myths and legends of the sioux-第27章

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

the　front　and　stood　close　to　the　bags；　which　had　been　taken　out　of

the　four　boxes。



The　man　stood　up；　and　looking　at　the　bags；　noticed　a　small　pebble

resting　on　the　one　next　to　the　left　end。　　Stepping　over　he　pulled

the　bag　towards　him　and　secretly　pushed　the　little　pebble　off　the

bag；　so　that　no　one　would　notice　it。　　When　they　saw　that　he　had

selected　the　right　one；　they　set　up　a　terrific　bellow。



Then　came　the　four　sisters　and　stood　in　a　line　before　the　man。　

Glancing　along　from　the　one　on　the　right　to　the　last　one　on　the

left；　he　stepped　forward　and　placed　his　hand　on　the　one　next　to　the

right。　　Thanks　to　his　boy；　if　he　hadn't　put　that　little　stem　of

grass　on　his　mother's　hair；　the　father　could　never　have　picked　out

his　wife；　as　the　four　looked　as　much　alike　as　four　peas。　　Next　came

the　four　boy　calves；　and　as　they　advanced　they　commenced　dancing；

and　his　son　was　shaking　his　head　and　flopping　his　ears　and

switching　his　tail。　　The　father　was　going　to　pick　out　his　boy；　when

a　fainting　spell　took　him；　and　as　he　sank　to　the　ground　the　old

bull　sprang　forward　on　top　of　him；　and　instantly　they　rushed　upon

him　and　he　was　soon　trampled　to　a　jelly。　　The　herd　then　moved　to

other　parts。



The　elk　wife　concluded　that　something　had　happened　to　her　husband

and　determined　upon　going　in　search　of　him。　　As　she　was　very　fleet

of　foot　it　did　not　take　her　long　to　arrive　at　the　lone　tree。　　She

noticed　the　blood　splashed　on　the　base　of　the　tree；　and　small

pieces　of　flesh　stamped　into　the　earth。　　Looking　closer；　she

noticed　something　white　in　the　dust。　　Stooping　and　picking　it　out

of　the　dust；　she　drew　forth　the　cluster　of　different　colored

feathers　which　had　been　fastened　to　her　husband's　forehead。　　She　at

once　took　the　cluster　of　feathers；　and　going　to　the　east　side　of

the　ridge；　heated　stones　and　erected　a　wickieup；　placed　the

feathers　inside；　and　getting　water；　she　sprinkled　the　stones；　and

this　caused　a　thick　vapor　in　the　wickieup。　　She　continued　this　for

a　long　time；　when　she　heard　something　moving　inside　the　wickieup。　

Then　a　voice　spoke　up；　saying：　〃Whoever　you　are；　pour　some　more

water　on　and　I　will　be　all　right。〃　　So　the　woman　got　more　water　and

poured　it　on　the　rocks。　　〃That　will　do　now；　I　want　to　dry　off。〃　

She　plucked　a　pile　of　sage　and　in　handing　it　in　to　him；　he

recognized　his　elk　wife's　hand。



They　went　back　home　and　shortly　after　the　buffalo；　hearing　about

him　coming　back　to　life；　decided　to　make　war　on　him　and　kill　him

and　his　wife；　she　being　the　one　who　brought　him　back　to　life。　　The

woman；　hearing　of　this；　had　posts　set　in　the　ground　and　a　strong

platform　placed　on　top。　　When　the　buffalo　came；　her　husband；　her

son　and　herself；　were　seated　upon　the　bough　platform；　and　the

buffalo　could　not　reach　them。　　She　flouted　her　red　blanket　in　their

faces；　which　made　the　buffalo　wild　with　rage。　　The　hunter's　friends

came　to　his　rescue；　and　so　fast　were　they　killing　the　buffalo　that

they　took　flight　and　rushed　away；　never　more　to　bother　Pretty

Feather　Forehead。













THE　FOUR　BROTHERS

OR

INYANHOKSILA　（STONE　BOY）



Alone　and　apart　from　their　tribe　dwelt　four　orphan　brothers。　　They

had　erected　a　very　comfortable　hut；　although　the　materials　used

were　only　willows；　hay；　birch　bark；　and　adobe　mud。　　After　the

completion　of　their　hut；　the　oldest　brother　laid　out　the　different

kinds　of　work　to　be　done　by　the　four　of　them。　　He　and　the　second

and　third　brothers　were　to　do　all　the　hunting；　and　the　youngest

brother　was　to　do　the　house　work；　cook　the　meals；　and　keep　plenty

of　wood　on　hand　at　all　times。



As　his　older　brothers　would　leave　for　their　hunting　very　early

every　morning；　and　would　not　return　till　late　at　night；　the　little

fellow　always　found　plenty　of　spare　time　to　gather　into　little

piles　fine　dry　wood　for　their　winter　use。



Thus　the　four　brothers　lived　happily　for　a　long　time。　　One　day

