I brought the following story over from the Cherokee website, www.cherokee.org and I encourage you to please visit there often. It is a little bit different from a similar story I am familiar with, but it is a wonderful version.
Origin of Disease and Medicine
The old ones tell us that at one time, the animals, fish, insects and plants could all talk. Together with the people, they were at peace and had a great friendship. As time went on, the numbers of people grew so
much that their settlements spread over the whole earth, and the animals found themselves cramped for space. To make things worse, the people invented bows, knives, blowguns, spears, and hooks, and they began to hunt and kill the larger animals, birds and fish only for their hides.
The smaller creatures, like the frogs and worms, were stepped upon and crushed without thought, out of carelessness, and sometimes even contempt. The animals decided to meet in a council to agree on measures for their safety.
The bears were the first ones to meet in a council, at Mulberry Place, or Kuwahi mountain. The old White Bear Chief led the council. After each one had his turn of complaining about the way people killed their
friends, ate their flesh, and used their skins for his own purposes, they decided to begin a war at once against man. One of the bears asked what kind of weapons the people used to destroy them. Bows and arrows! exclaimed all the Bears together. What are they made of? was the next
question. The bow is made of wood, and the string is made of our entrails, replied one of the Bears. They then decided they would make a bow and see if they could use the same type of weapon the people were using. One of the Bears got a nice piece of locust wood, and another bear sacrificed himself for the good and betterment of his brothers of sisters.
He offered to let his entrails be used for the string of the bow. When everything was ready, a Bear found that in letting the arrow fly after drawing the string, his long claws got in the way and his shot was ruined. He was very frustrated, but someone suggested they clip his claws. After this, it was found that the arrow went straight to the mark. But,
the Chief White Bear objected, saying they must not trim their claws as they needed them to climb trees. One of us already gave his life, and if we cut off our claws, then we must all starve together. I think we
should trust and use the teeth and claws the Creator gave us, and it is plain that the peoples weapons were not made for us.
They could not think of a better plan, so the chief White Bear dismissed council and the Bears dispersed throughout the woods without having come up with a way to protect themselves. Had they come up with such a way, we would not be at war with the Bears, but the way it is today, the hunter does not even ask the Bears pardon when he kills one. The Deer held the next council, under their Chief Little Deer. They decided they would send arthritis to every hunter who kills one of them, unless he made sure to ask their pardon for the offense. They sent out
a notice of their decision to the nearest settlement of Cherokees and told them how they could avoid this. Now, whenever a hunter shoots a Deer, Little Deer, who is swift as the wind and cannot be harmed, goes
quickly to the spot and asks the spirit of the Deer if it has heard the prayer of the hunter, asking for pardon. If the spirit replies yes, everything is in balance. If the reply is no, Little Deer follows the trail of the hunter, and when resting in his home, Little Deer enters
invisibly and strikes the hunter with arthritis. No hunter who regards his own health ever fails to ask pardon of the Deer for killing it.Next, the Fish and Reptiles held their own council. They decided to make their victims dream of snakes climbing about them, and blowing stinky breath in their faces. They also dream of decaying fish, so that they would lose their appetites and die of hunger. Finally, the Birds, Insects and smaller animals came together for
their own council. The Grubworm was the Chief of the council. They decided that each should give his opinion, and then they would vote as to
whether or not the people were guilty. Seven votes would be enough for a guilty verdict. One after another, they complained about mans cruelty and disrespect. The Frog spoke first, saying, We must do something to slow down how fast they are multiplying! Otherwise, we will disappear
from the face of the earth through extinction! The Frog continued, They have kicked me about because they say I am ugly and now my back is
covered with sores. He showed them the spots on his back. Next, the Bird condemned people because, They burn off my feet in the barbecue! Others followed with their own complaints. The Groundsquirrel was the only one to say something in the peoples defense, because he was so small he did not endure the hunting and disrespect. The others became so angry at him, the swooped on him and tore him with their claws. The
stripes are on his back until this day. They began to name so many new diseases, one after another . The Grubworm was more and more pleased as all these new names were being called off. Then the Plants, who were friendly to man, heard about all these things the animals were doing to the people. Each tree, shrub, and herb, agreed to furnish a cure for some of the diseases. Each said, I will appear and help the people when they call upon me. This is how the medicines came to be. Every plant has a use, if only we would learn it and remember it. They have furnished the remedy to counteract the diseases
brought on by the revengeful animals. Even weeds were made for some good purpose. You must ask, and learn for yourself. When a doctor does
not know which medicine to use, the spirit of the plant will tell the sick person.
(Again, please offer a visit to the www.cherokee.org site where this story was originally posted). Here is another story from cherokee.org. website, and please read their newsletter regularly for new stories.
The Raven Mocker
The most dreaded of all Cherokee witches is the Raven Mocker, who robs
the dying of their life. A Raven Mocker can be of either sex, and there
is no real way to know one. They usually look old and withered, because
they have added so many lives to their own.
