After first man, and first woman made their family, their many 

Children scattered throughout Turtle Island, and multiplied their families by 

many numbers. There was no law or order to bind them together. They lived 

as the  animals did. They attacked each other wherever or whenever they met. 

Strength was the rule. If a man had an argument with his brother, he would 

attack him.  The strongest would win, and be called the leader. Manigedôba ta Manigebiskwa, 

first man and first woman were sad to see what was happening to 

their generations of
 children. Madahôdo (the devil) had great power. He would 

visit the villages of our people and give them bad advice. He would cause 

problems, and  tell them to settle it by killing one another. There was no unity. 

They could not get along with each other. This troublesome way of life went on 

for centuries. Our Elders from all the villages agreed to meet secretly.
 

They choose a time and met together deep within the forest. When they all met, no 

one knew what to do or say. They began by sitting in a circle. One spoke and 

said, "There must be some laws or else our people will be no more. They are 

killing each other. We must all agree on one decision". The old men were talking 

matters over, and trying to come to some understanding. It suddenly became very 

dark and a great storm broke directly over them. Heavy rains fell, and the 

thunder rolled and rumbled. Then there came a big opening in the clouds and a great 

ball of fire came from above and struck right in the center of the circle 

where our Elders were sitting. The fire blazed way up high, and a voice said, "I
 

am the Creator. I order you to continue to meet in this great circle. This is 

good. You will make a fire in the center each time you meet. While you are making 

the laws  for your people the fire will burn. If the fire rises this means I 

approve. If the fire stays low, I do not approve." When the voice had finished, 

the Elders were glad, for now there was a power greater than them. They 

continued their talks. They decided to stop the killing. While they were making the 

laws of the land the fire would become high, and then it would go down again. That 

is how our Elders knew if they were right or wrong. During the first meeting 

of our Elders, there appeared a young man. No one knew where
 he came from. 

He just appeared. "Listen", he said, "I am Madahôdo. I am the greatest of all 

things. My power is greater than that of the Creator. The laws you have made will 

not do.  You must make other laws, and I will help you. I will prove my power 

to you."  Just then a great moose came running with his head low. His antlers
 

ready to destroy anything in their path. The Elders were scared of this great 

moose. To show his power Madahôdo grabbed the moose by his great antlers, and 

pushed his head back so far that it caused a hump in his back. This hump on the 

back of the moose still remains to this day. He ordered the moose to never 

attack our people. While he said these things, he hit the chin of the moose with a 

branch.  To this day that is why the moose has a hairy peice of skin hanging 

from his chin. He said to our Elders, "Now do you see how strong I am. You must 

obey me and not the Creator." On his way back to the rising sun the Creator 

heard what Madahôdo was saying to the Elders. The Creator did not like what
 he 

heard. He came out of the fire, tall and strong. He told Madahôdo to be silent. 

Madahôdo knew his power was less than that of the Creator, and disappeared. But 

before he did, he told the Elders that all the plants and animals would die, 

which would cause their people to starve. He said the only way to stop this great 

event would be to give honor to him, the great Madahôdo! The Creator told 

our Elders not to be afraid. He gave them strength. Before they departed this 

secret place, the Creator told them, "When the leaves are red as the fire, come back 

to this secret place. I will have a gift for you." Our Elders went back to 

their villages and told our people what had happened. They told our people to
 

stop the killing and live in peace with one another. As time passed everyone 

was happy.  The leaves had turned red. It was time. The Elders gathered their 

people and led them to the secret meeting place. When they arrived at that spot, 

everybody saw the great circle where our Elders met for the first time. At each spot 

were our Elders sat, grew a tall weed. Our Elders cut the weeds and held them as 

they sat in the same place they had the last time they met. As the weeds dried 

in their hands they asked each other what good is this. One Elder said, "It 

will make good smoke for the fire." They noticed that where the fire had been 

there grew three stalks, and on each stalk were ten ears of
 corn. The Elders cut 

down the stalks and made a great pipe from the stalks of corn. They crumbled the 

weeds in their hands. One of the Elders put the crumbled weeds into the pipe, 

Lit it and began to smoke it. He passed it to another Elder. The pipe made it's 

way around the great circle. Another Elder picked up an ear of corn and began to 

eat it. It tasted good. He passed it around the great circle. The corn was so 

good, that the Elders picked up the remaining ears of corn and passed it among 

the people from the village, to plant, grow and share among all the people. With 

these gifts the people and the Elders returned to their villages. They lived 

happily.  To show their gratitude to
 the Creator for the first council, every 

year when the leaves turn red, our people gather and feast. They dance "The 

Green Corn Dance". When the feast ends all our Elders sit in a circle and smoke 

the pipe.