Thirsty Horse

Chapter 1

                Tong and his wife traveled for several weeks along the wasteland. Every year they and their people would follow the same trail.  Every year they would stop at the same minor lakes for the young children, the elders and the live stock like sheep, goats, cow s and horses to rest and take in the refreshing clear water.  This opportunity gave the people time to replenish their water source.  Every year the ancient ones, the old ones whom their age have long been forgotten would talk of a time when their fathers, grandfathers were children. They spoke of a time when these little lakes were not here. The Great Basin was green and plenty of trees and ample herbs for cooking and medicinal. The Great Basin was lush with wild game for meat to eat and hide for clothing and shelter.

                The ancient ones spoke of a time when a very Great Lake covered much of the Great Basin. It is said that it had covered the whole horizon, as far as the eyes could see.  Extending from the east to the west, there was no end in sight, not to left of the land or to the right. The ancients also spoke of a time during the time of their great grandfathers the Great Lake started to dry up. There was very little or no snow in the winters and scarcely any rain during the summer months. The years were becoming dry, so dry that the grass had withered away and the Great Basin was starting to become sandy.  The sand slowly took over the great valley.  Now when there is snow there is not enough to cause the grass to grow for very long before the heat from the hot sun would burn it away. When the rain did come, it would on the whole, help to keep the small lakes full until mid-summer. They would gradually start to dry up and turn to mud. By late summer it would harden into mud rocks, almost like clay baked in an oven.  Slowly, inch by inch the mud rocks would lose its moisture and return to dust.

                This year it is different, it is not yet late spring and already the lakes are empty of its water. The mud have started to turn into harden mud rocks, so hard that even throwing other mud rocks down upon them, one could not crush or break them, let alone chip small chunks off.

                 Tong looked up into the cloudless blue sky and a solitary bird drift lazily on the rising heat. The blazing white-hot sun is only half way up to its fullest height and already the Latin heat shimmers off in the horizon.  The very air itself stifling and it causes the sand dunes to look like a huge lake filled with rolling waves crashing unto the shore but there are no trees, nor there any grass growing.

The heat waves gave the impression of a great blue lake, it is the knowledge that these optical illusions have cause many men to become crazy. They would yell and shout that they see water. These crazy men, poor fools would start to run toward the manifestation of a great lake only to die from thirst. This “lake” kept going further and further away from them.

                Tong’s wife suddenly cries out in pain, the labor had started and the great tribe is already several days ahead.  Mingo was heavy with child as they started out several weeks ago. They had hoped that there would be water when it was time for the baby to be born but the lake bed has already dried up. What water the two had when they started this journey is almost gone. They may need the water soon, just to clean the child and dedicate it to the sky, the four winds, fire and the rain. As he was taught, when the baby is born he must dedicate the child to the natural forces of life.

                Tong unloads the four horses of their meager supplies. He tries not to hurry, though he is nervous, erects the large shelter to protect his wife and soon to be child from the blazing hot, scorching fireball called the sun.  It has already reached its fullness of noonday and there is yet no wind to move the roasting hot air. Mingo cries out again in pain as her stomach muscles ripple in contractions. Tong helps her to lie down once he had laid the heavy blanket on the ground. The sand is so hot it will blister the bare skin, if it is exposed to it.

                Tong looks around to see if any o his own family has slowed down and lagged behind. He was sure that some would be nearby to assist if needed, should trouble arise. Mingo cries out in extreme pain as contractions come closer together and harder. She grabs her husband hands for support as another contraction seizes hold of her. Her grip is so tight that the man believed she would crush his hands. Panting she looks up at her husband, sweat beads on her forehead, and looks pale. Mingo clinch her teeth tight as another contraction grips her.

                Mango whispers in distress and clinched teeth, “it will not be long, I can feel him coming,” and she cries out loudly once again in pain a she clamps down hard on his hands, in a vise like grip she squires hard.

                Skiawatha, Mingo’s mother seems to have appeared out of nowhere as she knelt down between her daughter’s legs to catch the baby as it is being born.  With words of comfort and encouragement Skiawatha speaks soothingly, comfortley “you are doing fine, my daughter; the baby is almost here. Now push!”

                As Mingo cries out once again in pain, but there is also another sound which is being made. A baby cries out in its own pain when the air fills its lungs for the first time.

                With a voice of cheerfulness Skiawatha declares “it is a boy-a-fine,-healthy, - strong,-boy.”

                After several long minutes, Tong rises to his to his feet to retrieve his knife to separate the placenta cord from the baby once it had stopped pulsating. He then went to his horse to retrieve the remaining water for his wife and to clean his new son. As he baths his son he dedicates him, he also names him Thirsty Horse in honor and remembrance of this day.  The heat and the drought that his horses must feel gave the meaning and purpose for the name.  

                Later Tong help’s his wife upon the horse, hands her Thirsty Horse, their son, their son. The four begin to head towards the west following the old trail to the new encampment and their people.

                Permitting his horse to follow his own nose they were soon heading in a new direction. For a couple of hours they traveled to the south when suddenly one of the horses stops and starts to dig at the ground with its hooves. Tong knelt down and starts to dig with his knife and bare hands when suddenly the ground started to become moist. With all the urgency Tong starts to dig faster. Slowly the water starts to rise to the top. A small stream begins to trickle down the sandy hill.

                When the horses got their fill of the long awaited water, Tong mounted one and headed for his people, to bring them back to this location for the water that they most surly are in need of. Thirsty Horse will have a lot to hear and learn of how his father Tong helped to save his people.

To be continued....... Stay tuned for Tuesday's addition!