Navajo Long Walk Read Online Free

“Grandmother” Hasba said, “Please let us stay here where we can be happy and where Father can find us. I do not want to go to the white man’s camp.”
    â€œNone of us want to go, little one. You will find as you go through life you must often do things you do not want to do. A few days here and we would be without food. Your father is not ready to surrender to the white man. He will not come back here. We will stay one night. Kee, get the ladder your father made.” She pointed to the top log on the wall. “I seem to remember hiding some sacks of corn there.”
    Kee found three small buckskin sacks. One held dried corn, one dried peaches and the third piñon nuts.
    Too soon for all of them tomorrow became today. After stretching and yawning loudly, Wise One said, “Go and bring Small Burro to the hogan so we can load him.”
    Wise One and Hasba had the blankets and sheepskins folded and the packs ready for each to carry when Kee pulled aside the door blanket saying, “Grandmother, Small Burro will not come. I have coaxed and threatened him but he will not budge.”
    â€œIs anything the matter with him?” Wise One asked.
    â€œNot that I can see. He is standing, but he will not leave his shelter.”
    â€œHe wants me to coax him.” Wise One put her head out of the hogan and clicked her tongue. “Come along, little bad burro.” Then she set all their belongings outsidethe hogan ready to load. Still Small Burro did not come.
    Grandmother went to the shelter followed by the children. As soon as she was close enough, Small Burro nuzzled her arm. She scratched his ears and rubbed his muzzle. “Now come along, bad boy, we are in a hurry.” Small Burro braced his feet. He would not move.
    Kee said, “Of all the stupid animals, a stubborn burro is the stupidest. Gray Dog would never act like that.”
    Wise One walked out of the enclosure and picked up a stick. She shook it in front of Small Burro. “Come out of that shelter or for the first time in your life I shall beat you.” She tugged at the rope.
    The donkey moved his long ears back and forth, rolled his eyes, but did not budge. Grandmother walked back and whacked Small Burro on the flank as hard as she could.
    The children’s mouths flew open. They were as surprised as the donkey. Before Wise One could drop the stick and get hold of the rope, Small Burro trotted out of the shelter to the hogan and stood still to be loaded.
    All morning, as they trudged along the road, Wise One held Small Burro’s lead rope. She kept telling him what a fine burro he was. She pointed to bits of grass poking through the thin layer of snow and waited for him to eat them. He occasionally nuzzled her shoulder to let her know she was forgiven.

Chapter Six
On to Fort Defiance
    When afternoon shadows began to lengthen, Wise One pointed to a clump of piñon trees away from the trail. “We will camp there for the night,” she said.
    Kee hunted pieces of bark and twigs to start a fire. Soon they were warming themselves as they rested on sheepskins. Gray Dog had his head against Kee’s leg. Suddenly he threw his head back and sniffed, then dashed away through the trees. Anxious to see what Gray Dog had scented, Kee ran after him.
    When he came to an open space away from the trees, Kee saw Gray Dog had killed a rabbit and was about to tear it apart. The boy knew the dog was hungry and he hated to take the rabbit away from him. But they were all hungry. Kee shouted at Gray Dog. With one paw on the rabbit the dog looked up, then bent his head again to tear at it. Kee shouted angrily, “Get away.” Tail between his legs, Gray Dog slunk away. Picking up the rabbit, Kee hurried back to camp. The dog followed at a distance.
    On seeing the rabbit, Hasba clapped her hands. Wise One found her knife and knelt to skin it. Kee could see his dog lying some distance away watching.