myths and legends of the sioux-第14节

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Chippewa　nation；　and　young　men　from　other　tribes　traveled　hundreds

of　miles　for　an　opportunity　to　make　love　to　her；　and　try　to　win　her

for　a　wife。　　It　was　all　to　no　purpose。　　She　would　accept　no　one；

only　him　whom　her　father　would　select　for　her。　　The　turtle　was　very

homely；　but　as　he　was　prudent　and　wise；　the　father　chose　him；　and

she　accepted　him。



The　young　men　of　the　tribe　were　very　jealous；　but　their　jealousy

was　all　to　no　purpose。　　She　married　the　turtle。　　The　young　men

would　make　sport　of　the　chief's　son…in…law。　　They　would　say　to　him：

〃How　did　you　come　to　have　so　flat　a　stomach？〃　　The　turtle

answered　them；　saying：



〃My　friends；　had　you　been　in　my　place；　you　too　would　have　flat

stomachs。　　I　came　by　my　flat　stomach　in　this　way：　The　Chippewas　and

Sioux　had　a　great　battle；　and　the　Sioux；　too　numerous　for　the

Chippewas；　were　killing　them　off　so　fast　that　they　had　to　run　for

their　lives。　　I　was　on　the　Chippewa　side　and　some　of　the　Sioux　were

pressing　five　of　us；　and　were　gaining　on　us　very　fast。　　Coming　to

some　high　grass；　I　threw　myself　down　flat　on　my　face；　and　pressed

my　stomach　close　to　the　ground；　so　the　pursuers　could　not　see　me。　

They　passed　me　and　killed　the　four　I　was　with。　　After　they　had　gone

back；　I　arose　and　lo！　my　stomach　was　as　you　see　it　now。　　So　hard

had　I　pressed　to　the　ground　that　it　would　not　assume　its　original

shape　again。〃



After　he　had　explained　the　cause　of　his　deformity　to　them；　they

said：　〃The　Turtle　is　brave。　　We　will　bother　him　no　more。〃　　Shortly

after　this　the　Sioux　made　an　attack　upon　the　Chippewas；　and　every

one　deserted　the　village。　　The　Turtle　could　not　travel　as　fast　as

the　rest　and　was　left　behind。　　It　being　an　unusually　hot　day　in　the

fall；　the　Turtle　grew　very　thirsty　and　sleepy。　　Finally　scenting

water；　he　crawled　towards　the　point　from　whence　the　scent

came；　and　coming　to　a　large　lake　jumped　in　and　had　a　bath；　after

which　he　swam　towards　the　center　and　dived　down；　and　finding　some

fine　large　rocks　at　the　bottom；　he　crawled　in　among　them　and　fell

asleep。　　He　had　his　sleep　out　and　arose　to　the　top。



Swimming　to　shore　he　found　it　was　summer。　　He　had　slept　all　winter。　

The　birds　were　singing；　and　the　green　grass　and　leaves　gave　forth

a　sweet　odor。



He　crawled　out　and　started　out　looking　for　the　Chippewa　camp。　　He

came　upon　the　camp　several　days　after　he　had　left　his　winter

quarters；　and　going　around　in　search　of　his　wife；　found　her　at　the

extreme　edge　of　the　village。　　She　was　nursing　her　baby；　and　as　he

asked　to　see　it；　she　showed　it　to　him。　　When　he　saw　that　it　was　a

lovely　baby　and　did　not　resemble　him　in　any　respect；　he　got　angry

and　went　off　to　a　large　lake；　where　he　contented　himself　with

catching　flies　and　insects　and　living　on　seaweed　the　remainder　of

his　life。











THE　MAN　AND　THE　OAK



There　once　lived　a　Sioux　couple　who　had　two　children；　a　boy　and　a

girl。　　Every　fall　this　family　would　move　away　from　the　main　camp

and　take　up　their　winter　quarters　in　a　grove　of　timber　some

distance　from　the　principal　village。　　The　reason　they　did　this　was

that　he　was　a　great　hunter　and　where　a　village　was　located　for　the

winter　the　game　was　usually　very　scarce。　　Therefore；　he　always

camped　by　himself　in　order　to　have　an　abundance　of　game　adjacent

to　his　camp。



All　summer　he　had　roamed　around　following　the　tribe　to　wherever

their　fancy　might　take　them。　　During　their　travels　this　particular

year　there　came　to　the　village　a　strange　girl　who　had　no　relatives

there。　　No　one　seemed　very　anxious　to　take　her　into　their

family；　so　the　great　hunter's　daughter；　taking　a　fancy　to　the　poor

girl；　took　her　to　their　home　and　kept　her。　　She　addressed　her　as

sister；　and　the　parents；　on　account　of　their　daughter；　addressed

her　as　daughter。



This　strange　girl　became　desperately　in　love　with　the　young　man　of

the　family；　but　being　addressed　as　daughter　by　the　parents；　she

could　not　openly　show　her　feelings　as　the　young　man　was　considered

her　brother。



In　the　fall　when　the　main　village　moved　into　a　large　belt　of　timber

for　their　winter　quarters；　the　hunter　moved　on　to　another　place　two

days'　travel　from　the　main　winter　camp；　where　he　would　not　be

disturbed　by　any　other　hunters。



The　young　man　had　a　tent　by　himself；　and　it　was　always　kept　nice

and　clean　by　his　sister；　who　was　very　much　attached　to　him。　　After

a　long　day's　hunt　in　the　woods；　he　would　go　into　his　tent　and　lie

