The Seventh Direction
This is how the legend goes [1].The Creator is busy creating things; Mother Earth and Father Sky; the lands and oceans, the birds and insects, the flowers and trees and the creatures that share this place. Some of them have wings, some have fins and some have legs.
Things look pretty good to him, so the Creator decides to relax for a few years and smoke a pipe and have a little rest. Suddenly he sees a direction lying on the ground. "Meskey", he thinks. "A direction can be a powerful tool or even a weapon if in the wrong hands."
He remembers the other six he has already created. The east to see the sun rise and the west to see the moon and stars set. The north and south to find comfortable temperatures or migrate or just to travel. Of course the birds need a way to fly up and the worms and moles need a direction down.
But what to do with this one? After a while of smoking and thinking and thinking and smoking, the Creator starts to frown, enough to make mountains and valleys.
He notices that all the creatures are gathered around. All except for the two-legged ones who were off somewhere, doing ... something. After a while, Owl speaks up and says, "Creator, why are you frowning?".
The Creator explains his dilemna so every creature joins him and their brows also get lines from thinking. Finally, Mole says, "I know. I can take the direction and burrow down deep into Mother Earth and hide it where no one will ever find it".
The Creator takes a long puff and smiles a little but then says, "That is not it".
Then, Whale, one of the sea people says, "Let me take it deep into the ocean and hide it where no one will ever find it".
The Creator takes a long drink and then says, "That is not it".
A while goes by and Eagle says, "I know. I will take it high into the winds and Father Sky. My brothers and sisters will pass it on forever".
The Creator thinks for a time and says, "That is not it".
A long time goes by and Deer says, "I know. Give it to me to take into the forest and my brothers and sisters will carry it around forever so no one will find it".
The Creator smiles but still says, "That is not it".
A very long time passes and all the creatures watch the Creator think. No one dares to move or make a sound.
Finally, the Creator puts down his smoke and drink and puts the seventh direction on a large stone. He picks up another large stone and raises it high above his head and smashes the direction. It splits into so many pieces that they can never be counted. Pieces fly everywhere leaving only the red-hot rocks.
Each piece of the direction finds it's way into the hearts of everything. Every blade of grass and every worm. Every bird and every lake. Into the hearts of the fish and all the other creatures. Even into the hearts of the two-legged. Of course they were somewhere, doing ... something and probably did not notice.
The Creator looks at all the creatures and says, "This direction leads to Me. Any time a part of creation needs me, all they need do is look in their heart, follow that direction and they will find Me".
So with a laugh even louder than Bear, the Creator goes back to creating. Of course the two-legged creatures are still somewhere doing something and sometimes they get lost. Hopefully, the birds or Deer will show them the way.
[1] This legend seems to be shared by many of the tribes with whom I've interacted.