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-The Project Gutenberg eBook of Traditions of the Arikara, by George
-Amos Dorsey
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
-most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
-of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you
-will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before
-using this eBook.
-
-Title: Traditions of the Arikara
-
-Author: George Amos Dorsey
-
-Release Date: August 2, 2022 [eBook #68666]
-
-Language: English
-
-Produced by: Carlos Colon, hekula03, The University of Toronto and the
- Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
- https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images
- generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian
- Libraries)
-
-*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRADITIONS OF THE
-ARIKARA ***
-
-
-
-
-
- TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA
-
-
- Collected under the Auspices of the
- Carnegie Institution of Washington
-
-
- By
- GEORGE A. DORSEY
- Curator of Anthropology, Field Columbian Museum
-
-
- [Illustration: (Publisher Colophon)]
-
-
- WASHINGTON, D. C.:
- Published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington
- 1904
-
-
-
-
- CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON
-
- Publication No. 17
-
-
- PRESS OF
- THE HENRY E. WILKENS PRINTING CO.
- WASHINGTON, D. C.
-
-
-
-
-CONTENTS.
-
-
- Page.
-
- Introduction 5
-
- 1. The Wolf and Lucky-Man Create Land 11
-
- 2. The Spiders Give Birth to People 12
-
- 3. The Origin of the Arikara 12
-
- 4. The Origin of the Arikara 18
-
- 5. The Origin of the Arikara 23
-
- 6. The Origin of the Arikara 26
-
- 7. The Origin of the Arikara 31
-
- 8. The Origin of the Awaho-Bundle People 32
-
- 9. Mother-Corn’s Visit to the Arikara 35
-
- 10. Mother-Corn’s Visit to the Arikara 36
-
- 11. How the People Escaped the Buffalo 37
-
- 12. Why the Buffalo No Longer Eat People 39
-
- 13. Why the Buffalo No Longer Eat People 40
-
- 14. The Girl Who Married a Star 45
-
- 15. The Girl Who Married a Star 56
-
- 16. No-Tongue and the Sun and the Moon 61
-
- 17. How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief 65
-
- 18. How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief 69
-
- 19. How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief 70
-
- 20. The Two Boys and the Water-Serpent 72
-
- 21. The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent 73
-
- 22. The Boy Who Turned Into a Snake 79
-
- 23. The Boy Who Received the Mouse Power 80
-
- 24. The Boy and the Young Hawks 83
-
- 25. The End of the Elk Power 84
-
- 26. The Elk Rescues a Woman from the Bear 88
-
- 27. The Boy and the Elk 90
-
- 28. The Coyote, the Girl, and the Magic Windpipe 91
-
- 29. The Buffalo-Wife and the Javelin Game 94
-
- 30. The Origin of the Wolf Dance 101
-
- 31. The Medicine Dance of the Beaver, Turtle, and Witch-Woman 105
-
- 32. The Village-Boy and the Wolf Power 106
-
- 33. The Rabbit-Boy 109
-
- 34. The Man and the Water-Dogs 114
-
- 35. The Five Turtles and the Buffalo Dance 115
-
- 36. The Notched Stick and the Old Woman of the Island 117
-
- 37. The Man Who Married a Coyote 117
-
- 38. The Man Who Turned Into a Stone 119
-
- 39. The Woman Who Turned Into a Stone 120
-
- 40. The Power of the Bloody Scalped-Man 121
-
- 41. The Boy Who Carried a Scalped-Man Into Camp 123
-
- 42. The Girl Who Was Blest by the Buffalo and Corn 124
-
- 43. The Fight Between the Arikara and the Snakes 125
-
- 44. The Fight Between the Arikara and the Bears 126
-
- 45. The Wife Who Married an Elk 127
-
- 46. The Four Girls and the Mountain-Lion 129
-
- 47. The Deeds of Young-Eagle 129
-
- 48. The Girl Who Became a Whirlwind 134
-
- 49. Coyote and the Mice Sun Dance 137
-
- 50. The Coyote Becomes a Buffalo 138
-
- 51. The Coyote and the Artichoke 139
-
- 52. The Coyote Rides the Bear 139
-
- 53. The Coyote Rides the Buffalo 140
-
- 54. The Coyote and the Buffalo Run a Race 141
-
- 55. The Coyote and the Dancing Corn 142
-
- 56. The Coyote and the Turtle Run a Race 143
-
- 57. The Coyote and the Stone run a Race 143
-
- 58. The Coyote and the Rolling Stone 144
-
- 59. The Coyote and the Rolling Stone 147
-
- 60. How the Scalped-Man Lost His Wife 148
-
- 61. The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer 149
-
- 62. The Scalped-Man 150
-
- 63. The Dead Man’s Country 152
-
- 64. The Coyote Who Spoke to the Eagle Hunters 153
-
- 65. The Girl and the Elk 153
-
- 66. How the Rabbit Saved a Warrior 154
-
- 67. The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off 155
-
- 68. The Water-Dogs 156
-
- 69. Two-Wolves, the Prophet 157
-
- 70. How the Medicine-Robe Saved the Arikara 159
-
- 71. The Medicine Bear Shield 162
-
- 72. The Crucified Enemy 165
-
- 73. How a Sioux Woman’s Scalp Was Sacrificed 166
-
- 74. The Warrior Who Fought the Sioux 167
-
- 75. The Capture of the Enemy’s Bows 167
-
- 76. The Woman Who Befriended the Warriors 168
-
- 77. The Attack Upon the Eagle Hunters 170
-
- 78. The Attack Upon the Eagle Hunters 170
-
- 79. The Mourning Lover 171
-
- 80. Contest Between the Bear and the Bull Societies 172
-
- 81. How White-Bear Came to Belong to the Bear Society 174
-
- 82. The Tale of a Member of the Bear Society 175
-
- Abstracts 179
-
-
-
-
-INTRODUCTION.
-
-
-The Arikara traditions in this volume were collected during the
-year 1903, with funds provided by the Carnegie Institution. The
-work was part of a systematic and extended study of the mythology
-and ceremonies of the various tribes of the Caddoan stock. All
-of the tales here presented were secured through James R. Murie,
-of the Skidi band of Pawnee. The slight differences in language
-between the Arikara and Skidi were soon overcome by Mr. Murie, who,
-when a boy at school, had learned to speak Arikara fluently.
-
-The Arikara belong to the Caddoan linguistic stock, and were
-formerly closely allied with the Skidi band of Pawnee, from which
-tribe they separated about 1832. After that time they made their
-home at various points along the Missouri River until, in 1854,
-they were placed on what is known as Fort Berthold Reservation in
-North Dakota, along with the Mandan and Minitaree or Grosventres,
-the latter two tribes being of Siouan stock. With the Mandan the
-Arikara had been closely associated even before their removal to
-the Fort Berthold Reservation. Their dwellings and general mode
-of life had much in common with the Skidi. Like the Skidi, they
-constructed the earth-lodge, and their social organization and
-religious ceremonies in general were also similar to those of the
-Skidi. Inasmuch as the author has prepared a somewhat extended
-discussion of the Skidi in his introduction to the “Traditions of
-the Skidi Pawnee,” it will not be necessary here to do more than to
-refer to that volume.[1]
-
-The Arikara to-day number about 380, as against 435 in 1890, and
-725 in 1880. Owing to the continued severe hostility of the Indian
-Department, but little evidence of their former method of life
-remains. It is said that the last earth-lodge in use fell into
-ruins in 1900. In possession of certain members of the tribe are
-some of the sacred bundles or altars; but the people have been so
-intimidated that their religious ceremonies are, as a rule, held
-secretly.
-
-In physique they seem hardier than their Skidi brethren on the
-south, and in disposition, more tractable. In dealings with the
-Government they have, as a rule, proved themselves men of high
-honor, and not since about 1820 have they manifested an unfriendly
-disposition toward the whites.
-
-An examination of the tales here presented shows, as we might
-expect to find, many points of resemblance with those of the Skidi
-and other Pawnee tribes. It is apparent at once, however, that the
-mythology of the Arikara contains many elements not found among
-the Skidi. This is possibly due to contact with the Mandan, and
-perhaps, though to a less extent, with the Minitaree. To what
-extent the Mandan have influenced the Arikara can not be known, as
-no extended account of their mythology is available.
-
-Inasmuch as investigation is now being carried on among additional
-tribes of the Caddoan stock, the usual references to the mythologies
-of other tribes have been omitted in the present volume. At the
-completion of this investigation the tales of all the tribes of the
-stock will be considered from a comparative point of view, while
-other resemblances to the traditions of other tribes will, at the
-same time, be pointed out. It seems sufficient at present merely to
-indicate in a general way the character of the tales here presented.
-
-In the first and second tales, each of which tells of the creation
-of the earth by the Wolf and Lucky-Man, as well as in the creation
-of people by the Spiders, through the assistance of the Wolf, we
-have a story of origin not known to any of the other bands of
-Caddoan stock, and it is possible that this account is due to
-foreign influence. The story of the appearance of people upon
-earth, or of the emergence, is presented in a number of variant
-forms (Nos. 3 to 13). All these myths are of undoubted Arikara
-origin, and apparently are uninfluenced by the mythology of any
-other tribe. The difference of these tales from all similar tales
-among the Skidi is very interesting, and shows that the Arikara
-possessed a well-defined mythology of their own before their
-separation from the Skidi. The next two tales (Nos. 9, 10) bear
-additional testimony to the importance of the cultivation of corn
-among the Arikara, while in tales 11, 12, and 13 is related, in
-varying versions, the escape of the Arikara from the buffalo. The
-fundamental principle of this myth is wide-spread and extended to
-many of the Plains tribes.
-
-In the next series of tales (Nos. 14 to 28) we have a general
-account of the period of transformation following the emergence,
-and which may be characterized in general as transformer legends.
-As with the Skidi, the poor boy among these tales is the culture
-hero, while Coyote, the great transformer of the Northwest, takes a
-very inferior part. At least three well-defined transformers appear
-in this series; the first in importance is the boy offspring of
-the woman who climbed to heaven and married a Star. His greatest
-work is freeing the land from the presence of the four destroying
-monsters. Only second to Star-Boy in importance is Sun-Boy (No.
-16), whose special merit consists in the fact that he made long
-life possible, though only after a series of memorable contests
-with his powerful father. The third transformer is Burnt-Hands,
-the Burnt-Belly of the Skidi. Like Burnt-Belly, this poor boy,
-through the aid of certain animals, becomes powerful, kills the
-mean chief, and calls the buffalo, thus saving his tribe from
-despotism and famine, and at the same time furnishing by his life
-a perpetual example to the poor of the Arikara of the value of
-honest and long-continued effort. In tale No. 20 are related the
-deeds of two boys who slew the water-monster, one of whom, perhaps,
-was Burnt-Hands. The deeds also of two brothers, and perhaps the
-same as those just referred to, are related in the next two tales
-(Nos. 21 and 22), where we have the additional element of one of
-the boys turning into a water-monster and taking up his home in the
-Missouri River, an incident which is of wide-spread distribution
-among the Pawnee tribes. The first of these two stories might also
-be considered as a rite myth, for it has certain reference to the
-origin of the ceremony of the medicine-men. In the next tale (No.
-23) the value of the deeds of the poor boy, who, as in a similar
-Skidi tale, recovers a mouse’s nest and so receives power from the
-mice and rats, is not so apparent. To be sure, for a while, his
-power is used advantageously, and he is instrumental in fighting
-the enemies of his tribe, but he finally abuses his power, and in
-an encounter with the bear this power comes to an end. A similar
-fate befalls the hero of another tale (No. 34), who, in befriending
-some young hawks, obtained the power of the hawks, which power,
-for a while, was rightly used, but eventually, abusing it, he
-suffered death. This tale, also, might be considered a rite myth.
-In tales Nos. 25 and 26 is related how the young man recovered the
-young women from the power of the bear, through the assistance of
-the magic flute of the elk. In the second of these two tales some
-of the women become elks. The story of the man who obtained the
-elk power is related in tale 27, which also relates how certain
-people, after entering the water, became animals. In a number of
-tales presented Coyote figures prominently, but only in No. 28 does
-he appear as a transformer, where, by his action with the magic
-windpipe, the seven brothers become bumblebees.
-
-Tales Nos. 29 to 42 may be considered rite myths, inasmuch as they
-refer either to the origin of a ceremony or of a particular rite
-or to incidents, which were perhaps connected with a ceremony.
-Myths of this nature apparently are not as common among the Arikara
-as among the Skidi. It is possible, however, that this apparent
-difference will not prove to be real, for as yet no extended and
-systematic study has been made of the Arikara ceremonies.
-
-In tale No. 29 is found an interesting account of the origin of
-the well-known ring and javelin game of the Plains, which among
-the Arikara, as among the Skidi and Wichita, is really part of the
-ceremonial calling of the buffalo. The tale also relates to the
-origin of the buffalo dance. In the next three tales (Nos. 30–32)
-is related the origin of the wolf dance and of the medicine-men’s
-dance and of the special medicine of one of the medicine-men. In
-tale No. 33 is related the origin of the rabbit power, presumably
-the tale of the origin of some special medicine. In tale No. 34
-we have perhaps the account of the origin of some band. Here, as
-in certain other tales, we have the magic power, derived in this
-instance from the water-dogs, which led to the separation of the
-people. Tale No. 35 appears to relate to certain incidents of the
-buffalo dance, while the next tale gives a mythical account of
-the well-known musical instrument consisting of a stick which was
-rubbed by another stick or by a bone, one end of the first stick
-resting upon a hollow object acting as a resonator. Tale No. 38 has
-reference to some personage in the medicine-men’s ceremony. In Nos.
-38 and 39 we have an account of the man and the woman who turned
-to stone and who as such afterward played a prominent part in the
-medicine-men’s lodge. In tales Nos. 40 and 41 we have an account
-of magic power derived from scalped-men, presumably being accounts
-of the origin of some special medicine. Tale No. 42, which tells
-of the power given a young girl through the skull and corn of the
-altar, which she used for replenishing the impoverished stores of
-her tribe, seems to be the fragment of some rite myth.
-
-Tales Nos. 43 to 48 are of miscellaneous character, and are not
-easily referred to any of the categories above mentioned. The first
-two in this series, which recount contests between the Arikara and
-the snakes and the Arikara and the bears, are perhaps rite tales,
-or they may relate to a still earlier time in the mythologic era.
-The next tale tells of the wife who married the elk and afterward
-rendered great assistance to her people. This tale in its general
-features is similar to a wide-spread myth found among the Plains
-tribes. The story of the four girls who were pursued by the
-mountain-lion, as told in tale No. 46, is also equally wide-spread,
-though it is here presented in an abbreviated form. The next tale,
-which tells of the boy who could transform himself into an eagle,
-and who became a great chief and warrior, is similar in general to
-No. 32, but contains no rite element. The story of the whirlwind
-girl (No. 48) contains certain elements not yet known to exist
-among any of the Plains tribes.
-
-Tales Nos. 49 to 59 relate almost exclusively to animals, and
-in all of them the Coyote plays a prominent part, always as a
-mean trickster, not as a transformer, and committing deeds which
-generally result disastrously to himself. These tales in general
-are similar to those of the Skidi and other bands of the Pawnee.
-
-Tales Nos. 60 to 68 may be characterized in general as traditions,
-in which the element of superstition or strange beliefs play a
-prominent part.
-
-Tales Nos. 69 to 82 possess no element of magic power. They are to
-be considered as traditions or war tales, from which may be gained
-certain information interesting in a general study of the Arikara.
-Tale No. 71, and the last of the series, No. 82, are especially
-interesting, as relating the story of the medicine war shield and
-the personal experience of a member of the Bear society.
-
- GEORGE A. DORSEY.
-
- CHICAGO, July 1, 1904.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[1] Traditions of the Skidi Pawnee, Volume 8, Memoirs of the American
-Folk-Lore Society, 1904.
-
-
-
-
-TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA
-
-
-
-
-1. THE WOLF AND LUCKY-MAN CREATE LAND.[2]
-
-
-There was a big lake. On this lake were two Ducks swimming around.
-They saw the Wolf coming from the southwest. Then they saw in the
-north, Lucky-Man coming. The Wolf and Lucky-Man met on the shore of
-the lake.
-
-The Wolf challenged Lucky-Man to see who could endure the rain the
-longest. The Wolf hung up his own skin, while Lucky-Man hung up
-all kinds of feathers on a long stick. It commenced to rain. The
-Wolf finally gave in. He said: “I am beaten, but now I want you to
-create with me. I want to make land. I want you to make land, and
-whatever things should live on it.” Then the Wolf said, “I will
-take the north side of the Missouri River, and I will make land.”
-The Wolf called a Duck, and said, “Now, Duck, can you dive away
-down under the lake and fetch me some dirt from the bottom?” The
-Duck said, “Yes.” The Duck dived and brought up mud and placed it
-before the Wolf. The Wolf then threw the mud in the north, and
-said, “Form into land, and let it be prairie, and let the buffalo
-roam over this prairie!” And it was done.
-
-The Wolf told Lucky-Man that it was now his turn. Lucky-Man then
-turned and called the Duck and told it to bring up the mud from the
-lake. He brought up even more than he had brought up for the Wolf.
-Lucky-Man threw this dirt on the south side of where the Wolf had
-made his land. Hills and mountains were formed. The buffalo were
-seen on the land. Lucky-Man said: “When the people come they shall
-choose to live on the south side of the Missouri River, for there
-are hills and valleys, so that their ponies, dogs, and buffalo can
-find shelter in the hills and mountains. You made your country
-level; in the winter time the buffalo will be driven away from
-there by the storm.”
-
-The Wolf made the land on the north side, and Lucky-Man made the
-land on the south side; so there was a channel between the two
-countries, and that is where the Missouri River bed is. The first
-thing they knew, the stream of the Missouri began to flow along the
-dividing line of the two countries they had created.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[2] Told by Yellow-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-2. THE SPIDERS GIVE BIRTH TO PEOPLE.[3]
-
-
-There was once an old Spider-Man who lived by himself with his
-wife. One day the Wolf and his friend went to visit these old
-folks. The Spider-Man was dirty, his eyes were red, he had no hair
-on his head, and he was very dirty all over, and he emitted a bad
-odor. His wife also was very dirty; her hair was thin and very
-coarse. The Wolf had never seen people who looked like these people.
-
-Lupus ab homine quaesivit quem ad modum cum uxore concumberet.
-Homo respondit: “Non dicere sed ostendere volumus.” “Recte,”
-dixit Lupus. Cum autem hominem mulieremque conspexisset, ilium
-tantum genitalia esse, itemque mulierem repperit; quocirca fetorem
-emiserunt. Atque uterque de genere araneo fuit.
-
-Deinde Lupus: “Efficiemus ut pulchriores videamini, et concumbere
-aliter ac nunc possitis.”
-
-The Spider-Man and the woman were both willing. So the Wolf and
-his friend went and got some wild sage and fixed up some medicine.
-They dipped the wild sage into the water and rubbed it all over
-the two Spider people. As he rubbed the wild sage over them they
-became very different, they looked better, and they did not smell
-bad. Deinde Lupus virum docebat quem ad modum cum uxore concumbere
-conveniret, quidque facere oporteret ut liberos gignere posset.
-Nisi Lupus haec fecisset, ut aiunt, nulli de genere humano geniti
-essent. Namque ille Araneos docuit quem ad modum concumbere
-oporteret ut liberos gignerent. Qui autem ex eis geniti sunt humani
-fuerunt, unde homines omnes sunt.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[3] Told by Two-Hawks.
-
-
-
-
-3. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.[4]
-
-
-There were large people living upon the earth long ago, who were so
-strong that they were not afraid of anybody, but they did not have
-good judgment. They made fun of all the gods in the heavens.
-
-Nesaru looked down upon them, and was angry. Nesaru said: “I made
-them too strong. I will not keep them. They think that they are
-like myself. I shall destroy them, but I shall put away my people
-that I like and that are smaller.”
-
-So the animals were made to assist some people to turn into corn
-and they were taken under ground into a cave, which was so large
-that animals and people lived down there together. The large people
-were killed by the flood. The people who were taken in under the
-ground knew nothing of the flood, for they were not people; they
-were grains of corn.
-
-Nesaru in the heavens planted corn in the heavens, to remind him
-that his people were put under ground. As soon as the corn in the
-heavens had matured, Nesaru took from the field an ear of corn.
-This corn he turned into a woman and Nesaru said, “You must go down
-to the earth and bring my people from the earth.” She went down
-to the earth and she roamed over the land for many, many years,
-not knowing where to find the people. At last the thunders sounded
-in the east. She followed the sound, and she found the people
-underground in the east. By the power of Nesaru himself this woman
-was taken under ground, and when the people and the animals saw
-her they rejoiced. They knew her, for she was the Mother-Corn. The
-people and the animals also knew that she had the consent of all
-the gods to take them out.
-
-Mother-Corn then called upon the gods to assist her to lead her
-people out of the earth. There was none who could assist her. She
-turned around to the people, and said: “We must leave this place,
-this darkness; there is light above the earth. Who will come to
-help me take my people out of the earth?” The Badger came forth,
-and said, “Mother, I will help.” A Mole also stood up, and said,
-“I will assist the Badger to dig through the ground, that we may
-see the light.” The long-nosed Mouse came, and said, “I will assist
-these other two to dig through.”
-
-The Badger began to dig upwards. He became tired, and said,
-“Mother, I am tired.” Then the Mole began to dig. The Mole became
-tired. Then the long-nosed Mouse came and dug until it became
-tired. It came back. The long-nosed Mouse said, “Mother, I am
-tired.” The Badger began to dig upward. When he became tired the
-Mole went up. The Mole said, “I was just about to go through when I
-became tired.” The long-nosed Mouse then ran up, and said, “I will
-try.” The long-nosed Mouse stuck its nose through the earth until
-it reached up to its ears, and it could see just a little light.
-It went back, and said, “Mother, I ran my nose through the earth,
-and it has made my nose small; all the people that I shall belong
-to shall have these long noses, just like mine, so that all the
-animals will know that it was I who dug through the earth first,
-making my nose small and pointed.”
-
-The Mole was so glad that it tried again. It went up to the hole,
-dug through the hole and went through. The sun had come up from
-the east. It was so bright that it blinded the Mole. The Mole ran
-back, and said, “Mother, I have been blinded by the brightness of
-that sun. I can not live upon the earth any more. I must make my
-home under the earth. All the people who wish to be with me will be
-blind, so that they can not see in the daytime, but they can see in
-the night. They shall stay under the ground in the daytime.” The
-Mother-Corn said, “Very well.”
-
-The Badger then dug through, making the hole larger, and, as it
-went out, the Badger closed its eyes, but, as he stuck his feet
-out, the rays of the sun struck him upon the face so that he got
-a streak of black upon it, and he got black legs. The Badger went
-back into the hole, and said, “Mother, I have received these black
-marks upon me, and I wish that I might remain this way, so that
-people will remember that I was one of those who helped to get your
-people out.” The Mother-Corn said, “Very well, let it be as you
-say.”
-
-The Mother-Corn then led the way and the Mole followed, going out
-of the hole; but, as they were about to go out from the hole, there
-was a noise from the east, and thunder, which shook the earth, so
-that the earth opened. The people were put upon the top of the
-earth. There was wailing and crying, and, at the same time, the
-people were rejoicing that they were now out upon the open land. As
-the people stood upon the earth, the Mother-Corn said, “My people
-will now journey west. Before we start, any who wish to remain
-here, as Badgers, long-nosed Mice, or Moles, may remain.” This was
-then done. Some of the people turned back to the holes of the earth
-and turned into animals, whichever kind they wanted to be.
-
-The journey was now begun. As they journeyed, there seemed to come
-up in front of them a mountainous country. There was a deep chasm.
-Here the people could not get down, and if they should get down
-there was, on the other side, another steep bank, and there was no
-way for the people to get up. Mother-Corn turned to the heavens,
-and cried for help, “Any of you gods, come, help.” But there was no
-one to come. Now there came from among the people a little bird,
-who said, “Mother-Corn, I will be the one to point out the way for
-you.” The bird was the Kingfisher. The bird flew to the other side
-of the steep bank, stuck its bill into the bank, going through the
-hill and going out on the other side, so that the earth fell into
-the chasm. The bird came back again, and flew into the side of the
-steep bank, where the people were and came out on this side, so
-that the earth fell into the chasm, so that by the bank’s falling
-there was formed a bridge. The people rejoiced, and the bird said,
-“All the people who want to join me may remain here, and we will
-stay and make our homes in these banks.” Some of the people went
-back, stopped and turned into this kind of bird.
-
-Again the people journeyed, and again they came to an obstacle.
-This obstacle was the timber. The timber was somewhere near the
-sun. Mother-Corn turned to the gods and asked for help, for the
-timber before them was very thick. There were thorns all over the
-timber, so that even animals could not go through. The gods in the
-heavens had agreed to help Mother-Corn. They gave power to the Owl
-to clear a way through the timber for the people. The Owl came and
-stood before Mother-Corn, and said, “Mother, I will help to make
-a pathway for your people to go through this timber. Any of the
-people who wish to remain with me may become as I am, and we shall
-remain in this timber forever.” The Owl then flew up through the
-timber. As it waved its wings it removed the timber to one side,
-so that when it flew through the timber there was a pathway, so
-that the people could go through. Mother-Corn then led the people
-through the timber and passed onward.
-
-As they were journeying through the country, all at once they
-came to a big lake. They looked around for help, but they could
-see none. They could not turn back, for Nesaru had instructed
-Mother-Corn to lead the people towards the west. A bird came and
-stood in front of Mother-Corn, and said, “I will make a pathway
-through this water. Let the people stop crying. I shall help them.”
-Mother-Corn looked at the bird, and said, “Make a pathway for us,
-and you shall have some of my people to remain with you here.” The
-bird flew and jumped into the water. The bird was so swift that it
-parted the waters wherever it went, and came out on the other side
-of the water and left the waters parted. This bird was the Loon.
-The people went over on dry land and crossed to the other side.
-Some of the people turned back, and as they went into the water
-they turned into Loons. The other people journeyed on.
-
-When they had crossed the lake they had no implements, for the
-people at this time had no sense, as they were still animals. Here
-at this place some of the people were cut off, as the waters came
-together and left them on the other side of the big waters. At
-this place the people saw a man who was very tall and whose hair
-from his mouth reached down to his waist, and they exclaimed,
-“Wonderful!” And they were afraid of him. They thought that this
-man was from the heavens.
-
-At this place Mother-Corn brought the people together and said,
-“I am Mother-Corn; you shall have my corn to plant, so that you,
-by eating it, will grow and also multiply.” Then Mother-Corn also
-said, “I will have to divide up things among you people,” for here
-at this place they had had their village for some time. Mother-Corn
-now returned to the heavens.
-
-They made games at this place. The first game they played was
-the shinny ball and four sticks. The land was marked out by four
-sticks, which enclosed an oblong extending from east to west. Each
-side tried to force the ball through the other’s goal. When one
-side was beaten it immediately began to kill those of the other
-side. At other places they had long javelins to catch a ring with.
-The side that won began to kill the people who were on the other
-side, and whose language they could not understand. All this was
-done while Mother-Corn was away, up in the heavens.
-
-When Mother-Corn returned from the heavens she brought with her a
-man who said that Nesaru was displeased with their doings; that now
-he was to give them rules and laws to go by; and that the people
-were to select a man whose name should be Nesaru, chief.
-
-After a man had been selected as chief the man and Mother-Corn
-sat down and she commanded that all the animals and people should
-come to her. The man with Mother-Corn stood up, and said, “I shall
-go off. I am strong.” This man came back with a scalp. “This,” he
-said, “the chief must have, and this other bunch of hair, for the
-man who takes the most scalps and captures the most enemies shall
-become a chief. You must put the scalp on your right arm. The next
-scalp you take, put upon your left arm; the next scalp put on the
-right breast; the next put on the left breast; the next put on the
-right leg; and the next put on the left leg. Now, that man becomes
-a chief.”
-
-Mother-Corn then made a bundle, made songs, made the ritual, and
-gave the people the ceremonies. The medicine-men were instructed
-by the man, and also were taught sleight-of-hand, and were told to
-make a village.
-
-They did not stay long in the village, for Mother-Corn led them
-away on through the country to what is known as the Republican
-River, in Kansas, where there is only one mountain. Here they were
-to make their village, for Nesaru had placed roots and herbs for
-the medicine-men. All the people now moved on, and the Awaho people
-came last; for the others had gone on and had their ceremonies,
-but the Awaho people, coming last, received the ceremonies from
-Mother-Corn.
-
-At this place, while the ceremonies were going on, Mother-Corn had
-the people offer smoke to the different gods in the heavens, and
-to all animal gods. Just as they were about to move on, a Dog came
-running into the village, frothing at the mouth, and fell down
-calling upon Mother-Corn, and saying that she had done wrong by
-leaving it behind; that Mother-Corn had remembered all the gods and
-all the animals, without remembering him, the Dog; that now he had
-caught up with the people; that he knew that not only himself, but
-the Whirlwind was left out; and that the Whirlwind was mad, and
-was coming to scatter the people; that the Dog had come from the
-Sun and that the Sun had given it curative powers; that the Dog
-would help them; that as the Whirlwind was coming to destroy the
-people, the Dog let them know that the Whirlwind was a disease,
-and wherever the wind touched the people, disease would be left;
-but if, when the Whirlwind should come, they would kill a dog and
-let the dog meat be the first to be offered as a sacrifice to the
-different gods in the heavens, then the gods would send a storm
-that would drive away the disease from the villages.
-
-As the Whirlwind came the people cried to the Dog: “Let it be as
-you say. You shall be the first meat in all our offerings in our
-ceremonies, and you shall be meat for us to eat when there is
-disease in the villages, but let the Whirlwind stop.” The Whirlwind
-stopped blowing. Then the Dog appeased the gods, and said, “I shall
-always remain with the people. I shall be a guardian for all their
-belongings.”
-
-After this was done, Nesaru had gathered in from his garden the
-crop of corn he had planted. Nesaru then gave three things to the
-people—Mother-Corn, the office of chief, and the medicine-men.
-Then Mother-Corn said, “The gods in the heavens are the four
-world-quarters, for they are jealous. If you forget to give smoke
-to them they will get mad and send storms.” Then she said, “Give
-smoke to me last. The Cedar-Tree that shall stand in front of
-your lodge shall be myself. I shall turn into a Cedar-Tree, to
-remind you that I am Mother-Corn, who gave you your life. It was
-I, Mother-Corn, who brought you from the east. I must become a
-Cedar-Tree to be with you. The stone that is placed at the right
-of the Cedar-Tree is the man who came and gave you order and
-established the office of chief. It is Nesaru, who still exists all
-the time, and is watching over you. It will keep you together and
-give you long life.”
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[4] Told by Hand.
-
-
-
-
-4. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.[5]
-
-
-A long time ago, people lived in the ground. Mother-Corn engaged
-the animals to help her to get these people out of the ground. The
-animals came, and said, “Mother-Corn, we will help.” There was a
-Badger, a Gopher, the long-nosed Mouse, and a Mole.
-
-The Badger was the first to stand up, and he said, “Mother-Corn,
-I will be the first to dig.” So the Badger went to work digging
-through the earth. The Badger gave out. He came back, and said,
-“Mother-Corn, I am tired.” The next animal went and dug, became
-tired, and came back. The Mole then went to work, but the
-long-nosed Mouse was the last to go. He dug through the earth with
-his nose. Then the Mole asked to see the light, and it went through
-and was blinded. The Mole went back, and said, “Mother-Corn, I will
-stay under ground always.”
-
-The next animal to try was a Gopher. He went up, and tried to go
-out of the hole. It was late in the evening, so that this animal
-received only a black streak across his eyes. The Badger then went
-to work and dug the hole larger, and went out, and it was morning,
-for the sun was up. The sun burned the fore legs of the Badger,
-also around his face, but he was not blinded. The long-nosed Mouse
-stood up, and said, “Mother-Corn, in trying to open the doorway of
-the earth for the people, my nose was squeezed, and made pointed.
-My snout has been made small, and I shall keep this shape always,
-so that the people will know that I was the one that opened the
-doorway of the earth for the people.”
-
-The Mole stood up, and said, “Mother-Corn, I am blinded. I can not
-go with you, and your people will have to allow me to remain here,
-that I may always stay under the ground.” Mother-Corn gave her
-consent, and that is why the Mole is in the ground. If it comes
-out, it will come out in the night, and if the sun comes up on it,
-it has to sit still all day, until the night comes, then it will
-travel again.
-
-The people now came out from the ground and stood outside. They saw
-other pathways, where other people had gone out from the ground, by
-the help of the Buffalo.
-
-Now the people started upon a journey. This journey was stopped;
-for the leaders said, “Here is an obstacle, a deep crevice. What
-shall we do, Mother-Corn?” Mother-Corn said, “Help! Hurry!” And
-she called upon the gods. The gods sent a Kingfisher, who said,
-“Mother-Corn, I will be the one to make a way for you and your
-people.” The Kingfisher flew and shot through the side of the
-bank, and the bank fell. The Kingfisher flew around to where the
-company of people were, and shot through the other bank, and
-this bank also fell, so that the two banks, meeting, formed a
-pathway. Some of the people who saw these banks torn up, turned
-to Mother-Corn, and said, “Mother-Corn, we want to stay here in
-the banks, as Worms.” So Mother-Corn allowed some of the people to
-remain in the banks as Worms. The people started, and when they got
-across this crevice they started on their journey.
-
-Again they met another obstacle—thick timber—and Mother-Corn
-called on the gods, and said, “Hurry! Help!” So the gods sent the
-wonderful Owl to the people. This wonderful Owl flew and lighted
-by Mother-Corn, and said, “Mother, I will be the one to make a
-pathway.” The Owl flew through the timber, and there was a pathway.
-The people went through the timber, and some of them liked the
-timber, and they turned to Mother-Corn, and said, “Mother, we want
-to stay with the wonderful Owl.” So some of the people turned into
-animals and birds, and they stayed in the timber.
-
-Again the people started to journey, and they came to another
-difficulty. This time they came to a lake, whose banks were
-mountains, but they managed to get down to the lake. Then the
-people said, “Mother-Corn, what shall we do, for the lake is in
-the way?” Mother-Corn called upon the gods, and said, “Hurry!
-Help!” The gods sent a Loon. The Loon came down and stood by the
-people, and said, “Mother-Corn, I will help to make a pathway for
-your people.” The Loon flew down to the lake, and flew through the
-waters, and the waters opened, leaving the bottom of the lake dry
-so that the people could cross; some drank from the lake, turned
-into fish, and remained behind. When they had crossed the lake,
-some of the people said, “Mother-Corn, we want to stay with the
-wonderful bird, the Loon.” Mother-Corn gave her consent. Some of
-them turned into Loons, and they stayed behind. The obstacles were
-overcome.
-
-It was now time for Mother-Corn to smoke to the gods. The smoke was
-ready. Animals and birds were sent out to find offerings.
-
-When the pipe was made the animals and the birds went out to find
-the offering. The Prairie-chicken found a wild-cat and killed it.
-The Prairie-chicken brought the wild-cat to the people and laid
-it down outside of the camp. The Prairie-chicken then went to
-Mother-Corn, and said, “Mother, I have killed for the offering.”
-Mother-Corn said, “What kind of an animal is it that you have
-killed?” The Prairie-chicken said, “It is an animal that is
-speckled.” Mother-Corn said, “You have done right. The animal that
-is speckled represents the heavens, and the white spots represent
-the stars. So you will bring it and we will make an offering.” The
-Prairie-chicken went and brought the animal.
-
-When it came time to offer the smoke the people found that they
-had not the pipe with which to form the smoke. There were three
-Stars in the heavens, and they saw the pipe was lacking. They
-said, “Mother-Corn, we will get you the pipe.” So the three Stars
-went and found a stone, and brought it to Mother-Corn. They said,
-“We are the three Stars that come up in the East. We know the
-pipe smoked to us.” They were Red-Star, Yellow-Star, and the
-Big-Black-Meteoric-Star. So Mother-Corn had the stone made into a
-pipe.
-
-When the pipe was made and filled with native tobacco Mother-Corn
-called the Prairie-chicken, and said, “You must carry this pipe to
-the God in the Southeast.” So the Prairie-chicken took the pipe
-and flew to the Southeast. It was gone for some time, and when
-the Prairie-chicken came back it said, “The God in the Southeast
-received the pipe and smoked.” Mother-Corn again filled the pipe
-with native tobacco and called on the Prairie-chicken again, gave
-it the pipe, and told it to go to the God in the Southwest with
-it. The Prairie-chicken flew away again and was gone for some
-time. When it came back it said to Mother-Corn, “The God in the
-Southwest has received the pipe and smoked.” Then Mother-Corn
-took the pipe again and filled it with native tobacco, called
-the Prairie-chicken, and said, “Take this pipe to the God in the
-Northwest.” The Prairie-chicken took the pipe and flew away again
-to the Northwest. When it came back it told Mother-Corn that the
-God in the Northwest had received the pipe and smoked. Again
-Mother-Corn filled the pipe, gave it to the Prairie-chicken, and
-it flew away to the God in the Northeast. The Prairie-chicken
-came back, and said, “Mother-Corn, the God in the Northeast has
-received the pipe and smoked.” Then the pipe was filled again and
-the Prairie-chicken was called to carry it to Nesaru, which it did.
-The Prairie-chicken flew up into the heavens, and said, “Nesaru has
-received the pipe and smoked. Other animal gods also smoked with
-Nesaru.” Then Prairie-chicken said, “Mother-Corn, these journeys
-were very hard. The wind was blowing hard, sand-stones were thick,
-the little stones struck upon my feathers and made white spots upon
-them. Flying through these hard winds gave me power to fly through
-storms. The stones hit upon my feathers and made white spots upon
-them. I wish to remain as I am now.” Mother-Corn said, “It is well.
-You shall be as you are always.” (This is why the Prairie-chicken
-has white spots upon its feathers.) “As you have carried the pipes
-yourself to the gods, so it shall be to all people who shall make
-a sacrifice to the gods that they themselves must go through the
-smoke ceremony, that the gods may receive the smoke offering from
-the person himself who makes the offering.”
-
-In the smoking Nesaru let the gods know that he had given his
-consent to Mother-Corn to have people upon the earth; and that the
-gods were also to give their power to the people and protect them.
-So it was the place of the gods to help Mother-Corn whenever she
-called upon them for help.
-
-After they had smoked to the gods there came a Dog running into the
-camp and telling Mother-Corn that one of the gods, the Whirlwind,
-who stands a little to the southwest, had been slighted in the
-smoke ceremony and the Whirlwind was angry. Then the Dog said to
-Mother-Corn, “That God, the Whirlwind, is coming. Be quick and do
-something for the people, for the gods in the heavens promised
-you aid when the people should be in trouble.” Mother-Corn stood
-up and spoke, saying, “Nesaru and the gods, I want help, for the
-Whirlwind is coming to destroy my people!” A woman stepped in
-front, and said, “I will be the one to save the people.” She stood
-up and was turned into a Cedar-Tree. Then there was a noise in
-the heavens and a Rock fell by the Cedar-Tree. A voice spoke from
-the heavens, and said, “I am the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star. I shall
-assist the Cedar-Tree to save the people.” The people then ran up
-to the Cedar-Tree and around the rock. The Whirlwind came, and some
-of the people ran away, some going north, some west, some south and
-some east, and when the Whirlwind struck these people it changed
-their language. The people who stood upon the Cedar-Tree and the
-Rock remained as the Arikara. When the Whirlwind struck Mother-Corn
-she vomited red water, and after the water there came out a red ear
-of corn. Again she vomited and threw up yellow water, which was
-followed by a yellow ear of corn. Again she vomited, and there came
-up black water and a black ear of corn. Now she vomited and there
-came up white water and a white ear of corn. The Whirlwind passed
-the people and it turned back and came to Mother-Corn. It said to
-her: “You slighted me in your smoke. I became angry. I have left
-behind me diseases, so that the people will become sick and die.
-You wanted your people to live forever, but I have left sickness
-behind, so that it will fall upon the people who are proud and
-dress fine; but always remember when you offer smoke to the gods
-to give me smoke towards the last, so that I shall not visit the
-people very often.” The Whirlwind went on. The Cedar-Tree spoke,
-and said: “Mother-Corn, the Whirlwind twisted my body until, you
-see, it is bent in many places. Let me remain this way. Let the
-people know me as the ‘Wonderful Grandmother.’ They shall place me
-in front of their medicine-lodge and they shall have a ceremony
-that I shall give them when they place me in front of their lodge.”
-Then the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star said: “Mother-Corn, I wish to
-be known as the ‘Wonderful Grandfather.’ I shall sit by the
-Wonderful Grandmother, in front of the medicine-lodge, so that the
-people will always remember that it was I who saved them from the
-Whirlwind.” Then the Dog spoke, and said: “Mother-Corn, I brought
-the news. I followed up the people from where they came out from
-the ground. I am always to remain with the people, so that I may
-guard their camps and villages, and when enemies are approaching
-their camps or villages I shall let them know by my barking. My
-spirit is up to all the gods. My flesh is good to eat, and the
-grease of my body is curative for sores. Let the people in all
-their ceremonies kill me and offer my flesh to the different gods
-in the heavens. Let the medicine-men use my fat for their sores.”
-Mother-Corn was satisfied.
-
-Mother-Corn then stood up and said: “My people, this corn is for
-you. They are seeds. You shall plant them, so that in time you can
-offer this corn to the gods also. This will be done to remind them
-that I was once Corn up in the heavens and was sent down to take you
-from the ground. These people who have scattered out shall be your
-enemies. The people who have gone to the Southwest you shall call
-‘Sahe’ (Strike-Enemy); the people who have gone to the Northeast you
-shall call ‘Pichia’ (People-of-Cold-Country); the people who have
-gone to the East you shall call ‘Wooden-Faces’ (Iroquois), for they
-shall wear wooden-faces in their ceremonies. The people who have
-gone to the South you shall call ‘Witchcraft-People’, for they shall
-understand how to practice witchcraft. They will understand the
-mysteries of the Owl, Woodpecker, Turkey and the Snakes.” (These were
-the Wichita.) Other people also were named at this time.
-
-Mother-Corn stayed with the people until she had taught them the
-bundle ceremonies. When she had completed telling them concerning
-these ceremonies, she told them that she was now to go back to the
-place where they had come from and that they should sing the bundle
-songs that she had taught them. She also told them to bring all of
-the children’s little moccasins, and to tie them together and place
-them upon her back; that it was time now for her to go. She then
-told them they must take her to the river and throw her in. The
-people did not understand this, as they kept up the singing in the
-night. When daylight came they looked behind where Mother-Corn was
-sitting, and there they found that she had turned into an ear of
-corn. The buffalo robe that she had about her was tied to the corn.
-It was told the people through the village, and the people came
-with their children’s moccasins and placed them with Mother-Corn.
-Then the priests took Mother-Corn and the robe to the river, and
-threw her into it. For many years she did not return, but one fall,
-when they were having their bundle ceremonies, a mysterious-looking
-woman entered the lodge where the bundle ceremony was being given
-and they finally recognized her as Mother-Corn. She taught them
-some more bundle ceremony songs and before daylight disappeared,
-and was never seen again.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[5] Told by Star.
-
-
-
-
-5. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.[6]
-
-
-In the forgotten days of old there stood unnumbered people in the
-dark and gloomy cave down deep in the earth. They were wanderers,
-not knowing where they came from nor where they were going. In the
-midst of the blinded multitude there stood the Corn, the Mother of
-the tribe. For many days they stood in this condition and longed
-to see if there was any better world. Whereupon, the Mother-Corn
-called and selected the four fastest birds. She sent one to the
-east, as she thought, one to the south, one to the north, and one
-to the west, to look for a better world to live in. The birds
-went as they were directed and were gone for some days. They
-all returned, but without any good news to tell to the Mother.
-Whereupon, they were sad and discouraged, until there came forward
-from the crowd a tiny animal who thought himself capable to lead
-the people out of darkness into light. He told the Mother-Corn that
-he would make an effort to look for a better world. The Mother-Corn
-was glad to hear it, and consented to let him try to do what he
-could. Another came and said he would assist him, and still another
-came to offer his help. The first one was a long-nosed Mouse, or a
-Mole; the second was a Skunk; and the third was a Badger. The first
-went and started to dig upwards. He toiled until he was exhausted.
-Then the second went and worked until he gave out. Then the third
-came and labored on the same thing, until he was almost exhausted.
-The Mole made his second attempt and worked very hard. When he was
-about tired out he ran his nose into a new and better world.
-
-He saw a very faint light, but he could not go further. He
-returned, and told that he had an idea there was light. The people
-felt much pleased, and encouraged. The Skunk began to widen the
-path, and worked hard until he succeeded. He got out; but the
-sunlight, being too strong, blinded him, and so he turned back and
-told the people that there was a sun which lighted the world. The
-people were more pleased, and were very anxious to see it.
-
-The Badger came forward again with his strength and worked on
-it, widening the path so that the multitude could march out, one
-by one. After his hard labor he went through, but because he was
-tired he lay down. He saw the skies, the sun, the mountains and
-all that there was on the earth. The sun went down, the stars
-appeared and the Night came. The Night saw him there and visited
-him, but the animal was asleep. The Night put forth his hands and
-held the Badger’s hands, touched him on his head and on his neck,
-then went on his way. Light came again from the east, the stars
-disappeared and the moon also. The Badger awoke from his sleep
-and saw the sun rising in the east. He felt satisfied with all he
-had witnessed. He turned to the people and told all this to the
-Mother-Corn. Immediately the Mother-Corn marched ahead and stopped
-at the opening. The opening was somewhat small, but she tried hard
-to put her head through. The next step she went through as far as
-her legs. Then she marched out, and all the people followed.
-
-Nesaru from the heavens saw the Mother-Corn and talked to her. He
-had his mercy on her and he taught her how she should live. He gave
-her power to use in the times of need. The whole multitude cried
-for joy. The Mother-Corn started out on a long westward march.
-All followed, as in a triumphant procession. After many days of
-marching they came to a wide expanse of water. There they stood on
-the shore. The Fish came and told the Mother-Corn that he would
-make way for them. The Mother-Corn gave her consent, because she
-knew that the Fish had the power to do so. The Fish went into the
-waters, and thus the water parted. The Mother-Corn led, and they
-all marched on dry land, but there stood high walls of waters.
-After a long march they came to the shore, and the waters came
-together. This was the first obstacle they encountered.
-
-They went on their march again, and here they came to their
-second obstacle, which was a very thick forest, that no one could
-go through. The Owl came and volunteered to make a way for the
-people. So he went and blew down trees, the path was cleared,
-and the people all went on. They then came to the third and last
-obstacle, which was a very deep ravine that no man could walk down
-and up. Then one bird, the Kingfisher, said he would make the way.
-So he did, and all the people went across. Now they went on. They
-came to an open prairie. Here they saw a buffalo, a very large
-animal, whose horns seemed to reach to the sky. The people were
-amazed, and were very much afraid of him. They could find no way to
-kill him. But the Mole, the Skunk, and the Badger agreed to work
-together once more. The Mother-Corn was willing to let them do so.
-The Fish also said that he would be the one to kill the animal.
-Where the animal stood there was a very beautiful lake where he had
-always gone to get his drink. The three went and worked under the
-surface of the earth. They made many holes all around the animal.
-The three returned, after they had made all the ground loose about
-the animal. The animal started, and went toward the lake for water,
-while the people watched, to see what would happen to him. He came
-to the shore, and while he was drinking the Fish went up into his
-mouth and into his throat and into his stomach. Inside, he worked
-with his fins and cut the animal very badly. The animal ran, then
-got into the loosened ground. Finally he fell, bled and died.
-The Fish then came out. All the people came and were very much
-surprised because of the appearance of the animal. They were afraid
-of him, so they worshiped him. The hairs on him were grass. The
-horns on him were trees, with thick bark. The end of his nose was
-a big, black sunflower. Most of his outside appearance was in the
-form of Mother-Earth. The blood from the buffalo sank down into the
-earth, was hardened and became a stone, and from this stone later
-on they made their pipes. They butchered the buffalo and divided
-his flesh among the different sacred bundles in different villages.
-They counted and kept all the joints in the animal, and they are
-preserved in the bundles.
-
-Then, again, they went on westward, and after many days they
-stopped, and separation took place. The Mother-Corn called a
-council, and they all met together. The fowls, fishes, and animals
-all agreed that they would separate from the people. They gave as
-much power as they could spare to the Mother-Corn. The Mother-Corn
-was very thankful, because she was to get her food from any animal
-that she should like. Besides, she was to get all her clothing from
-them. At last, the Mother-Corn separated from the animals.
-
-This will give an idea to all how the Arikara originated under the
-earth. Yet it seems a mystery to us, and it is for us to solve.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[6] Told by Hand.
-
-
-
-
-6. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.[7]
-
-
-A long time ago, when I was about thirteen years old, we heard
-that smallpox was coming from the east, so that we all left our
-village and went north in order to get away from the smallpox. As
-we journeyed west we came to many buffalo. My father and I went to
-kill them. My father killed a buffalo cow. Then he called out, with
-a loud voice, that he had made a buffalo holy, and called a certain
-old man who was then the keeper of a bundle.
-
-The old man came and sat down with us. He filled his pipe and
-smoked to the different gods in the heavens. After smoking he
-pulled up some wild sage and waved it upon the buffalo. After this
-he took his knife and cut the skin of the buffalo. Then we all
-helped skin the buffalo. After we had skinned it, the old man took
-his knife and took the meat from the back. Then he took the tongue
-out and carefully cut the meat from the tongue, breast, heart, and
-lungs. He carefully laid the meat, heart, tongue, and lungs aside,
-and said, “These things are holy. The rest of the meat I will take
-home and divide among other old men. You take the meat, tongue,
-heart, and lungs and jerk it and dry it and when we get to our
-village we will have the ceremony.” The holy meat was jerked and
-dried. My people took care of it, so that it was very fine. When
-we returned to the village this meat was put upon my back and some
-upon the back of my father, and we started for the priest’s lodge.
-
-The bundle had been taken down by the woman who had charge of the
-bundle and placed in the west of the lodge. The women had all left
-the lodge. We entered the lodge. We were then told to take seats
-by the priest. The tying of the bundle is peculiar, for it is not
-a common tie. The man who untied the bundle was told to notice the
-tie closely so that he could tie the bundle up again in the same
-way. The bundle was untied and the things inside were spread out,
-the priest being particular to place the four animals that brought
-the people out from the earth. They were the bear, badger, mole,
-and a tiny mouse with a long nose. There were all kinds of birds
-in the bundle. There were also two pipes in it. One of the pipes
-was black, the bowl also being black. The bowl of the other pipe
-was red, the stem was white, and many bird feathers were tied along
-the pipe stem. The only thing tied upon the pipe was a white shell.
-The priest took the gourds, and told the errand man to invite four
-men and four women into the lodge. The women were placed according
-to the four world quarters. Hoes made of the shoulder-blade of
-a buffalo were given them. The four men were also placed by the
-women, and these men were given bow and arrows. The four old men
-now took up the gourds and the four men and women danced. This was
-continued until all the songs were sung. The women and men placed
-their implements at the altar, then went out.
-
-Before the ceremony, many presents were given—such as ponies,
-blankets, buffalo robes, calicos, guns, etc. Some of these things
-were given to the old men, who sat on each side of the entrance.
-Most of the presents were given to the priest, who made offerings
-of willow sticks to the gods. After this, he told us the origin of
-the bundle and of our people:
-
-A long time ago, Nesaru made people. They were giants. They
-displeased Nesaru, and he sent mighty heat upon these people, so
-that they turned into stones—such as we now find in the earth.
-This is why we call stones our grandfathers, for stones really are
-people, who were once wonderful and powerful.
-
-Again, Nesaru made people. This time they were small, but were
-wonderful. They also displeased Nesaru, so that he sent word to all
-the animals to hide; that he was going to make the water rise from
-the earth. The animals held a great council, and it was decided to
-take most of the people under the ground with the assistance of the
-Badger, the Mole, and the long-nosed Mouse. The Fox was to act as
-runner and errand man.
-
-The people lived under the ground for many years. These animals did
-not like to see the people live under the ground, so the Badger,
-the Mole, the long-nosed Mouse, and the Fox assembled. This means,
-not one Bear, one Badger, one Mole, one Mouse, and one Fox, but
-many of each kind. The animals decided to dig through the earth
-upwards, and see what kind of land there was above. So the Bears
-dug, but they all gave out. The Badgers dug and they gave out. The
-Moles then dug and they gave out. The little Mice then dug until
-they dug through the earth. Then they went back, for their noses
-were worn sharp.
-
-When the Mouse came back the other animals saw that his nose was
-worn sharp. The Mouse said: “From this day on, my people will have
-long, sharp noses on them, so that people will know that through
-the long-nosed Mouse they came out from the ground.”
-
-The Mole was the first one to stick his head out and see the bright
-sun. He was blinded. He went back into the ground, and to the
-animals. He told of the brightness outside of the earth, that he
-had been blinded. So it was decided by the animals that the Mole
-should always stay under ground and should never see the sun. The
-Mole was satisfied, so he always stayed under the ground.
-
-The next to go through was the Fox. The rays of the sun now entered
-the hole, and the Fox could see, but he could not get through. So
-the Badger dug away until he dug through. The Fox went again, and
-crawled out of the ground. He made a loud shout, like a man. The
-Fox ran around through the country and returned to the people and
-reported what he had seen outside on the earth.
-
-The animals were all satisfied. They all said, “We will lead these
-people out, so they can live upon the land, where they can see the
-sun, moon, stars and heavens.” The Bear was told by the long-nosed
-Mouse to make the hole larger. The Bear went to digging. The people
-followed. The people did not have any clothing on, neither did
-they have anything to eat. They did not know how they lived under
-ground. The Bear made the hole larger, so that there was light
-where the people were. The long-nosed Mouse went out first, then
-the other animals followed, then the people followed out.
-
-The people were now standing upon the ground. They did not know
-which way to go. But there was a woman who seemed to know. She did
-not speak to the people. She told a man that she was not a real
-woman, that she was a grain of corn, and that she had understanding
-of what they were to do. She told the man that they were upon an
-island in big waters, that they were put there so that they could
-dig through the earth and could get out.
-
-These people who were taken under the ground by Mice were grains of
-corn. Now they had turned to people. The long-nosed Mouse now spoke
-to the woman, and said, “Some of the people will have to remain in
-this water, for we can not cross this big water unless some do.”
-The Mouse then told a man to get into the water. When the man got
-into the water he turned into a long gar-pike. It now swam across
-the big water, but failed to reach the land. So the Mouse commanded
-one of the women to get into the water and to swim and join the
-gar-pike in the water. Now, there was a bridge across the big
-water. The two fish became tired and gave way, so that some of the
-people fell into the big water, and turned into fish. The others
-went on.
-
-After they had gone upon the mainland the people began to pick up
-flint stones and use them to cut with. But another thing happened:
-There was darkness upon the earth. Some of the people could see
-plainly in the dark. These people did not know what to do, but the
-Mouse led the people through the darkness, and led them out from
-the thick timber. The people who were left in the timber turned to
-Owls.
-
-The people went out of the timber and again there was trouble, for
-there was an earthquake. The land opened, and took some people into
-the ground. It left a deep chasm, so that the people were not able
-to move on. The Bear went to the chasm and made steps on each side,
-so that the people went down and climbed up on the other side.
-
-Now they traveled west. Again there was trouble. Thick timber was
-in the way. The Mouse called on the gods. A Whirlwind came and
-made a pathway through the timber. The Whirlwind did not hurt the
-people, although it was mad, for the powers had not called on it
-for help.
