The Arrow-Maker: A Drama in Three Acts

conduct of this war. I have said. ( Seats himself amid general approval. ) Old Men Good counsel! Good counsel! Tribesmen Simwa! Padahoon! The Arrow-Maker! Padahoon! Chief Padahoon, you have the more years; say what you will do. And do you, Chisera, bear it well in your heart as you go up before the Friend of the Soul of Man. The Chisera The trail of the gods is hard and none may walk therein save those that walk sincerely. Speak, then! Padahoon ( Rising. ) Chief and tribesmen, you know me. What I think in my heart, I say; and what I say I do. The piñon trees are ours, since the time of our father's fathers ( general assent ), and this is a vain fight for the men of Castac. Inasmuch as they have crossed our borders, they do evilly, but they are also Paiutes, as we are, and sons of the Bear. Aforetime when the Tecuyas came against us, they were as our brothers. Now, were I war leader, I should leave them at Pahrump and, going up behind the ridge of Toorape, strike at their villages. When we have their women and children and their stores, we can make terms with our brothers of Castac. So shall we save our honor and our allies. Indians Good counsel! Ugh! Huh! Padahoon! Good counsel! Chief Speak, Simwa! Simwa ( Rising. ) Shall I call a thief my brother, and is a poacher my fellow that I should respect him? Sons of the Bear are the men of Castac? Aye, bastard sons, and the coyote is their mother. ( Grunts and cries of approval. ) The Castacs have filled up our springs and driven our deer. They have stalked our hunters in the hills. ( Grunts. ) Aye, but we have given the stalkers arrows of ours to keep. ( Grunts of satisfaction. ) Shall we go after our arrows, men of Sagharawite, or shall we wait until our “brothers” of Castac come and stroke us? I am not so old as Padahoon, nor so wise, but, by the Bear that fathered us, were I war leader for the space of one moon, there would be no more men of Castac to trouble our harvest. Young Men Simwa! Simwa! The Arrow-Maker! Old Men Padahoon! Padahoon! Chief Tribesmen, the wisdom of Padahoon is sound, and such as every man has…