myths and legends of the sioux-第26章

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the　father　said　to　his　wife：　〃I　am　going　for　a　visit　to　the　Elk

nation。〃　　The　mother　was　very　sad；　as　she　knew　her　husband　was

going　after　another　wife。　　He　returned；　bringing　with　him　a　very

beautiful　elk　girl。　　When　the　Buffalo　woman　saw　the　elk　girl　she

was　very　downcast　and　sad；　but　the　husband　said：　〃Don't　be　sad；　she

will　do　all　the　heavy　work　for　you。〃



They　lived　quite　happily　together　for　a　long　time。　　The　Elk　girl

also　became　the　mother　of　a　fine　boy。　　The　two　boys　had　grown　up

large　enough　to　play　around。　　One　day　the　Elk　woman　was　tanning

hides　outside　and　the　two　boys　were　playing　around　near　their

mothers；　when　all　at　once　the　buffalo　boy　ran　across　the　robe；

leaving　his　tracks　on　the　white　robe　which　his　step…mother　had

nearly　completed。　　This　provoked　the　elk　woman　and　she　gave　vent　to

her　feelings　by　scolding　the　boy：　〃You　clumsy　flat　mouth；　why

couldn't　you　run　around　my　work；　instead　of　across　it？〃　　The

buffalo　cow　standing　in　the　door；　heard　every　word　that　the　elk

woman　had　said；　and　when　she　heard　her　son　called　flat　mouth　it

made　her　very　angry；　although　she　did　not　say　a　word　to　any　one。　

She　hurriedly　gathered　some　of　her　belongings　and；　calling　her　son；

she　started　off　in　a　westerly　direction。



The　husband　being　absent　on　a　hunting　expedition　did　not　return

until　late　in　the　afternoon。　　Upon　his　return　his　oldest　boy　always

ran　out　to　meet　him；　but　this　time　as　the　boy　did　not　put　in　an

appearance；　the　father　feared　that　something　had　happened　to　the

boy。　　So　hurriedly　going　to　his　tent　he　looked　around；　but　failing

to　see　the　boy　or　his　mother；　he　asked　his　elk　wife；　where　the　boy

and　his　mother　were。　　The　elk　wife　answered：　〃She　took　her　boy　on

her　back　and　started　off　in　that　direction；〃　（pointing　towards　the

west）。　　〃How　long　has　she　been　gone？〃　　〃Since　early　morning。〃　　The

husband　hurriedly　caught　a　fresh　horse　and；　without　eating

anything；　rode　off　in　the　direction　taken　by　his　buffalo　wife　and

boy。　　Near　dark　he　ascended　a　high　hill　and　noticed　a　small　tent

down　in　the　valley。　　It　was　a　long　distance　down　to　the　tent；　so　it

was　very　late　when　he　arrived　there。　　He　tethered　his　horse　and

went　into　the　tent　and　found　the　boy　and　his　mother　fast　asleep。　

Upon　lying　down　beside　them　the　boy　awoke；　and　upon　seeing　his

father；　motioned　to　him　to　go　outside　with　him。



On　going　outside　the　boy　told　his　father　that　it　would　be　useless

for　him　to　try　and　coax　his　mother　to　return；　as　she　was　too　highly

insulted　by　the　elk　wife　to　ever　return。　　Then　the　boy　told　about

what　the　elk　wife　had　said　and　that　she　had　called　him　flat　mouth。　

〃My　mother　is　determined　to　return　to　her　people；　but　if　you　want

to　follow　us　you　may；　and　perhaps；　after　she　has　visited　with　her

relatives　a　little　while；　you　may　induce　her　to　return　with　you。　

In　the　morning　we　are　going　to　start　very　early；　and　as　the　country

we　will　travel　through　is　very　hard　soil；　I　will　stamp　my　feet　hard

so　as　to　leave　my　tracks　imprinted　in　the　softest　places；　then　you

will　be　able　to　follow　the　direction　we　will　take。〃



The　two　went　into　the　tent　and　were　soon　fast　asleep。　　The　father；

being　very　much　fatigued；　slept　very　soundly；　and　when　he　awoke　the

sun　was　beating　down　upon　him。　　The　mother　and　boy　were　nowhere　to

be　seen。　　The　tent　had　been　taken　down　from　over　him　so　carefully

that　he　had　not　been　awakened。　　Getting　his　horse；　he　mounted　and

rode　after　the　two　who　had　left　him　sleeping。　　He　had　no　trouble　in

following　the　trail；　as　the　boy　had　stamped　his　feet　hard　and　left

his　little　tracks　in　the　soft　places。



That　evening　he　spied　the　little　tent　again　and　on　getting　to　it

found　them　both　asleep。　　The　boy　awoke　and　motioned　for　his　father

to　go　outside。　　He　again　told　his　father　that　the　next　day's　travel

would　be　the　hardest　of　all。　　〃We　will　cross　a　great　plain；

but　before　we　get　there　we　will　cross　a　sandy　hollow。　　When　you　get

