The
Importance of Dreaming
A Creation Story
A tale from the Abenaki people
- As Told By Cat
Long
ago, when the world was not so ancient as it is
now, the Great Spirit sat contemplating the world.
What he saw was nothing..... no color or sound.
All was dark and silent and the Great Spirit was
saddened by the emptiness. Then an idea came to
him. "I will fill the world with life and light!"
he declared.
The Great Spirit called forth his power and the
sparks of creation flew from his weathered fingers.
He created the sun and moon and the stars in the
sky. "There must be land" said he.... and he called
into the depths of the waters for Tolba the Great
Turtle. "Brother Turtle! I have need of you!"
and Tolba came and agreed to help. Upon the turtles
back the Great Spirit made fountains and valleys,
hills and caves. He even created clouds to sail
in the blue sky. " Everything is ready, now I
can create life!" he said, as he happily watched
the clouds against the blue sky. But suddenly
his mind was filled with questions............
What should he make? How would they live? What
would they do? The Great Spirit wanted his plan
to be perfect. He sat and thought until he was
exhausted................. and then he fell asleep............................
He dreamed of all that he had created and in this
dream he began to see odd things. He saw creatures
that walked on two legs and others who walked
on four. Some lived in the water and had fins,
while others moved through the air on wings. Plants
were everywhere, lush and green, flowers bold
and beautiful. The very air was filled sound buzzing
insects, the song of birds, human voices. This
wasn't right! The world he envisioned had been
perfect.... but this.... this was........... "
I must be having a bad dream" he thought in his
dream "nothing could be this imperfect!" When
the Great Spirit awoke, he was relieved that it
had been a dream. Then he noticed a creature nearby
and he stared. It was a beaver gnawing on a tree.
With a start he realized that his dream had become
his creation, and everything was as he had dreamed.
He sat staring at the beaver. The beaver however
paid him no mind and went about his business of
cutting logs. The Great Spirit watched as the
beaver made a home for his family and pond to
swim in............. suddenly he understood! It
was alright because everything had it's purpose
and it's place.
It
is told among the Abenaki from generation to generation.
Do not question your dreams............ for they
are our creation.
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The
Importance of Dreaming... A Creation Story.
A tale from the Abenaki people retold by Cat |