myths and legends of the sioux-第11章

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

watchfulness；　a　small　clot　of　blood　rolled　past　and　behind　the

bear's　feet。　　At　once　Rabbit　seized　the　clot　and　hid　it　in　his

bosom。　　By　the　time　Rabbit　got　home；　the　blood　clot　was　hardened

from　the　warmth　of　his　body；　so；　being　hungry；　it　put　Mr。　Rabbit

out　of　sorts　to　think　that　after　all　his　trouble　he　could　not　eat

the　blood。



Very　badly　disappointed；　he　lay　down　on　his　floor　and　gazed　up　into

the　chimney　hole。　　Disgusted　with　the　way　things　had　turned　out；　he

grabbed　up　the　blood　clot　and　threw　it　up　through　the　hole。　

Scarcely　had　it　hit　the　ground　when　he　heard　the　voice　of　a　baby

crying；　〃Ate！　　Ate！〃　（father；　father）。　　He　went　outside　and　there

he　found　a　big　baby　boy。　　He　took　the　baby　into　his　house　and　threw

him　out　through　the　hole　again。　　This　time　the　boy　was　large　enough

to　say　〃Ate；　Ate；　he…cun…sin…lo。〃　　（Father；　father；　don't　do　that）。　

But　nevertheless；　he　threw　him　up　and　out　again。　　On　going　out　the

third　time；　there　stood　a　handsome　youth　smiling　at　him。　　Rabbit　at

once　adopted　the　youth　and　took　him　into　his　house；　seating　him　in

the　seat　of　honor　（which　is　directly　opposite　the　entrance）；　and

saying：　〃My　son；　I　want　you　to　be　a　good；　honest；　straightforward

man。　　Now；　I　have　in　my　possession　a　fine　outfit；　and　you；　my　son；

shall　wear　it。〃



Suiting　his　action　to　his　words；　he　drew　out　a　bag　from　a　hollow

tree　and　on　opening　it；　drew　out　a　fine　buckskin　shirt　（tanned

white　as　snow）；　worked　with　porcupine　quills。　　Also　a　pair　of　red

leggings　worked　with　beads。　　Moccasins　worked　with　colored　hair。　

A　fine　otter　skin　robe。　　White　weasel　skins　to　intertwine

with　his　beautiful　long　black　locks。　　A　magnificent　center　eagle

feather。　　A　rawhide　covered　bow；　accompanied　by　a　quiver　full　of

flint　arrowheads。



The　rabbit；　having　dressed　his　son　in　all　the　latest　finery；　sat

back　and　gazed　long　and　lovingly　at　his　handsome　son。　

Instinctively　Rabbit　felt　that　his　son　had　been　sent　him　for　the

purpose　of　being　instrumental　in　the　downfall　of　Mr。　Bear。　　Events

will　show。



The　morning　following　the　arrival　of　Rabbit's　son；　Mr。　Bear　again

presents　himself　at　the　door；　crying　out：　〃You　lazy；　ugly　rabbit；

get　up　and　come　out　here。　　I　want　you　to　shoot　some　more　buffalo

for　me。〃



〃Who　is　this；　who　speaks　so　insultingly　to　you；　father？〃　asked　the

son。



〃It　is　a　bear　who　lives　near　here；　and　makes　me　kill　buffalo　for

his　family；　and　he　won't　let　me　take　even　one　little　drop　of　blood

from　the　killing；　and　consequently；　my　son；　I　have　nothing　in　my

house　for　you　to　eat。〃



The　young　man　was　anxious　to　meet　Mr。　Bear　but　Rabbit　advised　him

to　wait　a　little　until　he　and　Bear　had　gone　to　the　hunt。　　So　the

son　obeyed；　and　when　he　thought　it　time　that　the　killing　was　done；

he　started　out　and　arrived　on　the　scene　just　as　Mr。　Bear　was　about

to　proceed　with　his　butchering。



Seeing　a　strange　shadow　on　the　ground　beside　him；　Mr。　Bear　looked

up　and　gazed　into　the　fearless　eyes　of　rabbit's　handsome　son。



〃Who　is　this？〃　asked　Mr。　Bear　of　poor　little　Rabbit。



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Rabbit。



〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　bear　of　Rabbit's　son。　　〃Where　did　you　come

