Water Song Deer Sung

an absolute beauty pouring a cup of water on her body

In a study of body is a body of wonder and speculation about what a body needs and means to the spirit in the body. How do you approach a body of knowledge and the spirit of said body containing spirit and emotion? Carnal lust is self-expression. With judgment it is a burden of the soul entrapping the spirit into a endless dialogue with doubt and fears.

I just returned from a walk in a sliver of woods near my home. Littered upon the land were countless leaves and green low growing vegetation covering moist brown earth. A lot of tires jutted from the landscape sometimes creating a collaboration of art and spoil when years of sediment and floods sunk the majority of a tire here and there into the ground. Tires and trash, rusted metals, bike frames made the tapestry look jagged, worn and neglected. I couldn't help wondering how four-legged creatures fared. Broken glass was splayed out in a tragic form in one place unable to reflect sunlight because today is a rainy and cloudy winter day. The stream was narrow with old stories of former glory. Flanking the stream of brown dirty water houses peered down into the narrow swath of hardwood trees just as perplexed as I at the trash each owner had thrown down into the forest. Why? I don't know how to answer such a question if asked of any of the four-leggeds.

Rounding a bend in the stream's course I saw a white tail deer spring out of hiding gracefully with concern about her countenance leap away from me. She stopped to look at me. I shared my thoughts and concerns with her to which she turned and gracefully leaped away.

"In beauty all things find a way to live in the worst and the best of circumstances," she said from the quiet of her spirit to mine. - Gregory E. Woods, 1.15.14






naked Black woman bathing her Yoni in the sun

BUFFALO

A Man

~~~~~~~~~~~~Song for the Buffalo~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the Buffalo first came to be upon the land, they were not friendly to the people. When the hunters tried to coax them over the cliffs for the good of the villages, they were reluctant to offer themselves up. They did not relish being turned into blankets and dried flesh for winter rations. They did not want their hooves and horn to become tools and utensils nor did they welcome their sinew being used for sewing. "No, no," they said. We won't fall into your traps. And we will not fall for your tricks." So when the hunters guided them towards the abyss, they would always turn aside at the very last moment. With this lack of cooperation, it seemed the villagers would be hungry and cold and ragged all winter long.

Now one of the hunters' had a daughter who was very proud of her father's skill with the bow. During the fullness of summer, he always brought her the best of hides to dress, and she in turn would work the deer skins into the softest, whitest of garments for him to wear. Her own dresses were like the down of a snow goose, and the moccasins she made for the children and the grandmothers in the village were the most welcome of gifts.

But now with the hint of snow on the wind, and deer becoming more scarce in the willow breaks, she could see this reluctance on the part of the Buffalo families could become a real problem.

Hunter's Daughter decided she would do something about it. She went to the base of the cliff and looked up. She began to sing in a low, soft voice, "Oh, Buffalo family, come down and visit me. If you come down and feed my relatives in a wedding feast, I will join your family as the bride of your strongest warrior."

She stopped and listened. She thought she heard the slight rumbling sound of thunder in the distance. Again she sang, "Oh, Buffalo family, come down and visit me. Feed my family in a wedding feast so that I may be a bride."

The thunder was much louder now. Suddenly the Buffalo family began falling from the sky at her feet. One very large bull landed on top of the others, and walked across the backs of his relatives to stand before Hunter's Daughter.

"I am here to claim you as my bride," said Large Buffalo.

"Oh, but now I am afraid to go with you," said Hunter's Daughter.

"Ah, but you must," said Large Buffalo, "For my people have come to provide your people with a wedding feast. As you can see, they have offered themselves up."

"Yes, but I must run and tell my relatives the good news," said Hunter's Daughter. "No," said Large Buffalo. No word need be sent. You are not getting away so easily."

And with that said, Large Buffalo lifted her between his horns and carried her off to his village in the rolling grass hills.

The next morning the whole village was out looking for Hunter's Daughter. When they found the mound of Buffalo below the cliff, the father, who was in fact a fine tracker as well as a skilled hunter, looked at his daughter's footprints in the dust.

"She's gone off with a Buffalo, he said. I shall follow them and bring her back."

So Hunter walked out upon the plains, with only his bow and arrows as companions. He walked and walked a great distance until he was so tired that he had to sit down to rest beside a Buffalo wallow.

