Myths and Legends of the Sioux.odt

8/14/2019 Myths and Legends of the Sioux.odt

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Myths and Legends of the Sioux

McLaughlin, Marie L. (1916)

In loving memory of my mother, MARY GRAHAM BUISSON, at whose knee most of the stories

ontaine! in this little vol"me were tol! to me, this #ook is affetionately !e!iate!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

$e!iation%orewor!

&he %orgotten 'ar of (orn

&he )ittle Mie

&he *et Ra##it&he *et $onkey

&he Ra##it an! the 'lk

&he Ra##it an! the Gro"se Girls&he %aithf"l )overs

&he Artihoke an! the M"skrat

&he Ra##it, an! the Bear with the %lint Bo!yStory of the )ost +ife

&he Raoon an! the (rawfish

)egen! of Stan!ing RokStory of the *eae *ie

A Bashf"l (o"rtshi

&he Simleton-s +is!om

)ittle Brave an! the Me!iine +oman&he Bo"n! (hil!ren

&he Signs of (orn

Story of the Ra##itsHow the Ra##it )ost His &ail

Unktomi an! the Arrowhea!s

&he Bear an! the Ra##it H"nt B"ffalo&he Brave +ho +ent on the +arath Alone an! +on the Name of the )one +arrior

&he Sio". +ho Marrie! the (row (hief-s $a"ghter

&he Boy an! the &"rtles

&he Hermit, or the Gift of (orn&he Mysterio"s B"tte&he +on!erf"l &"rtle

&he Man an! the Oak

Story of the &wo Yo"ng %rien!s&he Story of the *et (row

&he /+asna/ 0*emmian Man1 an! the Unktomi 0Si!er1

&he Res"sitation of the Only $a"ghter&he Story of the *et (rane

+hite *l"me

Story of *retty %eathere! %orehea!&he %o"r Brothers or Inyanhoksila 0Stone Boy1

&he Unktomi 0Si!er1, &wo +i!ows an! the Re! *l"ms

FOREWOR

In "#lishing these /Myths of the Sio".,/ I !eem it roer to state that I am of one2fo"rth Sio". #loo!3


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My maternal gran!father, (atain $"nan Graham, a Sothman #y #irth, who ha! seen servie in the

British Army, was one of a arty of Soth Highlan!ers who in 4544 arrive! in the British Northwest

#y way of York %atory, H"!son Bay, to fo"n! what was known as the Selkirk (olony, near )ake

+innieg, now within the rovine of Manito#a, (ana!a3 Soon after his arrival at )ake +innieg heroee!e! " the Re! River of the North an! the western fork thereof to its so"re, an! thene !own

the Minnesota River to Men!ota, the onfl"ene of the Minnesota an! Mississii Rivers, where he

loate!3 My gran!mother, Ha26a2ho2ta2win, was a f"ll2#loo! of the Me!awakanton Ban! of the Sio".&ri#e of In!ians3 My father, 7oseh B"isson, #orn near Montreal, (ana!a, was onnete! with the

Amerian %"r (omany, with hea!8"arters at Men!ota, Minnesota, whih oint was for many years

the hief !istri#"ting !eot of the Amerian %"r (omany, from whih the In!ian tra!e on!"te! #ythat omany on the "er Mississii was !irete!3

I was #orn $eem#er 5, 459:, at +a#asha, Minnesota, then In!ian o"ntry, an! resi!e! thereat "ntil

fo"rteen years of age, when I was sent to shool at *rairie !" (hien, +isonsin3

I was marrie! to Ma;or 7ames M)a"ghlin at Men!ota, Minnesota, 7an"ary :5, 45 a rae not yet "n!erstan!ing all things, not ro"! an! #oastf"l, #"t honest an! hil!like an!

fair> a simle, sinere, an! gravely tho"ghtf"l eole, willing to #elieve that there may #e in even the

every!ay things of life something not yet f"lly "n!erstoo!> a rae that an, witho"t any loss of native!ignity, gravely onsi!er the simlest things, seeking to fathom their meaning an! to learn their lesson

22 e8"ally witho"t vain2glorio"s #oasting an! trifling yniism> an earnest, tho"ghtf"l, !ignifie!, #"t

simle an! rimitive eole3

&o the hil!ren of any rae these stories an not fail to give leas"re #y their vivi! imaging of the


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simle things an! reat"res of the great o"t2of2!oors an! the eis of their !oings3 &hey will also give

an intimate insight into the mentality of an interesting rae at a most interesting stage of !eveloment,

whih is now fast ree!ing into the mists of the ast3

T!E FOR"OTTEN EAR OF CORN

An Arikara woman was one gathering orn from the fiel! to store away for winter "se3 She asse!from stalk to stalk, tearing off the ears an! !roing them into her fol!e! ro#e3 +hen all was gathere!

she starte! to go, when she hear! a faint voie, like a hil!-s, weeing an! alling?

/Oh, !o not leave me@ $o not go away witho"t me3/

&he woman was astonishe!3 /+hat hil! an that #e/ she aske! herself3 /+hat #a#e an #e lost in the

ornfiel!/

She set !own her ro#e in whih she ha! tie! " her orn, an! went #ak to searh> #"t she fo"n!

nothing3

As she starte! away she hear! the voie again?

/Oh, !o not leave me3 $o not go away witho"t me3/

She searhe! for a long time3 At last in one orner of the fiel!, hi!!en "n!er the leaves of the stalks, shefo"n! one little ear of orn3 &his it was that ha! #een rying, an! this is why all In!ian women havesine garnere! their orn ro very aref"lly, so that the s""lent foo! ro!"t sho"l! not even to the

last small n"##in #e neglete! or waste!, an! th"s !islease the Great Mystery3

T!E L#TTLE M#CE

One "on a time a rairie mo"se #"sie! herself all fall storing away a ahe of #eans3 'very morning

she was o"t early with her emty ast2off snake skin, whih she fille! with gro"n! #eans an! !ragge!home with her teeth3

&he little mo"se ha! a o"sin who was fon! of !aning an! talk, #"t who !i! not like to work3 She was

not aref"l to get her ahe of #eans an! the season was alrea!y well gone #efore she tho"ght to #estir

herself3 +hen she ame to reali6e her nee!, she fo"n! she ha! no aking #ag3 So she went to herhar!working o"sin an! sai!?

/(o"sin, I have no #eans store! for winter an! the season is nearly gone3 B"t I have no snake skin to

gather the #eans in3 +ill yo" len! me one/

/B"t why have yo" no aking #ag +here were yo" in the moon when the snakes ast off theirskins/

/I was here3/

/+hat were yo" !oing/

/I was #"sy talking an! !aning3/

/An! now yo" are "nishe!,/ sai! the other3 /It is always so with la6y, areless eole3 B"t I will let

yo" have the snake skin3 An! now go, an! #y har! work an! in!"stry, try to reover yo"r waste! time3/

T!E $ET RABB#T

A little girl owne! a et ra##it whih she love! !early3 She arrie! it on her #ak like a #a#e, ma!e forit a little air of moasins, an! at night share! with it her own ro#e3

Now the little girl ha! a o"sin who love! her very !early an! wishe! to !o her honor> so her o"sin

sai! to herself?


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/I love my little o"sin well an! will ask her to let me arry her et ra##it aro"n!>/ 0for th"s !o In!ian

women when they wish to honor a frien!> they ask ermission to arry a#o"t the frien!-s #a#e13

She then went to the little girl an! sai!?

/(o"sin, let me arry yo"r et ra##it a#o"t on my #ak3 &h"s shall I show yo" how I love yo"3/

Her mother, too, sai! to her? /Oh no, !o not let o"r little gran!hil! go away from o"r teee3/

B"t the o"sin answere!? /Oh, !o let me arry it3 I !o so want to show my o"sin honor3/ At last theylet her go away with the et ra##it on her #ak3

+hen the little girl-s o"sin ame home to her teee, some ro"gh #oys who were laying a#o"t #egan

to make sort of her3 &o tease the little girl they threw stones an! stiks at the et ra##it3 At last a stik

str"k the little ra##it "on the hea! an! kille! it3

+hen her et was #ro"ght home !ea!, the little ra##it-s a!ote! mother wet #itterly3 She "t off herhair for mo"rning an! all her little girl frien!s waile! with her3 Her mother, too, mo"rne! with them3

/Alas@/ they rie!, /alas, for the little ra##it3 He was always kin! an! gentle3 Now yo"r hil! is !ea!

an! yo" will #e lonesome3/

&he little girl-s mother alle! in her little frien!s an! ma!e a great mo"rning feast for the little ra##it3As he lay in the teee his a!ote! mother-s little frien!s #ro"ght many reio"s things an! overe! his#o!y3 At the feast were given away ro#es an! kettles an! #lankets an! knives an! great wealth in honor

of the little ra##it3 Him they wrae! in a ro#e with his little moasins on an! #"rie! him in a high

lae "on a saffol!3

T!E $ET ON%E&

&here was a hief-s !a"ghter one who ha! a great many relations so that every#o!y knew she#elonge! to a great family3

+hen she grew " she marrie! an! there were #orn to her twin sons3 &his a"se! great re;oiing in her

father-s am, an! all the village women ame to see the #a#es3 She was very hay3

As the #a#es grew ol!er, their gran!mother ma!e for them two sa!!le #ags an! #ro"ght o"t a !onkey3

/My two gran!hil!ren,/ sai! the ol! la!y, /shall ri!e as is #eoming to hil!ren having so manyrelations3 Here is this !onkey3 He is atient an! s"refoote!3 He shall arry the #a#es in the sa!!le #ags,

one on either si!e of his #ak3/

It haene! one !ay that the hief-s !a"ghter an! her h"s#an! were making rea!y to go on a aming

;o"rney3 &he father, who was 8"ite ro"! of his hil!ren, #ro"ght o"t his finest ony, an! "t the sa!!le#ags on the ony-s #ak3

/&here,/ he sai!, /my sons shall ri!e on the ony, not on a !onkey> let the !onkey arry the ots an!

kettles3/

So his wife loa!e! the !onkey with the ho"se2hol! things3 She tie! the teee oles into two great#"n!les, one on either si!e of the !onkey-s #ak> aross them she "t the travois net an! threw into itthe ots an! kettles an! lai! the skin tent aross the !onkey-s #ak3

B"t no sooner !one than the !onkey #egan to rear an! #ray an! kik3 He #roke the tent oles an!

kike! the ots an! kettles into #its an! tore the skin tent3 &he more he was #eaten the more he kike!3

At last they tol! the gran!mother3 She la"ghe!3 /$i! I not tell yo" the !onkey was for the hil!ren,/ sherie!3 /He knows the #a#ies are the hief-s hil!ren3 &hink yo" he will #e !ishonore! with ots an!

kettles/ an! she fethe! the hil!ren an! sl"ng them over the !onkey-s #ak, when he #eame at one


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8"iet again3

&he aming arty left the village an! went on their ;o"rney3 B"t the ne.t !ay as they asse! #y a lae

overgrown with #"shes, a #an! of enemies r"she! o"t, lashing their onies an! so"n!ing their war

whoo3 All was e.itement3 &he men #ent their an! sei6e! their lanes3 After a long #attle the enemyfle!3 B"t when the aming arty ame together again 22 where were the !onkey an! the two #a#es No

one knew3 %or a long time they searhe!, #"t in vain3 At last they t"rne! to go #ak to the village, the

father mo"rnf"l, the mother wailing3 +hen they ame to the gran!mother-s teee, there stoo! the goo!!onkey with the two #a#es in the sa!!le #ags3

T!E RABB#T AN T!E EL%

&he little ra##it live! with his ol! gran!mother, who nee!e! a new !ress3 /I will go o"t an! tra a !eer

or an elk for yo",/ he sai!3 /&hen yo" shall have a new !ress3/

+hen he went o"t h"nting he lai! !own his #ow in the ath while he looke! at his snares3 An elk

oming #y saw the #ow3

/I will lay a ;oke on the ra##it,/ sai! the elk to himself3 /I will make him think I have #een a"ght inhis #ow string3/ He then "t one foot on the string an! lay !own as if !ea!3

By an! #y the ra##it ret"rne!3 +hen he saw the elk he was fille! with ;oy an! ran home rying?/Gran!mother, I have trae! a fine elk3 Yo" shall have a new !ress from his skin3 &hrow the ol! one

in the fire@/

&his the ol! gran!mother !i!3

&he elk now srang to his feet la"ghing3 /Ho, frien! ra##it,/ he alle!, /Yo" tho"ght to tra me> now I

have moke! yo"3/ An! he ran away into the thiket3

&he ra##it who ha! ome #ak to skin the elk now ran home again3 /Gran!mother, !on-t throw yo"r

!ress in the fire,/ he rie!3 B"t it was too late3 &he ol! !ress was #"rne!3

T!E RABB#T AN T!E "RO'SE "#RLS

&he ra##it one went o"t on the rairie in winter time3 On the si!e of a hill away from the win! hefo"n! a great omany of girls all with grey an! sekle! #lankets over their #aks3 &hey were the

gro"se girls an! they were oasting !own hill on a #oar!3 +hen the ra##it saw them, he alle! o"t?

