myths and legends of the sioux-第15章

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

held　a　council；　and　decided　to　go　no　further；　but　return　to　the

camp　and　report　what　they　had　found。　　On　getting　to　the　first

chamber　one　of　the　young　men　said：　〃I　am　going　to　take　these

bracelets　to　show　that　we　are　telling　the　truth。〃　　〃No；〃　said　the

other　three；　〃this　being　the　abode　of　some　Great　Spirit；　you　may

have　some　accident　befall　you　for　taking　what　is　not　yours。〃　　〃Ah！　

You　fellows　are　like　old　women；〃　said　he；　taking　a　fine　bracelet

and　encircling　his　left　wrist　with　it。



When　they　reached　the　village　they　reported　what　they　had　seen。　

The　young　man　exhibited　the　bracelet　to　prove　that　it　was　the　truth

they　had　told。



Shortly　after　this；　these　four　young　men　were　out　fixing　up　traps

for　wolves。　　They　would　raise　one　end　of　a　heavy　log　and　place　a

stick　under；　bracing　up　the　log。　　A　large　piece　of　meat　was　placed

about　five　feet　away　from　the　log　and　this　space　covered　with　poles

and　willows。　　At　the　place　where　the　upright　stick　was　put；　a　hole

was　left　open；　large　enough　to　admit　the　body　of　a　wolf。　　The　wolf；

scenting　the　meat　and　unable　to　get　at　it　through　the　poles　and

willows；　would　crowd　into　the　hole　and　working　his

body　forward；　in　order　to　get　the　meat；　would　push　down　the　brace

and　the　log　thus　released　would　hold　the　wolf　fast　under　its

weight。



The　young　man　with　the　bracelet　was　placing　his　bait　under　the　log

when　he　released　the　log　by　knocking　down　the　brace；　and　the　log

caught　his　wrist　on　which　he　wore　the　bracelet。　　He　could　not

release　himself　and　called　loud　and　long　for　assistance。　　His

friends；　hearing　his　call；　came　to　his　assistance；　and　on　lifting

the　log　found　the　young　man's　wrist　broken。　　〃Now；〃　said　they；　〃you

have　been　punished　for　taking　the　wristlet　out　of　the　chamber　of

the　mysterious　butte。〃



Some　time　after　this　a　young　man　went　to　the　butte　and　saw　engraved

on　the　wall　a　woman　holding　in　her　hand　a　pole；　with　which　she　was

holding　up　a　large　amount　of　beef　which　had　been　laid　across

another　pole；　which　had　broken　in　two　from　the　weight　of　so　much

meat。



He　returned　to　the　camp　and　reported　what　he　had　seen。　　All　around

the　figure　he　saw　marks　of　buffalo　hoofs；　also　marked　upon　the

wall。



The　next　day　an　enormous　herd　of　buffalo　came　near　to　the　village；

and　a　great　many　were　killed。　　The　women　were　busy　cutting　up　and

drying　the　meat。　　At　one　camp　was　more　meat　than　at　any　other。　　The

woman　was　hanging　meat　upon　a　long　tent　pole；　when　the　pole　broke

in　two　and　she　was　obliged　to　hold　the　meat　up　with　another　pole；

just　as　the　young　man　saw　on　the　mysterious　butte。



Ever　after　that　the　Indians　paid　weekly　visits　to　this　butte；　and

thereon　would　read　the　signs　that　were　to　govern　their　plans。



This　butte　was　always　considered　the　prophet　of　the　tribe。













THE　WONDERFUL　TURTLE



Near　to　a　Chippewa　village　lay　a　large　lake；　and　in　this　lake　there

lived　an　enormous　turtle。　　This　was　no　ordinary　turtle；　as　he　would

often　come　out　of　his　home　in　the　lake　and　visit　with　his　Indian

neighbors。　　He　paid　the　most　of　his　visits　to　the　head

chief；　and　on　these　occasions　would　stay　for　hours；　smoking　and

talking　with　him。



The　chief；　seeing　that　the　turtle　was　very　smart　and　showed　great

wisdom　in　his　talk；　took　a　great　fancy　to　him；　and　whenever　any

puzzling　subject　came　up　before　the　chief；　he　generally　sent　for

Mr。　Turtle　to　help　him　decide。



One　day　there　came　a　great　misunderstanding　between　different

parties　of　the　tribe；　and　so　excited　became　both　sides　that　it

threatened　to　cause　bloodshed。　　The　chief　was　unable　to　decide　for

either　faction；　so　he　said；　〃I　will　call　Mr。　Turtle。　　He　will

judge　for　you。〃



Sending　for　the　turtle；　the　chief　vacated　his　seat　for　the　time

being；　until　the　turtle　should　hear　both　sides；　and　decide　which

was　in　the　right。　　The　turtle　came；　and　taking　the　chief's　seat；

