The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1922-10-26
Indian
Lodge Tales
By
Ford c. Frick
THE LEGEND OF THE SUN
AND THE RAIN


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.
i The god of the sun declared that
without him the world would be desc
late and that the rays of the sun were
much more important than the rain
fall and the water. And the god Of
rain insisted that the sun was only
minor god and that next to the Man
itou, himself, the rain god was the
most important god in all the heavens.
So they quarreled and quarreled
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 two
gods. in order that they should know
their true worth to the world and to
the people who dwelt there.
So he caused a 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:
"You have said that your impor-
tance is overwhelming, and that you
are greater and more powerful than
the sun and so this test will be made
And for six months I will set aside
a certain section of land and there
you viii 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 at 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 nOurish the |
earth and the flowers and the trees |
and the grass.
But 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 an
ocean.
The rain god, seeing the desOlation,
became sad and repentant and went
to the Manltou and asked that the
sun be permitted to come In. But the
Manltou declared that the test was
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
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 even the beasts and
|
died of thirst. And the land became
a desert and the tribesmen once more
were forced to leave and seek other
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 Manltou called the
two gods before him and to them he
said:
20 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
as II is. barren and desolate-a warn
ing to all OF you. And when next 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 It's 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 one
bringing the warmth and beauty OF
the sunshine; the other the gentle
coolness and refreshment of the rain.
From that day to this have they
worked together-but the desert Is
still there as rebuke from the Mani
tou TO his lesser chlldren-and ii you
doubt this story go forth into the
southlands and see for yourself.
NOte.-Thls beautiful little legend
Is handed down By the COlnalcLes, and