The essay "The Promise" recounts an ancient tale passed down by the Northern Pueblos of New Mexico about the sacred relationship between humans and horses. The story begins when humans and horses lived in harmony, attributing the horses' origin to the sun and the stars, serving as messengers between heaven and earth. However, human actions disrupted this harmony, leading to devastating natural calamities and the temporary departure of all animals, including horses. Thousands of years later, the horses returned, marking the Time of the Great Outwaiting - a symbolic era where humanity was forced to choose between fear/separation or love/connection.