myths and legends of the sioux-第13章

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

Lone　Warrior。













THE　SIOUX　WHO　MARRIED　THE　CROW

CHIEF'S　DAUGHTER



A　war　party　of　seven　young　men；　seeing　a　lone　tepee　standing　on　the

edge　of　a　heavy　belt　of　timber；　stopped　and　waited　for　darkness；　in

order　to　send　one　of　their　scouts　ahead　to　ascertain　whether　the

camp　which　they　had　seen　was　the　camp　of　friend　or　enemy。



When　darkness　had　settled　down　on　them；　and　they　felt　secure　in　not

being　detected；　they　chose　one　of　their　scouts　to　go　on　alone　and

find　out　what　would　be　the　best　direction　for　them　to　advance　upon

the　camp；　should　it　prove　to　be　an　enemy。



Among　the　scouts　was　one　who　was　noted　for　his　bravery；　and　many

were　the　brave　acts　he　had　performed。　　His　name　was　Big　Eagle。　

This　man　they　selected　to　go　to　the　lone　camp　and　obtain　the

information　for　which　they　were　waiting。



Big　Eagle　was　told　to　look　carefully　over　the　ground　and　select　the

best　direction　from　which　they　should　make　the　attack。　　The　other

six　would　await　his　return。　　He　started　on　his　mission；　being

careful　not　to　make　any　noise。　　He　stealthily　approached　the

camp。　　As　he　drew　near　to　the　tent　he　was　surprised　to　note　the

absence　of　any　dogs；　as　these　animals　are　always　kept　by　the　Sioux

to　notify　the　owners　by　their　barking　of　the　approach　of　anyone。　

He　crawled　up　to　the　tepee　door；　and　peeping　through　a　small

aperture；　he　saw　three　persons　sitting　inside。　　An　elderly　man　and

woman　were　sitting　at　the　right　of　the　fireplace；　and　a　young　woman

at　the　seat　of　honor；　opposite　the　door。



Big　Eagle　had　been　married　and　his　wife　had　died　five　winters

previous　to　the　time　of　this　episode。　　He　had　never　thought　of

marrying　again；　but　when　he　looked　upon　this　young　woman　he　thought

he　was　looking　upon　the　face　of　his　dead　wife。　　He　removed　his

cartridge　belts　and　knife；　and　placing　them；　along　with　his　rifle；

at　the　side　of　the　tent；　he　at　once　boldly　stepped　inside　the

tepee；　and　going　over　to　the　man；　extended　his　hand　and　shook　first

the　man's　hand；　then　the　old　woman's；　and　lastly　the　young　woman's。　

Then　he　seated　himself　by　the　side　of　the　girl；　and　thus　they　sat；

no　one　speaking。



Finally；　Big　Eagle　made　signs　to　the　man；　explaining　as　well　as

possible　by　signs；　that　his　wife　had　died　long　ago；　and　when　he　saw

the　girl　she　so　strongly　resembled　his　dead　wife　that　he　wished　to

marry　her；　and　he　would　go　back　to　the　enemy's　camp　and　live　with

them；　if　they　would　consent　to　the　marriage　of　their　daughter。



The　old　man　seemed　to　understand；　and　Big　Eagle　again　made　signs　to

him　that　a　party　were　lying　in　wait　just　a　short　distance　from　his

camp。　　Noiselessly　they　brought　in　the　horses；　and　taking　down　the

tent；　they　at　once　moved　off　in　the　direction　from　whence　they　had

come。　　The　war　party　waited　all　night；　and　when　the　first　rays　of

dawn　disclosed　to　them　the　absence　of　the　tepee；　they　at　once

concluded　that　Big　Eagle　had　been　discovered　and　killed；　so　they

hurriedly　started　on　their　trail　for　home。



In　the　meantime；　the　hunting　party；　for　this　it　was　that　Big　Eagle

had　joined；　made　very　good　time　in　putting　a　good　distance　between

themselves　and　the　war　party。　　All　day　they　traveled；　and　when

evening　came　they　ascended　a　high　hill；　looking　down　into　the

valley　on　the　other　side。　　There　stretched　for　two　miles；　along　the

banks　of　a　small　stream；　an　immense　camp。　　The　old　man　made　signs

for　Big　Eagle　to　remain　with　the　two　women　where　he　was；　until　he

could　go　to　the　camp　and　prepare　them　to　receive　an　enemy　into

their　village。



The　old　man　rode　through　the　camp　and　drew　up　at　the　largest　tepee

in　the　village。　　Soon　Big　Eagle　could　see　men　gathering　around　the

tepee。　　The　crowd　grew　larger　and　larger；　until　the　whole　village

had　assembled　at　the　large　tepee。　　Finally　they　dispersed；　and

catching　their　horses；　mounted　and　advanced　to　the　hill　on　which

