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The Legend of Wesoomi:
Eight, The Shrine:
April 22, 2002:
After the miracle of the Earth Mother the Quiet Folk returned
to their lodges. Some just sat and pondered the wonder of it.
Others began to sing the praise of the Great Spirit. Strong Oak
sat in quiet meditation. Spirit Healer and Gentlehand, had another
task. It was their's to nurture the new cub. They walked toward
the pen of the goats. Spirit Healer carried the cub who whimpered
softly. Gentlehand carried a bowl of clean water and a cloth.
Said Spirit Healer, "Strong Oak, our elder has found wisdom
to give name to our cub."
"Aye," said Gentlehand. "He gives the name Spirit
Guide, and he gives the name Earth Mother to the woman."
"And so it is. So it will be," said Spirit Healer.
"The elder is wise in the ways of the Great Spirit. He must
needs know the will of the Great Spirit in this thing."
"Aye," agreed Gentlehand.
They came to the goat's pen where several goats fed serenely
on the grasses and grains which the Quiet Folk provided. It was
a good exchange. The goats fed well and were safe from the hunting
beasts of the forest. In return, they provided, without complaint,
hair and milk.
In one corner of the pen, with its back to the Western winds,
sat a shed with a clean straw floor. Here the goats found shelter
from the weather. In the pen lay a she goat, heavy with milk.
Her kid was suckling greedily. The She goat looked at them with
lazy, contented eyes. Gentlehand knelt with his bowl and cloth.
Carefully he took a teat and gently cleaned it. The she goat
did not protest.
"Now, we shall see," muttered Spirit Healer as he knelt
with the infant.
"aye," whispered Gentlehand.
Spirit healer carefully lay the cub next to the kid. Gentlehand
took the teat and held it up, while Spirit Healer adjusted Spirit
Guide's head. Gentlehand slipped the teat into the cubs open
mouth. Instantly, two tiny hands thrust forth and grasped at
the teat. Spirit Guide began suckling fiercely. The she goat
raised her head and looked down at her bag. Her eyes were large
with surprise as she watched the infant suckle.
Spirit Guide held his breath as did Gentlehand. The cub continued
to feed along with the kid. Gradually, instinct took command.
The cub and kid were feeding. It was a normal action. The she
goat lay her head back down. She accepted, at least for the time,
her new ward. Spirt Guide smiled.
"It is good," he said softly.
"It is good," agreed Gentlehand. "I will stay
and keep watch."
So it was, that Gentlehand sat and watched. Later, he grew sleepy.
Thus, he spent his night dozing on the straw with the goats.
They came and went as the night wore on waking him often. It
was good, for each time he awoke, he could see the cub was safe.
One time, he saw the she goat reach her head down to lick the
infant. He knew this was good. Several times in the night, Spirit
Healer came in to see. Strong Oak also came.
Near the morn, Strong Oak came and laid a hand on Gentlehand's
shoulder.
"Go now," he said. "find food and rest. I will
watch."
"Aye, Elder," agreed Gentlehand and he went to his
own lodge.
Come morning, all the villagers save Gentlehand were out. He
lay sleeping in his lodge. Strong Oak carried Spirit Guide in
his arms. He went with the Quiet Folk to the ruins of the bier.
"It is time to begin,"he said.
Quickly they worked under the guidance of Strong Oak. But for
the lay, shape and size of the shrine, little guidance did they
need. Building lodges, be it living lodges or shines, was a thing
they knew by custom. They dropped small trees and stripped them
for the walls. From the lake bed, they brought mud to fill the
cracks. They gathered reeds and rushes from the marsh to thatch
the roof. While they worked, Gentlehand came and took the cub
to the she goat for feeding. Then Strong Oak added his effort
to the raising of the shrine.
And so it was that the Quiet Folk built the shrine on the ashes
of the Golden Earth Mother's bier. It was past midday when the
work was complete. Gentlehand brought Spirit Guide to the site
and Strong Oak raised his face to the sky as did all of the Quiet
Folk. He began a song to the Great Spirit. The others joined
him.
"Oh Great Spirit, gaze upon this our work.
We lift up our voices in your praise.
Accept our praise.
To you we offer this shrine of the Golden Earth Mother.
We lift up our voices in your praise.
Accept our praise.
Accept this our humble sign of our wonder and joy.
We lift up our voices in your praise.
Accept our praise.
In this place let us honor your chosen vessel of deliverance.
We lift up our voices in your praise.
Accept our praise.
In this place let us honor your power and your wisdom.
We lift up our voices in your praise.
Accept our praise."
When the song of offering was done, Strong Oak stood with
his eyes raised to the sky. He awaited a sign. None came and
slowly he lowered his eyes to the shrine. He wondered how they
had failed. Then, as his eyes fell upon the shrine, he knew.
There was no offering stone. His eyes scanned the area and saw
nothing. Then he remembered.
"Come," he said th the Folk. "We are not yet done."
He lead them down toward the lake bed. There was the offering
stone as he remembered it. A large piece of stone, flat on one
side, lay near the waters edge. The rains and water of the lake
had cleaned it of silt.
"We must take this to the shrine," he said.
Without remark, the Quiet Folk set about the task. The Elder
had spoken. They brought poles for levers and bark ropes for
dragging. Then they pried dragged and rolled the large stone
up to and into the shrine. It fell into place and they leveled
it in one end of the shrine. Then they cleaned it carefully and
assembled outside. Once again, they sang to the Great Spirit.
When the song was done, they watched the sky and the shrine.
The setting sun shone upon their work. Then, of a sudden, a great
golden light shone from within the shrine. A gasp of wonder went
through the Folk.
Strong Oak stood tall with the infant in his arms. He raised
his eyes and slowly carried the cub into the shrine. The golden
setting sun shone through the rear opening upon the stone. It
blazed golden under the light, but it also blazed with an inner
light of its own. The shrine and the offering stone were accepted.
"Thank you, oh Great Spirit," said Strong Oak.
Gently, he lay Spirit Guide upon the stone. The light engulfed
the cub and glowed around him. The cub also shone with an inner
radiance of his own. With his hands on the stone, Strong Oak
went to his knees and gazed upon the child.
"You are indeed the chosen one," he whispered. "You
were delivered to us to guide our spirits. I promise, I will
guard and nurture you well. This is why the Great Spirit brought
me to this place so long ago. I will tach you all I know. Then
I will be fulfilled. I will have served the great design of the
Great Spirit.
Strong Oak looked toward the sky.
"I lift up my voice in praise.
Accept my praise," he sang.
In the coming times, the story of the birth and the rising of
the Golden Earth Mother would spread as travelers passed by and
carried the legend outward. They made many songs about the Earth
Mother, Spirit Guide and the magic Shrine. As time would pass,
many pilgrims would come to wonder at the miracle and sing the
praises of the Great Spirit. And so the legend of Snowflower's
struggle, the birth of Spirit Guide, and the dramatic rise of
the Golden Earth Mother grew. It was carried over the land in
the songs of the People's story tellers.
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