/Oh, mai!ens, that is not a goo! way to oast !own hill3 )et me get yo" a fine skin with #angles on it

that tinkle as yo" sli!e3/ An! away he ran to the teee an! #ro"ght a skin #ag3 It ha! re! stries onitan! #angles that tinkle!3 /(ome an! get insi!e,/ he sai! to the gro"se girls3 /Oh, no, we are afrai!,/

they answere!3 /$on-t #e afrai!, I an-t h"rt yo"3 (ome, one of yo",/ sai! the ra##it3 &hen as eah h"ng

#ak he a!!e! oa.ingly? /If eah is afrai! alone, ome all together3 I an-t h"rt yo" all3/ An! so heoa.e! the whole flok into the #ag3 &his !one, the ra##it lose! the mo"th of the #ag, sl"ng it over his

#ak an! ame home3 /Gran!mother,/ sai! he, as he ame to the teee, /here is a #ag f"ll of game3

+ath it while I go for willow stiks to make sits3/B"t as soon as the ra##it ha! gone o"t of the tent, the gro"se girls #egan to ry o"t?

/Gran!mother, let "s o"t3/

/+ho are yo"/ aske! the ol! woman3

/Yo"r !ear gran!hil!ren,/ they answere!3

/B"t how ame yo" in the #ag/ aske! the ol! woman3

/Oh, o"r o"sin was ;esting with "s3 He oa.e! "s in the #ag for a ;oke3 *lease let "s o"t3/


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/(ertainly, !ear gran!hil!ren, I will let yo" o"t,/ sai! the ol! woman as she "ntie! the #ag? an! lo, the

gro"se flok with ah"k2a2h"k2ah"k flew ", knoking over the ol! gran!mother an! flew o"t of

the s8"are smoke oening of the winter lo!ge3 &he ol! woman a"ght only one gro"se as it flew " an!

hel! it, grasing a leg with eah han!3

+hen the ra##it ame home with the sits she alle! o"t to him?

/Gran!son, ome 8"ik3 &hey got o"t #"t I have a"ght two3/

+hen he saw what ha! haene! he was 8"ite angry, yet o"l! not kee from la"ghing3

/Gran!mother, yo" have #"t one gro"se,/ he rie!, an! it is a very skinny one at that3/

T!E FA#T!F'L LOERS

&here one live! a hief-s !a"ghter who ha! many relations3 All the yo"ng men in the village wante! to

have her for wife, an! were all eager to fill her skin #"ket when she went to the #rook for water3

&here was a yo"ng man in the village who was in!"strio"s an! a goo! h"nter> #"t he was oor an! of amean family3 He love! the mai!en an! when she went for water, he threw his ro#e over her hea! while

he whisere! in her ear?

/Be my wife3 I have little #"t I am yo"ng an! strong3 I will treat yo" well, for I love yo"3/

%or a long time the mai!en !i! not answer, #"t one !ay she whisere! #ak3

/Yes, yo" may ask my father-s leave to marry me3 B"t first yo" m"st !o something no#le3 I #elong to agreat family an! have many relations3 Yo" m"st go on a war arty an! #ring #ak the sal of an

enemy3/

&he yo"ng man answere! mo!estly, /I will try to !o as yo" #i! me3 I am only a h"nter, not a warrior3

+hether I shall #e #rave or not I !o not know3 B"t I will try to take a sal for yo"r sake3/

So he ma!e a war arty of seven, himself an! si. other yo"ng men3 &hey wan!ere! thro"gh theenemy-s o"ntry, hoing to get a hane to strike a #low3 B"t none ame, for they fo"n! no one of the

enemy3/O"r me!iine is "nfavora#le,/ sai! their lea!er at last3 /+e shall have to ret"rn home3/

Before they starte! they sat !own to smoke an! rest #esi!e a #ea"tif"l lake at the foot of a green knoll

that rose from its shore3 &he knoll was overe! with green grass an! somehow as they looke! at it theyha! a feeling that there was something a#o"t it that was mysterio"s or "nanny3

B"t there was a yo"ng man in the arty name! the ;ester, for he was vent"resome an! f"ll of f"n3

Ga6ing at the knoll he sai!? /)et-s r"n an! ;"m on its to3/

/No,/ sai! the yo"ng lover, /it looks mysterio"s3 Sit still an! finish yo"r smoke3/

/Oh, ome on, who-s afrai!,/ sai! the ;ester, la"ghing3 /(ome on yo" 22 ome on@/ an! sringing to his

feet he ran " the si!e of the knoll3%o"r of the yo"ng men followe!3 Having reahe! the to of the knoll all five #egan to ;"m an! stam

a#o"t in sort, alling, /(ome on, ome on,/ to the others3 S"!!enly they stoe! 22 the knoll ha!

#eg"n to move towar! the water3 It was a giganti t"rtle3 &he five men rie! o"t in alarm an! trie! tor"n 22 too late@ &heir feet #y some ower were hel! fast to the monster-s #ak3

/Hel "s 22 !rag "s away,/ they rie!> #"t the others o"l! !o nothing3 In a few moments the waves ha!

lose! over them3

&he other two men, the lover an! his frien!, went on, #"t with heavy hearts, for they ha! fore#o!ings


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of evil3 After some !ays, they ame to a river3 +orn with fatig"e the lover threw himself !own on the

#ank3

/I will slee awhile,/ he sai!, /for I am wearie! an! worn o"t3/

/An! I will go !own to the water an! see if I an hane "on a !ea! fish3 At this time of the year the

high water may have left one stran!e! on the sea2shore,/ sai! his frien!3

An! as he ha! sai!, he fo"n! a fish whih he leane!, an! then alle! to the lover3/(ome an! eat the fish with me3 I have leane! it an! ma!e a fire an! it is now ooking3/

/No, yo" eat it> let me rest,/ sai! the lover3

/Oh, ome on3/

/No, let me rest3/

/B"t yo" are my frien!3 I will not eat "nless yo" share it with me3/

/ery well,/ sai! the lover, /I will eat the fish with yo", #"t yo" m"st first make me a romise3 If I eat

the fish, yo" m"st romise, le!ge yo"rself, to feth me all the water that I an !rink3/

/I romise,/ sai! the other, an! the two ate the fish o"t of their war2kettle3 %or there ha! #een #"t onekettle for the arty3

+hen they ha! eaten, the kettle was rinse! o"t an! the lover-s frien! #ro"ght it #ak f"ll of water3 &his

the lover !rank at a !ra"ght3

/Bring me more,/ he sai!3

Again his frien! fille! the kettle at the river an! again the lover !rank it !ry3

/More@/ he rie!3

/Oh, I am tire!3 (annot yo" go to the river an! !rink yo"r fill from the stream/ aske! his frien!3

/Remem#er yo"r romise3/

/Yes, #"t I am weary3 Go now an! !rink3/

/'k2hey, I feare! it wo"l! #e so3 Now tro"#le is oming "on "s,/ sai! the lover sa!ly3 He walke! to

the river, srang in, an! lying !own in the water with his hea! towar! lan!, !rank gree!ily3 By an! #y

he alle! to his frien!3

/(ome hither, yo" who have #een my sworn frien!3 See what omes of yo"r #roken romise3/

&he frien! ame an! was ama6e! to see that the lover was now a fish from his feet to his mi!!le3

Sik at heart he ran off a little way an! threw himself "on the gro"n! in grief3 By an! #y he ret"rne!3

&he lover was now a fish to his nek3

/(annot I "t off the art an! restore yo" #y a sweat #ath/ the frien! aske!3

/No, it is too late3 B"t tell the hief-s !a"ghter that I love! her to the last an! that I !ie for her sake3

&ake this #elt an! give it to her3 She gave it to me as a le!ge of her love for me,/ an! he #eing thent"rne! to a great fish, swam to the mi!!le of the river an! there remaine!, only his great fin remaining

a#ove the water3

&he frien! went home an! tol! his story3 &here was great mo"rning over the !eath of the five yo"ng

men, an! for the lost lover3 In the river the great fish remaine!, its fin ;"st a#ove the s"rfae, an! wasalle! #y the In!ians /%ish that Bars,/ #ea"se it #ar-! navigation3 (anoes ha! to #e ortage! at great


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la#or aro"n! the o#str"tion3

&he hief-s !a"ghter mo"rne! for her lover as for a h"s#an!, nor wo"l! she #e omforte!3 /He was lost

for love of me, an! I shall remain as his wi!ow,/ she waile!3

In her mother-s teee she sat, with her hea! overe! with her ro#e, silent, working, working3 /+hat is

my !a"ghter !oing,/ her mother aske!3 B"t the mai!en !i! not rely3

&he !ays lengthene! into moons "ntil a year ha! asse!3 An! then the mai!en arose3 In her han!s were#ea"tif"l artiles of lothing, eno"gh for three men3 &here were three airs of moasins, three airs of

leggings, three #elts, three shirts, three hea! !resses with #ea"tif"l feathers, an! sweet smelling to#ao

/Make a new anoe of #ark,/ she sai!, whih was ma!e for her3

Into the anoe she stee! an! floate! slowly !own the river towar! the great fish3

/(ome #ak my !a"ghter,/ her mother rie! in agony3 /(ome #ak3 &he great fish will eat yo"3/

She answere! nothing3 Her anoe ame to the lae where the great fin arose an! stoe!, its rowgrating on the monster-s #ak3 &he mai!en stee! o"t #ol!ly3 One #y one she lai! her resents on the

fish-s #ak, sattering the feathers an! to#ao over his #roa! sine3

/Oh, fish,/ she rie!, /Oh, fish, yo" who were my lover, I shall not forget yo"3 Bea"se yo" were lostfor love of me, I shall never marry3 All my life I shall remain a wi!ow3 &ake these resents3 An! nowleave the river, an! let the waters r"n free, so my eole may one more !esen! in their anoes3/

She stee! into her anoe an! waite!3 Slowly the great fish sank, his #roa! fin !isaeare!, an! the

waters of the St3 (roi. 0Stillwater1 were free3

T!E ART#C!O%E AN T!E M'S%RAT

On the shore of a lake stoo! an artihoke with its green leaves waving in the s"n3 ery ro"! of itself itwas, an! well satisfie! with the worl!3 In the lake #elow live! a m"skrat in his teee, an! in the

evening as the s"n set he wo"l! ome o"t "on the shore an! wan!er over the #ank3 One evening he

ame near the lae where the artihoke stoo!3

/Ho, frien!,/ he sai!, /yo" seem rather ro"! of yo"rself3 +ho are yo"/ /I am the artihoke,/answere! the other, /an! I have many han!some o"sins3 B"t who are yo"/

