myths and legends of the sioux-第12章

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

the　valley。　　This　was　the　only　chance　that　our　brave　young　friend

had。　　Being　unarmed；　he　would　stand　no　show　if　the　enemy　ever　got

a　glimpse　of　him。　　Slowly　and　noiselessly　he　drew　his　hunting　knife

（which　his　father　had　given　him　on　his　departure　from　home）　and

holding　it　securely　in　his　right　hand；　gathered　himself　and　gave　a

leap　which　landed　him　upon　the　unsuspecting　enemy's　shoulders。　　The

force　with　which　he　landed　on　the　enemy　caused　him　（the　enemy）　to

lose　his　hold　on　his　gun；　and　it　went　rattling　down　into　the　chasm；

forty　feet　below。



Down　they　came　together；　the　young　man　on　top。　　No　sooner　had　they

struck　the　ground　than　the　enemy　had　out　his　knife；　and　then

commenced　a　hand　to　hand　duel。　　The　enemy；　having　more　experience；

was　getting　the　best　of　our　young　friend。　　Already　our　young　friend

had　two　ugly　cuts；　one　across　his　chest　and　the　other　through　his

forearm。



He　was　becoming　weak　from　the　loss　of　blood；　and　could　not　stand

the　killing　pace　much　longer。　　Summoning　all　his　strength　for　one

more　trial　to　overcome　his　antagonist；　he　rushed　him　toward　the

chasm；　and　in　his　hurry　to　get　away　from　this　fierce　attack；　the

enemy　stepped　back　one　step　too　far；　and　down　they　both　went　into

the　chasm。　　Interlocked　in　each　other's　arms；　the　young　man　drove

his　knife　into　the　enemy's　side　and　when　they　struck　the　bottom　the

enemy　relaxed　his　hold　and　straightened　out　stiff　and　dead。



Securing　his　scalp　and　gun；　　the　young　man　proceeded　down　to　where

the　horse　was　tied　to　the　sage　bush；　and　then　gathering　the　drove

of　horses　proceeded　on　his　return　to　his　own　village。　　Being

wounded　severely　he　had　to　ride　very　slowly。　　All　the　long　hours　of

the　night　he　drove　the　horses　towards　his　home　village。



In　the　meantime；　those　at　the　enemies'　camp　wondered　at　the　long

absence　of　the　herder　who　was　watching　their　drove　of　horses；　and

finally　seven　young　men　went　to　search　for　the　missing　herder。　　All

night　long　they　searched　the　hillsides　for　the　horses　and　herder；

and　when　it　had　grown　light　enough　in　the　morning　they　saw　by　the

ground　where　there　had　been　a　fierce　struggle。



Following　the　tracks　in　the　sand　and　leaves；　they　came　to　the　chasm

where　the　combatants　had　fallen　over；　and　there；　lying　on　his　back

staring　up　at　them　in　death；　was　their　herder。　　They　hastened　to

the　camp　and　told　what　they　had　found。　　Immediately　the　warriors

mounted　their　war　ponies　（these　ponies　are　never　turned　loose；　but

kept　tied　close　to　the　tepee　of　the　owner）；　and　striking　the　trail

of　the　herd　driven　off　by　our　young　friend；　they　urged　forth　their

ponies　and　were　soon　far　from　their　camp　on　the　trail　of　our　young

friend。　　All　day　long　they　traveled　on　his　trail；　and　just　as　the

sun　was　sinking　they　caught　sight　of　him　driving　the　drove　ahead

over　a　high　hill。　　Again　they　urged　forth　their　tired　ponies。　　The

young　man；　looking　back　along　the　trail；　saw　some　dark　objects

coming　along；　and；　catching　a　fresh　horse；　drove　the　rest　ahead　at

a　great　rate。　　Again　all　night　he　drove　them；　and　when　daylight

came　he　looked　back　（from　a　high　butte）　over　his　trail　and　saw

coming　over　a　distant　raise；　two　horsemen。　　These　two　undoubtedly

rode　the　best　ponies；　as　he　saw　nothing　of　the　others。　　Driving　the

horses　into　a　thick　belt　of　timber；　he　concealed　himself　close　to

the　trail　made　by　the　drove　of　horses；　and　lay　in　ambush　for　the

two　daring　horsemen　who　had　followed　him　so　far。　　Finally　they

appeared　on　the　butte　from　where　he　had　looked　back　and　saw　them

following　him。　　For　a　long　time　they　sat　there　scouring　the　country

before　them　in　hopes　that　they　might　see　some　signs　of　their　stolen

horses。　　Nothing　could　they　see。　　Had　they　but　known；　their　horses

were　but　a　few　hundred　yards　from　them；　but　the　thick　timber

securely　hid　them　from　view。　　Finally　one　of　them　arose　and　pointed

