Many Native American tribes had myths that explained virtually everything within their lives. They helped them to establish morals by which they expected their children to live. They explained how their tribal lives came to be. And they told stories of their history and, of course, their heroes.
Some faction of nature almost always played a role within Native American myths. Sometimes the stories involved animals. Sometimes they dealt with the seasons. Other times they had to do with other factions of nature.
One of the things that Native Americans loved best was the world that surrounded them; the earth and the skies most of all. These aspects of nature were carefully woven into many of their stories. The following is one of my favorite Native American myths, which I believe is Apache in nature. It is the story of three sisters.
Once upon a time there were three young sisters barely one year apart in age. One was 13. One was 14. One had just turned 15.
The sisters spent much of their free time together exploring the land around their village and talking about their futures. The oldest one proclaimed “I will marry the chief’s son and someday I will help him rule the council. We will be very wealthy.”
The middle one said “I will marry the most courageous of our clan’s braves and together we will build our own village.” But the youngest sister, when asked her plans for the future, only responded by saying “I will do something to help protect our people.
Her sisters laughed at her and chided her that no woman, alone, could do something that important. “Perhaps I won’t have to do it alone,” she responded. But when pressed, the youngest sister would say nothing more.
A year passed and true to her word, the oldest sister married the son of the chief. Later that year, his father died and he became chief in his place making the sister the head of all women within the tribe just as she had dreamed. Together they amassed great wealth, none of which they deemed to share with the poorest among the tribe.
Another year passed and also true to her word, the middle sister married the most courageous brave in the tribe. Together, the two of them started their own village nearby in hopes of aligning themselves with the white man rather than their own kind.
However, the older sisters still found time to spend with the youngest among them. They would take long walks by the stream and pick flowers in the meadow. Each time they pressed their sister to share her hopes and dreams.
Finally, one day she finally opened up to them. “See that star over there; the first of the evening?” she asked. Her sisters responded that they did. “He is the guardian of our people. I intend to marry him and help him watch over all of you.”
Her sisters had a good laugh at her expense and then admonished her not to indulge in such silly dreams. But the young girl didn’t allow them to discourage her.
When she turned 15, the youngest sister traveled to the top of the mountain that lay underneath the star. There she knelt in prayer.
“Evening star that watches over my people,” she prayed. “I want to help you in your work. I want to sit by your side and keep a watchful eye over those that we both hold so dear. Please accept my proposal and take me to live with you.”
Unfortunately, nothing happened so the girl returned home. Every night, however, she returned to the same spot and once again repeated her prayer. This she continued for many months. Finally, her sisters got wind of her indulgence and set off to find their baby sister to stop her once and for all from making a fool of herself and of them.
As they grew closer to the mountaintop they could hear their sister as she knelt in prayer. But this time they did not laugh at her for they could hear the sincerity in her voice, the longing in her words, and the faith in her heart. So, instead of chastising her once they reached the mountaintop, they too knelt in prayer.
Together, the three sisters repeated the prayer over and over again until suddenly the evening star grew so bright that it lit the surrounding area for miles. A booming voice spoke out.
“Your words ring true, my child, and your sisters support your decision to leave them in order to take part in the greater good. So I will grant your wish and take you for my bride.”
With that, the young maiden began to glow brightly and slowly but surely lifted into the sky until she sat right next to her star husband. Her beauty and brightness awed her sisters. But more than that, they were touched by her selflessness and her courage.
From that day forward, the young maiden and her star watched over her people. And her sisters, inspired by the baby among them, also found ways to help the less fortunate among them. Together, they became well known within their tribe for their beauty, their kindness, and their unselfish devotion to all.
The oldest sister encouraged her husband to share their wealth with the poor. For her kindness, she was given the English name “Charity.”
The middle sister and her husband moved back to the village of their people and worked to teach them how to read and speak English; how to make crafts; and how to grow new crops. For this her people granted her the English name of “Hope.”
And the baby among them; the one that refused to give up on her dream or her people was given the English name of “Faith.” And that is how Faith, Hope, and Charity became a part of Native America.
