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| Smiles Alot and Grandfather Bear by � smileybear67 Today Smiles Alot will go with her Father Running Bear to the stream to learn how to fish. On the way Father Running Bear explains to Smiles Alot that she must stand in the water very still. She must watch the fish first, to learn their movements. �Then you must quickly glide your spear at the fish. If you are swift enough you will catch your fish.� Father Running Bear motioned his spear in the air showing Smiles Alot. As they approached the stream Smiles Alot noticed a very large and very old bear. Father Running Bear bent down to Smiles Alot�s ear and whispered softly, �That�s Grandfather Bear. Very old and still very wise. As long as he stays up stream and we don�t bother him it will be fine.� Smiles Alot and Father Running Bear walked into the middle of the stream. As Smiles Alot watched her Father she also watched Grandfather Bear. Father Running Bear caught 5 fish then it was Smiles Alot turn. She tried as hard as she could, but missed. �This is hard Father! You make it look easy.� Father Running Bear smiled, �Only because I�ve done it many times. I had to learn also.� Smiles Alot noticed their basket was pretty full of fish, she also noticed that Grandfather Bear had not caught any fish. �Father,� Smiles Alot looked up at her Father. �I feel sorry for Grandfather Bear. Our basket is full and Grandfather Bear hasn�t caught one!� At that Smiles Alot took a fish out of their basket and walked over to the other side of the stream. She bent over and laid down the fish, stood up tall and said, �Grandfather Bear this fish I will leave you.� The Great Bear watched as Smiles Alot walked from where the fish was laying. As she reached her Father, he put his arm around her, �That was a good thing you did. I am very proud! Everyone will hear of this.� When they reached their tipi Grandmother Speaks Softly and Mother Silent Tongue was preparing the fire for the evening meal. After the food was done and they were all sitting and eating, Father Runnning Bear told of Smiles Alot kindness. Smiles Alot went to bed feeling good about herself. The next morning after she helped prepare and eat the morning meal, Father Running Bear tells Smiles Alot that she may have the rest of the day to do as she wants. She kissed her Father on the cheek and ran into the forest. �I hope I see my friend, Brother Eagle today,� She thought to herself. She ran to the meadow but no sign of him anywhere. She decided to go elsewhere. She came upon a clearing in the forest. There were berry bushes gathered everywhere. She decided to pick some. As she carefully picked only the ripe berries she heard the crinkling noice of the dried leaves and stems of the forest floor. She stood very still for she didn�t want to alarm what was behind her. She was scared as it came closer. She tried to remember what her Father Running Bear taught her. She very slowly turned around. Her heart beating faster as a huge shadow appeared. Smiles Alot gasped, �Grandfather Bear! You scared me.� �Please Smiles Alot do not be afraid. I have come to thank you for giving me the fish.� �Oh, you are welcome. My Father Running Bear, says we are all as one, yet we are all seperate. He says we are all part of lifes web and that when one piece is destroyed, all is destroyed.� �Your Father is wise Smiles Alot. Always listen to your Elders for they have already had their life teachings.� Smiles Alot got a puzzled look on her face, �But Grandfather Bear, if we are all one, why then can�t we all live in one big tipi?� Grandfather Bear laid down in the sun. �Climb up on my back and rest, I will try to explain.� Smiles Alot climbed up his side and onto his big soft back. �You see Smiles Alot we all came from the Great Spirit, the Creator. We are all different, yet the same. We have different beliefs and different lives yet we all have a heart and we all have a Spirit being. We must learn from each other so we can teach others. The Great Spirit created us this way so that we would know to be seperate, yet be also one together. As your Father tells you we are all part of lifes web.� Grandfather Bear spent the rest of the afternoon telling Smiles Alot about some of his brothers fallen from Mother Earth to the Spirit world. Just before Smiles Alot and Grandfather Bear fall asleep in the warm sun, Smiles Alot whispers to herself, �I wish you, Grandfather Bear, didn�t have to fall from Mother Earth.� They both dreamed of Grandfather Bear being young and running and playing with Smiles Alot. After awhile they both stirred awake. The trees were partly shading them from the sun. As Smiles Alot slid off Grandfathers back she sadly replied, �I must return to my family.� Smiles Alot reached into her leather pouch and pulled out a piece of berry bread, her Grandmother had given her. �Please accept this as my gift, for you have given me some of your wisdom. I thank you!� As she placed the berry bread in Grandfather Bear�s paw she turned in the direction of her family�s tipi and disappeared. When she could see her Father outside of the tipi she could barely wait to tell him what happened! �Father! Father!� SmileyBear : ) |
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