The legend of a great flood, a cataclysmic event that reshapes the world and tests the resilience of life, resonates across cultures and continents. From the Cheyenne Reservation in Montana to the Seminole camps of the Florida Everglades, from the Arctic reaches inhabited by Eskimos to the lands south of the Equator where indigenous communities thrive, tales of a deluge are woven into the fabric of human storytelling. This universality underscores a profound connection to the power of nature and the enduring themes of destruction, survival, and renewal. Among the myriad narratives, Native American legends hold a unique and compelling perspective on this ancient story, offering insights into the relationship between humanity and the natural world. This is one of fifteen native American legends that tell about the great flood.
I sat listening, the rhythmic drumming of rain against the windowpane mirroring the anticipation in the air. My companion, an elder steeped in the wisdom of generations, gazed out across the vast expanse of the Yellowstone Valley. The rain, a relentless curtain obscuring the distant mountains, seemed to hold him captive in a reflective silence. After a long while, he spoke, his voice low and measured, "They are beginning to come back."
Intrigued, I pressed him for clarification. "Who is coming back?"
His response was simple, yet profound: "The animals. It has happened before."
Compelled by the mystery in his words, I urged him to share the story. He paused, gathering his thoughts, and then, with a gentle lift of his hands and eyes, began to paint a vivid picture of the valley’s origins. "The Great Spirit smiled on this land when he made it. There were mountains and plains, forests and grasslands. There were animals of many kinds—and men."
His hands, weathered and expressive, became the storytellers, conveying nuances that words alone could not capture. They moved with a graceful fluidity, shaping the landscape and populating it with life.
"The Great Spirit told the people," he continued, "’These animals are your brothers. Share the land with them. They will give you food and clothing. Live with them and protect them.’"
The message was clear: a sacred pact, a responsibility to maintain harmony with the natural world. The buffalo, in particular, held a central place in this covenant.
"’Protect especially the buffalo, for the buffalo will give you food and shelter. The hide of the buffalo will keep you from the cold, from the heat, and from the rain. As long as you have the buffalo, you will never need to suffer.’"
For countless winters, the people lived in accordance with this divine mandate. They honored the animals, taking only what they needed and expressing gratitude for the gifts they received. Every part of the buffalo was utilized, a testament to their respect and resourcefulness.
However, this idyllic existence was not destined to last. The arrival of newcomers disrupted the delicate balance.
"Then other people came. They did not think of the animals as brothers. They killed, even when they did not need food. They burned and cut the forests, and the animals died. They shot the buffalo and called it sport. They killed the fish in the streams."
The Great Spirit, witnessing the wanton destruction, was filled with sorrow. The smoke from the uncontrolled fires choked the valleys, a physical manifestation of the spiritual sickness that had taken hold. Yet, despite the suffering, the destruction continued unabated.
In response to this desecration, the Great Spirit unleashed a powerful force.
"So the Great Spirit sent rains to put out the fires and to destroy the people."
The rains descended with relentless intensity, transforming the landscape into a swirling torrent of water. The people, forced to abandon their homes, sought refuge on higher ground.
Amidst the chaos, Spotted Bear, a wise medicine man, emerged as a leader. He gathered his people and delivered a sobering message: "’The Great Spirit has told us that as long as we have the buffalo we will be safe from heat and cold and rain. But there are no longer any buffalo. Unless we can find buffalo and live at peace with nature, we will all die.’"
The rains persisted, driving the people further and further uphill.
Young men ventured out, driven by a desperate hope. They extinguished the remaining fires, sought to restore harmony with the animals, and cleansed the polluted streams.
Still, the waters continued to rise, forcing the people to retreat to the mountains.
Two young men returned to Spotted Bear, their faces etched with both hope and despair. "’We have found the buffalo,’" they announced. "’There was a cow, a calf, and a great white bull. The cow and the calf climbed up to the safety of the mountains. They should be back when the rain stops. But the bank gave way, and the bull was swept away by the floodwaters. We followed and got him to shore, but he had drowned. We have brought you his hide.’"
They presented the medicine man with a massive white buffalo skin, a symbol of both sacrifice and potential salvation.
Spotted Bear accepted the hide, his expression a mixture of grief and determination. "’Many people have been drowned,’" he acknowledged. "’Our food has been carried away. But our young people are no longer destroying the world that was created for them. They have found the white buffalo. It will save those who are left.’"
The rains continued, relentlessly pushing the people towards the highest peaks.
Spotted Bear, along with the other medicine men, began a sacred task. They spread the white buffalo skin on the ground and began to scrape and stretch it, working with tireless devotion.
The buffalo skin, like all rawhide, possessed the remarkable ability to stretch when wet. Spotted Bear and his helpers leveraged this property, stretching the skin further and further, covering the village and sheltering the remaining people.
As the rains poured down, the medicine men continued their work, stretching the buffalo skin across the mountains, each day expanding its reach.
Finally, Spotted Bear secured the corners of the immense hide to prominent landmarks: the Big Horn Mountains, the Pryor Mountains, the Bear Tooth Mountains, the Crazy Mountains, and Signal Butte in the Bull Mountains.
Incredibly, the entire Yellowstone Valley was now covered by the white buffalo skin. While the rains continued to fall above, the valley below remained dry.
Animals from the surrounding areas sought refuge beneath the protective canopy, and the people shared the valley with them, honoring their connection to the natural world.
However, the buffalo skin, stretched to its limit, began to sag under the weight of the relentless rain.
Spotted Bear, standing atop the Bridger Mountains, devised a plan. He raised the west end of the buffalo skin to catch the West Wind. The wind, rushing in, was trapped beneath the skin, lifting it into a magnificent dome that spanned the entire valley.
The Great Spirit, witnessing the people’s commitment to living in harmony with the earth, relented. The rains ceased, and the sun emerged from behind the clouds. As the sun’s rays illuminated the white buffalo skin, it shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors: red, yellow, and blue.
The heat from the sun caused the rawhide to shrink, gradually diminishing the size of the dome. Eventually, all that remained was a single, majestic arch stretching across the valley.
The old man’s voice trailed off, but his hands continued to speak, gesturing towards the valley.
The rain had stopped, and a vibrant rainbow arced across the Yellowstone Valley. Beneath it, a buffalo calf and its mother grazed peacefully, a symbol of hope, renewal, and the enduring power of the Yellowstone Valley legend. The Yellowstone Valley became a symbol of their enduring culture. The story of Yellowstone Valley and the Great Flood is a lesson for all.