“I swear, I have never heard any better sense from any bear under my guardianship. Mr. Yeni-Marten’s a very smart Kermode, industrious, too! He’s done quite a bit to protect our salmon and streams from the men at the fisheries and their lice-infested, farmed spawn. Not to mention his honey, which is a miracle, Ahma, a miracle!”
-Mr. Mansm’, singing the praises of Mr. Yeni-Marten, from Part II of Ahma, The Spirit Bear
Ahma, The Spirit Bear, Part II; A “Sleuth” of Proposals, A Precis:
Today, Amha Gan-Walp convinces her friend Harriet to reject the marriage proposal of the forest bear, Mr. Yeni-Marten. Ahma’s neighbour and brother-in-law Mr. Mansm’, or “Mr. Nightly,” as she calls him, criticizes Ahma for discouraging the match. Mansm’ had viewed the marriage as a step up in the world for poor Harriet Hooltga Gyemck. Furthermore, he warns Ahma that it would be very unlikely for the spirit-servant Mr. W’Nax to make any such proposal to Harriet seeing as Harriet has no living family and no “salmon stock” to support her. Later, Harriet misses out on a pre-hibernation-season party at Mr. and Mrs. Haymaadm’s den, Raven Place. Ahma spends the evening avoiding the attentions of Mr. W’nax (she thinks he is bored because Harriet is absent) and, in the process, misses out on the news of the impending arrival of Mr. Haymaadm’s son, Noosik Churchill, which she had very much wanted to hear. Worse, on the trek home, she receives a ridiculous marriage proposal which she declines most fearsomely. Just before they all settle down to hibernate, Ahma is left with the task of confessing to Harriet that she was terribly wrong about Mr. W’Nax, or about the object of his affection, in any case.
Today, we dipped the eraser ends of pencils in poster paint to achieve a pointillist effect as we illustrated our story.
Here’s how the kids’ illustrations turned out:
Tobes: 1) Ahma, 2) The Bear Claw Pastries at Mrs. Haymaadm’s Party 3) Mr. W’Nax in His New Top Hat
Bea: 1) Ahma and Harriet Sharing Tea 2) Ahma Holding Kaba-Ahma (Little Ahma)
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