down　to　rest；　and　when　his　supper　was　ready　his　sister　would

say；　〃My　brother　is　so　tired。　　I　will　carry　his　supper　to　him。〃



Her　friend；　whom　she　addressed　as　sister；　would　never　go　into　the

young　man's　tent。　　Along　towards　spring　there　came　one　night　into

the　young　man's　tent　a　woman。　　She　sat　down　by　the　door　and　kept

her　face　covered　so　that　it　was　hidden　from　view。　　She　sat　there　a

long　time　and　finally　arose　and　went　away。　　The　young　man　could　not

imagine　who　this　could　be。　　He　knew　that　it　was　a　long　distance

from　the　village　and　could　not　make　out　where　the　woman

could　have　come　from。　　The　next　night　the　woman　came　again　and　this

time　she　came　a　little　nearer　to　where　the　young　man　lay。　　She　sat

down　and　kept　her　face　covered　as　before。　　Neither　spoke　a　word。

She　sat　there　for　a　long　time　and　then　arose　and　departed。　　He　was

very　much　puzzled　over　the　actions　of　this　woman　and　decided　to

ascertain　on　her　next　visit　who　she　was。



He　kindled　a　small　fire　in　his　tent　and　had　some　ash　wood　laid　on

it　so　as　to　keep　fire　a　long　time；　as　ash　burns　very　slowly　and

holds　fire　a　long　time。



The　third　night　the　woman　came　again　and　sat　down　still　nearer　his

bed。　　She　held　her　blanket　open　just　a　trifle；　and　he；　catching　up

one　of　the　embers；　flashed　it　in　her　face；　jumping　up　she　ran

hurriedly　out　of　the　tent。　　The　next　morning　he　noticed　that　his

adopted　sister　kept　her　face　hidden　with　her　blanket。　　She　chanced

to　drop　her　blanket　while　in　the　act　of　pouring　out　some　soup；　and

when　she　did　so　he　noticed　a　large　burned　spot　on　her　cheek。



He　felt　so　sorry　for　what　he　had　done　that　he　could　eat　no

breakfast；　but　went　outside　and　lay　down　under　an　oak　tree。　　All

day　long　he　lay　there　gazing　up　into　the　tree；　and　when　he　was

called　for　supper　he　refused；　saying　that　he　was　not　hungry；　and

for　them　not　to　bother　him；　as　he　would　soon　get　up　and　go　to　bed。　

Far　into　the　night　he　lay　thus；　and　when　he　tried　to　arise　he　could

not；　as　a　small　oak　tree　grew　through　the　center　of　his　body　and

held　him　fast　to　the　ground。



In　the　morning　when　the　family　awoke　they　found　the　girl　had

disappeared；　and　on　going　outside　the　sister　discovered　her　brother

held　fast　to　the　earth　by　an　oak　tree　which　grew　very　rapidly。　　In

vain　were　the　best　medicine　men　of　the　tribe　sent　for。　　Their

medicine　was　of　no　avail。　　They　said：　〃If　the　tree　is　cut　down　the

young　man　will　die。〃



The　sister　was　wild　with　grief；　and　extending　her　hands　to　the　sun；

she　cried：　〃Great　Spirit；　relieve　my　suffering　brother。　　Any　one

who　releases　him　I　will　marry；　be　he　young；　old；　homely　or

deformed。〃



Several　days　after　the　young　man　had　met　with　the　mishap；　there

came　to　the　tent　a　very　tall　man；　who　had　a　bright　light　encircling

his　body。　　〃Where　is　the　girl　who　promised　to　marry　any　one　who

would　release　her　brother？〃　　〃I　am　the　one；〃　said　the　young

man's　sister。　　〃I　am　the　all…powerful　lightning　and　thunder。　　I　see

all　things　and　can　kill　at　one　stroke　a　whole　tribe。　　When　I　make

my　voice　heard　the　rocks　shake　loose　and　go　rattling　down　the

hillsides。　　The　brave　warriors　cower　shivering　under　some　shelter

at　the　sound　of　my　voice。　　The　girl　whom　you　had　adopted　as　your

sister　was　a　sorceress。　　She　bewitched　your　brother　because　he

would　not　let　her　make　love　to　him。　　On　my　way　here　I　met　her

traveling　towards　the　west；　and　knowing　what　she　had　done；　I　struck

her　with　one　of　my　blazing　swords；　and　she　lies　there　now　a　heap　of

ashes。　　I　will　now　release　your　brother。〃



So　saying　he　placed　his　hand　on　the　tree　and　instantly　it　crumbled

to　ashes。　　The　young　man　arose；　and　thanked　his　deliverer。



Then　they　saw　a　great　black　cloud　approaching；　and　the　man　said：

〃Make　ready；　we　shall　go　home　on　that　cloud。〃　　As　the　cloud

approached　near　to　the　man　who　stood　with　his　bride；　it　suddenly

lowered　and　enveloped　them　and　with　a　great　roar　and　amidst　flashes

of　lightning　and　loud　peals　of　thunder　the　girl　ascended　and

disappeared　into　the　west　with　her　Thunder　and　Lightning　husband。













STORY　OF　THE　TWO　YOUNG　FRIENDS



There　were　once　in　a　very　large　Indian　camp　two　little　boys　who

were　fast　friends。　　One　of　the　boys；　〃Chaske〃　（meaning　first　born）；

was　the　son　of　a　very　rich　family；　and　was　always　dressed　in　the

finest　of　clothes　of　Indian　costume。　　The　other　boy；　〃Hake〃

（meaning　last　born）；　was　an　orphan　and　lived　with　his　old

grandmother；　who　was　very　destitute；　and　consequently　could　not

dress　the