myths and legends of the sioux-第22部分

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feathers　inside；　and　getting　water；　she　sprinkled　the　stones；　and

this　caused　a　thick　vapor　in　the　wickieup。　　She　continued　this　for

a　long　time；　when　she　heard　something　moving　inside　the　wickieup。　

Then　a　voice　spoke　up；　saying：　〃Whoever　you　are；　pour　some　more

water　on　and　I　will　be　all　right。〃　　So　the　woman　got　more　water　and

poured　it　on　the　rocks。　　〃That　will　do　now；　I　want　to　dry　off。〃　

She　plucked　a　pile　of　sage　and　in　handing　it　in　to　him；　he

recognized　his　elk　wife's　hand。



They　went　back　home　and　shortly　after　the　buffalo；　hearing　about

him　coming　back　to　life；　decided　to　make　war　on　him　and　kill　him

and　his　wife；　she　being　the　one　who　brought　him　back　to　life。　　The

woman；　hearing　of　this；　had　posts　set　in　the　ground　and　a　strong

platform　placed　on　top。　　When　the　buffalo　came；　her　husband；　her

son　and　herself；　were　seated　upon　the　bough　platform；　and　the

buffalo　could　not　reach　them。　　She　flouted　her　red　blanket　in　their

faces；　which　made　the　buffalo　wild　with　rage。　　The　hunter's　friends

came　to　his　rescue；　and　so　fast　were　they　killing　the　buffalo　that

they　took　flight　and　rushed　away；　never　more　to　bother　Pretty

Feather　Forehead。













THE　FOUR　BROTHERS

OR

INYANHOKSILA　（STONE　BOY）



Alone　and　apart　from　their　tribe　dwelt　four　orphan　brothers。　　They

had　erected　a　very　comfortable　hut；　although　the　materials　used

were　only　willows；　hay；　birch　bark；　and　adobe　mud。　　After　the

completion　of　their　hut；　the　oldest　brother　laid　out　the　different

kinds　of　work　to　be　done　by　the　four　of　them。　　He　and　the　second

and　third　brothers　were　to　do　all　the　hunting；　and　the　youngest

brother　was　to　do　the　house　work；　cook　the　meals；　and　keep　plenty

of　wood　on　hand　at　all　times。



As　his　older　brothers　would　leave　for　their　hunting　very　early

every　morning；　and　would　not　return　till　late　at　night；　the　little

fellow　always　found　plenty　of　spare　time　to　gather　into　little

piles　fine　dry　wood　for　their　winter　use。



Thus　the　four　brothers　lived　happily　for　a　long　time。　　One　day

while　out　gathering　and　piling　up　wood；　the　boy　heard　a　rustling　in

the　leaves　and　looking　around　he　saw　a　young　woman　standing　in　the

cherry　bushes；　smiling　at　him。



〃Who　are　you；　and　where　did　you　come　from？〃　asked　the　boy；　in

surprise。　　〃I　am　an　orphan　girl　and　have　no　relatives　living。　　I

came　from　the　village　west　of　here。　　I　learned　from　rabbit　that

there　were　four　orphan　brothers　living　here　all　alone；　and　that　the

youngest　was　keeping　house　for　his　older　brothers；　so　I　thought　I

would　come　over　and　see　if　I　couldn't　have　them　adopt　me　as　their

sister；　so　that　I　might　keep　house　for　them；　as　I　am　very　poor　and

have　no　relations；　neither　have　I　a　home。〃



She　looked　so　pitiful　and　sad　that　the　boy　thought　to　himself；　〃I

will　take　her　home　with　me；　poor　girl；　no　matter　what　my　brothers

think　or　say。〃　　Then　he　said　to　her：　〃Come　on；　tanke　（sister）。　　You

may　go　home　with　me；　I　am　sure　my　older　brothers　will　be　glad　to

have　you　for　our　sister。〃



When　they　arrived　at　the　hut；　the　girl　hustled　about　and　cooked　up

a　fine　hot　supper；　and　when　the　brothers　returned　they　were

surprised　to　see　a　girl　sitting　by　the　fire　in　their　hut。　　After

they　had　entered　the　youngest　brother　got　up　and　walked　outside；

