myths and legends of the sioux-第22章

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camp。　　The　third　night　the　hunter　noticed　that　the　figure　was

breathing。　　He　saw　one　of　the　hands　protruding　from　the　robe。　　The

skin　was　perfectly　black　and　was　stuck　fast　to　the　bones　of　the

hand。　　On　seeing　this　the　hunter　arose　and　going　over　to　his

medicine　sack　which　hung　on　a　pole；　took　down　the　sack　and；　opening

it；　took　out　some　roots　and　mixing　them　with　skunk　oil　and

vermillion；　said　to　the　figure：



〃If　you　will　let　us　rub　your　face　and　hands　with　this　medicine　it

will　put　new　life　into　the　skin　and　you　will　assume　your　complexion

again　and　it　will　put　flesh　on　you。〃　　The　figure　assented　and　the

hunter　rubbed　the　medicine　on　her　hands　and　face。　　Then　she　arose

and　walked　back　to　the　scaffold。　　The　next　day　the　hunter　moved

camp　towards　the　home　village。　　That　night　he　camped　within　a　few

miles　of　the　village。　　When　night　came；　the　dogs；　as　usual；　set　up

a　great　barking；　and　looking　out；　the　wife　saw　the　girl

approaching。



When　the　girl　had　entered　and　sat　down；　the　hunter　noticed　that　the

girl　did　not　keep　her　robe　so　closely　together　over　her　face。　　When

the　wife　gave　her　something　to　eat；　the　girl　reached　out　and　took

the　dish；　thus　exposing　her　hands；　which　they　at　once　noticed　were

again　natural。　　After　she　had　finished　her　meal；　the　hunter　said：

〃Did　my　medicine　help　you？〃　　She　nodded　assent。　　〃Do　you　want　my

medicine　rubbed　all　over　your　body？〃　　Again　she　nodded。　　〃I　will

mix　enough　to　rub　your　entire　body；　and　I　will　go　outside　and　let

my　wife　rub　it　on　for　you。〃　　He　mixed　a　good　supply　and　going　out

left　his　wife　to　rub　the　girl。　　When　his　wife　had　completed　the

task　she　called　to　her　husband　to　come　in；　and　when　he　came　in　he

sat　down　and　said　to　the　girl：　〃Tomorrow　we　will　reach　the　village。　

Do　you　want　to　go　with　us？〃　　She　shook　her　head。　　〃Will　you　come

again　to　our　camp　tomorrow　night　after　we　have　camped　in　the

village？〃　　She　nodded　her　head　in　assent。　　〃Then　do　you　want　to　see

your　parents？〃　　She　nodded　again；　and　arose　and　disappeared　into

the　darkness。



Early　the　next　morning　the　hunter　broke　camp　and　traveled　far　into

the　afternoon；　when　he　arrived　at　the　village。　　He　instructed　his

wife　to　go　at　once　and　inform　the　old　couple　of　what　had　happened。　

The　wife　did　so　and　at　sunset　the　old　couple　came　to　the

hunter's　tepee。　　They　were　invited　to　enter　and　a　fine　supper　was

served　them。　　Soon　after　they　had　finished　their　supper　the　dogs　of

the　camp　set　up　a　great　barking。　　〃Now　she　is　coming；　so　be　brave

and　you　will　soon　see　your　lost　daughter；〃　said　the　hunter。　　Hardly

had　he　finished　speaking　when　she　entered　the　tent　as　natural　as

ever　she　was　in　life。　　Her　parents　clung　to　her　and　smothered　her

with　kisses。



They　wanted　her　to　return　home　with　them；　but　she　would　stay　with

the　hunter　who　had　brought　her　back　to　life；　and　she　married　him；

becoming　his　second　wife。　　A　short　time　after　taking　the　girl　for

his　wife；　the　hunter　joined　a　war　party　and　never　returned；　as　he

was　killed　on　the　battlefield。



A　year　after　her　husband's　death　she　married　again。　　This　husband

was　also　killed　by　a　band　of　enemies　whom　the　warriors　were

pursuing　for　stealing　some　of　their　horses。　　The　third　husband　also

met　a　similar　fate　to　the　first。　　He　was　killed　on　the　field　of

battle。



She　was　still　a　handsome　woman　at　the　time　of　the　third　husband's

death；　but　never　again　married；　as　the　men　feared　her；　saying　she

was　holy；　and　that　any　one　who　married　her　would　be　sure　to　be

killed　by　the　enemy。



So　she　took　to　doctoring　the　sick　and　gained　the　reputation　of

being　the　most　skilled　doctor　in　the　nation。　　She　lived　to　a　ripe

old　age　and　when　she　felt　death　approaching　she　had　them　take　her

to　where　she　had　rested　once　before；　and　crawling　to　the　top　of　the

newly　erected　scaffold；　wrapped　her　blankets　and　robes　about　her；

covered　her　face　carefully；　and　fell　into　that　sleep　from　which

there　is　no　more　awakening。













