Mud Pony

Written by Karen Cohen As told by Kalira Stromer

This is a story my grandmother told me when i was very young... and it has been a very special story to me . Its called "The Mud Pony"

There was once a poor boy in an Indian camp who would watch by the creek as other boys watered their ponys. More then anything he wished for a pony of his own. So at last the boy crossed the creek and dug into the wet earth and shaped a pony out of mud He gave it a white clay face. He loved his mud pony, and every day he went to it and took care of it as if it were real.

One day while the boy was with his mud pony scouts rode up to the camp."We have sighted buffalo a few days journey west." They Say. His people broke camp as they would starv in several months if they didnt hunt the buffalo. His parents looked everywhere for him but couldnt find him. They were forced to leave without him. When the boy got back to camp he cried out. "My people!, I will never find you. I am alone!" He wandered heartbroken and hungry around the empty camp, picking up dried scraps of meat, and a torn old blanket someone had thrown away. He ate then, huddled in a blanket and cried himself to sleep. He slept, he drempt his mud pony was alive and spoke to him. "My son, you are not alone... Mother earth has given me to you. I am part of her." When the boy woke in the empty camp he cried for his people. He then went to his mud pony and couldnt believe his eyes. The white faced pony was alive, tossing her mane and pawing the ground. She spoke like the pony in his dream. "My son, you are not alone, Mother earth has given me to you and I am part of her. You must do as i say and one day you will become a great cheif among your people.They are far away, Get on my back. I will take you to them, But do not try to guide me. I know where to go."

For 3 days they journeyed over the planes. The boy was worn and hungry. But he did not give up and he let his pony guide him. Then on the third night the boy saw smoke curling up from tepees in a camp. They had reached his people. "Go and find your parents said the pony. But leave before Dawn. Its not your time for the others to see you. I will be waiting in the hills , Now cover me with the blanket to protect me from the rain for i am part of the earth."

The boy went to the camp and found his parents. "Here I am" he said. His mother touched him and tears came to her eyes. His father woke and was amazed he had found his way to them. Before dawn the boy told his parents "I must go now on my own" He watched his people take down their camp and contenued on their way to the buffalo.

For 3 more days the boy journeyed over the plains. The boy was tired and hungry but he kept going. Finally on the third night he saw the camp in the distance. "There are your people" the pony said. It is time to join them . Ride me into camp." The boy rode his pony into camp and all the people came out and was astonshed to see him.

The war chief invited him into the big tepee. Thre was soup and dried meat and buffalo horn spoons and wooden bowls... Thy ate together. "Nawa Tiki" the war chief saluted him. You journeyed over strange land and yet you found us. You have a gift and a great power. And now you must help your people. An enemy has attacked us on our way west killing men keeping us from reaching the bufalo and at daybreak you must join the battle. When the boy left the tepee he trimbled. The pony spoke to him "My son dont be afraid for i am part of mother earth. The enemys arrows can never peirce the earth. Put earth all over your body and you will not be hurt." At daybreak he covered his body in earth and rode his pony strait into the fight.

It was a feirce batte but he lead his people to victory. At last his people wre free to hunt. The boy on the white faced pony showed them they way. The boy captured more bufalo then anyone else. Years passed and the boy let the pony guide him. Always he was a powerful leader. Finally he was made cheif.

As a cheif he had a corral full of fine horses, but the white faced pony was a great gift. He tied many eagle feather in her mane and tail. And every night ce carefully covered her with her blanket to protect her from the rain Then one night the pony came to him in a dream. My son, now you are a great cheif with the power of Mother Earth. It is mother earth who gives you the power and not I. I am part of her and it is time to give me back to her. You must let me go.

The chief got up in the dark and went to his pony. She pwed the ground and tossed her mane in the winds. "Take my blanket" she said. He did and then he went to his tepee. Just before daybreak he awoke to the sounds of wind and rain. He ran to the corral and looked eveywhere for his white faced pony. He couldnt find her.

Then as the morning light broke over the wet earth the cheif saw a white patch of clay. And through the wind he heard a voice."I am here, your mother earth, you are not alone!"