Read Online The Changing Wind by Don Coldsmith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Don Coldsmith
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romantically involved with any of the beautiful daughters of the Northern band.
He was ready, he thought, to talk seriously with his fatherabout his future. He believed that White Buffalo would approve a vision quest this season. That would certainly help to show him the right way. It had been a stupid thing, he realized, to consider a vision quest out of anger and disappointment. Those were the wrong reasons. Yes, he looked forward to the arrival of his parents and the expected talk with his father.
Even so, he was caught totally off guard when the day finally came. The scout who had been watching to the south came trotting into the camp.
“The Southern band comes!” he announced as he made the circuit of the area. “The Southern band has arrived!”
11
S mall Elk found himself avoiding contact with anyone except his parents. He realized what he was doing. Everyone else was hurrying around, greeting friends or family, exchanging jokes, stories, and small talk. Although he had assured himself that he too must do so, he found it difficult to mix with the others. He stayed away from the gregarious happiness, only belatedly joining his parents to help set up their lodge. He studiously avoided even looking around at other families, as they too began to establish their campsites.
This was going to be more difficult than he had thought. He kept imagining Crow Woman in the arms of his friend Stone Breaker, now her husband. Despite his resolve, he now wondered if it would be possible for him to accept it. Maybe he should consider again the possibility of joining another band.
He was somewhat distracted for a time by the reunion with his parents and the tasks of setting up camp. He knew it would be a day or two before he could find an opportunity to talk to his father, and that too was worrisome. It was midafternoon when the Southern band arrived, so there was much to do before dark. That was both good and frustrating—good, because it postponed the inevitable meeting with Stone Breaker and Crow Woman; bad, because it also postponed his chance to talk with his father.
Without actually realizing that he was doing it, he spent the evening finding ways to keep busy and avoiding prolonged conversation with anyone. He did not want to spend the evening hearing about the marriage of Crow Woman or her pregnancy. Also, he was not ready for his mother’s questions about the girls of the Northern band.He rather suspected that a romance with a young woman of her own band would not be entirely unwelcome to Dove Woman.
Small Elk also found himself reluctant to go out and mix with the other young people, as would be the usual custom. There would be the risk of encountering Crow Woman, Stone Breaker, or both.
Never was a lodge so meticulously aligned, so carefully set, or the thongs which held the cover to the poles tied and retied so many times. At first Dove Woman attributed her son’s overattentiveness to his happiness at the reunion. Gradually she began to see his preoccupation but was puzzled by it.
“Let him alone,” advised White Buffalo. “He will work it out.”
Reluctantly, Dove Woman did so. She tried to ignore the repetition of tasks, the meticulous tying and retying of the lashings, the readjusting of the laces over the door, and the interminable fussing with the smoke flaps.
Finally, it was apparent even to Small Elk that there was nothing more that he could do to help his parents establish the camp; He must settle down to make small talk, and the the subject of Crow Woman’s marriage would surely come up. Another idea struck him.
“I will bring some fuel,” he said, and was off like an arrow from the bow.
His mother shook her head.
“What is the matter with him?” his mother asked. “Why is he behaving so?”
“I am not sure,” White Buffalo said slowly. “He will tell us, when he is ready.”
“Is it about Stone Breaker’s marriage?” Dove Woman wondered. “He should be happy about
He was ready, he thought, to talk seriously with his fatherabout his future. He believed that White Buffalo would approve a vision quest this season. That would certainly help to show him the right way. It had been a stupid thing, he realized, to consider a vision quest out of anger and disappointment. Those were the wrong reasons. Yes, he looked forward to the arrival of his parents and the expected talk with his father.
Even so, he was caught totally off guard when the day finally came. The scout who had been watching to the south came trotting into the camp.
“The Southern band comes!” he announced as he made the circuit of the area. “The Southern band has arrived!”
11
S mall Elk found himself avoiding contact with anyone except his parents. He realized what he was doing. Everyone else was hurrying around, greeting friends or family, exchanging jokes, stories, and small talk. Although he had assured himself that he too must do so, he found it difficult to mix with the others. He stayed away from the gregarious happiness, only belatedly joining his parents to help set up their lodge. He studiously avoided even looking around at other families, as they too began to establish their campsites.
This was going to be more difficult than he had thought. He kept imagining Crow Woman in the arms of his friend Stone Breaker, now her husband. Despite his resolve, he now wondered if it would be possible for him to accept it. Maybe he should consider again the possibility of joining another band.
He was somewhat distracted for a time by the reunion with his parents and the tasks of setting up camp. He knew it would be a day or two before he could find an opportunity to talk to his father, and that too was worrisome. It was midafternoon when the Southern band arrived, so there was much to do before dark. That was both good and frustrating—good, because it postponed the inevitable meeting with Stone Breaker and Crow Woman; bad, because it also postponed his chance to talk with his father.
Without actually realizing that he was doing it, he spent the evening finding ways to keep busy and avoiding prolonged conversation with anyone. He did not want to spend the evening hearing about the marriage of Crow Woman or her pregnancy. Also, he was not ready for his mother’s questions about the girls of the Northern band.He rather suspected that a romance with a young woman of her own band would not be entirely unwelcome to Dove Woman.
Small Elk also found himself reluctant to go out and mix with the other young people, as would be the usual custom. There would be the risk of encountering Crow Woman, Stone Breaker, or both.
Never was a lodge so meticulously aligned, so carefully set, or the thongs which held the cover to the poles tied and retied so many times. At first Dove Woman attributed her son’s overattentiveness to his happiness at the reunion. Gradually she began to see his preoccupation but was puzzled by it.
“Let him alone,” advised White Buffalo. “He will work it out.”
Reluctantly, Dove Woman did so. She tried to ignore the repetition of tasks, the meticulous tying and retying of the lashings, the readjusting of the laces over the door, and the interminable fussing with the smoke flaps.
Finally, it was apparent even to Small Elk that there was nothing more that he could do to help his parents establish the camp; He must settle down to make small talk, and the the subject of Crow Woman’s marriage would surely come up. Another idea struck him.
“I will bring some fuel,” he said, and was off like an arrow from the bow.
His mother shook her head.
“What is the matter with him?” his mother asked. “Why is he behaving so?”
“I am not sure,” White Buffalo said slowly. “He will tell us, when he is ready.”
“Is it about Stone Breaker’s marriage?” Dove Woman wondered. “He should be happy about
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