Grey Eyes

by Franks Busch

  “I still feel that way sometimes.” Few people remained who would remember the day the old man earned his name. Painted Turtle Man’s eyes wandered from the circle and his thoughts drifted deep into distant memory.

  “I think it is time we got ready for sleep,” said Walking Moon Woman.

  The family did not question the matriarch and went about the clean-up and prepared for the journey to the dream world.

  Little Grey Bear Boy curled up, a dull ache in his chest. The manner in which he proved himself would largely influence the name he was given. Could he earn a hunter’s name like his father? Would he perform a heroic deed like his uncle? Most of the time, Little Grey Bear Boy wandered the forest picking medicines with his moosum. Perhaps it would be Digging Root Man or Scraping Bark Man. Little Grey Bear Boy snickered at these silly thoughts. When he had mastered his magic, the Nehiyawak would be forced to give him a strong warrior name. Shining Thunderbird Man. Burning Eagle Man. Grey Bear, like his legendary ancestor.

  As the fire died down, Little Grey Bear Boy looked up at the flickering shadows dancing off the lodge poles. They slowed their movements and lulled him to sleep.

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  The sun went down and the moon grew bright while Walking Moon Woman enjoyed a cup of tea made with her new copper pot. Everyone else slept. The night was warm so she did not add any wood to the cooking fire, and slowly the embers burned down. A cool breeze was blowing but it did not look like rain. Finally, Walking Moon Woman shuffled off to bed, falling asleep easily, like one wanting for nothing.

  Near her, Little Grey Bear Boy dreamed. A fox searched along a rocky cliff face, sniffing at openings in the wall. It stopped at one opening marked with scratches and examined it carefully. The fox crept along the side of the rock wall and entered the cave. It made its way inside the den and sneaked around the large sleeping bears. Spying a sleeping bear cub, its ears perked up. The fox suddenly crouched down and began inching toward the cub, as though about to pounce and make a kill.

  Little Grey Bear Boy awoke to the sound of Flying Rabbit Boy screaming. In the half-light he could see an upright figure. The tiny embers of the cooking fire exploded with a bright blue light. Others were screaming now as the dark figure held up his cousin. Blue Elk Man and Brown Shield Man jumped out of the dark, yelling and heading for the figure.

  Little Grey Bear Boy went dead with fear. He wanted to do something but didn’t know how or what. Then he saw it: a stone knife coming down toward his cousin’s chest. A flash and the knife struck the hard shell of a turtle’s underbelly and broke with a loud snap. The figure dropped the turtle as the two Bear men grabbed him. The turtle rolled and landed on its belly, head and legs tucked into its shell. It peeked its head out as the men struggled on the floor of the lodge. The women were still screaming, angry now instead of scared. The turtle’s arms and legs popped out and it limped under the hides and out of the lodge.

  “Get me a rope!” yelled Blue Elk Man.

  Little Grey Bear Boy snapped out of his shock. He found some strips of rawhide and handed them to his father. Blue Elk Man’s eyes were cold and he was breathing hard. He picked the man up by the hair, forcing him into a kneeling position.

  The warriors of the Wolf clan burst into the Bear lodge.

  “Go and find the turtle!” yelled Brown Shield Man to one of the young Wolf warriors. “He is my son!”

  The intruder’s chest was heaving and gasped for air as he raised his head. He looked directly at Little Grey Bear Boy. The scar on his mouth stayed a neutral line while his lips formed a sneer. His eyelids were painted red. He was one of the Red-Eye’s followers, a servant of evil.

  The warriors of the village gathered around the Bear lodge. The entire village was awake and alarmed. The men were yelling as they dragged the intruder out into the centre of the circle of lodges. Some of the women stood by Walking Moon Woman, Singing Doe, and White Willow Woman, who cried and held her children close. A young Wolf warrior entered the circle, carrying a large turtle, which had again tucked itself into its shell. As the warrior approached Walking Moon Woman and the Bear clan, the turtle transformed into Flying Rabbit Boy.

