myths and legends of the sioux-第6章

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



〃She's　old　and　blind　and　can't　make　them　any　longer。　　That's　why　I

want　you；〃　he　answered。



〃Oh；　you're　fooling　me。　　You　aren't　speaking　the　truth。〃



〃Yes；　I　am。　　If　you　don't　believecome　with　me　now！〃



The　girl　looked　down；　so　did　the　youth。　　At　last　he　said　softly：



〃Well；　which　is　it？　　Shall　I　take　up　your　bucket；　or　will　you　go

with　me？〃



And　she　answered；　still　more　softly：　〃I　guess　I'll　go　with　you！〃



The　girl's　aunt　came　down　to　the　river；　wondering　what　kept　her

niece　so　long。　　In　the　mud　she　found　two　pairs　of　moccasin　tracks

close　together；　at　the　edge　of　the　water　stood　an　empty　keg。













THE　SIMPLETON'S　WISDOM



There　was　a　man　and　his　wife　who　had　one　daughter。　　Mother　and

daughter　were　deeply　attached　to　one　another；　and　when　the　latter

died　the　mother　was　disconsolate。　　She　cut　off　her　hair；　cut　gashes

in　her　cheeks　and　sat　before　the　corpse　with　her　robe　drawn　over

her　head；　mourning　for　her　dead。　　Nor　would　she　let　them　touch　the

body　to　take　it　to　a　burying　scaffold。　　She　had　a　knife　in　her

hand；　and　if　anyone　offered　to　come　near　the　body　the　mother　would

wail：



〃I　am　weary　of　life。　　I　do　not　care　to　live。　　I　will　stab　myself

with　this　knife　and　join　my　daughter　in　the　land　of　spirits。〃



Her　husband　and　relatives　tried　to　get　the　knife　from　her；　but

could　not。　　They　feared　to　use　force　lest　she　kill　herself。　　They

came　together　to　see　what　they　could　do。



〃We　must　get　the　knife　away　from　her；〃　they　said。



At　last　they　called　a　boy；　a　kind　of　simpleton；　yet　with　a　good

deal　of　natural　shrewdness。　　He　was　an　orphan　and　very　poor。　　His

moccasins　were　out　at　the　sole　and　he　was　dressed　in　wei…zi　（coarse

buffalo　skin；　smoked）。



〃Go　to　the　tepee　of　the　mourning　mother；〃　they　told　the　simpleton；

〃and　in　some　way　contrive　to　make　her　laugh　and　forget　her　grief。　

Then　try　to　get　the　knife　away　from　her。〃



The　boy　went　to　the　tent　and　sat　down　at　the　door　as　if　waiting　to

be　given　something。　　The　corpse　lay　in　the　place　of　honor　where　the

dead　girl　had　slept　in　life。　　The　body　was　wrapped　in　a　rich　robe

and　wrapped　about　with　ropes。　　Friends　had　covered　it　with　rich

offerings　out　of　respect　to　the　dead。



As　the　mother　sat　on　the　ground　with　her　head　covered　she　did　not

at　first　see　the　boy；　who　sat　silent。　　But　when　his　reserve　had

worn　away　a　little　he　began　at　first　lightly；　then　more　heavily；　to

drum　on　the　floor　with　his　hands。　　After　a　while　he　began　to　sing

a　comic　song。　　Louder　and　louder　he　sang　until　carried　away　with

his　own　singing　he　sprang　up　and　began　to　dance；　at　the　same　time

gesturing　and　making　all　manner　of　contortions　with　his　body；　still

singing　the　comic　song。　　As　he　approached　the　corpse　he　waved　his

hands　over　it　in　blessing。　　The　mother　put　her　head　out　of　the

blanket　and　when　she　saw　the　poor　simpleton　with　his　strange

grimaces　trying　to　do　honor　to　the　corpse　by　his　solemn　waving；　and

at　the　same　time　keeping　up　his　comic　song；　she　burst　out　laughing。　

Then　she　reached　over　and　handed　her　knife　to　the　simpleton。



〃Take　this　knife；〃　she　said。　　〃You　have　taught　me　to　forget　my

grief。　　If　while　I　mourn　for　the　dead　I　can　still　be　mirthful；

there　is　no　reason　for　me　to　despair。　　I　no　longer　care　to　die。　　I

will　live　for　my　husband。〃



The　simpleton　left　the　tepee　and　brought　the　knife　to　the

astonished　husband　and　relatives。



〃How　did　you　get　it？　　Did　you　force　it　away　from　her；　or　did　you

steal　it？〃　they　said。



〃She　gave　it　to　me。　　How　could　I　force　it　from　her　or　steal　it　when

she　held　it　in　her　hand；　blade　uppermost？　　I　sang　and　danced　for

her　and　she　burst　out　laughing。　　Then　she　gave　it　to　me；〃　he

answered。



When　the　old　men　of　the　village　heard　the　orphan's　story　they　were

very　silent。　　It　was　a　strange　thing　for　a　lad　to　dance　in　a　tepee

where　there　was　mourning。　　It　was　stranger　that　a　mother　should