/I am the m"skrat, an! I, too, #elong to a largefamily3 I live in the water3 I !on-t stan! all !ay in one

lae like a stone3/

/If I stan! in one lae all !ay,/ retorte! the artihoke, /at least I !on-t swim aro"n! in stagnant water,

an! #"il! my lo!ge in the m"!3/

/Yo" are ;ealo"s of my fine f"r,/ sneere! the m"skrat3 /I may #"il! my lo!ge in the m"!, #"t I alwayshave a lean oat3 B"t yo" are half #"rie! in the gro"n!, an! when men !ig yo" ", yo" are never

lean3/

/An! yo"r fine oat always smells of m"sk,/ ;eere! the artihoke3

/&hat is tr"e,/ sai! the m"skrat3 /B"t men think well of me, nevertheless3 &hey tra me for the finesinew in my tail> an! han!some yo"ng women #ite off my tail with their white teeth an! make it into

threa!3/

/&hat-s nothing,/ la"ghe! the artihoke3 /Han!some yo"ng warriors, ainte! an! slen!i! with feathers

!ig me ", #r"sh me off with their shaely han!s an! eat me witho"t even taking the tro"#le to washme off3/


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T!E RABB#T AN T!E BEAR W#T! T!E FL#NT BO&

&he Ra##it an! his gran!mother were in !ire straits, #ea"se the ra##it was o"t of arrows3 &he fall h"nt

wo"l! soon #e on an! his 8"iver was all #"t emty3 Arrow stiks he o"l! "t in lenty, #"t he ha!

nothing with whih to make arrowhea!s3

/Yo" m"st make some flint arrowhea!s,/ sai! his gran!mother3 /&hen yo" will #e a#le to kill game3/

/+here shall I get the flint/ aske! the ra##it3/%rom the ol! #ear hief,/ sai! his ol! gran!mother3 %or at that time all the flint in the worl! was in the

#ear-s #o!y3

So the ra##it set o"t for the village of the Bears3 It was winter time an! the lo!ges of the #ears were set

"n!er the shelter of a hill where the ol! win! wo"l! not #low on them an! where they ha! shelteramong the trees an! #"shes3

He ame at one en! of the village to a h"t where live! an ol! woman3 He "she! oen the !oor an!

entere!3 'very#o!y who ame for flint always stoe! there #ea"se it was the first lo!ge on the e!ge

of the village3 Strangers were therefore not "n"s"al in the ol! woman-s h"t, an! she welome! thera##it3 She gave him a seat an! at night he lay with his feet to the fire3

&he ne.t morning the ra##it went to the lo!ge of the #ear hief3 &hey sat together awhile an! smoke!3

At last the #ear hief soke3

/+hat !o yo" want, my gran!son/

/I have ome for some flint to make arrows,/ answere! the ra##it3

&he #ear hief gr"nte!, an! lai! asi!e his ie3 )eaning #ak he "lle! off his ro#e an!, s"re eno"gh,

one half of his #o!y was flesh an! the other half har! flint3

/Bring a stone hammer an! give it to o"r g"est,/ he #a!e his wife3 &hen as the ra##it took the hammer

he sai!? /$o not strike too har!3/

/Gran!father, I shall #e aref"l,/ sai! the ra##it3 +ith a stroke he str"k off a little flake of flint fromthe #ear-s #o!y3

/Ni2sko2ke2ha So #ig/ he aske!3

/Har!er, gran!son> strike off #igger iees,/ sai! the #ear3

&he ra##it str"k a little har!er3

/Ni2sko2ke2ha So #ig/ he aske!3

&he #ear grew imatient3 /No, no, strike off #igger iees3 I an-t #e here all !ay3 &anka kaksa wo@

Break off a #ig iee3/

&he ra##it str"k again 22 har!@ /Ni2sko 22 ha/ he rie!, as the hammer fell3 B"t even as he soke the

#ear-s #o!y #roke in two, the flesh art fell away an! only the flint art remaine!3 )ike a flash thera##it !arte! o"t of the h"t3

&here was a great o"try in the village3 Oen2mo"the!, all the #ears gave hase3 B"t as he ran the

ra##it rie!? /+a2hin2han2yo 0snow, snow1 Ota2o, Ota2o 22 lots more, lots more,/ an! a great storm of

snow swet !own from the sky3

&he ra##it, light of foot, #o"n!e! over the to of the snow3 &he #ears s"nk in an! flo"n!ere! a#o"t

helless3 Seeing this, the ra##it t"rne! #ak an! kille! them one #y one with his l"#3 &hat is why we

now have so few #ears3


10/62

STOR& OF T!E LOST W#FE

A $akota girl marrie! a man who romise! to treat her kin!ly, #"t he !i! not kee his wor!3 He was

"nreasona#le, fa"lt2fin!ing, an! often #eat her3 %ranti with his r"elty, she ran away3 &he whole

village t"rne! o"t to searh for her, #"t no trae of the missing wife was to #e fo"n!3

Meanwhile, the fleeing woman ha! wan!ere! a#o"t all that !ay an! the ne.t night3 &he ne.t !ay shemet a man, who aske! her who she was3 She !i! not know it, #"t he was not really a man, #"t the hief

of the wolves3

/(ome with me,/ he sai!, an! he le! her to a large village3 She was ama6e! to see here many wolves 22

gray an! #lak, tim#er wolves an! oyotes3 It seeme! as if all the wolves in the worl! were there3

&he wolf hief le! the yo"ng woman to a great teee an! invite! her in3 He aske! her what she ate forfoo!3

/B"ffalo meat,/ she answere!3

He alle! two oyotes an! #a!e them #ring what the yo"ng woman wante!3 &hey #o"n!e! away an!

soon ret"rne! with the sho"l!er of a fresh2kille! #"ffalo alf3

/How !o yo" reare it for eating/ aske! the wolf hief3/By #oiling,/ answere! the yo"ng woman3

Again he alle! the two oyotes3 Away they #o"n!e! an! soon #ro"ght into the tent a small #"n!le3

In it were "nk, flint an! steel 22 stolen, it may #e, from some am of men3

/How !o yo" make the meat rea!y/ aske! the wolf hief3

/I "t it into slies,/ answere! the yo"ng woman3

&he oyotes were alle! an! in a short time fethe! in a knife in its sheath3 &he yo"ng woman "t "

the alf-s sho"l!er into slies an! ate it3

&h"s she live! for a year, all the wolves #eing very kin! to her3 At the en! of that time the wolf hiefsai! to her?

/Yo"r eole are going off on a #"ffalo h"nt3 &omorrow at noon they will #e here3 Yo" m"st then go

o"t an! meet them or they will fall on "s an! kill "s3/

&he ne.t !ay at a#o"t noon the yo"ng woman went to the to of a neigh#oring knoll3 (oming towar!

her were some yo"ng men ri!ing on their onies3 She stoo! " an! hel! her han!s so that they o"l!see her3 &hey won!ere! who she was, an! when they were lose #y ga6e! at her losely3

/A year ago we lost a yo"ng woman> if yo" are she, where have yo" #een,/ they aske!3

/I have #een in the wolves- village3 $o not harm them,/ she answere!3

/+e will ri!e #ak an! tell the eole,/ they sai!3 /&omorrow again at noon, we shall meet yo"3/&he yo"ng woman went #ak to the wolf village, an! the ne.t !ay went again to a neigh#oring knoll,

tho"gh to a !ifferent one3 Soon she saw the am oming in a long line over the rairie3 %irst were thewarriors, then the women an! tents3

&he yo"ng woman-s father an! mother were over;oye! to see her3 B"t when they ame near her the

yo"ng woman fainte!, for she o"l! not now #ear the smell of h"man kin!3 +hen she ame to herself

she sai!?

/Yo" m"st go on a #"ffalo h"nt, my father an! all the h"nters3 &omorrow yo" m"st ome again,


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#ringing with yo" the tong"es an! hoie iees of the kill3/

&his he romise! to !o> an! all the men of the am mo"nte! their onies an! they ha! a great h"nt3

&he ne.t !ay they ret"rne! with their onies la!en with the #"ffalo meat3 &he yo"ng woman #a!e them

ile the meat in a great hea #etween two hills whih she ointe! o"t to them3 &here was so m"h meatthat the tos of the two hills were #ri!ge! level #etween #y the meat ile3 In the enter of the ile the

yo"ng woman lante! a ole with a re! flag3 She then #egan to howl like a wolf, lo"!ly3

In a moment the earth seeme! overe! with wolves3 &hey fell gree!ily on the meat ile an! in a short

time ha! eaten the last sra3

&he yo"ng woman then ;oine! her own eole3

Her h"s#an! wante! her to ome an! live with him again3 %or a long time she ref"se!3 However, at lastthey #eame reonile!3

T!E RACCOON AN T!E CRAWF#S!

Shar an! "nning is the raoon, say the In!ians, #y whom he is name! Sotte! %ae3

A rawfish one evening wan!ere! along a river #ank, looking for something !ea! to feast "on3 A

raoon was also o"t looking for something to eat3 He sie! the rawfish an! forme! a lan to athhim3

He lay !own on the #ank an! feigne! to #e !ea!3 By an! #y the rawfish ame near #y3 /Ho,/ he

tho"ght, /here is a feast in!ee!> #"t is he really !ea!3 I will go near an! inh him with my laws an!

fin! o"t3/

So he went near an! inhe! the raoon on the nose an! then on his soft aws3 &he raoon nevermove!3 &he rawfish then inhe! him on the ri#s an! tikle! him so that the raoon o"l! har!ly

kee from la"ghing3 &he rawfish at last left him3 /&he raoon is s"rely !ea!,/ he tho"ght3 An! he

h"rrie! #ak to the rawfish village an! reorte! his fin! to the hief3

All the villagers were alle! to go !own to the feast3 &he hief #a!e the warriors an! yo"ng men to

aint their faes an! !ress in their gayest for a !ane3So they marhe! in a long line 22 first the warriors, with their weaons in han!, then the women with

their #a#ies an! hil!ren 22 to the lae where the raoon lay3 &hey forme! a great irle a#o"t him

an! !ane!, singing?

/+e shall have a great feast

/On the sotte!2fae! #east, with soft smooth aws?

/He is !ea!@

/He is !ea!@

/+e shall !ane@

/+e shall have a goo! time>

/+e shall feast on his flesh3/

B"t as they !ane!, the raoon s"!!enly srang to his feet3

/+ho is that yo" say yo" are going to eat He has a sotte! fae, has he He has soft, smooth aws, hashe I-ll #reak yo"r "gly #aks3 I-ll #reak yo"r ro"gh #ones3 I-ll r"nh yo"r "gly, ro"gh aws3/ An! he

r"she! among the rawfish, killing them #y sores3 &he rawfish warriors fo"ght #ravely an! the

women ran sreaming, all to no "rose3 &hey !i! not feast on the raoon> the raoon feaste! on


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them@

LE"EN OF STAN#N" ROC%

A $akota ha! marrie! an Arikara woman, an! #y her ha! one hil!3 By an! #y he took another wife3

&he first wife was ;ealo"s an! o"te!3 +hen time ame for the village to #reak am she ref"se! to

move from her lae on the tent floor3 &he tent was taken !own #"t she sat on the gro"n! with her #a#eon her #ak &he rest of the am with her h"s#an! went on3

At noon her h"s#an! halte! the line3 /Go #ak to yo"r sister2in2law,/ he sai! to his two #rothers3 /&ell

her to ome on an! we will await yo" here3 B"t hasten, for I fear she may grow !eserate an! kill

herself3/

&he two ro!e off an! arrive! at their former aming lae in the evening3 &he woman still sat on thegro"n!3 &he el!er soke?

