https://youtu.be/X5a2fzrXuNc
There are many stories about a time when the Standing Ones -Trees, began to disappear. Some stories said that they retreated to far off places of Mother Earth so as not to be found by humans. Another story said that humans had killed all the Standing Ones. And other stories say the Standing Ones turned themselves into seeds, and went back to the unseen realms of Creationing's Dreams, and would be brought back by the Bird nations because Birds are kin to Trees, because Trees are Lifegivers of Breathwinds, Light and Medicines.
This is a story about Crow and Plum Tree.
Long ago ~
There was a man who wanted to be recognized for all he had learned and to pour water for the People in Lodge. The "Lodge" being a holy and sacred womb of the Mother that People may come into, to purify, heal and pray. The Old Ones considered the man’s request and sent an old Crow to see and listen to what this man had learned.
After many months of observation, listening and sharing with the man, Crow invited the man to an opportunity to tend and care for a Plum Tree who was just coming into her life giving years of womanhood.
At first he said no he didn’t want to, because he didn’t like Plums, but he wanted to know what would be expected of him to care for such a Tree, and if he agreed, he would need to be compensated by the old Crow, for his care of the Plum Tree.
The old Crow’s head tilted from side to side looking at the man, and then shared a little about caring for Plum Trees and Bears. Peaked with interest, the man asked the old Crow to tell him more. The old Crow then gave him specific instructions about caring for Plum Tree, and a few comments about the bounty of blessings that come from caring for Plum Trees.
“I can do that !” the man said with tepid enthusiasm.
The old Crow, then said, “Well you said you didn’t like Plum Trees, how do we know you will care for Plum Tree in a good way? The Plum Tree’s children will not be ready until long after I return, do you understand this?” The man then responded by repeating the instructions she had shared with him verbatim, and said that he understood all she had said.
“Hmmm, well just in case you are in doubt about anything, my neighbor Ms. Quail has agreed to help you. Will you call on her?” the old Crow replied.
The man agreed he would call on Ms. Quail, and then the old Crow scratched some notes for him in the earth, and flew off to Ms. Quail's to let her know that she would have a visitor and that she would be back in a few days.
Upon the old Crow’s return she saw that the man had done exactly the opposite of the instructions she gave him. Plum Tree stood naked. The man had totally stripped the Plum Tree. Not one child remained with Plum Tree. He had taken all the green, not yet mature children, and packed them in boxes. There was no bounty of blessings, all Plum Tree’s children had died.
The old Crow, bundled the children up and took them to the mountains singing her laments for the Plum Children, apologies for her folly to the Bears, and then buried the children in the moist loam of the forest.
Oh holy little Plum Tree Children Seeds
Blessings on your journey back to Mother Earth
we are forever grateful
for your giving and living ancestor medicine
for Bears, Birds and Bees
When the man showed up for his compensation, the old Crow never said a word, and simply gave him what he understood, some money.
The old Crow pondered about what had happened and the man’s worldview about contraries. Humans will arrive exactly as who they are, she mused. If human’s do not like Trees or a Tree’s fruit, how then can they like Women? Human’s do not have to “like” a fruit, to respect a Tree, any kind of Tree is a Tree of Life.
What possibly may come from so many deaths? If i had not entrusted the care of Plum Tree, and had heeded the man's own words, then all those Plum children would not have died. The old Crow prayed for many years and made many offerings, and waited for guidance.
Years later, in a far off land, old Crow found a woman named Plum Blossom. Plum Blossom stood near seven feet tall, walked with long leg strides and she glowed with the purple pink hues of sunset sky. Crow followed Plum Blossom to her village home and waited in a nearby tree. Soon Plum Blossom, came out of her home with a blanket, pot of tea and two cups. After spreading the blanket, placing the tea pot and cups, she sat down an waited. Crow flew over and landed on the edge of Plum Blossom's blanket.
"Greetings, and welcome to my home old Crow, please have some tea and tell me your tales," said Plum Blossom as she poured the tea. Crow cleared her throat and greeted Plum Blossom with gratitude for her generosity, and then told her the story about the plight of Plum Tree's children. In Crow's grief, she told Plum Blossom, that she wanted to find a way to make amends to Plum Tree and her children, and maybe in that way, humans would one day respect all trees.
As Crow sipped the smooth fragrant tea, Plumb Blossom replied giving Crow the Medicinal Seeds of Knowledge of Plum Trees to take back to people. Since then, Plum Trees have grown to be beloved by human beings.
Alis ~ Itlatol
March 2017
