Down The Wolf Trail

If your father were and Indian chief and your mother were an Indian wife, you would learn all the secrets of the great forest by going into it yourself. You would have to follow the tracks of the Work and the Bear and learn their ways. On the trail you would see and learn many things. You would see how the beaver work together to build their mighty dam. Watch the strong-winged geese in flight, always following and obeying their leader. By a stream you could watch your tribe at work gathering birch bark and building a big war canoe. Yes, working like the beavers, and following their leader just as the strong-winged geese do.

Each day you go a little farther into the forest, following the Wolf and Bear tracks another mile or so. Each day you would jump a wider stream or climb a taller tree. You would be getting stronger and stronger as you learn more and more about rocks, trees, birds, and animals. You would become braver, too, your wider knowledge and greater strength would make you braver.

Your adventure would not always be in the woods. Day brings you to the side or the arrow-makers, where you learn to make arrows, and learn to weave a blanket or build a wigwam another day. Each night you would tell the story of your adventure to the Chief and to your Mother. They would praise you or give you helpful suggestions so you would be prepared for a greater adventure tomorrow.

You may be thinking, "But I’m not an Indian boy!!" That may be true. However, you have teachers in school to help you learn many things it would take you long time to find out for yourself. Your mother can help you learn to do many useful things about the house. Your father, though he may be a Big Chief in his job, will be glad to take you fishing. You might be saying "But, I can’t follow the trail of the Wolf or the Bear like an Indian boy!". Oh yes, you can, and there area a lot of people ready to help you. That is what Cub scouting is all about. Your leader, the Cubmaster, will show you the way. Your Den Leader will help you learn skills like the arrow maker: and teach you to jump like the deer, run like the fox and build like the beaver. Just follow the Wolf trail through the pages of your Wolf Book and you will have all the fun and thrills the Indian boy had when he first ventured into the twisted under-brush on the Great Forest.

Each night, if you have done something described on any page of your Wolf Book, go to you parents and show or tell them what you have done. One of them will sign your book, showing that they think you have done your Achievement well. Tonight we have boys who have completed all the achievements to earn the Wolf badge: others who have completed elective requirements to earn arrow points. They have come a long way up the CUB SCOUT TRAIL.

(Call boys and their parents forward and present awards).

---- Source: Unknown

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