Great Bear sat down. Every eye in the council wigwam turned on Little Bear. He was frightened, but not too frightened to wonder how Grandfather had guessed about the presents. Grandfather would not have mentioned presents unless he was sure Little Bear had some for their friends. Then he understood. It was what Grandfather thought right. Great Bear had been so sure Little Bear would see and do the right thing that he had announced the presents without waiting to hear Little Bear’s plans.
Slowly Little Bear got to his feet. His eyes searched out the hunters who had lost horses to the Crow. To each of these he handed a halter.
“This is the halter of the horse a Crow stole from you,” he said to each warrior, as he held out a halter. “Your friends, Great Bear and I, are returning your horses to you.”
Flying Arrow was last. To him Little Bear handed two halters. There was a chorus of approval from the council as Little Bear sat down beside his grandfather. When Grandfather smiled proudly at him, Little Bear forgot he didn’t have any horses left that were good enough to trade for the roan colt.
Flying Arrow jumped to his feet.
“In many ways Little Bear has proved himself a warrior,” Flying Arrow said. “Twice he has done me a great service. I have a roan colt which I want to have belong to a good warrior. Since Little Bear has proved we are friends, he cannot refuse my gift.”
With all the warriors watching, Flying Arrow stepped in front of Little Bear. He drew a halter from under his blanket and held it towards Little Bear.
“My friend,” he said, “your roan colt is in the corral. You will train him to be the good horse of a good Sioux warrior.”
Little Bear hung his head. No one must see his eyes. He knew those tears stinging the backs of his eyelids were not warriorlike, but he was so happy he couldn’t stop them. He had been called a warrior and the roan colt was his!