow fell until the lodges were nearly covered. As far south as Dry Falls, the ice was piled as high as mountains.

Coyote was cruelly treated, and his work was never done. The Warm Wind people were miserable. They were made the slaves of the Cold Wind people. Any food they found was taken from them. They had to eat the scraps of food the Cold Wind people did not want.

Not long before the struggles, the youngest son of the Warm Wind chief had married a girl from a tribe farther south. She decided to go back to her people. Before she left, she told her husband's people, "I am expecting a child. Pray that it will be a boy. If I have a son, I will train him to be the greatest warrior in the world. When he is grown, I will send him to you. Watch for him. He will avenge the defeat of his father and uncles."

A few moons later the woman gave birth to a son. When he was about three months old, he was given baths in cold water to make him strong. As soon as he was old enough, his mother and her brothers had him follow a training course that would make him a strong warrior.

For years he trained. He became so strong that he could uproot trees and throw them over hills. He could throw large boulders many miles. At this time he believed himself the strongest man in the world.

Then his mother told him about the duel between the Warm Wind brothers and the Cold Wind brothers. The young man felt that he was ready to avenge the death of his father and uncles, and to set their people free. But his mother insisted that he train for one more year.

By the end of that year he could move small mountains. Then his mother told him that he was ready to go north to help his people. She told him just what he should do and what he should ask his grandparents to do to help him.

The young warrior started north, and a warm south wind went with him. As he neared the home of his grandparents, the ice on their lodge poles began to melt for the first time since they became slaves. They were glad and asked each other, "Do you think that our grandson is coming?"

Before the sun set that day, the young man reached them. They saw that he was strong, and they believed him when he said that he had come to free them and their people from the Cold Wind tribe. He was sorry that they had been treated unkindly.

Coyote was sent to the camp of the chief of the Cold Wind tribe to deliver a challenge from the grandson of the chief of the Warm Wind tribe. It was accepted. The day and the place were decided upon.

In the camp of the defeated people, the grandson asked them to follow his mother's instructions: "Boil some salmon, and put the broth in five containers."

On the morning of the duel, the people of both tribes gathered at the river at the chosen place. The grandson fought with the oldest brother from the Cold Wind tribe. The ice was very slick. But the grandson's people threw down a bucket of hot salmon broth, and the ice became rough. So the young warrior defeated the first of the five brothers.

Then the second brother stepped forth, and the grandson fought him. The Cold Wind people threw water on the ice, hoping to make it slick. Then the Warm Wind people threw another bucket of hot broth on the ice, and it became rough. So the young warrior defeated the second brother.

The third, fourth, and fifth brothers he struggled with, each in turn. Each time he was helped by the hot salmon broth. When he had defeated the youngest brother, the Warm Wind people were free. They drove the rest of the Cold Wind people so far north that they could never find their way back. Soon the warm wind came in and melted all the ice.

When the young grandson travels north in the spring, warm weather follows. If he had not defeated the five brothers of the Cold Wind tribe, we still would be living in the Ice Age.

The Wise Woman's Stone
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.

The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. "I've been thinking," he said. "I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone."

Traditional Talking Stick
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
The Talking Stick is a tool used in many Native American Traditions when a council is called. It allows all council members to present their Sacred Point of View. The Talking Stick is passed from person to person as they speak and only the person holding the stick is allowed to talk during that time period. The Answering Feather is also held by the person speaking unless the speaker address a question to another council member. At that time, the Answering Feather is passed to the person asked to answer the query. Every member of the meeting must listen closely to the words being spoken, so when their turn comes, they do not repeat unneeded information or ask impertinent questions. Indian children are taught to listen from age three forward; they are also taught to respect another's viewpoint. This is not to say that they may not disagree, but rather they are bound by their personal honor to allow everyone their Sacred Point of View.

People responsible for holding any type council meeting are required to make their own Talking Stick. The Talking Stick may be used when they teach children, hold council, make decisions regarding disputes, hold Pow-Wow gatherings, have storytelling circles, or conduct a ceremony where more then one person will speak.

