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24x24, acrylic, © 8/01.

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This painting represents the Cherokee legend of Sun, her daughter Moon, and the redbird.
Long ago there was a great draught and the Cherokee believed they had done something to anger Sun. Nothing they did to appease Sun would bring an end to the great draught. After much deliberation, they decided to kill Sun. First, Rattlesnake was sent to Moon’s house and instructed to bite Sun as she stepped from her daughters house in the morning. Rattlesnake was not successful and so both Rattlensnake and Copperhead were sent back again to do the job. Unfortunately, Moon was the first to step out of her house the next morning and she was killed by the two snakes. As a result, Sun was very angry at the death of her daughter and the Cherokee people decided they would have to send a rescue party to the land of the dead to bring back Moon before the land was destroyed by angry Sun. The rescuers were instructed to place Moon in a basket and bring her back to this world but not to open the lid, no matter what Moon said. On the journey back to this world, Moon began to protest loudly and her rescuers finally relented and opened the lid. To their dismay, a redbird flew out of the now empty basket into the bushes and began to sing. Sun heard the singing and was so pleased that her daughter had returned in the form of Redbird that she had pity on the Cherokee and the draught was ended.