myths and legends of the sioux-第5章

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

ponies　and　they　had　a　great　hunt。　　The　next　day　they　returned　with

their　ponies　laden　with　the　buffalo　meat。　　The　young　woman　bade

them　pile　the　meat　in　a　great　heap　between　two　hills　which　she

pointed　out　to　them。　　There　was　so　much　meat　that　the　tops　of　the

two　hills　were　bridged　level　between　by　the　meat　pile。　　In　the

center　of　the　pile　the　young　woman　planted　a　pole　with　a　red　flag。　

She　then　began　to　howl　like　a　wolf；　loudly。



In　a　moment　the　earth　seemed　covered　with　wolves。　　They　fell

greedily　on　the　meat　pile　and　in　a　short　time　had　eaten　the　last

scrap。



The　young　woman　then　joined　her　own　people。



Her　husband　wanted　her　to　come　and　live　with　him　again。　　For　a　long

time　she　refused。　　However；　at　last　they　became　reconciled。













THE　RACCOON　AND　THE　CRAWFISH



Sharp　and　cunning　is　the　raccoon；　say　the　Indians；　by　whom　he　is

named　Spotted　Face。



A　crawfish　one　evening　wandered　along　a　river　bank；　looking　for

something　dead　to　feast　upon。　　A　raccoon　was　also　out　looking　for

something　to　eat。　　He　spied　the　crawfish　and　formed　a　plan　to　catch

him。



He　lay　down　on　the　bank　and　feigned　to　be　dead。　　By　and　by　the

crawfish　came　near　by。　　〃Ho；〃　he　thought；　〃here　is　a　feast　indeed；

but　is　he　really　dead。　　I　will　go　near　and　pinch　him　with　my　claws

and　find　out。〃



So　he　went　near　and　pinched　the　raccoon　on　the　nose　and　then　on　his

soft　paws。　　The　raccoon　never　moved。　　The　crawfish　then　pinched　him

on　the　ribs　and　tickled　him　so　that　the　raccoon　could　hardly　keep

from　laughing。　　The　crawfish　at　last　left　him。　　〃The

raccoon　is　surely　dead；〃　he　thought。　　And　he　hurried　back　to　the

crawfish　village　and　reported　his　find　to　the　chief。



All　the　villagers　were　called　to　go　down　to　the　feast。　　The　chief

bade　the　warriors　and　young　men　to　paint　their　faces　and　dress　in

their　gayest　for　a　dance。



So　they　marched　in　a　long　linefirst　the　warriors；　with　their

weapons　in　hand；　then　the　women　with　their　babies　and　childrento

the　place　where　the　raccoon　lay。　　They　formed　a　great　circle　about

him　and　danced；　singing：



〃We　shall　have　a　great　feast



〃On　the　spotted…faced　beast；　with　soft　smooth　paws：



〃He　is　dead！



〃He　is　dead！



〃We　shall　dance！



〃We　shall　have　a　good　time；



〃We　shall　feast　on　his　flesh。〃



But　as　they　danced；　the　raccoon　suddenly　sprang　to　his　feet。



〃Who　is　that　you　say　you　are　going　to　eat？　　He　has　a　spotted　face；

has　he？　　He　has　soft；　smooth　paws；　has　he？　　I'll　break　your　ugly

backs。　　I'll　break　your　rough　bones。　　I'll　crunch　your　ugly；　rough

paws。〃　　And　he　rushed　among　the　crawfish；　killing　them　by

scores。　　The　crawfish　warriors　fought　bravely　and　the　women　ran

screaming；　all　to　no　purpose。　　They　did　not　feast　on　the　raccoon；

the　raccoon　feasted　on　them！













LEGEND　OF　STANDING　ROCK



A　Dakota　had　married　an　Arikara　woman；　and　by　her　had　one　child。　

By　and　by　he　took　another　wife。　　The　first　wife　was　jealous　and

pouted。　　When　time　came　for　the　village　to　break　camp　she　refused

to　move　from　her　place　on　the　tent　floor。　　The　tent　was　taken　down

but　she　sat　on　the　ground　with　her　babe　on　her　back　The　rest　of　the

camp　with　her　husband　went　on。



At　noon　her　husband　halted　the　line。　　〃Go　back　to　your

sister…in…law；〃　he　said　to　his　two　brothers。　　〃Tell　her　to　come　on

and　we　will　await　you　here。　　But　hasten；　for　I　fear　she　may　grow

desperate　and　kill　herself。〃



The　two　rode　off　and　arrived　at　their　former　camping　place　in　the

evening。　　The　woman　still　sat　on　the　ground。　　The　elder　spoke：



〃Sister…in…law；　get　up。　　We　have　come　for　you。　　The　camp　awaits

you。〃



She　did　not　answer；　and　he　put　out　his　hand　and　touched　her　head。　

She　had　turned　to　stone！



The　two　brothers　lashed　their　ponies　and　came　back　to　camp。　　They

told　their　story；　but　were　not　believed。　　〃The　woman　has　killed

herself　and　my　brothers　will　not　tell　me；〃　said　the　husband。　

