myths and legends of the sioux-第4章

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my　people　may　once　more　descend　in　their　canoes。〃



She　stepped　into　her　canoe　and　waited。　　Slowly　the　great　fish　sank；

his　broad　fin　disappeared；　and　the　waters　of　the　St。　Croix

（Stillwater）　were　free。













THE　ARTICHOKE　AND　THE　MUSKRAT



On　the　shore　of　a　lake　stood　an　artichoke　with　its　green　leaves

waving　in　the　sun。　　Very　proud　of　itself　it　was；　and　well　satisfied

with　the　world。　　In　the　lake　below　lived　a　muskrat　in　his　tepee；

and　in　the　evening　as　the　sun　set　he　would　come　out　upon　the　shore

and　wander　over　the　bank。　　One　evening　he　came　near　the　place　where

the　artichoke　stood。



〃Ho；　friend；〃　he　said；　〃you　seem　rather　proud　of　yourself。　　Who　are

you？〃　　〃I　am　the　artichoke；〃　answered　the　other；　〃and　I　have　many

handsome　cousins。　　But　who　are　you？〃



〃I　am　the　muskrat；　and　I；　too；　belong　to　a　large　family。　　I　live　in

the　water。　　I　don't　stand　all　day　in　one　place　like　a　stone。〃



〃If　I　stand　in　one　place　all　day；〃　retorted　the　artichoke；　〃at

least　I　don't　swim　around　in　stagnant　water；　and　build　my　lodge　in

the　mud。〃



〃You　are　jealous　of　my　fine　fur；〃　sneered　the　muskrat。　　〃I　may

build　my　lodge　in　the　mud；　but　I　always　have　a　clean　coat。　　But　you

are　half　buried　in　the　ground；　and　when　men　dig　you　up；　you　are

never　clean。〃



〃And　your　fine　coat　always　smells　of　musk；〃　jeered　the　artichoke。



〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　muskrat。　　〃But　men　think　well　of　me；

nevertheless。　　They　trap　me　for　the　fine　sinew　in　my　tail；　and

handsome　young　women　bite　off　my　tail　with　their　white　teeth　and

make　it　into　thread。〃



〃That's　nothing；〃　laughed　the　artichoke。　　〃Handsome　young　warriors；

painted　and　splendid　with　feathers；　dig　me　up；　brush　me　off　with

their　shapely　hands　and　eat　me　without　even　taking　the　trouble　to

wash　me　off。〃











THE　RABBIT　AND　THE　BEAR　WITH　THE

FLINT　BODY



The　Rabbit　and　his　grandmother　were　in　dire　straits；　because　the

rabbit　was　out　of　arrows。　　The　fall　hunt　would　soon　be　on　and　his

quiver　was　all　but　empty。　　Arrow　sticks　he　could　cut　in　plenty；　but

he　had　nothing　with　which　to　make　arrowheads。



〃You　must　make　some　flint　arrowheads；〃　said　his　grandmother。　　〃Then

you　will　be　able　to　kill　game。〃



〃Where　shall　I　get　the　flint？〃　asked　the　rabbit。



〃From　the　old　bear　chief；〃　said　his　old　grandmother。　　For　at　that

time　all　the　flint　in　the　world　was　in　the　bear's　body。



So　the　rabbit　set　out　for　the　village　of　the　Bears。　　It　was　winter

time　and　the　lodges　of　the　bears　were　set　under　the　shelter　of　a

hill　where　the　cold　wind　would　not　blow　on　them　and　where　they　had

shelter　among　the　trees　and　bushes。



He　came　at　one　end　of　the　village　to　a　hut　where　lived　an　old

woman。　　He　pushed　open　the　door　and　entered。　　Everybody　who　came

for　flint　always　stopped　there　because　it　was　the　first　lodge　on

the　edge　of　the　village。　　Strangers　were　therefore　not　unusual　in

the　old　woman's　hut；　and　she　welcomed　the　rabbit。　　She　gave　him　a

seat　and　at　night　he　lay　with　his　feet　to　the　fire。



The　next　morning　the　rabbit　went　to　the　lodge　of　the　bear　chief。　

They　sat　together　awhile　and　smoked。　　At　last　the　bear　chief　spoke。



〃What　do　you　want；　my　grandson？〃



〃I　have　come　for　some　flint　to　make　arrows；〃　answered　the　rabbit。



The　bear　chief　grunted；　and　laid　aside　his　pipe。　　Leaning　back　he

pulled　off　his　robe　and；　sure　enough；　one　half　of　his　body　was

flesh　and　the　other　half　hard　flint。



〃Bring　a　stone　hammer　and　give　it　to　our　guest；〃　he　bade　his　wife。　

Then　as　the　rabbit　took　the　hammer　he　said：　〃Do　not　strike　too

hard。〃



〃Grandfather；　I　shall　be　careful；〃　said　the　rabbit。　　With　a　stroke

he　struck　off　a　little　flake　of　flint　from　the　bear's　body。



〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？　　So　big？〃　he　asked。



〃Harder；　grandson；　strike　off　bigger　pieces；〃　said　the　bear。



The　rabbit　struck　a　little　harder。



〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？　　So　big？〃　he　asked。



The　bear　grew　impatient。　　〃No；　no；　strike　off　bigger　pieces。　　I

can't　be　here　all　day。　　Tanka　kaksa　wo！　　Break　off　a　big　piece。〃



The　rabbit　struck　againhard！　　〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？〃　he　cried；　as　the

