myths and legends of the sioux-第17章

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

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

signifying　that　the　offer　was　not　accepted。



The　girl's　choice　was　Chaske's　friend　Hake。　　Although　he　had　never

made　love　to　her　for　himself；　he　had　always　used　honeyed　words　to

her　and　was　always　loud　in　his　praises　for　his　friend　Chaske。　　One

night　the　two　friends　had　been　to　see　the　girl；　and

on　their　return　Chaske　was　very　quiet；　having　nothing　to　say　and

seemingly　in　deep　study。　　Always　of　a　bright；　jolly　and　amiable

disposition；　his　silence　and　moody　spell　grieved　his　friend　very

much；　and　he　finally　spoke　to　Chaske；　saying：　〃Koda；　what　has　come

over　you？　　You　who　were　always　so　jolly　and　full　of　fun？　　Your

silence　makes　me　grieve　for　you　and　I　do　not　know　what　you　are

feeling　so　downhearted　about。　　Has　the　girl　said　anything　to　you

to　make　you　feel　thus？〃



〃Wait；　friend；〃　said　Chaske；　〃until　morning；　and　then　I　will　know

how　to　answer　your　inquiry。　　Don't　ask　me　anything　more　tonight；　as

my　heart　is　having　a　great　battle　with　my　brain。〃



Hake　bothered　his　friend　no　more　that　night；　but　he　could　not

sleep。　　He　kept　wondering　what　〃Pretty　Feather〃　（the　girl　whom　his

friend　loved）　could　have　said　to　Chaske　to　bring　such　a　change　over

him。　　Hake　never　suspected　that　he　himself　was　the　cause　of　his

friend's　sorrow；　for　never　did　he　have　a　thought　that　it　was

himself　that　Pretty　Feather　loved。



The　next　morning　after　they　had　eaten　breakfast；　Chaske　proposed

that　they　should　go　out　on　the　prairies；　and　see　if　they　would　have

the　good　luck　to　kill　an　antelope。　　Hake　went　out　and　got　the　band

of　horses；　of　which　there　were　over　a　hundred。　　They

selected　the　fleetest　two　in　the　herd；　and　taking　their　bows　and

arrows；　mounted　and　rode　away　towards　the　south。



Hake　was　overjoyed　to　note　the　change　in　his　friend。　　His　oldtime

jollity　had　returned。　　They　rode　out　about　five　miles；　and　scaring

up　a　drove　of　antelope　they　started　in　hot　pursuit；　and　as　their

horses　were　very　fleet　of　foot　soon　caught　up　to　the　drove；

and　each　singling　out　his　choice　quickly　dispatched　him　with　an

arrow。　　They　could　easily　have　killed　more　of　the　antelope；　but　did

not　want　to　kill　them　just　for　sport；　but　for　food；　and　knowing

that　they　had　now　all　that　their　horses　could　pack　home；　they

dismounted　and　proceeded　to　dress　their　kill。



After　each　had　finished　packing　the　kill　on　his　horse；　Chaske　said：

〃Let　us　sit　down　and　have　a　smoke　before　we　start　back。　　Besides；

I　have　something　to　tell　you　which　I　can　tell　better　sitting　still

than　I　can　riding　along。〃　　Hake　came　and　sat　down　opposite　his

friend；　and　while　they　smoked　Chaske　said：



〃My　friend；　we　have　been　together　for　the　last　twenty　years　and　I

have　yet　the　first　time　to　deceive　you　in　any　way；　and　I　know　I　can

truthfully　say　the　same　of　you。　　Never　have　I　known　you　to　deceive

me　nor　tell　me　an　untruth。　　I　have　no　brothers　or　sisters。　　The

only　brother's　love　I　know　is　yours。　　The　only　sister's　love　I　will

know　will　be　Pretty　Feather's；　for　brother；　last　night　she　told　me

she　loved　none　but　you　and　would　marry　you　and　you　only。　　So；

brother；　I　am　going　to　take　my　antelope　to　my　sister…in…law's　tent

and　deposit　it　at　her　door。　　Then　she　will　know　that　her　wish　will

be　fulfilled。　　I　thought　at　first　that　you　had　been　playing　traitor

to　me　and　had　been　making　love　to　her　for　yourself；　but　when　she

explained　it　all　to　me　and　begged　me　to　intercede　for　her　to　you；

I　then　knew　that　I　had　judged　you　wrongfully；　and　that；　together

with　my　lost　love；　made　me　so　quiet　and　sorrowful　last　night。　　So

now；　brother；　take　the　flower　of　the　nation　for　your　wife；　and　I

will　be　content　to　continue　through　life　a　lonely

bachelor；　as　never　again　can　I　give　any　woman　the　place　which

Pretty　Feather　had　in　my　heart。〃



Their　pipes　being　smoked　out　they　mounted　their　ponies　and　Chaske

started　up　in　a　clear；　deep　voice　the　beautiful　love　song　of　Pretty

Feather　and　his　friend　Hake。



Such　is　the　love　between　two　friends；　who　claim　to　be　as　brothers

among　the　Indians。　　Chaske　gave　up　his　love　of　a　beautiful　woman

for　a　man　who　was　in　fact　no　relation　to　him。



Hake　said；　〃I　will　do　as　you　say；　my　friend；　but　before　I　can　marry

the　medicine　man's　daughter；　I　will　have　to　go　on　the　warpath　and

do　some　brave　deed；　and　will　start　in　ten　days。〃　　They　rode　towards

home；　planning　which　direction　they　would　travel；　and　as　it　was　to

be　their　first　experience　on　the　warpath；　they　would　seek　advice

from　the　old　warriors　of　the　tribe。



On　their　arrival　at　the　village　Hake　took　his　kill　to　their　own

tent；　while　Chaske　took　his　to　the　tent　of　the　Medicine　Man；　and

deposited　it　at　the　door　and　rode　off　towards　home。



The　mother　of　Pretty　Feather　did　not　know　whether　to　take　the

offering　or　not；　but　Pretty　Feather；　seeing　by　this　offering　that

her　most　cherished　wish　was　to　be　granted；　told　her　mother　to　take

the　meat　and　cook　it　and　invite　the　old　women　of　the　camp　to　a

feast　in　honor　of　the　son…in…law　who　was　soon　to　keep　them

furnished　with　plenty　of　meat。　　Hake　and　his　friend　sought　out　all

of　the　old　warriors　and　gained　all　the　information　they　desired。　

Every　evening　Hake　visited　his　intended　wife　and　many　happy

evenings　they　spent　together。



The　morning　of　the　tenth　day　the　two　friends　left　the　village　and

turned　their　faces　toward　the　west　where　the　camps　of　the　enemy　are

more　numerous　than　in　any　other　direction。　　They　were　not　mounted

and　therefore　traveled　slowly；　so　it　took　about　ten　days　of　walking

before　they　saw　any　signs　of　the　enemy。　　The　old　warriors　had　told

them　of　a　thickly　wooded　creek　within　the　enemies'　bounds。　　The　old

men　said；　〃That　creek　looks　the　ideal　place　to　camp；　but　don't　camp

there　by　any　means；　because　there　is　a　ghost　who　haunts　that　creek；

and　any　one　who　camps　there　is　disturbed　all　through　the　night；　and

besides　they　never　return；　because　the　ghost　is　Wakan　（holy）；　and

the　enemies　conquer　the　travelers　every　time。〃

The　friends　had　extra　moccasins　with　them　and　one　extra　blanket；　as

it　was　late　in　the　fall　and　the　nights　were　very　cold。



They　broke　camp　early　one　morning　and　walked　all　day。　　Along

towards　evening；　the　clouds　which　had　been　threatening　all　day；

hurriedly　opened　their　doors　and　down　came　the　snowflakes　thick　and

fast。　　Just　before　it　started　snowing　the　friends　had　noticed　a

dark　line　about　two　miles　in　advance　of　them。　　Chaske　spoke　to　his

friend　and　said：　〃If　this　storm　continues　we　will　be　obliged　to

stay　overnight　at　Ghost　Creek；　as　I　noticed　it　not　far　ahead　of　us；

just　before　the　storm　set　in。〃　　〃I　noticed　it　also；〃　said　Hake。　

〃We　might　as　well　entertain　a　ghost　all　night　as　to　lie　out　on

these　open　prairies　and　freeze　to　death。〃　　So　they　decided　to　run

the　risk　and　stay　in　the　sheltering　woods　of　Ghost　Creek。　　When

they　got　to　the　creek　it　seemed　as　if　they　had　stepped　inside　a　big

tepee；　so　thick　was　the　brush　and　timber　that　the　wind　could　not　be


felt　at　all。　　They　hunted　and　found　a　place　where　the　brush　was

very　thick　and　the　grass　very　tall。　　They　quickly　pulled　the　tops

of　the　nearest　willows　together　and　by　intertwining　the　ends　made

them　fast；　and　throwing　their　tent　robe　over　this；　soon　had　a　cosy

tepee　in　which　to　sleep。　　They　started　their　fire　and　cooked　some

dried　buffalo　meat　and　buffalo　tallow；　and　were　just　about　to　eat

their　supper　when　a　figure　of　a　man　came　slowly　in　through　the　door

and　sat　down　near　where　he　had　entered。　　Hake；　being　the　one　who

was　doing　the　cooking；　poured　out　some　tea　into　his　own　cup；　and

putting　a　piece　of　pounded　meat　and　marrow　into　a　small　plate；

placed　it　before　the　stranger；　saying：　〃Eat；　my　friend；　we　are　on

the　warpath　and　do　not　carry　much　of　a　variety　of　food　with　us；　but

I　give　you　the　best　we　have。〃



The　stranger　drew　the　plate　towards　him；　and　commenced　eating

ravenously。　　He　soon　finished　h