Little Big Man Page #5

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If it wasn't the Indians

trying to kill me for a white,

it was the whites trying

to kill me for an Indian.

It made me sick.

The Pawnee scouts

and soldiers both

was killing

everything in sight.

Shadow!

Brother, let's talk.

You'll be took care of later.

I'm saving you for the hanging.

There's no describing

how I felt.

An enemy had saved my life

by the violent murder

of one of my best friends.

The world was too ridiculous

even to bother to live in.

That was why Shadow was there,

and that was why

he'd fought so hard.

I sat there

and watched that baby

come into this world.

Except for her breathing,

that woman never made a sound.

If woman she was.

She didn't look

more than a girl.

I couldn't take my eyes

off of that girl and her baby.

All right,

let's get the hell out.

Let the Pawnee clean up.

Bugler, assemble our troop!

Listen to me.

If you are kin to Shadow...

then you know of Little Big Man.

I was a friend

of the Human Beings

until they stole my wife.

Are you Shadow's wife?

His daughter?

Where is your husband?

Killed.

What's your name?

Sunshine.

I'm going to

take you with me...

and trade you

for my wife.

Clear them bushes, Younger.

Move on. Nobody here.

Let's get the hell out.

Wait here, woman.

Hello, Grandfather.

Greetings, my son.

Do you want to eat?

Grandfather?

What happened to your neck,

Grandfather?

It's a wound.

It cut the tunnel

through which light travels

to the heart.

You... you mean you're blind?

Oh, no.

My eyes still see.

But my heart no longer

receives it.

How did it happen?

White man.

Where's Buffalo Wallow Woman?

Rubbed out.

And White Elk Woman, too.

And Dirt on the Nose.

And High Wolf.

And many others.

And Burns Red?

Yes.

Burns Red in the Sun?

Rubbed out.

His wife... his children...

and many more.

Do you hate them?

Do you hate

the white man now?

Do you see this fine thing?

Do you admire

the humanity of it?

Because the Human Beings,

my son,

they believe

everything is alive.

Not only man and animals,

but also water, earth, stone,

and also the things from them,

like that hair.

The man

from whom this hair came,

he's bald on the other side

because I now own his scalp.

That is the way things are.

But the white men,

they believe

everything is dead:

Stone, earth, animals,

and people.

Even their own people.

If things keep trying to live,

white man will rub them out.

That is the difference.

You will stay with us...

my son.

A year later,

I was still with 'em.

After wandering all over,

in constant danger

of being killed by white

settlers or white soldiers,

we come to a place

knowed as the Indian Nations.

It was a tract of land

by the Washita River

that had been gived forever

to the Indians by the Congress

and the President

of the United States.

We was safe there.

This was Indian land.

As long as grass growed

and wind blow

and the sky is blue.

Your new son's

kicking a lot today.

I think he wants to come out

and see his father.

Tell him to wait

until I finish my dinner.

I'll tell him, but I don't think

he's going to wait much longer.

It's a good thing

I have a strong, brave husband

who brings in so much

game and food.

Mm-hmm.

My strong husband

brings in much more

than we need.

There are many

Human Beings here.

Many bands

from many places.

But it's sad.

Many husbands

have been rubbed out

by the white man.

It is sad because women

sleep alone and cry.

Be quiet now.

I'm digesting.

Yes, but I think

my sisters are here.

Your what?!

My sisters.

Digging Bear, Little Elk

and Corn Woman.

I think they're here.

What do you mean,

you think they're here?

I believe they are.

You bring in

much more food than we need.

It is very sad.

They have no husbands

and they cry.

Well, that's too bad;

I'm sorry.

Digging Bear had a baby

and lost it.

And so did Corn Woman.

But Little Elk

had no baby at all.

All right, what do you want me

to do about it?

I knew you'd understand.

It was Old Lodge Skins' dream

trying to come true.

I was determined to stay out

of them buffalo robes.

Three young and healthy women

with no man

for who knows how long. Mmm.

The very idea kind of shrunk me

like a spider on a hot stove.

Why, it's Little Big Man!

Oh, Little Big Man!

Younger Bear,

it's Little Big Man!

He's not a Contrary anymore.

He has a wife.

She's plump, she works hard,

but she henpecks him.

Just when I think you are dead,

and the buzzards have eaten you,

you always come back.

Yes, and I always will

till you pay me

the life you owe me.

I've heard you.

Now, come to my tepee

and eat.

We was caught

in Cheyenne hospitality.

I'm a very important man.

More important than you.

I have a wife

and four horses.

I have a horse

and... four wives.

Well, that may be.

But... my wife,

she's a very good one.

See?

Oh, so

there you are,

you crawling coyote.

What are we going to eat, huh?

This starved duck?

Oh...

Oh, who's the foolish beggar

you brought to steal

what little food we have?

Clean it, clean it!

Ooh!

It was Olga.

I had found her at last.

One duck.

Olga never did learn

much English

but she sure in hell

had learned Cheyenne.

I, I, I just

don't understand it.

Usually, this woman is...

gentle as a dove.

My words were not the words

to speak to a stranger.

You stay and eat.

You see what a good wife she is?

It's because

I'm a wonderful lover.

Go in my tepee.

She will cook this duck for you.

That's all right;

I'm not hungry.

You've humiliated him again.

Good-bye, Younger Bear.

You look tired, Little Big Man.

Do you want

to come into my tepee

and rest on soft furs?

Why don't you live with me,

and I'll be your wife?

Thank you for inviting me.

Well, I've got to fix my hair

to sing tonight.

Good-bye, Little Big Man.

Good-bye, Little Horse.

And so I finally found Olga.

I'd lost her long ago

to the Human Beings,

and I saw no good reason

to reveal myself to her now.

Grandfather!

Why have you moved your tepee

so far from our band?

The ponies are trying

to tell me something.

Last night I had a dream.

The ponies were dying.

I heard them scream.

I'd learned to respect

Old Lodge Skins' dreams,

but for once,

we were in a safe place,

give to us by a treaty.

Why do you hate my sisters?

I don't hate your sisters, I...

It... it's just that...

the Great Spirit...

tells me...

Where are you going?

Your son won't wait any longer.

He wants to come out

and see his father.

Sunshine, Indian style,

was going off to have her baby.

As I watched her walk away,

it come over me

that the Great Spirit wanted me

to go in that tepee.

Who wants to be first?

Who's this here?

It's me.

Well, I...

guess you'll do as well as any.

I figured

she was the littlest one,

and it would be easy.

But Lord help us,

them young girls is deadly.

However, the Great Spirit

was with me...

and I survived.

Only thing was,

just as I was about

to drift off real peaceful...

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