Post by Okwes on Dec 28, 2007 11:06:38 GMT -5
First Moon - The Magpie - Arapahoe
In the moon of trees popping in the wind [January], Grandpa Iron told us
kids a story about the magpie. My sister Betty and I had been running races,
barefoot in the snow, with other kids that lived nearby, on the dirt road
that ran over the hill past our house. There were not many cars on the
reservation at that time, but I remember people used to get stuck on that
road when it rained or the snow melted. They'd come in and drink coffee,
waiting for the road to freeze back up.
When we saw the full moon rising, big and silver above the cold snow-covered
plains, we ran into Grandma and Grandpa's log house and crowded around the
big potbelly stove to get warm. We knew it was time for another of Grandpa
Iron's stories. And we were real hungry.
When the sun went down, the road froze, and the people who had been stuck
left. After supper. Grandpa Iron took his hat from the wall and laid it on
the bed. We kids sat in a circle on the floor, and Grandpa smudged us off
with sweet cedar smoke. Then he began a story about the magpie.
Once, a long time ago, the .people were hungry; the tribe had no food. A
chief called Red Lightning was out hunting one day when a big rain came and
he took shelter in a cave and fell asleep. As he slept he dreamed that the
Thunder-beings came to him and told him they would help his people. But
first they wanted to know if the people were worth saving.
So the Thunder-beings told Red Lightning they were going to hold a race. The
wings of the air and the two-leggeds of the universe would be on one side,
and all the four-leggeds would be on the other. If the two-leggeds and the
wings of the air beat the four-leggeds, they would be provided for. But if
the four-leggeds won, they would eat the people and the birds.
Red Lightning was surprised at all the fierce four-leggeds who gathered for
the race. And he was astonished at the number of brave warriors. The race
started. The track ran clear around the circle of the Earth. The racers ran
on and on. A big wind started to blow, so the magpie cleverly perched on a
buffalo's ear and waited for the wind to die down. Later a hot day came; the
buffalo could not run, so the birds pulled out in front. Then a big rain
fell, killing some of the birds.
Again, the magpie rode out the storm on the buffalo's ear. With the racers
almost around the Earth and the finish line in sight, the buffalo was in the
lead. The four-leggeds cheered, each making the sounds it makes. Suddenly
the magpie took to the air, flying high, then at once falling to the ground,
faint with hunger and exhaustion. But he had crossed the finish just in
front of the buffalo.
And that was how the wings and the two-leggeds won the great race. The
Thunder-beings told the magpie always to wear a rainbow as a reminder of his
victory, and indeed, his tail has a rainbow in it to this day. Then the
Thunder-beings gave the bow and arrow to Red Lightning so he could hunt and
provide for his people. And Red Lightning taught his tribe, so they had food
and shelter from that time on.
Grandpa Iron told us that since that day the magpie has been our friend,
respected because it was smart enough to win the race that saved our people.
Grandpa hung his hat on the wall, and Grandma passed around a dipper of cold
water before tucking us under the big pile of quilts on the old iron bed.
Grandpa turned out the lamp, and the wind blew a fine powder of snow through
the cracks between the logs of the house.
We slept and dreamed of the great race that had saved the people. And the
Earth stayed young.
Full Moon Written by Eagle Walking Turtle, 1997 - Arapahoe
["When I was a boy I lived with my grandparents on the Northern Arapahoe
Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Grandpa Iron was always happy and full of
life's joy. Grandma Iron was much more serious. They both taught me, along
with my brothers and sisters, that all of nature should be listened to,
loved, and respected. Each time a full moon came, Grandpa Iron would tell us
a story. First he'd burn cedar needles, and we would fan the sweet-smelling
smoke over our heads to purify our bodies before Grandpa's story. He always
took his hat from the wall and placed it on the bed before he began his
telling. I suppose this goes back to the time when warriors hung their
medicine bags on the tipi pole behind them before speaking. The following
stories are among those that Grandpa told us about the love and respect our
people have for our animal brothers and sisters - the four-leggeds, the ones
that fly, the ones that slither in the grasses, and the ones that swim in
the waters." -- Eagle Walking Turtle]
In the moon of trees popping in the wind [January], Grandpa Iron told us
kids a story about the magpie. My sister Betty and I had been running races,
barefoot in the snow, with other kids that lived nearby, on the dirt road
that ran over the hill past our house. There were not many cars on the
reservation at that time, but I remember people used to get stuck on that
road when it rained or the snow melted. They'd come in and drink coffee,
waiting for the road to freeze back up.
