Page 24 RAIN January 1981 Excerpted from Back Then Tomorrow by Peter Blue Cloud The Burden Basket When asked, "Just what is night, Coyote closed his eyes, placed his burden basket over his head and began making the sounds of hoot owl. "So that is night, his nephew ventured, eyeing his uncle doubtfully. "No, nephew," Coyote said, removing the burden basket from his head, "that is someone trying to show night in a foolish way." "Well, then," nephew began, but Coyote quickly picked up a big stick and hit his nephew over the head. Nephew fell and sat on the ground stunned. After recovering somewhat, he reached for the burden basket and drew it over himself. Nephew's younger brother had watched all this in silence. Coyote had long since gone his way. It was growing dark, the sky was an emptiness, a blackness filled all space to bursting. Younger brother thought to lift the basket to see if his brother was all right. The stars of the Sky Path spilled out. He dropped the basket, but curiosity won out, and again he lifted it, and the moon was within, eclipsed by the basket's rim. He raised the basket further and the moon tumbled out and went rolling into space. He looked inside the basket and saw that darkest night now lived in the basket. His brother wasn't within. So this is why they make burden baskets, he thought, sitting down and drawing the basket over his head. RAIN 2270 NW Irving, Portla·nd, OR 97210 (503) 227-5110 From Back Then ( . -·- ····--- --~----- ~ ---· -·-· ···-· ·- .. -· - - - c:-:--·- · ..-c::::.:.,,----.. -·. j Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1890 I Portland, OR
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