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View Full Version : Where did the Big Dipper come from?



mamabear
09-30-2002, 10:04 AM
I had the pleasure of meeting Linda Carter and her family this past weekend @ the Peanut Fest in Emporia, VA. We had an opportunity to briefly discuss some of the "bedtime stories" my granmother used to tell me when I was little. I was invited to join this forum so here I am!!
I was wondering if anyone had heard of this story about the big dipper and if so, do U know where it originated?
The People, never any affiliation to any tribe, always the People lived in a valley where the sky was so low that everytime anyone went outside they were always bumping thier heads on the clouds. One day the elders decided to try and push the sky a little higher so that they wouldn't be bumping thier heads all the time. The elders gathered all the people and told them to find the tallest reeds they could find to push the sky up. No one knew that morning seven braves and thier little dog too had gone up into the sky to do some hunting. As the people pushed on the sky it started to rise. They kept pushing and pushing until the sky reached where it is still today. The braves were so caught up in thier hunting that they did not know the sky was rising and they were stuck and couldn't get down. Now the seven stars that form the big dipper are those seven braves. If U look at the bottom of the dipper there is a faint star which is the little dog that was with them.

Tom
09-30-2002, 01:22 PM
Hello mamabear, well that story has a very familiar ring to it, many stories relate to the dog trail in the sky, this is a very familiar theme.
can you tell us more about your family?
You really have a very fine traditional story!
All the best Tom.

Linda
10-06-2002, 11:12 PM
Glad you found your way here, Mama Bear? Who told you this story, your grandmother? Any other tidbits you remember? This is very special, please try and remember all you can.

[This message has been edited by Linda (edited 10-06-2002).]

Tom
04-06-2006, 03:32 PM
Linda this is the trhead and the story that I was mentioning ealier.
Really a great piece to document, I wish that this person was still around!

Tom
12-06-2006, 03:38 PM
Just refreshing for new members, aswell I think that some of this story could be represented in beadwork etc.
Oh sometimes on Northern plains pipes and possibly others aswell as small eagle feather was attached to the end of the pipe stem for that little dog!