Part 9
Now the boy on dry land said: “Grandfather, I am about to leave you. Grandmother said that I was to feed you with your own lice” (turtles). The boy took turtles from the monster and gave them to him. “O, grandfather, open your mouth. I must see your teeth. Grandmother said I could see your teeth.” So the serpent opened its mouth, and there the other boy was, sitting inside the serpent. The boy asked the serpent to open its mouth wide, so he could see how long his teeth were. He then reached in the serpent’s mouth and dragged out the other boy.
The two boys thanked the serpent and went west, hunting their home. They traveled many days, until at last they came to the Missouri River bottom. This river they followed up until they came to some lakes close to the river. Here they wandered until they came to drift wood, and there was a good large-sized log among the drift. Here they made a big fire. The large log was among the burning. The boys noticed drops of grease falling from the log. The wild boy noticed and reached up to the log and he found that the log was a serpent. The foolish boy then took his knife out and cut a chunk of meat and ate it. He tried to get the other boy to eat some of the meat, but the boy would not eat it.
The boys now went on, and in the night lay down. The next morning the boy who ate the serpent woke and saw that his feet had turned red, blue, and white. The wild boy was glad to see the colors upon his feet. The next night, the boy’s legs became colored. Another night passed, and the boy’s body was colored. The next morning the boy’s legs were joined together and were like a serpent. The other boy talked to the part-serpent boy, and said, “I will stay with you.” The serpent boy then said: “My brother, carry me to the Wonderful (Missouri) River and put me in the water. I am now wonderful. You must come down to the river, so that I can speak to you, and I will give you powers.” The fourth morning the boy was a Serpent. The other boy packed the Serpent boy to the river and turned him loose in the river.
The boy went home. Antelope-Carrier was informed of the Serpent and learned that it was wonderful. Antelope-Carrier came and told all the birds to hunt up and down the river, so that they might find the Serpent. The Serpent knew that Antelope-Carrier was coming, and became scared. The Serpent had his brother dig a hole in the sand for it. He went into the hole and was all hidden but the head, which was covered with willows. Antelope-Carrier with all his birds hunted the Serpent. At last he saw the place where he thought the Serpent was. While examining the place the Serpent used its power and carried Antelope-Carrier into the water and into its den. There Antelope-Carrier was put into the sweat-lodge and was made to vomit up all his powers which he possessed except the lightning in his eyes. “Now,” said the Serpent, “your powers are all gone. You are no longer wonderful. Go now to our people and live with them.” Antelope-Carrier went home. He had to wear something over his eyes all that time, for they were like lightning. He lived with the people, but never showed to them any powers that he had possessed. The Serpent remained in the river and would sometimes swim around in the waters. It gave its powers to the people and gave them songs and the Medicine-men’s ceremony.
FOOTNOTES:
[22] Told by Antelope.
22. THE BOY WHO TURNED INTO A SNAKE.[23]
A long time ago there was a young man in the village who was an idiot. All the boys plagued him except one whose father was a chief and who took a liking for the boy. This chief’s son used to take the boy to his lodge and feed him. One day the poor boy said to his friend: “Let us go on the war-path. Let us go alone, for we can do as well as the warriors.” They started out and went south, crossing the Missouri River. After they had crossed the river they went west. For several days they continued their journey, but as they did not have much to eat they became exhausted and turned back.
When they were going over the prairie they saw something in the distance that looked like a log. They came to it and saw that it was a water-serpent. This water-serpent seemed to have no end. The boys walked one way, then another, until they finally gave up trying to find the end, and there was no way to go around it. The foolish boy said: “I know what I will do. I will make a big fire upon the serpent, so that it will burn up and we can cross over.” This they did. They gathered many dry limbs and placed them upon the serpent, then set it on fire. The serpent burned in two. Before crossing over, the idiot said, “My brother, that meat looks very nice, let us eat it.” “No,” said the other boy, “we must not eat it; the serpent is wonderful.” But the idiot was hungry and took some meat from the serpent and ate. He tried to get the other boy to do the same, but the boy would not eat of it, although he was very hungry. After the idiot had enough of the meat he went across the serpent. The other boy followed.
The boys now traveled down the Missouri River until night overtook them, when they lay down. The next morning the boys woke up. The idiot looked at his feet and he saw that his feet were colored with red and blue stripes. “Look,” said the idiot, “I have colored feet. I will not have to paint my feet when we dance at home. People will like it.” But the other boy did not say anything, for he knew there was something wrong. They went on until they reached another stream of water, where they lay down again and slept. This time, when they woke, the idiot looked at his legs and he found his legs also were colored. He was pleased, for he thought that he would not have to paint when dancing. The next night they lay down, and when they arose in the morning the idiot’s body also was colored. They kept on journeying. The fourth morning the boy found his legs had grown together and had turned into the tail of a snake. The other young man promised to take care of him as long as he could. He carried the boy upon his back to the nearest lake. The idiot now turned into a Snake.
