myths and legends of the sioux-第10章

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foolishness；　and　will　not　help　you　again　if　you　do　anything　as

foolish　as　you　did　this　time。〃



Rabbit　started　to　return　to　his　home。　　When　he　had　nearly　completed

his　journey　he　came　to　a　little　creek；　and　being　thirsty　took　a

good　long　drink。　　While　he　was　drinking　he　heard　a　noise　as　though

a　wolf　or　cat　was　scratching　the　earth。　　Looking　up　to　a　hill　which

overhung　the　creek；　he　saw　four　wolves；　with　their　tails

intertwined；　pulling　with　all　their　might。　　As　Rabbit　came　up　to

them　one　pulled　loose；　and　Rabbit　saw　that　his　tail　was　broken。



〃Let　me　pull　tails　with　you。　　My　tail　is　long　and　strong；〃　said

Rabbit；　and　the　wolves　assenting；　Rabbit　interlocked　his　long　tail

with　those　of　the　three　wolves　and　commenced　pulling　and　the　wolves

pulled　so　hard　that　they　pulled　Rabbit's　tail　off　at　the　second

joint。　　The　wolves　disappeared。



〃Cinye！　　Cinye！　　（Brother；　brother。）　　I　have　lost　my　tail；〃　cried

Rabbit。　　The　genie　came　and　seeing　his　brother　Rabbit's　tail

missing；　said：　〃You　look　better　without　a　tail　anyway。〃



From　that　time　on　rabbits　have　had　no　tails。













UNKTOMI　AND　THE　ARROWHEADS



There　were　once　upon　a　time　two　young　men　who　were　very　great

friends；　and　were　constantly　together。　　One　was　a　very　thoughtful

young　man；　the　other　very　impulsive；　who　never　stopped　to　think

before　he　committed　an　act。



One　day　these　two　friends　were　walking　along；　telling　each　other　of

their　experiences　in　love　making。　　They　ascended　a　high　hill；　and

on　reaching　the　top；　heard　a　ticking　noise　as　if　small　stones　or

pebbles　were　being　struck　together。



Looking　around　they　discovered　a　large　spider　sitting　in　the　midst

of　a　great　many　flint　arrowheads。　　The　spider　was　busily　engaged

making　the　flint　rocks　into　arrow　heads。　　They　looked　at　the

spider；　but　he　never　moved；　but　continued　hammering　away　on　a　piece

of　flint　which　he　had　nearly　completed　into　another　arrowhead。



〃Let's　hit　him；〃　said　the　thoughtless　one。　　〃No；〃　said　the　other；

〃he　is　not　harming　any　one；　in　fact；　he　is　doing　a　great　good；　as

he　is　making　the　flint　arrowheads　which　we　use　to　point　our

arrows。〃



〃Oh；　you　are　afraid；〃　said　the　first　young　man。　　〃He　can't　harm

you。　just　watch　me　hit　him。〃　　So　saying；　he　picked　up　an　arrowhead

and　throwing　it　at　〃Unktomi；〃　hit　him　on　the　side。　　As　Unktomi

rolled　over　on　his　side；　got　up　and　stood　looking　at　them；　the

young　man　laughed　and　said：　〃Well；　let　us　be　going；　as　your

grandfather；　〃Unktomi；〃　doesn't　seem　to　like　our　company。〃　　They

started　down　the　hill；　when　suddenly　the　one　who　had　hit　Unktomi

took　a　severe　fit　of　coughing。　　He　coughed　and　coughed；　and　finally

small　particles　of　blood　came　from　his　mouth。　　The　blood　kept

coming　thicker　and　in　great　gushes。　　Finally　it　came　so　thick　and

fast　that　the　man　could　not　get　his　breath　and　fell　upon　the　ground

dead。



The　thoughtful　young　man；　seeing　that　his　friend　was　no　more；

hurried　to　the　village　and　reported　what　had　happened。　　The

relatives　and　friends　hurried　to　the　hill；　and　sure　enough；　there

lay　the　thoughtless　young　man　still　and　cold　in　death。　　They　held

a　council　and　sent　for　the　chief　of　the　Unktomi　tribe。　　When　he

heard　what　had　happened；　he　told　the　council　that　he　could　do

nothing　to　his　Unktomi；　as　it　had　only　defended　itself。



Said　he：　〃My　friends；　seeing　that　your　tribe　was　running　short　of

arrowheads；　I　set　a　great　many　of　my　tribe　to　work　making　flint

arrowheads　for　you。　　When　my　men　are　thus　engaged　they　do　not　wish

to　be　disturbed；　and　your　young　man　not　only　disturbed　my　man；　but

grossly　insulted　him　by　striking　him　with　one　of　the　arrowheads

which　he　had　worked　so　hard　to　make。　　My　man　could　not　sit　and　take

this　insult；　so　as　the　young　man　walked　away　the　Unktomi　shot　him

with　a　very　tiny　arrowhead。　　This　produced　a　hemorrhage；　which

caused　his　death。　　So　now；　my　friends；　if　you　will　fill　and　pass

the　peace　pipe；　we　will　part　good　friends　and　my　tribe　shall　always

furnish　you　with　plenty　of　flint　arrowheads。〃　　So　saying；　Unktomi

Tanka　finished　his　peace　smoke　and　returned　to　his　tribe。



Ever　after　that；　when　the　Indians　heard　a　ticking　in　the　grass；

they　would　go　out　of　their　way　to　get　around　the　sound；　saying；

Unktomi　is　making　arrowheads；　we　must　not　disturb　him。



Thus　it　was　that　Unktomi　Tanka　（Big　Spider）　had　the　respect　of　this

tribe；　and　was　never　after　disturbed　in　his　work　of　making

arrowheads。











THE　BEAR　AND　THE　RABBIT　HUNT

BUFFALO



Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　as　neighbors；　a　bear　and　a　rabbit。　

