The Thinking Rocks

by Butkus, C. Allan

  Ceola remembered clearly the day her mother died. They had been camping on the bank of a large river. It was early evening and the sun was just about to set. They had eaten well this evening. The men had killed a large tree sloth and brought back as much meat as they could carry. She and the other women had the job of cutting the meat up and cooking it for the rest of the clan. The food was good but it came at a price. She smelled like blood and meat. Her mother, Tayla, and the other women had gone down to the water's edge to clean themselves after eating. It was not wise to wander through the forest smelling like food.

  They had been splashing in the shallow water for a few minutes and gossiping about their children and the men when a large log came drifting down toward them. They paid little attention to it because it didn't appear to be dangerous. There weren't any branches sticking out that could cause injury and it was moving slowly. Tayla was farther out in the water than the other women and had her back toward the log. Ceola was standing on the shore and saw the log was getting close to her mother, "Mother, there is a log behind you, be careful." Tayla turned toward the log and saw a strange thing; it looked as though the log had eyes, what a strange thing, a log with eyes. Suddenly, the log blinked its eyes at her! The realization that the log wasn't a log came too late. She turned to run for the shore but only got one step before the water exploded with a gator. It shot forward and caught Tayla about the waist with its huge mouth. Ceola could still hear bones crack as the jaws closed. Tayla's horrifying scream was short lived because the gator pulled her underwater and began spinning over and over. The water turned from muddy brown to a dark red with her blood. Suddenly, the water calmed, and the only thing that was visible was a "V" shaped current heading away from the shore. It was the underwater path of the gator and its prey. Where her mother had been now there was only a muddy rust colored swirl in the slow moving water. Soon the swirl settled and it too was gone, just like her mother. Ceola never saw her mother again although she heard the scream in her dreams many times.

  She had gone to Koonai for help and asked why her mother had died. He had sat down with her and held her hands in his. He looked into her eyes, and told her that he understood her pain. "All living things die, some sooner than others. The Great Spirit moves in ways that we don't understand. We live for a time and then die. The Great Spirit decides what is to happen. There are things that we cannot understand. It is not a fault of ours; it is just the way things are. There is no fault; it is just that we cannot understand the events." He paused to think for a few moments, "Because we cannot see a pattern or a reason, does not mean that it does not exist. Tormenting ourselves does not help, though crying sometimes does seem to help. It may be that we can't understand because we are not ready to understand. It is possible that someday we will comprehend why things happen as they do," he paused for a few moments and then continued, "If that is the will of the Great Spirit." He reached over and removed some dried leaves from one of the containers he had in his shelter, "I can give you something for the pain your body feels. It will help you sleep. There is nothing that I can give you for the pain in your heart. Only time can heal that pain." This wasn't much help for a young girl who had just lost most of her world.

  A few days later, Koonai had come to her; he said that he had a vision. In the dream, he had seen her walking along a stream. “The water was cool and sweet, but it was red. A young wolf came to the opposite bank of the stream and stopped to drink. In the dream, you were not frightened and stood watching the wolf drink. As he lapped the water, he started to change form. His legs got shorter, and he slowly changed into a large hawk. When he was completely transformed, he flapped his wings and rose to the top of a tree where there was a nest. He flew over the nest, picked something out of it, flew down, and landed at your feet. He placed a small baby boy in front of you. Before you could pick the baby up, there was a flash of yellow, and a large cat picked the baby up in its mouth and dashed into the woods with it. The hawk screamed in a human voice and launched itself after the cat; you followed the hawk into the woods. You became lost and you stood alone by a stream. Suddenly, the scene changed, and it was winter, and you stood by a frozen stream. You turned and could smell smoke and see a fire in the distance. A figure moved in your direction. You called out, but there was no answer. The vision ended there.”

  Ceola found the vision unsettling, and it confused her. She knew that what she needed was someone to talk to so that she could sort out her feelings. Yet, there was none she could confide in. Her mind snapped back to the present as she saw Gennos near his fire. She walked over to it. As she approached him she smiled and said his name softly, "Gennos, I have the snake's hide for Cano. Is he near?"

