Jude 6

The clan was gathered around a large clearing beside an ice cold creek that gurgled slowly through the main camp. The fire starting contest was Tagon’s idea. He was constantly coming up with games and harmless pranks to be played or pulled on everyone. He seemed to have an endless reserve of energy that tended to be a little ornery at times. His wife, Inna, loved his carefree personality, and gave up years ago trying to figure him out. She was more than pleased to know that she had the most unique husband in the world. Her eight year old son, Aika, was a quiet, well behaved little boy, but every now and then his dad’s sense of humor would show up. Every year Inna could see more and more of his dad coming out, and with his careful, quiet demeanor, she knew he’d be even more cleaver. She also knew he’d make some lucky woman as happy as Tagon made her.

Tagon got his whole contest going by telling every one he could start a fire faster than any one. Five other men were ready to prove him wrong. These were all mountain men and hunters that were extremely resourceful and very fast with a piece of flint and steel. They were also very fast at spinning wood with a bow, but this was a contest, and the flint was by far the fastest.

They all had their birch bark containers full of their own special fire materials. Some preferred dried grasses, some a mixture of cattail and cedar. One of Tagon’s best friends swore nothing was better than shredded hornet nests. Each man had his own special combination of combustible material set in the center of the clearing.

Just before the start of the game, Tagon walked past the main fire and clumsily threw a log on the fire, splattering stuff all over the place.

“Oops,” he said as he walked past his dad and over to the creek where he splashed water all over his face then just balanced himself on one hand in the water. He seemed a little dizzy as he rested himself. Soon he got up and stumbled over one of the rocks circling the fire. Reaching down, he caught himself, and then said, “Boy, am I clumsy today.”

He walked over to the clearing and said, “Let’s get this over with. I want to teach all you children how to start a fire as fast as lightening.”

One of the contestants came up close and asked, “Are you okay? Are you ready?”

Looking a little sweaty, but quite sincere, he gave a big swallow and said, “More ready than you know.” Tagon quickly raised his hand and yelled, “Let’s go!”

In a bit of a panic they all ran to their make shift bowls of fire starter. As they hunkered over their bowls, sparks of flint were flying down into the dry tinder, followed by steady gentle puffs of air blown carefully down the side so the air reached the bottom. First one, then another, then another, smoke appeared, then a burst of flame jumped from one mans bowl. He quickly stood up holding his flaming prize above his head in triumph, only to look over to see Tagon looking back at him as relaxed and unimpressed as one could look, holding a birch bark bowl, full of fire, in his hands.

Soon, one after another, the men stood up with their fires lit. All were shocked to see Tagon setting his blazing creation down because it was beginning to burn the bowl.

One of the men looked over at the one next to him with a wrinkled brow, and asked, “How’d he do that so fast?”

“I don’t know,” he answered, “But he’s always pulling something.”

The man standing next to Tagon turned to them and said, “I didn’t even hear him strike a flint.”

Tagon noticed the men looking at him with, that look. Not the look of admiration, but the look of, “What did you just do?”

“Well guys,” he said with a sly grin. “I’d like to stick around and discuss how you could improve on your fire making skills, but I’m gong to collect my victory kiss.”

He immediately turned and marched proudly over to Inna and planted a big one right on her lips. When he was done, she looked at him, blinked her eyes a couple times and said, surprisingly, “Congratulations.”