During the night when someone is sick or dying, the Raven Mocker goes
there to take the life. He flies through the air with his arms
outstretched like wings. There will be a wild wind noise around him, and sparks
trailing from behind. Every once in awhile he will dive, and make a
sound similar to a raven cry. All those who hear it are afraid, because
they know that someone's life will soon end. When the Raven Mocker
makes it to the dying person's house, he often finds others of his kind
there. Unless there is an Indian Doctor watching out who knows how to
drive them off, they will all go inside (they are invisible) and frighten
and torment the sick person until they kill him. Sometimes, those who
are attending the sick think the person is just fighting for their
breath.
After the witches take the life, they take out his heart and eat it,
and by doing this, they add to their own lives as many days or years as
they have taken from his. Nobody who is attending the sick cann see
them, and there is no scar where they have removed the heart. Upon further
examination, they will find that there is no heart left in the body.
Only a medicine person with the right kind of medicine can recognize a
Raven Mocker, and if that medicine person stays in the room with the
sick person, the witches will be afraid to come in. When one of them has
been recognized in his right shape, he must die within seven days.
Often, when the friends of a traditional Cherokee know that there is no
more hope, they will try to have one of these medicine people stay in the
house and guard the body until it is buried. Witches will not steal the
hearts after burial.
Other witches are usually jealous of Raven Mockers and are afraid to
enter the same house with one. When a Raven Mocker finally dies, the
other witches sometimes take revenge by digging up the body and abusing it.
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Again, here is the source for the previous two stories:
Cherokee Nation
P. O. Box 948
Tahlequah, OK 74465
1-800-256-0671 (toll free In Oklahoma only)
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I have been asked to keep The Last Buffalo story posted by many, so here it remains.
Last Buffalo had been asleep for a very long time. When she finally woke up all that stretched ahead for as far as anyone could see was tall yellow wheat grass. Last Buffalo rose to her feet and looked in all the four directions before choosing the path toward the north star. She walked in solitude for many days. Suddenly one morning she heard the cries of a baby grizzly.
"Where is your family?" she asked the bear cub.
"I am the last Bear," Grizzly replied.
"Crawl on my back," Last Buffalo said. "I will take you with me."
And together they traveled for days. Then they heard the cries of a lone wolf pup.
"Where is your family?" Last Buffalo asked.
"I am the last Wolf," Lone Wolf said.
"Crawl on my back," Last Buffalo said. "I will take you with me."
And together all three traveled northward until one day they heard the cries of a lion cub.
"Where is your family?" Last Buffalo asked.
"I am the last Lion," Lion Cub said.
"Crawl on my back and we will all travel in safety," Last Buffalo said.
When many more days past, they heard the cries of a baby eagle.
"Where is your family?" Last Buffalo asked.
"Gone," said baby Eagle. "I am the last of my kind.
"Perch between my horns," said Last Buffalo. "We must all stay together now."
And so they traveled, always following the north star, until they reached the Great Mountain. And that is where they remain in Spirit, and that is where they can always be found.
A worthwhile organization: American Indian Relief Council, POB 6200, Rapid City, South Dakota 57709-6200.
Also
American Indian Education Foundation, POB 27491, Albuquerque NM 87125.
Remember all animal charities and rescue organizations, and help our Wolves! Please visit www.savewolves.org and sign a petition for Wolf protection. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah is a very good place. And, if you want to learn about wolves from a person who has a true wolf spirit, read or watch the documentary by Jim Dutcher about the Sawtooth Wolf Pack. This story is as deep as your heart and you will never be the same. Wonderful.
Recipe to share is for fancy pemmican jerkey (Sioux). Slice raw beef or buffalo very thin. Salt the meat strips on both sides. Hang each strip with some room in-between from a new clean cord. A clean dry room is your best location. If you want to add some flavor, pound hot chili seeds into your strips of meat. You can also pound dry cherries into your meat. Then you have fancy jerkey. If you have venison or elk meat, this works, too.
Fry bread: 2 cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 cup powdered milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup water. Mix flour, powdered milk, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. Add water. Put the dough on a generously floured board and knead it for about five minutes. Roll the dough out and cut into strips or triangles. Fry pieces in very hot oil (Canola oil is good). Turn the bread once. Done when golden in color. Always pat your bread free of oil with paper towels.
WHERE DO STORIES COME FROM?
Life. Every day is an accumulation of stories. For me the story writes itself. Characters find their way into my mind and begin telling me their stories. The more they insist on remaining noisy, the more I see the chapters. Eventually I write their story, and the characters always surprise me with what happens. I am as surprised by the ending as my readers. Always something I did not expect.
Thank you for visiting and please come back again. May all the tracks you make be soft upon the earth, and don't ever forget, the tracks you make are yours alone. No one else is responsible. If they are good, you made them that way. If they are not good, you made them that way. And don't forget, if you want to have a happy life, show up for it.