Creation of the First Indians - Chelan This story is told by the Chelan Indians, who live beside a long lake in the central part of the state of Washington. The lake is called Lake Chelan (pronounced sha- lan), meaning "Beautiful Water". Long, long ago, the Creator, the Great Chief Above, made the world. Then he made the animals and the birds and gave them their names--Coyote, Grizzly Bear, Deer, Fox, Eagle, the four Wolf Brothers, Magpie, Bluejay, Hummingbird, and all the others. When he had finished his work, the Creator called the animal people to him. "I am going to leave you," he said. "But I will come back. When I come again, I will make human beings. They will be in charge of you." The Great Chief returned to his home in the sky, and the animal people scattered to all parts of the world. After twelve moons, the animal people gathered to meet the Creator as he had directed. Some of them had complaints. Bluejay, Meadowlark, and Coyote did not like their names. Each of them asked to be some other creature. "No," said the Creator. "I have given you your names. There is no change. My word is law. "Because you have tried to change my law, I will not make the human being this time. Because you have disobeyed me, you have soiled what I brought with me. I planned to change it into a human being. Instead, I will put it in water to be washed for many moons and many snows, until it is clean again." Then he took something from his right side and put it in the river. It swam, and the Creator named it Beaver. "Now I will give you another law," said the Great Chief Above. "The one of you who keeps strong and good will take Beaver from the water some day and make it into a human being. I will tell you now what to do. Divide Beaver into twelve parts. Take each part to a different place and breathe into it your own breath. Wake it up. It will be a human being with your breath. Give it half of your power and tell it what to do. Today I am giving my power to one of you. He will have it as long as he is good." When the Creator had finished speaking, all the creatures started for their homes--all except Coyote. The Great Chief had a special word for Coyote. "You are to be head of all the creatures, Coyote. You are a power just like me now, and I will help you do your work. Soon the creatures and all the other things I have made will become bad. They will fight and will eat each other. It is your duty to keep them as peaceful as you can. "When you have finished your work, we will meet again, in this land toward the east. If you have been good, if you tell the truth and obey me, you can make the human being from Beaver. If you have done wrong, someone else will make him." Then the Creator went away. It happened as the Creator had foretold. Everywhere the things he had created did wrong. The mountains swallowed the creatures. The winds blew them away. Coyote stopped the mountains, stopped the winds, and rescued the creatures. One winter, after North Wind had killed many people, Coyote made a law for him: "Hereafter you can kill only those who make fun of you." Everywhere Coyote went, he made the world better for the animal people and better for the human beings yet to be created. When he had finished his work, he knew that it was time to meet the Creator again. Coyote thought that he had been good, that he would be the one to make the first human being. But he was mistaken. He thought that he had as much power as the Creator. So he tried, a second time, to change the laws of the Great Chief Above. "Some other creature will make the human being," the Creator told Coyote. "I shall take you out into the ocean and give you a place to stay for all time." So Coyote walked far out across the water to an island. There the Creator stood waiting for him, beside the house he had made. Inside the house on the west side stood a black suit of clothes. On the other side hung a white suit. "Coyote, you are to wear this black suit for six months," said the Creator. "Then the weather will be cold and dreary. Take off the black suit and wear the white suit. Then there will be summer, and everything will grow. "I will give you my power not to grow old. You will live here forever and forever." Coyote stayed there, out in the ocean, and the four Wolf brothers took his place as the head of all the animal people. Youngest Wolf Brother was strong and good and clever. Oldest Wolf Brother was worthless. So the Creator gave Youngest Brother the power to take Beaver from the water. One morning Oldest Wolf Brother said to Youngest Brother, "I want you to kill Beaver. I want his tooth for a knife." "Oh, no!" exclaimed Second and Third Brothers. "Beaver is too strong for Youngest Brother." But Youngest Wolf said to his brothers, "Make four spears. For Oldest Brother, make a spear with four forks. For me, make a spear with one fork. Make a two-forked spear and a three-forked spear for yourselves. I will try my best to get Beaver, so that we can kill him." All the animal persons had seen Beaver and his home. They knew where he lived. They knew what a big creature he was. His family of young beavers lived with him. The animal persons were afraid that Youngest Wolf Brother would fail to capture Beaver and would fail to make the human being. Second and Third Wolf Brothers also were afraid. "I fear we will lose Youngest Brother," they said to each other. But they made the four spears he had asked for. At dusk, the Wolf brothers tore down the dam at the beavers' home, and all the little beavers ran out. About midnight, the larger beavers ran out. They were so many, and they made so much noise, that they sounded like thunder. Then Big Beaver ran out, the one the Creator had put into the water to become clean. "Let's quit!" said Oldest Wolf Brother, for he was afraid. "Let's not try to kill him." "No!" said Youngest Brother. "I will not stop." Oldest Wolf Brother fell down. Third Brother fell down. Second Brother fell down. Lightning flashed. The beavers still sounded like thunder. Youngest Brother took the four-forked spear and tried to strike Big Beaver with it. It broke. He used the three- forked spear. It broke. He used the two-forked spear. It broke. Then he took his own one--forked spear. It did not break. It pierced the skin of Big Beaver and stayed there. Out of the lake, down the creek, and down Big River, Beaver swam, dragging Youngest Brother after it. Youngest Wolf called to his brothers, "You stay here. If I do not return with Beaver in three days, you will know that I am dead." Three days later, all the animal persons gathered on a level place at the foot of the mountain. Soon they saw Youngest Brother coming. He had killed Beaver and was carrying it. "You remember that the Creator told us to cut it into twelve pieces," said Youngest Brother to the animal people. But he could divide it into only eleven pieces. Then he gave directions. "Fox, you are a good runner. Hummingbird and Horsefly, you can fly fast. Take this piece of Beaver flesh over to that place and wake it up. Give it your breath." Youngest Brother gave other pieces to other animal people and told them where to go. They took the liver to Clearwater River, and it became the Nez Perce Indians. They took the heart across the mountains, and it became the Methow Indians. Other parts became the Spokane people, the Lake people, the Flathead people. Each of the eleven pieces became a different tribe. "There have to be twelve tribes," said Youngest Brother. "Maybe the Creator thinks that we should use the blood for the last one. Take the blood across the Shining Mountains and wake it up over there. It will become the Blackfoot. They will always look for blood." When an animal person woke the piece of Beaver flesh and breathed into it, he told the new human being what to do and what to eat. "Here are roots," and the animal people pointed to camas and kouse and to bitterroot, "You will dig them, cook them, and save them to eat in the winter. "Here are the berries that will ripen in the summer. You will eat them and you will dry them for use in winter." The animal people pointed to choke cherry trees, to serviceberry bushes, and to huckleberry bushes. "There are salmon in all the rivers. You will cook them and eat them when they come up the streams. And you will dry them to eat in the winter." When all the tribes had been created, the animal people said to them "Some of you new people should go up Lake Chelan. Go up to the middle of the lake and look at the cliff beside the water. There you will see pictures on the rock. From the pictures you will learn how to make the things you will need." The Creator had painted the pictures there, with red paint. From the beginning until long after the white people came, the Indians went to Lake Chelan and looked at the paintings. They saw pictures of bows and arrows and of salmon traps. From the paintings of the Creator they knew how to make the things they needed for getting their food. Note: The paintings (or pictographs) on the lower rocks have been covered by water since a dam was built at the foot of the lake. Surprisingly high on the rocks that are almost perpendicular walls at the north end of the lake, the paintings remained for a long, long time. Then white people with guns and little respect for the past ruined them--for fun. http://www.indians.org/welker/firstind.htm Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation of the First Indians - Chelan This story is told by the Chelan Indians, who live beside a long lake in the central part of the state of Washington. The lake is called Lake Chelan (pronounced sha- lan), meaning "Beautiful Water". Long, long ago, the Creator, the Great Chief Above, made the world. Then he made the animals and the birds and gave them their names--Coyote, Grizzly Bear, Deer, Fox, Eagle, the four Wolf Brothers, Magpie, Bluejay, Hummingbird, and all the others. When he had finished his work, the Creator called the animal people to him. "I am going to leave you," he said. "But I will come back. When I come again, I will make human beings. They will be in charge of you." The Great Chief returned to his home in the sky, and the animal people scattered to all parts of the world. After twelve moons, the animal people gathered to meet the Creator as he had directed. Some of them had complaints. Bluejay, Meadowlark, and Coyote did not like their names. Each of them asked to be some other creature. "No," said the Creator. "I have given you your names. There is no change. My word is law. "Because you have tried to change my law, I will not make the human being this time. Because you have disobeyed me, you have soiled what I brought with me. I planned to change it into a human being. Instead, I will put it in water to be washed for many moons and many snows, until it is clean again." Then he took something from his right side and put it in the river. It swam, and the Creator named it Beaver. "Now I will give you another law," said the Great Chief Above. "The one of you who keeps strong and good will take Beaver from the water some day and make it into a human being. I will tell you now what to do. Divide Beaver into twelve parts. Take each part to a different place and breathe into it your own breath. Wake it up. It will be a human being with your breath. Give it half of your power and tell it what to do. Today I am giving my power to one of you. He will have it as long as he is good." When the Creator had finished speaking, all the creatures started for their homes--all except Coyote. The Great Chief had a special word for Coyote. "You are to be head of all the creatures, Coyote. You are a power just like me now, and I will help you do your work. Soon the creatures and all the other things I have made will become bad. They will fight and will eat each other. It is your duty to keep them as peaceful as you can. "When you have finished your work, we will meet again, in this land toward the east. If you have been good, if you tell the truth and obey me, you can make the human being from Beaver. If you have done wrong, someone else will make him." Then the Creator went away. It happened as the Creator had foretold. Everywhere the things he had created did wrong. The mountains swallowed the creatures. The winds blew them away. Coyote stopped the mountains, stopped the winds, and rescued the creatures. One winter, after North Wind had killed many people, Coyote made a law for him: "Hereafter you can kill only those who make fun of you." Everywhere Coyote went, he made the world better for the animal people and better for the human beings yet to be created. When he had finished his work, he knew that it was time to meet the Creator again. Coyote thought that he had been good, that he would be the one to make the first human being. But he was mistaken. He thought that he had as much power as the Creator. So he tried, a second time, to change the laws of the Great Chief Above. "Some other creature will make the human being," the Creator told Coyote. "I shall take you out into the ocean and give you a place to stay for all time." So Coyote walked far out across the water to an island. There the Creator stood waiting for him, beside the house he had made. Inside the house on the west side stood a black suit of clothes. On the other side hung a white suit. "Coyote, you are to wear this black suit for six months," said the Creator. "Then the weather will be cold and dreary. Take off the black suit and wear the white suit. Then there will be summer, and everything will grow. "I will give you my power not to grow old. You will live here forever and forever." Coyote stayed there, out in the ocean, and the four Wolf brothers took his place as the head of all the animal people. Youngest Wolf Brother was strong and good and clever. Oldest Wolf Brother was worthless. So the Creator gave Youngest Brother the power to take Beaver from the water. One morning Oldest Wolf Brother said to Youngest Brother, "I want you to kill Beaver. I want his tooth for a knife." "Oh, no!" exclaimed Second and Third Brothers. "Beaver is too strong for Youngest Brother." But Youngest Wolf said to his brothers, "Make four spears. For Oldest Brother, make a spear with four forks. For me, make a spear with one fork. Make a two-forked spear and a three-forked spear for yourselves. I will try my best to get Beaver, so that we can kill him." All the animal persons had seen Beaver and his home. They knew where he lived. They knew what a big creature he was. His family of young beavers lived with him. The animal persons were afraid that Youngest Wolf Brother would fail to capture Beaver and would fail to make the human being. Second and Third Wolf Brothers also were afraid. "I fear we will lose Youngest Brother," they said to each other. But they made the four spears he had asked for. At dusk, the Wolf brothers tore down the dam at the beavers' home, and all the little beavers ran out. About midnight, the larger beavers ran out. They were so many, and they made so much noise, that they sounded like thunder. Then Big Beaver ran out, the one the Creator had put into the water to become clean. "Let's quit!" said Oldest Wolf Brother, for he was afraid. "Let's not try to kill him." "No!" said Youngest Brother. "I will not stop." Oldest Wolf Brother fell down. Third Brother fell down. Second Brother fell down. Lightning flashed. The beavers still sounded like thunder. Youngest Brother took the four-forked spear and tried to strike Big Beaver with it. It broke. He used the three- forked spear. It broke. He used the two-forked spear. It broke. Then he took his own one--forked spear. It did not break. It pierced the skin of Big Beaver and stayed there. Out of the lake, down the creek, and down Big River, Beaver swam, dragging Youngest Brother after it. Youngest Wolf called to his brothers, "You stay here. If I do not return with Beaver in three days, you will know that I am dead." Three days later, all the animal persons gathered on a level place at the foot of the mountain. Soon they saw Youngest Brother coming. He had killed Beaver and was carrying it. "You remember that the Creator told us to cut it into twelve pieces," said Youngest Brother to the animal people. But he could divide it into only eleven pieces. Then he gave directions. "Fox, you are a good runner. Hummingbird and Horsefly, you can fly fast. Take this piece of Beaver flesh over to that place and wake it up. Give it your breath." Youngest Brother gave other pieces to other animal people and told them where to go. They took the liver to Clearwater River, and it became the Nez Perce Indians. They took the heart across the mountains, and it became the Methow Indians. Other parts became the Spokane people, the Lake people, the Flathead people. Each of the eleven pieces became a different tribe. "There have to be twelve tribes," said Youngest Brother. "Maybe the Creator thinks