George A. Dorsey

“ Old man with great reputation as medicine-man goes with people to meet hunting party. He sits on hill waiting for dried meat to offer sacrifice to gods, but no one presents any. Last young man gives him dried buffalo tongue, but old man sits with head down. Feasts and councils are held, but old man absent. They go in search of him and he tells them it is too late. His legs have turned to stone and next day he is a rock in form of man. ”

“ When the Coyote ate the roast meat that was cooked he would think of his hungry children far away. At last he decided to steal the windpipe that contained the young men and to take it far away into his country, so that he could call the buffalo and have the young men to kill them. He said to himself: “If I find the enemy’s camp I will attack them. I will turn that windpipe upside down and those brothers will come out, and they will fight for me. The people will think that I am a wonderful man.” One day the Coyote asked the girl if her seven brothers in the windpipe were the only ones there. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Idiot boy and son of chief go on war-path. They have to return through want of food, and come to water-serpent. It is so big they can not get around it, and idiot proposes to burn it. Serpent burns in two. Idiot eats of serpent meat and his body gradually becomes colored red and blue. By fourth day his legs are grown together and become snake’s tail. Other boy carries him to lake, where fishes object to him, and finally they come to the Missouri River. He rests in middle of river and people by giving him presents cross over without danger of drowning. ”

“ Young man goes to village at night and finds people are Buffalo. They are talking about killing people. He finds human head and meat. Hears people are to be got out of ground and killed. Near by sees hole cut in side of hill where bulls circle around and drive people into cut. He sees people running to cut from out of ground. He goes among hills. Strange man gives him bow and arrows and tells him to take young man with bows and arrows to kill and scatter Buffalo. They go to place and attack Buffalo and kill and scatter them, so that they become buffalo and never eat people any more. ”

“ People go on buffalo hunt, leaving old people in village. Enemy come and people retreat to lodges. Old man puts on medicine and costumes and, gourd in hand, goes to top of lodge and sings sacred songs. Enemy see him and are much afraid, as he has power to mesmerize. They all run with old man after them. One of enemy’s bravest men captured and tied to wooden cross outside of village. Man dies, loses his flesh, and only bones left. When young men playing near cross, bones fall and run toward village and into medicine-lodge. Man is found under blankets on altar. ”

“ COYOTE AND THE MICE SUN DANCE.
Coyote hears noise of dancing in elk skull. Mice run away, but finally they agree to let Coyote see dancing. He puts his head through skull and Mice run away. Coyote’s head fast in skull and as Mice do not help him he goes away with skull on his head. He goes to water and people on other side think he is wonderful animal and are scared. Coyote promises they shall all live if they give him chief’s daughter. They agree and Coyote swims across. They make tipi and he stays with girl all night. Boy sees that it is Coyote and people break skull and catch Coyote. ”

“ When you play, the sticks which you ring are the enemy, whom you conquer. The ring is the Buffalo. The people will become very jealous of their hunting-ground. You will be at war with other people in the country.” These sticks were placed in the priests’ lodge, so that when a bundle ceremony was given the sticks were placed before the people. The sticks were people. Two sets of people who became jealous of the Buffalo then fought. The ones who caught the ring were conquerors. The man went home and lived a long life. The Buffalo calf started the Buffalo ceremony among the people. ”

“ They did not believe the poor boy would go. But he did go out, and dragged the Scalped-Man to the entrance of the tipi. Old and young men crawled out and ran away. The poor boy laughed at them for being afraid of a dead man. The leader was the only one who stayed. The Scalped-Man told the leader not to be afraid; that they would give them success, so that they might take revenge on the people who had killed them. So the men came into the tipi, but not till the poor boy had taken the dead man out. ”

“ Man, painted red, comes and says he is going to be his son and asks for his tongue. Young man cuts off his tongue and gives it to man and then falls dead. Moon sees him and goes and touches his feet. Young man sits up and Moon tells him man to whom he had given tongue is Sun. Moon makes him his own son and warns him that when Sun offers him choice of weapons he is to take old ones. Sun takes him to sky in morning and cries because No-Tongue takes best things, as these give boy life. Sun asks No-Tongue to send him white buffalo robe. ”

