very much because they were old and dry. Chiksika said:
“It is the way to count, and to help remember. There are untruthful men, who would boast that they had killed more enemies than they had. But if they do not have the scalps, they do not have to be believed.”
“You told me you killed three, but here is the hair of only one.”
“Those who were near me in the battle know I killed three. I can expect anyone else to believe me only about this one.”
The brothers were talking softly. Though Chiksika had madea name in his first battle and should have felt triumphant, the emptiness where his father’s life had been was too dark and heavy.
After a while Chiksika said, “Now listen well, little brother, for I have very important words to say to you, about our father in battle, and about us.”
Tecumseh embraced his knees and looked from the fire to Chiksika’s profile.
“Our father told me before the battle that he would die. But then he fought as only the greatest warriors could ever fight. I myself saw him kill four officers. He said to kill the Redcoat officers first because the other soldiers would not know what to do if the officers did not tell them and make them do it. One of those I killed was an officer, though not this good one here. Perhaps I killed even more. Sometimes you do not know if one dies, and I had many in my sights. Even those without red coats are easy to see and shoot in the woods. Without war paint their light faces are as clear to see as the egg of a quail in the grass.” Tecumseh envisioned this. Chiksika went on. “We fought the whole day. Our father fought even after he got a broken bone in his face and a broken bone in his knee. He was red all over with blood from his wounds, but he never grew slow or hid himself. I stayed close to him all the time. I thought I could protect him from the bullet or blade that was meant for him. I saved him once from a soldier. He saved me three times. I saved him again, from an officer with a sword. But finally I could not save him from one of the hundreds of bullets that forever came forth from their smoke. I held him in my arms, and his blood from his chest and mouth ran on me. He said he could see his warrior’s star at last, that it was growing near him, that it was big and bright like the sun. He smiled even with the blood in his mouth and told me that he would not be lost beyond, because he could go by the star.”
Tecumseh’s body was trembling like that of a frightened rabbit, but his heart was growing huge inside him as he heard all this about his father in battle. Chiksika said now:
“He gave me promises to keep and to give to you. You must never forget these promises, even if I die in a battle. He said we must always protect our family and bring honor to it. That we must try to teach our little brothers the same. Are you remembering?”
Tecumseh nodded, his throat swollen. He always remembered what Chiksika taught him. Now Chiksika said:
“He told me to help you earn your
pa-waw-ka
when you areready. He told me not to let you forget the burden you are marked to carry, and that we are never to sign treaties with the white men.”
They were silent for a moment. They could hear the gurgling river nearby.
“Those are many promises,” Tecumseh then said in a little voice. “They will be hard to keep.”
“Very hard to keep. The worst times for our People are coming. For the Long Knives are braver enemies than we thought.” Chiksika breathed deeply, wincing with the pain of a hurt rib. He said, “But our father once taught me, a brave enemy is a great gift. He said I will understand that someday. Maybe I am beginning to understand that already.”
“I,” said Tecumseh, shivering, “do not understand that yet. Maybe I am not old enough.”
“They are a strong enemy, but we are stronger because we are right. As for me, I am going to kill white men until our father’s death no longer hurts my heart.”
B LACK F ISH WALKED
“It is the way to count, and to help remember. There are untruthful men, who would boast that they had killed more enemies than they had. But if they do not have the scalps, they do not have to be believed.”
“You told me you killed three, but here is the hair of only one.”
“Those who were near me in the battle know I killed three. I can expect anyone else to believe me only about this one.”
The brothers were talking softly. Though Chiksika had madea name in his first battle and should have felt triumphant, the emptiness where his father’s life had been was too dark and heavy.
After a while Chiksika said, “Now listen well, little brother, for I have very important words to say to you, about our father in battle, and about us.”
Tecumseh embraced his knees and looked from the fire to Chiksika’s profile.
“Our father told me before the battle that he would die. But then he fought as only the greatest warriors could ever fight. I myself saw him kill four officers. He said to kill the Redcoat officers first because the other soldiers would not know what to do if the officers did not tell them and make them do it. One of those I killed was an officer, though not this good one here. Perhaps I killed even more. Sometimes you do not know if one dies, and I had many in my sights. Even those without red coats are easy to see and shoot in the woods. Without war paint their light faces are as clear to see as the egg of a quail in the grass.” Tecumseh envisioned this. Chiksika went on. “We fought the whole day. Our father fought even after he got a broken bone in his face and a broken bone in his knee. He was red all over with blood from his wounds, but he never grew slow or hid himself. I stayed close to him all the time. I thought I could protect him from the bullet or blade that was meant for him. I saved him once from a soldier. He saved me three times. I saved him again, from an officer with a sword. But finally I could not save him from one of the hundreds of bullets that forever came forth from their smoke. I held him in my arms, and his blood from his chest and mouth ran on me. He said he could see his warrior’s star at last, that it was growing near him, that it was big and bright like the sun. He smiled even with the blood in his mouth and told me that he would not be lost beyond, because he could go by the star.”
Tecumseh’s body was trembling like that of a frightened rabbit, but his heart was growing huge inside him as he heard all this about his father in battle. Chiksika said now:
“He gave me promises to keep and to give to you. You must never forget these promises, even if I die in a battle. He said we must always protect our family and bring honor to it. That we must try to teach our little brothers the same. Are you remembering?”
Tecumseh nodded, his throat swollen. He always remembered what Chiksika taught him. Now Chiksika said:
“He told me to help you earn your
pa-waw-ka
when you areready. He told me not to let you forget the burden you are marked to carry, and that we are never to sign treaties with the white men.”
They were silent for a moment. They could hear the gurgling river nearby.
“Those are many promises,” Tecumseh then said in a little voice. “They will be hard to keep.”
“Very hard to keep. The worst times for our People are coming. For the Long Knives are braver enemies than we thought.” Chiksika breathed deeply, wincing with the pain of a hurt rib. He said, “But our father once taught me, a brave enemy is a great gift. He said I will understand that someday. Maybe I am beginning to understand that already.”
“I,” said Tecumseh, shivering, “do not understand that yet. Maybe I am not old enough.”
“They are a strong enemy, but we are stronger because we are right. As for me, I am going to kill white men until our father’s death no longer hurts my heart.”
B LACK F ISH WALKED
Similar Books
