Everlasting and the Great River

by Bumppo

  “Then you know, Grandmother, that I bring only goodness to you and your people.”

  “That is spoken truly,” said the old wise woman, “for I can hear the spirits of animals and they have passed stories down the river of your exploits.”

  “Why then, do armed hunters threaten a small girl on your beach?” Everlasting asked boldly.

  “We are living in hard times, Everlasting,” spoke the woman. “Downstream there is a village. We have fought with them for many years. We fight about trapping areas in winter and the best fishing spots in summer. They have grown stronger than us. Now we are forced to stay in our winter village and cannot go to our fish camps. If we are not able to fish, I’m afraid my village will starve next winter.”

  “I will think about your problem and see if there is anything I can do to help,” said Everlasting.

  The men, women and children who had come from their homes to see the small, strange girl were surprised that Everlasting thought she might be able to help them. They talked among themselves and some said that maybe she could use her inkoze, or special powers, to destroy their enemies. When Everlasting heard this she spoke to the villagers.

  “The power of my stick does not allow me to harm man or beast. I will talk to your neighbors and see if I can arrange a meeting so your problems can be settled.”

  “They will not talk to a little girl!” shouted one of the people. “They will harm you!” shouted others. “ They are evil people!”

  “Nevertheless, if you will meet with them at an agreed upon place, I will try to help.”

  The wise old woman sat silently through the excited villagers’ commotion. When finally she spoke, they listened respectfully.

  “There is an ancient, twisted birch growing near the bank of The Great River halfway between our villages. I and my people will be there in two days when the sun is at its highest. We will talk if they are there.”

  “I have only one requirement,” said Everlasting, “if I am to suggest such a meeting. No one may bring weapons.”

  “But our enemies will bring theirs and kill us!” yelled someone in the crowd.

  “If the other villagers agree to come, I assure you, they too will come unarmed,” said Everlasting.

  “It is agreed,” spoke the wise woman.

  The villagers went off to their homes, talking among themselves about Everlasting and the conference she’d proposed.

  Everlasting spent the night at the old blind woman’s log home that was half-buried in the ground among the birches. In the morning they ate jija, blueberries, and drank tsaltsa, highbush cranberry leaf tea. With the wise woman’s blessings, Everlasting set out on her peace mission.

  Again Everlasting paddled down The Great River. She saw people at fish camps at creeks along the way. She waved to them as she passed, but they seemed too busy to greet her. At noon she spotted the great twisted birch tree growing on the bank. She asked The Great Spirit to help her bring the two villages together. By late in the day she saw the village she was seeking. When she pulled her canoe up on the bank below the village, a tall, strong, old man with a wrinkled face was waiting for her.

  “Greetings, Everlasting of the mighty talking stick! I have seen your coming in a dream last night. In my dream, you had the wings of an eagle, but I see you are a normal little Déné child. What brings you to our village?”

  “Oh, great hunter,” said Everlasting, recognizing his skill from his upright posture and clear eyes, “I have come from the village upriver. Their people are not able to fish because they say you have taken their fishing sites. They will starve this winter if nothing changes. I have come to ask your village to meet their village under the great twisted birch tree, tomorrow, when the sun is at its highest.”

  “Everlasting, we have many disagreements with those people. The salmon that feed us, and the fur-bearing animals that keep us warm in winter, have become less plentiful and we think they have not shown the proper respect for them. The spirits of the animals feel angry and hurt. The animals are avoiding this part of The Great River.”

  Everlasting looked right into the eyes of the tall hunter. “I think you need to talk about these problems with your neighbors. They have agreed to meet you without bringing any bows, spears or knives. I assured them that your people will do the same.”

  “Well, well, Everlasting,” laughed the tall man, “you may have given promises that our hunters will not keep. Some will see this as a chance to take care of our problem once and for all.”

  Everlasting felt her inkoze, her power, rise in her. Holding her magic stick high in the air, she felt a voice speak through her.

  “Your people shall not meet your neighbors with weapons, or the spirits of the animals and fish will indeed desert you and your people will go hungry!”

  The tall hunter stepped back and looked at little Everlasting with new respect.

  “I see you do have the wings of the eagle, and the claws as well. I will talk to my people and tell them what you have said. You are welcome in our village. We will give you our answer in the morning.”

  The tall hunter led Everlasting to his home where his kind wife welcomed her to an enjoyable evening. They shared stories about their families. The hunter’s wife admired Everlasting’s beautiful traveling dress and moccasins. Everlasting missed her mother and sisters. She felt less lonely in the company of this good woman.

  In the morning, Everlasting was invited to meet with the elders in the large community house. When she crawled through the small opening of the house, she saw twenty elders dressed in fine clothes beaded with porcupine quills, sitting on a wood bench that ran along three sides of the room. The early morning light shone through the square hole in the center of the roof. The tall hunter addressed her.

  “Everlasting, I have told the elders of your wish for us to meet with the villagers up-river. After much discussion, they have agreed to meet with them. We have not agreed to return their fishing sites, but we will talk. All who can leave their fishing sites will go. We have sent word to fish camps up and down the river.”

