myths and legends of the sioux-第8章

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tell　us。〃



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

the　biggest　piece　for　Unktomi。



When　Unktomi　had　come　and　eaten；　the　villagers　told　him　of　the　crow

and　asked　what　the　bird's　words　meant。



〃He　means；〃　said　Unktomi；　〃that　the　two　children　whom　you　forsook

have　tepees　full　of　dried　meat　enough　for　all　the　village。〃



The　villagers　were　filled　with　astonishment　at　this　news。　　To　find

whether　or　not　it　was　true；　the　chief　called　seven　young　men　and

sent　them　out　to　see。　　They　came　to　the　three　tepees　and　there　met

the　girl's　brother　and　husband　just　going　out　to　hunt　（which

they　did　now　only　for　sport）。



The　girl's　brother　invited　the　seven　young　men　into　the　third　or

sacred　lodge；　and　after　they　had　smoked　a　pipe　and　knocked　out　the

ashes　on　a　buffalo　bone　the　brother　gave　them　meat　to　eat；　which

the　seven　devoured　greedily。　　The　next　day　he　loaded　all　seven　with

packs　of　meat；　saying：



〃Take　this　meat　to　the　villagers　and　lead　them　hither。〃



While　they　awaited　the　return　of　the　young　men　with　the　villagers；

the　girl　made　two　bundles　of　meat；　one　of　the　best　and　choicest

pieces；　and　the　other　of　liver；　very　dry　and　hard　to　eat。　　After　a

few　days　the　camp　arrived。　　The　young　woman's　mother　opened　the

door　and　ran　in　crying：　〃Oh；　my　dear　daughter；　how　glad　I　am　to　see

you。〃　　But　the　daughter　received　her　coldly　and　gave　her　the　bundle

of　dried　liver　to　eat。　　But　when　the　old　woman　who　had　saved

the　children's　lives　came　in；　the　young　girl　received　her　gladly；

called　her　grandmother；　and　gave　her　the　package　of　choice　meat

with　marrow。



Then　the　whole　village　camped　and　ate　of　the　stores　of　meat　all　the

winter　until　spring　came；　and　withal　they　were　so　many；　there　was

such　abundance　of　stores　that　there　was　still　much　left。













THE　SIGNS　OF　CORN



When　corn　is　to　be　planted　by　the　Indians；　it　is　the　work　of　the

women　folk　to　see　to　the　sorting　and　cleaning　of　the　best　seed。　　It

is　also　the　women's　work　to　see　to　the　planting。　（This　was　in　olden

times。）



After　the　best　seed　has　been　selected；　the　planter　measures　the

corn；　lays　down　a　layer　of　hay；　then　a　layer　of　corn。　　Over　this

corn　they　sprinkle　warm　water　and　cover　it　with　another　layer　of

hay；　then　bind　hay　about　the　bundle　and　hang　it　up　in　a　spot

where　the　warm　rays　of　the　sun　can　strike　it。



While　the　corn　is　hanging　in　the　sun；　the　ground　is　being　prepared

to　receive　　it。　　Having　finished　the　task　of　preparing　the　ground；

the　woman　takes　down　her　seed　corn　which　has　by　this　time　sprouted。　

Then　she　proceeds　to　plant　the　corn。



Before　she　plants　the　first　hill；　she　extends　her　hoe　heavenwards

and　asks　the　Great　Spirit　to　bless　her　work；　that　she　may　have　a

good　yield。　　After　her　prayer　she　takes　four　kernels　and　plants　one

at　the　north；　one　at　the　south；　one　at　the　east　and　one

at　the　west　sides　of　the　first　hill。　　This　is　asking　the　Great

Spirit　to　give　summer　rain　and　sunshine　to　bring　forth　a　good　crop。



For　different　growths　of　the　corn；　the　women　have　an　interpretation

as　to　the　character　of　the　one　who　planted　it。



1st。　　Where　the　corn　grows　in　straight　rows　and　the　cob　is　full　of

kernels　to　the　end；　this　signifies　that　the　planter　of　this　corn　is

of　an　exemplary　character；　and　is　very　truthful　and　thoughtful。



2nd。　　If　the　rows　on　the　ears　of　corn　are　irregular　and　broken；　the

planter　is　considered　careless　and　unthoughtful。　　Also　disorderly

and　slovenly　about　her　house　and　person。



3rd。　　When　an　ear　of　corn　bears　a　few　scattering　kernels　with

spaces　producing　no　corn；　it　is　said　that　is　a　good　sign　that　the

planter　will　live　to　a　ripe　old　age。　　So　old　will　they　be　that　like

the　corn；　their　teeth　will　be　few　and　far　between。



4th。　　　When　a　stalk　bears　a　great　many　nubbins；　or　small　ears

growing　around　the　large　one；　it　is　a　sign　that　　the　planter　is

from　a　large　and　respectable　family。



