A Cherokee Legend
(Native American Legends)
Photos taken Saturday 8th October 2011 – Bees in our Garden
Photos : Mike
Story & Photo Layouts : G
Photos : Mike
Story & Photo Layouts : G
Back in ancient times when the people were more pure and could converse with the animals and the Creator would visit with them, the people asked the Creator for something that was 'sweet' to the taste. So the Creator sent the Bee, but the Bee had no stinger. Down came the Bee and it found a suitable tree in which they could build their hive, live in, produce honey, multiply and feed its young. Soon the people came to the Bee and asked for some of the sweet syrup and the Bee gave each person a container full. The people loved the syrup and greedily ate it, then went back to the Bee for more.
But the Bee replied, 'I have no more to give you for a while. You will have to wait.' The people were not happy, as they craved the sweet syrup. So they called upon the Creator, saying, 'the Bee does not give us enough of the golden syrup. We want more!!!' The Creator listened and sent down the Flower People. The Flower People began to spread all types of flowers across the land giving the Bees greater access and variety of flowers to pollinate and make more honey. The Flower People spread all kinds of beautiful wild flowers around to attract the Bees; bright blue, red, orange, purple and yellow. More Bees were created to help pollinate the flowers. The hive grew to be very large. The people seeing how big the hive was went to get more of the sweet syrup. So the Bees gave all the syrup to the people but left enough to feed their young. The people devoured the syrup and wanted more. The Bee responded, 'We don't have any more, you will have to wait.'
The people were angry and asked the Flower People to make more flowers so they could have more of the golden syrup to eat. The Flower People responded, 'We made all the flowers we could and they are all pollinated. You will have to wait until Spring.' 'No, said the people, 'We want more now!!' So they went back to the bee's hive and tore it apart killing almost all of the Bees and taking the syrup. The remaining Bees were angry. They asked the Creator what to do. The Creator was also annoyed at the behavior of the people, so he told the Flower People to create some 'briar bushes' and for the Bees to eat the briars.
The Bees did as the Creator said, they ate the briars and these were transformed into stingers. The Flower People created an entire briar patch around the Bee's tree. The next day, the people came back and started toward the Bee's hive for more syrup; but the briars around the tree scratched and tore at their bodies. Some of the people made it through the briars to the hive. Covered in welts, they yelled at the Bees, 'Give us some more syrup now, or we will do the same as we did yesterday, kill your young and destroy your home!' The Bees became angry and a loud hum came from the hive in the tree, and out they swarmed. The Bees stung the people all over until they were covered in welts and sent them running.
After that day, the people treated the Bees, flowers, and plants with great respect and always promised to replace whatever they asked for and never be greedy or take more than they needed.
I know the most perfect song to go with these images - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC4PcNEVAY0
ReplyDeleteA man was intent on meeting Maitraya. Buddha of compassion. So he renounced everything and sett for the mountains where he was to meditate and practice austerities. After 12 years he had not had a glimpse of a vision of the lord of compassion and he was disillusioned.
Walking away from the mountain and his quest, he happened upon a man with a metal pole. He was rubbing the pole with a small cloth. He asked the polisher what he was doing, the man replied that he was polishing it to become a needle.
Our man feeling ashamed at his lack of staying power in comparison to the polisher returned to the mountains and to his quest. Three more years and still no glimpse. Nothing. No change, no illumination and no meeting of the Buddha of Compassion. So once again he left the quest and the mountains.
He came upon a man with a wet feather who was rubbing the feather upon an enormous stone. He asked the rubber what he was doing. He was told that the stone was blocking the suns path from entering his home and as he was tired of the darkness he was going to remove some height from the stone.
Again the character in our story instead of lamenting the foolishness of such an action was once again remorseful about his lack of staying power and faith.
Once again he was back on mountain and in quest. But this time he was not alone. In front of him lay a large brown dog, his back legs had been chopped off roughly and he was trying to pull himself forward with his front paws. His body was covered in maggots and he was obviously in a great deal of pain. Our seeker knew that to remove the maggots with his finger would just add to the already unbearable pain this creature was enduring and in a moment of surrender he knelt on the floor next to the dog, put out his tongue in preparation to lick the maggots out. At that moment in time the dog vanished and lying in front of his was Maitraya.
It is all just about not taking more than is needed. It does not mean lack of comfort or beauty just not to have 20 homes when one would be fine.
I think the church has done its damdest to become the richest org on the planet and yet somehow managed to subjucate their believers through constant brain washing into taking unconscious vows of poverty.
Money was bad - god was good.
And all it meant was that the people who really should not have a lot of wealth at their disposal are the one's who run the world. And those many beautiful beings living in poverty - are the one's who would share so willingly and with such a wisdom.
Well put. Nice illustrative tale - thank you
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!! Love this song - one of my favourites.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing
G