and　a　short　time　after　the　oldest　brother　followed　him

out。　　〃Who　is　that　girl；　and　where　did　she　come　from？〃　he　asked　his

brother。　　Whereupon　the　brother　told　him　the　whole　story。　　Upon

hearing　this　the　oldest　brother　felt　very　sorry　for　the　poor　orphan

girl　and　going　back　into　the　hut　he　spoke　to　the　girl；　saying：

〃Sister；　you　are　an　orphan；　the　same　as　we；　you　have　no　relatives；

no　home。　　We　will　be　your　brothers；　and　our　poor　hut　shall　be　your

home。　　Henceforth　call　us　brothers；　and　you　will　be　our　sister。〃



〃Oh；　how　happy　I　am　now　that　you　take　me　as　your　sister。　　I　will　be

to　you　all　as　though　we　were　of　the　same　father　and　mother；〃　said

the　girl。　　And　true　to　her　word；　she　looked　after　everything　of　her

brothers　and　kept　the　house　in　such　fine　shape　that　the　brothers

blessed　the　day　that　she　came　to　their　poor　little　hut。　　She　always

had　an　extra　buckskin　suit　and　two　pairs　of　moccasins　hanging　at

the　head　of　each　one's　bed。　　Buffalo；　deer；　antelope；　bear；　wolf；

wildcat；　mountain　lion　and　beaver　skins　she　tanned　by　the　dozen；

and　piled　nicely　in　one　corner　of　the　hut。



When　the　Indians　have　walked　a　great　distance　and　are　very　tired；

they　have　great　faith　in　painting　their　feet；　claiming　that　paint

eases　the　pain　and　rests　their　feet。



After　their　return　from　a　long　day's　journey；　when　they　would　be

lying　down　resting；　the　sister　would　get　her　paint　and　mix　it　with

the　deer　tallow　and　rub　the　paint　on　her　brother's　feet；　painting

them　up　to　their　ankles。　　The　gentle　touch　of　her　hands；　and　the

soothing　qualities　of　the　tallow　and　paint　soon　put　them　into　a

deep；　dreamless　steep。



Many　such　kind　actions　on　her　part　won　the　hearts　of　the　brothers；

and　never　was　a　full　blood　sister　loved　more　than　was　this　poor

orphan　girl；　who　had　been　taken　as　their　adopted　sister。　　In　the

morning　when　they　arose；　the　sister　always　combed　their　long　black

silken　scalp　locks　and　painted　the　circle　around　the　scalp　lock　a

bright　vermillion。



When　the　hunters　would　return　with　a　goodly　supply　of　beef；　the

sister　would　hurry　and　relieve　them　of　their　packs；　hanging　each

one　high　enough　from　the　ground　so　the　prowling　dogs　and　coyotes

could　not　reach　them。　　The　hunters　each　had　a　post　on　which　to　hang

his　bow　and　flint　head　arrows。　　（Good　hunters　never　laid　their

arrows　on　the　ground；　as　it　was　considered　unlucky　to　the　hunter

who　let　his　arrows　touch　the　earth　after　they　had　been　out

of　the　quiver）。　　They　were　all　perfectly　happy；　until　one　day　the

older　brother　surprised　them　all　by　saying：　〃We　have　a　plentiful

supply　of　meat　on　hand　at　present　to　last　us　for　a　week　or　so。　　I

am　going　for　a　visit　to　the　village　west　of　us；　so　you　boys　all

stay　at　home　and　help　sister。　　Also　gather　as　much　wood　as　you　can

and　I　will　be　back　again　in　four　days。　　On　my　return　we　will　resume

our　hunting　and　commence　getting　our　year's　supply　of　meat。〃



He　left　the　next　morning；　and　the　last　they　saw　of　him　was　while　he

stood　at　the　top　of　the　long　range　of　hills　west　of　their　home。　

Four　days　had　come　and　gone　and　no　sign　of　the　oldest　brother。



〃I　am　afraid　that　our　brother　has　met　with　some　accident；〃　said　the

sister。　　〃I　am　afraid　so；　too；〃　said　the　next　oldest。　　〃I　must　go

and　search　for　him；　he　may　be　in　some　trouble　where　a　little　help

