The following is not true folklore. It's an invented story, likely from around the 1950's, that has seeped into the culture and taken on a life of its own. The version below is shared in that spirit.

Long long ago a Native American chief was sitting by the fire with his grandson.

“Tell me about the battles you have fought!” begged the little boy. His grandfather looked deep into the fire.

“The most important battle I have fought is between the two wolves that are within us all.  One wolf is greedy, angry, arrogant, a liar and a hypocrite that thinks he is superior to all other wolves. The other wolf is gentle, full of hope, love, empathy, truth and kindness.” The boy became very quiet. He was listening for the two wolves inside him.

“Which wolf is stronger?” he asked.

“The one you feed,” replied his grandfather.

Notemaking

While made up, this parable is one of the most powerful and simple stories I've come across. It connects directly to perhaps my best and truest quote: It's circular but true, we become what we do.

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