myths and legends of the sioux-第2章

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she　found　she　had　no　packing　bag。　　So　she　went　to　her　hardworking

cousin　and　said：



〃Cousin；　I　have　no　beans　stored　for　winter　and　the　season　is　nearly

gone。　　But　I　have　no　snake　skin　to　gather　the　beans　in。　　Will　you

lend　me　one？〃



〃But　why　have　you　no　packing　bag？　　Where　were　you　in　the　moon　when

the　snakes　cast　off　their　skins？〃



〃I　was　here。〃



〃What　were　you　doing？〃



〃I　was　busy　talking　and　dancing。〃



〃And　now　you　are　punished；〃　said　the　other。　　〃It　is　always　so　with

lazy；　careless　people。　　But　I　will　let　you　have　the　snake　skin。　

And　now　go；　and　by　hard　work　and　industry；　try　to　recover　your

wasted　time。〃













THE　PET　RABBIT



A　little　girl　owned　a　pet　rabbit　which　she　loved　dearly。　　She

carried　it　on　her　back　like　a　babe；　made　for　it　a　little　pair　of

moccasins；　and　at　night　shared　with　it　her　own　robe。



Now　the　little　girl　had　a　cousin　who　loved　her　very　dearly　and

wished　to　do　her　honor；　so　her　cousin　said　to　herself：



〃I　love　my　little　cousin　well　and　will　ask　her　to　let　me　carry　her

pet　rabbit　around；〃　（for　thus　do　Indian　women　when　they　wish　to

honor　a　friend；　they　ask　permission　to　carry　about　the　friend's

babe）。



She　then　went　to　the　little　girl　and　said：



〃Cousin；　let　me　carry　your　pet　rabbit　about　on　my　back。　　Thus　shall

I　show　you　how　I　love　you。〃



Her　mother；　too；　said　to　her：　〃Oh　no；　do　not　let　our　little

grandchild　go　away　from　our　tepee。〃



But　the　cousin　answered：　〃Oh；　do　let　me　carry　it。　I　do　so　want　to

show　my　cousin　honor。〃　　At　last　they　let　her　go　away　with　the　pet

rabbit　on　her　back。



When　the　little　girl's　cousin　came　home　to　her　tepee；　some　rough

boys　who　were　playing　about　began　to　make　sport　of　her。　　To　tease

the　little　girl　they　threw　stones　and　sticks　at　the　pet　rabbit。　　At

last　a　stick　struck　the　little　rabbit　upon　the　head　and

killed　it。



When　her　pet　was　brought　home　dead；　the　little　rabbit's　adopted

mother　wept　bitterly。　　She　cut　off　her　hair　for　mourning　and　all

her　little　girl　friends　wailed　with　her。　　Her　mother；　too；　mourned

with　them。



〃Alas！〃　they　cried；　〃alas；　for　the　little　rabbit。　　He　was　always

kind　and　gentle。　　Now　your　child　is　dead　and　you　will　be　lonesome。〃



The　little　girl's　mother　called　in　her　little　friends　and　made　a

great　mourning　feast　for　the　little　rabbit。　　As　he　lay　in　the　tepee

his　adopted　mother's　little　friends　brought　many　precious　things

and　covered　his　body。　　At　the　feast　were　given　away　robes　and

kettles　and　blankets　and　knives　and　great　wealth　in　honor　of　the

little　rabbit。　　Him　they　wrapped　in　a　robe　with　his　little

moccasins　on　and　buried　him　in　a　high　place　upon　a　scaffold。













THE　PET　DONKEY



There　was　a　chief's　daughter　once　who　had　a　great　many　relations　so

that　everybody　knew　she　belonged　to　a　great　family。



When　she　grew　up　she　married　and　there　were　born　to　her　twin　sons。　

This　caused　great　rejoicing　in　her　father's　camp；　and　all　the

village　women　came　to　see　the　babes。　　She　was　very　happy。



As　the　babes　grew　older；　their　grandmother　made　for　them　two　saddle

bags　and　brought　out　a　donkey。



〃My　two　grandchildren；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃shall　ride　as　is

becoming　to　children　having　so　many　relations。　　Here　is　this

donkey。　　He　is　patient　and　surefooted。　　He　shall　carry　the　babes　in

the　saddle　bags；　one　on　either　side　of　his　back。〃



It　happened　one　day　that　the　chief's　daughter　and　her　husband　were

making　ready　to　go　on　a　camping　journey。　　The　father；　who　was　quite

proud　of　his　children；　brought　out　his　finest　pony；　and　put　the

saddle　bags　on　the　pony's　back。



〃There；〃　he　said；　〃my　sons　shall　ride　on　the　pony；　not　on　a　donkey；

let　the　donkey　carry　the　pots　and　kettles。〃



So　his　wife　loaded　the　donkey　with　the　household　things。　　She　tied

the　tepee　poles　into　two　great　bundles；　one　on　either　side　of　the

donkey's　back；　across　them　she　put　the　travois　net　and　threw　into

it　the　pots　and　kettles　and　laid　the　skin　tent　across　the　donkey's

back。



But　no　sooner　done　than　the　donkey　began　to　rear　and　bray　and　kick。　

He　broke　the　tent　poles　and　kicked　the　pots　and　kettles　into　bits

and　tore　the　skin　tent。　　The　more　he　was　beaten　the　more　he　kicked。



At　last　they　told　the　grandmother。　　She　laughed。　　〃Did　I　not　tell

you　the　donkey　was　for　the　children；〃　she　cried。　　〃He　knows　the

babies　are　the　chief's　children。　　Think　you　he　will　be　dishonored

with　pots　and　kettles？〃　and　she　fetched　the　children　and　slung　them

over　the　donkey's　back；　when　he　became　at　once　quiet　again。



The　camping　party　left　the　village　and　went　on　their　journey。　　But

the　next　day　as　they　passed　by　a　place　overgrown　with　bushes；　a

band　of　enemies　rushed　out；　lashing　their　ponies　and　sounding　their

war　whoop。　　All　was　excitement。　　The　men　bent　their　bows　and　seized

their　lances。　　After　a　long　battle　the　enemy　fled。　　But　when　the

camping　party　came　together　againwhere　were　the　donkey　and　the

two　babes？　　No　one　knew。　　For　a　long　time　they　searched；　but　in

vain。　　At　last　they　turned　to　go　back　to　the　village；　the　father

mournful；　the　mother　wailing。　　When　they　came　to　the　grandmother's

tepee；　there　stood　the　good　donkey　with　the　two　babes　in　the　saddle

bags。













THE　RABBIT　AND　THE　ELK



The　little　rabbit　lived　with　his　old　grandmother；　who　needed　a　new

dress。　　〃I　will　go　out　and　trap　a　deer　or　an　elk　for　you；〃　he　said。　

〃Then　you　shall　have　a　new　dress。〃



When　he　went　out　hunting　he　laid　down　his　bow　in　the　path　while　he

looked　at　his　snares。　　An　elk　coming　by　saw　the　bow。



〃I　will　play　a　joke　on　the　rabbit；〃　said　the　elk　to　himself。　　〃I

will　make　him　think　I　have　been　caught　in　his　bow　string。〃　　He　then

put　one　foot　on　the　string　and　lay　down　as　if　dead。



By　and　by　the　rabbit　returned。　　When　he　saw　the　elk　he　was　filled

with　joy　and　ran　home　crying：　〃Grandmother；　I　have　trapped　a　fine

elk。　　You　shall　have　a　new　dress　from　his　skin。　　Throw　the　old　one

in　the　fire！〃



This　the　old　grandmother　did。



The　elk　now　sprang　to　his　feet　laughing。　　〃Ho；　friend　rabbit；〃　he

called；　〃You　thought　to　trap　me；　now　I　have　mocked　you。〃　　And　he

ran　away　into　the　thicket。



The　rabbit　who　had　come　back　to　skin　the　elk　now　ran　home　again。　

〃Grandmother；　don't　throw　your　dress　in　the　fire；〃　he　cried。　　But

it　was　too　late。　　The　old　dress　was　burned。











THE　RABBIT　AND　THE　GROUSE　GIRLS



The　rabbit　once　went　out　on　the　prairie　in　winter　time。　　On　the

side　of　a　hill　away　from　the　wind　he　found　a　great　company　of　girls

all　with　grey　and　speckled　blankets　over　their　backs。　　They　were

the　grouse　girls　and　they　were　coasting　down　hill　on　a　board。　　When

the　rabbit　saw　them；　he　called　out：



〃Oh；　maidens；　that　is　not　a　good　way　to　coast　down　hill。　　Let　me

get　you　a　fine　skin　with　bangles　on　it　that　tinkle　as　you　slide。〃　

And　away　he　ran　to　the　tepee　and　brought　a　skin　bag。　　It　had　red

stripes　on　it　and　bangles　that　tinkled。　　〃Come　and　get　inside；〃　he

said　to　the　grouse　girls。　　〃Oh；　no；　we　are　afraid；〃　they　answered。　

〃Don't　be　afraid；　I　can't　hurt　you。　　Come；　one　of　you；〃　said　the

rabbit。　　Then　as　each　hung　back　he　added　coaxingly：　〃If　each　is

afraid　alone；　come　all　together。　　I　can't　hurt　you　all。〃　

And　so　he　coaxed　the　whole　flock　into　the　bag。　　This　done；　the

rabbit　closed　the　mouth　of　the　bag；　slung　it　over　his　back　and　came

home。　　〃Grandmother；〃　said　he；　as　he　came　to　the　tepee；　〃here　is　a

bag　full　of　game。　　Watch　it　while　I　go　for　willow　sticks　to　make

spits。〃



But　as　soon　as　the　rabbit　had　gone　out　of　the　tent；　the　grouse

girls　began　to　cry　out：



〃Grandmother；　let　us　out。〃



〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　old　woman。



〃Your　dear　grandchildren；〃　they　answered。



〃But　how　came　you　in　the　bag？〃　asked　the　old　woman。



〃Oh；　our　cousin　was　jesting　with　us。　　He　coaxed　us　in　the　bag　for

a　joke。　　Please　let　us　out。〃



〃Certainly；　dear　grandchildren