Tuksook's Story, 35,000 BC

by Bonnye Matthews

  “I know what you say is right. I just cannot bring myself to forgive him.”

  “What do you think you’re missing?” He wanted to know what she didn’t understand about forgiving.

  Tuksook’s response reflected a totally different meaning of his question. “I want to explore this land, camp out, hunt, and have solitude with Wisdom to prepare for the time to come. If I admit I know the stories, I’ll never be able to do that. I want to know this new land before I am caged.”

  Gumui and Tuksook were almost to the entryway. Nobody was in the bent tree house. Gumui put his hand on her shoulder. “Let us continue to think on this,” he said huskily. “There has to be a solution.” They left the bent tree house and headed over to the big log where the evening meal awaited them. Each took a bowl, filled it with a variety of food, sat together in the shade, ate, and didn’t speak a single word. When both were finished they walked to the trash heap and emptied their bowls. They returned to the council area hand-in-hand silently.

  Gumui looked at her as they prepared to separate. “Wisdom has already forgiven Midgenemo. Who do you think you are to withhold forgiveness?” He turned and walked toward his lean-to.

  Tuksook froze. So many times Gumui said things that made her think, but it also showed her to be small-hearted towards her father. How could Gumui want to spend time with someone who was ugly, covered with a nasty rash, and was small-hearted? Did he only think of her as a child needing correcting, someone he’d become accustomed to guiding, because he watched over her when she flew? Someone like a dog on a trek? She wanted to cry but didn’t dare. He had become special to her. She wanted to be special to him. She went to the lean-to and snuggled under the skin covering.

  In the far distance, Tuksook heard what sounded like a big cat fight. There was howling and hissing and growling. It was far in the distance. She wondered how many People heard it. Just as she was about to fall to sleep, she felt a little one crawl next to her, snuggling up with her little back next to her belly. Tuksook put her arm around Ren pulling her close. Ren snuggled closer.

  Morning arrived with a heavy rain. Item had gone to the log where covers protected the morning meal. She filled bowls for Tuksook, Nal, Ren, Gel, and herself. To have filled bowls for the men and older boys would have been inappropriate by their custom. They ate happily for food was always good.

  “Tuksook, even though it’s raining, I think you should go to the bent tree home to continue your sewing. The sun could come out from the clouds.”

  “I will,” Tuksook acknowledged.

  “Ren, you are still needed to help with the little ones. Take Gel with you.”

  “I will,” she acknowledged just as Tuksook had.

  “Nal, are you going to be with Taman today?” she asked.

  “Yes, Mother. We’re making tools.”

  “You’d better hurry. You know he doesn’t like People to arrive late.”

  “I will.”

  “Do I need new balm?” Tuksook asked.

  “Come here by the light and let me take a look at that,” Item replied.

  Item untied the leather wrapping on Tuksook’s upper right leg. That was the worst place she’d been affected. Surprisingly the red was gone and the rash had flattened. It looked very good.

  “I think the wrappings can be removed. Put them in that corner,” Item pointed to the southwest corner of the lean-to.

  Carefully, Tuksook untied the leather strips and folded them so the balm side was inside the skins. She knew Item would wash them for another use. Tuksook enjoyed the freedom from the wrappings. She wiped the excess balm from her skin. Quietly, she gathered her sewing things and returned to the bent tree house.

  At the bent tree house Tuksook sat on her bench/sleeping place and felt surrounded with how it would be to live there. She could imagine the rush of the morning meal served where People didn’t have to be concerned about weather. She could imagine women having babies there, even herself. She could see the storage place well stocked with food, skins, tools, spears. Tuksook could imagine older women making rope and men reshaping a broken tool. She could imagine the older children teaching songs and dances to the younger ones. She could imagine the cold time stories—even herself telling them at the large hearth. She could hardly wait to move in and watch the expressions on the faces of those who hadn’t seen inside yet. After all the years of hearing of the bent tree house in Ki’ti’s time, the place was more spectacular than she could have imagined. Little wonder it was in the stories.

