calls old woman and keeper of bundle, and describes ceremony of
untying bundle. Old man tells origin of bundle and of people.]
Nesaru makes giants, but being displeased with them turns them
into stones. Nesaru again makes people, small and wonderful. They
displease Nesaru, who tells animals to hide. He is going to make
water rise from earth. Animals give power to Bear to take people
under ground, with assistance of Badger, Mole, and long-nosed
Mouse. Fox acts as runner and errand man. People live under ground
many years. Animals decide to dig upward for land. Bears, Badgers,
Moles, and long-nosed Mice dig and Mole first to get his head
through. Badger enlarges hole. Fox goes through and reports what
he sees outside. Bear makes hole larger and animals go through,
followed by people. Woman, who says she is grain of corn, tells man
they are on island. People taken under ground by Mice were grains
of corn and now turned to people. Mouse leader. They cross water by
aid of woman, who becomes gar-pike. Some fall into water and become
fish. People pick up stones to cut with. Mouse leads people through
thick timber. Some turn to owls. Earthquake forms deep chasm, which
Bear enables people to cross. Whirlwind makes pathway through
thick timber. People come to muddy water in “Pawnee” country. They
find things to wear and eat. First bow made. Long-nosed Mouse,
Bear, Mole, Badger, and Fox die, and their skins with skulls are
wrapped in bundles. They receive ceremony from Pawnee. Each bundle
receives different ritual. Arikara dress ear of corn as woman and
throw it into river. Many years afterwards strange woman comes
into lodge where bundle ceremony. People take no notice of her and
she goes to other bundle lodges. In last old man recognizes her
and Muddy-River-Country ceremony performed. Woman says that four
world-quarters are her father, and that she will come to them in
dreams and tell them about things in bundle. They are to tie her
on bundle and clothe ear of corn. She turns into ear of corn. They
send for other old man and tie ears of corn upon the bundles.
7. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.
Arikara live under ground. Long-nosed Mouse, Mole, Badger, and Fox
agree to take people to top of earth. Mole digs first. Arikara come
out, Fox leading. Earthquake, and other people held fast. People
journey west and come to chasm caused by earth shaking, but Badger
makes pathway. Mother-Corn in heavens asking gods to let people
live. Obstructions arranged by being known as Sickness. People come
to deep river and Loon sent by gods. Loon flies across river and
back and dives. River is open and people cross over. Waters come
together again and some people left on other side. Mother-Corn
stops and says Black-Wind is angry, but Black-Meteoric-Star will
help them. Tells people to get under cedar tree. Black-Wind comes
and takes many people. They go on and come to steep mountain bank.
Bear digs steps on both sides and people go across. Dog comes up
and says his meat shall be offered to gods. His father is Sun, who
has given him power.
8. THE ORIGIN OF THE AWAHO-BUNDLE PEOPLE.
People come out of ground, but some are cut off by earthquake.
Heavens hear crying and send Mother-Corn to them. Badger digs
through earth. People come out and walk westward until they come
to thick timber. Screech-Owl flies through and makes pathway.
Owl and Whirlwind are enemies. People followed by “Cut-Nose,” an
animal with long horns. People run until they come to chasm, which
Badger enables them to cross. They then come to thick ice and
deep water, which Loon enables them to cross. Mother-Corn teaches
people ceremonies and rituals and gives them things to put in
bundles. Mother-Corn disappears by ear of corn wrapped in her robe
under bundle. Awaho last people to come out of ground, and where
other bands have camped they find bits of meat offered to gods,
which they use for food. They know all ceremonies and teach them
to others. Nearly all are killed by enemies, but bundle hid under
bank. Women go for bundle and contents are purified. Sacrifices of
meat made the next day. Nesaru made animals to take kernels of corn
under ground. They were people turned to corn by Nesaru. This is
why animals brought them out of ground and why Mother-Corn was sent
by gods in heavens, who had field of corn.
9. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.
Mother-Corn tells Arikara when journeying west to dress her up and
put her in river. When Arikara make permanent village upon Missouri
River old men think it time to send Mother-Corn down stream.
She is taken from bundle, painted, and dressed. After reciting
rituals, Mother-Corn, with children’s moccasins tied about her
waist, is thrown by priests into river, her head up stream. Many
years afterwards woman comes to village and is recognized by man as
Mother-Corn. She teaches them ceremonies and songs and that night
disappears.
10. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.
In olden times, old man made offerings to gods and Mother-Corn.
