Storytelling+Stone+Video

Long ago, when the people had no stories, they sat silently in their lodges on long, cold winter nights. There was no sound of the storyteller's voice rising above the wind. There was little meaning in the lives of the people. In that time, there was a young man named Flying Crow. He lived alone, for his parents had died several years before and none of his relatives could care for him. Flying Crow's lodge, made of bark and branches, was small. His clothing was old and tattered. But his hunting skills were excellent because he alone was responsible for finding his food. Flying Crow carried a sacred-leaf pouch. He always made an offering of the leaves to thank the animal's spirit whenever he found success in the hunt. The seasons changed, but not the life of Flying Crow. Because the children had no stories to help them see the proper ways,they taunted flying crow for his ragged clothing and for his lack of relatives. The children's cruelty drove the young man away. He simply decided to leave his village. After several days of walking,he set camp near a large stone.that night,flying crow felt even lonelier than usual,for he was now far from his village.To keep up his spirits, he spoke to himself. it would be nice to hear something interesting. it would help me forget my loneliness and the cold. i, grandfather rock, will tell you something interesting if you make a gift of the sacred leaf to me.narrator: and so the young man sprinkled the sacred leaf around the rock,for he wanted to hear this thing.then he spoke these words.now, grandfather, will you tell me what you have to say?in answer to the question,grandfather rock began to tell the story of the earth's creation --of the mother of all who fell from the sky,and the birds and other animals who helped her.and because flying crow had always wondered how the earth came to be,he listened to every word.grandfather rock's story of all the animals and the mother of all stayed in the young man's memory --it was his from that time onward. to thank grandfather rock for this wondrous gift,flying crow placed some bone beads at the base of the stone.then, grandfather rock told another story --this one about the time when animal people roamed the earth.and when the story was done,flying crow once again thanked grandfather rockby placing some more beads where he rested.and as he did, grandfather rock spoke once again.this is where my stories end for this night. the young man once again thanked the rock and soon fell fast asleep. the following day, after his hunt,

flying crow came upon a village.

because he was lonely,

he sat with the villagers,

who welcomed him as their brother.

i can tell you some things,

if you would like to hear them.

if you give me a gift of the sacred leaf,

i can tell you how the earth came to be,

and then i can tell you about the animal people.

the villagers wanted to know these things,

and so gave their gift to the young man.

and so it was --

the stories began to be passed on to the people.

every night, grandfather rock

would tell flying crow new stories

about beavers and bears

and all the other creatures of the earth.

the following evening, after hunting,

he young man would retell the stories to the villagers.and each time, he would receive gifts from them.many seasons passed.then, one day, a maiden, yellow flower,came to flying crow and gave him a pouch.please, take this as a gift.you may wish to keep your stories in it.Thank you.from that time on, the young storyteller put things in the pouch that would help remind him of the stories. in time, flying crow and yellow flower married,and, with their children, worked their fields, growing corn, beans, and squash.during the planting season, flying crow told no stories,for grandfather rock had said long before...when the earth awakens,the time for stories is no more,until the first frost comes once again.then, one day, grandfather rock spoke these words...now, flying crow,you know all the stories from the old time.you are the first storyteller.now there will be many others.everywhere they go, they will be welcomed.and that is how it has been,from those times to this very day.