The Healing Waters - Part Two

In his dream the Warrior dreamed of his wife. She looked pale and

then he heard her singing a song of wonderful melody. He also

heard a waterfall nearby in his dream. The water seemed to be

talking to him. “Find me warrior and then you find me your wife

will live.  Because I am the Healing Waters!” 

The Warrior woke up from a deep sleep in the morning. 

The fox led him to a short distance through the forest on the

branch of the tree. 

There the warrior heard a bird singing a song. It was the same

song that his wife had sung in the dream. 

The Warrior knew that this was the bird that the old woman in the

forest had talked about.

An instant later he heard the sound of the waterfall. 

But though he searched for the waters everywhere he could not

find it.

Dejected, he went back. 

The fox smilingly shook its head. “You must seek it and you

cannot give up. It will not come to you until you search.” 

So he searched again and this time he thought he heard a voice

from under his feet. 

“Release us,” the voice said. “Set us free and you and your wife

will be saved.” 

So the Warrior picked up a sharp stick and dug through the Earth. 

He had not dug far enough when a spring gushed forth and boiled

upwards carrying to the world its healing powers. 

That was when the young warrior knew that he had found the

cure for his ills. He jumped into the spring and bathed himself in

the water and all his tiredness left him and he felt strong again. 

Then the young man moulded a large pot from the soft earth. He

baked the pot on fire until it was hard. 

The fox then nodded at the man. “I will leave you here. Your

kindness has been rewarded and you will not need me anymore.

Because you have found the healing waters.”

With this, the fox disappeared as quickly as it had come. 

The young man filled his clay pot with water and went back to

his home running through the forest with the speed of the wind

because of his new strength. 

When he reached the native village the people met him with sad

faces because the plague was still raging there. 

But he went home and he forced some of the healing waters

between his wife's parched lips. 

After that, she fell into a deep sleep and when she woke up she

was well again. 

With the help of the healing waters, he cured all the people in the

village and there was no more sickness. 

Thus the healing waters came on earth, bearing health and

happiness accompanied by the songs of birds.

Adapted from Native Candian Folk Tales

The Healing Waters - Part One

Long ago a dreadful plague ravaged a tiny village. Neither the old nor the young were safe from the plague and the weakest fell first. 

The people of the village tried everything to get rid of the plague but they were unsuccessful. 

They prayed to the good spirits to come and help them, but no help came to them.

In that village was a young warrior who had lost all his relatives because of the dreaded disease. His young wife was also sick.  

The young warrior was very sad because he was sure that his wife would also follow his parents into the Land of the Shadows. 

That day he met an old woman in the forest. 

“Why are you so sad?” The old woman asked the young warrior.

The young man told the old woman everything.  

The old woman nodded at the young man. “There is a bird of sweet song which lives very close to the healing waters. If you go and find the birds, they will point you to the healing waters. This water can heal everything that it touches.” 

The young man thanked the old woman profusely and then told his other village people and set off on his journey for the waters. 

He traveled for days together listening to the bird of the sweet song but he found nothing. 

He asked the animals that he had passed about the healing waters but the rabbit or the bear or the other animals that he met on the way scurried away without answering his questions. 

The snow in this part of the forest was very deep and he could barely move, but still the man did not give up. He kept plodding through this place. 

Finally, he came out of the snow country and here he found that the air was warmer and there were little streams of water here. 

He found the body of a dead man lying on his path. He buried the body because he felt that it was not right to leave the body just like that.  

That night, as the young warrior continued on his journey, he met a fox in his path. 

The fox nodded to him. “Why are you here so late in this forest?” 

The young Warrior shrugged. “I am looking for the bird of the sweet song which will point me to the healing waters.” 

The fox smiled. “I am the spirit of the man whom you buried yesterday. For the kindness that you have shown me I will do a kindness for you. You have been good to animals and birds, and you have never killed them uselessly. You were always careful with the flowers and trees and you have protected them from harm. So now they want to be good to you. So on behalf of all of them and me I will guide you.  But first you must be tired from your long journey and you must rest. I will guard you while you sleep.”

