__._,_.___Wouldn't it be great if everybody could live forever? There would be
no disease, no accidents. Life would just be sunny days and fun all
the time. Native American mythology has lots of stories about a time
when there was no death in the world. One community, the Shoshoni
people, believe that this happy time was all because of one animal:
the Wolf.
The Shoshoni people saw the Wolf as a creator god and they respected
him greatly. Long ago, Wolf, and many other animals, walked and
talked like man.. Coyote could talk, too, but the Shoshoni people
kept far away from him because he was a Trickster, somebody who is
always up to no good and out to double-cross you.
Coyote resented Wolf because he was respected by the Shoshoni. Being
a devious Trickster, Coyote decided it was time to teach Wolf a
lesson. He would make the Shoshoni people dislike Wolf, and he had
the perfect plan. Or so he thought.
One day, Wolf and Coyote were discussing the people of the land. Wolf
claimed that if somebody were to die, he could bring them back to
life by shooting an arrow under them. Coyote had heard this boast
before and decided to put his plan into action.
Wearing his most innocent smile he told Wolf that if he brought
everyone back to life, there would soon be no room left on Earth.
Once people die, said Coyote, they should remain dead. If Wolf takes
my advice, thought Coyote, then the Shoshoni people would hate Wolf,
once and for all.
Wolf was getting tired of Coyote constantly questioning his wisdom
and knew he was up to no good, but he didn't say anything. He just
nodded wisely and decided it was time to teach Coyote a lesson.
A few days after their conversation, Coyote came running to Wolf.
Coyote's fur was ruffled and his eyes were wide with panic. Wolf
already knew what was wrong: Coyote's son had been bitten by
Rattlesnake and no animal can survive the snake's powerful venom.
Coyote pleaded with Wolf to bring his son back to life by shooting an
arrow under him, as he claimed he could do.
Wolf reminded Coyote of his own remark that people should remain
dead. He was no longer going to bring people back to life, as Coyote
had suggested. The Shoshoni people say that was the day Death came to
the land and that, as a punishment for his mischievous ways, Coyote's
son was the first to die.
No one else was ever raised from the dead by Wolf again, and the
people came to know sadness when someone dies. Despite Coyote's
efforts, however, the Shoshoni didn't hate Wolf. Instead, they
admired his strength, wisdom and power, and they still do today..
__,_._,__
"Indian blood is like gold, no matter how thinly spun it shines just as bright."
"Only if we stand together as one people can we hope to overcome all the injustices suffered by our people. We have to learn to agree to disagree, and stand as one people regardless of our personal differences."
Strong Heart Woman
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