THE BEAR AND THE RAINY MOON

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22507, 15 September 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE BEAR AND THE RAINY MOON

It was such a . very long time ago that even the oldest folk of the Shabonee tribe cannot remember. Indeed, it happened before the Shabonees were a tribe at all, being nothing more' than a wandering band of red people with no settled place of livihg-fand, worse still, no totem. And without a . totem, 'of course, no one can set up a tribe. In those days the earth was very new, and a strange world it was—of tilting cliffs, deep valleys where flames still gutted, and cold deserts swept by the wild pblar winds. For a long while the. Shabonees had wandered, but they came at last to a beautiful valley, deep and wide and sheltered by a ring of moun-' tains all about. The grass-grew tall and the .little bushes were red with bgrries. . The tired Shabonees knew that this was thqir' home ■at last, and they; built houses and sowed corn and were very happy. “My children.” said their leader •one day, “it is time that we became a tribe, that ’the Shabonees may be known over all the land as a brave and proud people.” . So it was agreed, and the wisest man was told to carve the totem pole, which bears the sign and ’name of the tribe, and is a most sacred thing. . “But what shall be our sign? asked the wisest man.

“It shall be the sun!” cried one. “It shall be the eagle!” shouted another.

Every member of the tribe wished for a ' different vsign, and their voices flew back and forth like a flock of quarrelsome birds, till their chief felt that they, would be the most divided people that ever raised a totem—if they ever did. Now, this chief had a small daughter, and her name was Rainy Moon; She was little and fat and red-cheeked and the people loved her dearly. Often she would stagger on her fat legs into the council, where they sat quarrelling over the totem pole. For the quarrel still Went on, even though the summer went, and the winter, and the snows melted off the mountains. The valley grew lush and deep hi

(By Jean Ingram)

grass, and the corn sprang up like green spears, but still they could not decide.

Rainy Moon was not interested at all in the. great quarrel. She liked instead to look into the blue distances of the mountains, and won--dered what. lay in their folded shadows, and . whether the spruce forests were as dark’ and windy as they looked. ’ But she never got very far up the slope, for the Shaoonees were frightened of the sentinel peaks, and never went beyond the valley. One day, however, every man and woman of the tribe -was sitting in council over their ancient battle, and no one noticed Rainy ■ Moon climbing higher and higher up the slope. She went so far that at last the treieS: closed about her, and: high above she could see the retreating barrier of the snow. Rainy Moon was fearless and inquisitive. The sunlight dappled down through the pine boughs and the needles were brown and soft under her feet. The sky was so blue that she did not notice that the sun was sinking, and the first warning of the night that she received was the slanting shadow that the trees flung before her. She looked back, and' it was too dark to see the village in the hollow of the valley.

. “Well, here is a fine thing, .Rainy Moon to herself, “and I am so sleepy, too!” She was not frightened at all, and looked carefully . about her. for a place to sleep. Hidden under a crooked spruce was a dark opening. It was a cave. Rainy Moon poked her head in and sniffed. There was a queer warm smell, a furry, homely smell. And, as she listened, she could hear something that snuffled and whimpered in its sleep. “If one can sleep there, two can!” she said, and crawled carefully in. There she found a soft bundle that squeaked and growled when she touched- it. / It was brown and sleepy and furry, and Rainy Moon curled up beside it and went to sleep.

Suddenly there was a thunderous growl, and she spoke to find all light blotted from the cave doorway. It was mother bear. Huge and angry she peered into the cave. There in, the half-light she could see something small and fat, witn tousled hair and red cheeks, sitting up and rubbing its eyes. She stood threateningly in the doorway, snuffling and growling. "What are ydu, little dark thing?’’ asked the bear in a low snarl.

“I 'am Rainy Moon, and 'I am sleeping with your papoose because I have no home to-night,” exclaimed Rainy Moon. The bear stood hesitantly, swinging her great paws. “It is a most beautiful cub, said Rainy Moon, and the bear mother was lost that instant, for she was very proud of her furry baby. She squeezed into the cave and sniffed at Rainy Moon; then .she sat down and looked at her, “You have put it in a very good place,” said the little girl companionably, and she and the bear spoke together for a long while, all about the Shabonee tribe, and which roots were best to eat, and where the sweetest berries were to be found. It was warm and dark in the cave, and Rainy Moon felt very happy. , , . All the while, down below in the valley,: the Shabonees searched frantically for their beloved Rainy Moon. All the bitter quarrels were forgotten, and those who had not spoken to each other for months i became friends again. "The child is gone because we, have been bad enemies among ourselves,” they wept. ■ The long night wore on, while Rainy Moon slept comfortably against the bear’s warm, furry flank. The dawn crept over the mountain and everything woke. Down in the village the Shabonee people huddled over the campfires that had burned all night. . , Suddenly one of themi leapt to his feet, for out of the far trees bn the ridge moved the small figure of Rainy Moon. With a joyous cry the whole village rushed up the slope to meet her. But what was this? They shrank back. After the small figure of Ihe child moved an enormous brown animal, that shambled on clumsy feet and swung

great paws at its side. Round them scampered a rolypoly brown thing that fell over and rolled and romped like Rainy Moon herself. The villagers were frightened, but Rainy Moon told them what the big sullen-looking stranger was.

‘‘lt is the bear!” she said, and told them that this was a harmless animal living only on berries and roots, and wishing to be their good friend. Then there was a great shout from • the wisest man. ■ ‘‘The bear shall be our totem sign!” he cried, ‘‘for she has brought back to ua our Rainy Moon!” , And so it was agreed. Mother boar and her rolypoly cub were carved on the sacred pole; and that sign was known as the mark of the Shabonees all over the land. They, became, a rich and powerful people, but always they kept their friendship with the bears,. remembering that time when Rainy Moon slept with mother bear and her cub under the spruce roots.