Along came Magpie and sat down beside him. Hunter spoke to Magpie in a respectful tone, "O knowledgeable bird, has my daughter been stolen from me by a Buffalo? Have you seen them? Can you tell me where they have gone?"

Magpie replied with understanding, "Yes, I have seen them pass this way. They are resting just over this hill."

"Well," said Hunter, would you kindly take my daughter a message for me? Will you tell her I am here just over the hill?"

So Magpie flew to where Large Buffalo lay asleep amidst his relatives in the dry prairie grass. He hopped over to where Hunter's Daughter was quilling moccasins, as she sat dutifully beside her sleeping husband. "Your father is waiting for you on the other side of the hill," whispered Magpie to the maiden.

"Oh, this is very dangerous," she told him. These Buffalo are not friendly to us and they might try to hurt my father if he should come this way. Please tell him to wait for me and I will try to slip away to see him."

Just then her husband, Large Buffalo, awoke and took off his horn. "Go bring me a drink from the wallow just over this hill," said her husband.

So she took the horn in her hand and walked very casually over the hill. Her father motioned silently for her to come with him, as he bent into a low crouch in the grass. "No," she whispered. The Buffalo are angry with our people who have killed their people. They will run after us and trample us into the dirt. I will go back and see what I can do to soothe their feelings."

And so Hunter's daughter took the horn of water back to her husband who gave a loud snort when he took a drink. The snort turned into a bellow and all of the Buffalo got up in alarm. They all put their tails in the air and danced a Buffalo Dance over the hill, trampling the poor man to pieces who was still waiting for his daughter near the Buffalo wallow.

His daughter sat down on the edge of the wallow and broke into tears.

"Why are you crying?" said her Buffalo husband.

"You have killed my father and I am a prisoner, besides," she sobbed.

"Well, what of my people?" her husband replied. We have given our children, our parents and some of our wives up to your relatives in exchange for your presence among us. A deal is a deal."

But after some consideration of her feelings, Large Buffalo knelt down beside her and said to her, "If you can bring your father back to life again, we will let him take you back home to your people." So Hunter's Daughter started to sing a little song. "Magpie, Magpie help me find some piece of my father which I can mend back whole again."

Magpie appeared and sat down in front of her with his head cocked to the side. "Magpie, Magpie, please see what you can find," she sang softly to the wind which bent the grasses slightly apart. Magpie cocked his head to the side and looked carefully within the layered folds of the grasses as the wind sighed again. Quickly he picked out a piece of her father that had been hidden there, a little bit of bone. "That will be enough to do the trick," said Hunter's Daughter, as she put the bone on the ground and covered it with her blanket.

And then she started to sing a reviving song that had the power to bring injured people back to the land of the living. Quietly she sang the song that her grandmother had taught her. After a few melodious passages, there was a lump under the blanket. She and Magpie looked under the blanket and could see a man, but the man was not breathing. He lay cold as stone. So Hunter's Daughter continued to sing, a little softer, and a little softer, so as not to startle her father as he began to move. When he stood up, alive and strong, the Buffalo people were amazed. They said to Hunter's Daughter, "Will you sing this song for us after every hunt? We will teach your people the Buffalo Dance, so that whenever you dance before the hunt, you will be assured a good result. Then you will sing this song for us, and we will all come back to live again."

The story

Simplified: understanding the Bodhicaryavatara

Coco Rosario shared this teaching with me:

Introduction to Bodhicaryavatara

by Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche

Santideva, a very great master of India, composed many texts and commentaries, among which "Bodhicaryavatara is die most profound. Santideva composed these teachings without any pride or ego. He wrote them just for the benefit of all beings.

Therefore, this text is most effective for everybody. If a person writes with pride of intelligence, his explanations will not be suitable for every level of people.

Brief history of Santideva's life

To begin with the teaching, it is good to understand a little background of Santideva's life story. Santideva was a prince born in Bengal. He renounced his position and sought many masters. He studied, practised and completed all his education at the Nalanda Buddhist College, the most famous Buddhist College during Ins time. He attained perfect realisation.

He was usually very humble and lived as simply as possible. Therefore, people usually did not see him as a very special and realised person. No one thought that he was a great Siddha. Most of those at Nalanda felt that he was wasting the Sangha's food. They could not see him as what the other masters do. What they saw was that he just ate and slept, without doing anything.

