Grail Quest

by D. Sallen

  Leahna calmed down some, and exhausted, lay down to rest. In the meantime I had a score to settle with Ber-da-che.

  Moyock came in with some of our supplies. He said he followed me into the forest. He saw what happened. “I see you about to strike. Want to stop you. Think you be sorry if you kill Leahna. When I see you change, I go back to canoe.”

  “I am so glad you acted. I was crazy.” I explained how Leahna lost her charm. “That Ber-da-che has made an enemy. Take me to his lodge.”

  “What you do to him?”

  “I’ll figure that out when I get a hold of him.”

  “I think he very strange person. He maybe even like you to get a hold of him”

  “I’ll sure make him think differently.”

  I was so mad I ignored any cultural niceties and burst through the door to his lodge unannounced. “Where are you, you slimy skunk!”

  His women folk screamed and ran to their cubicles. “Where is he?” I shouted.

  One of the women pointed to a closed cubicle. I jerked the curtain back exposing Ber-da-che and Chief Wolf laying there side by side. Wolf turned and hid his face. Ber-da-che screamed in outrage. I jerked him out of the cubicle…slammed him on the floor. “Now you creepy worm. Where did you get the idea you could take anything from a Chief’s wife?”

  I had to give him credit. He stood up and faced me. Throwing his head back he said, “By us you are not a Chief…and she is only a woman.” He fingered the crucifix. “This too good for her. If Moyock comes back to stay with me, I’ll give it back… Or I will keep it.”

  He’d crossed the line! I smashed my fist into his face. He dropped to the floor. The deviate screamed through his broken mouth. He tried to cower back into his cubicle. I grabbed him by the hair…jerked him upright. I tore the crucifix from around his neck. “You are very lucky today that my fist is my only weapon. You stay out of my way! Don’t come near my wife again.”

  Moyock said, “Don’t bother me anymore. I want nothing to do with you.”

  Outside Moyock said, “Very bad thing, Squire. I sorry we see Chief Wolf with him.”

  “Yes, I may have made a bad enemy.”

  I found Bear in front of his dome. I told him about my conflict with Ber-da-che. “Ha, that sound funny,” he said.

  “In my tribe, a man like him is treated badly. Not here?”

  “No. He no use as warrior. He much like a woman. Men can use him if they like. Wakan Tanka make all men. How can we say Ber-da-che bad? Wakan Tanka make him too.”

  Back with Moyock, I said, “If Ber-da-che could deny me being a Chief, I wonder how wide that opinion is felt.”

  “Maybe only his thought.”

  “Could be, but I think it’s time I improved my stature by distributing the goods we brought back.”

  The next day I called on Chief Wolf and, ignoring our last meeting, explained that I had returned with some fine goods. “To show my appreciation for Mandan hospitality, I wish to distribute goods to the council”

  “That good thought. I will call meeting tomorrow night. Good time for you to give gifts”

  I had two Sioux pipes left. I kept one for any unforeseen future need and presented the last one to Bear. I figured he came the closest to Chief Wolf’s stature. The furs I passed out to the other council members, and gave out some bright cloth for their wives. Essentially I gave everything away.

  Standing in the middle of the group afterwards I hadn’t noticed a man approach until he shouted, “Who is this Hu-Hanska-Ska the Mandan entertain?”

  He was a big man. The feathers in his hair and the markings on his arm said warrior. The shield and lance he thrust about said angry.

  Bear answered him. “Squire is a White Chief from far away. He is our guest and friend.”

  “Ha. He has no people. I see no tribe. He is a coward who beats a Squaw-Boots.”

  “I come to the Mandan in peace and friendship. I mean them no harm. Now I see a loud-mouth who hides behind a shield and lance. Put them aside. I’ll teach you some manners too.”

  While the interloper extolled his own virtues, Moyock, who always kept his ears open to background noise, said, “He is Ber-da-che’s older brother, Puma. He always protects the younger.”

  I stepped out of the circle of men toward Puma. “With or without weapons I’ll teach you some respect. What kind of warrior are you?” I wasn’t carrying my saber so thought I had a better chance if he was weaponless too. “Do you need that lance to prove you are a hero?”

