A New Legend For The People – Cherokee

Many, many years ago, when animals could talk, they were divided into
tribes, bands and clans, much like we are today. The Hawks were some
of the proudest of all animals.  They were strong and great in
number.  Each year they would hold tribal councils and dances.  The
sound of their drum and wings would fill the earth.

As time went on a great enemy came. A large and powerful bird which
they had never seen before.  When this bird would fly overhead, the
whole sky would be as if it were night in the middle of the day. This
bird passed over and caused many of the Hawks to be driven away from
the land Grandfather had given them. He passed over again and caused
many of the Hawks to die.  Finally, he passed over and caused many of
the Hawks to be separated from others into many different places.
Over time, these separated Hawks lost all contact with their brothers
and sisters. They began to live with the other birds; the red birds,
the blue jays and others.

As time passed, the children of the separated Hawks grew up thinking
they
belonged with the other tribes.  Sometimes their parents would even
tell
them they belonged there.  Many years passed and the great, great
grandchildren of the Hawks began to feel different from the other
birds they had called family for so long.  While the other birds
wanted to search for worms, they wanted to soar in the air.  When
they saw game in the fields, they would be overcome with the desire
to capture and eat it.

Slowly the separated Hawks began to know they were not the Red Birds
or Blue Jays or any of the other birds they had been living with.
Slowly they learned that they were Hawks and that there were other
Hawks like them, living in other places.  They learned of the Hawk
Drums and Dances. These things stirred up the spirit of the Hawk
inside them and they knew that they had to return to their families.
One day all the separated Hawks got together and started out on the
long journey home.  After a long time, they reached the land of their
Grandfathers.  They found the other Hawks who had been left behind.
This was the place they belonged and they knew it.  Something inside
told them so.

The Hawks who had been left behind were not interested in the new
arrivals. "Who are you?", they asked.  "What makes you think you are
like us?" "We are Hawks", replied the new arrivals. "You may say you
are Hawks but you are not part of us".  Sadly, the separated Hawks
left.  They felt as if they had no other place to go, so they
returned to the lands and tribes they had lived with for so long.
The separated Hawks remembered the song of the Hawks
they had learned and the dance they had seen.  They began to sing the
songs
and dance the dances.  Yet their hearts were heavy for their brothers
and sisters.

One day the separated Hawks learned the old enemy of the Hawks had
returned. He was once again making war with their brothers and
sisters.  Now however, the Hawks who had remained were smaller in
number.  The Hawks who had remained, it was learned, would most
surely be destroyed this time by this great bird.  The war cry went
out among the separated Hawks.  They gathered together.  They made
arrows, they fasted, they danced; they mad ready for war.

When the time was right, the separated Hawks set ambushes for the
enemy of their fellow Hawks.  The war was on. Because of the help of
the separated Hawks, the enemy was defeated and all the Hawks once
again lived together.

As Standing Deer pointed out at the end of the story that he had
submitted, "I'm sure the point of this story is clear".

This story was published in the Southeastern Cherokee Council's
newsletter, "S.E.C.C.I. Talking Leaves". The issue it was printed in
is May, 1998.

From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories