BAMMM! CRASH! “Momma, Momma! please not again Momma,�?the two children cried in fear as they huddled under their skins in the corner of the long house. The son, who was now a young brave, kept quiet in his sleeping place, noting the rapid beating of his heart. Grandfather sat up and let out a sound something like a bear might make. No one was pleased. No one slept. <o:p></o:p>

Another CRASH. A quiver fell from the wall spilling arrows across the floor.. <o:p></o:p>

Then Redbud, the Mother, shuddered and pulling herself closer to Warrior, her husband. In her mind she counted the days. It had been twelve since the troubles had begun. Before that things seemed peaceful. The long house spirits were respected and respectful. But somehow this one had become very angry and every night sleep was disturbed. Each morning found things out of place. The children were fearful. Their son, Red Snake, had withdrawn into himself. Every night after dark these sounds began. It was a constant BAMMM! CRASH! accompanied by the noises of moving objects. It transformed the harmony of the lodge into chaos and fear. Redbud knew in her heart that something had to be done.<o:p></o:p>

Early next morning Redbud took her father-in-law, Old Dog, aside and asked his wisdom for restoring order to their home. He thought a while and then suggested that they go to the next village and consult an elder whose name was Spirit Talker to see what he might suggest. Redbud made a tobacco tie and seven spirit bundles as gifts for the elder. They walked silently collecting their thoughts. They stood at the edge of the village until they were recognized and invited to enter. Then a distant relative pointed out Spirit Talker’s place. He was an old man of sixty-three summers. He sat with quiet dignity, smoking. They waited until he motioned them to come forward and be seated. <o:p></o:p>

It was Old Dog who told the story. It was Redbud who asked what should be done. Spirit Talker pulled deeply on his pipe. He sat quietly thinking. Finally he taught them of the spirit people. His story began: <o:p></o:p>

“Remember that the spirits live with us. Good spirits will come to watch over us. Often they choose to live in our lodges. Many times, if treated with respect, they will show themselves. Often children will know that they are present. Many times, those who do not believe will never see or hear a spirit. We welcome these house spirits.�?And then he turned to Redbud and asked if she had welcomed her house spirit. And he taught her the appropriate things to do. <o:p></o:p>

Together Old Dog and Redbud returned to their place in the long house. Old Dog made a short speech of welcome, greeting the house spirit, and suggesting that the whole family was honored to have such a guest. Redbud began to spread tobacco in the four corners of the lodge, and across the door and window openings. Old Dog started to smudge every inch of the dwelling. Redbud recited prayers and burned cedar and sweet-grass. When they were finished, the lodge smelled wonderful. There was a cleanness about the home. <o:p></o:p>

That night after they retired, they felt they could relax. But no, BAMMM! BAMMM! CRASH after CRASH. It was worse than it had ever been. And no one slept. <o:p></o:p>

On the next day, Redbud took a piece of old walnut and fashioned a cane. She mounted a deer’s foot for the handle. Old Dog decorated it with the colors of their Band. Warrior walked back and forth, wondering what they had done to offend the spirits. The cane was beautiful when it was finished. The whole family took it as a gift to Spirit Talker and asked if he would come to their lodge to see what might be done to calm their angry spirit-guest. <o:p></o:p>

Slowly Spirit Talker walked to the warrior’s lodge. Before he even entered the door he paused and felt a cold prickly feeling on the back of his arms. Before he stepped through the door there was a loud CRASH followed by the sound of things being thrown inside. Ever so slowly and very carefully, Spirit Talker stepped inside. Another series of CRASHES followed by what sounded like warring growls from a rabid dog. The old man hastily retreated. <o:p></o:p>

Taking the family to the Sacred Fire, he arranged all of them in a circle. He gave his short but scary thoughts. “You have an angry spirit from the black path,�?he stated. “I felt his breath. I heard his growls. He must be stopped before he affects every lodge in the village.�?And he looked at Red Snake, who seemed to get smaller. Indeed, at the mention of the Black Path, everyone in the family seemed to get a little smaller. Only the two youngest children had not learned that evil comes into the world at midnight through a gate left open in the Sacred Circle. It was for this reason that no ceremony begins at midnight. For this reason no open gate to the Circle is ever left unattended. <o:p></o:p>

Spirit Talker continued, “We must fast and pray. We must find how this spirit came among us. We will have to see if there were others that came with him.�?And then he asked, “Who among us opened a gate letting this spirit into our world? Who walked at night where this spirit could follow to this lodge? They all seemed to shrink a little smaller. Red Snake got up and knelt at Spirit Talker’s feet. Though a brave, he was almost crying. He wrung his hands. Spirit Talker waited for the story to unfold. <o:p></o:p>

