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Show 38 The bird fluttered to his matted black hair. "Chosovi and I don't mind making. -O ~ ^ the trips in the beauty of the canyon," he said, and off he ran. \j^ < ^o- A° \ V < As he climbed back out of the dwelling, he looked for thsfmidden\ All discarded \»!r^ items were taken there, including ashes, scraps of food, and worn out tools. Bodies of the dead were buried there also, hswas a siacred place where Hopis returned all things to Mother Earth. It was at the edge of the I houses, and Chua offered thanks to Sotuknang for helping him find it. He would look through it later for spearheads, or maybe some extra leather straps for their sandals. When Chua reached the com sacks, he squinted into the distance where the earth and sky met. The small outline of a man, walking west with long strides was just visible. Relief flooded Chua's body. It was as if he had been released from a snare like a trapped animal. He and his mother were free. He breathed in deeply and let the air out slowly in a prayer of thanks to Sotuknang. Now they would be safe aHeast for a) few l\ A days. The next morning Chua awoke to Father's Sun's gentle light. In this protected place, the sun never came directly into their dwelling. Chua's leg muscles were tight from climbing up and down the canyon the day before. His back ached. The blas^c lu^np on his shoulder was still sore to touch, but it was beginning to turn yellow. His mother was already up and had set some dry com cakes out for his breakfast. Chua sat down on the bench next to the wall to eat. There was a hole in the middle of the floor. "Look, Mother," Chua said, pointing to the opening, "There is a sipapu." "I saw it," Apa said. |