Adapted from Native Canadian Folk Tales

The Red Autumn Leaves - Part Three

The animals waiting by the lake at the end of the path looked up and saw the battle above. The animals on Earth were afraid because they wanted neither Bear nor Deer to die. So the animals sent Wolf up to the sky to stop the fight between Bear and Deer.

When Wolf went up to the sky to put an end to the fight, Wolf was in for a shock. 

Bear was bleeding freely from the places where Deer had pierced his antlers against Bear.

Things were also not good for Deer who was bleeding from the wounds caused by Bear's strong claws.

Wolf was however able to convince both the animals to give up their fight.

After that the two animals huffed but went their separate ways.

It was after this that the other animals who had decided to come to the skies after the fight between Bear and Deer was over, came to the place where Rainbow created a path to the Skies. 

On looking at the Skies, the other animals also loved the skies. 

They decided to live there. They decided to send their descendants to the earth after they came to know that the new race meant no harm to them.

As the animals lived in the Skies, the shapes of the animals can sometimes be seen as clouds hurrying across the sky. 

However, back to the Bear and the Deer, the two animals were badly injured. 

The blood from Bear and Deer dropped from the skies. 

It dripped along the path of Rainbow and fell freely upon the leaves of the tree beneath them on the earth. 

This was the reason that the leaves changed colour. 

So every year in autumn the leaves take on the bright and wondrous colours given to them by the blood of Bear and Deer when they fought in the Skies. 

And since that day Bear and Deer have never been friends.

The Red Autumn Leaves - Part Two

Sure enough when the fog was very thick, Rainbow came to Earth to drive the fog away.

Deer was waiting for Rainbow. 

Rainbow through his arch of many colours created a path from the lake to the blue hills over to the skies far away and the fog disappeared at once. 

Deer did as he was told and soon reached the sky. 

Turtle was very happy to see Deer. 

Deer also liked the sky so much, that just like Turtle he also decided to stay here. 

He roamed over the sky moving like the wind from place to place. 

Back on Earth for the first time the Great Council was held in the absence of Deer. 

The animals waited for Deer because they needed his advice. 

However Deer did not come. 

The animals sent the birds to find him. Hawk, Woodpecker and Bluejay, all searched the forests for Deer but could not find a trace of him. Wolf and fox searched the woods from the ground and they also came back and reported that Deer could not be found. 

Turtle came as he usually did to attend the Great council. It was at this time that Bear turned to Turtle. “Deer is absent from the council meetings. Where is Deer?” 

Turtle was confused. “Deer is in the sky. Have you not heard that? Rainbow made a path for him from various colours and Deer came to the sky that is where he is right now.” Turtle pointed at a cloud in the sky. 

Turtle then turned to the other and nodded. “We should all go to the sky and live until we are sure that the new race of creatures who are coming here would not mean us any harm.” 

After that turtle led the other animals and he showed them the pathway that Rainbow had made stretching from the Earth to the Skies. 

The animals in the Council decided to take Turtle's advice. 

However all the animals were very angry with Deer for leaving to the skies without them. The animals believed that they had to stay together on earth or go to the skies together. Bear was the most annoyed among all the animals. He decided to teach Deer a lesson. “Deer has forsaken us at the time of need. This is contrary to the forest laws and are codes of defence.” Bear looked even more angry. “I will punish him for this.” 

In the later autumn, all the animals decided to leave the Earth. 

Rainbow made a path for all the animals to the sky. 

Bear went up first because he was the leader and he wanted to test the strength of the colours of the rainbow as a bridge to see if it could bear his weight. 

The other animals waited on earth to see whether Bear made it. 

He had reached the Sky when Bear met Deer on the path. 

Bear became angry immediately. “Why did you leave us behind without warning? Why did you desert us?” 