laugh　in　a　tepee　before　the　corpse　of　her　dead　daughter。　　The　old

men　gathered　at　last　in　a　council。　　They　sat　a　long　time　without

saying　anything；　for　they　did　not　want　to　decide　hastily。　　The　pipe

was　filled　and　passed　many　times。　　At　last　an　old　man　spoke。



〃We　have　a　hard　question。　　A　mother　has　laughed　before　the　corpse

of　her　daughter；　and　many　think　she　has　done　foolishly；　but　I　think

the　woman　did　wisely。　　The　lad　was　simple　and　of　no　training；　and

we　cannot　expect　him　to　know　how　to　do　as　well　as

one　with　good　home　and　parents　to　teach　him。　　Besides；　he　did　the

best　that　he　knew。　　He　danced　to　make　the　mother　forget　her　grief；

and　he　tried　to　honor　the　corpse　by　waving　over　it　his　hands。〃



〃The　mother　did　right　to　laugh；　for　when　one　does　try　to　do　us

good；　even　if　what　he　does　causes　us　discomfort；　we　should　always

remember　rather　the　motive　than　the　deed。　　And　besides；　the

simpleton's　dancing　saved　the　woman's　life；　for　she　gave　up　her

knife。　　In　this；　too；　she　did　well；　for　it　is　always　better　to　live

for　the　living　than　to　die　for　the　dead。〃











A　LITTLE　BRAVE　AND　THE　MEDICINE

WOMAN



A　village　of　Indians　moved　out　of　winter　camp　and　pitched　their

tents　in　a　circle　on　high　land　overlooking　a　lake。　　A　little　way

down　the　declivity　was　a　grave。　　Choke　cherries　had　grown　up；

hiding　the　grave　from　view。　　But　as　the　ground　had　sunk　somewhat；

the　grave　was　marked　by　a　slight　hollow。



One　of　the　villagers　going　out　to　hunt　took　a　short　cut　through　the

choke　cherry　bushes。　　As　he　pushed　them　aside　he　saw　the　hollow

grave；　but　thought　it　was　a　washout　made　by　the　rains。　　But　as　he

essayed　to　step　over　it；　to　his　great　surprise　he　stumbled　and

fell。　　Made　curious　by　his　mishap；　he　drew　back　and　tried　again；

but　again　he　fell。　　When　he　came　back　to　the　village　he　told　the

old　men　what　had　happened　to　him。　　They　remembered　then　that　a　long

time　before　there　had　been　buried　there　a　medicine　woman　or

conjurer。　　Doubtless　it　was　her　medicine　that　made　him　stumble。



The　story　of　the　villager's　adventure　spread　thru　the　camp　and　made

many　curious　to　see　the　grave。　　Among　others　were　six　little　boys

who　were；　however；　rather　timid；　for　they　were　in　great　awe　of　the

dead　medicine　woman。　　But　they　had　a　little　playmate　named　Brave；

a　mischievous　little　rogue；　whose　hair　was　always　unkempt　and

tossed　about　and　who　was　never　quiet　for　a　moment。



〃Let　us　ask　Brave　to　go　with　us；〃　they　said；　and　they　went　in　a

body　to　see　him。



〃All　right；〃　said　Brave；　〃I　will　go　with　you。　　But　I　have　something

to　do　first。　　You　go　on　around　the　hill　that　way；　and　I　will

hasten　around　this　way；　and　meet　you　a　little　later　near　the

grave。〃



So　the　six　little　boys　went　on　as　bidden　until　they　came　to　a　place

near　the　grave。　　There　they　halted。



〃Where　is　Brave？〃　they　asked。



Now　Brave；　full　of　mischief；　had　thought　to　play　a　jest　on　his

little　friends。　　As　soon　as　they　were　well　out　of　sight　he　had　sped

around　the　hill　to　the　shore　of　the　lake　and　sticking　his　hands　in

the　mud　had　rubbed　it　over　his　face；　plastered　it　in　his　hair；　and

soiled　his　hands　until　he　looked　like　a　new　risen　corpse　with　the

flesh　rotting　from　his　bones。　　He　then　went　and　lay　down　in　the

grave　and　awaited　the　boys。



When　the　six　little　boys　came　they　were　more　timid　than　ever　when

they　did　not　find　Brave；　but　they　feared　to　go　back　to　the　village

without　seeing　the　grave；　for　fear　the　old　men　would　call　them

cowards。



So　they　slowly　approached　the　grave　and　one　of　them　timidly　called

out：



〃Please；　grandmother；　we　won't　disturb　your　grave。　　We　only　want　to

see　where　you　lie。　　Don't　be　angry。〃



At　once　a　thin　quavering　voice；　like　an　old　woman's；　called　out：



〃Han；　han；　takoja；　hechetuya；　hechetuya！　　Yes；　yes；　that's　right；

that's　right。〃



The　boys　were　frightened　out　of　their　senses；　believing　the　old

woman　had　come　to　life。



〃Oh；