The Singing Scoutmaster: Journey to the Sky and the Men-Angels

In the early days of the world, near the beginning of time, there were five brave Seminole men who were curious about the sky. They had heard stories of the Great Spirit who lived high above and decided that they wanted to see him for themselves. With their hearts full of courage and wonder, the five men set out on a journey to find the Great Spirit.

They traveled eastward, walking day and night for about a month. They crossed rivers, plains, and forests, determined to reach the edge of the world. At last, they arrived at land's end, where the earth seemed to disappear into the sky. Without hesitation, they tossed their baggage over the edge and, one by one, stepped off the land and into the unknown.

Down, down, down the five men fell, through the clouds and past the stars, until they began to rise again, moving upward toward the sky. For a long time, they traveled westward, the vastness of the sky stretching endlessly around them. Finally, they saw a small lodge in the distance. An old, old woman lived there, her face lined with the wrinkles of many years.

"Tell me, for whom are you looking?" she asked in a voice as soft as the breeze.

"We are on our way to see the Great Spirit above," the men replied respectfully.

The old woman shook her head slowly. "It is not possible to see him now. You must stay here for a while first."

The five men agreed to wait and made camp near her lodge. That night, as they explored a little distance away, they were surprised to come upon a group of beings robed in white and wearing wings. The beings were playing a ball game—one that the men recognized as a game played by the Seminoles back on Earth.

Two of the men were so taken by the beauty of these angelic beings that they decided they would like to stay and become one of them. The other three, however, missed their home on Earth and wished to return. As they debated what to do, the Great Spirit suddenly appeared before them, his presence filling the sky with light.

"So be it!" he declared.

The Great Spirit then summoned a large cooking pot and placed it over a roaring fire. As the water inside began to boil, the two men who wished to stay were lowered into the pot! The three men watched in shock as their companions were cooked until only their bones remained. The Great Spirit carefully removed the bones from the pot and pieced them back together. He draped them in a white cloth and touched them with his magic wand. To the amazement of all, the two men were brought back to life, transformed into beautiful men-angels with white wings.

"You are now men-angels," said the Great Spirit. "You may stay here in the sky and play your games forever."

Turning to the three remaining Seminoles, the Great Spirit asked, "What do you wish to do?"

"If we may, we prefer to return to our Seminole camp on Earth," they replied.

The Great Spirit nodded. "Gather your baggage together and go to sleep at once."

The three men did as they were told, and when they opened their eyes, they found themselves back at home, safe and sound in their own Seminole camp. They looked around, touching the familiar earth beneath them, and knew that their journey was over.

They went to the Chief of the Seminoles and told him everything that had happened. "We are happy to return and stay earthbound. We hope never to venture skyward again in search of other mysteries," they reported.

And so, the three men stayed with their people, while their two companions remained in the sky, forever playing ball as men-angels. The story of their journey was told and retold, a reminder of the courage it takes to seek out the unknown and the wisdom of knowing where one truly belongs.