[ How the sky came to be so big! ]
~ An Old Apache Tale ~
It was a long time ago … a time when men were faced with a very serious problem : The sky was very low!
It was so low that there was no room for the clouds. It was so low that trees could not push up. It was so low that the birds could not fly. If they tried, they would be falling and crashing on the clouds and the trees.
But what was even more painful was that men could not stand up straight to their full height even as their bodies demanded they do. They had to walk all bent-down and stooped, looking at their feet and unable to see where they were going.
Children did not have this problem. They were small, they could stand up to their full height as much as they wished. They didn’t walk looking at their feet and could see where they were going.
On the other hand, they knew that one day, they would become adults and that they too would be walking all bent-down, looking at their feet and less at what was going on around them.
One evening, all the children were gathered together and they decided to raise the sky. The few adults who heard them snickered, but suddenly they saw the children raising long posts toward the sky. One, two, three, four …. An enormous shout reverberated following the count … unnn-uhhhhhh!
But nothing happened. The sky stayed the same as it always did. Trees could not keep growing. Birds couldn’t fly. There was no room for clouds, and grown-up people walked with their backs hunched, looking at their feet, unable to see where they were going.
The next day, the children set to work again with longer posts. One, two, three, four … an enormous shout sounded - unnn-uhhhhhh. But nothing happened.
The following evening, the persistent children were at it again with even longer posts. One, two, three, four … an enormous shout sounded - unnn-uhhhhhh. But nothing happened.
On the fourth evening, they had found these very, very long posts, the longest they could find and they began the countdown: one, two, three, four … an enormous shout sounded - unnn-uhhhhhh! … and the sky was at last raised!
Ever since that day, the sky has been at its big place where we now know it to be. Trees can push up and grow to near-limitless height, birds can fly without hurtling down on tree trunks or branches. Clouds have room to come and go freely, and men can stand upright and look at the sky.
But the most extraordinary thing was when the sun had set and it began to get dark, the sky which was full of holes from the children’s posts began to glitter. In each hole, there had appeared a star.
The next time you raise your head up to look at a starry night sky, remember that it is all thanks to those children that you can enjoy such a beautiful spectacle. Stop and ponder long on this tale seriously, and you will begin to comprehend the immense hidden truths of the universe!
