Old Tales and Ancestral Knowledge
In a time when the great robur tree was young the Bison and the Giants warred over the land. The giants were ravenous and thoughtless, they knew only the taste of meat and knew the bison’s to be the best. The bison were a peaceful people and wished not to fight but in the face of the giant’s terror they feared extinction.
The giants then were a mountainous folk, they fought with rock and club, while the bison gored them with their horns on the mountain pass. The war was seeming a stalemate when a wise giant was born, Dramapor. “We lose as we fight skirmishes in the hills, hunters out alone for meat cannot stand up to the Bison family, we must group together to win.” Her words convinced the giants to work together. They laid a trap on the great cliffs for the bison, to lure them to fight where they wished. They captured the calfs at night and brought them to the cliffs as bait. When the bison came, too enraged to think, the giants ambushed them and hurled them off the cliffside. Those that survived fled and the giants drove the bison to the low plains, grounds where in they could not hide. “See how they fall and run, the Bison are as good as memories on the mountains.” Stated the victorious Dramapor, and they giants agreed.
However, in the plains the Bison discovered wheat and the golden seeds made their numbers flourish and the giants again found they were overrun when they hunted alone. Dramapor was exhausted and defeated for her plan seemed to have backfired, and the weight of shame for stealing the young.
She approached one evening to the Bison, arms outstretched, hands empty, “I have done terrible things to you and your kin. I give myself to your judgement and your wrath” But revenge was not the way of the bison and they brought her in as a prisoner but fed her wheat and berries and let her live amoung their kind. Their kindness only hurt her more, “How could you treat me like this after all I did to you, all that every giant did to you?” she begged forgiveness not just for her but all the giants hunger and rage. To this the bison said “we do not hate you and your kin for your hunger, as we do not hate the fox that needs to kill to eat, but we weep for we know we could feed every giant wheat and berries, even to give them their milk to drink. If only you put away your hatred for us we could be kin.”
Dramapor was overwhelmed, “how could we ever repay this? For you to do this my kin would be forever in your debt” Then approached an elderly bison with horns bigger and face longer than any other. “We bison ask the giants turn rage to passion, the passion to protect us, to guard us and help our young, to tend the wheat and the berries in ways our hooves will not, to live not as servants but as friends.”
Dramapor, ever wise and saw the benefit this agreement, promising when freed to bring it as an offering to the giants. When she told the giants of the Bison’s offer many could see the offer for the boon that it was, but one angry and hard headed young giant, Gromdaw, thought that it was a trap. “Of course they want us to only eat seeds and berries, we will be made thin and weak like birds and then they will kill us.” “No!” Protested Dramapor, “The wheat nourishes and is good, I ate it for the past week and I am still strong.” Gromdaw was too short sighted to be convinced, his bravado awoke the young blooded and bloodthirsty, and their support only urged him to greater madness “To come here and suggest this shows you are weak of mind as well as body!”
There are two common endings to this tale, one in which Dramapor is challenged by Gromdaw, and by the nourishing biscuits made by the Bison allow her great stamina to win, to the awe of the other giants. The other ending is in which she calms Gromdaw with the sweetness of the biscuits, which is favoured telling to children.
The next is usually a verbal story with call and response
The Gorro tree was once proud and tall in the low lying plains. It’s fruits drew the eye of the Roomara and it pleaded Oh gorro tree please please give me your bountiful fruit. The tree said No! My fruit is too good for a little bird, so fly away. Next the sly Cathray sauntered up, asking for the comfort of its boughs. The tree said No! My boughs are too delicate for a cat, so keep on your way. Next the proud Bison came to the Gorro tree and asked for the shade to rest it’s young. The tree said No! My majesty is lonesome, not something to be broken by calf or child, rest in the sun. So for when next came the chopping axe of the man the Gorro tree did plead for help no one came for it had helped none. And When the Gorro regrew it stayed humble and small.
The Gorro shrub is an important plant for the plains giants and to show even if being humbled indicates the importance of hospitality to young giants.
Both tales focus on the power of sharing food and resources, a core tenant in the giant communal “family” social structure which goes beyond blood ties entirely and is instead a communal unit that comes around a shared purpose and a set of values.