myths and legends of the sioux-第21节

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arrows　after　him。



One　day　the　boy　came　running　into　the　tent；　exclaiming：　〃Mother；

mother；　I　have　shot　and　killed　the　most　beautiful　bird　I　ever　saw。〃　

〃Bring　it　in；　my　son；　and　let　me　look　at　it。〃　　He　brought　the　bird

and　upon　examining　it　she　pronounced　it　a　different　type　of　bird

from　any　she　had　ever　seen。　　Its　feathers　were　of　variegated　colors

and　on　its　head　was　a　topknot　of　pure　white　feathers。　　The　father；

returning；　asked　the　boy　with　which　arrow　he　had　killed　the　bird。　

〃With　the　red　one；〃　answered　the

boy。　　〃I　was　so　anxious　to　secure　the　pretty　bird　that；　although　I

know　I　could　have　killed　it　with　one　of　my　common　arrows；　I　wanted

to　be　certain；　so　I　used　the　red　one。〃　　〃That　is　right；　my　son；〃

said　the　father。　　〃When　you　have　the　least　doubt　of　your　aim；

always　use　one　of　the　painted　arrows；　and　you　will　never　miss　your

mark。〃



The　parents　decided　to　give　a　big　feast　in　honor　of　their　son

killing　the　strange；　beautiful　bird。　　So　a　great　many　elderly　women

were　called　to　the　tent　of　Pretty　Dove　to　assist　her　in　making

ready　for　the　big　feast。　　For　ten　days　these　women　cooked　and

pounded　beef　and　cherries；　and　got　ready　the　choicest　dishes　known

to　the　Indians。　　Of　buffalo；　beaver；　deer；　antelope；　moose；　bear；

quail；　grouse；　duck　of　all　kinds；　geese　and　plover　meats　there　was

an　abundance。　　Fish　of　all　kinds；　and　every　kind　of　wild　fruit　were

cooked；　and　when　all　was　in　readiness；　the　heralds　went　through　the

different　villages；　crying　out：　〃Ho…po；　ho…po〃　（now　all；　now　all）；

Dead　Shot　and　his　wife；　Beautiful　Dove；　invite　all　of　you；　young

and　old；　to　their　tepee　to　partake　of　a　great　feast；　given　by　them

in　honor　of　a　great　bird　which　their　son　has　killed；　and　also　to

select　for　their　son　some　good　name　which　he　will　bear　through

life。　　So　all　bring　your　cups　and　wooden　dishes　along　with　your

horn　spoons；　as　there　will　be　plenty　to　eat。　　Come；　all　you　council

men　and　chiefs；　as　they　have　also　a　great　tent　erected　for　you　in

which　you　hold　your　council。〃



Thus　crying；　the　heralds　made　the　circle　of　the　village。　　The

guests　soon　arrived。　　In　front　of　the　tent　was　a　pole　stuck　in　the

ground　and　painted　red；　and　at　the　top　of　the　pole　was　fastened　the

bird　of　variegated　colors；　its　wings　stretched　out　to　their　full

length　and　the　beautiful　white　waving　so　beautifully　from　its

topknot；　it　was　the　center　of　attraction。　　Half　way　up　the　pole　was

tied　the　bow　and　arrow　of　the　young　marksman。　　Long　streamers　of

fine　bead　and　porcupine　work　waved　from　the　pole　and　presented　a

very　striking　appearance。　　The　bird　was　faced　towards　the　setting

sun。　　The　great　chief　and　medicine　men　pronounced　the　bird　〃Wakan〃

（something　holy）。



When　the　people　had　finished　eating　they　all　fell　in　line　and

marched　in　single　file　beneath　the　bird；　in　order　to　get　a　close

view　of　it。　　By　the　time　this　vast　crowd　had　fully　viewed　the

wonderful　bird；　the　sun　was　just　setting　clear　in　the　west；　when

directly　over　the　rays　of　the　sun　appeared　a　cloud　in　the　shape　of

a　bird　of　variegated　colors。　　The　councilmen　were　called　out　to

look　at　the　cloud；　and　the　head　medicine　man　said　that　it　was　a

sign　that　the　boy　would　grow　up　to　be　a　great　chief　and　hunter；　and

would　have　a　great　many　friends　and　followers。



This　ended　the　feast；　but　before　dispersing；　the　chief　and

councilmen　bestowed　upon　the　boy　the　title　of　White　Plume。



One　day　a　stranger　came　to　the　village；　who　was　very　thin　and

nearly　starved。　　So　weak　was　he　that　he　could　not　speak；　but　made

signs　for　something　to　eat。　　Luckily　the　stranger　came　to　Dead

Shot's　tent；　and　as　there　was　always　a　plentiful　supply　in　his

lodge；　the　stranger　soon　had　a　good　meal　served　him。　　After　he　had

eaten　and　rested　he　told　his　story。



〃I　came　from　a　very　great　distance；〃　said　he。　　〃The　nations　where

I　came　from　are　in　a　starving　condition。　　No　place　can　they　find

any　buffalo；　deer　nor　antelope。　　A　witch　or　evil　spirit　in　the

shape　of　a　white　buffalo　has　driven　all　the　large　game　out　of　the

country。　　Every　day　this　white　buffalo　comes　circling　the　village；

and　any　one　caught　outside　of　their　tent　is　carried　away　on　its

horns。　　In　vain　have　the　best　marksmen　of　the　tribe　tried　to　shoot

it。　　Their　arrows　fly　wide　off　the　mark；　and　they　have　given　up

trying　to　kill　it　as　it　bears　a　charmed　life。　　Another　evil　spirit

in　the　form　of　a　red　eagle　has　driven　all　the　birds　of　the　air　out