When we saw the full moon rising, big and silver above the cold snow-covered
plains, we ran into Grandma and Grandpa's log house and crowded around the
big potbelly stove to get warm. We knew it was time for another of Grandpa
Iron's stories. And we were real hungry.
When the sun went down, the road froze, and the people who had been stuck
left. After supper. Grandpa Iron took his hat from the wall and laid it on
the bed. We kids sat in a circle on the floor, and Grandpa smudged us off
with sweet cedar smoke. Then he began a story about the magpie.
Once, a long time ago, the .people were hungry; the tribe had no food. A
chief called Red Lightning was out hunting one day when a big rain came and
he took shelter in a cave and fell asleep. As he slept he dreamed that the
Thunder-beings came to him and told him they would help his people. But
first they wanted to know if the people were worth saving.
So the Thunder-beings told Red Lightning they were going to hold a race. The
wings of the air and the two-leggeds of the universe would be on one side,
and all the four-leggeds would be on the other. If the two-leggeds and the
wings of the air beat the four-leggeds, they would be provided for. But if
the four-leggeds won, they would eat the people and the birds.
Red Lightning was surprised at all the fierce four-leggeds who gathered for
the race. And he was astonished at the number of brave warriors. The race
started. The track ran clear around the circle of the Earth. The racers ran
on and on. A big wind started to blow, so the magpie cleverly perched on a
buffalo's ear and waited for the wind to die down. Later a hot day came; the
buffalo could not run, so the birds pulled out in front. Then a big rain
fell, killing some of the birds.
Again, the magpie rode out the storm on the buffalo's ear. With the racers
almost around the Earth and the finish line in sight, the buffalo was in the
lead. The four-leggeds cheered, each making the sounds it makes. Suddenly
the magpie took to the air, flying high, then at once falling to the ground,
faint with hunger and exhaustion. But he had crossed the finish just in
front of the buffalo.
And that was how the wings and the two-leggeds won the great race. The
Thunder-beings told the magpie always to wear a rainbow as a reminder of his
victory, and indeed, his tail has a rainbow in it to this day. Then the
Thunder-beings gave the bow and arrow to Red Lightning so he could hunt and
provide for his people. And Red Lightning taught his tribe, so they had food
and shelter from that time on.
Grandpa Iron told us that since that day the magpie has been our friend,
respected because it was smart enough to win the race that saved our people.
Grandpa hung his hat on the wall, and Grandma passed around a dipper of cold
water before tucking us under the big pile of quilts on the old iron bed.
Grandpa turned out the lamp, and the wind blew a fine powder of snow through
the cracks between the logs of the house.
We slept and dreamed of the great race that had saved the people. And the
Earth stayed young.
Full Moon Written by Eagle Walking Turtle, 1997 - Arapahoe
["When I was a boy I lived with my grandparents on the Northern Arapahoe
Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Grandpa Iron was always happy and full of
life's joy. Grandma Iron was much more serious. They both taught me, along
with my brothers and sisters, that all of nature should be listened to,
loved, and respected. Each time a full moon came, Grandpa Iron would tell us
a story. First he'd burn cedar needles, and we would fan the sweet-smelling
smoke over our heads to purify our bodies before Grandpa's story. He always
took his hat from the wall and placed it on the bed before he began his
telling. I suppose this goes back to the time when warriors hung their
medicine bags on the tipi pole behind them before speaking. The following
stories are among those that Grandpa told us about the love and respect our
people have for our animal brothers and sisters - the four-leggeds, the ones
that fly, the ones that slither in the grasses, and the ones that swim in
the waters." -- Eagle Walking Turtle]