that we should use the blood for the last one. Take the blood across the Shining Mountains and wake it up over there. It will become the Blackfoot. They will always look for blood." When an animal person woke the piece of Beaver flesh and breathed into it, he told the new human being what to do and what to eat. "Here are roots," and the animal people pointed to camas and kouse and to bitterroot, "You will dig them, cook them, and save them to eat in the winter. "Here are the berries that will ripen in the summer. You will eat them and you will dry them for use in winter." The animal people pointed to choke cherry trees, to serviceberry bushes, and to huckleberry bushes. "There are salmon in all the rivers. You will cook them and eat them when they come up the streams. And you will dry them to eat in the winter." When all the tribes had been created, the animal people said to them "Some of you new people should go up Lake Chelan. Go up to the middle of the lake and look at the cliff beside the water. There you will see pictures on the rock. From the pictures you will learn how to make the things you will need." The Creator had painted the pictures there, with red paint. From the beginning until long after the white people came, the Indians went to Lake Chelan and looked at the paintings. They saw pictures of bows and arrows and of salmon traps. From the paintings of the Creator they knew how to make the things they needed for getting their food. Note: The paintings (or pictographs) on the lower rocks have been covered by water since a dam was built at the foot of the lake. Surprisingly high on the rocks that are almost perpendicular walls at the north end of the lake, the paintings remained for a long, long time. Then white people with guns and little respect for the past ruined them--for fun. http://www.indians.org/welker/firstind.htm Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation of the Buffalo Nation - Lakota "The Great Spirit Skan made us with bones from Stone, bodies from Earth, and souls from himself, Wind and Thunders. The gifts of Sun, Wisdom, Moon, and Revealer gave us life. A council of the spirits named us Pte Oyate - Buffalo Nation - and told us to care for the spirits. One day Spider sent Wolf to the Underworld to tell Tokahe that life would be easier on the surface of the earth. Tokahe ignored the warnings of the holy man Tatanka, and led the people up through Wind Cave. Life there was hard, so Tatanka came to help - as a great, shaggy beast. Since then the people have lived here with the buffalo." Lakota creation story courtesy of the South Dakota State Historical Society. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Of The Animal People - Okanogan The earth was once a human being: Old One made her out of a woman. "You will the mother of all people," he said. Earth is alive yet, but she has been changed. The soil is her flesh, the rocks are her bones, the wind is her breath, trees and grass are her hair. She lives spread out, and we live on her. When she moves, we have an earthquake. After taking the woman and changing her to earth, Old One gathered some of her flesh and rolled it into balls, as people do with mud or clay. He made the first group of these balls into the ancients, the beings of the early world. The ancients were people, yet also animals. In form some looked human while some walked on all fours like animals. Some could fly like birds; others could swim like fishes. All had the gift of speech, as well as greater powers and cunning than either animals or people. But deer were never among the ancients; they were always animals, even as they are today. Besides the ancients, real people and real animals lived on the earth at that time. Old One made the people out of the last balls of mud he took from the earth. He rolled them over and over, shaped them like Indians, and blew on them to bring them alive. They were so ignorant that they were the most helpless of all the creatures Old One had made. Old One made people and animals into males and females so that they might breed and multiply. Thus all living things came from the earth. When we look around, we see part of our mother everywhere. The difficulty with the early world was that most of the ancients were selfish and some were monsters, and there was much trouble among them. They were also very stupid in some ways. Though they knew they had to hunt in order to live, they did not know which creatures were deer and which were people, and sometimes they ate people by mistake. At last Old One said, "There will soon be no people if I let things go on like this." So he sent Coyote to kill all the monsters and other evil beings among the ancients and teach the Indians how to do things. And Coyote began to travel on the earth, teaching the Indians, making life easier and better for them, and performing many wonderful deeds. Reported by Ella Clark in the 1950s. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation of Summer and Winter (ver. 3) - Acoma Long ago the chief of the Acoma people had a beautiful daughter named Co-Chin-ne-na-ko, who was called Co-Chin. Co-Chin lived with her family in a pueblo carved into a high cliff in the southwestern desert. Co-Chin's beauty and warmth captured the heart of every young man in the village. Although she could have her choice, she desired none of them. One day a tall, rugged stranger climbed the steep stone ladder to the pueblo. Pure white crystals covered his clothing and glistened as he moved. Though he appeared serious and unsmiling, his face was strong and handsome. Co-Chin's eyes followed the stranger as he strode confidently into the village. Briefly he glanced her way as she filled her water jar at the spring. Moments later he was gone. Soon Co-Chin learned that the stranger's name was Shakok, the Spirit of Winter. They began to see each other, and after a short courtship she married him. Perhaps if Co-Chin had known him longer before agreeing to be his wife, great hardship could have been avoided. For once Shakok came to live with Co-Chin and her people, the seasons grew colder. Corn withered on the stalk. Snow and ice lingered longer on the ground Water froze in the springs. Early each morning Shakok left the pueblo and hurried to his home in the far north There he played all day with the North Wind, churning out snow, hail, sleet, and an occasional blizzard. Each evening he returned, frost-covered, and chilled the desert around him Co-Chin discovered that Shakok's heart was as cold as the frozen air he brought with him ' Nothing she did could warm his blustery nature. In the bitter cold brought on by Shakok, no crops could grow. The Acoma people were hungry and grew desperate. To hold off starvation, they harvested cactus leaves, roasting them first to burn off their sharp thorns. One day while roasting cactus leaves, Co-Chin was approached by another handsome stranger. He wore a yellow shirt woven from corn silk, and green pants sewn from the moss that covers rocks in springs and ponds. Flashing a smile as warm as sunshine, the stranger asked Co-Chin what she was doing. Co-Chin explained the plight of her people and how they would soon starve if the frigid weather continued. The young man listened intently When Co-Chin finished her sad tale, he handed her an horn corn' "Eat this!" he commanded- 'And wait here while ! fetch a bundle for you to take He raced off toward the south and quickly disappeared from sight. Co- Chin barely had time to finish eating before he reappeared with an armload of corn "Where did you find this?" asked an astonished Co-Chin. "Does it grow nearby?" It comes from my home far to the south, where the sun shines every day and corn grows all year round," he replied. "I would love to see your home," said Co-Chin. "Please take me with you." "I cannot do that. Your husband, the Spirit of Winter, would be furious," replied the young man. "Our love is dead," Co-Chin replied. "He is cold-hearted and has no feeling for me or my people. Since he settled here no crops can grow, no flowers can blossom." "Take the corn home to your family" said the young man. "Then meet me here tomorrow, and I will bring you another load." With that, he turned and headed south. When Co-Chin arrived home, her parents were shocked to see corn instead of cactus leaves. She told them of the warm young man and his generous offer to provide more corn "He is Miochin," said her father. "Yes," agreed her mother. "He must be Miochin, the Spirit of Summer. Invite him home with you tomorrow." The next day Co-Chin met the young man at the prearranged spot, and she asked him his name. He confessed that he was Miochin, the Spirit of Summer. This time he had brought with him enough corn to feed the entire village. Together Co-Chin and Miochin carried the bundles to the pueblo. As they walked, clear skies and warm sunshine followed them. The frozen springs began to thaw. Co-Chin's parents welcomed Miochin into their home, and he was still there when Shakok returned from the north. As the Spirit of Winter approached the village, he knew instantly that Miochin was present and that he had captured Co-Chin's heart. With the voice of the coldest wind, Shakok called out, "Miochin, come out here'" Dark clouds swirled overhead, and sleet and hail pelted down from the sky The frost clinging to Shakok's shirt and pants grew into long, thick icicles. Miochin emerged from Co-Chin's home, bringing a ray of sunshine. "I will destroy you!" bellowed Shakok. "No, I will destroy you!" said Miochin. Radiating the heat of a perfect summer day he advanced toward his foe. Instantly the sleet and hail were reduced to a light sprinkle of rain, and the icicles began to melt. "We will see who is more powerful," shouted Shakok. "But not today In four days we will meet again and the winner will take Co-Chin." With that, Shakok stormed off to the north. The wind howled and rattled the walls of the houses in the pueblo. But inside, the people stayed safe and warm because Miochin remained with them. The following day Miochin returned to his home to prepare for battle. First he summoned his friend Yat-Moot, who lived in the west. Next he requested the help of all the birds, insects, and four-legged animals that lived in the warm lands. Then he assigned Bat to be his advance guard, for Bat's skin was tough and would be able to withstand the assault of Shakok's sleet and hail. When Yat-Moot arrived the day before the battle, he kindled huge bonfires. Then he heated thin, flat stones for Miochin to use in the fight. These flat stones would produce a warm South Wind, Miochin's most potent weapon. Meanwhile, in the north, Shakok prepared by asking all the birds and four-legged animals of the cold lands to aid him. He appointed Magpie to serve as his shield and advance guard. On the morning of the conflict, the people of Acoma watched the two enemies advancing toward their village. From the north, towering storm clouds heavy with snow, sleet, and hail conveyed Shakok to the battleground. From the south, billowing clouds of steam and smoke from Yat-Moot's fire filled the sky and delivered Miochin. Jagged bolts of lightning inside Shakok's clouds singed the fur and feathers of the animals accompanying him. To this day the creatures of the north have some white coloring. The thick smoke from Yat-Moofs fire blackened the animals who came with Miochin Even now animals living in the south have brown or black coloring At last the warriors reached the pueblo. In a blinding storm of sleet and ice, Shakok created a bitter wind that froze all the waters. But Miochin called upon the South Wind, and the warm wind thawed the ice. Shakok then whipped up a blizzard that covered the entire world in a thick coating of snow, Miochin again called the South Wind, and the warm wind melted the snow. Finally Shakok caused great icicles to rain down until they buried everything in the world. Once more Miochin summoned the warm South Wind, and the icicles quickly vanished. At last Shakok admitted defeat and asked for a truce. Miochin agreed. At once the winds died down and the sky cleared. Co-Chin was free to go with Miochin. In the harmony of the moment, the Spirit of Summer offered to share the land with the Spirit of Winter. Shakok would prevail for half of every year, and Miochin would rule for the other half. Since the great battle of the spirits, the world experiences six months of cold and six months of warmth annually. Retitled Seasons and put into a book by Carole Garbuny Vogel, Weather Legends - Native American Lore and the Science of Weather. Somehow a story that was freely told by the Acoma is now Copyrighted. Go figure. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation of Summer and Winter (ver 2) - Acoma retitled The Origin of Summer and Winter Version Two (watch the changes that happen in the next two versions, dropping all the Acoma words, etc.) Acoma / Laguna The Acoma chief had a daughter named Co-chin-ne-na-ko, called Co- chin for short, who was the wife of Shakok, the Spirit of Winter. After he came to live with the Acomas, the seasons grew colder and colder. Snow and ice stayed longer each year. Corn no longer matured. The people soon had to live on cactus leaves and other wild plants. One day Co-chin went out to gather cactus leaves and burn off the thorns so she could carry them home for food. She was eating a singed leaf when she saw a young man coming toward her. He wore a yellow shirt woven of corn silk, a belt, and a tall pointed hat; green leggings made of green moss that grows near springs and ponds; and moccasins beautifully embroidered with flowers and butterflies. In his hand he carried an ear of green corn with which he saluted her. She returned the salute with her cactus leaf. He asked, "What are you eating?" She told him, "Our people are starving because no corn will grow, and we are compelled to live on these cactus leaves." "Here, eat this ear of corn, and I will go bring you an armful for you to take home with you," said the young man. He left and quickly disappeared from sight, going south. In a very short time, however, he returned, bringing a large bundle of green corn that he laid at her feet. "Where did you find so much corn?" Co-chin asked. "I brought it from my home far to the south," he replied. "There the corn grows abundantly and flowers bloom all year." "Oh, how I would like to see your lovely country. Will you take me with you to your home?" she asked. "Your husband, Shakok, the Spirit of Winter, would be angry if I should take you away," he said. "But I do not love him, he is so cold. Ever since he came to our village, no corn has grown, no flowers have bloomed. The people are compelled to live on these prickly pear leaves," she said. "Well," he said. "Take this bundle of corn with you and do not throw away the husks outside of your door. Then come tomorrow and I will bring you more. I will meet you here." He said good-bye and left for his home in the south. Co-chin started home with the bundle of corn and met her sisters, who had come out to look for her. They were very surprised to see the corn instead of cactus leaves. Co-chin told them how the young man had brought her the corn from his home in the south. They helped her carry it home. When they arrived, their father and mother were wonderfully surprised with the corn. Co- chin minutely described in detail the young man and where he was from. She would go back the next day to get more corn from him, as he asked her to meet him there, and he would accompany her home. "It is Miochin," said her father. "It is Miochin," said her mother. "Bring him home with you." The next day, Co-chin-ne-na-ko went to the place and met Miochin, for he really was Miochin, the Spirit of Summer. He was waiting for her and had brought big bundles of corn. Between them they carried the corn to the Acoma village. There was enough to feed all of the people. Miochin was welcome at the home of the Chief. In the evening, as was his custom, Shakok, the Spirit of Winter and Co-chin's husband, returned from the north. All day he had been playing with the north wind, snow, sleet, and hail. Upon reaching the Acoma village, he knew Miochin must be there and called out to him, "Ha, Miochin, are you here?" Miochin came out to meet him. "Ha, Miochin, now I will destroy you." "Ha, Shakok, I will destroy you," replied Miochin, advancing toward him, melting the snow and hail and turning the fierce wind into a summer breeze. The icicles dropped off and Shakok's clothing was revealed to be made of dry, bleached rushes. Shakok said, "I will not fight you now, but will meet you here in four days and fight you till one of us is beaten. The victor will win Co-chin-ne-na-ko." Shakok left in a rage, as the wind roared and shook the walls of White City. But the people were warm in their houses because Miochin was there. The next day he left for his own home in the south to make preparations to meet shakok in combat. First he sent an eagle to his friend Yat-Moot, who lived in the west, asking him to come help him in his fight with Shakok. Second, he called all the birds, insects, and four-legged animals that live in summer lands to help him. The bat was his advance guard and shield, as his tough skin could best withstand the sleet and hail that Shakok would throw at him. On the third day Yat-Moot kindled his fires, heating the thin, flat stones he was named after. Big black clouds of smoke rolled up from the south and covered the sky. Shakok was in the north and called to him all the winter birds and four-legged animals of winter lands to come and help him. The magpie was his shield and advance guard. On the fourth morning, the two enemies could be seen rapidly approaching the Acoma village. In the north, black storm clouds of winter with snow, sleet, and hail brought Shakok to the battle. In the south, Yat-Moot piled more wood on his fires and great puffs of steam and smoke arose and formed massive clouds. They were bringing Miochin, the Spirit of Summer, to the battlefront. All of his animals were blackened from the smoke. Forked blazes of lightning shot forth from the clouds. At last the combatants reached White City. Flashes from the clouds singed the hair and feathers of Shakok's animals and birds. Shakok and Miochin were now close together. Shakok threw snow, sleet, and hail that hissed through the air of a blinding storm. Yat- Moot's fires and smoke melted Shakok's weapons, and he was forced to fall back. Finally he called a truce. Miochin agreed, and the winds stopped, and snow and rain ceased falling. They met at the White Wall of Acoma. Shakok said, "I am defeated, you Miochin are the winner. Co-chin-ne-na-ko is now yours forever." Then the men each agreed to rule one- half of the year, Shakok for winter and Miochin for summer, and that neither would trouble the other thereafter. That is why we have a cold season for one-half of the year, and a warm season for the other. Origin Myth of Acoma and Other Records by Matthew W. Stirling, 1942, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 135. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Buffalo Field Campaign [ http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org ] Yellowstone Bison Update from the Field May 27, 2010 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ * Update from the Field * TAKE ACTION: Make Your Voice Heard for the Last Wild Herds * Coming Soon: Opportunity to Comment on Invasive Remote Vaccine Plan * BFC Looking for Summer Outreach Volunteers * BFC 2010 Newsletters Mailing Next Month! * Last Words * Kill Tally * Useful Links ------------------------------ ** Update from the Field* "MT Department of Livestock's helicopter chases buffalo off of private land where buffalo are welcome, but the DOL is not. BFC file photo by Stephany. Click ""here" [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/Heli_Galanis_5-27-10_seayBFC.jpg ]" for a larger image. " The Montana Department of Livestock, Yellowstone National Park, Gallatin National Forest and cooperating government agencies [ http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/actnow/politicians.html ] continued to wage their war against wild buffalo this week and have almost emptied Montana of buffalo,which they have also harassed within Yellowstone's "protective" boundaries. The landscape surrounding Yellowstone was teeming with the gentle giants, but now only the few who have escaped the press of the agents continue to graze on their chosen land. These few will also soon be gone. "Exhausted from hazing and with the DOL on on their tails, these buffalo try to take in more air by opening their mouths. BFC file photo by Stephany. Click ""here" [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/Exhausted_NBluffsGNF_seayBFC.jpg ]" for a larger image. " BFC has finished a new video, Buffalo's Trail of Tears [ http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/ ], that takes you on a brief yet profound visual journey that lends perspective on what the buffalo are going through as they endure the hazing operations that force them over many long miles of difficult terrain. This video conveys the tragedy of these cruel and unnecessary actions in a way that words can fail to do. Please share this footage with everyone you know. "Huge sign in front of the Galanis property on Horse Butte, Montana's largest buffalo safe zone. Unfortunately, the DOL repeatedly ignores the message. BFC file photo by Stephany. Click ""here" [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/BisonSafeZone_big_seayBFC.jpg ]" for a larger image. " Agents on horseback, aided by the DOL's helicopter and state and federal law enforcement, began another week of taxpayer funded buffalo harassment operations beginning on cattle-free public lands of Gallatin National Forest. Scores of buffalo mothers and calves [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/SSideHaze_5-25-10_PDB_BFC.jpg ], with their families were again forced off of portions of their habitat that will never see cattle. "A peaceful morning on Horse Butte, before the DOL arrives. More than a hundred buffalo graze, play and rest on the buffalo-friendly Galanis property. BFC file photo by Stephany. Click ""here" [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/BeforeAgentsArrive_5-27-10_seayBFC.jpg ]" for a larger image. " The DOL came back to assault buffalo on Horse Butte, on private lands where the presence of agents is unwelcome and greatly frowned upon. But buffalo are welcome here. The owners have posted many signs [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/BisonSafeZone_small_seayBFC.jpg ] warning against agent trespass but Department of Livestock agent Rob Tierney has repeatedly disregarded their wishes. He again trespassed with the helicopter, scaring off over 100 buffalo with nearly 50 newborn calves, as well as an injured mom and young bull we saw caught up in last week's haze. No doubt the incessant hazing has worsened their injuries. During the chaos of this haze, a mom and calf were separated. With tears in our eyes we watched the mama break off from the haze, with the helicopter hovering above her. But her need to find her calf was stronger than her fear. She ran back, grunting and bellowing, searching for her baby. The helicopter set its sights back on her herdmates. Not finding her calf, she stopped suddenly, sniffed the air and bolted back toward her fleeing family. Maybe she turned around because she smelled her baby, but we don't know if they reunited. The hazing from Horse Butte pushed buffalo along the north bluffs of the Madison River corridor, more public lands where cattle "never" graze. "A mama buffalo runs from the haze, searching for her lost calf. BFC file photo by Stephany. Click ""here" [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/Mama_Looks_for_Calf_seayBFC.jpg ]" for larger image. " As buffalo were being removed from their habitat outside the park, simultaneous hazing operations commenced "inside" Yellowstone National Park [ mailto:[email protected] ]. Agents on horseback and in the DOL's helicopter disturbed more buffalo, moving them further into Yellowstone's interior and terrorizing numerous species of wildlife in the process. Yesterday, before the haze reached Yellowstone's boundary, patrols observed a lone wolf dining on a fresh elk carcass. Before our human ears could hear the stampeding haze and helicopter, the wolf knew, and quickly fled. Today, agents were out again to harass some of the few buffalo left in Montana. With the helicopter, they searched for a mom, calf and yearling but were unable to find it. They then proceeded to haze four bull buffalo off of Highway 287 and through the Duck Creek corridor, back into Yellowstone. This portion of the Park is currently closed for the protection of grizzly bears, but the DOL acts above the law and frequently enters areas that are closed to everyone else. Agents later proceeded to the town of West Yellowstone to haze a bull buffalo that has been in and around town for weeks now, a thrill to residents, business owners and many tourists. Unfortunately, two tourists made an unwise decision and while the bull was bedded down, they poked him with a stick to get his attention for a photo! Instead of them getting a ticket for foolish behavior, the bull was chased out of town. But, he went his own way, rather than into Yellowstone, and he's back roaming with the residents once again. Volunteers also reported that three DOL agent trucks with horse trailers headed north out of town. The "threat" of brucellosis applies only Tuesday through Thursdays, apparently, so perhaps we and the buffalo that remain will have a quiet weekend. With the exception of three small hobby ranches that have yet to lease their land for summer cattle grazing, the public and private lands where these operations occur are cattle-free year-round. Even if there were cattle, their presence should preclude wild buffalo from accessing their native habitat. All of these lands should be open to buffalo as they are for other wildlife. Yet for these few ranchers' interests buffalo are chased from the lands that are their birthright. Montana is so eager to defend the interests of a few ranchers, but won't hesitate to step all over the private property rights of those who choose to live peaceably in the company of wild buffalo. "DOL agents and Forest Service law enforcement officer discuss what to do about BFC volunteers. Shortly after this discussion, the patrol following the haze was purposefully held back from the remainder of the operation. BFC file photo by Stephany. Click ""here" [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/Keep_BFC_From_Documenting__seayBFC.jpg ]" for larger image. " This season has also been a very trying one for BFC's interactions with law enforcement. Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs), many of them federal and brand-new to the scene, have been extra aggressive, incommunicative, and purposefully trying to prevent us from documenting these operations. They have been trying to keep us so far back that we cannot document. The LEOs bend over backwards for the DOL without question, and in the case of Forest Service and Park Service, act in violation of their agency missions while hiding behind the Interagency Bison Management Plan. And the agents who conduct the actual hazing have been fabricating stories, attempting to blame BFC for actions that are nobody's fault but their own. These agents - not BFC - are the ones entering areas where they are not welcome to harass wild buffalo, and consequently other area wildlife, causing animals - horses and wildlife alike - to become extremely agitated. Itching to arrest BFC volunteers, they make jokes about it, place bets, and issue frivolous orders and written warnings with no legal basis. We know this extra aggressive behavior and intolerance is because they are feeling the pressure of the end of their era. They don't want us to keep showing you what they are doing. But, they can't stop us. Not only do we have the legal rights as a media organization to document these government actions, we are always watching and recording, even when they think we aren't. ------------------------------ ** TAKE ACTION! Make Your Voice Heard for the Last Wild Herds * You can take action to help stop these atrocious actions against America's last wild buffalo from continuing. Please contact your Members of Congress, and speaking from your heart for the buffalo, ask them to develop habitat-based solutions that protect wild buffalo and their habitat. "Please ask your Senators and House Representative to:" 1. Stop using your tax dollars to fund Montana Department of Livestock and Yellowstone National Park operations that harm or lead to the slaughter of wild buffalo. 2. Use your tax dollars wisely by purchasing livestock grazing rights on land adjacent to Yellowstone National Park, which will open habitat for wild buffalo and other native wildlife forever. Write your Senator [ http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm ] Write your House Representative [ https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml ] ------------------------------ ** Coming Soon: Opportunity to Comment on Invasive Remote Vaccine Plan* Yellowstone National Park will soon release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a proposal to begin remotely vaccinating wild buffalo with an ineffective brucellosis vaccine. The remote vaccination would be conducted by shooting "bio-bullets" of vaccine at buffalo. The brucellosis vaccine they intend to use has neither been proven safe nor effective. The idea of vaccinating wild buffalo instead of developing an effective vaccine to use on cattle is another example of the cattle industry trying to shirk responsibility. Stay tuned for your opportunity to comment on this important issue and please read an excellent Opinion-Editorial by BFC's executive director Dan Brister - which was written in response to the DOL's buffalo vaccination program yet holds true for Yellowstone's proposal - on Why Vaccinating Wild Buffalo is Wrong [ http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/media/press0405/news0405/121304oped.html ]. Learn more [ http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/science/vaccinationprogram.html ] about the ill-effects of vaccinating wild buffalo. ------------------------------ ** BFC Looking for Summer Outreach Volunteers* Buffalo Field Campaign still has a few openings for summer education and outreach volunteers. If you can commit to spending three weeks with us, most of which will be spent inside Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks helping to educate Park visitors about what's happening to America's last wild buffalo, please contact us! Email [email protected] [ mailto:[email protected] ] or call 406-646-0070 with questions or to apply. Thank you! ------------------------------ ** BFC 2010 Newsletters Coming Soon!* Buffalo Field Campaign will be mailing our 2010 Newsletter next month and we want to make sure you receive one. If your mailing address has changed since you last heard from us, or if you're not on our list of supporters and would like to receive a newsletter, please contact us with your current address. Also, please let us know if you would like us to send multiple copies that you can distribute to friends, family, and in your community. Send your name, address, zip code, and email address to [email protected] [ mailto:[email protected] ] and we'll be sure to update our records. ------------------------------ * Last Words Buffalo hair, tracks and poops are nearly all that's left in the now haunted landscape to remind us that hundreds of beautiful wild buffalo were just here. BFC file photo by Stephany. Click here [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/images/BuffaloHair_WhatsLeftAfterDOL_seayBFC.jpg ] for a larger image. "When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money." ~ Cree Prophecy Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to [email protected] [ mailto:[email protected] ]. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you'll see them here! ------------------------------ ** Kill Tally* *AMERICAN BUFFALO ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.* 2009-2010 Total: 6 2009-2010 Slaughter: 0 2009-2010 Hunt: 4 2009-2010 Quarantine: 0 2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 2* 2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0 *Two bulls that were drugged by APHIS on 5/4/10 were shot by DOL later that evening. 2008-2009 Total: 22 2007-2008 Total: 1,631 Total Since 2000: 3,708* *includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortality ----------------------------- Media & Outreach Buffalo Field Campaign P.O. Box 957 West Yellowstone, MT 59758 406-646-0070 [email protected] [ mailto:[email protected] ] http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org [ http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org ] "*BFC is the only group working in the field every day in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.*" KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY [ https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/6876/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3647 ] Join Buffalo Field Campaign [ http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/6876/signUp.jsp?key=3378 ] -- It's Free! Tell-a-Friend [ http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=3835 ] Take Action [ http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26453 ]! Unsubscribe [ http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/7926/p/salsa/supporter/unsubscribe/public/?unsubscribe_page_KEY=42 ] -- ROAM FREE!

