the soul of the indian-第8部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



appear　at　the　time　set；　the　sheriff　dispatched　the　Indian　police

after　him。　They　did　not　find　him；　and　his　wife　simply　said

that　Crow　Dog　had　desired　to　ride　alone　to　the　prison；　and　would

reach　there　on　the　day　appointed。　　All　doubt　was　removed　next　day

by　a　telegram　from　Rapid　City；　two　hundred　miles　distant；　saying：

〃Crow　Dog　has　just　reported　here。〃



The　incident　drew　public　attention　to　the　Indian　murderer；

with　the　unexpected　result　that　the　case　was　reopened；　and　Crow　Dog

acquitted。　　He　still　lives；　a　well…preserved　man　of　about

seventy…five　years；　and　is　much　respected　among　his　own　people。



It　is　said　that；　in　the　very　early　days；　lying　was　a

capital　offense　among　us。　　Believing　that　the　deliberate　liar　is

capable　of　committing　any　crime　behind　the　screen　of　cowardly

untruth　and　double…dealing；　the　destroyer　of　mutual　confidence　was

summarily　put　to　death；　that　the　evil　might　go　no　further。



Even　the　worst　enemies　of　the　Indian；　those　who　accuse　him　of

treachery；　blood…thirstiness；　cruelty；　and　lust；　have　not　denied

his　courage；　but　in　their　minds　it　is　a　courage　that　is　ignorant；

brutal；　and　fantastic。　　His　own　conception　of　bravery　makes　of　it

a　high　moral　virtue；　for　to　him　it　consists　not　so　much　in

aggressive　self…assertion　as　in　absolute　self…control。　　The

truly　brave　man；　we　contend；　yields　neither　to　fear　nor　anger；

desire　nor　agony；　he　is　at　all　times　master　of　himself；　his　courage

rises　to　the　heights　of　chivalry；　patriotism；　and　real　heroism。



〃Let　neither　cold；　hunger；　nor　pain；　nor　the　fear　of　them；

neither　the　bristling　teeth　of　danger　nor　the　very　jaws　of　death

itself；　prevent　you　from　doing　a　good　deed；〃　said　an　old　chief　to

a　scout　who　was　about　to　seek　the　buffalo　in　midwinter　for　the

relief　of　a　starving　people。　　This　was　his　childlike　conception　of

courage。











V



THE　UNWRITTEN　SCRIPTURES



A　Living　Book。　　The　Sioux　Story　of　Creation。　　The

First　Battle。　　Another　Version　of　the　Flood。

Our　Animal　Ancestry。



A　missionary　once　undertook　to　instruct　a　group　of　Indians　in　the

truths　of　his　holy　religion。　　He　told　them　of　the　creation　of　the

earth　in　six　days；　and　of　the　fall　of　our　first　parents　by　eating

an　apple。



The　courteous　savages　listened　attentively；　and；　after

thanking　him；　one　related　in　his　turn　a　very　ancient　tradition

concerning　the　origin　of　the　maize。　　But　the　missionary

plainly　showed　his　disgust　and　disbelief；　indignantly　saying：

〃What　I　delivered　to　you　were　sacred　truths；　but　this　that　you　tell

me　is　mere　fable　and　falsehood！〃



〃My　brother；〃　gravely　replied　the　offended　Indian；　〃it　seems

that　you　have　not　been　well　grounded　in　the　rules　of　civility。　　You

saw　that　we；　who　practice　these　rules；　believed　your　stories；　why；

then；　do　you　refuse　to　credit　ours？〃



Every　religion　has　its　Holy　Book；　and　ours　was　a　mingling　of

history；　poetry；　and　prophecy；　of　precept　and　folk…lore；　even　such

as　the　modern　reader　finds　within　the　covers　of　his　Bible。　　This

Bible　of　ours　was　our　whole　literature；　a　living　Book；

sowed　as　precious　seed　by　our　wisest　sages；　and　springing　anew　in

the　wondering　eyes　and　upon　the　innocent　lips　of　little　children。　

Upon　its　hoary　wisdom　of　proverb　and　fable；　its　mystic　and

