"What is on top of the mountain?" Blue Feather asked her mother.
"Which mountain?" Great Owl queried.
"The peak you climbed last year when you weren't feeling very well."
"Oh, that mountain."
"Yes, that mountain," answered the youth.
"No one can describe that mountain," replied her mother.
"What is on top of the mountain?" Blue Feather asked her father.
"Which mountain?" Handsome Elk queried.
"The mountain you and our uncles circle for hunt."
"I do not know," responded her father. "I have never climbed up that far."
"What is on top of the mountain?" Blue Feather asked her grandfather.
"What mountain?" queried Sleeping Buffalo.
"The mountain over there!" cried his granddaughter as she pointed in the direction of the summit.
Grandfather put on his glasses and stared at the place she indicated.
"I don't see any mountain," he grumbled. "Play somewhere else now."
"What is on top of the mountain?" Blue Feather asked her grandmother.
"Why don't you climb it and see?" suggested Medicine Woman.
"I'm going to the top of the mountain," Blue Feather said to her mother. "Which is the best path to use?"
Great Owl set down her basket of seeds and began gathering some herbs.
"I will make a special tea for you," she stated. "Once you have drunk the tea, you will be able to climb any path you choose."
"I'm going to the top of the mountain," Blue Feather said to her father. "Which path is the most beautiful?"
Handsome Elk stopped dancing and opened his medicine pouch.
"I will consult the contents of my pouch," he declared. "They will tell me which path you should follow."
"I'm going to the top of the mountain," Blue Feather said to her grandfather. "What is the best way to climb a high peak?"
"Why would you want to do such a silly thing? replied Sleeping Buffalo, laying down his pipe to speak. "There is too much work to do here." He waggled a finger at her.
"I'm going to the top of the mountain," Blue Feather said to her grandmother. "What should I take with me?"
Medicine Woman shook her rattle at her granddaughter.
"Just go!" she urged the youth. "Take nothing."
Blue Feather stood at the top of the mountain.
She breathed cold air.
She smelled pine scent from twisted, hunched trees.
She felt the brisk wind blow feathers into her hair.
She saw eagles hover in strong currents.
She heard a snake's rattle and the chanting of storm clouds.
When she turned around to look at the village, Blue Feather saw her grandmother's spirit flying up to meet her.
"Well, Blue Feather," asked Medicine Woman's spirit, once she had arrived at the crest. "What is on top of the mountain?"
Her granddaughter thought for just a moment, then gave her answer.
"I am."
This story has been published five times:
ReplyDelete1. It was the short story winner in 1994 for Sifting Sands Literary Magazine.
2. H.A.M., also in 1994 (the children's supplement to Green Egg Magazine, back when that was still around)
3. It was printed in a California-based magazine called Rainbow City Express. I don't remember what year.
4. An Australian pagan magazine (I don't remember the name.)
and 5. On BookCrossing.com under the journals for "Absolutely True Stories" by 4libros. (I only count the last one because of another story, which is too long to relate here.)
I'm 1/16 Osage. My husband is 1/4 Cherokee and 1/8 Blackfoot-Crow. Our children have more native blood than I do.
ReplyDeleteI wrote 'The Mountain' while reading Joseph Campbell's _The_Power_of_Myth_. When he wrote of 'following your bliss,' I had a dream puzzle that woke me and became expressed as the above story.
I still want to see this illustrated and published. I believe many people of many faiths would appreciate being able to read this to their kids nightly.
ReplyDeleteAbout to read this to Lyra after she brushes her teeth. Then I'll sing the song too. Glad you put them on here. I still have the song written down but don't know where the story went. Now I can just use my laptop. LOVE!
ReplyDelete