  Enraged, Puma threw his lance and shield down. He leaped toward me. Surprised by his speed and the bone knife he’d drawn from his belt, I dodged to his left. I kicked at his knee. Coming around he shifted the knife to an undercut stance. He was an experienced knife fighter. Puma blocked with his left arm. He tried slashing upward at me. I kept circling to his left. I threw kicks to keep him off balance. He swung the knife at my throat. He missed. I crashed to the ground, struck from behind by Ber-da-che’s club.

  Puma jumped on me. Outraged by this treachery Bear threw Puma off. Moyock chased Ber-da-che out of the plaza. Puma stalked off muttering, glaring at Bear. I got to my feet with a sore back.

  Moyock said, “Good thing Bear quick on his feet. Stop Puma from stabbing you. He say Puma is coward. Some others say Puma just clever tricky fighter.”

  “So…I’ve got at least two enemies…maybe more.”

  The next day, after a smoke with Chief Wolf and Bear, Wolf said, “Soon, very cold weather. We will need more buffalo robes and meat. No buffalo nearby. Tomorrow is dance rite to bring buffalo to us. You may join hunt, but you have no weapons.”

  “Moyock and I have bows and arrows. I have another weapon in my White Chief’s staff. You will see it is very powerful weapon to strike buffalo.”

  Some puzzled looks greeted that remark. Finally Bear said, “We do not see any weapon in your fancy stick.”

  I’d lost a lot of gun powder when the canoe over turned. I estimated there was only enough for ten more shots. I couldn’t spare any for a demonstration. I replied, “When we find buffalo you will see the medicine power in my staff.”

  Someone in back murmured, “Maybe White Chief is full of prairie dog breath.”

  I ignored that whisper. After the beating it had taken from the elements, I hoped my flintlock still worked. I’ll find out soon.

  Bear explained that each of the warriors kept a mask, or headdress made from a buffalo head, hanging in his lodge. The buffalo moved around and frequently were far away. The Mandan encouraged the herds to approach through the magic of their dance. Tomorrow the dance will begin around the sacred Big Canoe in the center of the plaza. I wondered why it was so named, but I didn’t want to show any more interest in it.

  The dance started with fifteen men in their regalia. Most wore a complete buffalo face skin. Others wore only a fur cap down over their fore heads. All were adorned with horns. Fur fell down over their backs, some braided into a long tail. Each carried the weapon of his choice, lance, or bow and arrows. I saw one man with a wicked looking club. He must have been proud of it because I wondered how effective it was against the animal. Starting out slow in a clockwise direction the men bent and bobbed in their imitation of a buffalo. They sang raucous songs and emitted wild shouts. I saw one man beating on a tambourine-like skin drum. Most of the rest of the tribesmen, also in buffalo garb, watched. Some shook rattles or pounded larger drums.

  The dance continued at an exhausting pace. Then I saw a man bending lower and slower as he continued around the circle. When he nearly collapsed, another dancer shot him with a blunt arrow. The ‘dead buffalo’ was carried away to be ritually skinned and cut up for meat. One of the watchers took his place.

  Chief Wolf invited me to hunt with them but the invitation didn’t include joining the dancers. Never having killed a buffalo myself, I didn’t have the right costume.

  Bear said, “We have were plenty of buffalo headdress’s. I can lend you one of mine.”

  Old Cougar, t
he Medicine Man, said, “No, no. Not do. Man who not kill buffalo can not wear hunter regalia.”

  Bear said they would keep it up day and night until a distant scout saw the herd. The scout would signal to watchers, perched on the highest dome, who then would alert the dancers. During the third afternoon buffalo were spotted some distance across the Missouri. With happy shouts to the Great Spirit, the men hung their fine buffalo ware back in their lodges. After dancing day and night, these hunters had amazing endurance. They charged right out after the buffalo.

  Grabbing my flintlock I started after them. I stayed as close as I could to Bear. We had become friends. According to their custom we shared blood from cuts on our wrists to become blood brothers. Not knowing how the hunt would be conducted, I counted on his good example.

  He said, “We wait for signal from Chief. When he wave, our group will creep up low hill, staying down so buffalo can’t see us.”

  On signal, we crept to the crest. Peering through he heavy grass I could see a herd of about fifty beasts munching without a care in the world. Now Bear said, “We stay here until herd move. Some hunters covered with buffalo robes will creep around to the south and west sides of the herd. Slow and quiet they will attack the outliers.”

