Indian Myths

The Animals were not pleased with the ways of Ska' reh. His evil work spread over the land. His plague was on all things. There seemed to be no help. The Animals were troubled. They thought they might go into the sky and live with the Little Turtle. Se' sta did not want them to leave the Lower World. But the Deer was unruly and not willing to do as Se' sta wished.

One day the Deer said to the Rainbow, “Carry me into the sky. I wish to visit my sister, the Little Turtle, and see the land where she lives.”

The Rainbow did not dare to refuse the Deer. But she feared that Se' sta would not like it if she carried the Deer into the sky. So she said to the Deer, “Come to me in winter when I rest on the mountain by the lake. Then I will bring you to the home of the Little Turtle.”       

All winter the Deer waited on the mountain by the lake. But the Rainbow did not come.

When the Deer saw the Rainbow the next summer, he said. “I am angry. All winter I stood on the mountain by the lake, why did you not come as you promised?”

“I was afraid,” answered the Rainbow. “Se' sta would not like it if I took you to the skyland. But you shall go. When you see the mist heavy over the lake, come to me. Then I will carry you up to the house of the Little Turtle.”

One day the mist rolled over the lake in huge masses. On the hill above the water stood the Deer. When the Rainbow threw forth the beautiful bow, a white and shining light spread about the Deer. There before the Deer lay a path made of all the colors of the Rainbow. It led through the strange forest where the glory of the heavens rests on the rolling hills.

The Rainbow said to the Deer, “Follow the Beautiful Path. Turn not from it. It will lead you to the house of your sister, the Little Turtle.”

The Deer went along the Way of Burning Colors. He passed by he saw lakes and blue hills and bright streams and strange animals and gorgeous birds. He often stopped to turn aside an enter this magic land. But he was held back by one whom he did not see. At last he came to the house of the Little Turtle. He lived there near her in the land of the sky.

But when the Great Council met in the Lower World, the Bear said. “The Deer is not yet come to the Council. Where is the deer?”

Then the Hawk flew about to look for the Deer. But the Deer was not to be found in the air. The Wolf then looked through all the forest. But the Deer was not to be found in the forest.

When the Little Turtle came down in the black and fearful cloud, the Bear said. “The Deer is not yet come to the Council. There can be no Council without him.”

The Little Turtle said, “The Deer came into the land of the sky. The Rainbow made a fine Bridge of her colors upon which the Deer walked.”

The Animals looked into the sky. They saw the Deer there. There could never again be a meeting of the Great Council in the Lower World. So all the Animals went to live in the land of the sky. But the Mud Turtle did not stay in the land of the Little Turtle. She lived in a land she made under the Lower World.

This is the story of the Beautiful Bridge built by the Rainbow from the Lower World into the land of the sky.