Since each piece of material used in the Talking Stick speaks of the personal Medicine of the stick owner, each Talking Stick will be different. The Qualities of each type of Standing Person (Tree) brings specific Medicine. White Pine is the Peace Tree, Birch symbolizes truth, Evergreens represent the continued growth of all things. Cedar symbolizes cleansing. Aspen is the symbol for seeing clearly since there are many eye shapes on the truth. Maple represents gentleness. Elm is used for wisdom; Mountain Ash for protection; Oak for strength; Cherry for expression, high emotion, or love. Fruit woods are for abundance and walnut or pecan for gathering of energy or beginning new projects. Each person making a Talking Stick must decide which type of Standing Person (Tree) will assist their needs and add needed medicine to the Councils held.

The ornamentation of each stick all have meaning. In the Lakotah Tradition, red is for life, yellow is for knowledge, blue is for prayer and wisdom, white is for spirit, purple is for healing, orange is for feeling kinship with all living things, black is for clarity and focus.

The type of feathers and hide used on a Talking Stick are very important as well. The Answering Feather is usually an Eagle Feather, which represents high ideals, truth as viewed from the expansive eye of the eagle, and the freedom that comes from speaking total truth to the best of one's ability. The Answering Feather can also be the feather of a Turkey, the Peace Eagle of the south, which brings peaceful attitudes as well as the give and take necessary in successful completion of disputes. In the Tribe that see Owl as good Medicine, the Owl feather may also be used to stop deception from entering the Sacred Space of the Council.

The skins, hair or hides used in making a Talking Stick brings the abilities, talents, gifts and medicine of those creatures-beings to council in a variety of ways. Buffalo brings abundance; Elk brings physical fitness and stamina; deer brings gentleness; rabbit brings the ability to listen with big ears; the hair from a horse's tail or mane brings perseverance and adds connection to the earth and to the spirits of the wind. If an illness of heart, mind, spirit, or body has affected the group gathering, snake skin may be wrapped around the Talking Stick so that healing and transmuting of those poisons can occur. The Talking Stick is the tool that teaches each of us to honor the Sacred Point of View of every living creature.

White Buffalo Woman
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
A while back, I looked into the Sun, and a beautiful young Woman was there. Something Sacred was in her hand, and the light around her was infinite Love. Beside her stood something like a Man. The "Man" was very angry. In his hand was a weapon, he held it in the Sun. The "Man" said, I will strike the earth, and purify it of all humans and of all that they have done. The Woman said, no, wait. Give me a little time to speak to the People. See how pitiful they are, how hard they try to do what is right even though many of them don't even understand right from wrong. She put her arm around the "Man", held him close to his heart, and he agreed to put his weapon down. I watched them for a long time. The Sun did not hurt my eyes, because the "Man" and the Woman were so beautiful. Then the Woman turned and looked at me, and gave me this story, to give to all.

She is back to fulfill her promise. Not because we deserve it, but because it's time. The first time she came, many hundreds of years ago, the sacred woman was with the people for a while, some say, four days. In that time she showed them all the things they need to know in order to live right in the sight of God and one another. Sometimes she'd take some of the people aside, and speak to the men or the women or the children or some other group. Sometimes she'd talk to all the people all together.

Talk .... Except recently when I dreamed of her, she didn't say much at all. Just showed up and did what needed to be done, and anyone who saw her, a sacred Voice spoke to them in their hearts. Stayed a while, and then she was gone.

And so to tell her story completely, a person would have to say everything she said and do everything she did, and it would take a while, probably four days. This is not possible at this time. And to really tell her story, a person would have to live in such a way that anyone with eyes can look at that person and see White Buffalo Woman.

But what I will try to do here, is tell it in such a way that a seed is planted in our hearts, and this seed will grow until we comes into understanding of all that she said and did, the right way to live. So I will go on and write here, the seeds of what she said and did, says and does, for the people. The rest, you can dream.

