myths and legends of the sioux-第5节
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herself and my brothers will not tell me；〃 said the husband。
However； the whole village broke camp and came back to the place
where they had left the woman。 Sure enough； she sat there still；
a block of stone。
The Indians were greatly excited。 They chose out a handsome pony；
made a new travois and placed the stone in the carrying net。 Pony
and travois were both beautifully painted and decorated with
streamers and colors。 The stone was thought 〃wakan〃 （holy）；
and was given a place of honor in the center of the camp。 Whenever
the camp moved the stone and travois were taken along。 Thus the
stone woman was carried for years； and finally brought to Standing
Rock Agency； and now rests upon a brick pedestal in front of the
Agency office。 From this stone Standing Rock Agency derives its
name。
STORY OF THE PEACE PIPE
Two young men were out strolling one night talking of love affairs。
They passed around a hill and came to a little ravine or coulee。
Suddenly they saw coming up from the ravine a beautiful woman。 She
was painted and her dress was of the very finest
material。
〃What a beautiful girl！〃 said one of the young men。 〃Already I
love her。 I will steal her and make her my wife。〃
〃No；〃 said the other。 〃Don't harm her。 She may be holy。〃
The young woman approached and held out a pipe which she first
offered to the sky； then to the earth and then advanced； holding it
out in her extended hands。
〃I know what you young men have been saying； one of you is good；
the other is wicked；〃 she said。
She laid down the pipe on the ground and at once became a buffalo
cow。 The cow pawed the ground； stuck her tail straight out behind
her and then lifted the pipe from the ground again in her hoofs；
immediately she became a young woman again。
〃I am come to give you this gift；〃 she said。 〃It is the peace
pipe。 Hereafter all treaties and ceremonies shall be performed
after smoking it。 It shall bring peaceful thoughts into your
minds。 You shall offer it to the Great Mystery and to mother
earth。〃
The two young men ran to the village and told what they had seen
and heard。 All the village came out where the young woman was。
She repeated to them what she had already told the young men and
added：
〃When you set free the ghost （the spirit of deceased persons） you
must have a white buffalo cow skin。〃
She gave the pipe to the medicine men of the village； turned again
to a buffalo cow and fled away to the land of buffaloes。
A BASHFUL COURTSHIP
A young man lived with his grandmother。 He was a good hunter and
wished to marry。 He knew a girl who was a good moccasin maker； but
she belonged to a great family。 He wondered how he could win
her。
One day she passed the tent on her way to get water at the river。
His grandmother was at work in the tepee with a pair of old
worn…out sloppy moccasins。 The young man sprang to his feet。
〃Quick； grandmotherlet me have those old sloppy moccasins you
have on your feet！〃 he cried。
〃My old moccasins； what do you want of them？〃 cried the astonished
woman。
〃Never mind！ Quick！ I can't stop to talk；〃 answered the grandson
as he caught up the old moccasins the old lady had doffed； and put
them on。 He threw a robe over his shoulders； slipped through the
door； and hastened to the watering place。 The girl
had just arrived with her bucket。
〃Let me fill your bucket for you；〃 said the young man。
〃Oh； no； I can do it。〃
〃Oh； let me； I can go in the mud。 You surely don't want to soil
your moccasins；〃 and taking the bucket he slipped in the mud；
taking care to push his sloppy old moccasins out so the girl could
see them。 She giggled outright。
〃My； what old moccasins you have；〃 she cried。
〃Yes； I have nobody to make me a new pair；〃 he answered。
〃Why don't you get your grandmother to make you a new pair？〃
〃She's old and blind and can't make them any longer。 That's why I
want you；〃 he answered。
〃Oh； you're fooling me。 You aren't speaking the truth。〃
〃Yes； I am。 If you don't believecome with me now！〃
The girl looked down； so did the youth。 At last he said softly：
〃Well； which is it？ Shall I take up your bucket； or will you go
with me？〃
And she answered； still more softly： 〃I guess I'll go with you！〃
The girl's aunt came down to the river； wondering what kept her
