myths and legends of the sioux-第10节

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third　time；　there　stood　a　handsome　youth　smiling　at　him。　　Rabbit　at

once　adopted　the　youth　and　took　him　into　his　house；　seating　him　in

the　seat　of　honor　（which　is　directly　opposite　the　entrance）；　and

saying：　〃My　son；　I　want　you　to　be　a　good；　honest；　straightforward

man。　　Now；　I　have　in　my　possession　a　fine　outfit；　and　you；　my　son；

shall　wear　it。〃



Suiting　his　action　to　his　words；　he　drew　out　a　bag　from　a　hollow

tree　and　on　opening　it；　drew　out　a　fine　buckskin　shirt　（tanned

white　as　snow）；　worked　with　porcupine　quills。　　Also　a　pair　of　red

leggings　worked　with　beads。　　Moccasins　worked　with　colored　hair。　

A　fine　otter　skin　robe。　　White　weasel　skins　to　intertwine

with　his　beautiful　long　black　locks。　　A　magnificent　center　eagle

feather。　　A　rawhide　covered　bow；　accompanied　by　a　quiver　full　of

flint　arrowheads。



The　rabbit；　having　dressed　his　son　in　all　the　latest　finery；　sat

back　and　gazed　long　and　lovingly　at　his　handsome　son。　

Instinctively　Rabbit　felt　that　his　son　had　been　sent　him　for　the

purpose　of　being　instrumental　in　the　downfall　of　Mr。　Bear。　　Events

will　show。



The　morning　following　the　arrival　of　Rabbit's　son；　Mr。　Bear　again

presents　himself　at　the　door；　crying　out：　〃You　lazy；　ugly　rabbit；

get　up　and　come　out　here。　　I　want　you　to　shoot　some　more　buffalo

for　me。〃



〃Who　is　this；　who　speaks　so　insultingly　to　you；　father？〃　asked　the

son。



〃It　is　a　bear　who　lives　near　here；　and　makes　me　kill　buffalo　for

his　family；　and　he　won't　let　me　take　even　one　little　drop　of　blood

from　the　killing；　and　consequently；　my　son；　I　have　nothing　in　my

house　for　you　to　eat。〃



The　young　man　was　anxious　to　meet　Mr。　Bear　but　Rabbit　advised　him

to　wait　a　little　until　he　and　Bear　had　gone　to　the　hunt。　　So　the

son　obeyed；　and　when　he　thought　it　time　that　the　killing　was　done；

he　started　out　and　arrived　on　the　scene　just　as　Mr。　Bear　was　about

to　proceed　with　his　butchering。



Seeing　a　strange　shadow　on　the　ground　beside　him；　Mr。　Bear　looked

up　and　gazed　into　the　fearless　eyes　of　rabbit's　handsome　son。



〃Who　is　this？〃　asked　Mr。　Bear　of　poor　little　Rabbit。



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Rabbit。



〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　bear　of　Rabbit's　son。　　〃Where　did　you　come

from？〃



The　rabbit's　son　not　replying；　the　bear　spoke　thus　to　him：　〃Get　out

of　here；　and　get　out　quick；　too。〃



At　this　speech　the　rabbit's　son　became　angered；　and　fastened　an

arrow　to　his　bow　and　drove　the　arrow　through　the　bear's　heart。　

Then　he　turned　on　Mrs。　Bear　and　served　her　likewise。　　During　the

melee；　Rabbit　shouted：　〃My　son；　my　son；　don't　kill　the　two

youngest。　　The　baby　has　kept　me　from　starving　and　the　other　one　is

good　and　kind　to　his　baby　brother。〃



So　the　three　older　brothers　who　were　unkind　to　their　baby　brother

met　a　similar　fate　to　that　of　their　selfish　parents。



This　（the　story　goes）　is　the　reason　that　bears　travel　only　in

pairs。













THE　BRAVE　WHO　WENT　ON　THE　WARPATH

ALONE　AND　WON　THE　NAME　OF

THE　LONE　WARRIOR



There　was　once　a　young　man　whose　parents　were　not　overburdened　with

the　riches　of　this　world；　and　consequently　could　not　dress　their

only　son　in　as　rich　a　costume　as　the　other　young　men　of　the　tribe；

and　on　account　of　not　being　so　richly　clad　as　they；　he　was

looked　down　upon　and　shunned　by　them。　　He　was　never　invited　to　take

part　in　any　of　their　sports；　nor　was　he　ever　asked　to　join　any　of

the　war　parties。



In　the　village　lived　an　old　man　with　an　only　daughter。　　Like　the

other　family；　they　were　poor；　but　the　daughter　was　the　belle　of　the

tribe。　　She　was　the　most　sought　after　by　the　young　men　of　the

village；　and　warriors　from　tribes　far　distant　came　to　press　their

suit　at　winning　her　for　their　bride。　　All　to　no　purpose；　she　had

the　same　answer　for　them　as　she　had　for　the　young　men　of　the

village。



The　poor　young　man　was　also　very　handsome　despite　his　poor　clothes；

but　having　never　killed　an　enemy　nor　brought　home　any　enemies'

