Legend of the Cedar Tree |
A long time ago when the Cherokee people were new upon the earth, they |
thought that life would be much better if there was never any night. They |
beseeched the Creator that it might be day all the time and that there would |
be no darkness. |
The Creator heard their voices and made the night cease and it was day all |
the time. Soon the forest was thick with heavy growth. It became difficult to |
walk and to find the path. The people toiled in the gardens many long hours |
trying to keep the weeds pulled from among the corn and other food plants. It got hot, very hot, and continued that way day after long day. The people |
began to find it difficult to sleep and became short tempered and argued among themselves. |
Not many days had passed before the people realized they had made a mistake |
and, once again, they beseeched the Creator. "Please," they said, "we have |
made a mistake in asking that it be day all the time. Now we think that it |
should be night all the time." The Creator paused at this new request and |
thought that perhaps the people may be right even though all things were |
created in twos representing to us day and night, life and death, good and |
evil, times of plenty and those times of famine. The Creator loved the people |
and decided to make it night all the time as they had asked. |
The day ceased and night fell upon the earth. Soon, the crops stopped growing |
and it became very cold. The people spent much of their time gathering wood |
for the fires. They could not see to hunt meat and with no crops growing, it |
was not long before the people were cold, weak, and very hungry. Many of the people died. |
Those that remained still living gathered once again to beseech the Creator. |
"Help us Creator," they cried! "We have made a terrible mistake. You had made |
the day and the night perfect, and as it should be, from the beginning. We |
ask that you forgive us and make the day and night as it was before." |
Once again the Creator listened to the request of the people. The day and the |
night became as the people had asked, as it had been in the beginning. Each |
day was divided between light and darkness. The weather became more pleasant, |
and the crops began to grow again. Game was plentiful and the hunting was |
good. The people had plenty to eat and there was not much sickness. The |
people treated each other with compassion and respect. It was good to be |
alive. The people thanked the Creator for their life and for the |
food they had to eat. |
The Creator accepted the gratitude of the people and was glad to see them |
smiling again. However, during the time of the long day of night, many of the |
people had died, and the Creator was sorry they had perished because of the |
night. The Creator placed their spirits in a newly created tree. This trees |
was named a-tsi-na tlu-gv {ah-see-na loo-guh} cedar tree. |
When you smell the aroma of the cedar tree or gaze upon it standing in the |
forest, remember that if you are Tsalagi Cherokee, you are looking upon your ancestor. |
Tradition holds that the wood of the cedar tree holds powerful protective |
spirits for the Cherokee. Many carry a small piece of cedar wood in their |
medicine bags worn around the neck. It is also placed above the entrances to |
the house and the needles are burned to protect against the entry of evil spirits. |
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