Mother-Corn is pleased to have smoke with people and starts from
east to visit them. She goes into medicine-lodge. She stays many
days and teaches them many lessons, but people are hungry for
meat. Mother-Corn asks woman to make moccasins for her. She puts
on moccasins and they wear out when she walks slowly twenty steps.
This takes place four times, but fourth pair brings her back to
altar. Her walk means that she has walked long way off in west,
and way very hard. She tells people she has seen buffalo and that
they will be seen in four days. In morning of fourth day they kill
many buffalo, but while they are away, enemies attack village and
Mother-Corn is killed. They bury her and from place where she is
laid, grass, etc., springs up.
11. HOW THE PEOPLE ESCAPED THE BUFFALO.
When people came out through ground they were led by woman,
“Mother.” Among them were all kinds of animals except buffalo.
Monster with horns like buffalo comes out of lake. They call him
“Cut-Nose.” As it comes along, buffalo come from under him. Buffalo
catch up with people and kill some of them. People make canyons
behind, which buffalo can not cross. Whirlwind comes. Mother tells
people to give presents and smoke to it. Whirlwind scatters some of
people. Buffalo with Cut-Nose come behind and people come to big
timber. Owl and Badger try to make path through timber, but fail.
Coyote and Dog come and open way through. Buffalo and Cut-Nose come
again and kill people. They come to deep water. Dogs fail to make
pathway, but Loons make opening through waters. They come to canyon
and Badger makes banks fall, after Kingfisher and Mole have failed.
They cross and make village near canyon. Mother holds ceremonies
for different bundles. Awaho-bundle people come last, and they
receive all ceremonies. Awaho had been left behind when people came
out of ground, and they pick up meat offerings to gods left behind.
12. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.
Young man goes to village at night and finds people are Buffalo.
They are talking about killing people. He finds human head and
meat. Hears people are to be got out of ground and killed. Near by
sees hole cut in side of hill where bulls circle around and drive
people into cut. He sees people running to cut from out of ground.
He goes among hills. Strange man gives him bow and arrows and tells
him to take young man with bows and arrows to kill and scatter
Buffalo. They go to place and attack Buffalo and kill and scatter
them, so that they become buffalo and never eat people any more.
13. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.
People hungry and chief priest opens bundle and offers gifts to
gods for them to send buffalo. Buffalo come three days after
ceremony and old priest tells story. Buffalo are human, but have
horns. When they want meat they recite ritual. When hollow tree
is struck with pole four times people led by Cut-Nose come out
and are killed, except Cut-Nose, who re-enters tree. Boy chased
by Buffalo cow. He sees fine-looking woman wearing white buffalo
robe. She goes west and boy follows. He finds woman at tipi. Woman
says she has selected him to turn her people into real buffalo, so
as not to eat his people. They go through four circles of Buffalo
bulls stationed as sentinels and enter tipi, where woman’s father
lives. She covers young man with her robe. Buffalo are human, but
have horns and tails. They cook and eat human meat. Girl shows him
arbors with human bodies, and hollow cottonwood tree, with long
stick, and tells him its use. Takes him to timber, where during
three days he makes bows and arrows. Next morning they place bows
and arrows at foot of tree. Woman tells young man what to do and
they hide. When Buffalo come towards tree, young man jumps out.
Cut-Nose comes out, and then people. Young man gives men bows
and arrows and tells them to shoot and kill Buffalo. Buffalo run
towards village, chased by people, and they finally become buffalo.
Young man and Buffalo woman take bundle from tipi. They marry and
teach people songs and ceremony of bundle. People become part of
Arikara.
14. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.
Girl says she likes Red-Star and would marry him if on earth. In
morning girl sees Porcupine and climbs after it in cottonwood tree.
Tree grows higher and girl reaches another world. Porcupine turns
into man and says he is Star. She stays with him, but cries every
night. She gives birth to male child, who has star on forehead.
Son wants wild turnips and man tells her not to dig for them in
valleys. She digs in valley and stick runs through earth. She
looks down and sees she is far away from her people. Woman tells
her to get from husband sinews of whole buffalo and she will make
sinew string to reach ground below. Girl gets sinew from husband,
who forgets two sinews in shoulder. Old woman makes string and
girl also makes long sinew string. They go to valley and girl
takes child on back under robe, slips down string fastened to
stick across hole. She reaches height of highest tree from ground.
Husband sees her hanging and kills her with stone. Boy slips out
of robe and falls on ground, but is not hurt. Boy nurses at dead
mother’s breast. He goes to cornfield. Old woman catches him and
takes him home as grandson. Grandmother scatters corn in lodge for
blackbirds and places mush behind curtain. Boy calls blackbirds and
kills them all with club. Grandmother brings them to life again
and tells them to fly all over the world. She tells boy to throw
wood into pond and next morning finds black bow and four black
arrows. Boy sees big serpent behind curtain and kills it with bow
and arrow and serpent slips into pond. Serpent is grandmother’s
husband. Next day old woman tells boy not to go to dangerous place.
