Hi dear friends, thank you for coming

Last night I shared one story of how the Iroquois saw the creation of their world. Tonight I have three more Creation Stories for you to view. They are easy-to-read and all contain similar parts, such as the tree in the center of the Sky World, and the hole in the sky, but these stories all have different details that were not in last night's posting, such as how the hole got there, or why Sky Woman fell into the hole.

Please have a look at these stories. Skim over them or read them in detail, as you wish. This is the last time that I will be presenting these Creation Stories. There are other myths to explore.

The first two stories are comparatively brief. The third is longer and more involved with details. Parallels with the Old Testament account of creation can be found in the second and third stories.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog! I hope that you enjoy these stories.

From the Iroquois Indian Museum (http://www.iroquoismuseum.org/creation.htm)

Iroquois Creation Story 1

[1.1] Before our world came into being, human beings lived in the SkyWorld. Below the SkyWorld was a dark watery world with birds and animals swimming around. In the SkyWorld was the Celestial Tree from which all kinds of fruits and flowers grew. Today, the Shad tree [serviceberry bush] is known as the Celestial Tree because it is the first flowering tree in the northeast in the springtime.

Serviceberry Tree

[1.2] The wife of the Chief of the SkyWorld was called Skywoman. One night, Skywoman, who was expecting a baby, had a dream in which the Celestial Tree was uprooted. When she told her husband the dream he realized that it was a very powerful message and that the people of the SkyWorld needed to do everything they could to make it come to pass.

[1.3] Many of the young men in the SkyWorld tried with all their might to uproot the tree, but failed. Finally the Chief of the SkyWorld wrapped his arms around the tree and with one great effort he uprooted it. This left a great hole in the crust of the SkyWorld. Skywoman leaned over to look into the hole, lost her balance and fell into the hole. As she slipped she was able to grasp a handful of seeds from the branches of the Celestial Tree.

[1.4] As Skywoman fell, the birds and animals in the water below saw her and decided that she would need help so that she would not be harmed. Geese flew up and caught her between their wings and began to lower her down toward the water. The animals saw that Skywoman was not like them and would not be able to survive in the water.

Skywoman falling, from
http://jayjiiadventures.blogspot.com/2011/02/iroquois-indian-museum.html



[1.5] Each of the animals dove into the water trying to bring up earth from the bottom for Skywoman to land on. Many animals tried and failed. When it seemed like all had tried and failed, tiny muskrat vowed to bring up earth or die trying. She went down, deep, deep, deep, until she was almost unconscious, but was able to reach out with one small paw and grasped some earth before floating back to the top. When muskrat appeared with the Earth, the Great Turtle said it could be placed on his back. When the tiny bit of earth was

placed on Turtle's back, it began to grow larger and larger until it became the whole world.

[1.6] The geese gently set Skywoman on the earth and she opened her hands to let the seeds fall on the soil. From the seeds grew the trees and grass and life on Earth had begun.

[1.7] In time, Skywoman gave birth to a daughter, Tekawerahkwa, who grew to be a lovely young woman. A powerful being called West Wind fell in love with Tekawerahkwa and took her as his bride. In time she became pregnant with twin sons. Tekawerahkwa's sons were very different; one (Bad Mind) had skin as hard as flint and was argumentative and the other (Good Mind) was soft skinned and patient. Flint [Bad Mind twin] was impatient to be born and decided to use his sharp flint-like head to cut his way out of his mother's body. While his gentle brother was being born the natural way, Bad Mind was forcing his way through his mother's armpit which killed her. When Skywoman saw the lifeless body of her beautiful daughter she was terribly angry. Sheasked her grandsons who had done this awful thing and Bad Mind lied and placed the blame on his good brother, Good Mind.* Skywoman believed him and banished Good Mind. Fortunately, Grandfather was watching Good Mind and came to his aid. Grandfather taught Good Mind all he needed to know about surviving on the earth and set him to work making the land beautiful. [Is Bad Mind's shifting of blame comparable to Genesis 3.12, where Adam appears to shift blame to Eve?]

[1.8] Skywoman placed the head of her daughter in the night sky where she became Grandmother Moon and was given power over the waters. From her body grew our Three Sisters, corn, beans, and squash.

[1.9] Good Mind made all the beauty on our earth—he created the rivers , the mountains, the trees. He taught the birds to sing and the water animals to dance. He made rainbows and soft rains. Bad Mind watched his brother creating beauty and wasenvious.[cf. Satan?] He set out to create the opposite of all the good his brother had made. He put dangerous rapids in the rivers, created destructive hurricanes and powerful tornadoes. When Good Mind planted medicinal plants, Bad Mind planted poisonous roots and deadly berries.

