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“In the long ago”, my grandfather says “there was light all the time.
It didn’t ever get dark and people had no rhythm in their lives. Our
people didn’t know when to go to bed, when to wake up or what time to
eat. In fact they couldn’t tell time because Grand father Sun never
moved.”
Our people the “Didjuno Databoutdasun Asittinguys” which means ‘the
people with bags under their eyes’ had a hard life. But one old, old,
(she was a real old) woman, said, she could remember when she was a
little girl on Turtle Island. She could remember a time when
Grandfather Sun went to sleep at night and all the people would then
sleep as well. This is when Grandmother Moon would wake up and watch
over them while they slept, and then the people heard something even
more amazing: a thousand camp-fires would appear and twinkle before
our Grandmother Moon in a dark blue sky, and light the whole expanse.
Well this really had the people in a bad way, because they needed the
rhythm of the suns movement, but some of the people were afraid to
change it. A council was called. The wisest Braves and Medicine people
were called from all four directions. And at that time even the
animals could talk and they were called to council as well. The great
and powerful Grandfather Bear from the West was there, Tricky
Grandfather Coyote from the South was there, Great and powerful winged
Hawk from the East was there. Also our Grandfather Buffalo to
represent the North power was there. The Chenupa was passed, thanks
given to the Great Spirit and they circled around the sacred fire and
sat down. “Who should speak first”, asked the Chief?
The first to speak was the old Woman. She told her story as they all
listed in amazement. Then it was the Chief’s turn and he talked at
length about the benefits that it would bring as well as some bad
things. They all had their say in turn, as the talking stick was
passed one to another. When it got to the Chief of the Bears, he told
a story that he had heard about a mighty band of the One Leggeds, that
had grown to tremendous size and maybe they might know something about
it. Besides they are thousands of years old and have much more
knowledge of things than we do. It was decided that the best thing to
do was to go to them and ask. Since Hawk was there, with his powerful
wings and could fly there much faster than anyone could run, it was
decided that he should go.
Hawk came to the land of the Standing People, (the one legged: “tree”
people) and asked to Pow Wow with their Great Chief and offered him
tobacco, in a tobacco tie. Just like all good people do. Hawk
approached the Chief and said (with great respect) “Oh! Mighty warrior
of the great Standing People, you alone are wisest among all the
ancient ones. Will you part with some of your knowledge so that this
young and humble man can go back to his people with an answer?” “For
the animals to call themselves people was not strange then, because
they walked on two legs like the human” My Grandfather said. Then Hawk
went on and said, “Can you tell me Grandfather why Grandfather Sun no
longer goes to sleep?”
Well this seemed to get the Great Standing ones attention, He
stiffened up even more and when he spoke, it was a mixture of rustling
leaves in a thunderstorm and thunder cracking. He said, “Yes! I know
why. I have put out the tip of my branch and have him snagged. See
here.” Hawk could see very well with his eyes, even looking at the
sun. “We decided that if we wanted to become more powerful, then we
would have to have more sunlight so we kept him here.” “Will you
release him?” Hawk asked? The thunder clapped again, “What will you
give me?” “I know a better way for you to grow. You will be the
tallest trees ever, if you do what I say!” Right then a treaty between
all our people and the Great One leggeds was agreed upon.
Hawk took off flying toward the great waters where he gathered up fish
and brought them to the feet of the great one. He also did the same
for all of the people. It took Hawk a very long time. After this, the
Great Standing people let the sun go, but they made Hawk promise to
return to them every so often and bring them fish to grow on. This is
why you can see Hawk from time to time carrying fish in his mouth. And
Grandfather Sun now goes to sleep every day.
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