horses　he　was　not　（according　to　Indian　rules）　allowed　to　make　love

to　any　young　or　old　woman。　　He　tried　in　vain　to　join　some　of　the

war　parties；　that　he　might　get　the　chance　to　win　his　spurs　as　a

warrior。　　To　all　his　pleadings；　came　the　same　answer：　〃You　are　not

fit　to　join　a　war　party。　　You　have　no　horses；　and　if　you　should　get

killed　our　tribe　would　be　laughed　at　and　be　made　fun　of　as　you　have

such　poor　clothes；　and　we　don't　want　the　enemy　to　know　that　we　have

any　one　of　our　tribe　who　dresses　so　poorly　as　you　do。〃



Again；　and　again；　he　tried　different　parties；　only　to　be　made　fun

of　and　insulted。



One　night　he　sat　in　the　poor　tepee　of　his　parents。　　He　was　in　deep

study　and　had　nothing　to　say。　　His　father；　noticing　his　melancholy

mood；　asked　him　what　had　happened　to　cause　him　to　be　so　quiet；　as

he　was　always　of　a　jolly　disposition。　　The　son　answered　and　said：



〃Father；　I　am　going　on　the　warpath　alone。　　In　vain　I　have　tried　to

be　a　member　of　one　of　the　war　parties。　　To　all　of　my　pleadings　I

have　got　nothing　but　insults　in　return。〃



〃But　my　son；　you　have　no　gun　nor　ammunition。　　Where　can　you　get　any

and　how　can　you　get　it？　　We　have　nothing　to　buy　one　for　you　with；〃

said　the　father。



〃I　don't　need　any　weapons。　　I　am　going　to　bring　back　some　of　the

enemies'　horses；　and　I　don't　need　a　gun　for　that。〃



Early　the　next　morning　（regardless　of　the　old　couple's　pleadings

not　to　go　unarmed）　the　young　man　left　the　village　and　headed

northwest；　the　direction　always　taken　by　the　war　parties。



For　ten　days　he　traveled　without　seeing　any　signs　of　a　camp。　　The

evening　of　the　tenth　day；　he　reached　a　very　high　butte；　thickly

wooded　at　the　summit。　　He　ascended　this　butte；　and　as　he　sat　there

between　two　large　boulders；　watching　the　beautiful　rays　of　the

setting　sun；　he　was　suddenly　startled　to　hear　the　neigh　of　a　horse。　

Looking　down　into　the　beautiful　valley　which　was　threaded　by　a

beautiful　creek　fringed　with　timber；　he　noticed　close　to　the　base

of　the　butte　upon　which　he　sat；　a　large　drove　of　horses　grazing

peacefully　and　quietly。　　Looking　closer；　he　noticed　at　a　little

distance　from　the　main　drove；　a　horse　with　a　saddle　on　his　back。　

This　was　the　one　that　had　neighed；　as　the　drove　drifted　further

away　from　him。　　He　was　tied　by　a　long　lariat　to　a　large　sage　bush。



Where　could　the　rider　be；　he　said　to　himself。　　As　if　in　answer　to

his　question；　there　appeared　not　more　than　twenty　paces　from　him　a

middle　aged　man　coming　up　through　a　deep　ravine。　　The　man　was

evidently　in　search　of　some　kind　of　game；　as　he　held　his　gun　in

readiness　for　instant　use；　and　kept　his　eyes　directed　at　every

crevice　and　clump　of　bush。　　So　intent　was　he　on　locating　the　game

he　was　trailing；　that　he　never　noticed　the　young　man　who　sat　like

a　statue　not　twenty　paces　away。　　Slowly　and　cautiously　the　man

approached；　and　when　he　had　advanced　to　within　a　few　paces　of　the

young　man　he　stopped　and　turning　around；　stood　looking　down　into

the　valley。　　This　was　the　only　chance　that　our　brave　young　friend

had。　　Being　unarmed；　he　would　stand　no　show　if　the　enemy　ever　got

a　glimpse　of　him。　　Slowly　and　noiselessly　he　drew　his　hunting　knife

（which　his　father　had　given　him　on　his　departure　from　home）　and

holding　it　securely　in　his　right　hand；　gathered　himself　and　gave　a

leap　which　landed　him　upon　the　unsuspecting　enemy's　shoulders。　　The

force　with　which　he　landed　on　the　enemy　caused　him　（the　enemy）　to

lose　his　hold　on　his　gun；　and　it　went　rattling　down　into　the　chasm；

forty　feet　below。



Down　they　came　together；　the　young　man　on　top。　　No　sooner　had　they

struck　the　ground　than　the　enemy　had　out　his　knife；　and　then

commenced　a　hand　to　hand　duel。　　The　enemy；　having　more　experience；

was　getting　the　best　of　our　young　friend。　　Already　our　young　friend

had　two　ugly　cuts；　one　across　his　chest　and　the　other　through　his

forearm。



He　was　becoming　weak　from　the　loss　of　blood；　and　could　not　stand

the　killing　pace　much　longer。　　Summoning　all　his　strength　for　one

more　trial　to　overcome　his　antagonist；　he　rushed　him　toward　the

chasm；　and　in　his　hurry　to　get　away　from　this　fierce　attack；　the

enemy　stepped　back　one　step　too　far；　and　down　they　both　went　into

the　chasm。　　Interlocked　in　each　other's　arms；　the　young　man　drove

his　knife　into　the　enemy's　side　and　when　they　struck　the　bottom　the

enemy　relaxed　his　hold　and　straightened　out　stiff　and　dead。



Securing　his　scalp　and　gun；　　the　young　man　proceeded　down　to　where

the　horse　was　tied　to　the　sage　bush；　and　then　gathering　the　drove

of　horses　proceeded　on　his　return　to　his　own　village。　　Being

wounded　severely　he　had　to　ride　very　slowly。　　All　the　long　hours　of

the　night　he　drove　the　horses　towards　his　home　village。



In　the　meantime；　those　at　the　enemies'　camp　wondered　at　the　long

absence　of　the　herder　who　was　watching　their　drove　of　horses；　and

finally　seven　young　men　went　to　search　for　the　missing　herder。　　All

night　long　they　searched　the　hillsides　for　the　horses