The One Legged Ones Timucuan Taino When Creator, Yayjaba' created the world, he created first the Spirit of Water and the Spirit of Wind. Then Yayjaba' created the large pond and in the middle of the pond he placed the land. Into the waters of the pond he placed the swimmers - those that breathed above the water and those that breathed under the waters. Then Yayjaba' saw that the land was beginning to slide down into the water, so he created the swimmers that would live on the bottom of the waters - there they would always live, feed on the bottom and helping to hold the land steady, to keep it from sliding further into the waters. Then Yayjaba' opened the Great Cave and brought out all of the two-legged, four-legged, winged, crawlers, and the oriri' (insects). He breathed life into them and each moved out onto the land and found a place for their home. Wind and Water roamed over the land, wind bringing cool breeze in the heat of the day, and Water bringing refreshing rain to the face of the land. But as they roamed, Yayjaba' saw that more land was being lost into the water - the swimmers living on the bottom were holding as tight as they could, but they could not stop the land from falling into the waters.  It was then that Yayjaba' created the one-legged ones. He said to them "you are my silent ones, you have been given no voice with which to speak, and you have been given but one leg, so that you can stand but can not move. But you are to do wondrous things - you will be the protectors of the land. Where I place you, you are to grab the land and hold it still. When Wind wanders the land, you must hold the land steady so that his breath does not blow the land into the waters, and when Water wanders the land, you must hold the land steady so that his rain does not push the land into the waters. All of you, from the mightiest oak to the smallest flower, to the single blade of grass, you are to hold tight to the land." "For doing this, the one-legged ones are to be given special gifts - you will amaze all others with your ability to live anywhere, you will find homes in the crevices of rocks, on the face of mountains, in burning sands, fertile land, arid land, you will live in fresh water, and water having salt, some will be given stinging needles, and some will provide food for many - many others will seek your shade, and others will find homes in your arms. Some of you will live but for a single cycle, but will have many children, thus you will continue for ever, and some of you will see more cycles than any other - you will become the true 'ancient ones' of this land. You will also be the beginning of the cycle and the continuation of the cycles. When you fall to the land that you so faithfully held , you will become a part of the land, and your children will take hold where you once stood, and they will draw strength from you, thus you will continue for ever." "All that have come out of The Cave, and onto the land must show you great respect - they will know that you are the protectors of the land. When they lose that respect, and cast you down before your time, then the breath of Wind will blow the land, and dust will fill the air, and those lacking respect will suffer greatly - Water will roam the land, and to those lacking respect, he will give too much rain, and the land will washed away, and the waters will carry away those that lack respect - to others that lack respect, he will with-hold his rain giving them none until they dry up and are blown away by the breath of Wind. To any that brings you to destruction, they bring themselves to destruction. You are my silent ones, you have been given no voice with which to speak, and you have been given but one leg, so you can stand but can not move - but you are my protectors of the land" This is why we can take no one-legged one without first asking for permission, we must explain our need - we must approach with respect and ask forgiveness with respect. To cast down a one-legged one before its time and without respect will bring about our own destruction.