CHAPTER V
AT BAH'S HOGAN
"Why do you call her 'Bah?' Is it because she watches the sheep?"
Billy was asking many questions of Bah's mother and he found heranxious and ready to answer him. She had already told him her name,which showed that she liked him, and Billy was pleased. He wanted tohear many things about this family, especially about his little friend,Bah.
Her mother shook her head. "No, not why. I tell you story why we callher Bah." And this is what Bah's Mother told Billy:
Many Indians name their babies in this way: Soon after the baby isborn, the mother straps it to the baby cradle and goes to the door ofher hogan--what she first sees as she looks out upon the world, is whatshe calls her newborn. If she sees a running deer--then the baby iscalled "Running Deer." If her first glance falls upon a lazy bull,resting himself, the baby will bear the name of "Sitting Bull."
WHEN BAH WAS A PAPOOSE]
Then, there is another way of naming the Indian baby, and this is theway Bah was named. When she was a wee papoose, her mother would makethe bread and set her down beside the stone oven where she could watchfrom her baby cradle. As you perhaps know, the Indian baby cradle isvery plain, and simply made. It is only a board upon which the baby isstrapped until he is able to walk. The Indians have some very goodreasons for doing this. They wish to train children to beuncomfortable and not to cry.
Strapped as they are to this board, they are only able to move theirhands and must lie straight and stiff. This is also the reason why allIndians are so straight. Then the Indian mother's mind is at rest, whenshe can have her baby securely tied in the cradle, strapped to herback, or if she puts him down any place she knows that he is safe. Shecan hang him on the wall while she works, which was what Bah's motherdid when she made the bread.
Now, bread in Navajo is "Bah," and this is how they make it. First,they take some corn and put it into a hollow stone. With another stonethey smash the corn until it is fine. They then mix it with water,knead it and flatten it into small flat cakes which look like pancakes.It then goes into the big stone oven, which is always out of doors, andwhen it is cooked it is taken out and placed on a cool stone.
At this point Bah, who you see was at that time only a papoose, wouldcry and reach out her little hands for some "Bah". As soon as Motherwould put a crisp piece into her little hand she would stop crying andchew on it contentedly. So they called her "Bah" because she cried forbread.
"So your name is 'Bread!' That's a nice name. And I'm so hungry that Icould eat you now!" said Billy, rising to his feet and making apretense at biting.
BAH GETS HER NAME]
Bah laughed and hid her face behind the new doll. Mother chuckled toherself, as Indians do when they are amused. Then she said: "I makesome real 'Bah' for you."
"Oh, that would be fine!" said the boy.
Then, realizing that he had practically asked for it, he hung his headand added: "But don't do it if it's too much trouble."
The remark seemed to amuse the Indian woman, for she chuckled again asshe arose, but she did not answer him. Instead, she began to preparefor the making of the bread.
Billy watched the process with great interest, and ate with even moreinterest when it was finished. The Bah was delicious, he thought.
It tasted like--no, it didn't taste like anything Billy had ever eatenbefore.
After having done justice to the new food, the boy was shown in andabout the hogan by his little friend. She took him to her "play hogan."It was made for her by her father and was just like the one they livedin, except that it was only large enough for one child to fit into.
"We could have lots of fun here, Bah. I'd like to come again and playwith you. May I?" Billy asked.
"Yes, come much," answered Bah happily.
"And we'll play that I'm an Indian Chief and you are the Indian Mother,and the doll--oh, we haven't named the doll yet, have we?" said Billy.
"No, doll no name yet," said Bah.
"Well, let's see, how shall we do it?" Billy mused. "Suppose you comeout of your play hogan and look around. The first thing you see will bewhat we'll name her."
"Yes, I do," said Bah--and obediently she entered the small hogan.
"Now come out, but close your eyes," called Billy.
Out came the little girl, holding her papoose doll. She stood, withclosed eyes, in the door of her hogan, and waited for furtherinstructions.
"Open your eyes!" called the boy, "and tell me what you see!"
Bah's eyes opened slowly, dramatically. Her head was raised and as shelooked she saw a bluebird in a tree. Billy followed her gaze and sawwhat she did.
NAMING THE PAPOOSE DOLL]
"How lucky!" thought he, "Now the child will have a beautiful name!"
But Bah looked down at her baby and smilingly said: "Bah name you'Doli'."
Billy was horribly disappointed. "Oh, listen, Bah. Don't do that! Whyevery girl calls a doll 'dolly.' That's common--name her 'Bluebird.'You saw one, didn't you?"
Bah was still smiling as she said: "Yes, I see and I name papoose'Bluebird' in Navajo--that is 'Doli'."
A grin spread from one of Billy's ears to the other. "That's the timeyou fooled me!" said he.
They were laughing over Bah's joke when they saw some one comingtowards them. "My father come home," cried Bah, and ran to meet him.
As he came nearer Billy saw that he was very tall and very straight.He wore white trousers tied below the knees with red ribbons, a sashabout his waist, and many beads hanging from his neck. His hair waslong and tied in the back, much the same as Bah's, with a white cloth.
He came over and held out his hand to Billy. He said: "I hear you goodto little Bah. Me Bah's father."
Billy was thrilled to shake the hand of such a fine big Indian, and tofind that he was treating him as a friend.
"He Big Chief," said Bah proudly.
"Oh, are you a Big Chief?" asked the boy. A thought began to flickerthrough his mind. He would surprise his father--his father who washobnobbing daily with Big Chiefs and Medicine Men, and who thoughtBilly was wasting his time.
He wouldn't say a word to Father, but he'd begin tonight and he'd writea story, all about Bah, her mother and her father, the Big Chief. He'dcome back again tomorrow and learn more from them, for hadn't Bah said"Come much"--which meant he was welcome.
"Well, I have had such a good time with Bah--Mr.-a-a"
"My name 'Fighting Bull,'" said the brave (as Indian men are called).
"I know why you're called Fighting Bull," said Billy, sagely. "One timewhen you were little your Mother must have seen a bull fight!"