The Story of Jumping Mouse as told to Hyemeyohsts Storm by Estcheemah (From the book Seven Arrows ) Once there

was a mouse. He was a busy mouse, searching everywhere, touching his whiskers to the grass, and looking. He was busy as all mice are, busy with mice things. ut once in a while he would hear an odd sound. He would li!t his head, s"uinting hard to see, his whiskers wiggling in the air, and he would wonder. One day he scurried u# to a !ellow mouse and asked him, $%o you hear a roaring in your ears, my brother&$ $'o, no,$ answered the other mouse, not li!ting his busy nose !rom the ground. $( hear nothing. ( am busy now. )alk to me later.$ He asked another mouse the same "uestion and the mouse looked at him strangely. $Are you !oolish in your head& *hat sound&$ he asked and sli##ed into a hole in a !allen cottonwood tree. )he little mouse shrugged his whiskers and busied himsel! again, determined to !orget the whole matter. ut there was that roaring again. (t was !aint, very !aint, but it was there+ One day, he decided to investigate the sound ,ust a little. -eaving the other busy mice, he scurried a little way away and listened again. )here it was+ He was listening hard when suddenly, someone said hello. $Hello, little brother,$ the voice said, and .ouse almost ,um#ed right out o! his skin. He arched his back and tail and was about to run. $Hello,$ again said the voice. $(t is (, rother /accoon.$ and sure enough, it was+ $*hat are you doing here all by yoursel!, little brother&$ asked the raccoon. )he mouse blushed, and #ut his nose almost to the ground. $( hear a roaring in my ears and ( am investigating it,$ he

answered timidly. $A roaring in your ears&$ re#lied the raccoon as he sat down with him. $*hat you hear, little brother, is the river.$ $)he river&$ .ouse asked curiously. $*hat is a river&$ $*alk with me and ( will show you the river,$ /accoon said. -ittle .ouse was terribly a!raid, but he was determined to !ind out once and !or all about the roaring. $( can return to my work,$ he thought, $a!ter this thing is settled, and #ossibly this thing may aid me in all my busy e0amining and collecting. And my brothers all said it was nothing. ( will show them. ( will ask /accoon to return with me and ( will have #roo!.$ $All right /accoon, my brother,$ said .ouse. $-ead on to the river. ( will walk with you.$ -ittle .ouse walked with /accoon. His little heart was #ounding in his breast. )he raccoon was taking him u#on strange #aths and little mouse smelled the scent o! many things that had gone by this way. .any times he became so !rightened he almost turned back. Finally, they came to the river+ (t was huge and breathtaking, dee# and clear in #laces, and murky in others. -ittle .ouse was unable to see across it because it was so great. (t roared, sang, cried, and thundered on its course. -ittle .ouse saw great and little #ieces o! the world carried along on its sur!ace. $(t is #ower!ul+$ -ittle .ouse said, !umbling !or words. $(t is a great thing,$ answered the raccoon, $but here, let me introduce you to a !riend.$ (n a smoother, shallower #lace was a lily #ad, bright and green. sitting u#on it was a !rog,

almost as green as the #ad it sat on. )he !rog1s white belly stood out clearly. $Hello, little brother,$ said the !rog. $welcome to the river.$ $( must leave you now,$ cut in /accoon, $but do not !ear, little brother, !or Frog will care !or you now.$ And /accoon le!t, looking along the river bank !or !ood that he might wash and eat -ittle .ouse a##roached the water and looked into it. He saw a !rightened mouse re!lected there. $*ho are you&$ -ittle .ouse asked the re!lection. $Are you not a!raid being that !ar out into the great river&$ $'o,$ answered the !rog, $( am not a!raid. ( have been given the gi!t !rom birth to live both above and within the river. *hen *inter .an comes and !ree2es this medicine, ( cannot be seen. ut all the while thunderbird !lies, ( am here. )o visit me, one must come when the world is green. (, my brother, am the kee#er o! the water. $Ama2ing+$ -ittle .ouse said at last, again !umbling !or words. $*ould you like to have some medicine #ower&$ Frog asked. $.edicine #ower& .e&$ asked -ittle .ouse. $3es, yes+ (! it is #ossible.$ $)hen crouch as low as you can, and then ,um# as high as you are able+ 3ou will have your medicine+$ Frog said. -ittle .ouse did as he was instructed. He crouched as low as he could and ,um#ed, and when he did, his eyes saw the sacred mountains. -ittle .ouse could hardly believe his eyes, but

there they were+ ut then he !ell back to earth, and he landed in the river+ -ittle .ouse became !rightened and scrambled back to the bank. He was wet and !rightened nearly to death. $3ou have tricked me+$ -ittle .ouse screamed at the !rog. $*ait,$ said the !rog. $3ou are not harmed. %o not let your !ear and anger blind you. *hat did you see&$ $(,$ .ouse stammered, $(, ( saw the sacred mountains+$ $And you have a new name+$ Frog said. $(t is 4um#ing .ouse.$ $)hank you. )hank you,$ 4um#ing .ouse said, and thanked him again. $( want to return to my #eo#le and tell them o! this thing that has ha##ened to me.5 $6o. 6o then,$ Frog said. $/eturn to your #eo#le. (t is easy to !ind them. 7ee# the sound o! the medicine river to the back o! your head. 6o o##osite to the sound and you will !ind your brother mice.$ 4um#ing .ouse returned to the world o! the mice, but he !ound disa##ointment. 'o one would listen to him, and because he was wet, and had no way o! e0#laining it because there had been no rain, many o! the other mice were a!raid o! him. )hey believed he had been s#at !rom the mouth o! another animal that had tried to eat him, and they all knew that i! he had not been !ood !or the one who wanted him, then he must also be #oison !or them. 4um#ing .ouse lived again among his #eo#le, but he could not !orget his vision o! the sacred mountains. )he memory burned in the mind and heart o! 4um#ing .ouse, and one day he went to the edge o! the river #lace ...

4um#ing .ouse went to the edge o! the #lace o! mice and looked out onto the #rairie. He looked u# !or eagles. )he sky was !ull o! many s#ots, each one an eagle, but he was determined to go to the sacred mountains. He gathered all o! his courage and ran ,ust as !ast as he could onto the #rairie. His little heart #ounded with e0citement and !ear. He ran until he came to a stand o! sage. He was resting and trying to catch his breath when he saw an old mouse. )he #atch o! sage Old .ouse lived in was a haven !or mice. Seeds were #lenti!ul and there was nesting material and many things to be busy with. $Hello,$ said Old .ouse. $*elcome.$ 4um#ing .ouse was ama2ed. Such a #lace and such a mouse. $3ou are truly a great mouse,$ 4um#ing .ouse said with all the res#ect he could !ind. $)his is truly a wonder!ul #lace, and the eagles cannot see you here either,$ 4um#ing .ouse said. $3es,$ said Old .ouse, $ and one can see all the beings o! the #rairie here8 the bu!!alo, antelo#e, rabbit, and coyote. One can see them all !rom here and know their names.$ $)hat is marvelous,$ 4um#ing .ouse said. $9an you also see the river and the great mountains&$ $3es and no,$ Old .ouse said with conviction. $( know there is the great river, but ( am a!raid that the great mountains are only a myth. Forget your #assion to see them and stay here with me. )here is everything you want here, and it is a good #lace to be.$ $How can he say such a thing&$ thought 4um#ing .ouse. $)he medicine o! the sacred mountains is nothing one can !orget.$

$)hank you very much !or the meal you have shared with me, Old .ouse, and also !or sharing your great home,$ 4um#ing .ouse said, $but ( must seek the mountains.$ $3ou are a !oolish mouse to leave here. )here is danger on the #rairie+ 4ust look u# there+$ Old .ouse said, with even more conviction. $See all those s#ots+ )hey are eagles, and they will catch you+$ (t was hard !or 4um#ing .ouse to leave, but he gathered his determination and ran hard again. )he ground was rough, but he arched his tail and ran with all his might. He could !eel the shadows o! the s#ots u#on his back as he ran. All those s#ots+ Finally he ran into a stand o! chokecherries. 4um#ing .ouse could hardly believe his eyes. (t was cool there and very s#acious. )here was water, cherries and seeds to eat, grasses to gather !or nests, holes to be e0#lored and many, many other busy things to do. And there were a great many things to gather. He was investigating his new domain when he heard very heavy breathing. He "uickly investigated the sound and discovered its source. (t was a great mound o! hair with black horns. (t was a great bu!!alo. 4um#ing .ouse could hardly believe the greatness o! the being he saw lying there be!ore him. He was so large that 4um#ing .ouse could have crawled into one o! his great horns. $Such a magni!icent being,$ thought 4um#ing .ouse, and he cre#t closer. $Hello, my brother,$ said the bu!!alo. $)hank you !or visiting me.$ $Hello, great being,$ said 4um#ing .ouse. $*hy are you lying here&$ $( am sick and ( am dying,$ the bu!!alo said, $and my medicine has told me that only the eye

