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。 But for now； he had no way of knowing if the rabbits gave consent or not。
So he didn't know if he had the right or not。 Didn't know if he was taking like a Red man； just what the land offered； or stealing like a White man； murdering whatever it pleased him to kill。 He had no choice。 He thrust the stick into the burrow； twisting it。 He felt it quiver； heard the squeal； and pulled it out； still twisting。 Little rabbit； not a big one； just a little rabbit squirming to get away from the splinters； but Lolla…Wossiky was quick； just at the moment the rabbit was at the burrow mouth； ready to get free and run； Lolla…Wossiky had his hand there； held the rabbit by the head； lifted it quickly into the air and gave it a snap and a shake。 It came down dead； little rabbit； and Lolla…Wossiky carried it away from the burrow； back to the keg； because it is very bad； it makes an empty place in the land； if you skin a baby animal where its kin can see or hear you。
He did not make a fire。 Too dangerous； and there was no time to smoke the meat； not this close to White Murderer Harrison's fort。 There wasn't much meat anyway； he ate it all； raw so it took chewing but the flavor was very strong and good。 If you can't smoke meat； Red man knows； carry all you can in your belly。 He tucked the hide into the waist of his loincloth； hoisted the keg over his shoulder； and started north。 The white light was on ahead of him； dream beast calling； dream beast urging him on。 I will wake you up； said the dream beast。 I will end your dream。
White man heard about dream beasts。 White man thought the Red man went out into the forest and had dreams。 Stupid White man； never understood。 All of life at first is a long sleep； a long dream。 You fall asleep at the moment you are born； and never wake up； never wake up until finally one day the dream beast calls you。 You go then； into the forest； sometimes only a few steps； sometimes to the edge of the world。 You go until you meet the beast who calls you。 The beast is not in a dream。 The beast wakes you up from the dream。 The beast shows you who you are； teaches you your place in the land。 Then you go home awake； awake at last； and tell the shaman and your mother and your sisters who the dream beast was。 A bear？ A badger？ A bird？ A fish？ A hawk or an eagle？ A bee or a wasp？ The shaman will tell you stories and help you choose your woke…up name。 Your mother and sisters will name all your children； whether they have been born yet or not。
All of Lolla…Wossiky's brothers met their dream beasts long ago。 Now his mother was dead； his two sisters were gone to live with another tribe。 Who would name his children？
I know； said Lolla…Wossiky。 I know。 Lolla…Wossiky will never have children； this old one…eyed whisky…Red。 But Lolla…Wossiky will find his dream beast。 Lolla…Wossiky will wake up。 Lolla…Wossiky will have his woke…up name。
Then Lolla…Wossiky will see if he should live or die。 If the black noise goes on； and waking up teaches him nothing more than he knows now； Lolla…Wossiky will go sleep in the river and let it roll him to the sea； far away from the land and the black noise。 But if waking up teaches him some reason to live on； black noise or not； then Lolla…Wossiky will live； many long years of drink and pain； pain and drink。
Lolla…Wossiky drank four swallows every morning； four swallows every night； and then went to sleep hoping that when the dream beast woke him up； he then could die。
***
One day he stood on the banks of a clearwater stream； with the black noise thick in his vision and loud in his ears。 A great brown bear stood in the water。 It slapped the face of the water and a fish flew into the air。 The bear caught it in his teeth； chomped twice； and swallowed。 It was not the eating that Lolla…Wossiky cared about。 It was the bear's eyes。
The bear had one eye missing； just like Lolla…Wossiky。 This made Lolla…Wossiky wonder if the bear could be his dream beast。 But that could not be。 The white light that called him was still north and somewhat west of this place。 So this bear was not the dream beast； it was part of the dream。
Still； it might have a message for Lolla…Wossiky。 This bear might be here because the land wanted to tell Lolla…Wossiky a story。
This is the first thing Lolla…Wossiky noticed： When the bear caught the fish in his jaws； he was looking with his single eye； seeing the glimmer of sunlight shining on the fish。 Lolla…Wossiky knew about this； cause Lolla…Wossiky tilted his head to one side just like the bear。
This is the second thing Lolla…Wossiky noticed： When the bear looked into the water to see the fish swimming； so he could slap at it； he looked with the other eye； with the eye that wasn't there。 Lolla…Wossiky didn't understand this。 It was very strange；
This is the last thing Lolla…Wossiky noticed： As he watched the bear； his own good eye was closed。 And when he opened his eye； the river was still there； the sunlight was still there； the fishes still danced into the air and then disappeared； but the bear was gone。 Lolla…Wossiky could see the bear only if he closed his good eye。
Lolla…Wossiky drank two swallows； from the keg； and the bear went away。
***
One day Lolla…Wossiky crossed a White man's road； and felt it like a river moving under his feet。 The current of the road swept him along。 He staggered with it； then caught the stride and jogged along； the keg on his shoulder。 A Red man never walked on the White man's road the dirt was packed too hard in dry weather； mud too deep in rain； and the wagon wheel ruts reached out like White man's hands to turn the Red man's ankle； trip him up； break him down。 This time； though； the ground was soft like spring grass on a riverbank； as long as Lolla…Wossiky ran along the road the right direction。 Not toward the light anymore； cause the light was soft around him； and he knew the dream beast was very very close。
The road three times went over water two little streams and a big one and each time there was a bridge； made of great heavy logs and sturdy planks； with a roof like a White man's house。 Lolla…Wossiky stood on the first bridge a long time。 He never heard of such a thing。 Here he was standing in the place where water was supposed to be； and yet the bridge was so heavy and strong； the walls so thick； that he couldn't see or hear the water at all。
And the river hated it。 Lolla…Wossiky could hear how angry it was； how it wanted to reach up and tear the bridge away。 White man's ways； thought Lolla…Wossiky； White man has to conquer； tear things away from the land。
Yet standing on the bridge； he noticed something else。 Even though the likker was mostly gone from his body； the black noise was quieter on the bridge。 He could hear more of the green silence than he had in a long time。 As if the black noise came partly from the river。 How can that be？ River got no anger against Red man。 And no White…built thing can bring the Red man closer to the land。 Yet that was what happened in this place。 Lolla…Wossiky hurried on down the road； maybe when his dream beast woke him up； he'd understand this thing。
Road poured out into a place of meadows and a few White man's buildings。 Lots of wagons。 Horses posted and tied； grazing on the meadow grass。 Sound of metal hammers ringing； chopping of axes in the wood； screech of saws going back and forth； all kinds of White…man forest…killing sounds。 A White man's town。
But not a White man's town。 Lolla…Wossiky stopped at the edge of the open land。 Why is this White man's town different； what's missing that I expect to see？
The stockade。 There was no stockade。
Where did the White men go to hide？ Where did they lock up drunken Reds and White man thieves？ Where did they hide their guns？
〃Lift！ Lift！ Lift！〃 White man's voice ringing out loud as a bell in the thick air of a summer afternoon。
Up a grassy hill； maybe half a mile off； a strange wooden thing was rising up。 Lolla…Wossiky couldn't see the men raising it cause the angle was wrong； they were all hid up behind the brow of the hill。 But he could see a new…wood frame go up； poles at the high end to raise it into place。
〃Side wall now！ Lift！ Lift！ Lift！〃
Now another frame rose up； slowly； slowly； sideways to the first。 When both frames were standing straight； they met just so along one edge。 For the first time Lolla…Wossiky saw men。 White boys scrambled up the frames and raised their hammers and brought them down like tommy…hawks to beat the wood into submission。 After they pounded for a while； they stood up； three of them； standing on the very top of the wall frames； their hammers raised up high like spears just pulled from the body of the wild buffalo。 The poles that had pushed the walls in place were pulled away。 The walls stood； holding each other in place。 Lolla…Wossiky heard a cheer。
Then suddenly the White men all appeared on the brow of the hill。 Did they see me？ Will they e to make me go away or lock me up？ No； they were just going down the hill to where their horses and their wagons stood。 Lolla…Wossiky melted into the woods。
He drank four swallows from the keg； then climbed into a tree and settled the keg into a place where three thick branches split apart。 Nice and tight； nice and safe。 Leaves nice and thick； nobody see it from the ground； not even Red man。
Lolla…Wossiky took the long way round； but pretty soon there he was on the hill where the new walls stood。 Lolla…Wossiky looked a long time； but he couldn't understand what this building was going to be。 It was the new way of building； those frame walls； like White Murderer Harrison's new mansion； but it was very big。 Bigger than anything Lolla…Wossiky ever saw White men build； taller than the stockade。
First the strange bridges； tight as houses。 Now this strange building； tall as trees。 Lolla…Wossiky walked out from the shelter of the forest onto the open meadow； rocking back and forth because the ground never stayed level when he had likker in him。 When he reached the building； he stepped up onto the wooden floor。 White man's floor； White man's walls； but it didn't feel like any White man building Lolla…Wossiky ever saw。 Big open space inside。 Walls very high。 First time ever he saw White man build something that wasn't closed in and dark。 In this place a Red man still maybe glad to be here。
〃Who's that？ Who are you？〃
Lolla…Wossiky turned around so fast he almost fell。 A tall White man stood at the edge of the building。 The floor was up so high it met this man at the waist。 He wasn't in buckskin like a hunter； or in uniform like a soldier。 He was dressed like a farmer maybe； only he was clean。 In fact Lolla…Wossiky never saw such a man in Carthage City。
〃Who are you？〃 demanded the man again。
〃Red man；〃 said Lolla…Wossiky。
〃It's getting on dusk； but it sure ain't night yet。 I'd have to be blind not to know you're Red。 But I know the Reds close by and you ain't from around here。〃
Lolly…Wossiky laughed。 What White man ever knew one Red from another so well he could say who was from close by and who was from far away？
〃You got a name； Red man？〃
〃Lolla…Wossiky。〃
〃You're likkered； ain't you。 I can smell it； and you don't walk too good。〃
〃Very likkered。 Whisky…Red。〃
〃Who gave you that likker！ You tell me！ Where'd you get that likker？〃
Lona…wossiky was confused。 White man never asked him where he got his likker before。 White man always knew。 〃From White Murderer Harrison；〃 he said。
〃Harrison's two hundred miles southeast of here。 What did you call him？〃
〃Governor Bill Harrison。〃
〃You called him White Murderer Harrison。〃
〃This Red very drunk。〃
〃I can see that。 But you sure didn't get drunk at Fort Carthage and then walk all this way without sobering up。 Now where'd you get that likker？〃
〃You going to lock me up？〃
〃Lock you now where would I lock you up； tell me that？ You really are from Fort Carthage； aren't you。 Well； I'll tell you； Mr。 Lolla…Wossiky； we got no place to lock up drunk Reds around here； cause around here Reds don't get drunk。 And if they do； we find the White man who gave him likker and that White man gets a flogging。 So you tell me right now where you got