-
-Now they went on until they came to muddy water, in what is known
-as “Pawnee” country. Here they found many things to wear and to
-eat. The first bow was then made. The long-nosed Mouse died and the
-people skinned it, leaving the skull in the skin. The Bear then
-died, and its skull was also taken from it. So also with the Mole,
-the Badger, and the Fox. These were wrapped up in a bundle and when
-the Pawnee invited them to attend the bundle ceremony they went
-and received their ceremony. Mother-Corn and also a ceremony were
-given to them. All the bundles received their rituals, each being
-different from the others.
-
-While they had their village here the Arikara dressed the ear of
-corn as a woman. They went down to the River and threw it in, the
-old men singing, “Mother, you are going to the island in the big
-water, where we came out. Find out for us what we are to do, and
-how we are to live. Come back to us and tell us how it was that we
-came here.” The corn drifted down the stream and disappeared.
-
-Many years afterwards the Arikara were living on the Muddy
-(Missouri) River, when, in the fall, there came a strange woman
-into the lodge where they were having a bundle ceremony. The people
-took no notice of the woman. The woman left the lodge and went to
-another lodge and took her seat under the bundle. The people in
-this lodge fed her, but they did not notice her any more than to
-feed her, as they would feed any other woman. She left and went to
-another bundle lodge, always taking her seat under the bundle. She
-went to all the bundles, but none of the people noticed her. She
-went to the last bundle, and as she entered, the people noticed her
-as a strange woman.
-
-She went to the altar and sat down under the bundle. The old man
-was told that a strange woman had come in. The old man took notice
-of her and recognized her. The old men were gathered and the
-ceremony that the people got from Muddy-River country was performed.
-
-This woman was sitting in front of the bundle. When the ceremony
-was gone through, the woman spoke, and said: “I have returned.
-I found out that you people came out from the ground. You met
-obstacles. You came through by the aid of the animals. You went
-to a strange country. You met difficulties. You overcame them by
-the power of the animals. It was all done through me, for the
-four world quarter gods are my father. I prayed to the gods and
-to Nesaru for help for you, so that your people would live. You
-threw me into the river and asked me to return. I have come to you
-again. I shall hereafter come to you in dreams, and tell you about
-these things that are in this bundle. I will be present with you
-always. I shall leave you words. Now, before I go to my fathers
-in the heavens, I want to tell you to tie me upon the bundle and
-give presents to it by clothing the ear of corn. In all of your
-ceremonies, always offer it some corn and meat. It will always
-gladden me to receive anything you people eat. I must go.”
-
-The woman disappeared, and there, where she sat, lay an ear of
-corn. People saw the corn. Other old men were sent for, so that
-they might also get an ear of corn to tie upon their bundles. But
-the people all blessed themselves with the corn that the woman had
-turned into. The people tied ears of corn upon their bundles. Some
-tied hides upon the corn and hung them up on the walls. This was
-done for the people who had given buffalo meat to the bundles.
-
-So the old woman disappeared; but the old men in the tribe claimed
-that the woman came to them in their dreams and taught them songs
-and how to make sacrifices of dried or fresh buffalo meat, and also
-the smoke ceremony.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[7] Told by Bear’s-Tail.
-
-
-
-
-7. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.[8]
-
-
-I sacrificed several buffalo to Mother-Corn. I used to sit and
-listen to the songs. Finally the old men gave me a seat with them,
-so I learned to sing the bundle songs. The old men then told us
-this story:
-
-A long time ago, the Arikara lived under the ground. There were
-four animals who looked with pity upon the people, and these
-animals agreed to take the people up on top of the earth. These
-animals were the long-nosed Mouse, the Mole, the Badger, and the
-Fox. The Fox was the messenger to the people to tell them of what
-the animals were doing. The Mole was the first to dig. He ran back,
-for he was blinded by the brightness of the sun. The animals went
-out. The people came out of the earth, the Fox being in the lead.
-As the people were coming out there was an earthquake. The Arikara
-came out. The other people were again held fast by the earth.
-
-These people who came out from the ground then journeyed west.
-They came to a place where the earth shook, so that there was a
-chasm or a steep bank. The people waited and cried. The Badger
-stepped forward and began digging, so that it made a pathway for
-the people. The people went across this place, and continued their
-journey.
-
-All through the journey Mother-Corn was absent, for she had gone
-into the heavens to ask the gods to let the people live. The
-obstructions that the people met were wonderful powers. This
-strange being was known as Sickness (Natogo). After all the people
-had passed the first obstacle they sat down and gave thanks and
-made offerings to the gods.
-
-Again they went upon their journey, and it stormed. In front of
-them was a river. They could not cross it, for it was very deep;
-but a Loon was sent by the gods. The Loon came to the people, and
-said: “Your mother is traveling in the heavens to help you. I was
-sent by the gods to open up this river, so you could cross and go
-on your journey.” The Loon flew across the river, flew back, then
-dived and came out on the other side of the river. The river was
-opened; it banked up on each side; the people crossed over and the
-waters came together again. Some people were left on the other side.
-
-Again they journeyed, and they came to a place where Mother-Corn
-stopped and said: “The big Black-Wind is angry, for we did not
-ask it to come with us, neither did we make it one of the gods to
-receive smoke. But,” said Mother-Corn, “the Black-Meteoric-Star
-understands this storm; it will help us.” Mother-Corn went on,
-and said: “Here we are. We must hurry, for the big Black-Wind
-is coming, taking everything it meets.” “There is a cedar tree.
-Get under that cedar tree. Get under that cedar tree,” said
-Mother-Corn. “The Black-Meteoric-Star placed it there. The Star
-stands solid, for its right leg is cedar; its left leg is stone.
-It can not be blown away. Get under its branches.” So the people
-crawled under its branches. The Black-Wind came and took many
-people, notwithstanding.
-
-The people came out, and they went on. They came to another
-difficulty—a steep mountain bank, and they stopped. The Bear came
-forth, and said, “I will go through this place first.” So the Bear
-went to digging steps for the people. Steps were made on both sides
-and the people went across.
-
-After they had been gone for some time, a Dog came up, and said:
-“Why did you people leave me behind? I shall be the one that you
-shall kill, and my meat shall be offered to the gods. I shall also
-fix it so that all animals shall make great medicine-men of you.
-My father is the Sun. He has given me all this power. I will give
-my power to all animals, then I will stay with the people, so they
-will not forget my promise to them.” The people were thankful to
-the Dog.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[8] Told by Four-Horns.
-
-
-
-
-8. THE ORIGIN OF THE AWAHO-BUNDLE PEOPLE.[9]
-
-
-We were told by old people that our people came out from the
-ground. There were some people who came out from the ground, for
-there was an earthquake. Some of the people were thrown out and put
-upon the surface of the earth. There were some who were cut off,
-so there was crying, wailing, and many noises. The heavens heard,
-saw the people’s distress, so the heavens sent Mother-Corn to them.
-When she came to them, under the earth, she had a robe about her
-shoulders. This robe was painted red. There were upon the robe five
-moons and one star.
-
-The people rejoiced when they saw Mother-Corn. She told them that
-she had come to lead them out from the earth; that on her robe she
-had had pictured the gods who had sent her and promised her help.
-She then turned around and spoke to the gods, asking them to make a
-way for the people to get on the earth. For several days the people
-waited, but no help came. At last a Badger came out, and said,
-“Mother, I will make a way for the people.” So the Badger began
-to dig and dug through the earth. The Sun saw the Badger come out,
-and said, “It is well. I will make your head black; also your fore
-legs, so that all people and animals will know that you are the one
-who dug for the people; and you shall also be a great burrower.”
-
-The people came out from the ground, led by Mother-Corn. The people
-were facing west, and then they walked westward. As they went on,
-they came to thick timber. They stopped. Crying and wailing went
-up from the people. Mother-Corn lifted up her voice to heaven,
-but there was no help. Out from the company flew a Screech-Owl,
-who said, “Mother-Corn, I will make a pathway for your people.”
-The Owl flew through the timber, and made a pathway, so that the
-people could go through. The Owl and the Whirlwind are enemies. The
-Whirlwind left sickness, while the Owl gave roots and herbs to cure
-diseases.
-
-The people went on farther, and a cry was raised,—“He is coming! He
-is after us!” It was a wonderful animal, known as “Cut-Nose.” This
-was an animal that had been a man, and he had gotten away from the
-people, but he was now trying to kill these people. His horns were
-long, and they seemed to touch the heavens. The people ran until
-they came to a chasm which they could not cross. Mother-Corn called
-on the heavens for help. The people began to cry and wail. For
-seven days the people stood. At last a bird came, and said, “I will
-do my part.” The bird flew through the bank, and came out on the
-other side. The Mole then came and tried, but did not succeed. Now
-the Badger was again called on, and he it was who made the banks to
-fall on each side, so that the people crossed.
-
-After the people had crossed, there was rejoicing; but as they
-went on they came to another obstacle. There was wide, thick ice
-and deep water. Birds of every description tried to make a way for
-the people, but their power failed them. The birds faced the ice
-and water, but with no result. Up in the heavens was seen a bird
-that circled around until finally it flew downward and struck the
-waters, and it broke the ice. As it came towards the people, the
-bird said: “Mother-Corn, I shall make a way for your people. They
-shall cross this big lake and they shall continue the journey.” The
-Loon then dove, and wherever it went, the ice and the water were
-thrown far away. There was now dry land, so that the people crossed
-over.
-
-The Loon spoke to Mother-Corn, and said: “This is your last
-obstacle. You shall meet no more.” Mother-Corn began to teach
-the people ceremonies and rituals, after they had crossed, even
-giving the people things to put in bundles. When the things were
-together the people went through a ceremony. Corn was lacking
-for Mother-Corn, and Mother-Corn herself said: “Let us wait till
-to-night. You shall have a Mother-Corn, and you shall wrap her
-in a bundle. She will hear your prayer, and she will keep you
-from diseases and give you plenty in your fields.” That night
-Mother-Corn disappeared; but under the bundle was an ear of corn
-wrapped in a robe that Mother-Corn had had. She had taken and
-washed it with sweet flowers.
-
-As they went on they found where the other bands had camped. They
-picked up and ate what meat had been offered as a sacrifice to the
-gods.
-
-“Awaho” means “left,” “deserted,” for this band was left, and was
-the last people to come out from the ground. So they were called
-“Awaho.”
-
-The other bands had gone ahead a long distance. When the Awaho band
-reached the place where the other bands had camped, they found bits
-of meat that had been offered to the gods. This is the way the
-people secured their food.
-
-When the Awaho people made a sacrifice of meat they took a piece
-off and buried it, eating what remained. The ceremony of burying
-the piece of meat was to teach the others that this band was at
-first covered up and was under the earth. These last people, the
-Awaho, who came out from the earth, knew all the ceremonies and
-taught them to the others. As they went on, these people were
-attacked by enemies and they were nearly all killed; but the
-keeper of the bundle hid it under a bank. The bundle was wrapped
-up with calfskin. After the people had gone into camp, the women
-begged that they might get the bundle. So a man went with them,
-and they got the bundle. A ceremony was performed to purify the
-contents of the bundle. A wooden bowl of water and a bundle of
-yellow flowers were used to cleanse the sacred objects. The flowers
-were dipped into the water; then they shook the flowers over the
-fire and dropped a few drops; then the flowers were made to touch
-the contents of the bundle. The people then ran down to the river
-and bathed. The next day sacrifices of meat were made, for now
-the people and the bundle were cleansed. These were the first
-ceremonies given by these people.
-
-We are told by old people that Nesaru made the people; that the
-people were bad, and that they were destroyed. But Nesaru made some
-animals to take kernels of corn under the ground. These kernels
-had been people, and were turned to corn by Nesaru. In this way
-the people lived under the earth for many years. This is why the
-animals brought them out from the ground and why they were led,
-with the consent of the other gods, by Mother-Corn, who was sent
-by a god in the heavens, who had a field of corn.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[9] Told by Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-9. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.[10]
-
-
-Many, many years ago the Arikara, according to their traditions,
-were journeying west, when they were told by Mother-Corn, who had
-led them out of the ground, that in time they must dress her up and
-put her into the river; and, as they should put her into the river,
-the priest should say, “Mother, make haste and return to us.” For
-many years the Arikara continued to journey west, until at last
-they made a permanent village of earth-lodges upon the Missouri
-River, opposite the city of Washburn.
-
-The old men thought that it was now time to send Mother-Corn down
-the stream. She was to go to the place from whence the Arikara
-originally had come, and if there were rituals and ceremonies or
-medicines that had been left behind, Mother-Corn was taken from the
-bundle and painted. A dress of tanned buffalo hide was wrapped and
-tied about the middle of the Mother-Corn.
-
-While the painting and dressing of Mother-Corn was going on, the
-crier went through the village, telling the people that Mother-Corn
-was going to leave them for a period of time; and that she was
-going to the place from whence their forefathers had come; and
-that the Arikara people must all bring old moccasins for their
-little children; and that these must be placed with Mother-Corn,
-so that she might carry the old moccasins to the place whence the
-people had come, so that the young ones might grow up in life
-as the Arikara people had grown through their journey, meeting
-different obstacles, and finally settling down into a village;
-that the children might grow up; that although difficulties might
-beset their daily walks, they might overcome them by the power of
-Mother-Corn, and grow up to be strong men and women.
-
-[Rituals were now recited by Standing-Bull, which were the same
-as those recited when they were painting the chief.] After the
-reciting of the rituals the people took up Mother-Corn and took
-her down to the river. All the people turned out to witness the
-act. But before the priests threw Mother-Corn into the river, her
-head upstream and her feet downstream, the children’s moccasins
-were tied about her waist. The people offered their prayers
-to Mother-Corn, and after praying they all began to cry. But
-Mother-Corn had disappeared in the Missouri River, and had gone
-with the current.
-
-Many years afterwards, a woman returned to the village of the
-Arikara, and as the bundle ceremonies were being given the woman
-visited these ceremonies. At last, when she visited one ceremony, a
-man recognized her as Mother-Corn. He placed her under the bundle.
-She let them know that she was Mother-Corn, and she taught them
-many ceremonies and songs that night, and she said that she always
-would be present with them; that she would never forget them; and
-that the gods in the heavens had promised her and her people length
-of life. That night Mother-Corn disappeared, and she has never been
-seen since.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[10] Told by Standing-Bull.
-
-
-
-
-10. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.[11]
-
-
-In olden times during time of need, it was the custom of the
-Arikara to have a ceremony in which some old man would make
-offerings to the gods and to the Mother-Corn. It seems that in
-this ceremony all the old men who were offering smoke wanted the
-Mother-Corn to come, so that they might have plenty of corn, for it
-was planting season.
-
-Mother-Corn was pleased to have smoke with the people. She started
-from the east to visit these people, and came to many other camps,
-and finally came to these people. She went into the medicine-lodge,
-and all the people followed her in. She spoke to them and the
-people cried for joy. The woman was pretty. The people brought her
-all kinds of food, but she would not eat. She told them the only
-thing she could eat was a bird, such as a chicken or duck. She
-stayed with the people many days and taught them many lessons. But
-the people were now hungry for meat, for the buffalo roamed far
-away from them. They had plenty of corn, and yet they liked to have
-meat, but all the animals were now scarce. One wise old man took a
-sacred pipe and laid it before the Mother-Corn for an aid, because
-he knew that she had all power from Nesaru.
-
-Mother-Corn was much pleased to smoke with them and to offer smoke
-offerings to the father. Then she asked certain women to make
-moccasins for her, and they did so. The people gathered together
-in the medicine-lodge, while Mother-Corn sat on the altar. She put
-on one pair of moccasins and arose. She walked very slowly and
-when she had gone about twenty steps her moccasins were worn out.
-Then she sat down, put on another pair and walked again. When she
-had walked about twenty steps her moccasins gave out again and she
-tried the third pair, but they too wore out. She put on the fourth
-pair, and that pair brought her back to the altar. Her walk around
-the fireplace meant that she had walked a long way off in the west,
-and that the way was very hard. At last she told the people that
-she had seen some buffalo; that in four days they were to be seen.
-The men watched every day after that, and early in the morning of
-the fourth day the buffalo were seen.
-
-The men went out and killed many buffalo on that day and there
-was plenty of meat. Thus, much respect and honor was paid to
-Mother-Corn. After some days another party went on a buffalo hunt,
-but Mother-Corn stayed with those who stayed in the village. It
-was not many days until enemies attacked the village. But what few
-men were there fought very hard, and at last they were driven out
-of the village. They took Mother-Corn out of the medicine-lodge,
-but before she escaped she was killed, causing great grief among
-the people. The Arikara were defeated on that day. They took
-Mother-Corn and buried her. From the place where she was laid,
-grass, weeds, bushes, trees, and almost everything sprang up. When
-the people who had gone out on the buffalo hunt came back they were
-much grieved and troubled on account of the loss of Mother-Corn.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[11] Told by Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-11. HOW THE PEOPLE ESCAPED THE BUFFALO.[12]
-
-
-A long time ago, when the people came out through the ground,
-a woman led them through the country. This woman was known as
-“Mother.” The people were human beings, and they had among them all
-kinds of animals, except the buffalo. The people traveled over the
-land, and as they went by a large lake a monster came out from the
-lake, which looked like a buffalo, for it had horns.
-
-The people ran, crying that this animal was coming. They said this
-animal was what they called “Cut-Nose”. The animal kept coming, and
-at the same time there seemed to come out from under him buffalo.
-The buffalo caught up with them and they killed some of the people.
-The people made canyons behind, so that the buffalo could not
-cross, and thus they escaped the buffalo at this time.
-
-While they were going on, a Whirlwind came. The people prayed to
-Mother to help them, and she turned around and told them to give
-presents and smoke to the Whirlwind. The Whirlwind scattered some
-of the people over the country. The crowd went on again.
-
-While they were going on, again a noise was heard from behind
-and the people said, “The buffalo are coming after us again, and
-Cut-Nose is in the lead.” The people ran until they came to a big
-timber, which was very thick. The Owl came, and tried to make a
-path for the people through the timber, but he failed. The people
-cried for help. The Badger worked a little, digging through the
-ground, but it also failed. The people then looked around for help.
-The Coyote and the Dog came, and they opened a way through the
-timber.
-
-These people went on, and again they looked around, and they saw
-the buffalo coming on again. The buffalo ran after the people,
-Cut-Nose with them, and they began to kill the people. The people
-came to deep water. There was no crossing, and the buffalo were
-killing them. They called on the Mother for help. The Dogs came,
-and said, “We will try to make a pathway through this water for the
-people,” but the Dogs failed. The Loons came. They made an opening
-through the waters, and the people passed through, and the buffalo
-were left on the other side.
-
-The people after crossing this big water went on, and again they
-looked, and there was Cut-Nose coming with the buffalo. The people
-ran. They came to a canyon. The people prayed to Mother to make a
-pathway. She called on the Kingfisher, who struck the bank on each
-side, but failed. The Mole came, struck the bank, and failed. The
-Badger then came and dug on each side of the bank. The banks fell,
-and thus a pathway was formed for the people. They went across, and
-by this canyon they made their village.
-
-There Mother held ceremonies for the different bundles. Other
-people had also received bundles, but no ceremony. The Awaho bundle
-people were the last to come, and they were the last to receive all
-the ceremonies from Mother, so that these people understood all the
-ceremonies. They were known as “Awaho” (Left-Behind), for these
-people, it seems, had been left behind when the people had come
-out from the ground. So, as the Awaho people went west, following
-up the trail, they found, when they reached the camp sites of the
-other people, meat offerings to the different gods. There was
-nothing left behind by the other people that the Awaho people were
-afraid to pick up, for they claimed to be under the protection of
-the gods, and therefore had a right to all the things that are
-offered to the gods. So the word “Awaho” means “Left-Behind.”
-Also, it means that they may take and cook again, and eat any meat
-offering to the gods that has been left behind. Other people who
-had bundles could not do this. They were afraid to touch meat that
-had already been offered to the gods.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[12] Told by Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-12. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.[13]
-
-
-A young man went into a village in the night, and he heard the
-people talking. He could understand their talking, and by peeping
-into their tipi, he found out that they were Buffalo people.
-They were talking about killing the people. So the young man
-investigated. He climbed up on a high arbor that was in front of
-the tipi, and there he took hold of a human head. He felt around
-over the place and he found human meat. He climbed down from this
-place, and went to one of the large tipis, and here the people
-said, “We will soon do what we are to do. We will get these people
-out of the ground, and we will kill them.” Now the young man hid.
-
-By the side of the hole where the people were to come out there
-was a cut in the side of a steep bank, so that, as the people were
-coming out of the hole, the bulls circled around them and drove the
-people up into the cut, where they hooked them and killed them. The
-young man saw the people, men, women, and children running to the
-cut, and as they went they were singing and crying. The people were
-coming out from the ground.
-
-The young man felt sorry for the people, so that he went up among
-the hills. A strange man met him, and told him all about what was
-going on. He said: “These Buffalo have just started to eating
-people. I do not like it. Take this bow and these arrows, go to
-your home, select many young men and tell them to make bows and
-arrows. Lead them to this place, and kill and scatter the Buffalo
-so that they will not kill or eat any longer.”
-
-The man took the bow and arrows, and the strange man stopped
-talking. The man found out that the strange man who was talking to
-him was the bow and arrows themselves. The young man then went to
-the village. He called many young men together and told them to
-make bows and arrows.
-
-When the people had many bows and arrows the man led them to the
-place where the people came out from the ground. There the Buffalo
-were just trying to make the circle again around the hole, when
-these men attacked the Buffalo and commenced to kill them. Some of
-the Buffalo ran on to where the human meat was, and cried: “Get
-some of the meat and place it under your arm so that we can eat it
-whenever they let us alone.” But the people kept on killing, till
-they had scattered the Buffalo out. So they became buffalo and
-never ate the people any more.
-
-The young man saved the people, and these people came out from the
-ground and made their home close to the village; but finally the
-last people who came out from the ground went south, away around
-by the mountains. Later they came back to Dakota, and joined their
-brothers again, where they have been ever since.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[13] Told by Star.
-
-
-
-
-13. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.[14]
-
-
-A long time ago, while the Arikara lived together in the village,
-it was customary to hunt in the spring. The story I am about to
-tell was told to me by my father; for I was very small when this
-story was told by the priests:
-
-On one of these hunts, the people failed to find any buffalo. Women
-and children began to cry from hunger. The men took long journeys
-hunting buffalo, but they could not find any buffalo. At last the
-chief was approached by the women and asked to call on the priests
-for aid.
-
-The chief then took the sacred pipe from his bundle, filled it
-and took it to the lodge of the priests of the Knot-in-the-Tree
-(Critatao) bundle. The chief priest took the pipe, smoked it, and
-offered the smoke to the gods. After smoking, he said: “It is
-well. We will open the bundle and call on the gods to help us get
-buffalo. We will make an offering of gifts to the gods, so they
-will send buffalo.” The chief was glad, and went to his own tipi.
-The chief then called on the crier to tell all the people to be
-silent. The priest had his tipi cleaned and the bundle was taken
-down and the other priests were sent for. After the priests were
-seated and all the chiefs had entered, the priests took up the
-gourds and began to recite a ritual that had been given to the
-people by the Buffalo. After the giving of presents—native tobacco,
-black handkerchiefs, robes, and blankets—the priests stopped
-singing. The chief priest then went out and cut a long pole,
-brought it to the lodge and tied gifts upon the pole. The pole was
-then set in front of the lodge. Gifts were placed upon the pole for
-the southeast God, the southwest God, the northwest God, and the
-northeast God.
-
-Again a ritual was recited for the buffalo to come. As they recited
-the ritual the errand man stood by the pole and would strike at the
-pole with an ash stick that he had in his hand. “Come, buffalo,” he
-would say, at the same time striking the pole. “You spoke to our
-people and promised to come when the people were in need of food.”
-After reciting the ritual the priests recited other rituals.
-
-The buffalo came about three days after the ceremony. The chief
-ordered the crier to go through the village and let the men know
-that a whole buffalo was needed for the ceremony. The men went out,
-and a whole buffalo was brought into the ceremonial lodge. All the
-people were then invited, and the old priest told the people the
-following story:
-
-There was a village of Buffalo. They were human, but had horns.
-When the Buffalo wanted meat they met in a tipi where there was the
-sacred bundle known as Knot-in-the-Tree. In this tipi a ritual was
-recited. It took them four days and four nights. The third night,
-the Buffalo gathered about the tipi where the ritual was recited.
-The fourth day, the four Buffalo who sat singing the ritual arose
-and went to the side of a hollow cottonwood tree that stood by the
-side of a steep bank. By the tree was an ash pole. Here the whole
-village of Buffalo stood around the hollow tree. Another ritual was
-recited, then the pole was taken up and the tree was struck three
-times. The fourth time, the people were heard crying, and some were
-singing. The first to come out was a man by the name of Cut-Nose
-(Kritstaricuts). This man seemed to be wonderful, for he always
-escaped his enemies. Next came a multitude of people. They escaped
-and ran over the prairie, the Buffalo killing them. Cut-Nose ran
-and returned to the hollow tree and crawled in, when the flood of
-people stopped coming out. The people were killed, and were taken
-to the tipis, where they were cut up, and their meat was placed
-upon the arbor they had built.
-
-In one of these runs there was one boy among the people who was
-very handsome. A Buffalo cow chased the boy away out among the
-hills, but finally gave him up. The boy kept on running until he
-came to a deep ravine. There was a thick bush of dogwood covered
-with grapevines, in which the boy hid. Now and then the boy would
-go hunting, killing small birds for his food.
-
-One day, as the boy was crossing a ravine, he saw sitting on the
-side of a hill a fine-looking woman. The woman’s hair was not
-braided, and she wore a buffalo robe. The robe looked white. There
-was a peculiar look about her that attracted the young man. The
-woman arose and started west. The young man followed. Towards
-evening the young man came to a bottom land, and there he saw a
-fine tipi. The young man went to the tipi, and there in the tipi
-sat the same woman. The woman spoke to the young man, and said,
-“Come in.” The young man went into the tipi and sat down. The young
-man was hungry, and looked at the woman pitifully. The woman put
-her hand under her robe and pulled out a lump of pemmican. She
-handed the pemmican to the boy, and the boy ate the pemmican. When
-he was filled he hid the pemmican under his arm. The woman spoke to
-the boy, and said, “You may lie with me; cover yourself with part
-of my robe.” So the boy lay down and went to sleep. When he woke up
-the woman was sitting by him, but there was no tipi. The woman then
-talked to the boy, and said: “I ran after you, but I did not intend
-to kill you. My people are Buffalo, and there is a way for them
-to become real animals. I selected you to be the one to turn them
-to buffalo, and then my people will not eat your people any more.
-My father is the chief of the Buffalo, and I learned by listening
-how your people can be saved. I want you to go with me to where
-my people are, and you will learn how my people kill your people.
-We must go and pass between the bulls who are stationed upon high
-hills. There are four circles of Buffalo bulls. We will have to
-pass through these stations unobserved.”
-
-They began the journey, and they went between the Buffalo bulls
-who were stationed as sentinels. They went through all the circles
-of the Buffalo, and now the next thing was to enter the tipi where
-the ceremonies were held, for this was the place where the woman’s
-father lived. The woman covered the young man with her robe and
-they entered the tipi. Some of the Buffalo in the tipi, who were
-awake, said, “I smell human flesh,” but others said, “It is because
-we have just had a killing.” So nothing more was said about the
-smell of human flesh. The next day the boy was covered with buffalo
-robes, and, as all of the Buffalo went out, the boy felt safe.
-
-In the evening the Buffalo came back to the lodge. They were human,
-only they had horns and tails. These people brought in fresh meat
-and it was the human meat. Now they cooked the meat and ate. After
-eating they lighted the fire. It died out, then the girl said, “Let
-us go out, I want to show you something.” So they went out. The boy
-saw arbors everywhere in the village. The girl told him to climb
-upon one of these arbors, and he did so. There he saw fresh meat
-of human and some bodies not yet cut up. The boy was scared. He
-told the Buffalo woman that he did not want to go into the tipi any
-more. The woman said: “Now you have seen bodies of people. These
-people eat your people, and for this reason I have brought you here
-to help your people, so they can overcome the Buffalo and kill
-them. When your people have killed the Buffalo and have driven
-them far, then they will eat of the grass which Nesaru intended
-that they should eat.” The woman continued, and said: “Then your
-people will come out of the ground, and you will teach them the
-ceremony the Buffalo used to sing before they went out to kill
-you. Come, go with me into the timber. You must make many bows and
-arrows.” So they went into the timber, and the woman said: “Now you
-remain here. Do not be afraid, for the Buffalo are now going to sit
-and sing the songs, calling your people together where the tree is.
-Come, now go with me to where your people come out.”
-
-They went, and there stood an old hollow cottonwood tree. Near its
-base was a knot where there was a hole. Lying by the tree was an
-ash stick, about six or seven feet long, and about eight inches in
-diameter. “Now,” said the woman, “do you see the stick? That stick
-is what makes the people come out of that hole. You shall use that
-stick, only do as I tell you, and you will be successful. Cut-Nose
-is the one who sits at the entrance, so when the Buffalo gather
-about the tree, he is the first to come out. He gets away. The
-Buffalo do not try to kill him, for he helps the Buffalo.”
-
-So the young man lay down in the timber, while the woman returned
-to the camp. When it was daylight he began to make bows and arrows.
-He made many. Every night the woman would come to visit him. She
-gave him buffalo meat. Thus the young man stayed in the timber and
-kept on making bows and arrows. Often the boy went into the village
-with the woman and listened to the singing of the Buffalo. The
-woman told the young man to hurry in making the bows, for it was
-nearly time for the ceremony to be over, then the Buffalo would
-march out where the tree stood. The young man now hurried to make
-the bows and arrows. For two days the ceremony was kept up, the
-singing continuing all night. The third day the boy had many bows
-and arrows completed. The woman came in the night and gave the boy
-long sinew strings for the bows. The boy put the strings upon the
-bows and now the weapons were completed. The woman took the boy
-into the camp, and there he heard singing. At the end of every
-tenth song the singing was stopped. In a little while the singing
-would be resumed. Now the woman told the boy that the next morning
-they would have to return to the timber and bring the bows and
-arrows.
-
-The next morning they went and brought the bows and arrows and
-placed them at the foot of the tree, the bows already strung, and
-the arrows with the bows. “Now,” said the woman, “as soon as you
-see the Buffalo coming towards the tree, you run up to the tree
-three times, and you will hear shouting. As soon as you hear
-shouting, wailing and screaming, pick up the bows and arrows and
-give them to the men and tell them to shoot at the Buffalo. Do not
-give any bows and arrows to the first man who comes out, for his
-name is Cut-Nose, and he it is who helps the Buffalo. Give out
-the bows and arrows, then pick up your own and go to killing the
-Buffalo. As soon as the Buffalo see that your people are killing
-them they will run. Keep right after them, and scatter them as much
-as possible.” The boy placed all the bows around the tree. Then he
-and the woman hid under the bank.
-
-As the sun was coming up in the east the rattles were laid down.
-Singing was stopped. There was mourning; everybody seemed to be
-crying. Then the Buffalo all came to the ceremonial lodge and
-stood around until the four priests came out, who walked towards
-the tree. The young man jumped out from his hiding place. The
-first man, whose name was Cut-Nose, came out with a war-whoop. The
-people came up next in the hollow tree. There seemed to be a strong
-current coming out from the hollow tree, blowing the people up
-and out of the tree. But as the people came out, especially men,
-this young man picked up bows and arrows, and placed them in the
-men’s hands, and said: “Make haste; shoot the Buffalo. Kill them.
-Do not be afraid of them.” As each of the men came out, the young
-man handed him bow and arrows, and told him to shoot and kill the
-Buffalo. It was not long until the young man had a large company of
-men with bows and arrows killing the Buffalo. As the Buffalo ran
-towards their village some one shouted and said: “Get some of the
-meat! Carry it with you, and whenever we stop running we can have
-something to eat!” So the Buffalo people ran and picked up human
-meat and each placed the meat they picked up, under the arm, and
-ran. The human meat that they placed under their arms became a part
-of their flesh, for the people ran after them so closely that they
-finally became buffalo. (This is the reason why the Arikara used to
-cut the meat from under the shoulder and throw it away. This meat
-the Arikara would not eat.)
-
-The young man and the Buffalo woman now went to the tipi of the
-bundle and took the bundle. The people came back and burned
-everything that was in the village. Then they made a new camp and
-the Buffalo woman, who was now married to the young man, taught the
-people the songs and ceremony that go with the bundle. So these
-people became a part of the Arikara.
-
- * * * * *
-
-When this story is told, everybody keeps quiet.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[14] Told by Snowbird.
-
-
-
-
-14. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.[15]
-
-
-In olden times, when the people lived upon the Missouri River,
-there was a village. In this village there were two girls who, in
-the night, slept outside of their lodge on an arbor. As they lay
-upon the arbor one night they were talking about the different
-young men in the tribe whom they liked. One of them spoke of liking
-a certain young man, while the other girl said she did not like any
-one of the young men in the tribe. She looked into the sky. She
-saw a bright, red star in the heavens towards the east. She said,
-“There stands the star I like, and if that star were here upon the
-earth I would marry him.” The girls then went to sleep.
-
-In the morning they arose and went after water. As they were coming
-back, they saw a porcupine. The girls ran after it and tried to
-kill it. One of them said she wanted to get the porcupine, for she
-did not have enough quills to do some of her work. The porcupine
-got to a cottonwood tree that was near the river. The girl climbed
-up after it. The other girl wanted to go home and get an axe, so
-that they might chop the tree down, but this particular girl who
-had said she liked the star, said, “No, I can climb.” She climbed
-the tree.
-
-As the girl climbed up the tree the tree grew higher. The girl
-disappeared, so the girl on the ground went home and told what had
-happened. The girl kept on climbing for the porcupine until she
-reached another world. When the girl came into the other world she
-recognized that she was in a strange country, and she began to cry.
-
-The porcupine had turned into a man. The man spoke to the girl, and
-said: “Why do you cry? I am the Star that you saw and that you said
-you liked. I went down after you. I turned myself into a porcupine
-and you came after me, and now you are here in my home.” The girl
-saw that the man was not young, but middle-aged, though he was very
-handsome. She stayed with him and liked him, but the man kept going
-away every night. She cried every night, for she wanted to return
-to her people.
-
-Many years afterward she gave birth to a male child. When the child
-was born his mother found the picture of a star upon his forehead.
-This woman told her husband one time that her son wanted some wild
-turnips and that she wanted to go and dig some. The man told her
-that it was very well for her to go and dig these turnips, but that
-she must not go to the valleys to dig them, but she must go to high
-places. While she was out digging these turnips she thought about
-her people and she began to cry. Then she went to the valley and
-dug into the ground to get a turnip. Her digging-stick ran through
-the earth. She removed the dirt, looked down, and there saw the
-people underneath. She then knew that she was far away from her
-people.
-
-She covered the place and began to cry. While she was crying,
-she heard the voice of a woman calling her. The voice said, “My
-daughter, why are you crying?” She said: “I am crying for my
-people, for they are far away below us. I was brought up by my
-husband, who is a Star.” The woman told the girl not to cry, for
-she would help her. She took the girl to her cave in the side of
-a cliff, and there she confronted her. She told her to tell her
-husband that when he went to kill buffalo he must take all of the
-sinews from one whole buffalo, and that when she got these sinews
-she must bring them to her; that she would make a sinew string that
-would reach to the ground below.
-
-The girl went home. She told her husband that she wanted to do much
-sewing, and that she needed sinew, and she wanted him to get all
-the sinew that was in a buffalo, so she could have many sinews and
-would not have to ask him for any more. The man went hunting. He
-killed a buffalo. He took all the sinews he could find. He forgot,
-however, to get the two sinews that are in the shoulder-blade of
-the buffalo. He brought the sinews to his wife, and gave them to her.
-
-One time when the man was away she took the sinews to the old woman
-and gave them to her. The old woman was glad. She said: “Now go
-to your home, and remain there. I am to make a string, and when
-it is complete I shall let you know, so that you then can go to
-your people.” The girl went home and stayed, but once in a while
-she visited the old woman’s dwelling place, and she saw the piles
-of string that the woman was making. As soon as the old woman had
-completed the string she told the girl, and said that the girl
-must come to her place when her husband was away. The young girl
-had also made a long string of sinew, but it was separate from the
-string that the old woman had made. This she carried herself when
-she went to the old woman’s place.
-
-They now went to the valley, and there dug a hole, large enough for
-her with her boy on her back to go through. After this was done she
-went to her home, put the child upon her back, covered it with her
-robe, then tied the robe about her breast. She went to the place.
-The old woman had brought a large-sized stick, which was laid
-across the hole, and the sinew was tied to the pole. The girl tied
-the sinew about her body and covered her hands with a part of her
-robe. She slipped down, down, down the string and after a time she
-found herself at the end of the string. The earth was still far
-away. She took her own string and tied it to the string that she
-was tied to. She fastened herself to the other string after untying
-herself from the main string, and slid down upon it. She slid down
-until she had reached the end of the string, and she was at the
-height of the highest tree from the ground. She saw that she could
-not get down, so she made a loop and put her foot in it so that she
-stood upon the string, and there she hung.
-
-When the woman’s husband came home he found her missing. He went
-out to hunt for her. After a time he came to the place where the
-hole was, and there he saw the woman hanging on the string. He went
-and took up a little stone, about the size of his thumb. He took
-this to the place where the hole was dug. He placed the stone on
-the string, then said, “Now I want you to slide down on the string
-and hit the woman upon the head and kill her, but do not harm my
-boy.” As he let go of the stone a sound was heard like that of
-thunder. The stone slipped down upon the string and struck the
-woman on the top of the head and killed her. As the woman fell down
-towards the earth the boy slipped out from the robe upon the back
-of the woman and fell on the ground, but was not hurt.
-
-The boy stayed around where the woman was lying, for he was now
-about five or six years old. He would go off from his mother during
-the day and in the evening he would come back, crawl under the
-robe, and nurse at his mother’s breast. He did this for many days.
-At last the boy had to leave her, so he went on west from where his
-mother lay. He came to a patch of squash and also to a cornfield.
-This he went through, taking corn from the stalks and eating it raw.
-He returned to his mother and sat there.
-
-In the morning, the owner of the field, who was an old woman, went
-into her field, and there she saw a child’s footprints. She was so
-glad to see the footprints that she went home and made a small bow
-and some arrows. She also made a small shinny ball, and a stick.
-The old woman thought if this child was a girl it would choose the
-shinny ball and stick, and if it was a boy it would choose the bow
-and arrows. In this way she thought she could tell whether the
-child was a boy or a girl. The old woman made these things, and
-took them into the field and left them there.
-
-The next day, the boy went back into the field. There he saw these
-things upon the ground. When he saw the bow and arrows he jumped
-at them and picked them up. When he had picked them up he went
-through the squash field and began to shoot at the squash. The
-old woman came upon the boy and caught him. She called him her
-grandson, and told him that she had been waiting for him for a long
-time. She took the boy home.
-
-The boy was satisfied to be with his grandmother. His grandmother,
-before she went into the field, used to roast a lot of corn. Then
-she scattered this corn in her lodge, then would go out hallooing,
-and say, “Blackbirds, come and eat of this corn that I have
-prepared for you.” The blackbirds would come in flocks and enter
-the lodge, and there they would eat the corn that she had scattered
-over the ground in the lodge. Then the old woman would go into her
-field and would leave the boy at home. Sometimes the boy went out
-to hunt rabbits and little birds. In the evening, when the old
-woman came home from the field, she used to take a lot of corn and
-put it in her corn mortar and pound it. She made mush out of the
-pounded corn. There was a curtain of buffalo hide in the lodge. The
-old woman, after she had made the mush would place a bowl of it
-behind the buffalo hide curtain. Why she did this the boy did not
-know.
-
-One day when the old woman had gone out to feed the blackbirds,
-the boy began to roast some corn. After he had got a big pile
-roasted he went out and yelled, and said, “Come, blackbirds, I have
-prepared for you the corn that my grandmother told me to prepare;
-come and eat!” The blackbirds came in flocks into the lodge. The
-boy went out and stopped the smokehole with a piece of buffalo
-hide, then went into the entrance and stopped up the passageway
-with a dry buffalo hide, so that the birds could not go out. The
-boy then picked up a club and said: “Blackbirds, I am going to kill
-you all, for you have been eating my grandmother’s corn all this
-time. You shall not eat my grandmother’s corn any more.” So the boy
-began to run around in the lodge after the birds, hitting them with
-the club and killing them. He killed all of them, and placed them
-in a pile.
-
-When the grandmother came home the boy said, “Grandmother, I have
-killed all these blackbirds that have been eating your corn all
-this time; they shall not eat your corn any more.” The old woman
-appeared glad. She told the boy that he had done right in killing
-the birds. The boy said, “You may cook the blackbirds, a few at
-a time.” The old woman really was not glad, for these blackbirds
-guarded her field for her. She owned these blackbirds. She placed
-them upon her robe and took them out. She brought them to life
-again, and said: “My blackbirds, fly away.” The old woman returned
-to the lodge.
-
-The old woman then told the boy that he must go into the timber and
-cut a good-sized ash and some dogwood. The boy went and brought
-back the ash and the dogwood to the old woman. The old woman
-scraped on the ash wood, cutting it the right length for the bow
-and the right length for the arrow sticks. She then told the boy
-to go west of her lodge and to throw the arrows into a pond that
-he would come to. The old woman told the boy that when he should
-throw these sticks into the water he should say, “Grandfather, I
-want the strongest bow that you can give me, and I want wonderful
-arrows with it.” So the boy took up the sticks and went west from
-the lodge. He came to the pond. He threw the sticks into the water,
-and said, “Grandfather, give me the strongest bow that you can give
-me, and wonderful arrows.” Then the boy returned into the lodge.
-The next morning, the boy went down to the pond, and there he found
-a black bow and four black arrows. These he picked up, then he went
-home.
-
-The boy went to hunt every day, for now he had a good bow and good
-arrows. One day the boy saw the old woman place a bowl of mush
-behind the buffalo curtain. When she went out to her field, the boy
-wanted to see what made the old woman place the mush behind the
-curtain, for each time she pulled out the wooden bowl that had held
-the mush, the mush was gone. The boy went to the curtain, lifted it
-up, and there he saw a serpent, with its big eyes looking at him.
-The boy then said: “Ah! I see now! You are the one that eats all
-my grandmother’s mush.” The boy took his bow and arrows and shot
-the serpent in the head and killed it. The serpent made one great,
-big noise, fell back, then slipped down into the pond. After the
-serpent had slipped down into the pond the water spread out and
-formed a lake.
-
-When the old woman came home, the boy said, “Grandmother, I have
-killed the big monster that was lying behind the curtain, for he
-was eating all your mush.” The old woman said: “My grandson, you
-did right. I am glad you killed him. He has gone back into the
-lake, where he will always remain.” The old woman really was not
-glad, but mad, in her heart, for she now saw that the boy had
-supernatural powers. She wanted the boy killed. She did not let
-this be known, for she decided that she would send him to the place
-where her wild animals were stationed. When the boy was gone the
-old woman cried and mourned for her husband, who was the serpent.
-She said (without the boy hearing), “My grandson, you have killed
-your grandfather.”
-
-The next day, when the old woman was ready to go to her cornfield,
-she told the boy that he must not go to a certain place, for the
-place was dangerous. After the old woman had gone into the field
-the boy went to the place where the old woman told him not to
-go, and there he went around looking for the dangerous place. He
-finally saw a mountain-lion coming towards him, ready to leap upon
-him, but he gave a command for the mountain-lion to stop, and the
-mountain-lion obeyed. The boy went and led the mountain-lion to the
-old woman’s lodge. He told the old woman to come out, that he had
-an animal for her which she could ride when she went off to her
-field. She told the boy she was glad he had brought the animal,
-but she whispered to herself, “Well, you must be a wonderful boy,
-but you shall be killed.” She then took the animal into the brush
-and told it to go away, for the boy was wonderful and might kill
-him. As the old woman was going towards the lodge she whispered to
-herself, “You must be a wonderful boy, but I will send you to a
-place where you can not kill my animals.”
-
-The old woman then told the boy that he must not go to a certain
-mountainous place, for the place was dangerous. The boy went,
-notwithstanding. There he found the cinnamon bear coming to attack
-him. He commanded the bear to stand still and do nothing. The bear
-obeyed. The boy then caught the bear by the ear and led it into the
-old woman’s lodge. He said: “Grandmother, I have an animal for you
-that is very tame. You can ride it, and you can have it to help you
-clear your field.” The old woman appeared to be glad, but she was
-not. She took the bear, led it into the timber, and told it to go
-away, for the boy was wonderful and might kill it.
-
-The old woman then told the boy that he must not go into the southwest
-country; that there were four wonderful men there. The boy went,
-though, and he saw the four wonderful men killing buffalo. These men
-looked up, and said: “Here comes Old-Woman’s-Grandson. He is a
-wonderful boy.” The boy got to where the men were skinning a buffalo
-cow, and, as the entrails were taken out, the boy saw that the cow
-had a calf in her and that the men were taking it out. The youngest
-man picked the calf up, and said, “Old-Woman’s-Grandson, take this
-to your grandmother.” The boy jumped away from it, for he was scared.
-When the youngest of the men found out that the boy was afraid of the
-calf he kept on trying to get it near him. Old-Woman’s-Grandson kept
-running from the calf, until he came to a tree. He climbed the tree.
-The young man placed the calf on the forks of the tree, so that the
-boy could not get down. The men then went home with their meat. The
-boy stayed in the tree many days, and nearly starved, when one of the
-men came, and said, “Old-Woman’s-Grandson, if you will promise your
-grandmother to us, I will take this calf down.” The boy said, “I
-promise.” So the man took the fœtus down.
-
-The boy came down from the tree and went home. The old woman, when
-she saw the boy coming back, said that she was glad to see him
-again, for she thought that he had been killed. She asked the boy
-where he had been, and what had kept him so long. He told her that
-the men had tried to kill him by placing the fœtus next to him.
-He also said that he had had to promise the men that they could
-have her if they would remove the fœtus from the tree; that he had
-promised and they had removed the fœtus. The old woman said that
-it was well, but that she had one thing to ask of them, and that
-was, that they should give the boy something in return for his
-grandmother. So the boy went and visited these men in their lodge.
-He said to the men: “What is it that you are to give me in return
-for my grandmother? My grandmother has consented to marry you men.”
-The men said, “We are to give you a bow and arrows.” The boy went
-home and told his grandmother that they were to give him a bow and
-arrows. The old woman said: “That is good. That is what I wanted
-you to have. Go to the lodge of the wonderful men, and as you enter
-the lodge, rush around to the south side of the lodge, where there
-are five bows set up. The middle bow you shall take up, and say,
-‘This I shall take in return for my grandmother.’” So the boy went
-into the lodge with the men. He ran to the south side of the lodge,
-and there the bows were, leaning up against the wall of the lodge.
-He picked up the middle bow and arrows. The men were all sorry that
-the boy had picked out the middle bow and arrows. The boy then told
-the men they could go to the home of his grandmother and be with
-her. Itaque hi ad anus domicilium venerunt ibique cum ea sicut cum
-uxore concubuerunt.
-
-After they had left the lodge the old woman called the boy, and
-said, “Take this flute and play around the lodge of these wonderful
-men.” Her grandson took the flute and went to the lodge of the
-wonderful men and there he played the flute, circling around the
-lodge. When the wonderful men heard the flute they were scared.
-They closed up their lodge with earth. The boy kept on whistling,
-for he was now taking revenge on them for trying to put the fœtus
-next to him. The men lived on the meat they had in their lodge, but
-this soon gave out. These wonderful men died of hunger, and were
-never to be known again upon the earth.
-
-The young man went home and told the old woman that the men had
-died; that the earth had closed in on them. The old woman was
-satisfied. Then she thought, “Now is the time to send my grandson
-to dangerous places, so that he may be killed, and I shall be
-freed from him.” The grandmother told the boy he must not go upon
-a certain hill, for the place was very dangerous. The boy went
-upon the hill, and there he found a den. He entered this den. He
-found that it was a den of Snakes. Before the boy entered the den
-he picked up a little rock and took it with him, and when he sat
-down in the lodge in the den of Snakes he placed the stone upon the
-ground and sat upon it as upon a stool. The Snakes were glad to see
-the boy. The boy said: “Well, you people are here in a den, trying
-to catch eagles. It seems to me that you people ought to welcome a
-stranger to your den. It seems that I am not welcome.” The Snakes
-all spoke up, and said: “Old-Woman’s-Grandson, you have spoken
-the truth. We will now give you something to eat.” So one of the
-Snakes spread out hot coals and placed a long gut for the boy to
-eat. This was rolled in the hot coals until it was burned a little,
-then it was taken off and given to the boy to eat. The boy took up
-the gut by each end and placed the ends together. He commenced to
-tell the Snakes that he had come a long way and was very hungry;
-that he would very much like to eat that, but as he saw that the
-gut was not well done he could not eat it. He twisted the ends, and
-the Snakes whispered to one another, “Why, he knows that this is
-a Snake, for he has twisted the head off.” As he twisted the head
-off he saw plainly that it was a Snake. He threw the head into the
-fire and placed the gut upon the hot coals again and roasted it
-some more. He left the Snake burning until it was burned so that
-he could not eat it. Once in a while he would hear the Snakes say,
-“What are you waiting for?” Then some Snake would disappear in the
-ground and would come up and try to get into the boy’s rectum, and
-they would hit the rock and tell the rest of the Snakes that they
-could do nothing, that the boy was sitting upon a rock.
-
-Soon the boy said: “It is well that we should tell some tales.”
-The Snakes said, “Let Old-Woman’s-Grandson tell his story first.”
-But the boy said, “No, you tell the first story.” The leader, the
-chief of the Snakes, who was very large, said that he would tell
-a story. This Snake began to tell a story of how a girl had said
-she liked a certain Star, and how the next day, the girl found the
-porcupine; that the porcupine had climbed the tree and she also had
-climbed it; that the tree had stretched and went up to the Star
-that the girl liked; that the Star had married this girl; that a
-boy had been born to them; that the boy had the image of a star
-upon his forehead; that the boy’s father was a Star; that the
-woman had requested her husband to get sinews for her; that this
-woman had given the sinews to an old woman that she might make a
-sinew string; that the Star had forgotten to get the two sinews
-under the shoulders of the buffalo, and for that reason the string
-had proved too short to reach the ground; that the Star had missed
-his wife and child; that he had hunted and had found a hole in the
-ground; that the Star had picked up a stone and had sent it down
-on the string to kill the woman, telling it to save the child;
-that the child had stayed around its mother until she had decayed;
-that the child had gone to the old woman’s lodge and gone into her
-field; that the old woman had made bow and arrows and a shinny ball
-and stick, had placed them in the field, so that she might find out
-whether the child was a boy or a girl; that the boy had come and
-picked up the bow and arrows and had gone to shoot at the squash in
-the field; that the old woman had caught the boy and had taken him
-home and made him her grandson, when he became known through the
-country as “Old-Woman’s-Grandson;” that through the boy’s powers he
-had scattered the blackbirds through the earth; that the mountain
-lions were also scattered through the earth; that the bears were
-scattered through the earth; that even the water-serpent had been
-killed and sent back to the lake; that the serpent had been the
-boy’s grandfather; that the boy had killed the old woman’s husband,
-who was really his grandfather; that the boy had visited the four
-wonderful men; that the four wonderful men had found a fœtus in a
-buffalo cow; that they had tried to put it next to him to scare
-him; that the boy had climbed the tree and they had placed the
-fœtus at the forks of the tree, so that he could not climb down;
-that the boy had offered his grandmother to the four wonderful men
-to get the men to take away the fœtus and let him down the tree;
-that the boy had taken the wonderful bow and arrows from the four
-wonderful men; that these men had married the old woman; that
-afterwards the boy was given a flute by his grandmother, which was
-done that he might take revenge upon the four wonderful men; that
-he had killed the four wonderful men, so they would be no longer
-on the earth; that now Old-Woman’s-Grandson had come to the people
-who were sitting in a den trying to catch eagles; that he now sat
-before them, sitting on a rock; that he was given a long gut to
-eat, but that he had found out that it was a Snake; that he had
-thrown it in the fire and burned it. “This,” said the leader, “ends
-our story. Old-Woman’s-Grandson will now please tell us a story.”
-
-The boy then began to tell about himself, just as the Snake had
-told it, following it up. “Now,” said the boy, “as the people in
-the den were sitting around, listening to Old-Woman’s-Grandson,
-there came a strong wind from the southeast, and blew towards
-the den.” As the wind blew from the southeast the Snakes on that
-side went to sleep. Then he told about the wind coming from the
-southwest, and those Snakes in the southwest went to sleep. Then
-the wind from the northwest came, and those who were there went
-to sleep. Then the wind from the northeast came, and those Snakes
-on that side went to sleep. Now the boy waved his hand all around
-the circle, and all went to sleep as they were listening to
-Old-Woman’s-Grandson.
-
-In the center was the fire. There was a long stick in the form of
-a circle around the den, and all the Snakes were upon this, in a
-circle all around. The boy now arose, took his flint knife, and
-commenced to cut the heads on the stick around the fireplace. When
-he came to the last one, it opened its eyes and woke up. It ran
-into a hole, and said, “Old-Woman’s-Grandson, watch yourself, for
-hereafter I am your enemy.” The Snake disappeared in the ground.
-
-Now the boy went out and went home, and he told the old woman that
-he had killed the Snakes. The old woman was then afraid of the boy.
-She knew that he was wonderful. After that, the boy watched himself
-in all of his journeys, because of the Snake he had failed to kill.
-Whenever he wanted to drink he had to go among the rocks, where he
-would drink from the pools of water. The boy could not drink water
-from the springs, for the Snake was always ready to jump into his
-mouth. When the boy wanted to sleep he lay down, placing the arrows
-he had as follows: One outside of each knee and one outside of each
-shoulder, sticking them in the ground. The bow the boy used for a
-pillow. Whenever the Snake approached him sleeping the arrows fell
-upon him, so that he woke up.
-
-The boy became very sleepy one time, for he had not slept much
-during all this time. He lay down, and placed the arrows as usual,
-and went to sleep. The Snake came. One of the arrows fell on the
-boy, but failed to wake him. Another fell on him, but he did not
-wake. Then another arrow fell, then the last one fell, but the boy
-did not wake. The Snake crawled up to the boy, and, as it reached
-his stomach, the boy, in his sleep, reached for his knife and made
-motions to cut the Snake, but the Snake kept on going. The boy
-kept trying to get the Snake, but it went into the boy’s mouth. It
-crawled up into the skull and nestled itself there. The boy lay
-there as though dead; but the Snake knew that the boy was not dead.
-The Snake remained there until the boy dried up and became nothing
-but a skeleton.
-
-The father of the boy studied hard as to how to get the Snake
-out of the boy’s skull. Although the boy was dead, the skull was
-the living part of the boy. The boy’s father then found a plan
-for getting the Snake out. A storm came from the north. It rolled
-the skull over and turned it up so that the hole in the skull was
-upward, and as the rain fell it ran into the skull and filled it
-with water. This did not drive the Snake out. The father called on
-the Sun to get nearer to the earth, so as to heat the skull so that
-the Snake would have to jump out. The Sun moved towards the earth
-and heated the skull. Soon the water was boiling. It became too hot
-for the Snake, and finally the Snake crawled out of the skull. No
-sooner had it got out than the boy stood up and caught the Snake by
-the neck. He then took up stones and hit the Snake’s snout, so that
-it made its head short. Then the boy sat down upon a rock and began
-to rub the Snake’s teeth upon it, and said, “Now you must promise
-that you will never bother people again.” The snake promised. The
-Snake, as it was turned loose, said, “Once in a great while I shall
-bite people, but not often.” The boy reached for the Snake and it
-disappeared,—that is why the people get bitten by snakes once in a
-great while.
