NO-SEE- UMS

No-See-Ums


Legends of the People


The darkening sky looks ominous as monstrous claps of thunder roars in the near mountain range. Huge bolts of sinister, sinuous lightning shoots outward into the meandering river valley. Sheets of icy, horizontal rain lash the partially unclad torus chest of the man. But the earthly elements in their savage attack on everything standing are unnoticed by the medicine man as he clumsily vaults the last few paces up into the narrow, poorly lit, rock crevice. He was a man with such an acrimonious decision to contemplate that to him nature=s undiluted fury was like a singular grain of sand on the ocean floor. In fact, his turbulent thought processes were not unlike the raging storm, whose ferocious onslaught he was now freed from as the minute cave, an often frequented sanctuary, offers some protection.

What unearthly forces had caused this proud, influential leader to be in such a precarious predicament? Was it that the GREAT SPIRIT had been angered by him or one of the people? Why had this unforgivable, negligent act occurred? Would he be the fearless, undaunted medicine man at the appointed time? All these monumental questions stir within his tormented brain as the stark realism of his tribal duty forces itself into his aching consciousness. With a primal cry of utter despair the once fiercely proud leader decides; He has no choice. His son, Wijaw, must be punished for his negligent act. He must banish Wijaw from the people, forever.

Once this disheartening decision surfaced in the leader's rational mind he briefly recalls the events leading to this troubled moment. Wijaw was his only off-spring; A young man, in his twelfth summer, eager to prove his worth to the small, inland tribe and to his doting father. It was this fallacious pride in his son=s ability that had induced him to select Wijaw as a night guard for the tribe on their recent coastal walk-a-bout.

Wijaw was honored at this distinction granted him by his father. His youthful pride prevented him from admitting to tribal elders the fact that he had become debilitated after the arduous, all day walk. He did not want people to think that the son of the tribal medicine man was not yet prepared to take on the full responsibilities of manhood. As the humid, brackish, cloud filled night lingered along like two snails crossing a mud puddle, the young man had succumbed to his primeval need for sleep. It was at the moment of Wijaw=s deepest slumber that the enemy had attacked.

The leader looks out into the raging storm but all he sees with his mind=s eye are the grossly mangled bodies of his people. In the time it had taken Wijaw to react to the deadly, surprise attack five people lay dead. The elders deliberated for several days but centuries old practices had to be followed. Tribal law was quite clear. When an individual threatened or caused harm to the group that person had to be banished from the tribe. There was no leeway or forgiveness on matters of this magnitude. The devastated medicine man cries out from his lookout sanctuary into the violent storm front. AOh GREAT SPIRT, give me guidance in this my hour of need. It was my destructive pride that caused this calamity to my people. Wijaw is but a boy. Please allow him to live.@ The sobbing wails emitting from the prostrated leader sounded like far away thunder. Hours later the broken hearted man falls into a semi-conscious sleep.

A bluish-grey timber mouse looks sternly into the reddish eyes of the dormant leader and softly starts talking to him. Your cry for guidance has been heard, and the boy will not be banished, Oh Honored One. But the ways of the people are sacred, and the law must be followed. I will cause a new insect to evolve which will be smaller than the eye can see. It will have the bloodthirsty bite of creatures many times its size. This mosquito will prevent night guards from falling asleep during their watch, and over time will become known as No-See-Ems. They will become a constant reminder of the concealed enemy, unseen but always ready to attack.

The leader sits unpretentiously on the cold floor of the open ended cave overlooking the river valley. Like his father before him he often comes to this placid hideaway during thunderstorms to deliberate on issues affecting his people. The roaring thunder gives him reverence towards the GREAT SPIRT. It humbles him as a man to witness the gigantic forces of the universe. Today he recalls his father=s violent death, on this very spot, many seasons ago.

Wijaw now realizes that his father ceded his life so that he would live. The lightning bolt which penetrated the once proud medicine man had consumed all the parts of his father=s body except one hand which was holding a timber mouse. The frightened mouse scrambled away when the elders had entered the cave that day. They realized with shocked acceptance that tribal duty had been followed to its ultimate end.

The ways of the GREAT SPIRT are indeed strange.

Written by Eagle Catcher,FOR (Ancient Spirit of the White Wolf ) June 2004