One time the men who did not honor life came to the forest. They were crafty in their manner and spread out to begin to track. The animals of the forest heard the men, could feel their intentions, and knew to be quiet and not move. So, the men passed them by. But, a young mother wolf with her pups was afraid. Her pups would not be so quiet as they were very young and they did not understand the danger.

Because they made noise, the men came upon the family. The mother wolf jumped to defend but the men killed her. The men took the pups. Other men paid money to have the wolves. So, the pups were sold and taken to different places. As the pups grew, their blood was stirred by distant memories of living in a good way in harmony with the forest. They knew they did not belong with these human animals, nor did they feel secure. Many of the pups did not adjust well, and were passed from place to place. Some ran away some were killed because they could not behave in a way that the human animals liked.

One pup was taken in by a human who understood the nature of the wolf. The human showed the wolf love and compassion without trying to change it's nature. The wolf was allowed to act it's own way, without being made into something it was not. This human had other four-leggeds that were similiar to the wolf but not in manner or blood. The wolf watched these other four-leggeds that seemed perfectly con-tent being where they were. The human knew the wolf pup was very confused. The human told the pup - "You are wolf, be who you are. Do not become like the others, for their ways are not your ways."

Time passed and the wolf grew. The wolf had many thoughts about the goings on around her. She also had longings and dreams of long distant feelings, sights, sounds and smells. She was also lonely, and no one really understood what her feeling and experience was like. She longed to run free with her brothers and sisters, romping and playing, learning and being cared for by her mother. But she knew those things were long gone from her now. Time went on and her lonliness and confusion grew. She came to a decision. "I will try to be with these other four-leggeds, they seem happy and at peace, and maybe I can too."

She began to act like the other four-leggeds and soon they accepted her and they played together. She began to have a bit of happiness, but she still longed for the feeling of home. Then she knew it was time for her to have a family of her own. She knew she would never find one of her own kind, so she chose one of the other four-leggeds. He was a good canine, stable, relaxed, and happy. So, they made a family. But when she looked at her pups, her heart became more
heavy. She did not want her pups to grow up in this world of noise and confusion, cement and poisoned air; she did not want her pups confined to such a small area with no trees. In her blood the voices of her ancestors were speaking. The pull to teach her pups the "old ways" although she barely knew them herself, was very strong.

Once her pups were able to travel, she gathered them together and they set out. They traveled a very long way, and the terrain was very dangerous They encountered obstacles everywhere they went. But, the further they traveled, the stronger and clearer the voices of her ancestors became inside her. She knew she was on the right path, and she knew she would find her way home. Along the way, she and her pups learned many skills, although they were not the true "old ways", still they were enough to survive. The day that she first laid eyes on the land of her birth, her heart thrilled. Her senses seemed to expand. The hardships of the journey they had made seemed to fall away.

"I am home" she thought, as relief and happiness spread through her. Her pups felt the change in her and they began to be excited. The longing was over They entered the forest. At first the explored with wonder the silence, the peace, the warmth and security of the place. It felt more real to them than any other place they had ever been. As they walked, the mother cautioned her pups, "We are strangers here, and we do not know the ways of this land. We must walk quietly, slowly, and with respect. We must not harm anything here, and only take what we need to survive." So, they traveled.

Later, the mother became aware that there were other creatures around, and that they were watching. Her pups were tired, hungry, and beginning to act badly, complaining that although this was a nice place, they liked it better where they were before, where their food bowl was always full and they didn't have to do anything. "Stay here - quietly", she told them, and set off to hunt. Of course, the other creatures were much smarter here in the forest then in all the other
places she had traveled through. She had had to hunt before, but never such a cunning and aware prey. After a few hours of walking with no signs, she sat down. She faced East and said, "Help me to see the way of this place. I have not the skills needed here. Show me. My children are hungry, give me understanding how to bring them food in an honorable way."

She turned to the North and said, "You have challenged me greatly on our journey. I have learned many things. Help me honor my ancestors and my children in a wise way." To the West she said, "We have traveled through many changes, we have shed many ways that were not meant to be ours. Help me to see clearly the ways that hinder and the ways that bring harmony in this place of my birth." To the South, she announced, "My ancestors are here, they have been with me all along. Help me understand what they teach. Open my eyes and my ears, so that I and my family will grow strong in this way."

Then she laid down and felt the Earth under her, felt it's heartbeat and
it's being. She knew then that the Earth was her true Mother, the provider of all that she is, and all that she will ever have. She asked Mother, "Show me the way to walk in harmony with you, so that I honor you and all you provide." the she looked up as the night began to descend, the Great Sky Vault was populated with those brilliant lights. She knew then that all things of the earth were one, and all were held in the arms of the Creator. Those lights were her ancestors, and she saw their ways. "Creator, show me the way to strength, love, peace and understanding. Fill my days and nights with the wonder of all that you are."

