Reindeer Moon by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

Author:Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published: 2015-05-17T16:00:00+00:00

Before the reindeer was eaten a blizzard came, and with it more reindeer to take shelter in the trees. Snow on the ground was good for us—tracking was easy, and we could walk very quietly. Graylag now had no objection to Timu and me hunting together, so with our spears we started over the fresh snow, wondering if in spite of the cold we could make love by being quick about it and not taking off all our clothes. But when Swift saw us leaving, he came too. He wanted to hunt with the wolf, we knew, and we tried to hide our disappointment. “If it pleases you, Uncle,” I dared to say, very respectfully, “let the wolf go alone with you. Then you can watch him better.”

“He doesn’t want to go with me,” said Swift simply. “He wants you.” I looked at Timu, who shrugged. To say more would make other people suspicious. Swift and I followed Timu across the river, where in time we noticed the wolf trotting ahead of us, looking now and then over his shoulder to see if he was right that we were on a hunt. Soon he took an interest in a thicket at the bottom of a hill, and Swift made the hunter’s handsign for reindeer. Very quietly we crept forward. Suddenly the wolf rushed into the front of the thicket as a reindeer stag leaped from the back, up the hillside, and away, with the wolf right behind him.

Our stalk was spoiled, and I can’t say I was sorry. Now Swift could see that a hunt could be ruined as well as helped by a wolf, and wouldn’t insist on coming with us. I was about to start back when Swift barred my way with the shaft of his spear. “Keep still,” he whispered. Far up the hill the stag was turning, trying to keep the wolf from circling behind him, slashing hard at the wolf with his forefeet.

Swift poised his spear. No one can throw that far, I thought, but the moment the stag showed us his side I heard the spear hum, then heard a thump and a bellow, and saw the stag totter with the spear in his ribs. The wolf grabbed his nose and pulled him over. Swift rushed up the hill with his knife out, kicked the wolf out of the way, and cut the stag’s throat.

Swift and Timu were very happy. Up the hill the wolf watched hopefully while Swift and Timu admired the size of the stag and the amount of fat on him, then sat on their heels and started skinning. “Yanan! Go to the lodge and get someone to help carry the meat,” said Timu. What else could I do? I went.

The people hurried back eagerly. When the skin was off and rolled into a bundle and the meat was in packs, the people, singing, carried it home. We even brought the antlers to make needles and awls, so nothing was left to reward the wolf but bloody snow and the rumen.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.