The Dream Wolf

Young children often times have scary dreams, dreams that can induce the most horrific panic driven cries for help. Sleepless parents often wonder what protection they can offer their children besides the comforting feeling of being squished between them in the parental bed. While I was not a youngster that experienced many bad dreams, as an adult I have had more than my fair share of heart pounding, sweat dripping, creature features. The most insidious dreams for me are the dreams that seem etched in a warped reality so close to waking reality that my sleep self can't help but wonder am I really asleep? Enter a story that is hopefully silly and quirky enough to work in real life while being applicable to the young and older alike.

The Dream Wolf

Bedtime was often a time of great anxiety for Benny. As a child, Benny wasn't the type to drift off seamlessly. Sleep was not the great respite for Benny as it was for the rest of us. Every time Benny would close his eyes the sights of unimaginable terrors would start to creep, peep, and streak into his mind; and every night would be filled with shaking, screams, and tears running from Tsul 'Kalu. However Benny was lucky, Benny had the best Nana in the world.

Nana was the kind of grandmother who could and would fight anything and everything for her little Benny bear. Benny never worried about bullies or bad guys while he was awake, because Benny knew that Nana would have none of that nonsense. A small but sturdy woman, faced filled with the lines of age and wisdom; Benny knew that Nana had grown up in the time of real monsters, she had the stories and scars to prove that Nana was no wilting flower.

One night after a particularly rough dream, an exhausted Momma, Poppa, and Nana decided that something must change. Nana sat Momma and Poppa down, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She spoke of how Benny was scared, he was scared of sleeping and he was scared of how upset Momma and Poppa were over his bad dreams. Momma and Poppa loved Benny very much and did not know what to do about his dreams. They had tried everything they could think of; warm milk, a nice happy story before bed, and even a dream-catcher made with sacred eagle feathers, designed to catch the scariest of dreams. "My children we must be patient with little Benny. We must teach him the strength he holds within. The strength that we all hold deep inside. We must teach Benny to call upon his dream wolf."

Benny's Momma and Poppa looked at Nana with confused faces, "Dream wolf? Nana, that is simply something you just made up. How can a made up story help little Benny?" asked Poppa incredulously. "It is no story my son, inside each of us we have many wolves." Nana patiently espoused. "We have the wolf that nurtures, and the wolf that fears. We also have the wolf we can call upon at our most vulnerable. The dream wolf, the protector from our nightmares and Tsul 'Kalu and companion of our dreams. It is up to us to tame our wolves and teach each wolf to do his job. A wolf without nourishment will wither and fade. Too often we feed the wolf that fears, or the wolf that nurtures, but we forget the wolf that will protect."

"But, Nana, we know the story of our inner wolves, and there is no such thing as a Dream Wolf."said Momma, increasingly worried with Nana's story. "My dear daughter, it is true you know the story of the wolves, but the dream wolf is a special wolf. A wolf our ancestors called upon to protect our young and old alike from the terrors of the night and Tsul 'Kalu. Many of us go through life never needing our dream wolf, but little Benny is different. Please give me just some time to feed his dream wolf, and Benny will fear sleep no longer."

Desperate to help Benny defeat his nighttime terrors Momma and Poppa looked at each other and nodded their heads in agreement, "Yes, Nana. We will let you do what you need to help little Benny. Just tell us what we must do." Poppa breathed out his reply while rubbing his face with his hands. Nana arose from her chair and walked over to her son and daughter in-law, placing an old hand on each shoulder she stated, "Leave this to me my children, the dream wolf will work. I speak for my own dream wolf, whose protection I have long benefited from." Poppa knew that Nana spoke the truth, that Nana as a child has seen many terrors in the waking world. The time where the First Nation was relegated to land far from their homes and taught to forget their true selves or face terrible punishment.

As night time approached the following night, Nana came in to Benny's room. "Benny bear, my little grandson, too many nights the dreams come for you and drag you in to darkness. Tonight I will teach you how to call your dream wolf. Tonight we start to take back your dreams." Benny looked at Nana's face and wondered what she meant and what in the world a dream wolf was; Nana climbed into Benny's bed and playfully snuggled next to the young boy, "Alright my little bear. Tonight we will dream together, tonight we will call the wolf." Nana started stroking Benny's hair and singing softly in to his ear, "Wa ha ya we call you here. Wa ya ni. Wa ha ya we call you here. I egasinu wa ya. Protect me wa ha ya." As Benny closed his eyes and started to drift off Benny thought he could hear the howl of a wolf in the distance.

