with him and at creek she tells Scalped-Man she will be his wife
if he washes his head. While he is diving she runs away and crawls
under grapevine. He follows her, but at last gives her up. Woman
runs home.
61. THE GENEROUS SCALPED-MAN AND HIS BETRAYER.
Man hunting sees Scalped-Man kill and carry off antelope. Man
follows and enters Scalped-Man’s cave. They become friendly and
man remains four days. Scalped-Man goes away for several days,
and brings ponies, which he gives to man, who returns home.
Man obtains ponies in this way several times, and then tells
Scalped-Man he wants scalp. Scalped-Man gets scalps for him twice.
Man takes several others on war-path guided by Scalped-Man. They
return with scalps and ponies. Man becomes chief and thinks he will
capture Scalped-Man, but he fails, as Scalped-Man has heard his
plans and gone away.
62. THE SCALPED-MAN.
Scouts see mysterious beings, who disappear in side of steep bank,
where entrance to den is found. Man is seen in cave crying. He is
dressed in Coyote skins and his head tied with white sheeting.
There is Buffalo skull in lodge. Men agree to ask Scalped-Man to
help their war-party.
63. THE DEAD MAN’S COUNTRY.
Man faints and afterwards dies. He sees path leading east. There
is inclosure with little hole through which he goes and is in dead
man’s country. Man tells him not to go into village and directs him
to lodge of dead people, which he is not to enter. He sees many
people in lodge, and black drums. Men are painted red. Seven men
stand out. Drummers sing in low voice. Dancers have dried willow
sticks, as representatives of their living relatives, whom they
call to them. Man is told to go to his country, and wakes up.
64. THE COYOTE WHO SPOKE TO THE EAGLE HUNTERS.
Young men go to hills to catch eagles. While sitting in cave
telling Coyote stories, Coyote walks in and says they tell many
things about him that are not true. Coyote goes away and party is
so dazed they return to village.
65. THE GIRL AND THE ELK.
Men hunting hear Elk whistling across river. Girl wants to go and
find out what it is, but people prevent her. This happens many
days. Men agree to kill Elk, but they can not shoot it. Man puts
medicine in cartridge and then kills Elk. Girl tries to run away,
and is put into sweat-lodge many times until she gets over crazy
spell.
66. HOW THE RABBIT SAVED A WARRIOR.
Arikara follow Ojibwa horse thieves. They overtake different band
of Ojibwas and attack them. Brave man is shot through neck by
bullet. He seems about to die from loss of blood, when Jack-Rabbit
tells him he will not die. Man is attended by Rabbit medicine-man
and in less than four days is well. He becomes one of the leading
medicine-men of Rabbit band.
67. THE WOMAN WHOSE BREASTS WERE CUT OFF.
Man with beautiful woman and little boy goes hunting. Young man
comes and courts woman. She feigns sickness and pretends to die.
She is placed on arbor. Lover unties girl and places bodies of
three dogs upon arbor. Girl is dressed as boy and breasts tied with
wide strings. They go to another village where young woman passes
herself for young man. Woman is anxious to see child. They paint up
as men and watch for child near spring. They see boy and woman asks
him for drink. He goes to lodge and tells father he has seen his
mother. Father sends invitation to young men to eat in his lodge.
They come and husband knows one of them is woman by her ways. He
says she is his wife. Young man runs away. She asks forgiveness,
but husband cuts off her breasts and woman dies.
68. WATER-DOGS.
Poor boy sees dog come out of river and carry little ones to
spring. He dies shortly afterwards. Old woman near same place hears
dogs chattering in water and soon afterwards dies.
69. TWO-WOLVES, THE PROPHET.
Two-Wolves left by himself in storm after buffalo chase has life
saved by Prairie-Chicken. “Waruhti” gives him power to understand
speech of Thunder. Long afterward he practices power. Man
Two-Bears has herd of ponies which are disturbed by horse owned by
Roving-Coyote. Two-Bears throws pointed stake at horse and kills
it. Roving-Coyote goes to Two-Wolves to know who did it. Two-Wolves
performs ceremony to father, Thunder, who comes and tells him.
Two-Wolves sends for Two-Bears, who confesses and makes reparation.
Wolf-Chief does not believe in Two-Wolves’ power. Thunder tells
Two-Wolves to speak to Wolf-Chief and have him kill his black
dog and perform ceremony. Two-Wolves sends for Wolf-Chief, who
goes to him and promises to do as asked. Two-Wolves sends out one
war-party and it is a failure. He lives long, discovering thieves
and prophesying wonderful things.
