Week 10/11 Story: The Plagues of the Plains People
It was a time when men were plentiful and the plain's creatures grew abundantly. However, the leader of the Plains Tribe, Eagle, was oppressing many people of the nearby Mountain tribe. The Mountain tribe were good people, who listened and worshiped the Raven, unlike the majority of the Plain's people. The Raven heard of this enslavement and was angered. He went to Eagle's oldest son, Arrow, and said, "You must convince your father to let the people of the mountains leave his reign. He will refuse, so I will bring down my fist on the Plains people. Then I will rescue the mountain people, and all will know I am the creator and true leader."
Arrow did as the Raven commanded of him. Eagle's heart was hardened and he refused to listen to the Raven's threats. Then the Raven appeared to Arrow, "Your father's heart is stubborn and he is refusing to let the mountain people go. So go to him and tomorrow and watch him as he witnesses my first curse on the Plain's people. When this happens, tell him to let the mountain people go, and the curses will cease."
The next day the river which was their main source of water was turned into blood. The enslaved mountain people who worshiped the Raven prayed for deliverance. Eagle still refused to believe what Arrow was saying, and continued to keep the Mountain people enslaved.
The Raven came to Arrow and said, "Your father is still denying my request. I shall send another message to him." Arrow went to his father and begged him to listen to The Raven. The Raven summoned all the frogs to the Plain's people's land. And do the frogs came. Eagle was astonished, and went to Arrow pleading, "please tell the Raven to stop this madness". Arrow called out the the Raven, and the Raven summoned all the Frogs out of the Plains. When Eagle saw that the frogs were gone he was relieved, but still refused to release the mountain people.
So the Raven came again to Arrow, "Tell your father to let the mountain people go, or I will strike down all the Plains people's livestock with a deadly plague. I will not hurt the livestock of the mountain people, for they believe in and worship me. Not a single one of their animals will die!"
Eagle called the Raven's bluff and the next morning all the Plains people's livestock died, but all the Mountain people's animals lived. Eagle recognized this, but he still remained stubborn and refused to let the mountain people go. The Raven came to Arrow another time saying, "I will release yet another curse on the Plains people is they do not let the mountain people go. Tomorrow I will throw dust in the air, and every Plains person to breathe it in will be infected with boils. The Raven threw dust in the air in front of Eagle, and a terrible case of boils broke out among the Plains people, yet the mountain people remained unharmed.
Eagle covered in festering boils, was outraged. He called to his son, "Arrow, please tell the Raven to stop this craziness." Arrow responded, "Father, you must repent and release the mountain people! The Plains people are all repenting and worshiping the Raven, so you must deliver your people and release the mountain people. All this harm is now only on you, not your people."
Eagle refused once again, and so the Raven decided he must make a harsher statement. He declared the the first born of every Plains person who did not believe in me will die tomorrow at noon. They must show their dedication to me by slaying an elk and painting raven wings on their door with the elk's blood. And so every family who believed in him did as the Raven said. The next day at noon all who did not believe, including Eagle's son Arrow. Eagle was devastated. He announced to the Mountain people, "Begone, and go and worship the Raven. Take your families, flocks, and herds and do not return to this place ever again, you are set free.
The Mountain people packed up and left. The Plains people, feeling terrible, gave the Mountain people food, gold, and silver. The Plains people all built extravagant totem poles in honor of the Raven, and they often sent the Mountain people gifts as a form of tithing to the Raven.
Author's Note: The stories I read in week 10 come from Myths and Legends of Alaska, edited by Katharine Berry Judson. The Raven Myth is a very interesting creation story. Man came from a pea pod on the beach and the creator was a man that had the ability to turn into a Raven. The Raven created Woman and all the animals. The Raven taught the people how to sleep and eat. He also taught them about each animal, and which to be careful of. The Raven seems to be the "God Like" creator in most of the stories. One story, The Flood , is a story about when the Raven got angry and decided to flood the plains. While this story is very different than the Biblical one, there are still some similarities. I decided to take the biblical story of the 10 plagues found in Exodus chapters 7-12 and use the characters from these alaskan legends.
Arrow did as the Raven commanded of him. Eagle's heart was hardened and he refused to listen to the Raven's threats. Then the Raven appeared to Arrow, "Your father's heart is stubborn and he is refusing to let the mountain people go. So go to him and tomorrow and watch him as he witnesses my first curse on the Plain's people. When this happens, tell him to let the mountain people go, and the curses will cease."
The next day the river which was their main source of water was turned into blood. The enslaved mountain people who worshiped the Raven prayed for deliverance. Eagle still refused to believe what Arrow was saying, and continued to keep the Mountain people enslaved.