Good Day: The following information is what I posted when I requested to be included in Cherokee rootsweb.com. If anyone can assist me in the history of my family, it would be immensely appreciated: Please subscribe me to your publications. My Name is Steven C. Brown, D.D. and I reside in Albuquerque,NM. My mother, Faye Irene, is a Matney from Gilman, Iowa, and she is still alive and resides in both Iowa and Arizona. Her parents were Charles, Sr. and Elizabeth Matney and they had 13 children, 12 of which lived. We have always known that there is some Native American genealogy in our bloodline, but have never known any specific details. My great niece did a study and ran into problems with some tribal councils because their records showed only the birth of a half-breed child, or children. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. I am a prolific writer and man of God, and would like to share my heritage to the proud Cherokee nation if it is appropriate. Can I test for the CherokeeL-gene? I write under the pen name of Charles Benjamin Steele, an acronym for my children's names, and my website is lengthy with a popular blog and a link to Amazon.com, my publisher of 9 books: www.charlesbenjaminsteele.com Sincerely, Steven C. Brown

Creation Kato - Kato The sandstone rock which formed the sky was old, they say. It thundered in the east; it thundered in the south; it thundered in the west; it thundered in the north. "The rock is old, we will fix it," he said. There were two, Nagaitcho and Thunder. "We will stretch it above far to the east," one of them said. They stretched it. They walked on the sky. In the south he stood on end a large rock. In the west he stood on end a large rock. In the north he stood on end a large, tall rock. In the east he stood on end a large, tall rock. He made everything properly. He made the roads. He made a road to the north (where the sun travels in summer). "In the south there will be no trees but only many flowers," he said. "Where will there be a hole through?" he asked. At the north he made a hole through. East he made a large opening for the clouds. West he made an opening for the fog. "To the west the clouds shall go," he said. He made a knife. He made it for splitting the rocks. He made the knife very strong. "How will it be?" he considered. "You go north; I will go south," he said. "I have finished already," he said. "Stretch the rock in the north. You untie it in the west, I will untie it in the east." "What will be clouds?" he asked. "Set fires about here," he told him. On the upland they burned to make clouds. Along the creek bottoms they burned to make mist. "It is good," he said. He made clouds so the heads of coming people would not ache. There is another world above where Thunder lives. "You will live here near by," he told Nagaitcho. "Put water on the fire, heat some water," he said. He made a person out of earth. "Well, I will talk to him," he said. He made his right leg and his left leg. He made his right arm and his left arm. He pulled off some grass and wadded it up. He put some of it in place for his belly. He hung up some of it for his stomach. When he had slapped some of the grass he put it in for his heart. He used a round piece of clay for his liver. He put in more clay for his kidneys. He cut a piece into parts and put it in for his lungs. He pushed in a reed (for a trachea). "What sort will blood be?" he enquired. He pounded up ochre. "Get water for the ochre," he said. He laid him down. He sprinkled him with water. He made his mouth, his nose, and two eyes. "How will it be?" he said. "Make him privates," he said. He made them. He took one of the legs, split it, and made woman of it. Clouds arose in the east. Fog came up in the west. "Well, let it rain, let the wind blow," he said. "Up in the sky there will be none, there will be only gentle winds. Well, let it rain in the fog," he said. It rained. One could not see. It was hot in the sky. The sun came up now. "What will the sun be?" he said. "Make a fire so it will be hot. The moon will travel at night." The moon is cold. He came down. "Who, I wonder, can kick open a rock?" he said. "Who can split a tree?" "Well, I will try," said Nagaitcho. He couldn't split the tree. "Who, I wonder, is the strongest?" said Thunder. Nagaitcho didn't break the rock. "Well, I will try," said Thunder. Thunder kicked the rock. He kicked it open. It broke to pieces. "Go look at the rock," he said. "He kicked the rock open," one reported. "Well, I will try a tree," he said. He kicked the tree open. The tree split to pieces. Thunder and Nagaitcho came down. "Who can stand on the water? You step on the water," Thunder told Nagaitcho. "Yes, I will," Nagaitcho said. He stepped on the water and sank into the ocean. "I will try," said Thunder. He stepped on the water. He stood on it with one leg. "I have finished quickly," he said. It was evening. It rained. It rained. Every day, every night it rained. "What will happen? It rains every day," they said. The fog spread out close to the ground. The clouds were thick. The people then had no fire. The fire became small. All the creeks were full. There was water in the valleys. The water encircled them. "Well, I have finished," he said. "Yes," Nagaitcho said. "Come, jump up. You must jump up to another sky," he told him. "I, too, will do that." "At night when every kind of thing is asleep we will do it," he said. Every day it rained, every night it rained. All the people slept. The sky fell. The land was not. For a very great distance there was no land. The waters of the oceans came together. Animals of all kinds drowned. Where the water went there were no trees. There was no land. People became. Seal, sea-lion, and grizzly built a dance-house. They looked for a place in vain. At Usal they built it for there the ground was good. There are many sea-lions there. Whale became a human woman. That is why women are so fat. There were no grizzlies. There were no fish. Blue lizard was thrown into the water and became sucker. Bull-snake was thrown into the water and became black salmon. Salamander was thrown into the water and became hook-bill salmon. Grass-snake was thrown into the water and became steel-head salmon. Lizard was thrown into the water and became trout. Trout cried for his net. "My net, my net," he said. They offered him every kind of thing in vain. It was "My net" he said when he cried. They made a net and put him into it. He stopped crying. They threw the net and trout into the water. He became trout. "What will grow in the water?" he asked. Seaweeds grew in the water. Abalones and mussels grew in the water. Two kinds of kelp grew in the ocean. Many different kinds grew there. "What will be salt?" he asked. They tasted many things. The ocean foam became salt. The Indians tried their salt. They will eat their food with it. They will eat clover with it. It was good salt. "How will the water of this ocean behave? What will be in front of it?" he asked. "The water will rise up in ridges. It will settle back again. There will be sand. On top of the sand it will glisten," he said. "Old kelp will float ashore. Old whales will float ashore. "People will eat fish, big fish," he said. "Sea-lions will come ashore. They will eat them. They will be good. Devil-fish, although they are ugly looking, will be good. The people will eat them. The fish in the ocean will be fat. They will be good. "There will be many different kinds in the ocean. There will be water- panther. There will be stone-fish. He will catch people. Long-tooth- fish will kill sea-lion. He will feel around in the water. "Sea-lion will have no feet. He will have a tail. His teeth will be large. There will be no trees in the ocean. The water will be powerful in the ocean," he said. He placed redwoods and firs along the shore. At the tail of the earth, at the north, he made them grow. He placed land in walls along in front of the ocean. From the north he put down rocks here and there. Over there the ocean beats against them. Far to the south he did that. He stood up pines along the way. He placed yellow pines. Far away he placed them. He placed mountains along in front of the water. He did not stop putting them up even way to the south. Redwoods and various pines were growing. He looked back and saw them growing. The redwoods had become tall. He placed stones along. He made small creeks by dragging along his foot. "Wherever they flow this water will be good," he said. "They will drink this. Only the ocean they will not drink." He made trees spring up. When he looked behind himself he saw they had grown. When he came near water-head-place (south) he said to himself, "It is good that they are growing up." He made creeks along. "This water they will drink," he said. That is why all drink, many different kinds of animals. "Because the water is good, because it is not salt, deer, elk, panther, and fishers will drink of it," he said. He caused trees to grow up along. When he looked behind himself he saw they had grown up. "Birds will drink, squirrels will drink," he said. "Many different kinds will drink. I am placing good water along the way." Many redwoods grew up. He placed water along toward the south. He kicked out springs. "There will be springs," he said. "These will belong to the deer," he said of the deer-licks. He took along a dog. "Drink this water," he told his dog. He, himself, drank of it. "All, many different kinds of animals and birds, will drink of it," he said. Tanbark oaks he made to spring up along the way. Many kinds, redwoods, firs, and pines he caused to grow. He placed water along. He made creeks with his foot. To make valleys for the streams he placed the land on edge. The mountains were large. They had grown. "Let acorns grow," he said. He looked back at the ocean, and at the trees and rocks he had placed along. "The water is good, they will drink it," he said. He placed redwoods, firs, and tanbark oaks along the way. He stood up land and made the mountains. "They shall become large," he said of the redwoods. He went around the earth, dragging his foot to make the streams and placing redwoods, firs, pines, oaks, and chestnut trees. When he looked back he saw the rocks had become large, and the mountains loomed up. He drank of the water and called it good. "I have arranged it that rocks shall be around the water," he said. "Drink," he told his dog. "Many animals will drink this good water." He placed rocks and banks. He put along the way small white stones. He stood up white and black oaks. Sugar-pines and firs he planted one in a place. "I will try the water," he said. "Drink, my dog." The water was good. He dragged along his foot, making creeks. He placed the rocks along and turned to look at them. "Drink, my dog," he said. "I, too, will drink. Grizzlies, all kinds of animals, and human beings will drink the water which I have placed among the rocks." He stood up the mountains. He placed the trees along, the firs and the oaks. He caused the pines to grow up. He placed the redwoods one in a place. He threw salamanders and turtles into the creeks. "Eels will live in this stream," he said. "Fish will come into it. Hook-bill and black salmon will run up this creek. Last of all steel-heads will swim in it. Crabs, small eels, and day-eels will come up. "Grizzlies will live in large numbers on this mountain. On this mountain will be many deer. The people will eat them. Because they have no gall they may be eaten raw. Deer meat will be very sweet. Panthers will be numerous. There will be many jack-rabbits on this mountain," he said. He did not like yellow-jackets. He nearly killed them. He made blue- flies and wasps. His dog walked along with him. "There will be much water in this stream," he said. "This will be a small creek and the fish will run in it. The fish will be good. There will be many suckers and trout in this stream." "There will be brush on this mountain," he said. He made manzanita and white-thorn grow there. "Here will be a valley. Here will be many deer. There will be many grizzlies at this place. Here a mountain will stand. Many rattlesnakes, bull snakes, and water snakes will be in this place. Here will be good land. It shall be a valley." He placed fir trees, yellow-pines, oaks, and redwoods one at a place along the way. He put down small grizzly bears. "The water will be bad. It will be black here," he said. "There will be many owls here, the barking-owl, the screech-owl, and the little owl. There shall be many blue jays, grouse, and quails. Here on this mountain will be many wood-rats. Here shall be many varied robins. There shall be many woodcocks, yellow-hammers, and sap- suckers. Here will be many mocking-birds and meadowlarks. Here will be herons and blackbirds. There will be many turtle-doves and pigeons. The kingfishers will catch fish. There will be many buzzards and ravens. There will be many chicken-hawks. There will be many robins. On this high mountain there will be many deer," he said. "Let there be a valley here," he said. "There will be fir trees, some small and some large. Let the rain fall. Let it snow. Let there be hail. Let the clouds come. When it rains let the streams increase, let the water be high, let it become muddy. When the rain stops let the water become good again," he said. He came back. "Walk behind me, my dog," he said. "We will look at what has taken place." Trees had grown. Fish were in the streams. The rocks had become large. It was good. He traveled fast. "Come, walk fast, my dog," he said. The land had become good. The valleys had become broad. All kinds of trees and plants had sprung up. Springs had become and the water was flowing. "Again I will try the water," he said. "You, too, drink." Brush had sprung up. He traveled fast. "I have made a good earth, my dog," he said. "Walk fast, my dog." Acorns were on the trees. The chestnuts were ripe. The hazelnuts were ripe. The manzanita berries were getting white. All sorts of food had become good. The buckeyes were good. The peppernuts were black. The bunch grass was ripe. The grass-hoppers were growing. The clover was in bloom. The bear-clover was good. The mountains had grown. The rocks had grown. All kinds that are eaten had become good. "We made it good, my dog," he said. Fish for the people to eat had grown in the streams. "We have come to south now," he said. All the different kinds were matured. They started back, he and his dog. "We will go back," he said. "The mountains have grown up quickly. The land has become flat. The trout have grown. Good water is flowing. Walk fast. All things have become good. We have made them good, my dog. It is warm. The land is good." The brush had grown. Various