no to Star Arrow.

She stood up to speak, tall and stately. She turned to Star Arrow, and
White Bear saw love mingle with the pain in her dark brown eyes.

"I am happy to call Star Arrow husband. He has not wronged me. It is
right that a man should live among his people."

White Bear thought, _Now she will say that we must stay with our people
and cannot go with him_.

"I am glad that Star Arrow remembers me and White Bear, that he comes to
ask us to live with him. But I cannot go. I have my work, the gathering
of medicines, the healing, the teaching of what I know." She turned to
Redbird, who smiled uncertainly.

Sun Woman spoke on. "I could not look into pale eyes faces all day long.
My heart would dry up."

In the long silence that followed, White Bear waited uneasily. Why had
his mother not spoken of him?

Star Arrow unfolded his long, thin limbs, went over and stood before Sun
Woman. He put his hands on her shoulders. A sudden breeze rattled the
bark walls of Saukenuk.

"I understand what Sun Woman says."

Sun Woman and Star Arrow both looked at White Bear. He felt as if the
ground were trembling under him. He wished it would open up and swallow
him.

"This young man," said Sun Woman. "Your son, White Bear. Half of him is
you. It is right that he should see the pale eyes who are also his
people."

The earth was tilting. White Bear was falling.

His own mother--betraying him. Sending him away.

"I have always believed that Earthmaker meant some special destiny for
White Bear," Sun Woman said.

The shout burst from White Bear. "No!" He did not even remember getting
to his feet, but he was standing.

Heads turned toward him. Eyes opened wide. He saw Black Hawk lift a hand
to silence him, then lower it again. The three chiefs stared angrily.

Words tumbled out of him. He spoke to his mother, who had turned against
him.

"Earthmaker meant me to be a shaman. How can I learn to be a shaman if I
live among pale eyes? If I spend many summers and winters away from the
tribe I will no longer be a Sauk."

White Bear could see the pain-taut lines in Sun Woman's face. This was
hurting her, he knew that. But his anger at her burned in his chest. She
was trading his life for hers. She would stay here in Saukenuk, but she
would give Star Arrow part of what he wanted--his son. Why should he be
sacrificed to make Star Arrow happy? It was she who had chosen to take
this pale eyes into her lodge.

Sun Woman tu