The Book of Elders

Six Nations

by

Sara Smith

The Life Stories of Great American Indians

 

"Very seldom do I catch one familiar note from these early warblers of the woods.  They have all passed away...I now listen to the songs of other birds, which have come with the advance of civilization...and like the windwood birds which our fathers used to hold their breath to hear, they sing in concert, without pride, without envy, without jealousy---alike in the forest and field; alike before wigwam or castle; alike before savage or sage...alike for chief or king."

"I have spoken, American History through the voices of the One way of the teaching is through nature.  For instance, the tree of peace, is the white pine with four roots extended to the four corners of the earth to embrace all people.  It has the guardian bird---the eagle---perched on top to warn the people.  The eternal central sun, the source of all life, is beyond that tree."

Chief Simon Pokagon