Category: Legends and Lore

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the Snow Man A Menominee Story as told by bear Medicinewalker

snow man

In the early spring a young hunter who lived in a lodge with his wife and little ones far apart from his village left his home to go hunt the woods for food. Father Sun was high in the sky sending his rays to warm the earth and melt the white blankets of snow that remained. The piles of snow disappeared into the ground as he walked through the trees. Laughing the young hunter began to laugh and talk to the snow, “You are not afraid of Father Sun are you Snow?”
A strong booming voice startled him as it replied back, “Do not speak to me in that tone! I am here because the Ancestors of the North sent me, but I must only stay a season as I am instructed. Father Sun helps me to disappear. But since you have dishonored me in this way, by making light of my worth, you will be tested when next I return! Be Prepared!”

The young hunter looked around him hearing the voice but seeing no one he turned to leave wondering if someone was playing tricks on him. As he did he heard the voice once again as it spoke out loud, “Who is scared now? Remember next winter, be prepared.”

The young hunter felt chills and headed home at a run. Reaching his lodge he shared with his wife and children what had happened. His wife looked at home and encouraged him to seek guidance from the Elders in the village so gathering his courage to speak of it again he went to them telling them all that had happened.

“If you heard the Snow Man speak,” said the Elders, “you must prepare for what he said he will do, he will do!” The Elders all agreed and shook their heads, “It is no wonder that the Snow Man was angry with you, you made fun of him telling him he was scared, however he said when he returned you would be tested so you must prepare to meet him next winter.”

“And how am I to prepare for his return?” asked the young hunter.

“You must begin now to hunt the Deer, Bear, Buffalo, and any other large creatures that you can find. You must press out their fat and oil, and put it all in skin bags. You must also fill some bags with pitch. Then you must cut and lay aside a great deal of wood full of knots. After that you must build yourself a lodge apart from every one, with a door to the south. Take Pine pitch and fill up all the cracks in the walls, and hang a closely braided mat before the door, so that nothing can get through. Inside you must build a fireplace with a small smoke-hole. Then carry into the lodge your supply of wood and the skins full of fat, oil, and pitch. You will need all you can get, for the test will be long and difficult.”

Agreeing and understanding what must be done, the young hunter left to begin to prepare for the test.. Spending the entire summer and autumn seasons he hunted by night and cut wood and prepared the other things by day. He made grease and tallow cakes and bars of all sizes, and filled skin bags with oil and pitch. Last but not least he built his lodge as he had been instructed to do. Winter was fast approaching and the young hunter began to tremble, bidding his family good-bye he entered the lodge he had built and locked himself in. In the beginning his fire was small, but as the days progressed and the winter’s breath grew colder, he began adding more and more wood in order to stay warm.

One cold evening there came a fierce wind that whipped and swept around outside the lodge howling as if it was in pain. Louder and louder the sound grew until the young hunter thought the snow had returned for him, but no one came.
The next evening the sound came back, louder tan before and the winds stirred and whipped around the lodge. Soon the young hunter became very cold as he felt the temperature drop some more, so he made a large fire. The trees and bushes outside snapped and cracked louder and louder, as the wind tore through them. Snow has finally come for me he thought, but no one came. The next night the young hunter stirred the fire as the cold grew worse and worse, and the wind howled and shrieked damaging trees and brush outside. I wonder if tonight he will come for me thought the hunter, but still no one came.

Time passed and soon mid winter arrived but the young hunter had no concept of time, so he was unaware. Then at last he saw him through the tightly pitched and chinked lodge and its closely woven mat over the door, a Manlike-Object-of-Snow walked about. It passed close to the young hunter and as its icy breath filled the lodge, the fire began to dim. The young hunter rose to his feet and threw on more wood but saving the better wood for later. The Manlike-Object-of-Snow sat down opposite him staring at him with its icy eyes. The lodge grew colder and colder chilling the young hunter down to the bone. Again the fire was beginning to die almost going out until the young hunter remembered what the Elder had said, and he added more wood to the fire. Soon the winter was almost over yet the young hunter did not know.

