Native American Legends
The Cloud People
A Sia Legend
Now all the Cloud People, the Lightning People, the Thunder and
Rainbow Peoples followed the Sia into the upper world. But all the
people of Tinia, the middle world, did not leave the lower world.
Only a portion were sent by the Spider to work for the people of
the upper world. The Cloud People are so many that, although the
demands of the Earth people are so great, there are always many
passing about over Tinia for pleasure. These Cloud People ride on
wheels, small wheels being used by the little Cloud children and
large wheels by the older ones.
The Cloud People keep always behind their masks. The shape of the
mask depends upon the number of the people and the work being done.
The Henati are the floating white clouds behind which the Cloud
People pass for pleasure.
The Heash are clouds like the plains and behind these the Cloud
People are laboring to water the Earth.
Water is brought by the Cloud People, from the springs at the base
of the mountains, in gourds and jugs and vases by the men, women,
and children. They rise from the springs and pass through the trunk
of the tree to its top, which reaches Tinia. They pass on to the
point to be sprinkled.
The priest of the Cloud People is above even the priests of the
Thunder, Lightning, and Rainbow Peoples. The Cloud People have ceremonies,
just like those of the Sia. On the altars of the Sia may be seen
figures arranged just as the Cloud People sit in their ceremonies.
When a priest of the Cloud People wishes assistance from the Thunder
and Lightning Peoples, he notifies their priests, but keeps a supervision
of all things himself.
Then the Lightning People shoot their arrows to make it rain the
harder. The smaller flashes come from the bows of the children.
The Thunder People have human forms, with wings of knives, and by
flapping these wings they make a great noise. Thus they frighten
the Cloud and Lightning People into working the harder.
The Rainbow People were created to work in Tinia to make it more
beautiful for the people of Ha-arts, the Earth, to look upon. The
elders make the beautiful rainbows, but the children assist. The
Sia have no idea of what or how these bows are made. They do know,
however, that war heroes always travel upon the rainbows.
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