Native American Legends
The Shut-Eye Dance
A Menomini Legend
Manabush was wandering along, stopping now and then to examine
a flower, or to watch the flight of a bird or butterfly, when he
suddenly saw at a little distance a number of water birds of different
kinds. There were duck, geese and swans among them. They were dancing
in a circle and were enjoying themselves.
As he drew near them he said to them, "My friends I have brought
some songs with me. I will sing for you while you dance. You must
all keep your eyes closed while you dance, if not, I will stop singing."
The birds consented and began to dance.
As one of them came near to him he grasped it's neck to prevent
it's crying out. In this way he killed a number of birds. One bird,
a duck, not hearing the voices of it's friends opened it's eyes.
It saw the dead dancers laying at the feet of Manabush. It flew
into the air and cried out, "My brothers, Manabush is killing
us. Fly, or we shall all be killed!" Instantly all of the birds
opened their eyes and flew in all directions. All escaped. Manabush
called to the duck that had sounded the warning, and said, "For
this disobedience you shall always have red eyes." To this
day the rings around the eyes of this duck are red.
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