LIBERTYREALIZED

 

Elk Woman was bathing in the cool water of the slow moving stream near the village, her nude body glistening in the early morning sun as she enjoyed the sensations of fresh air wafting over her wetness. Her skin dress draped over a nearby bush at the water’s edge, her 3 year old daughter Spotted Fawn playing in the shallows of the bank close by ,her dress hanging beside that of her mother and Pale Bear in only his breechcloth lying in the thick green grass at the shore’s edge watching both of them intently. Their son Owls Wing was playing in the village with his Rabbit Society friends and learning the hunting skills that 7 year old boys needed to someday become men of the Cahokia tribe.

Badger Paw and Shining Star walked up to where the family was and asked if they could join in the morning ritual. After a brief dip in the stream Badger Paw joined his blood brother on the grass letting the slight breeze dry him off as well, their 4 year old daughter Night Flower was playing with her friend Spotted Fawn. The two mothers now talked casually about the days coming activities as they watched their daughters play in the shallows of the stream near their fathers.

“I thought I would go off toward the setting sun later in the day, stay out the night and catch a deer at his most unaware at first light for fresh meat, if you would like to join me brother?” Badger Paw asked of Pale Bear.

“It has been a while since just the two of us were off in the evening for an early hunt and fresh venison would be welcome about now. “It has been a while since just the two of us were off in the evening for an early hunt and fresh venison would be welcome about now. Yes Badger Paw I think I will, thank you for the invitation.” Pale Bear answered his blood brother, chief and closest friend.

“It is good, it has been far too long since we had some time to ourselves as just men and brothers.” Badger Paw replied.

“Being fathers and you being Chief does have its small draw backs some times.” Pale Bear said with a small chuckle under his breath.

“Yes but is outweighed by the rewards I think.” Badger Paw said smiling broadly into the creek at their wives.

Then both men laughed aloud bringing looks from the women in the stream.

“What is so funny up there with you two may we ask, find something amusing here in the water did you?” Elk Woman asked a little mischievously.

“No my dear absolutely not, quite the contrary in fact.” Pale Bear retorted rapidly. Then both he and Badger Paw started laughing even more vigorously.

“Hmmmph!” was all they got in answer from both their wives in unison.

Much later that day Badger Paw and Pale Bear left the village with their bows and headed northwest for the evening telling their wives they would return home the next day before sunset they hoped.  They traveled on to the northwest of the village until just before the sun was setting in the sky through thick growth of trees in a dense forested area. They made their camp near a small stream close to where they had seen many deer trails and scat as they walked. Then settled down to a small fire and ate jerked meat and corn mush. As they ate their meal the two conversed in the easy manor they had become accustomed to over the last seven years.

Pale Bear and Badger Paw had another laugh at their wives thinking they had made a comical comment on the stream bank that morning when they were actually feeling so lucky at their good fortune in the families they both had. Pale Bear told him how lucky they were compared to men in the white man’s world and Badger Paw asked him why.

As Pale Bear told him that in the white world many men and women slept in different rooms and that each of their children did the same except for those less fortunate and did not even usually see each other in the special clothes they wore to sleep Badger Paw just looked at his blood brother at first saying he must be lying, for why would they do such a foolish thing.

Then when he told him that husbands and wives only shared their bodies when it was time to create children and that many men visited houses with red lights at their doors so that they could share their bodies with women who did this for money that wore powder and paint on their faces Badger Paw almost fell backwards onto the ground laughing at such unusual and foolish behavior.

In their world and custom, families slept in the same room and children grew up hearing the sounds of love between their parents in the dark of the night knowing it was a good thing in their lives with nothing to be ashamed of or hidden.

The next morning before the first pink rays of the coming dawn in the east they had taken up separate positions in areas each thought good for seeing deer about in the mists of the early morning light. Pale Bear spotted a buck with 8 prongs to his antlers, drew and loosed his first arrow it hitting its mark with lethal accuracy. The buck dropped almost instantly with Pale Bear there to dress it out and skin in with the deft of a seasoned hunter. Badger Paw was blessed with comparable luck that morning and after both men’s kills were ready they made a sling for transporting the fresh meat and hides back to the village.