As the young hunter felt his limbs getting numb he began to use the best wood for the fire and the flames encircled him with their warmth. The Snow Man groaned as the young hunter began to throw the grease and tallow on the flames to make them shoot up sputtering and sizzling with heat. Then the Snow Man groaned again, but still he sat there with his icy stare, and his breath numbed the young hunter’s body. Soon winter was over, but the young hunter did not know it! Soon the young hunter began to throw on the pitch and piled up his largest logs into the fireplace. The Snow Man groaned horribly growing smaller and smaller gasping and groaning again. Then the young hunter poured on the oil, and soon only a little lump of ice lay where the Snow Man had sat. Soon a voice cried out, “Aho young hunter! You have won! You are greater than I and I give up to you!” But the young hunter did not stop continuing to pour oil, pitch and wood into the fireplace.

Soon the Snow Man cried out, “Stop young hunter! I have spoken the truth. I will return to the North where I have power. You shall live in this lodge becoming a great hunter. Your wife and children may always go barefooted in the snow, and I will not hurt them. Your name from now on shall be ‘The-Man-who-Mastered-the-Winter.’ ” With those words, the Snow Man disappeared. The young hunter lifted the mat at the door looking out through the doorway he felt Father Sun’s warmth, saw the grass was green, the flowers were blooming, the birds were singing, for winter was gone and it was once again spring!

 

“I am Dedicated to Educating and sharing the Native culture with the World. It is not enough merely to teach the ways of our Elders. We must honor those traditions by sharing and educating the World. Inspiring others …Inspiring our Youth. Through the Music… the Arts…the stories…”
Mitakuye O’yasin
~bear Medicinewalker

bear dec 2015

 

The Gift Jim Brickman piano version available on I tunes and used as Creative Commons

 

 

 

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So I will share with you all the first story in the Sacred Hoop Project 2015!

sacred Hoop project 2015

The First Story I will set about tackling in 2015 for the Sacred Hoop Project will be “How Raven Steals the Sun.”
I am already working on sketches for the master painting, It will be accompanied by sculpture and also something that I am just finishing up with, custom fabric that will have the main image on to transform into hoops, shawls, and our Sacred Ribbon Shirts.

Very excited, that it is all leading to a path of happening. It is so important that the stories and culture are not lost. To take what is core, add a contemporary twist that will make it once again new without loosing it’s original integrity for all those that have not been yet exposed to it, will keep it alive and honor the Ancestors in the process.

Feeling stoked and humbled at the same time.

~ bear Medicinewalker

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/383927883/bear-medicinewalker-the-sacred-hoop-project

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Legend of the White Raven as shared by bear Medicinewalker

whiteraven shared by

Sacred White… it was predicted the Sacred White Buffalo would return one day, and with it would come the Pride of the People returned… we would dance again…gather again…pray again in the way it was in the beginning. The White Buffalo has indeed returned, with it we have seen many sacred White Animals… although Rare…they have been showing them selves to us in greater numbers.

They are believed to hold mystical powers and energy… they are to be Revered. This is one of the story’s that was shared with me long ago… and now I share it with you…

Legend of the White Raven Spirit

At the beginning, when the Earth was fresh and new, the Creator sent down His Raven to enjoy this new creation. As Raven soared down from cloud to cloud he began to take the color of the snow crystals that touched his wings, each crystal being different, like the creation on the earth. The Creator told him, you will be like the snow flakes you have gathered on your wings, a part of everything new, everything that I have created. You will be for all people. As White Raven soared in the clouds the cool air rushed under his wings, he was singing and shouting songs of praise to the Creator.

One day he wanted to touch and feel the ground and taste the earth below. He wanted someone to keep him company, but he knew when he landed he would soil his feathers having to settle on the ground below. So the Creator wishing to please this special one, created a special spirit mate for White Raven, a White Buffalo where he could land and rest. Now there were many of these new Buffalo but only one as white as the snow. They moved about and covered many lands. White Raven found his spirit mate, the White Buffalo below and would ride on his back, resting and smelling the sweetness of earth, making many pleasant sounds in thanks for his new home. Now he could help White Buffalo and his brothers and sisters find good places to roam for food.