things had sprung up. Grizzlies had increased in numbers. Birds had grown. The water had become good. The grass was grown. Many deer for the people to eat walked about. Many kinds of herbs had grown. Some kinds remained small. Rattlesnakes had multiplied. Water-snakes had become numerous. Turtles had come out of the water and increased in numbers. Various things had grown. The mountains had grown. The valleys had become. "Come fast. I will drink water. You, too, drink," he told his dog. "Now we are getting back, we are close home, my dog. Look here, the mountains have grown. The stones have grown. Brush has come up. All kinds of animals are walking about. All kinds of things are grown. "We are about to arrive. We are close home, my dog," he said. "I am about to get back north," he said to himself. "I am about to get back north. I am about to get back north. I am about to get back north," he said to himself. That is all. Goddard, University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology, v, 184, No. 2 Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Huron - Huron In the beginning there was only one water and the water animals that lived in it. Then a woman fell from a torn place in the sky. She was a divine woman, full of power. Two loons flying over the water saw her falling. They flew under her, close together, making a pillow for her to sit on. The loons held her up and cried for help. They could be heard for a long way as they called for other animals to come. The snapping turtle called all the other animals to aid in saving the divine woman's life. The animals decided the woman needed earth to live on. Turtle said, "Dive down in the water and bring up some earth." So they did that, those animals. A beaver went down. A muskrat went down. Others stayed down too long, and they died. Each time, Turtle looked inside their mouths when they came up, but there was no earth to be found. Toad went under the water. He stayed too long, and he nearly died. But when Turtle looked inside Toad's mouth, he found a little earth. The woman took it and put it all around on Turtle's shell. That was the start of the earth. Dry land grew until it formed a country, then another country, and all the earth.. To this day, Turtle holds up the earth. Time passed, and the divine woman had twin boys. They were opposites, her sons. One was good, and one was bad. One was born as children are usually born, in a normal way. But the other one broke out of his mother's side, and she died. When the divine woman was buried, all of the plants needed for life on earth sprang from the ground above her. From her head came the pumpkin vine. Maize came from her chest. Pole beans grew from her legs. The divine woman's sons grew up. The evil one was Tawis-karong. The good one was Tijus-kaha. They were to prepare the earth so that humans could live on it. But they found they could not live together. And so they separated, with each one taking his own portion of the earth to prepare. The bad brother, Tawis-karong, made monstrous animals, fierce and terrifying. He made wolves and bears, and snakes of giant size. He made mosquitoes huge, the size of wild turkeys. And he made an enormous toad. It drank up the fresh water that was on the earth. All of it. The good brother, Tijus-kaha, made proper animals that were of use to human beings. He made the dove, and the mockingbird, and the partridge. And one day, the partridge flew toward the land of Tawis-karong. "Why do you go there?" Tijus-kaha asked the partridge. "I go because there is no water. And I hear there is some in your brother's land," said the partridge. Tijus-kaha didn't believe the bird. So he followed, and finally he came to his evil brother's land. He saw all of the outlandish, giant animals his brother had made. Tijus-kaha didn't beat them down. And then he saw the giant toad. He cut it open. Out came the earth's fresh water. Tijus- kaha didn't kill any [more] of his brother's creations. But he made them smaller, of normal size so that human beings could be leaders over them. His mother's spirit came to Tijus-kaha in a dream. She warned him about his evil brother. And sure enough, one day, the two brothers had to come face to face. They decided they could not share the earth. They would have a duel to see who would be master of the world. Each had to overcome the other with a single weapon. Tijus-kaha, the good, could only be killing if beaten to death with a bag full of corn or beans. The evil brother could be killed only by using the horn of a deer or other wild animal. then the brothers fixed the fighting ground where the battle would begin. The first turn went to the evil brother, Tawis-karong. He pounded his brother with a bag of beans. He beat him until Tijus-kaha was nearly dead. But not quite. He got his strength back, and he chased Tawis-karong. Now it was his turn. He beat his evil brother with a deer horn. Finally, Tijus-kaha took his brother's life away. But still the evil brother wasn't completely destroyed. "I have gone to the far west," he said. "All the races of men will follow me to the west when they die." Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Hopi - Hopi In the beginning there were only two: Tawa, the Sun God, and Spider Woman, the Earth Goddess. All the mysteries and power in the Above belonged to Tawa, while Spider Woman controlled the magic of the Below. In the Underworld, abode of the Gods, they dwelt and they were All. There was neither man nor woman, bird nor beast, no living thing until these Two willed it to be. In time it came to them that there should be other Gods to share their labors. So Tawa divided himself and there came Muiyinwuh, God of All Life Germs; Spider Woman also divide herself so that there was Huzruiwuhti, Woman of the Hard Substances, the Goddess of all hard ornaments of wealth such as coral, turquoise, silver and shell. Huzruiwuhti became the always-bride of Tawa. They were the First Lovers and of their union there came into being those marvelous ones the Magic Twins -- Puukonhoya, the Youth, and Palunhoya, the Echo. As time unrolled there followed Hicanavaiya, Ancient of Six (the Four World Quarters, the Above and Below), Man-Eagle, the Great Plumed Serpent and many others. But Masauwhu, the Death God, did not come of these Two but was bad magic, who appeared only after the making of creatures. And then it came about that these Two had one Thought and it was a might Thought that they would make the Earth to be between the Above and the Below where now lay shimmering only the Endless Waters. So they sat them side by side, swaying their beautiful bronze bodies to the pulsing music of their own great voices, making the First Magic Song, a song of rushing winds and flowing waters, a song of light and sound and life. "I am Tawa," sang the Sun God. "I am Light. I am Life. I am Father of all that shall ever come." "I am Kokyanwuhti," the Spider Woman crooned. "I receive Light and nourish Life. I am Mother of all that shall ever come." "Many strange thoughts are forming in my mind -- beautiful forms of birds to float in the Above, of beasts to move upon the Earth and fish to swim in the Waters," intoned Tawa. "Now let these things that move in the Though of Tawa appear," chanted Spider Woman, while with her slender fingers she caught up clay from beside her and made the Thoughts of Tawa take form. One by one she shaped them and laid them aside -- but they breathed not nor moved. "We must do something about this," said Tawa. "It is not good that they lie thus still and quiet. Each thing that has a form must also have a spirit. So now, my beloved, we must make a mighty Magic." They laid a white blanket over the many figures, a cunningly woven woolen blanket, fleecy as a cloud, and made a mighty incantation over it, and soon the figures stirred and breathed. "Now, let us make ones like unto you and me, so that they may rule over and enjoy these lesser creatures," sang Tawa, and Spider Woman shaped the Thoughts into woman and man figures like unto their own. But after the blanket magic had been made, the figures remained inert. So Spider Woman gathered them all in her arms and cradled them, while Tawa bent his glowing eyes upon them. The two now sang the magic Song of Life over them, and at last each human figure breathed and lived. "Now that was a good thing and a mighty thing," said Tawa. "So now all this is finished, and there shall be no new things made by us. Those things we have made shall multiply. I will make a journey across the Above each day to shed my light upon them and return each night to Huzruiwuhti. And now I shall go to turn my blazing shield upon the Endless Waters, so that the Dry Land may appear. And this day will be the first day upon Earth." "Now I shall lead all these created beings to the land that you shall cause to appear above the waters," said Spider Woman. Then Tawa took down his burnished shield from the turquoise wall of the kiva and swiftly mounted his glorious was to the Above. After Spider Woman had bent her wise, all-seeing eyes upon the thronging creatures about her, she wound her way among them, separating them into groups. "Thus and thus shall you be and thus shall you remain, each one in her own tribe forever. You are Zunis, you are Kohoninos, you are Pah-Utes..." The Hopis, all, all people were named by Kokyanwuhti then. Placing her Magic Twins beside her, Spider Woman called all the people to follow where she led. Through all the Four Great Caverns of the Underworld she led them until they finally came to an opening, a sipapu, which led above. This came out at the lowest depth of the Pisisbaiya (the Colorado River) and was the place where the people were to come to gather salt. So lately had the Endless Waters gone down that the Turkey, Koyona, pushing early ahead, dragged its tail feathers in the black mud where the dark bands were to remain forever. Mourning Dove flew overhead, calling to some to follow, and those who followed where his sharp eyes had spied out springs and built beside them were called "Huwinyamu" after him. So Spider Woman chose a creature to lead each clan to a place to build their house. The Puma, the Snake, the Antelope, the Deer, and other Horn creatures, each led a clan to a place to build their house. Each clan henceforth bore the name of the creature who had led them. The Spider Woman spoke to them thus: "The woman of the clan shall build the house, and the family name shall descend through her. She shall be house builder and homemaker. She shall mold the jars for the storing of food and water. She shall grind the grain for food and tenderly rear and teach the young. The man of the clan shall build kivas of stone under the ground. In these kivas the man shall make sand pictures as altars. Of colored sand shall he make them, and they shall be called 'ponya.' The man too shall weave the clan blankets with their proper symbols. The man shall fashion himself weapons and furnish his family with game." Stooping down, she gathered some sand in her hand, letting it run out in a thin, continuous stream. "See the movement of the sand? That is the life that will cause all things therein to grow. The Great Plumed Serpent, Lightning, will rear and strike the earth to fertilize it; Rain Cloud will pour down waters, and Tawa will smile upon it so that green things will spring up to feed my children." Her eyes now sought the Above where Tawa was descending toward his western kiva in all the glory of red and gold. "I go now, but have no fear, for we Two will be watching over you. Look upon me now, my children, ere I leave. Obey the words I have given you, and all will be well. If you are in need of help, call upon me, and I will send my sons to your aid." The people gazed wide-eyed upon her shining beauty. Her woven upper garment of soft white wool hung tunic-wise over a blue skirt. On its left side was woven a band bearing the Butterfly and Squash Blossom, in designs of red and yellow and green with bands of black appearing in between. Her neck was hung with heavy necklaces of turquoise, shell and coral, and pendants of the same hung from her ears. Her face was fair, with warm eyes and tender lips, and her form most graceful. Upon her feet were skin boots of gleaming white, and they now turned toward where the sand spun about in whirlpool fashion. She held up her right hand and smiled upon them, then stepped upon the whirling sand. Wonder of wonders, before their eyes the sands seemed to suck her swiftly down until she disappeared entirely from their sight. Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation By Women - Cherokee Cherokee - The Daughter of the Sun The Uktena is the great serpent of Cherokee tales who lives in the mountains. It has rings or spots of color along its body, is horned, is as large around as a tree trunk, and had once a bright, blazing jewel embedded in its forehead called the Ulunsuti. The Ulunsuti is a rutile quartz which, down one side, has a bright streak of red, making it a very rare specimen of quartz besides being sacred in connection to the Uktena. The Great Serpent lost the jewel at one point and the Cheokee people kept it in their possession. The Uktena had the power to destroy all that Man held most dear and was so venomous that if he ever looked at someone, that person's whole family would perish. Even to look at it while it was sleeping. He isn't a patron of the Cherokee, but rather, is an enemy to be overcome. The Uktena could only be wounded in the seventh spot from his head because that is where the Uktena's heart was. He is normally slain by a hero in tales. The reason that the Uktena is a creature of such threat is because he was very jealous and bitter towards Snake. Snake was honored and prayed to, (while the Uktena was not), because Snake had struck the Sun's daughter one day while she was opening the doors to the house for the Sun to come in. The Sun was angry and pained that the people liked Moon more. The people could gaze at Moon easily and did so often, complimenting him on his greatness, but when they looked up at Sun they would squint, make faces, and complain. Sun would have continued to burn the people to death as she had already done to hundreds for punishment. Without Her daughter to let Her come in, however, the people were saved. The Sun lived on the other side of the sky vault, but her daughter lived in the middle of the sky, directly above the Earth. Every day as the sun was climbing along the sky arch to the west, she used to stop at her daughters house for dinner. Now, the Sun hated the people of this Earth, because they never looked straight at her without squinting. She said to her brother, the Moon, "My grandchildren are ugly, they screw up their faces whenever they see me. But the Moon said, "I like my younger brothers, I think they are handsome." This was because they always smiled pleasantly at his mild glow in the night sky. The Sun was jealous of the Moon's popularity and decided to kill the people. Every day when she got near her daughter's house, she sent down such sultry heat that fever broke out and people died by the hundreds. When everyone had lost some friend ands it seemed as if no one would be spared, the humans went for help to the little men. These men, who were friendly spirits, said that the only way the people could save themselves was to kill Sun. The Little Men Made medicine to change two of the humans into snakes, the spreading adder and copperhead, who could hide near the daughter's door and bite the old Sun. The Snakes went up to the sky and lay in wait until the sun arrived for dinner. But when the spreading adder was about to spring, her bright light blinded him and he could only spit out yellow slime, as he does to this day when he tries to bite. The Sun called him a nasty thing and went into the house, and the copperhead was so discouraged that he crawled off without trying to do anything. The people still dying from the terrible heat, went a second time to the Little Men for help. Again the Little Men made medicine and changed one man into the great Uktena, the water monster, and another into a rattlesnake. As before, the serpents had instructions to kill the old Sun when she stopped at her daughter's house. Uktena was large and fierce, with horns on his head, and everyone thought he would be sure to succeed. But the rattlesnake was so eager that he raced ahead and coiled up just outside the house. When the Sun's daughter opened the door to look for her mother, he struck and she fell dead in the doorway. Forgetting to wait for the old Sun, he went back to the people, and Uktena was so angry at the rattlesnake's stupidity that he went back too. Since then we pray to the rattlesnake and don't kill him, because he wishes people well and never tries to bite if we don't disturb him. But Uktena grew angrier and more dangerous all the time. He became so venomous that if he even looked at a man, the man's whole family would e. Eventually the people held a council and decided that he was just too dangerous, so they sent him to Galun'lati, the world, where he still is. When the Sun found her daughter dead, she shut herself up in the house and grieved. Now the people were no longer dying from the heat, but they lived in darkness. Once more they sought help from the Little Men, who said that in order to coax the Sun out, they must bring her daughter back from Tsusgina'i. This is the ghost country, which lies in Usunhi'yi, the Darkening Land in the west. The people chose seven men to make the journey. The Little Men told the seven to take a box, and told each man to carry sourwood rod a handbreadth long. when they got to Tsugina'i, the Little Men explained, they would find all the ghost at a dance. They should stand outside the circle, and when the Sun's daughter danced past them, they must strike her with the rods and she would fall to the ground. Then they could put her in the box and bring her back to her mother. But they must not open the box, not even a crack, until they arrived home. The seven men took the rods and the box and traveled west for seven days until they came to the Darkening Land. There they found a great crowd of ghost having a dance, just as if they were alive. The Sun's daughter was in the outside circle. As she danced past them, one of the seven men struck her with his rod, and then another and another, until at the seventh round she fell out of the ring. The men put her into the box and closed the lid, and the other ghost never seem to notice what had happened. The seven took up the box and started home toward the east. In a while the girl came to life again and begged to be let out, but the party went on without answering. Soon she called again and said she was hungry, but they did not reply. When at last the group was very near home, the daughter of the sun cried that she was smothering and begged them to raise the lid just a little. Now they were afraid that she was really dying, so they barely cracked the lid to give her air. There was a fluttering sound, and something flew past them into the bushes. Then they heard a redbird cry, "Kwish!Kwish!Kwish!" Shutting the lid, they went on again. But when they arrived at the settlements and opened the box, it was empty. So we know that the redbird is the daughter of the Sun. And if the party had kept the box closed, as the Little Men told them to, they could have brought her home safely, and today we would be able to recover our friends from the Ghost Country. Because the seven opened the box, however, we can never bring back people who die. The Sun had been hopeful when the party had started off for the Darkening Land, but when they came back without her daughter, she wept until her tears caused a great flood. Fearing that the world would be drowned, the people held another council and decided to send their handsomest young men and women to amuse the Sun and stop her crying. This group danced before her and sang their best songs, but for a long time she kept her face bowed and paid no attention. At last when the drummer suddenly changed the song, she looked up and was so pleased at the sight of the beautiful young people that she forgot her grief and smiled. http://www.crystalinks.com/namcreationwomen.html Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation By Women 4 - Inuit Time was, there were no people on earth. The first man still lay inside the pea pod. Four days passed, and on the fifth day, he pushed with his feet. He broke through the bottom of the pod and fell to the ground. When he got up, he had become a grown man. He looked at eveything and himself, his arms and legs, his hands; felt his neck. The pod that had held him still hung on the vine with a hole in its bottom. The grown man walked a little away from the pod where he had started. The ground under him felt as if it were moving, too. It was not firm, but soft. The way it moved under him made him feel sick. He stood still, and slowly a pool of water formed at his feet. He bent down and drank from the pool. It felt good the way the water went from his mouth down inside of him. It made him feel better. He stood up again, refreshed. Next, he saw something. It was a dark thing flapping along, and it was coming. Then it was there before him. It stood looking at him. It was Raven. Raven lifted one of his wings and pushed his beak up to his forehead. He raised it like a mask. And when he moved his beak up, Raven changed into a man. He walked all around the first man to get a good look at him. "Who are you?" Raven asked, at last. "Where did you come from?" "I came from the pea pod," said the man, pointing to the vine and the broken pod. "I made that vine!" said Raven. "I never thought something like you would come from it. Here, this ground we're standing on is soft. I made it later than the rest. Let's go to the high ground. It's hard and thick." Man and Raven went to the high ground, and it was quite hard under them. "Did you have anything to eat?" Raven asked. Man told him about the wet stuff that had pooled at his feet. "Ah, you must have drunk water," Raven said. "Wait here for me." He drew the beak-mask down and changed once more into a bird. Raven flew up into the sky and disappeared. Four days later, he returned. The whole time, Man had been waiting. Raven pushed up his beak and was again a man. He had four berries-two raspberries and two heathberries. "I made these for you," he said. "I want them to grow all over the earth. Here, eat them." Man put the berries in his mouth and ate them. "I feel better," he said. Next, Raven took Man to a small creek. There, the man-bird found two pieces of clay and molded them into tiny mountain sheep. He held them on his palm. When they dried, he let Man take a close look at them. "They look nice," Man said. "Now shut your eyes," Raven told him. Man did close his eyes. Raven pulled down his beak and made his wings wave back and forth, back and forth over the clay figures. They came to life and bounded away as grown mountain sheep. Raven lifted his mask. "Look!" he said. Man saw the sheep moving very fast. They were full of life, and that pleased him. He thought people would like them. For there were more men growing on the vine. But when Raven saw the way Man was looking at the mountain sheep with such delight, he put them up high so that people would not kill too many of them. Raven made more animals, moved his wings, and brought them to life. Every animal and bird and fish that Raven made, Man viewed with pleasure. That worried Raven. He thought he'd better create something Man would fear, or else Man might eat or kill everything that moved. So Raven went to another creek. He took some clay and created a bear, making it come alive. Quickly, Raven got out of the way of Bear because the animal was so fierce it would tear him apart and maybe eat him. "You will get lonely if you stay by yourself," Raven said to Man. "So I will make somebody for you." Raven went off a ways, where he could view Man but where Man couldn't be sure what he was doing. There, off a ways, he made a figure out of clay much like Man's, although different. He fastened watercress on the back of its head for hair. When the figure had dried in the palm of his hand, he waved his wings several times. It came to life. It was a lovely woman. She got up, grew up, and stood beside Man. "That is your helper and your mate," said Raven. "She is very pretty," said Man, and he was happy. Raven went on doing what he needed to do. And Man and Woman had a child. Soon, there were many, many people and animals. All that was living grew and thrived. The world prospered. This is a wonderful, dramatic Eskimo myth, parts of which are widely known, spread from Siberia to Greenland. The myth speaks of society rather than the universe. Raven is a trickster god who travels from heaven to earth and sometimes, in some stories, to the seafloor. He has sacred power and can change form. Raven instructs people in living. He creates first-man through the pea vine and other people and animals from clay taken from the earth-creek. ESKIMO WOMAN PROPHECY - In the Beginning; Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton http://www.crystalinks.com/namcreationwomen.html Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Choctaw - Choctaw At the beginning there was a great mound. It was called Nanih Wiya. It was from this mound that the Creator fashioned the first of the people. These people crawled through a long, dark cave into daylight. They became the first Choctaw. Eclipse of the sun blamed on black squirrel (Choctaw) xx In Choctaw history, solar eclipses were attributed to black squirrels, or a black squirrel, supposed to be eating the luminary, and they must be driven off if mankind were still to enjoy the heat and light. Cushman says: The Choctaw . . . attributed an eclipse of the sun to a black squirrel, whose eccentricities often led it into mischief, and, among other things, that of trying to eat up the sun at different intervals. When thus inclined, they believed, which was confirmed by long experience, that the only effective means to prevent so fearful a catastrophe befalling the world as the blotting out of that indispensable luminary, was to favor the little, black epicure with a first-class scare; therefore, whenever he manifested an inclination to indulge in a meal on the sun, every ingenuity was called into requisition to give him a genuine fright so that he would be induced, at least, to postpone his meal on the sun at that particular time and seek a lunch elsewhere. As soon, therefore, as the sun began to draw its lunar veil over its face, the cry was heard from every mount from the Dan to the Beersheba of their then wide extended territory, echoing from hill to dale, "Funi lusa hushi umpa! Funi lusa hushi umpa," according to our phraseology, the black squirrel is eating the sun! Then and there was heard a sound of tumult by day in the Choctaw Nation for the space of an hour or two. Far exceeding that said to have been heard by night in Belgium's Capital, and sufficient in the conglomeration of discordant tones terrific, if heard by the distant, little, fastidious squirrel, to have made him lose forever afterward all relish for a mess of suns for an early or late dinner. The shouts of the women and children mingling with the ringing of discordant bells as the vociferous pounding and beating of earsplitting tin pans and cups mingling in "wild confusion worse confounded," yet in sweet unison with a first-class orchestra of yelping, howling, barking dogs gratuitously thrown in by the innumerable and highly excited curs, produced a din, which even a "Funi lusa," had he heard it, could scarcely have endured even to have indulged in a nibble or two of the sun, though urged by the demands of a week's fasting. But during the wild scene the men were not idle spectators, or indifferent listeners. Each stood a few paces in front of his cabin door with no outward manifestation of excitement whatever - so characteristic of the Indian warrior but with his trusty rifle in hand, which so oft had proved a friend sincere in many hours of trial, which he loaded and fired in rapid succession at the distant, devastating squirrel, with the same coolness and calm deliberation that he did when shooting at his game. More than once have I witnessed the fearful yet novel scene. When it happened to be the time of a total eclipse of the sun, a sufficient evidence that the little, black epicure meant business in regard to having a square meal, though it took the whole sun to furnish it, then indeed there were sounds of revelry and tumult unsurpassed by any ever heard before, either in "Belgium" or elsewhere. Then the women shrieked and redoubled their efforts upon the tin pans, which, under the desperate blows, strained every vocal organ to do its utmost and whole duty in loud response, while the excited children screamed and beat their tin cups, and the sympathetic dogs (whose name was legion) barked and howled - all seemingly determined not to fall the one behind the other in their duty since the occasion demanded it; while the warriors still stood in profound and meditative silence, but firm and undaunted, as they quickly loaded and fired their rifles, each time taking deliberate aim, if perchance the last shot might prove the successful one; then, as the moon's shadow began to