  He looked up from his work and smiled at her, “He’s inside helping our mother,” and then he nodded his head toward the shelter.

  She turned to see Cano at the entrance; he had just come through the opening and was crouching down. As he stood, she marveled at how beautiful he was; his body was all smooth and tanned muscle. His hair was long and pulled back from his face. His eyes, which were a deep brown, seemed to light up when he saw her. His whole body seemed to beckon to her. She felt her stomach quiver and her knees seemed as though they could not support her weight. When she spoke his name, it sounded to her as though a frightened child spoke it. "Cano…I have something here for you." She dropped her eyes. She wanted to say, “It’s me.” She waited a moment or two trying to regain control of herself before she spoke again. “I have finished my work. The snake’s hide is here, I hope that it will please you.”

  Cano also had difficulty speaking. He looked at her young desirable body and beautiful face. She was tall for a woman; her forehead only reached his lips. She was slim and moved with a grace that fascinated him; he had a difficult time taking his eyes from her. Her dark hair was smooth and pulled back so that it fell over her right shoulder. It was tied with a pale strip of rawhide. The only clothing she wore was a breechcloth, as did the other women. Her breasts where delightful to behold; even though they were still developing. They were so perfect and round. He had a hard time looking into her eyes. When he did pull his eyes away and looked into her dark eyes, he felt dizzy. She was so wonderful, he wanted to reach out and take her in his arms, just to hold her and smell her hair. Of the few things that he wanted, Ceola was the most important. He wanted to take care of her and protect her from any harm. He wanted her to be his. He wanted to find her at his fire at the end of a day. He realized that he hadn't said anything to her. What a fool she must think I am. He reached out and took the snake’s hide from her. His hand brushed against her and he felt a small electric shock. He jumped back and almost dropped the skin.

  She had felt it too and pulled back at the same time.

  They stood looking at one other in a shocked silence, then Cano spoke. "I'm sorry, I don't know… its fine,…thank you. It looks good." He felt like a fool, he could not even talk when he was near her. After a deep breath he reached out to touch her arm and said, "Ceola, you are wonderful." But before he could touch her, she jerked back without thinking, trying to avoid the shock she thought was coming.

  Embarrassed by her action, she mumbled, “Thank You, I must go." She turned and fled back to her dwelling, angry with herself. What a fool I must seem to him, she thought. He could never care for me, I cannot speak and I'm too skinny.

  Koonai

  As night fell at the campsite of the Clan of the Spear, the final preparations for the Ritual of Passage for Ceola and Sorou were being completed. After the ritual, the hunters of the clan would tell of their prowess in the field.

  The moon was full, but outside the large campfire, the woods were dark. Tall stakes had been driven into the ground and evenly spaced around the fire. They were decorated with the symbols of the clans hunting ability. Several were tied with the feathers taken from turkeys that had been killed in Bana’s hunt. Another had piece of the snake’s hide wrapped around it. Each held a trophy, a turtle shell, the skins of a
nimals, bones tied together that rattled when the wind blew, the antlers of a deer, and the claw of the sloth. In the center of the clearing, outside the circle of stakes, a large stone tipped spear had been driven into the ground butt first. The shaft was heavy and made of dark wood, the spearhead was a blood colored flint and had strips of rawhide hanging down its sides. This was the totem of the clan and could only be handled by Koonai the Shaman.

  The clan, with the exception of Koonai and Gennos, were seated on the ground in front of the fire facing the spear. Moki was seated to one side and had a large hollow log in front of him. He held a short heavy stick in each hand.

  The turkeys had been roasted earlier and were resting on a bed of leaves near the fire. A hollowed out section of log had been filled with water and the snake's body had been cut up and added along with roots and nuts. Hot rocks had been added to the water to heat it and cook the meat. Small chunks of salt had been added from a salt lick to the south.