Every day White Raven would fly high into the air soaring around, spotting fine places of grass for his brother. When he would look down, he could see White Buffalo as bright as the mornings sun among the others that were colored like the dark earth they roamed.. White Buffalo could be found easily and then led to the good eating places. He would sing to the White Buffalo, “Come here, come here, come here, the grass is good, good, good then laugh”. They would fly, and run, play, eat and enjoy all that was given to them.

Then came a time when the Creator put new creatures on the Earth. They were called humans and walked on two legs. The humans were the color of the earth, the place where they came from, and were very smart. They would sing and make fires to The Creator in thanks for their life and the beauty He had given them. But the human became very hungry and asked the Creator what they should do.

The Creator pointed them to the White Raven and told them, “I gave to the White Raven the White Buffalo, so he could guide him to places where his brothers and sisters could eat the good grasses. Now I will give you any buffalo except the White one, to fill your lodges and stomachs and keep you warm so you and your families will never go hungry and never be cold. But remember without the White Buffalo it will be hard to see the others and hunt because they are like you, the color of the Earth.

The humans did what they were told, and after a hunt would first thank the Creator, then the buffalo for his spirit, food and skin for warmth and protection. All things were very happy and gave thanks every day.

One morning, White Raven woke up from a good sleep on the soft back of White Buffalo, and stretched his wings. Flying high into the air looked for a nice place for his brother to eat for the day. While high above the hills he saw a different kind of human, although they looked the same he could feel their hearts were not the same as the others he had known. The new humans were thoughtless caring only for themselves killing many animals that they could not eat or use for their families.

White Raven talked to the Creator asking what are these humans doing, they do not thank You or the ones whose spirit they send to you. They gather up much that they cannot take or use and it goes to waste, the Creator was unhappy.

On that very day, one of the new humans saw the beautiful White Buffalo who was not paying attention to the ground, but looking up in the air to follow White Raven to a new area to eat and play. The new human crept up on White Buffalo and took his life and spirit, not following the command of the Creator. Then the new human did not thank Creator or the White Buffalo for this spirit, food or skin, leaving much of the body there to rot in the sun.

This made Creator very sad, he began to cry and from the clouds and sent sharp streaks of bright anger to the ground.. White Raven was very sad, his spirit mate had been taken from him and he had no place to stand or sleep any longer. White Buffalo’s brothers and sisters ran off causing a great rumbling that went to the heavens and began to shake the earth and the clouds. Creator let his tears begin to fall from the clouds showing his sadness. White Raven cried and yelled as he circled his spirit mate’s lifeless body from high above.

As the days past and the tears continued, White Raven began to tire since he no longer had his place to rest. The streams began to overflow and the seas and the lakes rose to a point where there was very little dirt left. After many days, exhausted and soaked with rain, White Raven landed on a small piece of muddy ground. The dirt splashed up on his body and wings. He tried to move about but he got more and more discolored with the mud. He began to change color to black as the mud spread all over his body, flopping around trying to get back into the air. A day or two passed and White Raven now was completely black and covered with mud. The water had risen to a point where the only piece of ground left was being covered with the rising flood.

Far away White Raven saw an old man and his family floating towards him in a large canoe and he cried out “here, here, come, here, come here .” The Elder noticed him and came over to him and picked him up.. The Elder was very kind and began to feed the Raven and dry him off. Now by this time the entire earth was covered with water and the tears had stopped, the Creator now would mourn silently.

White Raven told the Elder of his journey and what had happened to him and his friend, White Buffalo. Elder told him that the Creator had spared him from the great rains to look for anything good, but there was much evil in the world and there was not much to save. The Elder explained that again, along time in the future not only will there be good on the earth but evil also. When this time comes the Creator will have to again cleanse the earth of this evil.

White Raven was now strong enough to fly back into the heavens. As he left the elder and his family he thanked him for his kindness and began to soar back to the Creator.

The Creator explained to the Elder that from that point on only the black Raven would be created in order to remind all peoples of the evil that man can create and that in the future when the earth is filled with evil the White Raven will once again be sent. Next time he will not turn to black or be soiled, but remain forever white the color that had been given to him in the beginning. One will see White Raven and he will give this message to many Nations and to all who will listen to him and what he says about the Creator. This one will be giving a warning to all, the need to remember the beginnings and honor all that is Sacred.

