Heart of the Wilderness (8 page)

“ ‘What contest?’ asked Fox.

“ ‘There is not Fire on Earth,’ said Bear. ‘We need Fire to keep us warm, but there is only Fire in Heaven. We must steal Fire from Sun. But first we must go to Sky and find Fire. Sun keep it hidden in wooden box with three leather thongs around it.’

“ ‘How will we get to Sky?’ asked Fox.

“ ‘That is part of contest. We must find a way,’ said Bear.

“So they both sat down to think and think. They think all day and they think all night. They think all next day.

“ ‘I’m strong,’ said Bear. ‘I will build myself a road to Sky.’

“So Bear went to Cedar. ‘Will you give me your long trunk for poles for building a road to Sky?’ he asked.

“ ‘If I do, I will die,’ said Cedar.

“ ‘What does it matter?’ said Bear. ‘You are not strong like me.’

“So Bear took Cedar to build road. And all other forest cedars cried.

“ ‘I need thongs to tie my poles together,’ said Bear, so he went to Deer. ‘Will you give me your skin to make thongs to tie my poles together?’ he asked.

“ ‘If I do, I will die,’ said Deer.

“ ‘What does it matter?’ said Bear. ‘You are not strong like me.’

“And Bear took Deer to make thongs to tie poles, and all other deer cried.

“Fox watched Bear build a long road to Sky with strong poles from Cedar and tie them together with thongs of Deer.

“ ‘This is not right,’ thought Fox. ‘Bear will destroy our forests and our friends to win his contest.’

“Sun saw what Bear was doing. It made Sun angry. ‘What are you doing?’ he said to Bear.

“ ‘I must get to Sky,’ replied Bear. ‘I am building a long trail.’

“ ‘Why do you climb to Sky?’

“But Bear would not tell Sun.

“That night when Sun was sleeping, Bear climbed the long, long cedar trail. He climbed all night. Next morning, just as Sun awoke, Bear made a hole in Sky with one long claw. Bear did not know, but Fox was close on his heels ready to sneak past him and into Sky to steal the firebox before Bear could find it.

“But Sun was angry when he saw Bear. He stopped him.

“ ‘Why do you come here?’ asked Sun, but Bear would say nothing.

“Sun did not see Fox, who hid behind Bear in his shadow.

“Bear went along Sky in search of the firebox. But Fox ran ahead and found the box first. He was ready to climb back through hole and run back down the long, long trail made by Cedar when Sun saw him.

“ ‘Where are you going with my firebox?’ asked Sun.

“ ‘Bear is trying to steal it,’ said Fox. ‘I am bringing it to you so Bear cannot find it.’

“ ‘Thank you, small brother,’ said Sun.

“Then he turned to Bear who was close behind Fox. Sun was very angry.

“ ‘You try to steal my firebox? I will give you Fire,’ he said and turned his strong medicine on Bear and sent out great fingers of fire that chased Bear back and forth across the heavens.”

Kendra’s eyes were wide as she listened and imagined all that was happening in the story.

“Bear began to roar in anger and pain,” Nonie continued. “And Fox quietly slipped down the long, long trail of poles from Cedar with the firebox under his arm.

“Sun is still searching for his firebox. Now and then he becomes so angry he chases Bear across Sky. Bear roars as the fingers of fire burn his tail and ears. We call it thunder when Bear roars and we see lightning flash as Sun throws his fire at Bear.

“Fox gave Fire from firebox to all animals. The animals shared Fire with man and that is how we keep warm when the nights are cold.

“So it is better to be smart than strong. And it is better not to treat one’s brothers in evil ways.”

Kendra decided that the thunder seemed so much less frightening with Nonie’s soft voice finishing the story.

“So,” said Nonie simply. “Father Thunder is only angry with Bear.”

Now the thunder was a distant rumble. Kendra could almost enjoy the sound. She no longer felt fear.

Nonie lowered her to the floor and stood to return to her berries. They needed to be picked over and put to dry as soon as the sun would shine on them again. Nonie would have them ready.

As they moved into the winter months, Kendra’s grandfather was never there when she awoke in the morning. He left on the trapline long before the sun had touched the horizon. Nonie was always there, sitting before the fire, her braiding or weaving or buckskin work in her gnarled fingers. Occasionally Kendra was already in bed and sound asleep before her grandfather returned in the evening, but always he came to her bed, roused her gently and kissed her on the cheek, then stroked her hair until she had fallen to sleep again.

Oscar, playful and teasing, was a constant companion. Kendra spent hours playing with him, and Papa Mac, when he was home, showed the little child how to teach the growing dog to obey simple commands.

Nonie paid little attention to the animal. She seemed to feel that dogs were not her brothers. She treated the puppy with tolerance, not affection, and he accepted her in the same way.

Kendra coaxed to allow the puppy to sleep in a corner of the cabin, though Papa Mac made it clear that it was totally against his principle to pamper an animal in such a fashion. But, he never did open the door and thrust the animal out into the night, even after Kendra had fallen asleep.

She still slept with Dollie tucked tightly against her, but now she often left it behind when on an outing with Nonie.

