indian heroes & great chieftains-第11章

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the　tribal　customs。　　At　that　period　the　Sioux　prided　themselves　on

the　training　and　development　of　their　sons　and　daughters；　and　not

a　step　in　that　development　was　overlooked　as　an　excuse　to　bring　the

child　before　the　public　by　giving　a　feast　in　its　honor。　　At　such

times　the　parents　often　gave　so　generously　to　the　needy　that　they

almost　impoverished　themselves；　thus　setting　an　example　to　the

child　of　self…denial　for　the　general　good。　　His　first　step　alone；

the　first　word　spoken；　first　game　killed；　the　attainment　of　manhood

or　womanhood；　each　was　the　occasion　of　a　feast　and　dance　in　his

honor；　at　which　the　poor　always　benefited　to　the　full　extent　of　the

parents'　ability。



Big…heartedness；　generosity；　courage；　and　self…denial　are　the

qualifications　of　a　public　servant；　and　the　average　Indian　was　keen

to　follow　this　ideal。　　As　every　one　knows；　these　characteristic

traits　become　a　weakness　when　he　enters　a　life　founded　upon

commerce　and　gain。　　Under　such　conditions　the　life　of　Crazy　Horse

began。　　His　mother；　like　other　mothers；　tender　and　watchful　of　her

boy；　would　never　once　place　an　obstacle　in　the　way　of　his　father's

severe　physical　training。　　They　laid　the　spiritual　and　patriotic

foundations　of　his　education　in　such　a　way　that　he　early　became

conscious　of　the　demands　of　public　service。



He　was　perhaps　four　or　five　years　old　when　the　band　was　snowed

in　one　severe　winter。　　They　were　very　short　of　food；　but　his　father

was　a　tireless　hunter。　　The　buffalo；　their　main　dependence；　were

not　to　be　found；　but　he　was　out　in　the　storm　and　cold　every　day　and

finally　brought　in　two　antelopes。　　The　little　boy　got　on　his　pet

pony　and　rode　through　the　camp；　telling　the　old　folks　to　come　to

his　mother's　teepee　for　meat。　　It　turned　out　that　neither　his

father　nor　mother　had　authorized　him　to　do　this。　　Before　they　knew

it；　old　men　and　women　were　lined　up　before　the　teepee　home；　ready

to　receive　the　meat；　in　answer　to　his　invitation。　　As　a　result；　the

mother　had　to　distribute　nearly　all　of　it；　keeping　only　enough　for

two　meals。



On　the　following　day　the　child　asked　for　food。　　His　mother

told　him　that　the　old　folks　had　taken　it　all；　and　added：　〃Remember；

my　son；　they　went　home　singing　praises　in　your　name；　not　my　name　or

your　father's。　　You　must　be　brave。　　You　must　live　up　to　your

reputation。〃



Crazy　Horse　loved　horses；　and　his　father　gave　him　a　pony　of

his　own　when　he　was　very　young。　　He　became　a　fine　horseman　and

accompanied　his　father　on　buffalo　hunts；　holding　the　pack　horses

while　the　men　chased　the　buffalo　and　thus　gradually　learning　the

art。　　In　those　days　the　Sioux　had　but　few　guns；　and　the　hunting　was

mostly　done　with　bow　and　arrows。



Another　story　told　of　his　boyhood　is　that　when　he　was　about

twelve　he　went　to　look　for　the　ponies　with　his　little　brother；　whom

he　loved　much；　and　took　a　great　deal　of　pains　to　teach　what　he　had

already　learned。　　They　came　to　some　wild　cherry　trees　full　of　ripe

fruit；　and　while　they　were　enjoying　it；　the　brothers　were　startled

by　the　growl　and　sudden　rush　of　a　bear。　　Young　Crazy　Horse　pushed

his　brother　up　into　the　nearest　tree　and　himself　sprang　upon　the

back　of　one　of　the　horses；　which　was　frightened　and　ran　some

distance　before　he　could　control　him。　　As　soon　as　he　could；

however；　he　turned　him　about　and　came　back；　yelling　and　swinging

his　lariat　over　his　head。　　The　bear　at　first　showed　fight　but

finally　turned　and　ran。　　The　old　man　who　told　me　this　story　added

that　young　as　he　was；　he　had　some　power；　so　that　even　a　grizzly　did

not　care　to　tackle　him。　　I　believe　it　is　a　fact　that　a　silver…tip

will　dare　anything　except　a　bell　or　a　lasso　line；　so　that

accidentally　the　boy　had　hit　upon　the　very　thing　which　would　drive

him　off。



It　was　usual　for　Sioux　boys　of　his　day　to　wait　in　the　field

after　a　buffalo　hunt　until　sundown；　when　the　young　calves　would

come　out　in　the　open；　hungrily　seeking　their　mothers。　　Then　these

