XIX
The Labors of the Holy One
Hands on knees, we leaned and waited for the tale to continue. Having taken the pipe, No Water drew a deep draught with hollowing cheeks.
“I am very old and wise,” he began, speaking out of a slowly thinning fog, “and what I tell, my grandmother told it to me when I was very little like you. She heard it from her grandmother, and she from hers, and she from hers. I must be very careful to tell it right, so that you can tell it when you too are old and wise.
“Meadowlark and his wife had enough papa for many snows. When their hungry relatives came to visit, I think there was more than they could eat too.
“Falling Star was bigger and stronger by now than any man ever was, and he was very handsome. I think he looked like the star-chief who was his father, and there was a light that came out of him all over.
“So one day he said to Meadowlark and his wife, ‘Grandfather, Grandmother, you have plenty to eat now, and I must go far away, for there is much that I came to do.’ When Meadowlark and his wife heard Falling Star say that, it was like waking in the night, and it is still and many stars are looking.
“And Meadowlark said, ‘Dho, Grandson, you are going on a long journey. On that journey you will meet certain people who are sad. Have pity on those people.’ Mother Meadowlark did not say anything; she just sang the song she knew, the one like little waters falling; for she was very proud of the baby, and he so big and strong now.
“Then Falling Star began walking, and all at once he was far away already. Afterwhile, as he walked, he was coming to the top of a hill. There he saw somebody peeking at him.” No Water paused to peek, dutifully assisted by the others. “Somebody was peeking yonder, so Falling Star thought he would go and see who was peeking. It was an old man, and he said, ‘Hun-hi, Grandson! Where are you going?’ And Falling Star said, ‘I am going on a journey, Grandfather.’ And the old man said, ‘On this journey, there will be difficulties, and you must remember me, always remember me when you meet difficulties. So I give you this.’ It was an eagle feather, and that meant the Great Mysterious One. Also it meant that our thoughts should rise high as eagles. Falling Star thanked the old man, and said ‘How.’ Then he started walking with the feather; and when he looked back, the old man was an eagle and flew away.
“While Falling Star was walking, he came to a little tepee made of grass. In this tepee lived an old, old woman, and when she saw Falling Star coming, she said, ‘Hun-hi! My grandson is coming! Falling Star is coming. Grandson, you are on a long journey, and there will be many difficulties, so I give you this.’ It was a cap with a hawk’s feather in it. ‘And I give you this.’ It was a long knife. So Falling Star thanked the old woman and started walking again. When he looked back he could see it was a hawk standing back there in front of the little grass tepee.
“We must remember these gifts that Falling Star had, for we shall need them.” No Water raised his left hand, counting the gifts on his fingers. “An eagle plume, a cap with a hawk’s feather, a big knife. Three! We must be careful not to forget these gifts.