/Sister2in2law, get "3 +e have ome for yo"3 &he am awaits yo"3/

She !i! not answer, an! he "t o"t his han! an! to"he! her hea!3 She ha! t"rne! to stone@

&he two #rothers lashe! their onies an! ame #ak to am3 &hey tol! their story, #"t were not

#elieve!3 /&he woman has kille! herself an! my #rothers will not tell me,/ sai! the h"s#an!3 However,the whole village #roke am an! ame #ak to the lae where they ha! left the woman3 S"re eno"gh,

she sat there still, a #lok of stone3

&he In!ians were greatly e.ite!3 &hey hose o"t a han!some ony, ma!e a new travois an! lae! the

stone in the arrying net3 *ony an! travois were #oth #ea"tif"lly ainte! an! !eorate! with streamersan! olors3 &he stone was tho"ght /wakan/ 0holy1, an! was given a lae of honor in the enter of the

am3 +henever the am move! the stone an! travois were taken along3 &h"s the stone woman was

arrie! for years, an! finally #ro"ght to Stan!ing Rok Ageny, an! now rests "on a #rik e!estal infront of the Ageny offie3 %rom this stone Stan!ing Rok Ageny !erives its name3

STOR& OF T!E $EACE $#$E

&wo yo"ng men were o"t strolling one night talking of love affairs3 &hey asse! aro"n! a hill an! ameto a little ravine or o"lee3 S"!!enly they saw oming " from the ravine a #ea"tif"l woman3 She was

ainte! an! her !ress was of the very finest material3

/+hat a #ea"tif"l girl@/ sai! one of the yo"ng men3 /Alrea!y I love her3 I will steal her an! make hermy wife3/

/No,/ sai! the other3 /$on-t harm her3 She may #e holy3/

&he yo"ng woman aroahe! an! hel! o"t a ie whih she first offere! to the sky, then to the earth

an! then a!vane!, hol!ing it o"t in her e.ten!e! han!s3

/I know what yo" yo"ng men have #een saying> one of yo" is goo!> the other is wike!,/ she sai!3

She lai! !own the ie on the gro"n! an! at one #eame a #"ffalo ow3 &he ow awe! the gro"n!,st"k her tail straight o"t #ehin! her an! then lifte! the ie from the gro"n! again in her hoofs>

imme!iately she #eame a yo"ng woman again3

/I am ome to give yo" this gift,/ she sai!3 /It is the eae ie3 Hereafter all treaties an! eremonies

shall #e erforme! after smoking it3 It shall #ring eaef"l tho"ghts into yo"r min!s3 Yo" shall offer itto the Great Mystery an! to mother earth3/

&he two yo"ng men ran to the village an! tol! what they ha! seen an! hear!3 All the village ame o"t

where the yo"ng woman was3


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14/62

Her h"s#an! an! relatives trie! to get the knife from her, #"t o"l! not3 &hey feare! to "se fore lest

she kill herself3 &hey ame together to see what they o"l! !o3

/+e m"st get the knife away from her,/ they sai!3

At last they alle! a #oy, a kin! of simleton, yet with a goo! !eal of nat"ral shrew!ness3 He was an

orhan an! very oor3 His moasins were o"t at the sole an! he was !resse! in wei26i 0oarse #"ffaloskin, smoke!13

/Go to the teee of the mo"rning mother,/ they tol! the simleton, /an! in some way ontrive to make

her la"gh an! forget her grief3 &hen try to get the knife away from her3/

&he #oy went to the tent an! sat !own at the !oor as if waiting to #e given something3 &he orse lay in

the lae of honor where the !ea! girl ha! slet in life3 &he #o!y was wrae! in a rih ro#e an!wrae! a#o"t with roes3 %rien!s ha! overe! it with rih offerings o"t of reset to the !ea!3

As the mother sat on the gro"n! with her hea! overe! she !i! not at first see the #oy, who sat silent3

B"t when his reserve ha! worn away a little he #egan at first lightly, then more heavily, to !r"m on the

floor with his han!s3 After a while he #egan to sing a omi song3 )o"!er an! lo"!er he sang "ntilarrie! away with his own singing he srang " an! #egan to !ane, at the same time gest"ring an!

making all manner of ontortions with his #o!y, still singing the omi song3 As he aroahe! theorse he wave! his han!s over it in #lessing3 &he mother "t her hea! o"t of the #lanket an! when shesaw the oor simleton with his strange grimaes trying to !o honor to the orse #y his solemn

waving, an! at the same time keeing " his omi song, she #"rst o"t la"ghing3 &hen she reahe! over

an! han!e! her knife to the simleton3

/&ake this knife,/ she sai!3 /Yo" have ta"ght me to forget my grief3 If while I mo"rn for the !ea! I anstill #e mirthf"l, there is no reason for me to !esair3 I no longer are to !ie3 I will live for my

h"s#an!3/

&he simleton left the teee an! #ro"ght the knife to the astonishe! h"s#an! an! relatives3

/How !i! yo" get it $i! yo" fore it away from her, or !i! yo" steal it/ they sai!3

/She gave it to me3 How o"l! I fore it from her or steal it when she hel! it in her han!, #la!e"ermost3 I sang an! !ane! for her an! she #"rst o"t la"ghing3 &hen she gave it to me,/ he answere!3

+hen the ol! men of the village hear! the orhan-s story they were very silent3 It was a strange thing

for a la! to !ane in a teee where there was mo"rning3 It was stranger that a mother sho"l! la"gh in a

teee #efore the orse of her !ea! !a"ghter3 &he ol! men gathere! at last in a o"nil3 &hey sat a longtime witho"t saying anything, for they !i! not want to !ei!e hastily3 &he ie was fille! an! asse!

many times3 At last an ol! man soke3

/+e have a har! 8"estion3 A mother has la"ghe! #efore the orse of her !a"ghter, an! many think she

has !one foolishly, #"t I think the woman !i! wisely3 &he la! was simle an! of no training, an! weannot e.et him to know how to !o as well as one with goo! home an! arents to teah him3 Besi!es,

he !i! the #est that he knew3 He !ane! to make the mother forget her grief, an! he trie! to honor theorse #y waving over it his han!s3/

/&he mother !i! right to la"gh, for when one !oes try to !o "s goo!, even if what he !oes a"ses "s!isomfort, we sho"l! always remem#er rather the motive than the !ee!3 An! #esi!es, the simleton-s

!aning save! the woman-s life, for she gave " her knife3 In this, too, she !i! well, for it is always

#etter to live for the living than to !ie for the !ea!3/

A L#TTLE BRAE AN T!E ME#C#NE WOMAN

A village of In!ians move! o"t of winter am an! ithe! their tents in a irle on high lan!


15/62

overlooking a lake3 A little way !own the !elivity was a grave3 (hoke herries ha! grown ", hi!ing

the grave from view3 B"t as the gro"n! ha! s"nk somewhat, the grave was marke! #y a slight hollow3

One of the villagers going o"t to h"nt took a short "t thro"gh the hoke herry #"shes3 As he "she!

them asi!e he saw the hollow grave, #"t tho"ght it was a washo"t ma!e #y the rains3 B"t as he essaye!to ste over it, to his great s"rrise he st"m#le! an! fell3 Ma!e "rio"s #y his misha, he !rew #ak an!

trie! again> #"t again he fell3 +hen he ame #ak to the village he tol! the ol! men what ha! haene!

to him3 &hey remem#ere! then that a long time #efore there ha! #een #"rie! there a me!iine womanor on;"rer3 $o"#tless it was her me!iine that ma!e him st"m#le3

&he story of the villager-s a!vent"re srea! thr" the am an! ma!e many "rio"s to see the grave3

Among others were si. little #oys who were, however, rather timi!, for they were in great awe of the

!ea! me!iine woman3 B"t they ha! a little laymate name! Brave, a mishievo"s little rog"e, whose

hair was always "nkemt an! tosse! a#o"t an! who was never 8"iet for a moment3

/)et "s ask Brave to go with "s,/ they sai!> an! they went in a #o!y to see him3

/All right,/ sai! Brave> /I will go with yo"3 B"t I have something to !o first3 Yo" go on aro"n! the hill

that way, an! I will hasten aro"n! this way, an! meet yo" a little later near the grave3/

So the si. little #oys went on as #i!!en "ntil they ame to a lae near the grave3 &here they halte!3/+here is Brave/ they aske!3

Now Brave, f"ll of mishief, ha! tho"ght to lay a ;est on his little frien!s3 As soon as they were wello"t of sight he ha! se! aro"n! the hill to the shore of the lake an! stiking his han!s in the m"! ha!

r"##e! it over his fae, lastere! it in his hair, an! soile! his han!s "ntil he looke! like a new risen

orse with the flesh rotting from his #ones3 He then went an! lay !own in the grave an! awaite! the

#oys3

+hen the si. little #oys ame they were more timi! than ever when they !i! not fin! Brave> #"t they

feare! to go #ak to the village witho"t seeing the grave, for fear the ol! men wo"l! all them owar!s3

So they slowly aroahe! the grave an! one of them timi!ly alle! o"t?

/*lease, gran!mother, we won-t !ist"r# yo"r grave3 +e only want to see where yo" lie3 $on-t #e angry3/

At one a thin 8"avering voie, like an ol! woman-s, alle! o"t?

/Han, han, tako;a, hehet"ya, hehet"ya@ Yes, yes, that-s right, that-s right3/

&he #oys were frightene! o"t of their senses, #elieving the ol! woman ha! ome to life3

/Oh, gran!mother,/ they gase!, /!on-t h"rt "s> lease !on-t, we-ll go3/

7"st then Brave raise! his m"!!y fae an! han!s " thr" the hoke herry #"shes3 +ith the oo6y m"!!riing from his feat"res he looke! like some very with ;"st raise! from the grave3 &he #oys

sreame! o"tright3 One fainte!3 &he rest ran yelling " the hill to the village, where eah #roke at one

for his mother-s teee3As all the tents in a $akota aming irle fae the enter, the #oys as they ame tearing into amwere in lain view from the teees3 Hearing the sreaming, every woman in am ran to her teee !oor

to see what ha! haene!3 7"st then little Brave, as #a!ly sare! as the rest, ame r"shing in after them,

his hair on en! an! overe! with m"! an! rying o"t, all forgetf"l of his aearane?