  Silence fell on the clan as the first of three strange birdcalls filled the air. Moki began to strike the log in a slow rhythm, first with one stick and then the other. Everyone was looking to the fire and listening to the beat of the log. After what seemed like a long time, a shrill bone whistle sounded to the side of the fire. It was followed by a rustling noise in the dark. This was followed by silence. Then, at the rear of the clan, a scratching was heard along with the hiss of a snake that grew louder and louder until it had changed into the coughing roar of a gator. Beyond the fire, a wolf howl could be heard that silenced the cough of the gator. To the side of the fire came the gobble of a turkey; on the opposite side came the cry of a hawk. Behind them came the sound of a buffalo’s deep moan. Something big crashed into the fire and sent up a shower of sparks. The roar of a saber-toothed cat quickly followed this. Moki stopped beating the log as a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness at the rear of the fire. It was low to the ground and hunchbacked as it shambled into the light, and it was clear that it was a man beneath animal skin. As the figure reached the center of the clearing, it stopped before the spear totem. A low deep growl came from the figure. It grew in volume until it was the scream of the saber tooth. The figure stood and the skin fell away to reveal Koonai. He was painted from head to foot. Alternating red and yellow lines circled his body. His face was dyed white and his eyes were circled in black. On his head; he wore the horns of a bison. The hair was dyed white. He reached out and pulled the spear totem from the ground. He held it in both hands and then raised it above his head and looked to the sky.

  In a deep voice, he proclaimed, "I am Koonai, I speak to the spirits of the sky." The spear was then lowered until it was level with his shoulders and then turning in a circle, he called out "I am Koonai, and I speak to the spirits of the land." The spear was then lowered until it rested on his thighs, he called out again "I am Koonai and I speak to the spirits of the waters." He replaced the spear in the ground but continued to hold it with his right hand. "I am Koonai of the Clan of the Spear. I speak to you tonight." Moki started to beat the log again, with a slow solemn rhythm.

  "Before the world was white, far in the past, there was darkness and the unknown was everywhere. Only the Great Spirit lived and he was unhappy. Therefore, he created the world from the darkness and the unknown. At first, the world was only water, but this was good because the water gives life. The Great Spirit then created land and separated it from the water. Next, he created all the animals in the world. The Great Spirit was pleased with the animals and called them all to a meeting. I will give each of you two gifts because I am pleased. The animals each sent one of their kinds to the Great Spirit with their requests.

  “The Wolf came first, ‘Oh Great Spirit, I would like the gift of being able to run swiftly with my kind and the ability to smell the many things in our world.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  “Next came the Deer, ‘Oh Great Spirit, I would like horns on my head that are like the trees without leaves, and also the ability to leap swiftly through the forest.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  “The Great Bear came next. ‘I would like great strength and speed to move quickly when I wish.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  “The Mammoth followed, ‘I would be the biggest of animals with a long nose and teeth.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  “The Bird came next. ‘I would have the ability to fly in the sky and see things at great distances.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  “Next came the snake, ‘I would have the ability to kill with one bite, and be able to go where others can't follow.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  “The Buffalo came forward, ‘I would like a coat of warm fur and a great hump on by back.’ The Great Spirit asked the Buffalo ‘Why the hump on your back?’ The Buffalo replied, ‘To show all the strength you have given me.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  “Next, the Big Cat came forward. ‘I would like two large teeth to kill with, and the ability to attack quickly from the shadows.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  The Gator, using his short legs, moved forward, ‘I would like a large mouth with many teeth and the time to rest in the sun.’ The Great Spirit made it so.

  “The Fish came forward, ‘I would like the ability to swim under the water and move very quickly.’ The Great Spirit made it so. Koonai continued, "Next came an animal with no name. We do not know what his request was, but it angered the Great Spirit, and the animal was destroyed. To this day, no one knows the animal’s name or what it looked like. This is the power of the Great Spirit. This is Mana, spiritual power. Many creatures are powerful, but only the Great Spirit has Mana.

