The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-11-17
Indian
Lodge Tales
By
Ford G. Frick
THE LEGEND OF FATHER.
SUN

w Of the world of twilight into the
world of sunshine and light they were,
very happy, and with one accord they
fell on their knees and made sacrifice
/ to the Father Sun who frightened the
heavens and made the world warm
and comfortable for the tribesmen.
When they had become settled In
their new world and had builded their
homes and made their fires, then they
planted their crops in order that they
might live in comfort. Round about
them they planted golden maize, and
grain and many foods. Their fockSs
they took into the green fields to eat
of the grass, and their horses and,
their cattle they turned loose to roam
in the beautiful valley where they had
come.
But as the days went on the crops
failed, and the grass turned brown
and the streams dried up and the
Navajos were much perturbed, for
they knew not what to do. For the
sun, sweeping through the sky, had
come close to earth, and the heat,
which at first had seemed pleasant,
became unbearable-and even the
tribeSmen themselves were made sick
by the brightness of It's rays. Many
there were among the tribesmen who
wished themselves back in the world
of twilight, but the road had been
closed and only a great mountain re-
manned to mark where the roadway
had been.
AS the summer came on many of
the tribesmen became sick unto death,
for the heat was terrific-but there
was no place to go and no place to-
turn, for all the world was a vast
desert, burned by the rays of the
Father Sun.
IS matters became worse and
worse the tribesmen became desperate
and finally, one day, called a great
council Of the chief and the head
men and the witch doctors. For ten
days and ten nights these men sat in
solemn conclave to determine what
best might be done to relieve their
oppressed people.
Finally, at the end of the ten days
and the ten nights they called the
tribe together, and the whole tribe,
even the women and the children,
went to the top Of q high hill and
there they built affairs and offered up
sacrifices, and prayed to the Father
Sun that he might move back into
the heaven so his rays would not be-
so hot.
When they had prayed for a long
time then the Father Sun sent down
to them q lesser god from the sky,
and the lesser god came up to the
chiefs and the medicine men n told
them that the sun had heard their
prayer.
"And so long as you remain faith
full to the Father Sun, who provides
=. will he protect you," the messenger
said. "And when another day comes
then will the sun move back in the
heavens and the grass will grow green,
and water will flow through the
streams, and flowers will bloom, and
the land will be a land of happiness.
and prosperity for the N%avajos."
When he had finished speaking the
messenger disappeared in a great
cloud and the people marveled much
and fell on their, faces and gave
thanks.
When another day came 1t was as
the messenger had said, for the sun
bod rnnyal haoly into thn civ and tho
air was cool and the trees grew leaves
and the corn sprOuted and flowers
bloOmed and the world was a world Of
happiness.
So it has been to this day. And
the sun who is the father who pro-
tects the Navajos, has ever warmed
the earth with his rays and caused
the corn to grow and the flowers to
bloom.
Nor have the Navajos forgotten the
promise they made many years ago,
on the great hilltop, when the world
was young. Each morning when they
arise they face toward the east and
give thanks to the Father Sun who
gives them warmth and light, and each
night they face toward the west and
give thanks for the day that has gone.
Here in our village, if you will look,
you will see that every house faces
the east and each morning we are
awakened by the early rays of the
sun which come in through the doors
and the windows-for that is as It
should be, and even as it was prom
ised by the great chiefs ages and ages
ago when the NavaJos came out Of the
world OF twilight, into the world Of
sunshine ana light.
Note-To this day the Navajo tribes
Of Arizona and New Mexico continue
to Mild their houses facing the east.
Even in the large villages the homes
are built on one side of the street
only. in order that the time-honored
tradition may not be broken.