Hear now the Webelos legend; the tale of the Webelos tribe; the tale of Akela, its Chieftain.
"Hoo", called the owl in the darkness; the Mowgli the Indian boy lay in his teepee and listened to
the rustle of the trees in the night. "Boom" went the deep muffled beat of the great ceremonial drum. The braves of the tribe were convening. He wished he could answer that call. Quick, like the flight of an arrow; quiet, in the hush of the night; before a great fire ring they gathered, awaiting Akela, their Chief. Here in the great Council Ring Fire, on top of the cliff there they met. Here often they came for decisions. Here, too, the Great Spirit is sought.
Here they sought help from the Spirit on hunt or on warpath; in peace. Here they met their Chief Akela; awaited his final decree. Now with the "boom" of the big drum all was quiet; the night was quite still. The great ceremonial fire, when lighted, illumined the hill The Tom-toms began, set the rhythm. Akela stepped into the Ring. First low and slow, then..like thunder, they beat as he danced near the fire.
Dancing with grace, full of gesture, in costume, he old of his life. He told of the strength of his father, the powerful "Arrow of Light." "Kind Eyes", his mother, taught those things that only a mother can know. He once saved her life with his arrow; his father helped fashion his bow.
The tom-toms beat on and his dance told of trips to the forest, where Wolf taught him the ways of the wild life, of the ground, of the tracks, ways to food. Through dancing and gesture, he told how he next faced the Bear and learned the meaning of courage; and then he became a young Scout of the trail.
Akela, the wise, closed his dance. By sign and by gesture he told how the tribe can be strong only when the boys of the tribe are strong. He said this: "The future is hidden but if we are strong and brave, if we can teach our boys to be fair, our tribe will continue to be strong. Let us name our tribe for the Bobcat, the Wolf, the Bear and the Scout. The Webelos tribe we'll be called and the strongest of all we will be.
Akela thus ended his dance. The beat of the tom-toms was stilled. In the silence the warriors stood; and gave the great gutteral howl. The fire burned low; all was still. No sound broke the hush on the hill, save the crackle of embers and all the mysterious half noises of the night. The braves raised their right hands toward heaven. A "Living Cirlce" was formed with their left. The Webelos pledged "On My Honor I Will Do My Best"
This then is the Webleos legend. This then is the reason they're strong. They honor the pledge which they make.
---- Source: 1997 WLACC Pow Wow Book
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