Chapter
Twenty-Seven
In Western The Voice received The First Speaker's
summons. "I will go," he announced, "but not alone." He
wrote letters to all the cities telling them the day he would march,
and the day he planned to arrive at Northern. "Let all of you,"
he ordered, "depart before me so that you pitch your tents about
Northern and may greet me when I arrive."
2 So it was Gray Deer departed from Southern.
Now its city's Speaker he brought with him, many men and women of
influence, plus Bright Sword, Screaming Bear, many of their fighting
people, and, workers.
3 From Eastern came Gentle Bear, Half Face,
The Lords Beggar and many of their followers.
4 From The City of The Old Fox came Gray Boar
and Swift Goat, the men and women of influence in their city, and many
of their followers.
5 From Ti came Lame Dove, Screaming Hawk, and
many of their people.
6 From Min came Bold Raven and Bold Cat and a
great number of their people.
7 From Nameless came Sleeping Dove and
Thundering Hawk and their followers.
8 From Dove came Walking Turtle and Gray
Toad. They came first to Western and pitched their tents there to
travel north with The Voice.
9 From Western Great Bear prepared to go,
Strong Dog and Silent Dog, and many of their followers.
10 In Northern itself, Bold Fox prepared to
greet The Voice.
11 The Voice himself, seemed anxious to settle
his duties. He wrote letters to many of his old friends, especially
those women who had been close to him.
12 In the midst of all the preparations Great
Bear came to The Voice with a problem. "Speaker," he explained,
"The District Speaker has given me a case that he cannot handle because
he is related to the people involved. But they are also, Lord, old and
dear friends of mine, and I feel I should not hear the case, either.
Will you have time before we depart, to hear it?"
13 The Voice took the documents of charge and
read them. "This is a case," he agreed, "that must be dealt with
quickly. Are those involved in the city?"
14 "Yes, they are," answered Great Bear.
15 "Then I will hear the case tomorrow," The
Voice announced.
16 So in the hall of The City Speaker The
Voice sat in judgment. Before him was brought a young man
condemned to death for murder, and The Speaker who had condemned
him. The young man had brought the charges of unfair trial.
As the accuser, he was allowed to speak first.
17 "Tell me," demanded The Voice, "what has
happened."
18 "Sir," the young man told him, "I am a
foreman of laborers. I have worked with this man's family for many
years. They own most of the land about our village, and are
mostly good people, but there was one, this Speaker's brother's son,
who was not good. He was a drunkard and a bully, and many times was
unfair to his workers.
19 Now, one day we were repairing a field
damaged by the winter floods. Time came for the midday meal, and
we took the break which is allowed when the food cart came. As we were
eating, the young master arrived, drunk, as usual, and staggered about
inspecting the work. He was displeased with our morning's efforts
and began to scream at the workers to get back to work, that they were
lazy and useless, and hadn't earned their bread. I rose and tried
to reason with him, but he was in a rage.
20 'Lord,' I pleaded, 'be reasonable. My
men have worked hard all morning. Let them enjoy their break. The work
will be finished by nightfall, as your father directed.'
21 'They don't deserve a break,' the young master
screamed. 'They have done nothing.' He kicked over the soup
pot and threw the bread on the ground. 'I said get back to work!' he
screamed.
22 My men, with all honor, refused to
move. They had been insulted and would not stand. The young
master began to shove and kick some of them. I seized him.
'Lord,' I cried, 'Your mind is fogged with wine. You have lost your
reason. Calm yourself. Let me take you to your house.'
23 'Take your hands off me, you son of a
stinking she-dog!' The young master cried. 'How dare you lay hands on
your betters?' With this, Lord, I was seized with anger, and I
struck the young master one time, in the face. I did not mean to do him
serious harm, but he fell backwards, struck his head on the wheel of
the ox cart, and died.