However；　the　whole　village　broke　camp　and　came　back　to　the　place

where　they　had　left　the　woman。　　Sure　enough；　she　sat　there　still；

a　block　of　stone。



The　Indians　were　greatly　excited。　　They　chose　out　a　handsome　pony；

made　a　new　travois　and　placed　the　stone　in　the　carrying　net。　　Pony

and　travois　were　both　beautifully　painted　and　decorated　with

streamers　and　colors。　　The　stone　was　thought　〃wakan〃　（holy）；

and　was　given　a　place　of　honor　in　the　center　of　the　camp。　　Whenever

the　camp　moved　the　stone　and　travois　were　taken　along。　　Thus　the

stone　woman　was　carried　for　years；　and　finally　brought　to　Standing

Rock　Agency；　and　now　rests　upon　a　brick　pedestal　in　front　of　the

Agency　office。　　From　this　stone　Standing　Rock　Agency　derives　its

name。













STORY　OF　THE　PEACE　PIPE



Two　young　men　were　out　strolling　one　night　talking　of　love　affairs。　

They　passed　around　a　hill　and　came　to　a　little　ravine　or　coulee。　

Suddenly　they　saw　coming　up　from　the　ravine　a　beautiful　woman。　　She

was　painted　and　her　dress　was　of　the　very　finest

material。



〃What　a　beautiful　girl！〃　said　one　of　the　young　men。　　〃Already　I

love　her。　　I　will　steal　her　and　make　her　my　wife。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　other。　　〃Don't　harm　her。　　She　may　be　holy。〃



The　young　woman　approached　and　held　out　a　pipe　which　she　first

offered　to　the　sky；　then　to　the　earth　and　then　advanced；　holding　it

out　in　her　extended　hands。



〃I　know　what　you　young　men　have　been　saying；　one　of　you　is　good；

the　other　is　wicked；〃　she　said。



She　laid　down　the　pipe　on　the　ground　and　at　once　became　a　buffalo

cow。　　The　cow　pawed　the　ground；　stuck　her　tail　straight　out　behind

her　and　then　lifted　the　pipe　from　the　ground　again　in　her　hoofs；

immediately　she　became　a　young　woman　again。



〃I　am　come　to　give　you　this　gift；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　the　peace

pipe。　　Hereafter　all　treaties　and　ceremonies　shall　be　performed

after　smoking　it。　　It　shall　bring　peaceful　thoughts　into　your

minds。　　You　shall　offer　it　to　the　Great　Mystery　and　to　mother

earth。〃



The　two　young　men　ran　to　the　village　and　told　what　they　had　seen

and　heard。　　All　the　village　came　out　where　the　young　woman　was。



She　repeated　to　them　what　she　had　already　told　the　young　men　and

added：



〃When　you　set　free　the　ghost　（the　spirit　of　deceased　persons）　you

must　have　a　white　buffalo　cow　skin。〃



She　gave　the　pipe　to　the　medicine　men　of　the　village；　turned　again

to　a　buffalo　cow　and　fled　away　to　the　land　of　buffaloes。













A　BASHFUL　COURTSHIP



A　young　man　lived　with　his　grandmother。　　He　was　a　good　hunter　and

wished　to　marry。　　He　knew　a　girl　who　was　a　good　moccasin　maker；　but

she　belonged　to　a　great　family。　　He　wondered　how　he　could　win

her。



One　day　she　passed　the　tent　on　her　way　to　get　water　at　the　river。　

His　grandmother　was　at　work　in　the　tepee　with　a　pair　of　old

worn…out　sloppy　moccasins。　　The　young　man　sprang　to　his　feet。　

〃Quick；　grandmotherlet　me　have　those　old　sloppy　moccasins　you

have　on　your　feet！〃　he　cried。



〃My　old　moccasins；　what　do　you　want　of　them？〃　cried　the　astonished

woman。



〃Never　mind！　　Quick！　　I　can't　stop　to　talk；〃　answered　the　grandson

as　he　caught　up　the　old　moccasins　the　old　lady　had　doffed；　and　put

them　on。　　He　threw　a　robe　over　his　shoulders；　slipped　through　the

door；　and　hastened　to　the　watering　place。　　The　girl

had　just　arrived　with　her　bucket。



〃Let　me　fill　your　bucket　for　you；〃　said　the　young　man。



〃Oh；　no；　I　can　do　it。〃



〃Oh；　let　me；　I　can　go　in　the　mud。　　You　surely　don't　want　to　soil

your　moccasins；〃　and　taking　the　bucket　he　slipped　in　the　mud；

taking　care　to　push　his　sloppy　old　moccasins　out　so　the　girl　could

see　them。　　She　giggled　outright。



〃My；　what　old　moccasins　you　have；〃　she　cried。



〃Yes；　I　have　nobody　to　make　me　a　new　pair；〃　he　answered。



〃Why　don't　you　get　your　grandmother　to　make　you　a　new　pair？〃



〃She's　old　an