|
Post Content
|
Children of the four relations around the heart of everything that is
In ages long past, the surface of Maka was one unit, great mountains ran east and west, and the heart of everything that is, stood first among the places of Maka.
Many nations of the children of Maka lived upon the surface of the earth. There came a time when most of the nations of humans grew selfish and greedy, throwing aside the rules for all the people living well together. Maka was distressed that her children of the four relations had become so divided and their actions wounded her deeply. She called to her children to return to her, but only a few understood her message and came. Those she took to heart.
Maka then shook herself, the cleansing was upon the world. Great rivers of melted rock covered the entire nations, Chasms opened and swallowed entire nations, the waters of Mni left their places and washed Maka removing other nations in the process and finally some nations made the choice to no longer be the children of Maka and they were destroyed by Wakinyan.
When the world was calm again, The surface of Maka was broken and scattered. Entire nations of the formulations disappeared, new mountains were now running north and south as a sign to the children of Maka that they had only one last chance to walk the good red road, everything was changed. Only the heart of everything that is remained in stood higher still as the first of all places.
One day, magpie, flying in his funny little way, landed on a small bush near a gathering of the four legged and the moving and growing things of the earth. He Heard the Buffalo address the assembly, “it was the two leggeds that did not live properly and brought the penalty of the cleansing upon us. I say we must destroy the two legged’s so the rest of us, who are the children of Maka, can live without the destructive nature of humans.“ All nodded in agreement and began discussing ways to destroy the two legged’s. Magpie quietly flew away, unnoticed.
Magpie called the council of the winged and told what he had heard. Some said the four-legged and moving and growing things were right, and that the winged should join them. Then owl spoke quietly, “remember that bear, the most esteemed of Maka’s children, who is the symbol of wisdom, is also of the two legged. I ask you, what is the quality of life without wisdom? I say the value of wisdom obligates us to take action that will allow the two legged’s to live.” The winged looked at each other and said “Nunwe” For the knew owl spoke the truth.
The four-legged, the moving and growing things, and the winged held a counsel and declared that a great contest of endurance would be held, the winners to have their way. If the alliance of the four-legged in the moving and growing things were victorious, they would rub out the two legged. If the winged claimed victory, the two legged would gain continued life. It was decided the representatives of the two sides with circle the heart of everything that is four times, beginning and ending at the special mountain of creation.
On the appointed day, all gathered at the special mountain to run a clockwise journey around the heart of everything that is. Many left magpie stood at the starting line and called him, “how can you be in the test of endurance, you Who did not even fly south for the winter?” Magpie said nothing and prepared for the contests. At the signal, all rushed off. At midday, magpie came upon the deer, who stood with his tongue lolling and lathered with sweat. Greeting him, magpie hopped on. As he continued, he met others who have left him in their week when the race first started, all, buffalo, hawk, eagle and swallow. Magpie traveled until late into the night; The next morning he left early. Soon everyone caught up to him and passed him, each time when he came upon them they were exhausted and he continued on.
The race was hard and those who ran wore the covering off of their feet, Leaving behind a trail of blood. As all of creation thundered around the heart of everything that is two times, they’re running so shut the earth that’s strange swelling lifted beside and behind the special mountain. They circled around these uplifting of ground on the third and final time, but a few kept To the initial path. As they near the finish line, the Buffalo was leading the pack, then magpie jumped on the back of Buffalo Inn without a short stretch of the line, he flew across.
The victory of the Magpie allowed to like it’s to continue their existence. The children of the four relations traveled to where the strange uplifting of ground had occurred during the race, they peeled off the surface of the land and found the staff of Inyan. This, it was decided, would be the special home of the bear. A marker for all time of the value of wisdom, and the great sacrifice given so wisdom could remain among creation. Maka then decided that the trail of blood, shared by her children, would be kept as a sign of the sacrifice in a reminder of the two legged that their right to existence was one with responsibilities to everything else in creation.
-lakota translation by Charlotte a black elk
|