to　the　timber。　　Then　leaving　his　horse　in　charge　of　his　friend；　he

descended　the　butte　and　followed　the　trail　of　the　drove　to　where

they　had　entered　the　timber。　　Little　did　he　think　that　he　was

standing　on　the　brink　of　eternity。　　The　young　man　hiding　not　more

than　a　hundred　yards　from　him　could　have　shot　him　there　where　he

stood；　but　wanting　to　play　fair；　he　stepped　into　sight。　　When　he

did；　the　enemy　took　quick　aim　and　fired。　　He　was　too　hasty。　　Had　he

taken　more　careful　aim　he　might　have　killed　our　young　friend；　but

his　bullet　whizzed　harmlessly　over　the　young　man's　head　and　buried

itself　in　a　tree。　　The　young　man　took　good　aim　and　fired。　　The

enemy　threw　up　both　hands　and　fell　forward　on　his　face。　　The　other

one　on　the　hill；　seeing　his　friend　killed；　hastily　mounted　his

horse　and　leading　his　friend's　horse；　made　rapidly　off　down　the

butte　in　the　direction　from　whence　he　had　come。　　Waiting　for　some

time　to　be　sure　the　one　who　was　alive　did　not　come　up　and　take　a

shot　at　him；　he　finally　advanced　upon　the　fallen　enemy　and　securing

his　gun；　ammunition　and　scalp；　went　to　his　horse　and　drove　the　herd

on　through　the　woods　and　crossing　a　long　flat　prairie；　ascended　a

long　chain　of　hills　and　sat　looking　back　along　his　trail　in　search

of　any　of　the　enemy　who　might　continue　to　follow　him。



Thus　he　sat　until　the　long　shadows　of　the　hills　reminded　him　that

it　would　soon　be　sunset；　and　as　he　must　get　some　sleep；　he　wanted

to　find　some　creek　bend　where　he　could　drive　the　bunch　of　ponies

and　feel　safe　as　to　their　not　straying　off　during　the　night。　　He

found　a　good　place　for　the　herd；　and　catching　a　fresh　horse；　he

picketed　him　close　to　where　he　was　going　to　sleep；　and　wrapping

himself　in　his　blanket；　was　soon　fast　asleep。　　So　tired　and　sleepy

was　he　that　a　heavy　rain　which　had　come　up；　during　the　night；

soaked　him　through　and　through；　but　he　never　awakened　until　the　sun

was　high　in　the　east。



He　awoke　and　going　to　the　place　where　he　had　left　the　herd；　he　was

glad　to　find　them　all　there。　　He　mounted　his　horse　and　started　his

herd　homeward　again。　　For　two　days　he　drove　them；　and　on　the

evening　of　the　second　day　he　came　in　sight　of　the　village。



The　older　warriors；　hearing　of　the　young　man　going　on　this　trip

alone　and　unarmed；　told　the　parents　to　go　in　mourning　for　their

son；　as　he　would　never　come　back　alive。　　When　the　people　of　the

village　saw　this　large　drove　of　horses　advancing　towards　them；　they

at　first　thought　it　was　a　war　party　of　the　enemy；　and　so　the　head

men　called　the　young　warriors　together　and　fully　prepared　for　a

great　battle。　　They　advanced　upon　the　supposed　enemy。　　When　they

got　close　enough　to　discern　a　lone　horseman　driving　this　large

herd；　they　surrounded　the　horses　and　lone　warrior；　and　brought　him

triumphantly　into　camp。　　On　arriving　in　the　camp　（or　village）　the

horses　were　counted　and　the　number　counted　up　to　one　hundred　and

ten　head。



The　chief　and　his　criers　（or　heralds）　announced　through　the　whole

village　that　there　would　be　a　great　war　dance　given　in　honor　of　the

Lone　Warrior。



The　whole　village　turned　out　and　had　a　great　war　dance　that　was

kept　up　three　days　and　three　nights。　　The　two　scalps　which　the

young　man　had　taken　were　tied　to　a　pole　which　was　placed　in　the

center　of　the　dance　circle。　　At　this　dance；　the　Lone　Warrior　gave

to　each　poor　family　five　head　of　horses。



Being　considered　eligible　now　to　pay　his　respects　to　any　girl　who

took　his　fancy；　he　at　once　went　to　the　camp　of　the　beautiful　girl

of　the　tribe；　and　as　he　was　always　her　choice；　she　at　once

consented　to　marry　him。



The　news　spread　through　the　village　that　Lone　Warrior　had　won　the

belle　of　the　nation　for　his　bride；　and　this　with　the　great　feat

which　he　had　accomplished　alone　in　killing　two　enemies　and　bringing

home　a　great　herd　of　horses；　raised　him　to　the　rank　of　chief；　which

he　faithfully　filled　to　the　end　of　his　days。　　And　many　times　he　had

to　tell　his　grandchildren　the　story　of　how　he　got　the　name　of　the

Lone　Warrior。