[1.10] One day, while Good Mind was away creating more things of beauty, Bad Mind stole all the animals and hid them in a big cave. When Good Mind returned to find that all of his creatures were gone he was very sad. A tiny mouse told him what his brother had done, so Good Mind went to the cave and caused the mountain to shake until it split so that the animals could emerge. Good Mind was very angry with his brother and they fought. Bad Mind used an arrow and Good Mind used a deer antler as weapons.

When Good Mind struck Bad Mind with the deer antler it caused flint chips to fall from his body. Their battle raged for many days and finally Good Mind won. He banished Bad Mind to live in caves beneath the earth where he waits to return to the surface.

Iroquois Creation Story 2

http://www.iroquoismuseum.org/CREATION%202.htm

[Instructor’s note: The “some say” options in this version indicate the multiple story-telling traditions that each performance draws from.]

[2.1] Long, long ago, where we are now, there was no land, just water and creatures of the water. But, up above, there was a place called Karonhia:ke or The Sky World. Now, in The Sky World there were beings who were in some ways like human beings and in some ways they were different. The beings in Sky World had more powers than human beings have. For instance, they could make things happen just by thinking about it.

[2.2] There was a tree growing in the center of Sky World. It was called the Tree of Life. [cf. Genesis 2.9 & Revelation 2.7 & 22.2] On that tree grew many different kinds of fruit. Also, there were blossoms on that tree and those blossoms glowed. They lit up Sky World.

[2.3] The beings in Sky World were told not to disturb that tree. But one day, a woman who was expecting a baby, asked for a drink of tea made from the roots of the Tree of Life. Her name was Atsi’tsiakaion which means Mature Flower. When her husband started to dig around near the bottom of the tree to get at the roots, the dirt caved in and some say that the tree fell down. This was terrible. The woman went to see what had happened. Some say that she lost her balance and fell into the hole. Some say that she knew she was destined to go through that hole and so she jumped. Some say that she was pushed. Nevertheless, she grabbed some seeds from the Tree of Life as she fell. Because she fell through the hole in the sky, many people refer to her as Sky Woman.

[2.4] Down below, there was a flock of water birds flying through the air. Some say they were geese. Some say they were blue heron. Some say they were swans. One of them [water birds] looked and up and saw Sky Woman falling. He spoke to the other birds and they decided to make a great blanket with their bodies and catch her on their backs. They caught her.

[2.5] They tried to bring her back up to Sky World, but she was too heavy and so they lowered her to the water below. A giant turtle said that they could put her





on his back. That’s what they did. That is the reason some people call this place where we live, Turtle Island [i.e., North America].

[2.6] Sky Woman thanked the creatures, but she said that she needed dirt in order to survive. One by one, the animals dove down to try to get dirt from under the water. Finally, some say it was the muskrat. Some say that it was the otter. But finally, one creature [which?] was successful in bringing a few grains of dirt to Sky Woman. She placed the dirt on the back of the turtle. She stood up. She sang and danced in a counter-clockwise direction and when she did that, the turtle’s shell grew and the grains of dirt multiplied. She dropped the seeds from the Tree of Life and they started to grow right away. When she finished dancing and singing, there was land and plant life as far as she could see.

[2.7] Some time went by and Sky Woman gave birth to a baby girl. The baby girl grew up. She was told not to walk toward the west, but one day, the daughter started to walk toward the west. As soon as she did so, a wind started to blow from the west and a cloud started to move toward the daughter. The daughter saw the outline of a male-being in the cloud. The daughter fainted. When she woke up, she found two crossed arrows lying on top of her stomach. She had become the bride of the Spirit of the West Wind. That’s who she had seen in the cloud and now she was going to give birth to twin boys.

[2.8] Those boys were very special. After all, their grandmother was Sky Woman and their father was the Spirit of the West Wind. The boys could talk to each other while they were growing inside their mother and they didn’t always agree with one another.

[2.9] When it was time for them to be born, the right-handed twin was born in the usual way. However, the left-handed twin decided to push his way out through their mother’s armpit. That’s how he was born, but it killed their mother. They buried their mother and from her head grew corn, beans and squash. Those are the staple foods of the traditional Haudenosaunee [Iroquois] diet. They are called The Three Sisters. From her heart grew sacred tobacco which is used when there is a desire to communicate with the Creator. From her feet grew the wild strawberry which is known as The Big Medicine. Even in her death, the mother of the two boys was still making sure that they had what they needed to survive. She is called Mother Earth and to this day she still supports all of the people, animals and plants.

[2.10] The twin boys grew up and went about the task of creating everything that is found in the natural world. [opportunities for other origin stories] They made rivers, flowers, animals and eventually they made the human beings. The left-handed twin became the keeper of the night and the right-handed twin became the keeper of the day. When they were done making their creations, everything was in perfect balance.

