Tuksook's Story, 35,000 BC

by Bonnye Matthews

  “I understand.”

  “I want you to interact from time to time with the little children. They are no less important to the People than those your age or older. They need to come to know you, not be dismissed. Learn to teach them things by doing it so they can watch. Encourage them to puzzle out answers to hard questions”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you have questions?”

  “I have one. It has troubled me. When we migrated, it was at my father’s command. Did you tell him we needed to migrate, or was it his decision alone?”

  “I told him.”

  “That leads to my next question. Since the idea was yours, why didn’t he tell the People that? I am trying to learn when it is expected that we credit you as the source of ideas or commands.”

  “Credit me when credit is due. Credit a person when credit is due the person. Never take credit for another’s idea or work. Now, in the case of your father. He is a man. He doesn’t always do what he should any more than you do. Do not condemn him for his failures. Live with them. If they are too much for me to accept, I will deal with him. It is not your place to do that. Does that answer your question?”

  “It does. I understand, Wisdom.”

  “Tuksook, let this truth fill every part of you: You are not better than your father in the past, in the present, or in the future. Knowing that will make it easier for you to deal with the truth of your past lack of forgiveness and problems that may soon arise. You are not better than your father. Neither are you worse.”

  “My pride rebels, Wisdom, but I know that your words are truth. Help me keep your words foremost in my mind web. I will strive to stop my bad habit of making comparisons of myself to others.”

  “Including me!”

  “Yes, Wisdom, especially you.” Tuksook lowered her head.

  “Tuksook, we shall not always meet like this. Sometimes I shall speak to you when there is an immediate need. You know my voice. If you hear it, stop what you do and give heed.”

  “I understand and will obey, Wisdom.”

  “Tuksook, do not listen to any other spirit voice but mine.”

  “I will listen to your spirit voice only.”

  “Come.”

  Tuksook climbed the steps and hugged Wisdom’s knee, laying her head upon it. Wisdom’s soft hand enfolded her. Slowly she returned to the physical world.

  “You’re back,” Gumui said with enthusiasm. “We have a little to do before we can finish our trek.”

  “I’m hungry,” Tuksook said quietly.

  “We still have a fire. I’ll cook the remaining pieces of the giant deer meat.”

  “Wonderful,” she said quietly placing her arm around a tree trunk and gazing at the valley.

  “Did it go well?” he asked.

  “Yes, Gumui. It went very well. Wisdom doesn’t want me to talk with any other spirit. He warned me to treat my father with respect. Wisdom chose my father and me. Wisdom reminded me that my father and I are no better or worse than the other. We didn’t deserve to be chosen. Wisdom said that my father was chosen to lead. I should respect his leading because, if it went too far, Wisdom would step in. It appears from what you’ve said that Wisdom did step in to make my father change while we were gone.”

  “That did happen. We saw a lightning bolt hit a tree, felling it right where your father slept in the lean-to. Fortunately, he was in the meadow. We also saw a lightning bolt hit the ground close to your father. He heard Wisdom speak through it, but the rest of us just heard crackling and the roar of thunder.”

  Tuksook heard him but replied, “That smells so good! I hoped we had some left.”

  “It will be ready soon. Come, sit.”

  She went to the log where he’d put the skin that he’d already packed. He handed her a skewer and took one for himself. The meat tasted good.

  Gumui finished first and extinguished the fire. He packed up the skins and skewers and they began the trek to home.

  Sutorlo, Lurch, and Gilo had been busy since the morning meal felling and limbing trees. They carried the trunks over by the area where the dogs stayed. The boys had learned some construction techniques by observing their bent tree house. They decided to keep the dogs safe in the cold time, they should build a sturdy shelter for them. Gilo set up the back of the structure against the hill behind the dogs. Sutorlo and Lurch buried two stout evergreen tree trunks upright in the ground opposite the hill. They tied a crosspiece to the standing trunks at the top. The three boys took the logs placing the heavier end atop the hill and the lighter end atop the crosspiece. The structure was wobbly.

  “I think we need two more standing logs each between a standing log and the hill,” Gilo said.

  They worked hard and soon had two more logs buried. They tied a log from front to back to the new side logs. The structure had definitely gained stability. The boys soon had all their logs lined up and ready for covering.

  “Now I know what we needed that sea aurochs skin for!” Lurch laughed. It would be perfect to lay over these logs to hold the rocks and dirt we could put on top. “Let me ask when the men will go again.” He left at a run.

  He came back to share that a boat left to bring back another sea aurochs that morning. The boys decided to work on the sides, hoping for the skin. They’d ask at council that night if they could have the sea aurochs skin for the dog lodging.

  Elfa walked over to see what the boys were doing. “That is thoughtful of you,” she commented. As she continued, she scratched behind the ears of first one dog and then another. “We depend on them to carry many of our things when we hunt, to alert us to what they know sooner than we know it, and to protect us when animals are near that could harm us. It makes good sense to be sure to take good care of them.”

  Gilo approached her. “We’re going to ask tonight whether we can have the sea aurochs skin they’ll bring back. That would be great to cover the logs with. Then we’ll pile dirt and rocks on top of that. We’ll be working on the sides to protect them from the wind. Part of the front and the river sides will remain open so they can alert us to anything on the river.”

  “From your description, I can almost see it. On behalf of the dogs, I thank you,” she smiled and walked off towards the food preparation place.

  “She’s nice,” Lurch said. “I think she likes you, Gilo.”

  “She likes everybody,” Gilo said.

  “Have either of you thought who’d you’d eventually like to have for a wife?” Sutorlo asked.

  “I haven’t,” Gilo said.

  “Me either,” Lurch replied. “Have you?”

  “No. It’s just that we’ve been here for a while now. Before our sea sailing, we weren’t allowed to have new joinings and nobody could be with child and make the sea crossing. I would think there would be a lot of People who want to join now.

  “I’m sure there are,” Lurch said, “My brother, Orad, seems to find Hustep attractive, but then who wouldn’t?”

  “Do you think they’ll join?” Sutorlo asked.

  “Who can say?” Lurch laughed. “I thought Coo would join with Enzuvel, but Enzuvel seems to find Tern attractive. And then, there’s Remui. He’s old!”

  “I think he was in love with Meg, but when Hawk’s first wife died, Hawk joined with Meg right away. Maybe Remui still loves her.”

  “That would be awkward,” Lurch said.

  Ren led Guko, Velur, Bitro, Col, and Twim to the south part of the meadow. She had tied a sphere to a string and hung it from a long horizontal tree branch that pointed to the north. Ren had taken two slingshots and the youngsters had gathered pebbles on the way. They took turns trying to hit the leather sphere while it simply hung still from the tree branch. In time all the youngsters were doing well, so Ren took a fallen tree branch and set the sphere to moving. The youngsters aimed at something moving. It was a lot harder. Their effort was taken seriously, but when they missed, they’d issue pretend groans and when they were successful, they’d shout for joy. For most
of the day, the youngsters did not tire of the practice. They became better and better.

  As the sun made it to the west and beyond, Wave shouted out, “I think Gumui and Tuksook are nearing.”

  People gathered to see the two walking the edge of the mountainside, on the path that seemed made for the purpose. They appeared to have acquired skins and looked a little top heavy. Orad and Coo ran to meet them to help them carry some of the load.

  When they reached the meadow, they faced the People, all of them, eager to hear anything about their trek.

  Midgenemo shouted out, “Quiet! They will unpack, eat, and then at council they can share.” The crowd began to disperse. Midgenemo followed Gumui and Tuksook to the bent tree house. Orad and Coo ran with the skins they carried and laid them by the bent tree house in a lean-to built for new skins.

  “Father, may I speak quickly to you now?” Tuksook asked.

  “Speak,” he replied.

  “There are two main things I wish to say quickly. The first is that while I was gone, I became woman. You had already given Gumui permission to join. We are joined. The second is harder. I have done a very selfish thing. I admit to you that I know the stories and have known them for a long time. I did not let anyone know, because I wanted to enjoy the times I could find solitude to talk with Wisdom, and I wanted to be a child. Yes, I talk with Wisdom even as you do. I know that you need to know these things straight away. Father, I am sorry for hiding my knowledge of the stories. I ask your forgiveness.”

