myths and legends of the sioux-第4节
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seat and at night he lay with his feet to the fire。
The next morning the rabbit went to the lodge of the bear chief。
They sat together awhile and smoked。 At last the bear chief spoke。
〃What do you want； my grandson？〃
〃I have come for some flint to make arrows；〃 answered the rabbit。
The bear chief grunted； and laid aside his pipe。 Leaning back he
pulled off his robe and； sure enough； one half of his body was
flesh and the other half hard flint。
〃Bring a stone hammer and give it to our guest；〃 he bade his wife。
Then as the rabbit took the hammer he said： 〃Do not strike too
hard。〃
〃Grandfather； I shall be careful；〃 said the rabbit。 With a stroke
he struck off a little flake of flint from the bear's body。
〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？ So big？〃 he asked。
〃Harder； grandson； strike off bigger pieces；〃 said the bear。
The rabbit struck a little harder。
〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？ So big？〃 he asked。
The bear grew impatient。 〃No； no； strike off bigger pieces。 I
can't be here all day。 Tanka kaksa wo！ Break off a big piece。〃
The rabbit struck againhard！ 〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？〃 he cried； as the
hammer fell。 But even as he spoke the bear's body broke in two；
the flesh part fell away and only the flint part remained。 Like a
flash the rabbit darted out of the hut。
There was a great outcry in the village。 Openmouthed； all the
bears gave chase。 But as he ran the rabbit cried： 〃Wa…hin…han…yo
（snow； snow） Ota…po； Ota…polots more； lots more；〃 and a great
storm of snow swept down from the sky。
The rabbit； light of foot； bounded over the top of the snow。 The
bears sunk in and floundered about helpless。 Seeing this； the
rabbit turned back and killed them one by one with his club。 That
is why we now have so few bears。
STORY OF THE LOST WIFE
A Dakota girl married a man who promised to treat her kindly； but
he did not keep his word。 He was unreasonable； fault…finding； and
often beat her。 Frantic with his cruelty； she ran away。 The whole
village turned out to search for her； but no trace of the missing
wife was to be found。
Meanwhile； the fleeing woman had wandered about all that day and
the next night。 The next day she met a man； who asked her who she
was。 She did not know it； but he was not really a man； but the
chief of the wolves。
〃Come with me；〃 he said； and he led her to a large village。 She
was amazed to see here many wolvesgray and black； timber wolves
and coyotes。 It seemed as if all the wolves in the world were
there。
The wolf chief led the young woman to a great tepee and invited her
in。 He asked her what she ate for food。
〃Buffalo meat；〃 she answered。
He called two coyotes and bade them bring what the young woman
wanted。 They bounded away and soon returned with the shoulder of
a fresh…killed buffalo calf。
〃How do you prepare it for eating？〃 asked the wolf chief。
〃By boiling；〃 answered the young woman。
Again he called the two coyotes。 Away they bounded and soon
brought into the tent a small bundle。 In it were punk； flint and
steelstolen； it may be； from some camp of men。
〃How do you make the meat ready？〃 asked the wolf chief。
〃I cut it into slices；〃 answered the young woman。
The coyotes were called and in a short time fetched in a knife in
its sheath。 The young woman cut up the calf's shoulder into slices
and ate it。
Thus she lived for a year； all the wolves being very kind to her。
At the end of that time the wolf chief said to her：
〃Your people are going off on a buffalo hunt。 Tomorrow at noon
they will be here。 You must then go out and meet them or they will
fall on us and kill us。〃
The next day at about noon the young woman went to the top of a
neighboring knoll。 Coming toward her were some young men riding on
their ponies。 She stood up and held her hands so that they could
see her。 They wondered who she was； and when they were close by
gazed at her closely。
〃A year ago we lost a young woman； if you are she； where have you
been；〃 they asked。
〃I have been in the wolves' village。 Do not harm them；〃 she
answered。
〃We will ride back and tell the people；〃 they said。 〃Tomorrow
again at noon； we shall meet you。〃
The young woman went back to the wolf village； and the next day
