"It began at the Jericho Mine, Jericho City, Tennessee in the year 1935, the day after Ma died." "she'd lasted only a year after Pa was killed in the army." "that's how I came to live with Granma and Granpa when I was eight." "One time, Granma told me that when you come on something good, first thing to do is stare it with whosoever you can find." "that way, the good spreads out, no telling how far it'll go. which is right." "So I'm telling the story of them days, how Granma and Granpa got me away from Aunt Martha and took me to live in their mountains where they'd raised my pa before me, and which I know now was the secret heart of the world." "You stop, right where you stand!" "I said no!" "You ain't goin' off with no backwoods white Indian so long as I got breath." "Sally was my sister and she gave him to us." "Put a hand to it, Henry, for Jesus' sake." "You can't waltz in here and carry him off to some God-forsaken..." "Martha, leave him be." "It ain't right." "It ain't right, by damn!" "Wales, he's wearin' out." "Yeah." "Are you OK, son?" "Take the light." "You ain't wakening him his first morning?" "Just giving him the option, is all." "Little Tree, are you awake enough to hear me?" "We're heading up to the corn patch." "Figure you might like to help." " Wales!" " lt's up to you." "Come on, now!" "Well, now!" "Go on, get off him!" "They're heartened to see someone new." "They get plenty of Granma and me." "That's Blue Boy." "They the only shoes you got?" "Bet you can't feel a thing through them soles." "We'll take care of that." "To learn, you got to feel the ground." "All right..." "You'll stay!" "She's coming alive!" "Don't feel sad, Little Tree. lt's the Way." "The falcon caught the slow bird, so it won't have no babies that are slow." "It helps the bird out, you see?" "It's a lesson." "Animals know that, just look around." "Only the white man takes more than his share." "He'll claim whatever he can, no matter how much it is." "He'll run his flag up, saying, "This stands for my right to more."" "Then there'll be a war over it and men'll die." "Like your daddy." "You're saying, "Hold on there, I thought Granpa was a white man."" "It's the truth." "I was born white, no doubt about it." "But, when I met your granma, young she was and how she could dance!" "We married and I began to see the world through Cherokee eyes, till I came at last to understand the Way." "And so will you, Little Tree." "You'll learn you can't change the rules of the Way, even if you are white, and that's that." "My ma was white." "As was mine." "Fine a woman as ever lived." " As was mine." " She was." "She pleased your daddy, too." "He told us." "Dictionary." "As he can't get to the settlement every day for school, a crying shame, nothing we can do about it," "I plan to each him myself." "All I know, anyhow." "Look at the first word." "Can you make out what it says?" "Aard...vark." "Aardvark." "Aard...what?" "Large, burrowing, African mammal that feeds on ants and termites." "That's his first word?" "hell me, when is the occasion going to arise for him to employ this word?" " Can't never hell." " Yeah, that's right, Little Tree." "You go to the settlement, you never can hell what's going to come up." "You know, like, "Little Tree's downcast." "Seems he lost his aardvark."" ""That's funny," says Mr. Jenkins." ""Miss Perkins is having trouble with her aardvark, too." ""Had to go to Knoxville, to hospital, have her whole dang aardvark removed!" ""She's resting comfortable now, but..." "Them aardvarks!"" "You can't never hell!" "You'll stay!" "How old are you going to be on your next birthday?" " Nine." "Come March 22." " That's what I thought." "Then it is time you started on a trade." " That's her." " What does she do?" "She makes whiskey!" "Ain't you ever seen a still afore?" "This here's my trade." "Whiskey-making." "Been handed down on the Scots side of my family for 200 years." "I'm going to hand it down to you." "Of course, when you get older, you might want to switch trades." "Leastways you'll have something to fall back on when you're pressed otherwise to make a living." "Times like these here, hard times." "Now, this you call the beer." "What we're going to do today is turn the beer into whiskey." "OK." "Pour away!" "This here is pure corn." "Some fellows, and this is what gives whiskey-making a bad name, some fellows use potash or even lye to make the mash quick." "Some put it through sheet iron or truck radiators, got all kind of poisons that can kill you." "Now, these fellows ought to be hung, in my opinion." "Then there's