A Native American Creation Story 

In the Beginning, the Great Spirit gave a box to all the animals. The box was painted with many sacred signs and symbols. Inside the box was a gift.

As the animals opened their boxes, all of creation tumbled out. Plants tumbled out, trees tumbled out, rivers tumbled out, streams tumbled out – everything appeared, and after some considerable confusion, everything took its rightful place. It did not happen in a day. It took some time. But soon all the animals had opened their gifts.

All, that is, except the seagull.

The seagull tucked his gift box under his right wing, smiled smugly, and said, “The Great Spirit gave me this gift. It’s mine. I’m not going to open it.” There was no more explanation.

However, it did not take the other animals long to learn what was in the box of the seagull. For although all creation had tumbled out, they could see none of it. For in the box of the seagull was the gift of light.

The fox approached the seagull and pleaded, “I have a burr caught in my tail, and I cannot see well enough to get it out. Please open your box.” But the seagull only repeated his position. “The Great Spirit gave me this gift. It’s mine. I’m not going to open it.”

The bear came to the seagull and complained, “My hibernation schedule is off. I do not know when to sleep and when to wake. Please open your gift.” But the seagull just gripped his box more tightly and shook his head.

The deer approached and asked, “May I speak personally? I have just been embarrassed. I was bounding through the forest with my children and I crashed into a tree and chipped an antler. I heard my children laugh. It should not be this way. We need light. You must. . . .”

“I must nothing,” said the seagull. “It is my gift, is it not? The Great Spirit gave it to me, did he not? I won’t open it.”

The animals did not know what to do. So they went to the cousin of the seagull, the raven. The raven is a notoriously tricky bird, and they thought perhaps he might have an idea. He listened to their complaints, told them to go home, and said he would “look” into it. Then he laughed at his own joke.

The raven flew around until he sensed the presence of the seagull. He landed next to him, settling silently on his right side. “My cousin, the seagull,” said the raven, “it is good to see you,” he laughed gently.

When the seagull heard it was the raven and knowing the raven was a tricky bird, he shifted the gift-box from his right wing to his left. He wanted to keep it as far away from the raven as possible. As he did, he lifted his right foot ever so slightly from the ground. The raven bent down quickly and slipped a thorn under the seagull’s right foot. When the seagull shifted his weight back, the thorn pierced his foot. The seagull let out a great cry.

“What is it, my cousin,” said the raven.

“I have stepped on a thorn,” said the seagull.

“That must be very painful,” said the raven. “I know how tender are the soles of the feet of the seagull. Why do you not pull it out?”

“I would,” sighed the seagull, “but if I try, I will drop the box which the Great Spirit gave me.”

“Oh, I see the problem,” the raven sympathized. “I would love to help you. But I cannot see well enough to pull the thorn from your foot. If I could see, I would certainly help you.”

The seagull thought about this but could think of no way out. Carefully, he took the box which the Great Spirit had given him and opened the lid, just a crack. Instantly, a string of lights escaped and shot up into the blackness of the sky and strung themselves across it like a necklace. Creation was lit in starlight.

When the raven saw the earth shimmer under the stars, he let out an exclamation of wonder, OOOOOOOOOH!”

“The thorn,” interrupted the seagull. “You said you would take out the thorn.”

“So, I did,” said the raven. The raven bent down, but instead of pulling the thorn out, he pushed it in. The seagull cried out a second time.

“I’m sorry,” apologized the raven. “I’m sorry. But I could not see well enough. I could see enough to touch the thorn, but I could not see well enough to know whether I was pushing or pulling it. If I could see better, I am sure I could pull it out.”

The seagull thought about this, but could think of no way out. Carefully, he took the gift that the Great Spirit had given him and opened it a little further. There emerged a small, brilliant ball, which slowly climbed into the sky. As it climbed, it grew bigger and bigger.

Finally, it took its place among the stars. Creation was lit by moonlight.

When the raven saw the earth caressed by the light of the moon, he let out an exclamation of wonder, OOOOOOOOOOOOH!”

“The thorn,” interrupted the seagull, “you said you would take out the thorn.”

“So I did,” said he raven. The raven bent down, but instead of pulling the thorn out, he pushed it in even further.

The seagull cried out a third time, and his wings flapped up in the air. The box that the Great Spirit gave him fell from his grip and banged against the ground. The lid flew open, and there fled from the box a golden, luminous ball, which streaked into the sky. The stars and the moon retreated before it. Finally, high in the sky, it stopped and blazed gently. Creation was lit in sunlight.

When the raven saw the earth bathed in sun, he let out an exclamation, “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!”

“The thorn,” the seagull said in a dejected voice. “You said you would take out the thorn if you could see. Surely, now you can see.”

“I surely can,” said the raven. He bent down and pulled the thorn from the seagull’s foot.

The seagull sighed in relief, “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!”

“There,” said the raven, looking at the sparkling earth, “isn’t that better?”

That is why, down to this day, to remind us how difficult it is to let the light that is within shine forth and illumine all creation, the seagull stands on one foot.

~ This story is told by John Shea in his book Starlight: Beholding the Christmas Miracle All Year Long.

REFLECTION:

MY FRIEND, who by grace are a bearer of the light of the Light-Giver, HOW ARE YOU opening your gift-box and letting the light within you shine? WHO, in particular, is in need of the Great Spirit’s light you carry?