Ruth and James

Once upon a time, in a little log cabin built in the shade of a very large forest, lived two pioneer children named Ruth and James. One winter day, when the snow had melted but it was still cold, Ruth and James were playing in the forest. They decided to run to the river to see if they could spot a deer coming for a drink. As they ran toward the river they made up a song about running to the river and the river running and then they tried to add about the deer running to the running river and they started laughing and laughing and laughing. Well, if you have ever tried to run through a forest laughing and singing, you will know that you cannot ALSO watch where you are going! And sure enough, SPLASH! James fell in the river! Before Ruth (who had been running and laughing and singing AND spinning around and around in a dancy sort of way) could realize what had happened, a tall Native American boy dashed from behind a tree and pulled James out of the river and onto the soft mossy ground. James was FREEZING! He had water in his shoes, and water dripping from his hair and water in ALL of his pockets. For a moment James and Ruth were so surprised that James forgot his shivering and Ruth didn't have a thing to say. "Who are you?" she finally asked. "My name is Standing Still," said the boy. (I think he was a little older than Ruth, who was a little older than James.) "Come on," said Standing Sill, " we've got to get him warm," as he scooped up James and started through the forest in the opposite direction of the cabin. "Where are we GOING!?" cried Ruth, following after him, "This isn't the way home!" "I know, " said Standing Still. I know where your cabin is. But my tee pee is closer and we've got to get him warm, NOW!" "What were you doing behind that tree?" Ruth asked, breathlessly. (Standing Still was walking, carrying James, very fast.) "I'll explain when we get there!" he called over his shoulder.

As they entered a hidden clearing, Standing Still pointed to a young girl bending over an old woman by a fire with a steaming cup. "That's my sister, Dancing Flower," said Standing Still. "She is taking care of the old grandmother today. Grandmother is as old as the sky." Standing Still stopped and gently set James on the ground. "Why is that boy so wet!?" asked Dancing Flower, quickly coming over to them. "First we must get him warm and dry, then stories," commanded Standing Still. "I've just made some tea from the korankunoda leaves. I'll get him some!" "I'll get a buffalo robe," called Standing Still, dashing into the teepee. Grandmother Old As The Sky motioned to James and Ruth, "Come. Come children. Sit near me. It is warm here."

After James was out of his wet clothes, into a dry, soft (sort of smelly) and very warm buffalo robe, and everyone had had a cup of korankunoda tea, Ruth turned to Standing Still. "Why WERE you standing behind that tree by the river?" "I was waiting by the river to watch the deer drink," said Standing Still, but there was a laughing-loud-crashing-birdsong noise that sacared all of the deer away. Did you see a very large laughing-crashing-noisy bird in the forest?" Ruth and James looked at each other and burst out laughing. "No!' they laughed together, "that was us!!" "We wanted to see the deer, too," said Ruth, "but we forgot to be quiet," james added. Dancing Flower looked around the circle of and said, "I still don't know why James arrived here so wet." "He fell in the river," explained Ruth. "brrrrrrrrrrr" added James.

Well Ruth and James, Standing Still, Dancing Flower, and Old As The Sky spent the rest of the afternoon telling stories. James and Ruth learned some new songs, some that sounded like the wind, and sang a few of their own to their new friends.
As James fell asleep leaning against Old As The Sky, Standing Still put new logs on the fire, and Dancing Flower took Ruth to her corner of the teepee where they played and whispered and giggled and danced as little girls all over the world will do. When evening began to fill the forest with the twitter and rustle of preparetion for sleep, Standing Still invited Ruth and James to join them for stew. Alarmed by how late it had gotten, Ruth woke James, saying, "Oh! No! No thank you! We have GOT to get home! Come ON, James, hurry!" "I'll take you home," said Standing Still. "I know where your cabin is." Standing Still whistled and called, "Come, Peanut!" In a single leap he was on the large horse. "Can you hand that sleepy boy up to me?" he asked Ruth. "Sure," said Ruth. But when she tried, James was too heavy, Peanut too big. "I can help," called Dancing Flower, coming out of the tee pee with the stew pot. Together they got James safely nestled in Standing Still's arms. Standing Still walked the horse over to a chopping stump at the edge of the cleraring. "Climb up on the stump, Ruth, then grab a good hold of Peanut's tail and pull hourself up behind me. Are you ready? I'll keep him still." And Ruth DID!

With James still asleep, and Ruth holding tight onto Standing Still, the trip home was quiet. Ruth saw a fish jump out of the river. She heard a squirrel chattering high in a tree, saw ducks on the sunny side of the river, and a rabbit dart across the path. As Standing Still bent under a low hanging branch he silently pointed. There ! A doe and her fawn, drinking by the river. "It's nice walking quietly in the forest," Ruth thought.

James and Ruth's parents (and grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins) were so grateful to Standing Still, Dancing Flower, and Old As The Sky for taking such good care of James, and bringing the children home. They invited all of the families living in the tee pees as well as all of the families living in the cabins to a party. It was in the spring, when the cherry and apple trees were blooming, when the air was soft and fresh, and fireflies were just beginning to scatter light into the darkness. Everyone brought food, lots of it! Some brought musical instruments, many brought songs. One, an old ball to kick around. They ate and they danced and talked in quite corners until long after the fire flies went to bed.

As the sky began to cast pink light into the new day, the tables were cleared, the music stilled, all was quiet as the families gathered to say good bye. "This was great!" Old As The Sky loudly proclaimed, "Let's do it again, next spring!" Everyone laughed, and began talking again, hugging, exchanging garden ideas, and recipes, as the poineers returned to their cabins, the Native Americans to their tee pees.