the other side, them that say whiskey ought to be aged." "I tried that once." "Set back some fresh-made for a whole god damn week." "By the bye, there's a word you won't find in your granma's dictionary, so you probably shouldn't try it out on her, OK?" "OK." "Now...where was I?" "You set some fresh-made back a whole goddam week." "Week, yeah..." "Didn't taste a damn lick different from all the other whiskey I ever made." "I'm gonna raise the flame on this a little bit." "See?" "You want to boil it, but you don't want to scorch it." "What I could use is just one more armload of good dry wood." "I'll get it, Granpa!" "You be Little Tree?" "Well, let's see what you brung." "Little Tree, this here's Willow John." "He has the magic." " What do you reckon?" " Ain't you gonna taste it?" "Well, this is what you call your single." "Damn near 200 proof." "We only get a couple of gallons of it." "You add water, start over again, and that's how you get your selling whiskey, see?" "Still, a man ought to know what his single tastes like, seeing as how it's the backbone of the whiskey and all." "That's out of the early corn." "Got a..." "Don't know what you'd call it, exactly." "A kind of a..." " Bite." " Bite." "Yeah, that'd be it." " Have you told him of our history?" " Not as yet." "He should know." " lt's a hard tale." " lt is that." "But if you don't know your past, you won't have a future." "Why don't y'all leave it up to the boy?" "This here's a story about your ancestors and how they come to be here." "Do you care to know?" "I do." "Well, now the Cherokee have lived in these hills since the Doda put 'em there." "They farmed in the valleys, made the winter hunts, and taught themselves the Way." "But then the white man come and the Cherokee made a paper treaty with him." "They said, "These white men ain't so bad." "We could live together."" "Then government soldiers came and said the paper treaty had changed its words." "Now the words said the Cherokee had to give up their homes and move far west, where the government had other lands for them." "Lands that the white man didn't want, of course." "While the Cherokee were trying to understand, the government soldiers found this big old valley and ringed it in with their guns, and drove the Cherokee in there just like cattle." "And they filled up that whole valley." "Then they brought in mules and horses and said they could ride out west." "Now the Cherokee, they had nothing left, did they?" "They had no homes, no farms, no land, nothin'." " But they would not ride." " Damn right." "So they did save something from it, didn't they?" "They couldn't see it, they couldn't wear it, they couldn't eat it." "But they did save something." "They would not ride." " They walked." " Yes." "It was a long walk and as they got farther and farther from their mountains, they began to die." "At first, it was just the very young and the very old, and the soldiers stopped to let the Cherokee bury their dead." "But then more began to die." "They died by the hundreds, by the thousands." "The soldiers said, "Put your dead in the wagons and we'll carry them for you."" " But did they?" " No, sir." "No." "The Cherokee would not put their dead in the wagons." "They carried 'em, walking." "Yes..." "The man carried his dead wife, the son carried his dead momma, and the little boy carried his baby sister." "The white people lined up along the trail to watch them pass by." "Some of them people began to cry and that's why they call it the Trail of hears." "But the Cherokee did not cry." "They did not speak, they did not look." "They walked on." "But by some magic that I don't know, some managed to escape and make their way back, staying off the trail, until they found their mountains again." "And they went far back into them and time went on." "By and by, the white man forgot about them and passed by, and finally left them in peace." "And that's you, Little Tree." "That's us." "That's where you come from and that's why we're here." "Well, now!" "I reckon Willow John likes you." " He left it for me?" " Looks like it." " But I didn't get to thank him." " He didn't do it for thanks." "He gave it to you 'cause you deserve it." "That don't call for no show, does it?" " I suppose not." "But shouldn't I...?" " Go on to bed now." "Long day tomorrow." "Take them big shoes off, for once and for all." "They're finally ready." "They're still wet!" "You put 'em on wet and walk 'em dry." "That way they fit like they growed on your feet." "Got rid of them clobbers, did you?" "Just in time." "Got a long, heavy haul down to