It was worth going into the water just to get away from Ruth's nagging. Mercy waded in, appalled by how cold it was. Snow Walker towed her around for a minute and then let go. At first Mercy couldn't take two strokes without having to stand up and reassure herself that there was a bottom, but soon she could swim ten, and then twenty, strokes. Joseph, who had been swimming with the boys, paddled over to admire her new skill.
Snow Walker coaxed them to put their heads under the water and swim like fish. Mercy loved it. Wiping river water from her eyes and laughing, she shouted, "Come on in, Joanna!" In front of Snow Walker, she spoke Mohawk. "It feels so cool and slippery inside the water."
Joanna shook her head. "I can't see where I'm going on land. I don't want to be blind in water over my head."
"Ruth!" yelled Joseph, in English so she'd answer. "Try it. I won't pull you under by the toes. I promise."
"Savages swim," said Ruth. "English people walk or ride horses."
By now, Mercy had flung her tunic onto the grass and was as bare as everybody else. When Ruth scolded, Mercy ducked under the water and stayed there until the yelling was over.
"Just wait till you get out, Mercy," said Ruth. "The mosquitos are going to feast on your wet bare skin."
Mercy translated for Snow Walker, who said, "No, no. We grease to keep the mosquitos away."
Joseph, of course, had been greasing for weeks, but so far Mercy had not submitted. Ruth, unwilling to see Mercy slather bear fat over her nakedness, stalked away.
"Good," said Snow Walker, giggling. "The fire is out. We are safe now."
Mercy was startled. "I never heard you use her old name."
"I don't call her Let the Sky In," explained Snow Walker. "She would let nothing in but storms."
Snow Walker's not such a fence post after all, thought Mercy. "Snow Walker, why have they given Ruth such a fine new name?"
"I don't know. One day at a feast, the story will be told."
"They'll have to gag Ruth before they tell it," said Joseph. "She hates her new name even more than she hated her old one."
They got out of the water, racing in circles to dry off, and then Snow Walker rubbed bear grease all over Mercy. "I can't see you from here, Munnonock," said Joanna, "but I can smell you."
"Want some?" said Mercy, planning to attack with a scoop of bear grease, but Joanna left for the safety of the cornfields and her mother. Snow Walker went back in to join a water ball team.
Snow Walker coaxed them to put their heads under the water and swim like fish. Mercy loved it. Wiping river water from her eyes and laughing, she shouted, "Come on in, Joanna!" In front of Snow Walker, she spoke Mohawk. "It feels so cool and slippery inside the water."
Joanna shook her head. "I can't see where I'm going on land. I don't want to be blind in water over my head."
"Ruth!" yelled Joseph, in English so she'd answer. "Try it. I won't pull you under by the toes. I promise."
"Savages swim," said Ruth. "English people walk or ride horses."
By now, Mercy had flung her tunic onto the grass and was as bare as everybody else. When Ruth scolded, Mercy ducked under the water and stayed there until the yelling was over.
"Just wait till you get out, Mercy," said Ruth. "The mosquitos are going to feast on your wet bare skin."
Mercy translated for Snow Walker, who said, "No, no. We grease to keep the mosquitos away."
Joseph, of course, had been greasing for weeks, but so far Mercy had not submitted. Ruth, unwilling to see Mercy slather bear fat over her nakedness, stalked away.
"Good," said Snow Walker, giggling. "The fire is out. We are safe now."
Mercy was startled. "I never heard you use her old name."
"I don't call her Let the Sky In," explained Snow Walker. "She would let nothing in but storms."
Snow Walker's not such a fence post after all, thought Mercy. "Snow Walker, why have they given Ruth such a fine new name?"
"I don't know. One day at a feast, the story will be told."
"They'll have to gag Ruth before they tell it," said Joseph. "She hates her new name even more than she hated her old one."
They got out of the water, racing in circles to dry off, and then Snow Walker rubbed bear grease all over Mercy. "I can't see you from here, Munnonock," said Joanna, "but I can smell you."
"Want some?" said Mercy, planning to attack with a scoop of bear grease, but Joanna left for the safety of the cornfields and her mother. Snow Walker went back in to join a water ball team.
( Caroline B. Cooney )
[ The Ransom of Mercy Carter ]
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