White Raven will again have the soft white back of his spirit mate to rest on, and everyone should listen to his warning, “Return to the Creator, sing songs of praise. Burn fires that will let their smokes rise up filled with the scents of sacred Sage, Cedar and Sweetgrass. Put away your evil ways and desires and follow the Great Grandfather teachings and place the Creator in your hearts as the way to walk and all will be well.”

White Raven then soared up towards the Creator into the clouds. The snow crystals began to cleanse the feathers of White Raven as he flew through the clouds going ever higher until he again became as he was in the beginning, the way the Creator had intended.

So the time is drawing near for the return of the White Raven. This will call us to look to the Creator and understand and honor All Life as Sacred.

We will still try our evil ways, destroying what the Creator has done for us. Will we do the things that we were meant to do in the beginning.

Love the Creator, learn to live in peace with all, love the Creator loves…Unconditionally. This is what is written, this is The Way it must be for the Sacred Hoop to remain Unbroken!

Mitakuye O’yasin

~ bear Medicinewalker

 

 

Secrets of a Crow by Jeff ball and available on Amazon, Itunes and at   http://www.jeffball.net/

 

 

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the Cherokee Rose as shared by bear Medicinewalker

trailoftearsmountainfinal

“My father was David Israel, a full-blood Cherokee and my mother was Martha Jane Miller Israel, a quarter Cherokee. They were born in Georgia. My mother in 1836 and my father in 1837. They were brought to Indian Territory by their parents over the “Trail of Tears” when the Indians were driven from their eastern homes by the United States Troops. They were too young to know of the tragedies and sorrows of that terrible event. My aunt, who was 15 years old at the time, told me of the awful suffering along the journey. Almost everyone had to walk as the conveyance they had were inadequate for transporting what few possessions they had and their meager supply of food. Only the old people and little children were allowed to ride. They died by the hundreds and were buried by the roadside. As they were not allowed to remove any of their household goods, they arrived at their destination with nothing with which to start housekeeping.”
~ from Life and Experience of a Cherokee Woman

More than 100 years ago, the Cherokee people were driven from their home mountains when white men discovered gold in the mountains of Tears. Some of the people traveled across Marengo County in West Alabama. It would seems that they left the mountains and traveled far south so not have to climb more mountains.

It was early summer and very hot, and of the people had to walk. Tempers were short and the soldiers that were supposed to be traveling as guides were mean and relentless as they pushed the people towards their destination. Men were so frustrated with the treatment of their women and children. The soldiers were unhappy about the fact they had to travel with the Indians that often it was the women and children that would suffer for it. Men would get short tempered and angry, so often fights would break out and many men were killed in the process. Many people died from illnesses due to hardships. Women wept for their losses, their ways of life, homes and dignity. The Elders knew that they must do something to help the women to maintain their strength if they were to help the children survive.

One evening after everyone had made camp along the Trail of Tears, the old men sitting around the dying campfire called up to the Creator in Galunati (heaven) to help them all and bring hope and faith back to the people. They spoke and prayed for the people, for the suffering and the little ones they feared would not survive to rebuild the Cherokee Nation.

The Creator spoke to them, “Yes, I have seen the sorrows of the women and I can help them to keep their strength to help the children. Tell the women in the morning to look back where their tears have fallen to the ground. I will cause to grow quickly a plant. They will see a little green plant at first with a stem growing up. It will grow up and up and fall back down to touch the ground where another stem will begin to grow. I’ll make the plant grow so fast at first that by afternoon they’ll see a white rose, a beautiful blossom with five petals. In the center of the rose, I will put a pile of gold to remind them of the gold which the white man wanted when his greed drove the Cherokee from their ancestral home.”

The Creator explained that the green leaves would have seven leaflets, one for each of the seven clans of the Cherokee. This plant will begin to spread out all over, a very strong plant, a plant which will grow in large, strong clumps and it will take back some of the land they had lost. It will have small thorns on every stem to protect it from anything that tries to move it away.

