Michigan Legends: Folktales and Lore from the Great Lakes State

Why the Robin Has a Red Breast

132 Why the Robin Has a Red Breast Long ago, in the history of the Ojibways, there was a great warrior who led his tribe to victory against all of their enemies.This warrior was stronger than any others, and even among his own tribe, no one could defeat him in wrestling or other warrior games. He was also a great and powerful runner.It was said that only the deer in the forest were faster.This warrior’s pride was equal to his strength—­ and all wise people know that too much pride is not a good thing. Now,no warrior,no matter how brave or strong,can outrun old age,and it came to pass that this warrior grew old and was no longer able to do what he once could. He came to accept his limitations, but he soothed his disappointment in himself by looking to his son to pick up where he had left off. Many nights, the old man sat in his lodge and, with his own past exploits in his heart, turned his eye toward his young son. Before very long, as the boy grew older, the old man had placed all of his hope—­ and his pride—­ into his expectations of his son. Surely, the old man thought, my son will follow my path and become a powerful leader and warrior. The father’s misguided heart blinded his eye. Had it not, he would have seen that his son did not take after his father, in stamina Why the Robin Has a Red Breast    133 or in aggression. He was kind and gentle, preferring to contemplate and help others rather than play war games or engage in physical sport or in the hunt with his fellow young warriors. Even his face was softer than that of his father’s. He was compared by others to a fawn in many ways. The old man continued to see what he wanted to. He would push his son to take part in sports and hunting, and the boy would obediently do so, but clearly without much heart—­ or dominance. The boy grew older, and he approached the age when, like all young warriors, it was time for his great fast.Young warriors would enter their own lodge, fast for as long as possible, and thereby win the favor of the Creator, or the Master of Life, who would then make them great leaders.The old man wanted his son to fast longer than all the others—­ twelve days,a very long time.If the youth could endure this period of time, he would emerge from his fasting lodge victorious in all ways. Or so that is how the old warrior thought as he built his son’s fasting lodge a short distance away from his village, on the banks of a small stream. The time came for the fast, and the man led his son into the lodge and onto a mat on the floor. He exhorted him with great excitement to exhibit courage and endurance. He then left the lad there. But as was the custom among the Ojibways, the father returned each day to encourage his son to last one more day fasting , and then another, and another. His father told his son about the honor and renown that he would receive if he could last those twelve days. Day after day, the boy lay with his face covered, but at night, his dreams were very strange and fitful.They did not indicate the greatness his father wanted, as dreams should.The boy grew very weak, and on the ninth day, the father found him half dead with hunger. He pleaded with his father to let him break his fast. “Father, my dreams are fitful,” he said. “The Spirits are telling me that bad things will come if I am forced to fast longer than I feel I can.” The old man lost his patience.He was trapped in his disappointment , which was equally trapped in his expectations of the boy he 134    Why the Robin Has a Red Breast wanted to see, not the one who actually lay before him.“One day more!” he half encouraged and half demanded of the boy.The boy could read the anger in his father’s voice but still asked to be released. The father refused and decided that his son should finish these last...