myths and legends of the sioux-第23章

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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　fire；　was　watching　every　motion　he　was　making。　　The　hand　slowly

withdrew；　and　as　the　footsteps　slowly　died　away；　there　rang　out　on

the　still　night　air　the　deep　fierce　howl　of　the　prairie　wolf。　

（This　imitation　of　a　prairie　wolf　is　the　signal　to　the　war　party

that　an　enemy　has　been　discovered　by　the　scout　whom　they　have　sent

out　in　advance）。　　At　once　she　aroused　her　husband　and　children。　

Annoyed　at　being　so　unceremoniously　disturbed　from　his　deep　sleep；

the　husband　crossly　asked　why　she　had　awakened　him　so　roughly。　　The

wife　explained　what　she　had　seen　and　heard。　　She　at　once　pinned　an

old　blanket　around　the　crane's　shoulders　and　an　old　piece　of

buffalo　hide　on　his　head　for　a　hat　or　head　covering。　　Heaping　piles

of　wood　onto　the　fire　she　instructed　him　to　run　around　outside　of

the　hut　until　the　family　returned；　as　they　were　going　to　see　if

they　could　find　some　roots　to　mix　up　with　the　fat。　　Hurriedly　she

tied　her　blanket　around　her　middle；　put　her　baby　inside　of　it；　and

then　grabbed　her　three　year　old　son　and　packed　him　on　her　back。　

The　father　also　hurriedly　packed　the　next　two　and　the　older　boy

took　care　of　himself。



Immediately　upon　leaving　the　tent　they　took　three　different

directions；　to　meet　again　on　the　high　hill　west　of　their　home。　　The

reflection　from　the　fire　in　the　tent　disclosed　to　them　the　poor　pet

crane　running　around　the　tent。　　It　looked　exactly　like　a　child　with

its　blanket　and　hat　on。



Suddenly　there　rang　out　a　score　of　shots　and　war　whoops　of　the

dreaded　Crow　Indians。　　Finding　the　tent　deserted　they　disgustedly

filed　off　and　were　swallowed　up　in　the　darkness　of　the　deep　forest。



The　next　morning　the　family　returned　to　see　what　had　become　of

their　pet　crane。　　There；　riddled　to　pieces；　lay　the　poor　bird　who

had　given　up　his　life　to　save　his　dear　friends。













WHITE　PLUME



There　once　lived　a　young　couple　who　were　very　happy。　　The　young　man

was　noted　throughout　the　whole　nation　for　his　accuracy　with　the　bow

and　arrow；　and　was　given　the　title　of　〃Dead　Shot；〃　or　〃He　who　never

misses　his　mark；〃　and　the　young　woman；　noted　for　her　beauty；　was

named　Beautiful　Dove。



One　day　a　stork　paid　this　happy　couple　a　visit　and　left　them　a　fine

big　boy。　　The　boy　cried　〃Ina；　ina〃　（mother；　mother）。　　〃Listen　to

our　son；〃　said　the　mother；　〃he　can　speak；　and　hasn't　he　a　sweet

voice？〃　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　father；　〃it　will　not　be　long　before　he