The　rabbit　was　a　good　shot；　and　the　bear　being　very　clumsy　could

not　use　the　arrow　to　good　advantage。　　The　bear　was　very　unkind　to

the　rabbit。　　Every　morning；　the　bear　would　call　over　to　the　rabbit

and　say：　〃Take　your　bow　and　arrows　and　come　with　me　to　the　other

side　of　the　hill。　　A　large　herd　of　buffalo　are　grazing　there；　and

I　want　you　to　shoot　some　of　them　for　me；　as　my　children

are　crying　for　meat。〃



The　rabbit；　fearing　to　arouse　the　bear's　anger　by　refusing；

consented；　and　went　with　the　bear；　and　shot　enough　buffalo　to

satisfy　the　hungry　family。　　Indeed；　he　shot　and　killed　so　many　that

there　was　lots　of　meat　left　after　the　bear　and　his　family　had

loaded　themselves；　and　packed　all　they　could　carry　home。　　The　bear

being　very　gluttonous；　and　not　wanting　the　rabbit　to　get　any　of　the

meat；　said：　〃Rabbit；　you　come　along　home　with　us　and　we　will　return

and　get　the　remainder　of　the　meat。〃



The　poor　rabbit　could　not　even　taste　the　blood　from　the　butchering；

as　the　bear　would　throw　earth　on　the　blood　and　dry　it　up。　　Poor

Rabbit　would　have　to　go　home　hungry　after　his　hard　day's　work。



The　bear　was　the　father　of　five　children。　　The　youngest　boy　was

very　kind　to　the　rabbit。　　The　mother　bear；　knowing　that　her

youngest　was　a　very　hearty　eater；　always　gave　him　an　extra　large

piece　of　meat。　　What　the　baby　bear　did　not　eat；　he　would　take

outside　with　him　and　pretend　to　play　ball　with　it；　kicking　it

toward　the　rabbit's　house；　and　when　he　got　close　to　the　door　he

would　give　the　meat　such　a　great　kick；　that　it　would　fly　into　the

rabbit's　house；　and　in　this　way　poor　Rabbit　would　get　his　meal

unknown　to　the　papa　bear。



Baby　bear　never　forgot　his　friend　Rabbit。　　Papa　bear　often　wondered

why　his　baby　would　go　outside　after　each　meal。　　He　grew　suspicious

and　asked　the　baby　where　he　had　been。　　〃Oh；　I　always　play　ball

outside；　around　the　house；　and　when　I　get　tired　playing　I　eat　up　my

meat　ball　and　then　come　in。〃



The　baby　bear　was　too　cunning　to　let　papa　bear　know　that　he　was

keeping　his　friend　rabbit　from　starving　to　death。　　Nevertheless；

papa　bear　suspected　baby　and　said：　〃Baby；　I　think　you　go　over　to

the　rabbit's　after　every　meal。〃



The　four　older　brothers　were　very　handsome；　but　baby　bear　was　a

little　puny　fellow；　whose　coat　couldn't　keep　out　much　cold；　as　it

was　short　and　shaggy；　and　of　a　dirty　brown　color。　　The　three　older

brothers　were　very　unkind　to　baby　bear；　but　the　fourth　one　always

took　baby's　part；　and　was　always　kind　to　his　baby　brother。



Rabbit　was　getting　tired　of　being　ordered　and　bullied　around　by

papa　bear。　　He　puzzled　his　brain　to　scheme　some　way　of　getting　even

with　Mr。　Bear　for　abusing　him　so　much。　　He　studied　all　night　long；

but　no　scheme　worth　trying　presented　itself。　　Early　one　morning　Mr。

Bear　presented　himself　at　Rabbit's　door。



〃Say；　Rabbit；　my　meat　is　all　used　up；　and　there　is　a　fine　herd　of

buffalo　grazing　on　the　hillside。　　Get　your　bow　and　arrows　and　come

with　me。　　I　want　you　to　shoot　some　of　them　for　me。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Rabbit；　and　he　went　and　killed　six　buffalo　for

Bear。　　Bear　got　busy　butchering　and　poor　Rabbit；　thinking　he　would

get　a　chance　to　lick　up　one　mouthful　of　blood；　stayed　very　close　to

the　bear　while　he　was　cutting　up　the　meat。　　The　bear　was　very

watchful　lest　the　rabbit　get　something　to　eat。　　　Despite　bear's

watchfulness；　a　small　clot　of　blood　rolle