Ladybug and the Flood
“Ladybug and the Flood”
In ancient times, Syalutsa, the first man who fell from the sky, had a vision that it would rain for many months. This long period of rain would flood the entire Cowichan Valley. In preperation, Syalutsa made the greatest canoe ever made by a man. To this great canoe he tied the longest cedar rope that he could create. He tied this cedar rope to a boulder atop Mount Prevost. As his vision told him, it rained for many months, until the flood water reached the top of Mount Prevost. Soon after the flood water began to raise Syalutsa’s giANTcanoe, and the large boulder which Syalutsa tied to his canoe with cedar rope became an anchor for his canoe. The flood water continued to raise Syalutsa’s canoe until the cedar rope which he tied to his anchoring boulder became taut. Syalutsa feared that he would soon face dEATh.
Before the great flood, Stutsun, the younger brOTHER of Syalutsa, was exploring the Cowichan Valley after he fell from the sky. During his exploration, he encountered Smuyqwa, the ladybug. Little ladybug knew of the great rain which would flood the entire Cowichan Valley. Little ladybug told Stutsun that she could save him from the flood by drinking all the water on the earth. Upon hEARing this, Stutsun laughed and wondered how such a small being could drink such a giANT body of water. Little Ladybug was offended by Stutsun’s mockery of her, and told him not to have a prejudice against her based on her size. Upon seeing that ladybug was offended by his prejudice of her size, Stutsun remembered that his older brother, Syalutsa, had told him to respect and appreciate nature. So Stutsun listened to ladybug. Little ladybug taught Stutsun a song to sing when the flood came, and promised that upon hEARing this song, she would come to his rescue and drink all of the floodwater. Little ladybug drank and dRAINed the floodwater which took over the Cowichan Valley. Little ladybug saved the future of the Cowichan people by rescueing Syalutsa and Stutsun from the great flood.–lessLIE