Long ago, the elders say, the people of the beautiful town were as many as the pasture of the meadow. Every spring, someone who always dances, sings and prays to the Great Spirit for what the rain that gives life will come. But there came a time when the rains stopped and a great drought brought very hard moments to the people.
For three days they danced it, the drums sounded, and the people sent their voices to the Great Spirit; Great Spirit, the rains that give life have not come to your town. The Earth is destroyed, and its people are disappearing.
There were no signs that were given in response, so the people asked humbly; We beg you, Grandfather, save us. What have we done to make the Master of Life angry? What should we do to bring back the waters of life so that your people can live again? Once more there was silence. The people prayed and danced while they watched and waited.
In the shadows of the lodges on her knees was a girl known as She who is alone .
In his lap he clung lovingly to a doll, made very carefully and beautifully decorated by his parents. This corn leaf is a wonderful doll, with medicine painting, ball gaiters, with the pectoral of little bones, and blue feathers of the gossiping bird that cries, Jay, Jay .
She who was alone was a very sad girl because she was always thinking about her parents who already left. He also thought of the grandparents he had never met, only heard him speak. This warrior woman was his only companion.
The good man who had taken care of her sympathized with his pain. This girl talked to her doll as if it were a relationship, and this day she told her doll; “The Shaman man is climbing tonight on the mountain to make counsel with the Great Spirit and make offerings of sage and herbs. When I return, we will know what to do. ”
She who is alone closed her message with a warrior doll hugged to her heart. The girl and her doll watched the hill all night, praying and waiting for the answer. The Great Sun adjusted and then increased its light, while the Shaman communicated with the Great Spirit.
Then the next day, the town hall ran through the camp screaming; "The medicine man is already coming down the hill!" The people gathered in a large circle waiting for his words.
When arriving at the camp the Shaman as usual is smoking of the sacred pipe, offering first in the four sacred directions, and then to Mother Earth and Father Sky, the Shaman turned in a circle and offered the smoke to unite the whole world. Then he spoke.
“I have been honored with a vision and the words of the spirit world. The Great Spirit feels that our people have become selfish. The people have taken much of our Mother Earth, giving little in return. These hard times are a warning. ”
People got scared, and then continued.
“The Master of Life says that people must make a sacrifice now to show our atonement. We must choose our most valuable possession and offer it to Grandfather Fire, his ashes will be scattered to the four winds. Only when the people have decided and made this offering, will the rains return and will Mother Earth be once again, to take care of her children. ”
People rejoiced, singing and dancing around. But then they began to consider what should be done.
A great warrior spoke; “I am sure that the Great Spirit does not demand my only bow only. How else am I going to hunt or defend the people? ”
"And I am sure that the Great Spirit does not expect me to sacrifice my new blanket, " said a young woman; "It would surely suffer from cold."
Again and again the excuses were made in the village until it was night and everyone returned to the warmth of their inns. Tomorrow would be another day.
The girl She who is alone, could not sleep. Inside, he knew what should be done.
"You are my most valuable possession, " he muttered to the warrior doll. “You are what the Great Spirit wants.” He knew exactly what he should do. Her parents had taught her well, she would not be selfish despite her great love in the memory of her parents. "We must not allow people to suffer more and their hearts darken."
She knew very well the meaning of loneliness.
As the council fires began to wilt, this brave girl glided silently into the fire. The silent night followed with the exception of the sounds of the town. The stars were shining as She who is alone took a stick from the fire and sneaked up to the hill where the Shaman had spoken with the Great Spirit.
After reaching the summit he knelt and spoke to the heavens. “Oh Great Spirit, I am a little girl, and I only have this corn leaf doll, but it is the most precious thing in the world for me. It is from my family that they were taken to the Spirit route because of the hardness of these times that lead us. Please, please accept this little gift and allow your people Life. ”
Very quickly, he gathered his branches, setting fire to them with his torch. He thought about his parents and the love he felt for them. He thought of his people and their suffering. Then he closed his eyes and threw his precious doll into the fire.
She who is alone waited and saw how Grandfather Fire consumed his offering. As the ashes cooled, he silently prayed, picked up the ashes, throwing them into the four winds, sighed, and then fell asleep on the sacred hill.
The first light of Father Sun woke him from his dreams. He rubbed the dream from his eyes, looked down the hill in amazement. On all four sides of the sacred hill he saw blankets of beautiful flowers, all as blue as the feathers of the gossipy bird that cries, "Jay, Jay." The flowers grew wild from what their eyes could see.
People rushed out of the camp from their country houses and could hardly believe their eyes, as they joined to see this wonderful girl coming down the hill. A rain began to fall, blessing the townspeople with the rain that gives life, as the Shaman said that the Great Spirit had promised them.
The nation of the camp rejoiced, and a great celebration was given in honor of the girl who made a supreme sacrifice. Many gifts were given to her, and she was honored with a new name by the Shaman.
"She liked her people very much, " she reminded her parents and the warrior doll now with great affection and pride.
And every spring from that day, the Great Spirit remembers the supreme sacrifice for the fact that little girls, covering the hills and valleys of the Earth with beautiful blue flowers, the color of the gossipy bird that cries, “Jay, Jay. "
This is the sign that the rains are coming, for now and forever.
- A Comanche legend
