The Red Cloud chief., 1922-12-07
Indian
Lodge Tales
By
Ford G.. Prick
THE LEGEND OF THE SUN
AND THE RAIN

''aN N' s's'',
them-the god of the sun and the god
OF the rain had n quarrel. Each In
sisted that the other was lazy and
did no work, and each was Jealous OF
the other and declared that his own
Importance was great.
So they quarreled and Cuarreled
these two goldsmith finally their
argument reached the ears of Mani
tou himself, who called them unto
him. When the Manitou heard the
cause of their argument he was
angered, and he decided that an ex-
ample should be made OF the W
gods, In order that they should know
their true worth TO the world and to
the people who dwelt there.
SO he caused n test to be made and
he called the two gods to him. First
he turned to the god of rain and to
him he said:
"iou have said that your impor-
lance Is overwhelming. and that you
are greater and more powerful than
the sur and so this test will be made.
And for six months I will set aside
n certain section of land and there
you will dwell and do all in your
power to make the grass green and
the crops grow. The sun shall not
come near you, or disturb you, until
the six months are up, and ut the end
of that time the sun god shall have
his turn. and when the test Is com.
pleted then shall we determine which
Is the greater and which Is the most
important.
So the Manitou designated a GER
tain bit of land and there the rain
god went to dwell, and each day he
brought gentle showers to nourlsh the
earth and the flowers and the trees
and the grass.
Blu finally the water rose and COW
cred the ground and there was no sun
and no warmth to dry up the earth.
and the flowers began to wither and
the trees to die. And the tribes who
dwelt in the land were unable to live
there-and they had to move to other
parts and the entire land became IN
ocean.
The rain god, seeing the desolatiOn,
became sad and repentant and went
to the ManitOu and asked that the
sun be permitted to come In. But the
ManitOu declared that the test was
not yet through and so he sent the
sun to the spot and ordered the rain
god away while the sun made the
test.
With the coming of the sunshine the
water disappeared, and once more the
trees and the grass and the flowers
hourished and the trlDcsmen came
back again to their homes and every
one was happy.
But as the days went on and there
was no rain the trees and the grass
turned brown and died; the flowers
disappeared and wen the beasts and
the birds were unable to live-and
died of thirst. And the land became
a desert and the tribesmen once more
spots whre there was still food and
water.
When the desert had been formed
and the flowers and the trees had dis
appeared, then the Manitou called the
two gods before him and to them he
said:
go gods Of rain and sun, the test
has been made. and now you know
the strength which Is yours. You who
are gods are only servants Of the
world-and together you bring happi-
ness and content and prosperity. But
alone you are as nothing, for In this
world each must do his part to aid
the '%other-and there Is none who Is
greater and none who Is lesser than
the others.
In order that you may remember
this lesson l shall leave the desert
ms It Is, barren and desolate-a warn
ing to all OF you. And when neyt you
feel that you are %all-important, or
that your work Is better or greater
than that Of your brother gods, look
you to the desert In all its desolate-
ness and remember that only by work.
ing together can we bring happiness
and prosperity to our red children
who seek our protection"
The two gods, %repentant, went their
way and worked together, the ono
bringing the warmth and beauty of
the sunshine; the other the gentle
GOODNESS and refreshment of the rain.
From that day to this have they
worked tOgether-but the desert Is
still there as a rebuke from the Mani
tou to his lesser children-and IL you
doubt this story go forth into the
southlands and see for yourself.
Note.-This beautiful little legend
Is handed down by the ~Comanches, and
gives their version of the creation OF
the desert. II exists in a slightly diff
ferent version. with the Utes and
other related tribes.