The Adventures of Cherokee

by Nancy Johnson

  “Thank you,” said Cherokee. Sunee didn’t think he was being kind, but followed Cherokee down to the river. Just as they lowered their noses into the water, they heard terrible yells and shouts. A great thunder of hooves began, kicking up dust and blinding them.

  Just as the old buffalo had warned, Man had arrived! A buffalo can run nearly 40 miles an hour, so with tails up and heads down, they ran as quickly as they could. Cherokee and Sunee were forced into the water by the large brown bodies. Bumped from all sides, the horses slipped into deeper and deeper water, trying to get out of the way.

  Cherokee and Sunee heard sharp, cracking noises, like branches breaking from trees during an ice storm. The only other sound was the thunder of hooves as the buffalo raced away. It was a long time before the valley was quiet once again.

  The young stallion and his mare were still standing in the water many hours later. They could not tell if it was dark because of the dust from the ground, stirred up by the hooves of so many animals, or if night had fallen. Cherokee lifted his head, and turning his body from side to side, he read the scents of the woods and plains, just as his father had taught him. He smelled blood.

  “I want to get out of the water,” whispered Sunee.

  “Stand still a little longer,” warned Cherokee. “There is still danger.”

  Soon a half moon rose and lighted up the night sky and he could see a little better. The young stallion snorted. What he saw was very disturbing. He saw hundreds of mammoth brown bodies lying on the ground. Many of the animals they had seen just hours ago, eating and drinking and caring for their young, were dead. There was nothing else to see. Not even Man.

  “Come, Sunee,” whispered Cherokee

  Sunee was very sad. “Why does Man kill, Cherokee?”

  “Perhaps someday we will find an answer,” he replied. “Follow me now and we will try to find a place to rest until morning.”

  Slowly they walked toward the dark wall of trees, trying not to look at all the destruction Man had caused.

  “Who-whooo-Whoo,” they heard.

  “Who is there?” asked Cherokee.

  “It is I, your friendly owl,” came the reply. “Remember we just talked a little while ago.”

  “Oh, yes,” cried Sunee. “I am so glad you are here. Where are you?”

  “Up in this tree, just ahead of you. I am on the lower branch. See?”

  “Yes, I see you,” said Sunee. “Are we safe

  now?”

  “Man will be back,” replied the owl.

  “But I thought he was gone,” she said.

  “Only for the night,” answered the owl. “He will come back tomorrow to cut up the buffalo. He will take the parts he wants and leave the rest to rot.”

  “But why does he kill?” she asked.

  “It is a source of what Man calls money. The buffalo hunter cuts out the tongue of the buffalo, dries it and sells or trades it at trading posts. They take off the skins to make robes and blankets.”

  “But what of the rest of the buffalo?” asked Cherokee.

  “It is left to rot on the ground,” answered Owl sadly. “It only happens twice a year. Once in the spring and once in the fall.

  “For thousands of years,” he continued, “the Indians have had a close relationship with the buffalo. Legend has it that when the Indian treated the buffalo with respect, they allowed themselves to be killed to provide food and materials for clothing, shelter and tools. They would talk to the Indian through dreams.”

  “I remember a story that Grandfather told us about the horse promising to serve man, but man did not make the same promise. Is it like that?” asked Cherokee.

  “Perhaps a little like that,” said Owl. “But the Indian does not kill horses. He needs them to serve him. To carry him from one place to another and to pull his burdens. A horse makes it possible for the buffalo hunt to be more successful because the Indian can travel much farther than he could on foot. The horse is also strong and has great endurance, and can help carry the meat.”

  “I will pray to Asga ya galun Lati, that Man will stop this killing,” said Cherokee in a solemn voice. “I will ask him to protect all the animals, large and small.”

  “That is a good thing to do,” agreed Owl. “If you see an eagle tomorrow, send your prayers heavenward on his wings.”

  “I remember that, too,” said Cherokee. “My father told me that when I traveled with him and he taught me all the things of the forest. I will do as you say.”

  “Cherokee?” asked Sunee shyly. “Do you think we could go and find the horses that owl told us about?”

  “Let’s rest tonight near Owl. We can leave when the sun wakes up in the morning. We should not travel in a strange land at night. Especially when Man is somewhere near.”

  The sun rose early, giving light to a new spring day. It was already comfortably warm. The two young horses planned to walk back to the river for a drink, but owl said, “Man will be butchering the buffalo today. Look down into the meadow.”

  Sure enough, there they were. Cutting and tearing and pulling on the dead animals. Cherokee and Sunee decided to make a wide circle around the men and come back toward the river when they felt more safe.

  “Thank you, Owl,” they said in unison. “We thank you for your help,” added Cherokee. “Perhaps we will see you again.”

  “Good bye young friends,” called Owl.

  All that day and one more, Cherokee and Sunee walked and grazed their way through the forest and valleys and hills hunting for the horse herd Owl had told them about. On the second day, they followed a deer path that led them between two high rocks and onto a flat sandy patch of ground. They looked down and saw the horses far below them.

  “Oh, Cherokee,” said Sunee. “Let’s go down and make friends right away.”

  “We will,” he answered her patiently. “But it seems to be difficult for you to go up and down the rocks. Do you want to rest first?”

  “No, I want to go now.”

  Cherokee hesitated. Lifting his nose high in the air, he breathed in the scents of this new place. He smelled nothing alarming in any direction. Then he watched for any movement that might indicate a wild animal waiting to attack him or his mate. Satisfied, he skirted a tower of stone, jagged as strokes of lightning. He walked downstream of the narrow river, leading Sunee along the easiest path he could find for her. Half an hour later they saw the horses grazing peacefully. He nickered a greeting.

  A large grey mare turned at the sound of his voice. She watched him several minutes, trying to determine if he and the mare with him were friend or foe. Cherokee stood still and waited. Sunee was anxious. Her head bobbed up and down and she lifted first one front hoof and then the other. Finally the grey mare whinnied an invitation and walked toward them.

  “Welcome,” she said. “I’ve never seen you before. Where did you come from?”

  “We are from Eastern Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains. More recently from the Sequatchie Valley,” answered Cherokee.

  “I do not know that place,” replied the mare.

  “It is on the other side of the Father of Waters, the Mississippi River,” said Sunee. “What

  is your name?”

  “I am called Ε tsi, Mother,” answered the mare. “There is no stallion to guard us, so I have the responsibility of protecting and caring for everyone. What are you called?”

  “My name is Sunee and this is my friend, Cherokee. We have a u no ligo so, a partnership,” she added with pride.

  Ε tsi looked at Sunee’s large belly and said, “Yes, I can see that. When is your colt due to be born?”

  Sunee and Cherokee looked at each other. “Colt?” asked Sunee.

  “Yes, little one. I believe it must be soon,” replied Ε tsi.

  “Is that why I have be
en so clumsy and big?” asked Sunee.

  “Do you not know about having babies?” asked the older mare.

  “We had to leave our herd and our mothers a year ago after they were captured by Man. We tried to help them escape but we failed. We only saved ourselves. We did not talk of babies,” she added sorrowfully.

  “Come with me. I will introduce you to the other mares.” Turning to Cherokee she said, “You are free to graze anywhere you like. You will find another canyon upstream a few miles, if you feel adventuresome, or stay nearby, as you please.” Ε tsi and Sunee turned away from the young stallion, dismissing him from their presence.

  Sunee was shy but responsive when the other mares came close to talk with her and to touch her and to identify her smell. She answered their questions as best she could, but missed Cherokee’s company. There had been only the two of them for so long, she had almost forgotten how to react with other horses.

  “My name is Tamaga,” said one young mare, the same age as Sunee. “It means ‘girl’. Ε tsi is my mother as well as the leader of the herd,” she said. “I would like to stay with you and be your friend and protector when your baby comes,” she added.

  “That’s alright,” answered Sunee. “I have

  Cherokee. He will take care of me.”

  “Stallions don’t know about birthing,” snorted Tamaga. “All the mares in this herd except Wa le lu, has given birth. Wa le lu, that means Hummingbird, is very small and probably won’t have babies. See how slim and short she is?”

  Sunee turned her head as directed. She saw what looked like a miniature animal. Her movements were graceful, her legs straight, her tiny hooves round and trim. Her head was small but not out of proportion to her body. She was the color of sand and she was beautiful. As Sunee watched her trot toward the river for a drink, she fully expected the small horse to fly.

  “She is well named,” said Sunee.

  “Yes,” answered Tamaga. “And she can run quite fast for one her size.”

  “What am I supposed to do?” asked Sunee

  shyly.

  “About what?” asked Tamaga.

  “Having my baby,” answered Sunee.

  “When the time comes, your belly will start to hurt a little. When that happens, you tell me. I will take you to a safe place.”

  “Is this not a safe place?” asked Sunee.

  “It is never safe to have your baby in an open meadow or field or canyon,” Tamaga told her. “You must go into hiding until your baby can walk and then run. Otherwise it might be food for the coyotes or wolves or bobcats.”

  “Or mountain lions?” asked Sunee.

  “Exactly,” answered her new friend.

  -13-

  Shadow Words

  Cherokee was at a loss. He watched as the mares took Sunee up the valley. He sensed that they did not want him-or need him. He sighed. He walked to the slow meandering stream for a drink. As he dipped his nose into the clear water, he watched as small fish swam by and watched the water bubble over the stones. He thought about what he would do without Sunee.

  He finally decided to have a good run to relieve his frustrations and headed down the valley at a gallop, eyes bright, ears up, watching, watching, always watching. When his blood warmed, he increased his speed until he was running, ears flat, tail and mane flying.

  Suddenly he heard a horse whinny. He slowed, and then stopped, looking for the horse who had called.

  “Up here, Cherokee,” said a voice.

  Cherokee looked up the ridge but could see

  nothing.

  “Up here,” said the voice again.

  Finally Cherokee found the caller. It was Natas, the big red horse they had met at the Father of Waters.

  “What are you doing here?” asked Cherokee.

  “I am here to steal the mares. They will soon be mine,” Natas snorted.

