myths and legends of the sioux-第23部分

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

instantly　drop　off　into　a　swoon；　as　if　dead。）



〃If　I　won't　hurt　you　too　much；　grandmother；　I　certainly　will　be

glad　to　do　it　for　you；〃　said　the　young　man；　little　thinking　he

would　be　the　one　to　get　hurt。



〃No；　grandson；　don't　be　afraid　of　hurting　me；　the　harder　you　kick

the　longer　the　pain　stays　away。〃　　She　laid　down　on　the　floor　and

rolled　over　on　to　her　right　side；　so　he　could　get　a　good　chance　to

kick　the　left　side　where　she　said　the　pain　was　located。



As　he　moved　back　to　give　the　first　kick；　he　glanced　along　the　floor

and　he　noticed　a　long　object　wrapped　in　a　blanket；　lying　against

the　opposite　wall。　　He　thought　it　looked　strange　and　was　going　to

stop　and　investigate；　but　just　then　the　witch　cried　out　as　if　in

pain。　　〃Hurry　up；　grandson；　I　am　going　to　die　if　you　don't　hurry

and　start　in　kicking。〃　　〃I　can　investigate　after　I　get　through　with

her；〃　thought　he；　so　he　started　in　kicking　and　every　kick　he　would

give　her　she　would　cry：　〃Harder；　kick　harder。〃　　He　had　to　kick

seven　times　before　he　would　get　to　the　end　of　the　pain；　so　he　let

out　as　hard　as　he　could　drive；　and　when　he　came　to　the　last　kick　he

hit　the　spike；　and　driving　it　through　his　foot；　fell　down　in　a　dead

swoon；　and　was　rolled　up　in　a　blanket　by　the　witch

and　placed　beside　his　brother　at　the　opposite　side　of　the　room。



When　the　second　brother　failed　to　return；　the　third　went　in　search

of　the　two　missing　ones。　　He　fared　no　better　than　the　second　one；

as　he　met　the　old　witch　who　served　him　in　a　similar　manner　as　she

had　his　two　brothers。



〃Ha！　　Ha！〃　she　laughed；　when　she　caught　the　third；　〃I　have　only　one

more　of　them　to　catch；　and　when　I　get　them　I　will　keep　them　all

here　a　year；　and　then　I　will　turn　them　into　horses　and　sell　them

back　to　their　sister。　　I　hate　her；　for　I　was　going　to

try　and　keep　house　for　them　and　marry　the　oldest　one；　but　she　got

ahead　of　me　and　became　their　sister；　so　now　I　will　get　my　revenge

on　her。　　Next　year　she　will　be　riding　and　driving　her　brothers　and

she　won't　know　it。〃



When　the　third　brother　failed　to　return；　the　sister　cried　and

begged　the　last　one　not　to　venture　out　in　search　of　them。　　But　go

he　must；　and　go　he　did；　only　to　do　as　his　three　brothers　had　done。



Now　the　poor　sister　was　nearly　distracted。　　Day　and　night　she

wandered　over　hills　and　through　woods　in　hopes　she　might　find　or

hear　of　some　trace　of　them。　　Her　wanderings　were　in　vain。　　The

hawks　had　not　seen　them　after　they　had　crossed　the　little　stream。　

The　wolves　and　coyotes　told　her　that　they　had　seen　nothing　of　her

brothers　out　on　the　broad　plains；　and　she　had　given　them　up　for

dead。



One　day；　as　she　was　sitting　by　the　little　stream　that　flowed　past

their　hut；　throwing　pebbles　into　the　water　and　wondering　what　she

should　do；　she　picked　up　a　pure　white　pebble；　smooth　and　round；　and

after　looking　at　it　for　a　long　time；　threw　it　into　the　water。　　No

sooner　had　it　hit　the　water　than　she　saw　it　grow　larger。　　She　took

it　out　and　looked　at　it　and　threw　it　in　again。　　This　time　it　had

assumed　the　form　of　a　baby。　　She　took　it　out　and　threw　it　in　the

third　time　and　the　form　took　life　and　began　to　cry：　〃Ina；　ina〃

（mother；　mother）。　　She　took　the　baby　home　and　fed　it　soup；　and　it

being　an　unnatural　baby；　quickly　grew　up　to　a　good　sized　boy。　　At

the　end　of　three　months　he　was　a　good　big；　stout　youth。　　One　day　he

said：　〃Mother；　why　are　you　living　here　alone？　　To　whom　do　all　these