As Benny slipped into his dreams he noticed that he was no longer in his bed with his Nana snuggled next time him. Benny was now in a field of wildflowers and grass, it was dark and there was no sun. Frightened and alone Benny started to panic before noticing the sensation of a wet tongue licking his fingers. Looking down Benny saw a wolf cub sitting squarely on it's little haunches licking his hand and wagging it's floofy tail. Nana's voice came from behind Benny, gentle and strong, "Wa ha ya has heard you Benny. He sees you and knows you are here. Feed him my little bear, feed him so that he may grow strong to protect your dreams."

Benny started petting the little wolf cub and noticed that his fear started to ebb back slowly. In his dreams that night Benny played with the little cub running through the wildflowers and rolling in the grass feeding each other with attention and love. Every time Benny started to fear the noises and the sounds in the darkness of the field beyond their play spot the little cub would stand at attention, hackles raised and teeth bared. Small growls escaped the wolf cub who placed himself between Benny and the noises trying to enter their field of play. Benny felt scared but knew that this little cub would let him know when to run. As the sky lightened in his dream Benny could hear Nana's voice once again. "My little bear wa ha ya will protect you. Love him and feed him before you go." Benny looked down at the little cub who seemed to have gotten slightly bigger than before. Patting the wolf's head Benny snuggled deep in to the fur murmuring words of appreciation and love, "Wado wa ha ya, wa ya ni. Gvgeyuhi."

When Benny awoke the next morning Nana was still in the bed snuggled up tight next to him, through closed eyes Nana stirred and asked Benny, "Did you see him my little bear? Did he keep the dark away and protect your dreams?" "Yes, Nana. Wa ha ya was there. He was small like me at first, but we played Nana. We played in the field, and every time I thought I heard Tsul 'Kalu he protected me. Before we parted, Nana, it seemed he got bigger." "Yes my little bear wa ha ya will grow just like you. The more you feed him, the more you love, him wa ha ya will be there anytime you need." Benny doubted his grandmother's words, "But Nana, wa ha ya only came because you were there too. How can I call wa ha ya? Will he come for me as he came for you?" "Oh, my little bear wa ha ya will come. All you have to do is ask. Tonight we will call upon wa ha ya together, you'll see. The more you feed him the more he will come."

That night at bedtime Nana climbed into Benny's bed and together they repeated the song, "Wa ha ya we call you here. Wa ya ni. Wa ha ya we call you here. I egasinu wa ya. Protect me wa ha ya." As Benny drifted off he could swear he heard the call of the wolf once again. This time when Benny dreamed he was back in the field with the wildflowers and the grass, this time the wolf was larger, more mature. Benny petted the wolf and gave him his love and fed him once again. Once again the dream wolf and Benny played, and Benny noticed this time the darkness and Tsul'Kalu tried less and less to enter the field. As the dream ended and the sky lightened once again Benny repeated the words his grandmother taught him and fed his wolf. Benny's face buried deep in to the wolf's fur he said lovingly,"Wado wa ha ya, wa ya ni. Gvgeyuhi."

That morning when Benny awoke his grandmother was no longer in bed with him, but in the kitchen with Momma and Poppa making breakfast. "Good morning little bear, and how did you sleep last night?" asked Nana as Benny shuffled into the room rubbing sleep from his eyes, "Better Nana, wa ha ya was with me last night too." Nana smiled to herself as Momma and Poppa shared looks of amazement and relief. "What about tonight Nana? Will you help me call wa ha ya again tonight?" Benny asked Nana curious to her answer. "Tonight little bear you must call him yourself. Do not worry, if you feed him he will come."

As the day went on Benny thought about Nana's words, and realized that for the past two nights there had been no monsters and no terrifying darkness chasing him. He had slept sound and secure with his protector the dream wolf watching over him and keeping him safe, all he had to do was feed his wolf and love him. That night at bedtime Nana did not join him but as Benny lay in bed his covers up to his chin, he repeated the song that his Nana had taught him. Benny knew that the song was not just a song but a prayer to the dream wolf, a prayer that would be answered and honored as long as Benny kept feeding his wolf,"Wa ha ya we call you here. Wa ya ni. Wa ha ya we call you here. I egasinu wa ya. Protect me wa ha ya."

As Benny drifted off to the field in his dream he heard the call of the wolf, the howl that told him he was loved, that he was protected. Benny greeted his now grown wolf with love and fed him each and every night thereafter to keep him strong. Benny never needed to worry about bad dreams again.

The End.