“This is nothing, Walks the Fire. My anger came when you would not speak of your sadness.I thought you longed for the whites,that you cared nothing for us,that you feared telling me.To have many sons would be a wonderful thing. I cannot lie about that.But if having many sons means I must take another woman, then I would choose no sons and keep Walks the Fire in my tepee.Your heart cries out for children....my heart cries out only for you,best-beloved.”

“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.”

“Remember,my son, that when you have such a friend it is a rare gift from the Father.Ever since that day, Wind has been my best friend." Rides the Wind paused and looked across the fire at Jesse. "Until,of course, I found a certain white woman on the prairie."He stared at Jesse,who answered playfully, "My dear husband,what an honor it is to know that I rank above your horse.”

“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.”

“He does not care for me. He brought me to the village to feed his child.""He gave you Red Star."Jesse denied its significance. "That was only so that I would not shame him.""He brought many skins for a new tepee. He brought you elk skins for a new dress."Jesse explained. "We needed those things because of the fire.All of the people needed new tepees, new clothing.""He sits with you every evening outside the tepee.""That is so I can read from the Book."Prairie Flower grew impatient. "Walks the Fire! I tell you truth.Rides the Wind wishes you to be his wife.You know nothing of Lakota ways.I will tell you!"Jesse started to protest, but Prairie Flower interrupted. "No! You listen! When a man wishes to show he wants a woman, he dresses in his finest clothing and comes to her outside her tepee.They sit and talk.He gives gifts to her parents. Not every custom is followed, because you are not a young Lakota woman. But I tell you, Rides the Wind cares for you.After the fire, when Medicine Hawk came-when you were as one dying-you did not see him. I saw him. Rides the Wind did not eat. He did not sleep.He thought only of Walks the Fire.He hunted healing herbs.He hunted the elk for your dress.He took Two Mothers to Yellow Bird's tepee so that his cries would not disturb your rest.He trusted no one but Old One, and himself, and me to care for you.”

“For many years,Rides the Wind cared only for Walks the Fire. Together they read this Book she speaks of.My daughter has told me of this.Walks the Fire would tel the words in the Book. Rides the Wind repeated them,then he would tell how the words would help him in the hunt or in the council.Walks the Fire listened as he spoke. She respected him.She did as he said."As Talks a Lot spoke,the people remembered the years since Walks the Fire had come to them.Many among them recalled kindness beyond the saving of Hears Not.Many regretted the early days, when they had laughed at the white woman.They remembered Prairie Flower and Old One teaching her,and many could recall times when some new stew was shared with their family or a deerskin brought in by Rides the Wind found its way to their tepee.Prairie Flower's voice was added to the men's. "Even when no more sons or daughters came to his tepee-even then, Rides the Wind wanted only Walks the Fire." She turned to look at Running Bear, another elder, "Even when you offered your own beautiful daugher, Rides the Wind wanted only Walks the Fire.This is true. My father told me. When he walked the earth,Rides the Wind wanted only Walks the Fire.Now that he lies upon the earth,you must know that he would say, 'Do this for her.'"Jesse had continued to dig into the earth as she listened. When Prairie Flower told of the chief's having offered his daughter,she stopped for a moment.Her hand reached out to lovingly caress the dark head that lay so still under the clear sky.Rides the Wind had never told her of this.She had been afraid that he might take another wife when it became evident they would have no children.Now she knew that he had chosen her alone-even in the face of temptation.From the women's group there was movement. Prairie Flower stepped forward, her digging tool in her hand. Defiantly she sputtered, "She is my friend..." and stalked across the short distance to the shallow grave. Dropping to her knees beside Jesse, she began attacking the earth.Ferociously she dug.Jesse followed her lead, as did Old One.They began again,three women working side by side.And then there were four women,and then five, and six, until a ring of many women dug together.The men did nothing to stop them, and Running Bear decided what was to be done. "We will camp here and wait for Walks the Fire to do what she must. Tonight we will tell the life of Rides the Wind around the fire.Tomorrow, when this is done, we will move on."And so it was.Hours later Rides the Wind, Lakota hunter, became the first of his village to be laid in a grave and mourned by a white woman. Before his body was lowered into the earth, Jesse impulsively took his hunting knife, intending to cut off the two thick, red braids that hung down her back. It seemed so long ago that Rides the Wind had braided the feathers and beads in, dusting the part.Had it really been only this morning? He had kissed her,too, grumbling about the white man's crazy ways.Jesse had laughed and returned his kiss.”