myths and legends of the sioux-第25节

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am　going　for　a　visit　to　the　village　west　of　us；　so　you　boys　all

stay　at　home　and　help　sister。　　Also　gather　as　much　wood　as　you　can

and　I　will　be　back　again　in　four　days。　　On　my　return　we　will　resume

our　hunting　and　commence　getting　our　year's　supply　of　meat。〃



He　left　the　next　morning；　and　the　last　they　saw　of　him　was　while　he

stood　at　the　top　of　the　long　range　of　hills　west　of　their　home。　

Four　days　had　come　and　gone　and　no　sign　of　the　oldest　brother。



〃I　am　afraid　that　our　brother　has　met　with　some　accident；〃　said　the

sister。　　〃I　am　afraid　so；　too；〃　said　the　next　oldest。　　〃I　must　go

and　search　for　him；　he　may　be　in　some　trouble　where　a　little　help

would　get　him　out。〃　　The　second　brother　followed　the　direction　his

brother　had　taken；　and　when　he　came　to　the　top　of　the　long　range　of

hills　he　sat　down　and　gazed　long　and　steadily　down　into　the　long

valley　with　a　beautiful　creek　winding　through　it。　　Across　the

valley　was　a　long　plain　stretching　for　miles　beyond　and

finally　ending　at　the　foot　of　another　range　of　hills；　the

counterpart　of　the　one　upon　which　he　sat。



After　noting　the　different　landmarks　carefully；　he　arose　and　slowly

started　down　the　slope　and　soon　came　to　the　creek　he　had　seen　from

the　top　of　the　range。　　Great　was　his　surprise　on　arriving　at　the

creek　to　find　what　a　difference　there　was　in　the　appearance

of　it　from　the　range　and　where　he　stood。　　From　the　range　it

appeared　to　be　a　quiet；　harmless；　laughing　stream。　　Now　he　saw　it

to　be　a　muddy；　boiling；　bubbling　torrent；　with　high　perpendicular

banks。　　For　a　long　time　he　stood；　thinking　which　way　to　go；　up　or

down　stream。　　He　had　just　decided　to　go　down　stream；　when；　on

chancing　to　look　up；　he　noticed　a　thin　column　of　smoke　slowly

ascending　from　a　little　knoll。　　He　approached　the　place　cautiously

and　noticed　a　door　placed　into　the　creek　bank　on　the　opposite　side

of　the　stream。　　As　he　stood　looking　at　the　door；　wondering　who

could　be　living　in　a　place　like　that；　it　suddenly　opened　and　a　very

old　appearing　woman　came　out　and　stood　looking　around　her。　　Soon

she　spied　the　young　man；　and　said　to　him：　〃My　grandchild；　where　did

you　come　from　and　whither　are　you　bound？〃　　The　young　man　answered：

〃I　came　from　east　of　this　ridge　and　am　in　search　of　my　oldest

brother；　who　came　over　in　this　direction　five　days　ago　and　who　has

not　yet　returned。〃



〃Your　brother　stopped　here　and　ate　his　dinner　with　me；　and　then

left；　traveling　towards　the　west；〃　said　the　old　witch；　for　such　she

was。　　〃Now；　grandson；　come　across　on　that　little　log　bridge　up　the

stream　there　and　have　your　dinner　with　me。　　I　have

it　all　cooked　now　and　just　stepped　outside　to　see　if　there　might

not　be　some　hungry　traveler　about；　whom　I　could　invite　in　to　eat

dinner　with　me。〃　　The　young　man　went　up　the　stream　a　little

distance　and　found　a　couple　of　small　logs　which　had　been　placed

across　the　stream　to　serve　as　a　bridge。　　He　crossed　over　and　went

down　to　the　old　woman's　dugout　hut。　　〃Come　in　grandson；　and　eat。　

I　know　you　must　be　hungry。〃



The　young　man　sat　down　and　ate　a　real　hearty　meal。　　On　finishing　he

arose　and　said：　〃Grandmother；　I　thank　you　for　your　meal　and

kindness　to　me。　　I　would　stay　and　visit　with　you　awhile；　as　I　know

it　must　be　very　lonely　here　for　you；　but　I　am　very　anxious　to　find

my　brother；　so　I　must　be　going。　　On　my　return　I　will　stop　with　my

brother　and　we　will　pay　you　a　little　visit。〃



〃Very　well；　grandson；　but　before　you　go；　I　wish　you　would　do　me　a

little　favor。　　Your　brother　did　it　for　me　before　he　left；　and　cured

me；　but　it　has　come　back　on　me　again。　　I　am　subject　to　very　severe

pains　along　the　left　side　of　my　backbone；　all　the　way　from　my

shoulder　blade　down　to　where　my　ribs　attach　to　my　backbone；　and　the

only　way　I　get　any　relief　from　the　pain　is　to　have　some　one　kick　me

along　the　side。〃　　（She　was　a　witch；　and　concealed　in　her　robe　a

long　sharp　steel　spike。　　It　was　placed　so　that　the　last　kick　they

would　give　her；　their　foot　would　hit　the　spike　and　they　would

instantly　drop　off　into　a　swoon；　as　if　dead。）



〃If　I　won't　hurt　you　too　much；　grandmother；　I　certainly　will　be

glad　to　do　it　for　you；〃　said　the　young　man；　little　thinking　he

would　be　the　one　to　get　hurt。



〃No；　grandson；　don't　be　afraid　of　hurting　me；　the　harder　you　kick

the　longer　the　pain　stays　away。〃　　She　laid　down　on　the　floor　and

rolled　over　on　to　her　right　side；　so　he　could　get　a　good　chance　to