-
-The boy then returned to his grandmother, who was glad to see
-him. The boy told his grandmother that she was now free to do as
-she pleased, for he was going off; that the country was now free
-from wild animals. So the old woman disappeared, and the boy went
-southeast to the village of the people.
-
-There the boy told his story, and the people knew that he was the
-son of the girl who had climbed up the cottonwood tree. The boy
-did many wonderful things for the people, and the people said that
-it was through the boy that the people could travel through these
-wild countries, for now all the wild animals had been scattered
-and were not as fierce as they had been before. The old woman had
-disappeared and had made her camp in some other place. The boy died
-after he had cleared the country of all the wild animals.
-
-There is an old cottonwood tree on the south side of the Missouri
-River, close to the place known as Armstrong, that the people claim
-is the tree that stretched upward, taking the girl up to the Star.
-Still south of the cottonwood tree is the place where the people
-say the stone is that was thrown down by the Star and which killed
-the woman. To the west is the lake where the monster fell. At the
-southwest of the cottonwood, it is supposed, was the Snake den. The
-people say that to-day snakes are very numerous there. South of
-this place, among the hills, is where the mountain-lion is supposed
-to have been. Close to the cottonwood, in the timber along the
-Missouri River, is the place where the bear is supposed to have been.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[15] Told by Yellow-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-15. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.[16]
-
-
-One night two pretty young maidens were sleeping on top of a summer
-arbor. They were ill with monthly sickness. One said, “Kario, I
-love that little bright star, and I wish it was my husband.” That
-same night, while sleeping, the girl was taken away up in the
-heavens, to live with her husband, he giving her instructions what
-to do and what not to do. He could not always stay at home, as
-he was in the chase. One of the instructions was that the woman
-should never dig up an Indian turnip at slough-like places. While
-her husband was away, the woman determined she would discover the
-mystery connected with her husband’s injunction. When she had dug
-the turnip she saw what the mystery was. She saw the people living
-on this earth looking like crawling insects.
-
-When she saw this she cried and cried and cried. She went to an
-old woman for comfort. The old woman saw that the woman had been
-crying; so she questioned her and found out her trouble. The woman
-answered that she could easily be relieved of her trouble. So she
-advised her to collect all the sinew she could find from the meat
-her husband brought.
-
-The girl told her husband she wanted all the sinew there was in all
-the game he killed, even the very smallest piece. Her husband did
-as she asked, not knowing her intention. When a very large number
-had been made the woman took the sinew and went to the old woman,
-who began to make what she had promised to make for her. “Come back
-in a few days,” she said, “and I will have the thread ready for
-you. Remember to come when your husband goes on a long chase.”
-
-The husband started on a chase, and the girl went to the old
-Woman’s lodge and told her that her man had gone. The old woman got
-her sinew rope and fixed it around the woman’s waist and began to
-let her down—down—down. She went with her first child on her back.
-The place she started down was where she had dug up the forbidden
-root. The twine was lacking about twenty or more feet. The old
-woman was an old spider, it was found. Old Spider-Woman did not
-have enough cobweb and sinew, so the woman hung on the rope, not
-able to touch the earth.
-
-When her husband returned he found his wife missing. He began to
-look for her. He thought at once of his order, and so went out
-where she usually dug. He found a stick in the grass. He discovered
-the rope tied around the stick, and his wife and child hanging away
-down near the earth. He picked up a stone and talked to the stone,
-saying, “Do not harm the boy, but kill the mother.” Down—down—went
-the stone, and struck the young mother on the head; it cut the rope
-and her body fell; but the boy was safe. The boy stayed by his
-mother’s body and fed himself at her breast for a time. Her body
-began to decay.
-
-The boy went off and got into a cornfield, not knowing that it was
-corn. When lonesome he returned to his mother. The owner of the
-field was an old woman. She saw the footprints in her field. She
-wondered what it could be. She made a little ball and a crooked
-stick, also a little bow and arrows. She thought if it was a girl
-she would take the ball and crooked stick, but if it was a boy he
-would take the bow and arrows. When the old woman looked she found
-the little fellow had taken the bow and arrows.
-
-The old woman was very joyful. The little fellow had done much
-damage to her squash vines with his bow and arrows. She went out
-and hid in the field, waiting for the little fellow. The boy came
-as usual with his weapons and the old woman sprang out and caught
-him, saying, “Oh, atine, atine; you are to come home with me.”
-
-She took the boy home and gave him food, such as fresh corn mush,
-succotash, and squash. The boy seemed quite happy. When the woman
-went out to work he amused himself with his arrows, shooting little
-birds in the field, and on his grandmother’s return he would bring
-the birds for her to eat. She was a happy grandmother, proud of her
-little grandson. The boy grew larger. When he began to make his own
-bows and arrows to his taste he began to bring home larger game,
-such as deer and antelope. His grandmother was still happier.
-
-The boy’s grandmother was accustomed to place under a curtain which
-was always closed, a big wooden pan of whatever they had to eat,
-before she went to her work. The boy, noticing this, made up his
-mind to find out what it was. While she was gone, he moved the
-curtain and beheld a huge serpent with large yellow eyes. The boy
-said within himself: “Ah! here is the one that eats up everything
-that grandmother puts here.” He took his bow and arrows and shot
-and shot, until he killed it.
-
-The boy’s grandmother came in. The boy spoke up, and said:
-“Grandmother, I have killed the bad one that ate up everything you
-placed under that curtain.” The old woman appeared glad of it, but
-was hurt at heart. She covered the serpent and placed it in a pool.
-The serpent said that he could not do anything, because the boy
-was gifted with a great mysterious power of his father. The dead
-serpent was the husband of this grandmother.
-
-The grandmother, wounded at heart, planned to have the boy killed
-in some way. She forbade him to ever go into the timber near by,
-because there were all sorts of dangers there. In this timber, she
-said, was a bear that wanted to tear him into small strips. When
-the old woman had gone he started out to the forbidden place. He
-found the bear, captured him and thought he was strong and would
-do to haul corn and wood for his grandmother. On her return she
-saw the great, big black-bear tied. The boy spoke up, saying,
-“I have here a strong animal which will work for us.” The old
-woman appeared to be happy, but felt hurt that the boy could have
-captured the bear. She was the owner of all animals around, both
-good and bad. She turned the bear loose and explained the case to
-the boy, saying she could not use the bear in any way.
-
-One day the boy was gone all day and all night. His grandmother now
-thought him dead. Roaming around, the boy found a tipi. In the tipi
-were four strong-looking men. Around the fire was the meat of a
-whole buffalo and an elk. The boy stood on one side looking at the
-game. The men were playing with plum dice in a basket. The interest
-of these men was very noticeable. One man’s nose got very dirty,
-but he would not move to clean it. The boy outside did not like it.
-He took his arrow and shot through the hole he was peeping through.
-The arrow cleaned the man’s nose. The men rushed out and gave the
-boy a hearty welcome, for they had already heard of his wonderful
-doings. They took him in and gave him a whole buffalo to eat. He
-began to eat, and ate as much as usual. The men began to ask why he
-did not eat more. He said he could not, as he had had his fill. The
-men ate heartily. They cleared the meat that was before them. The
-men asked him to stay all night. They invited him to join them on a
-hunting trip.
-
-Next day they started. They killed an elk. They dressed it and
-found a fœtus. As courtesy, the hunters took the fœtus and placed
-it before the boy to take home with him. The boy was affected.
-He asked them to remove the fœtus. He was standing by a tree. He
-started up the tree. The men, seeing he was afraid of it, moved
-it, little by little, toward him. They were afraid of him and were
-trying to do everything to get rid of him. The boy was afraid of
-the fœtus. He would not come down while it was in the way. The
-men came home. By and by a man was sent out to see if the boy was
-there. Coming to the spot he found the boy still there. The boy
-asked the man to remove the fœtus. He refused. He went home and
-reported all he had seen. In about four days the men came around
-and found the boy still there. They found him very thin, and
-suffering for food and water. He would not come down while the
-fœtus was there. The men made a conditional offer,—if he would
-deliver up to them his grandmother they would remove the fœtus. The
-boy said he would. They removed the fœtus. The boy started home at
-once. He told his grandmother what had happened and what he had
-done. Out of love for his life he had given her up to these men.
-
-The grandmother was happy on his return. She said she would grant
-his request. About two days after, she and the boy started out
-where the men were. They stopped at the entrance of the tipi
-until they heard a voice from within asking them to step in. The
-boy said, “Nawa, I have done what I agreed to do. Here is my
-grandmother.” “Ah ho! Ah hi!” they replied, “you were honest and
-have done as you agreed to do. That is the way for noble boys to
-do. As this is a bargain for your life we will do all we can for
-you to turn our power and skill over to you.” Now they began to
-teach the boy the ceremony of catching eagles and of hunting. “It
-was our desire to have your grandmother, and as you have been
-true to your agreement, we are glad.” All were satisfied. The
-grandmother and son then went home.
-
-The next day the boy started out on the prairie for game. He met
-a camp of Snakes, mostly deadly Rattlesnakes, and there were all
-the other kinds of Snakes. They were glad to have him come. They
-invited him in. They gave him the best seat. He knew what danger
-there was to meet. So as he sat down he took out a smooth stone
-which he used for sharpening his knife, and placed it in his anus.
-The room was clean and there was a ridge around the fire for a
-pillow. Time and again he noticed a Snake disappear and attack him
-where he had defended himself. He knew it. They said: “He must be
-hungry. Give him something.” They gave him a spleen. He took it
-and looked at it. He replied that he could not eat it raw; so he
-poked up the fire and threw the spleen in. It cracked and made the
-audience wild. The spleen was the teeth of all these Snakes. The
-boy knew the secret and could not be fooled so easily.
-
-The Snakes, resting on the square pillow-like structure, demanded
-of the boy that he relate some happenings or stories, to pass the
-night pleasantly. He refused to be first. He agreed to take his
-turn with them. They began. Each Snake had for his subject the life
-of their guest and that of his grandmother. When all were through
-with their stories the boy began his story: “Nesaru commanded the
-winds to blow; at evening they stop, the trees stop rustling, the
-grass keeps on for a while, but they all fall asleep.” This much
-of the story put a part of them to sleep. “Nesaru sends hurricanes
-of trials and hardships in our lives; the same to all kinds of
-trees and to large, deep rivers; they rage and beat against their
-banks, the water gets dirty, there comes on the gentle night, soft
-breezes, the trees quiet down, the rivers are calmed, the waters
-clear up and they are asleep.” This was the end of the boy’s story.
-The remainder of them fell asleep.
-
-The boy thought of how he was to have been treated, and he decided
-to be avenged. He took from his belt his sharp knife and cut along
-a straight line on the square structure, cutting off the head of
-every Snake until he came to the last one, which slid away, saying
-as he went, “Old-Woman’s-Boy, I will remember all.”
-
-As the boy left he was very particular as to how he should carry
-himself. Having gone many miles he thought all danger was over.
-He placed his arrows around him, bidding them to awaken him when
-danger was near.
-
-While he was sleeping his enemy came. Before the arrow could give
-the alarm the Snake entered his body. Grasping his knife he cut
-his stomach open. Up went the snake’s head to his breast. He cut
-his breast open. Up it went to his throat. He cut his throat open.
-Up it went, into his head, and rested there. His father above knew
-all of this. He sent a great wind which turned the boy’s head over,
-so that his opened œsophagus turned toward the wind. Then came a
-hard rain, filling every corner of his head. The Snake’s head would
-peep out of the boy’s head, but the boy would say, “Old-Woman’s
-Grandson is still alive.” There came a scorching heat, and the
-water began to make the Snake peep out its head, but the boy would
-say, “Old-Woman’s-Grandson is still alive.” It got too hot for
-the Snake. It fled, and the boy sprang to his feet and caught it.
-“You will suffer punishment, and you will always be ashamed and
-crawl on your body in the dirt, your head down, avoiding all decent
-creatures that Nesaru made.” He took the Snake and knocked his head
-on a flat rock until it was flat and its eyes were close to its
-mouth.
-
-The reason the boy was afraid of the fœtus was that it was the
-time of the year when all young animals are as yet unborn, and the
-cluster of stars to which the boy’s father belonged is never seen
-at this time to come up with the rest. The boy knew that his father
-could not be present to help him, and so he did not dare to do
-anything to help himself.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[16] Told by White-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-16. NO-TONGUE AND THE SUN AND THE MOON.[17]
-
-
-There was a young man in a village who wanted to be great. In olden
-times the chief thing among the people was to be a great warrior.
-The young men in those times used to go out among the hills, and
-then find a place to stand and mourn. They used to stay away from
-home four or five days without drinking or eating.
-
-Now this particular young man went out alone, upon a high hill, to
-mourn. In the afternoon a little bird came to him, and said: “This
-is not the place where you should stand. I will show you where you
-must stand.” So the little bird flew and the boy followed. The
-bird stopped at a certain place, and the boy stood there. Late in
-the evening a man came to the boy. The man was all painted red,
-and he said to him: “I am glad to see you. You are going to be my
-son, and I am going to take you with me now. All I want from you is
-your tongue.” So the young man pulled his tongue out, cut it off
-and handed it to the man. As he handed his tongue to the man he
-fell down and died. It was now dark, and as the young man fell the
-Moon rose and saw this young man fall down, and the Moon said to
-himself: “That man who has killed this young man is always trying
-to do something that is not right. I know who that man is; it is
-the Sun. I know that he has taken this young man’s tongue.” So the
-Moon went to the young man and touched his feet, and the young man
-waked and sat up.
-
-When No-Tongue saw the strange man he did not know what to do. He
-was not the same man who had taken his tongue. This man looked
-white, because he was the Moon. The Moon asked No-Tongue why he
-had given away his tongue and to whom he had given it. No-Tongue
-answered, “How can I talk without a tongue?” The Moon said, “Speak,
-and tell me.” So the boy spoke, and he found that he was able
-to talk. So he began to tell what the man looked like. The Moon
-said he was sure that the man was the Sun. Then the Moon spoke to
-No-Tongue, and said: “The Sun was trying to kill you. No-Tongue,
-hereafter you shall be my son; but let your other father, the Sun,
-come after you first. I must tell you what to say. You will not be
-killed by the Sun. The Sun is coming for you to-morrow morning,
-and when you go up to our dwelling place (the heavens) he is going
-to show you some things that he has. You must now be careful not
-to take the new things that he has, but you shall take the old
-things. Take the old weapons. The Sun thinks a great deal of
-these old weapons.” This is all that the Moon said. The Moon then
-disappeared.
-
-In the morning, the Sun came to No-Tongue and took him up into the
-sky to his home, and said, “Now, my son, I want you to choose of
-these things that I have here.” No-Tongue took the oldest things.
-When the Sun saw that No-Tongue took the best things—the oldest
-ones—he came out from his lodge crying, because this would give
-No-Tongue a long life, and would also make him become great, and
-this was what the Sun did not want of No-Tongue. He had thought
-that No-Tongue would surely take the new things. But if No-Tongue
-had taken the new things, that would have shortened his life and
-made it impossible for No-Tongue to become great. Then the Sun
-began to think of some way to kill No-Tongue, but he never could
-take back the things No-Tongue had taken, having promised them
-to him. As they came out from the Sun’s lodge the Sun said: “My
-son, look. There is your home. Look all around you. You can see
-everything plainly. When you go home, after two days have passed,
-you must go on the war-path, and you will conquer old enemies. You
-will have all you want. You are to be great. But when you, my son,
-go home, give to me a white buffalo robe.” So the Sun went away.
-
-When night came, the Moon came out and spoke to No-Tongue, and
-asked what the Sun had said to him. No-Tongue told the Moon all
-that the Sun had told him, and the Moon said, “Do not give him the
-white buffalo robe, but give that to me, and get a dark-brown robe
-for the Sun.” The Moon then began to tell No-Tongue what to do.
-He told him to get some white clay and make powder out of it, and
-then pour the white powder all over the robe, so that it would look
-white. So No-Tongue did as he was told to do.
-
-When the Sun received the white buffalo robe, which really was not
-white, he was proud of it; furthermore, he was proud that his son
-had obtained it for him. One day he hung the robe out, and the wind
-was blowing hard. The wind shook all the white clay out of the
-robe, so that the robe turned to a dark-brownish color. Then the
-Sun saw that it was not a real white buffalo robe, and did not like
-it.
-
-When the Moon and the Sun got together, the Sun said, “I am sorry
-for what my son has done to me, and now my dear son is going to
-kill him.” The Sun had a son who belonged to another tribe, and
-this was the son who was to kill No-Tongue. So the Moon heard all
-that the Sun had to say.
-
-One night the Moon saw No-Tongue, and told the young man all that
-the Sun had said. The Moon said that the Sun could not do anything
-to kill him. The Moon said: “The man that you are to fight with
-is going to try to shake hands with you, because he is your
-cousin,—not a real cousin, but because you are the son of the Sun
-and so is he,—so he is your cousin. He is the one who has been
-selected to kill you. But do not be afraid; I shall be with you
-and will help you all I can. Do not shake hands with the young
-man, your cousin, and if you must shake hands, do not shake with
-your right hand. Be very careful not to let him strike you first.
-If you should shake hands with him, strike him. You must not let
-him strike you first; and when you have killed him, cut his head
-off and put it under a big stone that shall be near you, so that
-the Sun will not make him live again. By placing the head under
-the stone the Sun will be prevented from bringing him to life.”
-The Moon also said, “Be careful to do what I have told you to do.”
-No-Tongue was glad. The Moon also told No-Tongue that the young man
-he was to fight with was named Little-Sun.
-
-Two days after this some warriors went out on the war-path. Before
-they had gone far the Sun went to No-Tongue, and said: “My son, I
-am glad you are going on the war-path; I want you to kill a man
-for me. He is coming. He thinks he is great, but he is not. So
-kill him for me.” The Sun said all of this, not meaning it, for he
-was planning that Little-Sun might kill No-Tongue. So the warriors
-started on the war-path, and in a few days they came to the place
-which they thought would be a good place to remain for a while.
-The leaders selected scouts to go out and look over the country.
-The scouts went up a high hill, and there they met the spies of
-the enemy coming up from the other side. These did not stop, but
-turned straight back again, and went and told the enemy, and of
-course the other scouts turned back and told their leaders that the
-enemy was coming. So in the morning, the two sets of people came
-together, and they fought a battle; but before starting the battle
-there was a man who stood in front of the enemy’s line, and said,
-“No-Tongue, I want you to come and shake hands with me, for you are
-amongst those people.” No-Tongue went to him, and when they were
-nearly together, everybody saw that the two were dressed so as to
-look very much alike, but they did not know that they were to fight
-each other; but the two knew that they were to fight, and that they
-were both sons of the Sun. No-Tongue did what the Moon had told him
-to do. He killed Little-Sun. Then No-Tongue’s people defeated the
-enemy. They took many scalps, and returned home.
-
-The Sun became mad at No-Tongue, because he had killed Little-Sun,
-for the Sun had expected No-Tongue to be killed. The Sun had tried
-three times to kill No-Tongue; so the fourth time, the Sun himself
-was going to scalp No-Tongue, so that the people would make fun
-of him. Then the Sun told his other son, Big-Sun, to try and kill
-No-Tongue. No-Tongue was the only one living. He was the one who
-had not treated his father, the Sun, right, for the Sun had not
-treated No-Tongue right in the first place. But No-Tongue had been
-assisted by the Moon.
-
-The third time the Sun tried to kill No-Tongue, he changed himself
-into a Buffalo, so that the Buffalo ran after No-Tongue, but the
-young man, No-Tongue, ran into a mud-hole, and the Buffalo fell in
-too. No-Tongue got out of the muddy place, but the Buffalo could
-not come out, because he was so heavy. No-Tongue told a lot of men
-to get some dried willows and to place them upon the back of the
-Buffalo. This they did. They set the wood on fire, so that the
-Buffalo burned up.
-
-In the evening, when the Sun and Moon were together in the heavens,
-the Sun said: “I shall do something to No-Tongue, some way.” The
-Moon heard the Sun say this. Then the Sun said to the Moon: “Just
-see what my son No-Tongue has done; he burned my back. To-morrow
-morning I am going to scalp him, so the people in the village will
-be afraid to see him, and so they will make fun of him.”
-
-Then the Moon went to No-Tongue in the night, and said: “My son,
-you always like to be up early in the morning, singing. I want you
-to get a good scalp to-night—one that has hair, just like this.
-Then kill a dog and get some of its blood, put the blood inside the
-scalp, and put the false scalp over your head so your hair will not
-show.”
-
-The boy got the scalp with the hair on it, killed a dog, put some
-of the blood in the scalp and hung it over his bed. Early in the
-morning, before the Sun rose, the boy arose, put the scalp over his
-head, went out, and sang some songs through the village. As the Sun
-came up in the east the boy heard a noise, and the Sun took the
-scalp off from the boy, so that the blood ran down. When the Sun
-saw that he was satisfied. The boy went into the lodge, washed,
-came out again, and the Sun saw that the boy had hair on, and that
-he was not really scalped. When the Sun reached the Moon he told
-him that he was going to let No-Tongue alone until he was old and
-great, and that he was then going to take him up to his home.
-
-The Moon came to No-Tongue and told him what the Sun, his father,
-had said. Years went by, and No-Tongue lived peacefully. Finally
-he became old and blind. At this time the people were about to
-move away from this place to another place. The Moon came and told
-old man No-Tongue that it was time his father, the Sun, was coming
-after him to take him up to his home; and that he himself would
-come with the Sun to take him up; that he should not be afraid.
-
-While they were breaking camp the old man took his clothes that he
-used to wear in his early days, and put them on. He also painted
-himself. He told the people to go on; that he himself would come
-later. The people went on. The old man went up on the top of a
-hill, made a circle of red sticks to represent the Sun, and another
-of white sticks, to represent the Moon, for the west side. While
-he was doing this the Sun and Moon came. The Sun wanted to know
-what the Moon was doing there. No-Tongue said, “My father, the Moon
-is also my father; he has helped me all along.” So the Sun was
-satisfied, and the Sun took the old man up to his home.
-
-Several days afterwards, four young men went to the place where the
-old man had sat, and he was gone. The sticks were there as he had
-left them, but No-Tongue was gone. He was never heard from or seen
-again after that. He was called “No-Tongue,” for the Sun had taken
-his tongue, but after he had failed to kill him, he gave him back
-his tongue.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[17] Told by Standing-Bull.
-
-
-
-
-17. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.[18]
-
-
-There was a large village in a beautiful valley near a large tract
-of timber. It was in the winter time. Around the outside of the
-village and over a knoll lived Stanapaat, or Burnt-Hands, a boy
-of about eleven or twelve years, and his grandmother. The boys in
-the village came over the knoll to urinate on the tipi of these
-poor people. In this village lived one of the chiefs who had four
-daughters, the youngest of which was very charitable toward these
-poor people. Her name was Last-Child. She brought food to these
-folks whenever she could. Red-Bear and Black-Bear were the first
-chiefs of this village. They ruled their people as though they were
-slaves.
-
-One day Red-Bear gave notice that the whole village was to turn
-out on an elk hunt. The next day, the people complied with the
-chief’s orders. The people, as they went through the timber in the
-deep snow, slaughtered the elk in great numbers. Burnt-Hands with
-other little fellows followed the chase. He watched the hunters
-butchering their game. He wished he could kill and take home to his
-grandmother the nice elk meat. He strode off in another direction,
-looking around as he went. As he went on he struck a fresh track
-with drops of fresh blood on clean snow, and there were no
-footprints of a hunter following. He took up the trail and followed
-it for a long distance. He found, to his great delight, a dead elk
-with two arrows through its chest. “Ah ho! Ah ho! The great chief
-knows I am poor. He has had mercy on me.” While he was looking all
-over the animal he heard a voice. He looked up, and who was there
-but the two chiefs—Red-Bear and Black-Bear.
-
-Red-Bear gave an angry grunt and struck the boy in the face. “Who
-are you and how did you find this elk? I never expected to find
-such a worthless burnt-belly looking fellow as you.” Pulling his
-arrows out of his quiver, he said, “My father will be glad to
-have you for his meal,” and he shot two arrows through the boy.
-He dragged him out on the ice to a large air-hole and said, as he
-dropped him, “Father, I have done as you bid me.”
-
-In this stream there lived a big White-Bear in a lodge. The young
-cub heard something drop outside the lodge. He told his father.
-The old one said, “Go out and see what it is.” The cub saw poor
-Burnt-Hands in his ragged clothing and with wounds. The cub felt
-pretty bad for the boy and told his father about him. The father
-told the cub to bring the boy in. “What a poor boy you are!” said
-White-Bear. “I know who you are, and how you were treated. I never
-expected to eat a man from Red-Bear’s tribe. I commanded him to feed
-me on an enemy. I will have great mercy on you. From now on you
-shall be my son. You shall treat Red-Bear just as he has treated you.
-I will enjoy his flesh. I will endow you with all the power I have. I
-will teach you all, and you shall go back and do as I say.” White-Bear
-and Burnt-Hands then sat down and began the bear ceremony, Burnt-Hands
-learning everything and receiving his bundle of medicine and other
-things. He was then shown the way out by the cub.
-
-Burnt-Hands went on to his grandmother’s little home. When he
-arrived there he called his grandmother to kindle the fire, as he
-had come. Before this, when the boys found out that Burnt-Hands’
-grandmother was worrying, they would come in, saying, “Grandmother,
-I have come home,” just to tease her. The old woman thought the
-boys were teasing her now when Burnt-Hands called. She gave a
-pitiful cry, saying, “You boys ought to feel satisfied with your
-teasing now.” “Oh, no, Grandmother! I am here! I was lost on the
-chase. Following up an elk I strayed off to a place I knew nothing
-about. I could not find my way home, so I stayed all night.” His
-grandmother arose. When she had kindled the fire there sat her boy.
-She rejoiced, for she was glad her boy was alive.
-
-Nobody in the whole village knew what had happened to Burnt-Hands
-except Black-Bear, who had witnessed what Red-Bear did. He did not
-like what Red-Bear had done, but he did not say anything.
-
-One day the scouts, on picket duty, saw a large herd of buffalo.
-The chiefs were notified. They gave notice that everybody should
-turn out to the chase, and that Red-Bear wanted the hide of the
-white buffalo that was in the herd. Burnt-Hands heard the call.
-He told his grandmother to help him make arrows. He also promised
-her the white buffalo robe. This was a secret surprise to his
-grandmother, who did not know that he was anything more than a
-“burnt-belly.”
-
-The next day every one turned out to go on the chase. Burnt-Hands
-started out on foot with his quiver. A kind young man on horseback
-caught up with him, and asked him to get on behind him. He did so.
-While they were riding, the young man told the boy about the white
-buffalo. The boy asked his friend if he would put the meat and his
-white hide on his horse for him. They made plans to be together
-and help each other on the chase. The hunters had all collected on
-a hill, talking and smoking their pipes. The two arrived and sat
-around for a long while. Burnt-Hands began to inquire what they
-were waiting for. They answered they were waiting for the chiefs.
-“This will not do; if we wait here there may come up a bad storm
-and we will go home empty handed. Come now, and let us have our
-chase. Those chiefs will come later, and they will get their share
-of the meat anyway. I want that white buffalo robe, and when you
-have taken it off give it to this young man and he will take it
-home for my grandmother.”
-
-The men were all agreed to what Burnt-Hands said. They thought
-Red-Bear would kill him and not themselves. They got on their
-ponies and the chase began. The white buffalo was killed and the
-chase ended. Burnt-Hands was walking along when his friend came and
-gave him a ride to where they were butchering. He took him where
-the white buffalo was and the men were standing around looking
-at the animal. “What are you waiting for now?” said Burnt-Hands.
-“Get to butchering and give me the hide!” When they had begun,
-the chiefs came. They gave them a welcome and told Red-Bear that
-Burnt-Hands had advised them to start the chase and had already
-spoken for the hide. Red-Bear and Black-Bear said everything would
-be all right, and that the boy could have the hide and some meat.
-
-The hunters were all on their way home. Red-Bear ordered them to
-camp at a certain place. This they did. Burnt-Hands and his friend
-came to the camp and found the meat cooking, and a comfortable
-place made for the chiefs. “What is this place for? and are you
-afraid to sit here?” said Burnt-Hands. “That place is for the
-chiefs,” said they, “and that meat.” “Come,” said Burnt-Hands to
-his friend, “sit here with me and enjoy the meat with me.” The
-young man, with the rest, thought that Red-Bear would surely kill
-the boy this time. Burnt-Hands and his friend sat down on the
-robes and ate the meat prepared for Red-Bear. The chiefs came, and
-Red-Bear ordered another place and food prepared for him. He did
-not dare to say or do anything to the boy, suspecting his power as
-he did. Burnt-Hands’ friend and the others thought that Red-Bear
-had mercy on the poor boy, since he did not hurt him.
-
-Burnt-Hands went home with his friend and pulled off the meat and
-the white buffalo hide. “Here, grandmother, is what I promised you,
-and a lot of meat. You now know that I can hunt and bring home
-game.” His grandmother was at once overjoyed. She thought about
-the pretty girl who always showed them charity. She sent out for
-Last-Child, who came in. “You have always been kind to us, and
-I have always been thankful. I want you to have this hide, and
-to have a robe made for yourself. You are young yet, and it will
-become you more than me.” Burnt-Hands was talked about all over the
-village, but they did not know that he had been blessed by a Bear.
-
-A long time after this chase the chief gave out an order for
-everybody to go on an elk chase. Red-Bear had been accustomed
-to collect all the elk teeth. This was his object for the hunt.
-Burnt-Hands heard the order and began to make preparations for the
-hunt. He promised his grandmother an elk-tooth dress. Burnt-Hands
-told his grandmother that if any trouble arose on his account she
-must flee into the timber, and on through other timber, and there
-wait for him. The next day the chase was to come off. The hunters
-had great luck and were talking happily in the woods. There was
-a cry here and there for Red-Bear to come and get his teeth.
-Burnt-Hands and his friend were together. He told his friend to
-take the teeth out for him, for he did not know how. His friend
-was a little afraid to do it, but Burnt-Hands said it would be all
-right. The men, too, rather hesitated to let him have the teeth.
-They told him that Red-Bear had spoken for all the teeth; but he
-paid no heed to it, and told his friend to take them. Burnt-Hands
-had collected a lot of teeth, and so had Red-Bear. The hunters had
-chased the elk on to a smooth piece of ice and had killed several
-there. Here, Burnt-Hands and Red-Bear saw each other doing the
-same work. They met on the last elk, and Burnt-Hands spoke and
-said: “You have enough teeth. You will keep off and let me have
-these.” Red-Bear gave an angry grunt, and said, “A child like you
-cannot have much to say.” As Red-Bear leaned over to take the teeth
-Burnt-Hands took his war-club and struck him on the head. He took
-him by the feet and dragged him to the air-hole. “Father, this is
-what you asked of me.” A great yell was raised, and war was made on
-the boy.
-
-The boy fled to the village and peeped in, to see if his
-grandmother had done what he had told her to do. She was gone, and
-he followed her and found her beyond the second timber as he had
-directed. “Now,” said he, “take one of these bear claws off my
-wrist and open the little bag of paint.” This she did, and he began
-to sing and perform the ceremony. He adorned his grandmother and
-himself according to the instruction of his Bear father. The people
-had all turned out to kill him for what he had done. Still others
-were calling it wrong to harm the boy, and reminded the people of
-what bad ruling Red-Bear had done.
-
-Burnt-Hands and his grandmother had turned into Bears, and were
-making a big noise, growling and grunting. Nearer and nearer the
-warriors circled around the timber, shouting and yelling. The boy
-told his grandmother to be first to attack. So she did so. She
-caught Red-Bear’s brother and four or five others of his near
-relatives. “Now, I will attack,” said Burnt-Hands, “for you must
-be tired.” He picked out the leaders and the influential men of
-the village and scalped them and tore them up. The warriors began
-to retreat. A cry was raised to end the fight, as many had been
-killed, but how to stop the boy and the old woman they did not
-know. They assembled and filled the peace-pipe. They gave it to
-Last-Child to take to the boy and the old woman. She took the pipe
-and came toward them, they growling wildly. The boy knew it was
-the girl. He told his grandmother not to charge at her. The boy
-accepted the peace-pipe and both smoked it. This ended the fight.
-
-Burnt-Hands asked his grandmother how old she would like to be. She
-said, “About thirty-eight,” and so she was. The boy made himself
-about twenty-two, and when all was quiet he married Last-Child.
-Burnt-Hands came to be chief, and had Black-Bear as his slave. The
-people lived happily under his rule.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[18] Told by White-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-18. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.[19]
-
-
-Once there was an old woman and her grandson. They were very poor;
-they had nothing. The boy’s name was Burnt-Hands. Some warriors
-got together in the village and planned to go on the war-path.
-Burnt-Hands heard of it. He told his grandmother that he wanted to
-join the warriors on the war-path. She told the boy that when he
-went he must never tell Coyote stories on the war-path. She gave
-him a round burnt clay ball that had a handle to it. She told
-Burnt-Hands to go; that the clay ball with the handle was his
-war-club; that when on the way, when he should become hungry he
-should place it upon the fire, put kernels of corn upon it, and
-roast them.
-
-These warriors went out to a camp in the woods. The young man came
-up with them and lay down by them. The next day they went and in
-the afternoon they sat down to rest. They made fun of the boy, and
-said, “Now tell us some Coyote stories.” But the boy refused, and
-said, “My grandmother told me not to tell Coyote stories while on
-the war-path.” They coaxed the boy to sing, but he would not sing.
-
-The boy was hungry. As he saw that the men were not moving on he
-placed his clay ball upon the fire and put some kernels of corn
-upon it and began to roast them. While he was doing this he said,
-“I will tell some Coyote stories.” The boy began to tell how the
-enemy came and attacked a certain war-party. At the same time he
-kept on roasting his corn.
-
-While he was telling these stories the enemy came, and when the men
-found out that they were surrounded they became scared. But the
-boy went on with his roasting of the corn. When he had finished
-roasting the corn he took a seat and ate his corn, and after he
-had eaten all, he went out and killed many of the enemy with the
-clay ball that he had roasted his corn upon, which was really a
-war-club. The enemy became scared at the boy and ran away.
-
-So the men found out that the boy was a wonderful boy; and as
-he had killed many of the enemy, when they went home they made
-Burnt-Hands a big chief, gave him a good tipi and a wife. He moved
-his grandmother into the new tipi, and there he lived ever after.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[19] Told by Two-Hawks.
-
-
-
-
-19. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.[20]
-
-
-One winter the people went a long distance to hunt. With them was
-an old woman and her grandson, named Burnt-Hands, who were very
-poor. One day the people made their village along a stream of
-water, where the scouts reported seeing many buffalo. The young man
-told his grandmother to make a bow and arrows; that he was going
-with the men to kill buffalo; and that he was going to bring back
-some tongues and hearts. The old woman cried, because she knew that
-the boy was poor, and that he could not get any tongues and hearts.
-
-The boy started, and when he came up with the hunters some of the
-people said jeeringly, “Well, Poor-Boy is going to kill the first
-buffalo.” When the hunters stopped it was customary for one of the
-young men to stand somewhat in front of the rest and make motions
-for the men to divide up into companies and to go in certain
-directions, so that they could attack the buffalo on all sides. The
-boy began to sing about being the one selected to do that. This was
-announced to the leaders, and they selected him.
-
-The people divided up into companies and circled around where the
-buffalo were. The command to attack was given and the boy went
-right among the buffalo, and there he began to kill. After he was
-through killing, he turned back and pulled out the buffalo beards,
-and also pulled out a bunch of hair from the side of the shoulder.
-This he kept. When he went on to find his robe, he found that
-somebody had taken it. The young man then began to sing about his
-robe. He wanted some one to return it to him, but they would not
-return it to him, but made fun of him. Then the boy began to sing
-about the snowstorm coming. The boy ran into the village where
-his grandmother lived. He took the hairs that he had taken off
-from the robe and threw them upon the ground, and there in that
-place appeared several tongues and hearts. The old woman was very
-glad that the boy had brought these things. She boiled them, and
-they ate until they were filled. The cold weather turned into a
-blizzard, and killed many men who had made fun of the young man,
-while others came home and said that the young man had done some
-things that were wonderful.
-
-After the cold weather was over, the village broke up and moved on.
-Again scouts came and reported that there were buffalo. After this
-killing the people ceased to make fun of the boy. They called him
-again to stand in front of the procession and to wave his hand to
-divide the men into the different companies. They all attacked the
-buffalo, but the boy was the first to kill, although he was not on
-a horse. He again simulated the taking of the tongues and hearts
-by simply pulling out the beard and the hair from the sides of the
-buffalo. When the boy had taken the hairs and thrown them down in
-the lodge there at once appeared many tongues and hearts.
-
-People found out that the boy was wonderful, and they finally
-gave him a pony on which to carry his meat home, and the chief’s
-daughter visited the young man, and finally Poor-Boy married the
-chief’s daughter. Poor-Boy became a great warrior, and at last
-became a chief.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[20] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-20. THE TWO BOYS AND THE WATER-SERPENT.[21]
-
-
-Two boys once wandered about the village and they were welcomed to
-any lodge they entered. One morning they came into one lodge and
-the people were glad to have them come in, but they claimed that
-the boys must be the ones who ate up their pot of corn. The boys
-did not know anything about the pot of corn. They left the lodge
-and went into another and there they were accused of the same
-thing. The boys went to another lodge, but were again accused. They
-were indignant at the accusations that were made against them. They
-wandered off from the village and returned when the sun set.
-
-Now the two boys said one to the other, “Let us be on our guard
-to-night and perhaps we may discover who eats the corn.” In those
-times an inclosure surrounded the village, and the two boys sat by
-the inclosure. They sat there until all the people of the village
-went to sleep, for they agreed to stay till morning. After all
-the people had gone to sleep the boys heard much roaring by the
-river; so they listened. After the noise of the waters ceased, they
-saw a big black thing going over their heads. It climbed over the
-inclosure and went on top of a lodge. It was a long serpent. The
-serpent stuck its head into the smoke hole of the lodge. In a few
-moments he went to another lodge and did the same thing. Then he
-went to still another. Now the serpent went back to the river and
-the boys were glad to find out who ate up the people’s corn, beans,
-and squash that had been prepared in the evening for the next
-morning.
-
-When morning came the boys went down to the timber and cut many
-sticks to make arrows with. They sat down and made arrows till
-evening; but they never mentioned what had happened. Again the
-boys stayed out, and after all the people had gone to sleep the
-same thing happened as on the preceding night. Again they saw the
-serpent climbing over the inclosure and onto the lodges. Then the
-boys shot at the serpent while it had its head inside a lodge,
-reaching for food. The boys threw their arrows at the water-monster
-as fast as they could. They threw so many arrows at the monster
-that he was almost dead. The serpent came out from the lodge and
-went down to the river. The waters roared and rose, because the
-water-monster was dying, but when it was dead the waters were
-silent. When the waters went down the big serpent was found dead on
-a small peninsula.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[21] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-21. THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS, AND THE SERPENT.[22]
-
-
-Among the Arikara lived a young man who was gifted with powers
-from the gods in the Heavens—the four-world-quarter gods who
-give all power. The boy’s parents were very poor, so that he
-would go about and kill so many antelope that people called him
-“Antelope-Carrier.” When he went hunting he killed many deer. It
-made no difference how far away the animal was, he killed whatever
-animal he shot at. People wondered where the boy got his power. The
-boy got his power from the timber. The Wood-Rats had taken the boy
-and had given him bow and arrows. The arrows were made of dogwood.
-The feathered parts were wood-rat hide. The boy had for his bow,
-thick hickory wood. One of the arrows was black, another red,
-another yellow, and another white. The yellow and the white arrows
-had flint points, and the boy used them for killing game.
-
-Antelope-Carrier wandered from home and was lost to the people. His
-friends mourned for him as lost. The boy wandered west, until he
-came to a lake,—a very large lake. Now the boy thought to himself
-that he would stay at this place for several days. He killed game,
-made a big fire, ate meat and slept by the lake, where there were
-many brushes and reeds. One day Antelope-Carrier killed some birds
-and roasted them. After eating the birds he lay down and slept.
-While he slept, two Thunderbirds came and carried him high up and
-placed him upon a high mountain. When the boy woke up he found
-himself in a strange place. The mound was high and had steep sides,
-so that he could not get down. When he found that there was no
-place to get down he cried. He walked around and found a nest. It
-contained four young Thunderbirds. The nest was built of sticks and
-covered with soft, downy feathers. He walked to another place and
-he found a hollow in the stone and this was full of clear water. He
-did not drink, but went on crying. After a while he became tired
-and sat down. He heard above him a noise which sounded like strong
-wind. He looked up and saw the mother Thunderbird. She lighted
-close to the boy and the bird spoke and said: “My son, do not cry.
-I brought you to this place. I watch over you as you go hunting.
-I see you kill game. You are wonderful. I brought you up here. I
-want you to help me save your young brothers over there” (pointing
-to the nest). “Nesaru placed me and my mate upon this high place.
-I have been here a long time, and every time I place my young
-upon this place a strange animal that lives in yonder lake comes
-up and eats my young. I have not raised my young, so I have asked
-you to help me; and if you save my children I will give you great
-power. The animal that devours my young is a water-serpent. It
-has two long heads. It has a very thick covering of flint stones.
-When I throw my lightning upon it, it does it no harm. I throw
-the lightning in its mouth and it does not die, for the covering
-extends beyond its head, so that I do not hurt it. Now, my son, do
-not cry, but stay here and help me kill this monster, and you shall
-have lightning in your eyes and your mouth and limbs, and you shall
-have control of all the birds in the whole world.”
-
-The boy wiped away his tears and said: “I will die with my
-brothers. I will stay here and help you.” The Thunderbird flew
-away, for she was happy. The boy went to the east slope of the
-mound, which he found very steep, but covered with timber. He
-clambered down from the crest of the mound and went into the
-timber, and there he found many birds. This was the home of all
-birds. He found a deer and killed it. He cut it up and carried the
-meat to the top of the mound. He carried some wood to the top also,
-and made a fire with flint stone. He saw the young birds with their
-mouths open. He took some meat to them and fed them. The parents of
-the little birds came and saw that the boy was taking care of them
-and were glad. The male bird spoke to the boy, and said: “We are
-all glad to have you here. Our young are very young, but as soon as
-they begin to turn black then it is time for the serpent to come
-out from the lake and climb this hill, to kill and eat my birds. We
-will go far away, where we will get more power, for it is nearly
-time for the serpent to come up. When the serpent comes up we will
-be here in time to try to kill it. We are gone.”
-
-The Thunderbirds flew away and for many days the boy did not see
-them. He was told that when the serpent was ready to come out from
-the lake he would see a fog rising from the lake, and by that would
-know that the serpent was coming.
-
-One fine morning when the boy was sitting down, with his bow and
-arrows lying in front of him, looking at the sun as it came up
-in the east, something seemed to move his head towards the lake.
-He saw a small roll of fog coming up from the middle of the lake
-and the fog seemed to spread as it went up. After a while the fog
-seemed to cover the hills around, and to reach up into the heavens.
-The boy saw something crawling out from the lake. Something came
-out from another place. These were the two heads of the monster.
-Gradually it came crawling up the hill. A storm came from the
-west. The boy saw the rain storm, but no bird. He knew that the
-storm was brought by the powers of the Thunderbirds. The storm
-went by the boy. No rain was there where he was. It lightened and
-thundered under the boy. Presently he saw the two Thunderbirds
-spreading out their wings, making lightning, and every time the
-lightning struck the serpent the boy could see a flash of lightning
-in every direction, but it did not kill the monster. At last the
-monster came upon the rock where the nest was. The birds flew
-about, the mother squealed, and as the monster opened its mouth the
-Thunderbird sent its lightning into the mouth of the monster. The
-monster was thrown back, but again it crawled up, and the female
-Thunderbird said: “It is all over. We cannot do any more. We have
-failed, so we will fly up, and you, my son, will have to die with
-my children.”
-
-The boy now picked up his bow and arrows. He took the black arrow.
-This he placed upon the bow-string ready to shoot into the mouth
-of the monster as soon as it should crawl upon the rock. As the
-monster came up and opened its mouth to swallow the boy he pulled
-his bow-string and shot into the mouth of the monster. A noise like
-that of a falling tree was made. The monster fell over and burst
-open, for the arrow was really a sycamore tree with sharp limbs.
-The birds flew downward and were glad. Now the other head of the
-monster came up from another side of the hill. The boy again ran,
-and as it opened its mouth the boy shot the red arrow into its
-mouth and another sound was heard. The arrow lifted off the head of
-the monster and the head fell again upon the rock, breaking it into
-pieces.
-
-The Thunderbirds now came and flew around the boy, screaming with
-joy. The two birds flew away to where all kinds of birds dwell. The
-birds all flew up where the boy and the nest were, and the mother
-Thunderbird said: “My son, to-day you are chief of all birds. You
-shall have power as I have. Lightning shall be in your breath and
-eyes. I give you a stick that shall have lightning, so that you can
-kill anything you strike. These birds shall follow you wherever you
-go. They will bring you news of bad animals. They will give you
-their power. Let us now go down where the serpent is.” The boy and
-the birds all went down to where the serpent was. It was broken in
-two. The birds all took hold of one side and turned the serpent
-over. When the serpent fell, the flint rock upon it had fallen off
-and scattered. The boy cut the serpent open and the birds feasted
-upon the serpent. As each bird was filled it spoke to the boy and
-gave him power. The power given to the boy was in the nature of
-objects, and he swallowed them.
-
-The lake grew smooth after the serpent was taken out. The boy was
-now chief of all birds, and wherever he went the birds followed
-him. Wherever there was a bad animal the birds told the boy and the
-boy went and killed the animal. The boy made it his aim to kill all
-bad animals. He never went to his people, but roamed over the land
-as chief of all birds, but still kept the name “Antelope-Carrier.”
-
-While this young man was roaming about, two young boys from the
-village went to shoot birds. They were joined together with
-rawhide. When they had gone far away from the village they came
-to a bottom land. Here they found an object that looked like a
-mushroom. It was white. It was moving up and down. One of the boys
-said, “Let me shoot at this thing.” The other boy said, “No, it is
-wonderful.” But the first boy shot at the object and as soon as the
-arrow hit the object a strong wind came up and took both boys up,
-carrying them far away, and they were left on an island out in the
-great waters near where the sun comes up.
-
-When the boys were landed they cried. All this time they were still
-joined by the rawhide string. The boy who shot began to make fun of
-the other, because he cried the most. So the boy who cried the most
-tried to shoot the other with his bow and arrow, claiming that it
-was through him that they were now far away from home. The other
-boy said, “No, do not kill me, for we will go back home. We will
-first go to the setting of the sun, for that is where our home is.
-If we do not reach home then we must go east, where the sun rises.”
-So they went west. As they neared the big water they saw a patch of
-corn and squash. They went on and saw an earth-lodge. They stood
-outside, and after a while an old woman came out and called them
-“grandsons” and asked them to enter her lodge.
-
-They went in and she fed them. They stayed with the old woman one
-moon. Then the old woman said: “My grandchildren, you are far away
-from home. You were brought here by a strong wind, because one of
-you shot it with your arrow. I will help you so that you can go
-back to your people. I will pound much corn and I will make dried
-mush for you. I will make five large cakes. You must do as I tell
-you. It takes four days to cross the big water. Four of these
-cakes will be for your grandfather, who will take you across; one
-cake will be for you boys.” She made the cakes and gave them to
-the boys, and said: “Go to the bank, and both of you must say,
-‘Grandfather, my grandmother says that you are to take us across.’
-A large serpent will come first, and you must say to it, ‘My
-grandmother says you are not the one.’ It will go away. Then call
-for another one. The second one will come. Send it away. The third
-one will come. Send it away. The fourth one will come. It is your
-grandfather, for he carries land upon his head, with trees growing
-upon it. Get on the serpent’s head and give the serpent one cake.
-Your grandfather has lice. Take one off of his head and give it to
-your grandfather; he likes to eat them.” These lice were soft-shell
-turtles.
-
-The fourth serpent came, and the boys got upon it with their cakes
-of mush. The boys took one cake and told their grandfather to open
-his mouth. When he opened it the boys put one of the cakes into it.
-Their grandmother came and told the boys to get the big serpent a
-louse and to throw it into its mouth. This the boys did. The boys’
-grandmother told them not to jump when the serpent was within three
-or four feet of the bank, but to stay on it until it was up to the
-bank. One of the boys now said to his grandfather: “Grandmother
-says that you are to start for the other side of this big water.”
-So the serpent started and went all day. At noon of the next day
-the serpent stopped, and said, “I want something to eat.” So the
-boys gave it another cake, and also one soft-shell turtle. Then the
-serpent started again. The next day the serpent stopped and the
-boys gave it another cake and turtle. The serpent started again,
-and the third day it stopped and the boys fed it with another
-cake and turtle. The fourth day, the boys saw land. The wild boy
-jumped before the serpent came to the bank, and was swallowed by
-the serpent. The other boy waited until it landed, then got off,
-and said, “Grandfather, grandmother said you were to stop here and
-rest.” When the boys had got on the serpent they untied themselves,
-and this is why only one of them was swallowed.
-
-Now the boy on dry land said: “Grandfather, I am about to leave
-you. Grandmother said that I was to feed you with your own lice”
-(turtles). The boy took turtles from the monster and gave them
-to him. “O, grandfather, open your mouth. I must see your teeth.
-Grandmother said I could see your teeth.” So the serpent opened its
-mouth, and there the other boy was, sitting inside the serpent. The
-boy asked the serpent to open its mouth wide, so he could see how
-long his teeth were. He then reached in the serpent’s mouth and
-dragged out the other boy.
-
-The two boys thanked the serpent and went west, hunting their home.
-They traveled many days, until at last they came to the Missouri
-River bottom. This river they followed up until they came to some
-lakes close to the river. Here they wandered until they came to
-drift wood, and there was a good large-sized log among the drift.
-Here they made a big fire. The large log was among the burning. The
-boys noticed drops of grease falling from the log. The wild boy
-noticed and reached up to the log and he found that the log was a
-serpent. The foolish boy then took his knife out and cut a chunk of
-meat and ate it. He tried to get the other boy to eat some of the
-meat, but the boy would not eat it.
-
-The boys now went on, and in the night lay down. The next morning
-the boy who ate the serpent woke and saw that his feet had turned
-red, blue, and white. The wild boy was glad to see the colors upon
-his feet. The next night, the boy’s legs became colored. Another
-night passed, and the boy’s body was colored. The next morning
-the boy’s legs were joined together and were like a serpent. The
-other boy talked to the part-serpent boy, and said, “I will stay
-with you.” The serpent boy then said: “My brother, carry me to
-the Wonderful (Missouri) River and put me in the water. I am now
-wonderful. You must come down to the river, so that I can speak to
-you, and I will give you powers.” The fourth morning the boy was
-a Serpent. The other boy packed the Serpent boy to the river and
-turned him loose in the river.
-
-The boy went home. Antelope-Carrier was informed of the Serpent and
-learned that it was wonderful. Antelope-Carrier came and told all
-the birds to hunt up and down the river, so that they might find
-the Serpent. The Serpent knew that Antelope-Carrier was coming,
-and became scared. The Serpent had his brother dig a hole in the
-sand for it. He went into the hole and was all hidden but the head,
-which was covered with willows. Antelope-Carrier with all his birds
-hunted the Serpent. At last he saw the place where he thought the
-Serpent was. While examining the place the Serpent used its power
-and carried Antelope-Carrier into the water and into its den. There
-Antelope-Carrier was put into the sweat-lodge and was made to vomit
-up all his powers which he possessed except the lightning in his
-eyes. “Now,” said the Serpent, “your powers are all gone. You are
-no longer wonderful. Go now to our people and live with them.”
-Antelope-Carrier went home. He had to wear something over his eyes
-all that time, for they were like lightning. He lived with the
-people, but never showed to them any powers that he had possessed.
-The Serpent remained in the river and would sometimes swim around
-in the waters. It gave its powers to the people and gave them songs
-and the Medicine-men’s ceremony.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[22] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-22. THE BOY WHO TURNED INTO A SNAKE.[23]
-
-
-A long time ago there was a young man in the village who was an
-idiot. All the boys plagued him except one whose father was a chief
-and who took a liking for the boy. This chief’s son used to take
-the boy to his lodge and feed him. One day the poor boy said to his
-friend: “Let us go on the war-path. Let us go alone, for we can do
-as well as the warriors.” They started out and went south, crossing
-the Missouri River. After they had crossed the river they went
-west. For several days they continued their journey, but as they
-did not have much to eat they became exhausted and turned back.
-
-When they were going over the prairie they saw something in the
-distance that looked like a log. They came to it and saw that it
-was a water-serpent. This water-serpent seemed to have no end.
-The boys walked one way, then another, until they finally gave up
-trying to find the end, and there was no way to go around it. The
-foolish boy said: “I know what I will do. I will make a big fire
-upon the serpent, so that it will burn up and we can cross over.”
-This they did. They gathered many dry limbs and placed them upon
-the serpent, then set it on fire. The serpent burned in two. Before
-crossing over, the idiot said, “My brother, that meat looks very
-nice, let us eat it.” “No,” said the other boy, “we must not eat
-it; the serpent is wonderful.” But the idiot was hungry and took
-some meat from the serpent and ate. He tried to get the other boy
-to do the same, but the boy would not eat of it, although he was
-very hungry. After the idiot had enough of the meat he went across
-the serpent. The other boy followed.
-
-The boys now traveled down the Missouri River until night overtook
-them, when they lay down. The next morning the boys woke up. The
-idiot looked at his feet and he saw that his feet were colored with
-red and blue stripes. “Look,” said the idiot, “I have colored feet.
-I will not have to paint my feet when we dance at home. People will
-like it.” But the other boy did not say anything, for he knew there
-was something wrong. They went on until they reached another stream
-of water, where they lay down again and slept. This time, when they
-woke, the idiot looked at his legs and he found his legs also were
-colored. He was pleased, for he thought that he would not have to
-paint when dancing. The next night they lay down, and when they
-arose in the morning the idiot’s body also was colored. They kept
-on journeying. The fourth morning the boy found his legs had grown
-together and had turned into the tail of a snake. The other young
-man promised to take care of him as long as he could. He carried
-the boy upon his back to the nearest lake. The idiot now turned
-into a Snake.
-
-The next morning, the Snake told the boy to place him in the lake;
-that if the fishes were satisfied to let him remain with them he
-would let the boy know. The boy put the Snake into the lake. The
-Snake swam about the lake and there was a great commotion in the
-water. The fishes in the lake did not seem to like this Snake which
-had come among them. The Snake came out again, and the boy took
-it and put it upon his back and carried it to another lake. There
-was a great noise again in the lake. The Snake came out again, and
-said: “Carry me to the Missouri River and put me in. That is where
-I am to stay.” So the boy took the Snake down to the Missouri River
-and put it into the river. The Snake swam around in the river and
-came out and said: “My brother, I am to rest in the middle of the
-Missouri River. Whenever the people cross the Missouri River they
-must say, ‘My brother, let me step over you.’ They will then always
-cross over the river without any danger of drowning. If they do not
-say anything, there will be danger of their getting drowned. Let
-them also give me presents, throwing them into the river. Now go
-home and tell my friends to bring me some presents of pounded corn
-and dried buffalo meat.”
-
-The boy went home and told his friends what had happened. The
-people brought blankets, tobacco, pounded corn, and dried meat. The
-boy and some other people went to the river and there they gave
-presents. The Snake boy received the presents, showing himself, so
-the people knew that the idiot had turned to a Snake. Every time
-the men went on the war-path they said: “My brother, we want to
-step over you. We are upon the war-path. See that none of our young
-men get lost in the river.” To-day these people say to this river:
-“Brother, I am about to cross over you. See that I do not drown.”
