Native American Love Flute

As the story was told to me (condensed version), there lived a young man who was very shy. He was brave in battle but too shy to speak to the one he loved. One day in despair he left camp and wandered alone. Not knowing why, he shot an arrow into the sky and to his amazement it stayed aloft and led him to a stream where he slept that night. On the fourth day he slept at the edge of a forest. In a half-dream state two Elk men came to him "We have come to give you this flute. It is made from the wood of the cedar and Woodpecker made the finger holes. All the birds and animals helped to make this flute, and their voices sing within it. When you play this flute for the girl you love, all out voices sing with you." When he awoke the Elk men were gone but the flute remained.

The young man set off towards home. For four days he walked, playing his flute along the way, imitating the sounds of the animals and birds with his music. On the forth day he reached the hill above his camp and paused there to play his flute. The beautiful music he made carried into the camp. The girl that he loved knew that the music spoke straight to her heart. She left her tipi and joined the young man on the hill. She listened to the words of love that his music spoke more eloquently than his voice could express. "I love you. I love you."

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