the settlement." "How many jars you reckon you can tote?" " How many in all?" " Thirteen." "Two to keep, for medicinals." "That makes...what number?" " Eleven to go." " All right." "Try it now." " What say I put two in the sack for you?" " Three." "You're sure, now?" "If I put in three, that's how many you'll carry." " Three." " All yours." "Don't feel like nothin' at all." "That new knife kind of balances things out, don't it?" " How do them moccasins feel?" " Like they growed on my feet!" "Now, that there is Jenkins' store." "You got good eyes. hell me, is there a pickle barrel out front?" " No, only some men sitting." " That's the sign to come on in." "Pickle barrel means the law." "That's another thing to remember." "I guess new fortune's on its way." "Howdy, Wales!" " Who's the little fellow?" " My grandson, Little Tree." "Hey, Little Tree!" "It was Wednesday..." "No... lt was Tuesday, for I'd been playing at a dance on the Monday night." "I come through the settlement and I seen Smokehouse, Turner, you know, police." "I'm talking with Smokehouse and this big shiny car comes pulling into the filling station." "It hit me right off!" "I said to myself, that's a big-city criminal." "Smokehouse asked him, "Where you from?"" "He says, "Chicago."" "Meantime, pulling Smokehouse aside, I say," ""He says he's from Chicago, but he's got an Illinois tag on his car."" "Old Smokehouse come down on him like Judgment Day!" "He was jumpin' and sayin' to him..." "Let's give it the acid hest, Wales." "Here we go." "Elegant!" "Hey, Little Tree, come over here." "Thank you." "Would you do an old man a favor and go out to the woodpile and fill the sack with woodchips?" "Getting mighty low." "I appreciate it." "What's them things on your feet?" "Moccasins." "Can I touch 'em?" "Suppose." " They's soft." " Yep." " You're an Indian, then." " I'm working at it." "You been inside that there store?" "They got dolls in there?" "Expect so." "Almost near everything." " Would you look and find out for me?" " S'pose." "Pa says he's gonna buy me one as soon as we get our share..." " Share of what?" " What?" "You know, the share." "The share of tobacco you pick, dummy." "I ain't never picked no tobacco before." "That's 'cause Indians are lazy and don't work none." " What's this I'm doing, then?" " I ain't saying it's your fault." "You're just...different, that's all." "I mean, look at the color of you." "Come ahead, put yours up." "Come on." " Which one do you like better?" " I don't know." "Do you like mine?" "Yours is dirty." "All right, now." "Me and Mr. Jenkins is all settled up." "So I figured out your cut of the deal here. 50 cents." " Mine?" " We're partners, ain't we?" " But..." " You done the work, you get the pay." "That's how it is." "Let's get it over with." "Well..." "This morning, God is truly shining his beatific light on us." "It is said that he also serves who stands and waits." "Lord knows we've been standing here a long time." "But today, our prayers are answered." "A great man is about to arrive and bless us with his words, all the way from Washington City." "Our own Congressman, the poor man's best friend," "Johnny Mack Stoddard!" "Above all the churches in East Tennessee, he chose ours." "I think the Christian thing to do is to get up and march out there so he can see his chosen people as he drives up." "And..." "Stand up, now!" "How are you, reverend?" "Hey, how are you?" "Thank you for coming." "Can I shake your hand?" "Nice to see you." "How are you?" "Good to see you as well." "Hey, how are you?" "All right, bye for now." "right this way, John." "Up I go!" "My friends, my fellow Tennesseans, sons and daughters of the great pioneers who fought their way through forest and mountain to found this rich land, that has been given with good heart and trust to myself, your humble servant." "I come here today to hell you of a mighty battle I'm fighting for you..." " Like my calf, kids?" " Yes, sir." "Go on ahead!" "Pet him all you want." "Won't hurt him none." " Would you like to take him home?" " Yeah." " You got any money?" " No." "Well, now..." "Ain't that a cryin' shame." " I got some." " How much is some?" " 50 cents." " Where did you get 50 cents?" "This calf's worth more than a hundred times that much." "Yes, sir." "I wasn't figuring to buy him." "Well, I'm a Christian man, son." "Somehow, even costing me all this calf's worth," "I figure you ought to have him, the way he's taken up with you." "I wasn't gonna take him, mister." "Don't worry about me none." "It's for the best." "Thank you, sir." "I didn't mean..." "I