Red Berry and the Fire Spirits

Many years ago, when the world was still young, and the land from beyond the valley had not yet filled with the many tribes of man, there was the First Tribe of man, and their story, our story, began in distance valley. Our first home.

Surrounded by mountains, deep rivers and streams that ran into the lake. Rolling hills full of grass and wild grain. Green and dark forest, with the biggest trees. This land provided the First Tribe with much of what they needed. The rivers and lake provide fish, in which the women used the fine rib bones as needles to sew their clothing, and the riverbanks provided wild rice, that was cooked with meats, roots, and herbs. The streams as well provided the sharp, and pointed rocks that were used to make the spears and arrowheads. The rolling hills and forest provide much game, such as bison, deer, rabbits, and pheasants, as well as the many herbs and roots for flavoring food, to make healing potions. And the wide open spaces grew wild grain, in which they could make into bread.

The people of the First Tribe were content in the valley. The men hunted and foraged for food, the women cleaned, wove baskets and sewed clothing, and cooked the meals. The wise man told stories and gave healing to the injured and sick. And the children played and taught by their elders. None wanted to leave. But despite their happiness, there was one thing that they needed, and it terrified them.

Fire and those who had it. Fire that allowed the people to cook their food. It was what was used to keep them warm during the cold season, when the earth had become barren and covered in ice. And fire kept'd them protected, for without, the great bears and cats of the mountains would prey upon them.

The only way for the people of the First Tribe to get fire was from the Fire Spirits. A vain, and greedy people, who would sometimes punish the people of the First Tribe, either by denying them the fire or attacking them.

Each month, they would send for a child to come get the fire. This child, either boy or girl, would come with ten sticks, in this, one Fire Spirit would light one stick and when one stick would be about to go out, the child would then use the others to keep it alight and in this way, take the fire back to his/her people. But sometimes the smoke spirits would play tricks on the child, leading them astray and he/she would lose the fire or were never seen again. And so it went on for many years.

As the years went on by, a young girl was born into the tribe. She was not different from the other children, who, like all other children, would play and listen to their elders, and learning the ways of the tribe, but as she grew, she thought and saw the world differently from her people. She dreamed of the world beyond her village, beyond the forest, the valley, and beyond the mountains, and she dreamed of freedom from the Fire Spirits. Her name was Red Berry, so named for her love of the red winter berry and the red dress she always wore, made from the dye she made from the winter berry.

Now the time came when the First Tribe needed fire, and the Fire Spirits knew it. So they sent for a child to come get the fire. All gathered in the middle of the tribe huts and the Chief was to choose the child that would go. They chose Red Berry for the task. They gave her a pouch of food and water skin the ten sticks, tied together, to carry on her back. She was to leave the next day when the first rays of the sun rose above the mountains.

When the dawn came, the people of her tribe wished her luck and to not wonder from the path. And so began her journey. 

To get there she had to go through the darkest part of the forest, then to cross a mighty river, through barren hills, where nothing grew, the smoke spirits favorite place to trick and take children, and finally, she would reach the fire plains, with its molten rock and ash filled air, and in the center a mountain, the home of the Fire Spirits.

Red Berry came upon the darkest part of the forest. So dark that she could not see and soon she became lost. Unable to find her way to the path, tears fell.

“Why do you cry, little one?” asks a kind and gentle voice.

“I cannot see the path to the great river,” said Red Berry.

“I am brother Bobcat. I can see in the dark. Grab my tail and I will lead you to the great river,” said Bobcat.

And so Red Berry held on to Bobcat's tail and soon she was out of the forest. Thanking Brother Bobcat, she walked to the great river and, seeing how big the great river was, she did not know how to pass. Unable to find a way over, she sat close to the edge, unable to swim across.

“Why so sad, Red Berry?” asked a voice as if it were underwater.

“I cannot cross the great river to get to the barren hills,” said Red Berry.

“I am sister Rainbow Trout. Climb onto my back and I will take you across,” said Rainbow Trout.

