Chapter 8
Scarface invited him to lead, and Fleetfoot accepted. He was glad to lead in a real hunting dance, but he was still more glad to have a chance to prevent an attack upon the Bison clan. And so he resolved to plan a dance which would make them forget their plan.
When the time came to begin the dance, Fleetfoot was ready to lead. He knew that the men all wanted to find good hunting grounds. So he showed them where to find such grounds and what trails to follow.
A few days later he went with the people to these very grounds. There they hunted the bison herds and the Irish deer. And when each of the clans had chosen a place to camp, Fleetfoot bade them farewell. Then it was that the bravest young men came forward and said that they would follow him. And so the young men agreed to be brothers and to help one another in times of need. They agreed upon signs which they should use when they wanted to meet. And when Fleetfoot started homeward, the young men escorted him.
Of the adventures on the way to the Bison clan's cave there is little time to tell. All the young men were faithful. And as they journeyed on their way, they recalled Fleetfoot's brave deeds in a victory song.
#THINGS TO DO#
_Show how the people acted from the time Fleetfoot threw his spear until they knew who he was. Draw pictures which will illustrate the story._
_Make such a hunting dance as you think Fleetfoot led. Show in your sand-map the places where the hunting grounds were._
_Name all the running games you know. Tell how you play one of them. Draw a picture of the Cave-men playing games._
_Make a throwing-stick._
_Look at the picture of the Irish deer and tell how it appears to differ from other deer you know. For what do you think it uses its large and heavy antlers?_
XXXIV
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
What do you think Flaker will do while Fleetfoot is gone? What do you think the Bison clan will do when Fleetfoot returns?
Which do you think will be the greater man--Fleetfoot or Flaker?
What things do you think Fleetfoot will do? What do you think Flaker will do?
_Fleetfoot's Return_
Flaker missed Fleetfoot more than he could tell. Awake, he thought of his dangerous journey. Asleep, he was with him in his dreams. Many, many times each day he prayed for Fleetfoot's safe return.
Ever since the strangers had camped on their lands, the Bison clan had been anxious. When questioned about it, Greybeard was sad and Bighorn shook his head. So the women were trying to arouse their courage, and Flaker was carving prayers.
When Fleetfoot announced his return, it was Flaker who heard his whistle. It was he who shouted the glad tidings to all the Cave-men. And though he was lame, he was the first who ran ahead to greet him.
Fleetfoot and his companions had halted on a hillside not far from the cave. It was from this hill that Fleetfoot whistled so as to announce his return. Here his companions waited, while Fleetfoot advanced alone.
While Fleetfoot greeted his friends and showed them his wonderful necklace, his companions chanted his brave deeds in a victory song. It was thus that the Bison clan learned of Fleetfoot's brave deeds. It was thus that they learned of his courage which came from fasting and prayer.
When the song was ended, Bighorn advanced with Fleetfoot, and together they escorted the brave young men to the cave of the Bison clan. There they feasted, and rested, and played games until it was time for Fleetfoot's last test.
Meanwhile the young men became acquainted with Flaker. Fleetfoot had told them about him. He had shown them the dagger Flaker made and the engraving of the Big Bear. And so the young men were glad to see him and make him one of their brotherhood.
When the time came for Fleetfoot's last test, he asked permission to speak. And when Bighorn nodded his head, Fleetfoot told the people the story of how he and Flaker had worked and played together. He told of Flaker's bravery the day he was hurt by the bison. He told of Flaker's poniard which he used to kill the cave-bear. He told of the tools which Flaker had made for working bone and horn.
Then he said that the people of the Bison clan had taught them to worship the gods. He said that Flaker had the favor of the gods and that his prayers would bring success. And he urged the Cave-men, on account of these things, to forget that Flaker was lame, and to admit him into the ranks of the full-grown men.
The Cave-men listened to what Fleetfoot said and they all gave assent. And when they made ready to receive Fleetfoot, Flaker was brought forward. The nose of each of the boys was pierced and they were given nose ornaments. On account of his bravery Fleetfoot was given a baton which showed that he might lead the men. And Flaker, too, received a baton, but his was to show that he could lead in the worship of the gods.
And so every one knew that Fleetfoot and Flaker were brave young men. They had passed the tests that had been given for courage, and patience, and self-control. Fleetfoot's companions stayed at the cave until the ceremonies were ended. Then they renewed their vows to help one another and took leave of the Bison clan. And Fleetfoot, having done his duty, was free to return to Willow-grouse.
