The old Sylvan woman sat in front of the fire, as if the flames could burn the age from her bones. She closed her eyes and sighed quietly. With a gentle movement she laid her hands upon her lap and open her eyes slowly, facing the group that encircled her and the fire."So, you want to hear the story, do you? I think it's time you heard my granddaughter do the telling, " and with that, Sakuna Bright-Fire leaned back and looked over toward a much younger Sylvan girl and smiled calmly.

Orenda Falling-Star blinked nervously, but opened her mouth to speak. Despite her thin face and frail frame, her voice was warm and clear, and carried over the crackle of the flames.

"Many long moons ago, our people only walked the land as children, and the gods came from above to hold our hands and walk with us, to teach us their ways. Nokomis, our great mother, held us close, just as a mother would, and took good care of us, for we were her chosen children, and would not die.

Tirawa watched our mother from his place far above, and approved of what she did, for he himself could not leave his place above our world to help. He could see what Nokomis could not, for his eyes saw far and wide. So it was he who saw Tupuran, the god of the next life, taking our people away too quickly, and our numbers became less and less. But Nokomis could not see Tupuran's path to the next world, for his magic kept it hidden so only he could see. Nokomis cried, for she thought all her children would be lost, and she again would be alone.

But Tirawa's heart was as big as all the forests, so he spoke to Nokomis, and showed her where to find her children, for he could see the hidden path that Tupuran did not hide from eyes above. And Nokomis followed the path to the top of the stone mountains and her eyes saw her children, trying to escape the cave at its base, for they did not want to leave her yet. But Tupuran blocked the way, and shouted that they would be his children, and would grow to love him as they loved their first mother.

Nokomis called to Tupuran and begged him for her children back, for if she could not have them at her side forever she would always be unhappy, and the world would stay cold and quiet. Tupuran saw the tears in her eyes and the sincere voice with which she spoke. But he shook his head. "No, Nokomis, I need children of my own, and since I can not create them, I must take these. You can create more from the soil of the earth."

But Nokomis knew that she would never create a people she loved more than her Sylvan children, so she again begged Tupuran to return them to her, and her tears flowed down her cheeks and flowed along the path behind her. Tupuran though for a moment and spoke again.

"Perhaps I should. But agree to this: you can have your children back, but not forever. After they have been with you on your soil they must come back to me, they can not stay with you forever, for that is unfair. They will live full lives, and you will teach them well, but their time will come, and they must die and I will take them to the next world. But you may visit them there in death if you allow me to visit them here in life."

Nokomis thought about this and nodded, for she would not lose her children. "Yes, Tupuran, I accept this, " and tears still dropped from her eyes, for her children no longer had eternal life, but she could see them in the world of death as well as life. And with Tupuran visiting the land of life, his magic powers grew strong among our people, especially the ones that Nokomis gave the gift to as well.

As our people grew older they explored the forest deeper than before. And they found where so many years before, when they were young, Nokomis had cried for her children to stay in this world. And so they called the river Nokomisan, to remember how she loved her children so. And the tears fell from the mountaintop where she had stood, making a waterfall that we called Tears Falls. At the Falls. At the base, behind the water, is the very cave that held our people, which is why when we pass from this world to the next, our bodies are brought there to rest, so both Nokomis and Tupuran can find us."

The Sylvan Sachem leaned over to his Shaman. "Sakuna, you have passed the gift of our stories to your granddaughter. You have chosen well."

Sakuna smiled at her granddaughter, who did not hear the quiet exchange. "No, my Sachem. Nokomis has given her a gift, and Tupuran has chosen his bride well."

FIN  

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