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The Legend of Wesoomi:
Thirty-Seven: The Wild Man:
November 11, 2002:
As Wesoomi traveled from village to village, bringing the teachings
of the Great Spirit to the people, Hawk was busy in the village
of the Bandar. He had organized his Bandar warriors and was training
the new warriors. He was building a strong force to protect against
the evil from the north. As part of his defense, he has set watchers
inside the wild country near the border. Their task was to bring
word of any threat or change from the wild country.
Sadly, hawk had misjudged the wild men. They were much more skilled
in remaining hidden that he believed. In days past, when they
showed themselves to the Bandar hunters it was out of curiosity.
Then they came to covet the Bandar tools and lost some fear of
the Bandar. Because of Crazy Wolf. that had changed.
Unknown to the Bandar, the wild men were making their own weapons
and tools. They worked under the direction of Crazy Wolf who
had become their leader. He no longer spoke the tongue of the
people. He spoke the tongue of the wild men. Even in his madness,
Crazy Wolf remained a forceful leader. The wild men came to him
and did as he told them. Thus he was building a force of fierce
warriors. These were men who had learned to survive in the unforgiving
northern wild country.
Unknown to Hawk, he and his watchers were being watched. Crazy
Wolf had set his own warriors to watching them. All that happened
in and near the village of the Bandar was told to Crazy Wolf
by his watchers. He knew the size of Hawk's force and their training.
He had set about building a force greater than Hawk's. He had
gathered wild men from the farthest reaches of the wild country
for this. In the hills and draws of the wild country, beyond
the eyes of Hawk's watchers he trained them.
In his madness, Crazy Wolf had but one goal. That was to destroy
Wesoomi and bring himself to power and glory. For this he forsook
his own people. For this he became a wild man and a leader of
the wild men. He lived with them and acted as they acted. He
partook their food and even took a wild women unto himself. He
walked in a shuffling crouch and sometimes dragged his hands
on the ground. Thus had the once proud Crazy Wolf descended.
As the plotting and training went forth, It came to pass that
Wesoomi arrived at the village of the Bandar. He had come to
teach to the Bandar of the Great Spirit. It was a time when Little
Warrior was away. As he had acquired the mantle of leader of
the people, it was necessary for him to be part of the Counsel
of Elders. Thus he traveled to the village of the Husbandmen
which had become the home of the counsel and the center of power.
Hawk welcomed Wesoomi to the village.
"Abide with us for a time Wesoomi," he begged.
"Indeed, it will suit me to do so, my friend. I am sore
weary from travel and teaching. I must needs rest myself ere
I continue."
"It is good Wesoomi. Please honor me and abide in my lodge
with your companion."
"I would not deprive you Hawk. Our needs be simple. We can
find a place in your long house."
"Nay Wesoomi, I beg you. Take my lodge. I must be afield
with the training. It is no hardship, but an honor."
"Then, I shall accept your favor, my friend. And as you
are afield, I shall entreat the Great Spirit for your success."
"My thanks to you, Wesoomi."
And so it came to pass that Wesoomi and Soft Hand found a place
to lay them down and rest. Many of the Bandar came to the lodge
to touch Wesoomi and hear his words, but Soft Hand sent them
away.
"My master must rest," he told them. "Be not distress.
There will be time for the teaching and healing when he has rested.
Go now and give him peace."
And so the Bandar left Wesoomi to his rest.
Even as Wesoomi had arrived at the village, a wild man watched
from the forest. As Wesoomi spoke with Hawk, the wild man scurried
away. Ere the next dawn came, Crazy Wolf knew of Wesoomi in the
village. His eyes shone with madness and hatred. He thought it
was the chance that fortune had finally brought to him. He was
overcome with his desire to destroy Wesoomi and he acted without
plan. Quickly he gathered a band of wild men warriors and set
out. He would finally destroy his enemy and finish with it.
With no thought of danger, Hawk had gone afield with most of
his men. There were but twenty in and around the village when
Crazy Wolf arrive with 50 wild men. He took the village by surprise
and the Bandar Warriors were slain ere they could find their
weapons. Cubs and women ran screaming before Crazy Wolf's advance.
Wesoomi heard the turmoil and came from his lodge. Then Crazy
Wolf saw him.
"Now, I have you," snarled Crazy Wolf. "Now you
shall perish."
Unknown even to himself, Crazy Wolf had spoken in the tongue
of the wild men. Wesoomi heard it as animal snarls. The sounds
made no sense, but Wesoomi saw the evil desire in the eyes of
Crazy Wolf. He saw spittle on his lips and trembling in his hands.
Wesoomi looked into the eyes of a madman.
He tried to reach into Crazy Wolf's head, but it was so twisted
that he could not find a focus. He found nothing but disorder
and nothing to grip. Before he could act, Crazy Wolf raised a
spear and drove it into Wesoomi's heart.
"Now, it is done," he giggled. "Now I will be
Chief again."
Wesoomi's knees gave way and he began to fall. Even as he fell
he looked to the sky.
"I am coming home, Great Spirit," he whispered. "Receive
me into your domain."
Then he fell and lay still.
