myths and legends of the sioux-第14章

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them　before　they　secreted　themselves。　　But　on　pulling　off　his

shirt　one　of　his　hands　was　held　up　so　high　that　the　turtles　saw　it

and　jumped　into　the　lake　with　a　great　splash。



The　boy　ran　to　the　shore；　but　saw　only　bubbles　coming　up　from　the

bottom。　　Directly　the　boy　saw　something　coming　to　the　surface；　and

soon　it　came　up　into　sight。　　It　was　a　little　man；　and　soon　others；

by　the　hundreds；　came　up　and　swam　about；　splashing　the　water　up

into　the　air　to　a　great　height。　　So　scared　was　the　boy　that　he

never　stopped　to　gather　up　his　clothes　but　ran　home　naked　and　fell

into　his　grandmother's　tent　door。



〃What　is　the　trouble；　grandchild；〃　cried　the　old　woman。　　But　the

boy　could　not　answer。　　〃Did　you　see　anything　unnatural？〃　　He　shook

his　head；　〃no。〃　　He　made　signs　to　the　grandmother　that　his　lungs

were　pressing　so　hard　against　his　sides　that　he　could　not

talk。　　He　kept　beating　his　side　with　his　clenched　hands。　　The

grandmother　got　out　her　medicine　bag；　made　a　prayer　to　the　Great

Spirit　to　drive　out　the　evil　spirit　that　had　entered　her　grandson's

body；　and　after　she　had　applied　the　medicine；　the　prayer　must　have

been　heard　and　answered；　as　the　boy　commenced　telling　her　what　he

had　heard　and　seen。



The　grandmother　went　to　the　chief's　tent　and　told　what　her　grandson

had　seen。　　The　chief　sent　two　brave　warriors　to　the　lake　to

ascertain　whether　it　was　true　or　not。　　The　two　warriors　crept　to

the　little　hill　close　to　the　lake；　and　there；　sure　enough；　the　lake

was　swarming　with　little　men　swimming　about；　splashing　the　water

high　up　into　the　air。　　The　warriors；　too；　were　scared　and　hurried

home；　and　in　the　council　called　on　their　return　told　what　they　had

seen。　　The　boy　was　brought　to　the　council　and　given　the　seat　of

honor　（opposite　the　door）；　and　was　named　〃Wankan　Wanyanka〃　（sees

holy）。



The　lake　had　formerly　borne　the　name　of　Truth　Lake；　but　from　this

time　on　was　called　〃Wicasa…bde〃Man　Lake。















THE　HERMIT；　OR　THE　GIFT　OF　CORN



In　a　deep　forest；　far　from　the　villages　of　his　people；　lived　a

hermit。　　His　tent　was　made　of　buffalo　skins；　and　his　dress　was　made

of　deer　skin。　　Far　from　the　haunts　of　any　human　being　this　old

hermit　was　content　to　spend　his　days。



All　day　long　he　would　wander　through　the　forest　studying　the

different　plants　of　nature　and　collecting　precious　roots；　which　he

used　as　medicine。　　At　long　intervals　some　warrior　would　arrive　at

the　tent　of　the　old　hermit　and　get　medicine　roots　from　him　for　the

tribe；　the　old　hermit's　medicine　being　considered　far　superior　to

all　others。



After　a　long　day's　ramble　in　the　woods；　the　hermit　came　home　late；

and　being　very　tired；　at　once　lay　down　on　his　bed　and　was　just

dozing　off　to　sleep；　when　he　felt　something　rub　against　his　foot。　

Awakening　with　a　start；　he　noticed　a　dark　object　and　an　arm　was

extended　to　him；　holding　in　its　hand　a　flint　pointed　arrow。



The　hermit　thought；　〃This　must　be　a　spirit；　as　there　is　no　human

being　around　here　but　myself！〃　　A　voice　then　said：　〃Hermit；　I　have

come　to　invite　you　to　my　home。〃　　〃How　（yes）；　I　will　come；〃　said　the

old　hermit。　　Wherewith　he　arose；　wrapped　his　robe　about　him　and

followed。



Outside　the　door　he　stopped　and　looked　around；　but　could　see　no

signs　of　the　dark　object。



〃Whoever　you　are；　or　whatever　you　be；　wait　for　me；　as　I　don't　know

where　to　go　to　find　your　house；〃　said　the　hermit。　　Not　an　answer

did　he　receive；　nor　could　he　hear　any　noises　as　though　anyone　was

walking　through　the　brush。　　Re…entering　his　tent　he　retired　and　was

soon　fast　asleep。　　The　next　night　the　same　thing　occurred　again；

and　the　hermit　followed　the　object　out；　only　to　be　left　as　before。



He　was　very　angry　to　think　that　anyone　should　be　trying　to　make

sport　of　him；　and　he　determined　to　find　out　who　this　could　be　who

was　disturbing　his　night's　rest。



The　next　evening　he　cut　a　hole　in　the　tent　large　enough　to　stick　an

