The Red Road

The boy ran as if it was a matter of life and death. And it was. It was a matter of life. But not his own life. His brother’s life. His brother´s new life. A child was born and the boy had to hurry, hurry. His feet flew, or rather floated over the ground. His naked feet barely touched the ground and he felt light and free. Over roots, stones and small bushes he raced. I have to prove that I am worthy of my name, the boy thought as he flew. I am Runs with the Wind, he cheered to himself which enabled him to go a little further. He reduced his pace as the road turned uphill, and when he came close to the finish he slowed even more. He could not arrive short of breath and without the ability to speak a proper word. He stopped completely, took a deep breath, and walked the last meters up the hill. He approached the large Indian man from behind but came to a halt some distance away. Never before had it been so difficult not to speak until an adult has given his approval. He wanted to shout out his message, but of course he kept his silence. "You have run like a deer and made your mother proud," said the man. "But you are still too late. The news has reached my ears. You are now a big brother." The man turned around and gave a big smile. "Runs with the Wind, no human being has spoken to me. You have not failed. The Raven flew over here and shared the happy news. Have a seat." The boy approached the man and sat down on his left side. With his legs crossed, he watched his feet. One toe was bleeding heavily but he had not felt the harm being done. He also did not feel it hurting. The man saw the wound and without a word he reached for a bag made of skin and took out a piece of white moss, holding it in his hand and softly singing a song. When the song was sung he blew three times on the moss and then pressed it against the toe. "Well," the man said. "Now tell me what your mother had." The boy cleared his throat. "A boy," he said. "She had a boy. I have a brother!" It felt wonderful to finally be able to share the news about what had happened this morning, in the beginning of summer. "Mother wants you to come," the boy continued. ”I believe so," the man said, smiling even wider. The elder rose first and then the younger. They started downhill. The boy thought the man walked too slowly but would not dare say anything. The man felt his impatience. "Feel free to run ahead, but with that toe I would be careful. He has come to stay, your brother, has he not?" "Oh yes," the boy answered. "Father says he seems to be a strong chap." "Very well," said the man, "then we are in no hurry." After some time, they saw the camp and stopped to watch. The boy loved seeing the camp from above. From here one could clearly see all the tipis. He saw the smaller compound where the warriors lived and he saw his mother’s tipi and the gathering ground. He also saw the sweat lodge that he helped build last night. He loved the feeling of knowing where he was living for the next few months. This summer’s move had been a tedious one, but next time would be easier because his mother’s condition would be different. He hoped she would gain back her strength soon. The boy had taken on a lot of responsibility lately, and he was proud because he had done his best without complaining. But now he longed to play with his friends, even as he knew it was not time to play just yet. He was on his way home and walking beside him was the most important man of the tribe; the medicine man. The Shaman looked down at the boy. "It is a good sign that your brother was born at this time. It means I have chosen a good spot for our summer camp. Our people will flourish at the same pace as summer." The boy felt proud to be walking alongside the medicine man and he made a promise to himself to tell his mother every word the man had spoken. That would make her happy. When thinking about her, the boy felt a longing. He had not been allowed to see her since the camp was completed and he wanted to tell her all about the surroundings. That was always his task when they moved, to run about and explore the terrain and then report to his mother everything he had seen. Sometimes he suspected that she wanted to get rid of him when she sent him out, but he did it mostly for his own sake anyway. He enjoyed learning new paths, the way the river twisted through the landscape, and the traces of wild animals to be discovered. He was always a little restless after moving. The move was made at a slow pace with all the things being dragged or carried, and he felt the best when he was allowed to run. He was given the name "Runs with the Wind” because he ran before he could walk properly, and no one of the same age could keep up with him. He even ran faster than the older children, but this was not spoken of. He bragged one time about being the fastest runner of all children, so his father taught him a needed lesson. "As long as you have not challenged and defeated all of them in a race, you must not say that you are the best. Be careful with your gift. If it is shown that you take it for granted and become too insolent, you might lose it. It is the Great Spirit that has given you the ability to run and He is the fastest of all." The next day, the boy strained his ankle while tripping out of the tipi and he had not been able to play with his friends all day. He learned his lesson and never again was he heard bragging. But today he was proud for a whole other reason and that was because he had become a big brother. When he came walking with the Shaman through the camp, it was he who people greeted and congratulated. It felt as though he had accomplished something great, but he had not done anything. He enjoyed the attention as he came closer to his mother’s tipi. “Wait here,” said the medicine man, going inside. The boy knew what to expect now, even though he did not have a brother or sister before now. The man would bless the newborn child with his eagle feather and perform a certain ritual to welcome him to Earth. The child was not allowed into the sunshine for the first few days. He had to get used to the daylight slowly because it had been dark inside the womb and everything was new. Everyone also had to speak in a low voice while in the same tipi as the child. Because of these things, the boy could neither see nor hear what happened in his mother’s place. After a while the medicine man came outside. “Your brother would like to see you now.” The boy received dried and burning sage and blew on it to enhance the smoke. He brought the twigs up and down and side to side. The smell made him feel calm. He knew it was important to be surrounded by pure energies and to be clean when meeting a new born baby. Newly born were sensitive and had recently left the other side. They were still innocent. The medicine man had told him all of this while walking down the hill.