Freedom 25000 BC Page 4
All around murmurs rose: “Well done.” “I’d never have thought of that!” “Good hunter!” The comments continued. All positive.
Wing had never been complimented. He blushed, his neck and cheeks becoming almost sunset red.
Bort walked over to Wing. He placed his hand on Wing’s shoulder. “Well done, Wing. You taught us something tonight.” He sat down nearby. “Wing, what made you think to make yourself look bigger?”
“I do not know. Something happened. I decided the bear could not have my food. A change took place in me. I suddenly knew what to do. It wasn’t thought out. It just came to me. Could it have been help from the ancestors? Could they have filled me with knowledge?”
“Wing, we’ll talk more on this tomorrow. You have given us food for our thoughts not bellies. You may have saved a life tonight. A man could frighten a bear! You lost your fear.”
“I’ve thought about that. I think it had to do with anger. I controlled anger. Controlled anger became useful. Let me share something about my father. He treated me badly. He wanted a son different from me. I could only be me. My father gave me a hard time. He spoke discouraging words to me and about me. One day he was angry and stomped his feet violently. When he did, Popocatépetl and all the land around shook hard. I thought about that. I wanted to learn to shake hard when things were wrong. Then the bear thought to take my food. I judged that as wrong. I wanted to shake back. I became stronger than myself. Something filled me. I made the bear fear me. I was willing to die to keep the bear from my food. And then I had no fear. I learned to shake back. It gave me something. I call it freedom. You can free a too young rabbit from a snare. I thought of myself freed. That’s the loss of fear. I was freed from fear of the bear. I thought of it as freed me or freed—m and named it freedom. It’s freed from fear. You’re different then. Stronger. Sure. Frightening to bears.” Wing had never said so many words at one time in his life.
The hunters were electrified. Here was a frail looking small sixteen year old. Hardly a man yet. He had learned to control fear and defeat a bear alone. They were astonished. They had learned much.
Bort stood. He addressed the people, “We have learned much tonight. Let us go now to our huts. Let us think on this new understanding. Thank you, Wing. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Wing said quietly.
Wing and Topozelmu headed toward her hut.
“Why you live alone, Topozelmu?” Wing asked as they walked to her hut.
She lowered her head. “I was Tupo’s wife. We loved very strong. He was hunting. A bear killed him, Wing. Your story tonight. I wish he’d heard story before . . .,” her voice trailed off.
Wing wished he hadn’t asked.
“Come,” she said, “This is your place. Skins are good. It is comfortable.”
“Thank you, Topozelmu. You are kind.”
“You are welcome in my hut.”
Wing barely pulled the skin over his shoulder before he was asleep. He could not believe how wonderful these people were. He enjoyed being with them and wanted to remain with them, but there was a compulsion to go to the salt water. He’d wait until his arm healed.
In another hut Bort sat by the small hearth. Veza looked at him. “He doesn’t understand,” she said flatly.
“No, he doesn’t. He needs to learn. He must not fail to honor the spirit.” Bort covered his face with his hands. Big knuckles grew misshapen causing his fingers to curve somewhat grotesquely across his forehead and brow ridges.
Veza looked at Bort’s body expression. She ached for him.
At the first meal of the day Dah found Wing and suggested they explore the area so Wing could learn his surroundings. Bort walked over to the two and said, “Wing before you do anything else this day, we need to talk. We will return to the place we found you yesterday.”
Wing and Dah were surprised. Wing put away the remains of food he had not consumed and went to Topozelmu’s hut to pick up two of his spears. He found Bort and wordlessly the two left the village area. Veza watched the two leave. She busied herself quickly in caring for the remains of the food.
When they reached the place overlooking the village, Bort and Wing sat on the large rock. A slight sweet fragrance passed by on the breeze.
“Why we here? You must wonder. I explain,” Bort said.
Wing nodded.
“You meet stranger. He and you different?”
Wing’s thoughts raced. He wondered what the man meant. Surely he didn’t mean the man in the dream?