#THINGS TO DO#
_See if you can make such a victory song as you think the young men sang. See if you can make the speech which Fleetfoot made for Flaker._
_Dramatize this lesson, and then draw a picture of the part you like the best._
_See if you can make a baton._
XXXV
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Why do you think people began to live in places where there were no caves? Can you think what kind of a shelter they might find?
Find out all you can about the difference between the winter and summer coat of some animal you know.
Which skins do you think would be used for curtains and beds? Which skins would be used for clothing? Which for the heavy winter coats?
_Willow-grouse_
Soon after the salmon feast, Willow-grouse saw her people again. When they went away, no one knew why she stayed behind. When they returned, no one noticed how eager she was to hear all that was said. So Willow-grouse kept her secret from every one in the clan.
Many days the people hunted; but, at length, there were signs of the coming cold. It was then that the wise men gave an order to prepare for the journey to the winter home.
All but Willow-grouse obeyed; but she heeded not what was said. It was not because she did not hear the command. It was not because she did not care to live with her own people. It was simply because she remembered Fleetfoot and was waiting for his return.
And so, when the women chided her for being a thoughtless girl, they little thought that Willow-grouse was making plans of her own. In the confusion of packing, nobody noticed that she stayed behind, and many moons passed before they learned what Willow-grouse did.
As soon as her people were out of sight Willow-grouse began to make ready for Fleetfoot. There was no cave near at hand, but there were high overhanging rocks. Under one of these the people had camped. They found the roof and back wall of a dwelling ready-made. So they simply camped at the foot of the rock and built their camp-fire.
Willow-grouse knew that the bare rock was a good shelter in summer. But she also knew that it would soon be too cold to live in such an open space. So she cut long poles and braced them under the roof so as to make a framework for front and side walls. Then she covered the framework with plaited branches, and left a narrow doorway which she closed with a skin.
It was hard work to make the rock shelter, but Willow-grouse did not mind it. She kept thinking of Fleetfoot all the time, and she hoped the rock shelter would be their new home.
When Willow-grouse looked at her dress, she saw it was much the worse for wear. So she set snares in the reindeer trails and caught two beautiful reindeer.
The soft summer skins of the reindeer had short, fine hair. Willow-grouse scraped and pounded them and then polished them with sandstone.
Willow-grouse took great pains in making her new garments. She flattened the seams with a piece of sandstone until they were nice and smooth. Then she gathered fossil shells from the rocks and trimmed the neck and sleeves. And she made a beautiful headband and belt, and pretty moccasins for her feet.
And when the time drew near for Fleetfoot's return, Willow-grouse dressed in her new garments. She put on the necklace of fossil shells and thought of Fleetfoot's last words.
Fleetfoot kept his promise. When the new moon came he appeared. Then Willow-grouse became his wife and he lived with her in their new home.
#THINGS TO DO#
_Look at the picture of a rock shelter on page 14._
_Find some large rocks and put them in your sand-box so as to show a natural rock shelter. Make a framework for front and side walls, and see if you can make it into a warm hut. Model the upper valley._
_Find a piece of sandstone which you can use in polishing skins._
_Dress a doll the way you think Willow-grouse dressed. Dress a doll the way you think Fleetfoot dressed._
_Find pretty seeds and shells which you can use in trimming belts and headbands. Before sewing the seeds or shells on the band, lay them so as to make a pretty pattern. After you have made your pattern draw it on paper, so that you can look at it while you are trimming the band._
XXXVI
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Look at what you have modeled in your sand-box and see if you can tell in what parts of the valley the snow will be deepest.
When the snow is very deep, what do the wild animals do? What do the people do?
Can you think how people learned to use poison in hunting?
Does the poisoned weapon poison any part of the animal's flesh? Why do people try to be careful not to leave poison around?
_How Fleetfoot and Willow-grouse Spent the Winter_
When Willow-grouse was living alone, she had to hunt for her own food. Sometimes she caught animals in traps, and sometimes she hunted with spears and harpoons. When the wounded animal escaped, Willow-grouse was disappointed. So she tried all sorts of ways to make sure of the game.
One day she happened to use a harpoon which had been thrust into a piece of decayed liver. She wounded a reindeer with the harpoon and the animal soon died.
And so Willow-grouse soon learned to mix and to use poisons. When Fleetfoot made simple spearheads of antler, she helped him make grooves to hold the poison. When they used poison on their weapons, they were sure of the game without a long chase.
They lived happily in the rock shelter until the middle of winter. Then heavy snowstorms came and the wild animals went away. Fleetfoot and Willow-grouse were left without food. They ate a piece of sun-dried meat which Willow-grouse had left in a tree; and when that was gone, they put on their snowshoes and started toward the south.
