Humble Warrior

Humble Warrior

By Finder
Motherbird.com
June 30, 2015

Long ago in the days of the ancestors there was a warrior,
named Running Through Forest.

Many seasons ago Running Through Forest received his
name from his people.

Long since any of his people could remember, there was
not one foot race through the forest that he did not win.

Running Through Forest was not a famous warrior and did
not own any war feathers, yet all the people treated him
as one of their own relations.

Running Through Forest loved his people and through all
the many seasons of his life he used his swift feet to hunt,
protect, and to bring happiness to his people.

His people loved to give gifts to each other and because Running
Through Forest had so many friends, he owned many many things.

One day the shaman of the people approached Running Through
Forest and said, “Running Through Forest, I have overheard some
young warriors talking about you. What they are saying is not good.
They say that you are not a warrior and the only reason you own so
much is because all the people give you things.”

Running Through Forest was very concerned. He said, “I know
these young warriors. They are brave and hard working. Why
would they say such things about me?”

To this the shaman replied, “When these warriors were younger
their fathers were killed defending our village and so the fathers
were not there to teach their sons the ways of honor.”

Running Through Forest asked the shaman, “What can I do?”

The shaman carefully asked, “Running Through Forest, these
things that you own, how important are they to you?”

Running Through Forest did not have to think long. He said,
“Nothing is more important to me than the love I have for
my people and everything that I own reminds me of the love
they have for me.”

The shaman was happy to hear this.

The next day he went to the chief and asked him to call a
meeting of the people.

The chief knew the best way to gather his people together
and he immediately announced a Pow Wow.

The people loved Pow Wows, especially the children. They loved
the drumming, dancing, telling of stories. News of the coming Pow
Wow traveled fast throughout the people.

When the Chief had gathered his people together he said,
“Our shaman has something important to say.”

The shaman told of his overhearing the young braves talking about
Running Through Forest and called them forward in front of the
people.

The young warriors were ashamed. They did not think anyone
had overheard them talking in the forest.

The shaman asked all the people to be quiet because Running
Through Forest had something to say to the young warriors.

As the shaman handed Running Through Forest the talking stick,
the people became silent, even the children sat down and were
very still.

“When I was young,” Running Through Forest started, “our
people suffered many seasons where the Great Spirit sent us
very little water. Because of this drought the wolves used to
attack our village.”

All the people were quiet and there were many who remembered
those bad times and shook their heads in agreement.

Running Through Forest continued, “During those bad times my
father and I were protecting a group of children gathering water
when we were attacked by wolves. My father was killed while I
led the children safely back to the village. Because not one child
was harmed getting back to our village, I was given the place
among the people to always protect the children. So when the
other warriors ride out to battle or hunt, I do not ride with them.
My place is to stay in the village and protect it from attack while
our warriors are gone.”

When Running Through Forest paused, the young warriors,
as one, let out a sigh.

No one had told them about the place Running Through Forest
had among his people.

All the elders of the people held their breath for they knew
what was going to happen next.

As Running Through Forest continued, all eyes of the elders
were on him.

“You young warriors think that everything I own is important
to me.”

They shook their heads yes.

He told them, “I can give away everything that I own, and I give
it all to you to divide up between you. However, the one thing I
cannot give you is the love that was given me with these gifts.”

All at once the people jumped up.

A quick little child grabbed the talking stick from Running
Through Forest’s hand.

The people started to get quiet and before long everyone,
including the children, became silent again.

Everyone listened to the little boy as he told of the gift
he gave to Running Through Forest for helping him.

He did not want Running Through Forest to give it away.

One by one many people took the talking stick and told stories
of why they had given Running Through Forest a gift.

When everyone had told their stories the shaman asked Running
through Forest, “Did you receive any gifts from these young
warrior’s fathers? And do you remember which gifts they gave
you?”

“Of course,” Running Through Forest answered. “I grew up
with all of their fathers and even though they are no longer
with us, I remember them through the gifts they gave me.”

The shaman said, “It seems the people do not want you to
give everything away that you own to these young warriors,
yet everything now belongs to them.”

The shaman turned to the young warriors and asked, “All the things
that once belonged to Running Through Forest now belong to you.
What will you do with them?”

Now the eyes of the elders were focused on the young warriors
as they decided to walk into the forest to talk about what to do.
Not one word was spoken among the people while the young
warriors were gone.

When they returned from the forest, the oldest took the talking
stick and began, “We do not want these things that belong to
Running Through Forest. But we do want to learn about our fathers,
and the ways of honor from the stories that Running Through Forest
could tell us.”

When they heard this the elders let out a sigh of relief because
they knew the young warriors were being tested by the shaman
and that the warriors were being honorable young men.

And so it was agreed by all the people that each warrior would
keep the things that once belonged to their fathers and Running
Through Forest would tell them the stories behind every gift.

Also the young warriors returned all the gifts that Running
Through Forest had received from his people.

All the young warriors knew they had just learned a great lesson.

They also knew that even though Running Through Forest did
not wear very many feathers he was truly a great warrior for
his people; a ‘humble warrior”.

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