23 "I'm going to take my bath now," he said, "is there anything you need?"
24 "I am fine," Bold Fox told him. Bold Fox noticed a young woman peeking around Strong Wall. She did not wear a dress like the other servant girls, but a much more lavish gown. Strong Wall smiled and pulled the girl forward. "Shining Goat," he began, "this is our guest." The girl bowed politely. "This," said Strong Wall, "is the joy of my heart, the one who will soon share my house."
25 "The women of your land," complimented Bold Fox, "are as beautiful as the cities they dwell in, filled with grace and pride."
26 "I thank you, sir," the girl replied, bowing politely. "Tell me, is it true? Someone said your people have twenty wives." Strong Wall gave her a sideways kick with his foot. Bold Fox laughed.
27 "Three," he explained, "are hard enough to contend with. Twenty would be impossible!"
28 "Three?" the girl asked. "How do they get along?"
29 "Most of the time, quite well!" explained Bold Fox. "Though I, myself, have only two. And they hardly ever have a squabble! Though we did have a problem when one had a child, after the first one had been trying for three years! But she made up for it later."
30 "How?" asked the girl.
31 "She had twins," Bold Fox told the girl, "Two fine boys!"
32 The girl looked disgusted. "Well, I hope," she said, "it is a custom that never becomes popular in our country!"
33 Strong Wall laughed and led her away. "We will eat in about an hour," he announced, "that nice uniform you were wearing in camp will be fine."
34 "I suppose so," thought Bold Fox, but he hated his fancy uniform. He much preferred battle dress.
35 The evening meal proved to be a lavish affair. The great dining hall had six tables and the lesser chieftains, soldiers, and rich people of the city were there.
36 "I hope you do not mind this celebration of your arrival," Strong Wall explained as they were being seated, "the people look upon it as a blessing. The Priests of Shadows have promised that your coming will begin a great new era for our people, that we shall know wisdom and glory, and shall rise to a great place among the nations!"
37 "Let us pray," answered Bold Fox, "that those prophecies are not in error!" The people drank heartily to his prayer. 38 Bold Fox was sad to see that The Old Chieftain was virtually helpless. He had to be carried everywhere, and a young woman devotedly fed him and saw to all his other needs. Also, several armed guards were always nearby.
39 "Does your uncle fear assassins?" asked Bold Fox.
40 "In his younger days," answered Strong Wall, "there was a rebellion. Some evil chieftains were cruel to their people , and when my Uncle was elected Chief of Chiefs, he took their fortresses after several bitter battles. My father was killed in the fighting. My Uncle took me in and raised me, but some of the defeated chieftains swore revenge. There have been many attempts. I fought off a band of attackers myself, in this very hall, last year. After twenty years you'd think the wounds would heal. There is no greater man than my Uncle."
41 "Your father must have been a great man to fight with him," Bold Fox complimented.
42 Strong Wall turned away. He spoke the next words almost without emotion, but Bold Fox sensed heavy pain. "My father led the rebels," he sighed.
43 Bold Fox never again brought up the subject. That evening they sat and discussed with High Wall the needs of The People of Spirit.
44 "It sounds like to me," said High Wall, through his nephew, "your Old Fox is asking too little! I think you should take ALL the land from the foothills to the lake in the upper part of the land. And, everything up to the foothills below that." 45 "But that is far more than we need," argued Bold Fox. "There is only enough of us to build four cities."
46 "NOW," answered The Old Chieftain, "but what about the future? If You strike a bargain for this land now, no one can come later and bargain for it. If we have already agreed to sell it to you, then we can't sell it to anyone else! Think ahead, young man, think ahead! In a very few years your people are going to need all this land. You are going to grow as a people. I have little doubt of that. Take my advice. What do you think is going to happen when the people in the south learn there is a cure for The Swelling Death? They have always wanted the land. If you do not have claim to it, there could be trouble."
47 Bold Fox looked at the map the Giants had provided. The large lake, roughly, the shape of a man's left hand, was more than he had expected, and the Giants had shown him all the best areas for cities.
48 The Old Chieftain was right. Other people would swant this land, if he did not lay claim to it now, there would be little hope in the future, of his people having room to expand. "Very well," he agreed, "we will bargain for all the land, not just those plots we need now."
49 "Excellent!" said The Old Chieftain, "As soon as your Healers can tell us if they can treat the disease, and the city is safe, I will call in The Chieftains, and we will bargain in earnest. I cannot make such a decision myself, for each tribe has claim to certain areas of the land. We will have to agree to a total amount. Then, each tribe will have to get their share. It may be a long struggle to get everyone to agree. But I am sure we can strike a fair bargain. My people
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