THE CROWN OF EAGLE PLUMES
Some days later as the victorious war party approached the vast Sioux
encampment, where the Ogalalas had joined the Minneconjoux and the
Uncapapas, a great company of warriors galloped across the plain to meet
them. When they saw Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse, alive and unharmed, they
raced madly back toward the Ogalala lodges, shouting the good tidings at
the top of their voices.
"Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse are alive! Yes, they are coming with the
great war party!" cried the couriers.
The three camps were soon ringing with the welcome announcement, and the
people were thrown into a delirium of joy. The warriors immediately
began to beat the war drums, and sing their boastful songs of victory.
The women, too, shouted and sang, and the entire nation united in the
wild rejoicing.
The war party halted several bow-shots from the camps, and then Wolf
Robe and Yellow Horse rode toward the Ogalala camp. As they neared the
lodges, the people rushed out on the plain to welcome them. When old
Singing Wind saw Wolf Robe riding to meet her, she became delirious from
joy.
"You have come back; it is enough!" she cried, hysterically, as she ran
to meet him. "White Otter, my son, has kept his word. He has done what
he set out to do."
"Yes, he is a great man," declared Wolf Robe, as he dismounted to greet
Singing Wind.
Then the entire war party paraded around the border of the great
encampment. It was a wonderful spectacle, and the Dacotahs realized that
it might never be equalled. It was the first time that these powerful
tribes had combined in one vast war company, and the oldest man in the
nation could not recall having ever seen anything like it.
"Men of the Dacotahs, look at this thing a long time," cried Rain Crow,
the Minneconjoux medicine-man. "Many winters have passed over my head,
but I have never looked at anything like this. I do not believe I will
ever see so many great warriors together again. Look, Dacotahs, and keep
this great sight in your hearts. It is something to talk about as long
as you live."
The great host of Sioux fighting men circled slowly around the camp,
counting their coups and singing their war songs. They were led by the
famous chief, Curly Horse, who shared the honor of the victory with
White Otter, whom he invited to ride beside him. They were followed by
the sub-chiefs and warriors of the Minneconjoux tribe. Then came
Laughing Bird, and with him rode Little Raven, to whom the honor had
been accorded in recognition of his courage and loyalty. They were
followed by the great force of Uncapapas, men whose valor and
fearlessness made them the idols of the Dacotah nation. After them
followed Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse, with Sun Bird riding between them.
Their appearance was the signal for an enthusiastic demonstration from
the throng of spectators along the border of the camp. The Ogalala
fighting force had been sadly weakened in the two furious engagements
with, the Pawnees, and many famous warriors were missing from the
company. Still, these lion-hearted people sang their songs of triumph
with as much spirit as their more fortunate tribesmen.
After the Dacotahs had ridden about the camp, the prisoners and the
captured ponies were taken into the Minneconjoux village. Then the great
company of Sioux warriors rode out on the plain, and formed in a huge
square, with the three war chiefs and Rain Crow and Yellow Horse, the
medicine-men, in the center. Rain Crow lighted the sacred pipe and
smoked to the Great Mystery, to the earth, and to each of the four
winds. Then he passed the pipe to Yellow Horse, who repeated the
ceremony, and passed the pipe to Curly Horse. After each chief had
smoked, the pipe was returned to Rain Crow, who emptied it, and wrapped
it in the sacred medicine-bundle. Then Curly Horse addressed the
Dacotahs.
"My people, my heart is filled with brave thoughts," declared the
distinguished warrior, as he looked proudly upon the great throng of
stern Sioux fighting men. "We have won a great fight. We have brought
back many prisoners and many ponies. It is a great thing to tell about.
Our people have been very brave. Yes, those brave Ogalalas and those two
brave Minneconjoux who went to the Pawnee camp are great warriors. They
got those two great men out of the camp. It was a wonderful thing to do.