  In the torch light, they could see he was bleeding from his arm and shoulder and had a long white scratch across his chest. Painted Turtle Man grabbed Flying Rabbit Boy and carried him into the Bear medicine lodge. Singing Doe went too.

  The women of the village, including the clan matriarchs, were having a difficult time controlling the men, who were coming forward to kick and strike the offender. Torture is not in the nature of the Nehiyawak, but attacking a child was a grave offence. The villagers were in chaos: some were crying, some were yelling and arguing. Trying to stay calm, the Circle of Clan Mothers gathered and conferred. Grandfather Sun was starting to come up. They would act quickly to restore harmony to Nisichawayasihk.

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  To determine the right course of action, the Circle of Clan Mothers called for a sentencing circle. Since it was the Bear clan that had been offended, it was up to Walking Moon Woman to speak first.

  “Tansi, people of Nisichawayasihk,” she began, her voice dull with sorrow. “May the Grandmother Bear guide you in the ways of healing. Tonight, an intruder attacked my grandchild and my heart is heavy. This person has broken the harmony of the village and has taken away the safety I would normally feel in my home. I feel weak, as though I am no longer able to keep my family from harm. It is a bad feeling in my heart.”

  “As you all know,” she continued, crying now, “it is the responsibility of the Bear clan to administer justice, but the hurt I feel inside would cloud my judgment in this matter. As such, I would leave the decision-making to my sisters, whom I trust to determine the right course.”

  She waved her arm to indicate the other clan matriarchs. The people of Nisichawayasihk murmured their approval at this wise decision.

  The Eagle twins read each other’s minds with a quick glance. The elder twin spoke on behalf of the Eagle clan. “Tansi, people of Nisichawayasihk. May the Grandmother Eagle bless you with her far-seeing eye. It is the judgment of the Eagle clan that to attack a child in this village is to attack all the children of the Nehiyawak. Therefore, the only option is to punish this intruder most severely.”

  There was a long period of silence while the Nehiyawak digested the gravity of the Eagle twin’s statement. Some of the warriors began shouting their approval. Gliding Heron Woman of the Marten clan stepped forward.

  “Tansi, people of Nisichawayasihk,” she said. “May the Grandmother Marten guide you across Mother Earth to find all the gifts she gives. The Marten clan agrees with the judgment of the Eagle clan. Only in this way can our harmony be restored.”

  The Marten clan had always been strict in the application of laws. The Marten warriors whooped and stomped their approval, all except Blue Elk Man.

  Green Wing Woman of the Turtle clan spoke next. “Tansi, people of Nisichawayasihk,” she said. “May the Grandmother Turtle guide you in the ways of learning. It is the judgment of the Turtle clan that the intruder would not have the opportunity to learn anything by the most severe punishment. It would be better if he were instead marked, and lived out the rest of his life in banishment. Perhaps then he could have the chance to learn the error of his ways.”

  Under the Turtles’ plan, the Red-Eye intruder would have his nose cut off, so that anyone he met would know he had committed a grave offense. He would not be welcome in any village of the Nehiyawak and would live the rest of his life in exile.

  Talking Stone Woman of the Deer clan stepped forward to speak.

  “Tansi, people of Nisichawayasihk,” she began. “May the Grandmother Deer guide you in the ways of kindness. We agree with the judgment of the Turtle clan, that banishment in this case would be an act of kindness. The Grandmother Deer teaches that offensive actions should b
e dealt with in a kind and gentle manner when possible.”

  The Eagle twins were becoming noticeably annoyed by the judgments of the last two clans. They folded their arms and frowned.

  The matriarch of the Wolf clan stepped forward to announce her judgment. “Tansi, people of Nisichawayasihk,” she began, her tone apologetic. “May the Grandmother Wolf always protect your families. As you are all aware, it is the duty of the Wolf clan to watch over the village and its children in the night. Last night, we failed in our responsibility and we sincerely ask for forgiveness of the Nehiyawak.”

  The warriors of the Wolf clan hung their heads.

  “In order to restore the harmony,” she continued, “not only do we support the Eagles and the Martens in punishing the intruder in the most severe manner, we also volunteer to undertake the task of exercising final judgment.”