Suddenly, there was a stirring inside. Her blood began to race, her senses expanded, so that she could here everything in the forest, she could smell every plant, tree, animal; she could feel the pulse that is the same in each and every living being. She knew where each being was, and that all of Creation was in it's proper place. She knew she was right where she was supposed to be, and like everything else, she was Creation. Then the rabbits, who had hidden at her approach, came out of their holes because they had heard no sound, nor smelled no smell of the hunter who had been there. The wolf had blended with Creation so well, they did not notice her there. She sprang at just the right time, and took the food to her children, giving thanks all the way back.

As the night wore on, she told them of what she had learned, that all in Creation was exactly as it should be now. That every challenge we
face, every obstacle we encounter, is to help us to let go of the things
that make us feel separate; to show us how to BE ONE with ALL of Creation. Then the pups slept. For several days the family hunted, explored, learned of the ways of speaking to the Spirits; of watching for the teachings and doing the best they knew how to follow the lessons they learned. They were growing stronger each day, more skillful in the hunting, never forgetting to pray for blessings, teachings and thanking the Spirits who helped for all the lessons. The family had been ranging further into the forest, so as not to take too much from one area, and to learn new lessons in other areas. They knew they were getting closer to their kind, they could smell it and sense it. The Spirits and the creatures helped them by giving them signs along the way.

One day they were upon the village of the Wolves. The mother told her pups, " I must go on ahead and see how things are with my family." She silently approached the pack, and settled in to observe from a distance All day she attuned herself to the goings on in the village. She learned many things about how the pack worked and lived together. Everyone had skills that they used to do a certain work to help the pack survive; some were hunters, some were warriors, some were to watch over the young pups. Some cleaned up the village, some were to heal the sick, some were the teachers of the stories and the traditions. Everyone had a skill; everyone had a pur- pose; everyone pitched in to do their share so the pack could survive in a good way. Of course, some did their work to the best of their ability, and some were kind of lazy. Some were in tune with the whole, and some only went through the motions. Some were at peace, some complained and argued. She heard, she saw, she learned.

Meanwhile, some of the scouts had been about their business in the forest when they came across the trail of the family. They followed in order to find out about the trespassers. One said, "These are strangers, they are not of our pack, we must run them off." One said, "They do not smell like us, although they walk softly and barely leave a trail.
Still, I can tell by their scent they are not true wolves." Another said,
"But they have some wolf. I guess that makes them feel like they can just waltz in here and try to hunt our land. Next thing you know, they will think they should be allowed to join our pack." "We should confront them and tell them they do not belong here, before they bring different ways and ideas into the pack and make our culture less than it is." To which they all agreed, and set out to accost the strangers.

Now, the mother heard these things on the wind, and rushed off to protect her children, unaware that in her rushing, she had alerted the village of her presence. Several warriors set out to find out who was racing through their woods. An Elder and a Holy Man followed. The scouts had reached the pups and demanded to know who they were, what they were doing here. They told the pups they were not welcome and they must go back to where they came from. The pups were fairly frightened, but they were not about to be run off without their mother.
The biggest scout stepped forward and said, "We have followed your trail; you have made mistakes along the way. We smell your blood and it is not whole wolf. You do not belong here; you were not born here, nor were you raised in the village. You do not know who your family is. You can never understand our culture because of these reasons."

"You will try to turn other full bloods to bad ways with your different
ideas and different understandings that you have learned in the human
world", he continued, "We will not let you dilute our blood, steal our ways, or allow you to bring your ways here. You are DOGS not wolves. Go find your way in the dog culture." When the pups did not move or respond, this angered the scouts. The scouts knew they were right, and when these mixed bloods did not acknowledge their "rightness", the scouts were convinced that the mixed bloods were set out to bring harm to the village. So, they attacked the pups. Just then the warriors, the Elder, the Holy Man, and the mother all reached the scene of the fighting.

The warriors were angered that the scouts had begun a fight, which wasn't their job to do. The Elder was concerned that the scouts had made their judgements and decisions without holding council with the Elders. The Holy Man was upset that the traditions had been broken and the Spirits had been dishonored by these acts. The mother was hurt and sad and very angry and wanted to comfort her children.
The pups saw their mother and broke free and ran to her. The scouts saw the others of the village and stopped, suddenly shamed by their unwise behavior. The forest was suddenly very still and quiet. A soft wind began to blow, caressing all who were gathered there. It blew the clouds, so that rays of the Grandfather Sun began to pour down on everyone there. The spirits of the ancestors began to come forth from the trees, to stand with them all.

Then One Wing, another very respected Elder, walked into the clearing and looked at the scene. He said, "You see that the Spirit wind blows on you all equally. The rays of the Grandfather Sun warms each of you the same. All of your ancestors are here with you ALL right now. "Does this not show that we are all accepted by our Creator equally, being in this place at this time?"

Wado for listening..........

I asked that we could include this

on the writers' page and that we all

would learn the lesson given. (o)v(o)

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