-Presents used to be given to the Snake boy by warriors when upon
-the war-path.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[23] Told by Yellow-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-23. THE BOY WHO RECEIVED THE MOUSE POWER.[24]
-
-
-A long time ago, when the Arikara were in a village on the Missouri
-River, the chiefs notified the people that they were going hunting,
-and that they were all to get ready to go. So all the people went
-to their caches and placed there all the things that they did not
-care to carry with them on the journey. Then they packed their
-ponies and moved on towards the west.
-
-One of the young men stayed behind and went from one lodge to
-another and finally stayed over night in the village. The next day
-he went through the village again, and he heard a woman crying. He
-went to the place where the crying came from. He looked into the
-lodge, and there was a woman sitting down crying. This woman had a
-buffalo robe wrapped around her and her hair was hanging loosely
-over her shoulders. The young man went in to see who it was. He
-wanted to know what she was crying about. She said: “I know that
-you are here, and I cried to bring you here. I have been crying
-for some time, for when the people left this lodge they took my
-children with them. I would like very much for you to go after
-my children. If you will bring my children back, I shall call my
-people together and they will give you some kind of power that will
-make you a great warrior.” The young man wanted to know where her
-people were. The woman said her children were in the sacred buffalo
-robe; that all he had to do to get the robe was to go to a man who
-had the robe and ask him to let him see the robe, and upon opening
-the robe he would see a nest in the robe, and there her children
-would be.
-
-It was customary among the Arikara to untie the robe when anybody
-asked that he might see it, so the young man knew that he would
-have no trouble in finding the children, and he promised the woman
-that he would have her children back as soon as he could. The young
-man ran in the direction where the people had gone, and on the
-second night he came to the camp which they had made. The young man
-went to his mother’s tipi and told her to give him a little meat;
-that he was in a hurry; that he could not stop; that he had to go
-back to the village. The mother gave the young man some meat. He
-ate and then he went to the tipi of the white buffalo robe. The
-young man begged the keeper of the white buffalo robe to let him
-see it. The keeper of the robe took it down and untied it. While
-the man was untying it the young man was watching for the nest.
-When he saw the nest the young man began to cry, as if praying to
-the white Buffalo, but he put his hands upon the robe, and upon the
-nest, so that the man would not take any notice of it. The young
-man stopped crying, took the nest with the young ones, put them in
-his blanket and left the tipi.
-
-The next day, the young man arrived at the village where the woman
-was. She was still sitting where he had left her. The young man
-gave the nest over to her. The woman was thankful, and said: “Now
-you have returned my children. Go now and return in the night.” So
-the young man left the lodge.
-
-The woman took her nest and went to the edge of the lodge and
-placed it there. She then turned into a Mouse and nursed her young
-ones. She went to the different holes of the Mice and Rats, telling
-them of what the young man had done for her, and asked that they
-give him power. The largest Rat in the village consented to give
-the young man power. He told the woman that he would have the Rats
-and Mice come into the lodge in the night, and that the young man
-should be there, for they would talk to him. The woman thanked the
-Rat for what he had said.
-
-In the night the young man went into the lodge, and the woman was
-there. She told the young man that the priest was to be there that
-night and that he was to be the one to give him power. So the young
-man stayed. The woman told him to make a fire, so that he could
-see what was done. The young man made a fire, and as he took his
-seat he heard the Rats running around in the lodge. Finally they
-came, one by one, in the form of human beings, and took their
-seats around the fireplace. The man who acted as priest stopped,
-and said: “My son, you have done a kind act to one of my people
-by bringing her children back. She wants to help you, and I have
-consented to do this. I am to give you a war-club, and I am to give
-you power, so that you can turn yourself into a mouse any time
-that you want to, and when you attack the enemy and when they try
-to kill you, you shall disappear, so that you will not be afraid
-of anybody.” The young man was given all these powers. At last
-the priest arose and called the young man up to him. He took hold
-of him by the shoulders and drew him to himself. Then the Rat-Man
-blew his breath upon the sides of the man’s cheeks, and there were
-formed pictures of Mice. The war-club was given to him, and he was
-told that he was now powerful and that he could go home. The young
-man took the club and a little box of medicine they had given to
-him, and started to go out. When he heard noises in the lodge he
-turned around, but the people had all disappeared. The woman was
-standing outside the lodge, and she told the young man that he was
-now her son, and that he should tell his mother that when they
-returned home to their lodge, if they should see any mice they
-should not kill them, for they were the young man’s relatives. The
-young man started for the camp. He traveled for many days, and at
-last he reached the camp. He went into the tipi and lay down, and
-the next morning the people found out that he had come.
-
-This man became a great warrior. He led many parties out to capture
-ponies, and when he went into the enemy’s camp he turned himself
-into a Mouse, and when he got to the ponies he would cut the ropes,
-then drive the ponies out of the camp, and if he was found out he
-again turned into a Mouse, so that the enemy could not find him. In
-battles, he was a brave man. He killed many enemies with the club
-that had been given him. He became so bold that he had his own way
-about everything in the camp. He had some troubles with some of the
-men, and killed them. The people grew afraid of him and always let
-him have his own way. At last he found his equal in another young
-man, who seemed to have the power of a Bear, and he it was who
-attacked the Mouse-Man. These two fought until both of them fell
-down dead, one killed by the other.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[24] Told by Snowbird.
-
-
-
-
-24. THE BOY AND THE YOUNG HAWKS.[25]
-
-
-Outside the village there wandered a small boy with his bow and
-arrows, shooting at small birds and gophers. Day by day he went out
-looking for game. Once he discovered a hawk’s nest with four eggs
-in it. He went out there every day, fearing that some one might
-take the eggs away. Finally the eggs hatched and the boy was much
-pleased to see the young hawks. He brought insects to the young
-ones for them to eat. He did this every day, and the birds grew and
-finally began to try to fly. He wanted to take them home, but he
-thought he would wait two or three days longer.
-
-When he went out to bring the birds home he saw a man in front of
-him; so he ran, for fear the man would take his nest. But the man
-reached to the nest first and the boy cried: “Those are my birds.
-Do not touch them, for they are mine.” The man answered and told
-the boy to come in a hurry, and the boy came. When the boy saw the
-man he was frightened, for the man was a stranger. The man said:
-“You have pleased me by taking such good care of my sons, and these
-birds are your brothers.” Furthermore, the man told the boy that he
-had won much favor and that he would be rewarded, but he told the
-boy to leave the nest. The boy took some feathers from the young
-hawks to put on his arrows. He then went home, half believing that
-he was rewarded.
-
-The boy came to be a good hunter. In the meanwhile he went out on
-the war-path with some others. When they discovered the enemy, he
-it was who fought where the arrows were thickest. Thus he became
-known as a brave.
-
-Some years afterwards he was known far and wide, and even his own
-people were afraid of him. But finally he turned around and did
-that which was wrong among his people. Anyone who made any attempt
-to kill the young man would forget it just as he was ready to.
-Many a man tried to kill him, but always forgot. He was called
-“Make-to-Forget.” But one man was capable of killing him, and he
-did so, because he aroused the people so much by doing wrong deeds.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[25] Told by Strike-Enemy.
-
-
-
-
-25. THE END OF THE ELK POWER.[26]
-
-
-There were once four strong young brothers. Only the oldest one was
-married. He had a wife and child. One day the men went to their
-traps to lie in wait for eagles. The woman stayed at home, where
-she was busy preparing a hide for clothing. Toward evening the
-young men returned home, one by one.
-
-The wife of the eldest brother was missing. They looked all around.
-There was no sign of the woman. The baby was found on the ground,
-crying, and the tools which the woman had used were there, but the
-woman was gone. The men believed that the woman had been taken away
-captive, and they grieved for her as lost. The baby was hungry
-and cried so piteously that it brought tears to his father’s and
-uncles’ eyes. The father tried to comfort him by feeding him deer
-brain broth, which would quiet him for only a little time. The
-oldest of the unmarried brothers was so filled with pity for the
-young one that he cried from eve till morn, trusting that the chief
-would hearken to his cry and help him and his brothers. He went out
-to cry near a strip of timber where he had seen an old dry skull of
-a buck elk. For two nights the young man cried near the skull. On
-the second night the Elk heard his cry and before sunrise the young
-man heard a voice saying: “I am well pleased with your earnest
-manner of pleading for your loss. I will help you. First, I will
-say that your brother’s wife is alive, but captured by a Bear who
-has already captured three other women. You may think that the Bear
-is mightier than I, but that is a mistake, as you will see. Go home
-with the assurance that I have given you all power that the chief
-gave me. Tell your brothers to go home at once, and in a day or two
-come by yourself and I will give you all instructions.”
-
-The brother started home. By the time of his arrival at the village
-the news of the woman’s disappearance had spread. It caused great
-sadness and wailing. Pretty-Voice (this was the name of the eldest
-unmarried brother) stayed one night, then started to where the
-Elk had spoken to him. All night Pretty-Voice traveled, and by
-daylight he reached the place. “I am glad that you have come, and I
-am prepared to carry out my promise,” said the Elk. Sitting down,
-Pretty-Voice learned the ceremony of the Elks. “Go at once,” said
-the Elk. “Carry out my instructions in full. When the sun has risen
-full blow your whistle. No matter where the females are, they will
-be attracted and come to you. At the end of this strip of timber
-you will see the rough bluff, and at about the middle you will
-see a little scattering brush. There is the home of the Bear, and
-there you will find the woman.” Pretty-Voice went to the end of
-the timber as he had been directed. As instructed, he whistled,
-one—two—three times. The women in the Bear’s den heard the whistle
-and all rushed outside to listen. At the fourth whistle they could
-not restrain themselves. They rushed toward the sound. They saw
-a handsome young man standing with his robe wrong side out. Two
-mid-tail eagle feathers were on his head and a long whistle was in
-his hand.
-
-Pretty-Voice was surprised to see his brother’s wife and three
-young women who had been missed for a long time. Pretty-Voice
-said, “Nawa, we will lose no time, but prepare yourselves to run.
-Understand we are bound for home.” They started at a fast pace.
-When they had gone many miles one turned her head and yelled, “He
-is coming!” and they began to cry. When the Bear came up too close
-Pretty-Voice ordered the party to stop. The Bear stopped and sat
-up on his hind legs, heaving heavily. The Bear was first to speak.
-He said, “Young man, you will live if you let me have my women.”
-“No, I have captured these women and I claim them. I will not let
-them go to you. I will defend these women if you are intending
-to fight,” said Pretty-Voice. “Very well,” said the Bear, “you
-will begin the fight if you have any faith in yourself.” “That I
-have,” said Pretty-Voice. Throwing off his robe and other things
-he made his attack with his bow and arrow. The Bear sat up, not
-minding the arrows. Pretty-Voice had shot all his arrows and the
-Bear was still looking at him. “Now,” said the Bear, “I gave you a
-chance to live, but you gave no heed to my warning. Now you will
-die.” Pretty-Voice threw himself on the ground and sprang on his
-feet in the form of a full grown Elk, with antlers like branches
-of a cottonwood tree. The Bear made a rush and the Elk threw his
-head down and struck the Bear, picking him up from the earth. The
-Bear’s claws lacked a little of hitting the Elk’s head. The women
-stopped wailing when they saw that Pretty-Voice was their savior.
-“My friend,” said the Bear, “you are true to your faith, and I will
-admit that you have overcome me and I will say that the women are
-yours and I beg to be free; but I know that I am going to die.”
-Pretty-Voice pulled up his head with a quick jerk and set the Bear
-free. After throwing himself on the ground as before, he sprang up
-a man. He picked up his clothing and started on.
-
-When he arrived at the village the news of his capture of the women
-spread. There was great rejoicing and the young women were taken
-to their homes. Pretty-Voice won great honor. He lived among his
-people, being received in their homes with great respect. He was
-not yet a warrior, but knew he would have no difficulty in getting
-a wife.
-
-As he had received all the powers of an Elk, he thought he
-would use them. One night he painted himself according to the
-instructions the Elk had given him. Ille, dum summo tumulo terreno
-stat, pulchram puellam vidit quam habere volebat. Itaque tibia
-magica canebat, et brevi tempore puellam habebat. Hoc faciebat dum
-puellas pulcherrimas omnes, quæ eum vicum incolebant, habuisset.
-Deinde matrones illicere incepit. This caused bad feeling among the
-majority of the men, but a few paid no attention to his doings,
-thinking that nothing could be done to stop him. The Indians held
-a large council, and in this council they, including his three
-brothers, planned and agreed to make an attack and kill him. One
-day he prepared to practice his power. He stood on an earth-lodge.
-The people began to flock into the lodge he was standing on, with
-their robes around them to hide their weapons. Pretty-Voice knew
-what was coming and gave no heed to them, trusting in his power.
-All at once the men rushed out and began to shoot at him. A few
-who favored Pretty-Voice called out that they were foolish, as
-Pretty-Voice had caused no one bodily pain. The shooting went on
-and on, but Pretty-Voice stood still. Once in a while he shook his
-robe and threw off the bullets and arrows. At last the men gave up,
-seeing that nothing could harm the young man.
-
-One day the village was attacked by a large party of Sioux. The
-inhabitants were being defeated on every side. Pretty-Voice was
-tardy in coming to the fight, and the men made remarks about his
-not making use of his power to fight. He came in his own time, went
-into the enemy’s field, with nothing to defend himself with but
-his whistle. The Sioux saw that no arrow or bullet could harm him,
-and knew that he was powerful. They began to retreat. They were
-thrown back, scalped and stripped of their weapons and ponies. They
-attempted a second attack, but were again thrown back. When they
-had been driven back the second time they knew that nothing could
-be done to destroy the people while Pretty-Voice was living, for
-he had made himself famous. They gave up trying to fight, but came
-there on a friendly visit.
-
-During their visit, Pretty-Voice saw a pretty Sioux girl whom he
-thought he would take for his wife. So he went through his ceremony
-and secured the girl. He kept her for his wife. When they had lived
-together for a long time, loving each other in their lodge, the
-girl began to question Pretty-Voice about his great power. She said
-she wanted to know how he could destroy, and she said that if she
-could be trusted to perform some duty for him she would be glad to
-do so. Pretty-Voice told all that had happened to him, and said
-that he could be killed by scraping off a little elk horn and elk
-hair and making a little incense for arrows and bullets. “When this
-is done,” he said, “the bullets will go through me.” The Sioux girl
-began to get ready to desert her husband and to stir up her people
-to make another attack and kill Pretty-Voice. When Pretty-Voice had
-gone off somewhere she started out toward her country.
-
-On her arrival she told her story and stirred up her people to make
-war and kill Pretty-Voice, saying that she knew his secret. She
-collected the necessary things and started out at the head of a
-war-party. The people of Pretty-Voice were moving for their future
-welfare when they heard that Pretty-Voice’s wife was missing.
-Pretty-Voice knew what was going to happen. He had told his mother
-long before when in trouble with his own tribe, that if anything
-should happen to him, even if he should be torn to pieces, she must
-collect his flesh and throw him into a stream near some timber and
-then she would see him again.
-
-The girl camped near the village and there prepared the arrows and
-bullets as she had learned. A fierce battle began. The inhabitants
-of the village were defeated, and in a short time Pretty-Voice
-appeared. “There he comes! To-day you are lost!” cried the enemy.
-Pretty-Voice started after them as usual and drove the enemy a
-great distance, but his body looked like a porcupine tail with
-arrows. The bullets and arrows had so loaded him that he fell.
-The enemy turned around and scalped many of them. They mutilated
-the body of Pretty-Voice. The battle ended. The people went out
-to bury their dead, and especially Pretty-Voice. His poor mother,
-crying for her son, came out with a robe to collect his flesh and
-do as she had been told. The men noticed what she was intending
-to do. They asked her what she was going to do. She told all that
-Pretty-Voice had said, but the men would not hear of his coming
-again, as he had done enough mischief. The old mother insisted, but
-the men would not let her. As the brothers disapproved of her plan
-she gave in, and instead of burying his body they made a big fire
-and destroyed the body entirely. A number of days after his body
-had been burned to ashes a pure white fog was seen to arise daily
-from that place.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[26] Told by White-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-26. THE ELK RESCUES A WOMAN FROM THE BEAR.[27]
-
-
-There was a young man who fell in love with a certain girl in a
-village. This girl was the daughter of a chief, and she was very
-pretty. The young man was poor. He had no ponies, no relatives, but
-was often looking for them. The young girl fell in love with the
-young man, and so they planned to run away. The young man took some
-flint stones, bow and arrows, a knife and some robes, and went to
-the girl’s lodge. He took the girl out, and they rode on ponies.
-They went off into a wild country by themselves. There they stayed.
-They made a tipi. The young man went out every day to kill deer,
-so that now they had plenty of meat all the time. The young man
-thought a great deal of his wife. The only time he left her was in
-the daytime. The young man killed so many deer that the woman made
-buckskin dresses for herself, and also buckskin leggings for the
-man. The young man killed many elk, and the teeth of the elk were
-put upon the buckskin dresses. They made a big new tipi. They had
-much dried meat.
-
-One day the young man said: “I will stop hunting. I will now go to
-yonder hill, and I will try to catch some eagles.” So the young
-man went up on a hill, and he caught many eagles. He took them to
-his home. One time while he was in a den, waiting for an eagle to
-alight so that he could catch it, somebody came to his camping
-place and took away his wife. This being was a Bear. The Bear had
-turned into a man and had come to the camp. He had a robe about his
-shoulders, bear’s claws about his neck, and he smelled so fine
-that the woman could not help but like him. When the man started to
-go the woman wanted to follow him. She finally left everything that
-she had and followed the man. This man was a Bear, and he led her
-into a den where there were a dozen or more women that he had taken
-from their husbands. In the evening, the young man got out from his
-cave, went to his camp, and found his wife gone, but everything
-else was in its place. The eagles that he had killed were there. He
-knew by this that if the enemy had taken her they would have taken
-the eagles too. So he hunted and hunted and yelled. At last he gave
-out. He went along the timber and finally an Elk found him.
-
-The young man told the Elk that he had lost his wife; that he
-thought a great deal of her; and that now he was about dead from
-hunting her. The Elk told him that he was going to help him to get
-his wife back, but that he would have to fight. The Elk taught
-the man how to transform himself into an Elk. He also gave him a
-whistle, and told him that he whistled when he wanted female Elk
-to come to him, and that when he whistled they all rushed to him.
-The Elk told the young man to remain in the timber; that he would
-go and watch for the Bear; and that when the Bear should be gone,
-he would come and let him know, so that the young man might go
-and blow the whistle, while the Bear was gone. The Bear left his
-den and went out for a long distance. The Elk knew this. It came
-and told the young man. The young man went up close to the place
-where the den was and blew the whistle. As soon as his wife heard
-the whistle she said, “Women, let us go; that is my husband.” Some
-of the women were afraid to go, for they were afraid of the Bear;
-but the young man kept on whistling, and when the women heard it
-again they all rose and walked out of the den. They followed the
-young man’s wife, who was now running to where the young man was
-standing. The young man saw his wife and was happy. He embraced
-her, and said, “Go, I will remain behind, for the Bear will surely
-come after you.”
-
-The Elk now came, and said: “The Bear is coming. Watch. Fix your
-bow and arrows so that you can shoot the Bear, while I put my
-head down and thus make a kind of barrier so that he can not get
-through, on account of my horns.” The Bear came, and as he attacked
-the Elk the Elk put his head down so that the Bear could not get
-through, and as the Elk began to lift its head up it brought its
-head and the whole weight of its horns upon the Bear, thus sticking
-its horns into the Bear’s body, while the young man shot at the
-Bear with his arrows. They killed the Bear. The Elk now turned to
-the young man, and said, “I shall now go to my place.” But the
-young man said, “No, I shall only take my wife; you take the other
-women.” So the Elk took the other women, and they all turned into
-Elk. For this reason, when a male elk whistles, all the female elk
-run to him.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[27] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-27. THE BOY AND THE ELK.[28]
-
-
-There was a young man in the Arikara village who was very handsome.
-He tried to marry, but the girls all seemed to hate him. He went
-off to a hilly country where there was a lake. On the west side of
-the lake was a skull of an animal. He placed himself by the skull
-and began to cry.
-
-On the second night an Elk came to the boy, but soon disappeared.
-In a short time the boy heard the clear, beautiful notes of a
-flute. The sound of the flute came nearer and nearer the boy, until
-it came to where he stood. There stood before him an Elk. The Elk
-now spoke to him, and said: “My brother, that is my skull before
-you. I know what you are crying for. The women do not like you,
-and you wish to be liked by them. I now take pity upon you. Take
-the teeth from this skull. Wear the large ones about your neck.
-Wear the others in your ears. I give you a flute. Go to the village
-of your people. Blow this flute, and you will see the young girls
-coming to you.” The young man received the flute and also pulled
-the teeth from the skull. He went home and did as he was told to do.
-
-He tried his flute, and the young girls came to him. This he tried
-several times, until he was married. Women also came to him. The
-men did not like this, so they gathered together and agreed to kill
-him. In the evening the men went out and sat around with their
-bows and arrows. The man came out from his tipi and walked outside
-the camp, blowing his flute. The women started to run to him. The
-war-cry was raised and the men closed in on the boy, killing him.
-One of the boy’s relatives took the teeth from his neck and ears,
-and also the flute. The relatives of the boy were afraid to bury
-the boy, so they left him where he was killed. The boy lay there
-for several days, but one night he came to the tipi of his mother.
-He woke her up and told her that he had returned. His mother did
-not believe it. But when she made a fire she saw her son sitting
-there. The son then said: “Mother, go to the society of Young-Dogs,
-and tell them to give me some tobacco, so that I may smoke.” The
-mother went to the tipi and they gave her the tobacco. She gave the
-tobacco to her son, who smoked, and said, “This smoke is good.”
-
-The men in the village were afraid. They thought the man would take
-revenge and kill some of them. The boy did not go out much, and the
-people doubted that he was back and alive. Some of the men went to
-the tipi to see if the boy was home and alive. The men saw the boy,
-and they became afraid. One day the boy sent for all his nearest
-kin, and said: “My relatives, my heart is poor, for these people
-killed me. I do not want to live here any more. Will you go with me
-where I am going?” All said, “Yes.” So the boy went and caught his
-pony. The others did the same. Men, women, and children followed
-the boy. He went towards the river and told the people to follow
-him and they obeyed. They went into the water, and as they got into
-the water they began to disappear. They all turned into some kind
-of animal that lived in the water. The young man who had the flute
-and elk’s teeth did not go, so he was the only one who lived.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[28] Told by White-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-28. THE COYOTE, THE GIRL, AND THE MAGIC WINDPIPE.[29]
-
-
-A long time ago there lived a beautiful girl who had her lodge in
-the center of the timber. She loved nobody, but she always had
-plenty of buffalo meat, and plenty to eat. She had some wonderful
-bundles hung up in her lodge.
-
-One day as she was eating in her lodge the Coyote visited her. He
-saw that she had plenty of meat, so he made his home with her.
-Every day they had meat. The Coyote was now the girl’s errand man,
-and made fires for her and carried water for her. One day the girl
-was up early in the morning, and she said: “My uncle (Coyote),
-we are out of meat. I want fresh meat. My brothers will be here
-to-day, and I want you to stay on the north side of the entrance
-and cover your head up with your buffalo robe, and not to watch.”
-The girl swept out the lodge, placed some hot coals between the
-altar and the fireplace, and put some sweet grass upon the coals.
-As the smoke arose from the coals she went to the sacred bundle,
-and from it took the windpipe of a buffalo, which was round, and
-small at one end and large at the other end. She waved this over
-the smoke, then took it and turned it upside down so that dust came
-out from it, and as the dust fell out it turned into seven young
-men, who were her brothers. On the north side, where the sacred
-bundle hung, were several bows and arrows. These bows and arrows
-the brothers took down. When the boys took their bows and arrows
-the girl put her buffalo robe about her. She went up on to the
-lodge. She gave one yell toward the north, moved toward the west,
-moved toward the south, and then the buffalo came, from the north
-and from the west. She went back into the lodge, and her brothers
-began to kill the buffalo. They killed so many buffalo that the
-buffalo finally ran off. The brothers went into the lodge and stood
-in a row on the north side. The girl took some hot coals and placed
-them west of the fireplace, put some medicine and sweet grass upon
-them, and each brother, when his turn came, passed his bow and
-arrows through the smoke and laid them by the coals. Then they let
-the smoke pass through their bows. Then one stepped to the south
-of the coals and stopped; he finally disappeared. After that all
-disappeared. The girl took the windpipe, passed it over the smoke,
-then put her hand on the ground, got the dust together, and put it
-back into the windpipe. She passed the windpipe over the smoke,
-tied it, and hung it up in its place again. She even took the bows
-and arrows, passed them over the smoke and threw them upon the
-ground. They became tiny bows and grass arrows. These she hung up
-by the bundle again.
-
-While all this was going on the Coyote had one eye open. After the
-girl was through with the performance she told the Coyote to come
-out. She went out with the Coyote and they skinned the buffalo.
-They brought the meat into the lodge, and left the hides outside.
-Every day the girl and the Coyote jerked the meat. The Coyote laid
-the bones around the fireplace and roasted them. When the Coyote
-ate the roast meat that was cooked he would think of his hungry
-children far away. At last he decided to steal the windpipe that
-contained the young men and to take it far away into his country,
-so that he could call the buffalo and have the young men to kill
-them. He said to himself: “If I find the enemy’s camp I will attack
-them. I will turn that windpipe upside down and those brothers
-will come out, and they will fight for me. The people will think
-that I am a wonderful man.” One day the Coyote asked the girl if
-her seven brothers in the windpipe were the only ones there. She
-said, “No, for, if I am attacked, I turn that windpipe upside down
-and there will be many young men, and my seven brothers will lead
-them out and they will fight for me.” The Coyote said to himself,
-“That is good; I will steal it.” So the Coyote made up his mind to
-steal the windpipe that night. The girl knew what the Coyote was
-planning all the time, but she allowed him to steal it. The Coyote
-went up to the windpipe, took it down and went out of the lodge,
-to the north. He traveled far. He thought, “I am now far away from
-the girl; I will lie down by the side of this log and sleep.” The
-girl knew just where the Coyote had lain down, and so she had her
-brothers bring the Coyote back and place him at the ridge just
-before the entrance of the lodge, on the north side. In the morning
-the girl got up, went to the Coyote and waked him. When the Coyote
-awoke he found himself in the lodge. He said: “My niece, I thought
-the enemy were coming, so I took this thing down, so that I could
-put the brothers outside so that they could fight for us. I must
-have gone to sleep here. Put it back.” Again the Coyote thought,
-“Well, I will stay, and I will yet steal this windpipe.” So one
-night he took the windpipe down again and went off. He went until
-he came to a place where there were some ashes where timber had
-been burned. He lay down to rest. The girl told her brothers to
-bring him back and place him outside of the lodge, where there was
-a pile of ashes. She went out in the morning, waked him, and the
-Coyote, when he awoke, found himself by the lodge. “My niece,” he
-said, “I took this thing down, for there was a war-party coming
-to attack us. I went to meet the war-party and they ran away, and
-I came back and lay down here, for I was tired.” The third time
-he tried to steal the windpipe, but again he failed. The fourth
-time, the girl let the Coyote carry the thing off. So the Coyote
-went off, and the girl did not have him brought back. He became
-hungry, and as he saw a village he thought to himself, “If I do
-this wonderful thing to these people they will find out that I am
-wonderful and they will take me from one lodge to another to feed
-me.” So the Coyote went up on the hill. He commenced to howl at the
-people in the village to come and kick with him. He thought that
-if he could get them to kick with him he would turn the windpipe
-upside down and the young men would run. The young men in the
-village said: “That fellow is howling for us to come and kick with
-him. Let us go up and kick with him.” So several young men went up
-on the hill where the Coyote was. The Coyote took the windpipe and
-turned it upside down, but instead of dust and the boys coming out,
-a swarm of bumblebees came out, and they commenced to sting the
-Coyote all over. The boys continued to kick him. The Coyote began
-to beg them not to kick. The young men ran into the timber and the
-bees left the Coyote and went up into a hollow tree. There they
-stayed. The Coyote went off as a coyote. The bees stayed in the
-timber, as bees.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[29] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-29. THE BUFFALO-WIFE AND THE JAVELIN GAME.[30]
-
-
-A long time ago there was a village upon the Missouri River. In
-this village was a young man who was well-to-do. He was handsome,
-but did not care for women. He seemed to be successful in all
-his undertakings. In hunting he killed many deer and antelope.
-He dug holes upon high hills and covered them with willows and
-placed carcasses of rabbits or some fresh meat on them. Magpies
-would come there and eat of the meat, then eagles would light
-there, so that he dragged them in. People got to calling him
-“Man-Who-Kills-Game-Easily.”
-
-One day he went hunting, and as he climbed up on a high hill he
-saw somebody coming. The boy lay down upon the hill and went to
-sleep. When he awoke the sun had gone down, and it was night. He
-lay down again and went to sleep. He saw a buffalo cow sitting upon
-a prairie and two bulls were standing back of her, and each bull
-was saying, “I will ring her.” The boy thought that he was standing
-by looking on. When the bulls ran to where the buffalo cow was
-sitting they turned into sticks and the boy also saw that the cow
-had turned to a ring. The boy, in his dream, picked up each stick
-and examined it, so that he knew just how they were made. He also
-thought he picked up the ring and examined it. The next morning he
-woke up. He looked where he had seen a person the day before and he
-saw something there. This time it was not a person, but a buffalo
-cow. The cow came and stopped on a prairie. She sat down. The boy
-went down from the hill, for the cow was by it. The boy could see
-no other cow. Bovi appropinquavit quacum, cum benigna videretur,
-concubuit. When he stood back the cow disappeared. The boy looked
-into the grass and there was the ring he had dreamed of. He picked
-up the ring and went home. He wore it upon his wrist. Every night
-he dreamed about the sticks, so he went out one day and cut ash
-timber and made the sticks. Every morning the young man used to
-go outside the village and call out, “I have sticks here to play
-with!” The young men of the village came out and played the game.
-Some of them would rather play the game than eat. This particular
-man was skillful in playing the game. He seemed to be the only
-one who could catch the ring. He won many things, such as eagle
-feathers, wampum, beads and many other things. The game became very
-popular. Men came from their homes and played all day with the
-sticks.
-
-One day the boy took his bow and arrows and went hunting for game.
-The game generally was plentiful, but on this hunt the boy failed
-to find any game. He kept on going south until he came to a valley
-where there was a large stream of water. There in the valley he saw
-a person. He approached and saw that the person was an old woman.
-The young man spoke to the old woman, and she said: “My grandson,
-I am weak. Take pity on me. Carry me across the river, that I may
-go out to the village.” The young man told her to walk and that he
-would hold her while she crossed the river. But the old woman said:
-“No, my grandson; put me upon your back, take me across, and set
-me upon that nice grass on the other side.” The young man gave in,
-and he put the old woman upon his back and waded the river. After
-the boy had crossed the river he said, “Well, you had better get
-off.” The old woman said, “My grandson, take me a little further.”
-So the boy went on. When the boy stopped to put the old woman down
-she laughed, and said: “No, my grandson; you cannot put me down; I
-am your wife now.” The boy became furious and tried to throw the
-old woman off, but she was fast to his back. The boy stuck her with
-his knife and tried hard to get her off, but the old woman stuck on
-and laughed at the boy. The old woman said: “Grandson, you might as
-well go home, for I am to stay with you always. Let the young men
-see you carry an old woman. You are so proud that you do not look
-at the women.” The young man made up his mind to go home. So he
-went home with the old woman upon his back.
-
-People looked at the young man coming into camp with an old woman
-upon his back. Children crowded about him and followed the boy
-through the village. He went into his lodge and told his friends
-what had happened to him. The people placed the young man in the
-lodge and medicine-men were sent for. All the medicine-men failed
-to get the old woman off the young man’s back. While the people
-crowded around, a poor boy came and stood with the people. He spoke
-out and said, “I can take the old woman from that young man’s
-back.” Then he disappeared. The people heard the poor boy speak,
-and the people told the relatives what the poor boy said. The poor
-boy was living in a shelter with his grandmother. The boy spoke
-to his grandmother, and said: “Grandmother, the people are coming
-after me to take the woman off from the boy. I can take her off.”
-The old woman felt sorry for her grandson, not knowing that the
-boy had powers to take the old woman off. The relatives of the boy
-came and brought with them the medicine-men’s pipe. The men stood
-before the boy, holding the pipe before him. The boy reached and
-took it. The people thanked the boy for taking it. The boy then
-took his bow and four arrows of different colors. He put his old
-robe on, holding his bow and arrows in his left hand. He went into
-the lodge of the young man with the old woman upon his back.
-
-No sooner had the boy entered the lodge than the old woman on the
-man’s back became scared. She did not talk much. The boy walked up
-and said: “Woman, you did wrong. You were sent for a purpose, and
-instead of doing what you were told, you turned into a woman and
-became fast upon the young man. You came from the Buffalo with a
-message and now you are an old woman stuck upon the back of this
-young man. I shall take you off. These arrows are from my father,
-Lightning. These flint points will be the ones that will take you
-off.” The boy then ran around the lodge. Taking the black arrow, he
-shot at the woman under the shoulder. The arrow struck the woman
-and split her in two, taking off a part of the boy’s flesh. The
-boy ran around again. This time he took the red arrow and shot the
-woman under the chin, taking her entirely off from the boy. The
-boy then ran around again, taking a white arrow. He placed the
-arrow upon the back of the boy. Again he ran, and this time the
-boy took the yellow arrow and placed it upon the sore place of the
-boy’s back. He ran again, and took the arrow off. He also took the
-other two arrows, and said: “People, take the old woman outside
-and place her upon a big fire!” The boy went out and went to his
-grandmother’s. They made a big fire, placed the old woman upon it,
-and burned her.
-
-The people took some gifts to the poor boy. The next morning an
-old woman went out of the lodge and heard a woman crying at the
-entrance. It was near where the woman was burned. A voice was also
-heard to say: “Your father threw you away. He burned you. You must
-not cry.” The young man heard it, and began to think. He would say
-to himself: “I have never been with any woman. I do not understand
-this talk.” The next night the child was again heard crying, and
-towards morning the young man again heard the talk. The young man
-now felt for the ring he had, and it was gone. The next night the
-boy thought of the woman’s voice and lay awake. He did not hear her
-any more, so he went to sleep. In his dream he saw himself playing
-with the stick, and every time he hooked the ring he thought he was
-with a woman.
-
-Some one went out of the lodge, and there, where the ashes were,
-was a new white tipi, and inside was a woman with a child upon her
-lap, talking to it. In the evening, the people went out to see the
-tipi, but there was no tipi. The young man was now well. He made
-up his mind to go out and see the tipi. When the child began to
-cry, the young man went out to see the tipi, and as he went out a
-woman with a new buffalo robe passed by him, leading a child. The
-young man went into the lodge and gathered up many eagle feathers
-and made a bundle of them. This he put upon his back, and went out
-of the lodge, following the woman and the child. The woman had
-made the young man follow her. By daylight the young man could see
-footprints of the woman and the child. He now saw the woman and the
-child walking up the hill. The young man ran to catch up with them,
-but as he got to the top of the hill he saw the woman and child
-walking, but this time they were Buffalo. The young man ran after
-them. Once in a while the young calf would run back, hop around the
-man, then return to his mother. When the calf would catch up with
-his mother he would say: “Mother, let us go slow. Father is tired.”
-The Buffalo cow would say: “No, my son, you must not run to that
-man; he put us into the fire.” In the night, the man saw a tipi
-near a river. He went to it. The calf came out and said, “Father,
-my mother said you were to lie down outside.” The young man lay
-down outside and went to sleep. When he awoke the next morning
-the tipi was gone. So he got up and followed the Buffalo. Every
-time the cow came to a stream of water she would rush in and lay a
-covering of dust over it, so that the water was hidden. The dust
-layer would be about two inches deep, so that the man could walk
-over it. The calf came to the man and said, “Father, do you want
-to drink?” The man said, “I am dying, for my throat is dry.” The
-calf told the man that he would stick his foot through the crust of
-dust, so that he could drink when he came to the little hole; that
-when he was through he must cover up the hole. The man found the
-hole and drank. He also washed his face and head. He first thought:
-“What a little hole. Can I get enough to drink?” But he was soon
-filled, and thought it wonderful that a little hole like that
-should hold so much water. The man felt refreshed and ran on after
-the Buffalo. In the night the man again saw the tipi, and he knew
-that it was the Buffalo tipi. He went to it, and the calf came out,
-and said, “Father, my mother says you are to come into the tipi and
-lie down by the entrance.” So the man went into the tipi and lay
-down by the entrance. When he woke up, the tipi was gone. He went
-on west and saw the Buffalo cow going with the calf. The calf went
-back and met the man, and said, “My father, are you hungry?” The
-man said, “Yes, I am starving.” The calf said: “Watch me. I will
-drop something and you are to pick it up and eat it. When you have
-eaten enough put it away and eat it when you are hungry.” The calf
-ran, and all at once he stopped. His tail went up and he dropped
-a chip. The man picked up the chip when he came to it, and to his
-surprise it was pemmican. It was not a very large piece. It seemed
-to have more fat in it than meat. As the man took a bite he thought
-the piece was too small to satisfy his hunger, but as he ate, it
-seemed to grow larger. It was made from a whole buffalo. That
-evening the man went into the tipi. He was told by the boy Buffalo
-that his mother had said his father was to sit by her. So the man
-walked up where the woman sat and sat down by her. In the night
-they slept together. The boy was very happy. Next morning the boy
-got up and played with his father. When the woman got up she shook
-her robe and wrapped herself in it, and there she stood, a Buffalo.
-The tipi disappeared. The boy was a Buffalo calf. The three now
-walked on, and the woman spoke to the man, and said, “On yonder
-hill sits this boy’s grandfather, who is waiting for us.”
-
-When they arrived at the hill he saw the Buffalo bull sitting
-upon the hill. When the Buffalo bull saw them coming he stood up,
-stretched, and said: “So you people have come at last. I have been
-waiting here for you.” The man then took two eagle feathers and
-tied them upon the horns of the Buffalo bull. He shook his head
-and jumped around to see the feathers wave. “Go,” said the Buffalo
-bull. “This is what we want. You will see two bulls sitting on
-yonder hill. Give them presents and they will be glad to get them.”
-So they went on, and when they got to the hill they saw the two
-bulls. The young man went up to the bulls and put his feathers
-upon their shaggy heads. They also ran and jumped about, shaking
-their heads. “Go,” they said. “On yonder hill sit three bulls who
-are waiting for you. Make them glad by giving them presents.” So
-they went on again. They came to the hill and the three bulls sat
-there. The young man put feathers upon their shaggy heads. They
-also jumped around and were thankful. “Go,” they said. “On yonder
-hill sit four Buffalo bulls, who are chiefs of the Buffalo camp.”
-The young man took his feathers and put them upon the heads of the
-Buffalo. The Buffalo jumped around and shook their shaggy heads,
-each looking at the other’s feathers, until they finally locked
-horns.
-
-The man, the Buffalo cow, and the boy were told to go and enter
-the village of the Buffalo. They went and entered and drove off
-Buffalo, but as the man did not have enough feathers to go around,
-the Buffalo became mad. Some said, “We can not kill him, for he
-has not enough.” But others said, “We must kill him, for he burned
-our messenger.” Some said, “We can not kill him, for the messenger
-did wrong by turning to an old woman and sticking onto the young
-man.” The Buffalo were angry. They told the woman to tell the man
-to sit upon the hill until it was decided what should be done with
-him. The young man went upon the hill, took from his buffalo belt
-a flint stone knife and stuck it in the ground. As he did so he
-called upon the gods in the ground to form stone around where he
-sat. The young man seemed to know what was coming.
-
-The calf soon came and told the man that the Buffalo intended to
-kill him, for the people had burned his mother. The calf told him
-that there were Buffalo who took his part, but as they were few
-in number they could do nothing; that the woman had done wrong by
-turning into an old woman and causing him trouble, but this story
-was of no avail, for the Buffalo were determined to kill the young
-man. The man took his seat upon the hill as he was requested. The
-calf said: “Father, I am to run a race with three other calves. I
-have a friend here who says that he will help me.” The man looked
-at Yellow-Calf standing by his son. He knew Yellow-Calf was a
-wonderful calf, that was liked and loved by all of the Buffalo.
-So the man knew that the calf was safe. The calves went far away,
-and ran. The two calves beat the others. The Buffalo were furious,
-hooking the ground here and there. Again the Buffalo gathered in
-council and it was decided that the man should hunt his wife. There
-were four other Buffalo cows placed with the boy’s mother, who
-looked like them all. The boy placed a burr upon his mother’s head,
-so that his father would know her. The man passing the Buffalo knew
-the woman cow and picked her out.
-
-The Buffalo bulls decided to kill the man by rushing upon him where
-he sat and stamping him to death. If not, then they were to hook
-him. The boy went to his father and told him what was to happen.
-He took a downy feather and placed it in his father’s hair. The
-Buffalo came and stamped about the man, around whose head waved the
-downy feather. Four times the Buffalo rushed upon the man, but
-when they scattered he was always found sitting upon the hill. The
-Buffalo became furious. They ran to hook him, but every time the
-Buffalo hooked the ground their horns were knocked off. The ground
-around the boy had spread and formed flint rocks, for the boy had
-stuck his flint stone into the ground and formed flint rock. Four
-times the Buffalo attacked the man, but they could not reach him.
-At last they gave up, and returned to their places in the herd.
-
-The Buffalo now again sat in council. They decided to send the man,
-Buffalo cow, and calf to the Indian village for presents, such as
-eagle feathers, and native tobacco. The Buffalo said to the man:
-“Your people are hungry. You must go home and we will follow you.
-When the presents have been brought to us, then we will send to
-your people a bunch of buffalo so that they may kill and have meat
-to eat.” The man was glad, and started on his homeward journey; but
-a Buffalo bull got in his way. It had also been decided to turn
-the man into a Buffalo, and the bull was the one to turn him into
-a Buffalo. The bull attacked the man, but the man stood his ground
-and met the Buffalo, so that the man was run over by the Buffalo.
-The next thing he knew he was locking horns with the other Buffalo
-and to his surprise he found that he was now a Buffalo.
-
-After the man had become a Buffalo he and his wife and the son
-started for their country, the main herd of Buffalo following.
-After several nights’ travel the man told the Buffalo that he and
-his wife and child would start for their country at once. The
-Buffalo were glad. The three, as Buffalo, started on ahead, the
-rest following slowly. They traveled very fast, until at last they
-came in sight of the village. The Buffalo rested in a hollow and
-the next morning turned themselves into human beings and walked on
-into the village. The man found his lodge. People flocked into the
-lodge to see them, for they were fine-looking beings. Their robes
-were all new. The man told the people to keep their distance, for
-they (the people) smelled very badly. The man told of his errand
-and the people began to come in with eagle feathers and native
-tobacco. The man took all the things, and with his wife and son
-went out. People watched them, and as the three went over a hill
-they became Buffalo again. The three ran until the Buffalo came up,
-and the man gave many presents. Those who received presents were
-willing to go with the first bunch to be slaughtered by the people.
-So the three ran back to the village, and got there in the night. A
-big fire was made in the Buffalo man’s lodge, chiefs were sent for,
-and the man told them to be ready to go out the next morning; that
-the people would find a bunch of Buffalo on the other side of the
-hills. The people went out and found the Buffalo. They surrounded
-them and killed all of them. Again the young man told them to go
-out and kill Buffalo. Four times they killed. The whole drove came
-to the village.
-
-The leader of the Buffalo now sat upon a high hill, with a
-Buffalo skull in front of him. The Buffalo man was sent for,
-and the Buffalo leader said: “I am satisfied. The people are
-happy. This day I give you sticks to play with. The two sticks
-are people. The ring is a kind of people—the Buffalo. When you
-play, the sticks which you ring are the enemy, whom you conquer.
-The ring is the Buffalo. The people will become very jealous of
-their hunting-ground. You will be at war with other people in the
-country.” These sticks were placed in the priests’ lodge, so that
-when a bundle ceremony was given the sticks were placed before
-the people. The sticks were people. Two sets of people who became
-jealous of the Buffalo then fought. The ones who caught the ring
-were conquerors. The man went home and lived a long life. The
-Buffalo calf started the Buffalo ceremony among the people.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[30] Told by Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-30. THE ORIGIN OF THE WOLF DANCE.[31]
-
-
-When the Arikara lived on the Missouri River, there was a handsome
-young man in the village, whose father was a chief. The young man
-had never been on the war-path. He never played with other young
-men, but stayed around close to his lodge. Many young girls in the
-village went to him to be married to him, but he would not have
-them. There was one place that he went and that was upon a high
-hill, west of the village. He had a certain way of going to that
-hill.
-
-Now, there were seven beautiful girls in the tribe, each of whom
-had tried to marry the young man and had been refused. The seven
-girls got together and planned to put the young man into a hole,
-which was about ten feet in depth, and larger at the bottom. They
-spread some weeds over the hole, and when the time came for the
-young man to come that way they hid. The young man came, stepped
-over the hole and fell in.
-
-For some time he stood yelling for help. At last the seven girls
-went to the hole and they told him that he must give his clothing
-to them. He took his things off, and the girls each took a little
-basket, dropped it down, and received in it a piece of clothing.
-Then each girl dropped her basket, and asked the young man to spit
-in it, promising that if he did what they asked they would take
-him out. As each basket received the spittle the girl would pull it
-out and lick the spittle. After each girl had got the boy’s spittle
-and licked it, they said, “You must give us your loin-cloth.” This
-he gave to them. They tore it in seven pieces, so that each had
-one piece. Iamque puer nudus erat. Deinde puellæ dixerunt si sibi
-glandem penis ostenderet eique limum aspergeret, se eum sublaturas.
-Hoc puer abnuit. Tum dixerunt puellæ, “Si vis nos omnes in
-matrimonium ducere polliceri, te tollere volumus.” Puer pollicitus
-est. But all the girls spoke out, and said: “You have always been
-mean; you have had a dislike for us; we will leave you in this hole
-and let you die; we are not going to take you out.” So the girls
-went away and the boy commenced to cry.
-
-Soon after the girls had gone away a gray Wolf looked down upon the
-boy, and said, “I am sorry for you, and I will help you.” The Wolf
-went away, and while he was gone a Bear came to the hole. The Wolf
-came back and a dispute arose over the ownership of the boy. The
-Bear claimed that the boy belonged to him; but the Wolf said, “He
-is mine.” The Bear said: “He is mine, too. I shall eat him up.” So
-the Bear and the Wolf began to quarrel to see who should have the
-boy. The Wolf whispered to the boy, and said: “I shall dig with
-this Bear, and you must dig on this side; for if he digs through
-first he will eat you; but if I dig through first and reach you
-before he does I shall save you, and you shall be my son.” So it
-was agreed between the Bear and the Wolf that they each should dig
-through the earth, and whosoever should first dig through to where
-the boy was should claim him.
-
-The Bear and the Wolf began to dig. Where the Wolf and the boy were
-digging there was nothing but sand, while on the side where the
-Bear was digging it was hard dirt, mixed with stones and gravel; so
-the Wolf was the first to dig through. When the Bear came through,
-he found out that the Wolf had already dug through. The Bear stood
-up, and said, “You have beaten me, but this young man shall be my
-son, and I shall help him whenever he calls upon me.”
-
-The Wolf took the boy among the Wolves. The boy soon ceased to care
-to walk, and began to crawl upon his hands and knees, and to eat
-raw meat, just as the Wolves did. He came to act like a Wolf. The
-skin upon his haunches was now so thick that he could slide on them.
-
-In the village, the boy’s father mourned for him for many years.
-But in a chase for buffalo somebody saw a drove of Wolves with
-this human being among them. He told other people about it. After
-the hunt was over, all the men in the camp went out where they
-had killed the buffalo and there they found the Wolves, and this
-human being among them. They ran their horses after the Wolves,
-but this human being ran so fast that he beat all the Wolves and
-escaped; but they knew that it was the young man. For a whole year
-they planned to catch the human Wolf, but he was so swift that they
-could not catch him.
-
-Now, there was a man in the tribe who had medicines for catching
-the human Wolf and for taking the Wolf feeling out of him. This
-man agreed to try to catch the human Wolf. So the man went and
-selected a place in a hilly country. There was a steep bank on the
-west side, another on the south side, and another on the east side,
-and there was an opening at the north side. Having selected this
-place, the man told the people to make their village about three
-miles east from there. He ordered the women to go to this place,
-and dig a deep hole on the south side of the banks, so that the
-Wolves could not climb out. The women also cut long poles and set
-them on the top of the banks, so that, in case the Wolf did crawl
-up, these poles would be in his way. At the opening, long poles
-were set up, so that there was left only a little opening. They
-also strung a lot of willows, which was to be a doorway to close up
-the entrance. The man now ordered a certain number of young men to
-go and kill buffalo. These young men went out, and they killed the
-buffalo, brought the meat, and placed it inside of this enclosure.
-The Wolves followed them up, and then the men on horseback circled
-the Wolves and ran them into this trap, the human Wolf among them.
-There were four strong men who put on rawhide leggings, and caps
-with holes in them, so that they could see, and these four men
-were put into the trap. They ran after the Wolf man. Every time
-the Wolves ran around by the doorway the door was removed, and the
-Wolves went out. At last they had the man Wolf by himself. The
-entrance was stopped. The four men finally succeeded in catching
-the Wolf man. Then they tied him and took him out. He tried to
-bite them, but the rawhide was so dry that he could not hurt them.
-While the four men were catching him the medicine-man had built a
-sweat-lodge. The hot stones were taken into the lodge quickly and
-the man was taken in there and tied. The man poured water upon the
-hot stones, and sweated the Wolf man. The medicine-man kept pouring
-water on the stones, until the Wolf man begged for some water. Then
-the medicine-man gave him some medicine that he had prepared, and
-the Wolf man began to vomit. The Wolf man vomited hairs of Wolves,
-white clay, also froth and raw meat. All this time the people were
-rubbing wild sage upon his body, especially upon his knees. The
-Wolf man became exhausted and finally said, “I feel better now.”
-The medicine-man continued to give him medicine until the Wolf man
-could vomit no more. They then untied him and took him into his
-lodge, and he finally recovered.
-
-The Wolf man stayed in bed all night and the next day. Then, in the
-night, he sent for his father. He told his father that he wanted
-him to build a tipi, and that towards evening he wanted him to go
-through the village and invite the bravest men in the tribe to come
-to his, the father’s, tipi—not to the tipi he had built for the boy.
-
-Now, the seven girls who had put the boy into the hole were
-invited. They were told to dress up in their fine clothes, and as
-he had promised to marry them he wanted them to come to his tipi
-that they had put up for him. These girls came to the tipi, and
-the young man gave them seats. The young man left the lodge, and
-told his father to place the brave men around the lodge; that he
-was going out, and as soon as he should come back the guards were
-to leave their stations. The boy went to the north, and cried,
-“Father, my father, come and help me!” The Wolves came up, and
-said: “We will help you. What is it you want?” The boy said: “The
-girls who were the cause of my being with the Wolves are in my
-tipi. I want you to devour them.” The Wolves promised that they
-would. Then the boy went to the west, among the cedars, and there
-he cried: “Father Bear, make haste. I have something for you to
-eat.” The Bear came, and said, “My son, what is it?” The boy said:
-“The girls who put me into the hole are now in my tipi. I want you
-to go with your friends and devour them.” The Bear said: “We will
-do this gladly; we will come.” The boy went back to the village,
-and stood a little distance from his tipi. Soon the Wolves came on
-his left, and the Bears came from behind. He led them up to his
-tipi. He told the Wolves to stand on the north side, and the Bears
-to stand on the west and south side. After this was done, the young
-man went into the tipi, and said: “Girls, you put me into a hole,
-and you left me there to die. The Wolves took me out, and I was
-with the Wolves for some time. Those same Wolves are now to eat you
-up.” The girls begged for mercy, but there was no mercy shown them.
-Each girl tried to crawl out from where she was sitting, but the
-Wolves ate them.
-
-At the same time the old man, the boy’s father, went through
-the village, telling the people that the seven girls were being
-devoured by wild animals, because they had dug the hole and placed
-his son there to die. The old man told the story of the taking off
-of the young man’s clothing, and of the girls’ promise to take the
-boy out of the hole if he would do certain things which he had
-refused to do, and of their leaving the boy in the hole to die.
-
-When the people heard the story they were angry at the girls, so
-that the relatives of the girls did not offer to save them, as the
-girls had done wrong.
-
-The next day the people broke camp and went away from the place.
-This young man became a great warrior and a brave, and finally
-became a chief. He married and started a dance among the Arikara
-that is known as the “Wolf dance.” This was a young man’s dance,
-but the people do not dance it any more.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[31] Told by Snowbird.
-
-
-
-
-31. THE MEDICINE DANCE OF THE BEAVER, TURTLE, AND WITCH-WOMAN.[32]
-
-
-In olden times the animals met in a lodge to have sleight-of-hand
-performances. All the medicine-animals and all the birds who had
-magic power went to this lodge. The animals decided that only the
-leading animals should perform—the Beaver, the soft-shell Turtle,
-and the old Witch-Woman.
-
-First, the crowd arose where sat the Medicine-Beaver. The Beaver
-arose and began to sing, telling his followers to sing. Then the
-Beaver went to the first post, which was supporting the lodge at
-the southeast, and began to gnaw it. The post was gnawed until only
-a small piece of it remained. The Beavers still sang. The Beaver
-then went to the next post and gnawed away at the base. He gnawed
-until just a little was left. The Beavers still sang and the Beaver
-went to the next post and gnawed until he had nearly gnawed through.
-
-The people began to get scared. The animals also became scared, so
-they called upon the errand man to ask the Beaver not to gnaw the
-post through, for the lodge was about to fall. The errand man arose
-and begged the Medicine-Beaver to stop. The Beaver stopped, and
-then ran around the lodge, repaired all the posts again, and said:
-“This was only sleight-of-hand. It is not real.” The animals and
-lookers-on rejoiced to see the trick, for now the lodge stood solid
-as usual.
-
-Now came the Turtle, who was mad because the Beaver fooled the
-people. So he called for his followers, and they gathered around
-him and sang:
-
- “Let me stand where my fathers stood.
- Let a flood pour forth from my throat!
- I am doing something wonderful.
- Let all people look!”
-
-So the people looked. The Turtle took his knife and stuck it close
-to his left collar-bone. Water began to pour forth from the cut,
-until there was water all over the lodge. Then the people began to
-get scared. The errand man was requested to beg the Turtle to stop
-pouring forth water in the lodge. The errand man begged the Turtle
-and the Turtle inhaled and drew all the water back into himself.
-The people all took their places again. Stawi, a Witch-Woman, came,
-and said:
-
- “Gun given me by old medicine-men.
- Gun given me by old medicine-men.
- Gun given me by old medicine-men.”
-
-The old woman had a buffalo robe over her shoulders, and she held
-in her hands a mysterious-looking thing dotted with spots of white
-clay and painted in black. At the top of it were red feathers.
-The object was a gun, a thing to kill with, to shoot medicine.
-Now, at this time, the old woman wanted to show the power of this
-mysterious object. She ran around the lodge and then placed the
-object upon the ground. She ran to it. She wrestled with it. She
-covered it with her robe. Now she lifted it. She ran around, and
-all at once she began to groan—as if in pain. At last she called
-for help, for she was in misery. The people went to her, and there
-they found the old woman in travail. She was cared for, and she
-gave birth to a child, who was to become a great medicine-man among
-the people and a leader in the medicine dance. The medicine-animals
-rejoiced and sang their songs again with joy.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[32] Told by White-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-32. THE VILLAGE-BOY AND THE WOLF POWER.[33]
-
-
-In olden times there was a village, and in this village was a man
-who had five children—four girls and a boy. In the dances, the
-girls would go out and take part, although the boy never went on
-the war-path, and never left the village. For this reason the
-people called the boy “Village-Boy.”