hammer　fell。　　But　even　as　he　spoke　the　bear's　body　broke　in　two；

the　flesh　part　fell　away　and　only　the　flint　part　remained。　　Like　a

flash　the　rabbit　darted　out　of　the　hut。



There　was　a　great　outcry　in　the　village。　　Openmouthed；　all　the

bears　gave　chase。　　But　as　he　ran　the　rabbit　cried：　〃Wa…hin…han…yo

（snow；　snow）　Ota…po；　Ota…polots　more；　lots　more；〃　and　a　great

storm　of　snow　swept　down　from　the　sky。



The　rabbit；　light　of　foot；　bounded　over　the　top　of　the　snow。　　The

bears　sunk　in　and　floundered　about　helpless。　　Seeing　this；　the

rabbit　turned　back　and　killed　them　one　by　one　with　his　club。　　That

is　why　we　now　have　so　few　bears。













STORY　OF　THE　LOST　WIFE



A　Dakota　girl　married　a　man　who　promised　to　treat　her　kindly；　but

he　did　not　keep　his　word。　　He　was　unreasonable；　fault…finding；　and

often　beat　her。　　Frantic　with　his　cruelty；　she　ran　away。　　The　whole

village　turned　out　to　search　for　her；　but　no　trace　of　the　missing

wife　was　to　be　found。



Meanwhile；　the　fleeing　woman　had　wandered　about　all　that　day　and

the　next　night。　　The　next　day　she　met　a　man；　who　asked　her　who　she

was。　　She　did　not　know　it；　but　he　was　not　really　a　man；　but　the

chief　of　the　wolves。



〃Come　with　me；〃　he　said；　and　he　led　her　to　a　large　village。　　She

was　amazed　to　see　here　many　wolvesgray　and　black；　timber　wolves

and　coyotes。　　It　seemed　as　if　all　the　wolves　in　the　world　were

there。



The　wolf　chief　led　the　young　woman　to　a　great　tepee　and　invited　her

in。　　He　asked　her　what　she　ate　for　food。



〃Buffalo　meat；〃　she　answered。



He　called　two　coyotes　and　bade　them　bring　what　the　young　woman

wanted。　　They　bounded　away　and　soon　returned　with　the　shoulder　of

a　fresh…killed　buffalo　calf。



〃How　do　you　prepare　it　for　eating？〃　asked　the　wolf　chief。



〃By　boiling；〃　answered　the　young　woman。



Again　he　called　the　two　coyotes。　　Away　they　bounded　and　soon

brought　into　the　tent　a　small　bundle。　　In　it　were　punk；　flint　and

steelstolen；　it　may　be；　from　some　camp　of　men。



〃How　do　you　make　the　meat　ready？〃　asked　the　wolf　chief。



〃I　cut　it　into　slices；〃　answered　the　young　woman。



The　coyotes　were　called　and　in　a　short　time　fetched　in　a　knife　in

its　sheath。　　The　young　woman　cut　up　the　calf's　shoulder　into　slices

and　ate　it。



Thus　she　lived　for　a　year；　all　the　wolves　being　very　kind　to　her。　

At　the　end　of　that　time　the　wolf　chief　said　to　her：



〃Your　people　are　going　off　on　a　buffalo　　hunt。　　Tomorrow　at　noon

they　will　be　here。　　You　must　then　go　out　and　meet　them　or　they　will

fall　on　us　and　kill　us。〃



The　next　day　at　about　noon　the　young　woman　went　to　the　top　of　a

neighboring　knoll。　　Coming　toward　her　were　some　young　men　riding　on

their　ponies。　　She　stood　up　and　held　her　hands　so　that　they　could

see　her。　　They　wondered　who　she　was；　and　when　they　were　close　by

gazed　at　her　closely。



〃A　year　ago　we　lost　a　young　woman；　if　you　are　she；　where　have　you

been；〃　they　asked。



〃I　have　been　in　the　wolves'　village。　　Do　not　harm　them；〃　she

answered。



〃We　will　ride　back　and　tell　the　people；〃　they　said。　　〃Tomorrow

again　at　noon；　we　shall　meet　you。〃



The　young　woman　went　back　to　the　wolf　village；　and　the　next　day

went　again　to　a　neighboring　knoll；　though　to　a　different　one。　　Soon

she　saw　the　camp　coming　in　a　long　line　over　the　prairie。　　First

were　the　warriors；　then　the　women　and　tents。



The　young　woman's　father　and　mother　were　overjoyed　to　see　her。　　But

when　they　came　near　her　the　young　woman　fainted；　for　she　could　not

now　bear　the　smell　of　human　kind。　　When　she　came　to　herself　she

said：



〃You　must　go　on　a　buffalo　hunt；　my　father　and　all　the　hunters。　

Tomorrow　you　must　come　again；　bringing　with　you　the　tongues　and

choice　pieces　of　the　kill。〃



This　he　promised　to　do；　and　all　the　men　of　the　camp　mounted　their

ponies　and