The Buffalo Brothers

by Stan Paregien, Sr.

Copyright 1993

Once upon a time, back before the tallgrass had been touched by a white man's plow, thousands of buffalo roamed across the land loved by the Osage Indians. That was in what is now northern Oklahoma.

Now in this land there was a natural bridge of stone that spanned a deep, narrow canyon. The deer and buffalo and other animals crossed that natural bridge to get from one meadow to another.

Unfortunately, there was also an ancient hunter who often hid next to that bridge. It was easy for this giant of a man to hide there, with his long spear in his hands, and then jump out and kill an animal as it tried to pass over the bridge. Then he would take the animal he killed back to his cave, skin it, cook it and eat it.

The ancient hunter worn deer skins for his shirt and pants. His hat was the hide of a red fox. And back home in his cave, he had a warm winter coat made from the fur of a buffalo.

One day three buffalo --all brothers--were grazing in the south meadow when, one by one, they decided to cross the natural bridge. They wanted to go get a drink of water from the stream over in the north meadow. So one by one they lumbered up toward the natural bridge.

The youngest of the buffalo brothers, who was only six months old and small for his age, crossed first. Clippety, clop. Clippety, clop. Clippety, clop. His hard hooves sounded loudly as he walked carefully onto the narrow stone bridge and started across.

Just as he got to the other side, the ancient hunter jumped from his hiding place and stood in front of the youngest buffalo. "Ha, ha, ha, another tasty buffalo for me to eat" he shouted in a deep voice as he drew back his arm to throw his spear.

"Oh, you don't want little old me," the youngest buffalo brother said with his squeaky voice. And then, appealing to the giant's pride and greed, he said: "My older brother will be coming over the bridge any minute now, and he is much larger than me. Surely a hunter as wise as you would rather take a larger prize than me."

"Hmmmm, you are right," the ancient hunter said, his heart filled with greed and pride. "More is always better, and bigger is best. So go on, get out of here, little buffalo. I, the greatest hunter in the tallgrass, will wait for your bigger brother."

The youngest of the buffalo brothers scampered on across the bridge and ran across the north meadow and into the woods beyond. Then he stopped and watched while the ancient hunter got back into his hiding place.

A few minutes later the middle buffalo brother started crossing the bridge. He was a year old and nearly twice as big as his smaller brother. Clippety, clop. Clippety, clop. Clippety, clop.

The ancient hunter jumped from his hiding place and stood right in the path of the middle buffalo brother. "Ha, ha, ha, another tasty buffalo for me to eat" he shouted in a deep voice as he drew back his arm to throw his spear.

"Oh, you don't want little old me," the middle buffalo brother said. "My older brother will be coming over the bridge any minute now, and he is much larger than me. Surely a hunter as wise as you would rather take a larger prize than me."

"Hmmmm, you are right," the ancient hunter said, his heart overflowing with greed and pride. "More is always better, and bigger is best. So go on, get out of here, medium-sized buffalo. I, the greatest hunter in the tallgrass, will wait for your bigger brother."

The middle buffalo brother scampered on across the bridge and ran across the north meadow and into the woods beyond. Then he stopped beside his little brother They watched while the ancient hunter got back into his hiding place.

A few minutes later the oldest and biggest buffalo brother started crossing the bridge. He was a three-year old and nearly twice as big as his middle brother. He was a powerful animal, with a huge shaggy head and large, sharp horns.

Clippety, clop. Clippety, clop. Clippety, clop.

"Ha, ha, ha, another tasty buffalo for me to eat" the ancient hunter shouted in a deep voice. He drew back his arm to throw his spear at this magnificent buffalo. He could not help thinking how the other hunters would envy him for killing such a beautiful creature. And he would have another warm blanket for the winter.

"You have made a bad mistake, picking on three brothers," the oldest buffalo brother said in a strong, booming voice.

At that very moment, the youngest brother and the middle brother buffalo charged across the meadow and right at the giant man. They ran into him at the same time, catching him by his legs. They tossed him into the air with their heads.

The hunter's big spear fell from his hand and dropped off the bridge into the canyon far below. The hunter himself landed on his stomach on the hard stone bridge, with his feet facing the oldest brother. And as the ancient man got up onto his hands and knees, the oldest buffalo brother charged at him. The big buffalo hit him in the rump with his long, sharp horns.

"Ouchhhhhh!" the hunter screamed with pain, as he experienced the kind of pain he had caused to other animals. He fell down, again. And as he got up, the oldest buffalo brother charged at him and hit him in the rump, again.

"Ouchhhh!" the hunter yelled. And he jumped to his feet and ran across the meadow and disappeared into the woods. And none of the animals who crossed the old natural bridge were ever bothered by the hunter again.