However Deer was also angry on hearing the Bear’s words. 

Here in the skies that Deer was no longer timid. He had become strong here. Anger flashed in Deer’s eyes and he rushed madly at Bear. “Who are you to doubt me? None but the wolf can ask me why I came or question me. I will kill you for your words.” 

Deer and Bear growled and snapped angrily at the skies. 

Bear’s low hoarse growls sounded all over the sky and he prepared to fight. 

They came together for a huge fight and were in for a shock. 

They fought for such a long time, that the bridge of burning colours trembled and the heavens shook. 

Adapted from Canadian Native American folk tales

The Red Autumn Leaves - Part One

In the ages of old times all the animals together held a council after mid summer. 

But once in summer all the animals wanted to go to the sky and see how the country in the sky looked. 

However none of the animals could find a way to go there. 

The oldest and the smartest creature on Earth was Turtle. 

Turtle prayed to the Thunder God to take him to the sky. 

His prayer was soon answered. 

The other animals looked in awe and there was a sudden great sound near them and after that Turtle was missing. 

They searched everywhere for Turtle but could not find him on earth. 

That evening when they looked at the sky they saw Turtle moving in the sky like a black cloud. 

Turtle liked the city in the sky a lot. He decided to stay there and send his descendants to Earth. 

The people in the sky had no problems with this. “Where do you want to live in the sky, Turtle?” 

Turtle thought about it and nodded. “I would like to stay in the black cloud where there are ponds, streams and water because that is exactly like the place where I lived when I was young.” 

The people in the sky happily allowed Turtle’s wish. 

However every year just before the great council Turtle came back to Earth to attend the meeting. 

After that Turtle went back to the sky. 

Soon the other animals on Earth were very unhappy because they heard that a new race of creatures was coming over to live in their land. 

The other animals realized that the only way they could avoid any troubles with these new creatures was if they went to the skies just like Turtle. 

But they did not know how to get to the skies. 

Deer was wandering about the forest and there he came across Rainbow. 

Rainbow often built a path of many colours across the sky. 

Deer turned to the Rainbow. “Can you carry me up to the sky because I want to see Turtle?” 

Rainbow did not want to act without the permission of the Thunder God. So Rainbow lied to the deer. “Come and meet me in winter when I stay for a long time on the mountain near the lake. From there I will carry you to the place where Turtle lives.”

Throughout the long winter months Deer looked for Rainbow but the Rainbow did not come. 

Moreover life was getting harder on Earth and the animals were in terror of the new race who were to come there. 

Deer was very timid and impatient. 

At last one day in the early summer Deer found Rainbow. “Why did you lie to me?” Deer told Rainbow angrily. “I waited for you all of winter on the mountain by the lake but you did not come.” 

Deer adamantly looked at Rainbow. “I want to go to the sky now to see Turtle.” 

Rainbow shook his head. “I cannot take you right now. But some day when there is fog over the lake I will come back and drive it away. Come to me then and I will take you to the sky to the place where Turtle lives.” 

After promising Deer that he would not fool him, Rainbow disappeared. 

This time Rainbow consulted the Thunder God and asked permission from the Thunder God to bring Deer to the Sky.

Adapted from Canadian Native American folktales

The Boy and the Evil dragon

 A boy once lived with his parents. 

But the boy was very bored there. He wanted some adventures in his life.

That was when he heard that a dragon had attacked the outskirts of his village. The dragon carried off women and children from the outskirts. It was believed that the dragon carried away the women and children to the far side of the mountains where the dragon supposedly lived. And there the dragon ate the people whom it had taken from the outskirts!

It was even rumoured that the dragon could change form into any animal or even a human if the dragon so wished.

*****

The boy decided to help the people in his village. With the blessings of his parents he set off the very next morning. 

He walked deep into the mountains and that was when he found another young man walking up the mountain.

"Where are you going?" The young man asked the boy.

