myths and legends of the sioux-第21章

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in　upon　him。　　He　then　threw　off　his　cloak　and　they　devoured　that；

and　were　close　upon　him　again；　when　he　threw　off　his　leggings。　

These　were　hastily　eaten　up；　and；　as　they　drew　near　to　a　lake；　the

man　threw　off　the　kidney　fat；　and；　running　to　the　edge　of　the　lake；

dived　down　into　the　water　and　kept　beneath　the　surface；　swimming　to

the　opposite　shore。　　After　the　Unktomi　family　had　eaten　the　kidney

fat　they　came　to　the　water's　edge；　and　the　grease　was　floating　on

the　surface　of　the　water　which　they　lapped　up；　until　there　was　not

a　grease　spot　left　floating　on　the　surface。



The　small　morsels　had　only　sharpened　their　appetites；　and　as　they

saw　the　man　sitting　on　the　opposite　shore；　Unktomi　and　his　family

proceeded　around　the　lake　and　came　upon　two　men　sitting　on

the　shore。　　Unktomi　saw　that　the　other　man　was　〃Wakapapi〃　（pounded

beef）。　　The　family　surrounded　the　two　and　Unktomi　ordered　them　to

fight。　　Fearing　Unktomi　and　his　large　family；　they　at　once

commenced　to　fight　and　Pounded　Meat　was　soon　killed。　　The　hungry

family　at　once　fell　to　eating　him。　　So　busy　were　they　that　none

noticed　the　fat　man　sneak　off　and　disappear。



When　they　had　finished　the　pounded　beef　man　they　looked　around　to

fall　upon　the　fat　man；　but　nowhere　could　he　be　seen。　　Unktomi　said；

〃I　will　track　him　and　when　I　find　him；　I　will　return　for　you；　so

stay　here　and　await　my　return。〃



He　followed　the　fat　man's　tracks　until　farther　east　on　the　shore　of

the　lake　he　found　the　fat　man　in　the　act　of　skinning　a　deer；　which

he　had　killed。　　（He　had　held　on　to　his　bow　and　arrows　when　he

jumped　into　the　lake）。　　〃My；〃　said　Unktomi；　〃this　will　make　a　fine

meal　for　my　hungry　children。　　I　will　go　after　them；　so　hurry　and

cut　the　meat　up　into　small　pieces　so　they　each　can　have　a　piece。〃



〃All　right；　go　ahead　and　get　your　family；〃　said　Fat　Man。　　During

Unktomi's　absence；　the　fat　man　hurriedly　cut　the　meat　up　into　small

pieces　and　carried　them　up　into　a　tree　that　stood　near　to　the

shore。　　When　he　had　carried　it　all　up　he　threw　sand　and

dirt　upon　the　blood；　and　so　left　no　trace　of　the　deer。



On　the　arrival　of　Unktomi　and　his　family；　no　signs　of　the　fat　man

or　the　deer　could　be　found。　　They　wandered　about　the　spot　looking

for　tracks　which　might　lead　them　to　where　the　fat　man　had　cached

the　meat；　as　Unktomi　said　he　could　not　have　carried　it　very　far。　

Now　the　fat　man　was　up　in　the　tree　and　sat　watching　them。　　The

reflection　of　the　tree　was　in　the　water；　and　some　of　the　children

going　close　to　the　shore；　discovered　it　as　they　looked　at　the

reflection。　　The　fat　man　cut　a　piece　of　meat　and　extending　it

towards　them；　drew　back　his　hand　and　put　the　meat　into　his　mouth。



〃Come　quick；　father；　here　he　is　eating　the　meat；〃　said　the

children。　　Unktomi　came　and　seeing　the　reflection；　thought　the　fat

man　was　down　in　the　lake。　　〃Wait；　I　will　bring　him　up　for　you。〃　　So

saying；　he　dived　down；　but　soon　arose　without　anything。　　Again　and

again　he　tried；　but　could　not　reach　the　bottom。　　He　told　the

children　to　gather　rock　for　him。　　These　he　tied　around　his　neck　and

body；　and　dived　down　for　the　last　time。　　The　last　the　children　saw

of　their　father　was　the　bubbles　which　arose　to　the　surface　of　the

lake。　　The　rocks　being　too　heavy　for　him；　held　him　fast　to　the

bottom；　and　some　hungry　fish　soon　made　a　feast　out　of　the　body　of

poor　〃Unktomi。〃













THE　RESUSCITATION　OF　THE　ONLY

DAUGHTER



There　once　lived　an　old　couple　who　had　an　only　daughter。　　She　was

a　beautiful　girl；　and　was　very　much　courted　by　the　young　men　of　the

tribe；　but　she　said　that　she　preferred　single　life；　and　to　all

their　heart…touching　tales　of　deep　affection　for　her　she　always　had

one　answer。　　That　was　〃No。〃



One　day　this　maiden　fell　ill　and　day　after　day　grew　worse。　　All　the

best　medicine　men　were　called　in；　but　their　medicines　were　of　no

avail；　and　in　two　weeks　from　the　day　that　she　was　taken　ill　she　lay