[2.11] When Sky Woman passed away, her head was flung into the night sky. She is still there. She is called Grandmother Moon. She reflects light at night. She helps the people keep track of time [as in "moons" for "months"]. She controls the rise and fall of the waters. She keeps company with the stars and the left-handed twin, the keeper of the night. She regulates the monthly cycles of all of the female life which guarantees that new life will be born. She is the leader of all the female life.

[2.12] Eventually, the human beings were made. They are supposed to be the caretakers [cf. Genesis 2.15?]. They are supposed to make sure that everything stays in balance. However, it is the human beings who keep forgetting what they are supposed to do. The human beings forget to take only what they need and to leave the rest for the future generations to experience and enjoy. The human beings are the ones who forget that everything in the natural world is connected and is part of the same web of life and so should be respected. It is hoped that all of the people of the world will someday remember and respect their original instructions and take good care of their Mother Earth.

[webpage note:] This is one very short version of the Haudenosaunee [a.k.a. Iroquois] Creation Story. The whole story takes many days to tell.

Iroquois Creation Story 3 (1816)

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6375/

[from Historymatters.com introduction]

[3.1] Many Indian peoples had and still have stories of creation that explain how they came to be and to live in their homelands. These narratives offer a glimpse into the belief systems present before Europeans entered North America. Many northeastern Indian peoples share a legend of how the world was created on the back of a giant sea turtle (some still refer to North America as a “turtle island”). While there are many versions of the tradition, the following selection is from the Iroquois Indians of New York State. Anthropologists collected and transcribed most versions of the Iroquois creation myth in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. However, John Norton, son of Scottish and Cherokee parents and adopted by the Mohawks, recorded this version, one of the earliest, in 1816. Norton traveled widely in the eastern woodlands, playing an important role in the life of the Mohawks in the early nineteenth century.

[3.2] The tradition of the Nottowegui or Five Nations [the Iroquois or Haudenosaunee] says, "that in the beginning before the formation of the earth; the country above the sky was inhabited by Superior Beings, over whom the Great Spirit presided. His daughter having become pregnant by an illicit connection, he pulled up a great tree by the roots, and threw her through the Cavity [hole] thereby formed; but, to prevent her utter destruction, he previously ordered the Great Turtle, to get from the bottom of the waters, some slime on its back, and to wait on the surface of the water to receive her on it. When she had fallen on the back of the Turtle, with the mud she found there, she began to form the earth, and by the time of her delivery had encreased it to the extent of a little island. Her child was a daughter, and as she grew up the earth extended under their hands.

[3.3] “When the young woman had arrived at the age of discretion, the Spirits who roved about, in human forms, made proposals of marriage for the young woman: the mother always rejected their offers, until a middle aged man, of a dignified appearance, his bow in his hand, and his quiver on his back, paid his addresses. On being accepted, he entered the house, and seated himself on the birth [berth? (=bed)] of his intended spouse; the mother was in a birth [berth? (=bed)] on the other side of the fire. She observed that her son-in-law did not lie down all night; but taking two arrows out of his quiver, he put them by the side of his bride: at the dawn of day he took them up, and having replaced them in his quiver, he went out.

[3.4] "After some time, the old woman perceived her daughter to be pregnant, but could not discover where the father had gone, or who he was. At the time of delivery, the twins disputed which way they should go out of the womb; the wicked one said, let us go out of the side; but the other said, not so, lest we kill our mother; then the wicked one pretending to acquiesce, desired his brother to go out first: but as soon as he was delivered, the wicked one, in attempting to go out at her side, caused the death of his mother.

[3.5] "The twin brothers were nurtured and raised by their Grandmother; the eldest was named Teharonghyawago, or the Holder of Heaven; the youngest was called Tawiskaron, or Flinty rock, from his body being entirely covered with such a substance. They grew up, and with their bows and arrows, amused themselves throughout the island, which encreased in extent, and they were favoured with various animals of Chace [chase, hunting]. Tawiskaron [Flinty Rock] was the most fortunate hunter, and enjoyed the favour of his Grandmother. Teharonghyawago [Holder of Heaven] was not so successful in the Chace [hunting], and suffered from their [brother’s & mother’s] unkindness.

[3.6] “When he was a youth, and roaming alone, in melancholy mood, through the island, a human figure, of noble aspect, appearing to him, addressed him thus 'My son, I have seen your distress, and heard your solitary lamentations; you are unhappy in the loss of a mother, in the unkindness of your Grandmother and brother. I now come to comfort you, I am your father, and will be your Protector; therefore take courage, and suffer not your spirit to sink. Take this (giving him an ear of maize [corn]) plant it, and attend it in the manner, I shall direct; it will yield you a certain support, independent of the Chace [chase, hunt], at the same time that it will render more palatable [appetizing] the viands [foods], which you may thereby obtain. I am the Great Turtle which supports the earth, on which you move. Your brother’s ill treatment will increase with his years; bear it with patience till the time appointed, before which you shall hear further.'

