Red Cloud was a young Algonquin lad who played and romped in his village
along with the other young Indian braves and girls. He was a tall Indian
for his age and quite good looking.
As was the custom among the Algonquins, however, no child, boy or girl,
would be considered mature until he or she had a dream in which the
powers of nature promised success and courage in his or her adult life.
Red Cloud entered adolescence and he knew that the time was fast
approaching when he would be required to spend many lonely nights in the
forest, fasting and waiting, until the Thunderbird, the Sun, or other
powers of nature had spoken to him.
Each day Red Cloud would awake and expect his father to call him to
inform him that today was the day. But many days passed, and still Great
Cloud did not call for his son. Soon with the excitement of the games
and the learning of lessons from his father concerning the use of
weapons and tracking, the problem of coming into maturity left the mind
of Red Cloud and going off alone into the forest was the farthest thing
from his mind.
Each day in the beginning as he had padded along the trail with his
father he had expected to be told of the ordeal he must go through, but
as each day passed and nothing was said, Red Cloud began to look forward
to his lessons and to forget even the possibility of anything else on
these daily walks.
Several months passed, and Red Cloud became quite a good hunter and
tracker and his ability with the bow was unchallenged. His father was
very proud of him and each day as they returned along the trail, Great
Cloud walked with his arm lovingly across the shoulders of his son.
One afternoon when they had returned from tracking a deer, Great Cloud
summoned Red Cloud to his wigwam. Red Cloud thought that he might have
done something on the hunt which displeased his father, but he entered
the wigwam walking straight and proud as his father had taught him.
Great Cloud motioned for his son to be seated and when he had done so,
Great Cloud began to speak.
“My son, in your dreams have any of the powers of nature appeared to you
promising success and courage in your adult life? Now think hard, for
this is very important.”
Then and only then did Red Cloud realize that the time had come for him
to be put to the test. Now he realized that his father was asking him
whether he was a mature Indian brave or whether he was still a child.
“No, father, I have had no dream in which the powers of nature
appeared.”
“Then you know, my son, what you have to do,” answered Great Cloud.
“These many weeks you have probably wondered why I have not called you
to me before. It was because I felt that you were not ready to bear the
ordeal of spending many lonely nights in the forest alone. When one
retires to the deep green of the forest to await the voice of the
Thunderbird or the Sun or other powers of nature, one must go alone with
just his weapons. Your education has been such that you would not have
been able to survive in the forest very long before now, and that is why
I have so carefully trained you in the many ways of nature and the
forest these past few weeks. As you know, before you may be considered a
mature Indian in the Algonquin tribe you must first hear the voice of
one of the powers of nature promising you courage and success in your
adult life. Are you now prepared to go into the great forest and endure
this ordeal?”
Red Cloud hesitated, for he knew that his answer must be a
straightforward one and honest, for truth was a sacred thing to the
Indians.
“O my father, I must be truthful, for so you have taught me in my
younger days. I have listened and watched patiently each day as I
trotted at your heels along the trail and I have locked away in my heart
and in my mind all the careful little bits of information you have given
to me which would make me a boy worthy to be called the son of Great
Cloud. The forest has been a friendly place to me, for I have spent many
happy hours there with you. Now I am faced with a decision which I must
make here and now, and all I can say to you, father, is that I, Red
Cloud, your son, am ready to go into the great forest to await the word
from the powers of nature.”
Great Cloud placed his hands upon the shoulders of his son and smiling
at him said, “You have spoken well, my son. Tomorrow you shall leave for
the forest and look for a place where you will not be disturbed. Take
with you your weapons and your blanket, but no other goods such as food,
for you must fast while you await the dream.”
With that Red Cloud departed from the wigwam to prepare for his journey
the following morning.
There was no sleep for the young Red Cloud that evening, as he thought
of his coming trip into the big forest. Finally the early light of dawn
peeked through the door of the wigwam and before most of the village was
even astir, Red Cloud was up from his bed and had gathered his precious
weapons and his blanket for the trip.
He bade good-bye to his mother, Morning Star, and his father, Great
Cloud, and started for the forest.
It was a beautiful morning. The bright sun shone down through the leaves
of the great green trees of the forest and the spring flowers were all
in gay bloom, dressed in their finest colors of reds, blues, yellows,
purples, and oranges. As he trotted along the trail Red Cloud could hear
overhead the many different calls and songs of the forest birds.