Many people ask about the ceremonies. The ceremonies came through visions, to certain people in certain times and places, and so it is not always right to do them with other peoples and in other times and places. But the teachings she brought are the same teachings she came to bring to certain people of long ago. She now brings these teachings again, to all peoples, when she returned to Earth in recent years to keep her promise. And anyone who hears her words and lives her way, is a living Ceremony and a living Pipe! Anyone hears this, every breath you take is sacred.

If this story does you any good, please be so kind as to pass it along. Copy it and pass it along, upload it, whatever. Only do not sell it. If hearing or reading this story gives you dreams of White Buffalo Woman as well, please honor her by telling her story and making your dreams for all to see.

Wolves and Coyotes - aka The First Healer
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
One day as a man was walking alone he met a coyote.
Coyote spoke to the man and said, "How would you like to smoke my pipe?"
The man thanked the coyote and said "Sure!"

When the man was finished, the coyote said to him, "You have smoked my pipe so now you are my friend and I will not harm you, but will take you to meet my people. I want my people to know that you have smoked my pipe. They will be glad to see you and will give you great powers."

They walked on a way and after a while they met many coyotes and wolves.
When the coyotes and the wolves saw the coyote with the man one wolf called to the other wolves and said, "Everyone be seated. Let us hear what these people who are coming have to say."

When they were seated the coyote stood up and said, "This man is my brother. He smoked my pipe. He came with me to pay you a visit. Let us take pity on him and make him a wonderful man."

The man was frightened, for the wolves came very close to him. Then the man was told that he must not be afraid to look. So he did and saw many coyotes, old and young.

The coyotes began to roll in the dust then they came to the man and gave him plant roots and told him that the roots were good for healing the sick.

Then one of the coyotes arose and said, "We will give you this root and if any many is bitten by a mad dog give him this medicine. He will then get well and not go mad. The other medicinal roots are good for other ailments and pains."

Next a wolf stood up and rolled in the dust. Then he arose and gave the man a whistle and said, "I give you the whistle. When anybody is sick, use this whistle and the person will be made well."

Then another wolf arose and gave the man a piece of bone with the skull of a wolf on it and said, "Take this piece of bone. If anyone attempts to poison or bewitch you, lay the bone on your forehead and you will be able to overcome them. My power is the bone."

Finally the man spoke and said, "This is enough. I thank you wolves and coyotes, I am glad I cam here."

Then coyote took the man back to the village. "When you get home," the coyote said, "take this whistle. Blow it before you get home. Blow hard and we will hear it; all the coyotes and wolves will hear it."

The man did as he was told and heard the coyotes and wolves howl in the distance.

After several days he heard of a man who was very ill.
He went to him and doctored him. With the new healing powers he had learned from the wolves and the coyotes, he was able to cure the sick man.

Thus began the journeys of the first healers.

Pokoh, The Old Man
A Ute Legend
Pokoh, Old Man, they say, created the world. Pokoh had many thoughts. He had many blankets in which he carried around gifts for men. He created every tribe out of the soil where they used to live.

That is why an Indian wants to live and die in his native place. He was made of the same soil. Pokoh did not wish men to wander and travel, but to remain in their birthplace.

Long ago, Sun was a man, and was bad. Moon was good. Sun had a quiver full of arrows, and they are deadly. Sun wishes to kill all things.

Sun has two daughters (Venus and Mercury) and twenty men kill them; but after fifty days, they return to life again.

Rainbow is the sister of Pokoh, and her breast is covered with flowers.

Lightning strikes the ground and fills the flint with fire. That is the origin of fire. Some say the beaver brought fire from the east, hauling it on his broad, flat tail. That is why the beaver's tail has no hair on it, even to this day. It was burned off.

There are many worlds. Some have passed and some are still to come. In one world the Indians all creep; in another they all walk; in another they all fly. Perhaps in a world to come, Indians may walk on four legs; or they may crawl like snakes; or they may swim in the water like fish.