[3.7] "After saying this, and directing him how to plant the corn, he disappeared. Teharonghyawago planted the corn, and returned home. When its verdant sprouts began to flourish above the ground, he spent his time in clearing from all growth of grass and weeds, which might smother it or retard its advancement while yet in its tender state, before it had acquired sufficient grandeur to shade the ground.

[3.8] “He now discovered that his wicked brother caught the timid deer, the stately elk with branching horns, and all the harmless inhabitants of the Forest; and imprisoned them in an extensive cave, for his own particular use, depriving mortals from having the benefit of them that was original intended by the Great Spirit. Teharonghyawago [Holder of Heaven] discovered the direction the brother took in conducting these animals captive to the Cave; but never could trace him quite to the spot, as he eluded his sight with more than common dexterity!

[3.9] "Teharonghyawago endeavoured to conceal himself on the path that led to the cave, so that he might follow him imperceptibly; but he found impossible to hide himself from the penetrating [sharp-eyed] Tawiskaron. At length it observed, that altho' his brother[Flinty Rock] saw, with extraordinary acuteness, every surrounding object, yet he [Tawiskaron] never raised his eyes to look above: Teharonghyawago [Holder of Heaven] then climbed a lofty tree, which grew near to where he thought the place of confinement was situated: in the meantime, his brother passed, searching with his eyes the thickest recesses of the Forest, but never casting a glance above. He [Teharonghyawago, Holder of Heaven] then saw his brother [Tawiskaron, Flinty Rock] take a straight course, and when he was out of sight, Teharonghyawago descended, and came to the Cave, a short time after he had deposited his charge [fulfilled his mission]; and finding there an innumerable number of animals confined, he set them free, and returned home.

[3.10] "It was not long before Tawiskaron [Flinty Rock, bad twin], visiting the Cave, discovered that all his captives, which he had taken so much pains to deprive of their liberty, had been liberated: he knew this to be an act of his brother, but dissembling his anger, he meditated revenge, at some future period.

[3.11] "Teharonghyawago [Holder of Heaven, Good Twin] laboured to people the earth with inhabitants, and to found Villages in happy situations, extending the comforts of men. Tawiskaron was equally active in destroying the works his brother had done; and in accumulating every evil in his power on the heads of ill fated mortals. Teharonghyawago saw, with regret, his brother persevere in every wickedness; but waited with patience the result of what his father had told him.

[3.12] "At one time, being in conversation with his brother, Tawiskaron said ‘Brother, what do you think there is on earth, with which you might be killed?’ Teharonghyawago replied, ‘I know of nothing that could affect my life, unless it be the foam of the billows of the Lake or the downy topped reed.’

[3.13] “'What do you think would take your life?' Tawiskaron answered, 'Nothing except horn or flint.' Here their discourse ended.

[3.14] "Teharonghyawago returning from hunting, heard a voice singing a plaintive air: he listened and heard it name his Mother, who was killed by Tawiskaron; he immediately hastened towards the spot from whence the voice proceeded, crying, ‘Who is that, who dares to name my deceased mother in my hearing?’ [a widespread Indian taboo was to name the dead; cf. Journal of Madame Knight, para. 26] When he came there, he saw the track of a fawn, which he pursued, without overtaking it, till the autumn, when itdropped its first horns; these he took up, and fixed upon the forked branches of a tree.

[3.15] "He continued the pursuit seven years; and every autumn, when its horns fell, he picked them up, and placed them as he had done the first. At last, he overtook the deer, now grown to be a stately buck: it begged its life, and said, ‘Spare me, and I will give you information that may be great service to you.’ When he had promised it its life, it spoke as follows, ‘It was to give you the necessary information that I have been subjected to your pursuit, and that which I shall now tell you was the intended reward of your perseverance and clemency. Your brother, in coming into the world, caused the death of your Mother; if he was then wicked in his infancy, his malice has grown with his stature; he now premeditates evil against you; be therefore on your guard: as soon as he assaults you, exert yourself, and you will overcome him.’