“You did? Yes?”
“You mean a real person? Not a dream.”
“It could be a dream.”
“I had a dream. The oldest man appeared from a golden mist in the dream. Next day I found no footprints. He told me to go to a pine nut tree down valley. I’d see eagle. The eagle would lose a feather. The tip would point to a V in the hills. I should go there. He said something odd. I should not touch feather. I saw where it pointed. Then it rained. I ran to my shelter. I stayed there for days in rain. Then rain stopped. I went back to tree. I put feather in with my leather things. I followed the trail the feather showed me. It brought me here.”
“You met a spirit.” Bort was resigned to initiating the young man.
“Spirit? You can’t see spirits!” Wing was shocked. His thoughts swirled.
“Sometimes they make themselves seen.”
“They can do that?”
“Yes. Once spirit talks, you listen for rest of your life.” Bort’s words came slowly.
“What?” Wing didn’t understand.
“Spirit talks to me. I know he there all days all through day. I must do what he say.”
“You’re talking about a real spirit. This is not child story?”
Bort laughed a genuine laugh that released a little tension.
“No. Not a child story. There is reason for all of us to be born. Some know and do their purpose. No one needs tell them. Some need more guidance. They have to do some things required in the plan of things. They must understand it right. You and I are both one who needs to be told.” Bort relaxed. He’d said what he knew he had to say.
“Someone like Topozelmu reasons better?” Wing asked quietly.
Again Bort laughed, releasing more stress.
“I had a son. I loved the son. He the first son. Name Pote. Sprit talked to him too. Pote was not interested. He ignored spirit. He told me about his encounter with spirit. He shared his responses. Spirit say do this. Pote do opposite. Not wise. Pote’s contempt for spirit frightened me. Spirit say Pote will stay home this day. Pote went to meet girl from another village. Lightning from sky touched him. Pote died. Girl saw. She terrified. She told me.” A tear slid down Bort’s face.
“Sorry you lost son, Bort.”
“I, too.”
“I like you, Wing. I want you listen. You must obey spirit. Your life depends. You understand?”
“I do understand. I will obey.”
“Spirit know disobedience. You understand?”
“I cannot hide from spirit?”
“That right. You understand.”
“I must go to the salt water. Not say when. Just say go.” Wing shared the spirit’s message.
“Spirit told you?”
Wing nodded.
“Then, we help you go there. You want others go with you?”
“I would be grateful.” Wing’s enthusiasm and relief showed clearly.
“The soonest you go is tomorrow.”
Wing was startled. He had thought he’d be at the village until his arm healed.
“I send Dah, Hama, and Topozelmu with you.”
“A girl?” Wing asked, then lowered his head thinking he might have offended.
“I send Topozelmu for arm care. Dah and Hama know nothing about healing.”
“I understand.” Wing was amazed at Bort’s kindness. He smiled.
“Wing, in our village girls hunt.”
“Girls hunt?” Wing was stupefied.
 
; “Yes. They also good in fight with other people.”
“Girls fight?” Wing could not believe what he was hearing. Girls did not hunt or fight in his home.
“Girls fighting may surprise you. They don’t fight in the village of Puh. I know. In our village we want everyone prepared. Topozelmu is excellent hunter. Stealthy as jaguar. Aim true.”
The earth shook with surprising violence. It was over quickly.
“Why so much shaking?” Wing asked, concerned since he’d noticed a definite increase in earthquakes.
“Earth just making changes. Changes often. Not to fear. Sometimes great damage. Sometimes none. We repair great damage. We die from earth change? We no worry about repair then. We happy in life after.”
“Life after?”
“Life after this one, Wing. When we become spirit life in spirit land for people.”
“How you know that?” Wing asked. He was learning so fast he could hardly keep up.
“Spirit man you met. You will talk again. They tell you things. You can ask. Sometimes they answer.”
“Is the spirit man one? Are there many of them?” Wing asked.
