I don't understand her. I treat her kindly, yet she still shakes with fear at the thought of being one with me. I try to make her happy and make her angry instead."
Many Horses lifted an eyebrow. "Fear is not like a layer of dust on a tree leaf that washes away in a gentle rain. Give her time. Be her good friend, first--then become her lover. As for making a woman happy, you succeed sometimes, you fail sometimes. That is the way of it."
Hunter took a deep breath and let it out on a weary sigh. "It's not that I have another woman in mind to take as wife. It's just--"
"That you are bullheaded?"
Hunter smothered an outraged laugh. "A little bit, yes?"
Many Horses shrugged. "One unto the other is not a bad thing for a man. I am sure enough glad I have only one tug rope coming into my lodge. Can you imagine how exhausting three or four wives would be?"
"My mother has been enough for you, but she is a special woman."
Many Horses grinned. "She is a jealous woman. And I'm not a stupid man. I didn't want to live in a wasp's nest all my life." He shrugged. "I like things as they are. Fewer sharp tongues nagging me. Fewer mouths to feed. And only one woman to try to understand. I brought her slaves to help her with the work."
"My yellow-hair does not believe in having slaves."
"Neither does she believe in many wives. Give her a choice, slaves or wives. See which she chooses." Many Horses waved his hand before him to clear the air of ash. "You must also remember the yellow-hair may give you many more children than a Comanche woman. Take care or you could father more children than you can feed. I've never seen a white woman yet who wasn't a good breeder."
A slow grin spread across Hunter's mouth. "You will tell her this, yes? So far she isn't showing the proper enthusiasm.
Many Horses lifted an eyebrow. "Fear is not like a layer of dust on a tree leaf that washes away in a gentle rain. Give her time. Be her good friend, first--then become her lover. As for making a woman happy, you succeed sometimes, you fail sometimes. That is the way of it."
Hunter took a deep breath and let it out on a weary sigh. "It's not that I have another woman in mind to take as wife. It's just--"
"That you are bullheaded?"
Hunter smothered an outraged laugh. "A little bit, yes?"
Many Horses shrugged. "One unto the other is not a bad thing for a man. I am sure enough glad I have only one tug rope coming into my lodge. Can you imagine how exhausting three or four wives would be?"
"My mother has been enough for you, but she is a special woman."
Many Horses grinned. "She is a jealous woman. And I'm not a stupid man. I didn't want to live in a wasp's nest all my life." He shrugged. "I like things as they are. Fewer sharp tongues nagging me. Fewer mouths to feed. And only one woman to try to understand. I brought her slaves to help her with the work."
"My yellow-hair does not believe in having slaves."
"Neither does she believe in many wives. Give her a choice, slaves or wives. See which she chooses." Many Horses waved his hand before him to clear the air of ash. "You must also remember the yellow-hair may give you many more children than a Comanche woman. Take care or you could father more children than you can feed. I've never seen a white woman yet who wasn't a good breeder."
A slow grin spread across Hunter's mouth. "You will tell her this, yes? So far she isn't showing the proper enthusiasm.
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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