70. HOW THE MEDICINE-ROBE SAVED THE ARIKARA.
When Arikara living in Nebraska young woman alone in lodge while
medicine-men’s ceremony is performing. She sees enemy looking
at her through top of opening. He digs at side of lodge and she
puts out fire. Next day husband hides in lodge, and when enemy
comes he catches him from behind. Woman gives alarm and men come
and overpower enemy. He says southern tribe are coming to kill
them. Man is tied upon scaffold and left to die. He breaks loose
several times by shaking his arms, so he is stabbed to death.
During ceremony this man comes into lodge. All medicine-men run
out. Keeper of wonderful robe goes and wraps man in robe and throws
him into river. Afterwards so many Sioux come that people are
scared. Keeper of holy robe wraps it round body and taking eagle
wing and gourd climbs upon top of lodge. He then shakes himself
and shakes robe towards sun. Enemy are so scared they give way and
there is great slaughter. Scalps are brought in and there is great
rejoicing.
71. THE MEDICINE BEAR SHIELD.
Boy’s father dies and is buried. Boy goes to grave to cry and
dreams that Bear tells him that woman has removed shield from
grave. During storm he crawls into crevice and watches grave.
He sees Bear with paws toward sky. Lightning forms appearance
of shield with bear for black center mark. Boy returns to grave
and when asleep he dreams his father tells him shield taken by
Howling-Wolf and that he must get it. Howling-Wolf gives boy frame.
Boy has another shield made like that he had seen on father’s
grave. Kills buffalo and makes inner shield. When fifteen, boy
joins war-party. He strikes Sioux with bow and takes his scalplock.
Scalp is offered to gods and boy made chief. Old man puts buckskin
shirt on him and tells him as he strikes enemies and scalps them to
make marks on shirt. When enemy attacks Village-Boy wears shield
and is never hit. At sun dance boy swings day and night by buckskin
strings tied to sticks run through his back. Sioux again attack
village and boy again counts coup and strikes enemy. He dances sun
dance many times afterward, and suffers because old medicine-men
dead.
72. THE CRUCIFIED ENEMY.
People go on buffalo hunt, leaving old people in village. Enemy
come and people retreat to lodges. Old man puts on medicine and
costumes and, gourd in hand, goes to top of lodge and sings sacred
songs. Enemy see him and are much afraid, as he has power to
mesmerize. They all run with old man after them. One of enemy’s
bravest men captured and tied to wooden cross outside of village.
Man dies, loses his flesh, and only bones left. When young men
playing near cross, bones fall and run toward village and into
medicine-lodge. Man is found under blankets on altar. His bones are
gathered and thrown away.
73. HOW A SIOUX WOMAN’S SCALP WAS SACRIFICED.
Men go on war-path and hide near where Sioux get their water.
Two women come to spring and as they run away one is seized,
and scalp taken from side of her head. Men hurry back, and when
they come to timber, leader takes fat from scalp and divides it
into five pieces, which he places in four directions with one in
center, first on his hand and then on the ground, to show that
scalp is offered to gods. Scalp ceremony used when they get home.
Fire-sticks are used to burn scalp. Holy bundles and medicine bags
are passed through smoke and priests change names of young men and
children who give them presents.
74. THE WARRIOR WHO FOUGHT THE SIOUX.
In winter Sioux attack Fort Berthold. Man coming with antelope
on back does not see Sioux until he hears noise. He runs and is
followed by Sioux. Man kills first Sioux and cuts him open with
knife. Sioux shoot at him from behind with arrows. Man stands up
and yells like a bear and Sioux run away. Man has piece of liver in
his mouth. He chases Sioux and takes ponies and runs after them. He
goes into timber and next day is found frozen, with arrows in his
back.
75. THE CAPTURE OF THE ENEMY’S BOWS.
Young men go on war-path and Sioux come and capture old women and
children. Young man returns and finds what has happened. He, his
brother, and his father follow Sioux to creek where they are in
camp. Young man looks at stars, trees, and everything and says they
must attack and give big war-whoop. When war-whoop given, trees and
everything seem to join. Enemy are frightened and run away. They
capture enemy’s bows and kill many people. Bows and arrows are set
upon high hill.
76. THE WOMAN WHO BEFRIENDED THE WARRIORS.
Two boys on war-path find earth-lodge where old woman lives. She
feeds them and tells them where to go. They kill enemy. This
occurs several times, but once there are so many young men in
party old woman is ashamed. Next time war-party goes old woman
has disappeared. Two boys hunt for her and find her inside of
cliff in Bad Lands. Great company of men go there, but she again
disappears. Party of warriors come to big lake and hear woman
singing scalp-dance songs. Warriors scared, but leader says she
is rejoicing, and they go and take enemy’s scalps. This occurs
again, but next time instead of singing and dancing, woman mourns.