to　the　hollow；　look　at　my　tracks；　they　will　be　deep　into　the　sand；

and　in　each　track　you　will　see　little　pools　of　water。　　Drink　as

much　as　you　can；　as　this　is　the　only　chance　you　will　get　to　have　a

drink；　there　being　no　water　from　there　to　the　big　ridge；　and　it

will　be　dark　by　the　time　you　get　to　the　ridge。　　The　relations　of　my

mother　live　at　that　ridge　and　I　will　come　and　talk　to　you　once

more；　before　I　leave　you　to　join　my　mother's　people。〃



Next　morning；　as　before；　he　awoke　to　find　himself　alone。　　They　had

left　him　and　proceeded　on　their　journey。　　He　mounted　again　and　when

he　arrived　at　the　sandy　hollow；　sure　enough；　there；　deep　in　the

sand；　were　the　tracks　of　his　son　filled　to　the　top　with　water。　　He

drank　and　drank　until　he　had　drained　the　last　one。　　Then　he　arose

and　continued　on　the　trail；　and　near　sundown　he　came　in　sight　of

their　little　tent　away　up　on　the　side　of　the　ridge。　　His　horse

suddenly　staggered　and　fell　forward　dead；　having　died　of　thirst。



From　there　he　proceeded　on　foot。　　When　he　got　to　where　the　tent

stood　he　entered；　only　to　find　it　empty。　　〃I　guess　my　son　intends

to　come　here　and　have　his　last　talk　with　me；〃　thought　the　father。　

He　had　eaten　nothing　for　three　days；　and　was　nearly　famished。　　He

lay　down；　but　the　pangs　of　hunger　kept　sleep　away。　　He　heard

footsteps　outside　and　lay　in　readiness；　thinking　it　might　be　an

enemy。　　Slowly　opening　the　covering　of　the　door；　his　son　looked　in

and　seeing　his　father　lying　awake；　drew　back　and　ran　off　up　the

ridge；　but　soon　returned　bringing　a　small　parcel　with　him。　　When　he

entered　he　gave　the　parcel　to　his　father　and　said：　〃Eat；　father；　I

stole　this　food　for　you；　so　I　could　not　get　very　much。〃　　The　father

soon　ate　what　his　son　had　brought。　　When　he　had　finished；　the　son

said：　〃Tomorrow　morning　the　relatives　of　my　mother　will　come　over

here　and　take　you　down　to　the　village。　　My　mother　has　three　sisters

who　have　their　work　bags　made　identically　the　same　as　mother's。　

Were　they　to　mix　them　up　they　could　not　each　pick　out　her　own

without　looking　inside　so　as　to　identify　them　by　what　they　have　in

them。　　You　will　be　asked　to　pick　out　mother's　work　bag；　and　if　you

fail　they　will　trample　you　to　death。　　Next　they　will　tell　you　to

pick　out　my　mother　from　among　her　sisters；　and　you　will　be　unable

to　distinguish　her　from　the　other　three；　and　if　you　fail　they　will

bury　you　alive。　　The　last　they　will　try　you　on；　in　case　you　meet

the　first　and　second　tests　successfully；　will　be　to　require　you　to

pick　me　out　from　my　three　cousins；　who　are　as　much　like　me　as　my

reflection　in　the　water。　　The　bags　you　can　tell　by　a　little　pebble

I　will　place　on　my　mother's。　　You　can　pick　my　mother　out　by　a　small

piece　of　grass　which　I　will　put　in　her　hair；

and　you　can　pick　me　out　from　my　cousins；　for　when　we　commence　to

dance；　I　will　shake　my　head；　flop　my　ears　and　switch　my　tail。　　You

must　choose　quickly；　as　they　will　be　very　angry　at　your　success；

and　if　you　lose　any　time　they　will　make　the　excuse　that　you　did　not

know；　that　they　may　have　an　excuse　to　trample　you　to　death。〃



The　boy　then　left；　after　admonishing　his　father　to　remember　all

that　he　had　told　him。　　Early　next　morning　the　father　heard　a　great

rumbling　noise；　and　going　outside；　he　saw　the　whole　hillside

covered　with　buffalo。　　When　he　appeared　they　set　up　a　loud

bellowing　and　circled　around　him。　　One　old　bull　came　up　and　giving

a　loud　snort；　passed　on　by；　looking　back　every　few　steps。　　The　man；

thinking　he　was　to　follow　this　one；　did　so；　and　the　whole　herd；

forming　a　half　circle　around　him；　escorted　him　down　the　west　side

of　the　range　out　on　to　a　large　plain；　where　there　stood　a　lone

tree。　　To　this　tree　the　old　bull　led　him　and　stopped　when　he

reached　the　tree。　　A　large　rock　at　the　foot　of　the　tree　served　as

a　seat　for　the　man。　　As　soon　as　he　was　seated　there　came　four

female　buffaloes；　each　bearing　a　large　work　box。　　They　set　the

boxes　down　in　a　row　in　front　of　the　man；　and　the　herd　crowded

around　closer　in　order　to　get　a　good　view。　　The　old　bul