The San people talk of the beginning as a time when all the animals were still people and Gao!Na (the Creator) lived among them on earth. Because he loved them, he wanted to be close to protect them. It is told that when it became very cold one night, the people lit a fire. The sudden flames scared some of them though, and they ran away as fast as their legs could carry them. For this foolish fear, Gao!Na took them to the eternal fire of Creation and moulded them into animals.
After that, Gao!Na left the people and went to live in the sky. When some of them fell ill, they called to him in a dance, and he took pity on them. According to some, he cut off a piece of his soul and sent it to earth to help them. Descending from the heavens, it landed on a fragrant little green bush. As Gao!Na's soul rose from the bush, some of its great power rubbed off onto the leaves and turned them red. So for ever after, his people could turn to this humble little plant that now held the gift of healing."