arrow　through；　and　stood　by　the　door　watching。　　Soon　the　dark

object　came　and　stopped　outside　of　the　door；　and　said：

〃Grandfather；　I　came　to；〃　but　he　never　finished　the　sentence；

for　the　old　man　let　go　his　arrow；　and　he　heard　the　arrow　strike

something　which　produced　a　sound　as　though　he　had　shot　into　a　sack

of　pebbles。　　He　did　not　go　out　that　night　to　see　what　his　arrow　had

struck；　but　early　next　morning　he　went　out　and　looked　at　the　spot

about　where　he　thought　the　object　had　stood。　　There　on　the　ground

lay　a　little　heap　of　corn；　and　from　this　little　heap　a　small　line

of　corn　lay　scattered　along　a　path。　　This　he　followed　far　into　the

woods。　　When　he　came　to　a　very　small　knoll　the　trail　ended。　　At　the

end　of　the　trail　was　a　large　circle；　from　which　the　grass　had　been

scraped　off　clean。



〃The　corn　trail　stops　at　the　edge　of　this　circle；〃　said　the　old

man；　〃so　this　must　be　the　home　of　whoever　it　was　that　invited　me。〃　

He　took　his　bone　knife　and　hatchet　and　proceeded　to　dig　down　into

the　center　of　the　circle。　　When　he　had　got　down　to　the　length

of　his　arm；　he　came　to　a　sack　of　dried　meat。　　Next　he　found　a　sack

of　Indian　turnips；　then　a　sack　of　dried　cherries；　then　a　sack　of

corn；　and　last　of　all　another　sack；　empty　except　that　there　was

about　a　cupful　of　corn　in　one　corner　of　it；　and　that　the　sack　had

a　hole　in　the　other　corner　where　his　arrow　had　pierced　it。　　From

this　hole　in　the　sack　the　corn　was　scattered　along　the　trail；　which

guided　the　old　man　to　the　cache。*



From　this　the　hermit　taught　the　tribes　how　to　keep　their　provisions

when　traveling　and　were　overloaded。　　He　explained　to　them　how　they

should　dig　a　pit　and　put　their　provisions　into　it　and　cover　them

with　earth。　　By　this　method　the　Indians　used　to　keep　provisions　all

summer；　and　when　fall　came　they　would　return　to　their　cache；　and　on

opening　it　would　find　everything　as　fresh　as　the　day　they　were

placed　there。



The　old　hermit　was　also　thanked　as　the　discoverer　of　corn；　which

had　never　been　known　to　the　Indians　until　discovered　by　the　old

hermit。



*Hiding　place。













THE　MYSTERIOUS　BUTTE



A　young　man　was　once　hunting　and　came　to　a　steep　hill。　　The　east

side　of　the　hill　suddenly　dropped　off　to　a　very　steep　bank。　　He

stood　on　this　bank；　and　at　the　base　he　noticed　a　small　opening。　　On

going　down　to　examine　it　more　closely；　he　found　it　was　large　enough

to　admit　a　horse　or　buffalo。　　On　either　side　of　the　door　were

figures　of　different　animals　engraved　into　the　wall。



He　entered　the　opening　and　there；　scattered　about　on　the　floor；　lay

many　bracelets；　pipes　and　many　other　things　of　ornament；　as　though

they　had　been　offerings　to　some　great　spirit。　　He　passed　through

this　first　room　and　on　entering　the　second　it　was　so　dark

that　he　could　not　see　his　hands　before　his　face；　so　becoming

scared；　he　hurriedly　left　the　place；　and　returning　home　told　what

he　had　seen。



Upon　hearing　this　the　chief　selected　four　of　his　most　daring

warriors　to　go　with　this　young　man　and　investigate　and　ascertain

whether　the　young　man　was　telling　the　truth　or　not。　　The　five

proceeded　to　the　butte；　and　at　the　entrance　the　young　man　refused

to　go　inside；　as　the　figures　on　either　side　of　the　entrance　had

been　changed。



The　four　entered　and　seeing　that　all　in　the　first　chamber　was　as

the　young　man　had　told；　they　went　on　to　the　next　chamber　and　found

it　so　dark　that　they　could　not　see　anything。　　They　continued　on；

however；　feeling　their　way　along　the　walls。　　They　finally

found　an　entrance　that　was　so　narrow　that　they　had　to　squeeze　into

it　sideways。　　They　felt　their　way　around　the　walls　and　found

another　entrance；　so　low　down　that　they　had　to　crawl　on　their　hands

and　knees　to　go　through　into　the　next　chamber。



On　entering　the　last　chamber　they　found　a　very　sweet　odor　coming

from　the　opposite　direction。　　Feeling　around　and　crawling　on　their

hands　and　knees；　they　discovered　a　hole　in　the　floor　leading

downward。　　From　this　hole　came　up　the　sweet　odor。　　They　hurried