"Lali," called the old woman.
"Come get the jug dear. We need water."
Gongi listened. Then she called again sweetly,
"Peaciwawala dear, come here. Come and get the jug."
Sittingjing-gongala was sitting on the
great grizzly bearskin, mending her mocassins
with sinew Salanka had given her.
She could hear Lali playing
outside the teepee nearby.
"Come here dear" Gongi called again a little louder.
"Come Lali dear!" But still there was no answer.
Now she called even louder in a scolding voice.
Peaciwawala and Rizing Moon, (along with
her cousins, the boy twins, Ebi and Shiro) were
playing stick ball on the grass and heard Gongi.
Tumby grabbed the ball in her mouth and
was running with it. Rizing Moon and the boys
chased her, while Lali went in to see what Gongi wanted.
It was a windy day, and the sun was shining brightly.
Everything seemed so crisp and clean, and the air
had the fragrance of creosote blossoms.
Fresh leaves were on every bush and tree.
Soon flowers would be everywhere. It seemed like
every drop of air was bursting with infinite life.
Lali stomped in with her usual "I don't do chores"
attitude. "What?!" she snarled at her grandmother.
As nicely as she could, Gongi replied,
"I need you to take the jug to the spring Dear,
and fill it up please."
Lali pursed her lips and stomped her
foot on the dirt floor. "No" she shreiked.
"I don't want to! We're playing now!!"
Just then, Tumby ran in with the ball and jumped over
Gongi to get to a safe corner of the teepee where
she could safely maul the ball.
The ball was made from resin covered with bits of
grass and moss. It didn't taste good, but she wanted it.
The other kids rushed in now, all sweaty and excited.
"There she is" shouted Shiro, running over
his grandma to get to Tumby.
Tumby went to Gongi for protection, but it
did no good.
"That's enough!" shouted Gongi.
"Get out Tumby," she insisted with a shove
as she grabbed the ball from the dog's mouth.
Tumby gave a whimper and fled outside,
followed by the children to whom
she refused to return the ball.
"Get back in here Lali!" screamed Gongi.
Now they all came back in again,
even Tumby, all hoping by being cooperative,
they'd get the ball back.
But Grandmother had a way of making them do
what she wanted. "Okay," she said,
"I'll give you the ball back,...when Lali
comes back with the water!"
"Aw, Grandma! they all shouted.
"Out!" Gongi replied. "Lali, the jug is right
by your leg. Please go get the water now!
We have to make lunch!"
Lali stomped out, so Rizing Moon picked up the jug.
"I'll go get it Grandma," she said nicely.
"No!" replied Gongi. "You already got water
for me today. It's Lali's turn."
"Why is she like that Grandma," asked Rizing Moon.
"I don't know dear" said Gongi with exasperation.
"Why don't you go talk with her."
"Okay," assured Rizing Moon, "I will."
"Take the jug, but give it to Lali," insisted Gongi.
Rizing Moon took the jug and hugged her Grandma.
The boys hugged her too, but Tumby ran outside
to be with Lali.
Rizing Moon and the boys took the jug out to Lali.
Lali and Tumby were over by the Cottonwood tree
now wrestling. So they went over to her and
Ebi said, "Let's go get water together Lali."
"I'll get another jug," said Rizing Moon.
Lali was annoyed. She had been chewing
on the wind, and didn't feel like getting water.
She wanted to keep playing, and she wanted
the ball back! She had been winning!
Just then, Salanka called to Rizing Moon to come
home. Rizing Moon turned to Lali and said,
"We gotta go now Lali. I gotta go
see what Mom wants.
We'll play later," she added turning to go.
The boys ran after Rizing Moon, but Ebi fell down
and started to cry. As Lali started thowing the stick
for Tumby to fetch, Gongi was cutting a fresh
switch. Lali didn't see Gongi coming,
and the sting of the switch on her buttocks
surprized her. Gongi picked up the jug,
and handed it to Lali.
"I said, PLEASE go fill up the jug for lunch!"
she said emphatically.
Lali looked at her grandmother and took the jug.
"I was just going!" she said.
"Good!" replied Gongi, with the switch
twitching in her hand.
"Now don't be late dear" Gongi advized, trying
not to be too nice yet.
Proudly Lali and Tumby started down the path
to the spring.
"When I grow up, I'm not going to have to get water,"
thought Lali, as she pouted.
"If I want to, of course I will!" she added
for Tumby's benefit. Tumby barked in agreement.
"I'll just live close to the spring that's all!
Then I wont have to carry the jugs, we'll just
wash everything in the stream!" continued Lali.
Now Tumby was pulling on Lali's skirt wanting
to play. "Oh get away you pesky dog!" she
yelled, trying to push Tumby off.
When she did that, she stumbled over a gnarly root from the great Cottonwood tree that surfaced
on the path. As she fell, the jug she was balancing on her head, fell too. Hitting a stone, it shattered instantly.
"Now look what you've done Tumby!" shouted Lali.
"You naughty naughty dog!"
Tumby thought Lali was playing and jumped
on her while she was still on the ground
recovering, licking her face and biting her hair.
That made Lali laugh, and she started throwing
pieces of the broken jug at Tumby.
"Well," said Lali affectionately to Tumby,
"I think we're in big trouble now.
If we go back, I get a whipping with the switch."
Tumby looked sad and put her head on Lali's lap.
"And it's your fault Tumby!" she added
as an after thought.
How she wished she was grown up already
and could do what she wanted.
Inside her the fire swelled and she wanted
to jump and play and just forget about the
water jug. She felt grown up inside.
She was self confident and felt at home
in the forest. She knew how to track
and hunt, but didn't like it much. She could fish though, maybe even catch a bird or
something.
In time she could go back, but right then,
she was too afraid to face her grandma.
She'd broken jugs before on purpose.
Gongi wouldn't believe it was an accident.
Lali didn't know what to do now.
Something in the forest was so intriquing to her.
When she saw the ruins of settlements,
she felt eerily strange, like she had lived there
before, in those ancient times.
She needed time to explore
those fantasies...and discover, who she really
was and who she could become.
She listened closely to an inaudible voice,
as if she were being called by someone.
Her fantasy pulled her deeper into the forest now,
as she wandered through the thick growth.
The wind was howling through the trees
and the air was so fresh it burned her nostrils.
Tumbala ran ahead of her on the path.
"Oh! Go back home you troublemaker"
she shouted at Tumby,
striking her on the nose with a stone.
Tumby howled in pain and ran off
in the direction of the village;
crying in loud and pitiful yelps as she fled.
Lali felt a surge within her and began running
and jumping deeper and deeper on the path
that followed the stream.
She hadn't turned off to the spring as she was
supposed to do, and that's when she stumbled
and broke the jug.
She began hopping rocks that were in and about
the stream. She hadn't been this far before alone.
But she had come out here with her Uncle Omwanaku
and others for gathering certain herbs and plants.
The breeze was combing her hair, and the water
made the air so sweet and fresh.
In her mind Lali could see Gongi.
She knew her Grandmother was beginning
to wonder where she was, especially
when Tumby returned home alone.
She didn't care about that now though.
She was dreaming she was an ancient princess
of the realm, and could do whatever she wanted to do.
Finally she stepped onto the cool moist grass
beside the stream, winded now from
skipping rocks. She lay on her back looking
up into the clear blue sky. She was out of breath
and needed to rest for a moment. She was so
comfortable in the sun. The fresh grass was
so soft and fragrant, like a cushion beneath her.
Before she knew it, she had fallen into a deep sleep.
*****************************