/It-s me, it-s me@/

&he women yele! an! #olte! in terror from the village3 Brave !ashe! into his mother-s teee, saring

her o"t of her wits3 $roing ots an! kettles, she t"m#le! o"t of the tent to r"n sreaming with the


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rest3 Nor wo"l! a single villager ome near oor little Brave "ntil he ha! gone !own to the lake an!

washe! himself3

T!E BO'N C!#LREN

&here one live! a wi!ow with two hil!ren 22 the el!er a !a"ghter an! the yo"nger a son3 &he wi!ow

went in mo"rning for her h"s#an! a long time3 She "t off her hair, let her !ress lie "nti!y on her #o!yan! ket her fae "nainte! an! "nwashe!3

&here live! in the same village a great hief3 He ha! one son ;"st ome ol! eno"gh to marry3 &he hief

ha! it known that he wishe! his son to take a wife, an! all of the yo"ng women in the village were

eager to marry the yo"ng man3 However, he was lease! with none of them3

Now the wi!ow tho"ght, /I am tire! of mo"rning for my h"s#an! an! aring for my hil!ren3 *erhasif I lay asi!e my mo"rning an! aint myself re!, the hief-s son may marry me3/

So she slie! away from her two hil!ren, stole !own to the river an! ma!e a #athing lae thr" the

ie3 +hen she ha! washe! away all signs of mo"rning she ainte! an! !eke! herself an! went to the

hief-s teee3 +hen his son saw her, he love! her, an! a feast was ma!e in honor of her we!!ing3

+hen the wi!ow-s !a"ghter fo"n! herself forsaken, she wet #itterly3 After a !ay or two she took her

little #rother in her arms an! went to the teee of an ol! woman who live! at one en! of the village3&he ol! woman-s t"m#le !own teee was of #ark an! her !ress an! lothing was of ol! smoke2!rie!

tent over3 B"t she was kin! to the two waifs an! took them in willingly3

&he little girl was eager to fin! her mother3 &he ol! woman sai! to her? /I s"set yo"r mother has

ainte! her fae re!3 $o not try to fin! her3 If the hief-s son marries her she will not want to #e

#"r!ene! with yo"3/

&he ol! woman was right3 &he girl went !own to the river, an! s"re eno"gh fo"n! a hole "t in the iean! a#o"t it lay the filth that the mother ha! washe! from her #o!y3 &he girl gathere! " the filth an!

went on3 By an! #y she ame to a seon! hole in the ie3 Here too was filth, #"t not so m"h as at the

revio"s lae3 At the thir! hole the ie was lean3

&he girl knew now that her mother ha! ainte! her fae re!3 She went at one to the hief-s teee,raise! the !oor fla an! went in3 &here sat her mother with the hief-s son at their we!!ing feast3

&he girl walke! " to her mother an! h"rle! the filth in her mother-s fae3

/&here,/ she rie!, /yo" who forsake yo"r helless hil!ren an! forget yo"r h"s#an!, take that@/

An! at one her mother #eame a hi!eo"s ol! woman3

&he girl then went #ak to the lo!ge of the ol! woman, leaving the am in an "roar3 &he hief soon

sent some yo"ng warriors to sei6e the girl an! her #rother, an! they were #ro"ght to his tent3 He was

f"rio"s with anger3

/)et the hil!ren #e #o"n! with lariats wrae! a#o"t their #o!ies an! let them #e left to starve3 O"r

am will move on,/ he sai!3 &he hief-s son !i! not "t away his wife, hoing she might #e "re! in

some way an! grow yo"ng again3

'very#o!y in am now got rea!y to move> #"t the ol! woman ame lose to the girl an! sai!?

/In my ol! teee I have !"g a hole an! #"rie! a ot with "nk an! steel an! flint an! aks of !rie!meat3 &hey will tie yo" " like a orse3 B"t #efore we go I will ome with a knife an! reten! to sta#

yo", #"t I will really "t the roe that #in!s yo" so that yo" an "nwin! it from yo"r #o!y as soon as

the am is o"t of sight an! hearing3/


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An! so, #efore the am starte!, the ol! woman ame to the lae where the two hil!ren were #o"n!3

She ha! in her han! a knife #o"n! to the en! of a stik whih she "se! as a lane3 She stoo! over the

hil!ren an! rie! alo"!?

/Yo" wike! girl, who have shame! yo"r own mother, yo" !eserve all the "nishment that is givenyo"3 B"t after all I !o not want to let yo" lie an! starve3 %ar #etter kill yo" at one an! have !one with

it@/ an! with her stik she sta##e! many times, as if to kill, #"t she was really "tting the roe3

&he am move! on> #"t the hil!ren lay on the gro"n! "ntil noon the ne.t !ay3 &hen they #egan to

s8"irm a#o"t3 Soon the girl was free, an! she then set loose her little #rother3 &hey went at one to theol! woman-s h"t where they fo"n! the flint an! steel an! the aks of !rie! meat3

&he girl ma!e her #rother a #ow an! arrows an! with these he kille! #ir!s an! other small game3

&he #oy grew " a great h"nter3 &hey #eame rih3 &hey #"ilt three great teees, in one of whih were

store! rows "on rows of arflehe #ags of !rie! meat3

One !ay as the #rother went o"t to h"nt, he met a han!some yo"ng stranger who greete! him an! sai!

to him?

/I know yo" are a goo! h"nter, for I have #een wathing yo"> yo"r sister, too, is in!"strio"s3 )et me

have her for a wife3 &hen yo" an! I will #e #rothers an! h"nt together3/

&he girl-s #rother went home an! tol! her what the yo"ng stranger ha! sai!3

/Brother, I !o not are to marry,/ she answere!3 /I am now hay with yo"3/

/B"t yo" will #e yet haier marrie!,/ he answere!, /an! the yo"ng stranger is of no mean family, as

one an see #y his !ress an! manners3/

/ery well, I will !o as yo" wish,/ she sai!3 So the stranger ame into the teee an! was the girl-sh"s#an!3

One !ay as they were in their tent, a row flew overhea!, alling o"t lo"!ly,

/Daw, Daw,&hey who forsook the hil!ren have no meat3/

&he girl an! her h"s#an! an! #rother looke! " at one another3

/+hat an it mean/ they aske!3 /)et "s sen! for Unktomi 0the si!er13 He is a goo! ;"!ge an! he willknow3/

/An! I will get rea!y a goo! !inner for him, for Unktomi is always h"ngry,/ a!!e! the yo"ng wife3

+hen Unktomi ame, his yellow mo"th oene! with !elight at the fine feast srea! for him3 After he

ha! eaten he was tol! what the row ha! sai!3

/&he row means,/ sai! Unktomi, /that the villagers an! hief who #o"n! an! !eserte! yo" are in sa!

light3 &hey have har!ly anything to eat an! are starving3/

+hen the girl hear! this she ma!e a #"n!le of hoiest meat an! alle! the row3

/&ake this to the starving villagers,/ she #a!e him3

He took the #"n!le in his #eak, flew away to the starving village an! !roe! the #"n!le #efore the

hief-s teee3 &he hief ame o"t an! the row alle! lo"!ly?

/Daw, Daw@

&he hil!ren who were forsaken have m"h meat> those who forsook them have none3/


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/+hat an he mean,/ rie! the astonishe! villagers3

/)et "s sen! for Unktomi,/ sai! one, /he is a great ;"!ge> he will tell "s3/

&hey !ivi!e! the #"n!le of meat among the starving eole, saving the #iggest iee for Unktomi3

+hen Unktomi ha! ome an! eaten, the villagers tol! him of the row an! aske! what the #ir!-s wor!s

meant3

/He means,/ sai! Unktomi, /that the two hil!ren whom yo" forsook have teees f"ll of !rie! meateno"gh for all the village3/

&he villagers were fille! with astonishment at this news3 &o fin! whether or not it was tr"e, the hief

alle! seven yo"ng men an! sent them o"t to see3 &hey ame to the three teees an! there met the girl-s

#rother an! h"s#an! ;"st going o"t to h"nt 0whih they !i! now only for sort13

&he girl-s #rother invite! the seven yo"ng men into the thir! or sare! lo!ge, an! after they ha! smoke!a ie an! knoke! o"t the ashes on a #"ffalo #one the #rother gave them meat to eat, whih the seven

!evo"re! gree!ily3 &he ne.t !ay he loa!e! all seven with aks of meat, saying?

/&ake this meat to the villagers an! lea! them hither3/

+hile they awaite! the ret"rn of the yo"ng men with the villagers, the girl ma!e two #"n!les of meat,one of the #est an! hoiest iees, an! the other of liver, very !ry an! har! to eat3 After a few !ays theam arrive!3 &he yo"ng woman-s mother oene! the !oor an! ran in rying? /Oh, my !ear !a"ghter,

how gla! I am to see yo"3/ B"t the !a"ghter reeive! her ol!ly an! gave her the #"n!le of !rie!

*age


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:n!3 If the rows on the ears of orn are irreg"lar an! #roken, the lanter is onsi!ere! areless an!

"ntho"ghtf"l3 Also !isor!erly an! slovenly a#o"t her ho"se an! erson3

Er!3 +hen an ear of orn #ears a few sattering kernels with saes ro!"ing no orn, it is sai! that is

a goo! sign that the lanter will live to a rie ol! age3 So ol! will they #e that like the orn, their teethwill #e few an! far #etween3

9th3 +hen a stalk #ears a great many n"##ins, or small ears growing aro"n! the large one, it is a sign

that the lanter is from a large an! reseta#le family3

After the orn is gathere!, it is #oile! into sweet orn an! ma!e into hominy> arhe! an! mi.e! with

#"ffalo tallow an! rolle! into ro"n! #alls, an! "se! at feasts, or arrie! #y the warriors on the warathas foo!3

+hen there has #een a goo! ro of orn, an ear is always tie! at the to of the me!iine ole, of the

s"n !ane, in thanks to the Great Sirit for his goo!ness to them in sen!ing a #o"ntif"l ro3

STOR& OF T!E RABB#TS

&he Ra##it nation were very m"h !eresse! in sirits on ao"nt of #eing r"n over #y all othernations3 &hey, #eing very o#e!ient to their hief, o#eye! all his or!ers to the letter3 One of his or!ers

was, that "on the aroah of any other nation that they sho"l! follow the e.amle of their hief an!r"n " among the roks an! !own into their #"rrows, an! not show themselves "ntil the strangers ha!

asse!3

&his they always !i!3 'ven the hir of a little riket wo"l! sen! them all samering to their !ens3

One !ay they hel! a great o"nil, an! after talking over everything for some time, finally left it to their

me!iine man to !ei!e3 &he me!iine man arose an! sai!?

/My frien!s, we are of no "se on this earth3 &here isn-t a nation on earth that fears "s, an! we are so

timi! that we annot !efen! o"rselves, so the #est thing for "s to !o is to ri! the earth of o"r nation, #yall going over to the #ig lake an! !rowning o"rselves3/

&his they !ei!e! to !o> so going to the lake they were a#o"t to ;"m in, when they hear! a slashingin the water3 )ooking, they saw a lot of frogs ;"ming into the lake3

/+e will not !rown o"rselves,/ sai! the me!iine man, /we have fo"n! a nation who are afrai! of "s3 It

is the frog nation3/ Ha! it not #een for the frogs we wo"l! have ha! no ra##its, as the whole nationwo"l! have !rowne! themselves an! the ra##it rae wo"l! have #een e.tint3

!OW T!E RABB#T LOST !#S TA#L

One "on a time there were two #rothers, one a great Genie an! the other a ra##it3 )ike all genie, the

ol!er o"l! hange himself into any kin! of an animal, #ir!, fish, lo"!, th"n!er an! lightning, or in

fat anything that he !esire!3

&he yo"nger #rother 0the ra##it1 was very mishievo"s an! was ontin"ally getting into all kin!s of

tro"#le3 His ol!er #rother was ket #"sy getting Ra##it o"t of all kin!s of sraes3

+hen Ra##it ha! attaine! his f"ll growth he wante! to travel aro"n! an! see something of the worl!3

+hen he tol! his #rother what he inten!e! to !o, the #rother sai!? /Now, Ra##it, yo" are +itkotko0mishievo"s, so #e very aref"l, an! kee o"t of tro"#le as m"h as ossi#le3 In ase yo" get into any

serio"s tro"#le, an! an-t get o"t #y yo"rself, ;"st all on me for assistane, an! no matter where yo"

are, I will ome to yo"3/

Ra##it starte! o"t an! the first !ay he ame to a very high ho"se, o"tsi!e of whih stoo! a very highine tree3 So high was the tree that Ra##it o"l! har!ly see the to3 O"tsi!e the !oor, on an enormo"s


20/62

stool, sat a very large giant fast aslee3 Ra##it 0having his #ow an! arrows with him1 str"ng " his #ow,

an!, taking an arrow from his 8"iver, sai!?

