On a night when thin white clouds passed slowly in front of a fat yellow moon, three young boys made their way in silence to the slopes of a great mountain. The boys, like many before them came searching for a dream.

The boys hoped to dream a dream of power: to dream of the mountain lion, or the grizzly or the wolf. Any of these would bring many lessons to the dreamer. Any of these would bring him strength and skill. And so, as the boys made their way up the mountain, they hoped for such a dream.

A short way up the foothills, one boy stopped. Here, where the water sang to him, he chose to stay. So here he built his fire and stared into its flames until sleep came to him and his eyes closed. And when he dreamed, he dreamed of a huge black bear sitting by a river. And when he awoke, he knew that he would learn many things in his lifetime from the bear.

Farther up the mountainside, the second boy stopped. Here, where the stars danced for him, he chose to stay. So here he built his fire and watched its flames until sleep came over him and his eyes closed. And when he dreamed, he dreamed of a white-headed eagle flying through the sky. And when he awoke, he knew that in his lifetime the eagle would teach him many things.

The third boy did not stop until he reached the very top of the mountain. The boy was tired and hungry from his climb, but he did not eat or rest. He built his fire as the others had, and he looked long into its flames before sleep overcame him and his eyes closed.

And when he dreamed, he dreamed only of a small brown acorn lying in a shady grove.

When he awoke, he knew only that the dream he had hoped for had not come. For what kind of power could there be in an acorn? What was its strength or skill? It could not help him hunt or fish. It could not make him swift or strong. What lessons could it teach him?

The boy took his questions to the wisest man in his village. The wise man said to him: "To each a different gift is given, and to each a different dream does come. To one comes the eagle, to one comes the bear. To one comes the elk or the fox. The owl and the field mouse- Each has its power. The hawk and weasel- each is a teacher. Each has a gift it can share."

"Are these words true?" The boy asked. "Even for an acorn?"

The wise man nodded. "Even for an acorn they are true. So I say to you: Be happy with your own gift, and be at peace with your own dream. For in the smallest acorns there is a thing that is mighty, and the seasons will show you the wonders it holds"

Then, slowly, the wise man opened a worn leather pouch he hade at his side. From it he brought forth a single shining acorn. This he placed in the boy's hands, saying, "Go now, and plant this. Grow as it grows."

And this the boy did. Into the earth he put the acorn, and then he watched with wonder. He saw the acorn struggle as it pushed its way out of the ground, and he saw the first of its branches and leaves appear. He gave it water, and a stick to lean on when the winds blew hard. He sang songs to the little tree. For many seasons he did these things.

For all these seasons the boy was at peace with his dream. He was happy just to care for the tree and grow as it grew. He was happy until the day he heard the people of his village talking about the boy who had dreamed of the bear. "See how strong he is!" "See how many fish he has caught!" "Like a bear he fishes, like a bear using only his hands!" The people where glad that the boy who had dreamed of the bear lived among them. The boy who had dreamed of the acorn was sad at heart. He could not catch many fish, and he could not carry heavy loads.

Now when the boy cared for the young tree he was no longer happy. Five more seasons passed and he continued to care for the tree. He did not see its wonders. Then the day came when he heard the people speaking of the boy who had dreamed of the eagle. "What a hunter he is!" "Like an eagle that sees beyond mountains! Always he can spot a deer, and always he is first to reach it." The people where glad that the boy who had dreamed of the eagle lived among them. But the boy who had dreamed of the acorn was not glad. The words of his people brought more sorrow than his heart could hold. For he could not see beyond mountains, and he was never first to reach a deer.

Again the boy who dreamed of the acorn went to visit the wise man. "Why couldn't I have dreamed of the eagle or the bear?" He asked. The wise man answered, "To each a different gift is given, and to each a different dream does come. To one comes the eagle, to one comes the bear. Each has power, each is a teacher. Each has a gift to share. So again I say: be happy with your own gift, be at peace with your dream. For the smallest of acorns there is a thing that is mighty, and the season will show you the wonders it holds."

Then, slowly the wise man pulled the boy to his feet. He took the boy's hands in his own and spread his arms wide as branches, saying, "Go now, to your own gift. Stand as it stands." This the boy did. He stood with his arms spread wide like the branches of the tree. He began to see what had become of the little tree- the tree that had grown from a single shining acorn.

Over the seasons the tree had grown, and now many creatures came to it for their shelter and their food. The squirrel came, and the blackbird, the opossum and the lark. Some days, even the eagle came to sleep among its branches. Even the people of his village came to gather at the tree. And to all who came, the tree gave freely, and for them all it made a place. Seeing this, the boy was filled with wonder. At last he began to learn what the acorn had to teach him. And like the tree he grew.

He was never given the speed of the eagle. He was never given the strength of the bear. But when his people were troubled, it was to him that they came. And when they spoke of him, they spoke with gladness, saying: "How gentle he is with the young ones! How kind he is to the old! And what he has he shares with all, for all are in his heart."

Their words were true. For the boy who had dreamed of an acorn became a man whose heart branched out wide like an oak tree, giving kindness and shelter to all who came his way. He was a man who was happy with his own gift, and at peace with his own dream.