The Time Weavers

 The Time Weavers

I woke one morning to the sound of a crowd outside my family’s tipi. I quick woke up to see what was happening. As I walked toward the center of the village I saw a group men, my father among them. There was a ring of men at the center I heard a voice, a high pitched voice, but it didn’t sound like a woman. As I pressed to the front I was able to almost see a short figure at the center. I could see by the faces of the men around me they were deeply attentive of the voice. 

I found a small gap between the onlookers and got my first glimpse of the speaker who held the tribe’s attention. I was surprised to see the speaker was a small grey fox. He stood on his hind legs like a man, he wore buckskins and spoke to us in our common language. I strained to hear what he was saying. 

“The Ancient One is requesting 12 children, one from each of the 12 Tribes. The children will be taken up to the City in the Waters, at the center of the world, the CIty of the Spirit. They will learn and work with the sacred thread spinners and after a year they will return to the 12 Villages to serve their people as healers, shamans, truth-tellers and mystics. 

I awoke walking along a path towards large wooden building. When I walked in the door I was greeted by  a young girl who took my hand and guided me through a  large room full of string. Not just any string, but giant balls of string in many different colors. I followed her up a flight of stairs and into a smaller room. Looking about I saw there were 10 children about my age sitting and facing the center of the room positioned symmetrically around  the perimeter. I sat in the next empty spot and quietly waited for what was to come next (though I had no idea what that might be). 

In a few short minutes a door opened and out came a small, wizened old man. He moved slowly but his step was firm and he had an unexplainable aura of strength that came from him. 

“Thankyou for waiting children” he said. “You have all been brought here to receive the gift of thread spinning. You should know that the thread you spin is the life force of many individuals. You will each start with one lifespan. When you get the cross-weave come and get me and I will show you how. Watch the patterns and you should be able to see the proper timing. Trust your own wisdom! That is what makes a good weaver!”