Otter and the first prayer offering Otter was a young boy who lived among the people long before anyone's memory. Yet his story is remembered and the people still tell it today. It was a time before the horse even came to the land. A time when the people were very few among their many animal brothers and sisters. A time of peace and of growing. A time when the Great Spirit came among the people as their Grandfather and a time of learning. Otter was given his name because he was so playful, just like his animal brother the Otter. Before he could even walk, he crawled right off the end of a log and splashed into the lake. When he could barely walk, he wandered off to the bank above the river. When he reached the edge, he just kept on walking and tumbled down, head over heels. He picked himself up at the bottom and spit the dirt out of his mouth. If his mother were not there to watch him, he would just keep going down to the river. When she wouldn't let him do that, he turned around and tried to climb back up the bank. He would get part way up only to fall over backwards or fall with his face in the dirt and slide down on his tummy. As he grew older, he learned of the dangers of the river, and he learned not to bother his brother the rattlesnake. But he still had little fear of anything, and to him, life was an adventure. He loved the air that he breathed and the smells brought to him on her breath. He loved the warmth of the sun and the shape of the clouds. He felt great wonder when he gazed upon the stars in the evening sky, and he felt like the moon was a friend lighting his way. He loved all his animal brothers and sisters. He would often watch them for hours. He learned from them how to be patient, how to be quiet, and about how to care for each other. **************************** And from his people, and he learned the ways of his people. He learned how to share and care for others. He learned to be truthful, and to respect all living things. He learned how to talk to the Great Spirit; and most importantly, he learned how to thank Him each day for the gift of his life. As each day began he would say, "Good morning, Father. Thank you for this day. Thank you for my life and my good health, and the life and good health of my family.  The Great Spirit had given the people the gift of life and the people knew that to find joy in life, to love life and to be grateful for the gift of life was the best way to thank their Creator for it.  Every day was begun with a prayer of thanksgiving and every child was taught to be grateful for the gift of live and the gift of all the people; and Otter learned this lesson well. The time remembered was during the time of the Harvest Moon. The time when the days were warm and each morning brought a white frost upon the land. A time when the men of the village would leave their families and go hunt the great buffalo. The Buffalo whose meat would nourish the people through the winter, and whose heavy coat would keep them warm and could be used for their homes. The time remembered was a time when Otter's father did not return from the hunt with the others. A sad time. A time when Otter's mother cried at night; and all the people searched, but could not find his father. After many days, the people stop searching and only prayed for his return. His mother kept crying. Otter did not know what to do. It is not known to this day if Otter had a dream or if the Great Spirit appeared to him as his grandfather. It is only known that one morning, this young boy gathered many other boys in the village together. He told them that his grandfather had told him to make a prayer offering. He told all the boys that he was going to gather wood for all the old people of the village. He would do this each day until the moon was full again. He would offer up his work as a prayer offering asking for his father's return. Another boy said that he would bring water everyday to the old people. Another said he would clean up the tepee each morning. And so it went, until all the young boys were doing extra things for the village. The people marveled at how hard all the boys worked, and they marveled at Otter's cheerful nature. It was as if he knew that the prayer offering would be answered. Even some of the adults joined the boys by offering up some of their own deeds as prayer offerings. The sun rose and set eight times, and all the boys were still doing what they had promised. On the morning of the ninth sunrise, Otter was saying his Morning Prayer when he heard another voice joining his, "Good morning, Father', they said together, and Otter paused. Was he hearing things? Then he began again, "Thank you for this day', and once again he heard a voice say the words with him. Then he sat in silence as he heard the voice continue, "Thank you for my life and my good health, and thank you for the life and good health of my family." Tears started to run down Otter's cheeks as he recognized the voice of his father. He turned around and there before him stood his father. They hugged each other and he threw his arms around his father's neck. He was lifted off the ground, and his father swayed him from side to side as he hugged him. "Father! Father! I love you', Otter cried. His father's voice was choked with tears as he said , "Son, let us finish together." Father and son continued together, "Father, we offer you all our thoughts, words, and actions of this day, and we thank you for my father's safe return. ' Otter's mother cried tears of joy for two days. The village celebrated for three days. And Otter and the other boys continued to keep doing their prayer offerings. From that time until now, the people begin each day, not only by thanking the Great Spirit for the gift of life, they also offer up all their thoughts, words and actions of the day as a prayer of thanksgiving or as a prayer request; and they remember the young boy, who loved life and showed them how.