The Hunt of the Great Bear

 

Many years ago there were four brothers who were great Iroquois hunters. The oldest was as bright and full of promise and light-hearted as spring. The second was sturdy and quiet and warm like summer. The third was quick to change and slightly moody like the fall. And the fourth was slow and cold and full of complaining like the winter. Even with their very different temperaments, they were good friends and good brothers and they hunted well together with their fierce little white and black dog.

One day an emissary from the next village came to ask the brothers for help. The emissary told of a great and massive magical bear that stalked the poor village. Women were no longer comfortable working in their gardens and children had to be kept inside the long houses. The emissary asked if the four great hunting brothers would come to track and kill the creature who threatened their peace.

The brothers packed their hunting spears and held their children, then went off to the village following the emissary. As they grew closer, they noticed that trees were scratched impossibly high with bear claw markings. They eyed the trees, and then exchanged glances, doubting the idea of a magical bear but knowing they would soon be hunting something remarkable and fearsome. The elders of the second village welcomed them and told them of the bear’s habits and terrifying size. The four brothers noticed the hunger and poverty of the village and each one privately vowed to help. That night, after a meager meal in the poor village, the four brothers sat down to plan. “We will have a fight on our hands. I welcome it,” said the first. The second brother listened and nodded.

“It’s a foolish, impossible mission, but it will bring great food to this village and great skins too, if we can find it,” predicted the third.

“This mat is hard and I am hungry,” complained the fourth. The three older brothers smiled knowingly at their winter brother. He was always grumbling about something.

“Let’s make a vow together,” said the spring brother. “We will track this magical monster bear and never let him shake us.” Then the four brothers nodded agreement at each other and, even though the youngest continued to carry on about the hard, cold conditions, they settled in to sleep through the night.

In no time at all, the morning sun woke the brothers and soon they and their white and black dog were tracking the bear through the late summer woods. They went on for days, following the bear’s signs and learning its ways. The wind grew colder and the moon shone with a frosty circle each night. The young winter brother complained constantly, but they continued to work together to track the monster bear. Finally, they spotted it. Fear froze all four of them momentarily in their tracks. The bear was monstrous; as tall as a pine; as grey white as morning mist, and as angry and wide as a river. Only the small white and black dog attacked at first. It pulled back its gums, showed its teeth, raised the hairs on its small neck and then jumped. The great white bear ran, crashing through the woods with the small dog close behind. The hunting brothers shook off their fear and ran after them.

Day by day the brothers chased the magical bear. It ran deep into the forest and then high into the mountains where the trees were thin and the bear was easy to see. The brothers knew now that there was no escape. As the bear tired, the brothers were able to complete their kill. They paid respect to the great monster bear and the creator who made it, then began to skin it. The spring brother looked around him for sticks to build a fire.

“Brothers,” he exclaimed. “Look down!” It was only then that the four brothers realized they had chased the bear all the way off the mountain and into the sky.

“I didn’t believe it at first,” said the autumn brother, “but now I know the bear had magical powers. It ran right off the earth and into the sky.”

“And we followed him,” mentioned the summer brother. “It was a strong pact we made that night to help those villagers.”

“Can’t we eat now?” complained the winter brother. “I’m hungry.”

The three older brothers smiled at their complaining younger brother, but all turned to look quickly when the white and black dog began its fiercest barking. The bones of the great magical bear were coming back to life and running away! The dog set chase and, once again, the two creatures were off with the four brothers following — the youngest complaining all the way.

To this day it is the same. Summer comes to a close and the wind turns colder, then the four brothers can be seen in the night sky, chasing the great bear and the little dog. When they kill it, the stars of the big bear turn over and the maple trees become as red as blood and the grass lies under a white blanket as if the brothers had stretched out the great skin to dry. Then in the spring, the stars of the bear turn again and the chase begins once more.