“ Man faints and afterwards dies. He sees path leading east. There is inclosure with little hole through which he goes and is in dead man’s country. Man tells him not to go into village and directs him to lodge of dead people, which he is not to enter. He sees many people in lodge, and black drums. Men are painted red. Seven men stand out. Drummers sing in low voice. Dancers have dried willow sticks, as representatives of their living relatives, whom they call to them. Man is told to go to his country, and wakes up. ”

“ When the Sun saw that No-Tongue took the best things—the oldest ones—he came out from his lodge crying, because this would give No-Tongue a long life, and would also make him become great, and this was what the Sun did not want of No-Tongue. ”

“ Girl taken up to heavens by star digs turnip and sees people on earth. Old woman makes sinew rope and lets her and child down through hole, but rope too short. Husband kills her with stone, but boy safe. He goes to cornfield and is caught by old woman, who takes him home. He shoots huge serpent behind curtain, who was woman’s husband. She plans for bear to kill him, but he captures bear. Boy finds tipi with four strong men playing dice game. He shoots through hole and cleans man’s nose with arrow. He goes with them to hunt and they annoy him with elk’s fœtus. ”

“ Young man out hunting dreams of two buffalo bulls turning into sticks and of buffalo cow turning into ring. In morning he sees cow and lies with her. Finds ring in grass and wears it on his wrist. He makes sticks and plays game with young men, winning many things. Goes hunting and sees old woman, who induces him to carry her across river on his back. He can not throw her off and he goes home with her fast to his back. Medicine-men are sent for, but they can do nothing. Poor boy puts on old robe and goes to young man’s lodge with bow and four arrows of different colors. ”

“ My spirit is up to all the gods. My flesh is good to eat, and the grease of my body is curative for sores. Let the people in all their ceremonies kill me and offer my flesh to the different gods in the heavens. ”

“ Birds of every description tried to make a way for the people, but their power failed them. The birds faced the ice and water, but with no result. Up in the heavens was seen a bird that circled around until finally it flew downward and struck the waters, and it broke the ice. As it came towards the people, the bird said: “Mother-Corn, I shall make a way for your people. They shall cross this big lake and they shall continue the journey.” ”

“ Fog rises from lake one day and boy sees monster with two heads crawling out of lake. Storm comes from west and Thunderbirds return, making lightning, which strikes serpent. Lightning throws it back, but it again crawls up. Monster opens its mouth to swallow boy. He shoots black arrow into its mouth. Monster falls and bursts open. Other head comes and boy shoots red arrow into its mouth and head broken in pieces. Thunderbirds come with all kinds of birds, which feast upon serpent. They give boy power as objects which he swallows. Boy chief of all birds and kills all bad animals. ”

“ Among the Arikara lived a young man who was gifted with powers from the gods in the Heavens—the four-world-quarter gods who give all power. The boy’s parents were very poor, so that he would go about and kill so many antelope that people called him “Antelope-Carrier.” When he went hunting he killed many deer. It made no difference how far away the animal was, he killed whatever animal he shot at. People wondered where the boy got his power. The boy got his power from the timber. The Wood-Rats had taken the boy and had given him bow and arrows. ”

“ There was a young man in a village who wanted to be great. In olden times the chief thing among the people was to be a great warrior. The young men in those times used to go out among the hills, and then find a place to stand and mourn. ”

“ The old chief was much pleased to have Rabbit-Boy for a son-in-law, for now he would have scalps hanging on top of his tipi. The people got together one day and said they wanted to go on the war-path. The young man joined them. They went to his own country. The young man put his people at a certain place, while he himself went near to the village and found women who were working in their corn patches. There he found one woman whom the Arikara had captured from the people of his wife’s tribe. Rabbit-Boy killed this woman, took her scalp, and took it back to the people of her tribe. ”

