Ancient Pathways

    The First Tale:    "When I became aware," Grandfather paused, as he was of occassion to do, then continued. " I was in darkness, and there was no sound. There was darkness, for I had no eyes, and there was no sound, because I had no ears. I could not speak. I did not have a mouth. I felt nothing, for I had no nerves to sense with, and my nose was not yet there, for I had not yet invented it." He paused, first for effect, second, to take a long, hard pull off of his Medicine Bowl. It had been hand carved, in several pieces. They fit together tightly, and he was glad to smoke from this special pipe, one made by a powerful Shaman, as a gift to my Grandfather. He calmly blew out the smoke, letting it waft gently up to the rafters of the Longhouse. It didn't linger there, rather, dissipating spirit-like into the night air. "I knew I was, because I could feel me, within me. That was what had awakened me, from the Before Dream. It was my heart, and it was speaking to me. I could not tell what it was saying, but it was a song. I knew it was a song, because it made me happy." Grandfather shifted a little, adjusting his "bones" as he always would say, then continued. " I lay there for what seemed to be a very long time, and then I felt something else. It was like my heart beat, but it was not mine, but I knew, then, that I was not alone. It made me happy to know that."





      Grandfather smiled, as if remembering, and, in truth, he did. That is the way of the Great Spirit. " I was warm, where I lay, and as I lay there, I became as a fish, for I was in a ocean, and I was floating in a warm sea. This was my third knowing. And as I floated, I began to hear, for I now had ears with which I could, and I heard low noises, like thunder on a cloudless day. And I heard other, higher pitched noises, that seemed nearer to me, and still, I could not see. My eyes were closed to the truth which surrounded me. I was not afraid, for I knew I had no enemies. In that time, the darkness was my friend. I listened ever harder, and so I heard it. Singing, at least, that is what I named it, for it was running with the beating of the two hearts. The music, and the singing made me joyful, but I could not join in, for my lips were sealed." Here, he looked around at the gathered faces of the children, mine, included. His eyes reflected the fire, and sparkled. " I waited a very long time. Then I began to search, but I could not find the others who were there. I was alone, but I was not alone. I searched in the darkness, harder and harder I searched. I searched until I was upside down, and that was when I saw it. It was a light. A very small light, like a summer campfire. I drew nearer to it, and it became brighter, and brighter, until it was blinding me. Now I could see! But the light, it frightened me. Then, I was surrounded by beings, human beings, and the sounds, the sounds were deafening. I could feel, but it was cold, where once I had known only warm. And then I spoke, and I sang a song to the Great Spirit. Wahh, Wahh, Wahh-oh-wah. Wahh, Wahh, Wahh-oh-wah."  And that is the tale my Grandfather tells of his first day. Peace