myths and legends of the sioux-第19节

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shore。　　When　he　had　carried　it　all　up　he　threw　sand　and

dirt　upon　the　blood；　and　so　left　no　trace　of　the　deer。



On　the　arrival　of　Unktomi　and　his　family；　no　signs　of　the　fat　man

or　the　deer　could　be　found。　　They　wandered　about　the　spot　looking

for　tracks　which　might　lead　them　to　where　the　fat　man　had　cached

the　meat；　as　Unktomi　said　he　could　not　have　carried　it　very　far。　

Now　the　fat　man　was　up　in　the　tree　and　sat　watching　them。　　The

reflection　of　the　tree　was　in　the　water；　and　some　of　the　children

going　close　to　the　shore；　discovered　it　as　they　looked　at　the

reflection。　　The　fat　man　cut　a　piece　of　meat　and　extending　it

towards　them；　drew　back　his　hand　and　put　the　meat　into　his　mouth。



〃Come　quick；　father；　here　he　is　eating　the　meat；〃　said　the

children。　　Unktomi　came　and　seeing　the　reflection；　thought　the　fat

man　was　down　in　the　lake。　　〃Wait；　I　will　bring　him　up　for　you。〃　　So

saying；　he　dived　down；　but　soon　arose　without　anything。　　Again　and

again　he　tried；　but　could　not　reach　the　bottom。　　He　told　the

children　to　gather　rock　for　him。　　These　he　tied　around　his　neck　and

body；　and　dived　down　for　the　last　time。　　The　last　the　children　saw

of　their　father　was　the　bubbles　which　arose　to　the　surface　of　the

lake。　　The　rocks　being　too　heavy　for　him；　held　him　fast　to　the

bottom；　and　some　hungry　fish　soon　made　a　feast　out　of　the　body　of

poor　〃Unktomi。〃













THE　RESUSCITATION　OF　THE　ONLY

DAUGHTER



There　once　lived　an　old　couple　who　had　an　only　daughter。　　She　was

a　beautiful　girl；　and　was　very　much　courted　by　the　young　men　of　the

tribe；　but　she　said　that　she　preferred　single　life；　and　to　all

their　heart…touching　tales　of　deep　affection　for　her　she　always　had

one　answer。　　That　was　〃No。〃



One　day　this　maiden　fell　ill　and　day　after　day　grew　worse。　　All　the

best　medicine　men　were　called　in；　but　their　medicines　were　of　no

avail；　and　in　two　weeks　from　the　day　that　she　was　taken　ill　she　lay

a　corpse。　　Of　course　there　was　great　mourning　in　the　camp。　　They

took　her　body　several　miles　from　camp　and　rolled　it　in　fine　robes

and　blankets；　then　they　laid　her　on　a　scaffold　which　they　had

erected。　　（This　was　the　custom　of　burial　among　the　Indians）。　　They

placed　four　forked　posts　into　the　ground　and　then　lashed　strong

poles　lengthwise　and　across　the　ends　and　made　a　bed　of　willows　and

stout　ash　brush。　　This　scaffold　was　from　five　to　seven　feet　from

the　ground。　　After　the　funeral　the　parents　gave　away　all　of　their

horses；　fine　robes　and　blankets　and　all　of　the　belongings　of　the

dead　girl。　　Then　they　cut　their　hair　off　close　to　their　heads；　and

attired　themselves　in　the　poorest　apparel　they　could　secure。



When　a　year　had　passed　the　friends　and　relatives　of　the　old　couple

tried　in　vain　to　have　them　set　aside　their　mourning。　　〃You　have

mourned　long　enough；〃　they　would　say。　　〃Put　aside　your　mourning　and

try　and　enjoy　a　few　more　pleasures　of　this　life　while

you　live。　　You　are　both　growing　old　and　can't　live　very　many　more

years；　so　make　the　best　of　your　time。〃　　The　old　couple　would　listen

to　their　advice　and　then　shake　their　heads　and　answer：　〃We　have

nothing　to　live　for。　　Nothing　we　could　join　in　would　be　any

amusement　to　us；　since　we　have　lost　the　light　of　our　lives。〃



So　the　old　couple　continued　their　mourning　for　their　lost　idol。　

Two　years　had　passed　since　the　death　of　the　beautiful　girl；　when

one　evening　a　hunter　and　his　wife　passed　by　the　scaffold　which　held

the　dead　girl。　　They　were　on　their　return　trip　and　were　heavily

loaded　down　with　game；　and　therefore　could　not　travel　very　fast。　

About　half　a　mile　from　the　scaffold　a　clear　spring　burst　forth　from

the　side　of　a　bank；　and　from　this　trickled　a　small　stream　of　water；

moistening　the　roots　of　the　vegetation　bordering　its　banks；　and

causing　a　growth　of　sweet　green　grass。　　At　this　spring　the　hunter

camped　and　tethering　his　horses；　at　once　set　about　helping　his　wife

to　erect　the　small　tepee　which　they　carried　for　convenience　in

traveling。



When　it　became　quite　dark；　the　hunter's　dogs　set　up　a　great　barking

and　growling。　　〃Look　out　and　see　what　the　dogs　are　barking　at；〃

said　the　hunter　to　his　wife。　　She　looked　out　through　the　door　and

then　drew　back　saying：　〃There　is　the　figure　of　a　woman　advancing

from　the　direction　of　the　girl's　scaffold。〃　　〃I　expect　it　is　the

dead　girl；　let　her　come；　and　don't　act　as　if　you　were　afraid；〃　said

the　hunter。　　Soon　they　heard　footsteps　advancing　and　the　steps

