Read Online Ivory Carver 02 - My Sister the Moon by Sue Harrison - Free Book Online
Authors: Sue Harrison
Tags: Fiction, Historical, Sagas, Prehistoric peoples, Fairy Tales; Folk Tales; Legends & Mythology, Native American & Aboriginal
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heard the quiet voice of her spirit repeat Samiq's words, " 'This I give as a gift from me and from my brother Amgigh.'"
NINE
THEY CAME THREE DAYS LATER, KAYUGH'S ARMS piled high with sealskins, Amgigh following with four new fur seal skins, rolled skin side in. Kiin was sitting with her back to the climbing log as she pounded dried seal meat into a powder to mix with dried berries.
When she heard Kayugh's voice, she scooted to the dark side of the ulaq near the food cache and watched as first Kayugh then Amgigh tossed furs down to her father and then slid down the climbing log.
She waited, hoping Samiq had come with them, but there were only Kayugh and Amgigh, and when Gray Bird gestured for Kayugh to sit down, leaving Amgigh standing beside the climbing log, she knew. Amgigh was to be her husband.
Her lungs suddenly seemed too heavy for her chest and her heart seemed to stop beneath their weight. Slowly, she squatted on her heels. Slowly, she crossed her arms over her upraised knees. Not Samiq, she thought. Not Samiq.
But then her spirit spoke, moving within her chest, fighting the heaviness of her lungs, until Kiin could breathe again. "You will have a husband," her spirit said. "A man to care for you. And you will live in Kayugh's ulaq, with Chagak. With Samiq. You will have warm clothes, enough to eat, and Amgigh will give you babies, sons to be hunters, daughters to be mothers. Remember, remember, last summer, even a few days ago, you thought you would never be wife, never belong to any man but your father."
Kiin watched Amgigh, watched as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, saw that he turned his head away from the men when his father told Gray Bird of Amgigh's strength, of his good eyes, of his skill with harpoon and knife. "What boy, what man, climbs more easily to the bird holes in the cliffs?" Kiin's spirit whispered. "What man takes better care of his ikyak? And does any man try harder than Amgigh, in throwing the spear, in running? He will be a good husband. A good husband."
Yes, Kiin thought. He would be a good husband. And he was a handsome man. Much like Kayugh, with long arms and legs, leaner than Samiq, but with shining eyes and white teeth; clear, smooth skin.
Gray Bird and Kayugh were speaking of hunting, of the sea, of the weather. Kiin heard them, but did not listen; she had heard this politeness before; any time men met to discuss more important things, the politeness came first. But suddenly her father stood, strode to the pile of sealskins. She watched as he inspected each skin, and she was thankful that Chagak was not here to see the casual disdain with which he regarded her careful work.
He would not know, Kiin thought, that Chagak's sealskins were the finest Kiin had ever seen, better even than Blue Shell's, and Blue Shell's brought high trades with the Whale Hunters.
"I asked fifteen hides," Gray Bird said. "There are twelve here."
"We have these," Kayugh said and gestured toward the four rolled skins, only partially scraped.
"You bring work for my wife?"
"Chagak will finish them. I wanted you to see that they are waiting for you. We will give them to you when they are finished."
"So you would take my daughter for twelve skins?"
"Sixteen," Kayugh answered, his voice firm.
Amgigh's hands clenched and unclenched. Did he want her so much that his wanting made him nervous? Or was he insulted by her father's words?
"Sixteen," Gray Bird said, "but only twelve now. Four on your promise."
"Three on my promise and an extra skin because you waited for the three," Kayugh answered.
Gray Bird made a rude noise with his lips. "On your promise?" he said.
"Have you known me to break a promise?" Kayugh asked.
For a moment Gray Bird said nothing, then he looked up at Amgigh. "He hunts?" Gray Bird asked.
"Yes," Kayugh answered.
"He will be able to feed my daughter, bring in seals for oil and skins?"
"Yes."
"You see my
NINE
THEY CAME THREE DAYS LATER, KAYUGH'S ARMS piled high with sealskins, Amgigh following with four new fur seal skins, rolled skin side in. Kiin was sitting with her back to the climbing log as she pounded dried seal meat into a powder to mix with dried berries.
When she heard Kayugh's voice, she scooted to the dark side of the ulaq near the food cache and watched as first Kayugh then Amgigh tossed furs down to her father and then slid down the climbing log.
She waited, hoping Samiq had come with them, but there were only Kayugh and Amgigh, and when Gray Bird gestured for Kayugh to sit down, leaving Amgigh standing beside the climbing log, she knew. Amgigh was to be her husband.
Her lungs suddenly seemed too heavy for her chest and her heart seemed to stop beneath their weight. Slowly, she squatted on her heels. Slowly, she crossed her arms over her upraised knees. Not Samiq, she thought. Not Samiq.
But then her spirit spoke, moving within her chest, fighting the heaviness of her lungs, until Kiin could breathe again. "You will have a husband," her spirit said. "A man to care for you. And you will live in Kayugh's ulaq, with Chagak. With Samiq. You will have warm clothes, enough to eat, and Amgigh will give you babies, sons to be hunters, daughters to be mothers. Remember, remember, last summer, even a few days ago, you thought you would never be wife, never belong to any man but your father."
Kiin watched Amgigh, watched as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, saw that he turned his head away from the men when his father told Gray Bird of Amgigh's strength, of his good eyes, of his skill with harpoon and knife. "What boy, what man, climbs more easily to the bird holes in the cliffs?" Kiin's spirit whispered. "What man takes better care of his ikyak? And does any man try harder than Amgigh, in throwing the spear, in running? He will be a good husband. A good husband."
Yes, Kiin thought. He would be a good husband. And he was a handsome man. Much like Kayugh, with long arms and legs, leaner than Samiq, but with shining eyes and white teeth; clear, smooth skin.
Gray Bird and Kayugh were speaking of hunting, of the sea, of the weather. Kiin heard them, but did not listen; she had heard this politeness before; any time men met to discuss more important things, the politeness came first. But suddenly her father stood, strode to the pile of sealskins. She watched as he inspected each skin, and she was thankful that Chagak was not here to see the casual disdain with which he regarded her careful work.
He would not know, Kiin thought, that Chagak's sealskins were the finest Kiin had ever seen, better even than Blue Shell's, and Blue Shell's brought high trades with the Whale Hunters.
"I asked fifteen hides," Gray Bird said. "There are twelve here."
"We have these," Kayugh said and gestured toward the four rolled skins, only partially scraped.
"You bring work for my wife?"
"Chagak will finish them. I wanted you to see that they are waiting for you. We will give them to you when they are finished."
"So you would take my daughter for twelve skins?"
"Sixteen," Kayugh answered, his voice firm.
Amgigh's hands clenched and unclenched. Did he want her so much that his wanting made him nervous? Or was he insulted by her father's words?
"Sixteen," Gray Bird said, "but only twelve now. Four on your promise."
"Three on my promise and an extra skin because you waited for the three," Kayugh answered.
Gray Bird made a rude noise with his lips. "On your promise?" he said.
"Have you known me to break a promise?" Kayugh asked.
For a moment Gray Bird said nothing, then he looked up at Amgigh. "He hunts?" Gray Bird asked.
"Yes," Kayugh answered.
"He will be able to feed my daughter, bring in seals for oil and skins?"
"Yes."
"You see my
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