“I talk to wrinkled old man. I never discuss what you asked. Your wrinkled old man may be my wrinkled old man. Could be only one. Could be more.” Bort was surprised that he was learning things from Wing: last night about frightening bears, today questions about number of spirits or just one.
“This talk good. I learn much,” Wing said.
“Remember, obey the spirit,” Bort insisted, “Now, we go back to village. We prepare for tomorrow.”
They stood and left for the village. Wing stood a little straighter. He wondered at all the changes since he’d left home. He had learned so much so fast and wondered what purpose the salt water held for him.
Dah came up to them as they arrived back in the village.
“Dah,” Bort said. “This is important. Wing must go to salt water. This spirit say. I want you and Hama to join him. Topozelmu go. She care for Wing’s arm.”
“I go to prepare,” Dah said quickly. To Wing he explained, “We explore this area some other day. Other day when return.”
The village heard the news of the trip planned by the newcomer and three of their own. They busily prepared what would be needed for a group of four to the salt water. People required no guidance. They knew exactly what was necessary and those of thirteen years or more were busy contributing to a successful trip. They gathered tools, leathers for many reasons, cordage, food, dried mosses, herbs, strong healing pastes, dried meat, vegetables, and fruit. Hama loved to carve, so they tossed in a few pieces of bone to occupy his time. By time for sleep the packs were prepared and ready for the next morning.
Bort saw them off with the following cryptic remark: “Stay at the salt water cave at least three days.”
“The one near the hill or the one near the lake?” Dah asked.
“The one on the hill,” Bort said. “The one near the lake isn’t really a cave.”
Dah thought about that, and then nodded at his father. He was right, of course. It was more of a shelter under a strange rock.
Wing, Dah, Hama, and Topozelmu left. No one questioned Bort’s remark. They respected the elder. For all he said, he had reason, even if they didn’t know it. Each trekker was burdened with a roll that had ties they could put over their shoulders and tie to a band at their waist in front. All chose to tie the burden on so their arms were free. Each carried multiple spears. Additional spear heads were placed carefully in packs.
Wing was delighted to be accompanied. Not only was the accompaniment welcome, but also they knew where they were going.
For days they traveled downward. Each day when the weather was clear Wing could see the flat land coming closer. He thought it would be much easier to walk on the flat land.
They had descended to such an extent one day that Wing noticed he could no longer see the tip of Popocatépetl. It was a clear day. He was surprised that the mountain was no longer in view. He wondered how long it had been hidden by the mountains he’d descended. He asked Dah about it.
“Ask Hama,” Dah told him.
Hama dug in the dust and showed him how a line from their place to the top of Popocatépetl was interrupted by the top of the mountains they were on. Mountains shorter than Popocatépetl. Wing was fascinated. He’d never seen anyone draw anything. He understood immediately and it seemed so simple. He was overwhelmed at the knowledge of these people. His people had not questioned things and sought answers as these people did. It was such a difference. He was part of something exciting and new. He was filled with joy to think that they were also his people through Puh. He tried to think that his people back on Popocatépetl could be like this. Then, he realized sadly that it was impossible. Itz had too much power. The idea of a woman hunting or fighting would be quashed by Itz in a breath. He didn’t like women much. Itz saw women as makers of food and babies—nothing more.
When they stopped the first night, they stayed at a rock shelter they’d known from their former journeys to the salt water. They went to the salt water often enough that the journey was very familiar. Dah and Wing left the shelter to hunt. Dah speared a small camel. They hung it to bleed and skinned it away from the shelter. They quartered it and carried the pieces back to their hearth. They put three of the pieces in a small lake and submerged them, placing rocks on top to keep them submerged. Topozelmu and Hama were busy preparing to cook the meat they were certain would be forthcoming. To make it quick, they had made spears that would secure small pieces of meat each individual could hold over the fire. Small amounts of fruit and vegetables accompanied each leaf for each person. They’d eat well.
