This morning Smiles Alot pays close attention to her Father Running Bear. For today as he is burning his sage and offering up his prayers to the Creator, he sends a special prayer. For today Smiles Alot will go hunting with him. The night before Father Running Bear explains to Smiles Alot, "Usually the women do not hunt. They are not taught. The hunting is for the man. But because I have no son, and our world as we know it now is changing, it is my honor to teach you my daughter." Father Running Bear explains to Smiles Alot that he will ask the Creator for a special blessing before they go on their hunt. He explains that when they go, the will travel in silence so they don't scare the animals. Smiles Alot couldn't wait! When Father Running Bear was done with his prayers he motioned to Smiles Alot. She gathered up her bow and arrows and quickly followed. As they |
Smiles Alot and Brother Wolf |
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silently walked through the woods, Smiles Alot saw several rabbits and wondered why Father Running Bear didn't try to get them. Still they went on. Still she kept silent. Father Running Bear slowed his pace and hunched down. He motioned for her to do the same. They hid behind a thicket. Smiles Alot couldn't see what Father Running Bear seen. He pulled out an arrow and had her to do the same. Father Running Bear positioned his arrow in his bow. Smiles Alot done this also. They both raised above the thicket. `Deer!' Smiles Alot seemed to scream inside. `Why deer? Why?' Now Smiles Alot knew that the hides she had helped clean and stretched was from deer, but to see them here, right in front of her! It was different. `I just can't do it!' Smiles Alot told herself. `But I must not anger my Father, for he said it was an honor for him to do this.' Smiles Alot took a deep breath. Just as she was ready to let go of the arrow she said, `Forgive me.' Her arrow hit its mark, as well as Father Running Bears arrow. As soon as the two bucks hit the ground, the deer scattered, running in every direction. "Very good Smiles Alot! Your first hunt and your first deer! I am proud!" But Smiles Alot wasn't proud. She hated it! Smiles Alot walked with Father Running Bear over to where the bucks lay. Father Running Bear pulled out Smiles Alot arrow and handed it to her. She wanted to break it. But knew she couldn't because that would disrespect her Father. After Father Running Bear pulled out his arrow he spoke to Smiles Alot, "Just as you, Smiles Alot, asked for forgiveness before you shot the arrow..." Smiles Alot couldn't believe it! Had Father Running Bear heard her? She didn't think she had said it out loud. "We will ask for forgiveness from these two bucks. We will burn our sage and sprinkle some tobacco for our offering. We will then explain to these two spirits that we needed to hunt for their skin to keep us warm and for food so we don't go hungry. We will do them the honor of using every piece, to carry their memory with us, all but their heart. Their heart is sacred and will not be touched." Smiles Alot followed everything that Father Running Bear had done. Father Running Bear handed Smiles Alot his bow and arrows then picked up the bucks. As they walked back to their tipi Smiles Alot wondered about how Father Running Bear had heard her ask for forgiveness. Just then, "Smiles Alot." Father Running Bear knowing how she felt continued, "I know that this was hard for you to do. I know you have made friends with the four-leggeds as well as the other creatures on Great Mother Earth. But this is how things are. We must keep ourselves warm and not go hungry." Still Smiles Alot stays silent and gives Father Running Bear the respect to finish what he is saying. "That is why, like Grandmother Speaks Softly has taught you, that we always ask for forgiveness, we only take what we need, and always give a gift of thanks. We show this respect and honor to all things, so the Creator and the Spirit beings will see and hear our Pleas when we need help." When Smiles Alot was sure that Father Running Bear was done, she asks, "Father Running Bear did you hear me ask for forgiveness? I was sure to say quiet. I did not want to anger you." Father Running Bear stopped and turned toward Smiles Alot. "Smiles Alot, my ears did not hear you, my spirit did. For you see my daughter, you are just like I was when I was your age and on my first hunt. I too had several four legged friends and I too did not want to harm my friends, but my Father taught me, as I have taught you. It is something that we must do." Then Father Running Bear turned on their path again and they were