CHAPTER TWO: We Know What's Best

continued from 4/12/05

Crug was a boyhood friend of Thorat. But unlike Thorat, Crug had been only an average hunter, lacking Thorat's physical strength and stamina. But as the community grew and got, well, just more complicated, the two primary talents that Crug possessed became very important. He had a way-with-words and, to use a modern term, possessed outstanding organizational skills. He would have likely been an ideal candidate on one of our "reality" television shows, desperate to become the "winner."

Crug was now the youngest member of the Council of Ten, a group of men who met informally about once every full moon to discuss community issues. They had no authority to set rules, but the village increasingly listened to what they had to say. Their ideas often made sense, and many of their suggestions improved life within the community. Crug, however, thought some changes needed to be made; he had a number of specific proposals to make to the Council.

Crug's first proposal was that the community ought to establish formal trade with the nearby village that was successfully raising sheep. This animal could be a dependable source of meat as well as clothing. An older member of the Council asked what would their community do if the other village was not interested in closer trade or wished to teach them the finer points of sheep raising.

Crug waited respectfully while two or three members discussed his proposal and then he said, "What is the Council's most important responsibility?"

"To give good advice is important," someone replied. Other members nodded in agreement.

"Yes, good advice is important," Crug agreed. He paused. "But what good is advice if there is no community to listen to it?"

An older man with a crooked leg, respected by everyone, squinted over at Crug. "What do you mean?"

"I think our most important responsibility is to make certain our village remains strong and continues to grow."

"Crug, you are telling us what we already know. We must always give good advice."

"Even if it's not listened to," another member said with a smile.

"Ah." Crug looked around the circle. "This is what I want to talk about. I have a plan, which will guarantee our community will prosper." He had their attention.

Crug proposed that the village establish a permanent group of hunters who would search for wild game throughout the season. After only a few minutes of discussion everyone agreed that this proposal made a lot of sense.

Crug's next proposal stirred some debate. He wanted the community to have a small--but permanent--militia to "protect" the village in case of attack. Crug pointed out that there had been two large roving bands of hunters sighted within the last twenty days. As their community prospered, Crug suggested, these bands might decide to take food from their community. In the end the Council reached a compromise. They'd establish a small contingent of soldiers to watch over the fields.

Crug next proposed that within five full days a delegation should go to the nearby village to discuss trade and sheep. He offered to lead the delegation, if the Council agreed. The Council concurred without hesitation.

Crug's final proposal caused the most debate and at times heated disagreements erupted. He wanted the community to build a storage shed for grain and vegetables. This would be by far the largest structure in their community. The purpose, as Crug explained, was to insure that sufficient food always be available; no one could know when a harvest might be bad. What if the farmers did something wrong? He reminded them what it was like when a number of their friends had starved to death, not that long ago.

No one could doubt Crug's persuasive ability or for that matter the logic behind his proposal. At the same time, several Council members knew instinctively that if they built this community food shed something would change in the village. Perhaps not for the best.

First of all the proposal would have to be brought before the entire community. Who was going to build the shed? Who would determine how much food would be placed in the shed? Who would decide who in the village needed what? These were a few of the questions that were debated.

By the time the meeting ended for the day, Crug believed that the community would eventually go in the direction he wanted. He knew he could count on at least five members of the Council for support. He also had some proposals he'd not brought up, but in time he would raise them as well.

Another two full seasons passed. Even to a casual observer the village looked different. There were more permanent structure, and in the center of the community was a large shed, by far the biggest building in the village. Beside this shed were two other structures completed only a short time before. In front of one of these smaller building something new was being constructed.

As well ... whereas two years before most everyone in the village dressed about the same, now there were distinct differences in attire. Several men in the community walked around with long wooden spears and had shields made from animal skins hanging over their shoulders. Other people, both men and women, wore colored beads around their necks, and a few had on strange looking headdresses of various sizes and shapes.

What had been happening of course over the past two years was "civilization." Crug was the primary instigator of these changes, but close to two-thirds of the community thought it was the right way to go. Crug, like any good politician, had built alliances and formed coalitions with different factions in the community. And left unspoken was the fact that the growing militia was siding with the group with the most influence--the one Crug was now leading. Of course Crug had been the person who'd proposed the militia two years before. On two occasions since then the soldiers had been used to drive off groups of hunters who threatened the community. Crug still had one final goal to achieve.
to be continued....