Read Online When Grnadfather Journeys Into Winter by Craig Kee Strete - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Craig Kee Strete
Ads: Link
mother looked angry. "I don't want you
to do dangerous things. You're not going to learn how to catch rattlesnakes and that is
final."
"When I was his age, I learned to catch
them," said Tayhua a look on his face that said his mind journeyed back to that time in his life.
"It was a time when I learned much about the world."
"Things are different now," said Elk Woman
with a hurt look on her face. "We can't afford to take chances now."
In the rocks at Grandfather Tayhua's feet
something moved.
"A boy's life is always full of danger,"
said Tayhua. "You can not put your arms around him and hold it away from him. He will learn
nothing that way."
"I'm his mother. I decide. I don't want to
talk about this. It's settled. This is not something he is going to do."
Little Thunder looked angry at his mother's
words. It was plain he did not agree. His grandfather read the defiant look on Little Thunder's
face and smiled. They all sat there in the garden quietly for a time. The wind came down out of
the high places and was voice enough. Dust swirled in eddies at their feet.
"It is a day to live under the sun. It warms
my blood," said Grandfather finally. "Let us have no disaggreements on a day as good as
this."
The rattlesnake was back.
The old man had his eye on it. He winked at
Little Thunder who saw the snake too. Elk Woman was looking across the land, her eyes on the far
mesa. She did not see the snake.
Little Thunder started to speak, perhaps to
say he saw the snake but the old man put three fingers to his lips, gesturing for him not to
speak.
"It is hot in the sun. My lips are dry and
my belly feels like ten miles of highway," said the old man suddenly.
"Are you trying to say you are thirsty?"
said Elk Woman. "Because it just so happens, I have some sun tea cooling in the
house."
"I can think of nothing I would like
better," said the old man.
"I suppose I'll go get it then," said Elk
Woman. "You want some too?"
Little Thunder nodded yes. He forced himself
not to look at the snake so his mother would not see it. He knew Tayhua was hiding the snake from
her.
"And if there were some fry bread," said
Tayhua, staring up at the clouds, not looking at the movement in the rocks beside him. "I sure
could probably eat some."
Elk Woman sighed as she got up. "I don't
have the fixings. I have to make it from scratch. That'll take time." She began walking toward
the house.
"I have plenty of time. I am in no hurry,"
called out Tayhua as the rattlesnake moved up next to him and coiled beside his right
boot.
Elk Woman did not look back at them.
Grandfather did not move now. He did not speak either until Elk Woman was safely in the
house.
"Today would be a good day to learn how to
catch a rattlesnake. If some person wanted to learn how to do that."
Little Thunder stared at his grandfather.
The rattlesnake was coiled at Grandfather's feet, lazy in the sun but still alert. The sound of
the old man's voice seemed to disturb the snake. It cast its head from side to side, tongue
darting out rapidly to taste the world around it.
"She said I shouldn't," said Little Thunder
doubtfully but there was eagerness in his manner. "But if you said it was fine to do it, that
would be different."
"She is your mother and you should obey
her," said the old man solemnly. "But you father would have taught you to do it and I speak for
your father now. The heart of a boy sometimes does what it wants. If this is something you want
to learn, I would teach you, as your father would have taught you."
"Other boys my age are learning how to do
it. John Tall and Billy already know how. I don't know why she doesn't want me to
learn."
"Because she lost your father and she is
always afraid of losing you," said Tayhua. "Sometimes she holds on too tight. Come next to me and
learn. I'll show you how it is done. It will be our little secret."
Tayhua moved slowly so as not to startle the
snake. He bent forward slowly
to do dangerous things. You're not going to learn how to catch rattlesnakes and that is
final."
"When I was his age, I learned to catch
them," said Tayhua a look on his face that said his mind journeyed back to that time in his life.
"It was a time when I learned much about the world."
"Things are different now," said Elk Woman
with a hurt look on her face. "We can't afford to take chances now."
In the rocks at Grandfather Tayhua's feet
something moved.
"A boy's life is always full of danger,"
said Tayhua. "You can not put your arms around him and hold it away from him. He will learn
nothing that way."
"I'm his mother. I decide. I don't want to
talk about this. It's settled. This is not something he is going to do."
Little Thunder looked angry at his mother's
words. It was plain he did not agree. His grandfather read the defiant look on Little Thunder's
face and smiled. They all sat there in the garden quietly for a time. The wind came down out of
the high places and was voice enough. Dust swirled in eddies at their feet.
"It is a day to live under the sun. It warms
my blood," said Grandfather finally. "Let us have no disaggreements on a day as good as
this."
The rattlesnake was back.
The old man had his eye on it. He winked at
Little Thunder who saw the snake too. Elk Woman was looking across the land, her eyes on the far
mesa. She did not see the snake.
Little Thunder started to speak, perhaps to
say he saw the snake but the old man put three fingers to his lips, gesturing for him not to
speak.
"It is hot in the sun. My lips are dry and
my belly feels like ten miles of highway," said the old man suddenly.
"Are you trying to say you are thirsty?"
said Elk Woman. "Because it just so happens, I have some sun tea cooling in the
house."
"I can think of nothing I would like
better," said the old man.
"I suppose I'll go get it then," said Elk
Woman. "You want some too?"
Little Thunder nodded yes. He forced himself
not to look at the snake so his mother would not see it. He knew Tayhua was hiding the snake from
her.
"And if there were some fry bread," said
Tayhua, staring up at the clouds, not looking at the movement in the rocks beside him. "I sure
could probably eat some."
Elk Woman sighed as she got up. "I don't
have the fixings. I have to make it from scratch. That'll take time." She began walking toward
the house.
"I have plenty of time. I am in no hurry,"
called out Tayhua as the rattlesnake moved up next to him and coiled beside his right
boot.
Elk Woman did not look back at them.
Grandfather did not move now. He did not speak either until Elk Woman was safely in the
house.
"Today would be a good day to learn how to
catch a rattlesnake. If some person wanted to learn how to do that."
Little Thunder stared at his grandfather.
The rattlesnake was coiled at Grandfather's feet, lazy in the sun but still alert. The sound of
the old man's voice seemed to disturb the snake. It cast its head from side to side, tongue
darting out rapidly to taste the world around it.
"She said I shouldn't," said Little Thunder
doubtfully but there was eagerness in his manner. "But if you said it was fine to do it, that
would be different."
"She is your mother and you should obey
her," said the old man solemnly. "But you father would have taught you to do it and I speak for
your father now. The heart of a boy sometimes does what it wants. If this is something you want
to learn, I would teach you, as your father would have taught you."
"Other boys my age are learning how to do
it. John Tall and Billy already know how. I don't know why she doesn't want me to
learn."
"Because she lost your father and she is
always afraid of losing you," said Tayhua. "Sometimes she holds on too tight. Come next to me and
learn. I'll show you how it is done. It will be our little secret."
Tayhua moved slowly so as not to startle the
snake. He bent forward slowly
Similar Books
