Ouroboros Spine akuttuatittuk ≚

moonwoman's face indeed showed a great and pleased expression when rodyn said the name of samani. it had not been her place to mention these things.

but now that rodyn held the name of her daughter and put words to his intent, kukutux would now answer.

"this is very good for my ears to hear." her jadestone eyes glowed and then she stilled once more into living marble. "i know you do not only mean to share her sleeping-place. you will be her husband. you will give a hearth to her children." he had spoken of such before, in other words. "i have many words to say to you now, rodyn of village moonglow."

all through it, she would keep her voice soft, singsong. the duck was a teller of stories.

"if a hunter wishes to marry a daughter of this village, he will pay a bride-price. samani is not only child of moonglow, she is child of moonwoman and sun man. if she marries before her sister, she will become moonwoman." and what a weight it was. it was not for samani to know. the look of her eye said as much. "i will ask you for many things and you will bring them all to my ulaq, to present to my eyes and sun man and samani."

a smile touched her mouth. that was a ritual in itself, and one she would tell him when the time came.

"but not this year. not until spring comes again will samani be touched by tooteega, and be given the blessing to be anaa. this is her passing-time. these moons of time are hers. she will make no commitment to a hunter. she will only choose to which she will give her time. or perhaps no man at all."

these were the words for samani. but she knew that rodyn must hear them too. each man of moonglow must know her ways. "she is skilled girl and has blood of two villages. when a hunter marries, he takes these things to his own ulaq. she brings them as her own gifts. she is not given by her mother and father. she stands up and says yes or no to a hunter. what she chooses must be so, and respected. you offer bride-price not to buy, but to show that in the old age of her mother, you will still give meat and furs. many of the gifts you will bring from trading are for a man's own ulaq with his new wife. it shows you think to the present and to the future."

she paused for a while.

"so this is what i say: you must go and trade for the things i will ask. give some days to samani, but leave before the end of the sun-time. i will speak to aiolos and we will say what is best to give. at first snow, moonglow will leave this place and go to natigvik for winter hunting. you will meet us there."

her eyes were soft. "the heart grows more when it longs to return home. samani must decide her life. when the snow begins to melt, you will come to our home. you will say out loud for the village to hear that you want her as wife. and she will accept. or she will say no. but it is a moment of great honour for each of you."

now kukutux was quiet. there was more to say. but he would have questions now.