hill. He went to the hill, and there he stood and cried for three
days and three nights. On the fourth night a being came up, and
sure enough, it was the very same being that the first young
man had seen. The boy became scared, but he closed his eyes and
thought, “Well, I came here to see this being, and if he wants to
kill me he can do so.” The young man made up his mind not to run.
He looked at the man as he approached. Drops of fresh blood were
dripping from his head, so that he looked as if he had just been
scalped. The young man closed his eyes and the man came up to him,
and said, “If you do not run, I will hit you with this club!” The
boy did not move, but the man did not strike him with his club. At
last the man said: “Come with me. I am the errand man of the men
who live under this hill.” So the man took the boy down towards the
Missouri River, and there, under the bank, was an entrance. They
went into this entrance, and there they found a long passageway
along which they traveled, and finally they came to a cave. There
the men were seated around in a circle; but not one of them was
scalped. The man who took the young man into this place now took
off the headdress that he had on, and his hair fell over his
shoulders. He placed his war-club and the bloody headdress that he
had had on his head, before the leading man. The man took his seat
at the entrance, and the young man was given a seat in the lodge.
The leader of the men in the lodge said: “You are the first young
man who has not run from our errand man, and now we will give you
the power that we possess. When you want to perform the same thing
that you saw that man do, take wild sage, put it on hot coals,
and smoke yourself over your body. Then take this sweet grass and
spread it all over yourself. Then take this paint and put it in
the water and after putting this skin over your head, place this
paint, mixed in water, on your head, so that you will look like a
scalped-man. This war-club you shall take. This root you shall put
into your mouth, so that you can run swiftly. When you have killed
an enemy and taken his scalp, bring that scalp to us.” The young
man took the things and went home. The next morning, the people
found a war-club hanging over the young man’s head, and the young
man was lying upon his bed.
Many days after this there was a cry in the camp, “The enemy is
coming to take the village!” The young man sent all the people
out of his lodge, and told them to tell the people not to be in
a certain pathway that he had to go through, for he wanted to go
that way. The young man took up some coals from the fireplace and
placed them west of the fireplace. On these he placed the sage, and
let the smoke pass over his body. He took the white clay and put
it all over his body. Then he twisted his hair, put the skin over
his head, then took the red paint and put it in water. He dipped
his hands into the water and put it on top of his head. He took
the war-club and ran out of the lodge, and some of the people were
scared when they saw him, for he looked like a man that had just
been scalped. He ran to where the battle was going on, and the
people saw him on the west side of the battlefield. He ran towards
the enemy and killed one. He went around his own people, and went
on the west side again and attacked the enemy, killing another one
with his war-club. He scattered the enemy, because he looked so
fierce on account of the blood which was dripping from his head.
As soon as the enemy retreated and his people ran after them, he
went back to his lodge, took the skin off from his head, put some
medicine upon the fire and smoked all over his body. He then went
to a creek and washed. He came back into his own lodge, and by this
time the people had returned. The scalp which he had taken he put
upon a long pole and placed it outside of the lodge. In the night
he disappeared, for he went to the place where he had received his
power.
The people did not know who he was, but after several battles they
found out. They also learned that he had great powers. He became a
great man through attacking the enemy, for he had power to go out
on the war-path and bring home many scalps. They were not really
scalps, but were pieces of scalps which he had made himself. He
would not be a chief, but became a great medicine-man.
FOOTNOTES:
[41] Told by Antelope.
41. THE BOY WHO CARRIED A SCALPED-MAN INTO CAMP.[42]
In olden times the Arikara went on the war-path. They came to a
lake where they made their camp. In the night the enemy attacked
them, and ran them into the lake, killing all the warriors and
taking their scalps.
Another party of brave warriors started out from the same village,
and went on the war-path. As they journeyed towards the east they
came near to the lake. There they made their camp. Among these
last warriors was a very poor young man who had joined them. In
the night the leader asked the young men to go after some water;
but all the young men refused. The poor boy took up the vessels
and went down to the lake. As he tried to dip the vessel into the
water, some one spoke close by him, and said, “Go a little beyond
and dip up water.” The young man waded into the water, and as he
was about to dip the water, again some one else spoke to him, and
said: “Go beyond. Go further into the lake and get your water.” The
young man went on into the lake, and just as he was about to take
up the water, again some one else spoke to him, and said, “Do not
dip up the water there, but go further into the lake to dip it.”
