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A View from the Fourth Hill
by Anne M. Dunn |
It happened one day that an elder woman was getting ready to go to the other side and she was concerned that she might find herself with nothing to do when she went across.
"After all," she thought, "I'm old. I'm not strong. There are times when I feel quite useless."
So it was that when she went to sleep on this side, and awakened on the other, Creator was waiting for her.
"Grandmother," Creator called. "I'm glad to see you here. Come sit with me. There are a few things I want to know." |
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The woman made herself comfortable and waited for Creator to continue.
"Grandmother," Creator asked, "did you enjoy your earth journey?"
"Oh, yes," the woman quickly replied. "I certainly did!"
"Grandmother," Creator went on, "were you kind to your relatives?"
The woman considered this question for quite some time then she said, "I tried to be kind to my relatives, but there were times when I failed. I'm sorry to disappoint you." Then Creator asked if there was anything she wanted to know.
"Yes," the woman said. "I have always been a hard worker. Now I have become concerned that there will be little for me to do here. When I was making my earth journey I found that I greatly enjoyed weaving. I became quite good at this
and would like to continue my craft here. Is that possible?" |
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"Grandmother," Creator said, "your words make me glad. In this place we need good weavers! Come I will show you where you may continue your craft."
Suddenly the woman found herself at the edge of the sky.
She saw many women seated along the horizon. So she sat down with them.
Turning to the woman on her left, she asked, "What am I to do?" The woman smiled at the newcomer and told her, "We are the Grandmother Sky Weavers. We are weaving the night into day. Every day we give color to the sunrise. Every night we give color to the sunset."
Happily the woman picked up her shuttle and her yarn, and began weaving the sunrise. As she worked... she sang the weaving song she'd learned from her mother. Suddenly she heard someone singing along with her. Looking to her right she saw her mother, and beyond her mother... she saw her grandmother. |
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When we see sunrise and sunset color the horizon, we should thank the Grandmother Sky Weavers for bringing such beauty to our lives. |
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Reprinted from
News From Indian Country: The Independent Native Journal. |
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