The Fox, Buffalo, and Bear by justjo66 Western Christmas contest entry |
The snowflakes fell from the sky obscuring the forest that lay beyond the village. It always seemed the coldest in the month of December when the winter light of the sun grew pale.
The earth taught our people many lessons. The time of the long nights was a time for storytelling and rest. I was a very young warrior the year the Jesuit priest, Fr Jean de Brebeuf came to live with our tribe and teach our people the white man's ways. He was a wise man of peace with much wisdom to share with our elders. My favorite memory is the story he told about a King, a great Chief of his people named Jesus. Our ancestors had heard prophecies of this great Chief, but we had never known how he was to be honored. Fr. Jean told us he would show us how we could honor the King by the celebration of his birthday. We would send messages to the other Huron tribes along the river to come to our feast. A great happy time it would be. Some of the tribes would travel two days in the cold and snow. The young people of the tribe were very excited. I looked forward to wearing my fine furs and best of my skins. My hair would be braided with dove's feathers and red beads symbolizing my readiness for a marriage partner. I especially had my eye on a very special girl. My plan was to give her father a very special gift of my very finest white buffalo robe and five horses to allow me to have his daughter for my wife. The day of the feast arrived with much celebration and dancing. Fr Jean showed us how to build something called a manger for the baby Jesus. The fox, buffalo and the bear were the animals around the manger. All the people joined in to make a tent of skins and the nativity figures were the elders of our tribes. Presents were brought to give to the baby in the manger. Fr. Jean created a glorious song in our language to honor this King. Huron Carol written by Father Jean de Brebeuf 1643 "Within a lodge of broken bark The tender Babe was found, A ragged robe of rabbit skin Wrapped His beauty 'round; But as the hunter braves drew nigh, The angel song rang loud and high: Jesus, your King is born, Jesus is born, In Excelsis Gloria. "So, little one, I see your eyes are closing in sleep. I will end my story of how our tribe came to celebrate Christmas." "Sleep and dream my little princess."
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