Chapter 10
Eyes that do not cry do not see
They rode west, the three of them on one horse, for over three hours, alternating walking the horse and riding it, before they rode through a pass in the rocks and into a valley thick with buffalo grass and before them stood hundreds of tee pees. It was Grey Wolf’s village and he was taking them to his home.
As they entered the village, women and children came out and surrounded them, dancing and chanting, “Yi, yi, yi, yi, yi,” until Grey Wolf stopped his horse and stared down at them, silencing them with his eyes before riding on.
They rode up to Grey Wolf’s tee pee where he lifted Esben from the back of the horse, setting him on the ground before swinging his leg over and jumping down. He then lifted Corinne and brought her down next to him. Without saying a word, he pointed toward the tee pee, indicating they were to go in.
It was the first time Esben had been inside a home of a Sioux. In the center was a stone fire pit surrounded by buffalo robes. There were spears and a shield along with a bow and a quiver of arrows in the back of the tee pee. He was surprised at how spacious and warm it was inside.
Grey Wolf pointed toward the buffalo robes and indicated that they were to sit down.
Esben and Corinne walked over and sat down next to each other. Grey Wolf sat on the robe across the fire pit from them.
He pointed at Corinne and then at himself and nodded his head once.
“Nimitawa ktelo, you will be mine. Mitawin, wife”, he said.
Corinne immediately understood that he was telling her that they would be together. That he now owned her. That she would be his wife.
She looked at him for a long moment with tears welling in her eyes and then she glanced at Esben, whose eyes were on Grey Wolf. She knew what she had to do.
He has been through a lot she thought. If Grey Wolf wants me, he can take me. All I can do is let him know that Esben must remain with me and remain safe.
She looked back at Grey Wolf who hadn’t moved his eyes from her face and she nodded her head once, letting him know she was willing to be his wife. She pointed at Esben and then herself before pointing at Grey Wolf.
Grey Wolf looked over at Esben for a moment before turning back to Corinne.
He grunted and nodded his head in agreement before rising and walking out.
“Doesn’t he speak?” Esben asked after Grey Wolf left.
“Oh, yes, he can speak, Corinne said. He speaks English very well. I think he was trying to make a point. That we should be careful; that our lives are in his hands now.”
Corinne thought that wasn’t such a bad thing. He was tall for a Sioux and a very handsome man with high cheekbones and a straight nose. He wore a red band around his head, keeping his long black hair from blowing in his face while riding his paint stallion.
Yes, she thought to herself, he is very handsome indeed.
It wasn’t long before Grey Wolf returned. This time he had a short heavyset Sioux woman with him. She was carrying a buckskin dress in her arms.
Grey Wolf pointed at Corinne and said, “Wasicun Hinzi.”
Then he pointed at Esben and said. “You come.”
Esben rose from the buffalo robe and followed Grey Wolf out into the late afternoon sun while the Sioux woman helped Corinne change into her new clothing.
Corinne looked quizzically at the Sioux woman and asked, “What does Wasicun Hinzi mean.”
The woman said, “Wasicun Hinzi, Pale Horse. That is your Sioux name.”
Corinne just looked at her and nodded slowly thinking I am entering a whole new life. A life I have no control over and she began to pray.
Again, Grey Wolf said to Esben, “Come,” and started to walk toward the center of the camp where close to thirty warriors sat around a fire that had just been started and was giving off much heat. More heat than Esben cared to be around and he hoped they weren’t planning on throwing him in the fire and sacrificing him to their gods.
“Sit,” Grey Wolf commanded, pointing to the ground.
Esben sat.
Grey Wolf introduced him as Tasunke pahaska, Yellow Hair, to all the warriors around the fire. A couple nodded their head and grunted but most of them just looked at Esben without saying anything and then turned back to watching the flames of the fire lap around the logs quickly consuming them.
“Ciye,” Grey Wolf said.
Once again, all the men looked up and stared at Esben. Then they all nodded and looked back at the fire without saying a word.
Esben didn’t know what Grey Wolf was saying. He thought the Sioux sure don’t say much. I can’t tell what they are thinking if they don’t talk. I wonder what Grey Wolf is saying to them? He looked at Grey Wolf.
Grey Wolf looked at Esben for a long time before pointing at him and then himself and said, “Ciye, my son,” he translated.
Esben couldn’t keep his jaw from dropping. His son, he thought? What does he mean? Is he planning on keeping us here forever?
Grey Wolf picked up Esben’s hair and again said, “Tasunke pahaska, Yellow Hair.” Making sure Esben understood.
He did understand. He understood that his new name was Yellow Hair and that he was the son of a very powerful Sioux warrior, either a chief, or a person of much influence.