Sammy’s Wolves

Sammy’s Wolves
by
Terry Burres

Little Sammy Fast Bow lived with his Mom, Dad and Grandma. He was so excited. His Dad had told him that he was now old enough to go to the Pow Wow and dance with the bigger boys.

Sammy ran his hand over his soft new shirt that his Mama and his Grandma had made for him. It was made of the buckskin that his Mama had been working with all Winter.

His Mom And Grandma had sewn a new shirt, pants, and boots that laced up almost to his knees. Everything had fringe that hung from his arms and down his legs. They have made a shirt that had beads in the traditional design of his tribe.

He looked just like the pictures that his Grandma had of her father. Sammy’s great Grandfather was a chief in the tribe and a famous man had taken his picture.

All Sammy needed was a eagle feather for his hair. It was a great honor to get an eagle feather. Sammy tried to think of a way to get a feather. If he could not get a feather maybe he could find one to use until he could earn his eagle feather. Sammy thought that he might be able to find a feather in the woods that were behind his house. So Sammy started searching for his feather. He walked past the stream. He walked past the tall trees. As he walked he watched for a feather that had fallen from a passing bird.

Suddenly a large white wolf jumped out from behind a tree. ”Sammy!” he growled, “Just what I needed! A boy for breakfast!”

Sammy stared at wolf. “ Please Grandfather Wolf If you are going to eat me, could I please take off my new shirt?”

“This is new?” the wolf sniffed at Sammy’s shirt. “Take it off. Then it won’t get torn.”

Sammy carefully took his shirt and laid it over a bush. The wolf walked over for a better look. While the wolf was busy looking at the shirt Sammy quietly walked behind a near by tree the way his Dad had taught him.

Sammy walked as fast as he could without making a sound. He was sad about his shirt but he know that he had to find his way back home.

Sammy walked around a great big rock and stopped. There sitting in the shade of the rock was a great big brown wolf. The wolf yawned showing his sharp white teeth. “Well, well! What have we here? A Snack just ready for eating.” The wolf grinning at Sammy.


Sammy watched the wolf stand up. ”Grandfather Wolf could you let me take off my soft new boots. I don’t want to get them eaten.”

“New boots, you say.” Wolf walked around Sammy studying the boots. Sammy slowly untied the boots and stepped out of them. As the wolf blow on the boots fringe Sammy tiptoed softly away from the wolf and his boots.

Sammy walked through the trees. He was lost in the woods. He tried to think of the things his Dad had told him to do if he was ever lost in the woods; but all he could think about was his shirt and his boots. Sitting down on log Sammy tried not to cry.

Suddenly Sammy felt a warm breath blowing on his neck. Turning slowly Sammy saw a large gray wolf grinning. Sammy watched the wolf as he licked his lips, and said, ”Yummy - Yum - Yum. Watch out tummy here comes Sammy.”

Sammy watched the wolf standing in front of him. ”Grandfather Wolf could I please take off my new fringed pant. I don’t want you to get them messed when you eat me.”

The gray wolf nodded his large head up and down. “Go ahead and take them off,” said Grandfather Wolf. Sammy took off his fringed pants and then slide them over the wolf’s back. While the wolf was admiring the legs of the pants hanging down on each side of his head. Sammy started taking small steps until he could not see the gray wolf or his wonderful fringed pants.

As Sammy walked he finally came to the stream that he thought would be the same one that ran in front of his house. He started walking up stream in the direction, he hoped, of his home. Sammy tried to think of how he was going to tell his Mom, Dad, and Grandma about his clothes for the Pow Wow.

A strange noise came from a little further up stream. Sammy walked as silently as a shadow until he stood behind a tree. There in front of Sammy were the three wolves. Each wolf had a piece of Sammy’s new Pow Wow clothes. Each wolf was bragging about how special his thing was that he had tricked Sammy out of.

As Sammy watched the three wolves started fighting . They snarled and bite at each other. Their growls grew louder and louder. Sammy had to cover his ears and close his eyes.

After a while Sammy opened one of his eyes just a little bit. All that was left of the wolves was just bits of fur and three tails. As he put on his shirt, pants, and boots Sammy shook the grass and leaves from them. He reached down and took the three tails as he started for home.

The pasture behind his house was bathed in bright sun light as Sammy walked towards his home. His Dad was loading horses into the trailer. His Mom was putting bags into the van. His Grandma was standing on the porch with a handmade blanket over her arm. Sammy ran the last few feet to show his wolves tails to his family.

That night at the Pow Wow his Mom and Dad told their friends about how clever and brave Sammy was to out smart not one but three wolves. At the main fire that night The Sharman called Sammy into the light. There he sang Sammy’s Wolves Song. Sammy was renamed Brave Wolf. Sammy was most proud of the eagle feather that he would wear with his new clothes as he danced at the Pow Wow.

His Grandma hugged him with a smile in her eyes. She said that he was as handsome as his Great Grandfather. Sammy could not have been happier as his song sang in his head.