TRIBAL MEMBER NEWS
Two-Tails
by Clifford Case, Jr.
Grandfather, it is I, SpiritFeather. I
must learn a new way of life to keep
what I have now, for I feel if I lose what
I have, life wouldn’t be the same.
SpiritFeather, life goes in many
directions and is always the same. It is
you who must change in order to keep
what you have. The story I tell is of a
Great Warrior who felt that if things
changed, then his life would be useless
to him and all others. But you will see
what happiness comes from this change.
His name is Two-Tails. He was one
of the mightiest warriors of his tribe.
People came from all around to meet
this warrior. They brought him gifts
because of his strength and ability to
survive in all directions he walked.
It was a time when all tribes were
one and only one language was spoken.
One day, Two-Tails was asked to go on
a journey looking for the chief's
daughter, who was stolen by other
warriors from far off. Two-Tails was
surprised with this journey because the
chief had sent out two parties of three
to go search for his daughter.
He then said to the chief, “Why is
it you asked me, my mighty chief, when
you have sent many already? Can you
see that I have everything a warrior could
have? What if I don’t make it back from
this journey?” The chief said, “I will
give you anything to bring my daughter
back, anything.” So Two-Tails packed
his horse with his best bow and arrows,
and dried meat to eat for his search.
It seemed like seasons upon seasons
since the chief had sent Two-Tails on
this search. One day, he did show up,
empty-handed. People were amazed
because it was the first time Two-Tails
had come back with nothing. Every
body was talking about this,
They also noticed that Two-Tails
looked very old, for he was and he told
the chief that he looked everywhere for
his daughter. The chief looked away
with disappointment in his eyes and
walked away from Two-Tails. Two-
Tails was hurt and set out to look again.
Once more, he came back with nothing.
People were looking away from
him because he was losing all of his
medicine that kept him alive. One day,
he walked into the forest and was never
going to return to his people because
they all treated him different and were
looking at younger warriors who were
stronger than Two-Tails. He felt
unwelcome by his own people because
he had aged.
Aug.15-17,2003,
Elks campground, Siletz River
Come and see your old friends and classmates
Dry camping is available starting Aug. 15
Dinner is scheduled for Aug. 16 at noon
Dinner tickets sold on site - $20/family, $15/couple, $7.50/single
If you have any questions, please call Rose Seminary,
541-536-3851 in LaPine, Ore.; e-mail - larseminary@msn.com
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toward the warriors’ camp. The bear
followed, eating each fish. It was then
that the warriors saw this bear and
couldn’t believe the size of it.
Each one jumped on his pony with
weapons in hand, wanting to take this
bear’s spirit. As they rode off tracking
the bear, Two-Tails called out to the
woman, taking her and the children
away. He found out that this woman was
the chief’s daughter.
He took her back to the chief, who
was ready to pass on to the spirit world.
The chief couldn’t believe what he saw.
He asked Two-Tails how he had done
this because of his age. He told the
chief, “I had no strength, no swiftness
or any help. It was Grandfather and the
Great Spirit who made my heart big and
my mind grow. This is how 1 came to
rescue your daughter.”
Once again, people from all around
came to see the great warrior who was
now chief of his own people to this day
and lives with happiness once again.
Thank you, Grandfather, for this
story and lesson, for now 1 will use my
mind and not my mouth to survive in
this world.
SpiritFeather
Credit Outreach Liaison Visits
Siletz Each Month
Siletz Class Reunion
...................................................................
Two-Tails now lived in the deep
forest. One day while fishing, he saw a
band of warriors with one woman at
their side who had children by her side.
Two-Tails was quiet so they didn’t
notice him across the lake. He saw that
the warriors treated this woman
differently, for they pushed and shoved
her around, giving her tasks that men
were to do.
It was then that he noticed a
medallion around her leg that was
different from the others. As he got
closer, he saw that it belonged to his
people. He sat back trying to figure how
he was going to take this woman from
them, for his strength had turned into
old age and his swiftness had turned
into wind leaving him behind.
He then started to pray to Grand
father and the Great Spirit, looking for
answers. There were none, so again he
asked for guidance from above over and
over until he fell asleep. It was then that
Grandfather showed him a vision on
how to take this woman back.
When he awoke he knew what to
do, so he took the fish that he caught
and laid them one by one from the
smallest to the biggest from a bear’s den
'
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Maria Godines is the outreach
liaison for the National FSA American
Indian Credit Outreach Initiative for the
nine federally recognized tribes in Ore
gon. As an outreach liaison, she’s ready
to help potential American Indian bor
rowers develop a complete loan package.
She helps ensure that American
Indian farmers, ranchers, and youth
have access to the full range of Farm
Service Agency credit opportunities.
She’s in the Siletz area on the second
Wednesday of each month at the Siletz
Library from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The National FSAAmerican Indian
Credit Outreach Initiative has a proven
track record of meeting the needs of
American Indian farmers, ranchers, and
youth by using individuals from the
Native American community to provide
the specific credit services. The
project’s ultimate goal is to establish a
cooperative working relationship with
the local FSA service providers to
guarantee that adequate resources are
accessible to this as well as future
generations of American Indian
agriculture producers.
Currently, FSA offers these types
of loans:
•
•
•
•
Direct and guaranteed farm
operating loans
Direct and guaranteed farm
ownership loans
Beginning farmer and rancher loans
Rural youth loans (not limited to
farming/ranching/agriculture)
She can be reached at 541 -553-0101
or maria@indiancreditoutreach.com.
The main office is at 1107 Vernon
Jackson Ave., P.O. Box 426, Warm
Springs, Oregon, 97761.
August 2003 □. Siletz News , □
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