  The Wise One stood there staring at her with his left hand on his hip. Gumui stood there almost failing to breathe. Tuksook wondered what would happen.

  “I thought so,” the Wise One finally said, exhaling as if he’d stored his breath for a long time. “You always had that air about you, and you flew. Yes, Tuksook, I forgive you. You both know that I could beat you for this, Tuksook. I could order Gumui to do it, since he’s your husband. But, you both have probably suffered enough already just from thoughts of what would happen when you informed me. Tomorrow, Tuksook, you will spend the day reciting stories to me. We will do this, as you well know, day after day, until I am convinced that you know the stories, the habit has formed, and that you will practice daily for the rest of your life. How long have you and Wisdom talked?”

  “For years and years, father.”

  “I see,” Midgenemo said, pausing. Then, he continued, “I’m glad you joined. Gumui, make certain she no longer falls into the self-centeredness that has consumed her until now.”

  “Yes, Wise One,” Gumui said quietly. He agreed with Midgenemo. He didn’t like that part of Tuksook either.

  Renwen hit the rocks together, calling all to the evening meal.

  “Let’s eat. You have something special to try,” Midgenemo said.

  “What is that?” Tuksook asked.

  “You’ll see,” he said smiling. The relief he felt knowing that there was a Wise One to train was filling his soul. He had been worried for a long time, needlessly. He loved his strong-willed, self-centered daughter. To see her well joined made him very happy. To know she would be the next Wise One filled him with great joy.

  The evening meal was laid out on the log outside because the weather was so beautiful. The People loved to eat in the open. When Tuksook and Gumui reached the log and began to put food in their bowls, Gumui asked what the dark meat was.

  “It’s a sea aurochs,” Togomoo explained. “It’s a huge sea creature we captured just outside the river in the sea. The sea aurochs eats seaweed. They’re easy to capture. They haven’t learned to fight. We called it a sea aurochs because it tastes better than aurochs. Try it. Take plenty!”

  Because they were hungry after the trek, they both took plenty. They laid the meat on their greens, knowing the meat would flavor the greens. They walked to a partially shady spot and sat to enjoy their food.

  “This is wonderful!” Gumui exclaimed. “Togomoo,” he shouted, “You’re right. This is the best meat I ever ate!”

  Togomoo nodded and smiled.

  The People finished and those who ate any fish walked to the trash heap to empty their bowls of the small bones. Little by little they gathered on the flat stones in the meadow for council. Some families brought skins for wives and children to sit on.

  Midgenemo began, “As you all know, Gumui and Tuksook have returned. We’ll wait for Gumui’s finding about Eagle Grasp until he’s ready to share. First, know that Tuksook is woman and the two joined while on their trek. I had already given permission but had no idea it would be so soon. It is good. There are some who would speak. Gilo,” the Wise One nodded at Gilo.

  Gilo cleared his throat. “Today we began the shelter for the animals who serve us so well. We began the frame for the roof, and realized that we have a use for the skin of the sea aurochs. It would work well to lay one or more across the roof to keep rain, snow, dirt, and rocks from falling through the logs. We ask for the next two sea aurochs skins for the roof of the building we make. Until the hunters return, we can continue to build the sides of the dog house.”

  There was silence.

  “If anyone sees reason to deny this request, speak,” the Wise One said. Time passed.

  “You may have as many skins as the dog’s house needs and the hunters provide,” the Wise One ruled. The young boys were delighted.

  The Wise One said, “Stencellomak and Bruilimi,” and nodded at them.

  Stencellomak shifted and said, “A while ago I speared a big cat with long teeth. I wear the teeth on this leather strip around my neck. I asked Lurch to skin the cat and prepare the skin, and Bruilimi volunteered to make a fitting tunic from it for Tuksook, our flier and next Wise One. The cat skin is finished. Tuksook, please put on the cat skin as a gift from all of us to you.”

