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| The Coming of Death retold by © cromokee When the People were first put on Mother Earth, they did not know that they would someday die. They were happy and went about doing things that made them happy. Then one day they found a well-liked Man-Being of their Village laying on the grass and not moving. He was not sleeping and he had no breath. No one knew why he would act this way. They tried to stand him on his feet but, as soon as they let go of him, he would fall down. They tried many times but, he kept falling, limply, like an old Deer skin. So they left him laying there but soon he began to smell bad. One of the Female Man-Beings said they must wrap him in a Deer Skin and put him up in a Tree away from the Village. So they did this. Then one day they found a little Girl Man-Being laying on the Ground. They knew she wasn't sleeping for she had no breath and they all wondered why she would do such a thing. After awhile, they wrapped her up in a Deer Skin and put her up in a Tree, also. As more People began doing this same thing, the Wise One of the Village said he would "Dream" to find out why the People were laying down and not getting back up. As he laid down the People watched him and they knew he was not sleeping but he was not doing that Strange Thing either because they could see he was still breathing. After awhile he stood up and asked everyone to gather around him. He told them that in his "Dream" the Good-Minded Spirit told him that this would happen to all of them sometime. The "Spirit that lives in the Darkest Place" will come for them. Sometimes he will visit for a short while and sometimes he will stay a long time and take many with him. He said no one can avoid this, not even the ones not yet born. Sometimes he will take the Best Ones and leave the Lessor Ones. He did not explain this. He has no Face and cannot See or Hear. He cannot see your Crying or Hear your Prayers. He will do what he has to do Forever. The "Good-Minded Spirit" said that if you take care of Mother Earth and All who live here, that when your Time comes to leave, you will see where the Creator lives. Traditional Mohawk Story Re-told by Cro |