/I want to see how #ig this man is, so I g"ess I will wake him "3/ So saying he move! over to one si!e

an! took goo! aim, an! shot the giant "on the nose3 &his st"ng like fire an! awoke the giant, who;"me! ", rying? /+ho ha! the a"!aity to shoot me on the nose/ /I !i!,/ sai! Ra##it3

&he giant, hearing a voie, looke! all aro"n!, #"t saw nothing, "ntil he looke! !own at the orner of

the ho"se, an! there sat a ra##it3

/I ha! hio"ghs this morning an! tho"ght that I was going to have a goo! #ig meal, an! here is

nothing #"t a toothf"l3/

/I g"ess yo" won-t make a toothf"l of me,/ sai! Ra##it, /I am as strong as yo", tho"gh I am little3/ /+ewill see,/ sai! the giant3 He went into the ho"se an! ame o"t, #ringing a hammer that weighe! many

tons3

/Now, Mr3 Ra##it, we will see who an throw this hammer over the to of that tree3/ /Get something

har!er to !o,/ sai! Ra##it3

/+ell, we will try this first,/ sai! the giant3 +ith that he grase! the hammer in #oth han!s, sw"ng it

three times aro"n! his hea! an! sent it sinning thr" the air3 U, ", it went, skimming the to of thetree, an! ame !own, shaking the gro"n! an! #"rying itself !ee into the earth3

/Now,/ sai! the giant, /if yo" !on-t aomlish this same feat, I am going to swallow yo" at onemo"thf"l3/ Ra##it sai!, /I always sing to my #rother #efore I attemt things like this3/ So he

ommene! singing an! alling his #rother3 /(inye@ (inye@/ 0#rother, #rother1 he sang3 &he giant grew

nervo"s, an! sai!? /Boy, why !o yo" all yo"r #rother/

*ointing to a small #lak lo"! that was aroahing very swiftly, Ra##it sai!? /&hat is my #rother> #ean !estroy yo", yo"r ho"se, an! ine tree in one #reath3/

/Sto him an! yo" an go free,/ sai! the giant3 Ra##it wave! his aws an! the lo"! !isaeare!3

%rom this lae Ra##it ontin"e! on his tri towar!s the west3 &he ne.t !ay, while assing thr" a !eeforest, he tho"ght he hear! some one moaning, as tho"gh in ain3 He stoe! an! listene!> soon the

win! #lew an! the moaning grew lo"!er3 %ollowing the !iretion from whene ame the so"n!, he soon!isovere! a man strie! of his lothing, an! a"ght #etween two lim#s of a tall elm tree3 +hen the

win! #lew the lim#s wo"l! r"# together an! s8"ee6e the man, who wo"l! give forth the mo"rnf"l

groans3

/My, yo" have a fine lae " there3 )et "s hange3 Yo" an ome !own an! I will take yo"r lae3/0Now this man ha! #een lae! " there for "nishment, #y Ra##it-s #rother, an! he o"l! not get

!own "nless some one ame along an! roose! to take his lae on the tree13 /ery well,/ sai! the

man3 /&ake off yo"r lothes an! ome "3 I will fasten yo" in the lim#s an! yo" an have all the f"nyo" want3/

Ra##it !isro#e! an! lim#e! "3 &he man lae! him #etween the lim#s an! sli! !own the tree3 He

h"rrie!ly got into Ra##it-s lothes, an! ;"st as he ha! omlete! his toilet, the win! #lew very har!3

Ra##it was nearly ra6y with ain, an! sreame! an! rie!3 &hen he #egan to ry /(inye, (inye/

0#rother, #rother13 /(all yo"r #rother as m"h as yo" like, he an never fin! me3/ So saying the man!isaeare! in the forest3

Sarely ha! he !isaeare!, when the #rother arrive!, an! seeing Ra##it in the tree, sai!? /+hih way

!i! he go/ Ra##it ointe! the !iretion taken #y the man3 &he #rother flew over the to of the trees,

soon fo"n! the man an! #ro"ght him #ak, making him take his ol! lae #etween the lim#s, an!


21/62

a"sing a heavy win! to #low an! ontin"e all afternoon an! night, for "nishment to the man for

having lae! his #rother " there3

After Ra##it got his lothes #ak on, his #rother gave him a goo! sol!ing, an! wo"n! " #y saying? /I

want yo" to #e more aref"l in the f"t"re3 I have lenty of work to kee me as #"sy as I want to #e, an!I an-t #e stoing every little while to #e making tris to get yo" o"t of some foolish srae3 It was

only yester!ay that I ame five h"n!re! miles to hel yo" from the giant, an! to!ay I have ha! to ome

a tho"san! miles, so #e more aref"l from this on3/

Several !ays after this the Ra##it was traveling along the #anks of a small river, when he ame to asmall learing in the woo!s, an! in the enter of the learing stoo! a nie little log h"t3 Ra##it was

won!ering who o"l! #e living here when the !oor slowly oene! an! an ol! man aeare! in the

!oorway, #earing a trie water ail in his right han!3 In his left han! he hel! a string whih was

fastene! to the insi!e of the ho"se3 He ket hol! of the string an! ame slowly !own to the river3 +henhe got to the water he stooe! !own an! !ie! the ail into it an! ret"rne! to the ho"se, still hol!ing

the string for g"i!ane3

Soon he reaeare! hol!ing on to another string, an!, following this one, went to a large ile of woo!

an! ret"rne! to the ho"se with it3 Ra##it wante! to see if the ol! man wo"l! ome o"t again, #"t he

ame o"t no more3 Seeing smoke asen!ing from the m"! himney, he tho"ght he wo"l! go over an!see what the ol! man was !oing3 He knoke! at the !oor, an! a weak voie #a!e him enter3 He notie!

that the ol! man was ooking !inner3

/Hello &"nkasina 0gran!father1, yo" m"st have a nie time, living here alone3 I see that yo" haveeverything han!y3 Yo" an get woo! an! water, an! that is all yo" have to !o3 How !o yo" get yo"r

rovisions/

/&he wolves #ring my meat, the mie my rie an! gro"n! #eans, an! the #ir!s #ring me the herry

leaves for my tea3 Yet it is a har! life, as I am all alone most of the time an! have no one to talk to, an!#esi!es, I am #lin!3/

/Say, gran!father,/ sai! Ra##it, /let "s hange laes3 I think I wo"l! like to live here3/

/If we e.hange lothes,/ sai! the other, /yo" will #eome ol! an! #lin!, while I will ass"me yo"r

yo"th an! goo! looks3/ 0Now, this ol! man was lae! here for "nishment #y Ra##it-s #rother3 He ha!kille! his wife, so the genie ma!e him ol! an! #lin!, an! he wo"l! remain so "ntil some one ame who

wo"l! e.hange laes with him13

/I !on-t are for yo"th an! goo! looks,/ sai! Ra##it, /let "s make the hange3/

&hey hange! lothes, an! Ra##it #eame ol! an! #lin!, whilst the ol! man #eame yo"ng an!

han!some3

/+ell, I m"st go,/ sai! the man3 He went o"t an! "tting the strings lose to the !oor, ran off la"ghing3/Yo" will get eno"gh of yo"r living alone, yo" ra6y #oy,/ an! saying this he ran into the woo!s3

Ra##it tho"ght he wo"l! like to get some fresh water an! try the string aths so that he wo"l! geta"stome! to it3 He #"me! aro"n! the room an! finally fo"n! the trie water #"ket3 He took hol! of

the string an! starte! o"t3 +hen he ha! gotten a short !istane from the !oor he ame to the en! of thestring so s"!!enly, that he lost the en! whih he ha! in his han!, an! he wan!ere! a#o"t, #"ming

against the trees, an! tangling himself " in l"m #"shes an! thorns, srathing his fae an! han!s so

#a!ly that the #loo! ran from them3 &hen it was that he ommene! again to ry, /(inye@ (inye@/0#rother, #rother13 Soon his #rother arrive!, an! aske! whih way the ol! man ha! gone3

/I !on-t know,/ sai! Ra##it, /I o"l!n-t see whih ath he took, as I was #lin!3/


22/62

&he genie alle! the #ir!s, an! they ame flying from every !iretion3 As fast as they arrive! the

#rother aske! them if they ha! seen the man whom he ha! lae! here for "nishment, #"t none ha!

seen him3 &he owl ame last, an! when aske! if he ha! seen the man, he sai! /hoo2hoo3/ /&he man

who live! here,/ sai! the #rother3 /)ast night I was h"nting mie in the woo!s so"th of here an! I saw aman sleeing #eneath a l"m tree3 I tho"ght it was yo"r #rother, Ra##it, so I !i!n-t awaken him,/ sai!

the owl3

/Goo! for yo", owl,/ sai! the #rother, /for this goo! news, yo" shall hereafter roam aro"n! only atnight, an! I will fi. yo"r eyes, so the !arker the night the #etter yo" will #e a#le to see3 Yo" will alwayshave the fine ool nights to h"nt yo"r foo!3 Yo" other #ir!s an h"nt yo"r foo! !"ring the hot

!aylight3/ 0Sine then the owl has #een the night #ir!13

&he #rother flew to the woo!s an! #ro"ght the man #ak an! "t the strings short, an! sai! to him?

/Now yo" an get a taste of what yo" gave my #rother3/

&o Ra##it he sai!? /I o"ght not to have hele! yo" this time3 Any one who is so ra6y as to hange

laes with a #lin! man sho"l! #e left witho"t hel, so #e aref"l, as I am getting tire! of yo"r

foolishness, an! will not hel yo" again if yo" !o anything as foolish as yo" !i! this time3/

Ra##it starte! to ret"rn to his home3 +hen he ha! nearly omlete! his ;o"rney he ame to a little

reek, an! #eing thirsty took a goo! long !rink3 +hile he was !rinking he hear! a noise as tho"gh awolf or at was srathing the earth3 )ooking " to a hill whih overh"ng the reek, he saw fo"r

wolves, with their tails intertwine!, "lling with all their might3 As Ra##it ame " to them one "lle!

loose, an! Ra##it saw that his tail was #roken3

/)et me "ll tails with yo"3 My tail is long an! strong,/ sai! Ra##it, an! the wolves assenting, Ra##it

interloke! his long tail with those of the three wolves an! ommene! "lling an! the wolves "lle!

so har! that they "lle! Ra##it-s tail off at the seon! ;oint3 &he wolves !isaeare!3

/(inye@ (inye@ 0Brother, #rother31 I have lost my tail,/ rie! Ra##it3 &he genie ame an! seeing his#rother Ra##it-s tail missing, sai!? /Yo" look #etter witho"t a tail anyway3/

%rom that time on ra##its have ha! no tails3

'N%TOM# AN T!E ARROW!EAS

&here were one "on a time two yo"ng men who were very great frien!s, an! were onstantly

together3 One was a very tho"ghtf"l yo"ng man, the other very im"lsive, who never stoe! to think

#efore he ommitte! an at3

One !ay these two frien!s were walking along, telling eah other of their e.erienes in love making3

&hey asen!e! a high hill, an! on reahing the to, hear! a tiking noise as if small stones or e##les

were #eing str"k together3

)ooking aro"n! they !isovere! a large si!er sitting in the mi!st of a great many flint arrowhea!s3&he si!er was #"sily engage! making the flint roks into arrow hea!s3 &hey looke! at the si!er, #"t

he never move!, #"t ontin"e! hammering away on a iee of flint whih he ha! nearly omlete! intoanother arrowhea!3

/)et-s hit him,/ sai! the tho"ghtless one3 /No,/ sai! the other, /he is not harming any one> in fat, he is!oing a great goo!, as he is making the flint arrowhea!s whih we "se to oint o"r arrows3/

/Oh, yo" are afrai!,/ sai! the first yo"ng man3 /He an-t harm yo"3 ;"st wath me hit him3/ So saying,

he ike! " an arrowhea! an! throwing it at /Unktomi,/ hit him on the si!e3 As Unktomi rolle! over

on his si!e, got " an! stoo! looking at them, the yo"ng man la"ghe! an! sai!? /+ell, let "s #e going,as yo"r gran!father, /Unktomi,/ !oesn-t seem to like o"r omany3/ &hey starte! !own the hill, when


23/62

s"!!enly the one who ha! hit Unktomi took a severe fit of o"ghing3 He o"ghe! an! o"ghe!, an!

finally small artiles of #loo! ame from his mo"th3 &he #loo! ket oming thiker an! in great

g"shes3 %inally it ame so thik an! fast that the man o"l! not get his #reath an! fell "on the gro"n!

