Atondido Stories
friendship.
From all the animals and the birds the youth received power
and gifts. Then he waved his magic wand and lay down to sleep.
When he awoke, he found himself on the shore of the lake, and
far in the east the dawn was breaking. But he could see farther
than he had ever seen before, and away in the distance he could
make out blue hills and smoke rising from far-off villages. And
he knew that strange power was upon him. But not a sound
came from the lake, and the drumming had for ever ended.
The youth took his magic wand and his gifts and set out for
his home. And he told his people what had happened and he
taught them the secrets of the Dance which was to make them
strong and victorious in war. And among his people it became a
great ceremony and was practised for long ages, and was known
as the Dog-Dance. And since that time, the animals and birds
have been friends to the Indians, and the Indians have acquired
much of their cunning and skill and power. And ever after the
night of moonlight by the lake when the youth with the magic
wand received the strange gifts, the Indians have decorated their
war clothes with fur and quills and feathers from the animals
and the birds. And in the far north country, the Dog-Dance is
still held at intervals out of gratitude for the gifts, for the Indians
do not forget the promise of long ago.
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