The Wedding Speeches
During a lull in the dancing on the afternoon of the wedding day Little Pine’s sister went up to him and said: “Brother, may I kiss you? Are you ashamed?” He answered: “No.” She kissed him, took his wife’s hand, placed it in his with her own over both, and addressed the young wife:
“As you have taken my place, do to him as I have done; listen to him, work for him, and, if need be, die for him.”
Then she lowered her head and began to cry.
Ne-Geek, The Otter, Neykia’s oldest brother, then went up to Little Pine and asked:
“Are you man enough to work for her, to feed her, and to protect her?”
“Yes,” replied the new-made husband.
The Otter put the husband’s hand on his sister’s hand, and—looking him straight in the eyes … shook his clenched fist at him and said in a threatening tone … “Beware!”
In the midst of one of the dances Oo-koo-hoo walked up to the “band” and knocked up the fiddle to command silence. Pulling his capote tightly about him, he assumed a dignified attitude, slowly looked round the room to see that he had the attention of all present, and began to address the assemblage:
“The step which Shing-wauk has taken is a very serious one. Now he will have to think for two. Now he must supply the wants of two. Now he will realize what trouble is. But the One who made us … The Great Mystery … The Master of Life … made us right. The man has his work to do, and the woman has hers. The man must hunt and kill animals, and the woman must skin and dress them. The man must always stand by her and she by him. The two together are strong … and there is no need of outside assistance. Remember … my grandchildren … you are starting out together that way …”
To illustrate his meaning, he held up two fingers parallel, and added:
“If your tracks fork … they will soon be as far apart as sunrise is from sunset … and you will find many ready to come in between. Carry on in the way you have begun … for that is the way you should end. And remember … if your tracks once fork … they will never come together again … my grandchildren … I have spoken.”
After Little Pine’s father, as well as several of the guests, had made their remarks, Naudin, Neykia’s mother, rose to address her daughter. Overcome with nervousness, she pulled her shawl so far over her face as to leave only a tiny peep-hole through which to look. Hesitatingly she began:
“My daughter, you never knew what trouble is, now you will know. You never knew what hard work is, now you will soon learn. Never let your husband want for anything. Never allow another woman to do anything for him; if you do … you are lost. When you have children, my daughter, and they grow up, your sons will always be sons to you, even though they be gray-headed. But with your daughters it will not be so; when they marry, they will be lost to you. Once married, they are gone for ever.”
She stepped up to her daughter, kissed her, and sank to the floor, weeping copiously.
Then Amik rose to speak. He beckoned to his daughter. She advanced and knelt down, holding the fringe of his legging while he addressed her:
“Neykia, my daughter, you have taken this man. Be good to him, work for him, live for him, and if need be, die for him. Kiss me, Neykia, my daughter; kiss me for the last time.”
She kissed him, and he added:
“You have kissed me for the last time: henceforth never kiss any man but your husband.”
Raising his hand with untutored dignity, he pronounced the words:
“Remember … I have spoken.”