will　be　able　to　walk。〃　　He　set　to　work　making　some　arrows；　and　a

fine　hickory　bow　for　his　son。　　One　of　the　arrows　he　painted　red；

one　blue；　and　another　yellow。　　The　rest　he　left　the　natural　color

of　the　wood。　　When　he　had　completed　them；　the　mother

placed　them　in　a　fine　quiver；　all　worked　in　porcupine　quills；　and

hung　them　up　over　where　the　boy　slept　in　his　fine　hammock　of

painted　moose　hide。



At　times　when　the　mother　would　be　nursing　her　son；　she　would　look

up　at　the　bow　and　arrows　and　talk　to　her　baby；　saying：　〃My　son；

hurry　up　and　grow　fast　so　you　can　use　your　bow　and　arrows。　　You

will　grow　up　to　be　as　fine　a　marksman　as　your　father。〃　　The　baby

would　coo　and　stretch　his　little　arms　up　towards　the　bright　colored

quiver　as　though　he　understood　every　word　his　mother　had　uttered。　

Time　passed　and　the　boy　grew　up　to　a　good　size；　when　one　day　his

father　said：　〃Wife；　give　our　son　the　bow　and　arrows　so　that　he　may

learn　how　to　use　them。〃　　The　father　taught　his　son　how　to　string

and　unstring　the　bow；　and　also　how　to　attach　the　arrow　to　the

string。　　The　red；　blue　and　yellow　arrows；　he　told　the　boy；　were　to

be　used　only　whenever　there　was　any　extra　good　shooting　to　be　done；

so　the　boy　never　used　these　three　until　he　became　a　master　of

the　art。　　Then　he　would　practice　on　eagles　and　hawks；　and　never　an

eagle　or　hawk　continued　his　flight　when　the　boy　shot　one　of　the

arrows　after　him。



One　day　the　boy　came　running　into　the　tent；　exclaiming：　〃Mother；

mother；　I　have　shot　and　killed　the　most　beautiful　bird　I　ever　saw。〃　

〃Bring　it　in；　my　son；　and　let　me　look　at　it。〃　　He　brought　the　bird

and　upon　examining　it　she　pronounced　it　a　different　type　of　bird

from　any　she　had　ever　seen。　　Its　feathers　were　of　variegated　colors

and　on　its　head　was　a　topknot　of　pure　white　feathers。　　The　father；

returning；　asked　the　boy　with　which　arrow　he　had　killed　the　bird。　

〃With　the　red　one；〃　answered　the

boy。　　〃I　was　so　anxious　to　secure　the　pretty　bird　that；　although　I

know　I　could　have　killed　it　with　one　of　my　common　arrows；　I　wanted

to　be　certain；　so　I　used　the　red　one。〃　　〃That　is　right；　my　son；〃

said　the　father。　　〃When　you　have　the　least　doubt　of　your　aim；

always　use　one　of　the　painted　arrows；　and　you　will　never　miss　your

mark。〃



The　parents　decided　to　give　a　big　feast　in　honor　of　their　son

killing　the　strange；　beautiful　bird。　　So　a　great　many　elderly　women

were　called　to　the　tent　of　Pretty　Dove　to　assist　her　in　making

ready　for　the　big　feast。　　For　ten　days　these　women　cooked　and

pounded　beef　and　cherries；　and　got　ready　the　choicest　dishes　known

to　the　Indians。　　Of　buffalo；　beaver；　deer；　antelope；　moose；　bear；

quail；　grouse；　duck　of　all　kinds；　geese　and　plover　meats　there　was

an　abundance。　　Fish　of　all　kinds；　and　every　kind　of　wild　fruit　were

cooked；　and　when　all　was　in　readiness；　the　heralds　went　through　the

different　villages；　crying　out：　〃Ho…po；　ho…po〃　（now　all；　now　all）；

Dead　Shot　and　his　wife；　Beautiful　Dove；　invite　all　of　you；　young

and　old；　to　their　tepee　to　partake　of　a　great　feast；　given　by　them

in　honor　of　a　great　bird　which　their　son　has　killed；　and　also　to

select　for　their　son　some　good　name　which　he　will　bear　through

life。　　So　all　bring　your　cups　and　wooden　dishes　along　with　your

horn　spoons；　as　there　will　be　plenty　to　eat。　　Come；　all　you　council

men　and　chiefs；　as　they　have　also　a　great　tent　erected　for　you　in

which　you　hold　your　council。〃



Thus　crying；　the　heralds　made　the　circle　of　the　village。　　The

guests　soon　arrived。　　In　front　of　the　tent　was　a　pole　stuck　in　the

ground　and　painted　red；　and　at　the　top　of　the　pole　was　fastened　the

bird　of　variegated　colors；　its　wings　stretched　out　to　their　full

length　and　the　beautiful　white　waving　so　beautifully　from　its

topknot；　it　was　the　center　of　attraction。　　Half　way　up　the　pole　was

tied　the　bow　and　arrow　of　the　young　marksman。　　Long　streamers　of

fine　bead　and　porcupine　work　waved　from　the　pole　and　presented　a

very　striking　appearance。　　The　bird　was　faced　towards　the　setting

sun。　　The　great　chief　and　medicine　men　pronounced　the　bird　〃Wakan〃

（something　holy）。



When　the　people　had　finished　eating　they　all　fell　in　line　and

marched　in　single　file　beneath　the　bird；　in　order　to　get　a　close

view　of　it。　　By　the　time　this　vast　crowd　had　fully　viewed　the

wonderful　bird；　the　sun　was　just　setting　clear　in　the　west；　when

directly　over　the　rays　of　the　sun　appeared　a　cloud　in　the　shape　of

a　bird　of　variegated　colors。　　The　councilmen　were　called　out　to

look　at　the　cloud；　and　the　head　medicine　man　said　that　it　was　a

sign　that　the　boy　would　grow　up　to　be　a　great　chief　and　hunter；　and

would　have　a　great　many　friends　and　followers。



This　ended　the　feast；　but　before　dispersing；　the　chief　and

councilmen　bestowed　upon　the　boy　the　title　of　White　Plume。



One　day　a　stranger　came　to　the　village；　who　was　very　thin　and

nearly　starved。　　So　weak　was　he　that　he　could　not　speak；　but　made

signs　for　something　to　eat。　　Luckily　the　stranger　came　to　Dead

Shot's　tent；　and　as　there　was　always　a　plentiful　supply　in　his

lodge；　the　stranger　soon　had　a　good　meal　served　him。　　After　he　had

eaten　and　rested　he　told　his　story。



〃I　came　from　a　very　great　distance；〃　said　he。　　〃The　nations　where

I　came　from　are　in　a　starving　condition。　　No　place　can　they　find

any　buffalo；　deer　nor　antelope。　　A　witch　or　evil　spirit　in　the

shape　of　a　white　buffalo　has　driven　all　the　large　g