-
-After a time the people began to make fun of the girls for dancing
-when their brother had never gone out on the war-path nor taken
-part in the battle, fought near the village. The girls were sorry.
-The boy saw that the girls were being made fun of for dancing when
-he had not gone on the war-path. The young man told his father
-that he was going up on a high mound where there was a graveyard.
-The father was glad of this. The boy put black soot upon his face,
-and he stuck some grass arrows in his hair. He went up into the
-graveyard, and there he stood, mourning.
-
-While he was there, a big white timber Wolf came to him and asked
-him what he was crying about. The boy told him that he was a poor
-boy; that he had never been on the war-path, nor taken a scalp;
-that he had four sisters who danced in the scalp-dance and were
-ridiculed for dancing when their brother had never been on the
-war-path. The Wolf told the boy not to cry, for he would take care
-of him. The Wolf then told the boy that he would look after him;
-that he should go into the village; and that the first time there
-was a war-party he should join it and start out with it; that he,
-the Wolf, would find him and lead him to the enemy’s camp.
-
-One day it was noised through the camp that the people were going
-on the war-path. Village-Boy then told his friend that if after
-they had been gone for three days the scouts should kill any
-Buffalo, he should get some of the knee-caps of the Buffalo and
-keep them for him, as he would follow close after them.
-
-The war-party started out, and after they had been gone three days
-Village-Boy told his father that he was going to start out to
-overtake the war-party. He also told his sisters to make him some
-moccasins. So the young man started out on the journey; but before
-this happened the Wolf had been coming to visit the young man, and
-had taught the young man the secret powers of the Wolf. So the
-young man started out, and when he had come to a ravine he rolled
-himself upon the ground, and when he got up he was a Wolf.
-
-The Wolf followed the trail of the warriors. Some time in the night
-he came to their camp. He did not go right into the camp, but
-stayed behind, and some time in the night he barked like a Wolf.
-His friend said, “There is my friend, Village-Boy.” He took up the
-burned bones and took them to him. When he got there it was the
-Village-Boy. He threw the bones at the boy. The boy gnawed at the
-bones, just like a Wolf. When Village-Boy got through eating, he
-told his friend to go back to the camp where the others were and
-to watch out, for the next day he should see him, and that then he
-should tell the people that it was Village-Boy. The boy went to the
-camp, while Village-Boy went on ahead.
-
-The next day Village-Boy was seen coming. Village-Boy’s friend
-told the other warriors that he was Village-Boy. So he ran up to
-Village-Boy. Village-Boy then told his friend that the enemy’s camp
-was a short distance away. The warriors then stopped and sang some
-songs for Village-Boy. Village-Boy departed. The next day they saw
-him again, driving many ponies. He brought them to the people. Then
-he led the warriors into camp. The war-party then attacked the
-enemy’s village. Village-Boy was in the lead. He killed one enemy
-and took his scalp. He left, and hid out while the battle was going
-on. After a time the warriors came back where the horses were, and
-Village-Boy came there. He gave the scalp to the leader of the
-war-party, also all the ponies, telling him that he was going ahead
-of them.
-
-Village-Boy now returned to his home. Not a word was spoken by him,
-nor was anything said by him about the battle. He just lay upon his
-bed.
-
-A few days afterward the war-party returned home and near the
-village had a sham battle. The people went out to meet them. It
-was announced by the leader of the war-party that Village-Boy had
-done all the killing, and capturing of the ponies. Village-Boy’s
-father thought that the warriors were making fun of his son
-because he had come back several days before without anything.
-But when the warriors came into the village and showed the scalp
-that Village-Boy had taken and given to the leader, and also when
-the ponies he had captured were brought to the village, then all
-the old men believed. Village-Boy’s father scolded him because he
-had said nothing. Scalp dances were made throughout the village.
-The young man’s sisters now danced the scalp-dance without fear
-of ridicule. Whenever the young man went out to dance the women
-surrounded him. He married and became one of the great men of the
-village.
-
-One day he took several warriors and went east. He came to a
-village that was known as the “Village-of-the-Dumb-People.” He
-left the war-party behind and went into the village by himself. He
-killed their medicine-man, cut his throat, and carried the head
-away. As he carried the head away it kept mumbling. The people
-became excited when they found out that their prophet was dead.
-They began to talk in a peculiar language. These warriors were
-followed by the Dumb-People, who did not catch up with them.
-
-The head of the medicine-man was placed in the village. When the
-head dried it turned into a kind of wood. The people used this head
-for medicinal purposes. When they wanted to give it to a patient
-they scraped a portion from the head and gave it to the person for
-certain sicknesses. It cured many people. The same head is still
-among our people, only it is about the size of a hen’s egg now.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[33] Told by Yellow-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-33. THE RABBIT-BOY.[34]
-
-
-In olden times there was a village upon the Missouri River. In this
-village the young men were all the time going on the war-path, and
-there were many dances going on. There was a young man who took no
-part in their dances, nor in their war-parties. The people made
-fun of him, but he did not care. Each morning he would sleep until
-after the sun was high. When he ate he would climb up and sit upon
-the top of the lodge; but the girls did not seem to care for him.
-His father scolded him, and wanted to know what was the matter with
-him. So the young man said, “I have never been anywhere, and I have
-never felt like going anywhere, but to-day I feel like going upon
-the graveyard hill, to stand and mourn, and to see if the gods will
-help me.” The old man took out his white clay. He put it upon the
-boy, and told him to go up to the graveyard. He said that he hoped
-the gods would help him. The boy went up on the hill and stood by
-the graveyard. In the afternoon it stormed. The boy huddled himself
-against a grave mound. The boy’s father came up and tried to coax
-him to come down, but the boy was determined to stay there. The old
-man and the old woman took a piece of buffalo hide and stretched it
-over the boy, and there he remained during the storm, which lasted
-several days.
-
-As soon as it cleared up there was a noise overhead that sounded
-like big wind. The boy did not know what it was, but he could hear
-whistling coming down from above, then it would come up again.
-While he was there wondering what it was, there came a Jack-Rabbit.
-It crawled under his robe. Then an Eagle swooped down and sat by
-the boy, and it said, “My son, I have run that animal down, and I
-want you to give it to me, so that I can eat it.” The Rabbit said:
-“My son, do not give me up! Do not listen to the Eagle! Just now
-he has the best of me. If you save me I will give you powers that
-I possess.” The Eagle said: “Give him to me; I want to eat him! If
-you give him to me I will give you as many scalps (stretching out
-his right wing) as there are feathers in this wing.” But the young
-man would not turn the Rabbit loose, for the Rabbit begged him, and
-said, “I will make you a great warrior.” Then the Eagle said: “Turn
-that thing loose, so I can eat it, and when I am satisfied, I will
-give you powers that I possess. I will give you as many scalps as I
-have feathers on both wings.” But the Rabbit begged hard, and said:
-“No, do not turn me loose; he will do nothing of the kind. He will
-take me and eat me and tell you nothing of his power.” The Eagle
-spread out its wings, and said: “Now see. So many scalps will I
-give you.” Then the Eagle spread out its tail, and said: “As many
-feathers as are in my tail—as many of the enemy you shall strike,
-counting coup. Now give me that which you have there and let me eat
-it.” The boy said, “No, the Rabbit came to me, and I will take care
-of him.” The Eagle flew up and away.
-
-The Rabbit now crawled out of the boy’s robe and sat down by him.
-After a while he said: “My son, I am thankful to you for saving my
-life. I will make you a great warrior. I will give you a war-club.
-I will give you a rabbit-skin to wear about your neck. I will give
-you paint, which you shall put upon your body, and with this club
-you will kill many enemies.” So the Rabbit gave the rabbit-skin,
-the war-club, and the medicine paints to the boy.
-
-The boy went down into the village in the night, hung his club and
-rabbit-skin over the head of his bed, lay down, and went to sleep.
-The next morning, when the father woke up, he saw these things
-hanging up. He awakened his wife and told her to see the things
-that the son had brought back with him. They were both glad to see
-that the boy had returned.
-
-At this time there was a war-party starting out. The young man told
-his sisters to make him several pairs of moccasins, for he was
-going to follow up the warriors. The warriors had been gone for
-four days when the boy started to follow them. He overtook them on
-the same day. He selected himself as a scout to go on ahead and see
-what he could find in the enemy’s country. The young man found the
-enemy’s camp. He came back and told the warriors what he had found.
-He then sat down among the warriors. The leader took from his
-bundle a flint knife and stuck it in the ground in front of where
-the warriors were sitting. The leading warrior also took a spear
-and stuck it in the ground. He also stuck in the ground an arrow.
-“Now,” said he, “warriors, whosoever is going to do hard fighting
-will please rise and choose the weapon he wishes to fight with.”
-The young man, who was now known as the “Rabbit-Boy,” arose and
-took the flint knife. He waited to see if somebody else would take
-the other weapons. None of them did, so the boy took up the spear
-and arrow.
-
-Among the warriors was a young man who was very poor. Rabbit-Boy
-took a liking for him and gave him the spear. He told the young
-man to follow him wherever he should go. Rabbit-Boy then rose, and
-said: “Leader and warriors! I shall go on ahead. I shall bring all
-the ponies belonging to the enemy. I shall hide them in a hollow.”
-The leader said, “It is well.” So the young man went and brought
-all the ponies from the village and hid them in a hollow. The young
-man came and told the leader that the ponies were safe.
-
-The next thing was to attack the enemy in their camp. Rabbit-Boy
-took his white clay, put it all over his body, put some rabbit-skins
-around his ankles, also upon his wrists, and then he put a whole
-skin around his neck, and the two feathers he put on his head to
-represent rabbit’s ears. The only weapon that he had was the war-club
-that had been given to him by the Rabbit. Rabbit-Boy planned the
-attack. The warriors all crawled up to the village just before
-daylight, and as the sun was coming up in the east an old man came
-out of the village. He went around yelling for the people to wake
-and go after their ponies. As he passed in front of where the
-Rabbit-Boy was, Rabbit-Boy ran and struck the old man on the head
-and killed him. Then Rabbit-Boy went through the village. As he came
-to the center of the village he was just about to go by a big tipi,
-when out came a pretty young girl, who carried a hide-scraper and a
-robe. The girl saw the young man very plainly. She stopped and
-watched him. She wished that she might in some way assist him to get
-away. The people tried their best to kill Rabbit-Boy, but he escaped
-safe. He then went and joined the other warriors, for they had run
-away. They reached the ponies, which they divided, and then they
-went home. When they arrived the people told of the wonderful powers
-of Rabbit-Boy, and there was great rejoicing in his lodge. The
-people then recognized him as a great warrior.
-
-Three or four days afterwards the same party of warriors went to
-the same village. The boy went through the same movements, killing
-the first man that came out from the village, and as soon as the
-boy had done these things, the warriors became bold and fought the
-enemy.
-
-The enemy never charged their village for a long time. The young
-man was never known as Rabbit-Man in the enemy’s camp. Every time
-he attacked the village he went through by way of the girl’s tipi.
-Each time, the girl came out of the tipi. The girl met the boy. At
-one of these times when the boy had attacked the village and killed
-a man, he ran by the tipi and saw the girl. The girl cheered him.
-The boy went on. In another of these attacks, the boy saw the girl.
-He knew that she must like him. He went on through the village and
-home.
-
-The people in the boy’s village had scalp dances where all the
-women took part. The young man seldom took part, but his sisters
-took part. One night when Rabbit-Boy was lying on his bed the women
-came. They took him out and made him dance. He danced several
-times. Four or five women became fond of him and tried to marry
-him, but he would pay no attention to them. While all this dancing
-was going on, the girl in the enemy’s camp was making a pretty pair
-of moccasins, a pair of beaded bracelets and beaded armlets. She
-sent for a servant, a woman captive from the Arikara. The girl told
-the woman that she would help her to get back to her people if she
-would speak to a young man who was killing her people all the time.
-This servant woman said that she had no way of traveling. The girl
-said: “I shall give you two of my best ponies, and I want you to
-take these moccasins and bracelets to that young man, and tell him
-that he is a brave man; that I want him very badly; and that when
-he shall come to my tipi I shall have six tipi pegs drawn up on the
-north side of the tipi where my bed is; that when he shall reach in
-his hand I will feel for the bracelet, and if I find it upon his
-wrist I shall know that it is he.” So the girl took the servant
-woman out of the camp, caught two of her ponies, and they rode many
-miles. The girl then handed the bracelets, moccasins, and something
-to eat to the servant woman and told her to go to her people. The
-woman thanked the girl and went back to her people.
-
-She came to the village of the Arikara. In the night she went to
-the dances. She asked one woman where Rabbit-Boy was. It happened
-that on this night the young man was dancing, so the woman went and
-danced with the young man, then whispered to him and told him that
-she wanted to see him. The young man thought that she wanted to
-marry him, but when they were away from the people the woman told
-Rabbit-Boy how the girl in the enemy’s camp had helped her to get
-away; that it was the girl who had her tipi in the center of the
-village every time he went through; that the girl wanted him; and
-that she had given him the moccasins and the bracelets for him to
-wear when he should go to her village. The young man said, “I will
-go.” So the young man started that night. He traveled all the next
-day and the next night before he reached the enemy’s camp. He went
-to the north side of the tipi. He felt for the pegs, and there
-were six of them drawn up. He then knew that the woman had told
-the truth. He put his hand in, and it was caught. The woman felt
-for the bracelet, and when she had found it she pulled Rabbit-Boy
-in. The young man crawled into the tipi and put his robe on top of
-hers, and crawled under it. There they lay together, although they
-could not talk. The young man stayed with the girl all night. In
-the morning, when the girl’s father, who was chief of the tribe,
-woke up, he saw the things that the boy wore in battle hanging down
-from a tipi pole. He looked down and there he saw Rabbit-Boy in bed
-with his daughter. He made a big fire and sent for the warriors.
-The warriors came, preparing to kill the young man. There was one
-man who did not come with the rest, but when he came he told the
-people to disperse to their homes; that although the young man
-had been killing their people, he, for one, was glad that he had
-come and married one of their girls; that now he would not kill
-any more, but that he would lead their people out to the enemy’s
-country and help kill the people. So the young man and the girl
-were told to rise and sit by the fireplace. The young man stayed in
-this village for several months. Now, the people at Rabbit-Boy’s
-home thought that he had died. But the woman who had returned from
-captivity told them that he would be coming after a while and that
-she knew where he was.
-
-The old chief was much pleased to have Rabbit-Boy for a son-in-law,
-for now he would have scalps hanging on top of his tipi. The people
-got together one day and said they wanted to go on the war-path.
-The young man joined them. They went to his own country. The young
-man put his people at a certain place, while he himself went near
-to the village and found women who were working in their corn
-patches. There he found one woman whom the Arikara had captured
-from the people of his wife’s tribe. Rabbit-Boy killed this woman,
-took her scalp, and took it back to the people of her tribe. Then
-the people all went back to their camp and had war dances. The
-scalp was given to the old chief. He had it strung between his tipi
-poles, so the scalp hung high in the air. Every time a war-party
-went out this young man would go with it. He would manage to get
-the people to stay at a distance. He would then go to the fields,
-and whenever he found a captive from this tribe he would kill it,
-but he would not kill members of his own tribe. The young man led
-several war-parties, and always managed to kill captives, but never
-killed members of his own tribe. Finally the old chief asked that
-they might go to the young man’s home. This they did. The young
-man’s people gave him presents for his wife’s people. They then
-returned to their country. The Arikara visited them, and they made
-peace. They never made war on one another any more.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[34] Told by Elk.
-
-
-
-
-34. THE MAN AND THE WATER-DOGS.[35]
-
-
-Long ages ago there was a village with so many inhabitants that it
-had four medicine-lodges. There was one man who was so brave that
-his fame extended beyond the village. He committed some evil deeds
-among his own people, but his people were afraid to correct him.
-Thus he went on, committing more misdemeanors. He became so bad
-that the people undertook to take his life. They formed a plot to
-seize him. One family invited the man to a feast. When he entered
-the lodge many men gathered about the lodge and waited till he came
-out. The man came out and walked very slowly toward the river. He
-never paid no attention to the men nor even tried to fight back,
-but went on his way. Finally he stepped into the river, and some
-one cried out to the men to catch him, but it was too late. He sank
-down in the water and the people shouted for joy, because they
-thought he was drowned.
-
-The man walked on down on the bottom of the river and he saw there
-a tipi. From its door came a Dog, and the Dog called to the man to
-come in. He went in, and he saw many Dogs. The leader of the Dogs
-raised his head and said that he was not hurt and that they never
-would injure him. The leader showed much mercy toward the man and
-told him not to be afraid of any man; and that if he should ever
-get hurt he was to come right to the water and the Dogs would be
-glad to receive him. So the man went out of the tipi and came up
-out of the water. When it was night he went to the village.
-
-He entered his house and saw his wife. He sat down and told her
-that he regarded as nothing all the wounds he had received from the
-men who tried to kill him. The woman was surprised, and was much
-afraid of him. The man ordered his wife to go after some tobacco
-from one of the councils that was being held in the village. She
-went at once and entered one of the councils. She asked the head
-men for some tobacco for her husband. The men were much agitated
-and afraid, so they gave her some tobacco. The woman returned and
-the man was much pleased. The men in the council decided to send
-a messenger to see if the man had returned. One young man went
-and peeped in and saw the man, all naked, sitting in his tipi. He
-returned to the council and told what he had seen. The men were
-more afraid. From that time on, the man committed worse crimes than
-before, yet the people were afraid to make another attempt to kill
-him. The man’s relatives gathered with the woman’s relatives and
-they separated from the village, to return no more. They went in
-the night, and before morning they camped. Some young men and the
-famous one came to the village and killed a man and a woman. The
-people knew who it was and yet they did not dare to fight them.
-This was a separation where the people never meet again, which
-happened because the man did the bad deeds.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[35] Told by Strike-Enemy.
-
-
-
-
-35. THE FIVE TURTLES AND THE BUFFALO DANCE.[36]
-
-
-In olden times, while the people had their village upon the
-Missouri River, five soft-shell Turtles came out from the river
-and went into the village. The two on each side of the middle one
-received a bunch of eagle feathers on the head. They were placed
-with the fifth, which had black feathers. When this Turtle saw that
-its feathers were black, it was mad. It told the people that it was
-going away, and it marched back into the river. The people gave it
-smoke from their sacred pipes. The Turtle paid no attention to it,
-but went into the river, so there were but four left. These four
-Turtles were to remain with the people.
-
-These Turtles died. The people made them into drums. Some years
-afterwards they changed these drums into rawhide drums, making them
-in imitation of the Turtle drums. They organized a dance known as
-the “Buffalo dance.” These Turtles were drums. They danced four
-days and four nights, and although this was a Buffalo dance, there
-was one mysterious being in the crowd who had a bunch of feathers
-of the magpie growing up all over his head. Pieces of skins of
-animals were strapped over his back, and he had a buffalo beard
-about his ankles, also about his waist. His face was painted with
-all colors. Sub eius inguinibus palus erat qui penem simulabat. Ex
-illo autem, dum saliebat et quasi equus acer huc et illuc currebat,
-palus semper pandebat. Ubicumque mulierem videbat, eam circumibat
-motusque dabat quasi cum ea concumberet.
-
-Now, in this village there was a young girl who was never permitted
-to be out of the lodge while this Buffalo dance was going on and
-this being was dancing around. The girl asked her parents to
-place a buffalo rawhide in front of the lodge, over the entrance,
-that she might be permitted to peep out and look at the being. She
-became bold, and went out from behind the hide. She was seen by
-this being. Ille motus dedit quasi cum ea concumberet. Puella in
-domicilium rediit; posteaque per menses magis atque magis gravida
-fiebat. Iam tandem puerum parit. Anum comitem habet, quæ autem
-reperire non potest. The mother told them that the child had been
-born, so the people looked around with lights, trying to find the
-child. They looked everywhere, but could not find the child. After
-a while they found the child standing under the altar, grinning.
-The child looked to be about two years old, and had teeth. It
-walked about constantly, just as its father did, and was like him
-in appearance. Finitimi repperunt eam numquam virum cognovisse,
-sed ab eo monstro per eius motus gravidam factam esse. The people
-caught the child and killed it. They put it into a bag and threw
-the bag into the river.
-
-The father of the child heard about this. He went to another
-wonderful man who could see better in the night than in the day
-and asked him to help him find the child. The man consented. He
-took his medicines, put them upon himself and led the man to the
-very spot where he had danced and where he had made the motions.
-Then the medicine-man led the mysterious being into the lodge of
-the girl who had given birth to the child. He showed where the
-boy had been born, where he had run, where he had stood under the
-sacred bundle, how the people caught him and killed him, and how
-the people had taken him to the river and thrown him in. They went
-down to the river. The medicine-man took a big rock and told the
-strange being that when he should throw the rock into the waters,
-the waters would part, and that he must be quick to jump in and
-get the boy. The man threw the stone up into the air, and as it
-fell into the water, the waters parted, and they could see the boy
-lying there. The man jumped in and pulled him out. When the boy was
-pulled out the father cried, and said that he wanted this wonderful
-man to select a place to bury him, for he was a strange child. The
-man led this mysterious being about the hill on the Missouri River,
-and there the man took his club, and striking the largest stone
-that the people knew of, he split it in two. They buried the child
-between the two stones, and then went home. The mysterious being
-then married the girl who had given birth to the mysterious little
-boy who, immediately after his birth, got to dancing and running
-around as his father had always done in dances.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[36] Told by Yellow-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-36. THE NOTCHED STICK AND THE OLD WOMAN OF THE ISLAND.[37]
-
-
-When my people held the medicine-men’s ceremonies, the leading
-medicine-man, who sat in the west of the lodge, had a roll of
-dried buffalo hide and a long stick with notches upon it. The
-leaders of the medicine-men’s lodge had sticks that they rubbed
-on this notched stick so that the dried buffalo hide made a noise
-sounding something like that of a drum. When this noise was begun
-they began to rattle the gourds. At the end of the ceremony of the
-medicine-men the lodges inside of the big lodge were taken down to
-the river, and the notched stick and the dried buffalo hide were
-taken and placed upon an island. We were told not to go to the
-island; but knowing the place, one man went, and he saw in place of
-the hide and stick an old woman sitting there. He saw her plainly.
-Her ears hung down with great, big cuts in them. She had a very
-long face. When he took a look at her she turned her nose up. He
-was scared and ran away towards the village. He met some other boys
-and told them about the old woman. They would not believe him, so
-they went back, and when they came to the island, sure enough, it
-was no longer the old woman, but the hide and stick.
-
-When the man went home he told his father all about it, and he
-said: “True, my son; that is the reason that they put the objects
-upon the island, because really they are an old woman.” Other boys
-also visited the island, and they saw the same old woman. When
-several went to the island another time, it was again a stick.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[37] Told by White-Owl.
-
-
-
-
-37. THE MAN WHO MARRIED A COYOTE.[38]
-
-
-A long time ago there was a war-party that started out from the
-Arikara country toward the south. They were found by the enemy and
-attacked. One man was killed and the others all returned home.
-After many years this man who was killed rose from where he was
-lying, for he had not really been killed, but was simply stunned
-by falling onto hard ground. He had not been scalped. After this
-man came to, he wandered over the prairies and fell in with the
-Coyotes. He finally married a Coyote, and lived with her for
-several years.
-
-One day some men went hunting, and they saw a mysterious being
-crossing the Missouri River. The warriors went down and surrounded
-this mysterious being and caught him. He was not scalped, nor
-wounded, but he had changed his ways so that he could live with the
-Coyotes, and he was almost like an animal. The people begged him
-to go home, saying that his wife and children were well and that
-his wife was not married again. But he said: “I know; but I cannot,
-for I am married.” They took him notwithstanding, and they gave
-him medicines. He became well, and he entered the medicine-lodge.
-The man asked permission to do some sleight-of-hand, and the
-medicine-men gave him the privilege to do so. He took a man, went
-around the lodge and vomited up a lot of hair, white clay, and
-other things. After all this had come out of him he was cleansed
-from being a Coyote. He continued with the sleight-of-hand, and he
-told the people that he was going to call his wife; that his wife
-was the one that he was afraid of, and this was the reason he had
-not returned home. So he went up onto the top of the lodge and
-shouted and shouted; then he went around to the west and shouted;
-then to the north and to the east; then he came into the lodge,
-and said, “My wife is far away.” He went out again and shouted
-to the northwest, and after a while the people heard the Coyotes
-away off. They kept coming nearer and nearer, and the people ran
-away. The Coyotes kept on coming, and the people ran into the
-lodge. The Coyote whom the man had married came into the lodge.
-When she entered the lodge she went around to the northeast of the
-fireplace, by way of the south, west, and north, and then to the
-northeast, and there she took her place. “This,” said the man, “is
-my wife.” The men called her names, saying: “You long-nosed thing!
-Why did you not come? Why do you run off so far away?” The leading
-medicine-man now arose. A pipe was given to him filled with native
-tobacco. He made some smoke to the Coyote woman. After the smoke
-the Coyote woman left the lodge and went off to join the other
-Coyotes. The people saw this female Coyote, and now knew that this
-man did have a Coyote woman.
-
-Many years afterwards this same man was roaming over the prairies,
-when a blizzard blew up. Just a little before sunset he came to a
-bank of snow, and there lay one of his baby Coyotes. He went to
-pick up the baby, but as he was so cold, he let the baby Coyote
-stay in the snow, and he went home. After he had warmed himself he
-went out to see if the baby was still in the snow, but when he got
-there, there was no baby at all.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[38] Told by Many-Fox.
-
-
-
-
-38. THE MAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE.[39]
-
-
-Once upon a time there was a big village on a prairie. In the
-village there was an old man who was respected by all. Because he
-was well-known as a medicine-man he had one of the sacred bundles,
-and he used to call councils and many other meetings. If there
-was sacrifice to be offered to some of the gods it was brought
-before this old man, because the gods seemed always to make returns
-for all his offerings. For this reason, he was above all other
-medicine-men in the village.
-
-At one time a very large party went out from the village on a
-buffalo hunt. A few were left in the village. For many days one
-young man kept coming and reporting that the people were coming
-not very far away. The next day they saw them coming, but away in
-the distance. It was the custom for these people to go out to meet
-them before they reached the village, so many, including the old
-medicine-man, went out to meet them. The old man came to a hill,
-and there he sat down. The people traveled on foot in those days.
-As the party came to the old man they only saluted him. There was
-another custom of bringing some dried meat to some medicine-men,
-especially to this famous old man, and offering up sacrifices to
-the gods. This was the old man’s reason for going up there. Finally
-most of them passed toward the village, but none of the young men
-had any dried meat to present to the old man for him to give thanks
-to his sacred bundle. They all passed, save one young man who came
-last. When he saw the old man sitting there he saluted him and gave
-him a dried buffalo tongue. The old man did not seem thankful for
-it, but sat there with his head down.
-
-When they all reached the village they made many feasts, and
-councils were held in many places. The next day it was noticed that
-the old medicine-man was missing. They looked for him, but could
-not find him. One young man told that he had seen him sitting on
-the hill. So they went to the hill and asked the old man to come
-down, but he would not. One medicine-man took a sacred pipe from
-his bundle and offered it to the old man to smoke, so that he might
-forget his sorrows. The old man would not accept it, because, he
-said, it was too late. The people begged him to come, but still he
-sat there with his head cast downward. After a while he raised his
-head and said to all, that it was too late to get up, that he was
-to sit there always. He removed his blanket, and the people saw
-that his legs had already turned to stone. The people all wept
-and went away. They came the next day, and they saw a rock in the
-form of a man, and they all cried again for the loss of the old
-medicine-man, because there had been no one to give him any dry
-meat to offer up as sacrifice to the gods.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[39] Told by Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-39. THE WOMAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE.[40]
-
-
-In the village there was a nice-looking young woman, daughter of
-one of the chiefs. They all liked her and had much admiration
-for her. Many young men made great efforts to get the young girl
-to marry, but she would not consent. After many failures on the
-men’s side the young woman’s father tried to persuade her to marry
-some young man. After all their advice the young woman refused to
-marry. Again the old mother related to her daughter that it was
-most enjoyable to live with a man, to have a man to support her, to
-cherish her, and to protect her from all troubles. The young woman
-accepted the mother’s advice at last, and she said she would marry.
-
-One young man, a very good hunter, came to the young girl, and
-after a long conversation persuaded her to promise that she would
-marry him. The young woman told her mother, and she was glad, and
-willing that her daughter should marry him; for the young man was
-capable and qualified to support a family. Finally the young man
-was called, and came to their lodge. Puellam in matrimonium duxit.
-Cum nox esset, ad lectum genialem venerunt. Iuvenis gavisus est
-quod tandem puellæ amore potiturus esset. Cum autem cum uxore
-sua concumbere conaretur, non poterat. Per noctem totam frustra
-conabatur. Postridie puella ad matrem venit, eique ostendit cur
-virum habere noluisset. Deinde tunicam sustulit ostenditque
-se helianthes pro volva habere. Mater autem vidit quo iuvenis
-helianthi nocuisset dum cum uxore concumbere conabatur. So the
-young woman took her bundle on her back, journeyed to a certain
-place, sat down and turned to stone, because she was ashamed.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[40] Told by Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-40. THE POWER OF THE BLOODY SCALPED-MAN.[41]
-
-
-There was a young man in the Arikara village who wanted to have
-some mysterious power. He went through the different places, over
-high mountains, and steep banks. He had heard of a place to the
-west of the village where young men had been scared away. He went
-to the place and stood upon a hill which was close to the Missouri
-River. He stood there for three days and nights, and during the
-third night he heard a mysterious noise from the Missouri River. He
-looked, and saw a man coming. The man approached, and said, “You
-will please leave at once, for you make too much noise around this
-place.” The man had a war-club in his right hand. His body was
-daubed all over with white clay; his head was red with blood and
-the blood was dripping from his forehead. The boy became scared,
-and he ran home. He told one of his friends what had happened to
-him and his friend laughed at him for running away from the place
-where he had gone to get some power.
-
-The young man’s friend made up his mind that he would go to the
-hill. He went to the hill, and there he stood and cried for three
-days and three nights. On the fourth night a being came up, and
-sure enough, it was the very same being that the first young
-man had seen. The boy became scared, but he closed his eyes and
-thought, “Well, I came here to see this being, and if he wants to
-kill me he can do so.” The young man made up his mind not to run.
-He looked at the man as he approached. Drops of fresh blood were
-dripping from his head, so that he looked as if he had just been
-scalped. The young man closed his eyes and the man came up to him,
-and said, “If you do not run, I will hit you with this club!” The
-boy did not move, but the man did not strike him with his club. At
-last the man said: “Come with me. I am the errand man of the men
-who live under this hill.” So the man took the boy down towards the
-Missouri River, and there, under the bank, was an entrance. They
-went into this entrance, and there they found a long passageway
-along which they traveled, and finally they came to a cave. There
-the men were seated around in a circle; but not one of them was
-scalped. The man who took the young man into this place now took
-off the headdress that he had on, and his hair fell over his
-shoulders. He placed his war-club and the bloody headdress that he
-had had on his head, before the leading man. The man took his seat
-at the entrance, and the young man was given a seat in the lodge.
-The leader of the men in the lodge said: “You are the first young
-man who has not run from our errand man, and now we will give you
-the power that we possess. When you want to perform the same thing
-that you saw that man do, take wild sage, put it on hot coals,
-and smoke yourself over your body. Then take this sweet grass and
-spread it all over yourself. Then take this paint and put it in
-the water and after putting this skin over your head, place this
-paint, mixed in water, on your head, so that you will look like a
-scalped-man. This war-club you shall take. This root you shall put
-into your mouth, so that you can run swiftly. When you have killed
-an enemy and taken his scalp, bring that scalp to us.” The young
-man took the things and went home. The next morning, the people
-found a war-club hanging over the young man’s head, and the young
-man was lying upon his bed.
-
-Many days after this there was a cry in the camp, “The enemy is
-coming to take the village!” The young man sent all the people
-out of his lodge, and told them to tell the people not to be in
-a certain pathway that he had to go through, for he wanted to go
-that way. The young man took up some coals from the fireplace and
-placed them west of the fireplace. On these he placed the sage, and
-let the smoke pass over his body. He took the white clay and put
-it all over his body. Then he twisted his hair, put the skin over
-his head, then took the red paint and put it in water. He dipped
-his hands into the water and put it on top of his head. He took
-the war-club and ran out of the lodge, and some of the people were
-scared when they saw him, for he looked like a man that had just
-been scalped. He ran to where the battle was going on, and the
-people saw him on the west side of the battlefield. He ran towards
-the enemy and killed one. He went around his own people, and went
-on the west side again and attacked the enemy, killing another one
-with his war-club. He scattered the enemy, because he looked so
-fierce on account of the blood which was dripping from his head.
-As soon as the enemy retreated and his people ran after them, he
-went back to his lodge, took the skin off from his head, put some
-medicine upon the fire and smoked all over his body. He then went
-to a creek and washed. He came back into his own lodge, and by this
-time the people had returned. The scalp which he had taken he put
-upon a long pole and placed it outside of the lodge. In the night
-he disappeared, for he went to the place where he had received his
-power.
-
-The people did not know who he was, but after several battles they
-found out. They also learned that he had great powers. He became a
-great man through attacking the enemy, for he had power to go out
-on the war-path and bring home many scalps. They were not really
-scalps, but were pieces of scalps which he had made himself. He
-would not be a chief, but became a great medicine-man.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[41] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-41. THE BOY WHO CARRIED A SCALPED-MAN INTO CAMP.[42]
-
-
-In olden times the Arikara went on the war-path. They came to a
-lake where they made their camp. In the night the enemy attacked
-them, and ran them into the lake, killing all the warriors and
-taking their scalps.
-
-Another party of brave warriors started out from the same village,
-and went on the war-path. As they journeyed towards the east they
-came near to the lake. There they made their camp. Among these
-last warriors was a very poor young man who had joined them. In
-the night the leader asked the young men to go after some water;
-but all the young men refused. The poor boy took up the vessels
-and went down to the lake. As he tried to dip the vessel into the
-water, some one spoke close by him, and said, “Go a little beyond
-and dip up water.” The young man waded into the water, and as he
-was about to dip the water, again some one else spoke to him, and
-said: “Go beyond. Go further into the lake and get your water.” The
-young man went on into the lake, and just as he was about to take
-up the water, again some one else spoke to him, and said, “Do not
-dip up the water there, but go further into the lake to dip it.”
-The young man turned around, and said, “Who are you that speaks to
-me?” The man said: “I am the leader who took the young men out on
-the war-path. We ran into this lake and were killed, and we were
-all scalped. All around the edge of the lake the water is colored
-with our blood, and that is why I am telling you to go further into
-the lake to dip your water.” About this time the moon appeared.
-The night was windy and cloudy, so that every once in a while the
-clouds passed over the moon and hid it. The boy looked around, and
-he saw sitting near him a man whose head was all bloody, and whose
-hands and feet had been cut off. He had been stabbed in several
-places.
-
-So the boy dipped his water, and said to the Scalped-Man: “I want
-to carry you upon my back to where we are camped, for the people
-will not believe me when I tell them that you were killed.” The
-Scalped-Man said, “Very well.” So the poor boy sat down and put the
-dead man upon his back. The poor boy carried the dead man to where
-the other men were. The poor boy placed the Scalped-Man outside of
-the tipi. He went into the tipi with the water.
-
-After they had drunk the water, the poor boy told the story. He
-said that all the other warriors had been killed; that every one
-of them was scalped and was lying in the lake; that he had waded
-waist-deep into the water to get clean water. Some of the boys made
-fun of the poor boy and said that he had imagined all this. But the
-poor boy said, “If you do not believe me I am going to get one of
-them and bring him in here, and you will see that all I have said
-is true.” They said, “All right.” They did not believe the poor boy
-would go. But he did go out, and dragged the Scalped-Man to the
-entrance of the tipi. Old and young men crawled out and ran away.
-The poor boy laughed at them for being afraid of a dead man. The
-leader was the only one who stayed. The Scalped-Man told the leader
-not to be afraid; that they would give them success, so that they
-might take revenge on the people who had killed them. So the men
-came into the tipi, but not till the poor boy had taken the dead
-man out. Then they all wanted to go home at once. They left the
-tipi and went on. The next day they found a hunter, an enemy. They
-lay low, and when he was within reach of them they shot him and
-killed him. Now the other young men wanted to go home, but the poor
-boy said, “Let us go on.” They kept on. Each day they killed one or
-two of the enemy. When they had killed a number equal to the number
-in the lake the boy was satisfied. Then they returned home. The
-chiefs heard of the poor boy’s bravery. They sent for him through
-their council, and they made of him a brave. So the poor boy became
-a brave man, and executed the orders of the chiefs.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[42] Told by Standing-Bull.
-
-
-
-
-42. THE GIRL WHO WAS BLEST BY THE BUFFALO AND CORN.[43]
-
-
-In one of the lodges in a village there stood a mother, and in her
-arms was a baby girl. It was about to rain and the mother wanted
-to bring in her corn and other things to keep them dry, but she
-did not know where to put the baby. In her excitement she forgot
-that there was a bed, and she laid the baby up on the buffalo skull
-at the altar, then went about her duties. The buffalo skull was
-thankful, because he thought the baby was given to him. He cried
-out, saying, “Hi ni, hi ni—you have pleased me, you have pleased
-me, giving me the baby.” But Mother-Corn, who stood over the
-buffalo skull, told him that the baby girl had not been given to
-him, but had been placed there for the buffalo skull and herself to
-watch while the mother was busy. The buffalo skull and Mother-Corn
-blessed and poured their mercy on the baby girl. After a while the
-mother came in and took the baby. The child grew, and showed some
-signs of having power from some of the gods. She would eat no
-corn, squash, or anything, except chicken or duck. The girl grew to
-womanhood, and all the people respected and honored her.
-
-One time famine prevailed, and the people were in much distress.
-The medicine-men did all they could, but all in vain. Some came
-and talked to the woman, and she told them that it was an easy
-matter to give them aid. She advised all the people to open and
-clean their cellars. They did so. The people took out the little
-corn they were saving for seed and gave it to the woman. Again she
-advised them to stand by their cellars until she had relieved them.
-So she went with a little corn, beans, and squash, and when she
-came to the first one she asked what things were usually kept in
-that cellar. The owner of the cellar gave his or her answer—such
-as, “Corn and beans were kept in this.” The woman then would throw
-down the seeds in the cellar and tell them to cover them up. She
-did this to all the people’s cellars, and they were all covered.
-She advised them not to open the cellars until at the end of four
-days. So the people waited, and after the fourth day they all
-opened their cellars and beheld the corn, beans, squash, and other
-things, which filled their cellars. The people were pleased and
-showed more respect and honor to Mother-Corn. Later, the woman did
-many other things for them.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[43] Told by Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-43. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE SNAKES.[44]
-
-
-One summer the Arikara went out to hunt buffalo, deer, and
-antelope. On their way they saw by the path a pretty little snake.
-Some of the old people told the others to give presents to the
-snake, such as deer meat and moccasins. There were two foolish boys
-in the rear of the crowd, coming along on foot. When the foolish
-boys saw the pile of presents they wondered what it was for. They
-looked all around the pile, but could see nothing; but after a
-while they saw the little snake on top of the presents. The boys
-were mad, and said: “We are poor. We are living with these people
-and they do not give us anything, although they know that we need
-help, and here they have given these things to this little snake.”
-“Let us kill it,” said one of the boys. The other one said, “All
-right.” So they killed the snake. The boys told the people that
-they had killed the snake. The people turned back from their hunt
-and went to their village, and they began to climb upon high arbors
-for refuge. From the top of the arbors they saw something coming
-down both sides of the Missouri River. Soon they discovered that
-what they saw were all kinds of snakes. They were ready to meet
-the snakes, for they knew what they had done, and they were ready
-to die. They took their clubs and killed the snakes, although the
-snakes killed many of the Arikara. By and by the snakes killed one
-of the foolish boys. They bit the other boy all over, but he killed
-many of them. After a while they went away, but they had killed
-many people, and all because the foolish boys had killed the young
-snake.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[44] Told by Two-Hawks.
-
-
-
-
-44. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE BEARS.[45]
-
-
-There was a young man who had a beautiful wife, whom he loved.
-She had a garden in the woods where she went every day in the
-spring to hoe. Each morning, before starting to the garden, she
-prepared pemmican and dried meat to take with her. She took enough
-for two or three persons. Her husband noticed this. One day while
-she was preparing the meat he asked her why she was preparing so
-much, for he thought that she must have some of her relatives to
-help her in her garden. The woman made no reply. One day, as she
-went out to the garden, her husband secretly followed her. When
-her husband came to her garden he hid near by. He saw that the
-garden was well cared for, and he knew by this that some one had
-been helping her to clean it. The man waited a little while, and
-there came forth from the woods a man, who walked right over to
-the woman. The woman seemed glad to see this man who met her, and
-the man was glad to meet the woman. This strange man was painted,
-and upon his head were feathers, and a set of bear’s claws were
-about his neck. The man went to work in the garden, helping the
-woman. The woman’s husband lay upon the top of the hill, watching
-them. When the sun was high, the strange man and the woman stopped
-working. They went over in the shade of some trees, and they ate
-the meat that the woman had prepared. After eating, the strange man
-lay with the woman. The woman’s husband saw all that went on. He
-slowly made his way toward the camp and went home. When he got home
-he took down his bow and arrows and began to fix the arrow-points
-and bow-string. In the meantime, the woman returned. She asked her
-husband where he was going, and he made reply that he was fixing up
-his bow and arrows to go hunting the next day. The man then asked
-his wife how she was getting along with the work in her garden, and
-she said she was nearly through.
-
-The next morning the woman got her meat and things ready to go to
-her garden again, and the man got ready to go hunting. The woman
-went first to her garden. The man went afterwards, in a different
-direction. After a while he circled around to his wife’s garden.
-He got to the garden and lay down. He waited for the strange man
-to come. The woman sat around near her garden, doing nothing, for
-there was nothing to do; she had already got through with her
-field. The man looked up and again he saw the strange man come from
-the timber and begin to talk to his wife. They sat around until
-the sun was high. They again ate meat together, and after they had
-eaten, the strange man again lay with the woman. While they were
-lying together, the woman’s husband came up from behind them, took
-an arrow, put it in the bow-string and pulled it. He shot the man.
-The man made a big groan, got on his feet, and ran through the
-timber.
-
-When the woman got up, her husband got a stick and clubbed her.
-The woman said: “My husband, you should first have found out who
-that man was who was with me, before you shot him.” Her husband
-said that he did not care who he was. The woman said that he was a
-Bear, and that was the reason she let him lie with her, for she was
-afraid of him. She said that the Bear told her that if anybody did
-anything to him while he was with her he would get all his people
-together and kill everybody in the Arikara camp. The man said he
-did not care.
-
-About three days afterwards the people saw what seemed to be
-buffalo in large droves, coming from the hills. When they came near
-the village the people found out that they were Bears instead of
-buffalo. The young man who had shot the Bear in the garden said to
-the people, “The Bears are coming to kill us, for I shot the Bear.”
-The Bears soon reached the camp and tore the people to pieces, as
-many as they got hold of; but some of the people, who hid in their
-cellars, were saved. The Bears did not stop until they had killed
-the man who had shot the Bear.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[45] Told by Two-Hawks.
-
-
-
-
-45. THE WIFE WHO MARRIED AN ELK.[46]
-
-
-There was a man who went hunting with his wife. They were alone.
-Whenever the man was out hunting the woman would stay at the lodge
-and take care of all the things that the man had brought in, and
-she would also jerk meat. There she stayed, while her husband went
-out day after day. One time when her husband was gone a man came
-to see her, but she did not know who he was. One day five men came,
-and the fifth one she liked best. He was fine-looking, and young.
-This fifth man asked her to go home with him. She liked him so much
-that she did not feel like refusing him, so she went with him.
-
-When the husband returned he found that his wife was gone. He
-looked all around until at last he found their tracks. He ran
-along, following the tracks. The poor man was getting tired, but
-the more he thought of his wife the more he felt like following
-her, for he thought a great deal of her. He caught up with her, and
-to his great surprise he saw his wife walking beside an animal. The
-man ran and shot at the animal, but could not kill it. This animal
-was an Elk. Not far away was a lake, toward which the Elk and the
-woman were headed. The Elk and the woman went right into this lake.
-The man shot at the animal, but the arrows did not seem to harm
-the Elk. When the man came to the lake he remained there. He would
-think of going away, but when he thought of his wife he would stay.
-He cried and cried. He neither ate nor drank.
-
-At last the woman came out from the lake, for she felt sorry for
-her husband. She said: “You must go home, and whenever you start
-upon the war-path come to this place before you go and I will see
-you, and I will do anything to get out of this place so that I can
-tell you where to go, and if I can go with you I will do so.” So
-the man went home, and when he got there, the people asked him what
-had become of his wife. He told the people what had happened to
-her. After many days, the man thought he would go on the war-path.
-He invited several young men, and they went out. When they were
-near the lake, the man told his companions to stay at a distance
-from the lake, while he went on by himself. The man had a dress
-for the woman. When he got to the lake she told him to go west;
-that in a few days he would find three tipis; that there were three
-men living in the tipis, and that he should kill them; and that he
-would capture all their ponies. The woman then disappeared. The man
-threw the dress into the lake and went back. The man then led the
-war-party to the west. In a few days they found the three tipis.
-They attacked them and killed the people in them. Their ponies they
-captured, so that it all came true, as the woman had said. Then
-they went home and had a great time dancing the scalp-dance.
-
-The next time the man went on the war-path he took several young
-men with him, and he again visited the lake. This time the woman
-came out, and said: “My husband, I can never leave this lake any
-more. You must go to the west, and there you will find the enemy.
-In the fight you will see a woman who looks like me. Go to this
-woman and catch her. She will become your wife and be good to
-you.” In a few days they found the enemy’s camp. They attacked the
-village, and they fought. While they were fighting, this man saw
-the woman who looked just like his wife. He stopped fighting and
-went after the woman. He captured her and took her home with him.
-
-The man never went to the lake any more, but was happy with his new
-wife, for she looked very much like the woman who had gone into the
-lake with the Elk.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[46] Told by Standing-Bull.
-
-
-
-
-46. THE FOUR GIRLS AND THE MOUNTAIN-LION.[47]
-
-
-There were four girls who went to gather wood. While they were
-gathering wood they heard a Mountain-Lion coming, who said, “I
-want you girls for my wives.” The girls ran to different wonderful
-beings for protection. Each wonderful being said, “I can not do
-anything for you, for the Mountain-Lion is more powerful than I.”
-At last the girls came to a place where there was a man whose name
-was “Hair-Cut-in-Notches.” (His hair was so notched that one could
-see through the notches by looking at the side of his head.) The
-girls ran to this man, and said: “A Mountain-Lion is after us! Save
-us!” Hair-Cut-in-Notches said, “What shall I get if I save you?”
-The girls said, “We will live with you as your wives if you will
-save us.” Hair-Cut-in-Notches said, “You will go into my lodge and
-stay there.” Then he sang about his head and hair, for his hair
-was his arrows. When the Mountain-Lion came up Hair-Cut-in-Notches
-would make a motion toward his head, then to his bow, then shoot at
-the Mountain-Lion. Finally the Mountain-Lion dropped down, for he
-had killed it. Hair-Cut-in-Notches went into the lodge, and said:
-“You will now come out. Go to your homes. I shall not keep you
-here, for I am not a human being, but I am glad to have saved you
-from being killed by that animal.” The four girls thanked the man
-and returned to their homes.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[47] Told by Little-Crow.
-
-
-
-
-47. THE DEEDS OF YOUNG-EAGLE.[48]
-
-
-Many years ago the Arikara separated into two bands, one band going
-south, the other going north. But still the young men visited from
-one camp to the other. In the north village the leading chief had
-a daughter who had grown up to be a beautiful young woman. In
-the other village the leading chief had a son who was handsome.
-The young man’s name was Young-Eagle. The young girl’s name was
-Yellow-Calf.
-
-When the north village visited the south village the north people
-told the south people about the chief’s daughter, who was very
-pretty. When the south people visited the north village they told
-of the chief’s son, who was very handsome, but who had never looked
-upon women with favor, for he had always kept himself in the lodge,
-not even having been on the war-path. When he came out of his lodge
-everybody looked at him.
-
-Young-Eagle made up his mind to visit the north village to see
-the beautiful daughter of the chief. He told his sisters to make
-him several pairs of moccasins; for he intended to go to the
-north village. Now, Yellow-Calf, in the north village, also made
-moccasins for herself, for she had made up her mind that she would
-visit the south village and see the young man who was so handsome.
-
-One day Young-Eagle started for the north village. On the same day
-Yellow-Calf started for the south village. Now, between the two
-villages there was a high hill, and as Young-Eagle was climbing the
-hill on the south side Yellow-Calf was climbing the hill on the
-north side. They both saw each other as they reached the top of the
-hill and were greatly surprised to see each other.
-
-Young-Eagle asked Yellow-Calf where she was going, but she answered
-by asking where he was going. Finally the girl told him that she
-was going to the south village to see the man who was so handsome.
-Young-Eagle said, “I am that young man, and I am going to see the
-young girl who is so beautiful, down here at the south village.”
-They now knew that they were speaking of each other.
-
-They sat down and talked, and here they found out each other’s
-mind. Young-Eagle wanted to know how many days it had taken
-Yellow-Calf to come there. She told how many days it had taken,
-and Young-Eagle told Yellow-Calf how many days it had taken him.
-They knew by this that the hill was just half-way between the two
-villages. This hill is known at the present time as “Lovers’ Hill,”
-because these two people met here. They agreed to place a pile of
-rocks upon the hill, and each was to place on the pile a number
-of stones equal to the number of days it had taken to come to the
-place. First, Young-Eagle placed a stone, then Yellow-Calf placed
-one, then Young-Eagle placed another, and so on, until they had a
-pile of stones. Yellow-Calf told Young-Eagle that she wanted to go
-with him to his home. But Young-Eagle said, “No, I would rather go
-with you to your home.” Yellow-Calf finally consented; so they
-went on. Yellow-Calf was satisfied and happy, for this young man
-was handsome and had a quiver filled with arrows, and a bow.
-
-In the evening they came to a lake, and Young-Eagle told
-Yellow-Calf that they must take a swim and wash themselves; that
-it was not right that they should go to the village without being
-washed. So Yellow-Calf went into the lake first and washed. When
-she came out, Young-Eagle, with his leggings and all his things
-on, waded into the water for some distance. He told Yellow-Calf to
-watch for him. He dived, and stayed a long time under the water.
-Towards evening, at dusk, Young-Eagle came out of the water, having
-all his clothes on. He came upon the bank, and Yellow-Calf saw
-that he was not the same young man who had left her a little while
-before. This young man now was not so tall, nor was he handsome.
-His hair was unkempt, his nose was all covered with sores, and he
-seemed to have vermin. The robe he had on was a little piece of
-buffalo robe. His leggings were made of deer skin, but were very
-dry. His belly looked so large and plump that people would take
-him for a “burnt-belly” boy or a “burnt-fingered” boy. Yellow-Calf
-became scared, but she thought Young-Eagle was only making fun, so
-she took him home that night.
-
-Young-Eagle lay down by the side of Yellow-Calf, and the next
-morning, when the parents arose to prepare the meal, they went
-to the girl and found a young man lying by her. The old people,
-knowing that Yellow-Calf had been away for some time, thought,
-of course, that she had got married, and had brought her husband
-home. They waked the young man. He did not attempt to wash, but
-jumped at the pot with the food in it, and he licked the mush off
-from the spoon. The old folks looked at him, and were sorry that
-Yellow-Calf had brought him. Yellow-Calf, too, was ashamed of him.
-She prayed hard in her heart that the young man might turn into the
-young man that she had first been with. But the young man remained
-the same and the people made fun of him. They called him the
-“Big-Belly-Boy.” The boy acted childishly all the time. When there
-was a battle going on the boy never went out, but stayed around the
-lodge.
-
-One time the boy heard that a war-party was going out. He told
-the girl to tell her youngest brother that when the party should
-be out three days he should get some long intestines from the
-buffalo that the warriors would kill, and also some bones; these
-he should put in the fire; and that in the night he would hear
-the whistling of a young eagle, and he must know that it was his
-brother-in-law coming. The girl told her youngest brother all that
-Young-Eagle had said, and the boy said that he would do so, only
-he was afraid that what she had told him would not come true; he
-did not believe that his brother-in-law would come. But the girl
-said, “Brother, watch out, and when he comes, do as he tells you,
-for he is wonderful.” But the brother felt like making fun of his
-brother-in-law, Young-Eagle. It was announced through the camp that
-the Big-Belly-Boy was going on the war-path with the rest. They
-all laughed at him and made fun of him because he was going on the
-war-path for the first time.
-
-The warriors started out, and after they had been gone three days
-Young-Eagle took his wife out to the lake where he had dived once
-before, and there he told her to take a swim. The girl went in and
-washed. After she came up, Young-Eagle went in, just the same as
-he had done before, with leggings, moccasins, etc., and he waded
-into the lake, then he dived, and stayed a long time. At dusk,
-Yellow-Calf heard a noise in the water, and Young-Eagle came out,
-the same man that she had first met. Young-Eagle told her not to
-touch him, but to go home; that he would come home soon; and that
-she should watch for him. He sat down and covered himself with
-his robe. All at once the robe rattled, and there flew up a young
-Eagle. It flew towards the southwest, where the warriors had gone,
-and in the night, the brother-in-law heard the cry of an Eagle. He
-rose, and said, “That is my brother-in-law; he has come.” The other
-warriors who heard it made fun of him, and said, “Do you think
-that that Big-Belly-Boy brother would come this far?” But the boy
-did not say anything. He went out, and sure enough, there was his
-brother-in-law.
-
-The boy gave Young-Eagle the intestine to eat, and also some bones
-to gnaw. Young-Eagle told his brother-in-law that the enemy were
-within a short distance, and that he was going out to bring all the
-ponies that they had in the village; and that he was to turn all
-the ponies over to him; and that his brother-in-law should divide
-the ponies among the warriors.
-
-The leader of the war-party had sent out different scouts, but they
-had seen no enemy’s village, nor any ponies. But every once in a
-while Young-Eagle would appear, and this brother-in-law of his
-would go to meet him. The warriors still doubted that they were
-brothers-in-law.
-
-The next day, when they saw a drove of ponies coming towards them
-and Young-Eagle driving them afoot, they knew him. Young-Eagle’s
-brother-in-law went out to meet him. Young-Eagle gave him all the
-ponies and told him to divide them among the people. Young-Eagle
-went back into the enemy’s camp. He killed one man, took his
-scalp, and gave it to his brother-in-law, who in turn gave it to
-the leader of the war-party.
-
-Young-Eagle went back to the village, and about this time the enemy
-were coming after him. Young-Eagle killed several more, taking
-their scalps. He gave the scalps to his brother-in-law, who in turn
-gave them to the leader. They knew that the young man was brave.
-After the battle he went home as Young-Eagle. The others drove
-ponies.
-
-Young-Eagle went into his lodge where his wife was. He did not tell
-her what had happened. Two days afterward, the war-party came,
-singing scalp songs and telling all that Young-Eagle had done.
-Yellow-Calf’s father sat upon the lodge, listening, and thought
-that they were making fun of his son-in-law.
-
-The warriors entered the lodge of the priests, and there they
-told the story, from the time they had left and from the time
-Young-Eagle overtook them, and the capturing of the ponies and the
-killing of the enemy. This was all true. Scalps were brought to
-Young-Eagle’s lodge, and the old man put them upon a long pole, and
-stuck the pole in the ground outside of the entrance of his lodge.
