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An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice...
"Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt great hate for
those who have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate
wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It's like taking poison
and wishing your enemy would die."
"I have struggled with these feelings many times. It is as if there are
two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony
with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was
intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the
right way.
But...the other wolf... ah! The littlest thing will send him into a fit
of temper. He fights everyone, all of the time, for no reason. He
cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless
anger, for his anger will change nothing."
"Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."
The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"
The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed."
-- -- A Native American tale told many times around the Sacred Fire
The traditions of our people are handed down from father to son. The Chief is considered to
be the most learned, and the leader of the tribe...
Sarah Winnemucca Paitue
(1844-1891)
Among the Indians there have been no written laws. Customs handed down from generation to
generation have been the only laws to guide them...
George Copway
(Kah-ge-ga-bow)
Ojibwa Chief
(1818-1863)
The Legend of The Cedar Tree
as told by Jim Fox
A long time ago when the Cherokee people
were new upon the earth, they thought that life would be much better if
there was never any night. They beseeched the Ouga (Creator) that it
might be day all the time and that there would be no darkness. The
Creator heard their voices and made the night cease and it was day all
the time. Soon, the forest was thick with heavy growth. It became
difficult to walk and to find the path. The people toiled in the
gardens many long hours trying to keep the weeds pulled from among the
corn and other food plants. It got hot, very hot, and continued that
way day after long day. The people began to find it difficult to sleep
and became short tempered and argued among themselves.
Not many days had passed before the people realized they had made a
mistake and, once again, they beseeched the Creator. "Please," they
said, "we have made a mistake in asking that it be day all the time.
Now we think that it should be night all the time." The Creator paused
at this new request and thought that perhaps the people may be right
even though all things were created in twos... representing to us day
and night, life and death, good and evil, times of plenty and those
times of famine. The Creator loved the people and decided to make it
night all the time as they had asked.
The day ceased and night fell upon the earth. Soon, the crops stopped
growing and it became very cold. The people spent much of their time
gathering wood for the fires. They could not see to hunt meat and with
no crops growing it was not long before the people were cold, weak, and
very hungry. Many of the people died.
Those that remained still living gathered once again to beseech the
Creator. "Help us Creator," they cried! "We have made a terrible
mistake. You had made the day and the night perfect, and as it should
be, from the beginning. We ask that you forgive us and make the day and
night as it was before."
Once again the Creator listened to the request of the people. The day
and the night became, as the people had asked, as it had been in the
beginning. Each day was divided between light and darkness. The weather
became more pleasant, and the crops began to grow again. Game was
plentiful and the hunting was good. The people had plenty to eat and
there was not much sickness. The people treated each other with
compassion and respect. It was good to be alive. The people thanked the
Creator for their life and for the food they had to eat.
The Creator accepted the gratitude of the people and was glad to see
them smiling again. However, during the time of the long days of night,
many of the people had died, and the Creator was sorry that they had
perished because of the night. The Creator placed their spirits in a
newly created tree. This tree was named a-tsi-na tlu-gv {ah-see-na
loo-guh} cedar tree.
When you smell the aroma of the cedar tree or gaze upon it standing in
the forest, remember that if you are Tsalagi {Cherokee}, you are
looking upon your ancestor.
Cherokee Stories & Legends!
Source: Cherokee's of California
Links To Other Sites:
Traditional Native American Stories & Legends
Links To Other Sites:
Native American Quotes & Wisdom
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