Life among the plains people is austere, but not harsh. A young boy among the Uri learns about three things rapidly: Tents, Horses and Fists. The latter is often involved with the first two: Helping hands keep the tents in good repair, and keep the horses in fine condition. The tent and all of the family's belongings are pulled by the horse to the next place of camp. But why do I say fists? The Uri are forced to train constantly. The Onti raiders come inland from the North-Western coasts to assail the Uri in the summer, and the Ice Bandits drift out of the Eastern mountains to pillage Uri settlements in the winter. Both seek the Horse...
Uri horses are renowned as one of the finest of breeds: strong, fast and intelligent. They are worthy steeds. Most of the visitors to Uriah say that only the Koriki have finer horses. The plain is a fine place to raise them, because it is rich with a dark soil and deep green, leafy grasses. Many herd animals feed there, including the Uri's favorite foods: Antelope and Buffalo. There are also many water holes on the plain, and both man and beast frequent them...
The farms of Toridar seem to move further out on the plain every day- through Eiger pass; but, for the most part, the Uri and Tori are well behaved kinsmen. Why? One reason is the Hold laws, and the other is that the lesser horses are traded for goods and services...
The day is thus: Up early and to work. The mother prepares the meal while the children gather water and cut the wood shavings for the fire. The father prepares the antelope cuttings. All eat heartily. Then comes the chores: tent mending, horse herding and shoeing, weapon making and sharpening, blanket sewing, etc... All of this is done while the men mount up for the daily hunt. Occasionally, the man or his son will be posted for a trading or scouting trip; or the eventual attack. The refection usually consists of a trail mix of nuts and oats, and water.
In the afternoon, the children get lessons on chores. The men return. The evening meal usually presents a change in diet. Tubers and sometimes even a fish is the fare! There is not enough wood for a campfire every night, but on the seventh day of the week, all gather for a meeting. Great orators, bards, and poets speak and sing aloud at the council fire. Finally, there is rest from the labors...
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© Copyright 1999 by Abram Paradies.
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