legendary　lore　thus　sacredly　preserved　and　transmitted　from　father

to　son；　was　based　in　large　part　our　customs　and　philosophy。



Naturally　magnanimous　and　open…minded；　the　red　man　prefers　to

believe　that　the　Spirit　of　God　is　not　breathed　into　man　alone；　but

that　the　whole　created　universe　is　a　sharer　in　the　immortal

perfection　of　its　Maker。　　His　imaginative　and　poetic　mind；　like

that　of　the　Greek；　assigns　to　every　mountain；　tree；　and

spring　its　spirit；　nymph；　or　divinity　either　beneficent　or

mischievous。　　The　heroes　and　demigods　of　Indian　tradition　reflect

the　characteristic　trend　of　his　thought；　and　his　attribution　of

personality　and　will　to　the　elements；　the　sun　and　stars；　and　all

animate　or　inanimate　nature。



In　the　Sioux　story　of　creation；　the　great　Mysterious　One　is

not　brought　directly　upon　the　scene　or　conceived　in　anthropomorphic

fashion；　but　remains　sublimely　in　the　background。　　The　Sun　and　the

Earth；　representing　the　male　and　female　principles；　are　the　main

elements　in　his　creation；　the　other　planets　being　subsidiary。

The　enkindling　warmth　of　the　Sun　entered　into　the　bosom

of　our　mother；　the　Earth；　and　forthwith　she　conceived　and

brought　forth　life；　both　vegetable　and　animal。



Finally　there　appeared　mysteriously　Ish…na…e…cha…ge；　the

〃First…Born；〃　a　being　in　the　likeness　of　man；　yet　more　than　man；

who　roamed　solitary　among　the　animal　people　and　understood　their

ways　and　their　language。　　They　beheld　him　with　wonder　and　awe；　for

they　could　do　nothing　without　his　knowledge。　　He　had　pitched　his

tent　in　the　centre　of　the　land；　and　there　was　no　spot　impossible

for　him　to　penetrate。



At　last；　like　Adam；　the　〃First…Born〃　of　the　Sioux　became　weary

of　living　alone；　and　formed　for　himself　a　companionnot　a　mate；

but　a　brothernot　out　of　a　rib　from　his　side；　but　from　a　splinter

which　he　drew　from　his　great　toe！　　This　was　the　Little　Boy　Man；　who

was　not　created　full…grown；　but　as　an　innocent　child；　trusting　and

helpless。　　His　Elder　Brother　was　his　teacher　throughout　every　stage

of　human　progress　from　infancy　to　manhood；　and　it　is　to　the　rules

which　he　laid　down；　and　his　counsels　to　the　Little　Boy　Man；　that　we

trace　many　of　our　most　deep…rooted　beliefs　and　most　sacred　customs。



Foremost　among　the　animal　people　was　Unk…to…mee；　the　Spider；

the　original　trouble…maker；　who　noted　keenly　the　growth　of　the　boy

in　wit　and　ingenuity；　and　presently　advised　the　animals　to　make　an

end　of　him；　〃for；〃　said　he；　〃if　you　do　not；　some　day　he　will　be　the

master　of　us　all！〃　　But　they　all　loved　the　Little　Boy　Man　because

he　was　so　friendly　and　so　playful。　　Only　the　monsters　of　the　deep

sea　listened；　and　presently　took　his　life；　hiding　his　body　in　the

bottom　of　the　sea。　　Nevertheless；　by　the　magic　power　of　the

First…Born；　the　body　was　recovered　and　was　given　life　again　in　the

sacred　vapor…bath；　as　described　in　a　former　chapter。



Once　more　our　first　ancestor　roamed　happily　among　the　animal

people；　who　were　in　those　days　a　powerful　nation。　　He　learned　their

ways　and　their　languagefor　they　had　a　common　tongue　in　those

days；　learned　to　sing　like　the　birds；　to　swim　like　the　fishes；　and

to　climb　sure…footed　over　rocks　like　the　mountain　sheep。　

Notwithstanding　that　he　was　their　good　comrade　and　did　them　no

harm；　Unk…to…mee　once　more　sowed　dissension　among　the　animals；　and

messages　were　sent　into　all　quarters　of　the　earth；　sea；　and　air；

