The story of the volcano and how Raven grieved for his old friend

In the woods of the great Northwest lived a man and a teacher. His many years imparted wisdom to him and he, in turn, shared this wisdom with his children and the children of his children.

This teaching man liked to teach his grandchildren best of all. He taught them how to speak, how to write, how to listen and how to hear. He taught them how to fish, because fishing is the way of the people of the woods of the great Northwest.

This teaching man taught Raven's people as well. He made a way for them to have magical boxes which connected them to all of the world even when they lived so far North that in the summer the sun never set and in the winter the sun never rose. The teaching man sent his daughter to deliver the boxes. With these boxes the world of the people of Raven grew smaller, and their reach across that world grew larger.

Raven often visited the teaching man, sitting high in a tree by his house, croaking and cackling as he watched over this friend who helped make the world smaller. Raven wondered at the man's patience and caring. Raven admired his dedication to his children and his children's children and in time, even their children.

One day, the teaching man began to feel the weight of his wise years. Raven noticed that the man walked less and had to sit more, yet still the man cared and taught and he would even take sweats in a tee-pee next to his house, to talk to Raven and the other spirits. Raven smiled, knowing that the man was a wonderful man, but a man nonetheless, and that his time grew short on the earth.

Raven decided, as this man's time on earth waned, that he would wake the volcano to commemorate the greatness of the teaching man. Flapping his mighty wings, Raven flew down to the volcano and spoke to it of the great love which the teaching man shared with his family. The volcano awoke and began to shudder with tears, for the words of Raven about the teaching man touched his heart. As Raven left, the volcano promised that it would commemorate the teaching man appropriately, and the ash from his tears as they roiled inside the mountain began to kiss the sky of the world of men in commemoration of the waning of the teaching man.

This is why, whenever a great friend of Raven begins to pass, the volcano awakes and begins to mourn, and even the snow which falls from the sky carries a gray pallor. Because Raven gave the gift of his memory of the teaching man, Raymond, to his friend the volcano as Raymond's life began to slip away from his body. This is why Mt. Redoubt is erupting and showering the people with ashes. Soon, Raymond's ashes will join those of the volcano and the Raven will enjoy his friend's company forever.

Grandfather, I love you and I thank you for the years of wisdom you shared with me. I pray that I can touch as many lives during my life as you have during yours.

Joaquin