In The Beginning

by Richard Webber

  Chapter Twenty Six

  The next few days passed in a flash. There was much to do, but I was able to delegate the leadership of the work crews to Garon, Cadune, Catto and Kalou. Under my guidance, Garon and Cadune led most of the men that were not out hunting in preparing the soil and building the pen for the goats. Catto and Kalou were the leaders of the group I trained to build the tools we would need for farming and construction.

  The tribe already used crude tools to dig holes and build their huts, but they were not sharp enough and did not work well. The first afternoon I taught Catto, Kalou and several others how to make sharper, better axes and shaping tools using the new stone I had brought back.

  With these new axes, the next day the building crew was able to cut many thin, straight trees to use as fence posts and rails for the goat pen. The tool makers were taught how to shape a good shovel out of wood so the building crew could dig holes to set their fence posts. I also taught them how to fashion both a pick and a hoe out of wood and stone.

  By cutting notches in the posts and using leather strapping to hold on the rails, a large, solid pen was quickly built for the goats. A pen would not always be necessary, because in time the goats would become domesticated and want to stay with the villagers, but for now it was needed.

  While the building crew was taking care of the pen, I was able to teach the tool makers how to fashion a plow and some other tools for working the soil. Since we had no cattle the plow would need to be pulled by humans, but it was functional and would do an adequate job of turning the soil and loosening it to prepare for planting.

  Buckets were difficult to make, but they would be needed. I had decided against building an irrigation system for now, so I wanted them to make quite a few buckets for carrying water from the stream. To make the buckets we chopped down the right size of tree, cut the tree into lengths and then performed the tedious work of hollowing out the pieces of wood to form a depression for carrying water. Once the hollow was created, two holes were put into the top to install a strap for a handle. When the villagers saw their first bucket in action they were very excited. Their wonder at this simple tool made me laugh.

  While the tool makers were busy hollowing out buckets, I took time to shape some simple kitchen utensils for examples of what they could make. I fashioned a plate, bowl, cup and spoon out of wood, and showed them to the villagers I was working with. They immediately realized how wonderful they would be to use with their meals, and soon everyone that could wield a small axe or carving knife was shaping kitchen items.

  I was especially pleased that I needed to spend just a short amount of time teaching the villagers how to do something, whether it was building a fence or shaping a spoon, and they would quickly begin to do it on their own with a high level of speed and quality. The more we worked together, the more I realized it was not intelligence they lacked; it was ideas, ingenuity, and experience.

  In just ten days many tools were made, pens for the goats were built, and sufficient fields were prepared to allow us to return for the plants we had found in the hills. Most of the men would remain behind to hunt and guard the village, while under the guidance of Garon and Kalou, the woman and the men too young or old to hunt would continue to make tools, utensils and buckets.

  I was leading all the men the tribe could spare, which was twelve including myself, Cadune and Catto. Everyone understood this was not a hunting party, but a trip to gather and bring back as many seeds and whole plants as possible; plants that would be transplanted and grown in the fields the tribe had prepared. All the men were strong, and everyone would need to carry a large, heavy pack on the return journey.

  We started at sunrise and traveled fast. We carried little besides the small shovels that we would use to dig out the plants and cords of leather in case we discovered more animals.

  The trip passed uneventfully. We travelled the same route as the first trip and gathered plants as we went. Some fruits and vegetables, such as the cucumber and corn, carry their seed inside, so whenever possible we took the produce and left the plant. But most of the time we had to dig up and carry the entire plant.

  Though we were not able to take many of each variety, I was not worried. This was only our first trip, and after a few more trips we would have enough plants to provide plenty of food for the tribe. Even so, my intention was not so much to feed the tribe with the produce this year as it was to gather the seeds we would require to feed the tribe in the future.

  We worked quickly, the men filling their packs with plants as I directed them. Once again we camped by the corn field, but we saw no goats; apparently the young ram had moved on. That night we roasted corn over the fire, and had a good dinner with some of the food we had gathered during the day.

  We rose early the following morning, and on our return trip I made sure we passed by the hidden rock outcropping. I filled my empty bag with good rock until the straps strained to hold the weight. Though the villagers would need to continue to gather rock in the future to build more spears, knives and tools, I was able to carry a good amount to get us started.

  Because of the size of our group and the noise we made, we encountered no animals on our trip. Since we had no goats to capture or drag behind us, we were able to return to the village quickly, arriving home in the afternoon. We were met by the entire tribe and greeted with shouts of joy and celebration. The rest of the afternoon was spent planting and watering in everything we had brought back.

  Over the following weeks we made many trips to gather plants, until our fields were full to bursting. We did not take everything, but left some plants growing in the forest.

  I wanted to ensure that every task from building tools to farming and taking care of livestock could be done competently by everyone, so we continued to use the work groups that had been set up earlier, but we added the rest of the tribe, including the hunters. These groups had to learn to do everything, so some watered and cared for the plants while others learned to care for the goats or carved utensils or built tools. The groups rotated, and soon everyone in the village had learned to do every job that we currently had.

