"Wonderful. This is good to know, and thank you."
Sharon nodded, then said, "But, if you would be so kind as to permit me, I would like to tell you a little about this statue and why it is a treasure and why I am anxious to tell you its story."
"Certainly," said Czanna.
Sharon caught hold of Czanna's arm and said, "Please, let us fall behind the others so I might speak to you privately."
Czanna nodded. "Yes, of course. I would welcome this."
As soon as they were well to the rear of and out of the others' hearing, Czanna's almost-mother began, "What happened took place about fifteen or sixteen years ago. The man you now call Stands Strong was only a boy of seven then, and his name at the time was Rising Bear, as I have already told you. My husband, Strikes Fast, and I had only been recently married, and we were escaping a war party of eight Cree warriors, who were determined to find us and kill us. We took refuge in the Bears Paw Mountain range.
"One day, while my husband was away from camp hunting, I heard a scream. There were no other people around us, but when it came again and it sounded like a human cry, I went to investigate. This was when I saw your husband, who, as a child, had been left by a war party to die. He was trying to return to his people, the Lakota, and had asked God, the Creator, for help. When in trouble, one must ask for His help and must pray.
"Well, help was given him in the form of a female white bear, who stayed with him, giving him warmth when he slept and hunting roots and berries for food to give him. They had come to a river crossing and the river looked frozen from one shore to the other, but once he walked about halfway across the ice, it broke, and when I saw the child, he was desperately trying to hold on to the sharp edges of some floating ice.
"I swam to him and brought him back to shore, for the way was not far and I knew I could save him. But, as soon as we came ashore, some ice that had been hanging from a tall tree above us suddenly broke loose and fell upon me.
"I am told I almost died. I do not remember. All I know is when I awoke, I saw first my husband and then my almost-son, the Lakota boy, Rising Bear."
"Oh my," said Czanna. "There is little wonder the both of you are so close."
"Yes," replied Sharon. "My husband and I decided to ask Rising Bear if he would like to become our almost-son. He cried,as did I too, for, you see, he was without family, his mother and father having been killed by those who had left him to fend for himself or to die. But, there is more to the story."
Czanna nodded and remained silent.
"Your husband, then only seven, saved my life a little later. He did this in two ways. When we were finally tracked by the Cree warriors and confronted by them hostilely, one member of the war party came on to kill me. Rising Bear, though only seven, came to my rescue, confronted the man and shot his tiny arrows at him. But, though his arrows did little harm to the warrior, Rising Bear had also sent out a silent cry for help, which was shortly answered by the white bear. I, with my gun, and Rising Bear, with his bow and arrows, had tried to hold the man back, but when the white bear came in answer to my almost-son's plea, the Cree warrior fled, while the white bear ran quickly after him.
"And so, you see, after these encounters, we became very close. Sometimes I think we are closer knit than we might have been were we even blood related."
Czanna paused, unknowing of exactly what to say. At last, however, she murmured, "As I mentioned earlier, when I first met your almost-son, he told me about you, his almost-mother, because he thought, being white myself, I knew you and so was perhaps trying to find you. He offered to take me to you."
"He has always been kind, though sometimes a little mischievous."
"Yes." Czanna smiled. "I know," she agreed, then laughed. "When I first met him, I asked him how he had received his name, and, reluctantly, he told me. But, he told me little more than his standing up to a warrior, full grown, in order to try to save you. I am glad you have related the entire story to me."
"Yes. Thank you. But, I fear there is more."
"There is?"
"Yes, indeed. But, perhaps now is not the time to tell you the rest since I see in the distance we are about to meet up with theothers of the tribe. If you would be so kind as to join me this evening, after camp has been set up and the others are visiting each other's lodges, I would be honored if I could tell you the rest."
"Yes, of course," said Czanna. "I admit I would like to hear it all, but I also understand this is impossible to do now. I would be honored, indeed, if we might get together a little later tonight."
"And, so it will be. Later tonight, when the others are visiting, let us speak again."
"Yes," answered Czanna. "Shall I come to your lodge?"
"I think," said Sharon, "you might stay with us until we women can raise up a marriage lodge for you and my almost-son. Perhaps you and I might even encourage our men to go visiting once the children are asleep so we can speak without having to hide our talk from them."
"This, indeed, sounds to me to be a perfect plan. I shall look forward to it. Tonight, then."
Sharon nodded.
