SAFE AT LAST
The Sioux waited until the ponies had recovered somewhat from their
fatigue and then they set out for the Minneconjoux camp. They rode gayly
across the plain, talking and laughing and singing their war songs.
Their task had been accomplished. Their fears had vanished. The wearying
suspense was at an end. They were eager to reach their people, for they
knew that a royal welcome awaited them. The day had almost ended,
however, when they finally came in sight of the Minneconjoux village.
"See, there are the lodges of our people," said Sun Bird. "Pretty soon
some one will see us. We must get ready to ride into the camp."
"You are the leader, you must go ahead," said Feather Dog.
"Yes, Sun Bird must go ahead," cried the others.
"Well, I will ask Dancing Rabbit to ride with me; it will make old
Spotted Face feel good to see him," Sun Bird told them. "Then White
Otter must follow close behind me. He has done the biggest thing of
all."
"It is good," cried the Minneconjoux.
They advanced slowly toward the camp. Sun Bird and Dancing Rabbit rode
in front. White Otter followed, leading the famous black war pony, and
Little Raven rode beside him. Then came Lean Wolf and Feather Dog and
Sitting Eagle and Running Dog and all the famous scouts. Behind them
followed the great herd of ponies, surrounded by the balance of the war
party.
The Minneconjoux soon discovered the approaching horsemen and rushed
from the camp in great excitement. As they recognized the riders and saw
the great herd of ponies they were thrown into an ecstasy of joy. They
gathered at the edge of the camp, singing and dancing and calling out
the names of the warriors who had gone to fight the Blackfeet.
"See, see, the great war party is coming!" they cried. "They are
bringing many ponies."
The war party raised their voices in the piercing Dacotah war cry. It
echoed triumphantly across the plain and threw the camp into a tumult.
Then the Minneconjoux suddenly recognized Dancing Rabbit. Men, women
and children began to call his name.
"Our brothers have brought back Dancing Rabbit!" they shouted. "See,
Dancing Rabbit has come back to us! Look, Spotted Face, your grandson is
alive! He is coming to your lodge."
The aged warrior shaded his eyes with his hand and looked eagerly across
the plain. He was trembling with anxiety. The Minneconjoux waited for
him to speak.
"Yes, my friends, it is Dancing Rabbit," he said, finally. "Wakantunka,
the Great Mystery, has sent him back to me. It is good."
A moment afterward the Minneconjoux discovered the black war pony. The
sight of it astonished them into silence. They looked upon it with wild,
inquiring eyes. Had they been mistaken? Could it really be the famous
war pony of the great chief Many Buffaloes?
"Yes, yes, it is the great black war pony!" Rain Crow cried, excitedly.
"White Otter, my son, has brought it to our camp."
When the war party came within bow range they stopped and waited while a
delegation of noted warriors rode out to escort them to the camp. At the
same time a company of youths raced eagerly across the plain to take
charge of the ponies.
Then the war party rode triumphantly into the village, singing their war
songs and calling the names of the warriors who had been killed by the
Blackfeet. As each missing warrior was mentioned his people began to
mourn and cry out dismally in their grief. However, as his companions
extolled his bravery the mourners stifled their sobs and thrilled with
pride at his noble sacrifice.
"A warrior must be ready to die," said Pretty Star, the mother of Proud
Hawk. "My son was very brave. They are calling his name. He did a great
thing for his people. It is enough."
As the victorious warriors paraded through the village the people
gathered eagerly about White Otter and the famous black war pony. Many
of the old men and boys ran forward and struck the Blackfeet pony with
their hands to count a coup against their foes. When he reached the
center of the camp White Otter stopped and tied the Blackfeet pony
before the lodge of Curly Horse, the Minneconjoux war chief.
"See, White Otter has given the black war pony to Curly Horse," said the
Minneconjoux. "It is a great thing to do."
