myths and legends of the sioux-第13节

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

object　came　and　stopped　outside　of　the　door；　and　said：

〃Grandfather；　I　came　to；〃　but　he　never　finished　the　sentence；

for　the　old　man　let　go　his　arrow；　and　he　heard　the　arrow　strike

something　which　produced　a　sound　as　though　he　had　shot　into　a　sack

of　pebbles。　　He　did　not　go　out　that　night　to　see　what　his　arrow　had

struck；　but　early　next　morning　he　went　out　and　looked　at　the　spot

about　where　he　thought　the　object　had　stood。　　There　on　the　ground

lay　a　little　heap　of　corn；　and　from　this　little　heap　a　small　line

of　corn　lay　scattered　along　a　path。　　This　he　followed　far　into　the

woods。　　When　he　came　to　a　very　small　knoll　the　trail　ended。　　At　the

end　of　the　trail　was　a　large　circle；　from　which　the　grass　had　been

scraped　off　clean。



〃The　corn　trail　stops　at　the　edge　of　this　circle；〃　said　the　old

man；　〃so　this　must　be　the　home　of　whoever　it　was　that　invited　me。〃　

He　took　his　bone　knife　and　hatchet　and　proceeded　to　dig　down　into

the　center　of　the　circle。　　When　he　had　got　down　to　the　length

of　his　arm；　he　came　to　a　sack　of　dried　meat。　　Next　he　found　a　sack

of　Indian　turnips；　then　a　sack　of　dried　cherries；　then　a　sack　of

corn；　and　last　of　all　another　sack；　empty　except　that　there　was

about　a　cupful　of　corn　in　one　corner　of　it；　and　that　the　sack　had

a　hole　in　the　other　corner　where　his　arrow　had　pierced　it。　　From

this　hole　in　the　sack　the　corn　was　scattered　along　the　trail；　which

guided　the　old　man　to　the　cache。*



From　this　the　hermit　taught　the　tribes　how　to　keep　their　provisions

when　traveling　and　were　overloaded。　　He　explained　to　them　how　they

should　dig　a　pit　and　put　their　provisions　into　it　and　cover　them

with　earth。　　By　this　method　the　Indians　used　to　keep　provisions　all

summer；　and　when　fall　came　they　would　return　to　their　cache；　and　on

opening　it　would　find　everything　as　fresh　as　the　day　they　were

placed　there。



The　old　hermit　was　also　thanked　as　the　discoverer　of　corn；　which

had　never　been　known　to　the　Indians　until　discovered　by　the　old

hermit。



*Hiding　place。













THE　MYSTERIOUS　BUTTE



A　young　man　was　once　hunting　and　came　to　a　steep　hill。　　The　east

side　of　the　hill　suddenly　dropped　off　to　a　very　steep　bank。　　He

stood　on　this　bank；　and　at　the　base　he　noticed　a　small　opening。　　On

going　down　to　examine　it　more　closely；　he　found　it　was　large　enough

to　admit　a　horse　or　buffalo。　　On　either　side　of　the　door　were

figures　of　different　animals　engraved　into　the　wall。



He　entered　the　opening　and　there；　scattered　about　on　the　floor；　lay

many　bracelets；　pipes　and　many　other　things　of　ornament；　as　though

they　had　been　offerings　to　some　great　spirit。　　He　passed　through

this　first　room　and　on　entering　the　second　it　was　so　dark

that　he　could　not　see　his　hands　before　his　face；　so　becoming

scared；　he　hurriedly　left　the　place；　and　returning　home　told　what

he　had　seen。



Upon　hearing　this　the　chief　selected　four　of　his　most　daring

warriors　to　go　with　this　young　man　and　investigate　and　ascertain

whether　the　young　man　was　telling　the　truth　or　not。　　The　five

proceeded　to　the　butte；　and　at　the　entrance　the　young　man　refused

to　go　inside；　as　the　figures　on　either　side　of　the　entrance　had

been　changed。



The　four　entered　and　seeing　that　all　in　the　first　chamber　was　as

the　young　man　had　told；　they　went　on　to　the　next　chamber　and　found

it　so　dark　that　they　could　not　see　anything。　　They　continued　on；

however；　feeling　their　way　along　the　walls。　　They　finally

found　an　entrance　that　was　so　narrow　that　they　had　to　squeeze　into

it　sideways。　　They　felt　their　way　around　the　walls　and　found

another　entrance；　so　low　down　that　they　had　to　crawl　on　their　hands

and　knees　to　go　through　into　the　next　chamber。



On　entering　the　last　chamber　they　found　a　very　sweet　odor　coming

from　the　opposite　direction。　　Feeling　around　and　crawling　on　their

hands　and　knees；　they　discovered　a　hole　in　the　floor　leading

downward。　　From　this　hole　came　up　the　sweet　odor。　　They　hurriedly

held　a　council；　and　decided　to　go　no　further；　but　return　to　the

camp　and　report　what　they　had　found。　　On　getting　to　the　first

chamber　one　of　the　young　men　said：　〃I　am　going　to　take　these

bracelets　to　show　that　we　are　telling　the　truth。〃　　〃No；〃　said　the

other　three；　〃this　being　the　abode　of　some　Great　Spirit；　you　may

have　some　accident　befall　you　for　taking　what　is　not　yours。〃　　〃Ah！　