Before many days had passed, they arrived at the cave of the Bison clan. There they were made so welcome that they stayed for two moons.
It was during this time that the Bison clan learned to use the throwing-stick. While Fleetfoot taught the use of the throwing-stick, Flaker made wonderful harpoons. And as fast as Fleetfoot found new ways of using weapons in hunting, Flaker invented new weapons for the men to use.
Ever since Fleetfoot had been away, Flaker had been working at harpoons. He had made harpoon heads with two or three barbs, and now he was trying to make a harpoon with four or five barbs on each side.
It took a long while to make a harpoon with many beautiful barbs. It took more patience to make it than most of the Cave-men had. For when Flaker traced a regular outline of the harpoon on one side of the antler, he traced the same outline upon the other side. Then he cut upon these lines, and he shaped the barbs one by one, until he had made them all of the same shape and size.
He finished the base of the head with a large ridge near the end so as to make it easy to attach it to the shaft. Then he traced Fleetfoot's property-mark upon it, and thought that it was done.
But Willow-grouse, who had been watching him, spoke up and said, "No, there is one thing more. You must put a groove in each of the barbs to carry the magic poison."
And so, although Willow-grouse learned a great deal from watching Flaker use his tools, she taught him something he did not know.
When the harpoon was really finished, Flaker gave it to Fleetfoot. And all the Cave-men gathered around to see the new harpoon.
When everybody had seen it, Fleetfoot placed the harpoon upon his throwing-stick and hurled it again and again. To the people who stood near, the barbs carried the harpoon through the air like the wings of a bird. The deep grooves which held the poison carried sure death with each wound. And the throwing-stick with which it was hurled helped in getting a firm hold and a sure aim.
#THINGS TO DO#
_Find a piece of soft wood and trace the outline of a harpoon upon it. See if you can whittle a harpoon with barbs._
_Experiment until you can tell whether you like to have a ridge on the base of the harpoon head._
_Draw one of these pictures:_-- "_Heavy snowstorms came and the wild animals went away._" _Fleetfoot and Willow-grouse find some dried meat in a tree._ _Fleetfoot and Willow-grouse arrive at the cave of the Bison clan._ _Flaker working at the barbed harpoon._ "_The barbs carried the harpoon through the air like the wings of a bird._"
XXXVII
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
How did people sew before they had needles? What bones do you think the Cave-men would use first in making needles and awls? Why would people want the hardest bones for needles?
See if you can find out where the hardest bones are found.
See if you can think of all the things that would have to be done in making a needle out of a piece of ivory or a large bone.
Why do we sometimes wax thread? What do you think the Cave-men would use instead of wax?
Why did the Cave men make holes in their awls? What were the first holes which they made in their needles used for?
How do you think they would think of carrying the thread through the needle's eye?
Why do we use thimbles when we sew? When do you think people began to use thimbles? What do you think the first thimbles were like?
_How Willow-grouse Learned to Make Needles_
Willow-grouse soon made friends with the women. They admired the clothing she wore, and they wanted to learn how to polish skins and to make beautiful clothing. So Willow-grouse showed the women how to polish skins and to make them into beautiful garments.
While the women sewed with bone awls, Willow-grouse watched Flaker, who was sawing a bone with a flint saw.
It was soon after this that Willow-grouse learned to make needles of large hard bones. The first ones she made were not very beautiful needles. They were not so smooth nor so round as the awls she had made of bird's bones. But she made a beginning and after a while all the women learned to make fine needles.
They made the needles of a hard bone which they took from the leg of a horse. They traced out the lines they wished to cut just as Flaker traced the harpoon. Then they sawed out slender rods and whittled one end to a point. The other end they made thin and flat, for this was the end where the hole was made.
They made the rods round and smooth by drawing them back and forth on a piece of soft sandstone. This made long grooves in the sandstone, which became deeper and deeper every time the sandstone was used. Then they polished the rods by drawing them back and forth between the teeth of a flint comb.
The first needles had no eyes. They were more like awls and pins, than needles. Perhaps the first eyes were made in needles to keep them from getting lost.
It was hard work to saw the bone rods and to round and polish them. No wonder the women did not want to lose them. No wonder they bored little holes in the thin flat end and hung them about their necks.
It may have been Willow-grouse who first discovered that the eye of the needle could carry the thread. She may have discovered it when she was playing with a needle she carried on a cord. At any rate, the women soon learned to sew with the thread through the needle's eye. And then they began to make finer needles with very small eyes.
These fine needles were used at first in sewing the softest skins. They were used, too, in sewing trimming on beautiful garments. But when the women sewed the hard skins, instead of a needle they used a bone awl.