[3.16] “He returned home; and not long after this adventure, was attacked by his brother. They fought; the one made use of the horn and flint stone which he had provided: the other sought for froth [foam] and the reed, which made little impression on the body of Teharonghyawago. They fought a long time, over the whole of the island [of Earth], until at last Tawiskaron fell under the conquering hand of his brother. According to the varied tones of their voices in the different places through which they passed during the contest, the people, who afterwards sprung up there, spoke different languages.” [The story starts as a general creation myth and concludes with the origins of languages; cf. the Tower of Babel, Genesis 11.1-9]

Source: Carl F. Klinck and James J. Talman, eds., The Journal of Major John Norton, 1816 (Toronto: Champlain Society, 1970), 88–91.

In Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans (1826), the turtle image appears as a tattoo on Uncas, the title character. (art by N.C. Wyeth)

You are also invited to share your thoughts and comments, they are greatly appreciated. Thank you and have a wonderful day

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady✿ڰۣ❤

Sky Woman

I have had the great pleasure of sharing with you the Stories the Iroquois Tell Their Children, a collection of their tales that were gathered by Mabel Powers. Prior to their publication they were read and approved by Iroquois elders to assure their authenticity. They were published in 1917.

These stories were a peek into the daily lives and beliefs of the Iroquois. Like all tales of life and magic, they have their basis in the myths of the people who tell them, blending the supernatural with the earthly and the commonplace.

When it comes to the supernatural, the Iroquois are like every other people who ever were in that they endeavor to explain how they got here, why things work as they do with a legend of the cosmogony. Please allow me to share some of the Iroquois mythology with you.

The Iroquois Confederation was composed of Five Nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, Onandaga, and Cayuga Peoples. All of them lived in adjoining regions of present-day New York State and southern Ontario. Their mythology was similar in its major respects and is termed the Iroquois Mythology in its presentation here, but it seems to have spread to other peoples as noted.

This is not my original work. I am presenting the material that I found on this website, for your convenience and enjoyment:

http://www.native-languages.org

SKY WOMAN

Legendary Native American Figures: Sky Woman (Ataensic, Atahensic, Ataentsic)

Name: Sky Woman
Tribal affiliation: Iroquois, Huron
Native names: Ataensic, Ata-en-sic, Ataentsic, Atahensic, Ataensiq, Aataentsic, Athensic, Ataensie, Eataentsic, Eyatahentsik, Iaataientsik, Yatahentshi; Iotsitsisonh, Iotsitsisen, Iottsitison, Iottsitíson, Atsi'tsiaka:ion, Atsi'tsiakaion, Ajinjagaayonh; Iagen'tci, Iagentci, Eagentci, Yekëhtsi, Yagentci; Awenhai, Awenha'i, Awenha:ih; Wa'tewatsitsiané:kare; Aientsik, Aentsik
Also known as: Grandmother Moon, the Woman who Fell from the Sky

Type: Mother goddess, sky spirit, first woman
Related figures in other tribes: Nokomis (Anishinabe), Our Grandmother (Shawnee)

Sky Woman is the Iroquois mother goddess, who descended to earth by falling through a hole in the sky. She was a celestial being who was cast out of the heavens either for violating a taboo or through her jealous husband's treachery; waterbirds carried her down to the sea and set her on the back of a turtle, which became her home (Turtle Island.) Sky Woman is either the grandmother or the mother (depending on the version) of the twin culture heroes Sky-Holder and Flint, sometimes known as Good Spirit and Bad Spirit. 

Myths about Sky Woman vary enormously from community to community. In some Iroquois myths Sky Woman is a minor character who dies in childbirth immediately upon reaching the earth, while in others, she is the central character of the entire creation saga. In some myths Sky Woman is the mother of the twins, but more commonly she is the mother of a daughter, Tekawerahkwa or Breath of the Wind, who in turn gives birth to the twins. 

In some Iroquois traditions the twins represent good and evil, while in others, neither twin is evil, but Flint represents destruction, death, night, and winter to Sky-Holder's creation, life, day, and summer. In many versions of the myth Sky Woman favored Flint, usually because Flint has deceived her into thinking Sky-Holder killed Tekawerahkwa, but sometimes because Sky Woman herself disapproved of Sky-Holder's human creations and their ways. In other versions Sky Woman supported both of her grandchildren equally, declaring that there must be both life and death in the world. Sky Woman is associated with the moon by many Iroquois people. 

In some traditions, Sky Woman turned into the moon; in others, Sky-Holder turned her body into the sun, moon, and stars after her death; and in still others, it was Sky Woman herself who created the sun, moon, and stars.
Sky Woman goes by many different names in Iroquois mythology. The name "Sky Woman" itself is a title, not her name-- she is a Sky Woman because she is one of the Sky People, Karionake. 

Her own name is variously given as Ataensic (a Huron name probably meaning "ancient body,") Iagentci (a Seneca name meaning "ancient woman,") Iotsitsisonh or Atsi'tsiaka:ion (Mohawk names meaning "fertile flower" and "mature flower,") Awenhai (a Cayuga and Seneca name also meaning "mature flower,") and Aentsik (probably an Iroquois borrowing from Huron.) She is sometimes also referred to as Grandmother or Grandmother Moon.

