(author’s note- this is a story I wrote almost a quarter-century ago for young boys and their dads who were participating in an overnight “long-house” camping trip with the Tuckahoe (Virginia) Y-Indian Guides, explaining the change in the seasons. It is also a parable about race, diversity and acceptance…)
The Many-Colored Headdress
Many, many years ago, before man understood the passage of the seasons, there were four great chiefs in the sky. Each of these chiefs wore a headdress that was made of feathers having only a single color, and this color was different from those of the other chiefs. During the passage of the year, each chief would boast that it was his headdress that was more beautiful than that of the others.
In the spring, Chief Green Feather would begin his dance, saying, “Look at my beautiful green feathers and how they shine in the warming sun. All of the earth below is awash in the beautiful green of my feathers. All of the flowers, which only bloom for me, are supported by the stems and stalks that are green. Surely, my green feathers are the most beautiful.”
In summer, when the sun was high, Chief Yellow Feather would begin his dance and say, “Look at my beautiful yellow feathers. They are the color of the blazing sun which warms the sky and the earth, below. All life seeks the warmth that only my feathers can bring. Surely it is my feathers which are the most beautiful.”
In autumn, Chief Red Feather would begin his dance and say, “Look at my feathers, and how they adorn the trees in such beautiful shades of red. Only when I dance, do the trees and mountains show such beauty, and even the sky is red as it follows the setting sun. Surely, my red feathers are the most beautiful.”
In the cold of winter, Chief White Feather would begin his dance and say, “Look at my white feathers and how they cover the earth, below. Only when I dance, is the earth below as pure and clean, and even the full moon, above, is colored with my feathers. Surely, my white feathers, are the most beautiful of all.”
When he had heard enough, the Great Spirit which ruled the four chiefs, gathered them together and said, “How foolish you are to argue over which of you wears the most beautiful headdress. Because you have been so foolish, I will take half of the feathers from each of your headdresses, and from these I will make my own headdress. Then you will see the most beautiful headdress of all.”
When the Great Spirit had assembled his own headdress, using the green, yellow, red and white feathers, the four chiefs agreed that this was the most beautiful headdress they had ever seen. By alternating the four colors, over and over, the headdress of the Great Spirit was, indeed, magnificent.
The Great Spirit then said to the four chiefs, “Because you have learned that the most beautiful headdress is one that has each of the colors you wear, each of you will have your own time, in every year that comes. And I will teach man to mark the passage of the years as when you come and go, until you come and go no more.”
This might explain why we have the seasons of the year, but it also might explain that, although our skin may be black, brown, yellow, red or white- all are beautiful in their own way, and all are even more beautiful when taken together.
-Drew Nickell, 25 August 2018
© 1995, 2018 by Drew Nickell, all rights reserved.
author of “Bending Your Ear- a Collection of Essays on the Issues of Our Times”
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