Shine On Cougar Moon

On the heels of my last post, having mentioned my drum, Cougar Moon, I thought I'd take the opportunity to tell his story.

Every thing is alive. Every thing has a spirit. If you ask (then listen) any thing will talk to you (Apologies for my 'Kwai Chang Caine' voice -- just be glad I'm not using my 'Yoda' voice. Like it you would not, hmm?). Such is the case with my drum. I took a drum-making class, and as I made my drum, I heard it's name whispered in my head. It's an elk hide drum that looks rather a lot like the moon, and it has cougar claw slash marks on it. Pretty obvious, huh? The thing is, the name did not come alone. It carried an entire story with it ~~

One day Cougar was roaming around the woods. She was very full of herself, bragging on and on, rather loudly and unabashedly, about how she was the greatest hunter ever. There was no prey she could not take down! Due to the volume of this incessant boasting, it is not surprising that it was overheard by Coyote. In fact, Coyote, who had been napping contentedly beside a fallen tree, was awakened rather harshly by Cougar's roaring laughter.

"Pff!" Thought Coyote, "Someone needs to bring Her down a couple notches." Seeing no one else in the near vicinity, Coyote took it upon himself to fill such an important responsibility. Actually he was relieved because his cunning brain had already settled upon a plan of action.

Knowing it to be the very night that the full golden harvest moon would rise, he slunk off to a village he knew, and with out too much difficulty, was able to steal a large elk hide. Snickering to himself about the great ingenuity of his plan, he stole off into the forest. Timing was everything so he ran as fast as his skinny little legs would carry him until he arrived at the perfect spot for the unfolding of his plot.

On top of a small hill, right in the path of the still bragging Cougar, he watched the first golden rays of the moon appearing behind him. In a flash, and with a dash of his special magick, he threw the hide over himself so that, when Cougar rounded a corner, clearing some trees that had blocked her view, what she beheld before her, glowing in a brilliant golden light, was the largest bull elk she had ever seen! Instantly she deflated into a crouch. Gingerly she stepped forward a couple of paces, her eyes never leaving the golden form ahead of her. Another instant. Her hind feet pumped up and down as her head lowered...

Like lightening she pounced! Coyote fell, hide and all, flat to the ground, a toothy grin sparkling in the moonlight. He was sure that in her hunter's lust, Cougar would not notice her real prey dropping from sight, and that she would mistake the swollen golden moon to be her prize. And he was positive that when she failed to take down her game, which assuredly she would --How could she possibly even touch the moon? -- the wind would go out of her sails and she would be forced to face the reality that she was no better than anyone else.

Now, if you have heard any of the old stories, and you know of Coyote's propensity for miscalculations, what happens next will not surprise you. A great broad paw, brandishing gleaming claws, shot out and, in front of Coyote's disbelieving eyes, slashed the moon! There was a great wailing of shock and pain as Grandmother Moon spun in place to face her attacker. However, the pained glares she sent through her tears at Cougar had no effect. On the contrary, when she realized what she had done, Cougar's head began to swell even more. She had proven her point and no one could now dispute her claim to be the greatest hunter in the forest!

Head and tail held high, she fairly danced off into the trees humming to herself, while Coyote slid off into the shadows, leaving Grandmother Moon to nurse her wounds, determined never again to face away from the earth.