Atreyu’s Life in the New World
Atreyu thrived in his new home and family. It only took him a few months
to learn the language, until he spoke it as fluently as English and French. His
adoption had made him nervous, thinking he’d mess up at some important time,
but he sailed through it with no incidents. He’d quickly befriended two people.
One was the Wise Woman, and the other was the best bowyer and fletcher of the
village.
Atreyu continued to have a love/hate relationship with the herbs, he couldn’t fully deny their uses. The Wise woman was pleasantly astonished at how quickly Atreyu learned how to identify plants in all their seasons. When she moved him onto their uses, it took him a bit longer, but he still picked it up quickly.
She was delighted when he started showing up with the herbs that sheneeded restocked. But what pleased her most was when the boy started calling her Naan, or Grandmother. She knew the boy was stingy with family titles. Even though he called his siblings noosag (brother) and niidigik (sister), he still called his adopted parents Besha Weniijaanid (Near Mother) and Besho Dede (Near Father).
Finally, after two years of him living amongst The People, she asked him about it. She was also wanting to get his mind off the fact that Jonas Jackson, Captain of the Black Hawk, refused to let the boy sail when he left this time. “Atreyu, why do you call your parents Near Mothers and Near Father? Yet you will call your siblings brothers and sisters, and you have even started calling me Grandmother.”
Atreyu looked uncertain as he spoke. “Grandmother, I had a mother and father once. If I called Capy-tan Father, and Morning Dove and Chattering Squirrel Mother, I-I’m afraid I’ll forget my parents. I never had a Grandmother, or brothers and sisters.”
He looked so forlorn, that the Wise Woman took pity on him. She patted his hand gently. “That is fine Atreyu, as long as all of you are happy with the arrangement. I accept the role of Grandmother you have blessed me with.”
Atreyu gave a slight smile, but he looked sad and like he wanted to cry. “I don’t think they are. I think that they hope one day I will call them mothers and father, but how do I choose who to call First Mother without hurting the one I’d call Second Mother?” He looked at her with tormented eyes.
The Wise Woman pursed her lips and shook her head. “I don’t know, my dear. In truth you are wise to choose to call them both Near Mother and avoid hurt feelings.” She gave a sigh. I must speak with them and Jonas, when he returns, not to push the boy. She smiled at Atreyu. “Run along and play, dear. Your lessons for today are done, and I feel I need a nap.”
“Yes, grandmother.” He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then left her longhouse. He didn’t go and play though, instead he went to the man he’d started calling Dedenaan, or Grandfather. He was also Atreyu’s teacher on how to make bows and arrows. Atreyu was fascinated the first time he saw a bow. The Black hawk crew didn’t use them on ship, though they did use them hunting when they stayed at the village. Atreyu was not only determined to learn how to use one, but he also wanted to know how to make and repair them as well, and the arrows that went with them.
The old Bowyer was delighted in the boy’s interest, and was happy to teach him all he wanted to know. Within a year’s time, the student equaled the teacher in skill. By the age of fourteen, he was proclaimed one of the best bowyers and fletchers of the tribe. Even though the man no longer had anything to teach Atreyu concerning bows or arrows, the boy still liked sitting with the man and working on a bow or arrow heads or shafts, and listening to the stories the man was full of, or just siting in comfortable silence.
Atreyu was sixteen when Captain Jackson finally returned. A man and hunter/provider for the tribe, as well as an eligible bachelor for the past year. Atreyu was relieved to see the Black Hawk return, and hoped that now he was an adult, he’d be able to sail the next time she went out. He’d long since mastered the dugouts, but paddling in a river wasn’t the same as sailing the sea.
There was the usual feast at the Black Hawk’s return. Captain Jackson had a bit of news for Atreyu that made it a special celebration for the young man. It seemed that Kas had been found dead a few nights later after Atreyu had fled Prot Royal. Someone had stabbed him multiple times, rather viciously.
Atreyu continued to have a love/hate relationship with the herbs, he couldn’t fully deny their uses. The Wise woman was pleasantly astonished at how quickly Atreyu learned how to identify plants in all their seasons. When she moved him onto their uses, it took him a bit longer, but he still picked it up quickly.
She was delighted when he started showing up with the herbs that sheneeded restocked. But what pleased her most was when the boy started calling her Naan, or Grandmother. She knew the boy was stingy with family titles. Even though he called his siblings noosag (brother) and niidigik (sister), he still called his adopted parents Besha Weniijaanid (Near Mother) and Besho Dede (Near Father).
Finally, after two years of him living amongst The People, she asked him about it. She was also wanting to get his mind off the fact that Jonas Jackson, Captain of the Black Hawk, refused to let the boy sail when he left this time. “Atreyu, why do you call your parents Near Mothers and Near Father? Yet you will call your siblings brothers and sisters, and you have even started calling me Grandmother.”
Atreyu looked uncertain as he spoke. “Grandmother, I had a mother and father once. If I called Capy-tan Father, and Morning Dove and Chattering Squirrel Mother, I-I’m afraid I’ll forget my parents. I never had a Grandmother, or brothers and sisters.”
He looked so forlorn, that the Wise Woman took pity on him. She patted his hand gently. “That is fine Atreyu, as long as all of you are happy with the arrangement. I accept the role of Grandmother you have blessed me with.”
Atreyu gave a slight smile, but he looked sad and like he wanted to cry. “I don’t think they are. I think that they hope one day I will call them mothers and father, but how do I choose who to call First Mother without hurting the one I’d call Second Mother?” He looked at her with tormented eyes.
The Wise Woman pursed her lips and shook her head. “I don’t know, my dear. In truth you are wise to choose to call them both Near Mother and avoid hurt feelings.” She gave a sigh. I must speak with them and Jonas, when he returns, not to push the boy. She smiled at Atreyu. “Run along and play, dear. Your lessons for today are done, and I feel I need a nap.”
“Yes, grandmother.” He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then left her longhouse. He didn’t go and play though, instead he went to the man he’d started calling Dedenaan, or Grandfather. He was also Atreyu’s teacher on how to make bows and arrows. Atreyu was fascinated the first time he saw a bow. The Black hawk crew didn’t use them on ship, though they did use them hunting when they stayed at the village. Atreyu was not only determined to learn how to use one, but he also wanted to know how to make and repair them as well, and the arrows that went with them.
The old Bowyer was delighted in the boy’s interest, and was happy to teach him all he wanted to know. Within a year’s time, the student equaled the teacher in skill. By the age of fourteen, he was proclaimed one of the best bowyers and fletchers of the tribe. Even though the man no longer had anything to teach Atreyu concerning bows or arrows, the boy still liked sitting with the man and working on a bow or arrow heads or shafts, and listening to the stories the man was full of, or just siting in comfortable silence.
Atreyu was sixteen when Captain Jackson finally returned. A man and hunter/provider for the tribe, as well as an eligible bachelor for the past year. Atreyu was relieved to see the Black Hawk return, and hoped that now he was an adult, he’d be able to sail the next time she went out. He’d long since mastered the dugouts, but paddling in a river wasn’t the same as sailing the sea.
There was the usual feast at the Black Hawk’s return. Captain Jackson had a bit of news for Atreyu that made it a special celebration for the young man. It seemed that Kas had been found dead a few nights later after Atreyu had fled Prot Royal. Someone had stabbed him multiple times, rather viciously.