  Tuksook saw Gumui coming towards her from the far end of the structure. Suddenly her bold thoughts of the future shriveled as she looked at her leg where the rash was healing. She was a mess. She had done her hair and picked her teeth, but she still had ugly hair color and a rash all over. She was just a child after all.

  “I see you have your wrappings removed. That’s good, Tuksook. How do you feel?”

  “Fine. And you?”

  “I feel wonderful this morning. I have some thoughts.”

  Gumui stood before her, his shins almost touching the bamboo of her bench. Tuksook inhaled the scent of him. His reddish chest hair glinted in a few places, catching light from the smoke hole. She thought he was the best looking of all the People. His muscles were so beautifully formed. She wanted to touch him but instead she listened. She hoped it wasn’t about forgiveness again. She looked into his face, wondering.

  Gumui stood straight and tall. His eyes pierced hers. “After we’ve moved into this new place and settled in, I would like to spend the number of days as there are fingers on my two hands exploring the area. I will ask the Wise One if he will permit you to accompany me. I could use your flying as a reason for you to go.”

  It was not at all what Tuksook expected to hear. “Do you think he would let me go?”

  “I can’t know until I ask. I’d prefer not to guess.” He smiled his broad smile showing beautiful white teeth.

  “Thank you, Gumui. You’d let me enjoy some solitude on the trek?”

  “Of course, and I’d watch over you while you talk with Wisdom. Tuksook, if we explore together, you must tell your father about the stories when you return.”

  “I’m afraid to think of it, but I vow to Wisdom that I will. Such an exploration is beyond anything I could ever wish to experience.”

  “I will start talking about it so that he’s not surprised when I ask that you accompany me. Tonight at council we’ll probably announce the move for tomorrow. I’m excited that the time is just about here. I’m pleased with the work we’ve put into the structure. It’s strong. It should be a good place to live. I expect, though, to find things that need to be adjusted when People start to live here.”

  To Tuksook, Gumui looked so confident. He was a man, she realized, a young one, but a man. He had great responsibility for the bent tree house, and he’d done well. She’d overheard older men, even elders, speaking of his skill in working with other men, many of whom were older, to assure the place was built well.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.

  “Because I’m so proud of what you’ve done.” For the moment Gumui had become more than a man in her eyes. He was heroic in her eyes as she thought of the bent tree house and his offer to let her accompany him on his adventure.

  “I only had the idea. Many have built this place.”

  “That makes me more proud of you,” she said quietly.

  “That’s nice of you to say. Now, I must start this day’s work.” He turned and walked off in the direction from which he’d come. She noticed how he moved, strong, purposeful, reasoned. His idea of a ten-day trek thrilled her. Somehow, Midgenemo would have to permit her to go with him. It was the most wonderful adventure she could ever have. She desperately wanted to go. Tuksook settled down to start sewing and had difficulty focusing on the task as excited as she was.

  Gumui was half way up a wall by the central hearth when he noticed Midgenemo entering the bent tree house. The man was looking a
t every detail, clearly delighted.

  “There you are,” Midgenemo said to Gumui, “This is wonderful.”

  Tuksook could hear them talking. She froze.

  Gumui climbed down and smiled at the man. “I’m very happy with the construction. It’s almost finished.”

  “When you suggested the bent tree house on the meadow, I had no idea you’d make it work so well. The crossed building construction is an excellent idea, and I hear the idea was yours.”

  Gumui lowered his head. “Thank you, Wise One,” he replied.

  “Is there anything special I can do for you?” Midgenemo asked.

  Gumui didn’t know whether to ask about the exploration with Tuksook, but decided that an opportunity like this one would not likely come again. Tuksook held her breath, knowing what he was considering.

  “There is one thing I’d like to ask of you. After the People move here and we discover any changes that need to be made and we fix them, I would like to take an exploration of the area for the number of days as there are fingers on my two hands, maybe a little more. I would like to have Tuksook accompany me.” The words were spoken. Gumui had asked the question far sooner than he planned. He tried to see what the Wise One might be thinking by examining his face. The Wise One knew how to control his face.

