Sacagawea’s Strength
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The people in Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery weren’t starving like the Native Americans. They hunted and fished, but they also had brought dried food and other supplies with them. Today’s lunch was dried buffalo neat and some roots that Sacagawea had dug up herself.

While everyone ate, Zack, Jacob, Bo and I decided we’d better go find Sacagawea. We only had fifty-two minutes left on the computer and we hadn’t talked to her at all. Except for that tiny conversation when she handed me the clothes.

“Everything seems fine,” Zack remarked, “I haven’t heard anything about Sacagawea quitting.” He scratched his neck. “Maybe after we talk to her, we can change back to our wet clothes and zoom home. These army uniforms itch.”

Sacagawea was over by the river. The Corps of Discovery had brought the rest of their gear and stashed it in big piles by the river’s edge.

She was leaning over an open crate, taking items and stuffing them into a small carrying bag. Sacagawea was singing a Native-American chant while she worked. I don’t know why, but even though I had the translator stone in my hand, I didn’t understand her song.

Crossing over to her, I said, “You must be very happy to have found your brother again.”

Sacagawea stopped packing, but didn’t stop chanting. She looked up at me and shook her head. It was obvious that she didn’t know what I was saying.

I opened my hand, revealing my translator stone inside.

I had an idea. Reaching out, I took her hand and shared my translator stone by setting it in her palm.

“Are you happy to find your brother?” I asked again.

She looked down at the stone in her hand, turning it round and round, examining it.

“It doesn’t work,” I told the boys, taking the stone back from her.

The stone I help had the antelope carved on it.

“Trade me,” I said to Zack. “Maybe the antelope is broken.”

Zack’s stone had the raccoon picture engraved on it. The very second I held the stone; the words to Sacagawea’s native chant became clear in my head. As clear as if she were singing in English.

“It works,” I exclaimed. “We were holding the wrong stones.” I pulled the bear stone out of my pocket. “Mine is the raccoon, but who gets which one of the others?”

We all stood together, holding the stones before us in our open palms.

Sacagawea came and peered over my shoulder interested in what we were doing. They boys were switching stones again and again, trying to match up with the right ones.

Sacagawea shook her head at them and held out her hand, silently requesting the boys give her all the stones. I kept mine, so I was the only one who understood her words.

“The spirit of animals stand beside each of you. You”-she pointed at me-“are like the raccoon, curious and full of wonder.”

Turning to Jacob, she handed him the antelope stone. Suddenly, Jacob’s eyes brightened and I knew he understood what Sacagawea was saying. “Your spirit is the antelope, the one who takes action.”

She handed Zack his stone. “There is a coyote beside you. A cunning trickster. The master of humor. Even though you have a strong survival instinct, you howl at the moon. Full of worry.” Zack proudly smiled because the description fit perfectly.

“And you”-she gave a blue stone to Bo-“you stand with the mountain lion. Swift with wisdom and balanced in leadership.”

I wondered how she was able to figure us out so fast. Were there really animal spirits hovering around us? I felt a cold chill travel down my spine and I remembered the sounds I had heard just before time-traveling.

“The raccoon, antelope, coyote, and mountain lion are animal spirits who protect and guide you.” Sacagawea looked down at the last stone in her hand and asked, “But who is the bear?”

In the flash of an instant, I knew the answer to Sacagawea’s questions. “You are the bear,” I said confidently. Sacagawea stared at me as if I were nutty, and yet she definitely understood what I had said. The bear stone had worked. It had translated for her. So, I asked her to explain what the spirit of the bear meant.

“The bear spirit walks with a person who has many dreams and the brave strength to follow those desires.”

“Yep,” I exclaimed. “The bear stone is yours-for sure.” I told her my name and introduced the boys.

Now that we understood one another, it was time for business. “Sacagawea,” Jacob asked, “since you are the bear, what is your dream?”

Sacagawea looked down at the stone in her hand and said, “I have no dreams of my own.” She didn’t sound sad. She was just stating a fact. “I do not walk with the spirit of the bear. There is no animal spirit beside me.”

CONTINUED...

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