fine　clothes　and　moccasins　belong？〃　　She　then　told　him　the　story　of

her　lost　brothers。　　〃Oh；　I　know　now　where　they　are。　　You　make　me

lots　of　arrows。　　I　am　going　to　find　my　uncles。〃　　She　tried　to

dissuade　him　from　going；　but　he　was　determined　and　said：　〃My　father

sent　me　to　you　so　that　I　could　find　my　uncles　for　you；　and　nothing

can　harm　me；　because　I　am　stone　and　my　name　is　〃Stone　Boy。〃



The　mother；　seeing　that　he　was　determined　to　go；　made　a　whole

quiver　full　of　arrows　for　him；　and　off　he　started。　　When　he　came　to

the　old　witch's　hut；　she　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　so　he　pushed　the

door　in　and　entered。　　The　witch　was　busily　engaged　cooking　dinner。



〃Why；　my　dear　grandchild；　you　are　just　in　time　for　dinner。　　Sit

down　and　we　will　eat　before　you　continue　your　journey。〃　　Stone　boy

sat　down　and　ate　dinner　with　the　old　witch。　　She　watched　him　very

closely；　but　when　she　would　be　drinking　her　soup　he　would　glance

hastily　around　the　room。　　Finally　he　saw　the　four　bundles　on　the

opposite　side　of　the　room；　and　he　guessed　at　once　that　there　lay

his　four　uncles。　　When　he　had　finished　eating　he　took　out　his

little　pipe　and　filled　it　with　〃kini…kinic；〃　and　commenced　to

smoke；　wondering　how　the　old　woman　had　managed　to　fool　his　smart

uncles。　　He　couldn't　study　it　out；　so　when　he　had　finished　his

smoke　he　arose　to　pretend　to　go。　　When　the　old　woman　saw　him

preparing　to　leave；　she　said：　〃Grandson；　will　you　kick　me　on　the

left　side　of　my　backbone。　　I　am　nearly　dead　with　pain　and　if　you

kick　me　good　and　hard　it　will　cure　me。〃　　〃All　right；　grandma；〃　said

the　boy。　　The　old　witch　lay　down　on　the　floor　and　the　boy　started

in　to　kick。　　At　the　first　kick　he　barely　touched　her。　　〃Kick　as

hard　as　you　can；　grandson；　don't　be　afraid　you　will　hurt　me；

because　you　can't。〃　　With　that　Stone　Boy　let　drive　and　broke　two

ribs。　　She　commenced　to　yell　and　beg　him　to　stop；　but　he　kept　on

kicking　until　he　had　kicked　both　sides　of　her　ribs　loose　from　the

backbone。　　Then　he　jumped　on　her　backbone　and　broke　it　and　killed

the　old　witch。



He　built　a　big　fire　outside　and　dragged　her　body　to　it；　and　threw

her　into　the　fire。　　Thus　ended　the　old　woman　who　was　going　to　turn

his　uncles　into　horses。



Next　he　cut　willows　and　stuck　them　into　the　ground　in　a　circle。　

The　tops　he　pulled　together；　making　a　wickieup。　　He　then　took　the

old　woman's　robes　and　blankets　and　covered　the　wickieup　so　that　no

air　could　get　inside。　　He　then　gathered　sage　brush　and　covered　the

floor　with　a　good　thick　bed　of　sage；　got　nice　round　stones　and　got

them　red　hot　in　the　fire；　and　placed　them　in　the　wickieup　and

proceeded　to　carry　his　uncles　out　of　the　hut　and　lay　them　down　on

the　soft　bed　of　sage。　　Having　completed　carrying　and　depositing

them　around　the　pile　of　rocks；　he　got　a　bucket　of　water　and　poured

it　on　the　hot　rocks；　which　caused　a　great　vapor　in　the　little

wickieup。　He　waited　a　little　while　and　then　listened　and

heard　some　breathing　inside；　so　he　got　another　bucket　and　poured

that　on　also。　　After　awhile　he　could　hear　noises　inside　as　though

some　one　were　moving　about。　　He　went　again　and　got　the　third　bucket

and　after　he　had　poured　that　on　the　rocks；　one　of　the　men　inside

said：　〃Whoever　you　are；　good　friend；　don't　bring　us　to　life　only　to

scald　us　to　death　again。〃　　Stone　boy　then　said：　〃Are　all　of　you

alive？〃　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　voice。　　〃Well；　come　out；〃　said　the　boy。　