  “You cannot do that,” warned Cherokee. “They have a leader.”

  “No mare can be happy without a stallion to lead them.” Natas laughed. “I will take them far from here where they will need me to look after them.”

  “They are happy here, Natas. They do not want or need to move anywhere. Ε tsi will care for her herd without your help.”

  “I have made up my mind!” shouted the big stallion. “I will have what I want! I will always have what I want! And I want the mares!”

  “Then you will have to fight me,” said Cherokee softly.

  “When the time comes, I will fight you,” agreed Natas. “But I will win, and then I will have your mare, too. Sunee will be mine!”

  Cherokee did not answer him, but turned and galloped back toward the herd of mares. He could hear an eagle calling high in the sky and he remembered he had promised to pray to Asga ya galun Lati about the killing of the buffalo.

  “Oh, Asga ya galun Lati, why do men have to kill the animals? Why does Natas have to be so mean and thoughtless? Your world is a beautiful place and we live in peace. But many have come to create trouble in this place. Is there anything that I can do to help you keep it peaceful?” As he said his prayer, he used his inner thoughts to ask the eagle to carry this prayer to the Great Spirit. The eagle answered him, dipping his wings and soaring higher and higher until he was out of sight.

  Cherokee did not immediately go back to Ε tsi and the other mares. He rested in the trees and watched as the moon came up and flooded the valley with a soft glow. He could see Sunee grazing with the others, resting after their long journey and enjoying the company of the herd.

  He was just beginning to doze off when he heard a sound. At first it sounded like the wind in the trees, but it grew louder and he thought he could hear a voice speaking. “What could it be?” he thought. He was not afraid, but wary.

  “Cherokee,” the voice whispered. “Cherokee, it is I, Grandfather.”

  “Grandfather?” he called quickly. “Oh, Grandfather. I have a need to know things that I did not know to ask you before.”

  “Yes, Cherokee, I understand. First, Sunee will be alright. She has been twice blessed and will have two sons for you. You will name one Too Hool’ Zoout. Sunee will name the other.”

  “What does it mean, Grandfather?”

  “To the Nez Perce it means ‘thunder on the mountain’. This colt will do good things, and he will make a great name for himself far from this place of his birth.”

  “Who are the Nez Perce?” asked Cherokee.

  “They are another tribe of Indians who live in the west. I have met horses who belonged to the Nez Perce and this name is honorable.”

  “I will do as you say, but Grandfather? I have other questions. Why do men kill and what can I do to protect the mares from Natas? Do you know about Natas?” added Cherokee.

  “Yes, Cherokee. I know all things. You have no control over men who kill. They kill to eat and to trade for other things that they need. Man does not know that one day he will have killed everything and there will be nothing left. Man surely travels the red path.”

  “Father told me of the red path. He said it represents evil or bad things.”

  “That’s right, Cherokee. Man walks the red

  path.”

  “And the others are blue and white. Is that correct, Grandfather?”

  “Yes,” said Grandfather. “You have taken the blue path, the path of adventure. Sunee has taken the white path, the path for good.”

  “Thank you for reminding me. Now what can I do about Natas?” asked Cherokee.

  “I can only tell you this. You and Sunee once spoke of his ‘backward’ thinking. When you speak his name, think of it as ‘backward’ and you will understand that this horse and his words are shadowed and the truth is hidden. He is evil. When the time comes you will know what to do. I will be near when you need me.” Grandfather’s voice wa
s gone.

  The next morning Sunee saw Cherokee on a hill overlooking the mares. She was glad to see him and called to him to join the herd. He trotted down the hill, following a well worn path that had obviously been used for many years. They met at a small creek, but before taking a drink, they rubbed noses and just stood quietly for a while.

  “I missed you,” whispered the mare.

  “I missed you, too,” answered Cherokee. “Let’s get a drink of water and walk for a while. I must tell you what Grandfather said last night.”

  They enjoyed a long leisurely drink of cool water, turned and walked quietly, following the creek water as if flowed southward. Neither of them talked for a long while, just enjoying each other’s company, as they had so often in the past.

  Finally, Sunee could wait no longer and asked, “Cherokee? What do you mean Grandfather said something to you last night?”

  “He talked to me and told me that you have been twice blessed. You will have ta li, two sons when your time comes.”

  “Ta li! Oh, Cherokee. I do not know how to raise one son.”

  “But you will have my help,” he said, a bit surprised.

  “What do you know about raising children?” she asked him. “You can protect us from danger, but what about keeping them out of trouble and teaching them all the things Grandfather taught us? Grandfather is not with us any more.”

  “Well, you have Ε tsi and the others to help you. We will stay here as long as you want. Would that make you feel better?” he asked her.

  “Yes,” she said. “I will need the help of the other mares for a long time.”

  “Grandfather said something else, too,” he reminded Sunee.

  “Oh, yes. What else did he say?” she asked.

  “Do you remember when you said Natas had backward thinking?” She nodded her head up and down in response. “Well, we are to think on that and be careful about our friendship with him. Backward is turned around, the last first and the first last. Is that right?” He asked.