A few years ago, while on vacation, we stopped at an Indian trading post. There was an old Indian man a Chief from the looks of his dress sitting outside a teepee. Over his pants and shirt he wore a wide beaded belt, with a beaded breechclout in front. He had on a feathered war bonnet, with a string of feathers down below his waist. He charged three dollars to pose for a picture. Our youngest son, Patrick, wanted his picture with the Chief.
The Chief said, “Come, sit here and I will tell you a story.”
His story; One summer many, many, moons ago, the people in a village did not have much food left to eat. It was very hot and it had not rained for a long time, so the water holes were dry and the wild game they had not killed had left in search of grass and water. Each day they had to roam farther and farther from the village in search of game. They had already moved the village three times that summer. The village was now in the bend of a river, near a deep pool. The river was not flowing, but the pool had water.
There were not many braves in the village. One was sick and could not leave his teepee and another was injured in a fall from a horse, chasing a buffalo that the other braves later killed. That left only three braves to hunt. Running Deernamed because he could run fast and kill a deer. Another called Falling Rock because he was hit by a falling rock and Bear Claw who wore a necklace of bear claws, from all the bears he killed.
The buffalo was the last meat brought to the people. That was many days ago and it was all gone. They had even boiled the bones and broken them to suck out the marrow. Now everyone was hungry, the children were crying for food and the three braves vowed not to come back without game.
The next morning when the sun had just touched the dry grass, they left the camp, each riding their best horse and leading an extra. Bear Claw went to the west, toward the mountains, because he knew that is where more bears were. Running Deer went to the east into the prairie where he hoped to find a deer or an antelope. Falling Rock went north because they had come from the south, he knew there was no game there.
The sun beat down relentlessly, no wind was blowing. The water in the pool was almost gone. Soon, they would have to move down river. There were only two dogs left to eat for the others had already been killed. If the braves did not return soon, they would have to start eating the horses to survive.
The boys caring for the horses had to go farther from the village every day, to find grazing. One day they were far west of the village when they saw Bear Claw coming with a loaded pack. They were overjoyed and raced back to camp to tell everyone and found that Running Deer had arrived with a horse loaded with buffalo meat. He had news of a small herd many days ride to the East. The people had a feast and much dancing that night.
The next few days were used in preparation for moving the camp, but all wondered when Falling Rock would return. Many days after they reached their new camp and killed many buffalo, Falling Rock had not returned. They knew he could follow their trail.
They now had plenty of meat so they sent scouts to follow the trail of Falling Rock but all returned without finding him. Every where they went, they looked and everyone they talked to they asked, if they had seen Falling Rock. They asked other tribes to watch for him. They are still looking for him to this day. The white eyes are looking for him also. Perhaps you have seen the signs. They are everywhere. As you drive the highways, the signs are there, WATCH FOR FALLING ROCK!
Patrick & the Chief
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