At that time the whole Sangha had a meeting. They thought: "The sangha's food and facilities were to be used for good purposes but this monk does nothing but eat and sleep. As such, he has been accumulating bad karma and misleading others. They wanted to expel him.

Each month they had a ceremony to restore broken vows. During that ceremony, each master took turns to read the Sutras. They did not know Santideva's understanding and realisation from his outlook. So they thought, "If we invite him to read the Sutra, he would go off by himself if he doesn't know how to read".

Wanting to embarrass Santideva further, they put up a very high throne and invited him to sit on it and read the sutra. Santideva accepted the invitation.

He touched the throne by his hand and the throne went down. He sat on the throne and asked, "Do you want to hear the existing Sutras or something new?" The monks were very curious but did not know that he had the knowledge, so they asked him to explain his own commentary.

That was how the teaching of Bodhicaryavatara started. When the teaching reached the Wisdom chapter, he floated in the air, went higher and higher then became invisible. Later, all the sanghas regretted treating him in such a manner. They tried to find him but 

failed.

At last, at a mountain retreat, some people saw him. They observed that each day, a deer would go into his cave but they never came out. Everybody thought, "This master has been taking deer meat for such a long time." They carried weapons and went into his cave to beat him up; not knowing that he had already became a yogi, whose actions are not fixed like ordinary people. When they reached die cave, all the deer came out first; he came out last. To their surprise, the deer were very well dressed.

Actually, he was giving dharma talk to the deer. All the people regretted and confessed to him. All the sanghas also regretted what they had done and went to confess to him.

All the masters and great Arhants noted down all his teachings without leaving out anything. His teachings explained entirely the development of Bodhicitta. Even though it is now very famous throughout the Buddhist world, it was never heard of by anybody at that time. However, his teachings were not new.

It was still part of Buddha's teachings, although it was his commentary based on his own knowledge and practices.

Coco Rosario 

APACHE STORY about Coyote

Coyote Tries To Make His Children Spotted - Jicarilla Apache

A deer was going along the arroyo among the willows with her spotted fawns. Coyote, coming up to her, said, "How do you make your little ones so spotted?" 

"Why, they are born that way," she told him. Coyote did not believe it. 

"O no, you do something to them to make them that way." 

Then Deer said, "I dig a hole for them at the top of the ridge where the wind blows up, then I pile a lot of cedar wood in front, and set it on fire. The sparks that fly out make them spotted." 

"What did I tell you?" he said.

He went home after his children and said to them, "Come my little children, I will make you spotted." He made a hole for them on the crest of the ridge where the wind blows up. He piled cedar wood in front of the opening, lit it, and then sat at one side to watch. They climbed over each other, crying, until the fire killed them. When the fire had burned down he looked at them. When he saw their lips turned back and their teeth showing in white rows he said. "O, you are laughing because you are so beautifully spotted." He took one of them by the arm, but when he pulled, it came off. They were thoroughly cooked.

He went away to find the deer. He set the willows on fire where he supposed she was, saying, "You told me a lie. You may say, tsi." When the fire had burned out there was nothing there for the deer had gone out on the other side. Coyote started away again.

Footnotes:(1) Russell has this story in just the same form but it is told of Fox although the concluding sentence refers to the characteristic howl of Coyote, (a), p. 265. Compare, Stevenson, p. 153.

Jicarilla Apache Texts, by Pliny Earle Goddard; New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII; (1911) and is now in the public domain

from archives of BLUE PANTHER

NEZ PERCE story about Coyote

Coyote the Interloper - Nez Perce 

Coyote [itsaya' ya] and his daughter dwelt nearby. Coyote became ill. He said to his daughter, "Daughter-child, go search for bones, even bleached ones, with which to make me broth." And she went out to search for bones. It was wintertime. She would break up the bones and boil the little pieces. In this way she made broth for Coyote. 

One day she happened to find a whole limb that had been gnawed clean. Wolves had eaten the flesh and left the good bones. She thought, "Poor father will eat heartily of this." Then another day she found a salmon that had been only slightly eaten. "I will make broth of this for my poor father." She said to Coyote, "I found this salmon." 

But he exclaimed, "Foul [Rotten]! Daughter-child, it is winter salmon!" In truth, however, Coyote did not want any of the Otters' catch because he had no desire that his daughter should be taken in marriage by the Otters. This was the consideration which prompted him to find the salmon revolting, to lie to his daughter about winter salmon, and to command her, "Throw it away!" But Coyote liked the five Wolf brothers, and he thought, "It would be much better if she went to them." Thus he ate their leftover deer bones with much gusto. 

Coyote's daughter now threw away the salmon and went out to look for food again. She came upon a great antlered buck lying completely untouched, uneaten. Oh, such meat she took home. She laid the venison out to dry. Then she went out again, and this time she found a large bunch of salmon all strung together for carrying. "Ah, such good salmon." They were large ones and not even touched. "I will take these home." She took them to Coyote and said to him, "I found these very, very good salmon. Someone had gone away and left them, and here I've brought them home." 

"No, daughter-child, no! They are winter salmon and not at all good. Throw them away!" She threw them away. Coyote got well in the course of time, and the Wolves took his daughter for their wife. They took her away with them. 

Now the Otters [q laszya' ya] became indignant. They said, "Let us go to set the Wolves afire; let us encircle them with fire." Thereupon they went and set fire clear around the conical lodge and burned the Wolves to death. 

Then the dead Wolves began to prepare for their death departure when Coyote's daughter decided, "I must go to Coyote and have him burn all my things. Then I can go on from there to the death world." Thus she went to her fathers lodge. 

Coyote heard her coming. She came along laughing loudly, and Coyote recognize her. "I wonder why daughter-child comes to me at this time of the night? She is a doer of strange things, and now she comes along laughing." 

From outside she said to Coyote, "Father, we are on our way now. You will burn all of my things." 

"Such valuable things, daughter-child!" Coyote replied. 

"You will cause the Otters to become indignant! They set us afire, and now we are dead. Hurry, toss my things into the fire. The others are leaving me behind already. Hurry! 

"No, daughter-child! What shall I do here? I shall pine, daughter-child. Do not go." 

"There is no way I can remain. But you will stay here." 

"No, daughter-child. Then I, too, will follow along." 

"You cannot follow. You are alive." 

"Let me follow along anyhow. I shall do very pitifully if I stay here. Now I, too, am going. 

"Then if you must be so insistent, you will throw yourself into the fire; in that way you too, will be ready to go." 

"Yes daughter-child, I will throw myself into the fire." Here Coyote flung himself into the fire There was a sudden and noisy sizzle of burning hair ["ts' ox"], and he jumped out. He tried again and again. He would hurl himself into the flames; there would be a sizzle, burning hair, and out he would jump again. Then he said to his daughter, "I can't in any manner burn myself, daughter-child. Let me go just as I am, daughter-child. I will follow along, daughter-child, alive just as I am." 

"Then get yourself ready quickly. The others have left me far behind already." 

Now Coyote prepared himself, and they went. He could not see the others, but he could hear their voices and, guided thereby, he followed along. Dawn came. 

Coyote's daughter said to him, "It dawns for us when to you night falls, and your night is our daytime. Now night has fallen, and we are camping over. Though it is dawn to you, you are to stay right here. Do not go anywhere. Sit the day through here. When it is dusk for you, it will again be time for us to go on." 

Coyote spent the whole day there. Now the shadows fell; evening came. He began to hear them as if they were talking in whispers ["tsaw, tsaw"]. It grew dark, and now he heard them clearly, talking and laughing. In the wake of their voices again he followed them They traveled in this manner. Five times they camped overnight. 

Then Coyote's daughter said to him, "We have been traveling for five days. Tomorrow we shall arrive." 

"Let it be so." They traveled on, and at last they arrived. 

Coyote heard another coyote somewhere up front making formal announcements. [It was some coyote that had died long before.] "The Wolves arrive, five brothers; they bring Coyote's daughter with them. And Coyote, the interloper, arrives," was announced. Oh, there were many people, and Coyote could see them plainly now for the first time. He began to recognize various persons, and he enjoyed himself to the utmost. He saw various comrades who had died. 

His daughter said to him, "It is getting dark now, but to you it is coming dawn. In a little while you will not see anyone or hear anyone talking. But you must remain right here throughout the day. Do not go anywhere, even a short distance, because you will get lost and never find us again. In the evening you will see us all again." 

