myths and legends of the sioux-第14部分

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up　a　drove　of　antelope　they　started　in　hot　pursuit；　and　as　their

horses　were　very　fleet　of　foot　soon　caught　up　to　the　drove；

and　each　singling　out　his　choice　quickly　dispatched　him　with　an

arrow。　　They　could　easily　have　killed　more　of　the　antelope；　but　did

not　want　to　kill　them　just　for　sport；　but　for　food；　and　knowing

that　they　had　now　all　that　their　horses　could　pack　home；　they

dismounted　and　proceeded　to　dress　their　kill。



After　each　had　finished　packing　the　kill　on　his　horse；　Chaske　said：

〃Let　us　sit　down　and　have　a　smoke　before　we　start　back。　　Besides；

I　have　something　to　tell　you　which　I　can　tell　better　sitting　still

than　I　can　riding　along。〃　　Hake　came　and　sat　down　opposite　his

friend；　and　while　they　smoked　Chaske　said：



〃My　friend；　we　have　been　together　for　the　last　twenty　years　and　I

have　yet　the　first　time　to　deceive　you　in　any　way；　and　I　know　I　can

truthfully　say　the　same　of　you。　　Never　have　I　known　you　to　deceive

me　nor　tell　me　an　untruth。　　I　have　no　brothers　or　sisters。　　The

only　brother's　love　I　know　is　yours。　　The　only　sister's　love　I　will

know　will　be　Pretty　Feather's；　for　brother；　last　night　she　told　me

she　loved　none　but　you　and　would　marry　you　and　you　only。　　So；

brother；　I　am　going　to　take　my　antelope　to　my　sister…in…law's　tent

and　deposit　it　at　her　door。　　Then　she　will　know　that　her　wish　will

be　fulfilled。　　I　thought　at　first　that　you　had　been　playing　traitor

to　me　and　had　been　making　love　to　her　for　yourself；　but　when　she

explained　it　all　to　me　and　begged　me　to　intercede　for　her　to　you；

I　then　knew　that　I　had　judged　you　wrongfully；　and　that；　together

with　my　lost　love；　made　me　so　quiet　and　sorrowful　last　night。　　So

now；　brother；　take　the　flower　of　the　nation　for　your　wife；　and　I

will　be　content　to　continue　through　life　a　lonely

bachelor；　as　never　again　can　I　give　any　woman　the　place　which

Pretty　Feather　had　in　my　heart。〃



Their　pipes　being　smoked　out　they　mounted　their　ponies　and　Chaske

started　up　in　a　clear；　deep　voice　the　beautiful　love　song　of　Pretty

Feather　and　his　friend　Hake。



Such　is　the　love　between　two　friends；　who　claim　to　be　as　brothers

among　the　Indians。　　Chaske　gave　up　his　love　of　a　beautiful　woman

for　a　man　who　was　in　fact　no　relation　to　him。



Hake　said；　〃I　will　do　as　you　say；　my　friend；　but　before　I　can　marry

the　medicine　man's　daughter；　I　will　have　to　go　on　the　warpath　and

do　some　brave　deed；　and　will　start　in　ten　days。〃　　They　rode　towards

home；　planning　which　direction　they　would　travel；　and　as　it　was　to

be　their　first　experience　on　the　warpath；　they　would　seek　advice

from　the　old　warriors　of　the　tribe。



On　their　arrival　at　the　village　Hake　took　his　kill　to　their　own

tent；　while　Chaske　took　his　to　the　tent　of　the　Medicine　Man；　and

deposited　it　at　the　door　and　rode　off　towards　home。



The　mother　of　Pretty　Feather　did　not　know　whether　to　take　the

offering　or　not；　but　Pretty　Feather；　seeing　by　this　offering　that

her　most　cherished　wish　was　to　be　granted；　told　her　mother　to　take

the　meat　and　cook　it　and　invite　the　old　women　of　the　camp　to　a

feast　in　honor　of　the　son…in…law　who　was　soon　to　keep　them

furnished　with　plenty　of　meat。　　Hake　and　his　friend　sought　out　all

of　the　old　warriors　and　gained　all　the　information　they　desired。　