  Tuksook blushed. She was touched and realized she’d done nothing to deserve the skin. Bruilimi helped her slide it on quickly. “I accept the skin with deep gratitude. I credit Wisdom, not myself, for making it possible for me to accept it as your flier and next Wise One. It is Wisdom who made those decisions. I did nothing to deserve it.”

  Midgenemo looked at Tuksook as if he’d never seen her. Where and when did she make such a change? She must have spent much time with Wisdom, he mused.

  Bruilimi helped her with the neck of the new tunic. The leather draw needed to gather the neck skin equally to look right. The new tunic was shorter in front than the old one. The back hit her mid-calf and the front ended at her knees. The tunic wasn’t a real tunic of the style they’d always worn. This one was first of all made from a single skin that had not been split open. Second, the upper foreleg skin of the animal had been left in place but split on the inner leg to make a sleeve-like arm covering hanging from the neck of the tunic. The forelegs hit the top of her forearms at the bend of her arm. The neck had been cut to conform to a human neck and a narrowly cut cat skin strip had been threaded through cuts to pull the neck together where it tied in front. It had a soft, feminine look. Bruilimi had constructed very simply a work of art. The skin was so soft Tuksook kept looking to be sure it was there. It was a little large for her, but she had not finished growing. She could wear it well just as it was.

  What Tuksook could not see was that the color of the skin and the color of her hair made an incredible complementarity, transforming her into an exotic looking young woman. Gumui looked at her with his mouth open. He loved her but now saw her transformed into something amazing to look upon. Tuksook was unaware of the transformation, assuming the murmurs from the People were approval of Bruilimi’s work on the tunic.

  Tuksook went to Stencellomak and hugged him. Then, she went to Bruilimi and hugged her. She smiled at both of them. “Thank you so very, very much,” she said. It was the first new clothing Tuksook had ever worn. She knelt next to Gumui.

  The Wise One looked at Gumui.

  “I would like to have until tomorrow’s council to start to share my findings. It may take several nights to provide a complete description. I n
eed to spend some time reasoning it through my mind web.”

  “Very well, I for one am eager for tomorrow night’s council,” he said.

  The People nodded and made affirmative statements.

  “Ottu, Mongo, are the days still lengthening?”

  “Yes, they are,” Ottu replied.

  “Is there anything else for this council?”

  “Yes,” Item replied.

  Midgenemo nodded.

  “We need many beaver pelts. The cold time will be colder here. We need to make protection from the cold now.”

  Many hunters nodded to Item. That let her know she’d have the skins, more than needed, soon.

  “Is there anything else for this council?” Midgenemo asked.

  Silence.

  “Council has ended,” the Wise One boomed out.

  The People began to head toward the bent tree house. Gumui stopped Tuksook. He held her by her elbow and kissed her. She responded. He felt her in the new tunic. It was so much lighter and more flexible than the heavier leather tunic she’d worn. He knew every curve and could feel them through this skin. He drew her towards him and hugged her almost too tightly. They walked hand-in-hand to the bent tree house, where this time they’d be sharing his bench/sleeping place. Gumui hung his tunic on the peg by his sleeping place and Tuksook’s by hers.

  “I have some bench/sleeping place expanding to tend to tomorrow,” he whispered.

  “Is that really necessary?” she asked.

  “Yes!” he whispered.

  Under their sleeping skins, Item whispered to Midgenemo, “Old Man, in letting her go with Gumui, you proved to be Wise One. When you did it, I thought you’d lost the way in your mind web.”

  Midgenemo laughed loud enough to be heard throughout the house. Then he whispered back, “I sought Wisdom’s counsel for that one.”

  A few days later, the dogs’ barking awakened the People. Hunters ran out from the bent tree house to find that the sea aurochs hunting boat was in sight of home. People raced wildly all over the meadow preparing for the new meat. They had experience with sea aurochs now. The drying and smoking racks were ready. Everyone was prepared. Lurch, Gilo, and Sutorlo were delighted to be able to have a sea aurochs skin for the roof of the dog house. Women quickly laid out the morning meal of food that could be carried by hand.