  One day as Garon, Cadune and I were talking about the goats, I mentioned that some day it would probably be necessary for everyone in the tribe to stay at the village to raise food and care for the animals, and hunting parties would go out only to supplement the food we would grow.

  Cadune laughed heartily at this idea, “It would be impossible to raise everything here at the village for the tribe to eat. We will never be able to stop hunting the deer and the boar.”

  Garon agreed, “We are doing well, but there is no way goats could ever provide all the meat we need.”

  I told them with a smile, “It will take two years, just twenty four cycles of the moon. I promise you, by that time we will have so much food for this tribe that you will get as fat as the fattest sow.”

  They both laughed, but they were not sure if I was serious or joking.

  I smiled, “Just wait and you will see. Give it time.”

  As soon as we finished the plant gathering trips to the hills, I chose several of our strongest runners and we went off to gather the wheat plants I had discovered earlier. Travelling with the additional men was much slower than running through the valley alone, and it took almost two days to reach the river. Though there was not an abundance of wheat plants, they were still there, spindly and in the process of being choked out by the thick grass.

  Since none of the villagers could swim, the most difficult part of the journey was crossing the river. As I looked at the water and got ready to dive in, I suddenly remembered my idea from the first time I traveled here, that the villagers could eat fish. I promised myself that someday I would catch a fish for them to taste, but that day not today.

  I demonstrated to the men how I could swim in the river, proving to them it was safe. One at a time I swam the four men across the river, struggling to breathe as each in succession clutched me in terror. Since I could no
t work with any plants without killing them, the men carefully dug and loaded their backpacks full with the salvaged wheat plants. After I helped the men return across the river I went back for the heavy backpacks, which I swam across one by one held high above my head. As soon as I finished we started our long trip back to the village. The wheat plants were immediately put into the prepared ground upon our return, and after a few days of good water they began to grow tall and strong.

  Planting the wheat was the final piece in the first stage of my plan. There was still much work to be done, but the hardest part was over. I had established a foundation for the village’s future. The tribe had livestock and crops, and they had a working knowledge of the tools they needed and how to make those tools. Though it was bittersweet for me, the villagers were now fully trained to plant, grow, and care for all their current crops and animals.

  When I had still been able to farm with my own hands I had loved the entire growth process, and I tried my best to impart this same love to the tribe. A small seed, which you had picked and saved from the season before, was placed in the earth. With sun and sufficient water a shoot would emerge, and with care and attention it would grow strong and true until it reached maturity. It then could fulfill its purpose, the reason the seed had been placed on the earth. It could nourish our bodies and provide the sustenance that man needed to survive and flourish. While I was very glad the tribe could now grow their own food, since I could no longer participate actively it was with some sadness that I watched their progress as farmers.

  I was very proud of myself. I was well on my way to establishing a strong and successful tribe, one which someday would conquer all people in the land. I was seen by the villagers as some sort of god from the desert, no matter what they said to my face. I had recently decided this was actually good; that as long as they ascribed me special powers and remained in awe of me, my ascension to the seat of power in the tribe would occur naturally as the current leaders died off. There was no one that would dare challenge me among the younger men, and even the current leaders, such as Garon and Cadune, did what I wanted.

  Though it was by far the most difficult change for the tribe to accept, slow progress continued to be made as they learned to speak my language. I had asked Kalou to teach the young ones, knowing that if the children spoke only in my tongue, eventually that would be the only language spoken by all the tribe.

  As often happened, Kalou didn’t agree with my belief that it was vital for the tribe to completely change to using only my language.

  One day when I expressed frustration about some of the older members of the tribe still wanting to use their old language she said, “You know, our language served us well for a very long time. Why is it so important that everyone now use only your words when we speak?”

  I tried to explain, “The old language doesn’t have enough words, and the words are not as descriptive. With the old language you can’t communicate as easily; my language is just much better. Also, to use two different languages is confusing and as time goes on it will become even more difficult. There needs to be only one language used by the tribe, and the best language is the one I brought you.”

  Kalou gave me one of her long, piercing looks, and finally said, “Alright, I understand. But our old language is not bad, and you need to be patient with the old ones. It is difficult for them; they have spoken the old language for many years.”

  She made a good point, and I agreed, “That’s true. I’ll try to be more patient, but that’s not something I’m very good at.”

  “Yes, I have noticed you like to get your way all the time,” she said pointedly as she walked away.

  He always makes it sound as though he is doing everything to help the tribe, but sometimes I think his reasons are false. Though the new ways do help us, I still think he puts himself and what he wants before what is best for the tribe.

  The reasons I gave Kalou for requiring the tribe to learn my language were true, but they were not the whole truth. I could not tell her that I just didn’t like their language with its shouting and gesturing; that its crudity offended me. And I definitely could not tell her the most important reason for using only my language.

  After I finished changing this tribe into a people more to my liking and brought an increase to their numbers and strength, I would conquer every tribe in this land. I could not have them each speaking different crude languages. I intended to unite all people under one culture and one language. Mine.