!ea!3

&he tho"ghtf"l yo"ng man, seeing that his frien! was no more, h"rrie! to the village an! reorte! what

ha! haene!3 &he relatives an! frien!s h"rrie! to the hill, an! s"re eno"gh, there lay the tho"ghtless

yo"ng man still an! ol! in !eath3 &hey hel! a o"nil an! sent for the hief of the Unktomi tri#e3+hen he hear! what ha! haene!, he tol! the o"nil that he o"l! !o nothing to his Unktomi, as itha! only !efen!e! itself3

Sai! he? /My frien!s, seeing that yo"r tri#e was r"nning short of arrowhea!s, I set a great many of my

tri#e to work making flint arrowhea!s for yo"3 +hen my men are th"s engage! they !o not wish to #e

!ist"r#e!, an! yo"r yo"ng man not only !ist"r#e! my man, #"t grossly ins"lte! him #y striking himwith one of the arrowhea!s whih he ha! worke! so har! to make3 My man o"l! not sit an! take this

ins"lt, so as the yo"ng man walke! away the Unktomi shot him with a very tiny arrowhea!3 &his

ro!"e! a hemorrhage, whih a"se! his !eath3 So now, my frien!s, if yo" will fill an! ass the eaeie, we will art goo! frien!s an! my tri#e shall always f"rnish yo" with lenty of flint arrowhea!s3/

So saying, Unktomi &anka finishe! his eae smoke an! ret"rne! to his tri#e3

'ver after that, when the In!ians hear! a tiking in the grass, they wo"l! go o"t of their way to get

aro"n! the so"n!, saying, Unktomi is making arrowhea!s> we m"st not !ist"r# him3

&h"s it was that Unktomi &anka 0Big Si!er1 ha! the reset of this tri#e, an! was never after !ist"r#e!in his work of making arrowhea!s3

T!E BEAR AN T!E RABB#T !'NT B'FFALO

One "on a time there live! as neigh#ors, a #ear an! a ra##it3 &he ra##it was a goo! shot, an! the #ear

#eing very l"msy o"l! not "se the arrow to goo! a!vantage3 &he #ear was very "nkin! to the ra##it3'very morning, the #ear wo"l! all over to the ra##it an! say? /&ake yo"r #ow an! arrows an! ome

with me to the other si!e of the hill3 A large her! of #"ffalo are gra6ing there, an! I want yo" to shoot

some of them for me, as my hil!ren are rying for meat3/

&he ra##it, fearing to aro"se the #ear-s anger #y ref"sing, onsente!, an! went with the #ear, an! shoteno"gh #"ffalo to satisfy the h"ngry family3 In!ee!, he shot an! kille! so many that there was lots of

meat left after the #ear an! his family ha! loa!e! themselves, an! ake! all they o"l! arry home3

&he #ear #eing very gl"ttono"s, an! not wanting the ra##it to get any of the meat, sai!? /Ra##it, yo"

ome along home with "s an! we will ret"rn an! get the remain!er of the meat3/

&he oor ra##it o"l! not even taste the #loo! from the #"thering, as the #ear wo"l! throw earth on

the #loo! an! !ry it "3 *oor Ra##it wo"l! have to go home h"ngry after his har! !ay-s work3

&he #ear was the father of five hil!ren3 &he yo"ngest #oy was very kin! to the ra##it3 &he mother

#ear, knowing that her yo"ngest was a very hearty eater, always gave him an e.tra large iee of meat3

+hat the #a#y #ear !i! not eat, he wo"l! take o"tsi!e with him an! reten! to lay #all with it, kikingit towar! the ra##it-s ho"se, an! when he got lose to the !oor he wo"l! give the meat s"h a great

kik, that it wo"l! fly into the ra##it-s ho"se, an! in this way oor Ra##it wo"l! get his meal "nknown

to the aa #ear3

Ba#y #ear never forgot his frien! Ra##it3 *aa #ear often won!ere! why his #a#y wo"l! go o"tsi!e

after eah meal3 He grew s"siio"s an! aske! the #a#y where he ha! #een3 /Oh, I always lay #all

o"tsi!e, aro"n! the ho"se, an! when I get tire! laying I eat " my meat #all an! then ome in3/

&he #a#y #ear was too "nning to let aa #ear know that he was keeing his frien! ra##it from


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starving to !eath3 Nevertheless, aa #ear s"sete! #a#y an! sai!? /Ba#y, I think yo" go over to the

ra##it-s after every meal3/

&he fo"r ol!er #rothers were very han!some, #"t #a#y #ear was a little "ny fellow, whose oat

o"l!n-t kee o"t m"h ol!, as it was short an! shaggy, an! of a !irty #rown olor3 &he three ol!er#rothers were very "nkin! to #a#y #ear, #"t the fo"rth one always took #a#y-s art, an! was always

kin! to his #a#y #rother3

Ra##it was getting tire! of #eing or!ere! an! #"llie! aro"n! #y aa #ear3 He "66le! his #rain to

sheme some way of getting even with Mr3 Bear for a#"sing him so m"h3 He st"!ie! all night long,#"t no sheme worth trying resente! itself3 'arly one morning Mr3 Bear resente! himself at Ra##it-s

!oor3

/Say, Ra##it, my meat is all "se! ", an! there is a fine her! of #"ffalo gra6ing on the hillsi!e3 Get yo"r

#ow an! arrows an! ome with me3 I want yo" to shoot some of them for me3/

/ery well,/ sai! Ra##it, an! he went an! kille! si. #"ffalo for Bear3 Bear got #"sy #"thering an!oor Ra##it, thinking he wo"l! get a hane to lik " one mo"thf"l of #loo!, staye! very lose to the

#ear while he was "tting " the meat3 &he #ear was very wathf"l lest the ra##it get something to eat3

$esite #ear-s wathf"lness, a small lot of #loo! rolle! ast an! #ehin! the #ear-s feet3 At one Ra##it

sei6e! the lot an! hi! it in his #osom3 By the time Ra##it got home, the #loo! lot was har!ene! fromthe warmth of his #o!y, so, #eing h"ngry, it "t Mr3 Ra##it o"t of sorts to think that after all his tro"#le

he o"l! not eat the #loo!3

ery #a!ly !isaointe!, he lay !own on his floor an! ga6e! " into the himney hole3 $isg"ste! withthe way things ha! t"rne! o"t, he gra##e! " the #loo! lot an! threw it " thro"gh the hole3 Sarely

ha! it hit the gro"n! when he hear! the voie of a #a#y rying, /Ate@ Ate@/ 0father, father13 He went

o"tsi!e an! there he fo"n! a #ig #a#y #oy3 He took the #a#y into his ho"se an! threw him o"t thro"gh

the hole again3 &his time the #oy was large eno"gh to say /Ate, Ate, he2"n2sin2lo3/ 0%ather, father,!on-t !o that13 B"t nevertheless, he threw him " an! o"t again3 On going o"t the thir! time, there stoo!

a han!some yo"th smiling at him3 Ra##it at one a!ote! the yo"th an! took him into his ho"se,

seating him in the seat of honor 0whih is !iretly oosite the entrane1, an! saying? /My son, I wantyo" to #e a goo!, honest, straightforwar! man3 Now, I have in my ossession a fine o"tfit, an! yo", my

son, shall wear it3/

S"iting his ation to his wor!s, he !rew o"t a #ag from a hollow tree an! on oening it, !rew o"t a fine

#"kskin shirt 0tanne! white as snow1, worke! with or"ine 8"ills3 Also a air of re! leggingsworke! with #ea!s3 Moasins worke! with olore! hair3 A fine otter skin ro#e3 +hite weasel skins to

intertwine with his #ea"tif"l long #lak loks3 A magnifient enter eagle feather3 A rawhi!e overe!

#ow, aomanie! #y a 8"iver f"ll of flint arrowhea!s3

&he ra##it, having !resse! his son in all the latest finery, sat #ak an! ga6e! long an! lovingly at hishan!some son3 Instintively Ra##it felt that his son ha! #een sent him for the "rose of #eing

instr"mental in the !ownfall of Mr3 Bear3 'vents will show3

&he morning following the arrival of Ra##it-s son, Mr3 Bear again resents himself at the !oor, rying

o"t? /Yo" la6y, "gly ra##it, get " an! ome o"t here3 I want yo" to shoot some more #"ffalo for me3/

/+ho is this, who seaks so ins"ltingly to yo", father/ aske! the son3

/It is a #ear who lives near here, an! makes me kill #"ffalo for his family, an! he won-t let me take even

one little !ro of #loo! from the killing, an! onse8"ently, my son, I have nothing in my ho"se for yo"

to eat3/

&he yo"ng man was an.io"s to meet Mr3 Bear #"t Ra##it a!vise! him to wait a little "ntil he an! Bear


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/I !on-t nee! any weaons3 I am going to #ring #ak some of the enemies- horses, an! I !on-t nee! a

g"n for that3/

'arly the ne.t morning 0regar!less of the ol! o"le-s lea!ings not to go "narme!1 the yo"ng man left

the village an! hea!e! northwest, the !iretion always taken #y the war arties3

%or ten !ays he travele! witho"t seeing any signs of a am3 &he evening of the tenth !ay, he reahe! avery high #"tte, thikly woo!e! at the s"mmit3 He asen!e! this #"tte, an! as he sat there #etween two

large #o"l!ers, wathing the #ea"tif"l rays of the setting s"n, he was s"!!enly startle! to hear the neigh

of a horse3 )ooking !own into the #ea"tif"l valley whih was threa!e! #y a #ea"tif"l reek fringe!with tim#er, he notie! lose to the #ase of the #"tte "on whih he sat, a large !rove of horses gra6ing

eaef"lly an! 8"ietly3 )ooking loser, he notie! at a little !istane from the main !rove, a horse with

a sa!!le on his #ak3 &his was the one that ha! neighe!, as the !rove !rifte! f"rther away from him3 He

was tie! #y a long lariat to a large sage #"sh3

+here o"l! the ri!er #e, he sai! to himself3 As if in answer to his 8"estion, there aeare! not more

than twenty aes from him a mi!!le age! man oming " thro"gh a !ee ravine3 &he man was

evi!ently in searh of some kin! of game, as he hel! his g"n in rea!iness for instant "se, an! ket his

eyes !irete! at every revie an! l"m of #"sh3 So intent was he on loating the game he was

trailing, that he never notie! the yo"ng man who sat like a stat"e not twenty aes away3 Slowly an!a"tio"sly the man aroahe!, an! when he ha! a!vane! to within a few aes of the yo"ng man he

stoe! an! t"rning aro"n!, stoo! looking !own into the valley3 &his was the only hane that o"r#rave yo"ng frien! ha!3 Being "narme!, he wo"l! stan! no show if the enemy ever got a glimse of

him3 Slowly an! noiselessly he !rew his h"nting knife 0whih his father ha! given him on his !eart"re

from home1 an! hol!ing it se"rely in his right han!, gathere! himself an! gave a lea whih lan!e!him "on the "ns"seting enemy-s sho"l!ers3 &he fore with whih he lan!e! on the enemy a"se!

