traditions of the Clear Lake Pomo and Mt Lassen Maidu

It was La Mu
the pocket gopher
he was the one
found sweet sounds
in the elder's hollow stem
hehe hehe hehe

This was way back
when the first daylight ever
had just emerged from darkness
the birds and the critters
had only their night voices
hehe hehe hehe

Gopher man he played
high and low on his flute
the animals and birds
all pricked up their ears
each chose the tune
that was best for her or him
hehe hehe hehe

Robin it's said
was the first virtuoso
could charm the night crawlers
right out of the ground
hehe hehe hehe

Robin said the flute
should only have four holes
that would leave him three toes
on each of his feet
hehe hehe hehe

When Old Man Thunder
was keeping the fire
in his underground lodge
it was Mouse who stole in
put a coal in her flute
brought fire to the people
hehe hehe hehe

Coyote was crying
for lack of a wife
Earthmaker gave him
a flute to take to bed
It will turn into a woman
if you wait till the dawn
hehe hehe hehe

Coyote of course
couldn't wait through the night
when the flute began to change
he reached over to her
now he cries because all he has is the flute
hehe hehe hehe

The elderberry flute
isn't hard to make
once you find the right shoot
not too green not too old
you can push out the pith
trim the ends, burn the holes
hehe hehe hehe

The trick is to find
how to make the flute sound
you have to stumble on it
it's a bit of a trick
hold the flute askew
while you blow across the end
hehe hehe hehe

The elderberry flute
makes a sound soft and sweet
speaks to the soul
a cry from the earth
it tells of a time
when the world was fresh and young
hehe hehe hehe