HOW THE SPIDER SYMBOL CAME TO THE PEOPLE or
HOW SPIDER CREATED THE INTERNET
A chief of the Osage Isolated Earth People Clan went searching
for a totem for his clan. He saw deer tracks on the ground, and
convinced that this was his new totem, he ran looking only at the
tracks before him.
He ran into a huge spider web, and an indignant spider upon it
asked where the chief was going so fast and foolishly looking
downward.
The chief explained his totem hunt and the spider said that very
possibly, he, spider was the totem for the Isolated Earth People
Clan. He explained his attributes, his slow and steady industry,
patience and the ability to wait for all things to eventually come to
him and then how to strike at just the right moment.
He would teach interconnectedness. One thing touches one side of
the web and is communicated immediately to the other side. The
universe sits on his web. His web binds all life together and he, as
we, all live upon it.
As Man is the youngest creature on or in the web (the world wide
web?) of life, he has the most need to learn from it.
HOW SPIDER CREATED THE INTERNET
A chief of the Osage Isolated Earth People Clan went searching
for a totem for his clan. He saw deer tracks on the ground, and
convinced that this was his new totem, he ran looking only at the
tracks before him.
He ran into a huge spider web, and an indignant spider upon it
asked where the chief was going so fast and foolishly looking
downward.
The chief explained his totem hunt and the spider said that very
possibly, he, spider was the totem for the Isolated Earth People
Clan. He explained his attributes, his slow and steady industry,
patience and the ability to wait for all things to eventually come to
him and then how to strike at just the right moment.
He would teach interconnectedness. One thing touches one side of
the web and is communicated immediately to the other side. The
universe sits on his web. His web binds all life together and he, as
we, all live upon it.
As Man is the youngest creature on or in the web (the world wide
web?) of life, he has the most need to learn from it.
April Romo de Vivar
Printable Storyteller TAGS
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Printable Storyteller TAGS
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OSAGE SPIDER STORYTELLER
DESERT TORTOISE AND JACK
RABBIT STORYTELLER
RABBIT STORYTELLER
DESERT TORTOISE AND JACK
RABBIT RUN A RACE
Whether the Tortoise was racing a Beaver in the Seneca
woodlands or he was racing a Jack Rabbit in our desert,
he always won.
Rabbit, full of confidence and ego, knew that he was
faster than just about anything as he raced by Tortoise
one day, teasing him.
Tortoise said that fast didn’t always win the race and bet
Rabbit that he could prove this to be true.
Jack Rabbit and Tortoise started together, and Rabbit
got so very far ahead, so very early on and the sun beat
down on him. He found a mesquite tree’s shade, curling
into a ball to nap awhile.
Tortoise conserved his energy in the hot sun, moving
slowly and steadily. He looked inside himself for insight
and found it. He used the gifts that he had already been
given, saw reality without illusions and took one more
step and one more step.
Perceiving his opportunity to win, he stepped slowly and
quietly, passing a sleeping Rabbit under a shady tree.
The shade looked sweet, but our persistent Tortoise
never gave up and that was he how he won, and always
did. Imitate him.
RABBIT RUN A RACE
Whether the Tortoise was racing a Beaver in the Seneca
woodlands or he was racing a Jack Rabbit in our desert,
he always won.
Rabbit, full of confidence and ego, knew that he was
faster than just about anything as he raced by Tortoise
one day, teasing him.
Tortoise said that fast didn’t always win the race and bet
Rabbit that he could prove this to be true.
Jack Rabbit and Tortoise started together, and Rabbit
got so very far ahead, so very early on and the sun beat
down on him. He found a mesquite tree’s shade, curling
into a ball to nap awhile.
Tortoise conserved his energy in the hot sun, moving
slowly and steadily. He looked inside himself for insight
and found it. He used the gifts that he had already been
given, saw reality without illusions and took one more
step and one more step.
Perceiving his opportunity to win, he stepped slowly and
quietly, passing a sleeping Rabbit under a shady tree.
The shade looked sweet, but our persistent Tortoise
never gave up and that was he how he won, and always
did. Imitate him.
ZUNI SUN AND MOON STORYTELLER
SUN AND MOON IN A BOX
The Zuni Pueblo people tell a story about the night that
the traveling companions, Coyote and Eagle, danced
with the Kachinas in their pueblo.
They saw that there was a box with the Sun and Moon in
it, which the Kachinas used to shine more and/or less
light on their dancing and other activities.
Coyote wanted to steal the box, but Eagle said that they
would only borrow it. Eagle flew off with it when no one
was looking and Coyote ran under him begging
constantly to help carry the heavy box.
Eagle did not trust him, until Coyote promised about five
times not to drop nor to open the box.
He meant it when he promised it, but his curiosity always
gave him trouble.
So, like Pandora, he opened the box and then the sun
and the moon flew up into the sky, far from each other.
