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| The Coming of Ships by © cromoke The Woman walked along the shore of the Big River. She remembered playing here with her Son when he was a Child. Now he had "Walked on" and she was in the last Season of her Mourning Time. It was the custom of her People to mourn for one year over the Death of a Family Member. She walked slowly, remembering. Then suddenly she stopped. She saw a "Something" in the Water ahead of her. At first, she thought it was a dead Whale, but, as she drew nearer, she saw that it looked like a huge Log with three Spruce Trees sticking out of it. There were Vines coming from the top of the Trees down to the "Log" and some were hanging over the side and into the Water. Suddenly, there appeared a "Monster" on the Log! It had the face of a Bear but it walked upright like a Man! Her Heart nearly stopped ! It was a "Bear-Man". The Woman stepped behind some Bushes and watched as two more "Monsters" appeared. She began running back to the Village crying in Terror, " They have come! The "Monster Bear- Men" are here! They will kill us all"! Everyone in the Village stopped what they were doing and gathered around her. They asked her, "what happened.?" "Did Someone hit you?" "Why are you crying?" An Elder arrived and said," Everyone be quiet and Listen!" "Tell us what happened "Mother." The Woman then related what she had seen. "It was horrible," She said, "They were just as Our "Old Stories" told us." "They had hair growing out of their noses that hung down on their chests!" "And they carried those "Hollow Sticks" that Our Stories tell us about, that spew out Fire with a sound like Thunder and kill many People!" "They will kill us all!" "We are all going to Die!" The Warriors grabbed up their Weapons and began back-tracking the Woman's footsteps to where the "Log" lay just off shore. They found strange tracks leading to a small stream of fresh Water running into the Big River. The Tracks had pointed toes and the heels sunk deep in the Sand. Very strange Footprints... The Warriors came upon the "Bear-Men" where they were filling some wooden containers with fresh Water. The Warriors quickly killed the "Monsters" then set Fire to the "Log." When they returned to the Village, they were cheered as Heroes. They had protected the Village from the Horrible "Bear-Men." A great Feast was held and the People Danced late into the Night to celebrate the End of the "Bear-Men"...not knowing it was NOT the End......but only the Beginning.. Re-told by Cro |