listened　very　attentively　to　both　sides；　and　thought　long　before　he

gave　his　decision。　　After　thinking　long　and　studying　each

side　carefully；　he　came　to　the　conclusion　to　decide　in　favor　of

both。　　This　would　not　cause　any　hard　feelings。　　So　he　gave　them　a

lengthy　speech　and　showed　them　where　they　were　both　in　the　right；

and　wound　up　by　saying：



〃You　are　both　in　the　right　in　some　ways　and　wrong　in　others。　

Therefore；　I　will　say　that　you　both　are　equally　in　the　right。〃



When　they　heard　this　decision；　they　saw　that　the　turtle　was　right；

and　gave　him　a　long　cheer　for　the　wisdom　displayed　by　him。　　The

whole　tribe　saw　that　had　it　not　been　for　this　wise　decision　there

would　have　been　a　great　shedding　of　blood　in　the　tribe。　　So

they　voted　him　as　their　judge；　and　the　chief；　being　so　well　pleased

with　him；　gave　to　him　his　only　daughter　in　marriage。



The　daughter　of　the　chief　was　the　most　beautiful　maiden　of　the

Chippewa　nation；　and　young　men　from　other　tribes　traveled　hundreds

of　miles　for　an　opportunity　to　make　love　to　her；　and　try　to　win　her

for　a　wife。　　It　was　all　to　no　purpose。　　She　would　accept　no　one；

only　him　whom　her　father　would　select　for　her。　　The　turtle　was　very

homely；　but　as　he　was　prudent　and　wise；　the　father　chose　him；　and

she　accepted　him。



The　young　men　of　the　tribe　were　very　jealous；　but　their　jealousy

was　all　to　no　purpose。　　She　married　the　turtle。　　The　young　men

would　make　sport　of　the　chief's　son…in…law。　　They　would　say　to　him：

〃How　did　you　come　to　have　so　flat　a　stomach？〃　　The　turtle

answered　them；　saying：



〃My　friends；　had　you　been　in　my　place；　you　too　would　have　flat

stomachs。　　I　came　by　my　flat　stomach　in　this　way：　The　Chippewas　and

Sioux　had　a　great　battle；　and　the　Sioux；　too　numerous　for　the

Chippewas；　were　killing　them　off　so　fast　that　they　had　to　run　for

their　lives。　　I　was　on　the　Chippewa　side　and　some　of　the　Sioux　were

pressing　five　of　us；　and　were　gaining　on　us　very　fast。　　Coming　to

some　high　grass；　I　threw　myself　down　flat　on　my　face；　and　pressed

my　stomach　close　to　the　ground；　so　the　pursuers　could　not　see　me。　

They　passed　me　and　killed　the　four　I　was　with。　　After　they　had　gone

back；　I　arose　and　lo！　my　stomach　was　as　you　see　it　now。　　So　hard

had　I　pressed　to　the　ground　that　it　would　not　assume　its　original

shape　again。〃



After　he　had　explained　the　cause　of　his　deformity　to　them；　they

said：　〃The　Turtle　is　brave。　　We　will　bother　him　no　more。〃　　Shortly

after　this　the　Sioux　made　an　attack　upon　the　Chippewas；　and　every

one　deserted　the　village。　　The　Turtle　could　not　travel　as　fast　as

the　rest　and　was　left　behind。　　It　being　an　unusually　hot　day　in　the

fall；　the　Turtle　grew　very　thirsty　and　sleepy。　　Finally　scenting

water；　he　crawled　towards　the　point　from　whence　the　scent

came；　and　coming　to　a　large　lake　jumped　in　and　had　a　bath；　after

which　he　swam　towards　the　center　and　dived　down；　and　finding　some

fine　large　rocks　at　the　bottom；　he　crawled　in　among　them　and　fell

asleep。　　He　had　his　sleep　out　and　arose　to　the　top。



Swimming　to　shore　he　found　it　was　summer。　　He　had　slept　all　winter。　

The　birds　were　singing；　and　the　green　grass　and　leaves　gave　forth

a　sweet　odor。



He　crawled　out　and　started　out　looking　for　the　Chippewa　camp。　　He

came　upon　the　camp　several　days　after　he　had　left　his　winter

quarters；　and　going　around　in　search　of　his　wife；　found　her　at　the

extreme　edge　of　the　village。　　She　was　nursing　her　baby；　and　as　he

asked　to　see　it；　she　showed　it　to　him。　　When　he　saw　that　it　was　a

lovely　baby　and　did　not　resemble　him　in　any　respect；　he　got　angry

and　went　off　to　a　large　lake；　where　he　contented　himself　with

catching　flies　and　insects　and　living　on　seaweed　the　remainder　of

his　life。











THE　MAN　AND　THE　OAK



There　once　lived　a　Sioux　couple　who　had　two　children；　a　boy　and　a

girl。　　Every　fall　this　family　would　move　away　from　the　main　camp

and　take　up　their　winter　quarters　in　a　grove　of　timber　some

distance　from　the　principal　village。