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The Legend of Wesoomi:
Seven, The Deliverance:
April 15, 2002:
In his lodge, Spirit Healer cleaned the new cub very carefully
and examined him . Though the cub was born kicking and screaming
and very much alive, Spirit Healer could see that he was too
soon of birth. He was thin, weak, and in dire need of nourishment.
The Great Spirit had brought this task to the village. It was
not to be eluded.
Spirit healer wrapped the infant in a new blanket and pondered
what to do.
He took some goat's milk and dipped a piece of twisted cloth
into it. He held that to the cub's mouth. He was pleased to notice
that the cub sucked fiercely on the nourishing cloth. This one
had a will to live. That was good. Now, there was the task of
finding a way to satisfy that hunger. Spirt Healer continued
to nourish the infant with the cloth while he pondered.
After a while, Gentlehand appeared at his door. He looked at
the infant and smiled.
"It is good that the cub has survived the ordeal,"he
said.
"Indeed," agreed Spirit Healer. "He has the will
for it."
"That he will need," said Gentlehand, "and the
help of the Great Spirit. He has no mother to suckle him."
"I ponder that," said Spirit Healer.
"Do you find guidance?"
"One thought arises," replied Spirit Healer. "The
she goat suckles her own cubs. Perhaps, she would agree to a
human cub."
"As always, Spirit Healer, your wisdom astounds me."
Spirit Healer smiled wryly. "We will wait to see the results
ere we name it wisdom," he replied.
"Then we must needs entreat the Great Spirit," said
Gentlehand, "but that must wait. We are called to another
task now."
"Then the bier is prepared?"
"It is Spirit Healer. The Elder has asked me to inform you."
"Thank you Gentlehand. Let us go then."
He rose with the cub in his arms and they went forth to the village
edge where the bier was prepared.
There was a simple wooden rack upon which lay the shrouded body
of Snowflower. All of the villagers were gathered before it.
Beneath the rack was a large stack of fatwood ready to be fired.
The fire would burn hot and swiftly, releasing the spirit of
the brave woman to the keep of the Great spirit.
The Elder, saw that all were present. He nodded to Spirt Healer,
whose task it would be to sing the song of release and acceptance
to the Great Spirit. One young man carried a torch of flaming
pitch pine. He looked to Strong Oak who nodded to him. The young
man stepped forward and lay the flaming torch beneath the fatwood.
It ignited immediately and Spirit Healer began to sing with the
cub still in his arms. It was a simple entreat which he sang
over and over again as the fire rose.
"Oh Great Spirit, gaze upon this your sleeping woman.
I lift up my voice in your praise.
Accept my praise.
To you we bring the spirit of this sleeping one.
I lift up my voice in your praise.
Accept my praise.
Release, as is your will, the spirit of this sleeping one.
I lift up my voice in your praise.
Accept my praise.
Accept back unto yourself this spirit which you created.
I lift up my voice in your praise.
Accept my praise."
On a rise beyond the bier, the grey wolf sat. As the song
of Sprit Healer began, the wolf began her own song. She lifted
her head toward the sky and began a low long howl which rose
in pitch. Her song was of a sorrow known only to her from the
depths of her own spirit. It matched in temper and tone the song
of Spirit Healer. I was as though they were of like mind.
The fire rose around the shrouded body and it burned white and
hot. Suddenly, the wolf and Sprit Healer ceases to sing as a
wonder came about. As the shroud burned away the sky opened above.
The domain of the Great Spirit was revealed as an intense whiteness
which grew to dominate the sky. Spirit Healer gazed in awe as
a column of pure white light shone down upon the bier. Then,
from the body of Snowflower a golden point of light arose. The
golden light began to grow until it took the form of a nude golden
woman, poised in the flames above the bier.
The arms of the woman lifted gracefully toward the sky and her
head tilted back to look upward as the fire roared hotter. Then
the woman began to rise, slowly at first, then more swiftly as
she moved with open arms toward the domain of the Great Spirit.
She passed through the sky and the sky closed behind her as the
light faded.
It was over. The villagers stood dumbly about as the fire burned
down and the bier collapsed into it. In a few moments there was
nothing left but ashes and smoldering sticks. There were no remains
to be seen.
Strong Oak was the first to stir. He looked about at his people
and spoke.
"A great wonder has come about," he announced. "This
woman was indeed the chosen tool of the Great Spirit and she
has been accepted back unto him so that all may know this thing.
She was his chosen vessel. It is clear that she was given the
task of bringing this cub to us."
He paused for thought and guidance. Then he continued.
"Oft, when an outcast is driven into the forest, they are
expect to perish and be consumed by the wild beasts of the forest.
With this woman it did not come to pass. Surely the Great Spirit
followed her. He held a hand over her and shielded her. Then,
he used the grey wolf to aid her. This is how she came to us."
Again he paused while the Great Spirit lent him insight.
"As this woman was a chosen one, so too must be the cub.
The cub was born out of a great struggle. Perhaps she did not
know so at the time of birth. Perhaps she only learned so after
she returned to the Great Spirit. It was hers to give birth to
the spirit guide of the people. I must believe that a true spirit
guide has been delivered into our keep.
"Now, it must be ours to nurture, protect, and teach this
one. This is no small task. Indeed, it must become my first and
great task and the first and great task of all who wish to aid
me."
There were grave nods around the group.
"But, first," continued Strong Oak, "we must build
a shrine on this place. Come first light, when the ashes have
cooled, we will raise up a lodge of praise and entreaty in this
place."
Then Strong Oak, found words to instruct the people of his village.
"From our simple view, the Gods may seem indeed cruel. To
achieve his own end, the Great Spirit can seem to be a very cruel
God, but we know not what his end be. We only know that this
woman was his chosen vessel which he used to deliver the Spirit
Guide to us. We also know that he has taken the noble suffering
woman back unto himself. This we saw. Thus we know the Great
Spirit to be just.
"We could not keep this woman with us for the Great Spirit
was calling to her. It is her's to become the Great Mother. She
is indeed the mother of our Spirit Guide and also the Earth Mother
of all people. Thus we will build the shrine. It will be called
the Shine of The Golden Earth Mother and the Place of Life Exchanged.
The Great Spirit is everywhere. Let us sing praises to the Great
Spirit."
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