And so Red Berry climb on top of Rainbow Trout, taking care not to get the ten sticks wet. And so, Red Berry, on the back of Rainbow Trout, crossed the great river and when they got to the other side, Red Berry thanked Sister Rainbow Trout.

She walked away from the great river and soon came upon the barren hills, home of the Smoke Spirits.

When Red Berry came upon the barren hills, she could go no further, afraid she was of the Smoke Spirits. They served the Fire Spirits, and were always trying to stop anyone from taking fire to the First Tribe and so Red Berry could go no further.

“Why are you here, Red Berry?” asked a voice, with mischief but warm and kind.

“Who is there?” asked Red Berry, thinking that it was a Smoke Spirit, come to trick her.

“Do not be frighten Red Berry, I am Coyote,”

And there he was, sitting up top a rock, on the edge of the barren hills.

“Coyote, have you come to trick me?” asked Red Berry.

For Coyote was a known trickster and Red Berry did not think that it was a good idea to talk to him. 

“No Red Berry, I have not come to trick you, I came to help you,” said Coyote.

No one had ever heard of Coyote helping before. He was the trickster, the deceiver, and she had never heard of him helping anyone.

“Why do you wish to help me, Coyote?”

“I have no love for the Fire Spirits. they do not share and they destroy too much of the land for my liking.” Said Coyote.

“How can you help me?” asked Red Berry.

“I can disguise you from the Smoke Spirits. Take this grey clock made of grey rabbit fur. I have let stay over the smoke of a fire and now it only smells of smoke. Cover your body and face and the Smoke Spirits will not know that it is you.”

And so Red Berry put on the grey cloak of rabbit fur and indeed it did smell of smoke and cover her body and face. She walked across the barren fields and not one Smoke Spirit stopped her, for they thought she was one of their own.

When Red Berry got to the end of the barren hills and at the beginning of the Fire Plains, she hid the grey cloak in a crevice, far from the flames of fire, knowing she would need it on the way back. 

But now how to cross the fire plains to the Fire Mountain, home of the Fire Spirits.

She did not know what to do, and she fell into despair.

“Now what troubles you Red Berry?” asked a voice.

Startled, Red Berry looked up and there was Coyote, in another grey cloak. He had followed her.

“I cannot cross the fire plains to get to the Fire Mountain, home of the Fire Spirits,” said Red Berry.

“Here, I will teach you a dance that would get you across the fire plains,” said Coyote.

And so, Red Berry learned to dance, to cross the fire plains.

When done, she crossed the fire plains, and found that she did not burn.

She danced all the way to the fire mountain, home of the Fire Spirits. And when she got there, she could not believe her eyes. The fire mountain was enormous, with molten rock coming out from its sides and top.

She looked around, but did not see the Fire Spirits. Not knowing what she should do, she sat upon a rock and was in despair.

“Why so sad, Red Berry?” a voice full of greed and vanity.

“Oh, are you a Fire Spirit?” asked Red Berry.

“Yes, I am, and I asked a question.”

“Forgive me, I did not know. I am here to get fire for my people of the First Tribe.”

“No,” said the Fire Spirit, “I will not give you fire. You have insulted me.”

Red Berry could not believe it. She needed to get the fire for her people. They were counting on her.

“Please, I beg of you, is there not something I can do?” asked Red Berry.

“Yes, you can. Can you dance like a fire? If you can, I will give you the fire and the knowledge on how to make it,” said the Fire Spirit.

Red Berry could not believe it. The Fire Spirit would give her the knowledge of how to make fire, but how was she to dance like fire?

The Fire Spirit thought himself clever. Not only would he have fun but the people of the First Tribe would not get the fire. He was sure that Red Berry would fail.

Red Berry did not know what to do until she remembered the dance that Coyote taught her. When she went through the fire fields, she moved like the fire. And that is when she knew she could dance like fire.

Putting down the ten sticks, she danced. And danced she did, moving like the fire, her red dress making it seem as if she were of the fire.

When her dance ended, the Fire Spirit could not believe his eyes.