a　corpse。　　Of　course　there　was　great　mourning　in　the　camp。　　They

took　her　body　several　miles　from　camp　and　rolled　it　in　fine　robes

and　blankets；　then　they　laid　her　on　a　scaffold　which　they　had

erected。　　（This　was　the　custom　of　burial　among　the　Indians）。　　They

placed　four　forked　posts　into　the　ground　and　then　lashed　strong

poles　lengthwise　and　across　the　ends　and　made　a　bed　of　willows　and

stout　ash　brush。　　This　scaffold　was　from　five　to　seven　feet　from

the　ground。　　After　the　funeral　the　parents　gave　away　all　of　their

horses；　fine　robes　and　blankets　and　all　of　the　belongings　of　the

dead　girl。　　Then　they　cut　their　hair　off　close　to　their　heads；　and

attired　themselves　in　the　poorest　apparel　they　could　secure。



When　a　year　had　passed　the　friends　and　relatives　of　the　old　couple

tried　in　vain　to　have　them　set　aside　their　mourning。　　〃You　have

mourned　long　enough；〃　they　would　say。　　〃Put　aside　your　mourning　and

try　and　enjoy　a　few　more　pleasures　of　this　life　while

you　live。　　You　are　both　growing　old　and　can't　live　very　many　more

years；　so　make　the　best　of　your　time。〃　　The　old　couple　would　listen

to　their　advice　and　then　shake　their　heads　and　answer：　〃We　have

nothing　to　live　for。　　Nothing　we　could　join　in　would　be　any

amusement　to　us；　since　we　have　lost　the　light　of　our　lives。〃



So　the　old　couple　continued　their　mourning　for　their　lost　idol。　

Two　years　had　passed　since　the　death　of　the　beautiful　girl；　when

one　evening　a　hunter　and　his　wife　passed　by　the　scaffold　which　held

the　dead　girl。　　They　were　on　their　return　trip　and　were　heavily

loaded　down　with　game；　and　therefore　could　not　travel　very　fast。　

About　half　a　mile　from　the　scaffold　a　clear　spring　burst　forth　from

the　side　of　a　bank；　and　from　this　trickled　a　small　stream　of　water；

moistening　the　roots　of　the　vegetation　bordering　its　banks；　and

causing　a　growth　of　sweet　green　grass。　　At　this　spring　the　hunter

camped　and　tethering　his　horses；　at　once　set　about　helping　his　wife

to　erect　the　small　tepee　which　they　carried　for　convenience　in

traveling。



When　it　became　quite　dark；　the　hunter's　dogs　set　up　a　great　barking

and　growling。　　〃Look　out　and　see　what　the　dogs　are　barking　at；〃

said　the　hunter　to　his　wife。　　She　looked　out　through　the　door　and

then　drew　back　saying：　〃There　is　the　figure　of　a　woman　advancing

from　the　direction　of　the　girl's　scaffold。〃　　〃I　expect　it　is　the

dead　girl；　let　her　come；　and　don't　act　as　if　you　were　afraid；〃　said

the　hunter。　　Soon　they　heard　footsteps　advancing　and　the　steps

ceased　at　the　door。　　Looking　down　at　the　lower　part　of　the　door　the

hunter　noticed　a　pair　of　small　moccasins；　and　knowing　that　it　was

the　visitor；　said：　〃Whoever　you　are；　come　in　and　have　something　to

eat。〃



At　this　invitation　the　figure　came　slowly　in　and　sat　down　by　the

door　with　head　covered　and　with　a　fine　robe　drawn　tightly　over　the

face。　　The　woman　dished　up　a　fine　supper　and　placing　it　before　the

visitor；　said：　〃Eat；　my　friend；　you　must　be　hungry。〃　　The　figure

never　moved；　nor　would　it　uncover　to　eat。　　〃Let　us　turn　our　back

towards　the　door　and　our　visitor　may　eat　the　food；〃　said　the

hunter。　　So　his　wife　turned　her　back　towards　the　visitor　and　made

herself　very　busy　cleaning　the　small　pieces　of　meat　that　were

hanging　to　the　back　sinews　of　the　deer　which　had　been　killed。　

（This　the　Indians　use　as　thread。）　The　hunter；　filling　his　pipe；

turned　away　and　smoked　in　silence。　　Finally　the　dish　was　pushed

back　to　the　woman；　who　took　it　and　after　washing　it；　put　it　away。　

The　figure　still　sat　at　the　door；　not　a　sound　coming　from　it；

neither　was　it　breathing。　　The　hunter　at　last　said：　〃Are　you　the

girl　that　was　placed　upon　that　scaffold　two　years　ago？〃　　It　bowed

its　head　two　or　three　times　in　assent。　　〃Are　you　going　to　sleep

here　tonight；　if　you　are；　my　wife　will　make　down　a　bed　for　you。〃　

The　figure　shook　its　head。　　〃Are　you　going　to　come　again　tomorrow

night　to　us？〃　　It　nodded　assent。



For　three　nights　in　succession　the　figure　visited　the　hunter's

camp。　　The　third　night　the　hunter　notic