A that time the Great Spirit placed a hand over the sun. The
whole of the Great Spirit's earth went dark and thunder rolled
across the sky. All of the people trembled and, even in his madness,
Crazy Wolf felt fear. He turned and fled into the forest followed
by the wild men.
Then Soft Hand was on his knees beside Wesoomi's lifeless body.
Soft Hand began to weep for his master.
"Oh Great Spirit, take me too," he cried.
Come eve, this is how Hawk found him. One of the cubs had run
to find Hawk, when Crazy wolf had appeared. Immediately, he stopped
the training and returned with his men to the Village. It was
too late. Wesoomi had been slain and Crazy Wolf was gone. Soft
Hand was sitting on the ground beside Wesoomi. His tears had
stopped, but his heart was benumbed. He sat with staring eyes,
seeing nothing.
"I have done a great evil," cried Hawk. "I have
failed Wesoomi. I have failed my duty."
There was no time for self reproach. The sun was low in the sky.
He sent a runner for Little Warrior, then he addressed his men.
"We must build a pyre," he told them. "The sun
must not set ere this is done."
A short time later Hawk set the torch to the fatwood and the
flames rose rapidly. Then, as the flames wrapped around the body
of Wesoomi, the sky opened and a shaft of bright white light
shone down. A golden flame began to raise up from the body and
quicky took form. Then the assembled people saw a golden Wesoomi
with arms raised to the sky rising upward from the pyre. Above,
the sky opened to the domain of the Great Spirit and the Golden
Earth Mother stood on the threshold. She held a hand down to
Wesoomi and they came together. Then they rose into the domain
of the Great Spirit and the sky closed.
Soft hand saw and understood. Wesoomi had been taken into the
domain of the Great Spirit.
"All is well," he whispered.
Then he began to sing the praise of the Great Spirit and the
assembled people joined with him. They raised their voices in
praise and joy.
"Wesoomi has not perished," said Soft Hand. "He
will be with us always. All praise to the Great Spirit".
When Little Warrior returned to the village, instead of weeping
and grief, he found a village of joyous people.
"Wesoomi was slain, but he is not dead," Hawk told
him. "We all saw. He abides now with the Great Spirit and
the Golden Earth Mother. "It is as he promised."
"All is well then," agreed little Warrior. "We
have but one matter yet to treat with."
"Aye, Chief. We must needs seek out Crazy Wolf and bring
him our justice."
"Then, let us assemble out men at first light. We will find
this madman and finish it."
"As you command, so shall it be, Chief."
"We must also gather the ashes of Wesoomi," said Soft
Hand.
"To what end, my friend?" asked Hawk.
"They must be enshrined in the village of the Quiet Folk
in the Shrine of the Golden Earth Mother."
"Why say you this?"
"The Great Spirit has put this in my heart, Chief. I so
know it."
"Let it be so, then," agreed Little Warrior. "Will
you do this thing?"
"Aye, Chief. It be my duty."
Come first light, Little Warrior led the warriors northward to
the wild country. It was a large and fierce force he lead. They
followed the trail of the fleeing wild men for many days. Finally,
in a draw in the far north, they found the main force of wild
men warriors. In his madness, Crazy Wolf had set no watch. Many
were sleeping when Little Warrior and his men fell upon them.
Still the battle was fierce. Some of Little Warrior's men were
slain. Many of the wild men were slain. Many also fled into the
forest. It was an evil day for all.
Finally, Little Warrior found Crazy Wolf in his lodge. He stood,
in a crouch with wild eyes. He held a spear but it was not raised.
It's end lay on the earth behind him. He stared at Little Warrior
and spittle dribbled down his chin. He babbled and giggled. Then
something inside him broke. His nose erupted. Blood spurted from
it and Crazy Wolf gurgled on more blood in his mouth. He was
sinking to his knees.
"You will not cheat me," screamed Little Warrior and
he raised his spear. He drove it with force into the body of
Crazy Wolf and he gurgled as he toppled to the ground. Crazy
Wolf had perished as he had lived, in violence and rage. It was
done.
Several days later, Soft Hand arrived at the village of the Quiet
Folk. He took the bowl containing the ashes of Wesoomi and placed
it upon the offering stone in the Shrine. Then he began to sing
the praise of the Great Spirit. As he did, the sun shone through
the opening and fell upon the bowl. Then behind the stone, the
form of Wesoomi appeared.
"Be it truly you, Master?" whispered Soft Hand, in
awe.
"Indeed, my good and faithful brother. It be me. I bring
you word of your duty."
"What be my duty, Master?"
"It is given you to go forth and spread the word of the
Great Spirit. You must continue what I began."
"How can this be, Master? I be but a simple healer."
"Indeed, you be a healer and now you be a healer of spirits.
The Great Spirit has so spoken. It be your duty to bring the
word and to heal."
"I will do as you say, Master, as best I can."
And so it came to pass that Soft hand went out to carry on the
work of Wesoomi. In time he was able to teach many people of
the great Spirit's love. He was also able to heal some. And so
the people came back into their true beings. And Little Warrior
brought the people together into a great nation, as was his duty.
Thus ends the Legend of Wesoomi.
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