myths and legends of the sioux-第31章

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sisters；　with　their　little　babies。　　One　day　there　came　to　their

tent　a　visitor　who　was　called　Unktomi　（spider）。　　He　had　found　some

nice　red　plums　during　his　wanderings　in　the　forest；　and　he　said　to

himself；　〃I　will　keep　these　plums　and　fool　the　two　widows　with

them。〃　　After　the　widows　had　bidden　him　be　seated；　he　presented

them　with　the　plums。



On　seeing　them　they　exclaimed　〃hi　nu；　hi　nu　（an　exclamation　of

surprise）；　where　did　you　get　those　fine　plums？〃　　Unktomi　arose　and

pointing　to　a　crimson　tipped　cloud；　said：　〃You　see　that　red　cloud？　

Directly　underneath　it　is　a　patch　of　plums。　　So　large　is　the　patch

and　so　red　and　beautiful　are　the　plums　that　it　is　the　reflection　of

them　on　the　cloud　that　you　see。〃



〃Oh；　how　we　wish　some　one　would　take　care　of　our　babies；　while　we

go　over　there　and　pick　some；〃　said　the　sisters。　　〃Why；　I　am　not　in

any　particular　hurry；　so　if　you　want　to　go　I　will　take　care　of　my

little　nephews　until　you　return。〃　　（Unktomi　always　claimed

relationship　with　everyone　he　met）。　　〃Well　brother；〃　said　the　older

widow；　〃take　good　care　of　them　and　we　will　be　back　as　soon　as

possible。〃



The　two　then　took　a　sack　in　which　to　gather　the　plums；　and　started

off　towards　the　cloud　with　the　crimson　lining。　　Scarcely　had　they

gone　from　Unktomi's　sight　when　he　took　the　babies　out　of　their

swinging　hammocks　and　cut　off　first　one　head　and　then　the　other。　

He　then　took　some　old　blankets　and　rolled　them　in　the　shape　of　a

baby　body　and　laid　one　in　each　hammock。　　Then　he　took　the　heads　and

put　them　in　place　in　their　different　hammocks。　　The　bodies　he　cut

up　and　threw　into　a　large　kettle。　　This　he　placed　over　a　rousing

fire。　　Then　he　mixed　Indian　turnips　and　arikara　squash　with　the

baby　meat　and　soon　had　a　kettle　of　soup。　　Just　about　the　time　the

soup　was　ready　to　serve　the　widows　returned。　　They　were　tired　and

hungry　and　not　a　plum　had　they。　　Unktomi；　hearing　the　approach　of

the　two；　hurriedly　dished　out　the　baby　soup　in　two　wooden　dishes

and　then　seated　himself　near　the　door　so　that　he　could　get　out

easily。　　Upon　the　entrance　of　the　widows；　Unktomi　exclaimed：

〃Sisters；　I　had　brought　some　meat　with　me　and　I　cooked　some　turnips

and　squash　with　it　and　made　a　pot　of　fine　soup。　　The　babies　have

just　fallen　asleep；　so　don't　waken　them　until　you　have

finished　eating；　for　I　know　that　you　are　nearly　starved。〃　　The　two

fell　to　at　once　and　after　they　had　somewhat　appeased　their

appetites；　one　of　them　arose　and　went　over　to　see　how　her　baby　was

resting。　　Noting　an　unnatural　color　on　her　baby's　face；　she　raised

him　up　only　to　have　his　head　roll　off　from　the　bundle　of　blankets。　

〃'My　son！　　my　son！〃　she　cried　out。　　At　once　the　other　hastened　to

her　baby　and　grabbed　it　up；　only　to　have　the　same　thing　happen。　　At

once　they　surmised　who　had　done　this；　and　caught　up　sticks　from　the

fire　with　which　to　beat　Unktomi　to　death。　　He；　expecting　something

like　this　to　happen；　lost　very　little　time　in　getting　outside　and

down　into　a　hole　at　the　roots　of　a　large　tree。　　The　two　widows　not

being　able　to　follow　Unktomi　down　into　the　hole；　had　to　give　up

trying　to　get　him　out；　and　passed　the　rest　of　the　day　and　night

crying　for　their　beloved　babies。　　In　the　meantime　Unktomi　had

gotten　out　by　another　opening；　and　fixing　himself　up　in　an　entirely

different　style；　and　painting　his　face　in　a　manner　that　they　would

not　recognize　him；　he　cautiously　approached　the　weeping　women　and

inquired　the　cause　of　their　tears。



Thus　they　answered　him：　〃Unktomi　came　here　and　fooled　us　about　some

plums；　and　while　we　were　absent　killed　our　babies　and　made　soup　out

of　their　bodies。　　Then　he　gave　us　the　soup　to　eat；　which　we　did；

and　when　we　found　out　what　he　had　done　we　tried　to　kill　him；　but　he

crawled　down　into　that　hole　and　we　could　not　get　him　out。〃



〃I　will　get　him　out；〃　said　the　mock　stranger；　and　with　that　he

crawled　down　into　the　hole　and　scratched　his　own　face　all　over　to

make　the　widows　believe　he　had　been　fighting　with　Unktomi。　　〃I　have

killed　him；　and　that　you　may　see　him　I　have　enlarged　the　hole　so

you　can　crawl　in　and　see　for　yourselves；　also　to　take　some　revenge

on　his　dead　body。〃　　The　two　foolish　widows；　believing　him；　crawled

into　the　hole；　only　to　be　blocked　up　by　Unktomi；　who　at　once

gathered　great　piles　of　wood　and　stuffing　it　into　the　hole；　set　it

on　fire；　and　thus　ended　the　last　of　the　family　who　were　foolish

enough　to　let　Unktomi　tempt　them　with　a　few　red　plums。











The　End