by Franks Busch
“Hey! I was using that!” she said.
“Show some respect for your sister,” said Walking Moon Woman.
“I am sorry,” said Little Grey Bear Boy between gulps, “but I am so thirsty. I have not had any water all day and it was very hot inside the Eagle medicine lodge.”
“What have you been doing in there all day, my boy?” asked Painted Turtle Man.
“I have been tending the fire, trying to learn a teaching.”
“And what teaching is that?”
Little Grey Bear Boy rolled his eyes. “I am not supposed to discuss it with anyone,” he said. “I have to go back tomorrow.”
“This seems a very strange teaching, that would deny a boy a drink of water,” said Painted Turtle Man.
“I do not like this,” said White Willow Woman. “He looks terrible.”
“That’s how he always looks,” said Flying Rabbit Boy with a smirk.
Little Grey Bear Boy was too tired to laugh. “Is there anything to eat?” Little Grey Bear Boy asked. “I am starving!”
“You mean he did not feed you?” White Willow Woman gaped in disbelief.
“I think it was part of the teaching.”
“You think?” asked Painted Turtle Man. “A teacher should inform his pupil if he is going to be required to fast.”
“He seems to want me to learn things on my own.”
“That is unusual,” said Painted Turtle Man. “In my experience, a teacher teaches and a learner learns. Maybe I should go talk to this man.”
“Motch, Moosum,” pleaded Little Grey Bear Boy, “I can handle any test he wishes to give me. I am sure the teaching is coming. This is for my teacher to decide.”
“Little Grey Bear!” shouted White Willow Woman.
“It’s okay,” said Painted Turtle Man. “He is obviously very tired. I don’t care for Red Sky Man’s methods or his teachings, but he is right. These decisions are no longer mine.”
Little Grey Bear Boy was not very talkative that evening and he made his way to his bed roll right after finishing his wild rice and spit-fired rabbit. It didn’t matter that the family tried to keep their usual chatter quiet—Little Grey Bear Boy fell into a deep sleep in a matter of minutes.
He dreamed again, the same as the night before: everyone in the village was afraid of him, but this time fire fell from the sky. In the midst of the fire storm, a silver-skinned woman wearing a white dress walked towards him. Her eyes glowed a bright grey and she spoke his name.
“Little Grey Bear Boy,” Painted Turtle Man was shaking him awake.
“Is it time for the peace pipe?” he asked groggily.
The old man held a water skin to his adopted grandson’s lips. “It is time for you to drink some water.”
He drank gratefully. “Let me find my moccasins.”
“There is no need. I have already smoked the peace pipe and said the prayers.”
Little Grey Bear Boy looked up at his adopted grandfather, by whose side he had walked since he took his first steps. He had not missed going with the Bear medicine carrier to perform the sunrise ceremony since he was a child.
Painted Turtle Man read the boy’s face. “I wanted to let you sleep,” he said. “Do not be troubled. I offered prayers for the both of us.”
“Thank you, Moosum,” said Little Grey Bear Boy. “But I would rather have offered my own prayers.”
“Save your strength. It is time for both of us to begin our tasks.”
They left the Bear lodge and walked through the inner circle of the village. Painted Turtle Man walked towards the Turtle lodge while Little Grey Bear Boy headed for the Eagle medicine lodge, still holding his water skin.
As he followed the old man, he saw Water Lily Woman and her mother emerge from the Turtle lodge. They had been listening for his moosum’s footsteps. Little Grey Bear Boy looked at the three of them preparing to begin their teachings. Water Lily Woman smiled at Painted Turtle Man. A warm smile. A trusting smile.
Little Grey Bear Boy turned his back on them and continued on to the Eagle medicine lodge.
43
nīmitanaw nistosāp
“Was that your grandson?” asked Water Lily Woman, as she and Painted Turtle Man walked toward the forest to begin their lesson.
