Facepainters

Facepainters    
      
      When the earth thawed, Mammoths found their personal Manhattan in the Pacific Northwest but with their own trumpet instead of car horns. Mammoths were among the original vegans and the island was like getting to raid the 24-hour salad bar on a cruise ship. They were luckier than pigeons in Yankee Stadium with walnuts as leftovers instead of popcorn.
     The hairy behemoths became grandparent figures for the humans. Thereby the sacred purpose of the lumbering beasts no longer required sacrifice.
     Two boys back in the great north rode the mighty beast that dodged totem poles in the land of the ancients.
     The hairy behemoth knocked down a dozen of the poles. And the elder of the Inuit society for the preservation of ancient sites had the boys do community service by raising them with a block and tackle long before Archimedes took credit for the invention of the device.  
     But the boy’s friendship with the woolly mammoth led them into more trouble. The offering of nuts and fruits was laid out for the shaman to sanctify for the Gods. Yet the lumbering creature gazed hungrily at the feast before his eyes.
     One of the boys considered that giving a few of the honeyed walnuts for their friend’s repast surely wouldn’t offend the totemic beings. So he proffered the goodies with a pure heart and intent. But soon it was clear that the mammoth intended to devour it all and who were the puny humans to come in the way of such a gigantic creature?
     After the food for the Gods was gone the boys devised an excuse to avoid their implication.  They wished no blame to come upon their hairy friend yet knew well the consequences of their own blame. So they said a marauding pack of squirrels were at fault. They caught them at the very end of their feast.
     The Elder told the boys that they should have shooed off the harmless creatures. Had it been a huge mammoth he would have understood.
     One of the boys said, “Father, we fed the creature of God thinking he would be satisfied with a few morsels. But his appetite grew until the entire offering was his for the taking. Please do not punish him for he is our friend and meant no harm.”
     The Elder replied, “Why on earth would I even wish penance on such an innocent and unknowing being? Such a friendship as you have with that mammoth is smiled upon by the Great Spirit. Continue sharing the bounty of the land with your friend. In fact, it shall be your mission in life.” So the boys collected nuts and berries for the deity. While in the boreal forest they were sure to feed their friend walnuts not intended for the offering.
     People migrated to the wild ends of Borealis to weave the galaxies contained in their cells into a living Scheherazade motif. Those who crossed the Bering land bridge made homes of caves that were ancient living spaces where long ago families were raised and people went about the daily routines of life. The rooms were boudoirs where the original cosmetology was gender-free. Makeup artists painted the faces of both men and women for a night of dancing on the town under real stars instead of with celebrities.
     A brave’s wife said to him, “You men wear stripes on your face as if you were going to war. But we haven’t had war as far back as the legend goes.”
     “Good to be prepared. The art may be effective in deterring a waspish wife.”
     “My sting is reserved for women who would wreck our happy home. But get real. You men have a distinctive facial decoration while we women put on much less ornate face paint.”
     “Well you know in nature the male bird is usually the most decorative.”
     “We women want to share in the pageantry.”
     “Ok, we’ll create a whole new art form for females. I’ll take this bunch of currants, crush them like so, and smear your lips with the juice. Now your lips are dyed red.”
      “You have made me into a feminine work of art. But don’t feel left out. Your lips would take on a lovely luster with the right stain.”