He goes and sees mountain-lion, which obeys him. He leads lion to
old woman’s lodge. The same occurs with a cinnamon bear. Boy sees
four wonderful men killing buffalo. They frighten him with fœtus
of calf. He climbs tree and they place fœtus in fork. They offer
to take calf down if he will give grandmother to them. He returns
and tells her he is satisfied, but says they would have to give him
something in return. They promise him bow and arrows and old woman
tells him to take middle bow of five leaning against wall of lodge.
Men go to grandmother’s lodge and stay with her. Old woman sends
boy with flute to play around men’s lodge. Men all scared and close
up lodge with earth. They die of hunger. Boy goes to den of snakes.
Snakes give him long gut to eat, but it is snake, and he twists its
head off. Snakes go into ground and try to get into boy’s rectum,
but hit rock on which he sits. They tell stories. Snakes all go
to sleep on long circular stick around den. Boy with flint knife
cuts heads on stick, but last one wakes up and disappears in hole.
When boy sleeps he places arrows so that they can fall on him when
Snake approaches him. Boy is very sleepy and arrows cannot awaken
him. Snake goes into his mouth and nestles in his skull, where it
remains until boy becomes skeleton. Boy’s father sends storm and
skull is filled with water, but this does not drive out Snake.
Father gets Sun to move nearer earth and heats skull until water
boils, and Snake crawls out. Boy catches Snake by neck, hits its
snout with stone, and rubs its teeth upon rock. He lets it go on
promise not to bother people after. Boy returns to grandmother and
tells her country is free from wild animals. She disappears, and
boy goes to village and tells his story. He dies after clearing
country of all wild animals.
15. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.
Girl taken up to heavens by star digs turnip and sees people on
earth. Old woman makes sinew rope and lets her and child down
through hole, but rope too short. Husband kills her with stone,
but boy safe. He goes to cornfield and is caught by old woman, who
takes him home. He shoots huge serpent behind curtain, who was
woman’s husband. She plans for bear to kill him, but he captures
bear. Boy finds tipi with four strong men playing dice game. He
shoots through hole and cleans man’s nose with arrow. He goes
with them to hunt and they annoy him with elk’s fœtus. He climbs
tree and men remove fœtus from tree only on his promising them
his grandmother. She goes with him to men’s tipi and they teach
boy ceremony of catching eagles and of hunting. Boy meets camp of
Snakes, all of whom but one he kills, as in No. 14. Surviving Snake
enters anus while he sleeps and gets into head, from which it is
driven by water boiling. Boy seizes it and knocks its head on flat
rock. Boy afraid of fœtus because cluster of stars to which boy’s
father belonged did not come up at that time with rest; so father
not present to help him.
16. NO-TONGUE AND THE SUN AND THE MOON.
Young man goes upon high hill to mourn. Little bird takes him to
another place. Man, painted red, comes and says he is going to be
his son and asks for his tongue. Young man cuts off his tongue and
gives it to man and then falls dead. Moon sees him and goes and
touches his feet. Young man sits up and Moon tells him man to whom
he had given tongue is Sun. Moon makes him his own son and warns
him that when Sun offers him choice of weapons he is to take old
ones. Sun takes him to sky in morning and cries because No-Tongue
takes best things, as these give boy life. Sun asks No-Tongue to
send him white buffalo robe. Moon tells him to get dark-brown robe
for Sun and powder it with white clay. Sun hangs up robe and wind
shakes all white clay out of it. Sun tells Moon his Little-Sun
is going to kill No-Tongue. Moon warns No-Tongue and advises him
what to do. No-Tongue goes with party on war-path and Sun plans
for Little-Sun to kill him. Little-Sun with enemy and in morning
asks No-Tongue to shake hands with him. No-Tongue goes and kills
Little-Sun and his people defeat enemy. Sun sends son Big-Sun to
kill No-Tongue, but is killed himself. Sun becomes Buffalo to kill
No-Tongue, but falls into mud hole. No-Tongue makes fire on his
back and Buffalo burns up. Sun tells Moon he will scalp No-Tongue.
Moon tells No-Tongue to put false scalp over head with dog’s blood
inside. Sun comes and takes scalp. Seeing that No-Tongue is not
really scalped, Sun leaves him alone. When old and blind No-Tongue
goes to top of hill and makes circle of red sticks for Sun and
circle of white sticks for Moon. Sun and Moon come and Sun takes
old man to his home.
17. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.
Poor boy, Burnt-Hands, lives with grandmother outside of village.
Last-Child, daughter of chief, brings them food. Burnt-Hands
follows trail of wounded elk and finds it dead. Chiefs Red-Bear and
Black-Bear come. Red-Bear shoots boy and drops him into air-hole
in ice. White-Bear’s cub takes boy to father. Father pities and
adopts him as son and teaches him Bear ceremony. Burnt-Hands
receives bundle of medicine and goes home. Notice given for buffalo
hunt and that Red-Bear wants hide of white buffalo. Burnt-Hands
goes with young men to chase. He gets white buffalo robe, as
Red-Bear afraid of him. When he reaches camp he eats meat prepared
for Red-Bear. Burnt-Hands takes white buffalo hide to grandmother,
who gives it to Last-Child. Elk chase is made to get teeth for
Red-Bear. Burnt-Hands promises grandmother elk-tooth dress and
tells her in case of trouble to flee to timber. Burnt-Hands goes to
chase and collects-many elk teeth and so does Red-Bear. They meet
at last elk. Burnt-Hands strikes Red-Bear on head with war-club
and drags him to air-hole. Burnt-Hands finds grandmother and they
perform Bear ceremony. They turn into Bears and attack warriors,
killing many. Others send peace-pipe by Last-Child and it is
accepted. Burnt-Hands makes grandmother thirty-eight years old and
himself twenty-two, and marries Last-Child. Burnt-Hands becomes
chief and has Black-Bear as slave.
18. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.
Poor boy goes on war-path with warriors. Grandmother says he is
not to tell coyote stories and gives him round burnt clay ball
that has handle. When hungry he is to put kernels of corn on ball
and roast them. Boy asked to tell coyote stories, but refuses. He
roasts corn upon clay ball and then tells stories. Enemy comes and
men are scared. When boy has finished eating corn he attacks enemy
with clay ball, which is war-club, and kills many. Enemy run away.
Burnt-Hands made chief and given good tipi and wife.
19. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.
Poor boy tells grandmother to make him bow and arrows that he may
join buffalo hunt. He says he will bring back some tongues and
hearts. Boy sings about being selected to stand in front and make
motions to direct hunters, and he is selected. He kills buffalo
and turning back pulls out buffalo beards and bunch of hair from
shoulder. His robe is taken and he sings about snowstorm coming.
He goes to grandmother and throws hairs on ground and several
tongues and hearts appear. Blizzard kills many men who had made fun
of young man. On next buffalo chase he again stands in front and
is first to kill buffalo. He takes hair as before and it becomes
tongues and hearts. People find out boy is wonderful, and give him
pony. He marries chief’s daughter, and becomes great warrior and
chief.
20. THE TWO BOYS AND THE WATER-SERPENT.
Two boys are accused of eating up pots of corn. They watch at night
near inclosure surrounding village and see long serpent come and
stick its head into smokehole of lodges. Next day they make many
arrows and at night when serpent has its head in lodge they shoot
at it. Serpent goes to river, water of which roars and rises, and
serpent is found dead when river goes down.
21. THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS, AND THE SERPENT.
Boy gifted with powers by four-world-quarter gods kills so many
antelope he is called Antelope-Carrier. Wood-Rats have given him
bow and four differently colored arrows. He wanders from home, and
while asleep two Thunderbirds carry him up high mountain. He finds
nest with four young Thunderbirds. Mother Thunderbird comes and
tells him of serpent with two heads that lives in lake and eats
her young. She promises him lightning and control of all birds if
he will help to kill monster. He promises and Thunderbird, after
telling him when serpent would come out of lake, flies away.
Fog rises from lake one day and boy sees monster with two heads
crawling out of lake. Storm comes from west and Thunderbirds
return, making lightning, which strikes serpent. Lightning throws
it back, but it again crawls up. Monster opens its mouth to swallow
boy. He shoots black arrow into its mouth. Monster falls and bursts
open. Other head comes and boy shoots red arrow into its mouth and
head broken in pieces. Thunderbirds come with all kinds of birds,
which feast upon serpent. They give boy power as objects which he
swallows. Boy chief of all birds and kills all bad animals. Two
boys, joined together with rawhide, go to shoot birds. One shoots
at white object, like mushroom, moving up and down and strong
wind carries them far away to an island. They go west and come to
lodge of old woman. She makes cakes, four for the great serpent,
who will carry them across by water. Serpent comes and carries
them across, stopping each day when hungry. They give it cake and
soft-shell turtle (lice) from its head. Wild boy jumps before they
come to land and is swallowed by serpent. Other boy asks serpent
to open its mouth wide and he drags swallowed boy out. Boys travel
to Missouri River bottom. They put log of wood on fire and it is
serpent. Foolish boy eats chunk of meat and he gradually turns
to serpent. Other boy takes him to Missouri River and turns him
loose there. Antelope-Carrier hears of serpent and hunts him with
all his birds. Serpent uses his power and carries him into his
den. Antelope-Carrier is made to vomit up all his power, except
lightning in his eyes. Serpent remains in river and gives its
powers to people, and songs and medicine-men’s ceremony.
