myths and legends of the sioux-第11节

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

night　long　they　searched　the　hillsides　for　the　horses　and　herder；

and　when　it　had　grown　light　enough　in　the　morning　they　saw　by　the

ground　where　there　had　been　a　fierce　struggle。



Following　the　tracks　in　the　sand　and　leaves；　they　came　to　the　chasm

where　the　combatants　had　fallen　over；　and　there；　lying　on　his　back

staring　up　at　them　in　death；　was　their　herder。　　They　hastened　to

the　camp　and　told　what　they　had　found。　　Immediately　the　warriors

mounted　their　war　ponies　（these　ponies　are　never　turned　loose；　but

kept　tied　close　to　the　tepee　of　the　owner）；　and　striking　the　trail

of　the　herd　driven　off　by　our　young　friend；　they　urged　forth　their

ponies　and　were　soon　far　from　their　camp　on　the　trail　of　our　young

friend。　　All　day　long　they　traveled　on　his　trail；　and　just　as　the

sun　was　sinking　they　caught　sight　of　him　driving　the　drove　ahead

over　a　high　hill。　　Again　they　urged　forth　their　tired　ponies。　　The

young　man；　looking　back　along　the　trail；　saw　some　dark　objects

coming　along；　and；　catching　a　fresh　horse；　drove　the　rest　ahead　at

a　great　rate。　　Again　all　night　he　drove　them；　and　when　daylight

came　he　looked　back　（from　a　high　butte）　over　his　trail　and　saw

coming　over　a　distant　raise；　two　horsemen。　　These　two　undoubtedly

rode　the　best　ponies；　as　he　saw　nothing　of　the　others。　　Driving　the

horses　into　a　thick　belt　of　timber；　he　concealed　himself　close　to

the　trail　made　by　the　drove　of　horses；　and　lay　in　ambush　for　the

two　daring　horsemen　who　had　followed　him　so　far。　　Finally　they

appeared　on　the　butte　from　where　he　had　looked　back　and　saw　them

following　him。　　For　a　long　time　they　sat　there　scouring　the　country

before　them　in　hopes　that　they　might　see　some　signs　of　their　stolen

horses。　　Nothing　could　they　see。　　Had　they　but　known；　their　horses

were　but　a　few　hundred　yards　from　them；　but　the　thick　timber

securely　hid　them　from　view。　　Finally　one　of　them　arose　and　pointed

to　the　timber。　　Then　leaving　his　horse　in　charge　of　his　friend；　he

descended　the　butte　and　followed　the　trail　of　the　drove　to　where

they　had　entered　the　timber。　　Little　did　he　think　that　he　was

standing　on　the　brink　of　eternity。　　The　young　man　hiding　not　more

than　a　hundred　yards　from　him　could　have　shot　him　there　where　he

stood；　but　wanting　to　play　fair；　he　stepped　into　sight。　　When　he

did；　the　enemy　took　quick　aim　and　fired。　　He　was　too　hasty。　　Had　he

taken　more　careful　aim　he　might　have　killed　our　young　friend；　but

his　bullet　whizzed　harmlessly　over　the　young　man's　head　and　buried

itself　in　a　tree。　　The　young　man　took　good　aim　and　fired。　　The

enemy　threw　up　both　hands　and　fell　forward　on　his　face。　　The　other

one　on　the　hill；　seeing　his　friend　killed；　hastily　mounted　his

horse　and　leading　his　friend's　horse；　made　rapidly　off　down　the

butte　in　the　direction　from　whence　he　had　come。　　Waiting　for　some

time　to　be　sure　the　one　who　was　alive　did　not　come　up　and　take　a

shot　at　him；　he　finally　advanced　upon　the　fallen　enemy　and　securing

his　gun；　ammunition　and　scalp；　went　to　his　horse　and　drove　the　herd

on　through　the　woods　and　crossing　a　long　flat　prairie；　ascended　a

long　chain　of　hills　and　sat　looking　back　along　his　trail　in　search

of　any　of　the　enemy　who　might　continue　to　follow　him。



Thus　he　sat　until　the　long　shadows　of　the　hills　reminded　him　that

it　would　soon　be　sunset；　and　as　he　must　get　some　sleep；　he　wanted

to　find　some　creek　bend　where　he　could　drive　the　bunch　of　ponies

and　feel　safe　as　to　their　not　straying　off　during　the　night。　　He

found　a　good　place　for　the　herd；　and　catching　a　fresh　horse；　he

picketed　him　close　to　where　he　was　going　to　sleep；　and　wrapping

himself　in　his　blanket；　was　soon　fast　asleep。　　So　tired　and　sleepy

was　he　that　a　heavy　rain　which　had　come　up；　during　the　night；

soaked　him　through　and　through；　but　he　never　awakened　until　the　sun

was　high　in　the　east。



He　awoke　and　going　to　the　place　where　he　had　left　the　herd；　he　was

glad　to　find　them　all　there。　　He　mounted　his　horse　and　started　his

herd　homeward　again。　　For　two　days　he　drove　them；　and　on　the

evening　of　the　second　day　he　came　in　sight　of　the　village。



The　older　warriors；　hearing　of　the　young　man　going　on　this　trip

alone　and　unarmed；　told　the　parents　to　go　in　mourning　for　their

son；　as　he　would　never　come　back　alive。　　When　the　people　of　the

village　saw　this　large　drove　of　horses　advancing　towards　them；　they

