According to the story, the friendly plants got wind of the animals' plans and planned a countermove of their own. Each tree, shrub, herb, grass and moss agreed to furnish a cure for one of the diseases named by the animals. When the Cherokee Indians went their Shaman seeking medicinal relief and if the Shaman communed with the spirit of the plants, he always suggested a proper remedy for mankind's diseases.
November is National American Indian Heritage Month, and the 2007 theme is "A Native Prescription: Balancing Mind, Body and Spirit." The theme was developed by the Indian Health Service, a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that is committed to raising the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives.