The Trackers Compass
This mythological Trackers Compass is real! While a regular compass shows the cardinal directions used for navigation, the word means something deeper. In Latin, com means “together” and pass means “way.” The Trackers Compass helps us find our way together. Take a moment to sit down with your kiddos and read this exciting tale . . . together.
A Compass Story
One cool spring morning, deep in the heart of an ancient forest where the trees whispered secrets and the air was alive with the songs of unseen birds, three children stood in a small opening. Robin, the eldest, paused there with his younger sisters, Annie and Maxine. They watched sunlight casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. They heard birds singing from the canopy, creating the baseline symphony of nature. Suddenly, an unmarked trail caught their attention. This narrow path through the underbrush, barely visible to the eye, beckoned to them.
The forest always held enchanting mysteries, but this day they felt something different in the air.
As they ventured deeper into the woods, a rustling of sword ferns perked their ears. A figure emerged straight out the forest floor. “Hello, friends,” said a seemingly young woman with kind eyes and a knowing smile. “You are drawn to the wild, as many before you.”
The children nodded, quieted by her strange appearance. She held out a closed hand. Uncurling her fingers, she revealed a small, intricately carved wooden compass, its floating bone needle pointing North. “This is no ordinary compass,” she explained. “It is the Trackers Compass. It’s a tool, but also an invitation to play a game like no other. The Game of Tracking.”
“To play the Game of Tracking is to embark on a journey of the Great Remembering. To Remember and reclaim capabilities forgotten in your modern world, lost in the Great Forgetting.”
The children watched the compass needle twitch, turning East. “Where is it pointing,” asked Annie, the boldest of the three.
“There are the Rangers,” she said. “Masters of survival and stealth, invisible as the wind. They thrive with nothing but their training, kindling fire without matches, crafting bows and shelters from the land, tools from stone and bone. Rangers protect the Village and care for Family.”
The compass needle moved again, turning South.
“Mariners,” she said. “Navigators of water and land. They read the stars, sun, and tides to traverse the world. Strong and resilient, they demand Respect for the waters and care for Many Generations”
The compass needle turned once more, pointing West.
“There are the Wilders,” she said. “Caretakers of the land and all its inhabitants. They know the forest’s healing foods and tend to its well-being. They are stewards of Nature, restorers of our Earth. Wilders care for the More Than Human World.”
The compass’s bone needle returned to the North.
“Last are the Artisans,” she said. “Ringmasters in an invisible circus, they understand nature’s language and remember our Story. Artisans care for the Silent and Invisible.”
Robin, Annie, and Maxine were entranced by visions of these remarkable Trackers. With a smile, the woman placed the Trackers Compass in Annie’s hand. “This compass is your key to the Game of Tracking. Are you ready to play?” The children stared down at the fantastic treasure, marveling at the details of its design.
“Yes, we’re ready!” they answered together. But when they looked up, the woman was gone.
Annie held out the compass, its needle now pointed east, and the three headed off, following a new and exciting trail.