said, where did you get 50 cents?" " Did I take advantage of him?" " No, that's what Christian people do." "You reckon?" "Well then, I guess he's mine." "I gotta go show my granpa!" " You can come up and visit him." " I can?" "If you want." "I can fight for you against this army of Jews and Catholics who's bent on picking everything from your pockets." "Thank you!" "Thank you, thank you." "God bless." "Granpa, look!" "A fellow sold him to me, for 50 cents, but he was a Christian man, and that's what them fellows do, so it's OK." "I didn't take advantage of him or nothin'." " Take care." "Bye-bye." " See you later!" "Granpa!" "Do you know any Jews or Catholics?" "I'll hell you what, Little Tree." "If you were to take a knife and cut into that politician's heart, you'd have a hard time finding a kernel of truth." "The son of a bitch didn't say nothin' about getting the whiskey tax taken off, the price of corn, nor nothin' else of value." "I stand against politicians and all such sons of bitches." "Listen here." "That's a new cuss word with a whole lot of starch attached to it." "You don't want to use that no way at all around your..." " I believe your calf's died." " No, he ain't neither." "Come on, get up." "Get up!" "He's dead, Little Tree." "If something's dead, it's dead." "There's disease on the liver." "Can't eat it." "We'll send the dogs back." "it'll make a meal for them, anyhow." "For the calf's hide." "Ain't no way of learning you, except letting you do." "If I'd stopped you buying the calf, you'd always want it." "If I told you to buy it, you'd blame me for its dying." " You just gotta learn as you go." " Yes, sir." "Well then, hell us what you learnt out of this." "Well, I sure as hell..." "I reckon I learnt not to trade with no Christian." "hell me something." "Did you find your secret place yet?" "Secret place?" " I don't know." " Well, you'd know." " What's it look like?" " lt's a place only for you." "Sometimes you feel you gotta go there." "All Cherokee got a secret place." "ls that so?" "I hell you what." "instead of working the still this morning, you'd be better off searching out your own place, before the snow comes." " You think?" " I do that." "Come on, Blue Boy!" "Gotcha!" "This is it." "This is my place." " revenuers!" " Damn!" " How far back?" " Some." "All right." "Take this." "I'll clean up and meet you at the cabin." " Can you manage it?" " Yes, sir." "Come on, Blue Boy!" " Indian!" " Just a kid." " Yeah, Indian kid." " Wait a goddam minute." "Ain't you Sally's kid?" "Sally, who married the Indian." " Could it be?" " Ain't you?" " What you got in your sack?" " What's in the sack, boy?" " Can I take a look?" " horrible thing teach kids to be whiskey-runners." "Give it over." "You ain't going no place." " Watch her." " Hand the sack out." "Easy as one two..." "Get off!" "Help me!" "He's gettin' away!" "Hey, Blue Boy!" "Little Tree?" "I'm here, Granma." "Over here!" "Are you all right?" "Are you OK?" "You can let go of the sack now." "Let go, let go." " Didn't break one!" " Couldn't have done better myself." "You're coming to be one of the best whiskey-makers in these mountains." "Come on!" "Maybe they thought it was somebody else's kid." "How'd they know he's yours?" "There's plenty young 'uns in these parts." " Sure!" " They recognized him." "Called his ma by name." "One of 'em said, how could we put him in the whiskey trade at his age?" "Don't look good." "Bound to get back to somebody." "And then what?" " ls this yours?" " Nah!" "Look here what I got." "It's a present." "I owe it to Willow John." "He gave me this." " lt ain't as good, is it?" " Well, I like it." " You do?" " Did you show him the calf?" "The calf?" "You name him yet?" "I've come up with the perfect name." " Wanna hear it?" " Sure." "OK." "Brown Eyes." "'Cause he's got them pretty brown eyes." "How is Brown Eyes?" "Can I still come up and see him?" "He's..." "He's dead." " Say, what?" " He just..." "He just...keeled over and died, just like that." "I couldn't do nothin' about it." "The fellow cheated me." " I didn't know." "He said he was..." " Little Tree, come on to church now." "I'm sorry." "Ain't nobody in the world oughta cheat you." "All right!" "What makes this day different than all others?" "hell me!" "hell me!" "Speak it!" "testifying day." "Today you will stand before the Lord and confess your sins." " Amen." " Yes, sir." "Stand up and make yourselves clean." "Praise Jesus." " Praise God." " I'm a sinner." " I'm a sinner in the face of the Lord." " hell it, sister!" " I committed..." " hell