of　our　country。　　Every　day　this　eagle　circles　above　the　village；

and　so　powerful　is　it　that　anyone　being　caught　outside　of　his　tent

is　descended　upon　and　his　skull　split　open　to　the　brain　by　the

sharp　breastbone　of　the　Eagle。　　Many　a　marksman　has　tried　his　skill

on　this　bird；　all　to　no　purpose。



〃Another　evil　spirit　in　the　form　of　a　white　rabbit　has　driven　out

all　the　animals　which　inhabit　the　ground；　and　destroyed　the　fields

of　corn　and　turnips；　so　the　nation　is　starving；　as　the　arrows　of

the　marksmen　have　also　failed　to　touch　the　white　rabbit。　　Any　one

who　can　kill　these　three　witches　will　receive　as　his　reward；　the

choice　of　two　of　the　most　beautiful　maidens　of　our　nation。　　The

younger　one　is　the　handsomer　of　the　two　and　has　also　the　sweetest

disposition。　　Many　young；　and　even　old　men；　hearing　of　this　（our

chief's）　offer；　have　traveled　many　miles　to　try　their　arrows　on　the

witches；　but　all　to　no　purpose。　　Our　chief；　hearing　of　your　great

marksmanship；　sent　me　to　try　and　secure　your　services　to　have　you

come　and　rid　us　of　these　three　witches。〃



Thus　spoke　the　stranger　to　the　hunter。　　The　hunter　gazed　long　and

thoughtfully　into　the　dying　embers　of　the　camp　fire。　　Then　slowly

his　eyes　raised　and　looked　lovingly　on　his　wife　who　sat　opposite　to

him。　　Gazing　on　her　beautiful　features　for　a　full　minute　he　slowly

dropped　his　gaze　back　to　the　dying　embers　and　thus　answered　his

visitor：



〃My　friend；　I　feel　very　much　honored　by　your　chief　having　sent　such

a　great　distance　for　me；　and　also　for　the　kind　offer　of　his　lovely

daughter　in　marriage；　if　I　should　succeed；　but　I　must　reject　the

great　offer；　as　I　can　spare　none　of　my　affections　to　any　other

woman　than　to　my　queen　whom　you　see　sitting　there。〃



White　Plume　had　been　listening　to　the　conversation　and　when　his

father　had　finished　speaking；　said：　〃Father；　I　am　a　child　no　more。　

I　have　arrived　at　manhood。　　I　am　not　so　good　a　marksman　as　you；　but

I　will　go　to　this　suffering　tribe　and　try　to　rid　them　of　their

three　enemies。　　If　this　man　will　rest　for　a　few　days　and　return　to

his　village　and　inform　them　of　my　coming；　I　will　travel　along

slowly　on　his　trail　and　arrive　at　the　village　a　day　or　two　after　he

reaches　there。〃



〃Very　well；　my　son；〃　said　the　father；　〃I　am　sure　you　will　succeed；

as　you　fear　nothing；　and　as　to　your　marksmanship；　it　is　far

superior　to　mine；　as　your　sight　is　much　clearer　and　aim　quicker

than　mine。〃



The　man　rested　a　few　days　and　one　morning　started　off；　after　having

instructed　White　Plume　as　to　the　trail。　　White　Plume　got　together

what　he　would　need　on　the　trip　and　was　ready　for　an　early　start　the

next　morning。　　That　night　Dead　Shot　and　his　wife　sat　up

away　into　the　night　instructing　their　son　how　to　travel　and　warning

him　as　to　the　different　kinds　of　people　he　must　avoid　in　order　to

keep　out　of　trouble。　　〃Above　all；〃　said　the　father；　〃keep　a　good

look　out　for　Unktomi　（spider）；　he　is　the　most　tricky　of　all；　and

will　get　you　into　trouble　if　you　associate　with　him。〃



White　Plume　left　early；　his　father　accompanying　him　for　several

miles。　　On　parting；　the　father's　last　words　were：　〃Look　out　for

Unktomi；　my　son；　he　is　deceitful　and　treacherous。〃　　〃I'll　look　out

for　him；　father；〃　so　saying　he　disappeared　over　a　hill。　　On

the　way　he　tried　his　skill　on　several　hawks　and　eagles　and　he　did

not　need　to　use　his　painted　arrows　to　kill　them；　but　so　skillful

was　he　with　the　bow　and　arrows　that　he　could　bring　down　anything

that　flew　with　his　common　arrows。　　He　was　drawing　near　to　the　end

of　his　destination　when　he　had　a　large　tract　of　timber　to　pass

through。　　When　he　had　nearly　gotten　through　the　timber　he　saw　an

old　man　sitting　on　a　log；　looking　wistfully　up　into　a　big　tree；

where　sat　a　number　of　prairie　chickens。



〃Hello；　grandfather；　why　are　you　sitting　there　looking　so

downhearted？〃　asked　White　Plume。　　〃I　am　nearly　starved；　and　was

just　wishing　some　one　would　shoot　one　of　those　chickens　for　me；　so

I　could　make　a　good　meal　on　it；〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃I　will　shoot

one　for　you；〃　said　the　young　man。　　He　strung　his　bow；　placed　an

arrow　on　the　string；　simply　seemed　to　raise　the　arrow　in　the

direction　of　the　chicken　（taking　no　aim）。　　Twang　went　out　the　bow；

zip　went　the　arrow　and　a　chicken　fell　off　the　limb；　only　to　get

caught　on　another　in　its　descent。　　〃There　is　your　chicken；

grandfather。〃　　〃Oh；　my　grandson；　I　am　too　weak　to　climb　up　and　get

it。　　Can't　you　climb　up　and　get　it　for　me？〃　　The　young　man；　pitying

the　old　fellow；　proceeded　to　cli