would　get　him　out。〃　　The　second　brother　followed　the　direction　his

brother　had　taken；　and　when　he　came　to　the　top　of　the　long　range　of

hills　he　sat　down　and　gazed　long　and　steadily　down　into　the　long

valley　with　a　beautiful　creek　winding　through　it。　　Across　the

valley　was　a　long　plain　stretching　for　miles　beyond　and

finally　ending　at　the　foot　of　another　range　of　hills；　the

counterpart　of　the　one　upon　which　he　sat。



After　noting　the　different　landmarks　carefully；　he　arose　and　slowly

started　down　the　slope　and　soon　came　to　the　creek　he　had　seen　from

the　top　of　the　range。　　Great　was　his　surprise　on　arriving　at　the

creek　to　find　what　a　difference　there　was　in　the　appearance

of　it　from　the　range　and　where　he　stood。　　From　the　range　it

appeared　to　be　a　quiet；　harmless；　laughing　stream。　　Now　he　saw　it

to　be　a　muddy；　boiling；　bubbling　torrent；　with　high　perpendicular

banks。　　For　a　long　time　he　stood；　thinking　which　way　to　go；　up　or

down　stream。　　He　had　just　decided　to　go　down　stream；　when；　on

chancing　to　look　up；　he　noticed　a　thin　column　of　smoke　slowly

ascending　from　a　little　knoll。　　He　approached　the　place　cautiously

and　noticed　a　door　placed　into　the　creek　bank　on　the　opposite　side

of　the　stream。　　As　he　stood　looking　at　the　door；　wondering　who

could　be　living　in　a　place　like　that；　it　suddenly　opened　and　a　very

old　appearing　woman　came　out　and　stood　looking　around　her。　　Soon

she　spied　the　young　man；　and　said　to　him：　〃My　grandchild；　where　did

you　come　from　and　whither　are　you　bound？〃　　The　young　man　answered：

〃I　came　from　east　of　this　ridge　and　am　in　search　of　my　oldest

brother；　who　came　over　in　this　direction　five　days　ago　and　who　has

not　yet　returned。〃



〃Your　brother　stopped　here　and　ate　his　dinner　with　me；　and　then

left；　traveling　towards　the　west；〃　said　the　old　witch；　for　such　she

was。　　〃Now；　grandson；　come　across　on　that　little　log　bridge　up　the

stream　there　and　have　your　dinner　with　me。　　I　have

it　all　cooked　now　and　just　stepped　outside　to　see　if　there　might

not　be　some　hungry　traveler　about；　whom　I　could　invite　in　to　eat

dinner　with　me。〃　　The　young　man　went　up　the　stream　a　little

distance　and　found　a　couple　of　small　logs　which　had　been　placed

across　the　stream　to　serve　as　a　bridge。　　He　crossed　over　and　went

down　to　the　old　woman's　dugout　hut。　　〃Come　in　grandson；　and　eat。　

I　know　you　must　be　hungry。〃



The　young　man　sat　down　and　ate　a　real　hearty　meal。　　On　finishing　he

arose　and　said：　〃Grandmother；　I　thank　you　for　your　meal　and

kindness　to　me。　　I　would　stay　and　visit　with　you　awhile；　as　I　know

it　must　be　very　lonely　here　for　you；　but　I　am　very　anxious　to　find

my　brother；　so　I　must　be　going。　　On　my　return　I　will　stop　with　my

brother　and　we　will　pay　you　a　little　visit。〃



〃Very　well；　grandson；　but　before　you　go；　I　wish　you　would　do　me　a

little　favor。　　Your　brother　did　it　for　me　before　he　left；　and　cured

me；　but　it　has　come　back　on　me　again。　　I　am　subject　to　very　severe

pains　along　the　left　side　of　my　backbone；　all　the　way　from　my

shoulder　blade　down　to　where　my　ribs　attach　to　my　backbone；　and　the

only　way　I　get　any　relief　from　the　pain　is　to　have　some　one　kick　me

along　the　side。〃　　（She　was　a　witch；　and　concealed　in　her　robe　a

long　sharp　steel　spike。　　It　was　placed　so　that　the　last　kick　they

would　give　her；　their　foot　would　hit　the　spike　and　they　would