The Kanshou (Earthkeep) Read Free Page B

you like to be ridden?"
    "No, of course not," Shaheed replied.  "But I'm not a horse.  Horses were made for riding."
    "And what are men made for?"
    Aba broke into the nervous laughter that followed.  "Shaheed, are you taking a position outside your heart?  Or do you truly believe what you're saying?"
    Shaheed looked down.  Then he raised his head.  "I don't know, Aba.  I just know that when Medhi was telling his story, I felt like I wanted to ride the horses, to make them do what I wanted them to do."  He looked down again, then up to meet Aba's eyes.  "Maybe it's okay for animals to serve human beings.  A whole world used to believe so."
    A young woman spoke from the side.  "Shaheed, you've said things like this before.  You need to explain."
    Sounds of agreement rose from different parts of the group.  Aba quieted them.  "We can do something interesting  here," she said, glancing toward Jezebel.  "Let's aim for clarity, and let's try to understand Shaheed's feelings, even if they are different from our own."  She looked at the boy.  "Would you feel comfortable with such a discussion, Shaheed?" 
    Surprisingly, Shaheed nodded.  "I would like to try to explain," he said.  Then he looked at Jezebel.  "And I want you to be our moderator."
    All eyes turned to Jez, who looked briefly at Dicken and then at Aba.  "If you trust my good will, Shaheed, then I'll be glad to do that."
    There was a small burst of chaos and anticipation while the group shifted cushions and stools. 
    Zari pulled at Aba's sleeve.  "Can we persuade, Aba?  Will Shaheed try to persuade us?" 
    "I don't know, preshi," said Aba.  "Perhaps." 
    Jez closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  "With the best that's in each of us," she said, finally, smiling her readiness to begin.  "Shaheed?"
    The boy shifted on his stool and then straightened.  "Well," he began, "if the animals were still here, I think it would be all right to tame them."
    Kamasa spoke without rancor.  "You mean it's okay to 'dominate' them?" 
    "Right," Shaheed replied.  "I mean it's fine to use animals for human purposes."
    "Why, Shaheed?" Jez prompted.
    Shaheed pointed at the words on the scrawl-board.  "Well, first, because of responsibility.  Beings of greater intelligence have the responsibility to train other beings; second, because it's efficient ; and third because it's natural for animals to be used by humans."  Pleased at his summary, Shaheed became more animated.  "Look.  Those who are more intelligent always have to train those who are less intelligent.  That goes for parents and teachers training us, for farmers who trained horses and oxen. . . ."
    The students questioned Shaheed respectfully.  One or two, like Masudhe, even took his part at times.  Jezebel limited her interruptions to summaries and clarifications.
    Dicken, impressed by the process, found her tongue clicking with others in approval of Kamasa's distillation: "It all comes down to whether you're going to respect other beings or not."  It was at that moment, however, that the measured discussion changed its entire character and direction.  To Dicken's alarm, Kamasa was following up her statement with a direct accusation of the young man who had begun it all.  "Shaheed," she said, "as long as we have people like you around who don't respect others' freedom and dignity, people who believe it's okay to dominate other beings, then we'll always have violence.  How can we ever have a peaceful world if you're always wanting to tame horses?"
    The outburst was as passionate as it was unexpected.  Jez raised her voice over the vocal response that ensued.  "Personal attack, Kamasa--" 
    "Look," interrupted Shaheed, loudly confronting Kamasa, "I'm getting bullied just because I was honest!  I had a strong reaction to Medhi's story and I said so out loud.  Obviously you don't like that, Kamasa.  But what am I supposed to do with those 'impure' feelings?  Hide them?  Pretend I don't have