"Yes, daughter-child. Where could I go?" Now Coyote spent the day on the open prairie. In the evening he saw the people, and again he enjoyed himself. He stayed six days. 

One night his daughter came to him and said, "You are to go home now. You cannot remain here indefinitely like this. Even though you are enjoying yourself, you must go home tomorrow." 

"Yes, daughter-child, but I am having such a good time here. Why should I go home? I'm staying here."

"No. You will do very poorly here. You must go. You cause me to worry constantly. You must go home. I will make a lunch for you." 

Even though Coyote was most unwilling to go, he replied, "Yes, I will go then." 

His daughter continued, "When it has dawned for you, you will go." Now she brought for him a little package in buckskin wrapping. "You will take this with you, packed on your back. There are five mountains you must cross. Never look back of you. Do not even think, 'Let me look back from the summit.' You must go straight along and do nothing foolish. You may get tired, and you can rest. But above all you must never look behind you. You may hear things back of you, or recognize somebody by his voice. Still, you must not look behind you." 

"Yes, daughter-child, thus I will do. I will heed your words." 

Now she handed him the buckskin package which contained something and said, 'You may find this very heavy, but you will rest yourself. Do not look back ever." 

"Yes, daughter-child. How could I find this heavy?" 

In the morning he put his package on his back and started while his daughter instructed him for the last time. "You are to cross over five mountains. When you have crossed all five and have descended from the fifth, you may look behind you, but not until then." 

"Yes, daughter-child." Coyote went. He walked along fast, carrying on his back the little package wrapped in buckskin. He crossed one mountain, two, and then the third. "And she said of this, 'You will get tired.'" But now on the fourth mountain he began to feel a little bit fatigued. "The pack seems to be getting heavier." He climbed, and he began to tire. He barely crossed over and descended. He felt thoroughly exhausted now as he started up the fifth mountain. He was scarcely able to walk, and he felt the pack growing very, very heavy. He continued the ascent, just barely moving along. He reached the half way point, and he looked up. The summit appeared to be very far away. He kept going, just dragging one foot after another, and slowly ascended. He was tired, completely exhausted but he saw the top of the mountain only a short distance away now. Here his strength deserted him. He would take one step, and then he would have to rest. "Daughter-child spoke the truth when she told me, 'You will find the pack heavy.' " He continued slowly as he saw the summit close by. But suddenly his pack pulled him backwards into a sitting position. He fell backwards, and, suddenly, he turned his head and looked behind him. Coyote saw the five Wolf brothers and his daughter stand up suddenly from the pack he had been carrying them all along. 

His daughter said to him, "I told you, 'Do not look back until you have crossed the five mountain.' Now you have caused us to return by your having looked behind you." 

"No, daughter-child. Let me pack you again. Do not return!" 

"No," she said to Coyote. "The coming of the human race is only a short time away and the returning of the dead could have become an established thing. You, yourself would have brought this about had you taken us over the mountain top there. But now you have made death a permanent condition, and people will never return from death." 

Now they disappeared and left Coyote there to weep. He called after them, "Then let me follow you back, and I will bring you again." No. They had left him. At this Coyote hiked off sulkily somewhere.

Taken from Tales of the Nez Perce by Donald M. Hines, Ye Galleon Press; Fairfield, Washington, 1999 [gathered from other source books dated between 1912 and 1949] 

from archives of BLUE PANTHER

DEER PEOPLE on the Red Road

A Deer is an animal of love, tenderness,and swiftness. There is an old story about
the animal kingdom wanting to get into heaven to see the Almighty God.
At a council meeting all the animals stood up to tell why they would be the most appropriate one
to get to the kingdom of God. The Bear stood up and said,

" I, Bear , who is the strongest bravest creature will go to see the Creator".

Upon the road to the Creator stood a big , nasty, monster. The bear took one look and ran back to the animal kingdom to tell of the nasty, monster.

The Eagle Screeched, "I will fly over the monster to get to see the Creator". Off went the eagle.
He flew higher and higher and got closer to the kingdom of the Creator than any other animal before.
He started to screech a prayer. "Almighty Great Creator, I so would like to see You".
The Almighty Creator said, "It is true you are the best at reaching high enough to talk to me,
but a messenger is all you will be. Tell the rest of the animals that they have to go through the red road of truth to find me".
The eagle said to The Almighty Creator," But there is a monster in the way , how can we cross?
