Show rill II I I IIII II n I f 1 II Indian I II I Lodge Tales B y Ford C. C Frick THE LEGEND OF THE SUN AND THE RAIN TV TANY MANY many yours years ago so ngo-so so many C years cars that no man Is able to count them the the g god d of the sun aun and the god of the rain ruin had n a quarrel Each In Insisted that the other was lazy luzy and did no work worl and each was Jealous of or the other and declared that hla own Importance was rent great So they quarreled reler and quarreled these two gods until gods until finally their ur argument reached the ears cars of oC Manitou Manitou Mani- Mani tou himself who called them unto him When ilen the Manitou heard the cause of ot their nr argument he was angered and he decided that an example example ex ex- ample should be made mado of ot the two gods In order that they the should know their true worth to the world and to the people who dwelt there So he caused a test to be made and md he the two gods Odi to him First he lie turned to the god of ot rain and to him ho said You ha have said that your our Importance b tance nce is la overwhelming and that you are greater and more powerful than the sun and so this test will trill be Le made And nd for six months I will vIII set aside a 11 certain section of ot land and there you jou OU will dwell and do all In your power to make the grass green reen and the crops crop grow The sun shall not come near you OU or disturb you until the six mouths months are ore up and at the end endot of ot that time the sun god shall have his turn and when the test Is completed completed completed com com- then shall we determine which Is the greater and which Is the mot most moot t Important So the Manitou designated a II certain certain certain tain bit of ot laud land and md there the rain god went to dwell and each day he lie brou brought ht gentle showers to nourish the I earth and the flowers and the trees and the grass But finally the water rose and covered cov covered ered the ground and there was no sun and no warmth to dry up the earth and the the- flowers began to wither and the trees to die And the tribes who dwelt In the land were unable to live there and there and they had to move to other i parts and the entire land became OE ar ocean The rain god seeing the desolation became sad and repentant and nud went to the Manitou and asked that the sun be permitted to come In But the tho Manitou declared that the test was wa not yet through and so he be sent tM sun to the spot and ordered the rail rall god od away while the sun made the teat test With the coming cowing of ot the sunshine th the water disappeared and once more the trees and ond the grass Tass and the flowers flourished and the came back again to their homes and everyone everyone everyone every every- one was happy But as a the days das went on and there was no rain the trees tree and the tho grass turned brown and died the flowers disappeared and even the beasts and the birds were unable to live live and and died of ot thirst And the land became a desert d and the tribesmen once more were forced to leave Ia and seek other spots whre there was still food and water When the desert had bad been formed and the flowers and the trees had bad disappeared dis dl appeared red then the Manitou called the th two gods before him and to them he said 0 gods of ot rain and sun the t test 1 has hal been wade made and now you know knoy the strength which h Is yours You Yon who are gods are only servants of ot the world world and and together you bring happiness happiness happi happl ness and content and prosperity But alone you are ns as nothing for tor In this world orld each must do his part purt to aid the other other and and there Is IB none who Is I. 1 greater and none who Is lesser than tho the others In order that you ron may remember this lesson I shall shaH leave tel the desert desort as It Is barren bal and desolate desolate n a warning warn wars lug Ins to all nIl of ot you And when hen next you YO feel teel that you are nil-Important nil or that your our work Is better or greater than that of your jour our brother gods look Jook you JOu to the desert In hr all Its d desolateness desolate desolate- re ness nesa and remember that only by working work work- In tag ing to together ether can we bring happiness and prosperity to our red children who ho ho seek our protection The two 1 gods n repentant went their way tray and worked together the one ona bringing the warmth and beauty atthe of at the sunshine the other the gentle coolness and refreshment of ot the ruin rain From that day to this have they wt w together together toe but the desert IB La stilt there as u a rebuke from the ManItou Maui Maui- tou Lou to his le lesser er children children and and If It you YOK doubt this story go o forth Into the and see for tor yourself Note This beautiful little te legend end Ii hi handed down by the and lives gives their version of ot the creation of ot I Ithe the desert It exists In a slightly different different different dif dif- ferent version with the Utes and other related tribes |