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12.
WHITE BUFFALO
- Moon
Sarah J. Andrew
Original art by Cyndi Harris
Original photography and photo-graphics by Nancy Hopkins
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It was getting late in the day when Crow flew overhead with an accompanying, "Caw." Great Buffalo found himself glad to see the little, feathered friend. He watched the bird circle a few times, before flying off. A while later, Crow returned and again circled above for a good dozen times before landing on Great Buffalo's back. |
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"What have you been doing all day? Wolf thought you would be much higher up the mountain. At this rate, you and he will not meet until after sunset," Crow admonished. "But, with my circling, he knows where you are." "Good to see you, too, Crow," Great Buffalo replied. "I have been busy." "Busy doing what?" "Thinking, mostly thinking." "It is that big head of yours, you think too much." "Maybe I never thought much, at all." Crow said, "Whatever. I am going to find a snack before daylight fades. Later," and he flew off. |
Crow had returned just before
dusk and made himself comfortable on the buffalo's great hump, where he quickly
fell asleep. Great Buffalo had walked until it was too dark to see much. He
was awakened when the Full Moon rose over the tops of the trees and lit up the
forest. The light awoke the buffalo, who noticed the path through the forest
could be clearly seen. Great Buffalo cautiously started walking again, while
crow kept sleeping on Great Buffalo's back. Sometime later, Great Buffalo heard
the wolves. There had to be a youngster with Dog. The sound of the howling,
startled Crow who made a sleepy, "Caw, what 's that?"
"Dog. Go back to sleep." Great Buffalo walked faster toward the howling. He soon had Dog in sight. The buffalo could just make out the little dog, beside his old friend, howling at the Full Moon, in a prayerful sort of way. |
The youngster turned out to be the son of Dog's oldest daughter. The grandson was obviously Dog's great fan. The little one did not move from beside his grandfather during the long, silent walk back toward the Wolf Den, while Dog led the way. The Full Moon had moved to its highest point in the sky and was on its downward slide toward the horizon, before Dog said, "This is good. You will find a meadow over there, for a morning breakfast," and he motioned with his head. Sleep well my old friend. The Wolf Pack will be keeping watch over this area. I will see you tomorrow."
Great Buffalo could sense the others nearby. The smells of the forest had another wonderful smell, the smell of Wolf. Before falling to sleep, Great Buffalo went back into time, when he was Young Buck and first introduced to the Wolf Family, when another Full Moon shown over the forest.
"Wolf medicine," Young Buck's father had explained, "is the ultimate learning experience. The older male wolf goes to the edges of the Wolf Pack territory and sometimes beyond. Whatever he experiences, he brings back to tell the family. In this way, learning is passed on and on. It is said, Wolf can remember the Beginning through the stories they have passed down from generation to generation."
Great Buffalo suddenly remembered asking his father, "Why do they howl at the moon."
Remembering his father's reply, jolted Great Buffalo wide awake again. His father had said, "Dog's father says it is to honor the Spirit of the Moon."
"What's that?" inquired his son.
"It is some force that's inside the moon, which Wolf says protects and guides him and the others."
"What is a force, Father?"
"Well, Son, I am not sure. It is just something Wolf believes exists."
"Do you believe it exists?" asked Young Buck.
"I don't know. I never gave it much thought," and the conversation had just stopped. Great Buffalo wondered why he and his father never thought much about spirits in things like the moon or about Gods or Superior Beings. It was Squirrel's words, Great Buffalo remembered next, "A perfect buffalo life. Perfection. End of story."
Maybe having no enemies meant you did not have to believe in imaginary beings that could protect you. "Tomorrow," Great Buffalo thought, "I will ask Dog why he howls at the moon."
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