THE　STORY　OF　THE　PET　CRANE



There　was　once　upon　a　time　a　man　who　did　not　care　to　live　with　his

tribe　in　a　crowded　village；　but　preferred　a　secluded　spot　in　the

deep　forest；　there　to　live　with　his　wife　and　family　of　five

children。　　The　oldest　of　the　children　（a　boy）　was　twelve　years　of

age；　and　being　the　son　of　a　distinguished　hunter；　soon　took　to

roaming　through　the　forest　in　search　of　small　game。



One　day　during　his　ramblings；　he　discovered　a　crane's　nest；　with

only　one　young　crane　occupying　it。　　No　doubt　some　fox　or　traveling

weasel　had　eaten　the　rest　of　the　crane's　brothers　and　sisters。　　The

boy　said　to　himself；　〃I　will　take　this　poor　little　crane　home　and

will　raise　him　as　a　pet　for　our　baby。　　If　I　leave　him　here　some

hungry　fox　will　be　sure　to　eat　the　poor　little　fellow。〃　　He　carried

the　young　crane　home　and　it　grew　to　be　nearly　as　tall　as　the　boy's

five…year…old　sister。



Being　brought　up　in　a　human　circle；　it　soon　grew　to　understand　all

the　family　said。　　Although　it　could　not　speak　it　took　part　in　all

the　games　played　by　the　children。　　The　father　of　the　family　was；　as

I　have　before　mentioned；　a　great　hunter。　　He　always　had　a

plentiful　supply　of　deer；　antelope；　buffalo　and　beaver　meats　on

hand；　but　there　came　a　change。　　The　game　migrated　to　some　other

locality；　where　no　deadly　shot　like　〃Kutesan〃　（Never　Miss）　would　be

around　to　annihilate　their　fast　decreasing　droves。　　The　hunter

started　out　early　one　morning　in　hopes　of　discovering　some　of　the

game　which　had　disappeared　as　suddenly　as　though　the　earth　had

swallowed　them。　　The　hunter　traveled　the　whole　day；　all　to　no

purpose。　　It　was　late　in　the　evening　when　he　staggered　into　camp。　

He　was　nearly　dead　with　fatigue。　　Hastily　swallowing　a　cup　of

cherry　bark　tea　（the　only　article　of　food　they　had　in　store）；　he　at

once　retired　and　was　soon　in　the　sweet　land　of　dreams。　　The

children　soon　joined　their　father　and　the　poor　woman　sat　thinking

how　they　could　save　their　dear　children　from　starvation。　　Suddenly

out　upon　the　night　air　rang　the　cry　of　a　crane。　　Instantly　the　pet

crane　awoke；　stepped　outside　and　answered　the　call。　　The　crane

which　had　given　the　cry　was　the　father　of　the　pet　crane；　and

learning　from　Mr。　Fox　of　the　starving　condition　of　his　son　and　his

friends；　he　flew　to　the　hunting　grounds　of　the　tribe；　and　as　there

had　been　a　good　kill　that　day；　the　crane　found　no　trouble　in

securing　a　great　quantity　of　fat。　　This　he　carried　to　the　tent　of

the　hunter　and；　hovering　over　the　tent　he　suddenly　let　the　fat　drop

to　the　earth　and　at　once　the　pet　crane　picked　it　up　and　carried　it

to　the　woman。



Wishing　to　surprise　the　family　on　their　awakening　in　the　morning

she　got　a　good　stick　for　a　light；　heaped　up　sticks　on　the　dying

embers；　and　started　up　a　rousing　fire　and　proceeded　to　melt　or　try

out　the　fat；　as　melted　fat　is　considered　a　favorite　dish。　　

Although　busily　occupied　she　kept　her　ears　open　for　any　strange

noises　coming　out　of　the　forest；　there　being　usually　some　enemies

lurking　around。　　She　held　her　pan　in　such　a　position　that　after　the

fat　started　to　melt　and　quite　a　lot　of　the　hot　grease　accumulated

in　the　pan；　she　could　plainly　see　the　tent　door　reflected　in　the

hot　grease；　as　though　she　used　a　mirror。



When　she　had　nearly　completed　her　task；　she　heard　a　noise　as　though

some　footsteps　were　approaching。　　Instantly　her　heart　began　to　beat

a　tattoo　on　her　ribs；　but　she　sat　perfectly　quiet；　calling　all　her

self…control　into　play　to　keep　from　making　an　outcry。　　This　smart

woman　had　already　studied　out　a　way　in　which　to　best　this　enemy；　in

case　an　enemy　it　should　be。　The　footsteps；　or　noise；　continued　to

advance；　until　at　last　the　woman　saw　reflected　in　the　pan　of　grease

a　hand　slowly　protruding　through　the　tent　door；　and　the　finger

pointed；　as　if　counting；　to　the　sleeping　father；　then　to　each　one

of　the　sleeping　children；　then　to　her　who　sat　at　the　fire。　　Little

did　Mr。　Enemy　suppose　that　the　brave　woman　who　sat　so　composed　at

her　fi