Warriors go on and are beaten by enemy. She is found to be same old
woman that lived in Bad Lands. People give her blankets, tobacco,
and other things.
77. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS.
Arikara go to hills to catch eagles. Young man prepares and baits
hole and then gets into it, leaving weapons outside. Sioux find
hole and tell man to crawl out. He takes them where other men are.
They make Arikara stand around fireplace while man cooks meat for
them. He holds piece of buffalo tallow over fire and whirls it
around and burns Sioux with grease. They are scared and man, though
weak through torturing, walks away. Sioux stay in tipi all night.
Man goes home and tells people. They go after Sioux and return with
three scalps.
78. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS.
Young men go eagle hunting and while in cave Sioux come. Sioux ask
for eagle feathers, which leader goes out of cave to give them.
They attack Arikara, whose leader kills several Sioux, and others
retreat. Hunters at night return to village with scalps.
79. THE MOURNING LOVER.
Man called “Rolling-Log” courts Arikara woman, who says she will
marry him if he will bring her enough sinew to last her a whole
year. He goes south with hunters and gets twenty-four sinews. He
returns home and goes to see girl, but finds she is dead. He feels
so bad he goes among hills and does not return to Arikara camp.
80. CONTEST BETWEEN THE BEAR AND THE BULL SOCIETIES.
During medicine ceremonies Bear family is on north and Buffalo
family on south inside lodge. Buffalo Society has two buffalo
scalps with horns. These are worn by two Buffalo men who play with
people of village. Young man of Bear family tells leader he wants
to challenge Buffalo to fight. Leader finally consents and sends
pipe to leader of Buffalo Society as challenge. He objects, but
finally consents and sends for Buffalo man. Men are prepared by
medicines of their respective societies for fight. Societies meet
and fight takes place. Buffalo hooks Bear, who is killed. Bear
lodge announces that Bear killed for all time, but they do not get
mad, as it was his own fault.
81. HOW WHITE-BEAR CAME TO BELONG TO THE BEAR SOCIETY.
When White-Bear’s mother is pregnant his father puts on bear robe
and tries to catch people to cut them open and get piece of liver.
So his son has spirit of Bear. In nursing boy’s mouth shows froth
and he makes noise like young bear. In Bear dances boy wears robe
of bear hide. When three years old, White-Bear falls on knife,
cutting belly so that intestines come out. Father restores them
to place and bandages child. In few days child is much better and
bear robe is put on its back. Child cannot straighten out and
makes noise like cat. As he grows up he acts like Bear. In Bear
ceremonies sleight-of-hand ceremonies are performed by him. In
medicine-lodge he has visions of bear. When no more Bear dances he
does not show ways of bear.
82. THE TALE OF A MEMBER OF THE BEAR SOCIETY.
Boy stays in medicine-men’s lodge and learns mysteries of Bear
Society. Father gives him stuffed bear skin. In Bear dance little
bear dances and imitates boy. When worn out little bear is placed
in ravine. Some years ago great hunter asks young man to go
hunting. At night pony snorts furiously and Scalped-Man is seen.
After killing deer they start for home. They see bear, which stands
up like man. Bear embraces young one. After being shot bear goes
into brush, where it is found sitting, dead. Young one also killed
and both are skinned. Man gives large hide to friend and keeps
little bear’s hide. He wears it in Bear dances. Afterwards it is
sold, in his absence, to white man.
=TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE=
Bold text is denoted by =equal signs=.
Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been
corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within
the text and consultation of external sources.
Some hyphens in words have been silently removed, some added, when
a predominant preference was found in the original book.
Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text,
and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.
Pg 31: ‘people crosssed over’ replaced by ‘people crossed over’.
Pg 35: ‘TO THE ARIKARA.’ replaced by ‘TO THE ARIKARA.[10]’.
Pg 36: ‘TO THE ARIKARA.’ replaced by ‘TO THE ARIKARA.[11]’.
Pg 56: ‘Remmember to come’ replaced by ‘Remember to come’.
Pg 70: ‘The coaxed the boy’ replaced by ‘They coaxed the boy’.
Pg 86: ‘quae eum vicum’ replaced by ‘quæ eum vicum’.
Pg 157: ‘over the vilage’ replaced by ‘over the village’.
Pg 177: Deleted a duplicated line ‘bring my lariat rope, so I could
rope it and lead it to the village. I’.
Pg 177: ‘bring my larriat’ replaced by ‘bring my lariat’.
Pg 184: ‘she likes red star’ replaced by ‘she likes Red-Star’.
Pg 191: ‘pepare to kill’ replaced by ‘prepare to kill’.
Pg 195: ‘goes and and expels’ replaced by ‘goes and expels’.
Pg 200: ‘village boy wears’ replaced by ‘Village-Boy wears’.