myths and legends of the sioux-第16章

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

distance　from　the　principal　village。　　The　reason　they　did　this　was

that　he　was　a　great　hunter　and　where　a　village　was　located　for　the

winter　the　game　was　usually　very　scarce。　　Therefore；　he　always

camped　by　himself　in　order　to　have　an　abundance　of　game　adjacent

to　his　camp。



All　summer　he　had　roamed　around　following　the　tribe　to　wherever

their　fancy　might　take　them。　　During　their　travels　this　particular

year　there　came　to　the　village　a　strange　girl　who　had　no　relatives

there。　　No　one　seemed　very　anxious　to　take　her　into　their

family；　so　the　great　hunter's　daughter；　taking　a　fancy　to　the　poor

girl；　took　her　to　their　home　and　kept　her。　　She　addressed　her　as

sister；　and　the　parents；　on　account　of　their　daughter；　addressed

her　as　daughter。



This　strange　girl　became　desperately　in　love　with　the　young　man　of

the　family；　but　being　addressed　as　daughter　by　the　parents；　she

could　not　openly　show　her　feelings　as　the　young　man　was　considered

her　brother。



In　the　fall　when　the　main　village　moved　into　a　large　belt　of　timber

for　their　winter　quarters；　the　hunter　moved　on　to　another　place　two

days'　travel　from　the　main　winter　camp；　where　he　would　not　be

disturbed　by　any　other　hunters。



The　young　man　had　a　tent　by　himself；　and　it　was　always　kept　nice

and　clean　by　his　sister；　who　was　very　much　attached　to　him。　　After

a　long　day's　hunt　in　the　woods；　he　would　go　into　his　tent　and　lie

down　to　rest；　and　when　his　supper　was　ready　his　sister　would

say；　〃My　brother　is　so　tired。　　I　will　carry　his　supper　to　him。〃



Her　friend；　whom　she　addressed　as　sister；　would　never　go　into　the

young　man's　tent。　　Along　towards　spring　there　came　one　night　into

the　young　man's　tent　a　woman。　　She　sat　down　by　the　door　and　kept

her　face　covered　so　that　it　was　hidden　from　view。　　She　sat　there　a

long　time　and　finally　arose　and　went　away。　　The　young　man　could　not

imagine　who　this　could　be。　　He　knew　that　it　was　a　long　distance

from　the　village　and　could　not　make　out　where　the　woman

could　have　come　from。　　The　next　night　the　woman　came　again　and　this

time　she　came　a　little　nearer　to　where　the　young　man　lay。　　She　sat

down　and　kept　her　face　covered　as　before。　　Neither　spoke　a　word。

She　sat　there　for　a　long　time　and　then　arose　and　departed。　　He　was

very　much　puzzled　over　the　actions　of　this　woman　and　decided　to

ascertain　on　her　next　visit　who　she　was。



He　kindled　a　small　fire　in　his　tent　and　had　some　ash　wood　laid　on

it　so　as　to　keep　fire　a　long　time；　as　ash　burns　very　slowly　and

holds　fire　a　long　time。



The　third　night　the　woman　came　again　and　sat　down　still　nearer　his

bed。　　She　held　her　blanket　open　just　a　trifle；　and　he；　catching　up

one　of　the　embers；　flashed　it　in　her　face；　jumping　up　she　ran

hurriedly　out　of　the　tent。　　The　next　morning　he　noticed　that　his

adopted　sister　kept　her　face　hidden　with　her　blanket。　　She　chanced

to　drop　her　blanket　while　in　the　act　of　pouring　out　some　soup；　and

when　she　did　so　he　noticed　a　large　burned　spot　on　her　cheek。



He　felt　so　sorry　for　what　he　had　done　that　he　could　eat　no

breakfast；　but　went　outside　and　lay　down　under　an　oak　tree。　　All

day　long　he　lay　there　gazing　up　into　the　tree；　and　when　he　was

called　for　supper　he　refused；　saying　that　he　was　not　hungry；　and

for　them　not　to　bother　him；　as　he　would　soon　get　up　and　go　to　bed。　

Far　into　the　night　he　lay　thus；　and　when　he　tried　to　arise　he　could

not；　as　a　small　oak　tree　grew　through　the　center　of　his　body　and

held　him　fast　to　the　ground。



In　the　morning　when　the　family　awoke　they　found　the　girl　had

disappeared；　and　on　going　outside　the　sister　discovered　her　brother

held　fast　to　the　earth　by　an　oak　tree　which　grew　very　rapidly。　　In

vain　were　the　best　medicine　men　of　the　tribe　sent　for。　　Their

medicine　was　of　no　avail。　　They　said：　〃If　the　tree　is　cut　down　the

young　man　will　die。〃



The　sister　was　wild　with　grief；　and　extending　her　hands　to　the　sun；

