In The Beginning

by Richard Webber

  Chapter Thirty Two

  Our trip back to the village passed quickly and uneventfully. As Aron and I had agreed, Gadu came with us. He was to be the northern tribe’s representative, and would be involved in the final planning for the move to the new city. I had been impressed by Gadu since the first time I spoke with him, and he would give the northern tribe a voice among my leaders. Gadu was an intelligent man, and I could see he wanted to do what was best for his people. He did not appear to fear change, which besides intelligence, was to me the most important characteristic in a leader.

  Before I left for the north I had drawn up plans of how the city and surrounding fields would be laid out. I had also decided on a general timeframe for building the city and how we would move the people, crops and flocks. While I was gone Kalou and Cadune had been charged with developing the specific plans for the move; how long building the city should take, who would build, who would stay in the village, when crops would move, when people would move. On my return to the village, the layout of the city and the plans for the move would be finalized and put into motion.

  What I was doing, building a city to combine two tribes together, was more complicated than I had ever imagined, and on occasion I wondered if I could make it happen. But whenever my confidence wavered I would pause and think of whom I was, remembering my position in the world, and my resolve would quickly return.

  When we arrived back at the village I immediately sought out Kalou. Though we had worked closely together for years prior to our marriage, I had come to trust and depend on her even more since we were joined. The trip north was the first time we were separated since our marriage, and I had truly missed her and our time together.

  When I found her she was baking bread with some of the other women. Without thinking we embraced, but when I heard the women's laughter I was embarrassed, and we left them and went for a walk.

  I surprised myself when the first thing out of my mouth was, “I missed you while I was gone.”

  She looked very pleased, and smiling up at me said, “Well I missed you too. Was your trip successful? What did they decide?”

  “They agreed to join with our tribe. Gadu came back with us. He will stay here and work with us to finish the planning and get the city laid out, and then he will go back to his tribe and return with the men and women that will help us build the city.”

  “What did you think of their leaders? Are they trustworthy? Do you think this is something they really want to do, or are they only joining our tribe out of fear?”

  “They have only one elder that leads their tribe, and I do not think he is trustworthy. He does not fear us and he is very wily, but he does this for the good of his people. He knows we have abundant food, and he also knows we are stronger and have more powerful weapons than his tribe. He joins us because he has to and also because he wants to. But it is obvious that he is conniving, and he is looking for a way that this can be made to favor his people.”

  Kalou thought about this, looking at the sky and absently tapping her front teeth with her forefinger as she considered my words. “If you know they are not to be trusted, why let them join with us? Isn’t there something else you can do? What if they join us and then in the night try to kill us?”

  We had now reached the edge of the stream, and we sat down on some rocks, making ourselves comfortable. “I believe that most of the people are trustworthy and will want only to improve their lives. Their tribe is just like your tribe was when I met you; it is made up of many different people. Some are intelligent and willing to lead and change, but most only want to live their lives as best they can. They want to do what is needed during the day to get along, and go to bed each night happy and with a full belly. I think it is just Aron that needs to be watched and controlled. Gadu is intelligent and a good man, and the other men respect him. I will make him a leader in the new tribe, and that will satisfy their people. Aron is old and will fade to insignificance as their tribe becomes one with ours.”

  Kalou looked at me intently, suddenly very serious. “Cain, don’t underestimate Aron. He sounds like a snake to me. Snakes always strike when you least expect, and you never see them until it is too late.”

  I laughed, “Don’t worry Kalou, I know what I am doing. It is better to keep the enemy you know about close by where you can watch them, than to let them plot in the darkness.”

  Kalou continued to look up at me, still concerned, but questioned me about Aron no longer. We rose and walked slowly to our home, talking about the progress she and Cadune had made.

  They had divided up all the able-bodied people in the tribe into work groups, which would take turns building the city and preparing and planting the fields around the city. While some people would remain at only the city or the village, many would rotate between the two, one moon in the city and one moon here. By rotating they would not be separated from their families for too long a period of time.

  It was very important that we keep enough people here in the village. They would need to continue farming and harvesting, taking care of the livestock, caring for the children and elderly, and protecting the village in case of treachery by the northern tribe. All members of the tribe who were not strong enough to travel and do the hard work of building and preparing the fields would remain behind in the village, along with a force of men to hunt and guard.

  I had a meeting with all my leaders the following day where we reviewed the final plans and all that would need to be done. Kalou, Cadune, Catto, and Nadar were there, as well as Amtah, a woman that had become a leader among the weavers and bakers, Sagan and Lataan, two men that excelled in all aspects of farming, and Ataran, an intelligent and creative builder who was the villages’ best woodworker.

