The Great Bear
A long time ago large tracks appeared very close to a Mohawk village, “Nyah-gwaheh” a bear of monstrous size with long claws had come.
The people were scared, hunters noticed how the forest grew quieter the longer the bear stayed, game was disappearing, the people grew hungry.
Many hunting parties tried in vain to get rid of the marauding beast, to their dismay their arrows failed to pierce the thick hide of the bear. Many brave warriors fell victim to the bears anger. The people were filled with fear as starvation set in.
Until three brothers all had the same dream of successfully tracking and killing the Great Bear. They said, “The dream must be true.”
They set out after the Great Bear. When they came upon his tracks they quickly followed the trail, their arrows ready.
The hunt went on for many moons as they followed the tracks across the Earth. The bear began to tire. No matter what he did, he could not escape the hunters. Finally, in desperation, he ran right up into the sky and the hunters went right after him!
Around and around they went, circling the North Star.
The brothers however were very cunning and strong. Eventually they caught up with him. In the first autumn, their arrows pierced the Great Bear.
The blood of the bear spilled out of the sky and tinged all the leaves with red and orange. The trees then dropped all of their leaves in mourning for their friend. The Great Bear was reborn the following spring, as is the way of bears, and the brothers set out after him again. They do this each year.
My father would always point out the Big Dipper and ask, “Do you see, the three hunters are still chasing the Great Bear!”
A long time ago large tracks appeared very close to a Mohawk village, “Nyah-gwaheh” a bear of monstrous size with long claws had come.
The people were scared, hunters noticed how the forest grew quieter the longer the bear stayed, game was disappearing, the people grew hungry.
Many hunting parties tried in vain to get rid of the marauding beast, to their dismay their arrows failed to pierce the thick hide of the bear. Many brave warriors fell victim to the bears anger. The people were filled with fear as starvation set in.
Until three brothers all had the same dream of successfully tracking and killing the Great Bear. They said, “The dream must be true.”
They set out after the Great Bear. When they came upon his tracks they quickly followed the trail, their arrows ready.
The hunt went on for many moons as they followed the tracks across the Earth. The bear began to tire. No matter what he did, he could not escape the hunters. Finally, in desperation, he ran right up into the sky and the hunters went right after him!
Around and around they went, circling the North Star.
The brothers however were very cunning and strong. Eventually they caught up with him. In the first autumn, their arrows pierced the Great Bear.
The blood of the bear spilled out of the sky and tinged all the leaves with red and orange. The trees then dropped all of their leaves in mourning for their friend. The Great Bear was reborn the following spring, as is the way of bears, and the brothers set out after him again. They do this each year.
My father would always point out the Big Dipper and ask, “Do you see, the three hunters are still chasing the Great Bear!”