And　with　that　he　threw　off　the　robes　and　blankets；　and　a　great

cloud　of　vapor　arose　and　settled　around　the　top　of　the　highest　peak

on　the　long　range；　and　from　that　did　Smoky　Range　derive　its　name。



The　uncles；　when　they　heard　who　the　boy　was；　were　very　happy；　and

they　all　returned　together　to　the　anxiously　waiting　sister。　　As

soon　as　they　got　home；　the　brothers　worked　hard　to　gather　enough

wood　to　last　them　all　winter。　　Game　they　could　get　at　all　times　of

the　year；　but　the　heavy　fall　of　snow　covered　most　of　the　dry　wood

and　also　made　it　very　difficult　to　drag　wood　through　the　deep　snow。　

So　they　took　advantage　of　the　nice　fall　weather　and　by　the　time　the

snow　commenced　falling　they　had　enough　wood　gathered　to　last　them

throughout　the　winter。　　After　the　snow　fell　a　party　of　boys　swiftly

coasted　down　the　big　hill　west　of　the　brothers'　hut。　　The　Stone　boy

used　to　stand　and　watch　them　for　hours　at　a　time。　　His　youngest

uncle　said：　〃Why　don't　you　go　up　and　coast　with　them？〃　　The　boy

said：　〃They　may　be　afraid　of　me；　but　I　guess　I　will　try　once；

anyway。〃　　So　the　next　morning　when　the　crowd　came　coasting；　Stone

boy　started　for　the　hill。　　When　he　had　nearly　reached　the　bottom　of

the　coasting　hill　all　of　the　boys　ran　off　excepting　two　little

fellows　who　had　a　large　coaster　painted　in　different　colors　and　had

little　bells　tied　around　the　edges；　so　when　the　coaster　was　in

motion　the　bells　made　a　cheerful　tinkling　sound。　　As　Stone　boy

started　up　the　hill　the　two　little　fellows　started　down　and　went

past　him　as　though　shot　from　a　hickory　bow。



When　they　got　to　the　end　of　their　slide；　they　got　off　and　started

back　up　the　hill。　　It　being　pretty　steep；　Stone　boy　waited　for

them；　so　as　to　lend　a　hand　to　pull　the　big　coaster　up　the　hill。　　As

the　two　little　fellows　came　up　with　him　he　knew　at　once　that　they

were　twins；　as　they　looked　so　much　alike　that　the　only　way　one

could　be　distinguished　from　the　other　was　by　the　scarfs　they　wore。　

One　wore　red；　the　other　black。　　He　at　once　offered　to　help　them

drag　their　coaster　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　　When　they　got　to　the

top　the　twins　offered　their　coaster　to　him　to　try　a　ride。　　At　first

he　refused；　but　they　insisted　on　his　taking　it；　as　they　said　they

would　sooner　rest　until　he　came　back。　　So　he　got　on　the　coaster　and

flew　down　the　hill；　only　he　was　such　an　expert　he　made　a　zigzag

course　going　down　and　also　jumped　the　coaster　off　a　bank　about　four

feet　high；　which　none　of　the　other　coasters　dared　to　tackle。　　Being

very　heavy；　however；　he　nearly　smashed　the　coaster。　　Upon　seeing

this　wonderful　jump；　and　the　zigzag　course　he　had　taken　going　down；

the　twins　went　wild　with　excitement　and　decided　that　they　would

have　him　take　them　down　when　he　got　back。　　So　upon　his　arrival　at

the　starting　point；　they　both　asked　him　at　once　to　give　them　the

pleasure　of　the　same　kind　of　a　ride　he　had　taken。　　He　refused；

saying：　〃We　will　break　your　coaster。　　I　alone　nearly　smashed　it；

and　if　we　all　get　on　and　make　the　same　kind　of　a　jump；　I　am　afraid

you　will　have　to　go　home　w