Thank you very much dear friends for dropping by. You are also welcome to leave your thoughts and comments, they are greatly appreciated.

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady✿ڰۣ❤

HOW THE FAIRIES WORKED MAGIC

I hope that you agree that I have saved the best of the “Stories the Iroquois Tell Their Children” for last. This is the final story in the collection and it is a fairy story, and a wonderful tale of the triumph of virtue and innocence over cruelty and greed.

Thank you so much for allowing me to share these stories with you.

With love and light from

Cynthia

The Fairy Lady

HOW THE FAIRIES WORKED MAGIC

Once a little Indian girl was very sad and unhappy. The Great Spirit had taken her father and mother, and she had gone to live with relatives who did not want her. Often she went to sleep hungry, for only the scraps of food that were left from a meal were given to her.

One day, the relatives of the little girl brought in a fine deer from the chase, and made ready for a feast. They told the girl to get out of the lodge, for there was neither room nor meat for her.

The girl ran and hid herself in a great field of corn. There she cried aloud.

Soon a band of strange Little People gathered about her, to comfort her. On all sides, from the folds of the green corn stalks they came.

They stroked her head, wiped the tears from her eyes, and said, “Don't cry, little girl. We will take care of you. You shall come and live with us. We will make a feast for you. We know why you are sad, for we can read the thoughts of earth children. Come with us, and we will show you more wonderful things than you have ever seen.”

At this the little girl dried her tears, and smiled at the kind Little People.

“You are very good to me,” she said. “Who are you?”

“We are the Jo gah oh,” they replied, “the Little People. Come, and we will show you what we can do.”

Then they slipped some winged moccasins on her feet. They wrapped her in an invisible blanket and put a magic corn plume in her hair, and the next moment all were flying through the air.

They flew to a ledge of great rocks. At the touch of the Little People, the rocks opened, and they passed within.

The girl found herself in a beautiful lodge. Kind Jo gah oh mothers were baking cakes and roasting meat. They welcomed the girl, and soon a feast was spread in her honor.

Now the heart of the little girl was so light that she danced with joy.“What wonderful people you are! Can you go anywhere, or do anything you wish?”

“Yes,” said the little chief, “the Jo gah oh are small, but they are great. Come with us, and you shall see what we can do.”

Again they were flying through the air. Soon they reached the lodge where the girl had lived. It was night, and her relatives were asleep, but she could see the deer hung outside ready for the feast.

“Now,” said the Jo gah oh chief, “we will call out a pack of wolves from the wood yonder, and there will be no fat deer for this selfish feast at sunrise.”

Now no wolves had been seen in that wood for many moons. But at the call of the fairies, a pack sprang from it, ran to the lodge, seized the deer, and tore it to shreds. Then they again disappeared into the wood.

The little girl's eyes were large now with wonder, as they flew back to the fairy lodge in the rocks, but she was not afraid of these strange Little People. She was so happy with them that she wished that she might always live in a Jo gah oh lodge.

One morning, the little chief said, “Today we shall see some more wonders.”

This time a tiny canoe was waiting. They stepped into it and sailed down a river until they came to a great tree.

“In that tree,” said the little chief, “lives a great, black bear. Every day he comes out that door you see high up in the bear tree. I will make the door fast so he cannot open it. A deep sleep will fall on him. He will sleep for many moons.”

Then the chief threw three stones thorough the open door of the bear tree. Each time, a flame spread like a blanket over the door. A growling and scratching could be heard within. Then all became still.
“Now,” said the chief, “the bear will sleep until I call him in the spring. He is locked up for the winter. Come, let us go on.”

The little girl drew her invisible blanket closer, as the canoe went sailing with the birds through the clouds. The birds that were swift of wing called loudly for a race.
“Come on!” said the fairy chief.

Then he spread wide the invisible sails of his canoe, and flew past the birds like a streak of lightning. Even the eagle was left far behind. They seemed to shoot through the sky.

And, oh, what fun it was to be a bird!

The little girl would have sailed on forever, but the little chief said, “You shall now return to your people. We have given them soft hearts and kind minds. They are calling for you. They will be glad to see you.”

They greeted her with joy, spread a soft skin for her to sit upon, and gave her the best food. And the little girl lived with them, ever after, and was happy.

You are also invited to share your thoughts and comments, they are greatly appreciated. Thank you and have a wonderful day

It Happens Sometimes

Hi dear friends and followers, today Sunday which means it's poetry day, It happens sometimes. Welcome and I hope you find the poem enjoyable  

It Happens Sometimes

The Fairest of Fairies hovers;

she lands upon a thistle-leaf.