it!" " ...fornication!" " Amen!" " Beelzebub!" " With Junior Logan." " And with..." " More!" " hell it, sister." " And with..." " hell it." " And with..." " Got it?" " Yeah." "You want to be shortening up on that handle some." "Just kind of let her fall." "See now..." "That maul's got enough weight to split that pine just like a..." "Hang on, there..." "Son of a gun. lt just hit me like a bolt of lightning." "I'm teaching you everything, the land, the business, and I forget the most important one." "What's that?" "Half of dinner." "You get the other half, we'll have the whole shebang." "If you come across a frog or two, I don't believe we need any more gifts." "Don't move, Little Tree." "Don't turn your head or even blink your eye." "Thank you, Granpa." "Hell, we showed that son of a bitch, didn't we?" "Yes, we did." "He'll sheer clear of us from now on, and hell his relations to sheer clear of us." "Hotter than hell, ain't it?" "For this time of year..." " What happened?" " Granpa...rattlesnake..." " Where?" " I led him as far as the shelter." "But he..." "Build up the fire, Little Tree." "Make it hot as you can." "Damnation!" "That's good." "You keep the fire hot." "We can't move Granpa so we've got to keep him warm all through the night." "Thank you, Little Tree, but that won't be necessary." "What'll help is the heat off our bodies." "He ain't gonna die no more, is he?" "after all you've done?" "Well, now..." "There's all kinds of dyin', Little Tree." "I've seen people at the settlement walking around like you or me, but they're as good as dead 'cause they spent their lives in meanness and greed." "The spirit inside of them shrunk down to no more than the size of a pea." "'Cause the only way to make your spirit big is to work on it." "You got to use it to understand." "The more you try to understand, the bigger it gets, till it gets so big and powerful you come to understand everything, you remember all your past body lives." "I believe Granpa is gettin' near such understanding, though he don't know it." "But if his body dies, he'll remember us." "That's what I want you to know." "We'll all of us be together in spirit always." "That's the important thing." "That's the important thing." "My God!" "A fellow can't lay his body down nowheres without you stripping buck naked and hunching' at him!" "Oh, my God!" "Mr. Wales...?" "I'm Elizabeth Dubois." "This is Mr. Lane." "We're from the State..." " Politicians." " Pardon?" "Oh, no." "We're from the State Department of Welfare." "Politicians." "Sir, we'd very much like to talk to you." "It's really quite important." "It...has to do with..." "I think the boy, Little Tree, is it?" "I think he should..." "He sits in on everything there is to sit in on." "A complaint has been filed by a Mrs. Martha McCullers." " Damn!" " Aunt Martha?" "She alleges that you're not sending your grandson to school, in violation of state and federal codes, and that you have involved him in illegal activities." "ln short, it states that..." "Are you sure...?" "...that you are unfit guardians and he should be removed to a suitable place for his moral and educational upbringing." " He's going to her, then?" " Who?" "No." "He's on the Cherokee rolls and therefore is officially an Indian." "I am?" "As such, he will be sent to Notched Gap Indian School to board there until the age of 1 8." "You have 30 days to appeal the decision in court." "Otherwise..." "We have to go." "Elizabeth?" "All you have to do is come here the next circuit I make," "I'll have the cease and desist lawyered out, and you put your mark to it." "You follow me, Bobby?" "All right, then." " Wales." " Mr. Taylor." "You been in jail, I recall." "Whiskey-making." "Once." "I could take this to court, sure." "But it wouldn't do no good." "The bureaucrats that run these things don't understand mountain people, nor Indians neither." "I don't think them sons of bitches understand anything at all." "We'd lose." "They'll take the boy." "I'll not be coming." "You heard of the Dog Star, Little Tree?" "It's the brightest star you can see in the dusk of evening." "Understand?" "Good." "Well, then..." "Wherever you may be in the dusk of evening, you look up at the Dog Star." "Me and Granpa, we'll be looking, too." "Willow John as well." "Whatever you have to hell us, we'll hear you then." "All right?" " You're this close to learning' the Way." " I am?" " Don't you let go of it." " No, sir." "I won't." "You been good." " I'm going away." " Me too." " Where?" " Depends on the turtle dove." " We ain't heard him yet." " What's he going to say?" "He don't say