Occasionally there was a rustle along the side of the trail or a rabbit
would scamper across the path of Red Cloud.
Once through the branch of a low-hanging birch tree, Red Cloud saw the
magnificent body of a full-grown buck with six points. Oh, how he
regretted that he was not upon a hunting trip, for wouldn’t that buck
have made a beautiful trophy to bring back to the village?
The buck, too, seemed to be aware of the reason for Red Cloud’s journey,
for though the boy moved carefully he did stir the leaves as he walked
and though the buck turned his majestic head he did not move from his
spot in the glen of the forest.
Red Cloud smiled to himself, recalling words of his father, “Sometimes
the wild animals seem to sense the reason for your journey and fear not
the approach of a warrior who is not on a hunt.” At the time Red Cloud
had not thought much about the statement but here beside the trail it
had been proved to him by the actions of the majestic buck.
Soon Red Cloud felt that he had journeyed deep enough into the forest
along the well-known trails, so he turned from the path to go into the
forest where no trail was known to him. It was not easy going, for he
had to cut small brush from his path. Occasionally he would take a small
piece of bark from the side of a tree to mark the direction he had taken
in order to find his way back to the main trail.
Soon he came to a stream and stooped to drink of the cool refreshing
water. As he stood up once again he gazed up through the opening in the
trees and noticed that evening was fast approaching and soon it would be
dark. So he moved on more rapidly and he noticed that his direction was
taking him up the side of a small ridge. Finally, tired and realizing
that darkness would soon be upon him, Red Cloud decided to stop and make
his camp. He found that where he had chosen to stop, there was a small
formation of rocks which provided a natural shelter from the cool
evening breezes.
Within the shelter of these rocks he built himself a small fire and
then, wrapping his blanket around him, settled down to sleep through the
comforting night, hoping as all boys do that the dream would come to him
on this, his first night and that he could return to the warmth and
shelter of his friendly wigwam and his family on the following day. But
also Red Cloud was prepared to spend many days, if the need arose and
many nights, for he had been taught endurance by his father.
The night passed quickly, and suddenly Red Cloud opened his eyes to the
rays of the sun and a new day. Climbing from under the folds of his
blanket he realized that he was quite thirsty and hungry. Water he could
seek and drink, but he realized that until he had the dream he was to
partake of no food regardless of how long he must wait. Unless, of
course, he desired to return to the village and report that the spirits
had not spoken to him in a dream and then as was the custom of his tribe
he would be considered a poor unfortunate person with little hope of
success in life. So Red Cloud put the thoughts of food from his mind and
started in search of water.
In the great forest one did not have to look too far for water because
all through the great forest there ran many streams of clear cool water.
So it was not long before Red Cloud found such a stream and, after
splashing the icy cold water in his face to chase the sleep from his
eyes, he drank deeply until his thirst was satisfied. Then turning from
the stream he started back toward his camp.
When he arrived back at his blanket, he spread it on the ground and then
lay down to gaze up into the sky through the openings in the trees. He
passed an hour or more making wonderful pictures in his mind from the
formation of clouds that floated overhead across the heavens. Billowy
white puffs of smoke they seemed to be, and Red Cloud marveled at how
soft and pure they looked. But soon his restless heart made him rise
from the blanket and he decided to explore. He started for the top of
the ridge many miles away and when he had reached there he knelt,
turning his head toward the heavens and raising his arms. And so as if
reaching for the sun he made his prayers to the great Wakanda.
When he had knelt in this position for an hour or more he rose to start
down the ridge toward his campsite again, planning to go in another
direction from the campsite and eventually explore the whole surrounding
area. It was then that he noticed a slight stirring in the brush.
Quickly Red Cloud dropped behind a shelter of rock and watched the spot
in the brush. He did not know what to expect, for this part of the
forest was strange to him and he did not know what might be hidden in
the brush. Then as he watched the brush he realized that the slight
breeze that was blowing would be carrying his scent right toward
whatever was concealed in the patch of brush.
Then he saw it was a tremendous brown bear which was six feet tall on
its hind feet. Evidently the bear had been eating blueberries from the
bushes which covered the side of the ridge and had suddenly become aware
of the presence of someone or something which was foreign to him. The
bear was now raised up on his hind paws in order to look over the tops
of the bushes and see if he could discover this thing which had invaded
his feeding grounds.
