How Etto Became Chief 

By:Andrew H

Many moons ago there was no night because the moon and the sun were both giving daylight to the world. The people of a little prairie nation were always tired and hot. They wished that it wasn’t so hot everyday. One day a young boy named Etto went to sleep in the field and when he woke up there was a little woman kneeling next to him. She said that she had saved him from a crow attack. She wanted Etto to come with her, no crows tried to attack Etto. He thought she was up to something. When Etto and the hag got to her hut he saw that she had many spell writings in a corner. Etto sat down and the woman turned him into a Raven. When he realized what had happened the woman yelled, “I know why it’s never dark.” Then Etto flew away, scared the hag might try and get him. Etto flew back to the tribe but nobody knew that the raven was crazy.Etto decided to go back to the hags hut. When he got there he saw her lighting arrows on fire and shooting them up into the sky. Etto looked up and saw the arrows hitting the flaming rock that was the moon. Etto flew as fast as he could and knocked the hag unconscious. Etto now knew why it was always so hot. Etto went to the village again and the people all believed him. So the people and Etto went to see the hag. When they got there she was shooting flaming arrows again at the moon, now they all believed him. One of the hunters took one of the hags arrows pushed her down then she dropped her bow. The hunter picked up the bow and shot the hag right in the heart. When she was dead suddenly Raven started slowly turning back into Etto so they started to leave, then the most beautiful sight any of them had ever seen with the beautiful sight and the twinkling stars. Now that Etto was no longer Raven everybody was so happy to really see him again. The people burnt the old hags tipi down along with spells and body. When the people got back home everybody thanked Etto for bringing the night and the beautiful sight no one could remember seeing before. Etto came out of the tipi that he was in and saw all the animals of the plains looking at him. Then the animals all walked up to him one by one and said many thanks to him for bringing night to them. Then the animals all left but one buffalo who walked up to Etto and started changing. He was a human he told Etto that the hag changed me into a buffalo 4 winters ago. I saw her shooting flaming arrows at the moon he said. “When she saw me she yelled something then before I knew it I was running in herds of buffalo” he said. Thanks to you I am a human again. Now I must try and find my tribe I have traveled many kilometers and I don’t no where my tribe is. But know I can rest in the midnight gleam of the moon and stars. When Etto got back to his tribal area everyone was outside just standing. They let the chief go up to Etto, he said, “Etto you have given us night and stopped the hag from making it hot forever, who lived through being a raven and saved elders from dying which is why you are no longer a boy, you are a man.” Etto walked over to his mother she was so happy that her son had become a man. The man that Etto changed back into a human from a buffalo came into the tribe, walked up to the chief and told him what had happened then the chief said “You may join our tribe if you are worthy of a test you must go out and kill a buffalo alone and be back by morning.” The man said “I accept this test” so they gave him a bow and arrow. Then he left.

In the morning he returned with as much buffalo as he could carry. Then there was a ceremony so that the man could become a member of the tribe. There were beautiful dances chants and many other things that they did. Etto was one of the best dancers in the whole tribe. All this happened because the moon was on fire, and stopped by Etto. Now the people will always have the comforting night to gaze at after a long day Etto went out to the place were all the excitement was yesterday. He stood starring at the ground were the hags tipi was, there was a piece of meat lying there. Etto went to pick it up. When he did, from under the buffalo meat was person coming out of the grass. After about a minute the person had completely come out of the ground it said to Etto, “I’m the Great Spirit I know all and can do all.” Etto replied he said, “Why are you here.” The Great Spirit said I made you pick up the buffalo meat so I could talk to you. I also brought you out here so you would not be apart in this war, because you must go on a quest for yourself. You must go to the Western most river there you will find great fortune waiting for you. Etto really wanted to go but what about my tribe. The Great Spirit said to Etto “If you go back they will of forgotten you completely, If you go west everyone will always remember you no matter what.” Etto knew know that he must go west

Etto left right away because if he went to the village they would all forget him. He had absolutely nothing. Etto had traveled for 4 moons at top speed, when he saw a giant mountain at the top. There was a glaze of light he really wanted to see what it was up there so he decided that he was going to climb it, but it would take a while to get to the top. The next day Etto came to an odd tipi with unusual markings on the side a big bear at the top all the way around. Etto called out to whoever lived in the tipi. A deep scratchy voice answered, “Who is waking Nahu from his hibernation, is it Spring yet.” No it is not Spring yet but can you let me come in. Nahu allowed Etto to come in but when he saw Nahu he was shocked it was a bear starring right at him, to afraid to talk Etto sat down and tried to keep warm. Nahu was as tall as a tree and as big as one to. His voice was like thunder in the night. Etto decided it would be better to talk to Nahu. Etto started a conversation with Nahu about what’s at the top of the mountain. Nahu was saying that he had tried to go to the top many times but had never actually made it to the top. This did not help Etto believe that he could if Nahu couldn’t. Etto told Nahu that he was going to the top of the mountain. Nahu told Etto that there are many dangers to the top. Etto asked Nahu if he had weapons. Nahu did not answer but he walked out of the tipi picked up a bow and arrow and handed them to Etto. Etto nodded to Nahu and began to walk up the mountain. After a couple of hours Etto saw a pack of wolves starring him down. Etto did not want to kill the wolves just to get by so he was going to keep as much meat as he could. Etto took out n arrow and shot one of the wolves. Luckily he shot the leader so all the others ran off frightened that Etto would kill them. So now Etto could walk up the mountain further.

When Etto reached a small pond with little frogs in it. They continued to disappear so Etto looked into the pool of water and saw a hole just big enough for him to fit through. Etto jumped into the pool, the pressure of the water pulled him through the water faster than an arrow shot by the greatest warrior. Etto hit his head on a rock and fell unconscious. When he woke up he was sitting in a green field with flowers all around. When Etto decided to get up and look around. Etto found a little tipi he asked who lived in the tipi but nobody was in it.

Etto left and went into a small wood were he found Deer. Etto asked Deer were he was Deer answered “You are at the top of the mountain, your people are waiting for you in the village.” Thanks yelled Etto after he had already started running through the woods. When Etto got to the other side of the woods there were many people standing waiting for him. A young man named Letu told Etto “because you have made it to the top of the mountain you will become our well cherished chief.” And when Etto went to sleep that night he thought of all the great things he had done under a moon lit fire. Chief Etto told everyone how he brought night to the world.

THE END