“Tapwe…” he answered. “And at the same time, motch. I am Walking Moon Woman’s cousin, but he has called me moosum since he was very small. His real grandfather died long before he was born.”
Rising Hawk Man had been like a brother to the old medicine carrier. As a boy, Rising Hawk Man had taken him under his wing, teaching him how to hunt, trap, and fish. When it was time, Rising Hawk Man had become his sponsor for the Sundance ceremony. Of course, most of the Nehiyawak always believed Rising Hawk Man’s only intention had been to catch Walking Moon Woman’s eye, but that never mattered to Painted Turtle Man. They continued to be friends even after Walking Moon Woman chose him for her husband and moved him into the Bear lodge.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Water Lily Woman, interrupting his thoughts. “But it is good he has someone like you in his life.”
“I used to think so.”
“Is everything okay?”
“He is growing up,” Painted Turtle Man explained. “It’s hard for us older people when they do that. They start to need us less and less. You will understand when you are my age.”
“It seems like a difficult thing to understand. I hope I don’t have to learn it for many years.”
“Tapwe.”
They ventured deeper into the forest and the old man had trouble with fallen logs, even with Water Lily Woman’s assistance. While she was unfamiliar with the territory, Painted Turtle Man knew every rock and tree around them. He had lived here most of his life, and as a boy it was here he took the first steps in becoming a man.
When Painted Turtle Man had become ready to walk the warrior road it seemed Rising Hawk Man had less and less time for him. With four small children to care for and another on the way, the young father couldn’t run off to hunt whenever it suited him. Painted Turtle Man had become annoyed with his friend, desperate to prove himself and earn his warrior name. He had hoped to be inducted into the same warrior society so their friendship could become brotherhood. His last words to his old friend had been spoken in anger, as Painted Turtle Man questioned whether or not Rising Hawk Man thought him worthy of his warrior society. Had he only known those would be the last words he would ever speak to his best friend.
“I don’t mean to burden you,” said Painted Turtle Man. “Today is for you to learn about plant medicines, not for me to bother you with old people problems.”
“It is no burden, Moosum. I am happy to learn anything you wish to teach.”
“I’m glad you feel that way, my girl. Who knows how much time I have left to walk upon Mother Earth.”
“Don’t say such things, Moosum,” she said, lowering her eyes. “I wish you many more winters to come. Besides, you accepted tobacco from my mother, so you must teach me everything you know before you journey on.”
“I’ll do what I can,” smiled Painted Turtle Man. “A promise is a promise after all. Tell me, what is it you wish to learn first?”
“I want to learn how to treat injuries.”
“Injuries?”
“Tapwe, to prevent the sickness that can come afterwards,” Water Lily Woman eyes became glassy.
“I see,” said Painted Turtle Man nodding. “I will teach you what I know. There are medicines that can be made into a tea to help with this, but the best way to prevent the sickness from coming is to scorch the wound with fire.”
“With fire?”
“Tapwe.”
“How can fire help a wound?”
“A wound that is caressed with fire will stop bleeding and prevent the sickness.”
“I never w
ould have thought of that,” said Water Lily Woman, helping the old man up a sudden incline in the terrain.
“Who would, without the teaching?” panted Painted Turtle Man, using his will to force his old legs to climb upwards.
“I am grateful we found you, Moosum. I am honoured you would share your wisdom with me.”
“The honour is mine, my girl.”
Painted Turtle Man’s thoughts wandered as they entered the forest in search of healing medicines. The men who first treated Painted Turtle Man’s wounds had no trouble finding fire the night the Red-Eye came to Nisichawayasihk. As they caressed his back with flame he cried out for his friend Rising Hawk Man. When he was told not to speak his friend’s name, he knew it was too late.
“Now then,” said Painted Turtle Man as they entered a clearing. “Today I will teach you how to make my red clover salve.”
44
nīmitanaw niyosāp
“You will not need that,” Soaring Spear Man said to Little Grey Bear Boy, indicating the water skin with his lips.