Dah and Wing washed off at the lake and came to eat. As the sun set, they circled the hearth and held their spears over the fire. They ate the fruit and vegetables while they cooked the meat, having placed their leaves in front of them. Night noises began to surround them. Dah, Topozelmu, and Wing chatted. Hama had taken a piece of mammoth bone and begun to carve lines into it using the fire to see. Bugs and tree frogs were especially loud outside. In the distance a trumpeting noise waved through the din. Hama thought it was a four-tusked gomphothere and decided he’d carve one on the bone. Finally, despite the noise, they settled to sleep.
It took many days to reach the flat land. It was different from anything Wing found familiar. There were more snakes in this place and some of the land was marshy. Wing was fascinated to learn about tidewater. He knew mountains. He’d learned piedmont as a form of the land. Now this land was described as tidewater because twice a day the water rose in the rivers. Wing found it incomprehensible. On flat land, the tide could cause the river to rise because the salt water rose. He also learned that rivers have a salty taste when one reaches a certain part of the river and that the people had a place on the river where the water was good. He learned that when Dah and Hama gathered numbers of bladders and filled them with good water. They had to carry water to the salt water so they did not thirst after they arrived. They had something called a boat that they used to travel to the salt water. The first time Wing saw the salt water he was dumbstruck. The salt water covered such a great area, extending from the north to the south. Standing on a projection of sand, he felt surrounded by the salt water, and he wanted to reject what he saw, but he was unable, for it was there. He thought views from tall mountains were the largest of all vistas. The salt water seemed infinite. That word, infinite, did not reside in his vocabulary. Instead, he felt it. The water was too immense for his comfort. The enormity of it frightened him. He would not want to be out on that water. He preferred the forests where a tree could provide protection from an angry animal or a terrible wind. Rivers and lakes provided protective banks. He saw no protection on the salt water.
“Today we take the boat,” Dah told Wing as they ate. The boat was eight trees from which the limbs were removed. They were held together in the form of a raft. Dah and Hama would take turns steering the boat from the
rear and poling it from nearer the front. “You must sit in the center and keep your arms and legs close to the center. There are big lizard-like animals here. We call them alligators. They are big enough to eat you. They are as long as half the length of our village.”
“Surely you tease me,” Wing said quietly with a part smile. Since they’d become better acquainted on the trek, there had been some teasing.
“No, he’s not teasing,” Topozelmu assured him. Watch the edges of the river. You’ll start to see them now. They live where warm. Not like shadows in mountain forests. You find them by rivers and lakes and ponds. They are mean beasts and always hungry. There, look over there. See on the river’s side.
“I can hardly believe it. That thing is huge and ugly! It’s frightening.” Wing had ceased to wonder what else there was to learn about this land.
“Good reason to keep your arms and legs to the center of the boat.”
They followed the river for three days and finally arrived at the mouth where it entered the eastern salt water. On the north side of the river the land rose as a formidable hill. It was there where a great cave followed the land back and provided an excellent shelter. They beached the boat and headed toward the salt water cave. The cave was on a hill high above water level. Inside the floor was soft sand. Wing stretched out on the sand for a moment. It was cool and soothing to his sunburned back. Beyond the opening the cave had an expansive view of the beach and water.
Wing was delighted with the cave. He was pleased to be out from the sun. His skin had been protected by forests all his life. The sun had made his skin blister and it was peeling. It didn’t feel good. He was tired.
“Bort mentioned this cave to stay three days?” Wing asked, carrying two of the water bags.
“Yes. This is it.” Hama assured him. We like this cave. It shows the water well. Bring the last piece of the deer and waterbird, Wing. We will eat those tonight. We hunt tomorrow.”
Wing gathered the meat and carried the burden to the cave. Topozelmu had already set up the roasting sticks preparing for the meat.
Hama had taken a roll of leather and was busy sweeping the sand from four rocks that formed an arc at the hearth. Wing would soon understand they were places for seating. Their rolls were on the highest point in the cave, more than thirty feet above the level of the water.