o! a mouse can heal me. ut little brother, there is no such thing as a mouse.$ 4um#ing .ouse was shocked. $One o! my eyes+$ he thought, $one o! my tiny eyes.$ He scurried back into the stand o! chokecherries. but the breathing came harder and slower. $He will die,$ thought 4um#ing .ouse, $i! ( do not give him my eye. He is too great a being to let die.$ He went back to where the bu!!alo lay and s#oke. $( am a mouse,$ he said with a shaky voice, $and you, my brother, are a great being. ( cannot let you die. ( have two eyes, so you may have one o! them.$ )he minute he had said it, 4um#ing .ouse1s eye !lew out o! his head and the bu!!alo was made whole. )he bu!!alo ,um#ed to his !eet, shaking 4um#ing .ouse1s whole world. $)hank you, my little brother,$ said the bu!!alo. $( know o! your "uest !or the sacred mountains and o! your visit to the river. 3ou have given me li!e so that ( may give:away to the #eo#le. ( will be your brother !orever. /un under my belly and ( will take you right to the !oot o! the sacred mountains, and you need not !ear the s#ots. )he eagles cannot see you while you run under me. All they will see will be the back o! a bu!!alo. ( am o! the #rairie and ( will !all on you i! ( try to go u# the mountains.$ -ittle .ouse ran under the bu!!alo, secure and hidden !rom the s#ots, but with only one eye. (t was !rightening. )he bu!!alo1s great hooves shook the whole world each time he took a ste#. Finally they came to a #lace and bu!!alo sto##ed. $)his is where ( must leave you, little brother,$ said the bu!!alo. $)hank you very much,$ said 4um#ing .ouse,

$but you know, it was very !rightening running under you with only one eye. ( was constantly in !ear o! your great earth:shaking hooves.$ $3our !ear was !or nothing,$ said bu!!alo, $!or my way o! walking is the sun dance way, and ( always know where my hooves will !all. ( now must return to the #rairie, my brother. 3ou can always !ind me there.$ 4um#ing .ouse immediately began to investigate his new surroundings. )here were even more things here than in the other #laces, busier things, and an abundance o! seeds and other things mice like. (n his investigation o! these things suddenly he ran u#on a gray wol! who was sitting there doing absolutely nothing. ;Hello, brother wol!,$ 4um#ing .ouse said. )he wol!1s ears came alert and his eyes shone. $*ol!+ *ol!+ 3es, that is what ( am, ( am a wol!+$ ut then his mind dimmed again and it was not long be!ore he sat "uietly again, com#letely without memory as to who he was. Each time 4um#ing .ouse reminded him who he was, he became e0cited with the news, but soon would !orget again. $Such a great being,$ thought 4um#ing .ouse, $but he has no memory.$ 4um#ing .ouse went to the center o! this new #lace and was "uiet. He listened !or a very long time to the beating o! his heart. )hen suddenly he made u# his mind. He scurried back to where the wol! sat and he s#oke. $ rother wol!,$ 4um#ing .ouse said. . . . $*ol!+ *ol!,$ said the wol!. . . . $<lease, brother wol!,$ said 4um#ing .ouse, $<lease listen to me. ( know what will heal you. (t is one o! my eyes, and ( want to give it to you. 3ou are a greater being than (. ( am only a mouse. <lease take it.$ *hen 4um#ing .ouse sto##ed s#eaking his

eye !lew out o! his head and the wol! was made whole. )ears !ell down the cheeks o! *ol!, but his little brother could not see them, !or now he was blind. $3ou are a great brother,$ said the wol!, $!or now ( have my memory. ut now you are blind. ( am the guide into the sacred mountains. ( will take you there. )here is a great medicine lake there, the most beauti!ul lake in the world. All the world is re!lected there, the #eo#le, the lodges o! the #eo#le, and all the beings o! the #rairies and skies.$ $<lease take me there,$ 4um#ing .ouse said. )he wol! guided him through the #ines to the medicine lake. 4um#ing .ouse drank the water !rom the lake. )he wol! described the beauty to him. $( must leave you here,$ said wol!, $!or ( must return so that ( may guide others, but ( will remain with you as long as you like.$ $)hank you, my brother,$ said 4um#ing .ouse, $but although ( am !rightened to be alone, ( know you must go so that you may show others the way to this #lace.$ 4um#ing .ouse sat there trembling in !ear. (t was no use running, !or he was blind, but he knew an eagle would !ind him here. He !elt a shadow on his back and heard the sound that eagles make. He braced himsel! !or the shock, and the eagle hit+ 4um#ing .ouse went to slee#. )hen he woke u#. )he sur#rise o! being alive was great, but now he could see+ Everything was blurry, but the colors were beauti!ul. $( can see+ ( can see+$ said 4um#ing .ouse over again and again.

A blurry sha#e came toward 4um#ing .ouse. 4um#ing .ouse s"uinted hard but the sha#e remained a blur. $Hello, brother,$ a voice said, $do you want some medicine&$ $Some medicine !or me&$ asked 4um#ing .ouse. $3es+ 3es+$ $)hen crouch down as low as you can,$ the voice said, $and ,um# as high as you can.$ 4um#ing .ouse did as he was instructed. He crouched as low as he could and ,um#ed+ )he wind caught him and carried him higher. $%o not be a!raid,$ the voice called to him, $hang on to the wind and trust+$ 4um#ing .ouse did. He closed his eyes and hung on to the wind and it carried him higher and higher. 4um#ing .ouse o#ened his eyes and they were clear, and the higher he went the clearer they became. 4um#ing .ouse saw his old !riend u#on a lily #ad on the beauti!ul medicine lake. (t was the !rog. $3ou have a new name,$ called the !rog. $3ou are Eagle+$