wild　children　would　enjoy　a　mimic　hunt；　and　lasso　the　calves　or

drive　them　into　camp。　　Crazy　Horse　was　found　to　be　a　determined

little　fellow；　and　it　was　settled　one　day　among　the　larger　boys

that　they　would　〃stump〃　him　to　ride　a　good…sized　bull　calf。　　He

rode　the　calf；　and　stayed　on　its　back　while　it　ran　bawling　over　the

hills；　followed　by　the　other　boys　on　their　ponies；　until　his

strange　mount　stood　trembling　and　exhausted。



At　the　age　of　sixteen　he　joined　a　war　party　against　the　Gros

Ventres。　　He　was　well　in　the　front　of　the　charge；　and　at　once

established　his　bravery　by　following　closely　one　of　the　foremost

Sioux　warriors；　by　the　name　of　Hump；　drawing　the　enemy's　fire　and

circling　around　their　advance　guard。　　Suddenly　Hump's　horse　was

shot　from　under　him；　and　there　was　a　rush　of　warriors　to　kill　or

capture　him　while　down。　　But　amidst　a　shower　of　arrows　the　youth

leaped　from　his　pony；　helped　his　friend　into　his　own　saddle；　sprang

up　behind　him；　and　carried　him　off　in　safety；　although　they　were

hotly　pursued　by　the　enemy。　　Thus　he　associated　himself　in　his

maiden　battle　with　the　wizard　of　Indian　warfare；　and　Hump；　who　was

then　at　the　height　of　his　own　career；　pronounced　Crazy　Horse　the

coming　warrior　of　the　Teton　Sioux。



At　this　period　of　his　life；　as　was　customary　with　the　best

young　men；　he　spent　much　time　in　prayer　and　solitude。　　Just　what

happened　in　these　days　of　his　fasting　in　the　wilderness　and　upon

the　crown　of　bald　buttes；　no　one　will　ever　know；　for　these　things

may　only　be　known　when　one　has　lived　through　the　battles　of　life　to

an　honored　old　age。　　He　was　much　sought　after　by　his　youthful

associates；　but　was　noticeably　reserved　and　modest；　yet　in　the

moment　of　danger　he　at　once　rose　above　them　all　　a　natural

leader！　　Crazy　Horse　was　a　typical　Sioux　brave；　and　from　the　point

of　view　of　our　race　an　ideal　hero；　living　at　the　height　of　the

epical　progress　of　the　American　Indian　and　maintaining　in　his　own

character　all　that　was　most　subtle　and　ennobling　of　their　spiritual

life；　and　that　has　since　been　lost　in　the　contact　with　a　material

civilization。



He　loved　Hump；　that　peerless　warrior；　and　the　two　became　close

friends；　in　spite　of　the　difference　in　age。　　Men　called　them　〃the

grizzly　and　his　cub。〃　　Again　and　again　the　pair　saved　the　day　for

the　Sioux　in　a　skirmish　with　some　neighboring　tribe。　　But　one　day


they　undertook　a　losing　battle　against　the　Snakes。　　The　Sioux　were

in　full　retreat　and　were　fast　being　overwhelmed　by　superior

numbers。　　The　old　warrior　fell　in　a　last　desperate　charge；　but

Crazy　Horse　and　his　younger　brother；　though　dismounted；　killed　two

of　the　enemy　and　thus　made　good　their　retreat。



It　was　observed　of　him　that　when　he　pursued　the　enemy　into

their　stronghold；　as　he　was　wont　to　do；　he　often　refrained　from

killing；　and　simply　struck　them　with　a　switch；　showing　that　he　did

not　fear　their　weapons　nor　care　to　waste　his　upon　them。　　In

attempting　this　very　feat；　he　lost　this　only　brother　of　his；　who

emulated　him　closely。　　A　party　of　young　warriors；　led　by　Crazy

Horse；　had　dashed　upon　a　frontier　post；　killed　one　of　the

sentinels；　stampeded　the　horses；　and　pursued　the　herder　to　the　very

gate　of　the　stockade；　thus　drawing　upon　themselves　the　fire　of　the

garrison。　　The　leader　escaped　without　a　scratch；　but　his　young

brother　was　brought　down　from　his　horse　and　killed。



While　he　was　still　under　twenty；　there　was　a　great　winter

buffalo　hunt；　and　he　came　back　with　ten　buffaloes'　tongues　which　he

sent　to　the　council　lodge　for　the　councilors'　feast。　　He　had　in　one

winter　day　killed　ten　buffalo　cows　with　his　bow　and　arrows；　and　the

unsuccessful　hunters　or　those　who　had　no　swift　ponies　were　made

happy　by　his　generosity。　　When　the　hunters　returned；　these　came

chanting　songs　of　thanks。　　He　knew　that　his　father　was　an　expert

hunter　and　had　a　good　horse；　so　he　took　no　meat　home；　putting　in

practice　the　spirit　of　his　early　teaching。



He　attained　his　majority　at　the　crisis　of　the　difficultie