The next morning the Elders told the women to look back for the sign from the Creator. So the women looked and found the plant beginning as a tiny shoot and growing up and up until it spread out over the land. They watched as a blossom formed so beautifully that they forgot to weep and they once again felt beautiful and strong. By the afternoon they saw many white blossoms as far as they could see. The women began to think about their strength given them to bring up their children as the new Cherokee Nation. They all understood that the plant marked the path of the brutal Trail of Tears and it would not be forgotten. The Cherokee women saw that the Cherokee Rose was strong enough to take back what they thought they had lost and renew their lives as Cherokee People once again.

Mitakuye O’yasin

~ bear Medicinewalker

 

 

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Hopi Legend of the Blue Kachina by bear Medicinewalker

hopi-morning-blessings
Good day all! Welcome to a the world of bear…today I would like discuss a bit about Kachina’s…

The Hopi people believe there are two forms of everything on the planet: physical and spiritual. The word “katsinum” means spirit, and this is where the word “Kachina” comes from.

The story of how the Kachina came to the Hopi people starts off long ago in a village of our ancestors. Drought had taken hold of the lands and people for many years. Slowly as the food stores ran out the people began to die. When it was thought that all hope was lost, the Kachina Spirits saw the people suffering and took pity on them. They decided to show themselves and materialized in human-like form to teach them how to grow food, bring rain and heal the sick through prayers of song and dance.

At first the people were very afraid of the Kachina’s, thinking they maybe evil because they had never shown themselves before. So the villagers they began to gather their weapons to drive them away. The Kachina’s, however, blessed the people through song and dance; and produced gifts of food for them and helped to heal the sick, they brought the rains back the thirsty crops. So, thankful to the Kachina’s the Hopi people asked them to become a part of their tribe. And it became so and in the village they all lived together for many years.

As time passed the people began to get lazy. No longer hungry or dependent on the weather to assist them with their crops, they began to neglect their sacred way of life. Fields were choked with weeds, husbands and wives became promiscuous, and elders who could no longer care for themselves were forgotten. Children were left alone crying and dirty, and their homes began to crumble.

The Kachina’s seeing that because they had with the Hopi people, things came to easy to the villagers and they soon forgot how to be humble, how important the need for prayer and honor were. So they decided that it would be best to return once again to where they had come from, thus allowing the people to return to the rightful way of life.

The people realizing what was about to happen begged the Kachina’s to stay, but their pleadings were denied. However before leaving the villages, the Kachina’s agreed to teach the Hopi people once again how to prepare offerings, ceremonial dress, songs and dance for how to harnessing the power of the elements. Only then, once they understood how to once again be humble …to honor the cycle would the Kachina spirits deliver their prayers to higher deities to bring rain, bountiful harvests, health and happiness to all the people of the world.

Now I will share with you the story of the Blue Kachina…

This story of the Blue Kachina is a very old story, I was told this story when I was in my teens by grandmothers that attended a gathering I was at. I was intrigued and remember it well.

“It was said that first the Blue Kachina will start to be seen at the dances, and would make his appearance known to the children while the night dance was occurring. When this happens it will warn us that the end times are very near. Then the Blue Star Kachina will physically appear in our heavens which would mean again that we are in the end times.

It is foretold that in the Final days we will look up in our heavens and we will witness the return of the two brothers who helped create this world in the birthing time, the guardian of the North and his Brother the guardian of the South. In the final days the Blue Star Kachina, who is Uncle to the two guardians will return to be with them and they will return the Earth to its natural rotation which is counter clock wise.

If we look to the many petroglyphs within the Mayan and Egyptian pyramids we also can see evidence it this story. The rotation of the Earth has been manipulated by not so benevolent Star beings. The twins will be seen in our North Western skies. They will come and visit to see who still remembered the original teachings flying in their flying shields. They will bring many of their star family with them in the final days.

The return of the Blue Star Kachina will be the alarm clock that tells us of the new day and new way of life, a new world that is coming. This is where the changes will begin. They will start as fires that burn within us, and we will burn up with desires and conflict if we do not remember the original teachings, and return to the peaceful way of life.

It is important to understand that these messages will be found upon every living thing, even within our bodies, even within a drop of our blood. All life forms will receive the messages from the Guardians… those that fly, the plants, even the rabbit. The appearance of the Guardians begins a period of seven years that we will have the opportunity to change, to remember and honor the old ways, the Sacred… Everything that we experience is all a mater of choice, and if we choose correctly we bring back together a world that will reunite, balance and a sacred way of life.

