People of the Owl: A Novel of Prehistoric North America (North America's Forgotten Past) by W. Michael Gear, Kathleen O'Neal Gear Page A
Authors: W. Michael Gear, Kathleen O'Neal Gear
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hardships my funeral might have incurred.”
Scattered laughter broke out at that. It brought a smile to her thin lips. She had always liked Yellow Spider, had approved of his offer to accompany White Bird upriver. “I would imagine so, Yellow Spider. We can only wish that all deaths would reward us as well as yours appears to have.”
“How is my uncle?” White Bird called.
“My brother, the Speaker, is not well, White Bird. Your absence has caused us some concern. Others worried, but I knew that you would not have prolonged your absence were it not that you were acting in the People’s greatest interest.”
White Bird, in a demonstration of his supreme balance, bowed low at the waist, the canoe barely rocking. “Indeed, Mother, were there any other way, I would have returned last fall. I apologize for leaving you without my help, but my responsibility to the People must be of more importance than my personal desires.”
Well spoken, boy .
“And who are the people you have brought in these loaded canoes?”
White Bird was standing straight now, his canoe having drifted sideways as he looked over the torchlit crowd on the bank. “I would present my companions, they are Wolf People, from the far north. Yellow Spider and I, hearing of remarkable Trade up beyond the confluence of the three great rivers, made the decision to change our plans. Rather than simply barter for a load of Trade in the Blue Heron lands, we risked the way north. Many hostile peoples guard the river between the Blue Heron lands and the land of the Wolf People. By means of craft and guile, Yellow Spider and I passed those wild tribes. By the fall equinox we had reached the land of the Wolf People. There, Chief Acorn Cup, father of my friend, Hazel Fire”—he pointed to the young barbarian in the stern of the next canoe—“welcomed us into his village. He was a most gracious host. At Acorn Cup’s insistence, we stayed the winter. And such a winter … you have never seen snow so deep! Or felt such a biting cold that almost splintered a man’s bones!”
Wryly, she thought, Chief Acorn Cup, good host that he was, no doubt left something warm, willing, and female in your bed to keep icicles from forming on your manhood.
“Acorn Cup was right in warning us not to travel, so I spared my Trade, passing out a little at a time as the winter passed. And as you can see”—he made a grandiose gesture that rocked his canoe—“we have brought a great many things for the People as a result.”
“Then our wait was well worth the time you spent far away.” Wing Heart nodded slowly for the benefit of the gathered people.
Addressing the crowd, White Bird raised his voice. “Yellow Spider and I, at great risk to our lives, have brought four canoes piled high with Trade. What we have is a gift from the Owl Clan to the people. We provide these things freely and with an open heart. Owl Clan asks but two things: We ask that you provide for the needy among the clans first. He who is hunting with a blunt dart must receive the first of the stone points we have brought. He whose children are shivering in the cold must first receive the fine furs until all are warm. Those inflicted by spirits and evils shall partake of the medicine herbs we have brought. We ask that only after the needy are taken care of, will the rest of you take your pick of the remaining Trade.”
“And the second thing?” Clay Fat called.
White Bird pointed at the barbarians. “These brave men have risked their lives to help me bring this Trade to the people. Owl Clan asks that you treat them as our honored guests. That you bestow upon them gifts to take back to their distant homeland. We ask that you provide every courtesy to them, as they have provided
to us. They come from a different place and have different customs. When we lived in their village, they did not mock us when we made errors in their ways. And, my people, believe me, we made some very silly mistakes! They are
Scattered laughter broke out at that. It brought a smile to her thin lips. She had always liked Yellow Spider, had approved of his offer to accompany White Bird upriver. “I would imagine so, Yellow Spider. We can only wish that all deaths would reward us as well as yours appears to have.”
“How is my uncle?” White Bird called.
“My brother, the Speaker, is not well, White Bird. Your absence has caused us some concern. Others worried, but I knew that you would not have prolonged your absence were it not that you were acting in the People’s greatest interest.”
White Bird, in a demonstration of his supreme balance, bowed low at the waist, the canoe barely rocking. “Indeed, Mother, were there any other way, I would have returned last fall. I apologize for leaving you without my help, but my responsibility to the People must be of more importance than my personal desires.”
Well spoken, boy .
“And who are the people you have brought in these loaded canoes?”
White Bird was standing straight now, his canoe having drifted sideways as he looked over the torchlit crowd on the bank. “I would present my companions, they are Wolf People, from the far north. Yellow Spider and I, hearing of remarkable Trade up beyond the confluence of the three great rivers, made the decision to change our plans. Rather than simply barter for a load of Trade in the Blue Heron lands, we risked the way north. Many hostile peoples guard the river between the Blue Heron lands and the land of the Wolf People. By means of craft and guile, Yellow Spider and I passed those wild tribes. By the fall equinox we had reached the land of the Wolf People. There, Chief Acorn Cup, father of my friend, Hazel Fire”—he pointed to the young barbarian in the stern of the next canoe—“welcomed us into his village. He was a most gracious host. At Acorn Cup’s insistence, we stayed the winter. And such a winter … you have never seen snow so deep! Or felt such a biting cold that almost splintered a man’s bones!”
Wryly, she thought, Chief Acorn Cup, good host that he was, no doubt left something warm, willing, and female in your bed to keep icicles from forming on your manhood.
“Acorn Cup was right in warning us not to travel, so I spared my Trade, passing out a little at a time as the winter passed. And as you can see”—he made a grandiose gesture that rocked his canoe—“we have brought a great many things for the People as a result.”
“Then our wait was well worth the time you spent far away.” Wing Heart nodded slowly for the benefit of the gathered people.
Addressing the crowd, White Bird raised his voice. “Yellow Spider and I, at great risk to our lives, have brought four canoes piled high with Trade. What we have is a gift from the Owl Clan to the people. We provide these things freely and with an open heart. Owl Clan asks but two things: We ask that you provide for the needy among the clans first. He who is hunting with a blunt dart must receive the first of the stone points we have brought. He whose children are shivering in the cold must first receive the fine furs until all are warm. Those inflicted by spirits and evils shall partake of the medicine herbs we have brought. We ask that only after the needy are taken care of, will the rest of you take your pick of the remaining Trade.”
“And the second thing?” Clay Fat called.
White Bird pointed at the barbarians. “These brave men have risked their lives to help me bring this Trade to the people. Owl Clan asks that you treat them as our honored guests. That you bestow upon them gifts to take back to their distant homeland. We ask that you provide every courtesy to them, as they have provided
to us. They come from a different place and have different customs. When we lived in their village, they did not mock us when we made errors in their ways. And, my people, believe me, we made some very silly mistakes! They are
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