headed back home. When Grandmother Speaks Softly and Mother Silent Tongue saw them coming and saw Father Running Bear had two bucks; they ran over and helped as best as they could carry the bucks the rest of the way. After they laid the two bucks down, they listened to Father Running Bear tell about how brave Smiles Alot was in her first hunt, Grandmother Speaks Softly and Mother Silent Tongue told Smiles Alot how proud they were of her. Grandmother told Smiles Alot to go wash up and after they were done preparing the tow bucks they would make a special feast for Smiles Alot and Father Running Bear. Smiles Alot turned to go the stream when Father Running Bear put his hand on her shoulder. "Take your time Smiles Alot." Smiles Alot nodded and left. She walked slowly. A part of her hoped she didn't see any of her friends today in the forest. `But they would understand. Wouldn't they?' She asked herself. Smiles Alot washed herself in the stream. Starring at her own reflection in the water she began to cry. `How could I do that to my friends? My four-legged family?' Smiles Alot ran her hand in the water so she couldn't see her face anymore. She ran to the meadow of the long grasses hoping to hide from everything that could see her. In the middle of the tall grasses she fell to the ground crying even harder now. Smiles Alot was so upset that she didn't even hear Brother Wolf approach. Brother Wolf stood over Smiles Alot looking down at her, then glanced around and then looked back down at her. Brother Wolf gently placed his paw on the back of Smiles Alot head. Smiles Alot jumped up wiping the tears from her eyes. "Oh! Brother Wolf!" Smiles Alot knelt on her knees. "I'm so sorry Brother Wolf!" Brother Wolf turned his head to one side, puzzled, "What for Smiles Alot? I'm the one that should be sorry for I scared you." Smiles Alot once again wiped tears from her eyes. She explained, "Today I went with my Father Running Bear hunting. And my arrow hit a deer, a buck. One of my four legged family. I can't believe I did that." Again Brother Wolf was puzzled. "But Smiles Alot I still do not understand. You say you hunted with your Father, right?" Smiles Alot nodded yes. "I've watched your Father when he is on a hunt. He is very careful in respecting what his arrow hits. He always gives honor and thanks to what he hunts. And he only hunts when he needs to, not because he wants to." "Yes that is true." Smiles Alot sits on the ground. "I just don't want to anger my friends." Brother Wolf moves closer to Smiles Alot and sits next to her. "Smiles Alot, your friends are not angered because you must hunt. They know you must be clothed and feed. It is the ones that hunt just because they want to that angers them. Not giving thanks or asking for forgiveness is disrespectful. Father Running Bear is respectful and he teaches you well." As Smiles Alot and Brother Wolf sit low in the tall grass, Brother Wolf tells Smiles Alot of some hunters he saw when he was young, too young to leave his Mothers side. "There were many two-leggeds. They struck down anything that they could hit with their arrows. It didn't matter to them if they were elders, mothers fathers or young ones. They didn't ask forgiveness, offer thanks or give any honor to the lives that they took. And they left them there for the families to mourn over. We were all afraid." Brother Wolf laid his head on Smiles Alot leg. Smiles Alot smoothed his fur as he continued to tell her that even the four-leggeds must hunt. And even they will leave some for the smaller four-leggeds and the winged ones. Even the very small creatures that live in Mother Earth will receive from the hunt. Brother Wolf spent the rest of the afternoon explaining that everything has a purpose here on Mother Earth. The Creator has seen to it. "Thank you Brother Wolf. You have made me feel better." Brother Wolf raised his head and stood up. "It will become easier Smiles Alot. And things will become clearer. Just remember to listen and follow your elders. Their wisdom is true." Smiles Alot stood. She knew it was time to leave. She reached into her leather pouch and pulled out some dried meat. "Brother Wolf please accept this as my gift. You have shared your wisdom with me and it is true." Smiles Alot gave the meat to Brother Wolf. "Thank you. Until we meet again Sister." At that Brother Wolf ran to meet his family that had come searching for him. Smiles Alot ran towards where her family was also. `Father Running Bear will be so surprised when I tell him!' smileybear67 this article copyrighted to smileybear67 Home |
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