nothin', silly." "He's a bird!" "It depends on the direction he calls from." "That's where we move." " Don't you know that?" " Wasn't no turtle dove that called me." "Where are you goin'?" "Here." " For me?" " You can put 'em on." "Granma made 'em from the calf's hide." "They didn't cost nothin'." "They's a perfect fit." "They's soft." "My daddy." "Thank you." "Daddy!" "Look what Little Tree gave me." " You stand there." " Daddy, no!" " Please!" " Turn around." "Gimme those moccasins." "We don't take no charity from nobody, 'specially from no Indians." "Come on, now." "We're goin', here." "Come on!" "He'll be along any time now." "Did she get the shoes OK?" "She said they's the best present anybody ever thought to give." "Granma'll be glad to hear it." "Hi." "How nice you look." "Here, I want you to wear this." "So there'll be no confusion." "All right?" "He'll be along any time." "I'll be back...directly." "We have to go." "Do you speak English?" " Yes, ma'am." " Good." " Do you see that gate?" " Yes, ma'am." "When you step through that gate, you shall not speak Indian again." "ls that clear?" " Yes, ma'am." " Follow me." "Actually, I can't speak no Indian hardly at all." "Except Granma did hell me the names of her medicinals." "Some in Indian, but I can only recollect one or two at best." "The one that's kind of green, and you scrape it off the sourwood tree." "Now that one's called...nvoki." "I think it could be a mushroom." "I ain't totally sure..." "All right." "Come with me." "You are going to see the headmaster." " Be quiet, don't cry and be respectful." " I ain't never been..." "And do not speak unless he asks you a direct question." "Do you understand?" " Yes, ma'am." " Good." "Come." "Stop swinging your legs." "You speak English, I'm told." " Was that a direct question?" " What?" "'Cause if it was, I could hell you, "Yes, sir." "I do."" "Yes, well..." "They call you Little Tree." "Have you had an intelligence hest?" " No, sir." " No." "Anyhow, Little Tree is an Indian name." "Americans don't name children after objects." "This is an American school." "Therefore, you will be given an American name." "And that will be Joshua." "Do you understand, Joshua?" " No, sir." " You will." "Quiet!" "Quiet down and go to bed." "Put it on and get into bed." "You'll be up bright and early in the morning." "Prayers." " Goodnight, boys." " Goodnight, Mrs. Higgenbotham." "Not another peep." "Granma and Granpa..." "I'm OK." "They've taken my clothes and cut most of my hair off, and given me an American name, but I'm still Little Tree." "I ain't never gonna let that go." "Up!" "Everybody up!" "I know you're awake, Wilburn." "Get up or I'll get the strap." "Wilburn!" "Say what?" "Somebody talking to me?" "Begin!" "They don't give you none for dinner." " Hey, kid." " Come on!" " Your name ain't Joshua." " Fat man gave me it." "Fat man!" "What's it really?" " Little Tree." " Little Tree?" "No kiddin'?" "That's what I'm gonna call you, then." "Give Mrs. Big Bottom conniptions." "Ball!" "Come on kid, throw the ball!" "Throw the ball!" "Wanna play?" "Come on, come and play!" " You can go play." " Nah." "Suit yourself." "I don't give a damn." "Two times eight is..." "Two times nine is..." "Two times hen is..." "Time." "All right?" "Time, Wilburn." "Little Tree." "What's two times hen?" "Wilburn!" "Stop, or you get a zero." "Now, who can hell me what animals are in the first picture?" " rabbits!" " Very good." " And what are they doing?" " Laying down..." "Blah, blah, blah, blah!" "And what are the next animals?" " Deer!" " Very good." " And what are they doing?" " They're running..." "Blah, blah, blah!" "They're mating'." "You can see right off they're mating'." "The buck deer is jumpin' the does." "You can hell by the trees it's the time of year..." "Joshua, do you know what you have done?" "No, sir." "Then you'll have time to think about it, won't you?" "Did they say how long till I can come out?" "I know what I done was bad, I come to realize it." "You can hell the headmaster and the lady teacher, too." "hell them that Little Tree, I mean Joshua... hell them Joshua stands ready to make amends, all right?" "And hell them that I stand ready to make it right." "Granpa and Granma, and Willow John, some time ago now, I ain't sure how long, the headmaster locked me in this little room." "He says I've got to stay in here until I know what I done wrong." "I have no way in the world of figuring' that out." "I didn't mean to worry you none, as I should be old enough to get by without your help." "I found a piece of glass in here, all round and