myths and legends of the sioux-第3章

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〃Oh；　our　cousin　was　jesting　with　us。　　He　coaxed　us　in　the　bag　for

a　joke。　　Please　let　us　out。〃



〃Certainly；　dear　grandchildren；　I　will　let　you　out；〃　said　the　old

woman　as　she　untied　the　bag：　and　lo；　the　grouse　flock　with

achuck…a…chuck…achuck　flew　up；　knocking　over　the　old　grandmother

and　flew　out　of　the　square　smoke　opening　of　the　winter　lodge。　　The

old　woman　caught　only　one　grouse　as　it　flew　up　and　held　it；

grasping　a　leg　with　each　hand。



When　the　rabbit　came　home　with　the　spits　she　called　out　to　him：



〃Grandson；　come　quick。　　They　got　out　but　I　have　caught　two。〃



When　he　saw　what　had　happened　he　was　quite　angry；　yet　could　not

keep　from　laughing。



〃Grandmother；　you　have　but　one　grouse；〃　he　cried；　and　it　is　a　very

skinny　one　at　that。〃













THE　FAITHFUL　LOVERS



There　once　lived　a　chief's　daughter　who　had　many　relations。　　All

the　young　men　in　the　village　wanted　to　have　her　for　wife；　and　were

all　eager　to　fill　her　skin　bucket　when　she　went　to　the　brook　for

water。



There　was　a　young　man　in　the　village　who　was　industrious　and　a　good

hunter；　but　he　was　poor　and　of　a　mean　family。　　He　loved　the　maiden

and　when　she　went　for　water；　he　threw　his　robe　over　her　head

while　he　whispered　in　her　ear：



〃Be　my　wife。　　I　have　little　but　I　am　young　and　strong。　　I　will

treat　you　well；　for　I　love　you。〃



For　a　long　time　the　maiden　did　not　answer；　but　one　day　she

whispered　back。



〃Yes；　you　may　ask　my　father's　leave　to　marry　me。　But　first　you　must

do　something　noble。　　I　belong　to　a　great　family　and　have　many

relations。　　You　must　go　on　a　war　party　and　bring　back　the　scalp　of

an　enemy。〃



The　young　man　answered　modestly；　〃I　will　try　to　do　as　you　bid　me。　

I　am　only　a　hunter；　not　a　warrior。　　Whether　I　shall　be　brave　or　not

I　do　not　know。　　But　I　will　try　to　take　a　scalp　for　your　sake。〃



So　he　made　a　war　party　of　seven；　himself　and　six　other　young　men。　

They　wandered　through　the　enemy's　country；　hoping　to　get　a　chance

to　strike　a　blow。　　But　none　came；　for　they　found　no　one　of　the

enemy。



〃Our　medicine　is　unfavorable；〃　said　their　leader　at　last。　　〃We

shall　have　to　return　home。〃



Before　they　started　they　sat　down　to　smoke　and　rest　beside　a

beautiful　lake　at　the　foot　of　a　green　knoll　that　rose　from　its

shore。　　The　knoll　was　covered　with　green　grass　and　somehow　as　they

looked　at　it　they　had　a　feeling　that　there　was　something　about　it

that　was　mysterious　or　uncanny。



But　there　was　a　young　man　in　the　party　named　the　jester；　for　he　was

venturesome　and　full　of　fun。　　Gazing　at　the　knoll　he　said：　〃Let's

run　and　jump　on　its　top。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　young　lover；　〃it　looks　mysterious。　　Sit　still　and

finish　your　smoke。〃



〃Oh；　come　on；　who's　afraid；〃　said　the　jester；　laughing。　　〃Come　on

youcome　on！〃　and　springing　to　his　feet　he　ran　up　the　side　of　the

knoll。



Four　of　the　young　men　followed。　　Having　reached　the　top　of　the

knoll　all　five　began　to　jump　and　stamp　about　in　sport；　calling；

〃Come　on；　come　on；〃　to　the　others。　　Suddenly　they　stoppedthe

knoll　had　begun　to　move　toward　the　water。　　It　was　a　gigantic

turtle。　　The　five　men　cried　out　in　alarm　and　tried　to　runtoo

late！　　Their　feet　by　some　power　were　held　fast　to　the　monster's

back。



〃Help　usdrag　us　away；〃　they　cried；　but　the　others　could　do

nothing。　　In　a　few　moments　the　waves　had　closed　over　them。



The　other　two　men；　the　lover　and　his　friend；　went　on；　but　with

heavy　hearts；　for　they　had　forebodings　of　evil。　　After　some　days；

they　came　to　a　river。　　Worn　with　fatigue　the　lover　threw　himself

down　on　the　bank。



〃I　will　sleep　awhile；〃　he　said；　〃for　I　am　wearied　and　worn　out。〃



〃And　I　will　go　down　to　the　water　and　see　if　I　can　chance　upon　a

dead　fish。　　At　this　time　of　the　year　the　high　water　may　have　left

one　stranded　on　the　seashore；〃　said　his　friend。



And　as　he　had　said；　he　found　a　fish　which　he　cleaned；　and　then

called　to　the　lover。



〃Come　and　eat　the　fish　with　me。　　I　have　cleaned　it　and　made　a　fire

and　it　is　now　cooking。〃



〃No；　you　eat　it；　let　me　rest；〃　said　the　lover。



〃Oh；　come　on。〃



〃No；　let　me　rest。〃



〃But　you　are　my　friend。　　I　will　not　eat　unless　you　share　it　with

me。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　lover；　〃I　will　eat　the　fish　with　you；　but　you