The changing of Mikcheech
A Wabanaki Legend
In a village in the Old Time, there once lived a Micmac named Mikcheech who was an old bachelor, very shabby and poor and, truth to tell, somewhat lazy. He lived all alone, having no wife to care for him, and his neighbors paid him no attention, for he was neither rich nor clever nor wise.

Yet he bore his wants with great good humor, and Glooscap loved him for his cheerful, easy ways.

One day Glooscap came to the lodge of Mikcheech. Mikcheech hailed him with delight, for he was lonely and any stranger who came to his wigwam was sure of a welcome. He gave Glooscap the guest's place at the fire, shared with him his supper of fresh salmon and, after the meal, the two sat on either side of the fire, smoking and laughing and telling stories.

Finally they sat together in contented silence until suddenly Glooscap asked his host why he had never married.

"Too lazy," Mikcheech admitted with a grin. "And now what maid would look at me, a homely old fellow with all his clothes full of holes!"

"You need a wife to mend those clothes," said Glooscap, "but first, I must do something."

And handing his magic belt to Mikcheech, he bade him put it on. No sooner was the belt clasped about the old fellow's waist than Mikcheech felt a change come over him. He looked down at himself in amazement.

He was no longer a shabby old man, but a young and handsome brave in fine clothing.

"By the tail of the Beaver!" cried Mikcheech. "You can make a man over as easy as what he wears!"

But Glooscap shook his head.

"Not so. The outside of a man is easy, but the inside is another matter. It is hard to make over the whole of a man. Otherwise, I would not be so long at work in the world."

Then Mikcheech knew his guest was Glooscap and was greatly alarmed.

"Fear not, Mikcheech," said Glooscap with a twinkle in his eye. "I am your friend. See now, I have done my part. The rest is up to you."

Then Mikcheech saw that Glooscap had played a fine trick on him. He had taken away his excuse for sitting about all day doing nothing. Now the lazy Mikcheech must stir himself to find a bride.

"Very well," he said with his usual good humor "I see my easy days are over. I shall get me a wife to keep me from idleness. But tell me, how long will my new form last?"

"As long as you are a man," said Glooscap. "Now, listen. There is a feast being held in the next village. Go there and choose a bride. I will await you here."

So Mikcheech went to the feast and the people there made the handsome stranger welcome, inviting him to dance. They danced, moving around in a circle stamping their feet and uttering sharp cries, while a man in the center set the time on a cheegumakun.

Beyond the ring of male dancers sat the women watching. Mikcheech looked at them as he danced and saw the girl he wanted, the fairest of all in the village - Mahia, the chief's youngest daughter. He knew immediately that no- one else would do.

He danced closer and ever closer to Mahia each time around the circle, until at the seventh round he was near enough to toss a small chip into her lap. If the maid disdained him, she would frown and toss the chip away over her shoulder. If she returned his interest, she would smile and throw the chip back to him.

The dancers circled again, and once more Mikcheech drew near the chief's daughter. To his joy, she smiled and flung the chip into his hands.

Mikcheech went straight to the chief of the tribe and, looking meaningfully at Mahia, said, "I am tired of living alone."

"You are a brave man," said the chief, giving him a strange look, "but if it is your wish, you may have her. Come to the highest place, my son-in-law."

And in this way Mikcheech and Mahia were married.

While his bride and her family prepared the wedding feast, Mikcheech hurried back to his own village to tell Glooscap of his good fortune, but Glooscap did not look happy.

"You have chosen unwisely, my friend," he said.

"Mahia is the loveliest maid in the village!" cried Mikcheech.

"For that reason," said Glooscap, "all the young men desire her. None have dared so far to ask her hand in marriage, for it is known that whoever wins her will be killed by the rest."

"Alas," sighed Mikcheech, "I am not much of a fighter. And I never like to exert myself unless it is absolutely necessary. However, I must have Mahia. Tell me what I must do."

"It is hard, as I told you, to change the whole of a man, but I can do even that. Are you willing to be changed?"