A beam of light shines, as it seems,

from her entire being, blue, purple, and green,

lighting all about her perch 

with the brilliance of sun, in rainbow hues.

From the forest they came,

beaming the colors alike;

Fairy light was everywhere,

lighting the clearing around the thistle.

Stars twinkled above the magical sparks

of fairy lights in the tall grass.

The forest floor twinkling rhythmically,

with the stars above all glistened as one;

Like drummers at their drums, the stars pulsed on.

The crickets came with their instruments

to join in the chorus of creatures playing in-time

their hymns of joy and songs of love;

glad were they to serenade the harvest moon,

clothed in a gown of ocher flame in the east,

where she faithfully rose and held monthly court,

her river of light awash on the dark.

In the brilliance there was upon the night,

The insects, the little people, and all the fairy folk,

gathered around to make the wheel

that guides all who will follow in their fairy dance.

Dance, dance, little one! Dance like the dervish!

The brighter the moon and stars grow,

the brighter the queen of fairies shone,

as she stood on a wide blade of grass,

swaying slightly in the gentle night breeze.

It is early Fall when latest of the flowers 

show their best, and sing in harmony,

with the melody of the fairy folk as they dance,

whirling in circles wherever they can

under heaven's vault;

even dancing upon the waters

of the babbling brook near by.

A girl with a bow quietly appeared.

Mesmerized by the activity before her,

she placed her bow on the ground.

She walked lightly, not wanting to frighten

the assembled company sharing the dance.

The Fairest of Fairies, hovering above,

saw the girl move stealthily ahead.

“A human so close!” She gave the alarm!

And in a snap of the fingers

all was as dark and void as it was before

the Fairest of Fairies had first appeared.

“Run, aye, in that way,” the girl thought.

And there, in the sky, she saw them again,

dancing and singing among the stars,

until the rooster crowed at the break of day.

“And may I be luckier next time we meet,”

the girl thought, as she bent to pick up her bow.

“I'd Love To Be A Fairy.”

“Maybe some day I will make the connection,”

she thought while on her way back to her life.

Sneaking back into bed before her people missed her.

Composed by Cynthia

©

Thank you very, very much dear friends for dropping in. and you are also welcome to leave your thoughts and comments, they are greatly appreciated.

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady✿ڰۣ❤

¸¸.•~ ✻ღ ~✿~❤Welcome to Frizzy Lizzies ❤~✿ღ ღ ~ ✻¸¸.•

Hi dear friends and followers, today is Saturday, another week has gone by, how quickly it goes. A day of relaxation, so why not take two, and drop in and visit Frizzy Lizzy

Frizzy Lizzy looks up from the sink, where she's washing a coffee mug.

“come on in and sit down. I'll have a mug for you in a minute. The coffee's just like I like my men: strong and fresh. Pour yourself a cup.”

Lizzy plops herself down in the “captain's chair,” the one with the arms and the softest cushions on its seat, and proceeds to hold court.

“Last year, I replaced all the windows in my house with those expensive double- pane, energy-efficient kind. This week, I got a call from the contractor who installed them, complaining that his work had been completed a whole year ago and I had yet to pay for them.

“Boy, oh boy, did we ever have a go-around!

“Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean that I am automatically stupid!” I yelled into the phone at him. He yelled back that he was out the price of the windows.

“So, I proceeded to tell him just what his fast-talking sales guy had told me last year: He said that in one year, the windows would pay for themselves.

There was silence on the other end of the line, so I just hung up, and he hasn't called back.

Guess he was embarrassed.”

“We had a bummer of a summer up our way. Not enough warm days for me to put my bathing suit on. There are probably a some geese and a few guys at the lake who might be happy with that decision. Pits on them if they can't take a joke!

“Speaking of geese, the Canada geese should be flying south later this year. The weather this fall has been so nice that they have been delaying their flight. I suppose that I ought to be glad or something but the longer they stay the more they crap on the beach and the longer I have to wait to walk on it.

“I had a heat pump at my house until I met Charley. Charley put out as much hot air and he was pretty fair in bed so I kept him and got a gas furnace to keep the rest of the house warm.

This year I need to get up on the roof to clean the flue on the fireplace. I love having a fireplace but they can be such a pain-in-the-ass at times. Whenever I would drive in a neighborhood that had fireplaces, I could smell the wood fires and see the smoke curling out the chimneys, and I thought of having my coffee beside a crackling fire in the living room, and I loved the idea of a fireplace.

“No one ever told me that if you're single you have to arrange for the delivery of the firewood, make sure that it's dry enough to burn before you accept it, then stack it, or pay to have it stacked, schlep it into the house, start the fire, feed the fire, and stay awake until it goes out before you close the flue. That's just too much work!

