Native American Legends
God in Wolves Clothing
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
There was a time, before the coming of the white man, when the
Wolf was a God. And a powerful God at that, with his speed and cunning,
he was God of the hunt. With his mate, who he kept for life, and
the cubs, together they were Gods of the family.
But most of all, with his song, he was God of the night, a protecting
spirit against the black, the unknown. He was a God that was very
much a part of the old way.
But then came the white man, and his new ways. He worshipped a
new God. A God who lived in the clouds. A God that had no shape,
yet could be seen in everything, but the God himself, could not
be seen.
Some of our people switched to this new God, and others switched
only to save their lives.
The white man's nation grew. Our lands were taken, the fields were
farmed, and the great trees cut to support the new nation.
In this new nation, there was no room for the Wolf.
His home was destroyed, his family hunted (for they made warm coats),
and he was removed from his place as a deity, only to be placed
in a zoo.
When man saw the Wolf, the great God caged, they laughed and laughed.
Not only at the God they caged, but also at themselves for being
so foolish as to believe that an animal could be a God to man.
The Only God for man had to be greater than man, so they believed.
Over many years, people began to doubt the God in the sky. How
did he create man, the rivers, and the sky? Was there really a God,
for no one saw him?
Man was so great, he placed a man on the moon, he tamed the animals,
and invented machines that could do work and save lives. Who needed
a God?
Many people did, but not the same God. There were Gods of Rock,
Gods of the Screen as well as the Green God (Almighty Dollar). It
seemed that everything had a God, and supporters that would fight
for the cause.
Then the God of the sky fell from grace, only to be replaced by
two Gods.
These two Gods were greater in power than the God of the sky. Together
they fought, and divided the world between them. The eastern part
went to the Great Bear (USSR), while the western half belonged to
the Proud Eagle.
Both Gods wanted to be the only God, and they always fought with
each other, costing them only the lives of their followers, a small
price to pay for total power. And from his cage, the Wolf watched.
The fights between the two Gods grew more violent, with more people
dying. People prayed to the two to stop, for they were afraid. The
Gods both of them turned on the ones who were afraid and struck
them down. Their only crime being of weak faith.
Then the people began to turn to the Wolf to protect them. "We
were foolish" they cried, "please protect us, the Bear
and the Eagle, they are mad." As a show of faith, they set
the Wolf free.
The Wolf, not stopping at their cries, ran straight for the woods,
and he was gone. The people sat numb, who would save them now? As
night fell, the people could hear the Wolf singing, and ran to the
sound. They found the Wolf sitting on the rim of a large canyon.
"Come all of those who wish to be saved, for come daylight
my brothers, the Eagle and the Bear will fight their last battle."
Who will protect you then, the Wolf cried? "Come into the
canyon and I will bury you like a prized bone, and when the fighting
is done I will dig you out." "Why did you run when we
set you free? Will you run again, and leave us forever, cried some
of the people?"
I ran to dig the canyon, so to save you all. If you do not trust
my words so be it. You do not have to come to me." Many did
not trust the Wolf, they feared he was angry with them for mocking
him, and so he wouldn't protect them.
Those people went home, yet many stayed. The Wolf buried them deep
in the earth, for their protection. He felt their fear, and sang
to them, so they would sleep.
In the morning, the Wolf sat protecting his followers, when the
Eagle came to visit. "Brother Wolf, please join me, for I have
a plan that will destroy the Bear. I will cause the land he walks
on to burn. The Bear can't fly, like I and he will burn." "Brother
Eagle, your plan sounds like it will need no help from me. Just
one thing, please leave some land for me to stand on." "But
of course, replied the Eagle.
Then good luck, Brother. May you get what is rightfully yours.
The Eagle flew away. No sooner than he was a speck in the sky,
the Bear came to visit his brother. "Brother," he growled
"please join me in getting rid of the Eagle for he has become
a pest." "The Eagle can fly, and we are both bound to
the earth, how can we beat him?" asked the Wolf. "I have
found a way to cause the stars to flame and fall on the earth, and
as they fall the Eagle will not be able to fly." "You
have a great idea, just one thing. Please, don't let any of your
stars fall on me."
"Don't worry brother, nothing will happen to you." Then
good luck, Brother, may you get what is rightfully yours, the Wolf
called out as the Bear lumbered away.
Hours passed, yet the Wolf sat at his canyon. There he saw the
dark smoke of death rise from the horizon. The sky began to fall
in small flaming bits. His ears were filled with the cries of the
followers that refused his aid, his nose filled with the odor of
burning flesh.
But the land around the canyon did not change.
Finally, he heard the wounded cry of the Eagle and the low growl
of the Bear, and then...silence.
Nothing, not an animal or man stirred. The World was still.
Slowly the Wolf started to sing a song for the death of his brothers,
and then he started a new one. A song which promised the sun and
the moon, that he would not let this happen again.
He sang the song over and over again as he dug out his followers.
And together they built a new world.
The Wolf was God again, and he and his family shall rule forever...
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