Red Cloud crouched even lower behind the rock, for he knew that a brown
bear could be very mean, especially when he was hungry. Then Red Cloud
thought of his weapons. In seeking water he had left his weapons at the
campsite and had nothing with him but his hunting knife, which he felt
would do him little good against a mad full-grown brown bear. So the
best thing he could do was to attempt to circle the bear and get
downwind from him so that the bear could no longer smell him. But he
must do it by keeping out of sight.
Slowly Red Cloud edged himself out from behind the rock, keeping his
body pressed close to the ground. Before he started to move he noticed
that the bear had settled down to feeding once again. The breeze had
died down but there was always the danger of a quick gust again and Red
Cloud realized he was still in a dangerous position. He hugged the
ground as hard as he could and continued to squirm away from and around
this dangerous bear.
Then Red Cloud was aware of another danger. Having gone without food for
almost two whole days, he was not the strong lad that he would have been
when eating two hearty meals a day. He wondered, if the bear did see
him, whether he would be able to run fast enough to get away from the
bear. But getting downwind was the most important thing at this time, so
Red Cloud continued to crawl and the rough stones on the forest floor
cut through his shirt and into his skin, scraping it raw; but the more
it hurt the harder Red Cloud pressed his body against the friendly
earth.
He slowly raised his head and realized that he was now almost completely
downwind from the bear and that the big fellow had gone back to munching
the berries. For what seemed like hours, Red Cloud lay quietly in hiding
behind a great oak tree, not daring to look out for fear the bear would
be looking around just at the time he peeked out from behind the tree.
And then it happened. Red Cloud had been lying so still, afraid to move,
that suddenly he felt his leg go numb and he realized that his leg had
gone to sleep. He moved it slightly to bring circulation and life back
into it and in so doing he dislodged a fairly large stone which began
its noisy fall down the side of the ridge and as it rolled it would
click against other stones and they too would join the miniature
landslide. Red Cloud huddled behind the tree and then he heard a low
growl. He decided he had better take a chance and glance from behind the
tree, and as he did his heart leapt, for the bear was looking almost
right at him. The bear let out another terrible growl, and then from
above where Red Cloud lay in hiding, the young brave heard another
growl.
Slowly turning his head so that he could look up the ridge, he saw the
reason for the bear’s sudden anger. His berry patch had been invaded by
another large brown bear who was now growling out a challenge. If either
bear had spotted Red Cloud, he was forgotten now, for they had eyes only
for each other and possession of the berry patch was the prize which
they both sought.
With mighty growls they dropped to all fours and charged at each other.
Red Cloud, at first fascinated by this battle between two creatures of
the forest, stood rooted to his hiding place, but then thought more
wisely of it and taking the chance offered him by the two bears being
involved in a battle to the death, ran as swiftly as he could down the
ridge and away from the danger that threatened his very life.
He did not stop running until he had reached his campsite miles away and
then, throwing himself flat on the ground, thanked the great Wakanda for
sparing him from this danger which had threatened and for bringing him
safely to his campsite.
Once again he offered his prayers to the powers of nature and then,
wrapping himself in his blanket and building up the fire, he settled
down for the night.
It was during the warm sleep of that evening brought on by the fatigue
of his day’s adventure that Red Cloud had his dream. In his dream the
great Thunderbird appeared to him telling him that he would have much
courage added to the courage already in his heart and that as an adult
in the tribe he would have a great deal of success in all he attempted.
Upon awakening at the first rays of the dawn, Red Cloud felt suddenly
refreshed. He had been visited in his dreams and now could return to the
village.
Gathering his weapons he put out the embers of the fire he had made and
scattered the dead ashes. Then with a light heart and a quick step he
started back upon the path he had blazed until he reached the main
trail. There he quickened his step and just as dusk was beginning to
fall, entered the village, being welcomed warmly by his many friends.
His father and several of the lesser chiefs were at the door of his
father’s wigwam and that evening a council was held at the central
lodge.
There Red Cloud rose before the male members of his tribe and recounted
his adventures in the great forest, closing by repeating his dream. As
he finished there were many grunts of approval and words of praise.
But Great Cloud said nothing, and Red Cloud wondered about this until he
looked into the eyes of his great father; and there he saw the fire of
pride burning brightly and in his heart he was very happy. Together
father and son left the central lodge that evening, and true to the
dream, Red Cloud grew in the tribe to become one of its greatest
warriors.
This story is based upon an incident in the life of Red Cloud, an
Algonquin warrior, as told to the author by John Fitch, a farmer from
Vermont.