Short Stories

Old Indian Tales Reimagined by A Young Man With Indian Ancestors

Smoking

Smoking was invented by the brave men on watch. The ones who went against their natural instinct to hide and cower and rest when its dark. The ones who stood guard all night long so their loved ones could sleep and dream without fear. A totem against the darkness.

It’s long, its cold, but its not really that bad. Its what lurks within and corrupts the night that we fear. The monsters who use the shadows to get closer to the weak and innocent. But the shadows are a tool. The watch used it themselves. Often dressing in dark colors, or hiding in the branches of a helpful tree, using the shadows to let them see the monsters before the monsters see them.

But they needed a way to stay in contact in the dark. One man must always be able to see two other men or the watch is useless. So they rolled up dry leaves and would signal each other at regular intervals by puffing on the slow burning torch. One particular brave soul decided he would find out if inhaling made a better signal than puffing, which had its benefits and its downsides.

He discovered it a pleasant diversion and kept him awake and alert, more ready to leap to the defense of their families. The habit spread and soon the guardsman would be signaling each other at home, out hunting or even just around the house.

One Shaman thought the idea so clever they decided a ceremony should be held to commemorate the discovery and christened Tobacco a sacred tool that helps keep our village safe. To be respected, but not perverted. Cherished but not idolized.

The other Shaman believed the idea was too clever for a guard and wished he had thought of it himself. He believed someone showed the guard how to inhale and the guard was lying when he took credit.

To be fair to all, he declared the spirits had delivered the tobacco as a gift because of their beautiful ceremonies. As a result, it was restricted by the faithful people to be used ONLY by the watch and the shaman. Those who had already partaken felt shame at abusing the gift of the spirits.

And that shame still haunts the plains, mountains, waters and sky.

The Snake

Lying and dying is hard. Those are two truths than many people believe and many people do not. The snake believed them both.

He found out about the first on accident. Another snake was about to make a tasty meal of a mouse. The snake looked at the other snake and he knew the other snake would likely hurt him very badly if he tried to get the mouse from him. Possibly even kill him. The snake was hungry but he was also scared. So he wished real hard that he was bigger and stronger than the other snake so he could have the mouse.

And the wish came true. As long as the snake believed it and puffed himself up big enough and hissed loud enough, other snakes would be scared and were afraid the snake would almost certainly kill them if they fought.

If he wasn’t good at fighting, then why would he draw so much attention to himself? It didn’t make sense. Unless the snake knew something the other snake didn’t. All snakes know secrets are powerful. It’s old knowledge passed from one snake to little snakes in secret. So the second snake believed the snake knew something he didn’t and to save his skin, he slithered away as fast as possible.

The snake tried very hard to remember the neat trick he had learned. He called it lying so it would be easy to remember because he lied all day long. And it rhymed with dying, which would remind the snake why he lied. Because he didn’t want to die alone and he spent most days trying to avoid it, because he knew it was always close behind him. Snakes live dangerous lives.

Sometimes the snake forgot his trick and he would get hurt. But when he did it just right, it worked every time. Like magic. So he practiced and he practiced and he practiced until he thought know one would know his secret.

But one day, he met a Hawk that would have none of this bluster and bullshit. He saw right through the snake into his very soul and said. I know what you are. You are food. Any argument to the contrary will be shorted out sortly.

And what do you think happened when the snake lyed to the hawk? Maybe he got away with a couple times, because even A hawk desont want to die. And on a good day, that snake lyed better than any other creature that learned the trick.

But the hawk always knew in his heart that if he were really hungry he’d eat that fucking snake or die trying. Who do you think would win that fight?