A True Cherokee Legend about Strawberries

[cdinanno]

First Man & 1st Woman 

Have you ever had a fight with a friend or brother & sister?  Before you know it--you were yelling mean things that you really didn't mean to say, mainly about what they looked like & smelled like, they were stupid & you hated them.  And you really didn't mean it. 

But when we are angry we say things without thinking first, don't we?  Well, a long time ago, that's exactly what happened between 1st man & 1st woman.  And they were very, very much in love & they loved the animals.  What happened that day no body can ever remember.  But all of a sudden 1st woman said, "You are the slowest man on the face of the earth.  I asked you two days ago to help me with this & now look what happened."  "Well, you call me slow, you're as slow as an old turtle."  I asked if you'd do this."  And not only that, you're fat."  "Fat, well you're ugly."  Oh, the ugly things they said about one another.  And oh, he was so mad and they were yelling & screaming. 

1st Woman burst into tears & she ran out the door.  He ran after her, and he hollered, "Don't you ever come back." Oh, he was so angry & he stomped around, & he thought "She called me fat!  Fat?  How dare she?  She ought to look at herself before she--Oh, don't ever come back & tell me that."

Then it got later & later, & he got a little worried about her.  So he went to the edge of the clearing & kinda called her name & no answer.  And he thought, "That all right.  You stay out all night.  See if I care."  And he walked back and slammed the door, & it got real late, & real dark.  There were no lights then, and he was really worried & he thought, "Gosh, what if something really has happened to her?  Oh no, oh I can't wait to see her & tell her I'm sorry.  I told her she was ugly.  She's not ugly.  Oh, I'm sorry."

And at first light, the next day, he started out to find where she was.  And he began to see little signs, & he found a broken leaf on a branch.  And he could see the bent grass where she ran.  So, pretty soon, he started noticing that there was a little flower just about the size of a woman's foot running, & it was a straight line. 

He's never seen these flowers before & he followed the little white flowers that led him straight to where she was.  She had laid down & gone to sleep.  She stayed right there so he could find her.

He woke her up and said, "Oh, my baby, I'm so sorry."  And she went, "Oh, smooch, smooch honey darlin.  Oh, mushy, mushy.

And they promised they wouldn't fight anymore, they put their arms around each other, and started walking back home, lovey-dovey.  And as they steppped over the white flowers, they bloomed out into strawberries.  And the strawberries are supposed to remind us now not to ever fight with the people we care about.  That's just a reminder about 1st man & 1st woman's fight, and how we got strawberries in the world.

 

That's how Cherokee people got the 1st strawberries.  And the legend goes on to tell us that we should keep them in our home at all times.  Maybe a picture, maybe jelly, it may be strawberry jam.  To remind us not to argue as 1st man & 1st woman did.

[stillamom1213]

Feb. 15, 2009 at 9:50 PM

Thank you for sharing such a lovely story! I will try to always think of strawberries, as I think of starfish! Oh, the things my sisters teach me. Much love and thanks for your ongoing and unfailing support in my time of need! Love, me