Creations Song - a story by Howard J.

A long time ago, when the earth was new, a young man made a flute. He listened carefully and learned to play the songs of the birds. His music charmed his family and community. Everyone was glad when he came, because his music made the people glad.

One day, a Raven landed in a tree while the young man was playing. When the boy finished, the Raven spoke, “That was nice.”
The young man smiled and thanked Raven for his kind words.
Then Snine (owl) asked if he could play the Creation Song. The young man sat puzzled as he tried to think. After a while, he answered that he didn’t know the Creation Song.
“Whoo…who…when you know that song, you will know them all,” Snine softly said; and with that, he flew away without a sound.

The young man asked the other musicians in the village if they knew the Creation Song. Some of them said that they knew it, but wouldn’t share it with him. Then they would argue with each other, each claiming to know the Creation Song and saying that the others did not know it.

The young man went to the elders and asked if they knew the Creation Song. Each one said that he had heard of it, and at rare moments while fasting and praying up in the mountains, they heard a soft sweet music more beautiful than any they had heard before. It seemed to only come when they were quiet and listening. Yet, they seemed to hear it with their heart and not their ears. The moment that they became aware of the music and tried to listen with their ears, the music stopped.

“I want to learn this song,” announced the young man. He went to his home and chose a large basket like the ones the Oolichin Grease traders would use for their great trips. He packed it with clothes, rope, antler tools, and his flute. As he prepared to go, his mother and father came and spoke to him, “where are you going with the large basket, my son?”
“I am going into the mountains to try to find the Creation Song,” he answered.
“Please stay with us, do not go away,” his mother pleaded, “we depend on you to play for us and make us happy.”
“Mother, while I know many songs, they do not fill my heart,” he answered. “I think there is a Creation Song, a song of songs, the best of the songs, and I must hear it…or at least I must try.”

“Well, do not go far, my son,” his father said, “stay a few days out there, and then come home again.” His father thought that the journey would be too great for him. Besides, there were spirits out there, spirits that were not known to them. It was dangerous to go far from the village…alone. (part 1 of 4)