You　fellows　are　like　old　women；〃　said　he；　taking　a　fine　bracelet

and　encircling　his　left　wrist　with　it。



When　they　reached　the　village　they　reported　what　they　had　seen。　

The　young　man　exhibited　the　bracelet　to　prove　that　it　was　the　truth

they　had　told。



Shortly　after　this；　these　four　young　men　were　out　fixing　up　traps

for　wolves。　　They　would　raise　one　end　of　a　heavy　log　and　place　a

stick　under；　bracing　up　the　log。　　A　large　piece　of　meat　was　placed

about　five　feet　away　from　the　log　and　this　space　covered　with　poles

and　willows。　　At　the　place　where　the　upright　stick　was　put；　a　hole

was　left　open；　large　enough　to　admit　the　body　of　a　wolf。　　The　wolf；

scenting　the　meat　and　unable　to　get　at　it　through　the　poles　and

willows；　would　crowd　into　the　hole　and　working　his

body　forward；　in　order　to　get　the　meat；　would　push　down　the　brace

and　the　log　thus　released　would　hold　the　wolf　fast　under　its

weight。



The　young　man　with　the　bracelet　was　placing　his　bait　under　the　log

when　he　released　the　log　by　knocking　down　the　brace；　and　the　log

caught　his　wrist　on　which　he　wore　the　bracelet。　　He　could　not

release　himself　and　called　loud　and　long　for　assistance。　　His

friends；　hearing　his　call；　came　to　his　assistance；　and　on　lifting

the　log　found　the　young　man's　wrist　broken。　　〃Now；〃　said　they；　〃you

have　been　punished　for　taking　the　wristlet　out　of　the　chamber　of

the　mysterious　butte。〃



Some　time　after　this　a　young　man　went　to　the　butte　and　saw　engraved

on　the　wall　a　woman　holding　in　her　hand　a　pole；　with　which　she　was

holding　up　a　large　amount　of　beef　which　had　been　laid　across

another　pole；　which　had　broken　in　two　from　the　weight　of　so　much

meat。



He　returned　to　the　camp　and　reported　what　he　had　seen。　　All　around

the　figure　he　saw　marks　of　buffalo　hoofs；　also　marked　upon　the

wall。



The　next　day　an　enormous　herd　of　buffalo　came　near　to　the　village；

and　a　great　many　were　killed。　　The　women　were　busy　cutting　up　and

drying　the　meat。　　At　one　camp　was　more　meat　than　at　any　other。　　The

woman　was　hanging　meat　upon　a　long　tent　pole；　when　the　pole　broke

in　two　and　she　was　obliged　to　hold　the　meat　up　with　another　pole；

just　as　the　young　man　saw　on　the　mysterious　butte。



Ever　after　that　the　Indians　paid　weekly　visits　to　this　butte；　and

thereon　would　read　the　signs　that　were　to　govern　their　plans。



This　butte　was　always　considered　the　prophet　of　the　tribe。













THE　WONDERFUL　TURTLE



Near　to　a　Chippewa　village　lay　a　large　lake；　and　in　this　lake　there

lived　an　enormous　turtle。　　This　was　no　ordinary　turtle；　as　he　would

often　come　out　of　his　home　in　the　lake　and　visit　with　his　Indian

neighbors。　　He　paid　the　most　of　his　visits　to　the　head

chief；　and　on　these　occasions　would　stay　for　hours；　smoking　and

talking　with　him。



The　chief；　seeing　that　the　turtle　was　very　smart　and　showed　great

wisdom　in　his　talk；　took　a　great　fancy　to　him；　and　whenever　any

puzzling　subject　came　up　before　the　chief；　he　generally　sent　for

Mr。　Turtle　to　help　him　decide。



One　day　there　came　a　great　misunderstanding　between　different

parties　of　the　tribe；　and　so　excited　became　both　sides　that　it

threatened　to　cause　bloodshed。　　The　chief　was　unable　to　decide　for

either　faction；　so　he　said；　〃I　will　call　Mr。　Turtle。　　He　will

judge　for　you。〃



Sending　for　the　turtle；　the　chief　vacated　his　seat　for　the　time

being；　until　the　turtle　should　hear　both　sides；　and　decide　which

was　in　the　right。　　The　turtle　came；　and　taking　the　chief's　seat；

listened　very　attentively　to　both　sides；　and　thought　long　before　he

gave　his　decision。　　After　thinking　long　and　studying　each

side　carefully；　he　came　to　the　conclusion　to　decide　in　favor　of

both。　　This　would　not　cause　any　hard　feelings。　　So　he　gave　them　a

lengthy　speech　and　showed　them　where　they　were　both　in　the　right；

and　wound　up　by　saying：



〃You　are　both　in　the　right　in　some　ways　and　wrong　in　others。　

Therefore；　I　will　say　that　you　both　are　equally　in　the　right。〃



When　they　heard　this　decision；　they　saw　that　the　turtle　was　right；

and　gave　him　a　long　cheer　for　the　wisdom　displayed　by　him。　　The

whole　tribe　saw　that　had　it　not　been　for　this　wise　decision　there

would　have　been　a　great　shedding　of　blood　in　the　tribe。　　So

they　voted　him　as　their　judge；　and　the　chief；　being　so　well　pleased

with　him；　gave　to　him　his　only　daughter　in　marriage。



The　daughter　of　the　chief　was　the　most　beautiful　maiden　of　the

Chippewa　nation；　and　young　men　from　other　tribes　traveled　hundreds

of　miles　for　an