"Certainly," cried Mikcheech, "so long as I may have Mahia all my days." "Very well," said Glooscap. "Do as I tell you, and before this day is through, you will be changed--and because you are patient and tough, you will be changed into a creature very hard to kill. Now listen closely."

Then Glooscap told Mikcheech that after the wedding feast there would be games. During the games, the young men would seek to slay him by crowding and trampling him to death.

"When they do this," said Glooscap, "it will be near your father-in-law's lodge, and to escape them you must jump over it."

Mikcheech was about to protest that he could never jump so high, but remembered in time that with Glooscap all things were possible.

"You will jump once, twice, three times," said Glooscap, "and the third time will be terrible for you. But it must be. If you are patient and brave, no matter what happens, then you will become chief over a new race, and bear up a great nation."

Now all happened as Glooscap had foretold.

The wedding of Mikcheech and Mahia was celebrated with a fine feast and dancing, and afterwards the young men played games.

In the last game, the young men crowded against Mikcheech and tried to trip him. Then Mikcheech leapt like a bird over the chief's lodge and all the braves gasped with astonishment.

Soon recovering from their surprise, however, they drew their knives and hurried to the far side of the lodge, but once more Mikcheech soared over the peak of the lodge.

"You'll have to jump high to catch me!" he cried merrily, and jumped for the third time.

This time, alas, Mikcheech caught on the crossed poles at the top of the lodge and hung there, helpless, dangling over the smoke-hole. The black smoke rolled up and enveloped him, staining his flesh and stinging his eyes.

"Oh, great chief," groaned Mikcheech, "you are killing me!"

"Not so," he heard Glooscap say. "I am giving you new life. From this time you will have no fear of knives. You will be able to roll through fire and never feel it. You will live in water as well as upon land."

Now the people could not see what was happening because of the smoke, nor could they understand the words of Glooscap for he was invisible and spoke in a strange tongue which only Mikcheech could understand.

Then the smoke rolled away and they saw Mikcheech again, but terribly changed. His head was green, his hands and feet all wrinkled, and his back was a hard shell streaked with smoke stains.

He had become a turtle!

No-one had ever seen such a creature before but they knew it must be Mikcheech and they were just as determined as ever to kill him. So, thrusting poles up from inside the lodge, they knocked him down.

Now, although Mikcheech was no longer a man and no longer handsome, he was as good-humoured as ever. He held no grudge against Glooscap for turning him into an animal and thought it a very good joke.

Remembering what Glooscap had foretold, he decided to turn the joke on those who were trying to kill him. So he pretended to be terribly frightened, begging the young men with tears in his eyes not to kill him.

They, seeing his shell was much too hard to pierce with a knife, made to cut off his head--but Mikcheech pulled his head into his shell out of harm's way.

Then the young men decided to kill him by fire.

"No, no--please don't burn me," begged Mikcheech with pretended terror. "Anything but that!"

But the heartless youths built a huge fire and flung him into the midst of the flames. To their amazement, the turtle turned over lazily and went to sleep, and when the fire had burned down a little, he awoke and called for more wood, saying he was cold!

Angrily, the young men dragged him from the fire and declared they would drown him instead. Hearing this, Mikcheech began to struggle mightily.

"Oh, oh! Please don't do that. Shoot me with arrows, burn me with fire, but don't drown me! You don't know how I dread water!"

The braves laughed and dragged him to the water's edge. Mikcheech fought lustily, tearing up trees and roots and screaming like a madman, but they bore him into a canoe and paddled out beyond the breakers where the water was deep.

Then they flung him into the water and watched him sink.

"Now we are rid of him," they said, and returned to shore to tell Mahia her husband was dead. Poor Mahia ran to the water's edge and wept for her lost bridegroom.

On the following day, the braves saw something on a rock far out at sea.

Deciding it might be something good to eat, they went a-fishing, but as they came near the rock, they saw it was Mikcheech stretched out lazily in the sun!

