Howling wolf

“Ah yes”, “ the howling wolf” he smiled, “ they say that the wolf will howl for time eternal, my friend “

I sat in silence, watching the old Indian, sitting by the fire, weather-worn face etched with lines and tanned a rich deep brown by many days in the sun.

It was a warm desert night, that surrounded us in the

Dense cloak that only nature can wrap the earth in

A thick darkness that hid, from prying eyes the secrets of the night creatures that stirred and moved like shadows.

“ Many moons ago, when the great spirit roamed the earth and all were at peace, there walked upon the earth, a great wolf, and he was called old one eye

And old one eye was an awesome wolf indeed”.

The old man smiled and chuckled quietly as the fire

Sparked and spat, its flame eating deep into the wood

“ But old one eye was not always old and blind in one eye, no, old one eye, had two eyes once and the keenest eyesight in earth.” “ Far greater than that of the eagle that ruled the skies with grace and skill”.

I watched in silence as the old started to weave the story of howling wolf and the desert was lost around us and the story wove its magic we entered the world of the shaman and travelled back to times long ago and many, many years past.

The Great Spirit held counsel with the lords of land air and sea, in spirits realm, a place between time and space, where all was real and nothing was false.

Shrouded with cloaks of magic and smoke-like mist

Spirit stood tall amongst her children, fearing none and loving all as babes in arms, even the towering grizzling paid homage to spirit, for spirit wrapped her loving arms around him as he slept in hibernation during the winter months and keep grizz safe and warm against the cold and preying animals that roamed the earth in search of food.

Spirit spoke the language of nature; words that all gathered in her presence, could understand and talk for this was the land of spirit and spirits children.

“ My children, I bring amongst you, another to walk the land as freely as you do, and his name shall be man and to man I will give the gift of animal speak and man shall share with you the earth and be your friend”.

The gathered kin of spirit exploded into a hushed roar as exclamations and remarks were passed between the animals as this news was of great interest to all.

“You, my children, have the run of the earth and that will not change, my children, for I gave this earth to you and you have respected it for eons, my children.”

“Now, I ask of you a simple task, I wish you to teach man to respect the earth too, as you have done, for man is new to this place and needs to learn, my children”

“ Please teach man to love this earth and care for it, as home for all”.

And with that, sprit motioned and a strange figure stepped forth in the circle, causing a fresh round of hushed whispers and murmurs as the animals saw for the first time, man, that was the new animal.

Man stood to the height of the horse’s shoulder, yet of two legs, not four. Long brown hair cascaded down across broad shoulders to a deep chest; solid and muscled, down too strong hips and legs.

Clear blue eyes stared intently from a face with fine chiselled features, at the gathered children of spirit.

“ Now” spirit spoke in firm tones, “ I give these tasks to you, my children.

“ Owl, you are my child of silent wisdom, I entrust you to teach man, about the laws of nature, how to keep the balance of nature, with my children”

“ Dolphin, you are my child of the sea, I entrust you to teach man to swim with speed and grace, in the waters of the oceans, and to learn the secrets of the waters”.

“ Wolf, you are my child of the land, I entrust you to teach man, to see all with keen senses, to seek out all that exists in nature and to see the wisest path to walk”.

“ Stag, you are my child of the mysteries of spirit; I entrust you to teach man about me and the secrets that I have taught you and the lessons that you have learnt of your life with me on the earth”.

“Eagle, last of my children to teach, you are my child of the skies and I entrust you to teach man the freedom of life, to watch over the earth and see all that is to be shown and to soar with the wings that I will gift man when it is time to teach man to fly”.

“Now, my children, I have spoken, take man and teach man as I have asked and man shall be you greatest friend and will treat you as equal and respect you as I do my children”.

For many years, owl taught man about the seasons and the ways of each animal in nature, how the plants grew and what animal was entitled to, in the land

To eat and claim, as they’re own as was spirits would.

Man learnt that each part of nature held secrets and things to learn about, and man learnt greatly under the watchful eye of owl, and spirit, watched from her place and, many times walked with man and spoke of the things that man had learnt.

Til, one day the time came that owl had taught man all that owl could teach and that was no more to learn and it was that day that man was taken to the sea and met with dolphin.

Man spent time, much time with dolphin, learning the secrets of the seas, how the moon influenced the tides and why some of the creatures lived in the sea and the land. Who, in the sea preyed on who and why, the treasures and secrets of the seas were opened to man and man learnt greatly from dolphin?

The time had come for man to learn from wolf and man went with wolf, to learn to sense all thing, to know what can not be seen with eyes alone, and man spent time with wolf, learning with wolf and sensing things beyond sight, but man was troubled and wolf spoke

With man about this.

Man told wolf that man noticed all of spirits children had another to be with and mate with for life and man wondered why it was that man stood alone, wolf agreed, this was so and thus, man and wolf called to spirit, who heard the call and said, man was not ready to have another yet.

Man would not accept this and wolf sided with spirit and man, til spirit grew tired of this, and said to man and wolf, “ man you shall have another, then, but only if wolf agrees to let you have another while you are taught by wolf”.

Wolf didn’t agree and the talk went on, til wolf spoke up, “ I will not teach man while he has another, so I will give a part of my senses to man and then man has learnt all from me and man can have another.”

This was agreed upon and spirit took a part of each of wolf’s awesome senses, the hearing and smell, the ability to live with the pack or run free, and one eye so man could see what was not seen.

This eye was placed in the forehead of man, for it was the only place that man had for this third eye.

Now, man was gifted with keen senses and wisdom of the earth and nature and spirit kept her word and gave man another.

But when the time came for man to learn with stag, man was nowhere to be found for man was with his other and he had no time to learn the secrets of spirit and how to walk with spirit upon the earth.

This outraged Spirit and man showed no interest in spirits concern of this change in man.

So spirit wove the magic of the Great Spirit over man

And shut the third eye of man and left man with his other.

And the lessons of stag and eagle were not learnt as spirit intended.

The old man stirred to place some more wood upon the fire and smiled, “ my friend, heed my words “

Man has learnt some of the lesson spirit intended, but not all, and that is why man has made the mistakes in life.

Sprit has gifted some with the third eye to help teach the many to learn the lesson of the stag and the eagle, the mysteries of the spiritual realm and then to soar as the eagle does, free and unbounded

For when man is spiritually wise and unbounded, man walks finally with spirit and is complete.

And the, my friend is why, old one eyes children and kin howl at the moon, for spirit rests on the moon watching man on the earth and wolf is telling spirit about the mistake of man and the sadness that wolf feels that man feels that he is no longer equal with spirits children anymore, that man is above all

And that man rules the earth, but with out the wisdom and knowledge that spirit intended for man

And that is the story of the howling wolf.