The Almighty said no further. The eagle went back and told all the animals of what the Almighty had said to him.
and all the animals started to fight and argue. 

The Deer hearing such a roar jumped so high he landed right in front of the nasty monster.
The deer looked into the eyes of the monster and stared. 
The monster looked deep into the deer's eyes and saw
love, warmth and tenderness, and upon seeing that the monster melted away. 
And so the deer was the first to go through the red road of truth to see the Almighty.

http://www.phoenixarises.com/spirits/spiritshome.htm

Resuscitation of the only Daughter - Lakota

There once lived an old couple who had an only daughter. She was a beautiful girl, and was very much courted by the young men of the tribe, but she said that she preferred single life, and to all their heart-touching tales of deep affection for her she always had one answer. That was "No." One day this maiden fell ill and day after day grew worse. All the best medicine men were called in, but their medicines were of no avail, and in two weeks from the day that she was taken ill she lay a corpse. Of course there was great mourning in the camp. They took her body several miles from camp and rolled it in fine robes and blankets, then they laid her on a scaffold which they had erected. (This was the custom of burial among the Indians). They placed four forked posts into the ground and then lashed strong poles lengthwise and across the ends and made a bed of willows and stout ash brush. This scaffold was from five to seven feet from the ground. After the funeral the parents gave away all of their horses, fine robes and blankets and all of the belongings of the dead girl. Then they cut their hair off close to their heads, and attired themselves in the poorest apparel they could secure. When a year had passed the friends and relatives of the old couple tried in vain to have them set aside their mourning. "You have mourned long enough," they would say. "Put aside your mourning and try and enjoy a few more pleasures of this life while you live. You are both growing old and can't live very many more years, so make the best of your time." The old couple would listen to their advice and then shake their heads and answer: "We have nothing to live for. Nothing we could join in would be any amusement to us since we have lost the light of our lives." So the old couple continued their mourning for their lost idol. Two years had passed since the death of the beautiful girl, when one evening a hunter and his wife passed by the scaffold, which held the dead girl. They were on their return trip and were heavily loaded down with game, and therefore could not travel very fast. About half a mile from the scaffold a clear spring burst forth from the side of a bank, and from this trickled a small stream of water, moistening the roots of the vegetation bordering its banks, and causing a growth of sweet green grass. At this spring the hunter camped and tethering his horses, at once set about helping his wife to erect the small teepee, which they carried for convenience in traveling. When it became quite dark, the hunter's dogs set up a great barking and growling. "Look out and see what the dogs are barking at," said the hunter to his wife. She looked out through the door and then drew back saying: "There is the figure of a woman advancing from the direction of the girl's scaffold." "I expect it is the dead girl. Let her come, and don't act as if you were afraid," said the hunter. Soon they heard footsteps advancing and the steps ceased at the door. Looking down at the lower part of the door the hunter noticed a pair of small moccasins, and knowing that it was the visitor, said: "Whoever you are, come in and have something to eat." At this invitation the figure came slowly in and sat down by the door with head covered and with a fine robe drawn tightly over the face. The woman dished up a fine supper and placing it before the visitor, said: "Eat, my friend, you must be hungry." The figure never moved, nor would it uncover to eat. "Let us turn our back towards the door and our visitor may eat the food," said the hunter. So his wife turned her back towards the visitor and made herself very busy cleaning the small pieces of meat that were hanging to the back sinews of the deer which had been killed. (This the Indians use as thread.) The hunter, filling his pipe, turned away and smoked in silence. Finally the dish was pushed back to the woman, who took it and after washing it, put it away. The figure still sat at the door, not a sound coming from it, neither was it breathing. The hunter at last said: "Are you the girl that was placed upon that scaffold two years ago?" It bowed its head two or three times in assent. "Are you going to sleep here tonight; if you are, my wife will make down a bed for you." The figure shook its head. "Are you going to come again tomorrow night to us?" It nodded assent. For three nights in succession the figure visited the hunter's camp. The third night the hunter noticed that the figure was breathing. He saw one of the hands protruding from the robe. The skin was perfectly black and was stuck fast to the bones of the hand. On seeing this the hunter arose and going over to his medicine sack which hung on a pole, took down the sack and, opening it, took out some roots and mixing them with skunk oil and vermilion, said to the figure: "If you will let us rub your face and hands with this medicine it will put new life into the skin and you will assume your complexion again and it will put flesh on you." The