Little Grey Bear Boy sighed and handed the water skin over before entering the Eagle medicine lodge. He found Red Sky Man sitting next to the fire. He took his place, as on the previous day, and stared into the fire, waiting for his teacher to speak.
“What are the seven colours of the fire?” asked Red Sky Man after a time.
Little Grey Bear Boy looked deep into the fire and considered the question carefully. “Uncle,” the boy began. “I can see red, orange, yellow, blue and green.”
“Is that all?”
“That is all I see.”
“Very well,” Red Sky Man said as he rose to his feet. “I will leave you to it. Remember, you have to replace all of the wood you use.”
With that, he left Little Grey Bear Boy sitting by the fire.
This time, the boy wasted no time in removing his shirt and leggings in anticipation of the heat. He experimented with the fire, adding wood, moving it around, and staring hard here and there trying to make out different colours. He sang softly to the fire to help pass the time, thinking he might even coax the hidden colours into view.
Grandfather Sun crossed Father Sky and the boy was no closer to finding the seven colours than he had been the night before. As the light began to fade he built up the fire in an effort to make a good show of it when Red Sky Man returned. As the flame danced high and the sparks flew out the top of the lodge, Little Grey Bear Boy noticed something in the middle of the widest flames. He wasn’t sure—his eyes had become sore with staring—but he thought he saw a flicker of white like the clouds.
“Could this be one of the seven colours of the fire?” he said, startling himself as he spoke. Little Grey Bear Boy went to the doorway and poked his head out of the flaps.
“What are the seven colours of the fire?” he asked Soaring Spear Man in a monotone voice.
“Red, orange, yellow, blue, green, white…and purple?”
Soaring Spear Man frowned.
“There you are, my boy!” called Painted Turtle Man, walking towards the Eagle medicine lodge. “Your mother wants you to come and eat.”
Soaring Spear Man frowned again, but the memory of what had happened the day before, as well as the respect he felt for his former teacher, made him look down at Little Grey Bear Boy and nod. The tired and parched boy dressed quickly and left the lodge, joining his adopted grandfather on the walk to the Bear lodge.
“So what did you learn today,” asked the old man, sipping from a water skin then handing it to the boy.
Little Grey Bear Boy took the water skin gratefully, drinking from it in gulps. “I don’t think I understand this teaching.”
“Well, what is it?” asked Painted Turtle Man as they crossed the centre of the circle of lodges. People were milling about and returning to their lodges for the evening meal.
“I am not supposed to discuss it with anyone,” answered the boy as a pair of yapping puppies darted in front of them.
“I respect that you are paying close attention to your teacher, but sometimes the way to learn something is to ask others who might know. Do you think that is the case?”
“I can learn the teaching on my own.” said Little Grey Bear Boy. “I’m not a child anymore, you know.”
“Very well,” conceded Painted Turtle Man. “I will be here if you need me.”
////
Little Grey Bear Boy ate his meal and went straight to sleep. He dreamed again of the silvery-skinned woman in the white dress appearing out of the fire. She turned and began to walk away, turning into a white buffalo as she went.
Little Grey Bear Boy woke in a cold sweat. It was still night.
He had dreamed of the fabled White Buffalo Calf Woman, the one who had brought Kitchi Manitou’s teachings to the Nehiyawak so long ago. The vision puzzled him. What did it mean? Did her appearance mean the Nehiyawak had lost their way?
Someone had placed a full water skin next to him as he slept. He opened it up and drank. Feeling refreshed and calmed he went back to sleep, unaware of the foggy old eyes of Painted Turtle Man watching over him.
In the morning, Painted Turtle Man woke him.
“Is it time?” the boy asked wiping the crust out of his eyes.
“Tapwe,” said the old man, “it is time for you to go back to the Eagle medicine lodge.”
“You mean you did the ceremony without me again?”