niece so long。 In the mud she found two pairs of moccasin tracks
close together； at the edge of the water stood an empty keg。
THE SIMPLETON'S WISDOM
There was a man and his wife who had one daughter。 Mother and
daughter were deeply attached to one another； and when the latter
died the mother was disconsolate。 She cut off her hair； cut gashes
in her cheeks and sat before the corpse with her robe drawn over
her head； mourning for her dead。 Nor would she let them touch the
body to take it to a burying scaffold。 She had a knife in her
hand； and if anyone offered to come near the body the mother would
wail：
〃I am weary of life。 I do not care to live。 I will stab myself
with this knife and join my daughter in the land of spirits。〃
Her husband and relatives tried to get the knife from her； but
could not。 They feared to use force lest she kill herself。 They
came together to see what they could do。
〃We must get the knife away from her；〃 they said。
At last they called a boy； a kind of simpleton； yet with a good
deal of natural shrewdness。 He was an orphan and very poor。 His
moccasins were out at the sole and he was dressed in wei…zi （coarse
buffalo skin； smoked）。
〃Go to the tepee of the mourning mother；〃 they told the simpleton；
〃and in some way contrive to make her laugh and forget her grief。
Then try to get the knife away from her。〃
The boy went to the tent and sat down at the door as if waiting to
be given something。 The corpse lay in the place of honor where the
dead girl had slept in life。 The body was wrapped in a rich robe
and wrapped about with ropes。 Friends had covered it with rich
offerings out of respect to the dead。
As the mother sat on the ground with her head covered she did not
at first see the boy； who sat silent。 But when his reserve had
worn away a little he began at first lightly； then more heavily； to
drum on the floor with his hands。 After a while he began to sing
a comic song。 Louder and louder he sang until carried away with
his own singing he sprang up and began to dance； at the same time
gesturing and making all manner of contortions with his body； still
singing the comic song。 As he approached the corpse he waved his
hands over it in blessing。 The mother put her head out of the
blanket and when she saw the poor simpleton with his strange
grimaces trying to do honor to the corpse by his solemn waving； and
at the same time keeping up his comic song； she burst out laughing。
Then she reached over and handed her knife to the simpleton。
〃Take this knife；〃 she said。 〃You have taught me to forget my
grief。 If while I mourn for the dead I can still be mirthful；
there is no reason for me to despair。 I no longer care to die。 I
will live for my husband。〃
The simpleton left the tepee and brought the knife to the
astonished husband and relatives。
〃How did you get it？ Did you force it away from her； or did you
steal it？〃 they said。
〃She gave it to me。 How could I force it from her or steal it when
she held it in her hand； blade uppermost？ I sang and danced for
her and she burst out laughing。 Then she gave it to me；〃 he
answered。
When the old men of the village heard the orphan's story they were
very silent。 It was a strange thing for a lad to dance in a tepee
where there was mourning。 It was stranger that a mother should
laugh in a tepee before the corpse of her dead daughter。 The old
men gathered at last in a council。 They sat a long time without
saying anything； for they did not want to decide hastily。 The pipe
was filled and passed many times。 At last an old man spoke。
〃We have a hard question。 A mother has laughed before the corpse
of her daughter； and many think she has done foolishly； but I think
the woman did wisely。 The lad was simple and of no training； and
we cannot expect him to know how to do as well as
one with good home and parents to teach him。 Besides； he did the
best that he knew。 He danced to make the mother forget her grief；
and he tried to honor the corpse by waving over it his hands。〃
〃The mother did right to laugh； for when one does try to do us
good； even if what he does causes us discomfort； we should always
remember rather the motive than the deed。 And besides； the
simpleton's dancing saved the woman's life； for she gave up her
knife。 In this； too； she did well； for it is always better to live
for