move from the disk of the sun, the joyful shout was heard above the mighty din "Funi-lusa-osh mahlatah! " The black squirrel is frightened. But the din remained unabated until the sun again appeared in its usual splendor, and all nature again assumed its harmonious course. http://www.indianlegend.com/choctaw/choctaw_001.htm Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Buffalo Field Campaign Yellowstone Bison Update from the Field May 20, 2010 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ * Update from the Field * New Video Clips from BFC * BFC Looking for Summer Outreach Volunteers * Buffalo in the News * Last Words * Kill Tally * Useful Links ------------------------------ * Update from the Field Every time I close my eyes I see buffalo. Quick flashes of their soft gentle shapes, dark brown, tawny and black, sprinkled with the tiny red shapes of baby buffalo. Instead of bringing the usual peace, these images are unpleasant because the buffalo are running, tails up in distress, fleeing from the relentless harassment that they have been suffering for weeks now, victims of the unreasonable intolerance Montana's livestock industry heaps upon them. As expected, hundreds of these buffalo that were hazed last week, and in weeks past, returned to their chosen, historic habitat on lower elevation lands surrounding the western edge of Yellowstone National Park, where the buffalo find greener, more plentiful, pastures. More than 600 buffalo have been harassed outside the Park, and hundreds of buffalo that never even left Yellowstone have been pursued by agents and exiled from their native habitat supposedly in the name of livestock disease management. Yet there are no cattle here. Additionally, there was no agent activity Friday through Monday, so it seems the so-called brucellosis threat doesn't apply on weekends, or after 5pm. Buffalo have been forced to travel for many many miles - upwards of 20 - nonstop, without rest. Perhaps a quarter of these buffalo are newborn calves, and scores of them pregnant mothers who have yet to give birth, or who are in labor at the time of the haze. As I write, patrols are reporting that they've spotted a mama buffalo with a wet calf, brand new to the world and about to experience the dark side of the human race. They are being forced to travel at unnatural distances and speeds that a mother buffalo would never ask her baby to cover under natural circumstances. Inexorable government forces push them over terrain and swollen waterways difficult to negotiate under fear, as they are pursued by federally-funded cowfolks on horseback, federal, state and county law enforcement, and the Montana Department of Livestock's helicopter. It is heart-wrenching to see these buffalo tormented so, little babies doing everything they can to keep up with mom, no matter how far or how fast; moms trying to shelter their babies from harm, entire family groups trying to escape the yelling predators in cowboy hats and the metal bird that threatens to land upon their backs and devour them. And this, so say the grinning agents, is the "kinder alternative" to slaughter that bison advocates are supposed to be thankful for. Hazing this week began along the south side of the Madison River, targeting buffalo that approached lands within their migration corridor that are currently unavailable to them because one landowner leases his land to cattle for a few short months. The DOL's selfish intolerance deprives the public and private landowners who want the buffalo around, including businesses such as the Bar N Ranch http://www.bar-n-ranch.com/, of the presence of native wild buffalo. If they don't get permission from the landowners, the DOL will trespass with assumed authority. This particular south side haze pushed buffalo more than 10 miles and lasted an incredibly long time for the distance it went, not because of a slow pace but because the buffalo kept trying to lose the agents. Ultimately, the buffalo were moved out of Gallatin National Forest and into Yellowstone, and then returned on their own. Today, the agents are out there again hazing small family groups with calves through the cattle-free public lands of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Yesterday, the DOL, Yellowstone National Park, Gallatin National Forest and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks attacked cattle-free Horse Butte once again. Horsemen and helicopter scouted the Butte's public lands. The DOL's federally-funded helicopter flew over the grizzly bear closure area, obviously disturbing the griz, but didn't find too many buffalo on the public land, other than one small group near an area closed to all human activity to protect bald eagles, which should be a safe zone for buffalo. In the DOL's outrageous omnipotence they were allowed to enter the eagle closure on horseback to chase them out, an area where you and I aren't even allowed to step foot. Simultaneously, an additional hazing operation - assisted by the DOL's helicopter that continued to fly back and forth between hazing operations, wasting gallons of fuel and thousands of taxpayer dollars - was ongoing deep inside Yellowstone National Park, yet again pushing exhausted buffalo deeper into the Park where there is very little grass for them to eat right now. The agencies use the tactic of moving buffalo already in the Park to other locations in order to clear areas occupied by buffalo for those being hazed off of habitat outside the Park's boundaries. Tax dollars at work for the livestock industry! Of the more than 100 buffalo hazed off of Horse Butte yesterday, most of them were on private lands within Yellowstone Village and the Galanis property, places where the buffalo are welcome, but the buffalo harassing agents are not. Horsemen and helicopter appeared in the housing area and proceeded to trespass. They caused extreme chaos, flying the helicopter over the neighborhood, stampeding buffalo through people's yards, swooping low over the Galanis' pastures to scare buffalo into the housing area, where agent riders awaited. Residents and wildlife alike were disturbed and endangered by the operation's shattering of the morning's tranquility. The riders were escorted by the swirling lights, guns and trucks of law enforcement who have been increasingly aggressive, and giving out frivolous orders in failed attempts to prevent Buffalo Field Campaign from documenting their actions. The community was watching with us. Quite a few very upset residents came out of their homes to have a word with the DOL, expressing their anger at the situation and underscoring the absolute wastefulness of such operations. Today, there is more of the same happening on Gallatin National Forest and in Yellowstone National Park. As I write, patrols in the field have reported that the DOL have again entered the Bar N Ranch to haze buffalo, and they have pushed them onto Gallatin National Forest and eastward towards Yellowstone. One of our patrols reported that the helicopter spotted two moms and two calves and it attempted to haze them, but lost them in the woods. A DOL rider came in to assist, running the buffalo at a full gallop through the deep woods teeming with dead-fall, treacherous ground for buffalo to have to run through, especially little babies. Law enforcement this week and last has also become increasingly aggressive, making up extreme excuses to try and keep us from documenting. They don't want the world to see what they are doing, so they attempt to keep us from documenting these operations. They know that the watchful eyes of Buffalo Field Campaign are sharing these events with everyone, and that the world is watching. A message to the DOL: your dominion over America's last wild buffalo, over Yellowstone National Park, over Gallatin National Forest, over Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, over the migratory movement of prehistoric native wildlife, over state, federal, tribal, and county officials, over the media and the propaganda machine, over private property owners, over the citizens of this state and this country--like all greedy empires--is soon to fall and the buffalo will take back the lands you have stolen from them. It's only a matter of time. Friends of the buffalo, please take action by contacting your members of Congress in the House and Senate and urging them to stop the harassment and slaughter of America's last wild bison population left in the United States! Endless pressure, endlessly applied is going to make the difference. Write your Senator http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm Write your House Representative: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml ROAM FREE! ------------------------------ * New Video Clips from BFC Buffalo Field Campaign has completed a new video clip about the birth of the buffalo that we were very lucky to witness and the completion of our first "off-fence, de-fence" project. There's also a new video about BFC helps buffalo by warning motorists of their presence on the highways. Please check out the videos and help share the buffalo's story and take action on their behalf. Thank you! On the Road: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e7WLlCjzts Born Between a Fence and a Road: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAa9zZcp7-U BFC extends our thanks to Tony for helping make these video clips happen. ------------------------------ * BFC Looking for Summer Outreach Volunteers Buffalo Field Campaign still has a few openings for summer education and outreach volunteers. If you can commit to spending three weeks with us, most of which will be spent inside be grandeur of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, to help educate Park visitors about what's happening to America's last wild buffalo, please get in touch! Drop a line to [email protected] or call 406-646-0070 with questions or to apply. Thank you! ------------------------------ * Buffalo in the News Plight of the Bison (Part I) Powell Tribune, Wyoming http://powelltribune.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3314&Itemid=58 Bison hazing triggers locked horns, conflict (Part II) Powell Tribune, Wyoming http://powelltribune.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3324&Itemid=58 Why the buffalo can't roam Go Earth Friendly Now http://www.goearthfriendlynow.com/why-the-buffalo-can%E2%80%99t-roam/ Benefiting Buffalo Bozeman Daily Chronicle http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/article_760bb42c-6142-11df-9e95-001cc4c002e0.html Hazed & Confused Helena Independent Record http://helenair.com/news/local/article_86bf9bfa-5f1a-11df-bd57-001cc4c03286.html Annual Yellowstone bison rounded up near completion MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37140118 ------------------------------ * Last Words "As we all know, bison are nomadic. They always roam," he said. "It is a bit early in the season for spring in the west side of the park. Only the bison will be able to tell us if there is really adequate forage." ~ Al Nash, Spokesman for Yellowstone National Park, in a comment to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 5/14/10 Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to [email protected] Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you'll see them here! ------------------------------ * Kill Tally AMERICAN BUFFALO ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S. 2009-2010 Total: 6 2009-2010 Slaughter: 0 2009-2010 Hunt: 4 2009-2010 Quarantine: 0 2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 2* 2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0 *Two bulls that were drugged by APHIS on 5/4/10 were shot by DOL later that evening. 2008-2009 Total: 22 2007-2008 Total: 1,631 Total Since 2000: 3,708* *includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortality ----------------------------- Media & Outreach Buffalo Field Campaign P.O. Box 957 West Yellowstone, MT 59758 406-646-0070 [email protected] http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org BFC is the only group working in the field every day in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S. KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/6876/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3647 Join Buffalo Field Campaign -- It's Free! http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/6876/signUp.jsp?key=3378 Tell-a-Friend: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=3835 Take Action! http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26453 Unsubscribe http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2426/t/7926/p/salsa/supporter/unsubscribe/public/?unsubscribe_page_KEY=42 --

Creation By Women - Haudenosaunee In the beginning there was no earth to live on, but up above, in the Great Blue, there was a woman who dreamed dreams. One night she dreamed about a tree covered with white blossoms, a tree that brightened up the sky when its flowers opened but that brought terrible darkness when they closed again. The dream frightened her, so she went and told it to the wise old men who lived with her, in their village in the sky. "Pull up this tree," she begged them, but they did not understand. All they did was to dig around its roots, to make space for more light. But the tree just fell through the hole they had made and disappeared. After that there was no light at all, only darkness. The old men grew frightened of the woman and her dreams. It was her fault that the light had gone away forever. So they dragged her toward the hole and pushed her through as well. Down, down she fell, down toward the great emptiness. There was nothing below her but a heaving waste of water and she would surely have been smashed to pieces, this strange dreaming woman from the Great Blue, had not a fish hawk come to her aid. His feathers made a pillow for her and she drifted gently above the waves. But the fish hawk could not keep her up all on his own. He needed help. So he called out to the creatures of the deep. "We must find some firm ground for this poor woman to rest on," he said anxiously. But there was no ground, only the swirling, endless waters. A helldiver went down, down, down to the very bottom of the sea and brought back a little bit of mud in his beak. He found a turtle, smeared the mud onto its back, and dived down again for more. Then the ducks joined in. They loved getting muddy and they too brought beakfuls of the ocean floor and spread it over the turtle's shell. The beavers helped-- they were great builders-- and they worked away, making the shell bigger and bigger. Everybody was very busy now and everybody was excited. This world they were making seemed to be growing enormous! The birds and the animals rushed about building countries, the continents, until, in the end, they had made the whole round earth, while all the time they sky woman was safely sitting on the turtle's back. And the turtle holds the earth up to this very day. -Native American Myths and Legends http://www.crystalinks.com/namcreationwomen.html Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

