myths and legends of the sioux-第12节

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

hurriedly　started　on　their　trail　for　home。



In　the　meantime；　the　hunting　party；　for　this　it　was　that　Big　Eagle

had　joined；　made　very　good　time　in　putting　a　good　distance　between

themselves　and　the　war　party。　　All　day　they　traveled；　and　when

evening　came　they　ascended　a　high　hill；　looking　down　into　the

valley　on　the　other　side。　　There　stretched　for　two　miles；　along　the

banks　of　a　small　stream；　an　immense　camp。　　The　old　man　made　signs

for　Big　Eagle　to　remain　with　the　two　women　where　he　was；　until　he

could　go　to　the　camp　and　prepare　them　to　receive　an　enemy　into

their　village。



The　old　man　rode　through　the　camp　and　drew　up　at　the　largest　tepee

in　the　village。　　Soon　Big　Eagle　could　see　men　gathering　around　the

tepee。　　The　crowd　grew　larger　and　larger；　until　the　whole　village

had　assembled　at　the　large　tepee。　　Finally　they　dispersed；　and

catching　their　horses；　mounted　and　advanced　to　the　hill　on　which

Big　Eagle　and　the　two　women　were　waiting。　　They　formed　a　circle

around　them　and　slowly　they　returned　to　the　village；　singing　and

riding　in　a　circle　around　them。



When　they　arrived　at　the　village　they　advanced　to　the　large　tepee；

and　motioned　Big　Eagle　to　the　seat　of　honor　in　the　tepee。　　In　the

village　was　a　man　who　understood　and　spoke　the　Sioux　language。　　He

was　sent　for；　and　through　him　the　oath　of　allegiance

to　the　Crow　tribe　was　taken　by　Big　Eagle。　　This　done　he　was

presented　with　the　girl　to　wife；　and　also　with　many　spotted　ponies。



Big　Eagle　lived　with　his　wife　among　her　people　for　two　years；　and

during　this　time　he　joined　in　four　different　battles　between　his

own　people　（the　Sioux）　and　the　Crow　people；　to　whom　his　wife

belonged。



In　no　battle　with　his　own　people　would　he　carry　any　weapons；　only

a　long　willow　coup…stick；　with　which　he　struck　the　fallen　Sioux。



At　the　expiration　of　two　years　he　concluded　to　pay　a　visit　to　his

own　tribe；　and　his　father…in…law；　being　a　chief　of　high　standing；

at　once　had　it　heralded　through　the　village　that　his　son…in…law

would　visit　his　own　people；　and　for　them　to　show　their　good　will

and　respect　for　him　by　bringing　ponies　for　his　son…in…law　to　take

back　to　his　people。



Hearing　this；　the　herds　were　all　driven　in　and　all　day　long　horses

were　brought　to　the　tent　of　Big　Eagle；　and　when　he　was　ready　to

start　on　his　homeward　trip；　twenty　young　men　were　elected　to

accompany　him　to　within　a　safe　distance　of　his　village。　　The　twenty

young　men　drove　the　gift　horses；　amounting　to　two　hundred　and

twenty　head；　to　within　one　day's　journey　of　the　village　of　Big

Eagle；　and　fearing　for　their　safety　from　his　people；　Big　Eagle　sent

them　back　to　their　own　village。



On　his　arrival　at　his　home　village；　they　received　him　as　one

returned　from　the　dead；　as　they　were　sure　he　had　been　killed　the

night　he　had　been　sent　to　reconnoiter　the　lone　camp。　　There　was

great　feasting　and　dancing　in　honor　of　his　return；　and　the　horses

were　distributed　among　the　needy　ones　of　the　village。



Remaining　at　his　home　village　for　a　year；　he　one　day　made　up　his

mind　to　return　to　his　wife's　people。　　A　great　many　fancy　robes；

dresses；　war　bonnets；　moccasins；　and　a　great　drove　of　horses　were

given　him；　and　his　wife；　and　he　bade　farewell　to　his　people　for

good；　saying；　〃I　will　never　return　to　you　again；　as　I　have　decided

to　live　the　remainder　of　my　days　with　my　wife's　people。〃



On　his　arrival　at　the　village　of　the　Crows；　he　found　his

father…in…law　at　the　point　of　death。　　A　few　days　later　the　old　man

died；　and　Big　Eagle　was　appointed　to　fill　the　vacancy　of　chief　made

by　the　death　of　his　father…in…law。



Subsequently　he　took　part　in　battles　against　his　own　people；　and　in

the　third　battle　was　killed　on　the　field。　　Tenderly　the　Crow

warriors　bore　him　back　to　their　camp；　and　great　was　the　mourning　in

the　Crow　village　for　the　brave　man　who　always　went　into　battle

unarmed；　save　only　the　willow　wand　which　he　carried。



Thus　ended　the　career　of　one　of　the　bravest　of　Sioux　warriors　who

ever　took　the　scalp　of　an　enemy；　and　who　for　the　love　of　his　dead

wife；　gave　up　home；　parents；　and　friends；　to　be　killed　on　the　field

of　battle　by　his　own　tribe。













THE　BOY　AND　THE　TURTLES



A　boy　went　on　a　turtle　hunt；　and　after　following　the　different

streams　for　hours；　finally　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　only

