“Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried."When she had finished, Rides the Wind demanded that she repeat it.Three times he asked her to repeat the passage. Then, setting the Bible aside, he took her hands in his own and said, never taking his eyes from hers,Where Walks the Fire goes,there will I go.Where Walks the Fire lodges, there will I lodge.Her people shall be my people.Her God shall be my God.Looking up,he said, "God who created all things.I thank you for sending Walks the Fire.I take her as my wife. I ask you to be pleased. You make all things.You make her heart sing for me.You make my heart answer back. You give your Son to die for us.We have no min-is-ter,but you know us.We are Lakota. We are husband and wife.We are yours.”

“And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:”

“Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: For wither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.~Book of Ruth~”

“The day you took me as your wife, we promised, 'Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.' This promise was forever. I wish to be with Rides the Wind,among his people for all the time that God gives.”

“I was preparing your dress,Walks the Fire, but my son is impatient. He woke me this morning and said there was to be a feast today...for he would take you as his wife."Prairie Flower interjected, "So you see, Walks the Fire,your heart sings when he is near,and his heart answers the song. You did not believe me, but it is true.”

“Rides the Wind stepped outside, and she heard him say, "You saw when Walks the Fire came to the village.I brought her on my pony as a warrior brings what he takes from his enemy. I brought her to care for the son of Dancing Waters.I brought her to teach me about the God who created all things.She has done this. She has saved Hears Not.She has earned a place among the people.Today I tell you she is no longer only the woman who tends the fire in the tepee. Mitawicu. I take this woman for wife."There were murmurs of approval.Rides the Wind continued, "I will hunt for many days.There will be a feast.”

“You are my friend, Prairie Flower. If I tell you what is in my heart, will you promise never to tell?"Prairie Flower laid a hand on Jesse's shoulder, pulling it away quickly when her friend flinched in pain. "I will not betray my friend."Taking a deep breath, Jesse lifted her head. "When Rides the Wing comes near to me, my heart sings.But I do not believe that he cares for me.I am clumsy in all of the things a Lakota woman must know.I cannot speak his language without many childish mistakes. And..." Jesse reached up to lay her hand on her short hair, "I am nothing to look at.I am not..."Prairie Flower grew angry. "I have told you he cares for you.Can you not see it?"Jesse shook her head.Prairie Flower spoke the unspeakable. "Then,if you cannot see that he cares for you in what he does,you must see it in what he has not done. You have been in his tepee. Dancing Waters has been gone many moons.""Stop!" Jesse demanded. "Stop it! I..just don't say any more!" She leaped up and ran out of the tepee-and into Rides the Wind, who was returning from the river where he had gone to draw water.Jesse knocked the water skins from both of his hands. Water spilled out and she fumbled an apology then bent stiffly to pick up the skins, wincing with the effort."I will do it, Walks the Fire." His voice was tender as he bent and took the skins from her.Jesse protested, "It is the wife's job." She blushed, realizing that she had used a wrong word-the word for wife, instead of the word for woman.Rides the Wind interrupted before she could correct herself. "Walks the Fire is not the wife of Rides the Wind."Jesse blushed and remained quiet. A hand reached for hers and Rides the Wind said, "Come, sit." He helped her sit down just outside the door of the tepee. The village women took note as he went inside and brought out a buffalo robe. Sitting by Jesse,he placed the robe on the ground and began to talk."I will tell you how it is with the Lakota. When a man wishes to take a wife..." he described Lakota courtship. As he talked, Jesse realiced that all that Prairie Flower had said seemed to be true.He had,indeed, done nearly everything involved in the courtship ritual.Still, she told herself, there is a perfectly good explanation for everything he has done.Rides the Wind continued describing the wedding feast. Jesse continued to reason with herself as he spoke. Then she realized the voice had stopped and he had repeated a question."How is it among the whites?How does a man gain a wife?"Embarrassed,Jesse described the sparsest of courtships, the simplest wedding.Rides the Wind listened attentively. When she had finished, he said, "There is one thing the Lakota brave who wishes a wife does that I have not described." Pulling Jesse to her feet, he continued, "One evening, as he walks with his woman..." He reached out to pick up the buffalo robe.He was aware that the village women were watching carefully."He spreads out his arms..." Rides the Wind spread his arms,opening the buffalo robe to its full length, "and wraps it about his woman," Rides the Wind turned toward Jesse and reached around her, "so that they are both inside the buffalo robe." He looked down at Jesse, trying to read her expression.When he saw nothing in the gray eyes, he abruptly dropped his arms."But it is hot today and your wounds have not healed.I have said enough.You see how it is with the Lakota."When Jesse still said nothing, he continued, "You spoke of a celebration with a min-is-ter.It is a word I do not know.What is this min-is-ter?""A man who belives in the Bible and teaches his people about God from the Bible.""What if there is no minister and a man and a woman wish to be married?"Jesse grew more uncomfortable. "I suppose they would wait until a minister came.”