"As you see, my friends," he laughed at them, "I am enjoying my new home," and, rolling over into the water, he dived down into the green depths, as all turtles do when danger approaches.

Then the young men knew they were defeated and had no power over him.

However, though Mikcheech was now safe from his foes, he was even lonelier than he had been before Glooscap changed him. The fish and the gulls were his only companions, and he longed for speech with his own kind.

"Oh, Glooscap," he sighed in his loneliness, "you promised I should have Mahia for my wife and become chief over a new nation."

There was no reply, but as he rose to the top of the waves and looked around, Mikcheech saw a gray-green shape swimming towards him and heard a familiar voice.

"It is I," the voice said, "Mahia, your wife."

The voice came from another turtle. Glooscap had changed Mahia too.

Now in the course of time Mahia gave Mikcheech many fine children. And so, as Glooscap had promised, Mikcheech became father and chief over a new race--the race of turtles--and never was lonely again.

And there, kespeadooksit - the story ends.

One Stick, Two Sticks
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
An old man is dying, and calls his people to his side. He gives a short, sturdy stick to each on his many offspring, wives, and relatives. "Break the stick," he instructs them. With some effort, they all snap their sticks in half. "This is how it is when a soul is alone without anyone. They can be easily broken."

The old man next gives each of his kin another stick, and says, "This is how I would like you to live after I pass. Put your sticks together in bundles of twos and threes. Now, break these bundles in half." No one can break the sticks when there are two or more in a bundle. The old man smiles. "We are strong when we stand with another soul. When we are with another, we cannot be broken."

The Dog Children
The Uta'mqt have this story. It agrees with this Stalo version in a number of points, while in others it is similar to the upper Thompson and Shuswap versions.
Once there was a girl who lived near the mouth of the Fraser River. She refused all offers of marriage. At last a strange young man visited her at night and lay with her. She wondered who he could be, and made up her mind to mark him. She put red paint on the palms of her hands; and when he appeared the following night in the dark, she embraced him, leaving the imprints of her hands on his sides. She never went out of the house, but the next morning she went out to see if she could recognize the young man. The young men were playing, and called out, "Oh, see the girl! She has come to see us play." As she could see none of them with any marks, she went home. When near the house, she saw her father's large dog being fed by her mother, and on his sides were her hand-marks. Her mother said, "Who has been making a fool of the dog by painting his sides?" The girl was ashamed, went in, and cried to herself. In due time she gave birth to eleven pups, -- five male and six female. One of the latter was half black and half white. The people were very angry. They beat the dog nearly to death, and left the girl and her children to die.

When they were gone, the dog became a man, and went into the woods, where he healed himself. The pups were hungry: therefore their mother went at night with a torch to dig clams on the beach during ebb-tide. On her return, when near the house, she heard the pups dancing, and singing, "She thinks we are dogs, but we are children." The black and white one was on watch, and warned the others of their mother's approach; so they all hastily donned their skins and kept quiet. She looked about, and saw children's tracks where they had been dancing. She said, "It is strange that you are dogs, and still you give no warning, nor tell when strangers are around dancing." The following night, when she went out after clams, she put her robe on a stick, tied her torch to another one by its side, and hurried home. The pups thought she was still at the beach, and kept on dancing and singing. She crept up stealthily, jumped over the one on watch, and seized the skins of the others before they could get them, and threw them into the fire. Thus they remained children, while the black and white one remained a dog.

Now, their father returned in the form of a good looking man, and hunted for the family. He killed many goats and deer, and soon had great quantities of meat and fat. He put much fat into the caches of those people who had left some fish for the girl, and into the caches of those who had left nothing he put only bones. Now, the girl's grandmother pitied her, and sent Crow with some fish for her. Dog-Man gave Crow fat to take back to the old woman, and by this it became known how well off the girl had become. Then the people all returned, and were fed by Dog-Man. The ten children of the girl grew up to be handsome people, and they married among themselves. (Some people say that the children were all grown up, and married before the grandmother sent the Crow with the fish present, and the people returned.)