The Triumph Of A Mother's Love
Another outstanding painting by the Western artist Zhou Shu Liang. Herman made a bow and spent many days hunting and this reminded me of him.
Howdy folks, greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!
We're in a series about the Wild West and the incredible story of an 11 year old German boy, Hermann, who was captured by an Apache war party from his family's farm in 1870 in Central Texas.
He's now 19-20 years old at this point in the story and has become a full blown warrior who hates and fears the White man. And in fact, has taken many a scalp. He's been with the Comanche for a few years now.
Yesterday's post
In the last post Herman's family was adjusting to him being home which was a challenge because they didn't plan on him not knowing a word of their language and not remembering their culture. (or any of them!)
They also didn't know that he viewed them as the enemy even after he realized they were his family! So he spent as much time as possible away from others although his brother Willie's job was to stick with him and teach him their ways and language.
Today's story
Herman loved to smoke so he spent alot of time sitting around smoking cigarettes because he really enjoyed good tobacco. (I suppose his mom bought the tobacco and paper).
He went down to the river, got wood and made a bow and arrows. I don't know where he got the arrowheads unless he had a supply with him.
The boy hated hogs. Remember when he was totally repulsed because he saw a roasted pig at his homecoming feast?
The thought of having to eat with hog-eaters made him want to throw up, that's how much the hatred of hogs and hog-eaters was drilled into him by the Comanches. On what basis we don't know.
After he made his bow and arrows he waged war on the wild hogs in the area. He would saddle up his horse and he and Willie would go out hunting. He wanted to kill cattle but Willie would sign to him that it was wrong. lol.
He also wanted to steal all the horses he saw but Willie wouldn't allow it! lol..This is kind of funny but it mad him angry. In fact he stayed angry most of the time.
Herman hated being there and he'd try to run away but Willie would convince him to come back and then the women would cry and he hated that too, seeing them cry, he didn't like seeing their tears.
Scaring the crap out of little kids
The only real fun he had was scaring the local kids. When he'd see kids he'd draw his bow on them, give a Comanche war yell and watch them run away screaming. lol. He really enjoyed that.
He'd go hunting and kill a deer and bring it back on the horse and leave the horse in front of the house just like he did in the Indian village.
If anyone wanted it they'd have to take it, skin and clean it, he wouldn't do it because that was squaw's work. He would also leave his horse for someone to take back and put away and take care of because that was squaw's work too!
They put up with him... joyfully
And the family put up with him, his mom was insistent and unwavering in her loving, caring, and kindness. Even though he was an intolerable pain in the ass that on one could relate to!
He would insist his food be prepared a certain way or he'd be furious and throw a fit or not eat at all. He was distant, non-talkative and indifferent.
Willie would not leave his side, at first because of his mother's insistence but then....well, I think he was as stubborn as Herman. He slept out on the hard ground with Herman instead of his bed, he did that for months!
Poor Herman's goose was cooked
After 9 long years of praying, fasting, interceding, trusting God, standing on God's promises about her kids, standing on scriptures of protection, building her faith, overcoming fear and doubt....the love of Herman's mom was steadfast and unmovable.
The way he described her, I believe she was to the point where he couldn't have offended her if he tried. So the spiritual warfare that she'd been waging for her son was still going on but she already had the victory... Herman just didn't know that he'd lost. lol.
Slowly but surely Herman started softening. His aloof attitude was showing cracks. The fierce love of his mother was beginning to overwhelm him.
Her gentleness and kindness and the caring and love of his brother and sister gradually began to tear down his defenses.
He started smiling again.
Then he started laughing.
Then he started teasing.
Then he started....loving.
Herman is changing but he's got a long way to go. His story continues on the next post.
Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy
Texas
Yea, for a mom's love and answered prayers!
Absolutely, what a powerful force. There is a reason that Herman barely escaped death time after time!
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Howdy esteemapp and thank you for the upvote!
Can't imagine having to adjust to another culture you grew to despise amd were once part of. Funny about waging war on hogs lmao!
