The hearthmother sat at the fire in the dark
grinding ochre as her knees no longer allowed her to squat. She said "What do
you want" to the naked boy creeping up to the fire. He started like a rabbit
and almost fled for this hearthmother had a fearsome reputation among the boys. But
gathering his courage he crept up into her view. When she nodded irritably across
the sacred fire from her he scurried over and squatted there.
He sat there for a while shivering, staring into the flame
while she ground ochre. After a good long time she said, "Well what is
it? You look well fed enough to me and I'm not hungry." He flinched.
"Surely you're not ready for coupling?" He blushed a ferocious red and
almost died then and there. She snorted, "Not that you couldn't do better than me I'm
sure if you were ready for coupling. Not that I wasn't pursued by lots of men in my
time. Your great-grandfather seemed to like me well enough." This would
have killed him but she reached gently across the hearth and took his chin in her
hand. "You're a likely looking lad, what is it you want?" He
whispered something and she snapped, "Speak up, the years have snatched away my
hearing."
She stopped and spoke softer admiring the boy's courage. "What
is it that you want?" He cleared his throat and spoke loud enough to be heard,
"Why do women bleed?" The hearthmother snorted, "Everyone bleeds if
you cut them or break them." The boy looked terrified again and said quietly,
"Why do women bleed," he paused and took a deep breath, "from their women
parts?" It was the hearthmother's turn to be shocked. "And what business
is that of your's manchild? That is sacred women's business, none of your's."
She looked very angry and the boy looked ready to flee again but
then she smiled. "I am an old woman and perhaps I can tell you a story".
He looked very excited at this as the hearthmother was known to be the best story teller
and made himself comfortable.
"You know that once upon a time men and women were joined
together face to face. Well Trickster Squirrel separated us with a tool he had
borrowed from the Stone Man and we've been apart ever since except when we couple."
The boy turned bright red again and the hearthmother hid a smile. "Well
Trickster Squirrel had to sew up the wounds he caused and thus created a woman's and a
man's parts."
She snorted, "Messy job, puckered holes and dangly bits.
Just like a male to botch the job. If Hearthmother had done it the sewing would have
been done properly." She looked dreamily for a moment, "Of course men and
women wouldn't have quite as much fun as they do then so maybe that's not so
bad." The boy grimaced and squirmed as though remaining where he squatted was
agony. The hearthmother shook her head, "Anyway, men and women spend quite a
bit of time trying to get back together again and quite enjoy it. Now men, they try
and do it and then they're satisfied. Not so women. We miss the togetherness
so much that twice a season our private parts, which is where we were most deeply joined
weep tears of blood to show how sad they are." She lowered her head and her
body shook.
The boy squatted there horrified and whispered, "Is that
true?" The hearthmother raised her head her body still quivering and stared at
him, "What do you think?" He let his terror take him away into the night
and her echoing laughter followed him into the dark.
This page last modified January 21, 2003
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