Every　evening　Hake　visited　his　intended　wife　and　many　happy

evenings　they　spent　together。



The　morning　of　the　tenth　day　the　two　friends　left　the　village　and

turned　their　faces　toward　the　west　where　the　camps　of　the　enemy　are

more　numerous　than　in　any　other　direction。　　They　were　not　mounted

and　therefore　traveled　slowly；　so　it　took　about　ten　days　of　walking

before　they　saw　any　signs　of　the　enemy。　　The　old　warriors　had　told

them　of　a　thickly　wooded　creek　within　the　enemies'　bounds。　　The　old

men　said；　〃That　creek　looks　the　ideal　place　to　camp；　but　don't　camp

there　by　any　means；　because　there　is　a　ghost　who　haunts　that　creek；

and　any　one　who　camps　there　is　disturbed　all　through　the　night；　and

besides　they　never　return；　because　the　ghost　is　Wakan　（holy）；　and

the　enemies　conquer　the　travelers　every　time。〃

The　friends　had　extra　moccasins　with　them　and　one　extra　blanket；　as

it　was　late　in　the　fall　and　the　nights　were　very　cold。



They　broke　camp　early　one　morning　and　walked　all　day。　　Along

towards　evening；　the　clouds　which　had　been　threatening　all　day；

hurriedly　opened　their　doors　and　down　came　the　snowflakes　thick　and

fast。　　Just　before　it　started　snowing　the　friends　had　noticed　a

dark　line　about　two　miles　in　advance　of　them。　　Chaske　spoke　to　his

friend　and　said：　〃If　this　storm　continues　we　will　be　obliged　to

stay　overnight　at　Ghost　Creek；　as　I　noticed　it　not　far　ahead　of　us；

just　before　the　storm　set　in。〃　　〃I　noticed　it　also；〃　said　Hake。　

〃We　might　as　well　entertain　a　ghost　all　night　as　to　lie　out　on

these　open　prairies　and　freeze　to　death。〃　　So　they　decided　to　run

the　risk　and　stay　in　the　sheltering　woods　of　Ghost　Creek。　　When

they　got　to　the　creek　it　seemed　as　if　they　had　stepped　inside　a　big

tepee；　so　thick　was　the　brush　and　timber　that　the　wind　could　not　be


felt　at　all。　　They　hunted　and　found　a　place　where　the　brush　was

very　thick　and　the　grass　very　tall。　　They　quickly　pulled　the　tops

of　the　nearest　willows　together　and　by　intertwining　the　ends　made

them　fast；　and　throwing　their　tent　robe　over　this；　soon　had　a　cosy

tepee　in　which　to　sleep。　　They　started　their　fire　and　cooked　some

dried　buffalo　meat　and　buffalo　tallow；　and　were　just　about　to　eat

their　supper　when　a　figure　of　a　man　came　slowly　in　through　the　door

and　sat　down　near　where　he　had　entered。　　Hake；　being　the　one　who

was　doing　the　cooking；　poured　out　some　tea　into　his　own　cup；　and

putting　a　piece　of　pounded　meat　and　marrow　into　a　small　plate；

placed　it　before　the　stranger；　saying：　〃Eat；　my　friend；　we　are　on

the　warpath　and　do　not　carry　much　of　a　variety　of　food　with　us；　but

I　give　you　the　best　we　have。〃



The　stranger　drew　the　plate　towards　him；　and　commenced　eating

ravenously。　　He　soon　finished　his　meal　and　handed　the　dish　and　cup

back。　　He　had　not　uttered　a　word　so　far。　　Chaske　filled　the　pipe

and　handed　it　to　him。　　He　smoked　for　a　few　minutes；　took　one　last

draw　from　the　pipe　and　handed　it　back　to　Chaske；　and　then　he　said：

〃Now；　my　friends；　I　am　not　a　living　man；　but　the　wandering　spirit

of　a　once　great　warrior；　who　was　killed　in　these　woods　by　the　enemy

whom　you　two　brave　young　men　are　now　seeking　to　make　war　upon。　　For

years　I　have　been　roaming　these　woods　in　hopes　that　I　might　find

some　one　brave　enough　to　stop　and　listen　to　me；　but　all　who　have

camped　here　in　the　past　have　run　away　at　my　approach　or　fired　guns