figure assented and the hunter rubbed the medicine on her hands and face. Then she arose and walked back to the scaffold. The next day the hunter moved camp towards the home village. That night he camped within a few miles of the village. When night came, the dogs, as usual, set up a great barking, and looking out, the wife saw the girl approaching. When the girl had entered and sat down, the hunter noticed that the girl did not keep her robe so closely together over her face. When the wife gave her something to eat, the girl reached out and took the dish, thus exposing her hands, which they at once noticed were again natural. After she had finished her meal, the hunter said: "Did my medicine help you?" She nodded assent. "Do you want my medicine rubbed all over your body?" Again she nodded. "I will mix enough to rub your entire body, and I will go outside and let my wife rub it on for you." He mixed a good supply and going out left his wife to rub the girl. When his wife had completed the task she called to her husband to come in, and when he came in he sat down and said to the girl: "Tomorrow we will reach the village. Do you want to go with us?" She shook her head. "Will you come again to our camp tomorrow night after we have camped in the village?" She nodded her head in assent. "Then do you want to see your parents?" She nodded again, and arose and disappeared into the darkness. Early the next morning the hunter broke camp and traveled far into the afternoon, when he arrived at the village. He instructed his wife to go at once and inform the old couple of what had happened. The wife did so and at sunset the old couple came to the hunter's teepee. They were invited to enter and a fine supper was served them. Soon after they had finished their supper the dogs of the camp set up a great barking. "Now she is coming, so be brave and you will soon see your lost daughter," said the hunter. Hardly had he finished speaking when she entered the tent as natural as ever she was in life. Her parents clung to her and smothered her with kisses. They wanted her to return home with them, but she would stay with the hunter who had brought her back to life, and she married him, becoming his second wife. A short time after taking the girl for his wife, the hunter joined a war party and never returned, as he was killed on the battlefield. A year after her husband's death she married again. This husband was also killed by a band of enemies whom the warriors were pursuing for stealing some of their horses. The third husband also met a similar fate to the first. He was killed on the field of battle. She was still a handsome woman at the time of the third husband's death, but never again married, as the men feared her, saying she was holy, and that any one who married her would be sure to be killed by the enemy. So she took to doctoring the sick and gained the reputation of being the most skilled doctor in the nation. She lived to a ripe old age and when she felt death approaching she had them take her to where she had rested once before, and crawling to the top of the newly erected scaffold, wrapped her blankets and robes about her, covered her face carefully, and fell into that sleep from which there is no more awakening. From the Files of Blues Panther

CREATION STORY: Selu, Kanati and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

["On this date in 1968 Black Americans were rioting in grief and rage over the US killing of Dr. King. Cities around the nation were in flames. Those stories were not then or now balanced by stories that would upon acceptance into the conscious spirit of a people shift us away from the belly of rage and discontent. Here is one such story needing to be digested, incorporated and sung into the soul, mind and spirit of a hurting people." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories]


When Wtsiielohino had been populated for some time, all the animals became restless. The different councils of animals pondered the situation. The Deer Tribe came to the conclusion that there was something missing from creations, so they called on the Creator and asked her to complete the Circle, and she agreed to what they had asked of her.

One day while the Deer Tribe was patrolling their land, they came across a creature they had never seen before. He stood on his hind legs and had long hair growing from his head. He was the First Man, or Lucky Hunter. The deer hid in order to watch his actions. When the First Man was put on Mother Earth, he was instructed on how to live by the Creator. She taught him how to use all the parts of the deer in order to eat, make clothing, and fasten his bow with extracted sinew. She told him to always offer tobacco so the spirit of his deer cousins would remain happy. The Creator also showed him how to build a shelter where he could stay safe and warm. He then was left to go out on his own.

Days, weeks and months passed with the Deer Tribe watching the Lucky Hunter intently. They became confused by the way he carried himself. He walked around aimlessly. Even worse, he shot too many deer with his bow and arrows until their population became very scarce. He also forgot to leave tobacco when hunting. He slept every night out on the cold or muddy earth. He never attempted to build a shelter as the Creator had instructed him to do. His walk was clumsy and awkward and he constantly muttered to himself. He was not leading a balanced life; he truly was a fool. The Deer Tribe, sensing the problem this new being was causing, called upon the Creator to correct this unfortunate situation.