  Everlasting thanked the people for agreeing to meet the neighboring village. Soon many villagers gathered on the bank of the river, preparing to head upstream in their canoes to the twisted birch.

  Everlasting saw a jezra, the nosy gray jay that some call camp-robber, land in a willow bush nearby. She walked near the jay and spoke in a quiet voice, “Dear sharp-eyed jay, I wonder if you would do me a favor?”

  “I would delight to help you, polite little girl. What do you need?” chirped the bird.

  “I fear that some hunters may have hidden knives under their clothes or in their canoes. If you would fly around and let me know if you spot any, I’m sure I could help you in some way.”

  The bold jay swooped in and out among the people and even hopped around in the canoe bottoms. He soon returned to Everlasting and landed on her shoulder.

  “I have found four knives,” he said proudly. “That short, broad man with a frown on his face has hidden a knife under his tunic. That young man has a slim blade tucked into the side of his pack. There are two more knives hidden under cross braces in the last two canoes in the row.”

  Everlasting reached into her pack basket and pulled out a strip of smoked salmon. The jay’s eyes sparkled when she put it in his beak. He flew off to hide it before another jay robbed him of his reward.

  Everlasting walked up to the tall hunter, who was helping his people organize for their trip. She spoke in a quiet voice.

  “Four of your people have hidden knives. They must not go to the meeting at the twisted tree if your village is to prosper.”

  The elder hunter didn’t ask how Everlasting knew this. He looked around at the tribe gathered along the shore and spoke in a loud, clear voice.

  “There are four knives hidden among you. I have given my word and the promise of this village that no weapons will be brought to the conference. Those who have knives must immediately return to the village!” />
  Such was his personal power that the guilty ones turned and walked back to the village, grumbling as they left. The rest of the villagers climbed into their canoes and paddled up the river.

  At about the same time, the villagers from upriver were preparing to leave in their canoes. The old, blind woman could see into the hearts of her neighbors. She asked those who desired to bring knives, spears and bows to stay and guard the village. She knew how important it was to follow Everlasting’s instructions.

  A young man offered to help paddle Everlasting’s canoe up The Great River against the strong current. She gratefully accepted his offer. They talked about their lives as they paddled together, Everlasting in the bow, the young man in the stern. Within a few hours, they saw the great, twisted birch tree growing in a meadow of wild flowers. A number of canoes from the old woman’s village had already arrived. The people huddled together nervously on the beach.

  As soon as her canoe touched shore, Everlasting climbed out carrying her talking stick. She helped drag the canoe up the beach, thanked the young man with a shy smile, and ran to embrace the old wise woman. The woman greeted her. “My granddaughter, you have returned.” Joy lighted her face.

  Everlasting ran back to the villagers from down the river who were pulling their canoes onto the beach and glancing suspiciously at the upstream villagers. She spoke to their leader.

  “Oh, great hunter and wise father of many winters! You have shown courage by accepting my invitation to meet beneath the branches of this ancient tree. May I introduce you to my friend and wise woman of her village?”

  “Of course, dear Everlasting. You have shared my home and I accept you as a granddaughter. Your friends are now my friends.”

  Everlasting led the tall hunter along the beach, to meet the old woman. His people trailed along. Everlasting spoke to the two elders she’d grown to love and respect.

  “I am but a little girl, but the kindness you and your families have shown me far from my home village has taught me that the Creator has placed goodness in every human heart. Your people have conflicts, but all feed from the same generous world of plants and animals. I hope you both can help your people understand they must work together so that all can share the blessings of the Great Spirit.”

  The wise old woman and man greeted each other as brother and sister and then led their tribes to sit in a circle under the branches of the massive birch tree. As the people sat in the grass and wildflowers, yode, the golden eagle, dropped from the sky and, folding his wings, settled on the highest branch.

  The people knew then that this was a shaman’s tree, the symbol of mediation, where only peaceful truth can be spoken. The roots of the tree reached into the underworld, the soil and rock upon which the world was built. The trunk belonged to the human and animal world they lived in. The crown of the tree was the spirit world that was before and after time and the source of all things. The people knew the golden eagle as a messenger of the Great Spirit.

  The people spoke for hours around the tree. Each took their turn and none interrupted. Their conflicts were serious. People of both villages said the other tribe had driven the animals and fish away by their greed and by not giving proper respect to ancient traditions. They finally recognized that they all had the same concerns. Many admitted that they had taken more fish and furs than they needed through fear that others would take them if they didn’t. Many had forgotten that the most important part of Déné subsistence living is sharing.

  By the time the sun began to dip toward the hills across The Great River, the people of both villages had agreed to a pact of friendship and cooperation. The great twisted birch would mark the boundary between each village’s hunting, fishing and trapping territories. The people would take only what they needed of the animals and share their bounty with all in their villages. Ancient rituals that honored the spirits of the animals would be practiced. The people from both villages would meet each summer under the tree to discuss any grievances, to trade, and to allow the young men and women of each village to meet each other as possible marriage partners.

