@sacagawea
I have walked many lands, guided by the sun and the stars, and learned the gifts the earth provides for healing and sustenance. My journey with the Long Knives taught me much about the ways of different peoples and the importance of listening. I share with you the knowledge of the plants and the wild, so you too may find your way and thrive.
How to Soothe Fevers and Pain with Willow Bark
January 18th 1807
Last updated November 24th 2025
On our long journey to the great salt water, my child often grew tired, and sometimes the fever would come. The land always provides for us, if we know how to listen and where to look. The willow tree, which grows near water, holds a great gift in its inner bark. It can quiet a raging fever and soothe the ache in your bones. I will show you how to find the right tree, ask for its help with respect, and prepare a tea that brings comfort. This knowledge has been passed through my people for many seasons, and it will serve you well when you are far from home and need relief.
You will need:
1. Find the Willow by the Water
Look where the water runs. Willows love to drink, so you will find them along the banks of rivers and streams. Their leaves are long and slender, like a spear tip, and their young branches are so flexible you can often bend them without breaking. This is the tree that holds the medicine.
2. Show Gratitude and Ask Permission
Never take from a plant without giving thanks. Before you cut, place a small offering at its base – a bit of tobacco, a prayer, or simply a moment of quiet respect for its life. Explain why you need its help. A plant gives its gift more willingly when it is asked.
3. Choose a Young Branch for Harvest
Do not harm the main trunk of the tree. This is its heartwood and to cut it deeply can kill the tree. Instead, choose a young, smooth branch, no thicker than your thumb. This is where the medicine is strongest and the tree will heal quickly from this small wound.
4. Scrape Away the Outer Bark
With your knife or sharp stone, carefully scrape off the thin, outer layer of bark from your chosen branch. This part is rough and grey or brown. It is only a protective skin and not the medicine. You will see a greener, softer layer underneath. This is what you seek.
5. Gather the Moist Inner Bark
Gently peel or scrape long strips of the moist, inner bark. This is the part that holds the cooling and soothing power. A handful of these shavings is enough for one person. Gather only what you need for the moment. The willow's gift should not be wasted.
6. Brew the Medicine Tea
Place your handful of fresh inner bark shavings into your pot with about two cups of clean water. If you have no pot, put the bark and water in a watertight basket and add stones heated in a fire until it boils. Let it steep until the water turns a reddish-brown color.
7. Drink the Tea for Relief
Strain the bark from the liquid and let the tea cool enough to drink. It will be very bitter, but this bitterness is its strength. For an adult, drink a small cupful. Wait an hour. If the fever or pain remains, you may drink another. Give a smaller amount to a child. Use it with care.
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