  Gadu was not included in this meeting. Though I believed he was to be trusted, I did not want him to know the specific numbers of the people that would be left in the village and working on the city. I did not want him to unwittingly transfer any information to Aron that may endanger my people when he returned to his tribe.

  “While I am gone building the city Cadune will be leader over the village. He will answer only to me, and everyone else will answer to him. Nadar will also stay here and be in charge of hunting, fishing, and all the men that protect the village. Amtah is responsible for all clothing, cooking and baking, while Sagan will manage the care of the crops, fields and livestock.”

  “Lataan will go with me and be in charge of preparing the fields and starting the planting for the new city. Catto will be responsible for all the builders of the city, and Ataran will work with him. I will travel often between the village and the city, and Kalou is the leader of the city whenever I am not there. Does everyone understand their duties?”

  They all nodded. They were competent men and women, and had proven themselves over the years. I had no worries that they would fail me or the tribe.

  I continued, “We will rotate the men and women of the tribe that can travel and work between here and the city, so everyone has a chance to build and become familiar with our new home. All of you will remain at only one location, responsible for leading the people that are placed under your charge.”

  Here I paused, uncertain of the response my next words would receive. “The northern tribe will send about fifty people to work with us. I will divide those people between the village and the city. I want them to be taught to farm, fish, bake and weave; they must learn to do everything that we do. They will also help in building, preparing fields and planting at the city, but they really need to learn the daily tasks that all are required to do in our tribe. They are like you were seven years ago. They have never done any of the work that you now do every day. In order to join our tribe as equals they must be taught everything we know.”

  As I expected, the response was varied. Most accepted my statement quietly, but Nadar and Sagan protested vehemently. “Why must we teach these outsiders everything we know? They are killers and thieves! It is bad enough we let them join our tribe
, but they are not our equals. They should be nothing more than workers to build the city and toil in the fields!”

  I saw Amtah and Cadune nod quietly to themselves in response to this outburst. I understood how they felt and had fully expected this reaction from some of my leaders, and definitely from Nadar. I answered them as honestly as I could, knowing that what I said might put me in dangerous territory.

  “The northern tribe was dishonorable and they did evil, but they did what their leader told them. The men knew stealing our women and killing as they did was evil, and they should have told their leader they would not do it. All people have free will and the capacity to know right from wrong, but they went along with their leader when they should have said no, and this was their wrong. But I, and through me our tribe, have given them mercy. With mercy must come forgiveness, or we can never heal.”

  I continued, “If we bring them into our tribe only as laborers and not as our equals, we will never really give them forgiveness, and they will not become one with our tribe. There will continue to be anger on both sides, and eventually that anger will again turn to violence. They are as you once were, and they need to be taught to become as you now are. Though none of you are murderers or thieves, all people have done wrong in some way, and all people need forgiveness at some point.”

  “If we are to become one people,” I finished, looking around the room, “we must accept everyone into our tribe as equals, as people that need only to be taught to become like us.”

  There was complete silence in the room. Everyone was thinking about what I had said and trying to make sense of it, with some understanding more than others. This was the first time I had ever spoken to them of moral standards, of right and wrong, and good and evil, and it gave everyone much to think about.

  Did I really believe what I had just said? Though I said it in part to justify my decision to bring more people into the tribe and make myself more powerful, it was still true. I knew for a fact, perhaps better than any other man, that all people know right from wrong and have the capacity to choose one from the other; this is the free will given us by God. Mercy and forgiveness are characteristics of God, and mercy He had shown to me when I killed Abel. We should now show these same characteristics to the northern tribe. This would make us more human, and yet more like God.

  I understand what Cain says. I think he is right and speaks wisely. But does he really think this way, or does he only say this to make the tribe do what he wants?

  Finally Nadar spoke, “I think what you say is true. I know what is good and what is bad, and I try to do the good but do not always succeed. I also understand when you say that if we do not accept the Northerners as equals there will be anger and someday more fighting. So I agree to teach them, and I will try to treat them as my equal.”

  Everyone else in the room nodded and murmured their agreement with Nadar.

  “Thank you Nader, you do the right thing.”

  I looked into the eyes of all who were gathered around the room. “So let us begin. I will call the people together and let them know our plans. You should then gather your people to you and make sure everyone knows their job; what they will do and where they will go. We will leave the day after tomorrow to begin the city.”