The next morning, the Snake told the boy to place him in the lake; that if the fishes were satisfied to let him remain with them he would let the boy know. The boy put the Snake into the lake. The Snake swam about the lake and there was a great commotion in the water. The fishes in the lake did not seem to like this Snake which had come among them. The Snake came out again, and the boy took it and put it upon his back and carried it to another lake. There was a great noise again in the lake. The Snake came out again, and said: “Carry me to the Missouri River and put me in. That is where I am to stay.” So the boy took the Snake down to the Missouri River and put it into the river. The Snake swam around in the river and came out and said: “My brother, I am to rest in the middle of the Missouri River. Whenever the people cross the Missouri River they must say, ‘My brother, let me step over you.’ They will then always cross over the river without any danger of drowning. If they do not say anything, there will be danger of their getting drowned. Let them also give me presents, throwing them into the river. Now go home and tell my friends to bring me some presents of pounded corn and dried buffalo meat.”
The boy went home and told his friends what had happened. The people brought blankets, tobacco, pounded corn, and dried meat. The boy and some other people went to the river and there they gave presents. The Snake boy received the presents, showing himself, so the people knew that the idiot had turned to a Snake. Every time the men went on the war-path they said: “My brother, we want to step over you. We are upon the war-path. See that none of our young men get lost in the river.” To-day these people say to this river: “Brother, I am about to cross over you. See that I do not drown.” Presents used to be given to the Snake boy by warriors when upon the war-path.
FOOTNOTES:
[23] Told by Yellow-Bear.
23. THE BOY WHO RECEIVED THE MOUSE POWER.[24]
A long time ago, when the Arikara were in a village on the Missouri River, the chiefs notified the people that they were going hunting, and that they were all to get ready to go. So all the people went to their caches and placed there all the things that they did not care to carry with them on the journey. Then they packed their ponies and moved on towards the west.
One of the young men stayed behind and went from one lodge to another and finally stayed over night in the village. The next day he went through the village again, and he heard a woman crying. He went to the place where the crying came from. He looked into the lodge, and there was a woman sitting down crying. This woman had a buffalo robe wrapped around her and her hair was hanging loosely over her shoulders. The young man went in to see who it was. He wanted to know what she was crying about. She said: “I know that you are here, and I cried to bring you here. I have been crying for some time, for when the people left this lodge they took my children with them. I would like very much for you to go after my children. If you will bring my children back, I shall call my people together and they will give you some kind of power that will make you a great warrior.” The young man wanted to know where her people were. The woman said her children were in the sacred buffalo robe; that all he had to do to get the robe was to go to a man who had the robe and ask him to let him see the robe, and upon opening the robe he would see a nest in the robe, and there her children would be.
It was customary among the Arikara to untie the robe when anybody asked that he might see it, so the young man knew that he would have no trouble in finding the children, and he promised the woman that he would have her children back as soon as he could. The young man ran in the direction where the people had gone, and on the second night he came to the camp which they had made. The young man went to his mother’s tipi and told her to give him a little meat; that he was in a hurry; that he could not stop; that he had to go back to the village. The mother gave the young man some meat. He ate and then he went to the tipi of the white buffalo robe. The young man begged the keeper of the white buffalo robe to let him see it. The keeper of the robe took it down and untied it. While the man was untying it the young man was watching for the nest. When he saw the nest the young man began to cry, as if praying to the white Buffalo, but he put his hands upon the robe, and upon the nest, so that the man would not take any notice of it. The young man stopped crying, took the nest with the young ones, put them in his blanket and left the tipi.
The next day, the young man arrived at the village where the woman was. She was still sitting where he had left her. The young man gave the nest over to her. The woman was thankful, and said: “Now you have returned my children. Go now and return in the night.” So the young man left the lodge.
The woman took her nest and went to the edge of the lodge and placed it there. She then turned into a Mouse and nursed her young ones. She went to the different holes of the Mice and Rats, telling them of what the young man had done for her, and asked that they give him power. The largest Rat in the village consented to give the young man power. He told the woman that he would have the Rats and Mice come into the lodge in the night, and that the young man should be there, for they would talk to him. The woman thanked the Rat for what he had said.