At the meeting of the clans in the salmon season, the Cave-men wore their most beautiful garments. And soon the clans began to vie with one another in wearing the most beautiful skins. And the women hunted for the choicest sands to use in polishing their needles. They still gave the first polish with a piece of sandstone or a gritty pebble. But when they gave the last polish the women used a powder of the finest sand.
Instead of beeswax, the women used marrow which they kept in little bags. Instead of a thimble, they used a small piece of leather. And instead of pressing the seams with a hot iron, they made them smooth with a rounded stone.
From the tough sinews of the large animals, every Cave-man made his own thread. All the children learned to prepare sinew and to shred the fibers with a jagged flint comb.
#THINGS TO DO#
_Find bones which you can make into needles. See if you can find a piece of flint for a saw._
_Find a piece of sandstone with which you can polish your needle._
_Make a collection of the different kinds of sand in your neighborhood and tell what they can be used for._
_Make a collection of needles and find out how they were made._
XXXVIII
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
If the animals went away in search of shelter from the storms, do you think the Cave-men would know where they went? What do you think they would say when they noticed that the animals had gone?
How did the Cave-men learn what they knew? Why did they make more mistakes than people do to-day?
What changes did the Cave-men see take place in the buds? in seeds? in eggs?
When they found shells in the hard rocks instead of in the water, what do you suppose they would think?
Have you ever heard any one say "It rained angleworms?"
Have you ever heard any one say that cheese or meat had "changed to maggots?"
Can you tell what really happened in each of these cases?
Can you see how stories of animals that turned into men could be started? Is there anything that we can learn from these stories?
_How Flaker Became a Priest and a Medicine Man_
The winter was long and stormy. Wild animals found little food. Herds of horses and reindeer went to the lowland forests. Game was scarce on the wooded hills. Few horses or reindeer were seen near the caves. The trails were filled with snow and everything seemed to tell of the coming of a famine.
The people ate the frozen meat that was left near the caves, and when they found they could get no more they began to pray to their gods. "O, Big Bear," they prayed, "send us thine aid. Help us now or we die. Drive the horses and reindeer out of thy caverns. Send them back to our hunting grounds."
When the first rumor of famine came, Fleetfoot took down his drum. And he set out over the hills to call a meeting of the brotherhood.
At the first sound of the drumbeat, the people knew what it meant. Everybody felt a gleam of hope. The young men passed the signal along and fresh courage came to the hearts of the people in the neighboring clans.
Buckling their hunger-straps around them, the young men started at Fleetfoot's call. They met near the Bison clan's cave. There they told of the heavy snowstorms and the disappearance of the herds. They told of the beginnings of famine and considered ways of finding food.
Some said, "Let us leave the old hunting grounds for our elders. Let us take wives and go to far away lands."
Others said, "No, let us dwell together and let each clan keep its own hunting ground."
"But how can we dwell together," said one, "when there is not food enough for all?"
The silence which followed the young man's question showed that no one could reply. It was then that Fleetfoot turned to Flaker and asked him to speak what was in his mind. And Flaker arose, and turning his eyes toward the heavens, he raised his baton, whereupon all the young men were silent. Then he turned to the young men and said, "The gods will surely provide food for the hungry Cave-men."
"But the people need food and game is scarce," said one of the brave young men. "How can we prevent the famine? How can we make the gods understand?"
"Remember the Big Bear," said Flaker. "He heard our prayer when we made his likeness on stone. Let us make likenesses of the animals. The gods will then understand our prayers and send many herds to our hunting grounds."
Saying this, Flaker picked up a flint point and a flat piece of stone and quickly engraved two herds of wild horses. The young men believed in the power of magic. And when they saw Flaker engraving the herds, they believed the wild horses would come. And so they all tried to make the likeness of an animal they wished to hunt.
When they had made offerings to the gods, the young men were ready to go out to hunt. Flaker stayed at the cave, but it was he who directed them in the right way. He remembered all that the Cave-men had said about the reindeer and the wild horses. And so when they started Flaker said, "Follow the trail to the dense forests."
It so happened that just as the young men were starting to hunt, the herds were coming back from the forests. And so the young men had great success, and soon all the Cave-men had plenty of food.
When the young men returned to their homes, they had strange stories to tell. They said that Flaker had brought back the herds by his wonderful magic. They showed the engravings they had made and told of their magical power.
And so wherever stories of Fleetfoot's bravery went, stories of Flaker's magic were told. And just as Fleetfoot worked to learn all the arts of the hunter, so Flaker worked to learn the arts which made him both a priest and a medicine man.