Contact us at: whispernthunder1@gmail.comThe Day Wolf Turned Red
~ Duane Brayboy
Long ago, the red wolf was colored grey like
their distant cousins, the coyotes. Their color
blended with the forest and this made it easy
for them to be able to hide in the wild, which
made them proficient hunters. The wolves
easily hid from the rabbits, birds, deer and other
delicious foods, but when the wolf is hungry,
he is a clever animal and none of the animal
people are able to outsmart him.
One hot North Carolina day, a molting wild turkey was eating muscadines at the edge of the forest. Like the Tuscarora, the wolves think the turkey is delicious food! Because it was so hot and turkey had lost so many feathers, wolf crept up closer because he was hungry and turkey looked plump, but pitiful without all her feathers for her to fly away. Wolf jumped over a bush and told her: “You’ve no feathers for you to fly away and now I’m going to eat you!” Turkey was scared because she did not have enough feathers to fly far away to escape wolf, but she stood still. After thinking for a moment, turkey said “It is true that I can’t fly without all my feathers and surely you will eat me, but before you do, you should give me one last wish.” Wolf said “Well, you didn’t run away, so what is your wish?” Turkey replied “Sing to me! I have heard that your voice is the most beautiful among the animal people and I would love to hear it.” “Ooohh,” Wolf replied and his eyes fluttered, “They have said this and finally you will hear my beautiful voice.” Wolf closed his eyes, lifted his head to the sky and began to sing a beautiful song that echoed throughout the forest and could be heard very far.
As wolf sang, he did not notice that turkey used her sharp talons to climb the tall pine tree she was standing beside. Laughing as she climbed higher and higher, she did what nobody had ever done before – she tricked the wolf! In an instant, wolf realized that he was a fool for singing so that his supper could get away. This made him so mad his gall was bursting! He was on fire he was so mad! First his eyes turned red, then his head burst into flames and then his body was on fire for a moment. When the fire went out, the wolf had become red all over, except the tip of his tail had burnt and became black.
As a reminder to all to not be vain, when you hear the turkey gobble, it is said that they are still laughing at the red wolf. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBgdbsYL1LU&t=72s
The Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina has partnered with the Center for Biological Diversity in their honorable efforts to save the few surviving red wolves from extinction. Today, there are approximately 20 surviving red wolves who live in Tuscarora territory in eastern North Carolina, sadly making them one of the most endangered species on earth. The Center for Biological Diversity intends to construct wildlife crossings within red wolf territory. Wildlife crossings save lives; not only the lives of red wolves and other animals, but lives of humans as well as wildlife crossings reduce automobile collisions with animals by 75%-90%. We ask that you please also support the Center for Biological Diversity’s efforts.