The buffalo ran free
The wildness and strong convictions and emotions of Scopo and Annja suited them well as lovers. They were both rebels at heart and together they both offered their sensual expressions about the wild buffalo grazing free and safe up in the hills of Spavito Saltano. True it was rocky up there at 4,000 feet but the wild grasses and greenery were plentiful for the buffalo herds to sustain a healthy growth pattern. There were also lots of colorful flowers for Annja to collect and use as a dye for her wool. She especially liked the saffron yellow and the deep crimson red flowers. The red made the wool turn a beautiful vibrant burgundy color. Along with the natural white,gray and black wool the saffron yellow and burgundy red colors mad the woven products pop out to the tourists "buy me." The tourists did buy up all of Annja's hats,scarfs and belts because they loved her unique woven designs. The monies she made helped buy staples for their lean winter months.
Scopo and Annja built built a small but sturdy yurt up near the hills of Spavito Saltano at the 2,000 foot elevation. the yurt was warm and cozy for the two of them and had everything they needed to keep them warm and dry during the four seasons. Their passion was protecting the wild buffalo from some of the newer townspeople in the town of St. Saltano. Now most of the people left the wild buffalo to roam free in the hills of Spavito Saltano . The new mayor,Neemo Bakrano, thought differently and wanted to cull the buffalo herds for a dog food processing plant where they would only use the meat and throw away the remainder. He was only thinking of himself and the hell with the towns people and their traditional views called "Honor St Buffalo the Protector " which had sustained the people for generations. their ancestors had used every part of the buffalo and the beast was always honored in a ceremony before the kill and after. for the spirit. Every bit of the buffalo was used and many homes had buffalo robes handed down from generation to generation. Scopo and Annja were considered revolutionaries by the mayor and his selfish cronies. He was on a big campaign to ban the couple from the town and Annja especially was a big thorn in his side. Mayor Bakrano had a wife that ripped him apart every time she did not get her way. Kirka Bakrano nagged her husband everyday about Annja and her crafts. Kirka's crafted hats and scarfs were hastily made into quantities and not at all beautiful intricately made of quality and with love. Annja had offered to show Kirka a few simple but elegant weaving styles but she had hastily declined the generous offer from Annja. Only last week at one of his rallies to rid the buffalo,Annja had cursed and yelled to the mayor: "You Will not possess my mind like the sharp pit in the heart of a peach" "The buffalo will remain free and the hell with you and your cronies!" The mayor was read for her and had hired thugs from a neighboring town to throw her most revered fruit,peaches, at Annja. They were instructed not to physically hurt her but to dirty and stain her clothing and to dishonor her dignity. Annja only became stronger by this outburst fully knowing she was getting under the skin of the "almighty" mayor Neemo Bakrano.
Walking home Annja carried some of the precious peaches that were still in good enough shape for eating. She would make up a cool and refreshing soup with some brandy and soak the others in a glass pot with some honey and cinnamon to make some preserves for winter.
When she arrived at the yurt she knew Scopo had been there because a dressed wild rabbit was soaking in a pot with salt and rosemary twigs. There was also a small bundle of sage twigs for grilling the rabbit this evening and it would add an aromatic aroma to the air as the rabbit grilled over the coals.
Scopo was such a sweetheart and just the thought of him a pleasant scattering of lust for him into her mind. She discarded all her soiled clothes and climbed into the little tin tub of watter that had been sitting in the sun and soaked for a while in the tub with her homemade lavender soap. she must have dozed off for she smelled the rabbit cooking over the coals with the aroma of rosemary and yams.
Scopo had arrived home and hearing of her ordeal with the mayor quietly started the dinner. He heard her stir and picked up the large soft Turkish towel and proceeded to towel her back while kissing her gently on both ears. He had her robe for her to put on and her hair brush.
While she was putting on her rope he soaked her soiled clothes in the bath water to get the sticky peach juice off so that they could be washed. Then he turned the rabbit and yams and came back and gently brushed her drying hair.
Soon dinner was ready including a few fresh greens and they ate out at the small picnic table and drank the wonderful cool soup from goblets. They went for a walk and talked about how to out smart the mayor and his cronies. They decided to do this by using brain power instead of force.
They came up with a grand plan then went off to bed and made love with surging ecstasy and happily dozed off to sleep.
The next day they started their grand plan to change the mayors attitude about the buffalo. The plan was simply to educate the younger generation about the benefits of the wild buffalo and how they kept the town afloat during lean times. Two weeks later this plan was working because now the younger generation were teaching their parents about the wild buffalo and some of the parents remembered that their elders had told them the same things that these "children" were telling them and they were so proud.
Two months passed and and the cold winter winds were coming early to the Spravito Saltano hills. Annja had many Herbs and dried fruits and vegetables stocked up for winter. She had taught the children well and they taught their parents so the towns people were in pretty good shape as winter arrive being only in need of meat.
The mayor and his cronies kept up the campaign to cull the herds but now he was getting opposition from the towns people. They remembered the stories of how the buffalo had saved the town in the past.
The snows came early and hard.
Annja worked on new designs using the burgundy ans sulfur colors ans she had some leftover blueberry dyed wool along with the experimental green she dyed from mosses. It was a light green but looked quite stunning next to the yellow and blue. This time instead of caps she made berets. They turned out stunning .
Meanwhile Scopo had started carving buffalo totems and charms for necklaces. they both worked on winter projects diligently. Next spring the tourists would come in droves and they would be ready in the Spravito Salton Hills. One of the younger people thought they could have a yearly event called " Honor St. buffalo Days." Scopo thought that would be a very good idea with educating outsiders on how important it was to honor the buffalo protector. He actually got together with some of the men of the town and they secretly made plans. Annja knew something was up but she kept quiet and worked on her berets.
The winter was long but everyone was well fed and in good health. Spring came and the mayor tried his campaign but only his wife and a couple of cronies showed up to see him. The next week he tried again and to his surprise Scopo and about ten townsmen showed up....The mayor said " It's about time you boys showed up and came to your senses.' Scopo was the spokes man and said" No mayor Barkrano we came to ask you a favor." astonished the mayor asked what it was that they wanted. Scopo said; ' We want you and your wife to preside over our Honor St Buffalo Days and ride in the first place cart in the parade. so every year in the Spring you can come to see the mayor and his wife in the buffalo cart of honor leading the St Buffalo Days parade.
Nothing was ever said about the dog food plant again and the little town of St Saltano prospered and the buffalo ran free.
© 2011 Julia A Knaake
