Raven, Crater Lake, Oregon (Photo ©1998 Ari Halberstadt)

The Bear & Ant Story
as told by Johnny Moses

Long ago, the animal people lived. Long ago, the animal people lived. Long ago, the animal people lived. Now you know the animal people lived a long, long time ago

They had two leaders. One was Bear Man and one was Ant Lady. And they used to talk to themselves. When Bear Man used to talk to himself, he used to say, "I'm tired. I'll get my work done tomorrow."

And Kla-Kla, the Ant Lady, when she used to talk to herself, she used to say, "Oh, my goodness. I've got to go here, go there, do this, do that. Oh, my goodness. I don't have enough time." That Ant Lady, she was always in a hurry, always busy. All the animal people used to call the Ant Lady kokoladi.. That means "hyperactive."

The Bear didn't like the way things were a long time ago, because a long time ago they had day and night, day and night. He could never get any work done because he was always tired.

So, the Bear had a new plan. He was going to change time. And his new idea was that he wanted one whole year to be nighttime and the next year to be daylight. That way, he could sleep for one whole year and be awake the next year--of course, with a few naps in between.

He went visiting all his relatives, the animal people--Frog Woman, Elk Man, Deer Woman, and Mosquito Man--and he told them all about his new idea about how he was going to change time. All the animal people loved the Bear's idea. They all said, "Gee, it would sure be nice to sleep for one whole year and be awake the next year."

But when the Bear went to visit the Ant Lady, Kla-Kla, and he told her about his new plan, she didn't like the Bear's idea. The Ant Lady said, "No! No way!"

The Bear said, "Well, let's have a contest then." And the contest was that whoever could sing and dance the longest, four times, would be the winner of time--because four is a magic number.

And so, the Bear got his big stick out--it was like a magic wand--and he was going to hit that stick on the ground while he sang and danced. That's how he was going to use his special powers to change time.

And Kla-Kla, the Ant Lady, got her big, magical belt out. Everything was big a long time ago. And the belt had 250 notches. She was going to tighten her belt as she sang and danced. That's how she was going to use her special powers to keep time the way it was.

The contest began, and the Bear sang first. This is what the Bear sang: "Next year, it's going to be daylight. Year after, it's going to be nighttime."

Then, Kla-Kla, the Ant Lady, sang the first time, tightening her belt quite a few notches. And this is what the Ant Lady sang: "Day and night, day and night, day and night, day and night."

Then, the Bear sang a second time: "Next year, it's going to be daylight. Year after, it's going to be nightime."

Then, the Ant Lady sang the second time, tightening her belt quite a few notches. "Day and night, day and night, day and night, day and night."

Then the Bear sang a third time. This is what the Bear sang: "Next year it's going to be daylight. Year after, it's going to be nighttime."

And then the Ant Lady sang the third time, tightening her belt quite a few notches. "Day and night, day and night, day and night, day and night."

Then, finally, the Bear sang the fourth time, and he was really tired as he sang and danced. "Next year, it's going to be daylight. Year after, it's going... to ... be.... nighttime... ZZZZZZZZZ."

Then Kla-Kla, the Ant Lady, sang the fourth time. She was down to the last couple of notches on her belt, and she pulled her belt really tight as she sang and danced. "Day and night, day and night, day and night, day and night." She was still singing "day and night."

If the Bear had won the contest, we would have been able to sleep for one whole year and be awake the next year. But the Ant Lady won the contest. That's why we have day and night, day and night, always have to work and be busy. And they say that's why that Ant Lady's got that tiny, little waist--from tightening her belt. And that is all.

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