Posted by Silver Wolf on October 03, 1999 at 22:03:36:
Coyotee, wolf and their kin represent the sheer spontaneous in life, the pure creative spark that is our birthright as human beingsand that defies fixed roles or behavior...here is a great power in such a being, and it has always been duly recognized and honored by Native American people.
There was a time there were no people on the earth. Until the 5th day, a man burst forth from the sacred place, full grown. Looking up, he sees a raven. Raven stared intently at the man and said "wait here". When raven returned he had made the birds, the fish and the animals. But raven was woried that man would destory everything he had made, so he formed...Bear...to be feared by man, and to protect the land. Now the outsiders have come they're not afraid of the bear...they do not respect the land. We must find a way to teach them respect.
One day the animals held council to discuss the grave threats of man upon their lives. They decided they would send a crippling form of arthritis to any hunter who didnt ask the animals for forgiveness for taking its life. Little Deer was chosen to race to the animal that was shot and ask the animal if it had heard the hunters prayer for forgiveness. If the animal had, all was well. If not, Little Deerwoulf follow the hunter back to his village and cripple him with arthritis.