Hummingbird has Food

HUMMINGBIRD HAS FOOD ⁹

Long ago the people began to disbelieve in our Mother. They followed their own ways. They said, "It is not our Mother who sends the rain." She was angry that they no longer knew her and for four years she sent no rain for the people. Our Mother took in the clouds and put them away. In all the four years the people saw no cloud. They began to wonder where our Mother had gone. They tried to find out, but they could not discover her. Our Mother had told Hummingbird, "Child, never tell where I have gone. For four years there will be no rain, not even a cloud. Whenever you are thirsty for honey go to Shipap and there you shall suck from the flowers." Many times the people asked her where our Mother had gone, but every time she said she did not know. All the people were

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anxious to find where our Mother had gone, and many died from thirst. They tried with prayers and sacred songs to bring our Mother back, but they had no answer. All the people were weak and there was nothing left to cat, but the Hummingbird was still strong and fat. Finally the people gave up all hope of finding our Mother. So at last the people learned that it was our Mother who brought them rain and gave them food, and that they had lost her because they had doubted.

Footnotes

5:9 Informant 1. Notes, pp. 205-206.