at　first　thought　it　was　a　war　party　of　the　enemy；　and　so　the　head

men　called　the　young　warriors　together　and　fully　prepared　for　a

great　battle。　　They　advanced　upon　the　supposed　enemy。　　When　they

got　close　enough　to　discern　a　lone　horseman　driving　this　large

herd；　they　surrounded　the　horses　and　lone　warrior；　and　brought　him

triumphantly　into　camp。　　On　arriving　in　the　camp　（or　village）　the

horses　were　counted　and　the　number　counted　up　to　one　hundred　and

ten　head。



The　chief　and　his　criers　（or　heralds）　announced　through　the　whole

village　that　there　would　be　a　great　war　dance　given　in　honor　of　the

Lone　Warrior。



The　whole　village　turned　out　and　had　a　great　war　dance　that　was

kept　up　three　days　and　three　nights。　　The　two　scalps　which　the

young　man　had　taken　were　tied　to　a　pole　which　was　placed　in　the

center　of　the　dance　circle。　　At　this　dance；　the　Lone　Warrior　gave

to　each　poor　family　five　head　of　horses。



Being　considered　eligible　now　to　pay　his　respects　to　any　girl　who

took　his　fancy；　he　at　once　went　to　the　camp　of　the　beautiful　girl

of　the　tribe；　and　as　he　was　always　her　choice；　she　at　once

consented　to　marry　him。



The　news　spread　through　the　village　that　Lone　Warrior　had　won　the

belle　of　the　nation　for　his　bride；　and　this　with　the　great　feat

which　he　had　accomplished　alone　in　killing　two　enemies　and　bringing

home　a　great　herd　of　horses；　raised　him　to　the　rank　of　chief；　which

he　faithfully　filled　to　the　end　of　his　days。　　And　many　times　he　had

to　tell　his　grandchildren　the　story　of　how　he　got　the　name　of　the

Lone　Warrior。













THE　SIOUX　WHO　MARRIED　THE　CROW

CHIEF'S　DAUGHTER



A　war　party　of　seven　young　men；　seeing　a　lone　tepee　standing　on　the

edge　of　a　heavy　belt　of　timber；　stopped　and　waited　for　darkness；　in

order　to　send　one　of　their　scouts　ahead　to　ascertain　whether　the

camp　which　they　had　seen　was　the　camp　of　friend　or　enemy。



When　darkness　had　settled　down　on　them；　and　they　felt　secure　in　not

being　detected；　they　chose　one　of　their　scouts　to　go　on　alone　and

find　out　what　would　be　the　best　direction　for　them　to　advance　upon

the　camp；　should　it　prove　to　be　an　enemy。



Among　the　scouts　was　one　who　was　noted　for　his　bravery；　and　many

were　the　brave　acts　he　had　performed。　　His　name　was　Big　Eagle。　

This　man　they　selected　to　go　to　the　lone　camp　and　obtain　the

information　for　which　they　were　waiting。



Big　Eagle　was　told　to　look　carefully　over　the　ground　and　select　the

best　direction　from　which　they　should　make　the　attack。　　The　other

six　would　await　his　return。　　He　started　on　his　mission；　being

careful　not　to　make　any　noise。　　He　stealthily　approached　the

camp。　　As　he　drew　near　to　the　tent　he　was　surprised　to　note　the

absence　of　any　dogs；　as　these　animals　are　always　kept　by　the　Sioux

to　notify　the　owners　by　their　barking　of　the　approach　of　anyone。　

He　crawled　up　to　the　tepee　door；　and　peeping　through　a　small

aperture；　he　saw　three　persons　sitting　inside。　　An　elderly　man　and

woman　were　sitting　at　the　right　of　the　fireplace；　and　a　young　woman

at　the　seat　of　honor；　opposite　the　door。



Big　Eagle　had　been　married　and　his　wife　had　died　five　winters

previous　to　the　time　of　this　episode。　　He　had　never　thought　of

marrying　again；　but　when　he　looked　upon　this　young　woman　he　thought

he　was　looking　upon　the　face　of　his　dead　wife。　　He　removed　his

cartridge　belts　and　knife；　and　placing　them；　along　with　his　rifle；

at　the　side　of　the　tent；　he　at　once　boldly　stepped　inside　the

tepee；　and　going　over　to　the　man；　extended　his　hand　and　shook　first

the　man's　hand；　then　the　old　woman's；　and　lastly　the　young　woman's。　

Then　he　seated　himself　by　the　side　of　the　girl；　and　thus　they　sat；

no　one　speaking。



Finally；　Big　Eagle　made　signs　to　the　man；　explaining　as　well　as

possible　by　signs；　that　his　wife　had　died　long　ago；　and　when　he　saw

the　girl　she　so　strongly　resembled　his　dead　wife　that　he　wished　to

marry　her；　and　he　would　go　back　to　the　enemy's　camp　and　live　with

them；　if　they　would　consent　to　the　marriage　of　their　daughter。



The　old　man　seemed　to　understand；　and　Big　Eagle　again　made　signs　to

him　that　a　party　were　lying　in　wait　just　a　short　distance　from　his

camp。　　Noiselessly　they　brought　in　the　horses；　and　taking　down　the

tent；　they　at　once　moved　off　in　the　direction　from　whence　they　had

come。　　The　war　party　waited　all　night；　and　when　the　first　rays　of

dawn　disclosed　to　them　the　absence　of　the　tepee；　they　at　once

concluded　that　Big　Eagle　had　been　discovered　and　killed；　so　they

hurriedly