of them could guess what had happened.
One of the methods used by the Comanche to throw a scare into misbehaving children was for an old man or woman to drape him or herself under a white sheet—looted from some Mexican or white owner—and come down on the mischievous ones as Sleeps Long And Deep attempted to do. Normally such a shock would have worked, in fact almost did on this occasion. Only the tsukup failed to take into account Loud Voice’s accident and the sturdy spirit and loyalty of Loncey Dalton Ysabel.
‘It seems we have a warrior for a son, Ysabel,’ grinned War Club as the two boys came to their feet.
‘Looks that way,’ agreed Ysabel.
‘This was a brave deed for one so young,’ Long Walker put in and the men about him rumbled their agreement. ‘He must be rewarded.’
‘Would it be in order for us to give one so young a Give-Away Dance, naravuh ?’ Ysabel inquired.
‘I think it would,’ the chief answered and again the assembled braves gave their approval.
When a young Comanche performed some feat of courage, his family held a Give-Away Dance in his honour. Loncey became the youngest member of the Nemenuh to receive the honour.
Four days after the affair, the tribal drummers gathered by Long Walker’s fire, facing east in the centre of a large crowd. A grave-faced, specially coached slip of a boy danced the victory steps and several tuivitsi honoured him by joining in. Loncey’s father, foster parents, grandfather and a number of other people pitched presents at the youngster’s feet as he danced. Several blankets, a knife, sticks which represented horses, landed in the circle. Even Sleeps Long And Deep made a present, a stronger bow than Loncey’s present weapon and a half-dozen arrows.
Anybody who wished among the spectators could grab up one of the presents and claim it. Of course no warrior would think of doing so, for that would imply he could not raid well enough to gather his own property. Women took the opportunity to obtain blankets and a couple of old men in need of horses took up a tossed-in stick. The deeds implied a tribute to the recipient of the dance, showing that those who helped themselves believed he could quite easily produce more property by his skill as a raider.
Following the Comanche tradition, Sam Ysabel gave away the entire profits of his last trading trip. He knew he could easily earn more and that by giving he ensured himself of help when he needed it.
As for Loncey, the Pehnane told each other of his exploit. By common consensus of public opinion, he would grow up to be a great warrior worthy of assuming Long Walker’s war bonnet if he kept up such a high standard of courageous conduct.
oooOooo
* Ara: Maternal uncles.
CHAPTER FIVE
A REWARD FOR DILIGENCE
AFTER his sudden rise to fame, Loncey found the public’s eye upon him more than ever. He was expected to set his companions a good example and generally did so. However, little changed beyond making sure that his band did not charge through the camp and create a disturbance. The acquisition of a more powerful bow allowed him to try his hand on larger game. Often he and his friends attempted to bring down the swift-flying bull-bats in an evening time. While they occasionally managed to hit a bat, their light bows lacked the power to hurl an arrow hard enough to bring the animal down. Using his new bow, Loncey finally achieved his ambition. With a leather cuff around his left arm to protect it from bruising by the string—a necessity with the more powerful bow—he practised shooting at stationary objects first, graduating to moving targets. Not for several tries did he bring off his desired coup on a bull-bat, but when he did his whoop of triumph could be heard all around the camp.
Word drifted back to the Pehnane , carried by visiting braves, of Fire Dancer’s activities among the Kweharehnuh . Soon after her arrival, she attended a dance and her skilled grace attracted the attention of a
One of the methods used by the Comanche to throw a scare into misbehaving children was for an old man or woman to drape him or herself under a white sheet—looted from some Mexican or white owner—and come down on the mischievous ones as Sleeps Long And Deep attempted to do. Normally such a shock would have worked, in fact almost did on this occasion. Only the tsukup failed to take into account Loud Voice’s accident and the sturdy spirit and loyalty of Loncey Dalton Ysabel.
‘It seems we have a warrior for a son, Ysabel,’ grinned War Club as the two boys came to their feet.
‘Looks that way,’ agreed Ysabel.
‘This was a brave deed for one so young,’ Long Walker put in and the men about him rumbled their agreement. ‘He must be rewarded.’
‘Would it be in order for us to give one so young a Give-Away Dance, naravuh ?’ Ysabel inquired.
‘I think it would,’ the chief answered and again the assembled braves gave their approval.
When a young Comanche performed some feat of courage, his family held a Give-Away Dance in his honour. Loncey became the youngest member of the Nemenuh to receive the honour.
Four days after the affair, the tribal drummers gathered by Long Walker’s fire, facing east in the centre of a large crowd. A grave-faced, specially coached slip of a boy danced the victory steps and several tuivitsi honoured him by joining in. Loncey’s father, foster parents, grandfather and a number of other people pitched presents at the youngster’s feet as he danced. Several blankets, a knife, sticks which represented horses, landed in the circle. Even Sleeps Long And Deep made a present, a stronger bow than Loncey’s present weapon and a half-dozen arrows.
Anybody who wished among the spectators could grab up one of the presents and claim it. Of course no warrior would think of doing so, for that would imply he could not raid well enough to gather his own property. Women took the opportunity to obtain blankets and a couple of old men in need of horses took up a tossed-in stick. The deeds implied a tribute to the recipient of the dance, showing that those who helped themselves believed he could quite easily produce more property by his skill as a raider.
Following the Comanche tradition, Sam Ysabel gave away the entire profits of his last trading trip. He knew he could easily earn more and that by giving he ensured himself of help when he needed it.
As for Loncey, the Pehnane told each other of his exploit. By common consensus of public opinion, he would grow up to be a great warrior worthy of assuming Long Walker’s war bonnet if he kept up such a high standard of courageous conduct.
oooOooo
* Ara: Maternal uncles.
CHAPTER FIVE
A REWARD FOR DILIGENCE
AFTER his sudden rise to fame, Loncey found the public’s eye upon him more than ever. He was expected to set his companions a good example and generally did so. However, little changed beyond making sure that his band did not charge through the camp and create a disturbance. The acquisition of a more powerful bow allowed him to try his hand on larger game. Often he and his friends attempted to bring down the swift-flying bull-bats in an evening time. While they occasionally managed to hit a bat, their light bows lacked the power to hurl an arrow hard enough to bring the animal down. Using his new bow, Loncey finally achieved his ambition. With a leather cuff around his left arm to protect it from bruising by the string—a necessity with the more powerful bow—he practised shooting at stationary objects first, graduating to moving targets. Not for several tries did he bring off his desired coup on a bull-bat, but when he did his whoop of triumph could be heard all around the camp.
Word drifted back to the Pehnane , carried by visiting braves, of Fire Dancer’s activities among the Kweharehnuh . Soon after her arrival, she attended a dance and her skilled grace attracted the attention of a
Similar Books
