When Grnadfather Journeys Into Winter Read Online Free Page A

horse's
sides with his legs, bunched the reins tightly in his hands. With a yes nod, he signalled he was
ready, and a cheer rose up from all the people as horse and rider burst out into the center of
the corral, scattering the men who dropped the gate like frightened chickens.
    It didn't take much imagination to see why
Tanner called his horse Rolling Thunder. The horse exploded into the center of the corral like a
keg of dynamite with legs.
    Horse and rider whirled around the corral,
the horse a picture of savagery. Back curved like a cat, the big black stallion leaped straight
into the air and came down stiff-legged, all four feet in a bunch. For the rider, the concussion
was considerable.
    The horse seemed like lightning going up,
like thunder coming down.
    The rider lasted only a few seconds before
he went tumbling to the ground.
    There were derisive whoops and cheers from
the crowd around the corral as the rider slowly and painfully got to his feet, dusting off the
seat of his pants with his hat.
    Tayhua whistled in admiration. "That is what
I call a horse!"
    Little Thunder asked. "Are you going to try
and ride him, Grandfather?"
    "Wait and see," said Tayhua. "Let some of
the others try first."
    Three other ranch hands tried it in rapid
succession and they didn't do any better than the first rider. They were able to stay on the
black stallion's back only a few seconds before the horse threw them to the ground.
    Little Thunder nudged his grandfather.
"Aren't you going to try it now?"
    Tayhua shrugged. "Fat Elk should try it
first. His family needs money badly. Blue Houseroof needs money too. Let them try
first."
    "But I want to see you ride," said Little
Thunder. "I know you can ride him."
    "Patience," said Tayhua. "I think I can ride
him, too, but others have more need. Let those go first that have need of the money. I'll get a
chance, I think."
    "Not if I have anything to say about it."
The voice came from behind them.
    Tayhua and Little Thunder turned and looked
behind them.
    Little Thunder's mother stood behind them
with an angry expression on her face. Elk Woman's arms were crossed sternly against her chest.
There was a look on her face that was as much concern as it was anger.
    "Have you forgotten what the doctors said at
the hospital? You're too old for this kind of horse-breaking foolishness. Your heart won't stand
this. Your bones are too old and too brittle and you know you're not supposed to..."
    Tayhua turned his back on her.
    "Don't you turn your back on me," she said,
stamping her feet angrily against the ground. "You know I'm right. You're just too proud to admit
that you're too old. You just want to go out and make a fool of yourself. That horse will throw
you sure as the world and you'll break forty-seven bones and I won't be..."
    "If breaking forty-seven bones would make
you stop nagging me," said Tayhua and his voice teased more than it was angry. "I would let the
horse ride me."
    "I'm warning you," threatened Little
Thunder's mother. "I better not see you on that horse."
    "Close your eyes then," said Tayhua with a
grin. "And close your mouth too. That way you will not see any flies and you will not catch any,
either."
    She shrugged. She had done the best she
could do but nothing she could say could make him any different than he was. He would catch
rattlesnakes and ride horses because his heart forever chased those things. Nothing could change
that. She marched off sadly in the direction of the picnic table.
    Little Thunder watched her walk away. "Is it
true what she said, Grandfather. About the doctor? Is that true?"
    "Pay no attention," said Tayhua with a big
grin. "Those white doctors look at bones and they think they know what a man is. My bones may be
old, my heart may be old, but my spirit is only fifteen summers old and I can ride anything
anybody can put a saddle on, including tornadoes and dynamite explosions."
    Fat Elk now stood on the rail above