Painted Turtle Man smiled. “I am sorry. I woke up very early this morning. Father Sky was still black as Brother Raven’s wings.”
“That early, Moosum?”
“Tapwe, my boy, and when I came back just now I saw a very interesting looking bird. I could have used your sharp eyes with me. This bird looked to have black tips on his wings, but I could not be sure.”
“I have never seen such a bird,” said Little Grey Bear Boy.
“Nor have I,” agreed Painted Turtle Man. “I am still trying to decipher the meaning of his message. Perhaps you will think of it today as you receive your teachings.”
“But I did not see the bird for myself. How can I interpret a message I didn’t receive?”
“Not every message we receive is for us to understand. Sometimes the message comes to us but is meant for another. That is why it is a good idea to talk about these visions with others.”
Little Grey Bear Boy avoided the old man’s gaze and took a long drink of water.
“I noticed your sleep was troubled. Is there anything you wish to discuss?”
“Motch…”
“You are a smart boy,” said Painted Turtle Man, trying to conceal his disappointment. “Think about the bird this day and we can discuss it again later. We had better go and begin our day.”
Little Grey Bear Boy made his way to the Eagle medicine lodge for the third day. He was shown into the lodge by Soaring Spear Man. Red Sky Man sat by the fire as usual.
“What are the seven colours of the fire?” he asked as Little Grey Bear Boy took his place.
“Uncle, I see red, orange, yellow, blue, green and white,” answered Little Grey Bear Boy.
“Is that all?” said the Eagle medicine carrier.
“I am sorry, Uncle. That is all I have seen.”
Red Sky Man got to his feet and began to leave.
“Can I ask you something?” Little Grey Bear Boy said quickly.
“What is it?”
“Last night, I had a dream.”
“A vision?”
“Tapwe,” he said. “The White Buffalo Calf Woman was in it.”
“White Buffalo Calf Woman? You still believe in that stuff?”
“Uncle?”
“I thought you were grown up.” Red Sky Man was laughing now. “I thought you were ready to walk man’s road.”
Little Grey Bear Boy blushed and looked down at the fire. Red Sky
Man continued to the doorway. Before he left, he turned back to Little Grey Bear Boy. “You are running out of wood.”
Little Grey Bear Boy’s cheeks felt as though they were on fire. He took off his shirt and leggings for another sweltering day. To benefit from both a full fire and less heat, he kept the fire at a medium size. As he tried to focus on the task at hand, he could feel a burning sensation from behind his eyes.
By midday he began looking around the Eagle medicine lodge, hoping to find a forgotten water skin. He stared into the fire and sang songs, still only able to make out six colours. He began thinking about the bird Painted Turtle Man saw. What bird has black at the very tips of its wings? Little Grey Bear Boy’s mind wandered and he began to picture the bird dancing in the flames of the fire. The tips of its wings were indeed black.
“Black,” said Little Grey Bear Boy to himself.
At the very tip of the flames during the midday sun, he saw black. Counting on his fingers the colours he could see in the flames, again and again he came to seven. There was nothing more to do but to inform Soaring Spear Man and find Red Sky Man.
“What are the seven colours of the fire?” asked Soaring Spear Man.
“Brother, I see red, orange, yellow, blue, green, white and black,” said Little Grey Bear Boy confidently.
Soaring Spear Man paused and frowned at Little Grey Bear Boy. “Uh… let me find R-Red Sky Man,” he stammered.
“Can I go?” asked Little Grey Bear Boy.
“M-motch. I think you should wait until I have found Red Sky Man.”
“Well hurry back when you have found him.” For the first time in three days, Little Grey Bear Boy smiled.
Soaring Spear Man scurried off to the Eagle lodge and then went about the village searching for Red Sky Man. Little Grey Bear Boy held the door flaps open, trying to air out the lodge with the breeze that was blowing now and then. After a time, Soaring Spear Man returned.
“He must have gone out picking medicines,” he said.