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Aww..a mother's love, I can relate to that. Still, she must have shed a river of tears, of pain and gratitude as well.
Howdy tamaralovelace! I agree, over those 9 years she had to have suffered a tremendous amount, I can't imagine not knowing the fate of your captured child!
Can't imagine having to adjust to another culture you grew to despise and were once part of. Funny about waging war on hogs lmao!
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Howdy sir enginewitty! I know, it would take alot of effort on everyone's part and some kids never could fully adjust after they were returned to their people. It was probably therapeutic for him to be able to kill something!
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Willie was a great brother to stick with Hermann and his defiance of the kindness they showed him. I’m happy he is softening and starting to shake the cloak of hatred.
The paintings by Zhou Shu Liang are awesome and depict the beautiful and grace of the Indian.
Howdy redheadpei! sorry, somehow I missed your comment and I sure enjoyed it because not many have appreciated the great paintings by Liang, you have good taste in art! lol. I agree too that Willie was awesome!
One of the coolest things I’ve seen you say, @janton. Very kind words, sir. I hope you’re having a good weekend.
Howdy sir dandays! Well, I can see the spiritual side of this so clearly. Like when Herman should have been killed countless times! lol. But for his mother and probably grandmother praying for him, It's just too obvious. I've seen this in work so many times in life over the years. Usually it's a grandmother's prayers that are so effective for some reason. But I've seen it so many times that I believe there is a special power there and God honors that relationship.
In fact, I've never seen it fail. Ever. God is so faithful in honoring the prayers in that relationship. That's why when Herman went up against the medicine man and the other Apaches left because it was a done deal that Herman was as good as dead...well, that was pure spiritual warfare and Herman had angels working on his behalf, I'm sure of it. Because of the faith of his mother and I bet grandmother.
thanks for reading and commenting sir dandays!
Janton, I’m sorry to bother you again for the same reason. Would you please forward a message to your @esteem crew for me? Just tell’em I said “you skipped me again.”
No rush. Whenever you get a moment—thank you sir!
Howdy sir dandays! I sent an email, I'll let you know what they find out.
just got in from mowing and heading back out but I'll talk at ya later because I think I saw a comment from you that I'll reply to.
It worked Janton—man I better keep all of this in mind and never piss you off! 👍🏿 Thanks for being my go-to, I appreciate it sir.
Take your time with the response, I’m just blown away by an archer of 150 yards—it just doesn’t seem plausible.
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In all the things I've read about his story it's the only thing that I have doubts about..shooting an arrow that far. I'll look it up though, how long a regular bow can shoot. I mean how far. lol. No problem about the upvote. I don't even pay attention to those, I guess I should!
Hey, @janton.
It's amazing to think that in eight years or so from the time he was originally taken to this point in the story that he would completely forget English and who his family was. Had it happened at an earlier age, it would seem easy for that to happen, but I guess it can happen at 10 or 11, too. And, I guess that speaks to just how deep into the culture and the tribes he had to go in order to win over the trust of the Apaches and then the Comanches.
As bad as either were treated by the white man, and as bad as their circumstances have become, and as much as I can understand a lot of the hate and resentment for all of it. I'm glad he's coming round. The love of a mother who is also a good person should win through to a son's heart, even if it takes a while.
Howdy sir Glen! yes, you said it better than I could and I agree totally. I think his forgetting everything had to do with the extreme trauma that he went through and then being so immersed in the culture with so many life and death struggles against enemies and nature to just barely surviving time after time. I think all that living in a different world with the trauma just totally changed him and nothing of his old self was left, at least not on the surface.
I have to encountered a serious difficulty, I've been trying to read your older posts in order to enjoy all the great content you have shared in the platform. But it is really troublesome to have to load the whole posting history (I will do it either way since I like them very much). It will be great if you consider to add some sort of index at the bottom of your posts.
Best regards.
Howdy again sir joelsegovia, do you know how that could be done? I've heard of a site that lists all the posts we've done but I don't know what the address is, I saw it on a post last year.