Curly Horse and the great men of the tribe had assembled before the
medicine lodge to greet the war party. When the warriors lined up before
him the famous chief stepped forward to address them.
"I will call Sun Bird and White Otter to come and stand before me," said
Curly Horse. "My brothers, both of you are young men, but you have done
big things. Sun Bird, you are the leader of this war party. You have
done what you set out to do. You have brought back the ponies that the
Blackfeet took away. It was a hard thing to do. White Otter, you are a
great chief. You have done many big things. Now you have done the
biggest thing of all. I see that you have tied that great pony in front
of my lodge. It makes me feel good. But I will not take it. You must
take it to your people. Now I will speak to those brave warriors who
went with you. My brothers, you have done a big thing. You were very
brave. Now I will ask Rain Crow to give you some words."
"My friends, you have done a great thing for your people," said Rain
Crow, the Medicine Man. "Now we have many ponies. Some of them were
Blackfeet ponies. It is good. Sun Bird, you are my son. Little Raven,
you are my son. White Otter, I have called you my son. All three of you
were very brave. It makes me feel big. White Otter, you have done the
biggest thing of all. Our people will talk about it a long time. I have
finished."
When Rain Crow ceased speaking the Minneconjoux cried out for Sun Bird
to talk to them.
"Well, my people, you have asked me to give you some words," said Sun
Bird. "First I will tell you about White Otter. He was very brave. He
went into the Blackfeet camp. He fought back many Blackfeet. He rode
after the great chief Many Buffaloes and caught up with him. Then he
knocked him on the head and ran off with his pony. He has brought it
here. Now I will tell you about Little Raven. He was very brave. He went
with White Otter to the Blackfeet camp. He fought many Blackfeet. Now I
will tell you about all these great warriors that you see standing here.
They were very brave. Lean Wolf fought four Blackfeet warriors and
killed all of them. Sitting Eagle ran off the ponies. Feather Dog did
some great things. Running Dog found our enemies. All of these brave
warriors fought hard to bring the ponies here. Now I have told you about
it."
"White Otter! White Otter!" shouted the Minneconjoux. "Come, White
Otter, give us some words."
The Ogalala received a stirring ovation. It was some time before he was
able to speak.
"My brothers, I have not many words to give you," he said, modestly. "I
will tell you that Sun Bird is a great war leader. He told us what to
do. I will tell you that the Minneconjoux are very brave. I will tell my
people about them. I will tell you that the Dacotah ponies can run.
Curly Horse gave me that great pony that I rode to the Blackfeet camp.
It is very fast. That is how I caught Many Buffaloes. I believe Rain
Crow must have had something to do with it. He is a great Medicine
Person. I believe he helped me to do this thing. Now I will speak to
your great chief Curly Horse. Curly Horse, I have tied that black pony
in front of your lodge. It must stay there. You gave me a great pony to
ride to the Blackfeet camp. I will keep it. Now I will give you that
great Blackfeet pony. You must keep it. Rain Crow, you have called me
your son. Well, my father, I have brought you a fast spotted pony. I
took it from the Flatheads. Now I will not talk anymore."
"White Otter, I see that you have a good heart," said Curly Horse. "I
will listen to your words, I will keep that great war pony. I feel big
to own that pony."
When it grew dark the Minneconjoux lighted a great fire and assembled
about it to celebrate the success of the war party. They spent the
entire night dancing and singing and telling of the great exploits
performed by the men who had gone to the Blackfeet camp.
THE END
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| Transcriber's Note: |
| |
| Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the |
| original document have been preserved. |
| |
| Typographical errors corrected in the text: |
| |
| TOC Runways changed to Runaways
| Page 27 murmered changed to murmured |
| Page 33 murmered changed to murmured |
| Page 59 susspense changed to suspense |
| Page 96 unkown changed to unknown |
| Page 164 Siting changed to Sitting |
| Page 211 desperated changed to desperate |
| Page 253 Wakantanka changed to Wakantunka |
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