ceased　at　the　door。　　Looking　down　at　the　lower　part　of　the　door　the

hunter　noticed　a　pair　of　small　moccasins；　and　knowing　that　it　was

the　visitor；　said：　〃Whoever　you　are；　come　in　and　have　something　to

eat。〃



At　this　invitation　the　figure　came　slowly　in　and　sat　down　by　the

door　with　head　covered　and　with　a　fine　robe　drawn　tightly　over　the

face。　　The　woman　dished　up　a　fine　supper　and　placing　it　before　the

visitor；　said：　〃Eat；　my　friend；　you　must　be　hungry。〃　　The　figure

never　moved；　nor　would　it　uncover　to　eat。　　〃Let　us　turn　our　back

towards　the　door　and　our　visitor　may　eat　the　food；〃　said　the

hunter。　　So　his　wife　turned　her　back　towards　the　visitor　and　made

herself　very　busy　cleaning　the　small　pieces　of　meat　that　were

hanging　to　the　back　sinews　of　the　deer　which　had　been　killed。　

（This　the　Indians　use　as　thread。）　The　hunter；　filling　his　pipe；

turned　away　and　smoked　in　silence。　　Finally　the　dish　was　pushed

back　to　the　woman；　who　took　it　and　after　washing　it；　put　it　away。　

The　figure　still　sat　at　the　door；　not　a　sound　coming　from　it；

neither　was　it　breathing。　　The　hunter　at　last　said：　〃Are　you　the

girl　that　was　placed　upon　that　scaffold　two　years　ago？〃　　It　bowed

its　head　two　or　three　times　in　assent。　　〃Are　you　going　to　sleep

here　tonight；　if　you　are；　my　wife　will　make　down　a　bed　for　you。〃　

The　figure　shook　its　head。　　〃Are　you　going　to　come　again　tomorrow

night　to　us？〃　　It　nodded　assent。



For　three　nights　in　succession　the　figure　visited　the　hunter's

camp。　　The　third　night　the　hunter　noticed　that　the　figure　was

breathing。　　He　saw　one　of　the　hands　protruding　from　the　robe。　　The

skin　was　perfectly　black　and　was　stuck　fast　to　the　bones　of　the

hand。　　On　seeing　this　the　hunter　arose　and　going　over　to　his

medicine　sack　which　hung　on　a　pole；　took　down　the　sack　and；　opening

it；　took　out　some　roots　and　mixing　them　with　skunk　oil　and

vermillion；　said　to　the　figure：



〃If　you　will　let　us　rub　your　face　and　hands　with　this　medicine　it

will　put　new　life　into　the　skin　and　you　will　assume　your　complexion

again　and　it　will　put　flesh　on　you。〃　　The　figure　assented　and　the

hunter　rubbed　the　medicine　on　her　hands　and　face。　　Then　she　arose

and　walked　back　to　the　scaffold。　　The　next　day　the　hunter　moved

camp　towards　the　home　village。　　That　night　he　camped　within　a　few

miles　of　the　village。　　When　night　came；　the　dogs；　as　usual；　set　up

a　great　barking；　and　looking　out；　the　wife　saw　the　girl

approaching。



When　the　girl　had　entered　and　sat　down；　the　hunter　noticed　that　the

girl　did　not　keep　her　robe　so　closely　together　over　her　face。　　When

the　wife　gave　her　something　to　eat；　the　girl　reached　out　and　took

the　dish；　thus　exposing　her　hands；　which　they　at　once　noticed　were

again　natural。　　After　she　had　finished　her　meal；　the　hunter　said：

〃Did　my　medicine　help　you？〃　　She　nodded　assent。　　〃Do　you　want　my

medicine　rubbed　all　over　your　body？〃　　Again　she　nodded。　　〃I　will

mix　enough　to　rub　your　entire　body；　and　I　will　go　outside　and　let

my　wife　rub　it　on　for　you。〃　　He　mixed　a　good　supply　and　going　out

left　his　wife　to　rub　the　girl。　　When　his　wife　had　completed　the

task　she　called　to　her　husband　to　come　in；　and　when　he　came　in　he

sat　down　and　said　to　the　girl：　〃Tomorrow　we　will　reach　the　village。　

Do　you　want　to　go　with　us？〃　　She　shook　her　head。　　〃Will　you　come

again　to　our　camp　tomorrow　night　after　we　have　camped　in　the

village？〃　　She　nodded　her　head　in　assent。　　〃Then　do　you　want　to　see

your　parents？〃　　She　nodded　again；　and　arose　and　disappeared　into

the　darkness。



Early　the　next　morning　the　hunter　broke　camp　and　traveled　far　into

the　afternoon；　when　he　arrived　at　the　village。　　He　instructed　his

wife　to　go　at　once　and　inform　the　old　couple　of　what　had　happened。　

The　wife　did　so　and　at　sunset　the　old　couple　came　to　the

hunter's　tepee。　　They　were　invited　to　enter　and　a　fine　supper　was

served　them。　　Soon　after　they　had　finished　their　supper　the　dogs　of

the　camp　set　up　a　great　barking。　　〃Now　she　is　coming；　so　be　brave

and　you　will　soon　see　your　lost　daughter；〃　said　the　hunter。　　Hardly

had　he　finished　speaking　when　she　entered　the　tent　as　natural　as

ever　she　was　in　life。　　Her　parents　clung　to　her　and　smothered　her

with　kisses。



They　wanted　her　to　return　home　with　them；　but　she　would　stay　with

the　hunter　who　had　brought　her　back　to　life；　and　she　married　him；

becoming　his　second　wife。　　A　short　time　after　taking　the　girl　for

his　wife；　the　hunter　joined　a　war　party　and　never　returned；　as　he

was　killed　on　the