The young man turned around, and said, “Who are you that speaks to
me?” The man said: “I am the leader who took the young men out on
the war-path. We ran into this lake and were killed, and we were
all scalped. All around the edge of the lake the water is colored
with our blood, and that is why I am telling you to go further into
the lake to dip your water.” About this time the moon appeared.
The night was windy and cloudy, so that every once in a while the
clouds passed over the moon and hid it. The boy looked around, and
he saw sitting near him a man whose head was all bloody, and whose
hands and feet had been cut off. He had been stabbed in several
places.
So the boy dipped his water, and said to the Scalped-Man: “I want
to carry you upon my back to where we are camped, for the people
will not believe me when I tell them that you were killed.” The
Scalped-Man said, “Very well.” So the poor boy sat down and put the
dead man upon his back. The poor boy carried the dead man to where
the other men were. The poor boy placed the Scalped-Man outside of
the tipi. He went into the tipi with the water.
After they had drunk the water, the poor boy told the story. He
said that all the other warriors had been killed; that every one
of them was scalped and was lying in the lake; that he had waded
waist-deep into the water to get clean water. Some of the boys made
fun of the poor boy and said that he had imagined all this. But the
poor boy said, “If you do not believe me I am going to get one of
them and bring him in here, and you will see that all I have said
is true.” They said, “All right.” They did not believe the poor boy
would go. But he did go out, and dragged the Scalped-Man to the
entrance of the tipi. Old and young men crawled out and ran away.
The poor boy laughed at them for being afraid of a dead man. The
leader was the only one who stayed. The Scalped-Man told the leader
not to be afraid; that they would give them success, so that they
might take revenge on the people who had killed them. So the men
came into the tipi, but not till the poor boy had taken the dead
man out. Then they all wanted to go home at once. They left the
tipi and went on. The next day they found a hunter, an enemy. They
lay low, and when he was within reach of them they shot him and
killed him. Now the other young men wanted to go home, but the poor
boy said, “Let us go on.” They kept on. Each day they killed one or
two of the enemy. When they had killed a number equal to the number
in the lake the boy was satisfied. Then they returned home. The
chiefs heard of the poor boy’s bravery. They sent for him through
their council, and they made of him a brave. So the poor boy became
a brave man, and executed the orders of the chiefs.
FOOTNOTES:
[42] Told by Standing-Bull.
42. THE GIRL WHO WAS BLEST BY THE BUFFALO AND CORN.[43]
In one of the lodges in a village there stood a mother, and in her
arms was a baby girl. It was about to rain and the mother wanted
to bring in her corn and other things to keep them dry, but she
did not know where to put the baby. In her excitement she forgot
that there was a bed, and she laid the baby up on the buffalo skull
at the altar, then went about her duties. The buffalo skull was
thankful, because he thought the baby was given to him. He cried
out, saying, “Hi ni, hi ni—you have pleased me, you have pleased
me, giving me the baby.” But Mother-Corn, who stood over the
buffalo skull, told him that the baby girl had not been given to
him, but had been placed there for the buffalo skull and herself to
watch while the mother was busy. The buffalo skull and Mother-Corn
blessed and poured their mercy on the baby girl. After a while the
mother came in and took the baby. The child grew, and showed some
signs of having power from some of the gods. She would eat no
corn, squash, or anything, except chicken or duck. The girl grew to
womanhood, and all the people respected and honored her.
One time famine prevailed, and the people were in much distress.
The medicine-men did all they could, but all in vain. Some came
and talked to the woman, and she told them that it was an easy
matter to give them aid. She advised all the people to open and
clean their cellars. They did so. The people took out the little
corn they were saving for seed and gave it to the woman. Again she
advised them to stand by their cellars until she had relieved them.
So she went with a little corn, beans, and squash, and when she
came to the first one she asked what things were usually kept in
that cellar. The owner of the cellar gave his or her answer—such
as, “Corn and beans were kept in this.” The woman then would throw
down the seeds in the cellar and tell them to cover them up. She
did this to all the people’s cellars, and they were all covered.
She advised them not to open the cellars until at the end of four
days. So the people waited, and after the fourth day they all
opened their cellars and beheld the corn, beans, squash, and other
things, which filled their cellars. The people were pleased and
showed more respect and honor to Mother-Corn. Later, the woman did
many other things for them.
FOOTNOTES:
[43] Told by Hawk.
43. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE SNAKES.[44]
One summer the Arikara went out to hunt buffalo, deer, and
antelope. On their way they saw by the path a pretty little snake.
Some of the old people told the others to give presents to the
snake, such as deer meat and moccasins. There were two foolish boys
in the rear of the crowd, coming along on foot. When the foolish
boys saw the pile of presents they wondered what it was for. They
looked all around the pile, but could see nothing; but after a
while they saw the little snake on top of the presents. The boys
were mad, and said: “We are poor. We are living with these people
and they do not give us anything, although they know that we need
help, and here they have given these things to this little snake.”
“Let us kill it,” said one of the boys. The other one said, “All
right.” So they killed the snake. The boys told the people that
they had killed the snake. The people turned back from their hunt
and went to their village, and they began to climb upon high arbors
for refuge. From the top of the arbors they saw something coming
down both sides of the Missouri River. Soon they discovered that
what they saw were all kinds of snakes. They were ready to meet
the snakes, for they knew what they had done, and they were ready
to die. They took their clubs and killed the snakes, although the
snakes killed many of the Arikara. By and by the snakes killed one
of the foolish boys. They bit the other boy all over, but he killed
many of them. After a while they went away, but they had killed
many people, and all because the foolish boys had killed the young
snake.
FOOTNOTES:
[44] Told by Two-Hawks.
44. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE BEARS.[45]
There was a young man who had a beautiful wife, whom he loved.
She had a garden in the woods where she went every day in the
spring to hoe. Each morning, before starting to the garden, she
prepared pemmican and dried meat to take with her. She took enough
for two or three persons. Her husband noticed this. One day while
she was preparing the meat he asked her why she was preparing so
much, for he thought that she must have some of her relatives to
help her in her garden. The woman made no reply. One day, as she
went out to the garden, her husband secretly followed her. When
her husband came to her garden he hid near by. He saw that the
garden was well cared for, and he knew by this that some one had
been helping her to clean it. The man waited a little while, and
there came forth from the woods a man, who walked right over to
the woman. The woman seemed glad to see this man who met her, and
the man was glad to meet the woman. This strange man was painted,
and upon his head were feathers, and a set of bear’s claws were
about his neck. The man went to work in the garden, helping the
woman. The woman’s husband lay upon the top of the hill, watching
them. When the sun was high, the strange man and the woman stopped
working. They went over in the shade of some trees, and they ate
the meat that the woman had prepared. After eating, the strange man
lay with the woman. The woman’s husband saw all that went on. He
slowly made his way toward the camp and went home. When he got home
he took down his bow and arrows and began to fix the arrow-points
and bow-string. In the meantime, the woman returned. She asked her
husband where he was going, and he made reply that he was fixing up
his bow and arrows to go hunting the next day. The man then asked
his wife how she was getting along with the work in her garden, and
she said she was nearly through.
The next morning the woman got her meat and things ready to go to
her garden again, and the man got ready to go hunting. The woman
went first to her garden. The man went afterwards, in a different
direction. After a while he circled around to his wife’s garden.
He got to the garden and lay down. He waited for the strange man
to come. The woman sat around near her garden, doing nothing, for
there was nothing to do; she had already got through with her
field. The man looked up and again he saw the strange man come from
the timber and begin to talk to his wife. They sat around until
the sun was high. They again ate meat together, and after they had
eaten, the strange man again lay with the woman. While they were
lying together, the woman’s husband came up from behind them, took
an arrow, put it in the bow-string and pulled it. He shot the man.
The man made a big groan, got on his feet, and ran through the
timber.
When the woman got up, her husband got a stick and clubbed her.
The woman said: “My husband, you should first have found out who
that man was who was with me, before you shot him.” Her husband
said that he did not care who he was. The woman said that he was a
Bear, and that was the reason she let him lie with her, for she was
afraid of him. She said that the Bear told her that if anybody did
anything to him while he was with her he would get all his people
together and kill everybody in the Arikara camp. The man said he
did not care.
About three days afterwards the people saw what seemed to be
buffalo in large droves, coming from the hills. When they came near
the village the people found out that they were Bears instead of
buffalo. The young man who had shot the Bear in the garden said to
the people, “The Bears are coming to kill us, for I shot the Bear.”
The Bears soon reached the camp and tore the people to pieces, as
many as they got hold of; but some of the people, who hid in their
cellars, were saved. The Bears did not stop until they had killed
the man who had shot the Bear.
FOOTNOTES:
[45] Told by Two-Hawks.
45. THE WIFE WHO MARRIED AN ELK.[46]
There was a man who went hunting with his wife. They were alone.
Whenever the man was out hunting the woman would stay at the lodge
and take care of all the things that the man had brought in, and
she would also jerk meat. There she stayed, while her husband went
out day after day. One time when her husband was gone a man came
to see her, but she did not know who he was. One day five men came,
and the fifth one she liked best. He was fine-looking, and young.
This fifth man asked her to go home with him. She liked him so much
that she did not feel like refusing him, so she went with him.
When the husband returned he found that his wife was gone. He
looked all around until at last he found their tracks. He ran
along, following the tracks. The poor man was getting tired, but
the more he thought of his wife the more he felt like following
her, for he thought a great deal of her. He caught up with her, and
to his great surprise he saw his wife walking beside an animal. The
man ran and shot at the animal, but could not kill it. This animal
was an Elk. Not far away was a lake, toward which the Elk and the
woman were headed. The Elk and the woman went right into this lake.
The man shot at the animal, but the arrows did not seem to harm
the Elk. When the man came to the lake he remained there. He would
think of going away, but when he thought of his wife he would stay.
He cried and cried. He neither ate nor drank.
At last the woman came out from the lake, for she felt sorry for
her husband. She said: “You must go home, and whenever you start
upon the war-path come to this place before you go and I will see
you, and I will do anything to get out of this place so that I can
tell you where to go, and if I can go with you I will do so.” So
the man went home, and when he got there, the people asked him what
had become of his wife. He told the people what had happened to
her. After many days, the man thought he would go on the war-path.
He invited several young men, and they went out. When they were
near the lake, the man told his companions to stay at a distance
from the lake, while he went on by himself. The man had a dress
for the woman. When he got to the lake she told him to go west;
that in a few days he would find three tipis; that there were three
men living in the tipis, and that he should kill them; and that he
would capture all their ponies. The woman then disappeared. The man
threw the dress into the lake and went back. The man then led the
war-party to the west. In a few days they found the three tipis.
They attacked them and killed the people in them. Their ponies they
captured, so that it all came true, as the woman had said. Then
they went home and had a great time dancing the scalp-dance.
The next time the man went on the war-path he took several young
men with him, and he again visited the lake. This time the woman
came out, and said: “My husband, I can never leave this lake any
more. You must go to the west, and there you will find the enemy.
In the fight you will see a woman who looks like me. Go to this
woman and catch her. She will become your wife and be good to
you.” In a few days they found the enemy’s camp. They attacked the
village, and they fought. While they were fighting, this man saw
the woman who looked just like his wife. He stopped fighting and
went after the woman. He captured her and took her home with him.
The man never went to the lake any more, but was happy with his new
wife, for she looked very much like the woman who had gone into the
lake with the Elk.
FOOTNOTES:
[46] Told by Standing-Bull.
46. THE FOUR GIRLS AND THE MOUNTAIN-LION.[47]
There were four girls who went to gather wood. While they were
gathering wood they heard a Mountain-Lion coming, who said, “I
want you girls for my wives.” The girls ran to different wonderful
beings for protection. Each wonderful being said, “I can not do
anything for you, for the Mountain-Lion is more powerful than I.”
At last the girls came to a place where there was a man whose name
was “Hair-Cut-in-Notches.” (His hair was so notched that one could
see through the notches by looking at the side of his head.) The
girls ran to this man, and said: “A Mountain-Lion is after us! Save
us!” Hair-Cut-in-Notches said, “What shall I get if I save you?”
The girls said, “We will live with you as your wives if you will
save us.” Hair-Cut-in-Notches said, “You will go into my lodge and
stay there.” Then he sang about his head and hair, for his hair
was his arrows. When the Mountain-Lion came up Hair-Cut-in-Notches
would make a motion toward his head, then to his bow, then shoot at
the Mountain-Lion. Finally the Mountain-Lion dropped down, for he
had killed it. Hair-Cut-in-Notches went into the lodge, and said:
“You will now come out. Go to your homes. I shall not keep you
here, for I am not a human being, but I am glad to have saved you
from being killed by that animal.” The four girls thanked the man
and returned to their homes.
