How The Wolf Ritual Began

A long time ago, a young woman of the tribe, with three companions, was walking outside the village. They were going to a place called Tomak'cluh to look for ah-et's'l, a small plant whose roots they use for food. During the journey a Wolf went trotting across their path, strong and sleek and scarcely noticing the girls. The young woman said: "How handsome he is! I wish my husband, when I marry, could be as strong and as fearless." At nighttime the women went to sleep, and the Wolf came in. (The Wolves know everything and read the minds of human creatures). The girl did not know that he had come, but the Wolf woke the sleeping girl, and told her he was going to take her with him. Opening her eyes, she saw a fine young man standing before her..... The young woman went with the Wolf to his home in the mountain, and was there a long time. Two sons were born who grew up to be half Wolf and half man. The old father of the girl, meanwhile, did not know where his daughter had gone, and was greatly troubled. At her home they tried everywhere to find her, looking in vain in all sorts of places, until they grieved for her as dead. In the Wolf country the oldest son, grown to be a man, asked his mother why he looked different from the people around him (the Wolves). The mother had told him that he came from another place, and that there, far from where the Wolves live, dwelt her own father. Then the son asked when she was going home, because he wished very much to see what it was like there. So the woman told her husband that their son would like to see his grandfather. He finally agreed, but before they went, as a gift to his wife, the Wolf began to teach the woman about the Klukwana [the wolf ritual], which they had there. It was the Chief of Wolves that the woman have married and all the wolves came to the Chief's house to have Klukwana. When she had learned all about it, the Wolves came to take her away to her own village. They brought her to her father's house at night, and waited behind the other houses, but did not come near. The woman went in to wake her father, and began talking to him of a daughter he had lost, though she kept hidden who she was. She said she herself had a Wolf husband, and that she had with her two sons. The woman also told her father many things about the Wolves, and that the villagers must not do anything when the Wolves howled, or try to harm them. Instead they must try to learn from them. The old father had been much grieved because his daughter was dead, but he did not know her because it was nighttime and she was much changed after so many years. But at last had revealed herself to him and told him that now she was going to have a "song" of her own as a sign that the Wolves had brought her back and by which he might know her again. The father gathered his people and told them of his daughter's return. They heard the wolves outside and began to beat on long boards and sticks. The wolves howled four times and departed. Then the woman taught her father all about Klukwana, and the secrets she had learned from the Wolves as to their power and strength. After she had taught him all the songs and all the dances, the father began the Klukwana and later taught the rest of the tribe all that his daughter had learned from the Wolves

Great Wolf/Little Mouse Story

As told by Amy Modig, an Athabascan grandmother, who adapted it from Canadi~ns
Lionel and Germaine Kinunwa

One day Little Mouse Sister was outside her home when she heard someone crying.
Whoever was crying was really making a lot of noise, wailing and sobbing. Being soft­
hearted, she went to see what the ruckus was about.
Cautiously, she peeked over the hill and saw Great Wol f Brother crying as i fhi s heart
were breaking. She was so shocked, that she forgot her own safety and ran up to Great
Wol f Brother to ask what was the matter ..
I t seemed to Great Wol f Brother that he had been crying forever when he heard a small
voice calling out to him. He stopped to listen and he heard, "Oh Great Wol f Brother, why
does one so strong as you cry? What can possibly make such a powerful one as you cry?
I am your Little Mouse Sister and I will help i f I can."
He snorted, "I am crying because I have lost my eyes and I will never be able to see the
sun again or be able to hunt. My life is over. How can one so small as you help me?"
Little Mouse Sister said, "Oh, I cannot bear to see my magnificent brother so hurt and
grieved." She paused and then said, "You can have my eyes and then you can see how
beautiful the day is and go hunting once again."
So, jus t as she said, she gave him her eyes.
When Great Wol f Brother had her eyes, he could see again. He was so overjoyed he ran
and danced around and howled at the sun. He was so happy he chased his tail and did all
kinds of funny and joyful things.
Little Mouse Sister could no longer see him, but she could hear him and her heart was
glad. But she moved to one side so that he wouldn't accidentally jump on her in his
happiness.
After awhile, Great Wol f Brother came to thank Little Mouse Sister.
Suddenly he realized that because he could see, his)ittle sister could not and he felt great
sorrow.
"Little Sister, you have given my life back to me and there is nothing I could do to repay
you. But I have heard of the Sacred Lake where the Great Spirit lives. I will take you
there and you can ask Him what to do. I t
Little Mouse Sister thought that this sounded like a good idea and thanked her brother for
thinking of this. They began, what became a long and arduous Journey
They met many other brothers and sisters on their journey who had forgotten they were
part of the same family. The others tried to trick or distract Great Wol f Brother and Little
Mouse Sister; one even tried to tell them that there was no such thing as a Sacred Lake ..
But they continued their journey.
Finally, they came to a great lake that created a great shining all around i t and even Little
Mouse Sister knew that they were almost at the end of their quest.
"Great Wol f Brother, what do you see? I feel a great warmth over the land and I can
almost hear sacred singing."
"Little Mouse Sister, I see a great lake that sparkles and smiles in the sun. There are great
clouds over it that mist down and they dance with the waters of the lake but they never
block the sun. We have reached the Sacred Lake and I have a great need to pray in
thanksgiving. "
Together they prayed.
After they were done, Great Wol f Brother said, "Little Mouse Sister, our journey is over
and I must leave so that you can speak to the Great Spirit. But, i f you ever have need of
me, call me. Wherever I am and whatever I am doing, my heart will hear you and I will
come. Your heart is pure and I know the Great Spirit will speak to you, but my grateful
prayers will always be with you whenever I look upon our beautiful earth."
With that, he left and returned to his own land. Little Mouse Sister was by herself.
Little Mouse Sister then turned to the Sacred Lake and lifted her hands. "Oh Great Spirit,
I have come a long way to be here. My strong brother, Great Wol f Brother, brought me. I
have come here because ... "
Little Mouse Sister stopped. She suddenly felt a great presence and even in her darkness,
she saw a great light. She almost felt afraid but then she felt such happiness that she
began to cry and forgot why she had come.
A Voice spoke and it filled the universe, "Little Mouse Sister, I know why you've come
and you have brought me great joy. "
The Voice said, "Jump."
Without hesitation, Little Mouse Sister jumped. The Voice said, "Jump higher!"
And she jumped higher. The Voice said, "Jump even higher,"
Little Mouse Sister jumped as hard as she could and then she felt her arms tingle and
spread and her legs grew strong. Suddenly she could see. She looked down and she had
jumped high over the Sacred Lake. She looked at her own body. She had become a Great
Eagle.
"Because you have learned what it means to love beyond yourself, I have given you the
gift of great vision. Arid because you have true humility, you can see the hearts of your
brothers and sisters and you will guide and encourage with great wisdom."

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