Monday, June 24, 2013

Unity's Tale- The Magic Bird Part 3

This story begins with the post called "7 Sticks":

Looking at the children Chaco realized that he could not give up. The future of the children and the villages was at stake, and before his elders fell under the spell of the birds, they trusted him to solve this issue. He recommitted himself to solve this problem even if he had to go and cut this tree down himself, but then the thought hit him, that it was the children's future at stake so why not get them to help. He at first dismissed the thought, but soon realized that he had no choice. He knew that the elders (grandparents), and the warriors and nation builders (parents) would oppose this idea so he decided to keep it secret. Chaco called the children outside his window to his door, had them spread the word to all the children in the villages, with the instructions to keep it secret from all but the ears of other children. They were to tell the children to the sacred meeting spot and bring as many tools as they could carry because they had a important mission to accomplish.
When Chaco arrived at the meeting area he was surprised to see all the children that responded to his call. Chaco moved to the center of the crowd and walked up on the platform. He knew that time was of the essence because the parents would notice that the children were gone and he had to move forward with his plan with as much haste as possible.
Chaco stood on the stage and brought this meeting to order.
"Ago" he shouted, and without a hesitation the children responded.
"Ame"
"Children I have called you to this meetings because the fate of the villages we love are at stake and you are the only ones that can save it. As you well know our villages have been attacked by swarms of magic birds, who are consuming all of our prepared food."
The children began nodding their heads in agreement, and Chaco continued.
"Are you tired of your food being taken from your hands?"
The children in one great voice yelled, "Yes!"
Chaco then asked them the critical question, "Are you willing to do something about it?"
Without hesitation the children responded, "Yes!"
"Then we will go and destroy these birds home and by doing that we will solve all of our problems."
The children responded "Yes", and began clapping their hands.
Then Chaco began his chant, "Down with the birds!"
"Down with the birds!"
"Down with the birds!"
The children responded and began to chant along with him, and Chaco jumped off the stage and began leading the chanting children to the tree.
When they got close to the tree everyone paused and took in the beautiful sight of the birds sitting on this tree. The beauty of the sight was "stuff of legend", and the children got even more excited and before Chaco knew what was happening the children all ran toward the tree and began chopping. Chaco tried to slow them down, but they started working together and chopping the tree.
"Chop"
"Chop"
"Chop"
The axes rang and then the birds began their song. Immediately Chaco began to have visions of the past and began to dance with tears of joy. He was able to see why the elders refused to cut down the tree. The children on the other hand continued chopping.
"Chop"
"Chop"
"Chop"
The birds then changed their song and Chaco snapped out of his haze just as the birds began to sing another song. This song like the other enraptured Chaco, as visions of the future flashed. He again began to dance with joy without even caring about what was going on with the children. Now he understood why his fellow nation builders, and warriors refused to chop the tree down. The visions that this song brought about the future was magnificent and Chaco once again lost his desire to chop the tree down. The children on the other hand continued chopping the children.
 "Chop"
"Chop"
"Chop"
The birds song another song and this one knocked Chaco out, but the children continued chopping the tree and began to sing the chant that Chaco had started them with.
"Down with the birds!"
"Down with the birds!"
"Down with the birds!"
The children kept working, and the chopping became a part of the song that the birds screamed out.
Finally the children all went behind the tree and pushed with all of their strength, and when the tree fell they all yelled together, "Timber". The tree fell to the ground and the birds went silent and appeared to turn into little colorful statues stuck to the limbs of the tree.
 Chaco a woke just in time to witness the miracle that would change the very fabric of his peoples culture. He watched the children rush at the branches and each one grabbing one of the birds. As they picked up the birds they and the bird began to glow and from what Chaco could tell the children absorbed the magic bird within themselves. Each child grabbed a bird without fear, and when they had completed their task they began to celebrate.
They followed Chaco back to the meeting place, and Chaco sent some children to call all of the adults back to the sacred meeting grounds. When they arrived they were amazed by the site. The children were all dancing and enjoying themselves. The spirit of joy was contagious and the adults could not help but participate with the children. When all of the adults arrived, Chaco shouted the words that got everyones attention and raised his arm from the central platform.
"Ago"
The crowd all responded "Ame!" and it rolled out like thunder.
"I know that you are wondering why your children are celebrating. The fact is that they have saved our villages. Yes the children accomplished what the elders with all of their wisdom, and the warriors and nation builders with all their strength could not. Our children have saved us from the birds, and it appears as if they have absorbed their magic into themselves."
Pausing to make sure that everyone was following what he had said, he continued.
"Our children were not bewitched by the birds and the tree for one simple reason, that is because they operate in the present. Our elders fell prey to the past that the birds sung about, the rapture of those moments overpowered them. The warriors and nation builders were entranced by the birds song of the future, but our children fell for neither song. They stayed busy in the present moment and conquered the birds and the magic of the tree."
The elders, nation builders, and warriors applauded the children and celebrated their victory for it was a victory for all.

Unity walked toward his seat after completing his story. Pulling on his chair he stopped, looked at his father and saw the pride in his eyes and before he sat down he stated.
" Now our father often told us stories involving the Nyame, but he stressed that this was the critical moment in the Nyame's known history. This is where the Nyame changed because those children that absorbed the magic of the birds became the generation of change for those people. Those children who were able to fight the magic of the birds by being in the present moment set the ground work of greatness. It was said that those children began to advance the Nyame understanding of the world, and from that generation the magic was said to be passed from generation to generation until the Nyame became so advanced in their understanding that they simple vanished from our world."
Unity sat down and his father stood to his feet, and began to clap.
"My son I can not believe that you remembered that tale, you told it so beautifully, but can you tell me what it taught you."
Unity took a sip of water from his cup and got back on his feet as his father sat back down.
"Father first of all I need you to realize that just because young people act as if they are not listening or learning it is not truth. i have absorbed much from your words, and deeds.
I use that story when ever I am in a difficult spot in my personal and business life. First off it reminds me of the importance of people working together, and also it reminds me that to be successful in life you need to look outside the normal for some solutions. I also learned that the future and the past can sometimes be a road block to making progress. The principle of unity works in the present."
The old man then rose to his feet again and began to speak.
"I hope that the rest of you were listening, and are able to tell your stories as Unity has."
Siting down and looking once again at his oldest son with pride, he waited for the next tell. The whole table fell into silence as they waited for Determination to rise to her feet and begin her story.
Determination rose and backed away from the table, and looked at her father with love, and bowed her head to him.
"My father as my older brother has shared with you we all learned may things from you, but the tale that has stuck with me for all these years, and has helped me the most is the story you told about the "Princess With The Crooked Back"


Friday, June 21, 2013

Unity's Tale- "Magic Bird part 2"


This story begins with "Seven Sticks"