  The people of Nisichawayasihk were astonished by the apology. No one who had supported the death penalty had considered who would carry out the sentence. To take the life of another human for any reason they believed to be a great offense against Kitchi Manitou. By taking on the responsibility, the Wolf clan was removing the other clans from this sin.

  The matriarch of the Crane clan stood up, but it was her eldest daughter, Drifting Butterfly Woman, who stepped forward.

  “Tansi, people of Nisichawayasihk,” Drifting Butterfly Woman began on her mother’s behalf. The matriarch of the clan in charge of internal communication had lost her voice in her old age. “May the Grandmother Crane bless you with the power of her voice. We can see that the council is divided in this matter, and therefore we must reserve our judgment. The Crane clan would hear an explanation from the intruder before making our decision.”

  The men of the village grumbled at this request but were quickly silenced by their matriarchs. Even an outsider who had committed a grave offense and had been caught in the act was entitled to speak for him or herself. Though the Cranes had not judged against the Eagles, the Eagle twins were offended.

  “Perhaps our niece should ask the questions she wishes to have answered,” said the elder twin, using the word ‘niece’ even though the two women were fairly close in age.

  The people of Nisichawayasihk nodded in agreement and all eyes fell on Drifting Butterfly Woman. She raised her chin and marched over to where the intruder was guarded by Brown Shield Man and the other Wolf warriors. Mustering her courage, Drifting Butterfly Woman cleared her throat and said, “Speak your name.”

  The servant of the Red-Eye did not respond.

  “Whom do you serve?” she continued.

  Again, silence. The Eagle twins were basking in what seemed an apparent failure and an embarrassing moment for Drifting Butterfly Woman. The people of Nisichawayasihk were beginning to grumble. Drifting Butterfly Woman stepped toward the Red-Eye and grabbed him under the chin, forcing him to meet her gaze.

  “Why did you attack the child?” she demanded, her booming voice calling to mind the voice of her mother long ago, reminding the others she was worthy to be called ‘Crane clan.’

  “I didn’t mean to attack that child,” he said clearly. “I meant to kill the other one.”

  The people of Nisichawayasihk roared with anger. One of the Wolf clan warriors kicked the Red-Eye intruder in the ribs and he collapsed, coughing and sputtering. Drifting Butterfly Woman raised her open hand, stopping the warriors from beating the man any further.

  As he returned to kneeling, the servant of the Red-Eye began chuckling. He spit bright red blood in the direction of the warrior who had kicked him. Squaring himself up, he announced in a loud voice, “I serve the Red-Eye. I have vowed to bring death to any of the Grey-Eyed pretenders. I do not answer to women like you pathetic dogs. I serve the only true power in this life, and I will continue to serve him in the next. Dark Cloud Man alone can command me. And he will give me vengeance!”

  Women and men screamed, children cried, and voices demanding justice rose up into the sky. Drifting Butterfly Woman stared hard into the eyes of the Red-Eye warrior, her face full of rage. The man was defiant at first, but finally he turned away. She looked towards her mother. The aged matriarch of the Cranes nodded solemnly. Drifting Butterfly Woman addressed the village.

  “It is the judgment of the Crane clan,” her voice boomed, quieting the villagers, “that this sworn enemy of the Nehiyawak face our most severe justice.”

  The matriarch of the Deer clan stepped forward again.

  “We the Deer clan must thank the Cranes for their wisdom. We can see there is no kindness in this man’s heart and therefore we change our judgment.”

  The warriors of the village whooped and stomped their approval. The matriarch of the Turtle clan stepped forward once more.

  “We the Turtle clan see there is no room in this man’s heart for learning a better way. Knowing he chooses not to learn from his mistakes, we too change our judgment in favour of our Eagle sisters.”

  With consensus, there was nothing left to do but administer the final justice.

  On behalf of her mother, Drifting Butterfly Woman said: “Now that the Circle of Clan Mothers has made its decision, we ask all of the children to return to their lodges. The clan mothers do not want for their harmony to be upset any further by witnessing the punishment.”