clear." "Turns the Dog Star blue when you look through it." "Granpa," "I don't think I can handle this situation no way at all." "I want to come home." "Joshua?" "You can come out now." "Today is Thanksgiving." "Nice people from the town have come to put on a play for us." "Joshua?" "What?" "No provisions in the larder and the cold days drawing ever closer." "I am sorely afeared that we shall starve ere the spring breezes stir the land again." "No!" "white man show way of God to us, and in thanks we give to him much food and warm clothes..." "I've been saving it for you." "Did they give you bread and water?" "I heard that's all they give you up there." "Little Tree?" "I found this. lf you look through it, it turns everything blue." "...in peace and harmony, beneath the vast American sky, under God, with liberty and justice for all." "Wave goodbye to the nice ladies and gentlemen!" " Bye!" " Thank you!" "They come here so they can feel good when they get drunk at the country club." "All right, inside!" " Thanksgiving dinner!" " Whoopee." "Would you like this?" " I don't mind." " lt's yours." "You can see..." "Come on!" "Granpa!" "It was Willow John that heard you." "So I came." " hell me true, you want to come home?" " Yes, sir." "I do." "You're shut in here like goddam livestock." "Think they'll come and take me back?" "Let 'em come on." "Them woods want to make sure it's you." "They're happy to know you're back." " Something's wrong." " What's that?" "I couldn't feel the trail, Granpa." "And you can have them clobbers!" "And you can have them clobbers, too!" "Now, you'll stay." "Granma!" "Blue Boy, come on!" "Thank you, Willow John!" "I remember that moment. the four of us standing there together again." "It was then I knew I was tome." "I also knew it couldn't last." "Maybe we all felt the time getting close, but we didn't speak of it." "Granpa's step got slower, so I carried more of the whiskey jars." "We didn't speak of that, either." ""Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash..."" "Granma pushed me on learning." "I read to them at night, with Granma helping some." " "..." "Mel..."" " Melancholy." ""...melancholy settled down upon his spirit." ""30 yards of board fence, 9 feet high." "Life to him seemed hollow."" "the politicians came to take me back to Notched Gap." "Each time, Granpa led us up the high trail where nobody could find us." "She's coming alive." "It was on the high trail that Granpa slipped and fell." "He kept telling us, "I'll be all right directly. "" "But something horrible tad happened in that fall, and he wasn't going to be." "Give me my hat, would you, Little Tree?" "It's been good." "Next time, it'll be better." "Be seein' you." "Damn...stupid... !" "I knew where Granma was taking Granpa." "It was to his secret place, at the top of the high trail, where he'd watched the day birth and never got tired of it, and never quit saying, "she's coming alive"," "like each time was the first time he'd ever seen it." "Maybe it was." "Maybe every birthing is different and only Granpa could see it." "Not long after that day, Granma took me aside and told me again about how her and Granpa were moving closer to the understanding, so that I shouldn't be sad because when their bodies died, they'd still be together, always, their spirits knowing." "And that was the last thing Granma ever said to me." "she died in the night." "I found a note which read, "Little Tree, it's been good." ""Next time it will be better." ""remember, if you need us any time just look to the Dog Star" ""and we'll be there. "" "I went up the high trail that same night and I asked Granma and Granpa," ""reckon I could get closer to the understanding as well, so I could catch up to you?"" "It was lonesome, I told them, always being left behind." "I didn't know that Willow John was looking to the Dog Star, too, and talking with Granma and Granpa." "He told me they were sorry they tad to go before my education was done, but if I went off with Willow John, he could teach me all there was to know about being an Indian." "Y'all come!" "I have not made it back to the cabin since, but I will." "I've been ranging across this country, me and Blue Boy, digging oil with the Cherokee, riding fence with the Navajo, gettin' caught up in white man's wars." "But no matter where I am, in the dusk of evening, I look to the Dog Star." "And I say to Granma and Granpa and to Willow John," ""Wait for me." "I'm still learning the Way." ""But someday I will catch up to you" ""and we'll all of us be together again, always," ""our spirits knowing. ""