Six of Red Snake’s closest friends played at being medicine leaders. They had great fun slipping out at night and meeting at the far side of the tribal grounds where they could not be seen. Someone among them suggested that they have a real ceremony. It seemed like such a great idea. They gathered sage and tobacco, blue corn meal, and sticks of wood. The wood was laid with seven sticks radiating out from the center. The boys knew about this. They has seen it done many times. <o:p></o:p>

They knew that to take anything that belonged to a spirit leader or medicine man was almost a crime, so they searched for those objects that they might need: sage from one lodge, tobacco from the storehouse and some corn meal. With the corn meal they drew a circle. Red Snake led a short prayer and the fun began. They pretended they were a circle of seven highly regarded medicine men. They talked among themselves of important things. It had been fun until it started to rain and each boy remembered that his mother would check on the rain and at the same time notice that her son was missing. And so they ran from their game back to their lodges. And no boy gave any thought to closing all those gates, no thought at all. No boy noticed the black shadow that emerged and floated slowly, following Red Snake back to his lodge. On that night the noises began. And Red Snake and his band of brothers swore to tell no one. Even now his shame seemed not to be about the game, but a fear that he might be asked to reveal his friend’s names. <o:p></o:p>

Now Spirit Talker had discerned exactly what had happened, he knew what to do. He sent Red Snake to Bear Shield, the flute player, to see if he could come to help. He called his nephews Blue Coyote and White Coyote, twin Tsalagi boys almost of age, to come and assist. In his medicine bag he had everything he might need. Quietly, they marched as a solemn procession to the place the circle had been. The flute player was designated as a prayer warrior and asked to be in deep prayer. The nephews were stationed along the path. They were asked to turn their backs on the events that were to happen. Spirit Talker stripped from his breechclout, covered his body with corn meal and entered the circle. He found where the boys had started the fire and he lit another. He started to burn everything in that area. He went to the East Gate and closed it. He went to the North Gate and closed it. He went to the West Gate and closed it. At the South Gate he paused, listened, and began to talk in the ancient language of the spirit people. <o:p></o:p>

The flute player is playing. There are loud noises from the circle. The nephews dare not turn to look. Sounds of a great fight break out. I was not there to see, but I am told that it was as if Spirit Talker was thrown to the ground. There were groans. There was the sound of a great slap, and then another and another. No one dared to look. The flute player is praying with great conviction. <o:p></o:p>

Suddenly up the pathway ran New Corn Woman, a younger woman already noted for her ability to interpret dreams. She was one who gathers herbs and makes medicines. She had a depth of spirituality. Both nephews tried to stop her from going farther. But to no avail. She cried at the top of her voice, “They will kill him!�?and she rushed into the circle. With that, Bear Shield prayed as he had never prayed before. Great drops of sweat poured from him. The sounds of the fighting intensified. It was as if time stood still or as if it went on forever. No one could tell. And no one looked. <o:p></o:p>

Later they emerged from the circle, Spirit Talker was being helped by New Corn Woman. Both were bruised. Both were exhausted. Everything that had been of the circle was burned. And all four gates were safely closed. <o:p></o:p>

But it was not yet over. When the all approached the long house, they could make our sounds like the growl of a bear, like the whimpering of a coyote, like the howl of a cold wind. With tobacco and a smudge of sage, they made a semi-circle at the door of the long house. Spirit Talker cried, “I cast you out. Be gone. You have no way back. You must walk the earth until the Creator takes you back, an outcast. And so, I cast you out.! Walk away from here.�?<o:p></o:p>

Suddenly the house became silent. A wisp of black smoke (or was it shadow) escaped through the fire vent. A peace settled again on the home. Tobacco was spread, sage was burned, sweet-grass prayers were offered. Warrior knew that in the next few days he would take his prized eagle bone whistle as a gift to Spirit Talker. Redbud looked at her supply of skins to make a suitable gift for New Corn Woman. Later that night the children slept. Red Snake stayed in his sleeping place. The parents drew closer to each other as contented parents do. And Grandfather Old Dog sat just outside smoking. <o:p></o:p>

In the memory of our people, no boys ever played at leading ceremony again for fear of releasing evil into our world, though when I was told this story many years ago, I learned that Red Snake had joined the medicine lodge and had grown old and respected as an elder leading many ceremonies. He has crossed over now, as has every other member of this story. My grandfather told it to me when I was a boy. And now I tell it to you so that you will know what to do when evil is invited into our homes and spirits fuss. <o:p></o:p>

Night Eagle
May 1, 2002