Let us raise our intentions to our consciousness and voice by sending healing energies and prayer up this day… Today I pray for all those who ask, all those in need, all those who do not ask … I pray that we are given the strength, the joy and the love that is needed in our days…

I call to the sacred winds…to carry my words
To the Grandmothers and Grandfathers of the North, the south, the east, the west, Above …below and within…

I call to the sacred winds to carry my words to the Winged ones…the Four Leggeds…the Plant People…the Crystal Keepers, the Thunder Beings, the Angelic Realm…Mother Mary and Magdalene…my Brother Christ and all the nations that love us.

I thank you for all the many blessings that you have shared with us today and beyond and I ask that you hear our prayers whether spoken our held silently within our hearts.

Today I ask that you hear our prayers as we stand humbly before you, small and human.
Help us to remember we are all but a tiny part of a great universe, that we are all connected as one…

Bring us the strength we need to walk our paths without ego or judgment…
Allow our hearts to hear what our ears are missing
Teach us how to allow forgiveness for others and ourselves
Fill our being with the unconditional love that you so freely offer all.
I call that we be reminded we are all no better than or less than one another.

Guide us through our days, to help us with our humanness…that we learn to reconnect with others in a gentle and positive way. Offering smiles when they are needed without thought, shoulders or ears to help ease another…and words that will uplift or soothe.

Keep our children safe and strong in this troubled world… I ask that on this day and days to come…guidance is shared with our children to help them as they walk their paths. Help open their eyes so they can learn and see the right way of things, teach them to respect all life no matter how small, open their ears and minds so that they may understand things that are being taught to them in a good and gentle manner…open their hearts so that when the harshness of the world falls at their feet, they can cope and handle it with compassion and understanding.

I ask that today and all days ahead, that we honor the traditions and the teachings of our Ancestors. Remembering to offer prayer and thanks for all the blessings in our lives.
That we remember to think of others comfort before our own by assisting our Elders and caring for our children and each other. That we choose correctly and we bring back together a world that will reunite, balance and a walk in a Sacred way of life.

I thank all those who have walked with us and answer our calls…this day and in days to come…and honor you …AHO
So my wish to you all today is that we take some time to honor the Ancestors, to think about choices that we make…and that we choose the right ones that will balance us and help us honor the Ancient Guardians…

May your day be bright and filled with faith. For it is way past time we remember we are all related.

Mig’wetch

~bear Medicinewalker

 

“Dancin’ in the Light” from Wind Dreamer and Jan Michael Looking Wolf.  Available on I tunes and at  http://www.lookingwolf.com/

Jan Michael Website Promo

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Snow Moon as told by bear Medicinewalker

snowmoon

Long ago and far to the north, winter nights were very long, dark and bitter cold. Nights were so long, dark and cold that all the Four Leggeds and their friends could barely gather enough food to survive the season. No matter how quickly they tried to gather nuts and seeds, the darkness covered them before log and stopped all their efforts. On such a day Squirrel decided that something had to be done. Her first stop would be a visit to her friends the field mice.

“Oh, we do not know what to do,” said Father Mouse. “We have so many children to feed, and the winter nights are so long and dark.”

“I will help you my little friends,” Squirrel replied.

Next Squirrel went to see Porcupine to ask him if he too had been having trouble finding food during the long dark winter.

“Oh, yes,” said Porcupine,“ nothing can be done it has always been this way.”

“I don’t believe that,” said Squirrel. “There must be something that can be done.”

“It’s best to leave things as they are for you never know what could happen if you try and change things,” said Porcupine. With a bristle of quills, he scurried off through wintery wind and snow.

Squirrel sat and thought for a bit and then decided to seek out Owl. Owl rested by day and flew the woods at night, with eyes bigger than all the other animals. Perhaps Owl would know a way to bring light to the winter forest.  Squirrel climbed high in Owl’s maple tree and waited for Owl to wake.

“What brings you to me Squirrel?” asked Owl.

