III

"Owl Bear has come! Owl Bear has come!" the people were shouting.

The warriors rushed to his lodge. _Whish_! how quickly it was filled!

Hundreds stood outside, waiting to hear the news.

For a long time the chief did not speak. He was still angry with his

people. An old man was talking, telling the news of the camp. Owl Bear did

not look at him. He ate some food and rested. Many were in the lodge who

had started to war with him. They were now ashamed. They did not speak,

either, but kept looking at the fire. After a long time the chief said: "I

travelled on alone. I met a Snake. I took his scalp and clothes, and his

weapons. See, here is his scalp!" And he held up the two braids of hair.

No one spoke, but the chief saw them nudge each other and smile a little;

and soon they went out and said to one another: "What a lie! That is not an

enemy's scalp; there is no flesh on it He has robbed some dead person."

Blackfoot Lodge Tales: The Story of a Prairie People · 第 51 / 150 题