Followers Of The Sun

: CHOCTAW STORIES
: Indian Legends Retold

There were once four brothers, who as soon as they noticed that the

sun rose in one quarter and set in another, made up their minds to

follow on to the place of his setting. They were very young when they

set out toward the west, and as the years passed they grew to be tall

youths, then strong men in their prime, yet they could never overtake

the Sun.



Old age had begun to creep upon the travelers when at
ast they

reached the shores of the Everywhere Salt Water (the ocean). Behind

its shining rim the golden ball descended, and they were given power

to follow, and where sky and water met to reach their journey's end.



"Why are you here who have not yet died?" asked the Sun.



"We have done nothing but follow you all our lives," replied the

brothers.



"Only the dead come here," the Sun insisted. "You will have to go

back."



He sent them each home on the wings of a buzzard, and thus returned

to their amazed people four feeble old men, who had been where no

mortal ever went before. When they had told all their strange story,

they lay down and died, and so returned to the glories of heaven,

which they alone of all men had seen before their time.



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