Show III lilt U i indian 1 lodge tales by ford C prick fru int III THE LEGEND OF THE SUN AND THE RAIN MANY many years ago eo BO man many 1 years that no man Is able to count the hem in the god of the sun and the god of the rutn rain had a quarrel each insisted that the other was lazy and did no work and each was jealous of the other and declared that his own importance was great the god of the sun declared that without him the world would be desolate and that the rays of the sun were much more important than the rainfall and the water and the god of rain insisted that the sun was only a minor god and that next to the man itou himself the rain god was the m most ost important god in all the heavens so they quarreled and quarreled those thase two gods until finally their argument reached the ears of man danl tou himself who called them unto him when the manitou beard the cause of their argument he was angered and he decided that an example should be made of the two gods in order that they should know their true worth to the world and to the people who dwelt there so lie he caused a test to be made and he called the two gods to him first he turned to the god of rain and tb him he said you have said sald that your importance Is overwhelming and that you are greater and more powerful than the sun and so this test will be made and for six months I 1 will set aside a certain section of land and there you will dwell and do all in your power to malce the grass men green and the crops grow the sun shall not come near you or disturb you vou until the six months are arc up and at the end of that time the sun god shall have his turn and when the test Is completed then shall we determine which Is the greater and which Is the most important so the bitou designated a certain bit of land and there the rain god went to dwell and each day he brought gentle showers to nourish the earth and the flowers and the trees and the grass but finally the water rose and covered the ground and there was no sun eun and no warmth to dry up the earth and the flowers began to wither and an the trees to die and the tribes who dwelt in the land were unable to live there and they had bad to move to other parts and the entire land became an ocean the rain god seeing the desolation became sad and repentant and went to the maulton and asked that the sun be permitted to come in but the manitou Alanl tou declared that the test was not yet through and so he tent sent the sun to the spot and aad ordered the rain god away while the sun bun made the test with the coming of the sunshine the water disappeared and once more the trees and the grass and the flowers flourished and the tribesmen came back again to their homes and everyone ona was happy but as the days went on and there was no rain the trees and the grass turned brown and died the flowers disappeared and even the beasts and the birds were unable to live and died of thirst and the land became a desert and the tribesmen once more were forced to lease leave and seek other spots whre there was still food and water when the desert had been formed and the flowers and the trees had disappeared then the manitou called the two gods before hini him arid and to them he said 0 gods 0 rain and sun the test has been made and now you know tho the strength which Is yours you who are gods are arc only servants of the world and together you bring happiness and content and prosperity but alone you are as nothing for or in this world each must do 10 ills his part to aid the other and Is none who Is greater and none nona who Is lesser than the others in order that you may remember this lesson I 1 shall leave the desert as it la Is barren and desolate a aarif warning to all avalou and when next nest you feel that you are all important or that your work Is iq better or greater than that of your brother gods look you to the desert in all its desolateness and remember that only by working together can wo we bring lin tidiness ti and prosperity to our red children who seel seck our protection the two gods repentant went their way and worked together the one bringing the warmth and beauty of the sunshine the other the gentle coolness and of the rain from that dy day to this have they worked together but the hie desert Is still there as a i rebuke from the mani tou to his lesser children and it if you doubt this story go forth into the south lands and see for yourself note this beautiful little I 1 legend e gend Is handed down by the Coman Co manches clies and gives their version verion of the creation of the desert tt it exists in a slightly different version T with th tbt utes and i other ether related tribes |