The Legend of May-maygwaan

For Lauren R.

As told by Genot Winter Elk Picor

This will have to be a permanent story until I can figure out why I can't cut and paste my newest story onto the site.  GP

Long ago, the Spirit Mother of the Earth gave birth to twins on an island.  She gave charge to all the animals to care for the children.  Aaniimoosh the dog was their guardian by day and Ma’ingun the wolf was their guardian by night.  Mother bear held them close to keep them warm and gave them her milk.  The many birds of the earth sang to them and Aamiik the beaver made them a fine lodge to keep them dry.  But one day, Aaniimoosh slowly approached the children and sniffed.

“I think there is something wrong with these children,” she said.  “Look at my pups in the field, they run and chase and play, but these children do nothing.”

“That’s not true!” interrupted Niijhig the otter.  “When I take them down for their baths in the morning, they kick and squeal with delight.  They try to swim just the way Kiigon the fish taught them.”

The animals were very perplexed, so they called on Maakinaak the turtle, for turtle had the greatest wisdom of all the animals.  Turtle approached the children slowly as all turtles do today.  Finally, turtle spoke.

“I see what the problem is.” said turtle.  “All of you have done your jobs too well.  These children want for nothing.”  Turtle asked otter to go down to the shore and to gather as many brightly colored shells as she could carry.  Otter did this.  She placed the shells in a “mokuk,” or birch basket and turtle, with all his magic turned the brightly colored shells into something he called “May-maygwaan.”

The tiny, frail creatures emerged from the basket in flight and fluttered around the noses and cheeks of the twins.  The children giggled with delight, and soon, they were sitting up…and crawling…and scooting…and walking…and running, and chasing May-maygwaan as children do today!

As adults, we’ve forgotten when we used to do the very same thing when we were young.  We watch our children chase and catch the May-maygwaan.  They cup them gently in their hands, and bring the tiny creatures to their mouths. Our children whisper their secrets to them, for May-maygwaan are the keepers of secrets.  And with a flutter of dusty, fragile wings, our children set them free into the Skyland.  Laden with the secrets, the May-maygwaan circle into the air and disappear into the clouds.  They bring these secrets to the Creator, who listens to each and every one of them patiently and with purpose.

As our children grow, they trade chasing May-maygwaan for chasing their dreams.   Sometimes those dreams take our children far beyond the horizon, away from the lodges of their youthfulness, from our watchful eyes and protective arms.  So in our later years, as we reflect back to when our children were young, we look at May-maygwaan, the butterfly, and always think of our children.