Eagle and Wolf

A folk tale in the style of Saynday stories.

 

The Story of Eagle and Wolf

 

 

 

Saynday was coming along, and he met some of the animals. And among the animals were Eagle, Wolf and Prairie Dog. This is his tale concerning these three of his many brothers.

 

Eagle soared on a thermal and looked at the world below. The thermal was warm and gave lift to his wings and a cool breeze carrying the scents of the forest from over the mountain. It was life itself to be free, but Eagle did not ponder on this. Freedom made Eagle and was natural to him, so he gave it not a second – or even a first – thought. Eagle was free, but he wanted to share a deep part of him with another being, and loneliness slid over the sun like a shadow.

 

Wolf slipped silently between the firs, his pads raising not even a sound that a mouse could hear. He knew his pack moved with him, although they were hidden from sight and as silent as he. The smell of pine and leaf mould stirred his blood. Life was good, but it was nothing without the loyalty of his brothers. He gave his allegiance to the pack. He was loyal to them and they returned loyalty to him. Wolf was strong but he knew that much of his strength lay in the pack and feeling at one with them. He was strong, but on those occasions when he had been alone, he had sometimes been hurt, for the land and its beings are sometimes cruel. There came a time though, when Wolf needed more than the loyalty and love of the pack. Wolf wanted to give his spirit and his soul to one being, and loneliness slid over the sun like a shadow.

 

Then one day when at the edge of the forest, Wolf heard a cry that pierced him to the heart. It was the cry of the love of life and the joy of being free from the fetters of the land. The cry came again, and his bones echoed to the sound. Wolf looked up into the sky and saw Eagle – and Wolf fell in love. Eagle looked down and saw a beautifully sleek being. His eyes locked into those of Wolf and with an eagle’s eye he saw deep into the soul of Wolf – and Eagle fell in love. Neither Eagle nor Wolf admitted their love for each other, at least at first. But love has a way of overcoming denial, and after passing through its usual birth pangs it blossomed, but it was a blossom that grew on a thorny stem. For a long time they could not be together but loved each other from afar. There was strength in this distant love, but also the seeds of problems to come. They wanted to be together, but Wolf could not live in the sky, and Eagle could not live in the forest. Time passed and for the sake of their love, they made a compromise and went to the mountain. The mountain was not quite the land and not quite the sky, so there they met and began to share their life-path.

 

Eagle loved Wolf for his passion for life, his enthusiasm and his beauty. Wolf loved Eagle for his confidence, his courage and his spirit. Eagle opened his heart to Wolf and let him into his world, like he had not done for any other. Wolf gave his loyalty to Eagle – all of it. He would happily have lived on an island where only he and Eagle lived, never tiring of his love’s presence and never caring for the company of any other. But there was a problem. When they were apart, Wolf and Eagle thought only of each other, and their love for each other grew with the pain of separation. When they were together though, their differences threatened to overwhelm their love.

Wolf thought “I have given myself to Eagle, wholly and fully. But he still wishes to fly! How can this be when he knows I cannot fly. If he wishes to do this thing that I cannot, it must be that I love him more than he loves me.” Wolf felt pain at this thought, and as a little, insignificant seed grows into a mighty oak, so to did this seed of discontent grow. Occasionally he would snap at Eagle, and Eagle being a proud soul would feel the need to extend his razor-sharp talons and return like for like.

Eagle thought, “I have changed my nature to be with Wolf. I love him but sometimes I need the wind under my wings, and for this Wolf makes me feel guilty.” And so they loved each other, but they were not happy together, nor yet were they happy apart.

Now, each of them confessed their love for the other to Prairie Dog. Prairie Dog was old and few took any notice of him. But some, like Wolf and Eagle, took some. He spent his days at the mouth of his borrow watching the world go by and spent his nights inside pondering the ways of nature. His experience was limited, but he knew more than most gave him credit for. He heard Wolf’s words, and he heard Eagle’s. He loved them both and if he knew nothing else, he knew the love between Wolf and Eagle was real. Prairie Dog retired into the depths of his burrow and gave much thought to the plight of his brothers.

Then Prairie Dog spoke, and this is what he said:

 

Wolf, my brother. You love Eagle but he can never be Wolf.

Eagle, my brother. You love Wolf but he can never be Eagle.

If you love only that part in each other that is like your own self, better you fall in love with your reflection in the water. Wolf, if you denied Eagle the wind under his wings, he would no longer be Eagle. He would not be that being whom you love the most. And Eagle, if you banish Wolf’s loyalty and his single-mindedness for you, he will no longer be Wolf and love will fly away.

If you love each other only for the beauty of your forms or for the pleasure each gives the other when you come together – that will pass, and you will part.

Now I have seen you both and I have heard your words. Your love for each other transcends this superficial kind, and you have much to look forward to. Slowly and slowly – build towards that time when each can look upon the other and smile at what formerly made you angry. When Wolf can look at Eagle and love him even for those traits that make him different, and when Eagle can look upon Wolf and smile at what once teased his anger, then love will have found its way.

 

Well, Eagle and Wolf heard the words of Prairie Dog. And then, something dawned on them that had never before occurred. Prairie Dog, apart from anything else, was prey. There wasn’t much of him, and he was a little tough with age, but Prairie Dog made a decent meal. His words may or may not have filled their hearts, but he certainly filled their bellies. “I’ve had a belly full!” said Eagle. “Me too!” said Wolf.

 

And whether or not Prairie Dog’s words had any effect whatsoever, well that’s a story for another time.