him 0the enemy1 to lose his hol! on his g"n, an! it went rattling !own into the hasm, forty feet #elow3

$own they ame together, the yo"ng man on to3 No sooner ha! they str"k the gro"n! than the enemy

ha! o"t his knife, an! then ommene! a han! to han! !"el3 &he enemy, having more e.eriene, wasgetting the #est of o"r yo"ng frien!3 Alrea!y o"r yo"ng frien! ha! two "gly "ts, one aross his hest

an! the other thro"gh his forearm3

He was #eoming weak from the loss of #loo!, an! o"l! not stan! the killing ae m"h longer3

S"mmoning all his strength for one more trial to overome his antagonist, he r"she! him towar! thehasm, an! in his h"rry to get away from this fiere attak, the enemy stee! #ak one ste too far,

an! !own they #oth went into the hasm3 Interloke! in eah other-s arms, the yo"ng man !rove his

knife into the enemy-s si!e an! when they str"k the #ottom the enemy rela.e! his hol! an!straightene! o"t stiff an! !ea!3

Se"ring his sal an! g"n, the yo"ng man roee!e! !own to where the horse was tie! to the sage

#"sh, an! then gathering the !rove of horses roee!e! on his ret"rn to his own village3 Being

wo"n!e! severely he ha! to ri!e very slowly3 All the long ho"rs of the night he !rove the horses

towar!s his home village3

In the meantime, those at the enemies- am won!ere! at the long a#sene of the her!er who was

wathing their !rove of horses, an! finally seven yo"ng men went to searh for the missing her!er3 All

night long they searhe! the hillsi!es for the horses an! her!er, an! when it ha! grown light eno"gh inthe morning they saw #y the gro"n! where there ha! #een a fiere str"ggle3

%ollowing the traks in the san! an! leaves, they ame to the hasm where the om#atants ha! fallen

over, an! there, lying on his #ak staring " at them in !eath, was their her!er3 &hey hastene! to the

am an! tol! what they ha! fo"n!3 Imme!iately the warriors mo"nte! their war onies 0these onies


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are never t"rne! loose, #"t ket tie! lose to the teee of the owner1, an! striking the trail of the her!

!riven off #y o"r yo"ng frien!, they "rge! forth their onies an! were soon far from their am on the

trail of o"r yo"ng frien!3 All !ay long they travele! on his trail, an! ;"st as the s"n was sinking they

a"ght sight of him !riving the !rove ahea! over a high hill3 Again they "rge! forth their tire! onies3&he yo"ng man, looking #ak along the trail, saw some !ark o#;ets oming along, an!, athing a

fresh horse, !rove the rest ahea! at a great rate3 Again all night he !rove them, an! when !aylight ame

he looke! #ak 0from a high #"tte1 over his trail an! saw oming over a !istant raise, two horsemen3&hese two "n!o"#te!ly ro!e the #est onies, as he saw nothing of the others3 $riving the horses into a

thik #elt of tim#er, he oneale! himself lose to the trail ma!e #y the !rove of horses, an! lay in

am#"sh for the two !aring horsemen who ha! followe! him so far3 %inally they aeare! on the #"ttefrom where he ha! looke! #ak an! saw them following him3 %or a long time they sat there so"ring

the o"ntry #efore them in hoes that they might see some signs of their stolen horses3 Nothing o"l!

they see3 Ha! they #"t known, their horses were #"t a few h"n!re! yar!s from them, #"t the thiktim#er se"rely hi! them from view3 %inally one of them arose an! ointe! to the tim#er3 &hen leaving

his horse in harge of his frien!, he !esen!e! the #"tte an! followe! the trail of the !rove to where

they ha! entere! the tim#er3 )ittle !i! he think that he was stan!ing on the #rink of eternity3 &he yo"ng

man hi!ing not more than a h"n!re! yar!s from him o"l! have shot him there where he stoo!, #"twanting to lay fair, he stee! into sight3 +hen he !i!, the enemy took 8"ik aim an! fire!3 He was

too hasty3 Ha! he taken more aref"l aim he might have kille! o"r yo"ng frien!, #"t his #"llet whi66e!

harmlessly over the yo"ng man-s hea! an! #"rie! itself in a tree3 &he yo"ng man took goo! aim an!fire!3 &he enemy threw " #oth han!s an! fell forwar! on his fae3 &he other one on the hill, seeing his

frien! kille!, hastily mo"nte! his horse an! lea!ing his frien!-s horse, ma!e rai!ly off !own the #"tte

in the !iretion from whene he ha! ome3 +aiting for some time to #e s"re the one who was alive !i!not ome " an! take a shot at him, he finally a!vane! "on the fallen enemy an! se"ring his g"n,

amm"nition an! sal, went to his horse an! !rove the her! on thro"gh the woo!s an! rossing a long

flat rairie, asen!e! a long hain of hills an! sat looking #ak along his trail in searh of any of the

enemy who might ontin"e to follow him3

&h"s he sat "ntil the long sha!ows of the hills remin!e! him that it wo"l! soon #e s"nset, an! as he

m"st get some slee, he wante! to fin! some reek #en! where he o"l! !rive the #"nh of onies an!feel safe as to their not straying off !"ring the night3 He fo"n! a goo! lae for the her!, an! athing a

fresh horse, he ikete! him lose to where he was going to slee, an! wraing himself in his #lanket,was soon fast aslee3 So tire! an! sleey was he that a heavy rain whih ha! ome ", !"ring the night,

soake! him thro"gh an! thro"gh, #"t he never awakene! "ntil the s"n was high in the east3

He awoke an! going to the lae where he ha! left the her!, he was gla! to fin! them all there3 He

mo"nte! his horse an! starte! his her! homewar! again3 %or two !ays he !rove them, an! on theevening of the seon! !ay he ame in sight of the village3

&he ol!er warriors, hearing of the yo"ng man going on this tri alone an! "narme!, tol! the arents to

go in mo"rning for their son, as he wo"l! never ome #ak alive3 +hen the eole of the village saw

this large !rove of horses a!vaning towar!s them, they at first tho"ght it was a war arty of the enemy,an! so the hea! men alle! the yo"ng warriors together an! f"lly reare! for a great #attle3 &hey

a!vane! "on the s"ose! enemy3 +hen they got lose eno"gh to !isern a lone horseman !riving

this large her!, they s"rro"n!e! the horses an! lone warrior, an! #ro"ght him tri"mhantly into am3On arriving in the am 0or village1 the horses were o"nte! an! the n"m#er o"nte! " to one h"n!re!

an! ten hea!3

&he hief an! his riers 0or heral!s1 anno"ne! thro"gh the whole village that there wo"l! #e a great

war !ane given in honor of the )one +arrior3

&he whole village t"rne! o"t an! ha! a great war !ane that was ket " three !ays an! three nights3


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In the meantime, the h"nting arty, for this it was that Big 'agle ha! ;oine!, ma!e very goo! time in

"tting a goo! !istane #etween themselves an! the war arty3 All !ay they travele!, an! when evening

ame they asen!e! a high hill, looking !own into the valley on the other si!e3 &here strethe! for two

miles, along the #anks of a small stream, an immense am3 &he ol! man ma!e signs for Big 'agle toremain with the two women where he was, "ntil he o"l! go to the am an! reare them to reeive

an enemy into their village3

&he ol! man ro!e thro"gh the am an! !rew " at the largest teee in the village3 Soon Big 'agleo"l! see men gathering aro"n! the teee3 &he row! grew larger an! larger, "ntil the whole villageha! assem#le! at the large teee3 %inally they !iserse!, an! athing their horses, mo"nte! an!

a!vane! to the hill on whih Big 'agle an! the two women were waiting3 &hey forme! a irle aro"n!

them an! slowly they ret"rne! to the village, singing an! ri!ing in a irle aro"n! them3

+hen they arrive! at the village they a!vane! to the large teee, an! motione! Big 'agle to the seat ofhonor in the teee3 In the village was a man who "n!erstoo! an! soke the Sio". lang"age3 He was

sent for, an! thro"gh him the oath of allegiane to the (row tri#e was taken #y Big 'agle3 &his !one he

was resente! with the girl to wife, an! also with many sotte! onies3

Big 'agle live! with his wife among her eole for two years, an! !"ring this time he ;oine! in fo"r

!ifferent #attles #etween his own eole 0the Sio".1 an! the (row eole, to whom his wife #elonge!3In no #attle with his own eole wo"l! he arry any weaons, only a long willow o"2stik, with

whih he str"k the fallen Sio".3

At the e.iration of two years he onl"!e! to ay a visit to his own tri#e, an! his father2in2law, #einga hief of high stan!ing, at one ha! it heral!e! thro"gh the village that his son2in2law wo"l! visit his

own eole, an! for them to show their goo! will an! reset for him #y #ringing onies for his son2in2

law to take #ak to his eole3

Hearing this, the her!s were all !riven in an! all !ay long horses were #ro"ght to the tent of Big 'agle,an! when he was rea!y to start on his homewar! tri, twenty yo"ng men were elete! to aomany

him to within a safe !istane of his village3 &he twenty yo"ng men !rove the gift horses, amo"nting to

two h"n!re! an! twenty hea!, to within one !ay-s ;o"rney of the village of Big 'agle, an! fearing fortheir safety from his eole, Big 'agle sent them #ak to their own village3

On his arrival at his home village, they reeive! him as one ret"rne! from the !ea!, as they were s"re

he ha! #een kille! the night he ha! #een sent to reonnoiter the lone am3 &here was great feasting

an! !aning in honor of his ret"rn, an! the horses were !istri#"te! among the nee!y ones of the village3

Remaining at his home village for a year, he one !ay ma!e " his min! to ret"rn to his wife-s eole3 Agreat many fany ro#es, !resses, war #onnets, moasins, an! a great !rove of horses were given him,

an! his wife, an! he #a!e farewell to his eole for goo!, saying, /I will never ret"rn to yo" again, as I

have !ei!e! to live the remain!er of my !ays with my wife-s eole3/

On his arrival at the village of the (rows, he fo"n! his father2in2law at the oint of !eath3 A few !ays

later the ol! man !ie!, an! Big 'agle was aointe! to fill the vaany of hief ma!e #y the !eath ofhis father2in2law3

S"#se8"ently he took art in #attles against his own eole, an! in the thir! #attle was kille! on the

fiel!3 &en!erly the (row warriors #ore him #ak to their am, an! great was the mo"rning in the (rowvillage for the #rave man who always went into #attle "narme!, save only the willow wan! whih he

arrie!3

&h"s en!e! the areer of one of the #ravest of Sio". warriors who ever took the sal of an enemy, an!

who for the love of his !ea! wife, gave " home, arents, an! frien!s, to #e kille! on the fiel! of #attle


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#y his own tri#e3

T!E BO& AN T!E T'RTLES

A #oy went on a t"rtle h"nt, an! after following the !ifferent streams for ho"rs, finally ame to the

onl"sion that the only lae he wo"l! fin! any t"rtles wo"l! #e at the little lake, where the tri#e

always h"nte! them3

So, leaving the stream he ha! #een following, he "t aross o"ntry to the lake3 On !rawing near thelake he rawle! on his han!s an! knees in or!er not to #e seen #y

Myths and Legends of the Sioux.odt

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Transcript of Myths and Legends of the Sioux.odt