went again to a neighboring knoll； though to a different one。 Soon
she saw the camp coming in a long line over the prairie。 First
were the warriors； then the women and tents。
The young woman's father and mother were overjoyed to see her。 But
when they came near her the young woman fainted； for she could not
now bear the smell of human kind。 When she came to herself she
said：
〃You must go on a buffalo hunt； my father and all the hunters。
Tomorrow you must come again； bringing with you the tongues and
choice pieces of the kill。〃
This he promised to do； and all the men of the camp mounted their
ponies and they had a great hunt。 The next day they returned with
their ponies laden with the buffalo meat。 The young woman bade
them pile the meat in a great heap between two hills which she
pointed out to them。 There was so much meat that the tops of the
two hills were bridged level between by the meat pile。 In the
center of the pile the young woman planted a pole with a red flag。
She then began to howl like a wolf； loudly。
In a moment the earth seemed covered with wolves。 They fell
greedily on the meat pile and in a short time had eaten the last
scrap。
The young woman then joined her own people。
Her husband wanted her to come and live with him again。 For a long
time she refused。 However； at last they became reconciled。
THE RACCOON AND THE CRAWFISH
Sharp and cunning is the raccoon； say the Indians； by whom he is
named Spotted Face。
A crawfish one evening wandered along a river bank； looking for
something dead to feast upon。 A raccoon was also out looking for
something to eat。 He spied the crawfish and formed a plan to catch
him。
He lay down on the bank and feigned to be dead。 By and by the
crawfish came near by。 〃Ho；〃 he thought； 〃here is a feast indeed；
but is he really dead。 I will go near and pinch him with my claws
and find out。〃
So he went near and pinched the raccoon on the nose and then on his
soft paws。 The raccoon never moved。 The crawfish then pinched him
on the ribs and tickled him so that the raccoon could hardly keep
from laughing。 The crawfish at last left him。 〃The
raccoon is surely dead；〃 he thought。 And he hurried back to the
crawfish village and reported his find to the chief。
All the villagers were called to go down to the feast。 The chief
bade the warriors and young men to paint their faces and dress in
their gayest for a dance。
So they marched in a long linefirst the warriors； with their
weapons in hand； then the women with their babies and childrento
the place where the raccoon lay。 They formed a great circle about
him and danced； singing：
〃We shall have a great feast
〃On the spotted…faced beast； with soft smooth paws：
〃He is dead！
〃He is dead！
〃We shall dance！
〃We shall have a good time；
〃We shall feast on his flesh。〃
But as they danced； the raccoon suddenly sprang to his feet。
〃Who is that you say you are going to eat？ He has a spotted face；
has he？ He has soft； smooth paws； has he？ I'll break your ugly
backs。 I'll break your rough bones。 I'll crunch your ugly； rough
paws。〃 And he rushed among the crawfish； killing them by
scores。 The crawfish warriors fought bravely and the women ran
screaming； all to no purpose。 They did not feast on the raccoon；
the raccoon feasted on them！
LEGEND OF STANDING ROCK
A Dakota had married an Arikara woman； and by her had one child。
By and by he took another wife。 The first wife was jealous and
pouted。 When time came for the village to break camp she refused
to move from her place on the tent floor。 The tent was taken down
but she sat on the ground with her babe on her back The rest of the
camp with her husband went on。
At noon her husband halted the line。 〃Go back to your
sister…in…law；〃 he said to his two brothers。 〃Tell her to come on
and we will await you here。 But hasten； for I fear she may grow
desperate and kill herself。〃
The two rode off and arrived at their former camping place in the
evening。 The woman still sat on the ground。 The elder spoke：
〃Sister…in…law； get up。 We have come for you。 The camp awaits
you。〃
She did not answer； and he put out his hand and touched her head。
She had turned to stone！
The two brothers lashed their ponies and came back to camp。 They
told their story； but were not believed。 〃The woman has killed
herself and my brothers will not tell me；〃 said the husband。
However；