In the night the young man went into the lodge, and the woman was there. She told the young man that the priest was to be there that night and that he was to be the one to give him power. So the young man stayed. The woman told him to make a fire, so that he could see what was done. The young man made a fire, and as he took his seat he heard the Rats running around in the lodge. Finally they came, one by one, in the form of human beings, and took their seats around the fireplace. The man who acted as priest stopped, and said: “My son, you have done a kind act to one of my people by bringing her children back. She wants to help you, and I have consented to do this. I am to give you a war-club, and I am to give you power, so that you can turn yourself into a mouse any time that you want to, and when you attack the enemy and when they try to kill you, you shall disappear, so that you will not be afraid of anybody.” The young man was given all these powers. At last the priest arose and called the young man up to him. He took hold of him by the shoulders and drew him to himself. Then the Rat-Man blew his breath upon the sides of the man’s cheeks, and there were formed pictures of Mice. The war-club was given to him, and he was told that he was now powerful and that he could go home. The young man took the club and a little box of medicine they had given to him, and started to go out. When he heard noises in the lodge he turned around, but the people had all disappeared. The woman was standing outside the lodge, and she told the young man that he was now her son, and that he should tell his mother that when they returned home to their lodge, if they should see any mice they should not kill them, for they were the young man’s relatives. The young man started for the camp. He traveled for many days, and at last he reached the camp. He went into the tipi and lay down, and the next morning the people found out that he had come.
This man became a great warrior. He led many parties out to capture ponies, and when he went into the enemy’s camp he turned himself into a Mouse, and when he got to the ponies he would cut the ropes, then drive the ponies out of the camp, and if he was found out he again turned into a Mouse, so that the enemy could not find him. In battles, he was a brave man. He killed many enemies with the club that had been given him. He became so bold that he had his own way about everything in the camp. He had some troubles with some of the men, and killed them. The people grew afraid of him and always let him have his own way. At last he found his equal in another young man, who seemed to have the power of a Bear, and he it was who attacked the Mouse-Man. These two fought until both of them fell down dead, one killed by the other.
FOOTNOTES:
[24] Told by Snowbird.
24. THE BOY AND THE YOUNG HAWKS.[25]
Outside the village there wandered a small boy with his bow and arrows, shooting at small birds and gophers. Day by day he went out looking for game. Once he discovered a hawk’s nest with four eggs in it. He went out there every day, fearing that some one might take the eggs away. Finally the eggs hatched and the boy was much pleased to see the young hawks. He brought insects to the young ones for them to eat. He did this every day, and the birds grew and finally began to try to fly. He wanted to take them home, but he thought he would wait two or three days longer.
When he went out to bring the birds home he saw a man in front of him; so he ran, for fear the man would take his nest. But the man reached to the nest first and the boy cried: “Those are my birds. Do not touch them, for they are mine.” The man answered and told the boy to come in a hurry, and the boy came. When the boy saw the man he was frightened, for the man was a stranger. The man said: “You have pleased me by taking such good care of my sons, and these birds are your brothers.” Furthermore, the man told the boy that he had won much favor and that he would be rewarded, but he told the boy to leave the nest. The boy took some feathers from the young hawks to put on his arrows. He then went home, half believing that he was rewarded.
The boy came to be a good hunter. In the meanwhile he went out on the war-path with some others. When they discovered the enemy, he it was who fought where the arrows were thickest. Thus he became known as a brave.
Some years afterwards he was known far and wide, and even his own people were afraid of him. But finally he turned around and did that which was wrong among his people. Anyone who made any attempt to kill the young man would forget it just as he was ready to. Many a man tried to kill him, but always forgot. He was called “Make-to-Forget.” But one man was capable of killing him, and he did so, because he aroused the people so much by doing wrong deeds.
FOOTNOTES:
[25] Told by Strike-Enemy.
25. THE END OF THE ELK POWER.[26]
There were once four strong young brothers. Only the oldest one was married. He had a wife and child. One day the men went to their traps to lie in wait for eagles. The woman stayed at home, where she was busy preparing a hide for clothing. Toward evening the young men returned home, one by one.
The wife of the eldest brother was missing. They looked all around. There was no sign of the woman. The baby was found on the ground, crying, and the tools which the woman had used were there, but the woman was gone. The men believed that the woman had been taken away captive, and they grieved for her as lost. The baby was hungry and cried so piteously that it brought tears to his father’s and uncles’ eyes. The father tried to comfort him by feeding him deer brain broth, which would quiet him for only a little time. The oldest of the unmarried brothers was so filled with pity for the young one that he cried from eve till morn, trusting that the chief would hearken to his cry and help him and his brothers. He went out to cry near a strip of timber where he had seen an old dry skull of a buck elk. For two nights the young man cried near the skull. On the second night the Elk heard his cry and before sunrise the young man heard a voice saying: “I am well pleased with your earnest manner of pleading for your loss. I will help you. First, I will say that your brother’s wife is alive, but captured by a Bear who has already captured three other women. You may think that the Bear is mightier than I, but that is a mistake, as you will see. Go home with the assurance that I have given you all power that the chief gave me. Tell your brothers to go home at once, and in a day or two come by yourself and I will give you all instructions.”