“You have tricked me,” said the Fire Spirit.

“No, I have not,” said Red Berry, “and now you must give me what you have promised.”

And so the Fire Spirit did, with much angry in his heart, but with a plan to make her pay

As Red Berry was about to leave to cross the fire plains, that would take her to the barren hill, to the great river, to the dark forest, and then to the First Tribe, she heard a mighty voice, dark and malevolent, 

“Brothers and sisters, a child of the First Tribe, has stolen the knowledge of fire from me. Help me to get her back and to destroy her people.”

It was the voice of the Fire Spirit that had given her that same knowledge, and now he was going to get his people to take it from her and destroy her people.

Red Berry did not know what to do. She had to get home fast and warn her people, but how?

“Red Berry, Red Berry, come I will help you,” said Coyote. “take this grey dress and give me your red dress. I will dance away and let the Fire Spirits chase me.”

Red Berry did as she was told, take the grey dress and giving her red dress to Coyote. 

Coyote danced across the fire plains while Red Berry danced to the barren hills. Getting to the edge, she took the grey cloak and wrap it around her, crossing the barren hills, away from the eyes of the Smoke Spirits.

She got to the edge of the barren hills and ran to the great river. I had tricked the Fire Spirits, had caught up to Coyote and realized that he had tricked them. And ran to the barren hills and asked the Smoke Spirits if they had seen Red Berry.

“No,” they said, “we have seen no child cross.”

“How can this be, she as stolen the knowledge of fire from us,” replied the Fire Spirits.

“Come, brothers and sisters, she has the help of Coyote. He must've disguised her, and the only way for her to go home now is to cross the great river. Let us get there before she can,” said the Fire Spirit, who had given her the knowledge.

Indeed, Red Berry had made it to the great river, and did not know how to cross to get away from the Fire Spirits and warn her people.

“Red Berry, Red Berry, it is I, Sister Rainbow Trout, give me your grey dress and I will give you this blue dress. I wear your grey dress and swim away, making the Fire Spirits chase me, but you must get on the back of Brother Salmon.”

Red Berry did as she was told. Taking off her grey dress and giving it to Sister Rainbow Trout and putting on the blue dress. She got onto the back of Brother Salmon and together they crossed the river, while Sister Rainbow Trout swam upriver, away from them. 

The Fire Spirits, thinking that it was Red Berry, chased Rainbow Trout almost all the way upriver, until they realized it was not Red Berry.

“Brothers and Sisters, again she has gotten help, come we can still stop her, for she must still walk through the dark forest,” said the Fire Spirit who had given her the knowledge of fire.

The Fire Spirits were angry. How could this have happened? They wondered, how could a mere child do this? They did not yet know that one of their own had given the knowledge of fire to her.

When Red Berry and Brother Salmon made it to the other side of the great river, Red Berry ran to the edge of the great forest but did not know how to go through it, for it was still dark.

“Red Berry, Red Berry, it is I Brother Bobcat. Give me your blue dress and I will give you this green dress. I will wear your blue dress and lead the Fire Spirits away and you will ride Cousin Deer’s back. He knows every root and rock in the forest. He will take you through the great forest.”

And so Red Berry did as she was told, giving Brother Bobcat her blue dress and she taking the green dress. Getting on the back of Cousin Deer, they ran swiftly through the forest, while Brother Bobcat lead the Fire Spirits deeper into the darkest part of the forest.

The Fire Spirits came upon the forest and, seeing the blue dress running away, chased it. Burning up the forest, they ran through it until they caught up to Brother Bobcat. Again, they realized, it was another trick. To take them once again off of the trail of Red Berry.

“Brothers and Sisters, she has tricked us again. Come, I see her. She is on the back of Cousin Deer. They have almost made it out of the forest,” said the Fire Spirit, who gave the knowledge of fire to Red Berry.

Angry and wanting to punish this trickster child, they ran to the edge of the forest.

Red Berry and Cousin Deer had reached the edge of the forest and, without stopping, Cousin Deer continued to run.