FOOTNOTES:
[47] Told by Little-Crow.
47. THE DEEDS OF YOUNG-EAGLE.[48]
Many years ago the Arikara separated into two bands, one band going
south, the other going north. But still the young men visited from
one camp to the other. In the north village the leading chief had
a daughter who had grown up to be a beautiful young woman. In
the other village the leading chief had a son who was handsome.
The young man’s name was Young-Eagle. The young girl’s name was
Yellow-Calf.
When the north village visited the south village the north people
told the south people about the chief’s daughter, who was very
pretty. When the south people visited the north village they told
of the chief’s son, who was very handsome, but who had never looked
upon women with favor, for he had always kept himself in the lodge,
not even having been on the war-path. When he came out of his lodge
everybody looked at him.
Young-Eagle made up his mind to visit the north village to see
the beautiful daughter of the chief. He told his sisters to make
him several pairs of moccasins; for he intended to go to the
north village. Now, Yellow-Calf, in the north village, also made
moccasins for herself, for she had made up her mind that she would
visit the south village and see the young man who was so handsome.
One day Young-Eagle started for the north village. On the same day
Yellow-Calf started for the south village. Now, between the two
villages there was a high hill, and as Young-Eagle was climbing the
hill on the south side Yellow-Calf was climbing the hill on the
north side. They both saw each other as they reached the top of the
hill and were greatly surprised to see each other.
Young-Eagle asked Yellow-Calf where she was going, but she answered
by asking where he was going. Finally the girl told him that she
was going to the south village to see the man who was so handsome.
Young-Eagle said, “I am that young man, and I am going to see the
young girl who is so beautiful, down here at the south village.”
They now knew that they were speaking of each other.
They sat down and talked, and here they found out each other’s
mind. Young-Eagle wanted to know how many days it had taken
Yellow-Calf to come there. She told how many days it had taken,
and Young-Eagle told Yellow-Calf how many days it had taken him.
They knew by this that the hill was just half-way between the two
villages. This hill is known at the present time as “Lovers’ Hill,”
because these two people met here. They agreed to place a pile of
rocks upon the hill, and each was to place on the pile a number
of stones equal to the number of days it had taken to come to the
place. First, Young-Eagle placed a stone, then Yellow-Calf placed
one, then Young-Eagle placed another, and so on, until they had a
pile of stones. Yellow-Calf told Young-Eagle that she wanted to go
with him to his home. But Young-Eagle said, “No, I would rather go
with you to your home.” Yellow-Calf finally consented; so they
went on. Yellow-Calf was satisfied and happy, for this young man
was handsome and had a quiver filled with arrows, and a bow.
In the evening they came to a lake, and Young-Eagle told
Yellow-Calf that they must take a swim and wash themselves; that
it was not right that they should go to the village without being
washed. So Yellow-Calf went into the lake first and washed. When
she came out, Young-Eagle, with his leggings and all his things
on, waded into the water for some distance. He told Yellow-Calf to
watch for him. He dived, and stayed a long time under the water.
Towards evening, at dusk, Young-Eagle came out of the water, having
all his clothes on. He came upon the bank, and Yellow-Calf saw
that he was not the same young man who had left her a little while
before. This young man now was not so tall, nor was he handsome.
His hair was unkempt, his nose was all covered with sores, and he
seemed to have vermin. The robe he had on was a little piece of
buffalo robe. His leggings were made of deer skin, but were very
dry. His belly looked so large and plump that people would take
him for a “burnt-belly” boy or a “burnt-fingered” boy. Yellow-Calf
became scared, but she thought Young-Eagle was only making fun, so
she took him home that night.
Young-Eagle lay down by the side of Yellow-Calf, and the next
morning, when the parents arose to prepare the meal, they went
to the girl and found a young man lying by her. The old people,
knowing that Yellow-Calf had been away for some time, thought,
of course, that she had got married, and had brought her husband
home. They waked the young man. He did not attempt to wash, but
jumped at the pot with the food in it, and he licked the mush off
from the spoon. The old folks looked at him, and were sorry that
Yellow-Calf had brought him. Yellow-Calf, too, was ashamed of him.
She prayed hard in her heart that the young man might turn into the
young man that she had first been with. But the young man remained
the same and the people made fun of him. They called him the
“Big-Belly-Boy.” The boy acted childishly all the time. When there
was a battle going on the boy never went out, but stayed around the
lodge.