  As the people concluded their agreement and sighed with relief, the golden eagle raised his wings, called his high-pitched warble and rose into the glowing sky until he disappeared from sight. Awed, the people sat in silence. Everlasting, holding her talking stick, understood his words and repeated them to everyone under the tree.

  “I am well pleased with my people, the Déné of The Great River. If they do as they promised, I will release the animals so they and their children will never go hungry.”

  That night the people built a great fire in the meadow. They brought out the good food they had packed in their canoes, and all shared in the feast. The people warmed large flat drums of rawhide and beat complicated rhythms with long flexible sticks. Songs of love and adventure were sung. Dancers told stories with bodies and faces about ancient times when men and animals could speak to each other. Friendships were made and young men and women smiled shyly at each other.

  In the morning, the old wise woman took Everlasting aside and spoke to her.

  “Last night I had a dream. I saw two men riding on a giant cottonwood tree down The Great River. They clung to the branches and each other. They talked about their home far up the river. A handsome man with far-seeing eyes talked about his youngest daughter, Everlasting. He knew that she was searching for them.”

  Tears of happiness poured from Everlasting’s eyes as the wise woman related her dream. Now she was sure her beloved father and uncle were still alive. More than ever, Everlasting was determined not to give up her search until she found them.

  Ever since this meeting under the great twisted birch, the tree is called Everlasting’s Tree and is honored by all along The Great River.

  The mother wolf introduced Everlasting to her pups.

  At first they were shy, but as soon as Everlasting sat down, the pups crawled all over her, licking salt from her skin and tugging her clothes with their tiny sharp teeth.

  Chapter 5

  Everlasting and the Yup’ik Village

  Everlasting paddled her canoe down The Great River for many days. Most of the time it was sunny and calm but on some afternoons clouds would build up over the hills to the north. Everlasting learned to get to shore quickly before thunderstorms caught her on the river. Some gray rainy days, Everlasting wore the salmon skin rain clothes her family made and paddled through the rain.

  One calm day, Everlasting paddled across the wide river to the north shore with bluffs and hills that looked like her home country. When she spotted keen-sighted birds like eagles, ravens and hawks, she would pick up her talking stick and call out to them.

  “Have you seen two men on a giant cottonwood tree floating down The Great River?”

  But none, so far, had seen them. She knew the old blind woman’s dream must be true, and she prayed for someone who had seen her father and uncle to tell her that they were all right.

  One day, as she paddled along the north shore, Everlasting thought she saw a shadow among the rocks. She looked carefully and saw a lighter shadow. From behind a washed-up tree root two dark forms emerged, a pair of wolves. They solemnly watched her with their ears perked up and their tails curled over their backs. The larger wolf was almost all black and the smaller was silver gray.

  Everlasting picked up her magic stick and spoke to them.

  “Good day, brother and sister wolf. How goes your hunting?”

  The wolves’ ears perked up even more and their sensitive noses sniffed the air. Natural curiosity overcame them and they walked to the river bank.

  “Greetings to you as well, little sister,” said the gray female wolf. “How do you speak our language so fluently? Your growl in ‘hunting’ was almost perfect!”

  “Why, thank you. I have been blessed with a walking stick that permits me to speak with you in your expressive language.”

  At this, both wolves looked very pleased. Wolves are proud of their language, especial
ly the singing they do in the evening.

  “You asked about our hunting,” said the black male wolf. “We are searching for fat lemmings to feed our hungry pups, but so far we haven’t found a colony to dig out of the ground.”

  “May I travel with you along the shore as you search? I haven’t had companions in a long time.”

  The father wolf said, “We run quickly on our long legs, but if you can keep up in your boat, we would be pleased to have you.”

  The wolf couple took off in their smooth, gliding run. Even though the wolves stopped to sniff here and there, Everlasting had to paddle hard to keep up. Suddenly the female wolf gave a sharp excited bark and circled into a riverside meadow. The male ran after her. Everlasting paddled to shore, pulled her boat up the bank, grabbed her talking stick, and climbed to the grassy meadow. The wolves were creeping through the grass with their rear ends in the air and their tails quivering. Everlasting saw the male pounce and seize in his mouth a brown rodent the size of Everlasting’s foot. He laid his prey on the ground and continued to sniff for lemmings. Soon, the female caught a lemming and laid it next to the other. Everlasting saw many holes in the soft ground of the meadow. The wolves dug vigorously with their big front paws to chase lemmings from their dens. The male caught another rodent, but the female wasn’t having much luck. She trotted over to Everlasting, who had been watching closely.

  “Is there any way you could help us?” she asked. “The lemmings are hiding deep in their holes where we can’t get to them.”

  “I’ll try.”

  Everlasting carried her stick to one of the holes and poked it in as far as it would go. A lemming bolted from his hole and the female wolf pounced on it. Soon, with Everlasting’s help, the pair of wolves had a pile of fat lemmings to take home to their litter of wolf pups. When the hunting ended, the silver gray female wolf invited Everlasting, “Would you like to visit our den? I’m sure our pups would like you.”