place　he　would　find　any　turtles　would　be　at　the　little　lake；　where

the　tribe　always　hunted　them。



So；　leaving　the　stream　he　had　been　following；　he　cut　across　country

to　the　lake。　　On　drawing　near　the　lake　he　crawled　on　his　hands　and

knees　in　order　not　to　be　seen　by　the　turtles；　who　were　very

watchful；　as　they　had　been　hunted　so　much。　　Peeping　over　the　rock

he　saw　a　great　many　out　on　the　shore　sunning　themselves；　so　he　very

cautiously　undressed；　so　he　could　leap　into　the　water　and　catch

them　before　they　secreted　themselves。　　But　on　pulling　off　his

shirt　one　of　his　hands　was　held　up　so　high　that　the　turtles　saw　it

and　jumped　into　the　lake　with　a　great　splash。



The　boy　ran　to　the　shore；　but　saw　only　bubbles　coming　up　from　the

bottom。　　Directly　the　boy　saw　something　coming　to　the　surface；　and

soon　it　came　up　into　sight。　　It　was　a　little　man；　and　soon　others；

by　the　hundreds；　came　up　and　swam　about；　splashing　the　water　up

into　the　air　to　a　great　height。　　So　scared　was　the　boy　that　he

never　stopped　to　gather　up　his　clothes　but　ran　home　naked　and　fell

into　his　grandmother's　tent　door。



〃What　is　the　trouble；　grandchild；〃　cried　the　old　woman。　　But　the

boy　could　not　answer。　　〃Did　you　see　anything　unnatural？〃　　He　shook

his　head；　〃no。〃　　He　made　signs　to　the　grandmother　that　his　lungs

were　pressing　so　hard　against　his　sides　that　he　could　not

talk。　　He　kept　beating　his　side　with　his　clenched　hands。　　The

grandmother　got　out　her　medicine　bag；　made　a　prayer　to　the　Great

Spirit　to　drive　out　the　evil　spirit　that　had　entered　her　grandson's

body；　and　after　she　had　applied　the　medicine；　the　prayer　must　have

been　heard　and　answered；　as　the　boy　commenced　telling　her　what　he

had　heard　and　seen。



The　grandmother　went　to　the　chief's　tent　and　told　what　her　grandson

had　seen。　　The　chief　sent　two　brave　warriors　to　the　lake　to

ascertain　whether　it　was　true　or　not。　　The　two　warriors　crept　to

the　little　hill　close　to　the　lake；　and　there；　sure　enough；　the　lake

was　swarming　with　little　men　swimming　about；　splashing　the　water

high　up　into　the　air。　　The　warriors；　too；　were　scared　and　hurried

home；　and　in　the　council　called　on　their　return　told　what　they　had

seen。　　The　boy　was　brought　to　the　council　and　given　the　seat　of

honor　（opposite　the　door）；　and　was　named　〃Wankan　Wanyanka〃　（sees

holy）。



The　lake　had　formerly　borne　the　name　of　Truth　Lake；　but　from　this

time　on　was　called　〃Wicasa…bde〃Man　Lake。















THE　HERMIT；　OR　THE　GIFT　OF　CORN



In　a　deep　forest；　far　from　the　villages　of　his　people；　lived　a

hermit。　　His　tent　was　made　of　buffalo　skins；　and　his　dress　was　made

of　deer　skin。　　Far　from　the　haunts　of　any　human　being　this　old

hermit　was　content　to　spend　his　days。



All　day　long　he　would　wander　through　the　forest　studying　the

different　plants　of　nature　and　collecting　precious　roots；　which　he

used　as　medicine。　　At　long　intervals　some　warrior　would　arrive　at

the　tent　of　the　old　hermit　and　get　medicine　roots　from　him　for　the

tribe；　the　old　hermit's　medicine　being　considered　far　superior　to

all　others。



After　a　long　day's　ramble　in　the　woods；　the　hermit　came　home　late；

and　being　very　tired；　at　once　lay　down　on　his　bed　and　was　just

dozing　off　to　sleep；　when　he　felt　something　rub　against　his　foot。　

Awakening　with　a　start；　he　noticed　a　dark　object　and　an　arm　was

extended　to　him；　holding　in　its　hand　a　flint　pointed　arrow。



The　hermit　thought；　〃This　must　be　a　spirit；　as　there　is　no　human

being　around　here　but　myself！〃　　A　voice　then　said：　〃Hermit；　I　have

come　to　invite　you　to　my　home。〃　　〃How　（yes）；　I　will　come；〃　said　the

old　hermit。　　Wherewith　he　arose；　wrapped　his　robe　about　him　and

followed。



Outside　the　door　he　stopped　and　looked　around；　but　could　see　no

signs　of　the　dark　object。



〃Whoever　you　are；　or　whatever　you　be；　wait　for　me；　as　I　don't　know

where　to　go　to　find　your　house；〃　said　the　hermit。　　Not　an　answer

did　he　receive；　nor　could　he　hear　any　noises　as　though　anyone　was

walking　through　the　brush。　　Re…entering　his　tent　he　retired　and　was

soon　fast　asleep。　　The　next　night　the　same　thing　occurred　again；

and　the　hermit　followed　the　object　out；　only　to　be　left　as　before。



He　was　very　angry　to　think　that　anyone　should　be　trying　to　make

sport　of　him；　and　he　determined　to　find　out　who　this　could　be　who

was　disturbing　his　night's　rest。



The　next　evening　he　cut　a　hole　in　the　tent　large　enough　to　stick　an

arrow　through；　and　stood　by　the　door　watching。　　Soon　the　dark

object　came　and　stopped　outside　of　the　door；　and　sa