Description
This story tells of the origin of the baby swing in the Cree (Nehiyaw) tradition. Morning Star’s mother is bringing home a new baby, so Nôkhom (her grandmother) and her father are making a swing for the baby. Grandmother tells Morning Star the legend of how Grandmother Earth brought materials for the swing to a young woman named White Flower who had been left to care for many babies while the parents were off hunting. White Flower was in tears because the babies would not stop crying, so she prayed to the grandmothers in Spirit World for help. When White Flower and Grandmother Earth put the babies in the swings, they calmed down and White Flower was able to get her chores done.