This trek back was somewhat more laborious as the carting of this bounty was hard work over the terrain they covered back home. Once their each man delivered the hides, antler and choicest meats to their wives, then shared the rest with other members of the tribe. First to the women with children whose husbands had died then the widows and the elderly, then everyone else. Such bounty was shared communally within the whole tribe.

“This will make a fine new dress for Spotted Fawn my Husband.” Elk woman told Pale Bear as he handed the deerskin across to her.

“The deer antler I will use most in trade but one piece I am going to use as a handle on a knife I have been working on for Owls Wing.” Pale Bear told her.

“You are a fine father and husband Pale Bear, he will be so proud of it.” She replied.

“As you are a wonderful wife and mother my dear one.” Pale Bear told his wife.

Over the next few days Elk Woman and Shining Star spent many hours curing the hides then working them to the soft supple texture they wanted for the clothing they would make from the new hides. Pale Bear finished the knife and presented it to his son who thanked his father gleefully bit ran immediately off to show it to all his friends in the rabbit society.

Late one evening after a tribal storytelling and campfire with their children fast asleep in their robes Elk Woman turned on her side to her husband and whispered before he started to drift into sleep.

“My husband I need to tell you that several moons from now you will be a father again, does this please you.” She said in hushed tones with gleaming dark eyes.

“Yes of course it does my love, how many moons did you just discover it? I am most happy my wife.” He answered her.

“Yes it will be in the season of cold or as it passes I think.” Elk Woman said seeing her husband was indeed happy as she knew he would be. “Badger Paw is probably hearing this same news tonight but do not let him know I told you he will also be very proud.”

The next morning before al l of the village was stirring Badger Paw came seeking his brother and both men clasped the other after sharing their mutual news of the upcoming births. Whoops and laughing could be heard to those just shaking sleep from their eyes.

A couple of hours later Jules la Clair was seen making his way into the village from the south arm raised in greeting as many raised theirs in response including Pale Bear and Badger Paw. After the formal greetings were exchanged and the proper approval given for a couple of days of trading granted. Jules asked to speak with Badger Paw, Pale Bear and Rutting Antelope in private, so the four men went inside the communal lodge for a private counsel.

“What is it you feel the need to tell us in private Messur Trader?” Badger Paw said in mispronounced acknowledgment.

“First I would like Pale Bear to know that I will not be going far into the Shawnee lands any longer I am sorry to say. The English are now to commonly traveling that area for me. This I say first because then the explanation being their fort is complete and manned to nearby across the river only about five miles east of the village Pale Bear and Elk Woman once lived at. It is commanded by that English Captain who made the two trips there in past years. This I also tell you because with them that close it is more than possible that one day they will probably be making expeditions as far as in this area as well. So you may very well be seeing them in the not too distant future as well as me.” Jules said to the three Cahokia men.

“We thank you for this news then in private. Please do not make this news a part of your dealings with everyone until we have discussed it with all our people first, some would find it distressing or confusing to say the least” Badger Paw told him.

“I will not Chief Badger Paw and thank you. I will go and set up my trading area for the next two days, I hope to see all of you later.” Jules replied then stood and left the lodge.

With the trader gone the three men decided it would be a good idea to tell everyone in the tribe this news at that night’s camp fire in celebration of the traders visit. It would be good time since he would be there if there were any questions only he could answer.

That night the campfire and news were received without any real incidents or too many questions. Many of them now spoke enough English to understand what could be said to them, both Pale Bear and Elk Woman had told them though not to let on too quickly to any English they might meet that they understood the language before being sure they were in no danger.

The following two days were as uneventful except for the continuing trading going on with the Frenchman and Jules departure was as pleasant as his arrival had been.

Pale Bear and Elk Woman decided this new news did not change any of their plans in living here with the Cahokia for now, this had become their home. It would take more than this for them to take to the traveling life again here they and their children had friends and were now considered and did consider many as family. Family was of the highest importance.