Literary and Spiritual Excerpts
Before making humans, Someone Powerful had created plants and animals and had told them to stay awake and watch for seven days and seven nights. (This is just what the young men do today when …
The Creator and Changer first made the world in the East. Then he slowly came westward, creating as he came. With him he brought many languages, and he gave a different one to each group …
Before there were people on the earth, the Chief of the Sky Spirits grew tired of his home in the Above World, because the air was always brittle with an icy cold. So he carved …
This is how it all began. There was only water — there was no sky, there was no land, only nothingness. Then out of the waters rose a mist, and it became the sky. Still …
Old Man had made the world and everything in it. He had done everything well, except that he had put the men in one place and the women in another, quite a distance away. So …
Using signs but without speaking, the gods tried to instruct the people, but they were not understood…. The gods appeared on four days in succession and attempted to communicate through signs.… On the fourth day …
[T]he One Who Made the Earth…planned for each person to have a piece of land that he could live on and call his own. Our people were living in one such place, but they didn’t …
The Babylonian Creation Myth When there was no heaven, No earth, no height, no depth, no name When Apsu was alone, The sweet water, the first begetter; and Tiamat The bitter water, and that Return …
The Tsis-tsistas people have danced the great medicine dance for a long, long time, longer than anyone can remember or even imagine. The dance represents the making of this universe, and was conceived and taught …
The earth was once a human being: Old One made her out of a woman. “You will be the mother of all people,” he said. Earth is alive yet, but she has been changed. The …
When Kloskurbeh, the All-maker, lived on earth, there were no people yet. But one day when the sun was high, a youth appeared and called him “Uncle, brother of my mother.” This young man was …
Creator Spirit, by whose aid The world’s foundations first were laid, Come visit ev’ry pious mind; Come pour thy joys on human kind: From sin, and sorrow set us free; And make thy temple worthy …
There be two feet whereon God walketh on the hearts of men. Mercy and truth which a sinner must fall down with Mary and kiss, that in respect of God’s Justice we may retain fear, …
At length, groaning with exhaustion, I fell asleep, and heard a compassionate voice saying, “O fool, and slow to believe and serve thy God, the God of every man! What more did He do for …
It seemed that God was far away, but He was very near. Suddenly the thought entered my mind: “You have your Gospel; read it, and you will find the light.” On my knees, and with …
No nation can be strong except in the strength of God or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. You will cause a …