Things remained the same until one afternoon when the Lucky Hunter laid down on his back for an afternoon snooze. As he lay there resting in the warm sun, a giant Selu (corn) stalk grew out of his heart extending high into the sky. The stalk grew higher and higher. As the Lucky Hunter pondered what had happened, he noticed a beautiful woman appearing from the top of the stalk. She was the First Woman or Corn Maiden. The Lucky Hunter reached high into the sky and helped her down from the top of this fine creation. He instantly fell in love, and she told the First Man that they would now go to build their home. Before leaving, the First Woman took two pieces of corn, so that she would always remember where she came from. When she found a place where they would build their home, she planted the corn. They began working on their home. Soon it was completed and they seemed very content. For two years they watched the corn come and go. How they loved to watch the beautiful corn.

Looking out the window one morning, the Corn Maiden and the Lucky Hunter spotted Gana (the Sacred Turkey) nibbling on the selu. They had never known that corn was meant to be eaten. Their diet became complete once the couple started to eat the corn. The Deer Tribe increased in numbers as the First Woman taught the First Man how to live a true life. He began to give thanks and walk in a steady way. You see, the woman is the most important of Creation; she brought balance to the world.

Years went by and life remained peaceful for them. Suddenly, one afternoon as the Lucky Hunter was chopping wood in the yard, Corn Maiden became very angry. She dashed from the house and ran towards the mountains. The First Man, in a state of confusion, chased after her, but to no avail. She ran much faster than him. For every mountain he crossed, she would cross three. Finally realizing that he would never catch her, he fell to his knees and asked the Creator to help him. The Creator promised him that she would try her best.

The Corn Maiden ran and ran. Thorn buses started to appear on her path, but she continued to run without noticing the pain they caused. Other bushes sprung onto the path of many beautiful colors and fragrant smells: Gooseberries, blue- berries, and huckleberries. The First Woman paid them no attention. As she ran she simply crushed them under her feet.

Then bushes filled with heart shaped berries appeared on the path. The smell and sight of these berries caused her to stop. She decided that she would pick some of the berries. As she gathered, the Lucky Hunter continued running until he caught up to her. As she noticed him coming, a smile came over her face. She had tested his love and respect. They gathered berries together. When they started to return home, he took two of the strawberry plants to remind him of what had saved his life. After reaching their home, he planted the two strawberry plants next to the two stalks of Selu. The world continued in balance.

And this is what I was told. ~Cedric Sunray

a NATIVE CREATION STORY

Origin of Disease and Medicine

"In the old days, the beast, birds, fishes, insects and plants could all talk, and they and the people lived together in peace and friendship. But as time went on the people increased so rapidly that...the poor animals found themselves beginning to be cramped for room...Man...began to slaughter the larger animals...for their flesh and skins, while the smaller creatures, were crushed...So the animals resolved to consult upon measures for their common safety.

The Bears were the first to meet in council and the old White Bear Chief presided. After each in turn had complained of the way in which Man killed their friends...it was decided to begin war at once against him...But when everything was ready and the first bear stepped up to draw the bow and shoot the arrow it was found out that...his long claws...spoiled the shot...someone suggested that they might trim his claws...the old White Bear, objected, saying it was necessary that they should have long claws...

No one could think of any better plan so the old Chief dismissed the council and the Bears dispersed without having concerted any way to prevent the increase of the human race.

The Deer next held council under the Chief, the Little Deer, after some talk decided to send rheumatism to every hunter who should kill one of them unless he took care to ask their pardon for the offence..

Next came the Fishes and Reptiles, who had their own complaints against Man. They held their council together and determined to make victims dream...

Finally the Birds, Insects, and smaller animals came together...the Great Horned Owl was Chief of the Council. It was decided that each in turn should give an opinion, and then they would vote on the question as to whether or not Man was guilty. Seven votes should be enough to condemn him. They began to devise and name so many diseases one after another, that had not their invention failed them, no one of the human race would have been able to survive.

When the Plants, who were friendly to Man heard what had been done by the animals, they determined to defeat the latter's evil designs. Each Tree, Scrub, and Herb, down even to the Grasses and Mosses, agreed to furnish a cure for some one of the diseases named, and each said: 'I shall appear to help Man when he calls upon me in his need.' Thus came medicine..."

<>THE END<>