The South Wind came upon them and blew so hard that it felt as if they were flying.

When the Fire Spirits came to the edge of the forest, they saw Red Berry and Cousin Deer and gave chase. But the North Wind came upon them and blew a cold wind, slowing down the Fire Spirits and giving Red Berry and Cousin Deer time to reach her people.

Red Berry and Cousin Deer came upon the huts of the First Tribe. The people of the First Tribe had seen the forest go up in fire, and feared that the Fire Spirits will destroy them. 

Red Berry and Cousin Deer ran to the tribe.

“My people, my people,” cried out Red Berry, “we must leave this land and go. One of their own has tricked them so they may finally destroy us,”

“COME TO ME,” said a great and deep voice.

“DO NOT BE FRIGHTEN, I AM THE SPIRIT OF THE LAKE. TAKE YOUR CANOUS AND PADDLE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE, I WILL PROTECT YOU.”

The people of the First Tribe and Red Berry did as they were told, and just as they were about to leave,

“Wait for us, wait for us,” said many voices, “take us with you.”

The people of the First Tribe looked up and saw many animals. At first they would not, until Red Berry spoke up.

“Please let us take them. If not for a few, I would not have been able to get fire or get here fast enough to warn you.”

With that, the people of the First Tribe made room and soon all were in the middle of the lake, wondering and fearing what was going to happen.

The Fire Spirits came upon the huts of the First Tribe and burned them all, thinking that the people were still inside. But no one was there. 

“Where are they?” said one Spirit.

“They could not have gotten far,” said another.

“There they are. They are their canoes and in the middle of the lake,” said the Fire Spirit, who had given the knowledge of fire to Red Berry. “Come, let us burn away the water and punish the people of the First Tribe.”

The Fire Spirits roared up and advanced on the lake, thinking to burn away the water, but before they could and the Lake Spirit spoke up,

“YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING, YOU HAVE BEEN TRICKED BY ONE OF YOUR OWN. HE CHALLENGED RED BERRY AND SAID IF SHE WON SHE COULD HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF FIRE. NOW, COME ANY CLOSER AND YOU WILL BE PUT OUT.”

“Who did this? Who gave the knowledge of fire away?” asked the leader of the Fire Spirts.

“THE ONE WHO CALLED THE CHASE,” said the Lake Spirit.

“WHAT?” said the Fire Leader, “you, how could you do this?”

“Red Berry was not supposed to win. I did not think she would. I thought she was going to lose,” said the Fire Spirit, who gave the knowledge of fire to Red Berry.

“YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS.”

The rest of the Fire Spirits fell upon him and consumed his fire, leaving him nothing more than a Smoke Spirit. When done, the Fire Leader looked upon the people of the First Tribe and spoke,

“You may keep the knowledge of fire. You have won it fairly. But now you have no home, so we have still punished you for daring to defy us.”

Laughing, the Fire Spirits went on their way home, never once looking back.

Now the people of the First Tribe and the animals did not know what to do. Everything was burning and soon it would be nothing but ash. 

But none was more sad than Red Berry. She thought that if she had not done the dance and had only gotten the fire, then her people would still have a home.

“DO NOT BE IN DISPAIR, I WILL HELP YOU FIND A NEW HOME OR RATHER RIVER SPIRIT WILL,” said the Lake Spirit.

“Yes,” said the River Spirit, “I know of a way out of the valley, another river that will take you beyond here and away from the Fire Spirits.”

At first, the people of the First Tribe were afraid, but with their home gone, they agreed.

The River Spirit led them beyond the valley mountains and into a new land. One with no boundaries. Coming upon a new shore, the First Tribe and the animals got out of the canoes. The animals went into the new forest and hills of the land, and the people of the First Tribe built their new home.

Red berry taught her people how to create fire and the fire dance from Coyote. To never forget and should they ever need to see the Fire Spirits again, they knew what they had to do.

Many years had passed since then and many people of the First Tribe have gone off into the new world. Building their own tribes and families, but they never forgot where they came from or what Red Berry did to make it all possible.