After　　the　corn　is　gathered；　it　is　boiled　into　sweet　corn　and　made

into　hominy；　parched　and　mixed　with　buffalo　tallow　and　rolled　into

round　balls；　and　used　at　feasts；　or　carried　by　the　warriors　on　the

warpath　as　food。



When　there　has　been　a　good　crop　of　corn；　an　ear　is　always　tied　at

the　top　of　the　medicine　pole；　of　the　sun　dance；　in　thanks　to　the

Great　Spirit　for　his　goodness　to　them　in　sending　a　bountiful　crop。













STORY　OF　THE　RABBITS



The　Rabbit　nation　were　very　much　depressed　in　spirits　on　account　of

being　run　over　by　all　other　nations。　　They；　being　very　obedient　to

their　chief；　obeyed　all　his　orders　to　the　letter。　　One　of　his

orders　was；　that　upon　the　approach　of　any　other　nation　that

they　should　follow　the　example　of　their　chief　and　run　up　among　the

rocks　and　down　into　their　burrows；　and　not　show　themselves　until

the　strangers　had　passed。



This　they　always　did。　　Even　the　chirp　of　a　little　cricket　would

send　them　all　scampering　to　their　dens。



One　day　they　held　a　great　council；　and　after　talking　over

everything　for　some　time；　finally　left　it　to　their　medicine　man　to

decide。　　The　medicine　man　arose　and　said：



〃My　friends；　we　are　of　no　use　on　this　earth。　　There　isn't　a　nation

on　earth　that　fears　us；　and　we　are　so　timid　that　we　cannot　defend

ourselves；　so　the　best　thing　for　us　to　do　is　to　rid　the　earth　of

our　nation；　by　all　going　over　to　the　big　lake　and　drowning

ourselves。〃



This　they　decided　to　do；　so　going　to　the　lake　they　were　about　to

jump　in；　when　they　heard　a　splashing　in　the　water。　　Looking；　they

saw　a　lot　of　frogs　jumping　into　the　lake。



〃We　will　not　drown　ourselves；〃　said　the　medicine　man；　〃we　have

found　a　nation　who　are　afraid　of　us。　　It　is　the　frog　nation。〃　　Had

it　not　been　for　the　frogs　we　would　have　had　no　rabbits；　as　the

whole　nation　would　have　drowned　themselves　and　the　rabbit　race

would　have　been　extinct。













HOW　THE　RABBIT　LOST　HIS　TAIL



Once　upon　a　time　there　were　two　brothers；　one　a　great　Genie　and　the

other　a　rabbit。　　Like　all　genie；　the　older　could　change　himself

into　any　kind　of　an　animal；　bird；　fish；　cloud；　thunder　and

lightning；　or　in　fact　anything　that　he　desired。



The　younger　brother　（the　rabbit）　was　very　mischievous　and　was

continually　getting　into　all　kinds　of　trouble。　　His　older　brother

was　kept　busy　getting　Rabbit　out　of　all　kinds　of　scrapes。



When　Rabbit　had　attained　his　full　growth　he　wanted　to　travel　around

and　see　something　of　the　world。　　When　he　told　his　brother　what　he

intended　to　do；　the　brother　said：　〃Now；　Rabbit；　you　are　Witkotko

（mischievous）；　so　be　very　careful；　and　keep　out　of　trouble

as　much　as　possible。　　In　case　you　get　into　any　serious　trouble；　and

can't　get　out　by　yourself；　just　call　on　me　for　assistance；　and　no

matter　where　you　are；　I　will　come　to　you。〃



Rabbit　started　out　and　the　first　day　he　came　to　a　very　high　house；

outside　of　which　stood　a　very　high　pine　tree。　　So　high　was　the　tree

that　Rabbit　could　hardly　see　the　top。　　Outside　the　door；　on　an

enormous　stool；　sat　a　very　large　giant　fast　asleep。　　Rabbit　（having

his　bow　and　arrows　with　him）　strung　up　his　bow；　and；　taking　an

arrow　from　his　quiver；　said：



〃I　want　to　see　how　big　this　man　is；　so　I　guess　I　will　wake　him　up。〃　

So　saying　he　moved　over　to　one　side　and　took　good　aim；　and　shot　the

giant　upon　the　nose。　　This　stung　like　fire　and　awoke　the　giant；　who

jumped　up；　crying：　〃Who　had　the　audacity　to　shoot　me　on　the　nose？〃　

〃I　did；〃　said　Rabbit。



The　giant；　hearing　a　voice；　looked　all　around；　but　saw　nothing；

until　he　looked　down　at　the　corner　of　the　house；　and　there　sat　a

rabbit。



〃I　had　hiccoughs　this　morning　and　thought　that　I　was　going　to　have

a　good　big　meal；　and　here　is　nothing　but　a　toothful。〃



〃I　guess　you　won't　make　a　toothful　of　me；〃　said　Rabbit；　〃I　am　as

strong　as　you；　though　I　am　little。〃　　〃We　will　see；〃　said　the　giant。　

He　went　into　the　house　and　came　out；　bringing　a　hammer　that

weighed　many　tons。



〃