How the Centipede came to be The Centipede was always the first to arrive. He sought out the cool dark places to avoid the sun and heat. Soon others joined as word got round centipede knew all the cool places away from the blistering heat. The cockroach came and explored the damp dark caverns and holes until Rat came and traipsed back an forth and ate cockroach until the snake came slithering in and ate the rat. Soon more slithers and more snakes until soon centipede was trapped on the bottom under the mounting pile of writhing reptiles. Centipede was a round fat worm like creature who just inched along slowly. Now he was crushed by the weight of all the snakes heavy bodies with bulging rat filled stomachs. When the sun went lower and evening came the snakes slowly made their way further back in the dark for the night as they waited on morning light when it was cool but began warming up then they would forage for food if none happened to unexpectedly show up in the cave or dens. Poor centipede was left flat as could be and his body broken in a hundred pieces. He gathered up the pieces but in the shape he was now was unable to carry them. He set off in search of medicine woman. He’d heard she knew everything and would be his best chance for help in the matter. It took him days to travel to medicine woman’s lodge he was so small and flat now. finally he found it and voiced his arrival . Medicine woman came to the entry and asked what his needs were as well as what he was. He said: I am a centipede. She drew a breath and exclaimed. You look like no centipede I’ve ever seen. He explained what had happened and he’d had to leave his other parts in the cave. She told him to wait there and she would return as soon as she could. Late late into the night she returned with her hands full of flat pieces. He sorted through them discarding the ones that weren’t his until he had a pile in front of him. she exclaimed. My , so many pieces. He sighed, yes, and I have no way to put them together. Can you help me he asked? I can try she replied. Medicine woman spent the night lacing and tying pieces together until finally she had the last part sewn on. She blew a deep breath and said: there, now you are whole again. Centipede beamed a smile and thanked her. BUT, there was a problem. he couldn’t move like he used to. He was flat now and all he could do was lay there. She summoned all the insects from the earth and they came. She asked the crowd of insects to help centipede. She said: Centipede has no way to move around. I’m asking each one of you to give a pair of legs to centipede if you will. You each have eight legs and can surely do as well with six. They all put their heads together and soon a spokesman came forth. Yes centipede, we will help you and soon there was a huge pile of legs laying in front of centipede. He smiled and thanked each one for their kindness and the insects all danced away joyous they had helped a friend and went off to try their new six legged form. They exclaimed. This is even easier to walk than before. Now everyone was happy. Poor spider still had 8 legs though as the spider group decided against donations and there after were shunned by the other insects. They protested that they needed all their legs to weave webs but it was no use. The other insects thought them selfish and would have nothing more to do with them. All day long Medicine Woman sewed legs. Leg after leg went on. At last she completed the task. Centipede was a bundle of legs now. Every segment had a pair. He tried walking. It was no use. He cried. I can’t walk. Medicine Woman consoled him and told him. No newborn has the ability to use new arms and legs in the beginning. He would learn and adapt. Sure enough in a few hours he was able to get around, awkwardly, but he managed. He thanked her and she was pleased. He said: I have no way of repaying you. She replied: oh but you have. She held out her arm. Around her wrist was a bracelet. It was made from left over segments and she sported it proudly. This is how life evolves. Each of us gives and receives something somewhere. Vision Quest, © 2002 T Lovett