
MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF THE PLEIADES by LUCINDA RILEY
Once, a party of
Indians
went through the woods toward a hunting ground which
they had known for a long time. They traveled several
days through very wild country, going slowly and camping
on the way. At last they reached The Beautiful Lake of
gray rocks and the great forest trees. Fish
swarmed in
the waters, and deer came down from the hills to
drink.
On the hills and in the valleys were huge beech and
chestnut trees, where there were squirrels and
bears.
The
chief of the party was Tracks-in-the-Water, and he
halted the group on the shore of the lake to give thanks
to the Great Spirit for the safe arrival at the hunting
grounds. “Here we will build our lodges for the winter
and may the Great Spirit send us plenty of game and
health and peace.”
Autumn
passed on. The lodges were built and
hunting went well.
The children began to dance to amuse themselves. They
were getting lonesome, having nothing to do, so they
went to a quiet spot by the lake to dance. They had done
this a long time when one day a very old man came to
them. They had never seen anyone like him before. He was
dressed in white feathers and his white hair shone like
silver. He spoke to them, telling them they must
stop
dancing or evil would happen to them. The children did
not pay any attention to him. Day after day they
danced.
Again and again he appeared, repeating his warning.

One of
the children suggested a feast the next time they met to
dance. When they returned home, they all asked their
parents for food. “You will waste and spoil good food,”
said one. “You can eat at home as you should,” said
another. So they got nothing. But they met again and
danced anyway. They would have liked to have had
something to eat after each dance. Their stomachs were
empty.
One
day, as they danced, they found themselves
rising little
by little into the air. Their heads were
light from
hunger. They don’t know how all this happened. One said,
“Don’t look back, for something strange is happening.” A
woman, who saw them, called them back, but with no
effect, for they continued to rise slowly above the
earth. She ran to the camp, and everyone rushed out with
all kinds of food. But the children
did not return, even
though their parents cried after them.
One,
who did look back, became a falling star. The others
reached the sky. They are the
Pleiades. Every falling
star brings the story to mind, but the seven stars shine
on – a band of dancing children.

The
Storytelling Stone: Traditional Native American Myths
and Tales by
Susan Peldmann.
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