reservation. The only reservation where we will live is our own in the Long Valley. If they say that it is not our reservation anymore, then I will ask them to let us go on without delaying us.
“I will say that we are on our way to Canada and bear them no ill will. I will say that Canada is our mother now. I can see her in my heart.
“Do you feel sad at leaving America? Our people have lived on this land since they arrived on earth.”
“But suppose they don’t let us go where we want to go and instead interfere with the People?” said Long Wind.
“Then I will break off the meeting with the colonel and announce that we must move on again.”
“Suppose the whites shoot at us?”
“We will take care of that when it comes to that.”
“Without arms?”
“We are not without arms,” Chief Jozip said. “We don’t want to use our arms if we don’t have to.”
“You will get nothing from the white faces but scorn and lies.”
“We will see.”
“By the time you begin to see,” said the young Indian in a tight rage, “half our people will be dead.”
“We will say we want peace, that peace leads to peace.”
“They will say, ‘Peace leads to war when two nations collide,’ although you don’t seem to understand that.”
“Don’t speak to me with murder in your heart, Long Wind.”
“That is what I have in my heart,” said Long Wind bitterly. He walked away, leaving Jozip sitting alone by his fire.
Now One Blossom came forth from the dark to speak to Jozip. Jozip did not tell her what Long Wind had said to him.
One Blossom spoke angrily: “Don’t you take any pleasure in being with me?”
“Of cuss,” the chief said, “but how much pleasure can I take if you belong to Indian Head?”
“Indian Head belongs to Indian Head,” One Blossom said. “He is my friend, but I have never said I will be his squaw. I am Chief Joseph’s daughter, and will tell my man when I have chosen him. My father never gave me to anyone. I will love who I please. That is my message to Jozip the chief.”
Jozip told her he was in no mood to hear that message.
“Our tribe is now being followed by an American army,” he said. “I have to think of the tribe first. I have also Indian Head to think about. He is my friend. And I have our long journey, and at last the escape to think of which the council has planned.”
Jozip said, “My name is like your father’s name. Think of that and what it means.”
“Please don’t tell me what I must think.”
One Blossom fled into the dark wood.
Jozip called out an affectionate name, but she did not return.
He scattered the glowing embers of his fire.
TWELVE
Three Indians
ON THE MORNING of the twentieth day of the tribe’s long trek to Canada, One Blossom rode with Jozip, who had been riding with Indian Head. For a while all rode together. No one said much to the others. Jozip, uncomfortable with himself, tried to think out a way to put them at ease with each other.
He spoke his mind openly. “My friend Indian Head and my friend One Blossom, let us tulk in such a way that it makes us comfortable to be together. Our big purpose must still be to protect the people from any kind harm, while we gradually leave our country. On this subject I am not always happy, but I have made up my mind what I must do and I will do it. What bothers me the most is that I feel we are angry and without trust for each other.
“Indian Head,” Jozip asked, “are you angry and without trust on account of me, and if so, why? It feels to me like all of a sudden you are suspicious of me.”
“I will tell you at once,” Indian Head said curtly. “Are you trying to take One Blossom from me?”
“God forbid,” said Jozip.
“I am not yours to be taken away from you,” One Blossom said.
“Your father, the good Chief Joseph, wanted us to marry,” Indian Head said. “He told me so.”
“He never said that to me,” One Blossom said.
Indian Head asked her whether she
“I will say that we are on our way to Canada and bear them no ill will. I will say that Canada is our mother now. I can see her in my heart.
“Do you feel sad at leaving America? Our people have lived on this land since they arrived on earth.”
“But suppose they don’t let us go where we want to go and instead interfere with the People?” said Long Wind.
“Then I will break off the meeting with the colonel and announce that we must move on again.”
“Suppose the whites shoot at us?”
“We will take care of that when it comes to that.”
“Without arms?”
“We are not without arms,” Chief Jozip said. “We don’t want to use our arms if we don’t have to.”
“You will get nothing from the white faces but scorn and lies.”
“We will see.”
“By the time you begin to see,” said the young Indian in a tight rage, “half our people will be dead.”
“We will say we want peace, that peace leads to peace.”
“They will say, ‘Peace leads to war when two nations collide,’ although you don’t seem to understand that.”
“Don’t speak to me with murder in your heart, Long Wind.”
“That is what I have in my heart,” said Long Wind bitterly. He walked away, leaving Jozip sitting alone by his fire.
Now One Blossom came forth from the dark to speak to Jozip. Jozip did not tell her what Long Wind had said to him.
One Blossom spoke angrily: “Don’t you take any pleasure in being with me?”
“Of cuss,” the chief said, “but how much pleasure can I take if you belong to Indian Head?”
“Indian Head belongs to Indian Head,” One Blossom said. “He is my friend, but I have never said I will be his squaw. I am Chief Joseph’s daughter, and will tell my man when I have chosen him. My father never gave me to anyone. I will love who I please. That is my message to Jozip the chief.”
Jozip told her he was in no mood to hear that message.
“Our tribe is now being followed by an American army,” he said. “I have to think of the tribe first. I have also Indian Head to think about. He is my friend. And I have our long journey, and at last the escape to think of which the council has planned.”
Jozip said, “My name is like your father’s name. Think of that and what it means.”
“Please don’t tell me what I must think.”
One Blossom fled into the dark wood.
Jozip called out an affectionate name, but she did not return.
He scattered the glowing embers of his fire.
TWELVE
Three Indians
ON THE MORNING of the twentieth day of the tribe’s long trek to Canada, One Blossom rode with Jozip, who had been riding with Indian Head. For a while all rode together. No one said much to the others. Jozip, uncomfortable with himself, tried to think out a way to put them at ease with each other.
He spoke his mind openly. “My friend Indian Head and my friend One Blossom, let us tulk in such a way that it makes us comfortable to be together. Our big purpose must still be to protect the people from any kind harm, while we gradually leave our country. On this subject I am not always happy, but I have made up my mind what I must do and I will do it. What bothers me the most is that I feel we are angry and without trust for each other.
“Indian Head,” Jozip asked, “are you angry and without trust on account of me, and if so, why? It feels to me like all of a sudden you are suspicious of me.”
“I will tell you at once,” Indian Head said curtly. “Are you trying to take One Blossom from me?”
“God forbid,” said Jozip.
“I am not yours to be taken away from you,” One Blossom said.
“Your father, the good Chief Joseph, wanted us to marry,” Indian Head said. “He told me so.”
“He never said that to me,” One Blossom said.
Indian Head asked her whether she
Similar Books
