During the march, when Mercy was finding the Mohawk language such a challenge and a pleasure to learn, Ruth had said to Eben, "I know why the powwow's magic is successful. The children arrive ready."
The ceremony took place at the edge of the St. Francis river, smaller than the St. Lawrence but still impressive. The spray of river against rock, of ice met smashing into shore, leaped up to meet the rain. Sacraments must occur in the presence of water, under the sky and in the arms of the wind.
There was no Catholic priest. There were no French. Only the language of the people was spoken, and the powwow and the chief preceded each prayer and cry with the rocking refrain Joanna tugged at Mercy's clothes. "Can you see yet?" she whispered. "Who is it? Is he from Deerfield?"
They were leading the boy forward. Mercy blinked away her tears and looked hard. "I don't recognize him," she said finally. "He looks about fourteen. Light red hair. Freckles. He's tall, but thin."
"Hungry thin?" worried Joanna.
"No. I think he hasn't got his growth yet. He looks to be in good health. He's handsomely made. He is not looking in our direction. He's holding himself very still. It isn't natural for him, the way it is for the Indians. He has to work at it."
"He's scared then, isn't he?" said Joanna. "I will pray for him."
In Mercy's mind, the Lord's Prayer formed, and she had the odd experience of feeling the words doubly: "Our Father" in English, in Latin.
But Joanna prayed in Mohawk.
Mercy climbed up out of the prayers, saying only to the Lord that she trusted Him; that He must be present for John. Then she listened. This tribe spoke Abenaki, not Mohawk, and she could follow little of it. But often at Mass, when Father Meriel spoke Latin, she could follow none of it. It was no less meaningful for that. The magic of the powwow's chants seeped through Mercy's soul.
When the prayers ended, the women of John's family scrubbed him in sand so clean and pale that they must have put it through sieves to remove mud and shells and impurities. They scoured him until his skin was raw, pushing him under the rough water to rinse off his whiteness. He tried to grab a lungful of air before they dunked him, but more than once he rose sputtering and gasping.
The watchers were smiling tenderly, as one smiles at a new baby or a newly married couple.
At last his mother and aunts and sisters hauled him to shore, where they painted his face and put new clothing, embroidered and heavily fringed, on his body. As every piece touched his new Indian skin, the people cheered.
They have forgiven him for being white, thought Mercy. But has he forgiven them for being red?
The rain came down harder. Most people lowered their faces or pulled up their blankets and cloaks for protection, but Mercy lifted her face into the rain, so it pounded on her closed eyes and matched the pounding of her heart.
O Ruth! she thought. O Mother. Father. God.
The ceremony took place at the edge of the St. Francis river, smaller than the St. Lawrence but still impressive. The spray of river against rock, of ice met smashing into shore, leaped up to meet the rain. Sacraments must occur in the presence of water, under the sky and in the arms of the wind.
There was no Catholic priest. There were no French. Only the language of the people was spoken, and the powwow and the chief preceded each prayer and cry with the rocking refrain Joanna tugged at Mercy's clothes. "Can you see yet?" she whispered. "Who is it? Is he from Deerfield?"
They were leading the boy forward. Mercy blinked away her tears and looked hard. "I don't recognize him," she said finally. "He looks about fourteen. Light red hair. Freckles. He's tall, but thin."
"Hungry thin?" worried Joanna.
"No. I think he hasn't got his growth yet. He looks to be in good health. He's handsomely made. He is not looking in our direction. He's holding himself very still. It isn't natural for him, the way it is for the Indians. He has to work at it."
"He's scared then, isn't he?" said Joanna. "I will pray for him."
In Mercy's mind, the Lord's Prayer formed, and she had the odd experience of feeling the words doubly: "Our Father" in English, in Latin.
But Joanna prayed in Mohawk.
Mercy climbed up out of the prayers, saying only to the Lord that she trusted Him; that He must be present for John. Then she listened. This tribe spoke Abenaki, not Mohawk, and she could follow little of it. But often at Mass, when Father Meriel spoke Latin, she could follow none of it. It was no less meaningful for that. The magic of the powwow's chants seeped through Mercy's soul.
When the prayers ended, the women of John's family scrubbed him in sand so clean and pale that they must have put it through sieves to remove mud and shells and impurities. They scoured him until his skin was raw, pushing him under the rough water to rinse off his whiteness. He tried to grab a lungful of air before they dunked him, but more than once he rose sputtering and gasping.
The watchers were smiling tenderly, as one smiles at a new baby or a newly married couple.
At last his mother and aunts and sisters hauled him to shore, where they painted his face and put new clothing, embroidered and heavily fringed, on his body. As every piece touched his new Indian skin, the people cheered.
They have forgiven him for being white, thought Mercy. But has he forgiven them for being red?
The rain came down harder. Most people lowered their faces or pulled up their blankets and cloaks for protection, but Mercy lifted her face into the rain, so it pounded on her closed eyes and matched the pounding of her heart.
O Ruth! she thought. O Mother. Father. God.
( Caroline B. Cooney )
[ The Ransom of Mercy Carter ]
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