kick　the　left　side　where　she　said　the　pain　was　located。



As　he　moved　back　to　give　the　first　kick；　he　glanced　along　the　floor

and　he　noticed　a　long　object　wrapped　in　a　blanket；　lying　against

the　opposite　wall。　　He　thought　it　looked　strange　and　was　going　to

stop　and　investigate；　but　just　then　the　witch　cried　out　as　if　in

pain。　　〃Hurry　up；　grandson；　I　am　going　to　die　if　you　don't　hurry

and　start　in　kicking。〃　　〃I　can　investigate　after　I　get　through　with

her；〃　thought　he；　so　he　started　in　kicking　and　every　kick　he　would

give　her　she　would　cry：　〃Harder；　kick　harder。〃　　He　had　to　kick

seven　times　before　he　would　get　to　the　end　of　the　pain；　so　he　let

out　as　hard　as　he　could　drive；　and　when　he　came　to　the　last　kick　he

hit　the　spike；　and　driving　it　through　his　foot；　fell　down　in　a　dead

swoon；　and　was　rolled　up　in　a　blanket　by　the　witch

and　placed　beside　his　brother　at　the　opposite　side　of　the　room。



When　the　second　brother　failed　to　return；　the　third　went　in　search

of　the　two　missing　ones。　　He　fared　no　better　than　the　second　one；

as　he　met　the　old　witch　who　served　him　in　a　similar　manner　as　she

had　his　two　brothers。



〃Ha！　　Ha！〃　she　laughed；　when　she　caught　the　third；　〃I　have　only　one

more　of　them　to　catch；　and　when　I　get　them　I　will　keep　them　all

here　a　year；　and　then　I　will　turn　them　into　horses　and　sell　them

back　to　their　sister。　　I　hate　her；　for　I　was　going　to

try　and　keep　house　for　them　and　marry　the　oldest　one；　but　she　got

ahead　of　me　and　became　their　sister；　so　now　I　will　get　my　revenge

on　her。　　Next　year　she　will　be　riding　and　driving　her　brothers　and

she　won't　know　it。〃



When　the　third　brother　failed　to　return；　the　sister　cried　and

begged　the　last　one　not　to　venture　out　in　search　of　them。　　But　go

he　must；　and　go　he　did；　only　to　do　as　his　three　brothers　had　done。



Now　the　poor　sister　was　nearly　distracted。　　Day　and　night　she

wandered　over　hills　and　through　woods　in　hopes　she　might　find　or

hear　of　some　trace　of　them。　　Her　wanderings　were　in　vain。　　The

hawks　had　not　seen　them　after　they　had　crossed　the　little　stream。　

The　wolves　and　coyotes　told　her　that　they　had　seen　nothing　of　her

brothers　out　on　the　broad　plains；　and　she　had　given　them　up　for

dead。



One　day；　as　she　was　sitting　by　the　little　stream　that　flowed　past

their　hut；　throwing　pebbles　into　the　water　and　wondering　what　she

should　do；　she　picked　up　a　pure　white　pebble；　smooth　and　round；　and

after　looking　at　it　for　a　long　time；　threw　it　into　the　water。　　No

sooner　had　it　hit　the　water　than　she　saw　it　grow　larger。　　She　took

it　out　and　looked　at　it　and　threw　it　in　again。　　This　time　it　had

assumed　the　form　of　a　baby。　　She　took　it　out　and　threw　it　in　the

third　time　and　the　form　took　life　and　began　to　cry：　〃Ina；　ina〃

（mother；　mother）。　　She　took　the　baby　home　and　fed　it　soup；　and　it

being　an　unnatural　baby；　quickly　grew　up　to　a　good　sized　boy。　　At

the　end　of　three　months　he　was　a　good　big；　stout　youth。　　One　day　he

said：　〃Mother；　why　are　you　living　here　alone？　　To　whom　do　all　these

fine　clothes　and　moccasins　belong？〃　　She　then　told　him　the　story　of

her　lost　brothers。　　〃Oh；　I　know　now　where　they　are。　　You　make　me

lots　of　arrows。　　I　am　going　to　find　my　uncles。〃　　She　tried　to

dissuade　him　from　going；　but　he　was　determined　and　said：　〃My　father

sent　me　to　you　so　that　I　could　find　my　uncles　for　you；　and　nothing

can　harm　me；　because　I　am　stone　and　my　name　is　〃Stone　Boy。〃



The　mother；　seeing　that　he　was　determined　to　go；　made　a　whole

quiver　full　of　arrows　for　him；　and　off　he　started。　　When　he　came　to

the　old　witch's　hut；　she　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　so　he　pushed　the

door　in　and　entered。　　The　witch　was　busily　engaged　cooking　dinner。



〃Why；　my　dear　grandchild；　you　are　just　in　time　for　dinner。　　Sit

down　and　we　will　eat　before　you　continue　your　journey。〃　　Stone　boy

sat　down　and　ate　dinner　with　the　old　witch。　　She　watched　him　very

closely；　but　when　she　would　be　drinking　her　soup　he　would　glance

hastily　around　the　room。　　Finally　he　saw　the　four　bundles　on　the

opposite　side　of　the　room；　and　he　guessed　at　once　that　there　lay

his　four　uncles。　　When　he　had　finished　eating　he　took　out　his

little　pipe　and　filled　it　with　〃kini…kinic；〃　and　commenced　to

smoke；　wondering　how　the　old　woman　had　managed　to　fool　his　smart

uncles。　　He　couldn't　study　it　out；　so　when　he　had　finished　his

smoke　he　arose　to　pretend　to　go。　　When　the　old　woman　saw　him

preparing　to　leave；　she　said：　〃Grandson；　will　you　kick　me　on　the

left　side　of　my　backbone。　　I　am　nearly　dead　with　pain　and　if　you

kick　me