THE SOUL WOULD HAVE NO RAINBOW IF...

THE SOUL WOULD HAVE NO RAINBOW IF THE EYES HAD NO TEARS AND OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN PROVERBS by Guy A. Zona (Touchstone: $9.; 128 pp., paperback). Some of the maxims in this anthology have a familiar ring, as they repeat ideals shared by many cultures. (“Judge not by the eye but the by the heart.”--Cheyenne) Although the proverbs come from many different tribes, nearly all of them emphasize the need to respect the unity of creation: “Take only what you need and leave the land as you found it.” (Arapaho) or “What should it matter that one bowl is dark and the other pale, if each is of good design and serves its purpose well?” (Hopi). An interesting supplement to more traditional sources of wisdom for reflection.