Story from the Quin People

Setting

• Location: The land that is now the Northwest, described as flat, green, and beautiful initially.
• Time Period: A long time ago, during the era of the animal people.
• Initial State: No mountains, lakes, or Puget Sound; land abundant with flowers and trees.

Initial Conflict

• Divine Anger: God became angry with the animal people, leading to a prolonged drought.
• Impact: Land dried up, flowers and trees died, and animals became thirsty.

Animal Council

• Meeting: Animals held a council to find a solution to the drought.
• Proposed Solution: Bear suggested asking the ocean for help.

Coyote's Mission

• Messenger: Coyote was chosen to speak to the ocean.
• Request to Ocean: Coyote asked the ocean for rain to relieve the drought.
• Ocean's Response: Agreed to help by sending clouds (his sons and daughters) as rain, with a condition that they not be harmed.

Rain and Betrayal

• Resolution: Clouds brought rain; land became green and fertile again.
• Conflict among Animals: Crow proposed hoarding water by digging lakes; Bear opposed, trusting in the ocean.
• Outcome: Animals dug lakes, breaking the promise to the ocean.

Consequences

• Ocean's Reaction: Few clouds returned; ocean felt betrayed.
• God's Punishment: God created mountains (Cascade and Olympic) with the Earth, separating clouds from the east.
• Geological Changes: Formation of Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound.
• Environmental Impact: Land east of the Cascades became dry and barren.
• Ongoing Conflict: Bear hides in shame; coyote laments to the moon.

Current State

• Western Land: Remains green and beautiful, similar to its original state.
• Ocean's Longing: Continues to call for his sons and daughters to return.