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<P>At the site of the wolves, Strie'bog notes Cetric's dismay. After Cetric speaks, and after Ben'dar and Z'leyra's words, Strie'bog dismounts and retrives his shovel. "I will help you Cetric, as I am fond of wolves as well." With that, he starts to dig. </P>
<P>To the questioning glances, "The trail is already old, and though nature will take care of the corpses, it can do the soul good to say good-bye things that hold meaning for us." Looking at Z'leyra, "would your heart not feel saddened by the loss of an egale? Though I do not hold the bond that you and Cetric hold, and may never know that wonder, I do have a friend who is a wolf. And truth be told, there are some sites that freeze my heart and make tear well up in my eyes. The gods though have given us ways to ease these pains, even in small actions." He will then help Cetric bury the wolves.</P>
<P>Afterwards, as the party moves out, Strei'bog will pull out his balalaika, start to play gently, and tell a story.</P>
<P>_____________________________________</P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>In man's infancy, the animals and people lived together peaceably and talked with each other. But then mankind began to multiply rapidly, crowding the animals.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In need of food and clothing, man began to hunt their former friends, butchering them wholesale for the skin, fur and meat.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But they killed more than was needed, claiming that they needed to store up for bad seasons.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>The animals became angry at this treatment, and their appeals to their former friends went unheard and unanswered.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So they resolved to punish their unfaithful friends. </FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>The Chief of the bear tribe, Old White Bear, called together his people.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Chief Little Deer called together the deer tribe, and Old Grey Wolf called together the wolf tribe.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They decided that the hunters no longer respected their ancient friendship, and that those who killed without asking pardon should be afflicted with painful diseases.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>Chief Old White Bear vowed to deliver wasting diseases to those who killed members of his tribe.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Chief Little Deer vowed to make the joints of the offending hunter become swollen and painful.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Chief Grey Wolf vowed to take the site of any who slaughtered his kin.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>Chief Little Deer went to the people of plains and forest and said, “From now on, your hunters must first offer a prayer to the people of Bear, Deer and Wolf, before you kill them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>You must ask pardon of him and his tribe, and say with truth of heart, that you are forced only by the hunger needs of your tribe to hunt and kill.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Otherwise, a terrible disease will come to you.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>When a bear is slain by a hunter, Chief Old White Bear will run to the spot and ask the spirit of the slain, “did you hear the hunter’s prayer for pardon?”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>When a deer is slain by a hunter, Chief Little Deer will run to the spot and ask the spirit of the slain, “did you hear the hunter’s prayer for pardon?”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>When a wolf is slain by a hunter, Chief Old Grey Wolf will run to the spot and ask the spirit of the slain, “did you hear the hunter’s prayer for pardon?”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>If the reply is yes, then all is well, and the chiefs will return to their home.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But if the answer is no, then the offended chief will track the hunter to his lodge and strike with dreadful diseases.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Chief Old White Bear will cause the flesh of the hunter to waste away.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Chief Little Deer will cause the joints of the hunter to swell and grow painful, so they can never hunt again.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Chief Old Grey Wolf will steal into the lodge and spit in the eyes of the hunter, taking from them their sight.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>The fish and reptiles heard of Bear, Deer and Wolf’s decision, and called a council of their own.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They decided that they too would punish those who would kill without respect.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They would haunt their dreams with vision of serpents twining around them, and eating them alive.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>Man did not listen at first, and so many were struck down by disease and terrible visions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They pleaded with their medicine men to banish these dreams and diseases.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The wise men knew that the hunters should honor the slain, but arrogance has always been the folly of man.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>The friendly plants though heard what the animals had decided, and were disheartened that the former friends would fight so.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They knew that the punishments sent by the animals would be as fatal as the arrows of man.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Few would be left to learn the lessons if all were afflicted, so the friendly plants made a pact to counter the curses of the animals, to give man a chance to redeem his folly.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Each tree, shrub, herb, grass and moss agreed to furnish a cure for one of the diseases named by the animals and insects, for by this time, each animal tribe had named a curse against man.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>These cures the friendly plants revealed in dreams to the medicine men, and further told the medicine men to consult with plant if in doubt about an ailment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The friendly plants though stressed that the medicine men must teach their people to respect all life, and honor all that is taken for food and clothing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Only in that way would their curative powers remain potent.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p><FONT face=times,serif size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT face=times,serif><FONT size=3>To this day, the friendly plants always suggest the proper remedy for any of man’s diseases.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"></o:p></SPAN><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p> _______________________________________________</o:p></SPAN></P></H3>
<P style="mso-outline-level: 4"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P style="mso-outline-level: 4"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p>If asked, he will say that this is a story taught to him by his mother.</o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="mso-outline-level: 4"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p>Strie'bog will entertain as the group travels, but only when there appears to be no threat and it looks as if the group has grown tired or distracted. If animals begin to act "oddly" he will use his magic to calm them down.</o:p></SPAN></P>
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