from？〃



The　rabbit's　son　not　replying；　the　bear　spoke　thus　to　him：　〃Get　out

of　here；　and　get　out　quick；　too。〃



At　this　speech　the　rabbit's　son　became　angered；　and　fastened　an

arrow　to　his　bow　and　drove　the　arrow　through　the　bear's　heart。　

Then　he　turned　on　Mrs。　Bear　and　served　her　likewise。　　During　the

melee；　Rabbit　shouted：　〃My　son；　my　son；　don't　kill　the　two

youngest。　　The　baby　has　kept　me　from　starving　and　the　other　one　is

good　and　kind　to　his　baby　brother。〃



So　the　three　older　brothers　who　were　unkind　to　their　baby　brother

met　a　similar　fate　to　that　of　their　selfish　parents。



This　（the　story　goes）　is　the　reason　that　bears　travel　only　in

pairs。













THE　BRAVE　WHO　WENT　ON　THE　WARPATH

ALONE　AND　WON　THE　NAME　OF

THE　LONE　WARRIOR



There　was　once　a　young　man　whose　parents　were　not　overburdened　with

the　riches　of　this　world；　and　consequently　could　not　dress　their

only　son　in　as　rich　a　costume　as　the　other　young　men　of　the　tribe；

and　on　account　of　not　being　so　richly　clad　as　they；　he　was

looked　down　upon　and　shunned　by　them。　　He　was　never　invited　to　take

part　in　any　of　their　sports；　nor　was　he　ever　asked　to　join　any　of

the　war　parties。



In　the　village　lived　an　old　man　with　an　only　daughter。　　Like　the

other　family；　they　were　poor；　but　the　daughter　was　the　belle　of　the

tribe。　　She　was　the　most　sought　after　by　the　young　men　of　the

village；　and　warriors　from　tribes　far　distant　came　to　press　their

suit　at　winning　her　for　their　bride。　　All　to　no　purpose；　she　had

the　same　answer　for　them　as　she　had　for　the　young　men　of　the

village。



The　poor　young　man　was　also　very　handsome　despite　his　poor　clothes；

but　having　never　killed　an　enemy　nor　brought　home　any　enemies'

horses　he　was　not　（according　to　Indian　rules）　allowed　to　make　love

to　any　young　or　old　woman。　　He　tried　in　vain　to　join　some　of　the

war　parties；　that　he　might　get　the　chance　to　win　his　spurs　as　a

warrior。　　To　all　his　pleadings；　came　the　same　answer：　〃You　are　not

fit　to　join　a　war　party。　　You　have　no　horses；　and　if　you　should　get

killed　our　tribe　would　be　laughed　at　and　be　made　fun　of　as　you　have

such　poor　clothes；　and　we　don't　want　the　enemy　to　know　that　we　have

any　one　of　our　tribe　who　dresses　so　poorly　as　you　do。〃



Again；　and　again；　he　tried　different　parties；　only　to　be　made　fun

of　and　insulted。



One　night　he　sat　in　the　poor　tepee　of　his　parents。　　He　was　in　deep

study　and　had　nothing　to　say。　　His　father；　noticing　his　melancholy

mood；　asked　him　what　had　happened　to　cause　him　to　be　so　quiet；　as

he　was　always　of　a　jolly　disposition。　　The　son　answered　and　said：



〃Father；　I　am　going　on　the　warpath　alone。　　In　vain　I　have　tried　to

be　a　member　of　one　of　the　war　parties。　　To　all　of　my　pleadings　I

have　got　nothing　but　insults　in　return。〃



〃But　my　son；　you　have　no　gun　nor　ammunition。　　Where　can　you　get　any

and　how　can　you　get　it？　　We　have　nothing　to　buy　one　for　you　with；〃

said　the　father。



〃I　don't　need　any　weapons。　　I　am　going　to　bring　back　some　of　the

enemies'　horses；　and　I　don't　need　a　gun　for　that。〃



Early　the　next　morning　（regardless　of　the　old　couple's　pleadings

not　to　go　unarmed）　the　young　man　left　the　village　and　headed

northwest；　the　direction　always　taken　by　the　war　parties。



For　ten　days　he　traveled　without　seeing　any　signs　of　a　camp。　　The

evening　of　the　tenth　day；　he　reached　a　very　high　butte；　thickly

wooded　at　the　summit。　　He　ascended　this　butte；　and　as　he　sat　there

between　two　large　boulders；　watching　the　beautiful　rays　of　the

setting　sun；　he　was　suddenly　startled　to　hear　the　neigh　of　a　horse。　

Looking　down　into　the　beautiful　valley　which　was　threaded　by　a

beautiful　creek　fringed　with　timber；　he　noticed　close　to　the　base

of　the　butte　upon　which　he　sat；　a　large　drove　of　horses　grazing

peacefully　and　quietly。　　Looking　closer；　he　noticed　at　a　little

distance　from　the　main　drove；　a　horse　with　a　saddle　on　his　back。　

This　was　the　one　that　had　neighed；　as　the　drove　drifted　further

away　from　him。　　He　was　tied　by　a　long　lariat　to　a　large　sage　bush。



Where　could　the　rider　be；　he　said　to　himself。　　As　if　in　answer　to

his　question；　there　appeared　not　more　than　twenty　paces　from　him　a

middle　aged　man　coming　up　through　a　deep　ravine。　　The　man　was

evidently　in　search　of　some　kind　of　game；　as　he　held　his　gun　in

readiness　for　instant　use；　and　kept　his　eyes　directed　at　every

crevice　and　clump　of　bush。　　So　intent　was　he　on　locating　the　game

he　was　trailing；　that　he　never　noticed　the　young　man　who　sat　like

a　statue　not　twenty　paces　away。　　Slowly　and　cautiously　the　man

approached；　and　when　he　had　advanced　to　within　a　few　paces　of　the

young　man　he　stopped　and　turning　around；　stood　looking　down　into

the　valley。　　Th