When the next berrying season came, a son was born to Hanging-flower;
and having consulted Spring-blossoms, her mother’s mother,
Hanging-flower gave him the name Glad-tidings. As Hanging-flower was
lying on her bed and her blood was hot in her, she heard the sound of
rattles outside and she saw her brother take his turtle rattle and join
the False Faces, who were passing through the village. Hanging-flower
knew that Glad-tidings was one day to become a chief, and that night
she carved a little False Face and hid it in her bag, for she had heard
the rattles and she knew that some day her son was to be a leader of
the False Faces. Hanging-flower was very beautiful, as she lay there on
her bed. Her large black eyes were even larger and deeper than usual;
she had looked into the future.
X
Many summers passed and Glad-tidings had become a strong and handsome
youth. He was very young, but the older men thought him wise and
cool-headed. The women were wild over him, but he had no eyes for them.
He would rather sit with the older men, always inquiring about ancient
things and eager to learn the laws and traditions of his people.
One day, while Hanging-flower was pounding corn back of her house, a
piercing sound was heard on the road, gwā-á! gwā-á! gwā-á!
Hanging-flower shuddered, for she knew that a chief was dead. Soon the
news came that Power-of-thunder, her brother, had been killed by a
stray arrow during an encounter with the Sioux.
Spring-blossoms and Rising-sun were dead and Hanging-flower was the
matron of her family now. When she heard the mournful news, she began
to think of Glad-tidings. He was young, but wise and strong, and there
was no other man in the family who might be made chief in his stead.
In a few days a Council of the family was called by Hanging-flower.
There were some men at the Council, but mostly women, and although
some other Bear people were there, most of those present belonged to
Hanging-flower’s family. When they were all assembled, Hanging-flower
began to speak and as she spoke, all were silent. She spoke of
Glad-tidings’ youth, but recalled the many indications of wisdom and
character which he had given, and before closing, she nominated her son
to be chief in place of Power-of-thunder, her brother.
For many days after this, Hanging-flower was busy calling on the other
chiefs of her tribe. First she called on those who belonged to the
brother clans and then on those who were of the cousin clans, and when
her nominee was ratified by all these chiefs, she brought his name
before the Great Council of the chiefs of the League, who also approved
of her choice.
And so it came that before the corn was gathered in that fall,
Glad-tidings was made chief in place of his mother’s brother.