Their warmth was now gone and the first winter came to
the Earth.
Eagle was angry and Coyote was sorry. Isn’t that how it
always is, when we break our promises made to our
friends, to family?
Also, stealing is never a good idea.
The Zuni Pueblo people tell a story about the night that
the traveling companions, Coyote and Eagle, danced
with the Kachinas in their pueblo.
They saw that there was a box with the Sun and Moon in
it, which the Kachinas used to shine more and/or less
light on their dancing and other activities.
Coyote wanted to steal the box, but Eagle said that they
would only borrow it. Eagle flew off with it when no one
was looking and Coyote ran under him begging
constantly to help carry the heavy box.
Eagle did not trust him, until Coyote promised about five
times not to drop nor to open the box.
He meant it when he promised it, but his curiosity always
gave him trouble.
So, like Pandora, he opened the box and then the sun
and the moon flew up into the sky, far from each other.
Their warmth was now gone and the first winter came to
the Earth.
Eagle was angry and Coyote was sorry. Isn’t that how it
always is, when we break our promises made to our
friends, to family?
Also, stealing is never a good idea.
FIRST WOMAN AND COYOTE STORYTELLER
FIRST MAN, FIRST WOMAN, COYOTE AND THE
STARS
The Navajo tell of how the stars were placed so haphazardly in the
night time sky.
First Man and First Woman laid out the stars on a blanket and
carefully, using a ladder and with a plan for constellations and with a
prayer for each, placed each one slowly into the sky.
Coyote came along and begged and begged and begged to help.
He placed his own star, Canopus, over Coyote Mountain.
The stars were to be the laws and lessons for mankind. Coyote
messed up Gemini when placing them and they were to show peace
and friendship and would now cause enmity, strife and
disagreements. He begged to do more and was refused.
As Fire Man, who also helped, blew fire onto his starry hands and
then threw his stars upward, Coyote grew impatient and grabbed
the blanket corners and tossed all of the little stars that were left right
up into the sky.
“There!! Done!!”, he said, and the Milky Way was formed. Now, only
the Navajo Medicine
Men can read and explain the stars and their laws. Maybe we should
all go ask them to explain some to us, as we need to know and
remember, too.
STARS
The Navajo tell of how the stars were placed so haphazardly in the
night time sky.
First Man and First Woman laid out the stars on a blanket and
carefully, using a ladder and with a plan for constellations and with a
prayer for each, placed each one slowly into the sky.
Coyote came along and begged and begged and begged to help.
He placed his own star, Canopus, over Coyote Mountain.
The stars were to be the laws and lessons for mankind. Coyote
messed up Gemini when placing them and they were to show peace
and friendship and would now cause enmity, strife and
disagreements. He begged to do more and was refused.
As Fire Man, who also helped, blew fire onto his starry hands and
then threw his stars upward, Coyote grew impatient and grabbed
the blanket corners and tossed all of the little stars that were left right
up into the sky.
“There!! Done!!”, he said, and the Milky Way was formed. Now, only
the Navajo Medicine
Men can read and explain the stars and their laws. Maybe we should
all go ask them to explain some to us, as we need to know and
remember, too.
APACHE BOY AND RATTLESNAKE STORYTELLER
The Boy and The Rattlesnake
The Apache people tell this story, as does Aesop in his fables.
The lesson is the same, no matter the listener.
One freezing winter day, a boy found a dying snake on his path.
The snake begged the boy to pick him up, to warm him, to save
him.
The boy said that he was not a fool. He said that he knew that
rattlesnakes bit everyone and killed some people. He had been
told not to touch them.
The snake assured him that he was not like that and would be
grateful and never hurt the boy.
The boy picked him up and warmed him on his way home.
He placed the snake on the floor at home and the snake bit his
brothers and sisters and him, too.
“Why did you do that to me, you promised not to?!!?” shouted
the boy.
“You knew that I was a rattlesnake when you picked me up,”
was the snake’s answer.
Life holds dangers, like drugs and drink and strangers. Think
alone about what is right and wrong for yourself and do the right
thing.
The Apache people tell this story, as does Aesop in his fables.
The lesson is the same, no matter the listener.
One freezing winter day, a boy found a dying snake on his path.
The snake begged the boy to pick him up, to warm him, to save
him.
The boy said that he was not a fool. He said that he knew that
rattlesnakes bit everyone and killed some people. He had been
told not to touch them.
The snake assured him that he was not like that and would be
grateful and never hurt the boy.
The boy picked him up and warmed him on his way home.
He placed the snake on the floor at home and the snake bit his
brothers and sisters and him, too.
“Why did you do that to me, you promised not to?!!?” shouted
the boy.
“You knew that I was a rattlesnake when you picked me up,”
was the snake’s answer.
Life holds dangers, like drugs and drink and strangers. Think
alone about what is right and wrong for yourself and do the right
thing.