So the first winter came and went. Papa Mac came and went. Nonie came and went. But Kendra no longer feared that she would be left on her own again, deserted and frightened and without someone to care for her.

Not swiftly, but slowly and silently spring’s sound gradually swelled to spill over in the rush of the stream that passed by their cabin door, the song of the birds that filled the forest stillness, the rustle of molding leaves as small animals scurried to retrieve berries missed in their fall gathering, and soft breezes that waved the swelling tender buds on the arms of forest trees.

“Mother Earth stirring,” said Nonie, pleasure in her voice.

“Who is Mother Earth?” asked Kendra innocently.

“Long ago, before stars, even before Sun and Moon, Old One made Mother Earth. All was dark and no birds sang. No stream ran through the forest. No animal brothers walked in the shadows. There was nothing.

“Old One did not like nothing. He woke Mother Earth. ‘Be mother of all people,’ he said.

“Mother Earth took some of her flesh and made creatures. Some were like us. Some walked on four feet and were creatures of the forests. Some had wings and flew about the heavens and others swam in the rivers and great waters. All living things come from Mother Earth. When we look around we see part of Mother Earth everywhere. Like us, the animals, birds and fish are made of Mother Earth. So we are all earth brothers. That is why we care for one another.

“Mother Earth is old, old woman who has seen many moons,” Nonie went on with her teaching. “She was before Moon. She lives still, but she has changed much since Old One first made her to be his friend. The soil is her flesh. The rocks are her bones. The wind is her breath. The trees and grasses are her hair.

“Many people do not care for Mother Earth. They tear at her flesh and bones and pull her hair up by roots. But we must love Mother Earth. We must treat her kindly if we do not wish her to be angry. If we love and respect her, she will thank us by giving us food and shelter. She will always be there to care for her children.”

Kendra’s eyes were wide, her heart full. She loved Nonie’s stories. She resolved that she would always be kind to Mother Earth so she might be accepted as a worthy child.

When summer came again, Kendra saw much more of Papa Mac. He even took her with him to the outpost store where he sold his stock of winter furs and purchased the supplies they needed for the months ahead.

He informed Kendra that she could choose a new pair of shoes, but after studying them carefully she shook her head slowly. She wanted shoes like Nonie wore. Soft, supple moccasins. Papa Mac laughed and then nodded his head. He promised he would speak to Nonie about the new “shoes.”

Kendra did pick out some yard goods for a new skirt. And some soft flannel for a new nightgown. Papa Mac was sure Nonie would agree to do the sewing.

Kendra enjoyed the excitement of the trip, but she was glad when they climbed from the canoe and she could stretch her cramped legs and take Oscar for a romp along the bank of the stream. And she could hardly wait to show Nonie the new material.

George was home a good deal over the summer months, not a time for trapping. All the traps were brought home on the wagon-sleigh and carefully checked and oiled to make sure that they were ready for the next winter’s catch. The summer was also spent in other activities. A garden was planted and cultivated. Wood piles were refurnished. Knives were sharpened. Meat and fish were stripped and dried in the sun. Dog harness was repaired with newly tanned moose hides. Never did there seem to be a day when George did not have something with which to busy his hands.

If his work took him away from the cabin, Nonie came. Kendra and Nonie spent many days back in the berry patch or looking for “good” plants to gather in their baskets. Kendra carried her own basket now. Nonie had fashioned it for her from marsh reeds and stained it with a pattern of red, yellow, and brown. Kendra felt proud as she filled her basket with roots and leaves that would be useful.

Whenever she was in error, Nonie showed her the plant and uttered her little sound “p-f-f-t.” The next time out, Kendra watched carefully as she gathered. She did not want to pick the offensive plant again.

But when her grandfather’s work kept him around the cabin, Kendra was close beside him. He taught her the bird songs, along with many facts about their habits. Often they searched for nests together, though they never disturbed the tiny warm eggs. If the nestlings had hatched, they sat silently together and watched the parents feed the nosily demanding babies whose beaks never seemed to be silent or their tummies filled.

Another birthday came and went for Kendra. This time her grandfather had made her a harness for the now-grown Oscar. In the days that followed, they spent time teaching the young dog to pull a small training cart. Kendra giggled with delight as Dollie went for her first ride in the small wagon behind Oscar.

As the first snow of another winter whipped around the corners of the snug cabin, Kendra felt her heart stir restlessly. The cold meant that her grandfather would return again to his traps. She hated to see him go. At the same time, it would mean more time with Nonie. Kendra had been missing those long, quiet winter days filled with stories about the Old One and Mother Earth. Kendra was not quite sure whether to be happy or sad to see the snow shut the door on the outside world.

Chapter Seven

The Ugly Side

Another spring was sneaking slowly through the mountain passes, filling the streams and washing away the drifts of snow that had covered the trails and nearly buried the small cabin.

Nonie was anxious to get out to the meadows to catch the early growth of new plants, tender and potent and good medicine for her herbal cures. Kendra was just as anxious to escape the cabin site as well. It had seemed like a long winter of confinement to the five-year-old. She was glad the days were lengthening, the sun stronger in the sky.