-The ponies that were left over after dividing them up between the
-warriors were given to Yellow-Calf’s father, who took only so many.
-Then Young-Eagle went out and gave the remainder of the ponies to
-the poor people.
-
-Some people went to the other village, and reported all that
-Young-Eagle had done, and the father of Young-Eagle was ashamed,
-for he thought they were making fun of him, for when Young-Eagle
-had been at home he would never go out on the war-path. He did not
-believe the story; he believed the boy to be dead, for he had been
-away for some time. So all the sisters of Young-Eagle had cut their
-hair and mourned, as had also his father and mother.
-
-Every time a war-party came to attack the village Young-Eagle was
-there to save the village. Once in a while, when a war-party went
-out, Young-Eagle followed. He did the same as he had done before.
-On one of these occasions he made up his mind that he would go and
-get his own likeness; for, although he had changed once, when first
-he had gone on the war-path, he still retained his big belly. One
-evening he went with his wife to the lake. He went into the lake.
-When he came out he had on his fine leggings, a fine robe and a
-mountain-lion quiver, and he was fine-looking, with long hair. The
-girl was proud of him now. They went home.
-
-In a few days, Young-Eagle told Yellow-Calf to take all the scalps
-that he had taken, and saddle the ponies; for they were going to
-visit his father’s village. His father’s name was “Black-Sun.”
-They went south to Black-Sun’s village. One evening they came to
-the village. Young-Eagle left his wife outside of the village, and
-went to his father’s lodge. He told his father that he had come
-back. His father got up and made a fire. He told his woman to get
-up, for their son had come back. The four sisters got up from their
-beds and hugged their brother, for they had been mourning for him
-as dead. Young-Eagle told his sisters to go out and to bring their
-sister-in-law. They went out, and they found Yellow-Calf sitting
-outside of the lodge, holding three ponies. The girls embraced
-their sister-in-law and led her into the camp, took in the things
-that belonged to Young-Eagle and his wife, but led the ponies away.
-The stick with the scalps was fastened upon a long pole and stood
-up in front of the lodge.
-
-Early on the next morning, Black-Sun got up and went through the
-village singing scalp songs, thus letting the people know that
-his son had returned with many scalps. The people heard it. They
-went out, and they saw the pole that had the scalps upon it. The
-people rushed into the lodge, and that very same day the braves and
-warriors decided that this Young-Eagle should lead the people to
-the girl’s village.
-
-So the people of the other village went north, and the north and
-south tribes of the Arikara came together and became one tribe
-again.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[48] Told by Yellow-Bull.
-
-
-
-
-48. THE GIRL WHO BECAME A WHIRLWIND.[49]
-
-
-Many, many years ago the Arikara left their village and went
-west on a buffalo hunt. They left behind a family, the woman of
-which was leading a pony that dragged a travois with two children
-on it—a girl seven years old and a boy of five. As these people
-were crossing a little stream of water the pony jumped across
-the stream, and the children fell off. The woman, supposing the
-children still to be on the travois, never looked behind, and did
-not miss the children until she came into camp.
-
-The men were then sent back to try to find the children, but they
-could not be found; for when they fell off, instead of following
-their parents they had gone back in the direction of their village,
-but instead of going into the village they had gone into the timber
-west of the village. There they wandered through the timber, and
-at last they came to a cave, where they stopped. The girl left
-the boy there while she went about trying to find something for
-him to eat. While the girl was gone, a Whirlwind came and took
-her far away. It was not long before the girl returned; but often
-after that she would go away for days. When she returned she was
-always very happy. Now, the boy told his sister that he wanted a
-bow and arrows; that he was all the time going around through the
-timber seeing rabbits and smaller game. The girl disappeared, and
-when she came back she had a bow and four blunt arrows. For many
-days the girl would disappear and then would return. One day the
-boy said: “My sister, I wander through the woods, and I am getting
-older; I think I ought to have a larger bow and many arrows.” So
-the girl said, “All right.” She went away, and when she came back
-she brought the bow and quiver filled with arrows for the boy. The
-boy was thankful for this. The girl disappeared very often. Every
-time she came home the boy would hear the storm coming, then, all
-at once, the girl would appear.
-
-One day when the boy was out hunting, an Owl came to him, and said:
-“We have taken pity upon you. We have an animals’ lodge close by.
-We have taken pity upon you because your sister is now a wonderful
-being—a Whirlwind. She goes from one place to another, killing
-people. She has planned to kill you, that she may be the Whirlwind
-always. She thinks that you are in her way, for she has to look
-after you. Now, the girl travels far over the land. She visits
-places where people have food, and there she finds bows and arrows,
-knives, axes, and hoes, and she brings them here to your place.
-Testes autem moribus excidit, domumque adfert; eos frictos, dum
-dormis, dentibus frangit et mandit. To-night when she comes home,
-stay awake, for she intends to kill you soon. You will find out
-what she eats.” That night, when the boy lay down, he watched and
-waited for his sister. She came at last. She looked down and saw
-that her brother was sleeping, then she took some of her special
-meat and placed it upon hot coals, took it off and began to eat.
-When she got through eating, the boy arose and said, “Sister, I
-am glad you are back.” She said, “Well, I am going away, far away
-from here to-morrow, and I want you to stay here until I come
-back.” The next day the girl was gone. The Owl came to the boy, and
-said: “Make haste! Come!” So the boy followed the Owl, and as they
-traveled along the Owl said: “Do you see that cloud coming? That is
-the Whirlwind coming to destroy you. Make haste and come with me!”
-They ran, and as the Whirlwind was near, the boy was taken into the
-den of the Owls.
-
-The Owls told the boy that when the Whirlwind should come it would
-make threats, but that they had taken pity upon him and would keep
-him there; but that there was something that this girl wanted, and
-they were going to tell him what it was. They said: “Your sister
-wants a woman. You tell her that the first woman you marry you will
-give her.” So the Whirlwind came to the side of the hill where the
-Owl’s den was. The wind blew and the girl spoke, and said: “You big
-Owl, turn that boy loose! He is mine! I must kill him!” But the
-Owls would not turn the boy loose. They said, “He is here under our
-protection.” The girl kept on demanding the boy. At last, the boy
-said, “My sister, if you will let me go, the first woman I marry I
-shall give to you.” The girl said: “That is what I want; I shall
-let you go.” So the boy was turned loose, and traveled towards his
-people.
-
-When the boy came to his people, he saw that they were very poor.
-He entered his father’s lodge and told his father that he had come
-back. His father arose and built a big fire. He saw the boy sitting
-there and recognized him. The father asked about the sister. The
-boy said that his sister was well, but that she was far away.
-Then the boy told his father to tell the chief to come to their
-lodge. The boy told the chief that he had come to tell them that
-the buffalo were not very far away and that the people must go and
-kill these buffalo. The people sent hunters out and they found the
-buffalo as the boy had said they would. In a few days the enemy
-attacked this village, and they saw that the boy was a wonderful
-boy, for he made a way for his people to kill the enemy. The people
-cried through the village, and said that they should give him a
-nice young woman to marry. The chief’s daughter was the one to be
-given to him.
-
-That night the boy went out and called for his sister. The sister
-came that night into the tipi and sat down by her brother, and
-said, “I have been far away.” The boy said: “My sister, I am now
-to marry. Here is the girl that I promised you.” The boy’s sister
-said, “That is what I want.” She went to the girl, and the sister
-and the boy’s wife were together. The boy went out. The next day
-the brother came into the lodge, and his sister said: “My brother,
-I give you this club and this medicine, and I give you the power
-that I possess—that of the Whirlwind. You will have power to kill
-the enemy. They will try to shoot you, but they can do you no
-harm. For many days I shall now go towards the southwest, where I
-shall always stay. When the wind comes you must know that I am the
-Whirlwind. I will listen to the prayers of our people. When I am
-coming do not let my people be afraid of me, for I shall always
-hear their prayers and shall always heed them. I shall not destroy
-them, but will always comfort them.” The young man became a famous
-warrior, and finally became a chief.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[49] Told by Many-Fox.
-
-
-
-
-49. THE COYOTE AND THE MICE SUN DANCE.[50]
-
-
-While the Coyote was wandering in the evening he heard dancing, but
-he could not see the dance anywhere. He went on walking around and
-hunting for the dance. He was about to give up, when he found that
-the noise of the dancing came from an elk skull in the bushes.
-
-The Mice ran away as soon as the Coyote came up, but the Coyote
-begged to see them dance. He addressed them thus, “Uncles, I want
-to see you dance.” The Mice said: “We are afraid of you, for you
-may eat us. We would like to see you, but you are very tricky, and
-you might eat us.” The Coyote begged so hard, saying he had not
-seen his uncles for many months, and he wanted to see them; so the
-Mice agreed to let him into the dance. They let the Coyote peep
-into the back part of the skull, so that he could see the dance. As
-soon as the Coyote had run his head through the skull the Mice ran
-away, and the Coyote was held fast with his head in the skull. The
-Coyote begged the Mice to take the skull off, but the Mice would
-not listen to him. They told him to go away. So the Coyote went on
-his way, with the skull on his head.
-
-The Coyote could not see very well, on account of the skull
-being over his eyes. He heard some noises at a distance. He went
-straight to a camp. He came to the edge of some water. The people
-saw the animal coming on the other side of the water, and some of
-them hallooed, “A wonderful animal coming on the other side of
-the water!” When the Coyote saw that the people were scared he
-commenced to make funny noises. Some of the people said, “Make way,
-so that we may be spared and live.” The Coyote said, “Give me the
-chief’s daughter and you shall all live.” The people gave him the
-chief’s daughter. The Coyote swam across the water and the people
-made a tipi for him. The girl took the Coyote by the horns and
-led him to the tipi. The Coyote stayed with the girl all night.
-In the morning the Coyote and the girl were sent for to come and
-eat. The Coyote was still close to the girl, and some boy saw that
-it was a Coyote. The boy yelled, “This being that is in the tipi
-with the girl is nothing but a Coyote!” The people rushed there
-and the Coyote was forced out beyond the tipi. As he could not see
-very well he ran into people and dogs. The people struck the skull
-until they broke it to pieces. They caught the Coyote and brought
-him home. They tied his legs with strings, drove some pegs into
-the ground, and tied him fast to the pegs. As the people went out
-they would go to the Coyote and urinate and defecate on him. One
-old woman went out to defecate on the Coyote, and as she lifted her
-dress she wanted to know how she was to do it. The Coyote told the
-woman that the first thing to be done was to pull the pegs, then
-pull up her dress, then defecate on him. The Coyote took a long
-stick, and as the woman lifted her dress and tried to defecate on
-him he ran the stick into her rectum, then stuck the stick in the
-ground. He then ran away and defecated as he went. For this reason
-the Coyote defecates easily and is always running from the people.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[50] Told by Joe Reed.
-
-
-
-
-50. THE COYOTE BECOMES A BUFFALO.[51]
-
-
-The Coyote was going along when he saw an old bull sitting down on
-the side of a hill. The Coyote went up to him, and said, “Well,
-my grandfather, are you sitting here sunning yourself?” The bull
-said, “Yes.” The Coyote said that he was hungry; that he would like
-the Buffalo to give him something to eat. The Buffalo said, “Why
-are you not like myself, a big Buffalo, eating grass.” The Coyote
-said, “Well, grandfather, I wish that you would make a Buffalo
-out of me.” So the Buffalo said: “All right. You will then have
-to break up your bow and arrows, for you will need them no more.”
-So the Buffalo placed the Coyote, and said, “Now you must keep a
-strong heart; do not get scared.” The Buffalo rushed at the Coyote,
-and just as he was about to hook the Coyote, the Coyote jumped
-sidewise. Then the Buffalo said: “Why did you get scared? Now stay
-right at this place, and I will come and make a Buffalo out of
-you.” But every time the Buffalo ran toward him the Coyote would
-jump away. The last time the Coyote stayed, and as the Buffalo
-went up against him there were two Buffalo bulls. They locked
-horns, then the Buffalo told the Coyote-Buffalo to eat grass. The
-Coyote-Buffalo obeyed and ate until he was filled. Then the Buffalo
-said, “We must go to the Buffalo herd, for there is one bull there
-who has control of all the female Buffalo, and we will fight him,
-and when we have killed him we can have all the female Buffalo.” So
-they went to the Buffalo herd. The Buffalo bull was going around
-among the Buffalo. They were waiting to fight him when it should
-come time. They fought, and they killed the Buffalo bull.
-
-Now each bull took many cows to look after. When they all came
-together they lay down in a hollow for the night. The next night
-the Buffalo all jumped and traveled toward the western country.
-When the Coyote-Buffalo got up he saw that he had been left
-behind, all alone. He arose, but did not follow the other people.
-The Coyote-Buffalo came across a Coyote, and said: “Why are you
-not as I am? I was a Coyote once, but now I am a Buffalo.” The
-Coyote-Buffalo told the Coyote to throw his bow and arrows away,
-for he was going to make him into a Buffalo. He set the Coyote in a
-certain place and made a rush at him. The Coyote jumped sidewise.
-Three times did the Coyote-Buffalo try to run into the Coyote,
-but every time the Coyote jumped sidewise. The last time, the
-Coyote-Buffalo said, “Now you must close your eyes and let me run
-over you.” The Coyote obeyed and the Coyote-Buffalo ran into him,
-and there were two Coyotes instead of the Coyote-Buffalo and the
-Coyote. So the Coyote-Buffalo turned back into a Coyote.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[51] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-51. THE COYOTE AND THE ARTICHOKE.[52]
-
-
-The Coyote was going along through thick timber. He saw an
-Artichoke plant, which he dug up. He asked it its name. The
-Artichoke said, “Cososit,” meaning artichoke. The Coyote wanted to
-know if he had any other name. The Artichoke said, “Take-a-Bite.”
-When it said that, the Coyote took a bite. The Artichoke repeated
-this name four times, and every time it repeated it the Coyote
-took a bite of the Artichoke. Finally, the Coyote had eaten the
-Artichoke.
-
-The Coyote went on, and again and again he expelled flatus, moving
-his feet each time. Every time he expelled flatus he seemed to
-grow worse. Once it threw him up in the air. Now, before expelling
-flatus, he got hold of a tree, and he said, “Now let me expel
-flatus.” The flatus threw him up in the air, tree and all. Again he
-went on, and he came to a stone, and when he knew he was to expel
-flatus, he said, “Now let me expel flatus.” This he did, and the
-stone went up with the Coyote. The stone fell on the Coyote and
-killed him. This is the reason we find coyotes lying beside stones.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[52] Told by Cut-Arm.
-
-
-
-
-52. THE COYOTE RIDES THE BEAR.[53]
-
-
-The Coyote was going along through the timber, and he met a Bear.
-The Coyote made all kinds of threats against the Bear, and finally
-got on his back and rode him. All at once the Coyote jumped off and
-said, “You can go your way, and I will go mine!” The Coyote went
-up on the top of a hill, to see if the Bear was still going, but
-he did not see him. Then the Coyote yelled, and said, “You Bear,
-you claim to be a fierce animal, and here I have ridden upon your
-back!” The Bear, hearing this, became mad. He turned around, and
-said: “I will kill that being, whoever he is. No matter where he
-goes, I will follow him.” So the Bear ran up the hill, and when
-the Coyote saw the Bear coming he ran. The Bear caught up with the
-Coyote on the next hill, and killed the Coyote and tore him up.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[53] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-53. THE COYOTE RIDES THE BUFFALO.[54]
-
-
-There was a village, and in the village lived one young girl who
-was very pretty. All the young men courted her, but she did not
-care to marry. A Buffalo came who wanted to marry her. Once in a
-while he would turn into a young man, nicely dressed and smelling
-very fine. The girl became very much attached to the Buffalo.
-
-The Coyote came to visit the girl, and he talked to her. The girl
-said she did not care to talk to anybody now, because she had a
-young man, and that young man was the Buffalo. The Coyote said:
-“Why, that Buffalo is my horse. I ride him.” The girl said, “If
-you will ride that Buffalo here I will marry you.” The Coyote went
-home, took a club and hit himself very hard on the knee, so as to
-make it sore. The Buffalo came to the girl to talk with her. The
-girl told the Buffalo what the Coyote had said. The Buffalo was
-mad, and said, “I am going to bring the Coyote here and kill him.”
-The Buffalo pawed the ground and threw up the dirt. The Coyote saw
-the Buffalo coming. The Buffalo called to the Coyote to come out.
-He said: “I want you to go with me to the girl’s tipi; I am to kill
-you.” The Coyote said, “I am a cripple, I can not go.” “It is not
-true,” said the Buffalo. “Come out, uncle, can’t you? Come on.”
-Said the Coyote, “If you want me to go, and can carry me to the
-girl’s tipi, I will go.” The Buffalo agreed to carry the Coyote.
-The Buffalo got down on his knees and the Coyote got on top of him
-and sat upon him. The Coyote had a cane that he was to hit the
-Buffalo with.
-
-The Coyote jumped up and ran back to the village and married the
-girl. The Buffalo was so ashamed that he never came back to the
-village. For this reason, the descendants of the Coyote are bad and
-tricky. By foul means, they marry.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[54] Told by Cut-Arm.
-
-
-
-
-54. THE COYOTE AND THE BUFFALO RUN A RACE.[55]
-
-
-Once when a Coyote was sauntering along he looked up and saw a
-Buffalo a long distance off. The Coyote ran, and nearly caught up
-with the Buffalo. The Coyote saw the Buffalo drop chips. He went
-and ate some of them. The Buffalo looked around and saw the Coyote
-eating the chips. The Buffalo turned back and asked the Coyote what
-he was doing. The Coyote said: “O, you shaggy-looking thing; why
-do you not go on your way and not bother a poor fellow like me? I
-am eating some pemmican that some fellow must have dropped.” After
-a while, the Coyote said, “Say, grandfather, can you run?” “Yes,”
-said the Buffalo, “I can run fast.” “But,” said the Coyote, “I do
-not see how you can run with such big feet. Then there is danger
-of your breaking your legs. Ah, grandfather,” said the Coyote, “I
-think I can beat you. I am a man who has fought in battles, and
-have killed many people on account of my swiftness. If you are
-willing to run with me, do not stand there and laugh at me. I can
-beat you.” So the Buffalo said, “If you want to run a race, I will
-run with you, and I will show you that my legs can carry me a long
-way and beat you.” “All right,” said the Coyote, “I will go and
-measure the ground, and we will run.” So the Coyote went away and
-selected a place. The place selected was a tableland, and there
-was a steep bank at the other end. The Coyote set landmarks near
-the steep bank and winked to himself, and said, “Now I will have a
-whole buffalo to eat,” for at the bottom of this steep place there
-was a rock. The Coyote went where the Buffalo stood, and said: “Now
-we will run. As soon as we get to the two landmarks I have made we
-will run fast. At this place we will close our eyes. When we have
-gone a short distance we will open our eyes and see who is in the
-lead.” The Buffalo agreed. They began the race, and as they came to
-the landmarks, the Coyote said, “Now run your best and close your
-eyes.” The Coyote, being on the right side of the Buffalo, closed
-his left eye. The Buffalo ran with his eyes closed and jumped over
-the steep bank. The Coyote stopped, looked, and saw the Buffalo
-lying dead at the bottom of the steep bank.
-
-The Coyote went down and skinned the Buffalo and cut him up. He
-then took the meat to a place where there was a creek, and there he
-put up a small lodge for himself. He made a fire and roasted some
-meat. Then he went out to see if he could see any one. He saw a Fox
-coming along. He waited for the Fox. When the Fox came up, the
-Coyote said, “My friend, I want you to come to my lodge and pack
-water for me.” The Fox said, “I will go with you and pack water for
-you.” So they went together and entered the lodge. The Coyote fixed
-the buffalo pouch for a bucket, and said, “Fox, you go after water
-with this pouch.” The Fox obeyed. Before he got to the creek he had
-eaten up the pouch. Four times the Coyote gave the Fox a pouch to
-bring water, and every time the Fox would say, “Coyote, as I dipped
-water, something came and took away my pouch.” The Coyote was mad,
-and he took some coals and threw them into the Fox’s face, so that
-the Fox cried and ran off. The Fox told his story to every animal
-he met. All the living animals got together, and when the Coyote
-was fast asleep they went in and ate all he had in his lodge. When
-he woke up he found all his meat gone, and he went away crying.
-
-When you have plenty, do not trust your friends, or they will get
-all you have.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[55] Told by New-Man.
-
-
-
-
-55. THE COYOTE AND THE DANCING CORN.[56]
-
-
-Two Coyotes were going along, and as they became hungry one of
-them said: “Let us go where the people have left their village.
-We will find some pounded corn.” As they came to the village they
-separated, one going through many lodges, while the other went
-another way. The leader came to a lodge, and there he saw pounded
-corn, in lumps, running into the mortar. The Coyote ran into the
-lodge and begged the lumps of pounded corn to come out, saying that
-he was an old man who sang for people in their sacred ceremonies.
-The Coyote walked around the fireplace and began to sing. The lumps
-of pounded corn came out and danced. The lumps began to dance with
-the Coyote. “Close your eyes,” said the Coyote. The lumps had
-danced so hard that they had raised a dust, and the Coyote thought
-it was time to act. So he ran to the mortar, stuck his head into
-the bowl, and became fast. After a time the brother of the Coyote
-came, and said, “Wa, what are you doing?” The captive Coyote said:
-“I am fast, but I have lots to eat in this bowl. Take an axe and
-cut the bowl open.” The other Coyote took the axe and chopped the
-mortar open, cutting the other Coyote on the head so that he died.
-There was nothing in the mortar. The Coyote went away crying, for
-he had killed his brother.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[56] Told by Little-Crow.
-
-
-
-
-56. THE COYOTE AND THE TURTLE RUN A RACE.[57]
-
-
-One time a Coyote met a Turtle. The Coyote began to boast of his
-swiftness, and the Turtle said, “Why, I can beat you running!” So
-the Coyote said, “We will run a race to-morrow.” That night they
-parted, and went to their homes, so that they could get ready for
-the race the next morning. After the Turtle reached home he began
-to worry, and he could not get to sleep, for he knew that the
-Coyote could run fast. But the Turtle said to himself: “I will take
-him up there and go to the other Turtles, and ask them to assist
-me.” So the Turtle went to the other Turtles, and said: “I am about
-to run a race with the Coyote. I want you to help me.” He told them
-the place where they were to run, and the distance they were to
-run. So several Turtles volunteered to go and help the Turtle to
-beat the Coyote.
-
-All the Turtles went to the place. They placed one Turtle at the
-end of the course; then they placed another one at a certain
-distance back of him; then another back of this one, and so on, and
-finally the Turtle himself took his stand. Each Turtle carried a
-long pole, and hid in the ground.
-
-The next morning the Turtle met the Coyote. The Coyote began to run
-around and was happy, for he thought that he was going to beat the
-Turtle. The Turtle and the Coyote got ready to start. The Turtle
-gave the command to start. The Coyote ran and the Turtle crawled
-into his hole. When he got over a little ridge the Coyote saw
-the Turtle going ahead of him. Coyote ran and caught up with the
-Turtle. The Turtle threw his pole away and crawled into the ground.
-When the Coyote got to another knoll, there was the Turtle ahead
-of him again. The Coyote caught up with him. The Turtle crawled
-into the ground. The Coyote ran, and when he got up to another
-hill, there was the Turtle going ahead. The Coyote caught up with
-and passed him. At the end, the Turtle was at the goal, and the
-Coyote got up, and said, “You have beaten me.” This fine stretch of
-running killed the Coyote.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[57] Told by Standing-Bull.
-
-
-
-
-57. THE COYOTE AND THE STONE RUN A RACE.[58]
-
-
-The Coyote went up on a high hill, and there he saw a stone. The
-Coyote asked of the stone its name. The Stone said, “Run-Fast.”
-“A good name,” said the Coyote, “but I can beat you running.” The
-stone said, “You will spoil my rest, but if you want to race I
-will run with you.” The Coyote said, “All right, I want to race
-with you.” So the Stone told the Coyote to carry him to the top of
-the hill. The Coyote placed the Stone upon the hill and started
-him rolling down the hill. For a time the Coyote ran along side of
-him, then passed him. The Stone ran down the hill and caught up
-with the Coyote, and rolled upon his back. The Coyote then tried
-to shake off the Stone, telling him that he had beaten him and
-begging him to get off his back. But the Stone stayed upon the
-Coyote’s back. As the Coyote walked along the Stone grew heavier.
-It was now towards evening, and as the Coyote walked along he saw
-the Bull-Bats fly overhead. He told them to fly lower; that he had
-something to tell them. The Bull-Bats flew down. The Coyote told
-them that the Stone had been calling them names. He said: “When I
-told the Stone that I would tell you he jumped up on my back so
-that I could not tell you.” The Bull-Bats said, “We will take the
-Stone off.” So the Bull-Bats flew up high in the air, then came
-down with a swoop, making a peculiar noise upon the stone and
-cracking the Stone. The Bull-Bats kept on flying towards the Stone,
-until the Stone split in two.
-
-After the Stone had fallen from the Coyote, the Coyote ran along
-making fun of the Bull-Bats, calling them names. He said, “You
-spoiled my hair by scattering some of these stones upon my back.”
-The Bull-Bats told the Coyote to go his way and they would go
-theirs. They separated.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[58] Told by Cut-Arm.
-
-
-
-
-58. THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE.[59]
-
-
-The Coyote was once going along, and he became hungry. He heard a
-noise in the distance which sounded like dancing. He went to the
-place from where the noise came and there were some men dancing
-around the fire. When he came close to the place he saw that these
-men were Jack-Rabbits and that they had taken out intestines from
-the fire. One took them out, and they began to eat them. The Coyote
-asked them where they got the intestines. The Rabbit men told the
-Coyote that they would not tell him. The Coyote was very hungry,
-and he wanted very much to find out. He made all kinds of promises
-to the Rabbits, if they would only tell him, and if they demanded
-pay he promised that he would pay them. The leader of the Rabbit
-men said, “If you will pay us a good price we will teach you how
-the big intestines are made.” The Coyote was willing to pay them.
-He stood up, and said: “Grandchildren, I have been very far away,
-on the war-path. You can see that I am a warrior by this headdress
-that I have on; but, to know the secret of making these intestines
-I am willing to part with this eagle war-bonnet.” The Rabbits told
-the Coyote to go and get some red willows. The Coyote went and
-brought a few red willows, and these the Rabbits threw into the
-fire. Then they began to sing a song, and all the Rabbits stood
-up and danced around the fire. As the willows burned they turned
-slowly into large buffalo intestines. When these were roasted on
-the coals the Rabbits told the Coyote to take the intestines off
-from the coals and eat them. The Coyote took the long intestines,
-and they were so good that he asked the Rabbits to do the same
-thing again, for he was still hungry. The Rabbits told the Coyote
-to get a good armful of willows. When they were brought and placed
-upon the fire all the Rabbits stood up, and the Coyote was among
-them. They danced around, and as the willows burned they turned
-into large intestines. As each intestine was roasted the Coyote
-went and pulled it off the fire. The Rabbits had been eating these
-things, so they did not care for any. The Coyote ate them all, and
-was filled.
-
-The Coyote then began to look around to see how he might get back
-his war-bonnet; for he thought he now knew the secret of making
-these long intestines on the coals. He said to the Rabbits: “Let
-me take this war-bonnet, and let me show you how it must set upon
-the head; let me show you how I wear it.” The leader of the Rabbits
-said: “We are afraid of you; you are tricky, and you might get away
-with it.” The Coyote said: “I will not get away with it. All that
-I want is to show you the way it must be worn.” “Well,” said the
-leader, “you may have it, and show us how you wear the bonnet.” As
-the Coyote put the war-bonnet upon his head he made a long jump
-sidewise, and got away from the Rabbits. The Rabbits got after the
-Coyote, but he was too swift for them. The Rabbits said: “You can
-go; you will not be able to do the trick four times.” The Coyote
-turned around and laughed at the Rabbits.
-
-The Coyote ran far away, and as he was becoming hungry he made a
-fire, gathered some red willows, threw them into the fire, and
-danced around the fire all alone. He succeeded in making the
-buffalo intestines. He did it again, but the third time it began
-to fail. The fourth time the red willows burned up into ashes.
-They did not turn into intestines for him. The Coyote began to
-cry, for he knew that now he must go hungry. He went along, and
-after a while he began to have the stomach ache. Deinde ventrem
-facere volebat, et, loco idoneo reperto, insedit. Dum defæcabat
-leporem circumcursantem vidit, undeque esset miratus est. Quo
-magis defæcavit, eo plures lepores vidit. Tum se lepores emittere
-repperit. Paulum cunctatus, dixit: “Cogitem quo modo hos lepores
-prehendere possim.” Nam lepores occidere volebat. Itaque pulchrum
-pallium quod armis trahebat sibi humi sedenti circumposuit. Hoc
-saxis gravibus onerato, iterum defæcare incipit. Usque ad vesperum
-defæcabat; tandemque exortus locum pallio operuit, eique saxum
-imposuit. Deinde ingentem stipitem nactus, lepores quos sub pallio
-esse putabat occidit. Pallio autem remoto, nihil nisi excrementum
-repperit. Quod cum vidisset, se dixit stultissimum esse.
-
-The Coyote did not know what to do with the robe. He got hold of
-the robe and dragged it along until he came to a big Stone. He said
-to the Stone: “I am going to make you a present of this robe.” The
-Stone was pleased with the robe. The Coyote went away. When the
-Coyote was a little way off he saw a big hail-storm coming. He
-had nothing to cover himself with. He turned and went back to the
-place where the robe was. When he got to the robe it was clean, and
-it smelled good. The Coyote said to the Stone: “O, you have made
-the robe nice and clean. I came after it.” The Stone never said a
-word, and the Coyote stepped over and took his robe again. He went
-on. The storm never came near the Coyote. Soon he heard something
-coming behind him. He did not pay any attention to what he heard.
-By and by he looked back and saw the great, big Stone coming toward
-him. The Stone spoke to him, and said, “You, Coyote, stop!” This
-scared the Coyote very badly, for he knew that he would be killed
-for taking the robe back. The Stone chased the Coyote all the
-evening, and the Coyote became very tired and was about to give
-out, when he saw two Bull-Bats flying around in the air. He called
-to them, and said, “My brothers, this big Stone is after me and
-wants to kill me.” The Bull-Bats asked the Coyote why the Stone was
-chasing him. The Stone then spoke up and told the Bull-Bats not to
-believe anything that the Coyote might tell them. The Coyote begged
-the Bull-Bats, and said that the Stone had said something bad about
-the Bull-Bats; that the Stone was afraid that he would tell the
-Bull-Bats about it; and that was why the Stone was mad and ran
-after him and was trying to kill him; that he wanted them to help
-him by destroying the Stone. He said: “If you will stop the Stone I
-will change the color on your wings and tail.” The Bull-Bats said:
-“We will destroy the Stone, but you must first tell us what the
-Stone said about us, and what names he called us.” The Coyote said:
-“The Stone said that you were the ugliest-looking birds that he
-ever saw, because you have short beaks and big mouths, short legs,
-and are very dirty.” The Bull-Bats and the Coyote were talking on
-the top of a hill, and the Stone was trying to climb the hill, but
-could not get to the top.
-
-After the Bull-Bats had accepted the Coyote’s word, one flew up,
-and when he came down, he expelled flatus upon the Stone and it
-burst in two. Another Bull-Bat split the Stone again, and soon they
-had it all broken up. (It is claimed by the people that there was
-no stone in the world except this big stone; and when the Bull-Bats
-broke the stone it scattered all over the world.) The Coyote
-was saved. He got some white clay and put it on the top of the
-Bull-Bats’ heads and bodies. The Coyote went on his way, happy.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[59] Told by Two-Hawks.
-
-
-
-
-59. THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE.[60]
-
-
-One time when the Coyote was going along he met a Rabbit. The
-Coyote said to the Rabbit: “Let us gamble to-night. Let us gather
-dry limbs and make a big fire, that we may look at one another, and
-the one who goes to sleep first is to be covered by the other.” The
-Rabbit agreed to this. So the Coyote and the Rabbit gathered a lot
-of dried limbs and made a big fire. The Coyote sat on one side and
-the Rabbit on the other side of the fire, so that they both looked
-at one another. The Rabbit went to sleep, but he had his eyes wide
-open. Every time the Coyote looked at the Rabbit he saw that his
-eyes were wide open, but all this time the Rabbit was asleep. By
-morning the Coyote went to sleep. The Rabbit went over and covered
-him and then went his way.
-
-The Coyote woke up and was very mad. Profectus, ventrem facere
-volebat. Dum defæcavit, multos lepores parvos emisit, qui autem
-extemplo evanuerunt. Idcirco viatus est. Itaque pallium suum
-deposuit, ut, cum defæcavisset, eo lepores prehendere posset.
-Cum igitur in pallio defæcavisset, se lepores eo prehendisse
-arbitratus, pallium stipite iterum atque iterum feriebat. Cum autem
-pallium aperuisset, nihil nisi excrementum repperit. He dragged
-the robe along and gave it to a Stone that was lying near by. When
-the Coyote turned around to look at the robe that he had given to
-the Stone, he saw that it was clean and white. So he went and took
-the robe, and as he dragged it away from the Stone he found that
-it was as before. Again he gave the robe to the Stone, and said:
-“It is yours; I did not mean to take it.” The Coyote started off
-again, but he looked back and he saw that the robe was all painted
-in colors and was very beautiful. He went and pulled on it to take
-it away, and again it was as at first. Four times the Coyote gave
-the robe back to the Stone, and four times he took it away from the
-Stone.
-
-At last the Stone moved, for it was angry, and the Stone ran after
-the Coyote. The Coyote ran down a hill, crying: “Father and mother
-Bull-Bats, this Stone that is running after me called you names! I
-told him that I would tell you Bull-Bats, and now he is trying to
-kill me!” The Bull-Bats told the Coyote to climb up a tree, where
-the young Bull-Bats were. The Bull-Bats expelled flatus on the
-Stone and broke it all to pieces. The Bull-Bats, as soon as the
-Stone was broken to pieces, flew up high in the sky, and when they
-were gone the Coyote saw the young ones in their nest and ate them
-up; then he came down from the tree. The Bull-Bats missed their
-young ones and they knew that it must have been the Coyote who had
-eaten them, for they heard the young ones crying in the Coyote’s
-belly. They were mad, and they expelled flatus on the Coyote and
-killed him.
-
-Because the Coyote is up to all kinds of mischief he is often killed,
-and this is why we so often find a dead Coyote on the prairies.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[60] Told by Cut-Arm.
-
-
-
-
-60. HOW THE SCALPED-MAN LOST HIS WIFE.[61]
-
-
-One time the women went into the timber to gather some grapes.
-One of the girls went far. She saw some grapes away up in a tree,
-so she climbed the tree to get them. While she was up there, a
-Scalped-Man found her. The woman cried for help, but the other
-women had already gone home. The woman came down from the tree and
-went with the Scalped-Man to his den. But before getting to the
-den, they had to cross a creek. Before they crossed the creek, the
-girl said, “Now, if you will just go in and swim and wash your
-head, then I will be your wife and will not be afraid of you.” The
-girl made the Scalped-Man dive many times, and while he was diving
-she ran away and came to a grapevine, and crawled under it.
-
-When the Scalped-Man came out from the water the girl was missing.
-He followed her tracks to the grapevine, and he said, “You are to
-come out from there!” But the girl said nothing. After a while he
-went on. He kept going through the timber back and forth, until at
-last he gave up. The woman got out from the place, and ran home.
-She told her people about the Scalped-Man.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[61] Told by Many-Fox.
-
-
-
-
-61. THE GENEROUS SCALPED-MAN AND HIS BETRAYER.[62]
-
-
-There was a man from an Arikara village who went hunting, going
-west from the village. He saw some antelope in a valley. He crawled
-up to them, and just as he was about to shoot he saw one antelope
-hold its head up, so that the man knew that it must have seen
-something. A mysterious being jumped up by the antelope, and before
-the antelope had time to jump the being had struck it and killed
-it. This being, who was a Scalped-Man, walked around the antelope,
-then took it by the legs, swung it upon his back and carried it off
-towards the Bad Lands. The hunter followed. The Scalped-Man came to
-a steep bank. He entered the bank and disappeared. The man kept his
-eye on the place where the Scalped-Man had disappeared. He came to
-the bank, looked in, and saw that there was a door, made of willows
-sewed together with sinew. Mud had been put over it and there was
-a root sticking out for a handle. By catching hold of the root the
-door was opened. The man went in and closed the door. Then he went
-in further, where the cave was, and there he saw the Scalped-Man
-sitting down by the fireplace. The antelope was lying by the
-entrance and the Scalped-Man was sitting down waiting, for he knew
-that the man was coming. The man spoke to the Scalped-Man, and
-said: “Why do you hold your head down? Speak! I am here. I am not
-afraid of you.” The man kept talking to the Scalped-Man until the
-Scalped-Man became friendly, then the man sat down. The Scalped-Man
-began to cut the meat. The man stayed with the Scalped-Man four
-days and nights.
-
-The Scalped-Man told the man that he knew the country all around,
-and that he took long journeys into the enemy’s country and had
-killed many enemies; that if he would keep his secret of his
-living in the Bad Lands he would help him to become a great man
-like himself. The man promised, so the Scalped-Man told the man to
-remain in his cave while he should go off to the enemy’s country.
-The Scalped-Man went off, and was gone for several days. When he
-came back he took the man out of his den and told him that he had
-brought several ponies for him. The ponies were in a valley. The
-man thanked the Scalped-Man. He took the ponies home. The people
-were surprised to see the man coming with the ponies, for he
-had not been on the war-path, but had been out hunting, as they
-thought. The man stayed in the village several days, then he went
-out again.
-
-The man went to the Scalped-Man’s cave. The Scalped-Man asked him
-what he wanted. The man told him that he wanted many ponies. The
-Scalped-Man told him to remain in his cave; that he himself was
-going out into the enemy’s country. The Scalped-Man disappeared
-and in a few days returned. He gave the man all the ponies he
-had brought from the enemy’s country. The man now thanked the
-Scalped-Man and drove the ponies to the village. The people knew
-that the man had gone off alone on the war-path, and now they were
-glad to see him bring many ponies. The people did not know that the
-Scalped-Man had helped this man.
-
-When the man had been home with the ponies for several days
-he again started on the war-path. He went to the home of the
-Scalped-Man and told him that he wanted scalps. The man stayed
-right in the Scalped-Man’s cave when he received the scalps. He
-fixed them on sticks. The man now returned to his village, singing
-war songs. The people heard the songs and knew that he must have
-killed the enemy. When they went out to meet him, sure enough, he
-had several scalps hung upon poles. There were dances all through
-the village on account of the scalps.
-
-In a few days the man went out again. He told the Scalped-Man that
-he wanted some more scalps. The man remained in the cave while the
-Scalped-Man went off into the enemy’s country. In a few days the
-Scalped-Man came back with the scalps. The man received the scalps.
-He stayed in the cave while he fixed them on poles. At this time
-the man told the Scalped-Man that several men wanted to join him on
-the war-path. The Scalped-Man said: “Very well, come with them and
-stop near this place. Leave them in a hollow and come into my cave,
-and we will go together. I shall be glad to scout for your people.”
-When the man went home there was again rejoicing in the village and
-scalp dances were had in the village.
-
-In a few days the man made it known to the people that he was about
-to go on the war-path. The old men flocked to him, for they knew
-that he was very lucky capturing ponies and bringing scalps. When
-the war-party started out the man who was in the lead led them to
-the cave of the Scalped-Man. He told the warriors to remain in
-a valley, while he went a short distance to look for some deer.
-The man went to the Bad Lands to the cave of the Scalped-Man. He
-entered the cave. He found the Scalped-Man sitting there. They
-started on their journey, but the Scalped-Man would not join their
-party, but he went on ahead. The Scalped-Man led them to the
-village, helped to kill the enemy and capture ponies. The war-party
-returned with scalps and many ponies.
-
-The friend of the Scalped-Man was afraid that the people would find
-out about the Scalped-Man, so he thought it was about time that
-the Scalped-Man should be caught; for the Scalped-Man had not been
-really scalped, but had been wounded a little on the top of his
-head, and so he had stayed away from the people and had become
-accustomed to stay by himself. The friend of the Scalped-Man was
-afraid that if the people found out that the Scalped-Man had done
-all the killing and capturing of the ponies he would be looked upon
-as a coward, for he was now a chief for having done all his great
-acts. So this man invited a lot of men in the night and told them
-that it was his intention that morning to go out and capture a
-Scalped-Man who dwelt in the Bad Lands; that this Scalped-Man was
-the one who was assisting him to get the ponies and kill people.
-The men in the village thought this very wrong and did not want to
-do it. But the man was determined.
-
-The next morning the people went out. They surrounded the bank
-where the Scalped-Man lived and the man went into his cave; but the
-Scalped-Man was gone, for as they were holding their meeting in
-the night the Scalped-Man had come to the man’s lodge to listen to
-the council that they were having, for each night when the man was
-home, the Scalped-Man watched around his lodge to see if he would
-betray him. At this particular council the Scalped-Man had listened
-to all their plans about catching him. So when the Scalped-Man
-returned into his cave that night he picked up his things, moved
-them away from that country to some other place, so that after
-that, when the men went out to capture this Scalped-Man he was
-gone. The Scalped-Man was never seen any more.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[62] Told by Elk.
-
-
-
-
-62. THE SCALPED-MAN.[63]
-
-
-In olden times there were certain men who went upon the war-path.
-Scouts were sent ahead, and when the scouts came back they brought
-word that they had seen a mysterious being. The thing was dressed
-in coyote hide and had crawled around, but finally had stood up and
-walked away. The scouts said that they had watched the man and that
-he had disappeared in the side of a steep bank. The leading warrior
-said: “If that being is a Scalped-Man we will go and find him. If
-he has any power we want to receive it. If he can tell us where the
-enemy are we want him to tell it.” So the party went to the bank
-and hunted and hunted. They could find no place; but one man saw a
-dry root hanging on the side of the bank. This root he pulled and
-a mud door fell; and there was the entrance to the place where the
-strange being lived.
-
-The men were afraid to enter the place. Among them was one young
-man who cared for nothing. He was dared to go into the den. The
-young man stepped forward and said: “Men, follow me. If he kills me
-you will get to see what the thing is.” So the boy led the way into
-the cave and there sat in the cave a man, who was crying. He was
-dressed in coyote skins. His head was tied with a piece of white
-sheeting. The cave smelt very good, for there was wild sage spread
-all over the cave. There was also sitting in the lodge a buffalo
-skull. The men now agreed to talk to the Scalped-Man and to ask him
-to help their war-party to be successful.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[63] Told by Antelope.
-
-
-
-
-63. THE DEAD MAN’S COUNTRY.[64]
-
-
-Six or seven years ago I was out upon the hills after my ponies. On
-my way back towards the camp I fainted, and lay upon the ground for
-a long time. Finally I felt better. I rose and walked towards home.
-I entered my tipi and lay down, and when I lay down I died.
-
-As soon as I had died I saw a path leading east. There seemed to be
-a kind of inclosure. There was a little hole. I looked in that hole
-and saw lots of people in the village. I wanted to see the people
-and get acquainted with them. I went through this little hole.
-When I had gone through the hole I was in the dead man’s country.
-Before I entered the village a man with a robe and anointed with
-red ointment came in, and said: “Young man, you must not go into
-this village. Go on, and at the south side of the entrance you will
-see a lodge where you will stop. You must not enter that lodge, for
-it is the lodge of the dead people.” I went to the lodge, and I saw
-many people looking in. I stood on the south side of the entrance
-to the lodge. I saw that whenever a person who had died came, he
-entered inside the lodge and took his seat among the people in the
-lodge. The ground all over the lodge was covered with white clay,
-and it looked like ashes. There were many people in the lodge. I
-looked, and there the drums were resting in the east. The drums
-were black. The men were painted red. As they began to sing one old
-man came and stood out; then another man, younger than the first;
-then another, younger than the second; then another, until there
-were seven who came in this fashion. The last one to come was a
-little boy, whom they were about to paint. Now the drummers began
-to sing in a low voice. The dancers had dried willow sticks, which
-were representatives of their relatives who were still living upon
-earth. Each of the men was calling his people to the dead, so
-that they could come and be with them. The dry willows were used
-because the dead people wanted their living relatives in the world
-to become sick—as, for example, with consumption—and to dry up like
-the dry willows. When one of these dancers had to leave this place
-and go up to their village in the west, another man of his age
-would go out and take his place, and so on around. They wanted me
-to go into the lodge, but the man behind me said, “Do not go into
-the lodge.” Every time they got to a certain part of the songs they
-would take the willow sticks, then move them towards themselves.
-Then the man that was watching me said, “Come, you must not stay
-here; you must be going to your country.”
-
-Now I woke up, but I remember the story well.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[64] Told by White-Owl.
-
-
-
-
-64. THE COYOTE WHO SPOKE TO THE EAGLE HUNTERS.[65]
-
-
-One time there was a prominent warrior who made up his mind that
-he would take a company of boys up into the hills to catch eagles.
-He led them out into the hills, and there he had many holes dug
-for the young men. They dug a big cave in the bank of the Missouri
-River, and this they made their permanent home.
-
-One night, while they were sitting around in a circle telling
-Coyote stories, telling things a little bit in excess of what the
-Coyote had done, they were startled by the bark of a Coyote just
-outside of their den. Presently the Coyote walked into their den
-and said: “You people tell things about me that are not true, but
-then, it is all right.” He jumped out of the den and went off. All
-the young men, and even the leader, were scattered, on account of
-this Coyote’s coming into the den. They left their den and returned
-to their village. They thought that it was a bad sign for the
-Coyote to talk, but the other people thought that it was wrong for
-them to be scared. They thought that the Coyote had brought a good
-message to them, and they should have stayed and should have caught
-many eagles.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[65] Told by Many-Fox.
-
-
-
-
-65. THE GIRL AND THE ELK.[66]
-
-
-One time the Arikara went hunting on the Missouri River. They made
-their camp in the timber. Every evening the men used to go across
-the river and kill Elk. One evening, after the men had come home
-from their hunt, they heard the Elk whistling across the river.
-There was a fine-looking young woman in the camp, and as soon as
-she heard the Elk whistling she jumped up as if something had
-struck her, and she said: “Oh! I like that whistling; I must go
-and find out what it is.” The people got hold of this woman. Every
-time the Elk whistled it was hard for the girl to stay away from
-him. For many days the Elk walked on the other side of the river,
-and the husband of the girl began to get jealous of the animal, for
-every time the Elk whistled the girl would jump up as if to run
-after it.
-
-One day as they heard the Whistling of the Elk they all agreed that
-it was time to kill it. As they were getting ready to go across the
-river to kill the Elk they heard the whistling on their side of the
-river. There was the Elk going slowly through the timber. The men
-shot and shot and shot at it, but they could not kill it. The girl
-had to be tied up, because she wanted to go to the Elk. Finally one
-of the men took one of his cartridges and put in it some medicine,
-and said, “Now I will see if we can kill you.” This man shot at
-the Elk, and his bullet was effective. While the Elk was whistling
-through the timber the girl was being held down. She had almost
-gotten away from three or four strong men. After the Elk was dead
-they had to give the girl some medicine to keep her from running
-away. She was put in a sweat-lodge many times, until she got over
-this crazy spell.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[66] Told by Many-Fox.
-
-
-
-
-66. HOW THE RABBIT SAVED A WARRIOR.[67]
-
-
-One time the Ojibwa stole many ponies from the Arikara. The Arikara
-followed the Ojibwa, and they overtook the horse thieves, but a
-different band of Ojibwa. There were several wagon-loads of them.
-The Arikara attacked them and fought hard. Several Arikara were
-wounded, including one of their brave men, who was shot through his
-neck by a bullet, which passed clear through his neck. The Arikara
-expected that he would die from loss of blood. As the man seemed
-about to die he saw a Jack-Rabbit, who spoke to him, and said: “You
-are not to die; you are to live.” When the battle was over the man
-was brought to the village of the Arikara. He was taken into the
-medicine-lodge, and there was attended by the Rabbit medicine-man.
-In less than four days the man was up and around. He told the
-Arikara that the Rabbit had spoken to him, and told him that he was
-not to die from his wound. The man became well, and was one of the
-leading medicine-men of the Rabbit band. He lived to old age. He
-died only a few years ago from the bursting of a blood-vessel in
-the old wound.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[67] Told by Elk.
-
-
-
-
-67. THE WOMAN WHOSE BREASTS WERE CUT OFF.[68]
-
-
-In olden times when the Arikara lived in a village, there was a man
-who had a beautiful woman. This woman gave birth to a baby boy. One
-time when the child was about five years old the father went off on
-a hunt. While he was gone another young man, who was very handsome
-came and courted the woman. She liked the young man and did as he
-wanted her to do. They loved one another so much that they finally
-agreed that they would find a plan whereby either they could get
-rid of the husband or the woman would feign sickness and death.
-If she pretended to be dead she was to be placed upon an arbor
-instead of being buried; so the woman feigned sickness when her
-husband came home. She pretended to die, and they placed her upon
-an arbor. Her lover killed three dogs, skinned them, took the dogs
-up to the arbor and untied the girl. The dogs were placed upon the
-arbor, so that when the dog meat decayed it would smell. The young
-man brought leggings, moccasins, blankets, and beads, and in these
-the girl dressed as a boy. Her breast was tied with wide strings,
-so that not much of it appeared. They went off to another village,
-which was about four miles from the original village, where they
-lived happily. The young woman passed herself for a young man from
-the other village.
-
-After they had stayed a long time in the village the woman grew
-anxious to see her child, so they painted up as men, and went
-and sat upon a rock that was by a spring. There they watched for
-the child to come to get water. One day the woman’s boy came to
-get water from the spring, and she recognized him. After she had
-seen the boy she wanted to take him up in her arms, but the young
-man said, “No!” The woman insisted, and said, “He will not find
-me out.” They went closer, and when the boy came where they were
-standing by the tree the woman spoke to her boy, and said, “Boy,
-will you let me drink out of your bucket.” The boy looked at the
-woman for a long time. He went into his lodge and told his father
-that he had seen his mother. The father would not believe it, but
-the boy said, “There are two people standing yonder, and one of
-them is my mother.”
-
-The father thought, to make sure that it was true, that he would
-send for them. He had some dried buffalo meat boiled, and sent an
-invitation for the two young men to come and eat in his lodge. In
-the meantime he had sharpened a long knife and placed it under the
-meat. “Now,” he said, “if it is true that that woman is not a man,
-but my wife, I will find out. There are two things she is to do
-when she enters the lodge. First, when she enters and steps over
-the ridge inside of the lodge, he will step forward as he steps;
-and if she is a female she will step over the ridge with her foot
-sidewise. The second thing is, when they have eaten and when I
-offer them the pipe to smoke, I shall know she is a female if the
-person refuses to smoke.”
-
-The two young men were sent for. They came, and the real young man
-entered the lodge, and stepped over the ridge straight forward,
-while the next young man, instead of walking straight forward like
-the first, moved her leg over sidewise. By this the husband knew
-that the person was not a man. He let them eat, and after they had
-eaten, the man filled the pipe and gave it to them. When the female
-took the pipe, instead of trying to smoke she put the pipe up to
-her mouth, and instead of drawing the smoke she blew into the pipe.
-The husband now took out his knife, and said: “I wanted to find you
-out. You are my wife.” The woman screamed, and asked him to forgive
-her, saying she would live with him and try to be a good woman.
-The young man ran away. But the husband was angry, and said: “You
-are dead to me any way, but rather than that your breasts be tied
-down to make you look like a man I will cut them off, so that your
-breasts will be smooth.” The husband took his knife out and cut her
-breasts off. The woman ran and fell at the entrance and died. She
-was taken up by her people and buried. The man went to the place
-where he supposed he had laid his wife, and there were three dead
-dogs. He knew by this that the two had played a trick on him. The
-girl’s parents never said anything, but they were glad that the
-woman was dead. Nothing more was said about it.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[68] Told by Young-Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-68. THE WATER-DOGS.[69]
-
-
-Once there was a young man who slept outside of the lodge. He
-heard dogs bark at night, and as it was moonlight he saw a dog
-coming out of the river carrying her little ones in her mouth, one
-at a time, into the hills, to a spring. This young man saw the
-water-dog carrying its young ones. His name was Poor-Bear. He died
-shortly after he saw the dogs. At another time an old woman went
-to get some water out of the river, at or about the same place the
-water-dogs were seen. As she stooped to dip the water up she heard
-the dogs chattering in the water. She became frightened. She went
-home with the water and told the story. She became sick and died
-shortly afterward.
-
-These water-dogs are supposed to be very powerful in killing
-people. They are hardly ever seen by people, and when they are seen
-the person who sees them generally dies.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[69] Told by Two-Hawks.
-
-
-
-
-69. TWO-WOLVES, THE PROPHET.[70]
-
-
-On what we call “Stevenson Flat” is a good piece of timber. There
-the Arikara were camped a long time ago. One day everybody turned
-out on the hills some few miles away on a buffalo chase. While they
-were making preparations to go home there came up a very bad storm.
-The hunters were scattered in small groups, some fleeing with the
-wind, others heading toward their camp. Two-Wolves, a rather quiet
-but good-hearted fellow, was rather slow about getting away. He was
-left all by himself in the storm. He stayed out all night and was
-missed the next night. They thought that he was a victim of the bad
-storm. His relatives mourned for him, and when the storm was over
-they set out to look around for him and to bring home their meat.
-Two-Wolves had been pitied by a Prairie-Chicken that had saved his
-life. The ruling power, Waruhti, had given him power to understand
-the speech of Thunder. The hunters met Two-Wolves coming home,
-and as they rushed up to greet him and inquire of his troubles he
-answered that he was all right.
-
-A long time after this had happened Two-Wolves began to practice
-his power. The men began to be interested in him. He always had his
-lodge full. A few of the wonderful things that he did are these:
-Once a man named Two-Bears had a herd of ponies. They were badly
-disturbed by a horse owned by a man named Roving-Coyote. One day
-as Two-Bears was driving his herd to water, this horse acted very
-badly, cutting out the mares and chasing the horses. Two-Bears grew
-tired of the horse’s behavior and took a strong, sharp-pointed
-ash stake and threw it at him. The horse was badly injured by
-the pin and died. Roving-Coyote, wondering who could have killed
-his horse, made up his mind to find out. He took the matter to
-Two-Wolves. “Aye! I want to find out who shot my pony. I do not
-want to make any trouble, but I want to know who did it.” “Yes,”
-said Two-Wolves, “my father will be the one to decide, but I will
-perform the ceremony to him.” He called all the men together that
-belonged to his fire. He then asked the crier to call all over
-the village: “O! people of this village! Two-Wolves wants the man
-who killed the horse belonging to Roving-Coyote to report to his
-lodge.” The crier repeated this over and over. When all had heard
-he went into the lodge again. While the ceremony had been going on
-black clouds rose in the west, and “Ah ho! Ah ho!” was repeatedly
-said by Two-Wolves. “Now my father is coming.” He called again for
-the man to hurry, saying there was no use of secrecy and that he
-should know. Another call was given, and the Thunder was heard
-in the distance. Two-Bears did not believe that Two-Wolves could
-learn anything from Thunder, and so would not come. Thunder told
-Two-Wolves that Two-Bears was the man who had killed the horse.
-When Two-Bears did not come, Two-Wolves sent his servant to tell
-him to come right away. When he had come he was greeted heartily
-by Two-Wolves and placed beside him. “I am glad you have come.
-Now I want to say that my father says you are the man that killed
-Roving-Coyote’s horse.” “Yes,” said Two-Bears, “I know now that
-you are a wonderful man. I did what you have accused me of. Ah!