  Tuksook barely dared to breathe. She felt as if her world hung on her father’s reply. She thought, if you say yes, Father, I shall forgive you immediately. She fully expected him to refuse so she could hate him all the more.

  After much time Midgenemo replied, “She attracts you, doesn’t she?”

  “Yes, she does, but I have put that away for a future time. She is too young yet. But, yes, I find her special and would like to join with her in the future. I would not act on any of that until she becomes woman and makes it clear she wants to pursue that too. Right now I would like to be with her and to have her ability to fly available to me on the exploration. We’d be camping light, and she’s a good hunter.”

  “If at some future time she wants you, you have my approval. You are a fine young man. I will give you permission to take her with you on this adventure. Do not treat her as an adult. She is still clearly a child. Treat her as a child. Do not permit her to wander off. I give you my authority over her while you are gone.”

  “Thank you, Wise One, I will do what you say.” Gumui had to hold himself tightly. He wanted to jump around and shout to free the energy he felt, having received two replies that he never anticipated. He had wanted to give Tuksook time for her solitude with Wisdom, while he studied the land and food animals. He was certain his hope was too big. It wasn’t.

  “Tuksook,” Midgenemo said loud from the central hearth. “I have given Gumui permission to take you with him on his adventure which will come soon. You are to go with him and obey him. You must help him. Is that clear?”

  “Very clear, Father,” Tuksook acknowledged. “I will obey and cause him no trouble.” Silently, she said in her mind web, Wisdom, I forgive my father. Please make the feeling of forgiveness follow my decision to forgive.

  “Young man,” Midgenemo said, “I will leave you to your work. When will we move here?”

  “We plan to announce tonight that tomorrow we move.”

  “I suppose you are as eager as the rest of us?”

  “Yes, Wise One. I want to live here very much.”

  Midgenemo left the way he entered—from the south-facing entry. He chose not to seek out which place was his. He wanted some surprise remaining for the day of the move. As it was, he was totally unprepared for the luxury of the new home. Everything would have its place. Everyone would have a place. He wondered why they hadn’t used this design more often. He smiled when he realized that Gumui cared very deeply for his daughter. They would be well joined. If anyone could encourage Tuksook to become a good woman, he thought Gumui could.

  For the time it took Gumui to empty his bag of mud, the two attended to their tasks. When Gumui climbed down the wall, he walked to Tuksook’s place.

  “I can’t believe it was that easy. It’s almost as if this trek were meant to be,” he said. “Wisdom must want this.”

  Tuksook looked at him wide-eyed. “I can’t believe he said what he did. Gumui, before he gave you permission, I told Wisdom that if my father said I could go with you, I’d forgive him. I had to do that. I have forgiven him. Now, I hope that my feelings will follow, and that I’ll stop condemning him every time I look at him.”

  Gumui smiled. He wanted to hug her, but he remained where he stood. “I’m glad, Tuksook. If you feel yourself about to condemn him, stop yourself immediately and think of other things. You have forgiven him. It’s over. I’ll be watching. I haven’t forgotten you’re a child.”

  “I will,” Tuksook replied. There it was again. He was adult; she, child. To her his comment contained a threat. She knew he wasn’t happy about her lack of forgiveness. Suddenly it occurred to her that Wisdom might have caused her father to agree, just to test her own resolve to forgive. There was a story that had a similar message. Tuksook couldn’t recall it quickly. She knew she was on dangerous ground if she failed to forgive. She wondered whether she’d been wise to ask for permission to accompany Gumui based on forgiving her father, but it was done. She had to live with the consequences of her request. Those thoughts clashed with the joy Tuksook felt that she was free to accompany Gumui, and if they chose to join in the future, Gumui already had permission.

  In the meadow Taman’s students were free until high sun. Wims ran, calling to Oneg.

  “What is it, Wims?” she asked.