  The Red-Eye warrior cackled as the women took the children home to their lodges. The Wolf clan warriors lined up shoulder to shoulder behind their matriarch, at the ready. One of the guards struck the prisoner hard in the stomach to silence him. Some of the younger boys who had not yet earned their warrior names but had seen at least fourteen summers were held back by their fathers, to bear witness. They were old enough to see what becomes of those who gravely offend the Nehiyawak.

  The Eagle twins looked at each other, realizing their attempt to embarrass and discredit Drifting Butterfly Woman had backfired. They acted quickly to regain control. “Tansi, people of Nisichawayasihk,” said the elder Eagle Twin. “Although our sister of the Wolf clan has offered the services of her warriors, the Eagle clan would offer our warriors to perform the deed that must be done.”

  It was in poor taste for the Eagles to introduce a new problem for the Circle of Clan Mothers at this particular time.

  The matriarch of the Wolf clan stepped forward again. “I thank you, my sisters, but I would have a Wolf undertake the task in order to atone for our previous failure. Surely my sisters would allow the Wolf clan this opportunity to redeem itself in the eyes of the Nehiyawak?”

  The elder twin looked thoughtful. “Perhaps there is a way to best serve this purpose. There is, after all, a Wolf in the Bear lodge. If he were to undertake the task, justice would best be satisfied.” The younger Eagle twin smiled at her sister.

  The remaining people were silent. Although he had been born of the Wolf clan, Brown Shield Man was known by one and all to be of a kind and gentle disposition—the last of the Wolf warriors who might be considered for such a task.

  Brown Shield Man was taken aback by the request but he composed himself quickly and stood at attention. The other warriors looked at him, unable to hide their astonishment. All of the remaining people of Nisichawayasihk looked to Walking Moon Woman, his matriarch. Her eyes contained a mixture of sadness and anger. She had chosen to remove herself from the decision-making in order to uphold the sanctity of the sentencing circle. The Eagle twins had taken advantage of her decision and it was too late to take back her words. Without looking up, she nodded her head reluctantly.

  Blue Elk Man approached his brother-in-law and drew out his hunting knife. He took Brown Shield Man’s right hand and placed the knife in it, clasping it with both hands. Brown Shield Man looked at his brother-in-law, taking in the fierce resolve he saw there. Only he himself knew the pounding in his heart and the weakness in his legs as he walked toward the prisoner.

  The Red-Eye warrior looked up at Brown Shield Man, his would-b
e executioner. Noting a hint of weakness there, he cackled, even as Brown Shield Man took his position and placed the blade of Blue Elk Man’s knife under his chin.

  “Do you have anything to say before you go?” asked the elder Eagle twin.

  The Red-Eye warrior’s chest rose and fell at an unnatural pace. The women began the death chant to begin preparing the way for his journey. All eyes of the remaining villagers were on the man with his eyelids painted red.

  The man shouted in a loud voice, “LONG LIVE THE RED-EYE,” as Brown Shield Man cut his throat in one swift swipe.

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  The warriors of the Marten clan began to prepare the body of the Red-Eye intruder for burial. The marten is an animal equally comfortable on land and water; so too were the Marten clan comfortable in both the Physical World and the Spirit World. Therefore, the duty of preparing the funeral rites often fell to them.

  Although the intruder had been an enemy of the Nehiyawak and had been executed by the sentencing circle, the ancestors demanded they treat his body with the same respect and kindness they would show one of their own. Regardless of this person’s mistakes in life, at one point in time he was some woman’s baby. The Red-Eye warrior would be prepared for the next life as though he were as innocent as a child.

  First, the Martens washed the filthy red paint from the intruder’s eyes. They sewed up the wound across his neck and washed the dirt and blood from his body. They brushed and braided his hair and put fine clothes upon him. They covered him and conducted the mourning rituals for four days to purify him for his journey.

  During this time, one of the warriors of the Eagle clan had been dispatched to alert the Trader that one of his men had betrayed them. On the fourth day of the funeral rites, the Trader arrived, alone. He came wishing to see the body of the strange man with the scar on his mouth.