Free Buffalo Medicine by Don Coldsmith

informed Owl, a seasonal lull in their activity. Cold Maker, though not so powerful here as at home, was unpredictable. The Hairfaces did not like to be in the mountains during winter, so they retreated to this place, bringing the prisoners. Here they waited until the Greening Moon, or—the man hesitated.
    â€œOwl, I have lost count of the moons, they are so different here.” He shook his head. “No matter. They will take us again to the mountains.”
    At this point, he used words unfamiliar to Owl, and the young man again lost the line of the conversation. He stopped the speaker again.
    â€œBut why? What purpose does this have?”
    â€œTo carry the rocks,” answered Long Bow, a little irritably. Then he explained, a bit more patiently. “We dig the yellow rocks from a hole in the mountain, and carry the sacks down to the arristra .” Another unknown word, Owl reflected. Perhaps he would understand when he saw the place.
    â€œWhy do they want the rocks?”
    â€œFor the shiny medicine stuff in them!” the exasperated Long Bow burst out.
    Suddenly, the truth about the Hairfaces, their presence here, their reasons for holding the prisoners, all began to become clear to Owl. The pieces fit together.
    He had noticed that there were two kinds of the shiny
medicine. The more common sort, that which their weapons were made of, was whitish, like the shiny sides of the small fish in the streams. The other, this yellow kind of which Long Bow spoke, seemed more highly regarded by the Hairfaces. They appeared to have almost a reverence for it. Could it be, he marveled, that this yellow stuff which glittered was even stronger medicine than that which made the smoke-log roar?

12
    With the new information as to the Hairfaces’ intent and purpose came new understanding. Old White Buffalo had continually urged his young apprentice to look beyond, to see why, to learn how all things relate.
    Now Owl could see more clearly the position of the Mud Lodge people. The Hairfaces must have men to dig and carry the shiny medicine rocks. If they did not have the men they needed, they would find them. The nearest tribes, those of the Mud Lodges, would be forced to dig and carry, unless they could furnish prisoners for that purpose.
    This new understanding did not prevent Owl’s ill will toward both groups. It simply was comforting to him to realize that there was some reason left in a world which had seemed completely mad.
    In one area of the Hairfaces’ medicine, however, he was still completely baffled. That was their medicine man. Owl
had identified the man early in his captivity. He knew this must be a medicine man because his garments were different. The other Hairfaces showed a great deal of respect for the man, also.
    He was short, somewhat fat, and wore a robe that reached nearly to the ground. There were several objects made of the shiny yellow medicine rock that dangled around his neck and waist. The medicine man constantly handled the beads on one of these thongs, sometimes murmuring a chant under his breath. His chants were highly regarded by the other Hairfaces. More than once Owl had seen an individual stop and lower his head while the medicine man made gestures over him, sometimes with a short chant.
    This man was the only Hairface who did not actually have facial fur. For a time Owl wondered if this had some meaning, but finally decided not. Other Hairfaces had varying amounts, seemingly independent of their status and power.
    Owl did puzzle considerably over the medicine symbols used by the man. One constantly recurred, in the objects hanging around his neck, and was stitched on the front of his garment. It consisted of an upright portion, which appeared to be connected to a shorter cross member. This design held very great significance for all the Hairfaces, but was apparently under exclusive control of the medicine man. He obviously held the symbol in great reverence. Once he