-my friend,” said he to Roving-Coyote, “you know how trying your
-horses are sometimes, and we lose our temper and are sorry for it
-afterwards. I did kill your horse with a picket pin, but I did not
-think you would find it out. I have nice ponies, and you may have
-your choice for my deed.”
-
-Another time an old brave named Wolf-Chief could not believe that
-such a thing as to understand the speech of Thunder was possible.
-Whenever he heard a call from Two-Wolves he would remark: “Now,
-what has that young rascal heard from the Big-One. We are gifted
-with power from different sources and we do not send out criers
-to make it public. Oh! grandson, if you will show us that you are
-something more than a man to go on the war-path and bring home
-scalps and ponies, then we will believe your doings.” Two-Wolves
-heard all of these things, but never said anything. One day as it
-was raining and thundering Two-Wolves heard his father speaking,
-telling him to get Wolf-Chief and speak to him about his making
-fun of him, and to have him kill a black dog that he had and
-perform the ceremony with the feast. Two-Wolves sent out a crier
-to call for the man that would not believe Two-Wolves’ prophecies.
-The caller passed by Wolf-Chief’s lodge and Wolf-Chief remarked,
-“Well, that young rascal has something up again.” Again the crier
-was out saying that the man who ridiculed Two-Wolves was wanted
-at Two-Wolves’ lodge, right away. At the third call he did not
-come, but Wolf-Chief knew he was the man wanted. Two-Wolves then
-sent a servant to tell Wolf-Chief that he was wanted. When the
-servant arrived at Wolf-Chief’s he found the old brave making
-arrows. “Nawa, you look as though you had something to say,”
-said Wolf-Chief. “Yes,” said the servant, “you are wanted at
-Two-Wolves’.” “I will come,” said he. He laid his work aside
-and went on to answer the call. He was greeted cheerfully and
-seated beside Two-Wolves. “I called you here to remind you that
-I have heard all the ridicule you have made, but I did not mind
-it until my father himself spoke to me of it, and that is why I
-have you here. You are to stop your jesting and make a feast for
-my father’s ceremony with the black dog my father said that you
-have.” “Ah, my grandson! You are wonderful. I know now, and I will
-do as you have asked me, and the servant will go with me and bring
-the dog you speak of.”
-
-Two-Wolves sent out only one war-party, and it was a failure. He
-gave out notice that he was to be a leader of a war-party. The
-party was held back on account of the rain, and he prophesied that
-there was a party of five enemies near on foot, and if they did not
-hurry they would miss them. On their way they saw the footprints
-of five men that had already passed. Two-Wolves was disappointed
-by the slowness of the party, and on their way he gave notice that
-no bird of any kind should be killed. This same day, the picket
-men found a bunch of buffalo. They gave chase and killed several.
-Strike-Enemy sacrificed one buffalo to his sacred bundle. The men
-got together around the meat. An eagle flew around them. It came
-nearer and nearer. They knew that the prophet had forbidden any
-birds to be killed. The temptation was so great that finally one
-took his musket and shot the eagle. Two-Wolves on hearing this was
-displeased. He warned the party to remain together, for they were
-to meet a party of seven. Sure enough, the scouts saw seven men in
-a party, but the men saw the scouts and they escaped. Two-Wolves
-called the party together and told them that he was discouraged
-by their errors and would not go further. They returned home.
-Two-Wolves lived a long time, doing good work, discovering thieves,
-and prophesying many wonderful things. At last he was taken sick
-and died.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[70] Told by Strike-Enemy.
-
-
-
-
-70. HOW THE MEDICINE-ROBE SAVED THE ARIKARA.[71]
-
-
-A long time ago I joined a war-party. We went south, into the
-western part of the Sioux country, known as Nebraska. We came to an
-old village site. At this village site we found four large mounds
-where there had stood the four lodges of the bundle lodges. On
-the east side was a mound. The old men sat down by this mound and
-smoked. The oldest of the men told us that once the Arikara lived
-here; that while they were having their medicine ceremonies in one
-of these lodges a Sioux or one of some other tribe came and went
-through the village.
-
-Now, there was one lodge where all the people, except one young
-woman who had just married, had gone to see the medicine-men’s
-ceremony. While she was keeping the fire up and had the entrance
-fast, she saw at the top of the opening a man, an enemy, peeping
-down and looking at her. She sat and watched the enemy. He crawled
-from the lodge, then dug in the side of the lodge. She kept running
-around, until she went to the fire and poured water over it, so
-that the fire went out. After a while her husband came. She told
-him about the enemy. The young man accused his wife of having her
-lover around. The next day the young man went to the timber and
-gathered a lot of dried willows and some dry grass. This he took
-to his lodge. He placed the dry wood by the entrance. That evening
-the young man hid in the lodge, and allowed his wife to remain in
-the lodge as before. When it became dark, the enemy came and looked
-through the opening he had made the night before. The enemy then
-walked to the entrance and found the entrance open. So he walked
-in. The husband then arose from his hiding place. He caught the
-enemy from behind, so that he held his arms. The woman took the
-grass and willow limbs and threw them upon the hot coals, so that
-there was a big blaze. She then went out and screamed, “My man has
-an enemy in our lodge!” The men ran into the lodge, and there was
-the young man, holding on to the enemy. The enemy was overpowered,
-and a seat was given him.
-
-The man had long hair. His face was painted. Bunches of medicine
-were tied upon his head. On his right arm was tied a rattlesnake
-skin. On his left arm was tied the shell of a turtle. The tail
-was upon it. The man made signs and said: “Next month, all of you
-people will be killed by the southern tribe of Indians. You make
-fun of me, but it is true. I came to capture a woman.” The man was
-then taken to the Awaho-bundle’s lodge. There they had singing. In
-a few days the man was placed upon a scaffold of four ash timbers,
-and his hands and feet were tied with strong buffalo strings. He
-was left upon the scaffold to die, but the man was a wonderful man,
-for he shook his arms and the strings became loose. The people saw
-it, and they tied him again. Every time the man shook his arms he
-broke loose. One of the old priests was selected to stab the man to
-death. The man was left upon the scaffold, and his body dried.
-
-One night as the medicine-men were having their ceremony this man
-who had been put upon the scaffold came into the lodge. All the
-medicine-men ran out of the lodge. Word was sent to the man who was
-the keeper of the wonderful robe.[72] He went into the lodge and
-found the dead man lying upon a buffalo robe. The man wrapped the
-dead man in the robe and packed him to the river. He threw him into
-the river, saying, “You wonderful man, I throw you into the river,
-and your bones shall stay here.” The man went to the lodge. Sweet
-grass and wild sage were burned in the lodge. The medicine-men then
-resumed their performances. In about a month the medicine-men’s
-ceremony was over. Each medicine-man took his medicine things to
-his lodge and wrapped them up.
-
-The month came to an end and the Indians looked for the enemy. One
-fine day the Indians saw the Sioux coming from over the hills.
-There were so many that the people became scared. The keeper of the
-holy robe sat down in his lodge. The men were going out to meet and
-fight the enemy. The enemy were so numerous that the medicine-man
-with the holy robe and the robe’s belongings made medicine-smoke,
-then laid down the gourd [rattle]. He took the robe and wrapped it
-about his body, the hair side turned out. The inside had the sun,
-moon, and stars upon it. He then took an eagle wing in his left
-hand, the gourd in his right hand, went out and climbed upon the
-top of his lodge. By this time the enemy were close to the village.
-This man upon the lodge then shook himself, and shook the robe
-towards the sun, then he closed the robe. While he was doing this
-the enemy noticed some of their men fall off from their horses,
-bleeding from their lungs and seeming to be out of their heads. The
-enemy saw the man upon the lodge. They became scared. A shout was
-heard. The enemy gave way and ran; for the power of the man was
-so great that whoever came under his power ran into the village,
-powerless to defend himself. The enemy gave way, and there was
-great slaughtering. The village was saved.
-
-The wonderful man went into his lodge and made sweet-smelling
-smoke, passed his robe over the smoke several times, then wrapped
-it and hung it up. The gourd was then passed over the smoke and
-hung up by the robe. The medicines were then passed over the smoke
-and put away. The man had red clay all over his body while going
-through this performance. He also passed smoke all over his body,
-and said: “I am satisfied. Our village is saved. The enemy are
-killed. Scalps will be brought in, so we can have great rejoicing.”
-Scalps were brought, and there was great rejoicing. There were
-three different kinds of scalp dances given by the women. One was a
-dance learned from the Cheyenne, another from the Grosventre, and
-another from the Pawnee. Of course, they had their own scalp-dance,
-but these three were the best dances.
-
-Some years after, some of the Sioux visited the Arikara, and they
-told of the strange man, and that he was a Wichita. The Sioux also
-said that at that time many tribes had got together to annihilate
-the Arikara.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[71] Told by Sitting-Bear.
-
-[72] The tribal medicine of the Arikara.
-
-
-
-
-71. THE MEDICINE BEAR SHIELD.[73]
-
-
-I was fourteen winters old when my father died. I did not go to see
-him buried, for I was feeling very bad. After the people had come
-away from where my father was buried I went to the place. There was
-the grave. The people had stuck two forks in the ground and placed
-a pole across the forks. Then some poles were placed on the sides,
-and instead of piling stones and dirt over the grave a buffalo robe
-was spread over it, so that there was no dirt. Stones were placed
-on the robe where it touched the ground. I cried and cried, and in
-the evening I fell asleep. I dreamed I had seen a Bear standing by
-my father’s grave, and I was scared. The Bear spoke, and I always
-believed that it was my father who spoke to me, and said: “My son,
-the shield was upon the grave; some one has removed it. Find it;
-it is yours.” I slept a long time, for when I woke it was nearly
-daylight. I stood up and cried again, and stood by the grave all
-day. I was young. There were many enemies in the country, but I did
-not care. In the evening I saw clouds coming from the west. Soon
-a rain storm came, but I did not go home. When it began to pour I
-ran to a steep bank. There was a crevice. I crawled in there and
-lay down. It was now dark. I did not go to sleep, for I kept my
-eyes upon the grave. There was a lightning flash. The flash struck
-near the grave. I saw standing by the grave a Bear, its paws upward
-toward the sky. It became dark again. I kept my eyes upon the
-grave. Again the lightning flashed and again the lightning struck
-by the grave, where I saw the lightning come together and form
-a circle with a black mark upon the center. On each side of the
-black mark were black spots, as if the circle had eyes and nose. I
-watched the circle, and I was satisfied that the black center mark
-was a Bear. The two marks I saw were Bear’s ears. On each ear I saw
-branches of cedar and pine. As it was dark the circle gradually
-disappeared, and I saw in its place a rainbow. Then it disappeared.
-The rain storm passed, and I crawled out from the place and went to
-the grave and began to cry. I cried all night, and also the next
-day. In the evening I fell asleep. In my dream I saw my father,
-who told me that a shield was placed upon his grave, and that
-Howling-Wolf had taken the shield from the grave. My father further
-told me that the shield belonged to me and that I must get it and
-make another one such as I had seen the night before. He further
-told me to go home and get the shield.
-
-I awoke in the morning and went home. I asked my people who took
-the shield from my father’s grave, and they told me that some one
-had taken it from the grave. I told them who had it, and my mother
-went to the lodge of the man, who said, “Yes, I took it, but I
-threw the cover away, for I intended to make a new cover for it.”
-The frame of the shield was given up by the man to me. I took it
-home, and I had my people make another cover, a cover I had seen
-myself upon my father’s grave. You see the picture of the Bear as I
-saw it. It is throwing up white-dust. The left side of the shield
-is a Bear’s ear. Inside of it are cedar berries. The right ear has
-pine cones in it. I hunted, and I killed a deer. The deer skin
-was tanned and these things were put upon the tanned buckskin—the
-picture of the Bear and Bear’s ears. On a buffalo hunt I killed a
-buffalo bull and made the inner shield. This I did by getting the
-whole breast hide of a bull. After I got it I spread it upon the
-ground. I took all of the meat off. I then dug a hole and made a
-big fire in it. When the fire went down and there were only coals
-and hot stones I spread the hide over the bed of coals and drove
-stakes around the hide, so that the hide when it shrunk pulled the
-stakes up. As the hide shrunk it became thick. While hot, I cut
-around the rim until I got it of the right size. Now a ceremony
-was in order. Songs were sung while the covering of the shield was
-being painted as you now see. The red, downy eagle feather was put
-there for the first lightning, which was very red. The ears were
-put upon the shield, so the shield would have understanding. There
-are three songs that are sung when the shield is being made. The
-shield was made, and I hung it up. In the night I took it into the
-lodge. Before sunrise I would take the shield and hang it up so
-that it faced towards the east.
-
-When I saw fifteen winters I joined a war-party. After we had gone
-several days we saw a Sioux coming. We hid away in a ravine and
-as he came near where we were I jumped up, holding the shield in
-front of me. Another man in our party shot and hit the Sioux in
-the breast. I struck the Sioux with my bow and counted my first
-coup. I returned to where the Sioux fell, for I had run beyond. I
-jumped upon the Sioux and took only his scalplock. This I took to
-my grandfather, who took the scalp to the lodge of the holy bundle.
-The ceremony of offering the scalp to the gods was performed.
-After this ceremony the chiefs had their ceremony, and I was made
-a chief. I was invited to sit among the great chiefs. An old man
-arose and, taking up a buckskin shirt, called me to him. He put the
-buckskin shirt upon me. He said: “My son, I put upon you a dress
-that is white; there are no marks upon the shirt. It is fringed
-upon the sleeves and body with ermine. You are now a young chief.
-See that you are always brave and as you strike enemies and scalp
-them make marks upon your shirt, so that these chiefs who are
-present here will be proud that you wear their shirt. When you come
-to old age this shirt will be covered with many marks, representing
-your deeds in battles.” After this ceremony I again joined other
-war-parties. I gave many scalps to my grandfather. When the enemy
-attacked our village I wore my shield, and though the enemy shot at
-me I was never hit. When the battle would be over there would be
-young men brought in from the battlefield wounded.
-
-Another time my people had what is now known as the “sun dance.”
-My grandfather took me in and placed me upon the ground. He spoke
-to the old warriors, and said: “Medicine-men and warriors, I bring
-this young man into this lodge. I want you, medicine-men, to paint
-him and place this lariat rope upon the pole, and cut upon his back
-so that he will swing. Warriors, in cutting upon his back, tell
-of your great deeds, so that my grandson will overtake your great
-deeds in his life and become a great man. I have many ponies to
-give you, and his mother and relatives will give you presents.”
-Two of the medicine-men arose and painted my body. Then one of the
-medicine-men spoke, and said: “Warriors, the young man is ready
-to be cut upon the back.” One warrior arose and came to where I
-lay. This warrior told of his great deeds, then cut me upon my
-right shoulder-blade. It hurt, but I kept courage. The next man
-then came and put a stick through the cut and tied it with the
-buckskin string. The next warrior came and told of his great
-deeds, then cut upon my left shoulder and ran the stick through,
-tying the buckskin. Each of these men received a fine pony from my
-friends, also all the gifts brought in by my friends. The warriors
-now pulled the lariat rope, so that I now swung about four feet
-from the ground. I swung there one day and one night. One of my
-related warriors seeing me swing there so long arose, and said:
-“Medicine-men and warriors, this is the youngest man ever brought
-into such a lodge as this. I have a present of a fine racing pony
-for him. Now cut these strings.” When he said this, many of my
-friends came in and spread presents of robes and other presents.
-No sooner would the giver place the presents than some one would
-come and take them away. A warrior arose and came where I hung.
-He told of fighting a duel with a Sioux and how he had cut him up
-with a knife. This man’s name was Bloody-Knife. He cut the strips
-of skin, and I fell to the ground. I was taken out of the lodge.
-Then I was fed with pounded corn and tallow. A few days after, the
-Sioux attacked our village and again I counted coup and also struck
-the enemy. I had an easy time in battle; I think it was because
-of the sufferings I went through in the ceremony. I danced the
-sun dance many times after that, but always suffered, for the old
-medicine-men had died and young men took their places.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[73] Told by Strike-Enemy.
-
-
-
-
-72. THE CRUCIFIED ENEMY.[74]
-
-
-Many years ago there stood a village made of earth-lodges. In the
-village there were some people who wanted to go on a buffalo hunt.
-They were mostly young men and young women. The older people were
-left in the village. After many days the enemy were seen in the
-distance.
-
-The old people who remained in the village were somewhat confused
-and frightened. When the enemy approached, the men marched out
-and fought them desperately. Finally the people of the village
-retreated. They all got inside of their lodges. The men stood by
-their doors, fighting the enemy. In one of the lodges sat an old
-man. He was putting on his medicine paint and costumes. After
-he had finished he went out, having a gourd in his hand, but no
-weapon. He went on top of the lodge and sang some of his most
-sacred songs, that there might come aid from some of the gods.
-When the enemy saw him they were much amazed, and very much afraid
-of him. Some one said that he knew the old medicine-man, and that
-they could not do anything to him, for he was a medicine-man who
-had the power to mesmerize. So they all ran, crying: “We can not do
-anything with him! Hurry on, before he works on us!” The old man
-ran behind them. One young man on the enemy’s side was wounded and
-brought into the village. He was taken into the medicine-lodge, and
-they all saw him. He had been one of the bravest men, and had all
-kinds of medicines on his head and around his neck. Finally it was
-agreed that he should be tied up to a wooden cross and be placed
-outside of the village. They did this, and the man died. After a
-while he lost all of his flesh, but the bones were left on the cross.
-
-Many young men used to go outside of the village near the cross to
-play at games. One day while they were playing, the bones of the
-man on the cross fell to the ground, rose up and ran toward the
-village. Everybody ran away, because of the ghost. The ghost ran
-toward the medicine-lodge and ran inside, but no one would go in,
-for everyone was afraid. At last one brave man came forward who
-dared to go in. He looked all around and found the man from the
-cross under some blankets upon the altar. He called to the others.
-They all came in and saw the ghost lying there. They gathered the
-bones and bundled them up in an old basket, then threw them away.
-After this had passed, the party that had gone on a buffalo hunt
-returned with lots of dried meat. Of course, the people who stayed
-were very glad to see them again. The happenings and results were
-told to them.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[74] Told by Hawk.
-
-
-
-
-73. HOW A SIOUX WOMAN’S SCALP WAS SACRIFICED.[75]
-
-
-In the fall there were five or six of us who went on the war-path.
-We came to the Pine Ridge Agency, and there hid, close to where the
-Sioux got their water. Two women came down to the spring to get
-water. We all ran towards the women. The women ran. One young man
-caught up with one woman, grabbed at her hair, took his knife, and
-took the scalp off from the right side of the woman’s head. The
-woman ran into the camp.
-
-We returned to our leader and gave the scalp to him. The leader
-then said, “We must hurry home.” We walked all day and all night,
-and another day and night. The next day we found the thick timber,
-and there we lay down to rest. When we woke up, the leader took
-the fat off from the scalp. He then called one of the men. He
-then cut the fat, making it into five pieces. Facing the east, he
-placed four of the five pieces in his hand—one on each corner of
-his palm—and the fifth piece he placed in the center of the palm.
-He then took the pieces, one at a time, beginning with the one on
-the southeast corner, then the southwest corner, then the northwest
-corner, then the northeast corner, and placed them in a similar
-position upon the ground, which was to show that the scalp was to
-be offered to the gods. We then went home.
-
-We gave the scalp to one of the high priests, who held the scalp
-ceremony. At this ceremony we used the fire-sticks to make the fire
-for burning this scalp. The scalp was burned. After the burning of
-the scalp the people turned out, passing their holy bundles and
-medicine bags over the smoke. The priest stood to the west of the
-burning scalp and recited a ritual, calling on the gods. The young
-men and children who wanted their names changed gave presents to
-the priests, who changed their names for them.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[75] Told by Sitting-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-74. THE WARRIOR WHO FOUGHT THE SIOUX.[76]
-
-
-When the Indians used to live at the Fort Berthold village a
-few of them moved about ten miles west of Fort Berthold, on the
-Missouri River bottom, in the timber. This was in the winter time.
-Strike-Enemy and some others went to the Fort Berthold village.
-
-When Strike-Enemy was about a mile from the village he was attacked
-by a hundred or more Sioux. He held them back, for he had a rifle.
-He reached the fort; then the Sioux surrounded it. The people in
-the fort all fought the Sioux. It seems that one man had gone out
-to hunt antelope. He had killed one antelope, and was bringing
-it towards the fort. He could not see ahead, for he was carrying
-a whole antelope upon his back; but when he heard a noise he saw
-that the Sioux had attacked the fort. He threw down the antelope
-and ran. This all happened in the winter time when the snow was on
-the ground. The Sioux found the man’s tracks, and they followed
-him. They caught up with the man about six miles west of the fort.
-Here he stopped, and the first Sioux he came to he killed. He then
-jumped on the enemy he had killed and cut him open with his knife,
-cut his arm off at the shoulder and commenced to hit the man on his
-head with his own arm. The Sioux were shooting at him from behind
-with their arrows. The hunter did not pay any attention to the
-shooting. He stood up, gave a big yell, like that of a bear, and
-the Sioux ran. Then the hunter again cut the Sioux upon the breast
-and began to put blood upon his face. When he straightened up, the
-Sioux saw that he had a piece of liver in his mouth. He chased them
-and took away all their ponies. He caught one pony, got on it, and
-ran after them. The Sioux say that they were scared, for they had
-never seen anybody acting in this way, for the hunter seemed like a
-bear. He gave them back their ponies, then went away, but the Sioux
-would not come near him. He took only one pony and went into some
-timber. That night a blizzard set in. The next day he was found
-frozen. He still had the arrows in his back. The Arikara and Sioux
-both tell this story.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[76] Told by Strike-Enemy.
-
-
-
-
-75. THE CAPTURE OF THE ENEMY’S BOWS.[77]
-
-
-In olden times the young men in a village went on the war-path.
-While they were gone the Sioux came down to the village and
-captured all their old women and children, killing many. A young
-man returned to the village and found out what had happened. He
-found his brother coming from a thickly timbered place, who told
-him that his father was in hiding in the timber. These three were
-the only ones around the village. The young man was angry. He told
-his father and brother that he wanted them to follow him to the
-Sioux. This they did.
-
-One evening they came up with the enemy, who were in camp by a
-creek. The young man said, “We will attack this camp.” The three
-went through the timber. They saw the big campfires, mostly of
-their people, but there were some Sioux warriors stationed out,
-watching. The young man looked up at the stars, then at the
-trees, and at everything. Then he said to the two—his father and
-brother—“We must make an attack, give a big war-whoop, and make
-it sound as if there were many people.” So the three gave the
-war-whoop and attacked the camp. The oldest man, at the same time,
-yelled: “My people, do not run, but pick up your bows! We are
-here!” When they gave the war-whoop the trees all seemed to give
-the war-whoop—even the grass gave the war-whoop. The stars seemed
-to give the war-whoop. War-whoops sounded all through the timber.
-The birds and everything seemed to give the war-whoop. The enemy
-were frightened. They ran. The people stayed behind. They captured
-the enemy’s bows and several of their people. Then they followed
-the enemy. The next day they came up with them and killed a great
-many. The people then took the enemy’s bows and arrows and took
-them up on a high hill. They set them up, with one bow in the
-middle and all the other bows resting on it. So all the bows and
-arrows were set upon the high hill. The hill was known after that
-as “Enemy’s-Bows-Upon-a-High-Hill.”
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[77] Told by Yellow-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-76. THE WOMAN WHO BEFRIENDED THE WARRIORS.[78]
-
-
-When the Arikara had their village on the Missouri River there were
-two boys who started out on the war-path. They went away up on the
-Missouri River. They went down to the fields and found a little
-earth-lodge. They went in and found an old woman, who was glad to
-see them. She gave them something to eat. She told them where to
-go. There they went, and found the enemy. They killed one or two,
-then went home. Again they went on the war-path. They visited the
-old woman’s place again, and she fed them. After they had eaten
-she told them where to go to find the enemy. They went and found
-the enemy. They killed the enemy and took scalps home. At another
-time several other young men joined their war-party. They went up
-to the old woman’s place and there they were again fed, and they
-were told by the old woman where to find the enemy. They found the
-enemy, killed several, took their scalps, and went home. After
-this, whenever the two young men wanted to go on the war-path, many
-young men joined them. They found that these two young men had a
-grandmother, who was helping them. In one of these war-parties
-against the enemy there were so many young men in the party that
-when the old woman saw them she felt ashamed; but she told the
-people to go on; that they would find the enemy and would kill and
-scalp them. The people did kill the enemy, took their scalps, and
-went home.
-
-Again, another war-party went out to find the old woman, but the
-old woman had disappeared. The men came and told the two boys.
-The two boys hunted for her, and at last found her in the side of
-a cliff in the Bad Lands. Here the two boys visited her, and she
-helped them. Other men found out where she was and a great company
-of them went there, but she had again disappeared. Another party of
-warriors went out. They came to a big lake. The warriors made their
-camp there. In the night they heard a woman singing scalp-dance
-songs, and she danced and laughed. The warriors were scared. They
-wanted to return home, but the leader said, “No, she is rejoicing,
-for we are to kill the enemy.” The warriors went on, found the
-enemy’s camp, and they killed several and took their scalps. They
-took the scalps home, and they had a scalp-dance. Again, another
-war-party went out. They went and stopped opposite the lake. The
-dancing and singing was again heard. The leaders were glad to hear
-this. They went and killed the enemy and scalped them.
-
-Another war-party went out. They stopped opposite the lake. The
-woman, instead of singing and dancing, began to mourn. But the
-warriors went on, notwithstanding, and when they attacked the enemy
-the enemy got the best of them, killed several of them, and only
-a few of them reached home to tell the story. After that, when a
-war-party went to the lake, whenever the old woman sang scalp-dance
-songs and danced, they knew that they were going to be successful.
-If the woman began to cry and yell, they knew that if they went on,
-the enemy would get the best of them. It was found out afterwards
-that this was the same old woman who had lived upon the Missouri
-River, and she had gone away from the people and had gone to the
-Bad Lands; and when she was found out there she went off to dwell
-in the lakes. The people used to give the old woman blankets,
-tobacco, and other things.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[78] Told by Enemy-Heart.
-
-
-
-
-77. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS.[79]
-
-
-Many years ago it was a common practice for the Arikara to go
-upon the hills and dig holes in them and stay in the holes many
-days, to catch eagles. One young man went away off by himself. He
-climbed upon a high hill, dug a hole, and over the hole spread
-some dry limbs. On the limbs he placed some dead jack-rabbits and
-other small animals. Then he himself got into the hole. His bow and
-arrows were lying outside of the den. While he was lying there the
-Sioux came and found the hole. They marched down and came upon the
-man. They found his bow, arrows, and gun outside. They took the
-things off from the hole and told the man to crawl out. They then
-wanted to know where the other men were. He told them they were at
-another place. So they tied him up and he led them up to the spot
-where the other men were. They found that the party had lots of
-meat. They untied the man and told the Arikara to stand around the
-fireplace while they made the man cook the meat for them. The man
-cooked a lot of dried meat, and the first thing he did was to take
-a fire-stick, which he ran into a piece of buffalo tallow. This
-he held over the fire, and as the grease was dripping from it he
-whirled it around and burned the Sioux with the grease. The Sioux
-were all scared. The man went out of the tipi and walked a short
-distance, for he was very weak, for the Sioux had been torturing
-him. Now, he went a little way ahead into a ravine. The Sioux were
-all scared, for they thought that the man had gone outside and was
-waiting for any of them to come out, so that he might kill them.
-They stayed in the tipi all night.
-
-That night the man went home and told the people all that had
-happened, and the warriors and braves got on their ponies and
-they found that the Sioux had just left the tipi. They caught up
-with the Sioux and killed three of them. The Arikara went home
-victorious with three scalps. So the people gave war dances.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[79] Told by Many-Fox.
-
-
-
-
-78. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS.[80]
-
-
-There was a young man who understood the ceremony of catching
-eagles upon the hills. He invited six other young men to join him
-in catching eagles. They went west from their village, upon the
-banks of the Missouri. These men made their camp, then dug into the
-bank of the Missouri. They made a kind of cave. They spread limbs
-of trees upon the top of the opening. They then laid fresh meat of
-deer or rabbit, which had been skinned, upon the limbs. Here these
-people stayed several days, catching eagles. They would hide in the
-cave, while one man would watch out. The magpies were the first
-birds to come and eat of the meat that they had placed upon the top
-of the cave. Then, when the magpies flew away they knew that an
-eagle was coming. They caught several eagles.
-
-One afternoon the Sioux marched down from the hills, where they
-had been discovered. The Sioux saw that they could not do anything
-to the eagle catchers, for they were in a cave, so they tried to
-be friendly with them. They asked them for some eagle feathers.
-The leader of the party now went out and gave them some eagle
-feathers, walking backwards when he left them. There were some
-young men among the Sioux who wanted to fight. The Sioux attacked
-the Arikara. The leader kept all the young men in the cave and
-made them load their muzzle-loading guns, while he stayed at a
-certain distance from the bank, and the first man to attack them
-on horseback he killed. He would throw away his empty gun and
-the boys would pass a loaded one to him. He would then start to
-another place on the bank, and again the first man on horseback to
-come toward him he would shoot and kill. Thus he kept up the fire,
-killing several. The Sioux finally gave up and retreated. In the
-night the hunters crawled out of the cave, took scalps from the
-Sioux, and returned to their village with scalps.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[80] Told by Elk.
-
-
-
-
-79. THE MOURNING LOVER.[81]
-
-
-A man named Rolling-Log courted an Arikara woman, but she would
-not have him. One day a whole lot of Arikara men got together, and
-prepared to go hunting. Rolling-Log was one of them. This woman
-whom Rolling-Log wanted to marry went to him and said, “If you
-will bring home to me enough sinew to last a whole year I will
-marry you.” Rolling-Log said that he would try to get enough,
-for he wanted to marry this woman. He went south and killed many
-deer, black tails, and antelope. Rolling-Log got about twenty-four
-sinews, and he thought this was enough for the woman; so he went
-home.
-
-While the hunters were on the chase Rolling-Log’s girl had become
-sick and died. When Rolling-Log came home he at once went over in
-the evening, where the girl had lived. He had the sinew for the
-girl, and he stood outside in front of the entrance, waiting for
-the girl to come out. A man by the name of Red-Horse came out,
-and Rolling-Log asked Red-Horse if his girl was inside. Red-Horse
-stood still for some time, and said, “My friend, the girl that you
-speak of died while you were out hunting.” Rolling-Log stood there,
-surprised to hear that his girl was dead. He went back to his lodge
-and scolded his people because they had not told him that the girl
-was dead. He felt so bad that he went among the hills and never
-returned to the Arikara camp.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[81] Told by Two-Hawks.
-
-
-
-
-80. CONTEST BETWEEN THE BEAR AND THE BULL SOCIETIES.[82]
-
-
-A long time ago, when the Arikara used to have the medicine
-ceremonies, there was the Bear family on the north and the Buffalo
-family on the south, inside the lodge. There were certain days
-and nights for the Bear people to perform their wonders; then
-there were days and nights for the Buffalo people to perform their
-wonders.
-
-In this Buffalo society there were two buffalo scalps, with horns.
-The two Buffalo men who wore these buffalo scalps were painted up
-and medicine was put upon them. These scalps were put upon them.
-They went out of the lodge, and the people played with the Buffalo
-men through the village. On one of these occasions the Buffalo were
-running after the people in the village, and one young man in the
-Bear family filled up a pipe and gave it to the leader of the Bear
-family. This young man made a request of the leader of the Bear
-family that he would like to challenge the Buffalo to fight. The
-leader of the Bear family did not want to give his consent to do
-this, for it was not the right thing to do. But the man insisted,
-so the leader of the Bear family gave his consent to the young man
-to fight. The young man was told to fill the pipe with tobacco and
-to take the pipe to the Buffalo family; that in presenting the pipe
-he must first tell the Buffalo family that the pipe given to them
-was a challenge to fight the Buffalo man. The young man took the
-pipe over and presented it to the leader of the Buffalo society,
-telling him that he had come over there with a pipe to challenge
-the Buffalo to a fight with the Bear family. The Buffalo leader
-objected to this, telling the young man that it was something
-unusual, and that although they had always shown their powers to
-the people, this hidden mystery of having power of the animals
-would have to be given to the two fighters. The young man insisted
-until at last the Buffalo leader gave his consent.
-
-The leading Buffalo man now sent for the Buffalo man, who was
-outside, who had the buffalo scalp on. This man with the buffalo
-scalp came into the lodge. He was told to go outside and wash
-himself and to take a sharp stick and get all the dirt out of his
-toenails and fingernails; then, after washing, he was to roll in
-the dust, then come into the lodge. After entering the lodge the
-Buffalo family took their drum and began to sing sacred songs,
-while the leading Buffalo man took his medicines and placed some
-of them upon hot coals that were brought by the errand man. The
-Buffalo man, who wore the buffalo scalp, was told to pass this
-smoke all over his body. Then medicines were put upon his body,
-and paint—even the scalp of the buffalo with the horns was passed
-through the smoke and medicines were put upon it. The singing
-continued, so that when they were through with the painting and
-putting upon the Buffalo of the medicine, a certain one was sent to
-the Bear family to say that all was ready. While the Buffalo people
-were carrying on their singing the Bear family were also carrying
-on their medicine preparations.
-
-The Bear and the Buffalo family now went out of the lodge, each
-carrying their drums, their rattles, and all their medicines. The
-Bear family sat on the north side in an open place. The Buffalo sat
-on the south. Each family now sang its medicine song. Then the Bear
-man came forth with a bear robe over his body, growling and acting
-the part of a Bear. The Buffalo man went forth with a buffalo
-scalp upon his head. The Buffalo man rolled on the ground, shaking
-himself, so that the buffalo scalp stuck on to the head of the man,
-although it was not fastened on his head, causing him to act the
-part of a real Buffalo. The people could see the Bear when it stood
-up, and that the Bear man had made the tusks come out of his mouth.
-The Bear family had put on the greatest medicine that they had, and
-so had all the Buffalo family. While the Bear was sitting around
-trying to get a chance at the Buffalo, the Buffalo seemed to have
-been the quicker, for it ran up to the Bear and hooked it before it
-could turn around. Again and again it hooked the Bear, until the
-Bear man was killed.
-
-The Bear people took their man into the lodge, and the Buffalo
-people also returned into their lodge. It was announced through the
-lodge of the Bears that the young man was killed for all time, and
-that the Bear family did not get mad about it, for it was his own
-fault, as he had wanted to challenge the Buffalo man. The young
-man was buried. Ever after that, when the people were holding
-their medicine-lodge and performing their mysteries, the chiefs of
-the animals in the lodge never challenged one another while the
-performances were going on.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[82] Told by Standing-Bull.
-
-
-
-
-81. HOW WHITE-BEAR CAME TO BELONG TO THE BEAR SOCIETY.[83]
-
-
-White-Bear is my son. He has the spirit of the Bear. I will tell
-you how it happened: I was in the medicine-lodge when my wife was
-pregnant. I used to put on the bear robe that was wonderful and I
-used to try to catch people, that I might cut them open, so I could
-get a piece of liver from them. My doing this made my son have the
-spirit of the Bear. So when he was born, in nursing, the boy’s
-mouth showed froth, and he made a noise like a young bear. I went
-hunting and killed a young bear. I skinned the bear, took the hide
-home, and had it tanned. In the Bear dances the boy, White-Bear,
-wore the robe. White-Bear stayed in the medicine-lodge.
-
-One time the Arikara were about to have their yearly medicine
-dance. As they had brought willows and Cottonwood branches to
-build their lodges White-Bear, who was then but three years old,
-picked up a butcher knife and went out to play. The boy fell upon
-the knife. The knife handle struck the ground, the point upward,
-striking the boy on the belly. The knife cut deep. White-Bear got
-up and ran to the tipi, crying. I saw the boy coming, holding his
-intestines in his hands. I picked up the boy and took him into
-the tipi. I now laid the boy across my lap, and with ease put the
-intestines back into their place. The relatives and mother were
-mourning. I took some medicine and put upon the cut place, and
-bandaged it with buffalo hide. I still held the boy upon my lap.
-The boy cried. The mother was called and nursed the child. The
-child nursed like a bear. Froth came out from his mouth, and I
-unbandaged the child. I took the froth from the child’s mouth and
-put it upon the cut. The child became better. In a few days the
-child was much better. I then took the bear robe and put it upon
-the child’s back. The child could not straighten out. The bear
-robe was left upon him for several days. As the child got better
-he got to making noises like a cat. Now, the child began to try to
-walk, and went out. Children were sent for, so that the boy might
-see them. They came and played with the boy, for the boy had on
-the bear robe. The child grew up and acted like a bear. In their
-Bear ceremonies the boy stayed with me and much sleight-of-hand was
-performed upon him. As he grew up he had ways like a bear.
-
-One time the boy, while in the medicine-lodge, had visions of a
-bear. He told me, and I was glad of this and encouraged the boy to
-remain in the lodge. The boy is that young man sitting there. He is
-now a man and has a big scar upon his belly. He is a Bear by birth,
-but as we now have no more Bear dances he does not show the ways of
-a bear.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[83] Told by Strike-Enemy.
-
-
-
-
-82. THE TALE OF A MEMBER OF THE BEAR SOCIETY.[84]
-
-
-You heard what my father said about my belonging to the Bear
-Society. It is true. I used to stay in the medicine-men’s lodge
-and inside of the Bear’s lodge. I learned many things about the
-mysteries of the Bear Society. My father gave me a bear skin that
-was stuffed, so that it was like a bear. When we had a Bear dance
-my little bear used to be placed on the south side of the lodge and
-I would be placed opposite. When the singing for dancing was begun
-I danced, and as I danced I would notice my little bear doing the
-same thing that I was doing. If I moved my head sidewise, it would
-do the same thing. If I raised up my arms towards the sky, the
-little bear would do the same thing. People saw it. I kept the bear
-a long time. Only a few years ago it became spoiled. The little
-bear, which was part of my life, was now old, so that the hide was
-easily torn. My father thought it was best to dispose of it, so one
-day we took the little bear yonder among those hills, and we placed
-it in a ravine, where there was a bush of choke-cherries, and there
-we left it.
-
-Some years ago one of my friends, a young man who was a great
-hunter, asked me to go hunting with him, and I agreed to go. I
-caught my pony and saddled it. This pony was a good runner. At
-this time there were many Sioux in our country, so I had to be
-careful which pony I rode while hunting. I took upon my pony some
-things to eat, and a rifle that my father had given me. I had also
-many cartridges. The other young man came to my lodge, and I was
-surprised to see him upon a white pony, which I knew could not
-run. I tried to persuade him to get a better pony, but he would
-not change, for the white pony, he said, would not run away. We
-started and crossed the Missouri River. We went over yonder hills.
-We started early in the morning and we went far over those hills.
-We did not see any deer all day. Towards evening we got to a draw,
-where there were some trees. There we unsaddled our ponies and
-made camp. We lariated our ponies some distance from where we
-were. Far into the night I heard the horses snorting. I reached
-for my gun, went to the other man, and tried to wake him. He was
-sleeping soundly, so I left him and crawled up to where the ponies
-were, dragging my gun as I went on. I noticed that there was a man
-standing in the shadow of a hill. My pony kept on snorting. I saw
-the man, so I crawled back to our place and woke my friend. We
-crawled up to the ponies, and as we approached them we saw the man
-coming. The pony was now snorting furiously. I told the other man
-to have his gun ready; that I would go up and meet the man; that
-if he should see anything wrong he should shoot. I rose and walked
-toward the man. As I rose the man ran, and as it was moonlight we
-knew from his running that he was a Scalped-Man. We had heard of
-this man wearing a wolf hide, so we let him go, and we went back
-to our camp. I told my friend that he could sleep and I would
-watch the rest of the night, for I could not go to sleep. The next
-morning, while I was dishing out some pemmican, I told my friend
-that I had always had a liking for bears; and that I would like to
-see one. He promised to let me see one.
-
-After we had eaten a bite we went on further west. We found some
-deer. My friend thought that he, being an experienced hunter,
-could kill where others could not. He shot at the deer several
-times, but he never killed any. He was discouraged. We saw a deer
-at a distance. I then asked if I might try my luck on this fine
-deer. He allowed me to shoot at it. We were out of meat, and I was
-very hungry for fresh meat. As I neared the deer I crawled up to
-it and shot it. I broke both of its hind legs, so that it could
-not run. We killed it, then went into camp again. That night we
-had to watch, for we were now in a country where there were many
-rattlesnakes. The next morning we went further west into canyons,
-where we had to watch every step we took, for there were many
-rattlesnakes. The other man did not seem to care about them, but
-I did. I would not go any further, for I was afraid of snakes. I
-returned to our camp. I heard several shots, and after a while I
-saw my friend coming. He had killed three deer. We took our ponies
-and brought the meat to our camp. The next day we started for home.
-On our way home I saw at long distance what seemed to be a horse. I
-told my friend. As we went nearer to the supposed horse I saw that
-it stood up like a man. I told my friend about it. He looked, and
-said that it was a bear, saying, “Here is a chance for you to see
-a bear.” We now unloaded our ponies. He told me to remain behind
-with the meat and his pony, for he rode my pony, taking his rifle
-with him. I saw him coming back, for the bear was now after him.
-The bear ran back, and I saw a young bear sitting at a distance.
-The bear got to its young and embraced it, as much as to say, “My
-child, we are lost.” Then my man went for it again. He shot at
-it, but still the bear would run after him. Finally the man ran
-the bear towards me, and I got upon the pony’s back and I had to
-whip the pony hard to make it go. I felt scared, for if the bear
-had kept on after me it would have got me. The bear ran back to
-its young, so I felt safe. My friend now attacked the bear, and he
-shot at it, hitting it. The bear ran after the man, but it turned
-back and went into the brush. We went down, and found a pond on the
-side of the brush, where the bear had gone. I undressed, took only
-my knife, and waded into the pond. My man remained on the side of
-the pond, ready to shoot the bear, and was telling me that as soon
-as the bear jumped at me I should dive, and keep on in the same
-direction. I crossed the pond and found the bear sitting in the
-bushes. The bear was dead. We skinned it, taking only the hide.
-When a bear is skinned and stretched out it is the perfect image of
-a man.
-
-I mounted my pony and we went on. I attacked the young bear, ran
-into the brush and got hold of the bear. I tried to get my man
-to bring my lariat rope, so I could rope it and lead it to the
-village. I became tired, so I called out to my man to shoot it. He
-would not do it, so I took my knife and stabbed the young bear and
-killed it. I skinned it. Now I had two hides. I tried to put the
-large hide upon my pony, and the pony snorted at it. I finally gave
-the hide to my friend. I did wrong, for I should have asked him to
-put the hide upon his pony for me. He did not belong to the Bear
-Society, notwithstanding he was thankful for the hide. The little
-bear hide I put upon the pony. My father scolded me for giving the
-bear hide away. My little bear hide was of good size. My father had
-it tanned for me, and the hide was also decorated with paint. The
-bear hide also had a soft, feathery appearance about its head. I
-wore it in dances, and kept it by my pillow in our lodge. Only a
-few years ago I was visiting the Sioux, and while I was gone some
-white man came to our village. He saw the bear robe in our lodge.
-He asked how much they wanted for the hide, and my bear was sold
-to some white man. When I came back home I missed my bear, and
-asked where it was. My folks said, “We sold it to a white man.” I
-was sorry, but it was all right, for we do not have any more Bear
-dances.
-
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[84] Told by White-Bear.
-
-
-
-
-ABSTRACTS.
-
-
-1. THE WOLF AND LUCKY-MAN CREATE LAND.
-
-Wolf and Lucky-Man meet on shore of big lake, where two ducks are
-swimming. Wolf challenges Lucky-Man to see who can endure rain
-longest. Lucky-Man wins. Wolf sends Duck down to fetch dirt from
-bottom of lake. Duck brings up mud, which Wolf throws in north and
-forms into prairie. Lucky-Man sends Duck for more mud, which he
-throws on south side of Wolf’s land. Hills and mountains are formed
-and buffalo are on land. There is channel between two countries
-created, occupied by Missouri River.
-
-
-2. THE SPIDERS GIVE BIRTH TO PEOPLE.
-
-Wolf and friend change Spider-Man and Woman by rubbing them with
-wild sage dipped in water and teach them how to lie together. Their
-progeny are human beings.
-
-
-3. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.
-
-Large people on earth long ago destroyed by flood, by Nesaru.
-People turn into corn and are put into cave with animals. Nesaru
-turns ear of corn into woman and sends her to bring people from
-earth. People and animals know her. Badger, Mole, and long-nosed
-Mouse offer to help her to take people out. They dig in turns.
-Thunder opens earth. People go out upon earth, journey west,
-leaving behind Badgers, long-nosed Mice, Moles, and some people
-who turn back into earth and become animals. People come to
-great basin, which Kingfisher fills up by striking bill into
-banks. Journey is continued until people stopped by timber, which
-is removed by Owl. They come to big lake. Loon parts waters.
-Mother-Corn returns to heavens. People here make games, first
-shinny and then javelins, to catch ring with. Winners kill those
-of other side. Mother-Corn returns to give people rules to go by.
-Man is selected as chief. He instructs people as to scalping.
-Mother-Corn makes bundle, songs, ritual, and ceremonies. Man
-instructs medicine-man, teaches them sleight-of-hand, and tells
-them to make village. Mother-Corn leads people to Republican
-River, Kansas. Awaho people come last and receive ceremonies from
-Mother-Corn. They offer smoke to gods. Dog comes to village and
-complains that Mother-Corn has left out Dog and Whirlwind. Dog
-has come from Sun, who has given it curative power. Whirlwind is
-disease, and if dog meat first offered as sacrifice gods will send
-storm to drive away disease. Whirlwind comes and Dog appeases gods
-and says he will be people’s guardian. Mother-Corn says gods in
-heavens are four world-quarters. They will send storm if smoke not
-given to them first. Mother-Corn is Cedar-Tree in front of lodge
-and Stone at right of her is man who established office of chief.
-Nesaru watches over them and gives them long life.
-
-
-4. ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.
-
-Mother-Corn is assisted by Badger, Gopher, long-nosed Mouse, and
-Mole to get people out of ground, as in No. 3. People see where
-other people helped out of ground by Buffalo. They start on
-journey and are stopped by obstacles, as in No. 3, and are helped
-by Kingfisher, Owl, and Loon. Some people stay behind as Worms,
-Birds, Fish, and Loons. [Mother-Corn offers smoke and sends animals
-for offerings to gods.] Prairie-Chicken kills wild-cat, which
-represents heavens, and brings it to Mother-Corn for offering.
-Three Stars in East bring Mother-Corn stone for pipe to form smoke.
-Pipe is made and filled with native tobacco. Prairie-Chicken takes
-pipe in succession to gods in Southeast, Southwest, Northwest,
-and Northeast, and to Nesaru, all of whom smoke the pipe.
-Prairie-Chicken says sand blown by wind made white spots on its
-feathers. Smoking by Nesaru is to show consent to Mother-Corn
-having people on earth and that gods are to protect them. Dog comes
-and tells Mother-Corn that Whirlwind is angry for being slighted
-in smoke ceremony. Mother-Corn appeals to Nesaru and the gods for
-assistance. Woman says she will protect the people, and turns into
-Cedar-Tree. Big-Meteoric-Star falls from heavens by Cedar-Tree to
-assist. Whirlwind comes and people all run in all directions, and
-when Whirlwind strikes them it changes their language. People who
-stand on Cedar-Tree and Rock are Arikara. Wind strikes Mother-Corn
-and she vomits four times, water and ears of corn of different
-color. Whirlwind tells Mother-Corn it has left behind diseases, but
-says when they offer smoke to the gods they are to give it smoke
-last, that it may not come very often. Cedar-Tree asks Mother-Corn
-that it may be known as “Wonderful Grandmother” and be placed in
-front of the medicine-lodge. Big-Meteoric-Star asks to be known
-as “Wonderful Grandfather” and sit by Wonderful Grandmother in
-front of medicine-lodge. Dog asks, as he brought the news, to
-guard camps and villages and to be offered in ceremonies, and his
-fat to be used by medicine-men. Mother-Corn gives corn for seeds
-that corn may be offered to gods. People who scattered to be their
-enemies—to the southwest, “Sahe;” to northeast, “Pechea;” to the
-east, “Wooden-Faces;” to south, “Witchcraft-People.” Mother-Corn
-stays with people until she has taught them bundle ceremonies. She
-tells them to tie all children’s moccasins together on her back.
-Then they are to take her to river and throw her in. People do not
-understand and keep up singing in night. At daylight they find
-Mother-Corn has turned to ear of corn, with buffalo robe tied to
-it. People place children’s moccasins with corn and throw them with
-Mother-Corn and robe into river. Many years afterwards Mother-Corn
-returns and teaches more bundle ceremony songs and finally
-disappears.
-
-
-5. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.
-
-Many people in cave under ground with Corn, Mother of tribe.
-Mother-Corn sends four birds to find better world, but they are
-unsuccessful. Long-nosed Mouse, or Mole, Skunk, and Badger work,
-and at last Badger goes through hole, but falls asleep. Returns in
-morning and Mother-Corn forces her way through hole followed by all
-people. They march westward. They come to wide water, thick forest,
-deep ravine in succession, which Fish, Owl, and Kingfisher help
-them to cross. They see Buffalo on open prairie and are afraid, but
-Mole, Skunk, and Badger make holes all around animal. His blood
-sinks into ground and becomes stone, from which pipes were made.
-Buffalo butchered and flesh divided among different sacred bundles,
-with animal’s joints. People again go on westward and fowls,
-fishes, and animals separate from them and give Mother-Corn power.
-Mother-Corn separates from animals.
-
-
-6. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.
-
-[Man Bear’s-Tail relates killing of buffalo cow by father, who
-calls old woman and keeper of bundle, and describes ceremony of
-untying bundle. Old man tells origin of bundle and of people.]
-Nesaru makes giants, but being displeased with them turns them
-into stones. Nesaru again makes people, small and wonderful. They
-displease Nesaru, who tells animals to hide. He is going to make
-water rise from earth. Animals give power to Bear to take people
-under ground, with assistance of Badger, Mole, and long-nosed
-Mouse. Fox acts as runner and errand man. People live under ground
-many years. Animals decide to dig upward for land. Bears, Badgers,
-Moles, and long-nosed Mice dig and Mole first to get his head
-through. Badger enlarges hole. Fox goes through and reports what
-he sees outside. Bear makes hole larger and animals go through,
-followed by people. Woman, who says she is grain of corn, tells man
-they are on island. People taken under ground by Mice were grains
-of corn and now turned to people. Mouse leader. They cross water by
-aid of woman, who becomes gar-pike. Some fall into water and become
-fish. People pick up stones to cut with. Mouse leads people through
-thick timber. Some turn to owls. Earthquake forms deep chasm, which
-Bear enables people to cross. Whirlwind makes pathway through
-thick timber. People come to muddy water in “Pawnee” country. They
-find things to wear and eat. First bow made. Long-nosed Mouse,
-Bear, Mole, Badger, and Fox die, and their skins with skulls are
-wrapped in bundles. They receive ceremony from Pawnee. Each bundle
-receives different ritual. Arikara dress ear of corn as woman and
-throw it into river. Many years afterwards strange woman comes
-into lodge where bundle ceremony. People take no notice of her and
-she goes to other bundle lodges. In last old man recognizes her
-and Muddy-River-Country ceremony performed. Woman says that four
-world-quarters are her father, and that she will come to them in
-dreams and tell them about things in bundle. They are to tie her
-on bundle and clothe ear of corn. She turns into ear of corn. They
-send for other old man and tie ears of corn upon the bundles.
-
-
-7. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.
-
-Arikara live under ground. Long-nosed Mouse, Mole, Badger, and Fox
-agree to take people to top of earth. Mole digs first. Arikara come
-out, Fox leading. Earthquake, and other people held fast. People
-journey west and come to chasm caused by earth shaking, but Badger
-makes pathway. Mother-Corn in heavens asking gods to let people
-live. Obstructions arranged by being known as Sickness. People come
-to deep river and Loon sent by gods. Loon flies across river and
-back and dives. River is open and people cross over. Waters come
-together again and some people left on other side. Mother-Corn
-stops and says Black-Wind is angry, but Black-Meteoric-Star will
-help them. Tells people to get under cedar tree. Black-Wind comes
-and takes many people. They go on and come to steep mountain bank.
-Bear digs steps on both sides and people go across. Dog comes up
-and says his meat shall be offered to gods. His father is Sun, who
-has given him power.
-
-
-8. THE ORIGIN OF THE AWAHO-BUNDLE PEOPLE.
-
-People come out of ground, but some are cut off by earthquake.
-Heavens hear crying and send Mother-Corn to them. Badger digs
-through earth. People come out and walk westward until they come
-to thick timber. Screech-Owl flies through and makes pathway.
-Owl and Whirlwind are enemies. People followed by “Cut-Nose,” an
-animal with long horns. People run until they come to chasm, which
-Badger enables them to cross. They then come to thick ice and
-deep water, which Loon enables them to cross. Mother-Corn teaches
-people ceremonies and rituals and gives them things to put in
-bundles. Mother-Corn disappears by ear of corn wrapped in her robe
-under bundle. Awaho last people to come out of ground, and where
-other bands have camped they find bits of meat offered to gods,
-which they use for food. They know all ceremonies and teach them
-to others. Nearly all are killed by enemies, but bundle hid under
-bank. Women go for bundle and contents are purified. Sacrifices of
-meat made the next day. Nesaru made animals to take kernels of corn
-under ground. They were people turned to corn by Nesaru. This is
-why animals brought them out of ground and why Mother-Corn was sent
-by gods in heavens, who had field of corn.
-
-
-9. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.
-
-Mother-Corn tells Arikara when journeying west to dress her up and
-put her in river. When Arikara make permanent village upon Missouri
-River old men think it time to send Mother-Corn down stream.
-She is taken from bundle, painted, and dressed. After reciting
-rituals, Mother-Corn, with children’s moccasins tied about her
-waist, is thrown by priests into river, her head up stream. Many
-years afterwards woman comes to village and is recognized by man as
-Mother-Corn. She teaches them ceremonies and songs and that night
-disappears.
-
-
-10. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.
-
-In olden times, old man made offerings to gods and Mother-Corn.
-Mother-Corn is pleased to have smoke with people and starts from
-east to visit them. She goes into medicine-lodge. She stays many
-days and teaches them many lessons, but people are hungry for
-meat. Mother-Corn asks woman to make moccasins for her. She puts
-on moccasins and they wear out when she walks slowly twenty steps.
-This takes place four times, but fourth pair brings her back to
-altar. Her walk means that she has walked long way off in west,
-and way very hard. She tells people she has seen buffalo and that
-they will be seen in four days. In morning of fourth day they kill
-many buffalo, but while they are away, enemies attack village and
-Mother-Corn is killed. They bury her and from place where she is
-laid, grass, etc., springs up.
-
-
-11. HOW THE PEOPLE ESCAPED THE BUFFALO.
-
-When people came out through ground they were led by woman,
-“Mother.” Among them were all kinds of animals except buffalo.
-Monster with horns like buffalo comes out of lake. They call him
-“Cut-Nose.” As it comes along, buffalo come from under him. Buffalo
-catch up with people and kill some of them. People make canyons
-behind, which buffalo can not cross. Whirlwind comes. Mother tells
-people to give presents and smoke to it. Whirlwind scatters some of
-people. Buffalo with Cut-Nose come behind and people come to big
-timber. Owl and Badger try to make path through timber, but fail.
-Coyote and Dog come and open way through. Buffalo and Cut-Nose come
-again and kill people. They come to deep water. Dogs fail to make
-pathway, but Loons make opening through waters. They come to canyon
-and Badger makes banks fall, after Kingfisher and Mole have failed.
