Plenty Coups, Chief of the Crows
Photographed in 1907-08 by Norman A. Forsyth
Plenty Coups, Chief of the Crows, lovingly smiled at the expectant faces of the children; their cheeks flushed from the warmth of the sacred fire that crackled and sparked throwing great shafts of amber light into the night. Plenty Coups looked deeply into the golden crystal flames as he spoke from his Heart Power:
“Yesterday, I saw a wolf watching us intently from the cover of the great forest. Did you know he was there?”
The children silently answered with positive nods of their heads. The wise Chief continued,
“A fight goes on inside me. It is a terrible fight between two wolves. One is evil. He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, guilt, racism, sexism, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.
The other wolf is good. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and belief.
The same fight is going on inside of you as well as inside the white man and every other person you will meet in your lifetime.”
The children thought about this for a moment and then the smallest child, granddaughter of the great chief respectfully asked, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?”
Plenty Coups simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Postscript: Plenty Coups was called “Chief of Chiefs” by his people. He was one of the last traditional chiefs and their first modern leader. A Montana state park is named in his honour.
“Yesterday, I saw a wolf watching us intently from the cover of the great forest. Did you know he was there?”
The children silently answered with positive nods of their heads. The wise Chief continued,
“A fight goes on inside me. It is a terrible fight between two wolves. One is evil. He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, guilt, racism, sexism, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.
The other wolf is good. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and belief.
The same fight is going on inside of you as well as inside the white man and every other person you will meet in your lifetime.”
The children thought about this for a moment and then the smallest child, granddaughter of the great chief respectfully asked, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?”
Plenty Coups simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Postscript: Plenty Coups was called “Chief of Chiefs” by his people. He was one of the last traditional chiefs and their first modern leader. A Montana state park is named in his honour.
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1 comment:
Royce...
I will not feed the hungriest of wolves...I will feed the one which fill me with joy ...for it is that wolf who walks with me and offers me protection on a cold winters day!
Thank you for this story...It is just what the "chief" ordered today!
Pattie
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