“ Mother-Corn is pleased to have smoke with people and starts from east to visit them. She goes into medicine-lodge. She stays many days and teaches them many lessons, but people are hungry for meat. Mother-Corn asks woman to make moccasins for her. She puts on moccasins and they wear out when she walks slowly twenty steps. This takes place four times, but fourth pair brings her back to altar. Her walk means that she has walked long way off in west, and way very hard. She tells people she has seen buffalo and that they will be seen in four days. ”

“ Grandmother brings them to life again and tells them to fly all over the world. She tells boy to throw wood into pond and next morning finds black bow and four black arrows. Boy sees big serpent behind curtain and kills it with bow and arrow and serpent slips into pond. Serpent is grandmother’s husband. Next day old woman tells boy not to go to dangerous place. He goes and sees mountain-lion, which obeys him. He leads lion to old woman’s lodge. The same occurs with a cinnamon bear. Boy sees four wonderful men killing buffalo. They frighten him with fœtus of calf. ”

“ MEDICINE DANCE OF THE BEAVER, TURTLE, AND WITCH-WOMAN.
Animals meet for sleight-of-hand performances. Only Beaver, soft-shell Turtle, and Witch-Woman are to perform. Beaver gnaws nearly through three of lodge posts and people ask him to stop, as they think lodge will fall. Turtle sticks knife near left collar-bone and water pours out all over lodge. People are afraid and Turtle takes all water back again. Witch-Woman plays with gun, but calls for help and gives birth to child, who is to be great medicine-man. ”

“ The owner of the field was an old woman. She saw the footprints in her field. She wondered what it could be. She made a little ball and a crooked stick, also a little bow and arrows. She thought if it was a girl she would take the ball and crooked stick, but if it was a boy he would take the bow and arrows. When the old woman looked she found the little fellow had taken the bow and arrows.
The old woman was very joyful. The little fellow had done much damage to her squash vines with his bow and arrows. She went out and hid in the field, waiting for the little fellow. ”

“ Wolf has taught him secret powers and when he comes to ravine he rolls on the ground and becomes wolf. He barks and friend brings him burnt bones, which he gnaws. Next day he tells friend enemy’s camp is near. He drives in ponies. When enemy is attacked Village-Boy is in lead and takes scalp. He gives scalp to leader and returns ahead of war-party, but says nothing. Leader gives all credit to Village-Boy. Scalp-dance held. Young man’s sisters dance without fear of ridicule. He goes east with warriors and takes head of medicine-man of Dumb People. ”

“ They make trap and place buffalo meat inside inclosure. Wolves are run into trap and four strong men with rawhide leggings are put in. Other Wolves are let out, but Wolf man caught. They tie him, put him into sweat-lodge, and make him vomit. Wolf man recovers and has tipi made. Seven girls who had put boy into hole are invited. Man goes and calls for Wolves and Bears. They come, and he places them about tipi. He tells girls, who try to escape, but Wolves eat them. Father tells people boy’s story and girls’ relatives do not offer to save them. Young man finally becomes chief. ”

“ In nursing boy’s mouth shows froth and he makes noise like young bear. In Bear dances boy wears robe of bear hide. When three years old, White-Bear falls on knife, cutting belly so that intestines come out. Father restores them to place and bandages child. In few days child is much better and bear robe is put on its back. Child cannot straighten out and makes noise like cat. As he grows up he acts like Bear. In Bear ceremonies sleight-of-hand ceremonies are performed by him. In medicine-lodge he has visions of bear. When no more Bear dances he does not show ways of bear. ”

“ Many people in cave under ground with Corn, Mother of tribe. Mother-Corn sends four birds to find better world, but they are unsuccessful. Long-nosed Mouse, or Mole, Skunk, and Badger work, and at last Badger goes through hole, but falls asleep. Returns in morning and Mother-Corn forces her way through hole followed by all people. They march westward. They come to wide water, thick forest, deep ravine in succession, which Fish, Owl, and Kingfisher help them to cross. They see Buffalo on open prairie and are afraid, but Mole, Skunk, and Badger make holes all around animal. ”

“ 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. ”