22. THE BOY WHO TURNED INTO A SNAKE.
Idiot boy and son of chief go on war-path. They have to return
through want of food, and come to water-serpent. It is so big they
can not get around it, and idiot proposes to burn it. Serpent burns
in two. Idiot eats of serpent meat and his body gradually becomes
colored red and blue. By fourth day his legs are grown together and
become snake’s tail. Other boy carries him to lake, where fishes
object to him, and finally they come to the Missouri River. He
rests in middle of river and people by giving him presents cross
over without danger of drowning.
23. THE BOY WHO RECEIVED THE MOUSE POWER.
Young man stays behind when people go hunting. He goes through
village and hears crying. He goes to lodge and sees woman wrapped
in buffalo robe, who tells him people have taken her children.
She says they are in sacred bundle robe, and asks him to go and
bring her children back. He does so and gives nest with children
to woman. She tells him to return at night and then becomes mouse.
Young man goes to lodge at night and finds woman there. Rats come
in human form and priest gives him war-club and power to become
mouse at any time, and little box of medicine. Woman tells him he
is now her son and says they are not to kill mice as they are his
relatives. Young man becomes great warrior. In enemy’s camp he
turns into mouse and drives ponies out of camp after cutting ropes.
He becomes so bold that people become afraid of him, but finally he
and young man who has power of Bear fight and kill one another.
24. THE BOY AND THE YOUNG HAWKS.
Small boy discovers hawk’s nest with four eggs. Eggs are hatched
and boy feeds birds with insects. Boy goes to take birds home when
he sees man who calls birds his sons and says he will be rewarded
for taking care of them. Boy takes feathers from young birds to put
on his arrows. He becomes good hunter and on war-path fights where
the arrows are thickest. He becomes known as brave, but finally
does wrong among his people. Many try to kill him, but always
forget, until one man capable of killing him does so.
25. THE END OF THE ELK POWER.
Four strong young men, of whom only oldest is married, go to trap
eagles, leaving woman and child at home. On their return woman is
missing. Eldest unmarried brother is filled with pity for child and
goes to cry near timber, where is old skull of buck elk. On second
night voice tells him woman and three others captured by Bear and
that he has received Elk power. He is to go again and receive
instructions. Pretty-Voice goes again and learns ceremony of Elks.
He is to blow whistle and all females will come to him. He goes
near Bear’s home and whistles four times. Women run out of den and
they go away with Pretty-Voice. Bear follows and he orders party to
stop. Pretty-Voice shoots arrows at Bear without effect. He then
throws himself on ground and becomes Elk. Elk and Bear fight, and
Bear admits his defeat. Elk again becomes man and Pretty-Voice wins
great honor by capture of women. He causes ill-feeling by using his
magic whistle to attract girls and then married women. Men shoot at
him, but nothing can harm him. Sioux attack village, but they can
do nothing while Pretty-Voice is living. Men come on friendly visit
and Pretty-Voice secures Sioux girl by his ceremony. She gets to
know secret of his power and then runs away. She obtains necessary
things and then starts at head of war-party to kill Pretty-Voice.
Inhabitants of village are defeated and Pretty-Voice finally falls.
His mother wishes to collect his flesh, as he had told her, but men
will not let her. They make big fire and destroy his body. White
fog seen to arise from place for many days after.
26. THE ELK RESCUES A WOMAN FROM THE BEAR.
Poor young man and chief’s daughter run away together. They live
alone and man kills deer and elk. He goes to catch eagles and while
away Bear comes and takes wife away. Elk tells man and teaches him
how to transform himself into Elk. Gives him whistle to attract
female elk. Bear leaves den and man blows whistle. Wife and other
women rush out to him. Bear comes and attacks Elk, which puts its
head down and sticks horns into body. Man shoots and kills Bear.
Man takes his wife and Elk other women, who become Elk.
27. THE BOY AND THE ELK.