His fingers were stiff, and it took him a long time to twist the lid off the holy water. Drops of water fell on the red blanket and soaked into dark icy spots. He sprinkled the grave and the water disappeared almost before it touched the dim, cold sand; it reminded him of something—he tried to remember what it was, because he thought if he could remember he might understand this. He sprinkled more water; he shook the container until it was empty, and the water fell through the light from sundown like August rain that fell while the sun was still shining, almost evaporating before it touched the wilted squash flowers.
"Well, I'm glad you understand. I hope I'll be seeing you at Mass this week—we missed you last Sunday. See if you can get old Teofilo to come with you." The priest smiled and waved at them as they drove away.
His fingers were stiff, and it took him a long time to twist the lid off the holy water. Drops of water fell on the red blanket and soaked into dark icy spots. He sprinkled the grave and the water disappeared almost before it touched the dim, cold sand; it reminded him of something—he tried to remember what it was, because he thought if he could remember he might understand this. He sprinkled more water; he shook the container until it was empty, and the water fell through the light from sundown like August rain that fell while the sun was still shining, almost evaporating before it touched the wilted squash flowers.
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Read the excerpt from Leslie Marmon Silko’s story “The Man to Send Rain Clouds.”Leon watched him climb the hill, and when he had disappeared within the tall, thick walls, Leon turned to look up at the high blue mountains in the deep snow that reflected a faint red light from the west. He felt good because it was finished, and he was happy about the sprinkling of the holy water; now the old man could send them big thunderclouds for sure. What does the holy water symbolize for Leon?
Read the quote from Leslie Marmon Silko’s story "The Man to Send Rain Clouds."The priest stared down at his scuffed brown loafers and the worn hem of his cassock. "For a Christian burial it was necessary."His voice was distant, and Leon thought that his blue eyes looked tired."It's O.K., Father, we just want him to have plenty of water."The priest sank down into the green chair and picked up a glossy missionary magazine. He turned the colored pages full of lepers and pagans without looking at them."You know I can't do that, Leon. There should have been the Last Rites and a funeral Mass at the very least."Based on this excerpt, what can be inferred about Father Paul’s feelings?
Read the excerpt from Leslie Marmon Silko’s story "The Man to Send Rain Clouds."Before they wrapped the old man, Leon took a piece of string out of his pocket and tied a small gray feather in the old man's long white hair. Ken gave him the paint. Across the brown wrinkled forehead he drew a streak of white and along the high cheekbones he drew a strip of blue paint. He paused and watched Ken throw pinches of corn meal and pollen into the wind that fluttered the small gray feather. Then Leon painted with yellow under the old man's broad nose, and finally, when he had painted green across the chin, he smiled.The actions of Leon and Ken indicate that
Read the excerpt from Leslie Marmon Silko’s story "The Man to Send Rain Clouds.""What did you say? I didn't hear you.""I said that I had been thinking about something.""About what?”"About the priest sprinkling holy water for Grandpa. So he won't be so thirsty."What does this dialogue reveal about Louise?
Read the excerpt from Leslie Marmon Silko’s story "The Man to Send Rain Clouds."The sky in the west was full of pale yellow light. Louise stood outside with her hands in the pockets of Leon's green army jacket that was too big for her. The funeral was over, and the old men had taken their candles and medicine bags and were gone. She waited until the body was laid into the pickup before she said anything to Leon. She touched his arm, and he noticed that her hands were still dusty from the corn meal that she had sprinkled around the old man. When she spoke, Leon could not hear her.Which detail in this excerpt indicates that Leon and his family still carry out traditional Pueblo practices?
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