It makes me feel strong in my heart. Well, you will hear about it when
we sit together at the council-fire. Yes, you will hear about some brave
things. We will all camp together many days, and sing many songs about
this great fight. Now I will ask the great chief, Laughing Bird, to say
something. I have finished."
"Dacotahs, you have done a great thing," said Laughing Bird. "I have
been in many battles, but that fight was the greatest of them all. My
people fought very hard. But I must tell you that the great chief, Curly
Horse, is a good leader. His people did some big things. Yes, I must
tell you that Wolf Robe and his people were as brave as the bear. But
those fearless warriors who went to the Pawnee camp were the bravest of
all. When I think about it, I feel good in my heart. I am going to give
some ponies to those brave men before I go away. I see the great chief,
Wolf Robe, with us here. Well, I will ask him to tell you something."
The venerable war chief of the Ogalalas was greeted with shouts of
approval as he prepared to speak. It was some minutes before the noisy
ovation finally subsided. Then Wolf Robe began to talk.
"My brothers, you see me sitting on my pony, and you hear my voice," he
said. "Do you know how I come to be here? Well, I will tell you about
it. My brother, Curly Horse, and his people came to help me. They were
very brave. My brother, Laughing Bird, and his people came to help me.
They were very brave. My brother, Spotted Bear, and my people came to
help me. They were very brave. All those great warriors rode a long way
to get me out of that camp. But I must tell you that White Otter, and
Sun Bird, and Little Raven, and High Eagle, and Black Moccasin and
Little Wolf were the men who saved my life. Yes, they came to the edge
of the camp, and drove their arrows through the Pawnees. They made it
easy for us to run out of the village. I am going to ask those brave men
to ride out here in front of me."
As the heroic little company rode into the center of the square to meet
the chiefs, they received a stirring ovation from their tribesmen. As
they lined up before the Ogalala chief, he turned and spoke a few words
with his associates. Then he asked Yellow Horse to address the six
heroes.
"My brothers, you have heard some good words from Wolf Robe," he told
them. "Well, they are true. You have saved my life. You are very brave.
Three of you are young men. It was a great thing to do. Now I am going
to do something good. I am going to give three fast ponies to each of
you. I have finished."
"Well, you have heard Yellow Horse," said Wolf Robe. "Now I am going to
tell you something good. I am going to give Little Raven ten fast
ponies, because he is very young, and he has done a great thing. I am
going to give Sun Bird, and High Eagle, and Black Moccasin and Little
Wolf each five ponies because they have saved my life. Now, Dacotahs,
you must listen to what I am going to say. I am getting old. I have
fought in many battles. I have led my people to many victories. It is
enough. Pretty soon a young man must take my place. I have no son. But
the son of Standing Buffalo, who has gone on the Long Trail, is my
grandson. He has done some great things. He is as sly as the fox and as
brave as the bear. He has saved my life. He has done a great thing for
his people. Now I am going to take off this war bonnet. See, Dacotahs, I
am going to give it to my grandson, White Otter. He is brave enough to
wear it. He will lead the Ogalalas to many victories. I have spoken."
As he concluded his speech, the Ogalala war chief asked White Otter to
dismount. Then he, too, slid from his pony. For a moment or so the
battle-scarred veteran and the famous young warrior stood, clasping
hands. Then Wolf Robe smiled, and placed the coveted head-dress of eagle
plumes upon the lad's head. The Ogalalas sanctioned the deed with a
mighty shout of approval, and a moment afterward the entire company of
Dacotahs acclaimed the young leader with the nation's ringing war cry.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
Italics indicated _like this_.
Small Caps are capitalized LIKE THIS.
The following misprints have been corrected:
p. 10: "canght" corrected to "caught"
p. 112: "seemd" corrected to "seemed"
p. 227: quotation marks supplied before "You have done"
All other text retained as in original including words with multiple
spellings such as "Blackfeet and Black-feet", "hoofbeats and hoof-beats"
and "nightfall and night-fall."