Native American Cherokee Legend

Thanks to 12 Realms Media for posting the following story:

A grandfather and grandson were out hunting one early morning, and they came upon a ridge on the mountain they were walking on. Over the ridge was a large clearing below where, at a distance, they could see two wolves - a black one and a white one - fighting furiously. They watched as the wolves attacked each other in battle.

The grandfather narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "Ah yes... this is the way with all of us human beings, within our hearts, each and every day." The grandson asked, "What do you mean grandfather?" The old one replied, "Always in our hearts, every day, there is a struggle going on like those two wolves down there... The dark wolf, he wishes to do harm. He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The white wolf, he wishes to do good and honorable things. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. He looked down at his grandson and said, "The same struggle is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The Grandfather went on, "Sometimes, the dark one seems to win. Other times, the light one seems to take a stronger lead. When we see honorable people who do great deeds, make sacrifices for the good of others, we know that the white wolf's spirit is strong within their hearts and is the winning spirit in those human beings. Each good and honorable deed they do gives this spirit more power within them. This in turn empowers a human being to be even more honorable." The white wolf does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.

The boy smiled as the grandfather continued to speak... "But the black wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger is so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. When we see people who turn to badness, doing terrible and dishonorable things, we can know that the dark wolf within them is strong. Each wrongful deed they do gives the dark one more power over them, until it has won and has utterly consumed them.

The young one's face fell with a look of deep concern. So the boy thought long and hard on these things and he continued to watch the wolves battling below. They both were fierce, giving no quarter - neither backing down. Seeing this, the boy looked within himself and saw the truth of his wise grandfather's words, and it made him very worried for himself. And a great, deep fear fell upon him.

The boy looked intently up at his grandfather. With a trembling voice, he asked, "But grandfather, how will I know which wolf will win within me?" The grandfather smiled, gazed at his grandson with love, compassion and understanding and after a moment, he answered him.

In a quiet yet firm voice, he said, "The one that you feed."