-They cross and make village near canyon. Mother holds ceremonies
-for different bundles. Awaho-bundle people come last, and they
-receive all ceremonies. Awaho had been left behind when people came
-out of ground, and they pick up meat offerings to gods left behind.
-
-
-12. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.
-
-Young man goes to village at night and finds people are Buffalo.
-They are talking about killing people. He finds human head and
-meat. Hears people are to be got out of ground and killed. Near by
-sees hole cut in side of hill where bulls circle around and drive
-people into cut. He sees people running to cut from out of ground.
-He goes among hills. Strange man gives him bow and arrows and tells
-him to take young man with bows and arrows to kill and scatter
-Buffalo. They go to place and attack Buffalo and kill and scatter
-them, so that they become buffalo and never eat people any more.
-
-
-13. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.
-
-People hungry and chief priest opens bundle and offers gifts to
-gods for them to send buffalo. Buffalo come three days after
-ceremony and old priest tells story. Buffalo are human, but have
-horns. When they want meat they recite ritual. When hollow tree
-is struck with pole four times people led by Cut-Nose come out
-and are killed, except Cut-Nose, who re-enters tree. Boy chased
-by Buffalo cow. He sees fine-looking woman wearing white buffalo
-robe. She goes west and boy follows. He finds woman at tipi. Woman
-says she has selected him to turn her people into real buffalo, so
-as not to eat his people. They go through four circles of Buffalo
-bulls stationed as sentinels and enter tipi, where woman’s father
-lives. She covers young man with her robe. Buffalo are human, but
-have horns and tails. They cook and eat human meat. Girl shows him
-arbors with human bodies, and hollow cottonwood tree, with long
-stick, and tells him its use. Takes him to timber, where during
-three days he makes bows and arrows. Next morning they place bows
-and arrows at foot of tree. Woman tells young man what to do and
-they hide. When Buffalo come towards tree, young man jumps out.
-Cut-Nose comes out, and then people. Young man gives men bows
-and arrows and tells them to shoot and kill Buffalo. Buffalo run
-towards village, chased by people, and they finally become buffalo.
-Young man and Buffalo woman take bundle from tipi. They marry and
-teach people songs and ceremony of bundle. People become part of
-Arikara.
-
-
-14. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.
-
-Girl says she likes Red-Star and would marry him if on earth. In
-morning girl sees Porcupine and climbs after it in cottonwood tree.
-Tree grows higher and girl reaches another world. Porcupine turns
-into man and says he is Star. She stays with him, but cries every
-night. She gives birth to male child, who has star on forehead.
-Son wants wild turnips and man tells her not to dig for them in
-valleys. She digs in valley and stick runs through earth. She
-looks down and sees she is far away from her people. Woman tells
-her to get from husband sinews of whole buffalo and she will make
-sinew string to reach ground below. Girl gets sinew from husband,
-who forgets two sinews in shoulder. Old woman makes string and
-girl also makes long sinew string. They go to valley and girl
-takes child on back under robe, slips down string fastened to
-stick across hole. She reaches height of highest tree from ground.
-Husband sees her hanging and kills her with stone. Boy slips out
-of robe and falls on ground, but is not hurt. Boy nurses at dead
-mother’s breast. He goes to cornfield. Old woman catches him and
-takes him home as grandson. Grandmother scatters corn in lodge for
-blackbirds and places mush behind curtain. Boy calls blackbirds and
-kills them all with club. Grandmother brings them to life again
-and tells them to fly all over the world. She tells boy to throw
-wood into pond and next morning finds black bow and four black
-arrows. Boy sees big serpent behind curtain and kills it with bow
-and arrow and serpent slips into pond. Serpent is grandmother’s
-husband. Next day old woman tells boy not to go to dangerous place.
-He goes and sees mountain-lion, which obeys him. He leads lion to
-old woman’s lodge. The same occurs with a cinnamon bear. Boy sees
-four wonderful men killing buffalo. They frighten him with fœtus
-of calf. He climbs tree and they place fœtus in fork. They offer
-to take calf down if he will give grandmother to them. He returns
-and tells her he is satisfied, but says they would have to give him
-something in return. They promise him bow and arrows and old woman
-tells him to take middle bow of five leaning against wall of lodge.
-Men go to grandmother’s lodge and stay with her. Old woman sends
-boy with flute to play around men’s lodge. Men all scared and close
-up lodge with earth. They die of hunger. Boy goes to den of snakes.
-Snakes give him long gut to eat, but it is snake, and he twists its
-head off. Snakes go into ground and try to get into boy’s rectum,
-but hit rock on which he sits. They tell stories. Snakes all go
-to sleep on long circular stick around den. Boy with flint knife
-cuts heads on stick, but last one wakes up and disappears in hole.
-When boy sleeps he places arrows so that they can fall on him when
-Snake approaches him. Boy is very sleepy and arrows cannot awaken
-him. Snake goes into his mouth and nestles in his skull, where it
-remains until boy becomes skeleton. Boy’s father sends storm and
-skull is filled with water, but this does not drive out Snake.
-Father gets Sun to move nearer earth and heats skull until water
-boils, and Snake crawls out. Boy catches Snake by neck, hits its
-snout with stone, and rubs its teeth upon rock. He lets it go on
-promise not to bother people after. Boy returns to grandmother and
-tells her country is free from wild animals. She disappears, and
-boy goes to village and tells his story. He dies after clearing
-country of all wild animals.
-
-
-15. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.
-
-Girl taken up to heavens by star digs turnip and sees people on
-earth. Old woman makes sinew rope and lets her and child down
-through hole, but rope too short. Husband kills her with stone,
-but boy safe. He goes to cornfield and is caught by old woman, who
-takes him home. He shoots huge serpent behind curtain, who was
-woman’s husband. She plans for bear to kill him, but he captures
-bear. Boy finds tipi with four strong men playing dice game. He
-shoots through hole and cleans man’s nose with arrow. He goes
-with them to hunt and they annoy him with elk’s fœtus. He climbs
-tree and men remove fœtus from tree only on his promising them
-his grandmother. She goes with him to men’s tipi and they teach
-boy ceremony of catching eagles and of hunting. Boy meets camp of
-Snakes, all of whom but one he kills, as in No. 14. Surviving Snake
-enters anus while he sleeps and gets into head, from which it is
-driven by water boiling. Boy seizes it and knocks its head on flat
-rock. Boy afraid of fœtus because cluster of stars to which boy’s
-father belonged did not come up at that time with rest; so father
-not present to help him.
-
-
-16. NO-TONGUE AND THE SUN AND THE MOON.
-
-Young man goes upon high hill to mourn. Little bird takes him to
-another place. Man, painted red, comes and says he is going to be
-his son and asks for his tongue. Young man cuts off his tongue and
-gives it to man and then falls dead. Moon sees him and goes and
-touches his feet. Young man sits up and Moon tells him man to whom
-he had given tongue is Sun. Moon makes him his own son and warns
-him that when Sun offers him choice of weapons he is to take old
-ones. Sun takes him to sky in morning and cries because No-Tongue
-takes best things, as these give boy life. Sun asks No-Tongue to
-send him white buffalo robe. Moon tells him to get dark-brown robe
-for Sun and powder it with white clay. Sun hangs up robe and wind
-shakes all white clay out of it. Sun tells Moon his Little-Sun
-is going to kill No-Tongue. Moon warns No-Tongue and advises him
-what to do. No-Tongue goes with party on war-path and Sun plans
-for Little-Sun to kill him. Little-Sun with enemy and in morning
-asks No-Tongue to shake hands with him. No-Tongue goes and kills
-Little-Sun and his people defeat enemy. Sun sends son Big-Sun to
-kill No-Tongue, but is killed himself. Sun becomes Buffalo to kill
-No-Tongue, but falls into mud hole. No-Tongue makes fire on his
-back and Buffalo burns up. Sun tells Moon he will scalp No-Tongue.
-Moon tells No-Tongue to put false scalp over head with dog’s blood
-inside. Sun comes and takes scalp. Seeing that No-Tongue is not
-really scalped, Sun leaves him alone. When old and blind No-Tongue
-goes to top of hill and makes circle of red sticks for Sun and
-circle of white sticks for Moon. Sun and Moon come and Sun takes
-old man to his home.
-
-
-17. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.
-
-Poor boy, Burnt-Hands, lives with grandmother outside of village.
-Last-Child, daughter of chief, brings them food. Burnt-Hands
-follows trail of wounded elk and finds it dead. Chiefs Red-Bear and
-Black-Bear come. Red-Bear shoots boy and drops him into air-hole
-in ice. White-Bear’s cub takes boy to father. Father pities and
-adopts him as son and teaches him Bear ceremony. Burnt-Hands
-receives bundle of medicine and goes home. Notice given for buffalo
-hunt and that Red-Bear wants hide of white buffalo. Burnt-Hands
-goes with young men to chase. He gets white buffalo robe, as
-Red-Bear afraid of him. When he reaches camp he eats meat prepared
-for Red-Bear. Burnt-Hands takes white buffalo hide to grandmother,
-who gives it to Last-Child. Elk chase is made to get teeth for
-Red-Bear. Burnt-Hands promises grandmother elk-tooth dress and
-tells her in case of trouble to flee to timber. Burnt-Hands goes to
-chase and collects-many elk teeth and so does Red-Bear. They meet
-at last elk. Burnt-Hands strikes Red-Bear on head with war-club
-and drags him to air-hole. Burnt-Hands finds grandmother and they
-perform Bear ceremony. They turn into Bears and attack warriors,
-killing many. Others send peace-pipe by Last-Child and it is
-accepted. Burnt-Hands makes grandmother thirty-eight years old and
-himself twenty-two, and marries Last-Child. Burnt-Hands becomes
-chief and has Black-Bear as slave.
-
-
-18. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.
-
-Poor boy goes on war-path with warriors. Grandmother says he is
-not to tell coyote stories and gives him round burnt clay ball
-that has handle. When hungry he is to put kernels of corn on ball
-and roast them. Boy asked to tell coyote stories, but refuses. He
-roasts corn upon clay ball and then tells stories. Enemy comes and
-men are scared. When boy has finished eating corn he attacks enemy
-with clay ball, which is war-club, and kills many. Enemy run away.
-Burnt-Hands made chief and given good tipi and wife.
-
-
-19. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.
-
-Poor boy tells grandmother to make him bow and arrows that he may
-join buffalo hunt. He says he will bring back some tongues and
-hearts. Boy sings about being selected to stand in front and make
-motions to direct hunters, and he is selected. He kills buffalo
-and turning back pulls out buffalo beards and bunch of hair from
-shoulder. His robe is taken and he sings about snowstorm coming.
-He goes to grandmother and throws hairs on ground and several
-tongues and hearts appear. Blizzard kills many men who had made fun
-of young man. On next buffalo chase he again stands in front and
-is first to kill buffalo. He takes hair as before and it becomes
-tongues and hearts. People find out boy is wonderful, and give him
-pony. He marries chief’s daughter, and becomes great warrior and
-chief.
-
-
-20. THE TWO BOYS AND THE WATER-SERPENT.
-
-Two boys are accused of eating up pots of corn. They watch at night
-near inclosure surrounding village and see long serpent come and
-stick its head into smokehole of lodges. Next day they make many
-arrows and at night when serpent has its head in lodge they shoot
-at it. Serpent goes to river, water of which roars and rises, and
-serpent is found dead when river goes down.
-
-
-21. THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS, AND THE SERPENT.
-
-Boy gifted with powers by four-world-quarter gods kills so many
-antelope he is called Antelope-Carrier. Wood-Rats have given him
-bow and four differently colored arrows. He wanders from home, and
-while asleep two Thunderbirds carry him up high mountain. He finds
-nest with four young Thunderbirds. Mother Thunderbird comes and
-tells him of serpent with two heads that lives in lake and eats
-her young. She promises him lightning and control of all birds if
-he will help to kill monster. He promises and Thunderbird, after
-telling him when serpent would come out of lake, flies away.
-Fog rises from lake one day and boy sees monster with two heads
-crawling out of lake. Storm comes from west and Thunderbirds
-return, making lightning, which strikes serpent. Lightning throws
-it back, but it again crawls up. Monster opens its mouth to swallow
-boy. He shoots black arrow into its mouth. Monster falls and bursts
-open. Other head comes and boy shoots red arrow into its mouth and
-head broken in pieces. Thunderbirds come with all kinds of birds,
-which feast upon serpent. They give boy power as objects which he
-swallows. Boy chief of all birds and kills all bad animals. Two
-boys, joined together with rawhide, go to shoot birds. One shoots
-at white object, like mushroom, moving up and down and strong
-wind carries them far away to an island. They go west and come to
-lodge of old woman. She makes cakes, four for the great serpent,
-who will carry them across by water. Serpent comes and carries
-them across, stopping each day when hungry. They give it cake and
-soft-shell turtle (lice) from its head. Wild boy jumps before they
-come to land and is swallowed by serpent. Other boy asks serpent
-to open its mouth wide and he drags swallowed boy out. Boys travel
-to Missouri River bottom. They put log of wood on fire and it is
-serpent. Foolish boy eats chunk of meat and he gradually turns
-to serpent. Other boy takes him to Missouri River and turns him
-loose there. Antelope-Carrier hears of serpent and hunts him with
-all his birds. Serpent uses his power and carries him into his
-den. Antelope-Carrier is made to vomit up all his power, except
-lightning in his eyes. Serpent remains in river and gives its
-powers to people, and songs and medicine-men’s ceremony.
-
-
-22. THE BOY WHO TURNED INTO A SNAKE.
-
-Idiot boy and son of chief go on war-path. They have to return
-through want of food, and come to water-serpent. It is so big they
-can not get around it, and idiot proposes to burn it. Serpent burns
-in two. Idiot eats of serpent meat and his body gradually becomes
-colored red and blue. By fourth day his legs are grown together and
-become snake’s tail. Other boy carries him to lake, where fishes
-object to him, and finally they come to the Missouri River. He
-rests in middle of river and people by giving him presents cross
-over without danger of drowning.
-
-
-23. THE BOY WHO RECEIVED THE MOUSE POWER.
-
-Young man stays behind when people go hunting. He goes through
-village and hears crying. He goes to lodge and sees woman wrapped
-in buffalo robe, who tells him people have taken her children.
-She says they are in sacred bundle robe, and asks him to go and
-bring her children back. He does so and gives nest with children
-to woman. She tells him to return at night and then becomes mouse.
-Young man goes to lodge at night and finds woman there. Rats come
-in human form and priest gives him war-club and power to become
-mouse at any time, and little box of medicine. Woman tells him he
-is now her son and says they are not to kill mice as they are his
-relatives. Young man becomes great warrior. In enemy’s camp he
-turns into mouse and drives ponies out of camp after cutting ropes.
-He becomes so bold that people become afraid of him, but finally he
-and young man who has power of Bear fight and kill one another.
-
-
-24. THE BOY AND THE YOUNG HAWKS.
-
-Small boy discovers hawk’s nest with four eggs. Eggs are hatched
-and boy feeds birds with insects. Boy goes to take birds home when
-he sees man who calls birds his sons and says he will be rewarded
-for taking care of them. Boy takes feathers from young birds to put
-on his arrows. He becomes good hunter and on war-path fights where
-the arrows are thickest. He becomes known as brave, but finally
-does wrong among his people. Many try to kill him, but always
-forget, until one man capable of killing him does so.
-
-
-25. THE END OF THE ELK POWER.
-
-Four strong young men, of whom only oldest is married, go to trap
-eagles, leaving woman and child at home. On their return woman is
-missing. Eldest unmarried brother is filled with pity for child and
-goes to cry near timber, where is old skull of buck elk. On second
-night voice tells him woman and three others captured by Bear and
-that he has received Elk power. He is to go again and receive
-instructions. Pretty-Voice goes again and learns ceremony of Elks.
-He is to blow whistle and all females will come to him. He goes
-near Bear’s home and whistles four times. Women run out of den and
-they go away with Pretty-Voice. Bear follows and he orders party to
-stop. Pretty-Voice shoots arrows at Bear without effect. He then
-throws himself on ground and becomes Elk. Elk and Bear fight, and
-Bear admits his defeat. Elk again becomes man and Pretty-Voice wins
-great honor by capture of women. He causes ill-feeling by using his
-magic whistle to attract girls and then married women. Men shoot at
-him, but nothing can harm him. Sioux attack village, but they can
-do nothing while Pretty-Voice is living. Men come on friendly visit
-and Pretty-Voice secures Sioux girl by his ceremony. She gets to
-know secret of his power and then runs away. She obtains necessary
-things and then starts at head of war-party to kill Pretty-Voice.
-Inhabitants of village are defeated and Pretty-Voice finally falls.
-His mother wishes to collect his flesh, as he had told her, but men
-will not let her. They make big fire and destroy his body. White
-fog seen to arise from place for many days after.
-
-
-26. THE ELK RESCUES A WOMAN FROM THE BEAR.
-
-Poor young man and chief’s daughter run away together. They live
-alone and man kills deer and elk. He goes to catch eagles and while
-away Bear comes and takes wife away. Elk tells man and teaches him
-how to transform himself into Elk. Gives him whistle to attract
-female elk. Bear leaves den and man blows whistle. Wife and other
-women rush out to him. Bear comes and attacks Elk, which puts its
-head down and sticks horns into body. Man shoots and kills Bear.
-Man takes his wife and Elk other women, who become Elk.
-
-
-27. THE BOY AND THE ELK.
-
-Young man goes to place where animal skull near lake to cry because
-no girl will marry him. He hears flute and Elk comes. Elk tells boy
-to take teeth from skull and gives him flute which will attract
-girls to him. He goes home, tries flute, and girls come. After he
-is married, women also come and men kill him. One of his relatives
-takes teeth and flute. Boy is left unburied and several days
-afterwards he goes to mother’s tipi. He sends mother to society of
-Young-Dogs for tobacco. Men afraid of him. Boy goes away followed
-by relatives. They go into river and all turn into animals. Young
-man who had flute and elk teeth does not go and is the only one who
-lives.
-
-
-28. THE COYOTE, THE GIRL, AND THE MAGIC WINDPIPE.
-
-Beautiful girl lives alone in timber. Has plenty of buffalo meat
-and some wonderful bundles. Coyote becomes her errand man. When out
-of meat girl tells Coyote to cover his head up as her brothers are
-coming. Girl waves buffalo windpipe over smoke and dust in it turns
-to her seven brothers. They take bows and arrows and girl goes on
-to lodge, yells and waves towards west and south. Buffalo come and
-brothers kill them. They return to lodge and girl puts them again
-into windpipe as dust. Coyote sees performance and decides to steal
-windpipe. Coyote goes away with windpipe, and while he sleeps girl
-has brothers bring him back again. This occurs three times. Fourth
-time girl lets Coyote carry thing off. He goes up hill near village
-and howls for people to come and kick with him. Several young men
-go and Coyote turns windpipe upside down, but, instead of dust and
-boys, swarm of bumblebees come out. Young men run into timber, bees
-go into hollow tree, and Coyote goes away as coyote.
-
-
-29. THE BUFFALO-WIFE AND THE JAVELIN GAME.
-
-Young man out hunting dreams of two buffalo bulls turning into
-sticks and of buffalo cow turning into ring. In morning he sees
-cow and lies with her. Finds ring in grass and wears it on his
-wrist. He makes sticks and plays game with young men, winning many
-things. Goes hunting and sees old woman, who induces him to carry
-her across river on his back. He can not throw her off and he goes
-home with her fast to his back. Medicine-men are sent for, but they
-can do nothing. Poor boy puts on old robe and goes to young man’s
-lodge with bow and four arrows of different colors. He shoots black
-arrow and splits woman in two. With red arrow he takes her off boy.
-The other arrows he places on boy’s back to remove sore place. Old
-woman is then burned. Next day crying and voice are heard near
-where woman burned. Young man finds ring has gone. White tipi with
-woman and child inside appears where others were. Young man goes to
-see it and woman with new buffalo robe passes by him, having child.
-Young man makes bundle of eagle feathers and follows them. They
-become buffalo. Calf communicates with father, and woman finally
-becomes reconciled to him. They come to hill on which Buffalo bull,
-boy’s grandfather, is waiting for them. Man puts two eagle feathers
-on his horns. He sends them on to next hill and at last they come
-to hill with four Buffalo bulls, chiefs of Buffalo camp. Man puts
-feathers on their heads. They are sent into village and Buffalo
-become mad because man has not feathers enough to go around. Man
-made to sit on hill until they decide what to do with him. He
-sticks flint knife into ground and asks gods to form stone around
-where he sits. Buffalo devise various ways for killing him, but
-do not succeed in doing so. They decide to send man with Buffalo
-cow and calf to Indian village for presents. Buffalo bull turns
-man into Buffalo. Buffalo follow them. Man finds village and tells
-errand. People bring eagle feathers and native tobacco, which man
-takes to Buffalo. Buffalo willing to be slaughtered and man tells
-chiefs. Four times people go and kill Buffalo. Leader of Buffalo
-gives man sticks to play with. Sticks and ring different kinds of
-people. Man lives long life. Buffalo calf starts Buffalo ceremony
-among people.
-
-
-30. THE ORIGIN OF THE WOLF DANCE.
-
-Young man, son of chief, refuses to marry and seven girls plan to
-put him into hole. They spread weeds over hole and young man falls
-in. Girls promise to take him out if he does certain things, but
-finally they leave him. He cries and gray Wolf hears. Wolf says he
-will help him, and while he is gone Bear comes. Wolf returns and
-they quarrel about boy, but finally agree that whoever digs through
-to boy first shall claim him. Wolf gets to boy first, but Bear says
-he shall be his son. Wolf takes boy among Wolves and he comes to
-act like wolf. Afterward Buffalo hunters see him, but they cannot
-catch him. They make trap and place buffalo meat inside inclosure.
-Wolves are run into trap and four strong men with rawhide leggings
-are put in. Other Wolves are let out, but Wolf man caught. They
-tie him, put him into sweat-lodge, and make him vomit. Wolf man
-recovers and has tipi made. Seven girls who had put boy into hole
-are invited. Man goes and calls for Wolves and Bears. They come,
-and he places them about tipi. He tells girls, who try to escape,
-but Wolves eat them. Father tells people boy’s story and girls’
-relatives do not offer to save them. Young man finally becomes
-chief. He starts Wolf dance.
-
-
-31. MEDICINE DANCE OF THE BEAVER, TURTLE, AND WITCH-WOMAN.
-
-Animals meet for sleight-of-hand performances. Only Beaver,
-soft-shell Turtle, and Witch-Woman are to perform. Beaver gnaws
-nearly through three of lodge posts and people ask him to stop,
-as they think lodge will fall. Turtle sticks knife near left
-collar-bone and water pours out all over lodge. People are afraid
-and Turtle takes all water back again. Witch-Woman plays with gun,
-but calls for help and gives birth to child, who is to be great
-medicine-man.
-
-
-32. THE VILLAGE-BOY AND THE WOLF POWER.
-
-Four girls are made fun of for dancing with their brother.
-“Village-Boy” has never gone on war-path. Boy goes to graveyard to
-mourn. Wolf comes and asks why he is crying. Wolf tells boy to join
-next war-party and he will lead him to enemy’s camp. War-party
-starts and Village-Boy follows in three days. Wolf has taught him
-secret powers and when he comes to ravine he rolls on the ground
-and becomes wolf. He barks and friend brings him burnt bones, which
-he gnaws. Next day he tells friend enemy’s camp is near. He drives
-in ponies. When enemy is attacked Village-Boy is in lead and takes
-scalp. He gives scalp to leader and returns ahead of war-party, but
-says nothing. Leader gives all credit to Village-Boy. Scalp-dance
-held. Young man’s sisters dance without fear of ridicule. He goes
-east with warriors and takes head of medicine-man of Dumb People.
-Head dries and is used for medicine purposes. Now about size of
-hen’s egg.
-
-
-33. THE RABBIT-BOY.
-
-Young man who has not been on war-path mourns on graveyard hill.
-Remains there several days in storm. Jack-Rabbit crawls under his
-robe. Eagle comes and asks for Rabbit. Rabbit promises him powers
-if he will save him. Eagle promises him scalps if he will turn
-Rabbit loose. Boy refuses and Eagle flies away. Rabbit says he will
-make young man great warrior and gives him war-club, rabbit-skin,
-and medicine paints. Boy returns home. He follows war-party and
-acts as scout. Goes and brings ponies from enemy’s village. Attack
-is made on enemy’s camp. Rabbit-Boy kills old man and goes through
-village and escapes. Sees pretty girl who watches him. Soon after
-they go again to village. Boy kills man and again sees girl. Girl
-gives Arikara woman captive moccasins, beaded bracelets, and beaded
-armlet to take to young man. Woman gives him things and young man
-at once starts for enemy’s camp. He goes to girl’s tipi, puts in
-his hand, and she recognizes him by bracelet. He sleeps with girl
-and father finds them in bed together. Father sends for warriors,
-who prepare to kill young man. He is saved by new-comer, who is
-glad he has married one of their girls, as he will now lead their
-people. They go on war-path to young man’s country. He kills
-captive woman and gives her scalp to chief. This happens several
-times and young man never kills members of his own tribe. The two
-tribes make peace.
-
-
-34. THE MAN AND THE WATER-DOGS.
-
-People in large village are afraid of man who commits evil deeds.
-They make plot to seize him. They attack him and he walks towards
-river. He steps in and walks on bottom and sees tipi. He goes in
-and sees many dogs. Leader tells him not to be afraid of any man
-and if hurt he is to come to them. Man returns home and men afraid.
-He commits worse acts than before and his relatives and his wife’s
-relatives separate from the village. People dare not fight with man.
-
-
-35. THE FIVE TURTLES AND THE BUFFALO DANCE.
-
-Five soft-shell Turtles go to village. Four of them have eagle
-feathers on head. Fifth has black feather and is so angry it goes
-to river. Four turtles die and they are made into drums, which are
-afterwards changed for rawhide drums. Buffalo dance organized.
-Mysterious being with magpie feathers growing on his head et
-qui falsum penem inter crura habebat dances. Girl not permitted
-to leave lodge while mysterious being dancing. She goes out and
-et monstrum fecit quasi cum illa concumbere vellet. Girl becomes
-pregnant and gives birth to child like father. People kill it and
-throw it into river. Father goes to medicine-man, who throws rock
-into river and waters part. They see child in water and man pulls
-him out. Medicine-man breaks big stone in two with club and they
-bury child between stones. Mysterious being then marries girl who
-gave birth to mysterious boy.
-
-
-36. THE NOTCHED STICK AND THE OLD WOMAN OF THE ISLAND.
-
-Notched stick for rubbing other sticks on and dried buffalo hide
-used to make rain during medicine-men’s ceremony. At end of
-ceremony notched stick and buffalo hide are taken to island. Man
-goes to island and sees old woman sitting. He tells father, who
-says objects are put on island because they are old woman.
-
-
-37. THE MAN WHO MARRIED A COYOTE.
-
-War-party is attacked by enemy. One man killed and others return
-home. Man only stunned, and year after he comes to. He falls in
-with Coyotes and marries one. Warriors hunting surround and capture
-him. He becomes well by taking medicine. He shouts for coyote wife
-from top of lodge. Coyotes come and wife goes into lodge. They
-smoke her, but she goes away and joins other Coyotes. Man finds one
-of his baby coyotes in snow bank. He goes home to warm himself and
-on return baby is gone.
-
-
-38. THE MAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE.
-
-Old man with great reputation as medicine-man goes with people to
-meet hunting party. He sits on hill waiting for dried meat to offer
-sacrifice to gods, but no one presents any. Last young man gives
-him dried buffalo tongue, but old man sits with head down. Feasts
-and councils are held, but old man absent. They go in search of him
-and he tells them it is too late. His legs have turned to stone and
-next day he is a rock in form of man.
-
-
-39. THE WOMAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE.
-
-Daughter of chief refuses to marry, but at last is persuaded by
-mother. Husband fails to have connection with wife, who has only
-sunflower. She goes away and turns to stone through shame.
-
-
-40. THE POWER OF THE BLOODY SCALPED-MAN.
-
-Young man goes to hill to obtain power. Bloody scalped-man comes
-and young man runs away. Friend goes and when scalped-man comes he
-closes his eyes, but does not run. Man takes him to cave. There men
-are seated in circle, but none are scalped. Leader tells young man
-how to make himself look like scalped-man; gives him war-club,
-and root to make him run swiftly. Enemy comes and young man makes
-himself look like bloody scalped-man. He attacks enemy and kills
-one. Enemy retreats and while his people run after them he smokes
-body, washes in creek, and returns to lodge. In night he goes to
-place where he received power. He becomes great medicine-man and
-brings home many pieces of scalps, which he makes himself.
-
-
-41. THE BOY WHO CARRIED A SCALPED-MAN INTO CAMP.
-
-Party of warriors on war-path run into lake by enemy and all killed
-and scalped. Another war-party starts from same village. Camp
-near lake. Poor boy goes at night to get water from lake. Voices
-tell him to go further into lake for water. By light of moon sees
-leader of first war-party scalped, with hands and feet cut off. Boy
-carries scalped-man on his back to camp. They kill number of enemy
-equal to number in lake and return home.
-
-
-42. THE GIRL WHO WAS BLEST BY THE BUFFALO AND CORN.
-
-Mother while busy puts baby girl on buffalo skull at altar.
-Skull thinks baby given to him. Child grows and shows signs of
-having power from gods. When grown to womanhood famine prevails.
-Medicine-men can do nothing. Woman tells people to clean cellars.
-They do so and give her their seed corn. Woman throws little seed
-into each cellar, which is covered up, and after fourth day cellars
-filled with corn and other things.
-
-
-43. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE SNAKES.
-
-Arikara go to hunt and see pretty little snake by path. They give
-it presents. Two foolish boys come along and kill snake. They tell
-people, who turn back from hunt and climb upon high arbors. Many
-snakes come. Arikara kill snakes with clubs, but many Arikara are
-killed, among them the two foolish boys.
-
-
-44. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE BEARS.
-
-Young wife has garden in woods. She goes every day in spring and
-takes much food. Husband secretly follows her. He sees man with
-bear’s claws about neck come and help wife and afterwards lie with
-her. Next day husband pretends to go hunting, but hides in garden.
-Man again comes to wife and while they are lying together husband
-shoots man with arrow. He then clubs woman, who tells him man is
-bear. Three days afterwards bears attack Arikara camp and kill
-husband and all people who do not hide in cellars.
-
-
-45. THE WIFE WHO MARRIED AN ELK.
-
-While man goes hunting men come to see wife. She goes away with
-one. Husband follows and sees wife walking with Elk. He shoots at
-it, but arrows do no harm. Elk and woman go into lake. Man stays
-there crying. Woman comes and tells him to go home and that when
-he starts upon war-path to come to lake. Man goes on war-path,
-first going to lake. Sees woman, who tells him that they would
-kill people in three tipis and capture their ponies. They do so.
-Next time man goes on war-path he again visits lake. Woman tells
-him she can not leave lake any more and that in fight he will see
-woman like her. He is to catch her and she will become his wife. It
-happens as she said.
-
-
-46. THE FOUR GIRLS AND THE MOUNTAIN-LION.
-
-Mountain-lion tells four girls who are gathering wood he wants them
-for wives. They run to different wonderful beings for protection,
-but none can help them. They come to Hair-Cut-in-Notches and
-offer to live with him as wives if he will save them. He sends
-them into lodge and then sings about his head and hair—his hair
-is his arrows. Mountain-lion comes and man shoots and kills him.
-Hair-Cut-in-Notches tells girls he is not human being and sends
-them home.
-
-
-47. THE DEEDS OF YOUNG-EAGLE.
-
-Chief of north village of Arikara has beautiful daughter,
-Yellow-Calf. Chief of south village has handsome son, Young-Eagle,
-who does not look with favor upon women and has not been on
-war-party. Young-Eagle starts for north village to see Yellow-Calf,
-and same day Yellow-Calf starts for south village to see
-Young-Eagle. They meet on hill half-way between villages. They
-make pile of stones on hill and start for Yellow-Calf’s home. They
-come to lake and Young-Eagle says they must wash before going to
-village. Yellow-Calf washes first. Young-Eagle wades into water
-with clothes on and when he comes out he is quite changed in
-appearance. He is like “Burnt-Belly” boy. Girl takes him home and
-they lie together. In morning Yellow-Calf’s parents are ashamed
-of him and so is she, but he remains. Boy hears that war-party is
-going out and tells girl that in three days her youngest brother
-is to get buffalo intestines and bones and that he will come.
-Young-Eagle takes wife to lake and after she has washed he wades
-into lake. He comes out same man she had first met. He sends wife
-home and turns to young eagle, which flies to where warriors gone.
-Brother-in-law hears eagle’s cry and takes him intestines and
-bones. Young-Eagle brings in ponies and then kills several men and
-takes their scalps, which he sends by brother-in-law to leader. He
-goes to lodge, but does not tell wife what has happened. War-party
-returns and tell story of Young-Eagle’s doings. Scalps are put
-upon pole at entrance of old woman’s lodge. This occurs on several
-occasions, and once Young-Eagle goes with wife to lake and gets his
-own likeness. They go with scalps Young-Eagle has taken to village
-of his father, Black-Sun. Black-Sun sings scalp songs and braves
-and warriors decide that Young-Eagle shall lead people to girl’s
-village. Arikara become one tribe again.
-
-
-48. THE GIRL WHO BECAME A WHIRLWIND.
-
-Woman has boy and girl on travois drawn by pony. Children fall
-off unknown to mother and wander away to cave. Girl goes to find
-something to eat and is taken far away by Whirlwind. She soon
-returns, but afterward goes away. She brings brother bow and
-arrows on two occasions. Owl tells boy sister is Whirlwind and
-is planning to kill him. Owl says she cuts off men’s testes and
-eats them. Boy watches for sister. Sees her do what Owl says. She
-goes away again and Owl comes and takes boy into Owl’s den. They
-say that sister wants woman and he is to tell her he will give her
-first woman he marries. Whirlwind comes and demands boy, but says
-she will let him go on his promising to give her the first woman he
-marries. Boy goes to his people. Tells chief that buffalo not far
-away. Many are killed. Enemy attack village and boy makes way to
-kill them. Chief’s daughter given him for wife. Boy goes out and
-calls sister. She comes and boy tells her of his marriage. She and
-the girl lie together. Sister gives brother club and medicine, with
-power of Whirlwind. He becomes warrior and then chief.
-
-
-49. COYOTE AND THE MICE SUN DANCE.
-
-Coyote hears noise of dancing in elk skull. Mice run away, but
-finally they agree to let Coyote see dancing. He puts his head
-through skull and Mice run away. Coyote’s head fast in skull and as
-Mice do not help him he goes away with skull on his head. He goes
-to water and people on other side think he is wonderful animal and
-are scared. Coyote promises they shall all live if they give him
-chief’s daughter. They agree and Coyote swims across. They make
-tipi and he stays with girl all night. Boy sees that it is Coyote
-and people break skull and catch Coyote. They tie him fast to pegs.
-They urinate and defecate on him. He plays mean trick on old woman
-and thereby frees himself and then runs away.
-
-
-50. THE COYOTE BECOMES A BUFFALO.
-
-Buffalo asks Coyote why he is not Buffalo. He consents to be
-made one and Buffalo rushes at him. There are then two Buffalo
-bulls. They go to herd controlled by Buffalo bull and kill him.
-Each bull takes many cows to look after. Herd goes away leaving
-Coyote-Buffalo behind. He meets Coyote and says he is going to
-make him into Buffalo. He runs into him and there are two coyotes
-instead of Coyote-Buffalo and Coyote.
-
-
-51. THE COYOTE AND THE ARTICHOKE.
-
-Coyote digs up Artichoke plant and asks if it has another name. It
-answers “Take-a-Bite.” Artichoke repeats same four times and Coyote
-takes bite each time, eating it all. He goes and expels flatus. He
-gets worse and carries tree up in air. He takes hold of stone which
-goes up with him. Stone falls on Coyote and kills him.
-
-
-52. THE COYOTE RIDES THE BEAR.
-
-Coyote meets Bear, makes all kinds of threats, and finally rides on
-his back. He jumps off and runs to top of hill. Not seeing Bear he
-yells derisively at him. Bear hears, runs after Coyote, and kills
-him.
-
-
-53. THE COYOTE RIDES THE BUFFALO.
-
-Pretty girl does not care to marry. Buffalo comes and girl becomes
-attached to him. Coyote visits girl, but she repulses him. Coyote
-tells her that Buffalo is his horse and girl says she will marry
-him if he will ride Buffalo there. Coyote goes home and strikes
-himself hard with club on the knee. Girl tells Buffalo what Coyote
-said and Buffalo says he will bring Coyote and kill him. Coyote
-tells Buffalo he is cripple, but says he will go if Buffalo will
-carry him. Buffalo agrees and Coyote sits on his back, with cane
-to hit Buffalo with. Coyote runs back to village and marries girl.
-Buffalo so ashamed he never came back.
-
-
-54. THE COYOTE AND THE BUFFALO RUN A RACE.
-
-Coyote tells Buffalo he cannot run fast and Buffalo challenges him
-to run race. Coyote accepts and goes off to select place. He sets
-landmarks near steep place. He tells Buffalo that at landmark they
-are to close their eyes and run fast. They race and Buffalo with
-eyes closed jumps over deep bank. Coyote goes down, skins and cuts
-up Buffalo, and takes meat to creek. While roasting meat Fox comes
-and Coyote sends him with Buffalo’s pouch for water. Fox eats up
-pouch and tells Coyote something came and took away pouch. This
-happens four times and Coyote throws coals in Fox’s face, sending
-him off. Fox tells story to every animal he meets and they all go
-to Coyote’s lodge while he is asleep and eats all he has. When he
-wakes up he finds all his meat gone and goes away crying.
-
-
-55. THE COYOTE AND THE DANCING CORN.
-
-Two hungry Coyotes go to village in search of pounded corn. They
-separate and leader sees pounded corn, in lumps, running into
-mortar. Coyote begs lumps to come out. He sings and walks around
-fireplace. Lumps of pounded corn come out and dance with Coyote. He
-tells them to close their eyes. He runs to mortar and gets his head
-fast in bowl. Brother comes and captive tells him to cut bowl open
-with axe. He does so, but cuts Coyote on head so that he dies.
-
-
-56. THE COYOTE AND THE TURTLE RUN A RACE.
-
-Coyote boasts of his swiftness and Turtle says he can beat him
-running. They agree to run race. Turtle gets other Turtles to
-assist him. They go to course, place one Turtle at end, others at
-different distances back. Each Turtle carries pole and hides in
-ground. Next morning Turtle meets Coyote. Turtle gives command
-to start. Coyote runs and Turtle crawls into hole. When Coyote
-gets over little ridge he sees Turtle ahead of him. He catches up
-with him and Turtle throws away pole and crawls into ground. This
-happens several times and at end Turtle is at goal. Coyote says he
-is beaten, and running kills him.
-
-
-57. THE COYOTE AND THE STONE RUN A RACE.
-
-Coyote asks Stone its name. Stone says, “Run-Fast.” They agree to
-run race. Coyote places Stone upon hill and starts him rolling.
-Coyote passes Stone, but Stone catches up with him and rolls upon
-his back. Stone won’t get off and grows heavier. Coyote calls
-to Bull-Bats and tells them Stone has been calling them names.
-Bull-Bats fly at Stone until they break it in two and it falls from
-Coyote. Coyote makes fun of Bull-Bats and they separate.
-
-
-58. THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE.
-
-Coyote sees Jack-Rabbit men dancing around fire and eating
-intestines. He offers them his warrior headdress if they will tell
-where they get them. Rabbits send him to get red willows, which
-they put into fire. They dance around and as willows burn they
-turn into large intestines. Coyote then by trickery gets back his
-war-bonnet and runs away chased by Rabbits. He is too swift for
-them, but they tell him he cannot do the trick four times. He
-succeeds three times, but the fourth time willows burn into ashes.
-Coyote has stomach ache and defecates rabbits. He tries to catch
-them in robe, but they turn to excrement. Coming to big Stone he
-gives it soiled robe. Storm comes on and he returns for robe, which
-he finds clean. He takes it and storm passes. He hears something
-coming behind him and sees it is big Stone. Stone chases him, and
-he is about to give out when Bull-Bats fly around. Coyote appeals
-to them for assistance on ground that Stone had spoken against
-them. Bull-Bats break Stone up with flatus. Stone thus spread all
-over world. Coyote puts white clay on Bull-Bats’ heads and bodies.
-
-
-59. THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE.
-
-Coyote and Rabbit agree that one who goes to sleep first shall
-be covered by other one. Rabbit sleeps with eyes open and Coyote
-thinks he is awake. Coyote goes to sleep by morning and Rabbit
-covers him and goes away. Coyote defecates rabbits. He gives robe
-to Stone, as in No. 58. He takes robe away from Stone four times
-and then Stone runs after him. Stone broken up by Bull-Bats as in
-No. 58. Coyote eats young Bull-Bats and Bull-Bats kill him with
-flatus.
-
-
-60. HOW THE SCALPED-MAN LOST HIS WIFE.
-
-Girl climbs tree to get grapes and Scalped-Man finds her. She goes
-with him and at creek she tells Scalped-Man she will be his wife
-if he washes his head. While he is diving she runs away and crawls
-under grapevine. He follows her, but at last gives her up. Woman
-runs home.
-
-
-61. THE GENEROUS SCALPED-MAN AND HIS BETRAYER.
-
-Man hunting sees Scalped-Man kill and carry off antelope. Man
-follows and enters Scalped-Man’s cave. They become friendly and
-man remains four days. Scalped-Man goes away for several days,
-and brings ponies, which he gives to man, who returns home.
-Man obtains ponies in this way several times, and then tells
-Scalped-Man he wants scalp. Scalped-Man gets scalps for him twice.
-Man takes several others on war-path guided by Scalped-Man. They
-return with scalps and ponies. Man becomes chief and thinks he will
-capture Scalped-Man, but he fails, as Scalped-Man has heard his
-plans and gone away.
-
-
-62. THE SCALPED-MAN.
-
-Scouts see mysterious beings, who disappear in side of steep bank,
-where entrance to den is found. Man is seen in cave crying. He is
-dressed in Coyote skins and his head tied with white sheeting.
-There is Buffalo skull in lodge. Men agree to ask Scalped-Man to
-help their war-party.
-
-
-63. THE DEAD MAN’S COUNTRY.
-
-Man faints and afterwards dies. He sees path leading east. There
-is inclosure with little hole through which he goes and is in dead
-man’s country. Man tells him not to go into village and directs him
-to lodge of dead people, which he is not to enter. He sees many
-people in lodge, and black drums. Men are painted red. Seven men
-stand out. Drummers sing in low voice. Dancers have dried willow
-sticks, as representatives of their living relatives, whom they
-call to them. Man is told to go to his country, and wakes up.
-
-
-64. THE COYOTE WHO SPOKE TO THE EAGLE HUNTERS.
-
-Young men go to hills to catch eagles. While sitting in cave
-telling Coyote stories, Coyote walks in and says they tell many
-things about him that are not true. Coyote goes away and party is
-so dazed they return to village.
-
-
-65. THE GIRL AND THE ELK.
-
-Men hunting hear Elk whistling across river. Girl wants to go and
-find out what it is, but people prevent her. This happens many
-days. Men agree to kill Elk, but they can not shoot it. Man puts
-medicine in cartridge and then kills Elk. Girl tries to run away,
-and is put into sweat-lodge many times until she gets over crazy
-spell.
-
-
-66. HOW THE RABBIT SAVED A WARRIOR.
-
-Arikara follow Ojibwa horse thieves. They overtake different band
-of Ojibwas and attack them. Brave man is shot through neck by
-bullet. He seems about to die from loss of blood, when Jack-Rabbit
-tells him he will not die. Man is attended by Rabbit medicine-man
-and in less than four days is well. He becomes one of the leading
-medicine-men of Rabbit band.
-
-
-67. THE WOMAN WHOSE BREASTS WERE CUT OFF.
-
-Man with beautiful woman and little boy goes hunting. Young man
-comes and courts woman. She feigns sickness and pretends to die.
-She is placed on arbor. Lover unties girl and places bodies of
-three dogs upon arbor. Girl is dressed as boy and breasts tied with
-wide strings. They go to another village where young woman passes
-herself for young man. Woman is anxious to see child. They paint up
-as men and watch for child near spring. They see boy and woman asks
-him for drink. He goes to lodge and tells father he has seen his
-mother. Father sends invitation to young men to eat in his lodge.
-They come and husband knows one of them is woman by her ways. He
-says she is his wife. Young man runs away. She asks forgiveness,
-but husband cuts off her breasts and woman dies.
-
-
-68. WATER-DOGS.
-
-Poor boy sees dog come out of river and carry little ones to
-spring. He dies shortly afterwards. Old woman near same place hears
-dogs chattering in water and soon afterwards dies.
-
-
-69. TWO-WOLVES, THE PROPHET.
-
-Two-Wolves left by himself in storm after buffalo chase has life
-saved by Prairie-Chicken. “Waruhti” gives him power to understand
-speech of Thunder. Long afterward he practices power. Man
-Two-Bears has herd of ponies which are disturbed by horse owned by
-Roving-Coyote. Two-Bears throws pointed stake at horse and kills
-it. Roving-Coyote goes to Two-Wolves to know who did it. Two-Wolves
-performs ceremony to father, Thunder, who comes and tells him.
-Two-Wolves sends for Two-Bears, who confesses and makes reparation.
-Wolf-Chief does not believe in Two-Wolves’ power. Thunder tells
-Two-Wolves to speak to Wolf-Chief and have him kill his black
-dog and perform ceremony. Two-Wolves sends for Wolf-Chief, who
-goes to him and promises to do as asked. Two-Wolves sends out one
-war-party and it is a failure. He lives long, discovering thieves
-and prophesying wonderful things.
-
-
-70. HOW THE MEDICINE-ROBE SAVED THE ARIKARA.
-
-When Arikara living in Nebraska young woman alone in lodge while
-medicine-men’s ceremony is performing. She sees enemy looking
-at her through top of opening. He digs at side of lodge and she
-puts out fire. Next day husband hides in lodge, and when enemy
-comes he catches him from behind. Woman gives alarm and men come
-and overpower enemy. He says southern tribe are coming to kill
-them. Man is tied upon scaffold and left to die. He breaks loose
-several times by shaking his arms, so he is stabbed to death.
-During ceremony this man comes into lodge. All medicine-men run
-out. Keeper of wonderful robe goes and wraps man in robe and throws
-him into river. Afterwards so many Sioux come that people are
-scared. Keeper of holy robe wraps it round body and taking eagle
-wing and gourd climbs upon top of lodge. He then shakes himself
-and shakes robe towards sun. Enemy are so scared they give way and
-there is great slaughter. Scalps are brought in and there is great
-rejoicing.
-
-
-71. THE MEDICINE BEAR SHIELD.
-
-Boy’s father dies and is buried. Boy goes to grave to cry and
-dreams that Bear tells him that woman has removed shield from
-grave. During storm he crawls into crevice and watches grave.
-He sees Bear with paws toward sky. Lightning forms appearance
-of shield with bear for black center mark. Boy returns to grave
-and when asleep he dreams his father tells him shield taken by
-Howling-Wolf and that he must get it. Howling-Wolf gives boy frame.
-Boy has another shield made like that he had seen on father’s
-grave. Kills buffalo and makes inner shield. When fifteen, boy
-joins war-party. He strikes Sioux with bow and takes his scalplock.
-Scalp is offered to gods and boy made chief. Old man puts buckskin
-shirt on him and tells him as he strikes enemies and scalps them to
-make marks on shirt. When enemy attacks Village-Boy wears shield
-and is never hit. At sun dance boy swings day and night by buckskin
-strings tied to sticks run through his back. Sioux again attack
-village and boy again counts coup and strikes enemy. He dances sun
-dance many times afterward, and suffers because old medicine-men
-dead.
-
-
-72. THE CRUCIFIED ENEMY.
-
-People go on buffalo hunt, leaving old people in village. Enemy
-come and people retreat to lodges. Old man puts on medicine and
-costumes and, gourd in hand, goes to top of lodge and sings sacred
-songs. Enemy see him and are much afraid, as he has power to
-mesmerize. They all run with old man after them. One of enemy’s
-bravest men captured and tied to wooden cross outside of village.
-Man dies, loses his flesh, and only bones left. When young men
-playing near cross, bones fall and run toward village and into
-medicine-lodge. Man is found under blankets on altar. His bones are
-gathered and thrown away.
-
-
-73. HOW A SIOUX WOMAN’S SCALP WAS SACRIFICED.
-
-Men go on war-path and hide near where Sioux get their water.
-Two women come to spring and as they run away one is seized,
-and scalp taken from side of her head. Men hurry back, and when
-they come to timber, leader takes fat from scalp and divides it
-into five pieces, which he places in four directions with one in
-center, first on his hand and then on the ground, to show that
-scalp is offered to gods. Scalp ceremony used when they get home.
-Fire-sticks are used to burn scalp. Holy bundles and medicine bags
-are passed through smoke and priests change names of young men and
-children who give them presents.
-
-
-74. THE WARRIOR WHO FOUGHT THE SIOUX.
-
-In winter Sioux attack Fort Berthold. Man coming with antelope
-on back does not see Sioux until he hears noise. He runs and is
-followed by Sioux. Man kills first Sioux and cuts him open with
-knife. Sioux shoot at him from behind with arrows. Man stands up
-and yells like a bear and Sioux run away. Man has piece of liver in
-his mouth. He chases Sioux and takes ponies and runs after them. He
-goes into timber and next day is found frozen, with arrows in his
-back.
-
-
-75. THE CAPTURE OF THE ENEMY’S BOWS.
-
-Young men go on war-path and Sioux come and capture old women and
-children. Young man returns and finds what has happened. He, his
-brother, and his father follow Sioux to creek where they are in
-camp. Young man looks at stars, trees, and everything and says they
-must attack and give big war-whoop. When war-whoop given, trees and
-everything seem to join. Enemy are frightened and run away. They
-capture enemy’s bows and kill many people. Bows and arrows are set
-upon high hill.
-
-
-76. THE WOMAN WHO BEFRIENDED THE WARRIORS.
-
-Two boys on war-path find earth-lodge where old woman lives. She
-feeds them and tells them where to go. They kill enemy. This
-occurs several times, but once there are so many young men in
-party old woman is ashamed. Next time war-party goes old woman
-has disappeared. Two boys hunt for her and find her inside of
-cliff in Bad Lands. Great company of men go there, but she again
-disappears. Party of warriors come to big lake and hear woman
-singing scalp-dance songs. Warriors scared, but leader says she
-is rejoicing, and they go and take enemy’s scalps. This occurs
-again, but next time instead of singing and dancing, woman mourns.
-Warriors go on and are beaten by enemy. She is found to be same old
-woman that lived in Bad Lands. People give her blankets, tobacco,
-and other things.
-
-
-77. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS.
-
-Arikara go to hills to catch eagles. Young man prepares and baits
-hole and then gets into it, leaving weapons outside. Sioux find
-hole and tell man to crawl out. He takes them where other men are.
-They make Arikara stand around fireplace while man cooks meat for
-them. He holds piece of buffalo tallow over fire and whirls it
-around and burns Sioux with grease. They are scared and man, though
-weak through torturing, walks away. Sioux stay in tipi all night.
-Man goes home and tells people. They go after Sioux and return with
-three scalps.
-
-
-78. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS.
-
-Young men go eagle hunting and while in cave Sioux come. Sioux ask
-for eagle feathers, which leader goes out of cave to give them.
-They attack Arikara, whose leader kills several Sioux, and others
-retreat. Hunters at night return to village with scalps.
-
-
-79. THE MOURNING LOVER.
-
-Man called “Rolling-Log” courts Arikara woman, who says she will
-marry him if he will bring her enough sinew to last her a whole
-year. He goes south with hunters and gets twenty-four sinews. He
-returns home and goes to see girl, but finds she is dead. He feels
-so bad he goes among hills and does not return to Arikara camp.
-
-
-80. CONTEST BETWEEN THE BEAR AND THE BULL SOCIETIES.
-
-During medicine ceremonies Bear family is on north and Buffalo
-family on south inside lodge. Buffalo Society has two buffalo
-scalps with horns. These are worn by two Buffalo men who play with
-people of village. Young man of Bear family tells leader he wants
-to challenge Buffalo to fight. Leader finally consents and sends
-pipe to leader of Buffalo Society as challenge. He objects, but
-finally consents and sends for Buffalo man. Men are prepared by
-medicines of their respective societies for fight. Societies meet
-and fight takes place. Buffalo hooks Bear, who is killed. Bear
-lodge announces that Bear killed for all time, but they do not get
-mad, as it was his own fault.
-
-
-81. HOW WHITE-BEAR CAME TO BELONG TO THE BEAR SOCIETY.
-
-When White-Bear’s mother is pregnant his father puts on bear robe
-and tries to catch people to cut them open and get piece of liver.
-So his son has spirit of Bear. In nursing boy’s mouth shows froth
-and he makes noise like young bear. In Bear dances boy wears robe
-of bear hide. When three years old, White-Bear falls on knife,
-cutting belly so that intestines come out. Father restores them
-to place and bandages child. In few days child is much better and
-bear robe is put on its back. Child cannot straighten out and
-makes noise like cat. As he grows up he acts like Bear. In Bear
-ceremonies sleight-of-hand ceremonies are performed by him. In
-medicine-lodge he has visions of bear. When no more Bear dances he
-does not show ways of bear.
-
-
-82. THE TALE OF A MEMBER OF THE BEAR SOCIETY.
-
-Boy stays in medicine-men’s lodge and learns mysteries of Bear
-Society. Father gives him stuffed bear skin. In Bear dance little
-bear dances and imitates boy. When worn out little bear is placed
-in ravine. Some years ago great hunter asks young man to go
-hunting. At night pony snorts furiously and Scalped-Man is seen.
-After killing deer they start for home. They see bear, which stands
-up like man. Bear embraces young one. After being shot bear goes
-into brush, where it is found sitting, dead. Young one also killed
-and both are skinned. Man gives large hide to friend and keeps
-little bear’s hide. He wears it in Bear dances. Afterwards it is
-sold, in his absence, to white man.
-
-
-
-
-=TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE=
-
-
- Bold text is denoted by =equal signs=.
-
- Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been
- corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within
- the text and consultation of external sources.
-
- Some hyphens in words have been silently removed, some added, when
- a predominant preference was found in the original book.
-
- Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text,
- and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.
-
- Pg 31: ‘people crosssed over’ replaced by ‘people crossed over’.
-
- Pg 35: ‘TO THE ARIKARA.’ replaced by ‘TO THE ARIKARA.[10]’.
-
- Pg 36: ‘TO THE ARIKARA.’ replaced by ‘TO THE ARIKARA.[11]’.
-
- Pg 56: ‘Remmember to come’ replaced by ‘Remember to come’.
-
- Pg 70: ‘The coaxed the boy’ replaced by ‘They coaxed the boy’.
-
- Pg 86: ‘quae eum vicum’ replaced by ‘quæ eum vicum’.
-
- Pg 157: ‘over the vilage’ replaced by ‘over the village’.
-
- Pg 177: Deleted a duplicated line ‘bring my lariat rope, so I could
- rope it and lead it to the village. I’.
-
- Pg 177: ‘bring my larriat’ replaced by ‘bring my lariat’.
-
- Pg 184: ‘she likes red star’ replaced by ‘she likes Red-Star’.
-
- Pg 191: ‘pepare to kill’ replaced by ‘prepare to kill’.
-
- Pg 195: ‘goes and and expels’ replaced by ‘goes and expels’.
-
- Pg 200: ‘village boy wears’ replaced by ‘Village-Boy wears’.
-
-*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA ***
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