“Now where the hell is Charley when I have something for him to do for me? That guy has more excuses for not doing things than a schoolteacher gets on the first day of the county fair. There are times when he's about as useful as a hairbrush to a bald-headed man.

“I feel a real bummer coming on. Want to attack some cheesecake with me?”

Lizzy heads for the fridge. She's into some serious comfort food. See you later!

Composed by Cynthia ©

Thank you very, very much dear friends for dropping in. You are most welcome to leave your thoughts and comments, they are greatly appreciated.

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady✿ڰۣ❤

HOW AN INDIAN BOY WON HIS NAME

Hi dear friends and followers, today we return to the Iroquois stories, this time is an accounting of one Indian boy's experience with the fairy folk.

Karma in a Story that the Iroquois Tell Their Children? Why not? It's a universal concept, isn't it? Add to this the qualities that good people seem to have and you get another of the Iroquois Fairy Stories, here, for your enjoyment.

HOW AN INDIAN BOY WON HIS NAME

It was bluebird time, many moons ago. Little brooks laughed and danced, and all the forest was glad.

An Indian boy came running through the forest. He, too, was glad, for it was spring!
As he ran down the trail, he saw something hanging from a bush. The bush was but a few rabbit jumps from the trail, so he stopped to see what new flower the spring had brought. 

He found the new flower to be a tiny papoose cradle.

The boy picked up the cradle from the bush, and held it in the palm of his hand. As he looked closer, he saw that there was a tiny papoose in the cradle. The wee papoose laughed in his face, as he spoke to it.

The boy had never seen so tiny a papoose, and he thought he would take it home to his mother, it was so cunning. She had but nine of her own. He was sure she would like one more, and that there would be a place for the tiny stranger in their wigwam.

He started to run down the trail, but something seemed to hold him fast. He could not get away. Three times he tried to run, but each time he only circled round that bush. Something held him to the spot.
Just then there came a sharp cry from up the trail. The boy thought some animal must be hurt or in pain. He turned to look and saw a little woman coming. She was less than a foot high, but she ran like a deer to the boy, and cried and begged him to give back her baby.

Then the boy knew it was the love of that little mother that had held him fast. He could not break the love cord between the mother and her baby.
Now the boy had a heart that was soft and kind. He liked to see everything happy. When he saw the little mother crying and begging for her baby, he felt sorry for her.

Many times he had heard his own mother tell how every mother bird loves her young; every mother bear, her cub;

every mother deer, her fawn; every Indian mother, her papoose. And he knew this little fairy mother must also love her fairy baby, so he put it on the little mother's back, and told her she should have her papoose.

The little mother gave a glad cry, as she felt the baby on her back once more. Then she drew a stone from a bag which she carried, and slipped it on a string of beads that hung from the boy's neck.

The stone shone on his breast like a dewdrop.

“Because you are good, and kind, and unselfish, and because you make everything happy,” she said, “you shall wear this good luck stone. It will bring you whatever you want.

“We Little People give this stone to those earth children only, who are strong and yet protect the weak. Wear it always on your breast. Never take it off, and you will become a mighty chief.”

Native American Baby Craddles.

Then the little mother gave another glad cry, and with her baby one her back she disappeared into an oak.


The boy ran on. His heart grew lighter and the stone brighter as he ran. Before he reached his mother's wigwam, his arrows had brought back enough game for their evening meal.

From the day when the boy met the little Jo gah oh mother in the wood, and was given the stone, he had good luck. Whatever he did, all went well with him. If he went on the chase, he brought back deer. If he planted corn, it grew tall and fine. No boy could throw a ball as far as he. He could shoot arrows to the sky, and could send his snow-snakes skimming far beyond the rest.

So lucky was this Indian boy, that his tribe called him “Luck-in-all-moons.” “He wears the good luck stone,” the old people said as they sat around the fire, and they nodded their heads knowingly. But they never knew how he came by it, or why he won the stone.

And when “Luck-in-all-moons” grew to be a man, his tribe made him a great chief. Just as the little Jo gah oh mother had said, he became a chief, though not in the chieftain line.

Because he stood so strong and straight, serving the people, protecting the weak, and doing great deeds, he was called the Pine-tree Chief.

“His feet are planted deep in wisdom and strength,” they said, “and his head is not far from the sky. He sees far and points us the way. As the topmost branch of the pine points always to the east, so Luck-in-all-moons shall guide us to the sun rising. He 

shall be our Pine-tree Chief.”

Thank you very, very much dear friends for dropping in. and you are also welcome to leave your thoughts and comments, they are greatly appreciated.  

✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady✿ڰۣ❤