The brother started home. By the time of his arrival at the village the news of the woman’s disappearance had spread. It caused great sadness and wailing. Pretty-Voice (this was the name of the eldest unmarried brother) stayed one night, then started to where the Elk had spoken to him. All night Pretty-Voice traveled, and by daylight he reached the place. “I am glad that you have come, and I am prepared to carry out my promise,” said the Elk. Sitting down, Pretty-Voice learned the ceremony of the Elks. “Go at once,” said the Elk. “Carry out my instructions in full. When the sun has risen full blow your whistle. No matter where the females are, they will be attracted and come to you. At the end of this strip of timber you will see the rough bluff, and at about the middle you will see a little scattering brush. There is the home of the Bear, and there you will find the woman.” Pretty-Voice went to the end of the timber as he had been directed. As instructed, he whistled, one—two—three times. The women in the Bear’s den heard the whistle and all rushed outside to listen. At the fourth whistle they could not restrain themselves. They rushed toward the sound. They saw a handsome young man standing with his robe wrong side out. Two mid-tail eagle feathers were on his head and a long whistle was in his hand.
Pretty-Voice was surprised to see his brother’s wife and three young women who had been missed for a long time. Pretty-Voice said, “Nawa, we will lose no time, but prepare yourselves to run. Understand we are bound for home.” They started at a fast pace. When they had gone many miles one turned her head and yelled, “He is coming!” and they began to cry. When the Bear came up too close Pretty-Voice ordered the party to stop. The Bear stopped and sat up on his hind legs, heaving heavily. The Bear was first to speak. He said, “Young man, you will live if you let me have my women.” “No, I have captured these women and I claim them. I will not let them go to you. I will defend these women if you are intending to fight,” said Pretty-Voice. “Very well,” said the Bear, “you will begin the fight if you have any faith in yourself.” “That I have,” said Pretty-Voice. Throwing off his robe and other things he made his attack with his bow and arrow. The Bear sat up, not minding the arrows. Pretty-Voice had shot all his arrows and the Bear was still looking at him. “Now,” said the Bear, “I gave you a chance to live, but you gave no heed to my warning. Now you will die.” Pretty-Voice threw himself on the ground and sprang on his feet in the form of a full grown Elk, with antlers like branches of a cottonwood tree. The Bear made a rush and the Elk threw his head down and struck the Bear, picking him up from the earth. The Bear’s claws lacked a little of hitting the Elk’s head. The women stopped wailing when they saw that Pretty-Voice was their savior. “My friend,” said the Bear, “you are true to your faith, and I will admit that you have overcome me and I will say that the women are yours and I beg to be free; but I know that I am going to die.” Pretty-Voice pulled up his head with a quick jerk and set the Bear free. After throwing himself on the ground as before, he sprang up a man. He picked up his clothing and started on.
When he arrived at the village the news of his capture of the women spread. There was great rejoicing and the young women were taken to their homes. Pretty-Voice won great honor. He lived among his people, being received in their homes with great respect. He was not yet a warrior, but knew he would have no difficulty in getting a wife.
As he had received all the powers of an Elk, he thought he would use them. One night he painted himself according to the instructions the Elk had given him. Ille, dum summo tumulo terreno stat, pulchram puellam vidit quam habere volebat. Itaque tibia magica canebat, et brevi tempore puellam habebat. Hoc faciebat dum puellas pulcherrimas omnes, quæ eum vicum incolebant, habuisset. Deinde matrones illicere incepit. This caused bad feeling among the majority of the men, but a few paid no attention to his doings, thinking that nothing could be done to stop him. The Indians held a large council, and in this council they, including his three brothers, planned and agreed to make an attack and kill him. One day he prepared to practice his power. He stood on an earth-lodge. The people began to flock into the lodge he was standing on, with their robes around them to hide their weapons. Pretty-Voice knew what was coming and gave no heed to them, trusting in his power. All at once the men rushed out and began to shoot at him. A few who favored Pretty-Voice called out that they were foolish, as Pretty-Voice had caused no one bodily pain. The shooting went on and on, but Pretty-Voice stood still. Once in a while he shook his robe and threw off the bullets and arrows. At last the men gave up, seeing that nothing could harm the young man.