that　all　the　tribes　might　unite　to　declare　war　upon　the　solitary

man　who　was　destined　to　become　their　master。



After　a　time　the　young　man　discovered　the　plot；　and　came　home

very　sorrowful。　　He　loved　his　animal　friends；　and　was　grieved　that

they　should　combine　against　him。　　Besides；　he　was　naked　and

unarmed。　　But　his　Elder　Brother　armed　him　with　a　bow　and

flint…headed　arrows；　a　stone　war…club　and　a　spear。　　He　likewise

tossed　a　pebble　four　times　into　the　air；　and　each　time　it　became　a

cliff　or　wall　of　rock　about　the　teepee。



〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　time　to　fight　and　to　assert　your

supremacy；　for　it　is　they　who　have　brought　the　trouble　upon　you；

and　not　you　upon　them！〃



Night　and　day　the　Little　Boy　Man　remained　upon　the　watch　for

his　enemies　from　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　at　last　he　beheld　the

prairies　black　with　buffalo　herds；　and　the　elk　gathering　upon　the

edges　of　the　forest。　　Bears　and　wolves　were　closing　in　from　all

directions；　and　now　from　the　sky　the　Thunder　gave　his　fearful

war…whoop；　answered　by　the　wolf's　long　howl。



The　badgers　and　other　burrowers　began　at　once　to　undermine　his

rocky　fortress；　while　the　climbers　undertook　to　scale　its

perpendicular　walls。



Then　for　the　first　time　on　earth　the　bow　was　strung；　and

hundreds　of　flint…headed　arrows　found　their　mark　in　the

bodies　of　the　animals；　while　each　time　that　the　Boy　Man　swung　his

stone　war…club；　his　enemies　fell　in　countless　numbers。



Finally　the　insects；　the　little　people　of　the　air；　attacked

him　in　a　body；　filling　his　eyes　and　ears；　and　tormenting　him　with

their　poisoned　spears；　so　that　he　was　in　despair。　　He　called　for

help　upon　his　Elder　Brother；　who　ordered　him　to　strike　the　rocks

with　his　stone　war…club。　　As　soon　as　he　had　done　so；　sparks　of　fire

flew　upon　the　dry　grass　of　the　prairie　and　it　burst　into　flame。

A　mighty　smoke　ascended；　which　drove　away　the　teasing　swarms　of

the　insect　people；　while　the　flames　terrified　and　scattered

the　others。



This　was　the　first　dividing　of　the　trail　between　man　and　the

animal　people；　and　when　the　animals　had　sued　for　peace；　the　treaty

provided　that　they　must　ever　after　furnish　man　with　flesh　for　his

food　and　skins　for　clothing；　though　not　without　effort　and　danger

on　his　part。　　The　little　insects　refused　to　make　any　concession；

and　have　ever　since　been　the　tormentors　of　man；　however；　the　birds

of　the　air　declared　that　they　would　punish　them　for　their

obstinacy；　and　this　they　continue　to　do　unto　this　day。



Our　people　have　always　claimed　that　the　stone　arrows

which　are　found　so　generally　throughout　the　country　are　the　ones

that　the　first　man　used　in　his　battle　with　the　animals。　　It　is　not

recorded　in　our　traditions；　much　less　is　it　within　the　memory　of

our　old　men；　that　we　have　ever　made　or　used　similar　arrow…heads。　

Some　have　tried　to　make　use　of　them　for　shooting　fish　under　water；

but　with　little　success；　and　they　are　absolutely　useless　with　the

Indian　bow　which　was　in　use　when　America　was　discovered。　　It　is

possible　that　they　were　made　by　some　pre…historic　race　who　used

much　longer　and　stronger　bows；　and　who　were　workers　in　stone；　which

our　people　were　not。　　Their　stone　implements　were　merely

natural　boulders　or　flint　chips；　fitted　with　handles　of　raw…hid