or　shot　arrows　at　me。　　For　such　cowards　as　these　I　have　always

found　a　grave。　　They　never　returned　to　their　homes。　　Now　I　have

found　two　brave　men　whom　I　can　tell　what　I　want　done；　and　if　you

accomplish　what　I　tell　you　to　do；　you　will　return　home　with　many

horses　and　some　scalps　dangling　from　your　belts。　　Just　over　this

range　of　hills　north　of　us；　a　large　village　is　encamped　for　the

winter。　　In　that　camp　is　the　man　who　laid　in　ambush　and　shot　me；

killing　me　before　I　could　get　a　chance　to　defend　myself。　　I　want

that　man's　scalp；　because　he　has　been　the　cause　of　my　wanderings

for　a　great　many　years。　　Had　he　killed　me　on　the　battlefield　my

spirit　would　have　at　once　joined　my　brothers　in　the　happy　hunting

grounds；　but　being　killed　by　a　coward；　my　spirit　is　doomed　to　roam

until　I　can　find　some　brave　man　who　will　kill　this　coward　and　bring

me　his　scalp。　　This　is　why　I　have　tried　every　party　who　have　camped

here　to　listen　to　me；　but　as　I　have　said　before；　they　were　all

cowards。　　Now；　I　ask　you　two　brave　young　men；　will　you　do　this　for

me？〃



〃We　will；〃　said　the　friends　in　one　voice。　　〃Thank　you；　my　boys。　

Now；　I　know　why　you　came　here；　and　that　one　of　you　came　to　earn　his

feathers　by　killing　an　enemy；　before　he　would　marry；　the　girl　he　is

to　marry　is　my　granddaughter；　as　I　am　the　father　of　the

great　Medicine　Man。　　In　the　morning　there　will　pass　by　in　plain

sight　of　here　a　large　party。　　They　will　chase　the　buffalo　over　on

that　flat。　　After　they　have　passed　an　old　man　leading　a　black　horse

and　riding　a　white　one　will　come　by　on　the　trail　left　by　the

hunting　party。　　He　will　be　driving　about　a　hundred　horses；　which　he

will　leave　over　in　the　next　ravine。　　He　will　then　proceed　to　the

hunting　grounds　and　get　meat　from　the　different　hunters。　　After　the

hunters　have　all　gone　home　he　will　come　last；　singing　the　praises

of　the　ones　who　gave　him　the　meat。　　This　man　you　must　kill　and

scalp；　as　he　is　the　one　I　want　killed。　　Then　take　the　white　and

black　horse　and　each　mount　and　go　to　the　hunting　grounds。　　There

you　will　see　two　of　the　enemy　riding　about　picking　up　empty　shells。　

Kill　and　scalp　these　two　and　each　take　a　scalp　and　come　over　to　the

high　knoll　and　I　will　show　you　where　the　horses　are；　and　as　soon　as

you　hand　me　the　old　man's　scalp　I　will　disappear　and　you　will　see

me　no　more。　　As　soon　as　I　disappear；　it　will　start　in　snowing。　

Don't　be　afraid　as　the　snow　will　cover　your　trail；　but

nevertheless；　don't　stop　traveling　for　three　days　and　nights；　as

these　people　will　suspect　that　some　of　your　tribe　have　done　this；

and　they　will　follow　you　until　you　cross　your　own　boundary　lines。〃



When　morning　came；　the　two　friends　sat　in　the　thick　brush　and

watched　a　large　party　pass　by　their　hiding　place。　　So　near　were

they　that　the　friends　could　hear　them　laughing　and　talking。　　After

the　hunting　party　had　passed；　as　the　spirit　had　told　them；　along

came　the　old　man；　driving　a　large　band　of　horses　and　leading　a　fine

looking　coal　black　horse。　　The　horse　the　old　man　was　riding　was　as

white　as　snow。　　The　friends　crawled　to　a　little　brush　covered　hill

and　watched　the　chase　after　the　shooting　had　ceased。　　The　friends

knew　it　would　not　be　long　before　the　return　of　the　party；　so　they

crawled　back　to　their　camp　and　hurriedly　ate　some　pounded　meat　and

drank　some