myths and legends of the sioux-第7章

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that's　right。〃



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

woman　had　come　to　life。



〃Oh；　grandmother；〃　they　gasped；　〃don't　hurt　us；　please　don't；　we'll

go。〃



Just　then　Brave　raised　his　muddy　face　and　hands　up　thru　the　choke

cherry　bushes。　　With　the　oozy　mud　dripping　from　his　features　he

looked　like　some　very　witch　just　raised　from　the　grave。　　The　boys

screamed　outright。　　One　fainted。　　The　rest　ran　yelling　up　the　hill

to　the　village；　where　each　broke　at　once　for　his　mother's　tepee。



As　all　the　tents　in　a　Dakota　camping　circle　face　the　center；　the

boys　as　they　came　tearing　into　camp　were　in　plain　view　from　the

tepees。　　Hearing　the　screaming；　every　woman　in　camp　ran　to　her

tepee　door　to　see　what　had　happened。　　Just　then　little　Brave；　as

badly　scared　as　the　rest；　came　rushing　in　after　them；　his　hair　on

end　and　covered　with　mud　and　crying　out；　all　forgetful　of　his

appearance：



〃It's　me；　it's　me！〃



The　women　yelped　and　bolted　in　terror　from　the　village。　　Brave

dashed　into　his　mother's　tepee；　scaring　her　out　of　her　wits。　

Dropping　pots　and　kettles；　she　tumbled　out　of　the　tent　to　run

screaming　with　the　rest。　　Nor　would　a　single　villager　come　near

poor　little　Brave　until　he　had　gone　down　to　the　lake　and　washed

himself。













THE　BOUND　CHILDREN



There　once　lived　a　widow　with　two　childrenthe　elder　a　daughter

and　the　younger　a　son。　　The　widow　went　in　mourning　for　her　husband

a　long　time。　　She　cut　off　her　hair；　let　her　dress　lie　untidy　on　her

body　and　kept　her　face　unpainted　and　unwashed。



There　lived　in　the　same　village　a　great　chief。　　He　had　one　son　just

come　old　enough　to　marry。　　The　chief　had　it　known　that　he　wished

his　son　to　take　a　wife；　and　all　of　the　young　women　in　the　village

were　eager　to　marry　the　young　man。　　However；　he　was　pleased　with

none　of　them。



Now　the　widow　thought；　〃I　am　tired　of　mourning　for　my　husband　and

caring　for　my　children。　　Perhaps　if　I　lay　aside　my　mourning　and

paint　myself　red；　the　chief's　son　may　marry　me。〃



So　she　slipped　away　from　her　two　children；　stole　down　to　the　river

and　made　a　bathing　place　thru　the　ice。　　When　she　had　washed　away

all　signs　of　mourning；　she　painted　and　decked　herself　and　went　to

the　chief's　tepee。　　When　his　son　saw　her；　he　loved　her；　and　a　feast

was　made　in　honor　of　her　wedding。



When　the　widow's　daughter　found　herself　forsaken；　she　wept

bitterly。　　After　a　day　or　two　she　took　her　little　brother　in　her

arms　and　went　to　the　tepee　of　an　old　woman　who　lived　at　one　end　of

the　village。　　The　old　woman's　tumble　down　tepee　was　of　bark　and　her

dress　and　clothing　was　of　old　smoke…dried　tent　cover。　　But　she　was

kind　to　the　two　waifs　and　took　them　in　willingly。



The　little　girl　was　eager　to　find　her　mother。　　The　old　woman　said

to　her：　〃I　suspect　your　mother　has　painted　her　face　red。　　Do　not

try　to　find　her。　　If　the　chief's　son　marries　her　she　will　not　want

to　be　burdened　with　you。〃



The　old　woman　was　right。　　The　girl　went　down　to　the　river；　and　sure

enough　found　a　hole　cut　in　the　ice　and　about　it　lay　the　filth　that

the　mother　had　washed　from　her　body。　　The　girl　gathered　up　the

filth　and　went　on。　　By　and　by　she　came　to　a　second　hole　in　the　ice。　

Here　too　was　filth；　but　not　so　much　as　at　the　previous　place。　　At

the　third　hole　the　ice　was　clean。



The　girl　knew　now　that　her　mother　had　painted　her　face　red。　　She

went　at　once　to　the　chief's　tepee；　raised　the　door　flap　and　went

in。　　There　sat　her　mother　with　the　chief's　son　at　their　wedding

feast。



The　girl　walked　up　to　her　mother　and　hurled　the　filth　in　her

mother's　face。



〃There；〃　she　cried；　〃you　who　forsake　your　helpless　children　and

forget　your　husband；　take　that！〃



And　at　once　her　mother　became　a　hideous　old　woman。



The　girl　then　went　back　to　the　lodge　of　the　old　woman；　leaving　the

camp　in　an　uproar。　　The　chief　soon　sent　some　young　warriors　to