while　out　gathering　and　piling　up　wood；　the　boy　heard　a　rustling　in

the　leaves　and　looking　around　he　saw　a　young　woman　standing　in　the

cherry　bushes；　smiling　at　him。



〃Who　are　you；　and　where　did　you　come　from？〃　asked　the　boy；　in

surprise。　　〃I　am　an　orphan　girl　and　have　no　relatives　living。　　I

came　from　the　village　west　of　here。　　I　learned　from　rabbit　that

there　were　four　orphan　brothers　living　here　all　alone；　and　that　the

youngest　was　keeping　house　for　his　older　brothers；　so　I　thought　I

would　come　over　and　see　if　I　couldn't　have　them　adopt　me　as　their

sister；　so　that　I　might　keep　house　for　them；　as　I　am　very　poor　and

have　no　relations；　neither　have　I　a　home。〃



She　looked　so　pitiful　and　sad　that　the　boy　thought　to　himself；　〃I

will　take　her　home　with　me；　poor　girl；　no　matter　what　my　brothers

think　or　say。〃　　Then　he　said　to　her：　〃Come　on；　tanke　（sister）。　　You

may　go　home　with　me；　I　am　sure　my　older　brothers　will　be　glad　to

have　you　for　our　sister。〃



When　they　arrived　at　the　hut；　the　girl　hustled　about　and　cooked　up

a　fine　hot　supper；　and　when　the　brothers　returned　they　were

surprised　to　see　a　girl　sitting　by　the　fire　in　their　hut。　　After

they　had　entered　the　youngest　brother　got　up　and　walked　outside；

and　a　short　time　after　the　oldest　brother　followed　him

out。　　〃Who　is　that　girl；　and　where　did　she　come　from？〃　he　asked　his

brother。　　Whereupon　the　brother　told　him　the　whole　story。　　Upon

hearing　this　the　oldest　brother　felt　very　sorry　for　the　poor　orphan

girl　and　going　back　into　the　hut　he　spoke　to　the　girl；　saying：

〃Sister；　you　are　an　orphan；　the　same　as　we；　you　have　no　relatives；

no　home。　　We　will　be　your　brothers；　and　our　poor　hut　shall　be　your

home。　　Henceforth　call　us　brothers；　and　you　will　be　our　sister。〃



〃Oh；　how　happy　I　am　now　that　you　take　me　as　your　sister。　　I　will　be

to　you　all　as　though　we　were　of　the　same　father　and　mother；〃　said

the　girl。　　And　true　to　her　word；　she　looked　after　everything　of　her

brothers　and　kept　the　house　in　such　fine　shape　that　the　brothers

blessed　the　day　that　she　came　to　their　poor　little　hut。　　She　always

had　an　extra　buckskin　suit　and　two　pairs　of　moccasins　hanging　at

the　head　of　each　one's　bed。　　Buffalo；　deer；　antelope；　bear；　wolf；

wildcat；　mountain　lion　and　beaver　skins　she　tanned　by　the　dozen；

and　piled　nicely　in　one　corner　of　the　hut。



When　the　Indians　have　walked　a　great　distance　and　are　very　tired；

they　have　great　faith　in　painting　their　feet；　claiming　that　paint

eases　the　pain　and　rests　their　feet。



After　their　return　from　a　long　day's　journey；　when　they　would　be

lying　down　resting；　the　sister　would　get　her　paint　and　mix　it　with

the　deer　tallow　and　rub　the　paint　on　her　brother's　feet；　painting

them　up　to　their　ankles。　　The　gentle　touch　of　her　hands；　and　the

soothing　qualities　of　the　tallow　and　paint　soon　put　them　into　a

deep；　dreamless　steep。



Many　such　kind　actions　on　her　part　won　the　hearts　of　the　brothers；

and　never　was　a　full　blood　sister　loved　more　than　was　this　poor

orphan　girl；　who　had　been　taken　as　their　adopted　sister。　　In　the

morning　when　they　arose；　the　sister　always　combed　their　long　black

silken　scalp　locks　and　painted　the　circle　around　the　scalp　lock　a

bright　vermillion。



When　the　hunters　would　return　with　a　goodly　supply　of　beef；　the

sister　would　hurry　and　relieve　them　of　their　packs；　hanging　each

one　high　enough　from　the　ground　so　the　prowling　dogs　and　coyotes

could　not　reach　them。　　The　hunters　each　had　a　post　on　which　to　hang

his　bow　and　flint　head　arrows。　　（Good　hunters　never　laid　their

arrows　on　the　ground；　as　it　was　considered　unlucky　to　the　hunter

who　let　his　arrows　touch　the　earth　after　they　had　been　out

of　the　quiver）。　　They　were　all　perfectly　happy；　until　one　day　the

older　brother　surprised　them　all　by　saying：　〃We　have　a　plentiful

supply　of　meat　on　hand　at　present　to　last　us　for　a　week　or　so。　　I

am　going　for　a　visit　to　the　village　west　of　us；　so　you　boys　all

stay　at　home　and　help　sister。　　Also　gather　a