  “I still haven’t seen the tree that overlooks the boats below. Will you show me now?”

  “Sure.” She smiled at Nipe. “You want to see if Col wants to go too?”

  Nipe said, “Yes. Wait here until I return.”

  Moments later Nipe and Col came running. The four walked off to the northeast part of the meadow and then to the meadow’s edge where trees grew and then there was a steep dropoff. With care each crawled out on the tree trunk that grew horizontally from the bank. Showing off, Oneg decided to walk instead of crawl on the tree trunk. She caught her foot in a rough place in the bark, and she let out a piercing scream as she lost her balance and tumbled backwards to the ground below. The boys were terrified. Nipe reached the meadow first and found Pago, his father. His mother, Bit-n came running with strips of leather and some straight pieces of wood as soon as she heard Oneg had fallen.

  “I’m too dizzy to stand up,” Oneg complained. “My left leg hurts a lot and my left arm.” Bit-n realized the girl was in better condition than she expected. The left leg bones in the lower leg were sticking through the skin. That was not a good sign. Bit-n temporarily splinted the leg. Oneg’s arm had dislocated, but it wasn’t broken. Bit-n pulled the arm back into place while Oneg’s screams pierced the quiet. They lifted her to a stretcher and carried her to the shower area. Bit-n was fanatical about washing injured skin thoroughly, and this would be no exception. She washed the wound, realigned the bones, though her daughter screamed loud enough to notify every living creature in Eagle’s Grasp of their presence. Suddenly the noise ceased. Oneg had fainted. Bit-n put together everything she could think to use to keep infection away. She sewed the torn flesh back together using hairs from Oneg’s head that she rinsed in the waterfall. Then she covered the wound with honey and wrapped the leg carefully—tight enough to hold the bones in place, but loose enough to keep the leg from tingling or becoming numb. The bones had been set the best they possibly could be. It would take time to know how well the injury would heal. Meanwhile, Oneg was immobilized. When she waked up, Bit-n gave her something to drink to ease the pain.

  Item called all the People together by beating the rocks together as if she were announcing the evening meal. Once all gathered, she explained that Oneg had fallen from the tree that overhung the lowland. She told all the young ones that they were not permitted to climb out on the tree. She also told older people that it wasn
’t a good idea for them either. People chuckled, but all knew she was making a rule for every single one of the People and they’d better do what she told them—stay off the leaning tree. In many ways she was the mother of the People.

  Item also told the people they had a complete lack of red sphagnum moss, which would help with Oneg’s healing. She asked for a large supply, and reminded the People that the moss needed to be picked clean of objects tangled in it. She said if they couldn’t find red, the light colored would be a second best.

  Later that evening the last item on the council was from Gumui. The young man had rarely spoken at council and he felt a bit anxious. He wanted to be seen as a man by the People, but he was still young. He cleared his throat and began to speak, “The bent tree house is ready. After the morning meal tomorrow, begin to move your things. Unmo, Pago, Hamaklob, and I will show you where your bench/sleeping places are and where to store tools, spears, food, herbal cures, and so on. We ask you to keep in your mind webs anything that needs to be fixed or changed as you become familiar with your places. Let us know so we can fix problems as soon as they’re discovered.”

  Murmurs went all around reflecting the excitement the People felt. All were eager to move. As the murmuring continued and there was nothing else to add, Midgenemo adjourned the meeting. He glanced at Gumui and Tuksook. How easy it was to see that she was captivated by him. Yes, he thought to himself, she’d be obedient and helpful on the trek. She would want to please the young man. She would want him to have no bad thoughts of her. She was growing up. Not there yet, but growing up.

  When morning arrived it was difficult for the People to focus on the morning meal. Everyone was eager to move, but they had to do what was expected first. Little by little, People finished and dumped the remains from their bowls at the trash heap and rinsed the bowls in the wooden container that was filled with water. They turned the bowls upside down on the log and headed to a gathering place near the meadow’s edge by the bent tree house. There they stood or sat waiting patiently until they were free to go in.