Backwater Publishing LLC

THE CAPTIVE

by

Clem Mason

(age-6-10)

(wc-1360)

It was a great storm and Shining Water, who was eight seasons old was afraid. However, after the storm had died away, she ventured out to see the damage. Her village appeared to have weathered the wind very well. She let a sigh of relief.

Just outside of the village, she saw a small bird with speckled breast huddled near the reeds by the river. As she crept closer, a loud chatter went up in a tree behind her. Suddenly, a large bird swooped down very near her head, chirping shrilly. She was frightened and ran back to the village to tell her father, Old Beaver.

“Father,” she said excitedly, “I found a baby bird but when I went to catch it, I was attack by an eagle.”

He smiled. “Let us go see what you have found.”

There, by the reeds sat the little bird with the speckled breast. Old Beaver nodded. “This is the hatching of the bird with the red chest. He must have blown from it’s nest by the wind.” “Oooh, I must capture it,” shining Water moaned.

Old Beaver look concerned. “Why must you do this?” he asked.

“So I can feed it and care for it or it will surely die.”

Again, he smiled. “No my tender one. It will not die. The bird that attack you was the parent of this little one and it was trying to keep you away. They will feed and care for it even though it is out of the nest. If you take it, it will surely die.” He pointed a finger towards the sky. “It is best to leave this one be free.”

Shining Water was sure to remember the words of her father.

One day, soon after, Shining Water was gathering the young shoots of the wahtha plant (milk weed), not far from the village. When she looked up, she saw Little Hawk and some older braves coming a distance away. The young braves walked in a close group which seemed quite curious to her. One however, she could tell was not an Osage. In fact, he was not even native. He was a head taller than those surrounding him and his face was as white as the cottonwood tree by the river. His hair was the color of the sun. There was a leather strap around his neck and his hands were tied behind him. He was being led like a pony. A captive!

When he stumbled and almost fell, Little Hawk became very angry and yanked on the strap, yelling; though she could not hear from that distance. Little Hawk stood the captive upright and shoved him along the trail. Soon, the small band disappeared into a stand of trees nearby.

Shining Water had never seen a white man before but had heard many stories of the savage, ruthless enemy. She dropped the bundle of wahtha shoots and ran to have a closer look.

They had set the white man on the ground, facing a large tree; his legs straddled around it.

He was quite helpless. The braves were well pleased with their catch.

“What are you doing here?” Little Hawk growled when he saw her approach.

“This is no place for young eyes,” warned Fire In The Sky.

“I have come to see your captive,” she said calmly.

Little Hawk puffed out his chest, smiling broadly. He waved. “Come closer then. He will not harm you. He is a fisherman, not a warrior.” Little Hawk scoffed. “He did not even offer a fight at all when we took him.”

Shining Water drew near, being very cautious until she was crouched behind the white man. A timid but curious hand reached to touch the golden hair. It was soft. “I have never seen such hair on a man before.” She let it fall between her fingers. When she looked into his face, she saw that he was no more the a young man himself.

“I have heard stories of many wooden villages where the enemy number like the buffalo,” said Fire In The sky.

“They gather like women to wash. They are no match for an Osage warrior,” Little Hawk boasted.

Shining Water got very close and looked into the face of the captive. He looked back with frightened, unblinking eyes.

“They are the color of the morning sky,” she shouted with delight. “They are beautiful.”

“They are the eyes of a snake,” Little Hawk said.

“Shining Water looked closer. What she saw were the eyes of a trapped animal. The fear was plain to see; like the little bird she wanted to catch. The eyes of a snake shows no fear. This white man was no snake.

“What are you going to do with him?” she asked.

They all laughed and looked from one to the other nervously.

Shining Water shook her head. “That’s what I thought. You don’t know.”

“He will be our slave and we will be his master,” Little Hawk said eventually.

She stood and turned to match his stare. “How will he serve you? You cannot take him to our village. You know this. That is why you tie him to that tree. You hide him here because you are ashamed of what you have done,” she scolded.

Little Hawk scoffed. “We will walk him right to the council fire and we will be honored.”

Shining Water hung her head. “You have shamed our people with your foolishness.”

“What do you know?” he shouted angrily

“I know this. The people of this man’s tribe will come looking for him. Perhaps in great numbers; from the wooden villages as Fire In The Sky told you about. They will want to feed, care and protect him.” She pointed a finger to the sky and quoted her father: “It is best to leave this one be free.”

Will the captive become Little Hawk’s slave. What will shining Water do?

There was a long silence among them as they pawed at the ground with their bare feet.

“Shining Water is right, Little hawk The white man with the long knives will come on horses and much harm will come to us if we do not set him free as Shining Water said,” Fire In The Sky said softly. “We have brought shame upon our people.”

“I will stand and fight,” Little Hawk shouted.

Shining water went to face him. “It would be better to stand before a herd of frightened buffalo, Little Hawk. The buffaol will not aim any arrows at you and let them fly.”

He could not match her stare and looked away. He knew she was right.

She turned and walked back to the white man tied to the tree. She crouched down to look into his face. “Do not be afraid,” she said. “I will not harm you.” Slowly, she loosed the leather strap from his hands and feet, watching his eyes all the while. She realized he did not understand what she said but went about her business of untying him. He looked both surprised and apprehensive. When he was free, he scrambled to his feet, absently rubbing his wrists. He watched the young braves warily. They offered no resistance.

Shining Water swallowed hard and reached out her hand to him. The fear in his eyes slowly melted away. In a moment, he reached to take her small hand in his. He ventured a smile. It was beautiful. They each laughed. Then Shining water led him to the edge of the trees and out onto the open prairie. They walked together, hand in hand without speaking.

Then she pulled to a stop at the rise of the hill and looked into his eyes once more.

“You are free to go,” she said and released his hand.

He nodded and spoke with strange words that she did not understand. He turned and hurried away, disappearing in at length over the next hill.

She would never forget the words he spoke to her and she repeated them often. “God bless you.” She pondered the meaning. “God bless you.”

THE END.

If you liked this story and you feel the poor, old author deserves compensation in his retirement for this creation, then please feel free to send $1.00 to Clem Mason, c/o Backwater Publishing. 66021-0213.

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Questions and comments are welcome. Thank you for your fairness and honesty.

Thank you very much and may God bless you.