myths and legends of the sioux-第19章

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living　thing　he　saw　was　Pretty　Feather's　spotted　horse　tied　to　the

side　of　the　tent。　　Then　he　knew　that　she　must　be　dead。　　He　rode　off

into　the　thick　brush　and　tied　his　two　horses　securely。　Then　he　came

back　and　entered　the　tepee。　　There　on　a　bed　of　robes　lay　some　one

apparently　dead。　　The　body　was　wrapped　in　blankets　and　robes　and

bound　around　and　around　with　parfleche　ropes。　　These　he　carefully

untied　and　unwound。　　Then　he　unwrapped　the　robes　and　blankets　and

when　he　uncovered　the　face；　he　saw；　as　he　had　expected　to；　the　face

of　his　lost　love；　Pretty　Feather。　　As　he　sat　gazing　on　her

beautiful　young　face；　his　heart　ached　for　his　poor　friend。　　He

himself　had　loved　and　lost　this　beautiful　maiden；　and　now　his

friend　who　had　won　her　would　have　to　suffer　the　untold　grief　which

he　had　suffered。



What　was　that？　　Could　it　have　been　a　slight　quivering　of　the

nostrils　that　he　had　seen；　or　was　it　mad　fancy　playing　a　trick　on

him？　　Closer　he　drew　to　her　face；　watching　intently　for　another

sign。　　There　it　was　again；　only　this　time　it　was　a　long；　deep　drawn

breath。　　He　arose；　got　some　water　and　taking　a　small　stick　slowly

forced　open　her　mouth　and　poured　some　into　it。　　Then　he　took　some

sage；　dipped　it　into　the　water　and　sprinkled　a　little　on　her　head

and　face。　　There　were　many　parfleche　bags　piled　around　the　tepee；

and　thinking　he　might　find　some　kind　of　medicine　roots　which　he

could　use　to　revive　her　he　started　opening　them　one　after　the

other。　　He　had　opened　three　and　was　just　opening　the　fourth；　when

a　voice　behind　him　asked：　〃What　are　you　looking　for？〃　　Turning

quickly；　he　saw　Pretty　Feather　looking　at　him。　　Overjoyed；　he

cried；　〃What　can　I　do　so　that　you　can　get　up　and　ride　to　the

village　with　me？　　My　friend　and　I　just　returned　with　a　large　band

of　horses　and　two　scalps。　　We　saw　this　tent　and　recognized　it。　　

My　friend　wanted　to　come；　but　I　would　not　let　him；　as　I　feared　if

he　found　anything　had　happened　to　you　he　would　do　harm　to　himself；

but　now　he　will　be　anxious　for　my　return；　so　if　you　will　tell　me

what　you　need　in　order　to　revive　you；　I　will　get　it；　and　we　can

then　go　to　my　friend　in　the　village。〃　　〃At　the　foot　of　my　bed　you

will　find　a　piece　of　eagle　fat。　　Build　a　fire　and　melt　it　for　me。　

I　will　drink　it　and　then　we　can　go。〃



Chaske　quickly　started　a　fire；　got　out　the　piece　of　fat　and　melted

it。　　She　drank　it　at　one　draught；　and　was　about　to　arise　when　she

suddenly　said：　〃Roll　me　up　quick　and　take　the　buffalo　hair　rope　and

tie　it　about　my　spotted　horse's　neck；　tie　his　tail　in　a　knot　and

tie　him　to　the　door。　　Then　run　and　hide　behind　the　trees。　　There

are　two　of　the　enemy　coming　this　way。〃



Chaske　hurriedly　obeyed　her　orders；　and　had　barely　concealed

himself　behind　the　trees；　when　there　came　into　view　two　of　the

enemy。　　They　saw　the　horse　tied　to　the　door　of　the　deserted　tent；

and　knew　that　some　dead　person　occupied　the　tepee；　so　through

respect　for　the　dead；　they　turned　out　and　started　to　go　through　the

brush　and　trees；　so　as　not　to　pass　the　door。　（The　Indians　consider

it　a　bad　omen　to　pass　by　the　door　of　a　tepee　occupied　by　a　dead

body；　that　is；　while　in　the　enemy's　country）。　　So　by　making　this

detour　they　traveled　directly　towards　where　Chaske　was　concealed

behind　the　tree。　　Knowing　that　he　would　be　discovered；　and　there

being　two　of　them；　he　knew　the　only　chance　he　had　was　for　him　to

kill　one　of　them　before　they　discovered　him；　then　he　stood　a　better

chance　at　an　even　combat。　　On　they　came；　little　thinking　that　one

of　them　would　in　a　few　minutes　be　with　his　forefathers。



Chaske　noiselessly　slipped　a　cartridge　into　the　chamber　of　his　gun；

threw　it　into　action　and　took　deliberate　aim　at　the　smaller　one's

breast。　　A　loud　report　rang　out　and　the　one　he　had　aimed　at　threw

up　his　arms　and　fell　heavily　forward；　shot　through　the　heart。



Reloading　quickly　Chaske　stepped　out　from　behind　the　tree。　　He