Creation Atsugewi - Achomawi In the beginning there was nothing but water. Coyote and Silver-Fox lived above in the sky, where there was a world Eke this one. Silver-Fox was anxious to make things, but Coyote was opposed to the plan. Finally Silver-Fox got tired of Coyote's opposition, and sent him off one day to get wood. While he was gone, Silver-Fox took an arrow-flaker and made a hole through the upper world, and looked down on the sea below. When Coyote came back, Silver-Fox did not tell him about the hole he had made. Next day he sent Coyote off again for wood; and in his absence Silver-Fox thrust down the arrow-flaker, and found that it reached to the water, and down to the bottom even. So he descended; and as he came near the surface of the water, he made a small round island, on which he stayed. When Coyote returned, he could not find Silver-Fox, and, after hunting for a long time, began to feel remorse. Finally he found the hole, and peeped through, seeing Silver-Fox far below on the island. He called down that he was sorry he had acted as he had, and asked how to get down. Receiving no reply, he said that Silver-Fox ought not to treat him this way; and after a while the latter put up the arrow-flaker, and Coyote came down. The island was very small, and there was not room enough for Coyote to stretch out. For some time they slept, and when they woke were very hungry, as there was no food to be had. For five days things continued thus, Silver-Fox finally giving Coyote some sunflower- seeds. This pleased him much, and he asked where they came from, but received no answer. After five days more, Silver-Fox made the island a little larger, so that Coyote could have room to stretch out. At last he could be comfortable, and went fast asleep. At once Silver-Fox got up, dressed himself up finely, and smoked awhile, and then made a big sweat-house. When it was all done, he woke Coyote, and the latter was much surprised to find the house there. Silver-Fox then told Coyote to sweep out the house, spread grass down on the floor, and go to sleep again. He did so, and then Silver-Fox dressed up again, putting on a finely-beaded (?) shirt and leggings, and sang and smoked some more. Then, going outside, he pushed with his foot, and stretched the earth out in all directions, first to the east, then to the north, then to the west, and last to the south. For five nights he repeated this performance, until the world became as large as it is to-day. Each day Silver-Fox told Coyote to run around the edge, and see how large it was getting. At first he was able to do this very quickly; but after the last time he grew old and gray before he got back. Then Silver-Fox made trees and springs, and fixed the world up nicely. He also made all kinds of animals merely by thinking them. These animals, however, were like people. When the world was all made, Coyote asked what they were going to have for food, but Silver-Fox did not reply. Coyote then said that he thought there ought to be ten moons of winter in the year, to which Silver-Fox replied that there would not be enough food for so long a winter. Coyote declared it would be better not to have much food, that people could make soup out of dirt. To this he received no answer. Silver-Fox then said that it was not right that there should be ten moons, that two were enough, and that people could then eat sunflower-seeds, roots, and berries. Coyote repeated what he had said before, and they argued about it for a long time. Finally Silver-Fox said, "You talk too much! I'm going to make four moons for the whole year. I won't talk about it any more. There are going to be two moons of winter, and one of spring, and one of autumn. That's enough." They, Silver-Fox said, "When people get married, they will have children by taking a dentalium- shell and putting it between them, or a disk-bead: the one win make a boy, the other a girl." Coyote replied, "Hm! That's not the right way. It will be better for people to get married: they will not be satisfied any other way. People must live as man and wife: they ought not to do as you said." Silver-Fox did not want to argue the matter; and finally, after repeating what he said before, he yielded to Coyote, and said, "Let it be as you say." Silver-Fox then went out to get some pine-nuts. He climbed a tree and shook the branches, and the nuts fell down already shelled and ready to eat. He filled a basket with them, and brought them in. Coyote had gone to get wood; and when he got back, Silver- Fox divided the pine-nuts, and gave him half. Silver-Fox ate only part of his, and put the rest away; but Coyote ate nearly all night, going out and defecating, and then returning and eating more, until he had finished them. Next morning Silver-Fox went out and looked for pines having large "witch-brooms" on them. When he found one, he would set fire to it, then walk away looking constantly on the ground, and a grouse would straightway fall out of the tree. Then he placed them in a basket, and brought them back to the house. Coyote wanted to begin eating at once, and helped him in with his load. As before, Coyote ate all his share up, whereas Silver-Fox kept most of his. Next day Coyote asked Silver-Fox how he got his pine-nuts. He told him to go to a tree, scrape the brush away, climb up, and then shake the boughs with his foot. Coyote thought he could do this, so went out to try. He was successful, but, on coming down, ate up all the nuts. Then he went to another tree and attempted to repeat the process; but this time no nuts fell, and Coyote himself lost his footing, and was badly hurt by the fall. He came back to the house with his neck bent to one side, and in great pain. Silver-Fox knew all that had been going on, but said nothing. After a while Coyote told him what had happened. The next day Coyote asked how the grouse had been secured, and Silver-Fox told him to set fire to the tree, and then sit with his back to the trunk, and not look up. So Coyote went off to get grouse. He was successful in his attempt, but opened his eyes and looked up, and saw the grouse falling. When he had picked them all up, he cooked and ate them on the spot, and then went to another tree to repeat the process. This time, however, it was burning branches that fell, and they hit him and burned him badly. So he ran away back to the house, crying. Silver-Fox gave him some of his food, however. In the morning Silver-Fox went out, and, going up to a cedar-tree, pulled off the boughs, which became a sort of camas (?). He brought back a great load of these; and when he got back, as before, Coyote ate all his share at once. He then asked how to get them, and was told to make a long hook and pull the limbs off, but to keep his eyes shut all the time. As in the other cases, Coyote was very successful the first time, and ate all the roots up. When he tried to repeat the plan, however, only big limbs came down, and hit him on the head. By and by Silver-Fox went rabbit-hunting. He built a brush fence, and drove the rabbits into it, where they all piled up. Then he killed them with a club, and carried them to the house. Just as before, Coyote ate up all his share at once. Silver-Fox could not prevent Coyote from eating up all there was in the house, except by not letting him know when he was eating. He would put pine-nuts in a milkweed-stem, and pretend to be making cord, whereas in reality he was eating the nuts. Coyote soon suspected, and asked Silver-Fox to let him help make string. He agreed, but gave Coyote the stems without any nuts in them. Next night Coyote pretended to sleep, and so caught Silver-Fox putting the nuts in the stems. He jumped up and seized Silver-Fox; but the latter swallowed quickly, and when he opened his mouth there were no nuts there. He told Coyote that before people ate nuts, they would put them in a basket, and Coyote believed him. Silver-Fox then went out to get more milkweed, as he said; and while he was gone, Coyote took a large stone and struck the roof-beams, trying to find where Silver-Fox had hidden the nuts. Finally he found the right one, and the nuts began to pour down. He called out, "Stop! That is enough. I am a chief! That is enough." But the nuts kept falling, and by and by there was a huge pile there. Then Coyote said, "Let big baskets come! " and they were there; and he gathered up the nuts, and put them in the baskets, and then ate and ate all the nuts he could. Then he brought in some wood, and was going to say that the nuts fell down when he threw in the wood, as he had hit the beam by accident. just then Silver-Fox came in with a lot of milkweed, and began to make string. Coyote told him his story, and said that he had been scared when the nuts began to fall, that it was not right to put them in the roof-beams, but in baskets as he had now done. Silver-Fox, however, did not reply, until he said, "You eat on that side of the house, and I will eat on this." Then he went on making string; while Coyote, after eating all he could, went to sleep. When he had finished making string, Silver-Fox got up softly, and measured Coyote's nose. Then he sat down and began to make a net. He had to measure again pretty soon; and then Coyote woke up, and asked what was the trouble. Silver-Fox said that he was only blowing ashes off Coyote's face, so he went to sleep again. Coyote woke up again later, and asked Silver-Fox what he was doing; and he said that he was making a net to catch rabbits in, so Coyote went to sleep once more. Finally the net was complete, and then Silver-Fox told Coyote to eat breakfast, to eat a big breakfast, and then they would go out and get rabbits. They started out, Silver-Fox carrying a big club. Coyote asked why he took so large a one, but Silver-Fox said that it was the right size. By and by Silver-Fox set up the net, and showed Coyote where it was. Then Silver-Fox said, "Now you run off. When you get a little distance away, shut your eyes, and run as fast as you can." Coyote said that he would do so, and started off; and then quickly Silver-Fox took up the net, and put it where Coyote would run into it. Pretty soon Coyote came in sight, driving the rabbits slowly; and when he got only a little ways off, he shut his eyes, and ran as fast as he could. He ran squarely into the net, and this drew up; and Silver-Fox then rushed up and struck him with the club. Coyote cried out, "You are hitting me!" and Silver-Fox said, "Yes, don't mind that." He kept on hitting him until he had killed him. Then he went back to the house, and started off over the world; and wherever Coyote had urinated, Silver-Fox scraped up the ground and smoothed it over nicely. He went everywhere thus, and thought he had fixed every place. There was one, however, on a little island in a lake, that he overlooked. This lake lay far off to the northeast. Then Silver-Fox came back to the house and went to sleep. At dawn he got up, went up and looked out of the house, and listened. For a while he heard nothing, but then he heard faintly Coyote howling far away. He then knew he had missed one place, and felt very sad. He sat down and thought, but did not know what to do. Coyote was too smart for him, he thought. Finally he heard the howling coming closer. Then he thought of a plan. He made a lot of manzanita, wild cherries, plums, etc., grow along the road that Coyote was following. Coyote was very angry, and wanted to kill Silver-Fox. He came to the manzanita, and Silver-Fox thought he would delay him thus; but Coyote only took one berry, and continued on his way. He came to the plums; and of these Coyote ate largely, as he thought he could fight better if he was not hungry. As he ate, he forgot about his anger. Then he started on again. Silver-Fox was afraid, however, and pretended to be very sick when Coyote got back. Coyote told him he had better eat some plums, that they were very good, and that it was useless to lie still all day. Finally Silver-Fox got up and ate some, and so Coyote forgot all about his revenge. Coyote said next day that he was going out to pick fruit. He went, and picked plums and cherries and manzanita, and brought them back, saying that there was plenty of food. Silver-Fox told him to go and get some wood; and then he went out and caught some rabbits, and they cooked and ate them, and lived without quarrelling any more. [Secured by Roland B. Dixon during the summers of 1900 and 1903, while engaged in work among the tribes of northeastern California for the Huntington Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History. The chief informants were Charley Snook, Charley Green and "Old Wool."] Come visit us at. "Keeper of Stories". http://www.newkeeperofstories.com/ or Come visit us. "Native Village" [email protected]

I love this analogy and it arrived at a perfect time. Robbie Duck

----- Original Message ----- From: paleodan To: Undisclosed-Recipient:; Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 3:54 PM Subject: Law of the Garbage Truck Just love this one...........so true and profound Law of the Garbage Truck One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Have a wonderful, garbage-free day!

Its sad they had this problem. Its also sad they are going to lock down the well and abandon it. We need the revenue in the USA, but not the problems. The whole thing sucks. But now that there is so much loose oil, its just going to get worse and fish products are going to sky rocket. Dan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alli" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 6:06 PM Subject: Re: [Cherokee Circle] Fw: BP > nothing here? > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Blue Panther" <[email protected]> > > >> FW: BP >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: paleodan >> To: Undisclosed-Recipient:; >> Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2010 8:49 PM >> Subject: BP >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ======*====== >> List archives >> http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index?list=cherokee >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > ======*====== > List archives > http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index?list=cherokee > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message