Fox Woman prepared food.
“That is all I remember,” he said finally. “They and their other children are well. They sent special greetings to their son.”
He nodded across the fire to Small Elk, who had said little.
“Is there other news of the band?” asked Small Elk.
“Yes, I just told the chief, your weaponsmaker is dead. Stone Breaker.”
“The old man?” asked Small Elk, his voice tight.
“Yes. He had given his name to his apprentice. I heard he is quite skilled, too. A young man with a limp.”
“Yes, I know him.”
“Ah! And did you know he had married? Yes, a beautiful woman. She is with child, someone said. I cannot remember her name.”
“Yes, I know her, too,” Small Elk said, trying to choke back emotion.
“It is good!” their talkative guest chortled. “I am glad I remembered to tell you.”
Small Elk was not quite so pleased but gradually decided that it was just as well. He began to realize that he had spent the winter without really coming to grips with his loss. Now it had been forced on him, and though it was a shock, maybe this was the only way to recover his sense of reality. Before, there had been the possibility that things could change. Now there was little hope. Crow Woman was not only married but pregnant and beyond reach for him.
He had made some progress during the winter, had done some growing up. It was possible, now, for him to think more calmly, almost objectively. He wished that he could rejoice in the happiness of his two friends. Maybe someday he could do so. For now, he would continue to try. It would not be easy.
The Sun Dance that year was to be held at Turkey Creek. It was customary to choose a central location for ease of travel. It was never satisfactory for all but was usually most difficult for the bands to the far west. Occasionally, the Red Rocks, or the Mountain band, farther north, would decide not to attend. Those seasons were rare, however, usually restricted to years when the location for the Sun Dance was too far east to allow for the journey to be practical. Of course, if the Big Council chose a site too far
west
, the Eastern band was sure to protest loudly.
It had been a tradition of the People to scatter widely each season. But likewise, their tradition of oneness, though they might be scattered, was strong. This and the strong sense of the sacred nature of the ceremony had made the Sun Dance their most important annual event.
That, of course, was not to deny its importance as a social event. It might take many sleeps to travel to the prearranged site. Upon arrival there, people were ready for celebration, so there would be feasting and dancing, renewing of friendships, the greeting of relatives, gambling, gaming, and smoking—all leading to the seven days of the Sun Dance.
The northern band would be the first to arrive. It was their responsibility to begin to prepare the open-sided arbor in which the Sun Dance would be held. It had been their task since the election of their popular young chief, Many Robes, as Real-chief of the entire tribe. With honor goes responsibility.
One facet of their preparation fell to the family of the chief—the selection and securing of a large buffalo bull for the ceremony. A magnificent animal was found, and the hunters—relatives and friends of Many Robes—were able to stalk and kill it successfully. It was good. The ease with which this preceremonial was carried out seemed a good omen for the year. The skin, with the head still attached, was stretched over a framework of poles at one end of thedance arbor to form an effigy in honor of the return of the buffalo.
Small Elk had never seen these early preparations before, since the office of Real-chief had not been in the Southern band for a number of years. He was fascinated by the size of the bull that the hunters had selected. He would have gladly taken part in the hunt if he had been invited. He was beginning to recover his confidence in his ability.
“That is all I remember,” he said finally. “They and their other children are well. They sent special greetings to their son.”
He nodded across the fire to Small Elk, who had said little.
“Is there other news of the band?” asked Small Elk.
“Yes, I just told the chief, your weaponsmaker is dead. Stone Breaker.”
“The old man?” asked Small Elk, his voice tight.
“Yes. He had given his name to his apprentice. I heard he is quite skilled, too. A young man with a limp.”
“Yes, I know him.”
“Ah! And did you know he had married? Yes, a beautiful woman. She is with child, someone said. I cannot remember her name.”
“Yes, I know her, too,” Small Elk said, trying to choke back emotion.
“It is good!” their talkative guest chortled. “I am glad I remembered to tell you.”
Small Elk was not quite so pleased but gradually decided that it was just as well. He began to realize that he had spent the winter without really coming to grips with his loss. Now it had been forced on him, and though it was a shock, maybe this was the only way to recover his sense of reality. Before, there had been the possibility that things could change. Now there was little hope. Crow Woman was not only married but pregnant and beyond reach for him.
He had made some progress during the winter, had done some growing up. It was possible, now, for him to think more calmly, almost objectively. He wished that he could rejoice in the happiness of his two friends. Maybe someday he could do so. For now, he would continue to try. It would not be easy.
The Sun Dance that year was to be held at Turkey Creek. It was customary to choose a central location for ease of travel. It was never satisfactory for all but was usually most difficult for the bands to the far west. Occasionally, the Red Rocks, or the Mountain band, farther north, would decide not to attend. Those seasons were rare, however, usually restricted to years when the location for the Sun Dance was too far east to allow for the journey to be practical. Of course, if the Big Council chose a site too far
west
, the Eastern band was sure to protest loudly.
It had been a tradition of the People to scatter widely each season. But likewise, their tradition of oneness, though they might be scattered, was strong. This and the strong sense of the sacred nature of the ceremony had made the Sun Dance their most important annual event.
That, of course, was not to deny its importance as a social event. It might take many sleeps to travel to the prearranged site. Upon arrival there, people were ready for celebration, so there would be feasting and dancing, renewing of friendships, the greeting of relatives, gambling, gaming, and smoking—all leading to the seven days of the Sun Dance.
The northern band would be the first to arrive. It was their responsibility to begin to prepare the open-sided arbor in which the Sun Dance would be held. It had been their task since the election of their popular young chief, Many Robes, as Real-chief of the entire tribe. With honor goes responsibility.
One facet of their preparation fell to the family of the chief—the selection and securing of a large buffalo bull for the ceremony. A magnificent animal was found, and the hunters—relatives and friends of Many Robes—were able to stalk and kill it successfully. It was good. The ease with which this preceremonial was carried out seemed a good omen for the year. The skin, with the head still attached, was stretched over a framework of poles at one end of thedance arbor to form an effigy in honor of the return of the buffalo.
Small Elk had never seen these early preparations before, since the office of Real-chief had not been in the Southern band for a number of years. He was fascinated by the size of the bull that the hunters had selected. He would have gladly taken part in the hunt if he had been invited. He was beginning to recover his confidence in his ability.
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