I Took the Dare

There were Indians just over the Brazos With a buffalo herd in between They weren’t trying to stay hidden They wanted to be seen The chief of these Comanche Buffalo Hump by name They say no one's looked him in the eyes Was ever quite the same The COL said go parlay Invite the chief to sup I want to look him in the eye And determine just what’s up With our white sheet fluttering in the wind Like the scalps on the big Chief’s lance We started out across the plain Taking quite a chance Our crooked-tooth Pawnee scout Led the way through the herd Through the smell of a thousand animals And the sound that would drown each word I felt and smelled their hot breath As I rode my pony near I turned my pony into the throng A pathway none too clear Inching through the buffalo Blinded by the dust I held on fast to the reins Just riding my pony's trust Once through the thundering buffalo I glanced up to the rise The Indians still were waiting there Much to my surprise The Pawnee scout then turned to us Said if they should attack First take out the big chief Then that little one in the back I can understand the big chief But why the little guy He said he’s like a badger He’ll fight until he dies He said that one's a horse thief The best you'll ever find He'll snatch a horse from under you As if you had gone blind The big chief started towards us Shut up the Pawnee said You young boys keep your damn traps shut I’ll do the talking instead The Comanche’s body shone with grease Had a necklace made of claws He had a stench about him That made you gag and pause My eyes met the chief’s eyes My hand rested on my gun He had a look could kill a soul But I was too scared to run The Pawnee and Comanche Spoke in some foreign tongue I vowed to learn their language While I was still young Then all at once the chief turned And rode on up the hill Our Pawnee scout turned back for camp But I just sat there still For he had pointed at me With that scalp encrusted lance And said he’d have MY scalp one day If he ever got the chance For last week on the Brazos Someone had killed his son And looking me right in the eye He knew I was the one Mdailey 2/26/12 1st place finish in contest For PD’s contest dare. Chapter 11 of Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry. It has been years since I read a western but am finding this one interesting.