_Lenni-Lenapi_
In the days of the old men, far to the north there lived a nation with
many villages. Their warriors were as many as the buffalo herds on the
plains toward the Darkening Land. Their tepees were many on the shores
of a beautiful lake and along wide rivers.
Then the Mysterious One, whose voice is in the clouds, told the chiefs
of a great nation, also of many villages, which hunted through all the
country from the Big Water in the sunrise to the mountains in the
Darkening Land.
Then the chiefs and the old men held a council. Runners came from many
villages to the great council. And the council voice was to go to the
great nation to the south, the nation with many villages, and bring
back scalps and horses.
So the chiefs and warriors went out, one by one. Then runners were
sent to all the villages, ordering the chiefs to dance the scalp
dance.
Suddenly there came through the sky a great white bird. It came from
the forest, and flew into the village of the great chief. It rested
above the head of the chief's daughter.
Then the chief's daughter heard a voice in her heart. The voice said,
"Call all the chiefs and warriors together. Tell them the Mysterious
One is sad because they seek the scalps of the Lenni-Lenapi, the First
People. Tell the warriors they must wash their hands in the blood of a
young fawn. They must go with many presents to the First People. They
must carry to the First People Hobowakan, the calumet."
Thus the First People and the mighty people with many villages on the
shore of the lake smoked together the pipe of council. So there was
peace.
[Illustration: TATTOOING, SHOWING CONVENTIONAL DESIGN OF THE PEACE
PIPE
_Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution_]
[Illustration: BULL BOAT
Made of the hide of the buffalo bulls. The only boat used by the
plains Indians.
_Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution_]