The Shampe

The chief signaled to one of the elders who got up and out another log onto the fire. The fire crackled and embers floated up into their air. The elder took the pipe and inhealed the peyote. Breathing out the smoke he raised his hand to signal everyone to settle down.

“We must start off tonight's stories with the most gruesome of them all. The Shampe lives deep in the woods in some of the biggest caves. We use the woods to hunt and travel to other tribes. But, as we use the woods we must remeber were on his land. This beast stands chaha and is covered in thick hair. You will know he is coming when you smell his odor, hear him scream, and hear his large feet pound the ground as he runs after you. He is the reason that many people go into the woods, but never come out!” stated the elder.

It was late in the summer and we were running low on tanchi. So the chief elder told the hunters that they would have to expand their hunting grounds to provide for all the Chahta people. They teamed up and began their journey into the osapa, however there was nothing to be seen. Five of the hunters decided to take their hunt into the woods for smaller game. The sun began to fall and they decided to turn back with the two small game they had caught. With one of the hunters having blood on his hands, he walked behind the rest of the hunters.

The hunters got back on the path that led them out of the woods when they came across the most awful smell. The smell was a mixture of koni, guts, rot, and body odor. The hunters were confused by what the smell was coming from. That is when a loud screech filled the forest. One of the hunters yelled “The Shampe! Drop that meat! We have to run quickly out of the forest!” They heard a crash, like a iti falling. That is when they turned back and saw a huge iti flying through the air at them. They took off running out of the forest and back to their meeting space.

It was then that they remembered that the Shampe is no creature to play with. It is the most terrifying beast and preys on the people who come into his forest. If you have any meat, you must drop it, run and never look back.

The elder finished by saying, “This is why you never travel alone into the woods. If you smell an awful smell, start running fast, because it could already be too late. If you have any meat, drop it to distract the beast or he could be feasting on you.”