  “Last came a small animal with only two legs, Man. He stood before the Great Spirit with his head down. When he was asked what two gifts he wished, he paused, and then raised his eyes. Then he said, ‘I am a weak creature and don't believe I need any of the gifts that you have given to the other animals. I don't know what I need or want. You have the power and wisdom; please pick my gifts for me.’

  “The Great Spirit smiled and said ‘It is done. I have given you the gift of one thing that is actually two things. The first is the ability to think of things as they might be. The second is the ability to make them happen.’ The Great Spirit then told man that the gifts must always be used together.

  “The Great Spirit then spoke to all the other animals, ‘In return for the gifts I have given you, I give each of you the task of teaching Man the ways of my world. I will send you messages and you will present these messages to Man.

  “Then He spoke to Man, ‘To you, I give the hardest task. You are to learn and honor my ways.”

  Rite of Passage

  Koonai paused and looked at each person in the clan in turn. Moki resumed the rhythm on the log; the boom of each beat could be felt in the marrow of the watchers’ bones. The fire silhouetted the shaman and the smoke drifted above and about him in gentle wisps. He was like a mystical vision.

  "I have spoken tonight to you about the past. This is because it is where we come from on our journey through life. We each travel a different path. None before us or after us will travel the same path. This is the way of the Great Spirit." He looked over in Moki's direction and nodded his head. Moki changed the tempo that he was beating; he began to strike the log with both sticks at the same time in a slower rhythm.

  "I will now speak of what is to come. Two of our young females will become women tonight. They will pass from childhood and become adult members of the clan. They are of the age when they can choose their mate. Sorou, come forward." Koonai had selected Sorou first because she was the chief's daughter.

  Sorou, who was seated by her father, rose and came forward. Her steps followed the slow beat of the log. She advanced until she stood facing Koonai. She was of average height and had long black hair that hung down her back. Her hair was entwined with colorful leaves and had tiny bunches of acorns over each ear. The only garment she wore was a breechcloth of a tanned deer hide. Her breasts were well on their way to bec
oming adequate for their intended use. They had been receiving more than passing attention by the young men of the clan in the last few months. Her body was assuming the curves of a woman. She knelt on one knee in front of Koonai, as was the custom.

  Koonai nodded at Sorou. Raising his eyes to the clan, he spoke in his deep voice. "Ceola, come forward."

  Ceola had also been sitting with her father. Her heart was pounding wildly as she rose slowly to her feet. She found it difficult to breathe, and the beat of the log seemed to vibrate to the core of her being. As she moved forward, it seemed that this was a dream and she was floating toward Koonai. She then knelt before him. She was slightly taller than Sorou, but was slimmer and her legs were not as heavy. She stood straight, tall, and moved with a soft fluid grace. Even an action such as turning her head had an appeal to it. Her hair was decorated the same as Sorou but she carried it pulled together and over her right shoulder. She wore a breechcloth that was a lighter shade and it contrasted well with the color of her skin. Her breasts were smaller than Sorou’s, but they were just starting to bloom, as was the rest of her body. There was no doubt that she would be more beautiful in the years to come.

  Koonai lifted the spear totem and holding it in two hands over his head called out in a ringing voice. "Oh Great Spirit, it is I, Koonai, of the Clan of the Spear. Tonight I have two young females who would be women of the clan. We ask your blessing." He lowered the spear until the point was touching the ground. "As this spear touches the ground so does the power of the Great Spirit touch each of us." He drew a line on the ground in front of the girls. "This mark on the ground is the bank of the river where the young live." He then drew a line parallel to the first and about a foot apart. "This line is the other bank of the river. On this shore live the adult members of the clan. In our journey through life, each of us must cross this river. Sorou and Ceola, Stand! Are you ready to cross the river using your own strength?" They answered together, “Yes." They then stepped across the river, stepping with their right foot and following with the left. They avoided stepping on the lines, as was the custom.