The Turtle Who Fought Back

Inspired by Turtle Makes War on Man, written by Joseph Bruchac, located in The Boy who lived with the Bears and other Iroquois stories.

A time of distant when animals and men could talk clear and understand each other well there was one Turtle being offended long decided to fight back injustice seen

Eyes of empathy reflected the pain of seeing other animals hunted and preyed on for food and play

Turtle with war paint of red slashes of vertical went on path of war against the human beings

Singing a song of war Turtle paddled down the river to commence his siege and attack

Meeting Bear on the way Turtle listened attentively as he offered to make war with him and he said you can’t go because he had to travel fast far and the canoe was too small

Commencing with the song of war Turtle continued on alone until he met Wolf who said I’m fast and not slow of feet like Bear take me with you

Looking at Wolf’s mouth of large Turtle became afraid and said you are far too fast a runner and might leave and not stay to fight with me side by side

Singing up a storm of war clouds Turtle continued on until he came across an animal of black and white whose weapon of secret impressed him mightly and said don’t use it until we attack the humans fierce and said Skunk come along with me

Traveling by two they continued on down the river singing a song of war until they met Snake and said we are mighty warriors who go to wipe out all the human beings and asked If he had a secret weapon

Snake slithered and whispered with a happy hiss and said yes I do and climbed into the canoe

Commencing further down the river they sang sang the war song rejoice of three mighty warriors pursuing the fight against humans

Strategic plans established by the three mighty warriors; Turtle, Snake and Skunk hid in places to attack at first dawn

Skunk, the second mighty warrior hid by a little spring to lay his siege of attack to surprise the women with his secret weapon of danger and fired away fast and reacting fast the woman grabbed him by his neck and beat him blow after effective blow until his head flattened out and he ran away never to try this venture again

The third mighty warrior, Snake, staged his attack with great strategic thought and placed himself among sticks to wage his attack against humans and women

Sharp eyes of a hawk she saw him and threw stone after stone until his head flattened out and he ran away never to try this venture again holding his head sore

One last and the first mighty warrior to wage his attack was the Turtle with his plan to hide discreet amongst the cooking pots to wage his attack on humans and women and men

Sleepily the man yawned after being prodded harshly by his wife and picked up the dirtiest cook pot and was surprised because it bite him and clung tight while he struck him time after time until his shell cracked

Still clinging with persistent tight Turtle being shrewd enough to know the man wanted to kill him told him to put him in the fire for it loves him dear and the man being of hateful contrary anger at Turtle biting him refused

Anger still running wild in him he said viciously I will drown you (you mean turtle) in the river deep and dragging him along the man took him far in and pushed him far in and Turtle laughing deep swam away for he was free free rejoicing that he still lived and put war aside for it told much and he decided to let sleeping dogs lie

By

Felicia McCaw