“All of the small woodland animals need to hunt by darkness as well as day. The northern winter nights are far too dark for us. If we could only find a little light to help us see we could gather our food with ease”

Owl agreed to ponder on this problem. He lifted his feathery head and then buried it into his shoulders to think. He thought all day long, while Squirrel shivered on the windy branch. Finally, he startled with thought, “I will talk to the Sky Father and see if he can bring the stars closer to us during the winter time.”

Squirrel flicked her tail in excitement and hope as she raced down the tree to her spot in the woods. A few days went by and then Owl flew in and landed at Squirrel’s burrow.

“Tell our small friends that the Sky Father has decided he will bring the stars closer to us at night. But first, he must clear all the clouds from the sky. We must all prepare for a strong and terrible blizzard.” With that said, Owl flew off to his tree.

All the animals worked as quickly as they could to forage all the nuts, berries and seeds that they found. Then they gathered and huddled in a hollow log and watched as the huge storm clouds gathered in the sky above.

For three days the Sky Father gathered the storm clouds in the sky, stacking them in huge towers. The animals shivered below, waiting. On the third day, the storm arrived. The blizzard howled through the woods. The animals were frightened, all except Squirrel for she believed in what Owl had promised.  When the storm died away, a huge snowdrift had blocked the hollow log so that the animals could see nothing but the wall of snow and the darkness from inside the hollow space. They were scared and disappointed, thinking that only hunger and darkness awaited them.

Brave Little Squirrel made her way through all her friends and turned to them, “Wait here, I will tunnel out and see if the stars are closer as the Great Sky Father promised.”

Squirrel dug and dug, pushing through the cold and wet snow finally reaching the top. When her head popped out through the snow, she gasped in surprise. The winter stars hung so low in the evening sky, it seemed that she could almost touch them.

A large, antlered moose stepped forward and bowed his head, “I have been sent to help you, if you little animals can gather all the snow you can and push it into a giant snowball, I will then carry it cradled in my antlers across the highest mountain ridges, where it will shed light on even the darkest winter nights.”

So they all worked together with the help of the moose and the Sky Father to create the first Snow Moon. Now despite the cold and the long nights of darkness, all are happy in the winter when the stars come close and the moon shines bright like a great snowball in the sky.

~ bear Medicinewalker

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the Spirit of the White Deer as shared by bear Medicinewalker

spirit of the White Deer

One day as is often the case, a young warrior fell in love with the daughter of a great Chief. Upon meeting the young warrior the Chief was not very fond of the idea of this young warrior with his daughter at all, so he created a price for the bride that he was sure that the young warrior would not be able to pay.

“Bring me the hide of the White Deer, for it is believed that animals that are all white are magical, as is my daughter. That is the price for my daughter’s hand in marriage, one white deer skin” The chief knew that an all white deer was very rare and would most difficult to find. The white deerskin was the best and most beautiful material to use in a wedding dress, so the Chief felt good setting the task to such a high level.

So the young warrior agreed and before leaving on the hunt went to his beloved, and spoke to her “I will return with your bride price in one moon, and we will be married this I promise you.” Taking his best bow and his sharpest arrows he headed out to find the rare and magical White Deer.

Three weeks went by, and the young warrior was often hungry and lonely until one night during a full moon when he saw a White Deer that seemed to drift in and out of his vision with the moonlight. When the deer came very close to where he was hidden, the young warrior pulled back the arrow on his bow and sent his sharpest arrow through the wind. The arrow sank deep into the White Deer’s heart yet instead of falling to the ground in death the deer turned and began to run toward the young warrior. His red eyes shining in the night with his horns sharp and menacing pointing as he grew closer to the warrior.

Soon a month had passed and the young warrior had not returned as he had promised his beloved. Soon the seasons began to pass the tribe decided that the young warrior would never again return. The Chief’s young daughter never took any other young man as a husband, for she deep inside her heart she held a secret. When the moon was full in the sky, she would look out over the meadows and she would glimpse a magnificent White Deer through the mist, and as it ran if one looked closely you could see the quill of an arrow in his heart. She lived hoping the deer would finally fall, and her warrior would one day return.

To this day the white deer is special to the Native Peoples for it speaks to us of all that is Sacred in the Hoop of Life.

Mitakuye O’yasin
~ bear Medicinewalker

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