(Three ceremony team members are needed - Chief, Medicine Man, and Guide. They enter from one side of the stage, and the Chief moves to center stage, the Medicine Man to the side with the Troop, and the Guide stands with the Webelos. The bridge is behind the Chief, with any arrows pointing towards the Troop. Someone needs to provide the bridge, and the Cub Pack provides tokens - usually arrows - for the Webelos.)
(Dancers, if present, either precede or follow the Chief. They enter dancing to drum music, which stops abruptly when the Chief speaks.)
Chief: (pauses a moment, and looks out among the Pack) Cub Scouts, leaders, parents, and guests; my brothers - Meteu, the Medicine Man, Nutiket, the Guide, and I, Chief Allowat Sakima - bring you greetings. We come before you to fulfill a prophecy spoken of in the legends of our tribe.
Medicine Man: This prophecy says that each spring, young braves will be found who have met the challenges of the Wolf, Bear and Bobcat, and stand ready to become Warriors. My brothers and I have watched your pack and found such braves among you. We come to present them with the highest honor of the Arrow of Light. But before this can happen, we ask these braves to recall the challenges they have faced.
Guide: Many moons ago, you entered the Cub Pack. The first challenges you encountered came from the Bobcat clan. You met them, and learned what it means to be a Cub. You learned the Law of the Pack, and three words to inspire you to meet all other challenges - Do Your Best. (Light candle.)Having started this trail, you next sought to join the Wolf clan. Here you were met with twelve challenges, harder than before. But with the cleverness of a wolf, you met them and continued your journey. (Light candle.)
Medicine Man: Now the trail became darker and fainter as you approached the Bear clan. Again twelve challenges faced you. But you met them, and your knowledge grew and your spirit strengthened. It was this strength of spirit, like that of the bear, that prompted you to move onward. (Light candle.)
Chief: As you neared the summit, you joined the Webelos clan, and a new time of testing began. As a Webelos you began to learn the ways of Scouting - Just as you learned the ways of the brave as a Bobcat, Wolf, and Bear. As a Webelos Scout you learned the ways of the Warrior. In time, you earned your Webelos badge, blazing the rest of the trail on your own. Now you have reached the summit, and the end of this journey. (Light candle.)
(Chief speaks to other members of the ceremony team.) Let the Arrow of Light be conferred upon them.
Guide: (speaks to Chief) Wait Brother Allowat Sakima! Before receiving this high honor, they must hear its legend so that they may understand and appreciate what they are about to receive.
Chief: (speaks to Medicine Man) Brother Meteu, let the legend of the Arrow of Light be known to all present.
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Medicine Man: (moves forward) Long ago, when bear and bison roamed the forests and prairies, there was a young brave named Akela. He wished to be a warrior like the older men of his tribe, but none would consider him so.
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"Akela is too young to join the hunt," they would say. "Too slow to run with the Bobcat clan, and not clever enough to hunt with the Wolf clan. Such a young one is not strong enough to join the Bear clan." No matter how hard Akela worked, all ways were barred to him. But the aged Chief of the tribe saw different." The spirit of this young one burns brighter than the largest fire. He has served his brethren well, and the time will come when our tribe needs that which Akela can give." One night during the Fall hunt, a party of warriors was canoeing back to their village when a thick fog rolled across the river. This fog was so thick that the way to the village was hidden from their view. A nearby fork in the river led to a roaring chasm, and because the warriors could not see the safe path to follow, they were trapped. But Akela had been scouting in the hills above the river and saw the danger to the canoe as the fog rolled in. He used an animal skin to wrap dry grass around an arrow, set it aflame, and shot it across the sky towards the village. The warriors saw this flaming arrow through the fog and paddled towards it to the safety of their village. When these warriors reached the village shore, they went to their Chief saying, "We were trapped on the river and the Great Father sent us an Arrow of Light through the sky to guide us." The wise old Chief smiled and said, "The sign you saw came not from the heavens but from one who you thought was too young to do anything." And the chief brought forth Akela to the surprise of the warriors. "By aiding his brothers in their time of greatest need, Akela has proved himself worthy to join the Warrior clan. Hereafter, all young members of our tribe shall become warriors only after meeting the challenges of the Arrow of Light. Let each of them be filled with the spirit of Akela and follow his example of unselfish service." And it was made so and practised to the present as you Webelos stand before us now, ready to receive your Arrow of Light.
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Guide: Will the following Webelos and their parents please stand before us as your names are called. (The Guide recites or reads the names of the Webelos, while the Medicine Man directs them to stand facing the audience. Parents are directed to stand behind their sons.)
Chief: Before this honor is conferred upon you, I must see your devotion to the high ideals of Scouting. Therefore, I ask you to raise your right hand in the Scout sign and repeat after me the Scout Oath. (Chief raises his hand, makes the Scout sign with the Medicine Man and Guide, and leads the Webelos through the Scout Oath.)
Guide: Having met all of your challenges, it is our duty and privilege to honor you with the highest award in Cub Scouting - the Arrow of Light. (to parents) Because of the support and guidance you have given these braves, I give the Arrow of Light to you to present to them. (Guide moves to the front and gives the Arrow of Light card and/or patch to the parents present to to their sons.)
Medicine Man: My brothers and I also present each of you with a token from your pack. Keep this in remembrance of this occasion. (Medicine Man Moves forward and presents each Webelos with a token. As he presents the tokens, the Chief and Guide congratulate each Webelos with the Scout handshake.)
Guide: (After all the ceremony team have returned to their places) Parents, you may be seated.
Chief: As we have said before, this ceremony marks the end of a journey. But even as this journey ends, another begins. Here at the summit of Cub Scouting, before you stretches a new trail that leads to that realm in the sky where our brothers the Eagles dwell.
Medicine Man: But the trail to Eagle will be long and difficult. As you journey, keep the spirit of Scouting strong within you, for it will give you strength and guidance as you move onward.
Guide: (The Medicine Man moves through the Scout Troop and stands between the Webelos and the entrance to the bridge.) The time has come for you to begin your new trail and join a clan of warriors - your new Scout Troop. As you hear your name, cross the bridge to be welcomed by your Troop.
Medicine Man: As night bridges the gap between each day, let this be a bridge for each of you to the fellowship of Scouting. (Medicine Man moves aside to let the Webelos cross the bridge. where they are welcomed on the other side by a member of the Troop.)
(A representative of the troop recites the name of each Webelos and beckons them to cross the bridge.)
(After all Webelos have crossed the bridge and are greeted, the Guide continues.)
Guide: (To all still standing) You may now be seated.
Chief: Once again, I congratulate you on your achievements. Having finished the work for which we were called to do, we now depart this gathering. Before we go, I remind each of you to keep the spirit of Scouting alive. Let it ignite a spark within you that will fan into a fire as you grow.
(Pause and turn to audience) We challenge all you younger braves to continue your trails and strive to reach the summit and the Arrow of Light. May the greatest Scoutmaster of all time be with you till we meet again. (Ceremony team silently departs)