could　easily　have　killed　the　other　from　his　concealed　position；

but；　being　a　brave　young　man；　he　wanted　to　give　his　opponent　a　fair

chance。　　The　other　had　unslung　his　gun　and　a　duel　was　then　fought

between　the　two　lone　combatants。　　They　would　spring　from　side　to

side　like　two　great　cats。　　Then　advance　one　or　two　steps　and　fire。　

Retreat　a　few　steps；　spring　to　one　side　and　fire　again。　　The

bullets　whistled　past　their　heads；　tore　up　the　earth　beneath　their

feet；　and　occasionally　one　would　hit　its　mark；　only　to　cause　a

flesh　wound。



Suddenly　the　enemy　aimed　his　gun　and　threw　it　upon　the　ground。　　His

ammunition　was　exhausted；　and　slowly　folding　his　arms　he　stood

facing　his　opponent；　with　a　fearless　smile　upon　his　face；　expecting

the　next　moment　to　fall　dead　from　a　bullet　from　the　rifle　of

Chaske。　　Not　so。　　Chaske　was　too　honorable　and　noble　to　kill　an

unarmed　man；　and　especially　one　who　had　put　up　such　a　brave　fight

as　had　this　man。　　Chaske　advanced　and　picked　up　the　empty　gun。　　The

Toka　（enemy）　drew　from　a　scabbard　at　his　belt　a　long　bowie　knife；

and　taking　it　by　the　point　handed　it；　handle　first；　to　Chaske。　

This　signified　surrender。　　Chaske　scalped　the　dead　Toka　and

motioned　for　his　prisoner　to　follow　him。　　In　the　meantime　Pretty

Feather　had　gotten　up　and　stood　looking　at　the　duel。　　When　she

heard　the　first　shot　she　jumped　up　and　cut　a　small　slit　in　the　tent

from　which　she　saw　the　whole　proceedings。　　Knowing　that　one　or　both

of　them　must　be　wounded；　she　hurriedly　got　water　and　medicine

roots；　and　when　they　came　to　the　tent　she　was　prepared　to　dress

their　wounds。



Chaske　had　a　bullet　through　his　shoulder　and　one　through　his　hand。　

They　were　very　painful　but　not　dangerous。　　The　prisoner　had　a

bullet　through　his　leg；　also　one　through　the　muscle　of　his　left

arm。　　Pretty　Feather　washed　and　dressed　their　wounds；　and　Chaske

went　and　brought　the　black　and　white　horses　and　mounting　Pretty

Feather　upon　the　white　horse；　and　the　prisoner　on　her　spotted　one；

the　three　soon　rode　into　the　village；　and　there　was　a　great　cry　of

joy　when　it　was　known　that　Pretty　Feather　had　come　back　to　them

again。



Hake；　who　was　in　his　tent　grieving；　was　told　that　his　friend　had

returned　and　with　him　Pretty　Feather。　　Hearing　this　good　news　he　at

once　went　to　the　Medicine　Man's　tent　and　found　the　Medicine

Man　busily　dressing　the　wounds　of　his　friend　and　a　stranger。　　The

old　Medicine　Man　turned　to　Hake　and　said：



〃Son…in…law；　take　your　wife　home　with　you。　　It　was　from　grief　at

your　absence　that　she　went　into　a　trance；　and　we；　thinking　she　was

dead；　left　her　for　such。　　Hadn't　it　been　for　your　friend　here；　she

would　surely　have　been　a　corpse　now。　　So　take　her　and　keep　her　with

you　always；　and　take　as　a　present　from　me　fifty　of　my　best　horses。〃



Hake　and　his　beautiful　bride　went　home；　where　his　adopted　mother

had　a　fine　large　tent　put　up　for　them。　　Presents　of　cooking

utensils；　horses；　robes　and　finely　worked　shawls　and　moccasins　came

from　every　direction；　and　last　of　all　Chaske　gave　as　a　present　to

his　friend　the　Toka　man　whom　he　had　taken　as　prisoner。　　On

presenting　him　with　this　gift；　Chaske　spoke　thus：



〃My　friend；　I　present　to　you；　that　you　may　have　him　as　a　servant　to

look　after　your　large　band　of　horses；　this　man　with　whom　I　fought

a　two　hours'　duel；　and　had　his　ammunition　lasted　he　would　probably

have　conquered　me；　and　who　gave　me　the　second　hardest　fight　of　my

life。



The　hardest　fight　of　my　life　was　when　I　gave　up　Pretty　Feather。　

You　have　them　both。　　To　the　Toka　（enemy）　be　kind；　and　he　will　do

all　your　biddings。　　To　Pretty　Feather　be　a　good　husband。〃



So　saying；　Chaske　left　them；　and　true　to　his　word；　lived　the

remainder　of　his　days　a　confirmed　bachelor。













THE　STORY　OF　THE　PET　CROW



Once　upon　a　time　there　came　to　a　large　village　a　plague　of　crows。　

So　thick　were　they　that　the　poor　women　were　sorely　tried　keeping

them　out　of　their　tepees　and　driving　them　away　from　their　lines　of

jerked　buffalo　meat。　　Indeed　they　got　so　numerous　and　were　s