Big　Eagle　and　the　two　women　were　waiting。　　They　formed　a　circle

around　them　and　slowly　they　returned　to　the　village；　singing　and

riding　in　a　circle　around　them。



When　they　arrived　at　the　village　they　advanced　to　the　large　tepee；

and　motioned　Big　Eagle　to　the　seat　of　honor　in　the　tepee。　　In　the

village　was　a　man　who　understood　and　spoke　the　Sioux　language。　　He

was　sent　for；　and　through　him　the　oath　of　allegiance

to　the　Crow　tribe　was　taken　by　Big　Eagle。　　This　done　he　was

presented　with　the　girl　to　wife；　and　also　with　many　spotted　ponies。



Big　Eagle　lived　with　his　wife　among　her　people　for　two　years；　and

during　this　time　he　joined　in　four　different　battles　between　his

own　people　（the　Sioux）　and　the　Crow　people；　to　whom　his　wife

belonged。



In　no　battle　with　his　own　people　would　he　carry　any　weapons；　only

a　long　willow　coup…stick；　with　which　he　struck　the　fallen　Sioux。



At　the　expiration　of　two　years　he　concluded　to　pay　a　visit　to　his

own　tribe；　and　his　father…in…law；　being　a　chief　of　high　standing；

at　once　had　it　heralded　through　the　village　that　his　son…in…law

would　visit　his　own　people；　and　for　them　to　show　their　good　will

and　respect　for　him　by　bringing　ponies　for　his　son…in…law　to　take

back　to　his　people。



Hearing　this；　the　herds　were　all　driven　in　and　all　day　long　horses

were　brought　to　the　tent　of　Big　Eagle；　and　when　he　was　ready　to

start　on　his　homeward　trip；　twenty　young　men　were　elected　to

accompany　him　to　within　a　safe　distance　of　his　village。　　The　twenty

young　men　drove　the　gift　horses；　amounting　to　two　hundred　and

twenty　head；　to　within　one　day's　journey　of　the　village　of　Big

Eagle；　and　fearing　for　their　safety　from　his　people；　Big　Eagle　sent

them　back　to　their　own　village。



On　his　arrival　at　his　home　village；　they　received　him　as　one

returned　from　the　dead；　as　they　were　sure　he　had　been　killed　the

night　he　had　been　sent　to　reconnoiter　the　lone　camp。　　There　was

great　feasting　and　dancing　in　honor　of　his　return；　and　the　horses

were　distributed　among　the　needy　ones　of　the　village。



Remaining　at　his　home　village　for　a　year；　he　one　day　made　up　his

mind　to　return　to　his　wife's　people。　　A　great　many　fancy　robes；

dresses；　war　bonnets；　moccasins；　and　a　great　drove　of　horses　were

given　him；　and　his　wife；　and　he　bade　farewell　to　his　people　for

good；　saying；　〃I　will　never　return　to　you　again；　as　I　have　decided

to　live　the　remainder　of　my　days　with　my　wife's　people。〃



On　his　arrival　at　the　village　of　the　Crows；　he　found　his

father…in…law　at　the　point　of　death。　　A　few　days　later　the　old　man

died；　and　Big　Eagle　was　appointed　to　fill　the　vacancy　of　chief　made

by　the　death　of　his　father…in…law。



Subsequently　he　took　part　in　battles　against　his　own　people；　and　in

the　third　battle　was　killed　on　the　field。　　Tenderly　the　Crow

warriors　bore　him　back　to　their　camp；　and　great　was　the　mourning　in

the　Crow　village　for　the　brave　man　who　always　went　into　battle

unarmed；　save　only　the　willow　wand　which　he　carried。



Thus　ended　the　career　of　one　of　the　bravest　of　Sioux　warriors　who

ever　took　the　scalp　of　an　enemy；　and　who　for　the　love　of　his　dead

wife；　gave　up　home；　parents；　and　friends；　to　be　killed　on　the　field

of　battle　by　his　own　tribe。













THE　BOY　AND　THE　TURTLES



A　boy　went　on　a　turtle　hunt；　and　after　following　the　different

streams　for　hours；　finally　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　only

place　he　would　find　any　turtles　would　be　at　the　little　lake；　where

the　tribe　always　hunted　them。



So；　leaving　the　stream　he　had　been　following；　he　cut　across　country

to　the　lake。　　On　drawing　near　the　lake　he　crawled　on　his　hands　and

knees　in　order　not　to　be　seen　by　the　turtles；　who　were　very

watchful；　as　they　had　been　hunted　so　much。　　Peeping　over　the　rock

he　saw　a　great　many　out　on　the　shore　sunning　themselves；　so　he　very

cautiously　undressed；　so　he　could　leap　into　the　water　and　catch

them　before　they　secreted　themselves。　　But　on　pulling　off　his

shirt　one　of　his　hands　was　held　up　so　high　t