The Raven came to Arrow and said, "Your father is still denying my request. I shall send another message to him." Arrow went to his father and begged him to listen to The Raven. The Raven summoned all the frogs to the Plain's people's land. And do the frogs came. Eagle was astonished, and went to Arrow pleading, "please tell the Raven to stop this madness". Arrow called out the the Raven, and the Raven summoned all the Frogs out of the Plains. When Eagle saw that the frogs were gone he was relieved, but still refused to release the mountain people.
So the Raven came again to Arrow, "Tell your father to let the mountain people go, or I will strike down all the Plains people's livestock with a deadly plague. I will not hurt the livestock of the mountain people, for they believe in and worship me. Not a single one of their animals will die!"
Eagle called the Raven's bluff and the next morning all the Plains people's livestock died, but all the Mountain people's animals lived. Eagle recognized this, but he still remained stubborn and refused to let the mountain people go. The Raven came to Arrow another time saying, "I will release yet another curse on the Plains people is they do not let the mountain people go. Tomorrow I will throw dust in the air, and every Plains person to breathe it in will be infected with boils. The Raven threw dust in the air in front of Eagle, and a terrible case of boils broke out among the Plains people, yet the mountain people remained unharmed.
Eagle covered in festering boils, was outraged. He called to his son, "Arrow, please tell the Raven to stop this craziness." Arrow responded, "Father, you must repent and release the mountain people! The Plains people are all repenting and worshiping the Raven, so you must deliver your people and release the mountain people. All this harm is now only on you, not your people."
Eagle refused once again, and so the Raven decided he must make a harsher statement. He declared the the first born of every Plains person who did not believe in me will die tomorrow at noon. They must show their dedication to me by slaying an elk and painting raven wings on their door with the elk's blood. And so every family who believed in him did as the Raven said. The next day at noon all who did not believe, including Eagle's son Arrow. Eagle was devastated. He announced to the Mountain people, "Begone, and go and worship the Raven. Take your families, flocks, and herds and do not return to this place ever again, you are set free.
The Mountain people packed up and left. The Plains people, feeling terrible, gave the Mountain people food, gold, and silver. The Plains people all built extravagant totem poles in honor of the Raven, and they often sent the Mountain people gifts as a form of tithing to the Raven.
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| Alaskan Totem Pole Source: Pixabay Images |
Author's Note: The stories I read in week 10 come from Myths and Legends of Alaska, edited by Katharine Berry Judson. The Raven Myth is a very interesting creation story. Man came from a pea pod on the beach and the creator was a man that had the ability to turn into a Raven. The Raven created Woman and all the animals. The Raven taught the people how to sleep and eat. He also taught them about each animal, and which to be careful of. The Raven seems to be the "God Like" creator in most of the stories. One story, The Flood , is a story about when the Raven got angry and decided to flood the plains. While this story is very different than the Biblical one, there are still some similarities. I decided to take the biblical story of the 10 plagues found in Exodus chapters 7-12 and use the characters from these alaskan legends.
Hi Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteI was initially quite surprised to find the ten plagues in an Alaskan myth, and was curious to read the end note to see if you had added them in or not. It's a very creative idea. I also read the stories about Raven and thought the flood was interesting.
Hello, Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteAs I began reading through your story, the very first phrase that grabbed my attention was where you stated that "Raven's heart was hardened." This is such a peculiar phrase, and one that I have only heard in stories in the Bible. I had planned on commenting on that and expanding that, as it is included in the story in Exodus, but soon found out that much of your story mirrored this tale! To me, this is always one of those stories that is easy to hear about and then dismiss. But can you imagine what it would actually have been like to see an entire river turn into blood? Or for these plagues to happen in real life?! Crazy.
Hi Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteAs many stories do, I love that this story has animals incorporated. I feel as though it brings a larger sense of power since they have greater capabilities than just the humanly leaders have. I also love all of the descriptive words you use throughout your story. It adds to the intensity of the story as a whole.
Hi Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteYou're story was very interesting! I like how you mashed two stories together to create your own version. THe ten plagues is something I didn't expect to be a part of a totem pole beginning, but it was a nice addition. Your characters are very fitting to each role as well. The Eagle is such a stubborn individual. He could've saved many people if he just listened to the Raven.
Hi Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your story, “The Plagues of the Plains People.” Also, I like the picture you added for this story, I feel like it complements this story perfectly. I like how you took the plot of one story and them incorporated character from other stories in read in the unit. I though that was really creative and you did a great job!
Hey there again, Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteThis was a really cool and interesting story that I have not come across in the past. I really liked how you included your own touch on the story and incorporated completely new characters for a new story. This combination of two stories was really cool. This is something that I have wanted to try in the past, but I have not been able to do it yet. Keep up the great work!