The boy was slightly suspicious that the young man could be the dragon in disguise. Though the boy dismissed his own suspicions, the young boy lied to the man about the real reason he had come to the mountains.

"My home is just around the corner there." The young man told the boy, "Why don't you come with me?"

The boy said nothing and just stared at the young man.

"You seem tired, you can have some food and have some rest at my home." The man offered studying the boy.

The boy was very hungry and tired so he agreed to the man's suggestion.

******

The boy was shocked when he found some bones near the outside of the man's house. He found an old woman stirring and cooking in a pot under fire outside the house.

"What will you have to eat?" The old woman asked the boy.

"Just some corn." The boy told the old woman because he was unsure of what she was cooking under the fire.

******

The young man had some work outside and left the boy and the old woman alone for sometime. It is during this time that the young boy talked to the old woman. 

She looked at him with kind eyes. "You seem to be a very good and innocent boy. For this I shall tell you something important. The man whom you have met is actually the dragon in disguise. The dragon plans on eating you tomorrow morning. You have to escape this place as soon as possible."

"How do I do that?" The boy asked the old woman.

"Take these shoes and this birch bark with this picture with you. These shoes are magical. With one step in these shoes you will be able to reach those mountains there." She pointed at a far away blue mountain. "After you reach the place you will meet an old man. Give him this birch bark, and he will tell you what to do after that." The old woman suddenly looked worried. "But remember no matter how far you go the dragon will find you by evening."

The boy thanked the old lady.

The old lady suddenly caught the boy's hands.

The boy looked surprised as the old woman continued. "Before leaving you must kill me in the morning."

"Why?!"

"After killing me," the old woman continued, "you must wrap me in this colourful robe. That is the only way I can break the power that the dragon has over me. I can bring myself back from the dead after the dragon has left me here."

The boy agreed to this too.

******

The entire night the dragon man slept next to the boy. So the boy could not escape the place. 

The next morning the dragon went to the stream to get some water. 

The boy killed the old woman and wrapped her in a colourful robe. The boy then put on the shoes that the old woman had given him and he took a step.

The boy was shocked because he found himself near the far away blue mountain immediately. He even found an old man there. 

The old man looked at the birch bark in the boy's hands and smiled. "So you are the young man for whom I am supposed to wait."

But the old man did not wait for a reply from the boy. 

The old man gave another birch bark and another set of shoes to the boy and pointed at a far away pink mountain. "One step in these shoes should take you to those hills and there you will find another old man and he will tell you what to do."

The boy did as he was told. 

There he found another man who gave him a Maple leaf and his last set of instructions. 

The old man told the boy to find a stream and walk into the waters as if it were land. But the old man warned the boy not to look at the water. The old man also gave the boy, a birch bark  and said that the birch bark would help the boy change appearance and also keep him safe.

*******

The boy did all this very easily.

He felt the power of the birch wood and that was when he saw the dragon far off coming towards the mountain.

He realised that the dragon had found him by evening.

The boy immediately changed himself into a little fish and swam in the stream.

******

The dragon man looked around but could not find the boy anywhere. The dragon man found a little fish in a stream. "Little fish, have you seen a young boy here?"

"No," the little fish replied and swam away.

After that all the animals in the forest including the great Turtle either lied to the dragon or misdirected the dragon away from the boy.

Finally the dragon changed into a Snake and it was directed by the Turtle towards a portion in the stream.

There the boy with the help of his birch bark swam round and round in the water creating a violent whilrpool.

The dragon in the form of the Snake is about to drown in the whirlpool, when the boy changed his form and picked up the Snake. 

The boy cut off the head of the Snake. 

The dragon was no more.

******

The boy went back to the house of the dragon and found that the old woman was alive.

He received many gifts for his deed and he became very well known as a brave boy.

The kingdom never had to fear dragons again.

But even now the Snakes are hated in that particular village because the dragon man had taken the shape of a Snake before meeting its end.

A Canadian Native American folk story