must　first　make　me　a　promise。　　If　I　eat　the　fish；　you　must　promise；

pledge　yourself；　to　fetch　me　all　the　water　that　I　can　drink。〃



〃I　promise；〃　said　the　other；　and　the　two　ate　the　fish　out　of　their

war…kettle。　　For　there　had　been　but　one　kettle　for　the　party。



When　they　had　eaten；　the　kettle　was　rinsed　out　and　the　lover's

friend　brought　it　back　full　of　water。　　This　the　lover　drank　at　a

draught。



〃Bring　me　more；〃　he　said。



Again　his　friend　filled　the　kettle　at　the　river　and　again　the　lover

drank　it　dry。



〃More！〃　he　cried。



〃Oh；　I　am　tired。　　Cannot　you　go　to　the　river　and　drink　your　fill

from　the　stream？〃　asked　his　friend。



〃Remember　your　promise。〃



〃Yes；　but　I　am　weary。　　Go　now　and　drink。〃



〃Ek…hey；　I　feared　it　would　be　so。　　Now　trouble　is　coming　upon　us；〃

said　the　lover　sadly。　　He　walked　to　the　river；　sprang　in；　and　lying

down　in　the　water　with　his　head　toward　land；　drank　greedily。　　By

and　by　he　called　to　his　friend。



〃Come　hither；　you　who　have　been　my　sworn　friend。　　See　what　comes　of

your　broken　promise。〃



The　friend　came　and　was　amazed　to　see　that　the　lover　was　now　a　fish

from　his　feet　to　his　middle。



Sick　at　heart　he　ran　off　a　little　way　and　threw　himself　upon　the

ground　in　grief。　　By　and　by　he　returned。　　The　lover　was　now　a　fish

to　his　neck。



〃Cannot　I　cut　off　the　part　and　restore　you　by　a　sweat　bath？〃　the

friend　asked。



〃No；　it　is　too　late。　　But　tell　the　chief's　daughter　that　I　loved

her　to　the　last　and　that　I　die　for　her　sake。　　Take　this　belt　and

give　it　to　her。　　She　gave　it　to　me　as　a　pledge　of　her　love　for　me；〃

and　he　being　then　turned　to　a　great　fish；　swam　to　the　middle　of　the

river　and　there　remained；　only　his　great　fin　remaining　above

the　water。



The　friend　went　home　and　told　his　story。　　There　was　great　mourning

over　the　death　of　the　five　young　men；　and　for　the　lost　lover。　　In

the　river　the　great　fish　remained；　its　fin　just　above　the　surface；

and　was　called　by　the　Indians　〃Fish　that　Bars；〃　because　it　bar'd

navigation。　　Canoes　had　to　be　portaged　at　great

labor　around　the　obstruction。



The　chief's　daughter　mourned　for　her　lover　as　for　a　husband；　nor

would　she　be　comforted。　　〃He　was　lost　for　love　of　me；　and　I　shall

remain　as　his　widow；〃　she　wailed。



In　her　mother's　tepee　she　sat；　with　her　head　covered　with　her　robe；

silent；　working；　working。　　〃What　is　my　daughter　doing；〃　her　mother

asked。　　But　the　maiden　did　not　reply。



The　days　lengthened　into　moons　until　a　year　had　passed。　　And　then

the　maiden　arose。　　In　her　hands　were　beautiful　articles　of

clothing；　enough　for　three　men。　　There　were　three　pairs　of

moccasins；　three　pairs　of　leggings；　three　belts；　three　shirts；

three　head　dresses　with　beautiful　feathers；　and　sweet　smelling

tobacco。



〃Make　a　new　canoe　of　bark；〃　she　said；　which　was　made　for　her。



Into　the　canoe　she　stepped　and　floated　slowly　down　the　river　toward

the　great　fish。



〃Come　back　my　daughter；〃　her　mother　cried　in　agony。　　〃Come　back。　

The　great　fish　will　eat　you。〃



She　answered　nothing。　　Her　canoe　came　to　the　place　where　the　great

fin　arose　and　stopped；　its　prow　grating　on　the　monster's　back。　　The

maiden　stepped　out　boldly。　　One　by　one　she　laid　her　presents　on　the

fish's　back；　scattering　the　feathers　and　tobacco　over　his　broad

spine。



〃Oh；　fish；〃　she　cried；　〃Oh；　fish；　you　who　were　my　lover；　I　shall

not　forget　you。　　Because　you　were　lost　for　love　of　me；　I　shall

never　marry。　　All　my　life　I　shall　remain　a　widow。　　Take　these

presents。　　And　now　leave　the　river；　and　let　the　waters　run　free；　so

my　people　may　once　more　descend　in　their　canoes。〃



She　stepped　into　her　canoe　and　waited