“There’s a fine story in Blackfoot lore about a young man, Low Horn, as he goes about securing the powers that will eventually make him an indestructible warrior and a great leader of his people. One day he is out hunting and has several rabbits tied to his waist when a mouse scurries between his legs. The mouse tells him ‘help me, I’m being pursued by the hawk, who wants to eat me.’ The circling hawk overhead says to Low Horn ‘give the mouse to me and I will give my song and you will have my powers of vision and swiftness of attack!’ The mouse says ‘help me and I will give you my song, and my powers of eluding, and seeing in the dark, and escaping enemies’. The young man ponders a minute, then offers up one of his rabbits to the hawk, and the mouse goes free. Low Horn is gratefully taught the hawk song and got it’s powers, and the mouse gratefully gave him the mouse song, and mouse powers. These were two powers that soon were added to, and he did become a fearsome warrior untouched in battle, and a powerful leader of his people. Every creature, every aspect of the natural world, down to the tiniest is imbued with unique powers. Best respect them all!”

— an anonymous informant (kw)