Bear Learns a New Game
So that Raven is a trickster
eh? Always asking questions and getting involved in people’s business. So of
course, that’s how this story starts! Bear was just wandering, looking poking
for answers and pawing for questions when a voice whispered
“Did ya know? Did ya
try it? It changed my life!”
Well Bear was all ears.
Something new! Something transformative! And Raven let the expectations grow –
stretching that silence like meat in hard times.
“It’s true. The answers to all your woes is close.” Raven
hopped around the corner “Follow. Follow. I will be your guide.”
So Bear followed to a parking lot and with a very
interesting shape marked into the ground in BIG BOLD LINES. Within the grid
there were lots of those strange symbols that some folks stick together to say
things on paper. Bear always liked the challenge of figuring out these new
symbols and games. Bear spent a long time thinking about the patterns and
rhythms of this new shape. Maybe too long.
When Bear finally looked up - dark was creeping close and
Raven had disappeared. Bear was getting hungry and turning to leave when there
was a voice sweet as a summer breeze from a shadow,
“It is a real beauty eh?”
In the dark it was hard to see who owned the voice but Bear
didn’t really care. Bear’s mind was in love with this delightful new puzzle.
Before long the voice sounded closer
“I could.. tell you.. what I know. I am just learning but
then you could play a game with me… Just a fun game between friends.”
Now Bear knew lots about circle maths and teachings so they
wanted to learn this new knowledge too. Maybe it would help them better
understand circles! But Bear also remembered other sweet voices in dark places
so they though deep before they replied.
“How do I know this is a good game? Maybe you just want to
trick this hungry, tired Bear.”
The shadowed voice was silent. “You are a very wise Bear. I
will teach you to play – and afterwards you can decide if you want to waste
your clever mind on such a simple game. But it is just efun to pass the time.”
This seemed quite sensible to Bear who though the proposal
fair. Movements were decided by a cube that created numbers to tell us how many
squares to travel. If your new square had a vine, you could climb to the top
and get ahead very quickly. But if you landed on a spot with a snake it could swallow
you and transport the person far back in the race. The deciding cube was a fair
speaker so the game was only of luck - the voice assured Bear.
Now Bear did some quick calculations and decided that the
risk to try this new game was acceptable. Bear could always leave if the game
was too boring but it looked like it could be fun. And Bear did enjoy the game.
So after a while, when the voice suggested they make things more interesting,
Bear agreed. When the voice said they should make the vines shorter so it was
more of a challenge. Bear agreed. When Bear thought the Snakes had maybe grown
longer they did not say anything. Sometimes Bear won and it felt amazing. A
great abundance of blankets, baskets of berries and plies of sewing machines
and clocks grew around them. When Bear lost, the piles moved to the other
player. Bear started imagining how happy Grandmother would be to have some of
these items. How much easier her life!
After a long time. Bear’s stomach reminded them that this
game would not fill their belly tonight and that there were others at home who
needed to be fed. But when Bear explained these things, the other player pleaded
again and again for just one more game. “
Listen to your mind Bear not your stomach. Look at these
fine machines. They will save you time.” And Bear would play another game.
After another long time, Bear’s stomach called an end to the
evening. Bear really wanted to play a little longer and bring some of those
lovely things back to their side of the magic square but a hungry stomach comes
before all else.
“Thank you my brother/sister for the company. But having
both won and both lost it is a good time to return to our homes. It was kind of
you to share your knowledges. Let’s we meet tomorrow and play circle games.”
The voice was chilly “The magic of circles is pale and weak
compared to the magic of the squares and lines. If you want to play more, learn
more, number more that is the game we must play.”
And as Bear considered those words Grandfather Sun arose to show
Bear who the other player had been. For that player was afraid of Grandfather
and fled as soon a dawn gathered strength. In that moment, Bear realized that
they had learned the games of the Wiitigo. The games of hunger, wanting more
and making sure lines go up. Ho
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