These birds had overcome the wisest of the Nyame, and now he was left with only the warriors and nation builders. Chaco did not doubt their abilities, but he knew this was a special situation. These birds were magic in nature, and if their magic was strong enough to stop the elders then the warriors and nation builders may not have a chance. Chaco considered the situation, and finally came upon the conclusion that he had no choice. These birds were a plague, and soon the villages would suffer famine if something was not done. Chaco called the messenger and told him to have all the warriors and nation builders gather at the sacred meeting spot, and bring their tools of war, the Nyame people needed them.
The messenger went to all the villages and by that afternoon, every able-bodied man and woman were standing in the holy meeting area ready to go to battle for their people. Chaco also sent a messenger to gather the people who were skilled in the use of the axe. He chose the 10 best and decided to have them walk to the stage in the center of the circle with him.
Chaco walked through the center of the crowd followed by the 10 men and women who all carried axes, and the crowd made way. Chaco climbed the stairs and looked all around him and rose his fist up in the air, and the crowd all at the same time replied to his gesture:
"You called and We have come!"
After that they everyone began clapping. Chaco raised an open hand this time and shouted:
"Ago!"
The then crowd grew silent and responded to his call.
"Ame!"
Chaco after that began his speech:
"Warriors and nation builders, I have called you because our villages need you. We are facing a terrible threat, and if we do not succeed, I fear that we as a group are doomed."
Chaco fell silent so that this point could sink into the crowd, and they could feel the weight of this responsibility.
"I know that all of you have felt the sting of these birds, who dare to encroach on our sacred lands. They have come in a swarm moving faster than even our best warriors. This magic hoard has covered our lands and has denied all of us the taste of prepared food. To keep from starving many of us have reverted to eating raw food, unprepared food, uncooked food like we are scavengers in our own home."
A rumble of understanding and agreement flowed over and through the crowd.
"Now my brothers and sisters I must admit that you were not my initial choice in dealing with this problem, I first approached the elders who went out to deal with the birds. The magic birds and the tree that they live on was so powerful that it over took our elders. I chose the elders because I felt that their cloak of wisdom would protect them, but I must admit I was wrong. Our elders returned bewitched by these birds and refused to cut down the tree."
Stopping Chaco looked at the crowd.
"You are our last hope, unfortunately our grandmothers and grandfathers have failed, and now it is up to you, the mothers and fathers of the villages. You have to go to the tree and tear it down to protect the future of your children. These ten women and men on this stage holding axe have pledged to chop down the tree, but they need you to provide cover for them to get close enough to the tree and chop it down. My question to you is can we do it?"
The crowd responded with one resounding, "Yes!"
Immediately, the crowd began raising their shields, swords, spears, and bows and arrows into the air yelling at the top of their lungs "WE CAN DO IT! WE WILL DO IT!" over and over again.
Chaco raised his hand to get silence, and he began his on chant:
"DOWN WITH THE BIRDS!"
"DOWN WITH THE BIRDS!"
"DOWN WITH THE BIRDS!"
"DOWN WITH THE BIRDS!"
"DOWN WITH THE BIRDS!"
"DOWN WITH THE BIRDS!"
"DOWN WITH THE BIRDS!"
The crowd caught on quickly, and the sound of the chant went up into the heavens, and spread out for miles. Immediately, the warriors and nation builders began walking toward the magic tree. As they walked they began to form organized groups. They formed units around the person with the axe. They planned to get the axes up to the tree and to shield them from the attack of the birds.
The first to set up were those with the shields, and spears, behind them were those with the swords and packed into the middle was the person with the axe. The archers formed a large perimeter around the tree far enough away to hit the birds if they attacked from the sky.
The units moved slowly toward the tree trunk, keeping their eyes on the birds. The birds colors where bright and pretty and it was so many birds in the tree that it looked like it was on fire. The reds, yellows, blues, and greens of their feathers formed an attractive once in a lifetime sight.
The warriors and the nation builders moved slowly, and quietly never take their eyes off the birds. It appeared the birds paid them no attention. When all the units were close enough at the same time as if a signal was sounded the carries of the axes jumped from behind the shield carriers and began chopping the trunk of the tree. The chops rang out loud and clear.
"CHOP"
"CHOP"
"CHOP"
On the third strike all the birds looked down, and this shocked all those that watched because this was the first time the birds moved. When the birds saw what was going on they looked up at the sky and began to sing.
The persons with the axes kept working.
"CHOP"
"CHOP"
"CHOP"
The birds began to sing louder and this time it was different tune, and immediately everyone froze and the birds kept singing. Slowly, those holding the axes let them fall, afterwards those holding the shields and spears let them fall. Then those holding the swords open their hands and let the weapons drop, and lastly, the archers followed suit. afterwards one at a time at first, and subsequently more rapidly people began to dance to the tune. The song that the birds sung for the warriors, and nation builders was one of the future. The birds sung to them about future love, future adventures, future triumphs, future glory , etc.... The mothers and the fathers of the villages listened and danced to the tune of the future and forgot about their mission. They danced and celebrated all night as the birds continue singing. By sunrise, the warriors and nation builders were exhausted, and they decided like the elders who went before them that they could not destroy this tree nor the birds that plagued their villages. They picked up their weapons and tools and walked back home, and they sent a representative to meet with Chaco about the result of their mission.
When Chaco met the representative, he was thrilled because he knew that the plague on the villages was dealt with. After he heard the representative, he could not believe his ears. The message from the warriors was very simple, "We will not destroy the birds nor the tree. We believe that anything that can sing a song so beautiful cannot be evil, and this is FINAL."
Chaco knew that arguing would do no good, because just like the elders, the warriors and nation builders were bewitched by the magic of the birds and the tree. After the messenger left Chaco was at a loss for words or a solution. The bird's and the tree's magic defeated the combined might of the Nyame and there was no one else to call. Chaco began to think all was lost, and then he looked outside and noticed some children playing, and a final strategy began to formulate in his head.