  Impatient, I said, “When do we strike?”

  Bear said, “If herd become spooked, hunters at the south will jump and holler to drive the herd north between our hill and one over there. Our party will attack the edges of the running animals.”

  That suited me fine. I didn’t want to shoot and be the first to scare the beasts. Lying down hidden I loaded my gun. I could see Bear and nearby hunters were amused by my actions.

  “Bear, your friend has a strange club. I would not try to beat buffalo with such a flimsy looking stick,” said Fox.

  “Ha,” I said. “I won’t beat him with this stick. You will see some White Chief magic. Lying on top of the hill I will kill more buffalo than anyone.”

  “Ha, Squire speaks with windy words. Lying on hill never killed any buffalo. Sound like Squaw Boots hunter.”

  “Ha. Will Fox bet his fine bow against my strange club?”

  “What I want with your club?”

  “You will want it, but then it will be too late. Put up your bow or shut up.”

  Our wager was interrupted by noise of the herd moving. Bear looked over the hill and signaled we should wait. Then as the noise increased, he shouted, “Now! Kill them!”

  Staying low the hunters rose and headed down hill. I steadied my gun on a rock and watched. The bowmen shot arrow after arrow into beasts at the edge of the crowd. When a buffalo fell wounded, the lancers rushed over to thrust their weapons into heart or lungs. Picking a target so that my shot would not endanger the men, I fired at a cow running in our direction. The noise from my gun shocked my companions. Then they saw the cow fall with no visible wound. I reloaded and killed a bull that was about to gore Fox. On the third shot I killed another cow. My noise scared the nearer buffalo into greater panic. Fortunately we’d stopped enough of them for our needs.

  As I stood up I heard a snort behind me. Puzzled I turned. An enormous bull charged me! I didn’t have time to aim! I just fired into his face. He caught me on his head and threw me over his back.

  In that instant I saw his notched ear.

  The momentum of the bull that struck me, carried it down hill. It turned to re-attack. Bear and Fox shot two arrows into it. The bull turned back toward the herd. Bear thrust a lance into its side. Fox shot a third arrow in it’s side. The beast melted into the herd. Out of the mass of black animals a white bull arose. It attacked Coyote-Bull broadside. The witch disappeared under the hoofs of the trampling buffalo. I heard Bear say, “I think Wakan Bull kill Witch-Bull.”

  I couldn’t move! I could hear… My sight was gone…just red and black circles. I couldn’t speak. Only rasping gasps came from my mouth.

  Bear ran to me. “Hmmm. He breathing…I think bones not broke. His arms, legs alright. Oh, head hurt. I can not help with head. Must find Moyock, Leahna.”

  Bear called Moyock from the butchering party and told him what happened. Moyock looked me over and thought I must have struck my head on rocks. “I think his weapon is broke too. Stock smashed on rocks. He breathing alright.” Moyock gently slapped my face “He like asleep. Maybe only head hurt. I must find Leahna”

  “Best get Old Cougar. Medicine Man know how to treat. “When Leahna saw me she knelt and felt all over my body. Then she pressed her fingers around my head, finding a little blood underneath. “His head may be broke,” she said. “Go find Old Cougar, Moyock. He will tell us what to do.”

  After looking into my eyes and tuning me over to examine my head, the Medicine Man said, “We must take him back to the village. So we can make a litter to carry him, get a robe and two poles.”

  That done, Bear on the front and Moyock at the rear, carried me back to the river. There they laid me in one of the coracles which two girls pushed to the other shore. Leahna’s lodge being the closest, they carried me there. Old Cougar told Leahna how to mix a potion of ground herbs to put on my wound. “While you do that, I will consult Wakan Tanka, the Great Mystery Spirit.” He walked off.

  Leahna spread the lotion on my head. Then she rubbed my back and crooned to me. Only much later did I learn all of what happened while I was paralyzed. Some time later Old Cougar returned. Looking me over again he said, “Now we must take him to the Medicine Lodge.”

  “Must we move him?” Asked Leahna. “Maybe he just needs much rest.”

  The Medicine Man glared at her. “You must do as I say. Wakan Tanka has said if he does not die, he may have wicouye (sickness) in his mind. In his heart he has great hate. I must expel that evil from him.”

  Leahna said, “His hate is for Coyote. The witch was very evil to Squire.”

  “That hate deep in his heart will kill him. It is more dangerous for him than Coyote. He must be purified to keep the sickness from his mind.”

  She could not argue. He was the expert. I slept breathing easy. Sometimes my mouth made noises, not words. Sometimes my arms jerked. I didn’t control these spasms. Moyock was afraid for me, but did not tell Leahna. Old Cougar returned with Bear and Fox to carry me to the Medicine Lodge. Then Old Cougar examined my head again. “Your potion is good,” he told Leahna. “His head does not bleed. I think the bone not broken. Put the potion back on. We must turn him over on his back.” He walked away.

  When Bear and Fox turned me over, Leahna slipped a soft fur under my head. Moyock returned to the killing hills to recover my broken flintlock. In the Medicine Lodge, they waited and waited. When he returned, Old Cougar’s face and upper torso were painted with red and white designs. A Cougar pelt dangled from his waist. Five wild turkey feathers stood out from the back of his head. Fox tails followed his heels. Word of my injury spread through the village. Many people crowded into the Medicine Lodge to watch from along the walls.

  Old Cougar threw something into the fire and smoke rose in a thin trail to the skylight. He raised his arms, threw back his head and intoned a prayer to Wakan Tanka. His helper handed him two staffs decorated with eagle feathers and tassels. Then singing his own Medicine Song, and shaking his staffs, he danced around me in a clockwise circle. After keeping his act going for some time, with no visible improvement from me, he stopped and said he must wait for nightfall to resume. “We must let him rest.”

  Leahna brought water to my lips, which I could swallow. She did not try to feed me. “He must be very hungry. If I put anything in his mouth, I’m afraid he will choke.” She couldn’t help crying. “I have great fear in my heart for him.”

  I could feel my arms and legs jerking. I felt very strange. My body seemed restless. My mind wandered far away to strange places. Sometimes I thought I was high in the sky. When I looked down from over the moon, I could see me…down there…people staring back up at me…The full moon rested on the Big Canoe.

  In the early evening, before Old Cougar would resu
me his treatment, he moved everyone back away from his patient. He intoned a prayer chant. From a gourd he sprinkled some potion on me. The Medicine Man’s song changed as he danced around. Forced to the background, Leahna and Moyock couldn’t see any improvement in my condition.

  Then, before dark, feeling returned to my body. I squirmed wildly. I sat up. I looked about. My vision was askew. All I could see was the moon beckoning me. I sprang to my feet. Screaming like a mad hyena, I ran at the doorway to clutch the moon!

  Thinking I was mad, the crowd parted before me. I dashed to the Big Canoe and leaped upon it. I pulled myself up. The structure toppled down! The moon stayed in the sky. Two of the Kit-Fox grabbed me and pulled me away from the wreckage.

  “Kill him! Kill him!” shouted people in the crowd. A third man rushed up with a wicked looking club to bash in my head. Bear stopped him…knocked him aside.

  “Wait! Wait! We can not kill a man whose head is loco! Wakan Tanka forbids it. The council must determine his fate.”

  This delay in retribution angered some of the crowd until Chief Wolf shouted, “Stand back. Stand back from him! We will decide!”

  Old Cougar agreed with Bear. “We do not kill the crazy. We must find out why he acted so. He is our friend and guest. We will not kill him without a council.” To the Kit-Fox members, he said, “Take him back into the Medicine Lodge. Tie him securely to a pillar.”

  Outside Moyock watched as the Big Canoe’s contents were reassembled. Moaning, Old Cougar pawed among the bundles on the ground. He shifted them about. He jerked up right. “It is gone! The Wakan Totem is not here!” His face agonized, he screamed, “ OHHOOHOHOEO! Our Great Medicine is not here! ”

  Old Cougar faced a stunned crowd. Someone shouted, “Grab Squire! Squire must have it! Make him give it up! Kill him! Kill him!”

  One of the Kit-Fox men shouted, “No! No! He doesn’t have it. He was not inside! I pulled him away. Nothing in his hands!”

  People in the crowd moaned, groaned, wept, screamed, and milled around in an endless, helpless circle. Some shouted at the heavens in their frustration. Some huddled with heads covered. People were so stunned they just didn’t know what to do next. Sensing pandemonium approaching, Wolf said, “We must quiet them down. Bear pound on the lodge drum. I will speak to them.”