seize　the　girl　and　her　brother；　and　they　were　brought　to　his　tent。　

He　was　furious　with　anger。



〃Let　the　children　be　bound　with　lariats　wrapped　about　their　bodies

and　let　them　be　left　to　starve。　　Our　camp　will　move　on；〃　he　said。　

The　chief's　son　did　not　put　away　his　wife；　hoping　she　might　be

cured　in　some　way　and　grow　young　again。



Everybody　in　camp　now　got　ready　to　move；　but　the　old　woman　came

close　to　the　girl　and　said：



〃In　my　old　tepee　I　have　dug　a　hole　and　buried　a　pot　with　punk　and

steel　and　flint　and　packs　of　dried　meat。　　They　will　tie　you　up　like

a　corpse。　　But　before　we　go　I　will　come　with　a　knife　and　pretend　to

stab　you；　but　I　will　really　cut　the　rope　that　binds　you　so　that　you

can　unwind　it　from　your　body　as　soon　as　the　camp　is　out　of　sight

and　hearing。〃



And　so；　before　the　camp　started；　the　old　woman　came　to　the　place

where　the　two　children　were　bound。　　She　had　in　her　hand　a　knife

bound　to　the　end　of　a　stick　which　she　used　as　a　lance。　She　stood

over　the　children　and　cried　aloud：



〃You　wicked　girl；　who　have　shamed　your　own　mother；　you　deserve　all

the　punishment　that　is　given　you。　　But　after　all　I　do　not　want　to

let　you　lie　and　starve。　　Far　better　kill　you　at　once　and　have　done

with　it！〃　and　with　her　stick　she　stabbed　many　times；　as　if　to　kill；

but　she　was　really　cutting　the　rope。



The　camp　moved　on；　but　the　children　lay　on　the　ground　until　noon

the　next　day。　　Then　they　began　to　squirm　about。　　Soon　the　girl　was

free；　and　she　then　set　loose　her　little　brother。　　They　went　at　once

to　the　old　woman's　hut　where　they　found　the　flint　and　steel　and　the

packs　of　dried　meat。



The　girl　made　her　brother　a　bow　and　arrows　and　with　these　he　killed

birds　and　other　small　game。



The　boy　grew　up　a　great　hunter。　　They　became　rich。　　They　built

three　great　tepees；　in　one　of　which　were　stored　rows　upon　rows　of

parfleche　bags　of　dried　meat。



One　day　as　the　brother　went　out　to　hunt；　he　met　a　handsome　young

stranger　who　greeted　him　and　said　to　him：



〃I　know　you　are　a　good　hunter；　for　I　have　been　watching　you；　your

sister；　too；　is　industrious。　　Let　me　have　her　for　a　wife。　　Then　you

and　I　will　be　brothers　and　hunt　together。〃



The　girl's　brother　went　home　and　told　her　what　the　young　stranger

had　said。



〃Brother；　I　do　not　care　to　marry；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　am　now　happy

with　you。〃



〃But　you　will　be　yet　happier　married；〃　he　answered；　〃and　the　young

stranger　is　of　no　mean　family；　as　one　can　see　by　his　dress　and

manners。〃



〃Very　well；　I　will　do　as　you　wish；〃　she　said。　　So　the　stranger　came

into　the　tepee　and　was　the　girl's　husband。



One　day　as　they　were　in　their　tent；　a　crow　flew　overhead；　calling

out　loudly；



　　　　　　　　　　〃Kaw；　Kaw；



They　who　forsook　the　children　have　no　meat。〃



The　girl　and　her　husband　and　brother　looked　up　at　one　another。



〃What　can　it　mean？〃　they　asked。　　〃Let　us　send　for　Unktomi　（the

spider）。　　He　is　a　good　judge　and　he　will　know。〃



〃And　I　will　get　ready　a　good　dinner　for　him；　for　Unktomi　is　always

hungry；〃　added　the　young　wife。



When　Unktomi　came；　his　yellow　mouth　opened　with　delight　at　the　fine

feast　spread　for　him。　　After　he　had　eaten　he　was　told　what　the　crow

had　said。



〃The　crow　means；〃　said　Unktomi；　〃that　the　villagers　and　chief　who

bound　and　deserted　you　are　in　sad　plight。　　They　have　hardly

anything　to　eat　and　are　starving。〃



When　the　girl　heard　this　she　made　a　bundle　of　choicest　meat　and

called　the　crow。



〃Take　this　to　the　starving　villagers；〃　she　bade　him。



He　took　the　bundle　in　his　beak；　flew　away　to　the　starving　village

and　dropped　the　bundle　before　the　chief's　tepee。　　The　chief　came

out　and　the　crow　called　loudly：



〃Kaw；　Kaw！



The　children　who　were　forsaken　have　much　meat；　those　who　forsook

them　have　none。〃



〃What　can　he　mean；〃　cried　the　astonished　villagers。



〃Let　us　send　for　Unktomi；〃　said　one；　〃he　is　a　great　judge；　he　will

tell　us。〃



They　divided　the　bundle　of　meat　among　the　starving　people；　saving

the　big