The Web of Life was made one week early in the life of Young Earth, when there was no life upon his surface. So Young Earth looked to the Great Weaver. "Oh Great and Wondrous Weaver," he cried. "I have seen the beautiful work you have done. Please take me upon your loom and weave me into one of your greatest creations." So the Great Weaver took Young Earth upon his loom. Taking some strands of light, he wove in Day, and separated it from the darkness, which he called night. Each became just a small strand in the Web of Life. Then the Great Weaver took out beautiful strands and wove in Sister Sky and Bright Heavens. He wove them above the Running Waters that he wove on Young Earth. Yet, each was just a strand in the Web of Life. The Great Weaver then wove in Dry Ground. Green and brown and blue and yellow threads became Trees, Corn, Flowers and Grasses that grew upon Dry Ground woven by the Great Weaver. Each Plant became just a strand in the Web of Life. Then The Great Weaver saw that there was no light to rule the Night, or a way for Day and Night to be separated. He took out gold and silver strands and wove in Brother Sun to rule the day and Bright Moon and Stars to rule the night. Each became small strands in the Web of Life. The Great Weaver then took out more beautiful strands to use to fill his creation. Fishes, like Trout and Shark, were woven in to live in Running Waters. All were just strands of thread in the Web of Life. The Great Weaver wove in each and every animal to walk upon Dry Ground and eat the Plants. Coyote, Deer, Bear and Rabbit were all woven into the great creation. All became strands in the great Web of Life. Now sister Sky was lonesome as she watched Running Waters and Dry Ground fill up. So Great Weaver wove into the Web of Life birds to fill Sister Sky. He made Eagle, Hawk, Raven and Robin to soar high in Sister Sky. Each bird, however, was just a tiny strand of thread in the web of life. Young Earth was extremely pleased. He now had Birds to fill Sister Sky. Running Waters was flowing with many fish. Animals and Plants covered Dry Ground. Yet, Young Earth was still lonely. He turned to the Great Weaver and said "Oh thank you, Great and Marvelous Weaver, you have turned me into your greatest work. But I am still lonely, for I have no one to watch over your creation." So the Great Weaver took out his finest strands. Using his nimble fingers, he wove in two creations to watch over all other creations on Young Earth. These creations, the Great Weaver's finest creations, he named Man and Woman. But yet, just like all else created by the Great Weaver, these were just simple strands of thread in the Great Web of Life. He gave them the ability to speak and the ability to think. He gave Man and Woman the power to rule over all the other strands on Young Earth. He also gave them respect for all he had made, and respect for him, as their creator. For many years, Man and Woman honored the pact they had made with The Great Weaver to respect all creation. Many generations of People came forth onto the Dry Ground and everything was plentiful. Time passed, and the People started to drift farther and farther away from their covenant of the land. They dishonored the other strands in the Web of Life. They cut down trees they did not use and slaughtered animals they did not eat. They overpopulated Earth, causing destruction and chaos wherever they went. Watching over this destruction of his greatest work, the Great Weaver's heart was saddened. He was disheartened by the deeds of Man and Woman, but, like a father, he needed to teach them a lesson. So he inflicted many diseases and plagues upon them, causing many People to suffer and die. People realized what they had done and became filled with guilt. They called out to the Great Weaver, full of sorrow. "Oh Great and Majestic Weaver, we have done wrong in your great eyes. We know we deserve the punishment you have given to us. What must we do?" The Great Weaver took a deep breath, and then spoke. "You must remember that you are connected to all living things. Remember that you, Man, and you, Woman, did not weave the Web of Life but that you are only its finest strands, and that I created you to be a part of the Web of Life. Whatever you do to one of the woven strands, you shall also do to yourself. Remember that always." The People answered, "We shall remember." From that day forth, the People of Earth remembered the pact that they had made. The Great Weaver lifted the inflictions from his People with the warning that he would replace them should the People dishonor his sacred pact again. |
| The Weaving of the Web of Life: A Creation Story Based on Native American creation stories and the book of Genesis Written by Kelley Wood NOTE: DO NOT REPRODUCE THIS STORY IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM KELLEY WOOD aka HOPEINJESUS1995 This story was posted 11 November 2003 upon this web page |
| "All things are connected.... Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of earth ... This we know. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." ~ Chief Sealth, Duamish Tribe, 1854 |
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