she　cried：　〃Great　Spirit；　relieve　my　suffering　brother。　　Any　one

who　releases　him　I　will　marry；　be　he　young；　old；　homely　or

deformed。〃



Several　days　after　the　young　man　had　met　with　the　mishap；　there

came　to　the　tent　a　very　tall　man；　who　had　a　bright　light　encircling

his　body。　　〃Where　is　the　girl　who　promised　to　marry　any　one　who

would　release　her　brother？〃　　〃I　am　the　one；〃　said　the　young

man's　sister。　　〃I　am　the　all…powerful　lightning　and　thunder。　　I　see

all　things　and　can　kill　at　one　stroke　a　whole　tribe。　　When　I　make

my　voice　heard　the　rocks　shake　loose　and　go　rattling　down　the

hillsides。　　The　brave　warriors　cower　shivering　under　some　shelter

at　the　sound　of　my　voice。　　The　girl　whom　you　had　adopted　as　your

sister　was　a　sorceress。　　She　bewitched　your　brother　because　he

would　not　let　her　make　love　to　him。　　On　my　way　here　I　met　her

traveling　towards　the　west；　and　knowing　what　she　had　done；　I　struck

her　with　one　of　my　blazing　swords；　and　she　lies　there　now　a　heap　of

ashes。　　I　will　now　release　your　brother。〃



So　saying　he　placed　his　hand　on　the　tree　and　instantly　it　crumbled

to　ashes。　　The　young　man　arose；　and　thanked　his　deliverer。



Then　they　saw　a　great　black　cloud　approaching；　and　the　man　said：

〃Make　ready；　we　shall　go　home　on　that　cloud。〃　　As　the　cloud

approached　near　to　the　man　who　stood　with　his　bride；　it　suddenly

lowered　and　enveloped　them　and　with　a　great　roar　and　amidst　flashes

of　lightning　and　loud　peals　of　thunder　the　girl　ascended　and

disappeared　into　the　west　with　her　Thunder　and　Lightning　husband。













STORY　OF　THE　TWO　YOUNG　FRIENDS



There　were　once　in　a　very　large　Indian　camp　two　little　boys　who

were　fast　friends。　　One　of　the　boys；　〃Chaske〃　（meaning　first　born）；

was　the　son　of　a　very　rich　family；　and　was　always　dressed　in　the

finest　of　clothes　of　Indian　costume。　　The　other　boy；　〃Hake〃

（meaning　last　born）；　was　an　orphan　and　lived　with　his　old

grandmother；　who　was　very　destitute；　and　consequently　could　not

dress　the　boy　in　fine　raiment。　　So　poorly　was　the　boy　dressed　that

the　boys　who　had　good　clothes　always　tormented　him　and　would　not

play　in　his　company。



Chaske　did　not　look　at　the　clothes　of　any　boy　whom　he　chose　as　a

friend；　but　mingled　with　all　boys　regardless　of　how　they　were　clad；

and　would　study　their　dispositions。　　The　well　dressed　he　found　were

vain　and　conceited。　　The　fairly　well　dressed　he　found

selfish　and　spiteful。　　The　poorly　clad　he　found　to　be　generous　and

truthful；　and　from　all　of　them　he　chose　〃Hake〃　for　his　〃Koda〃

（friend）。　　As　Chaske　was　the　son　of　the　leading　war　chief　he　was

very　much　sought　after　by　the　rest　of　the　boys；　each　one　trying　to

gain　the　honor　of　being　chosen　for　the　friend　and　companion　of　the

great　chief's　son；　but；　as　I　have　before　said；　Chaske　carefully

studied　them　all　and　finally　chose　the　orphan　Hake。



It　was　a　lucky　day　for　Hake　when　he　was　chosen　for　the　friend　and

companion　of　Chaske。　　The　orphan　boy　was　taken　to　the　lodge　of　his

friend's　parents　and　dressed　up　in　fine　clothes　and　moccasins。

（When　the　Indians'　sons　claim　any　one　as　their　friend；　the　friend

thus　chosen　is　adopted　into　the　family　as　their　own　son）。



Chaske　and　Hake　were　inseparable。　　Where　one　was　seen　the　other　was

not　far　distant。　　They　played；　hunted；　trapped；　ate　and　slept

together。　　They　would　spend　most　of　the　long　summer　days　hunting　in

the　forests。



Time　went　on　and　these　two　fast　friends　grew　up　to　be　fine

specimens　of　their　tribe。　　When　they　became　the　age　to　select　a

sweetheart　they　would　go　together　and　make　love　to　a　girl。　　Each

helping　the　other　to　win　the　affection　of　the　one　of　his　choice。　

Chaske　loved　a　girl　who　was　the　daughter　of　an　old　medicine　man。　

She　was　very　much　courted　by　the　other　young　men　of　the　tribe；　and

many　a　horse　loaded　with　robes　and　fine　porcupine　work　was　tied　at

the　medicine　man's　tepee　in　offering　for　the　hand　of　his　daughter；

but　the　horses；　laden　as　when　tied　there；　were　turned　loose；

s