Manataka American Indian Council
How Rainbow Got Its Colors
A Story from the Otoe
I shall tell you how
Too-loo-lah, the rainbow, got its colors.
The delicate flowers of the Spring Moons bloom, and then they die. Gorgeous
blossoms of summer moons live and a little longer and they too die. The riotous
shades of autumn flowers flourish and then they are no more. We think they are
gone forever-- But, no!! When the rainbow (the Too-loo-lah in our tongue)
appears after a shower we see them again, these beautiful flowers of many
colors, in the sky. The rainbow is the flowers' Land of the Hereafter."
"That is a beautiful story about beautiful things," said Sharp Claws.
"Will you tell us another 'How" story?" "Shall I tell you
what the people of my tribe call the tall flower (indigo flower) that grows upon
the prairie, and how it got its name?" "Please!" begged Sharp
Claws. "It always comes just at the time of the green corn," said
Coming Daylight, "to tell us of the approach of the Warm Season. One time
an old man stood at the edge of a small cornfield and looked at this flower
which was growing nearby..
Suddenly a voice came from the flower, saying, 'Why-nee-yah,' which means in our
tongue, 'Indian, go!' 'Why-nee-yah,' it repeated. 'This is the beginning of the
Warm Season, and you will soon have roasting ears for your feasts. Go and
cultivate that you may have much corn!' The old man almost forgot to do as the
flower instructed him, although he finally remembered; and that is why the
flower returns every year to remind the people to cultivate their corn and not
to stand idle." As the story ended Circling Eagle, the boys' mother, called
them in to sleep and she sang for them a little song they loved about the stars:
"One by one
The stars are lighted by the Sun
Before he retires to his lodge for rest.
It is his last duty of the day."
Over and over she sang the song until the Sleep Man had made his noiseless visit
to the darkened tipi.
From the Archives of Neshoba
Our thanks to Blue Panther blue_panther@mindspring.com