myths and legends of the sioux-第3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！





〃Come　and　eat　the　fish　with　me。　　I　have　cleaned　it　and　made　a　fire

and　it　is　now　cooking。〃



〃No；　you　eat　it；　let　me　rest；〃　said　the　lover。



〃Oh；　come　on。〃



〃No；　let　me　rest。〃



〃But　you　are　my　friend。　　I　will　not　eat　unless　you　share　it　with

me。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　lover；　〃I　will　eat　the　fish　with　you；　but　you

must　first　make　me　a　promise。　　If　I　eat　the　fish；　you　must　promise；

pledge　yourself；　to　fetch　me　all　the　water　that　I　can　drink。〃



〃I　promise；〃　said　the　other；　and　the　two　ate　the　fish　out　of　their

war…kettle。　　For　there　had　been　but　one　kettle　for　the　party。



When　they　had　eaten；　the　kettle　was　rinsed　out　and　the　lover's

friend　brought　it　back　full　of　water。　　This　the　lover　drank　at　a

draught。



〃Bring　me　more；〃　he　said。



Again　his　friend　filled　the　kettle　at　the　river　and　again　the　lover

drank　it　dry。



〃More！〃　he　cried。



〃Oh；　I　am　tired。　　Cannot　you　go　to　the　river　and　drink　your　fill

from　the　stream？〃　asked　his　friend。



〃Remember　your　promise。〃



〃Yes；　but　I　am　weary。　　Go　now　and　drink。〃



〃Ek…hey；　I　feared　it　would　be　so。　　Now　trouble　is　coming　upon　us；〃

said　the　lover　sadly。　　He　walked　to　the　river；　sprang　in；　and　lying

down　in　the　water　with　his　head　toward　land；　drank　greedily。　　By

and　by　he　called　to　his　friend。



〃Come　hither；　you　who　have　been　my　sworn　friend。　　See　what　comes　of

your　broken　promise。〃



The　friend　came　and　was　amazed　to　see　that　the　lover　was　now　a　fish

from　his　feet　to　his　middle。



Sick　at　heart　he　ran　off　a　little　way　and　threw　himself　upon　the

ground　in　grief。　　By　and　by　he　returned。　　The　lover　was　now　a　fish

to　his　neck。



〃Cannot　I　cut　off　the　part　and　restore　you　by　a　sweat　bath？〃　the

friend　asked。



〃No；　it　is　too　late。　　But　tell　the　chief's　daughter　that　I　loved

her　to　the　last　and　that　I　die　for　her　sake。　　Take　this　belt　and

give　it　to　her。　　She　gave　it　to　me　as　a　pledge　of　her　love　for　me；〃

and　he　being　then　turned　to　a　great　fish；　swam　to　the　middle　of　the

river　and　there　remained；　only　his　great　fin　remaining　above

the　water。



The　friend　went　home　and　told　his　story。　　There　was　great　mourning

over　the　death　of　the　five　young　men；　and　for　the　lost　lover。　　In

the　river　the　great　fish　remained；　its　fin　just　above　the　surface；

and　was　called　by　the　Indians　〃Fish　that　Bars；〃　because　it　bar'd

navigation。　　Canoes　had　to　be　portaged　at　great

labor　around　the　obstruction。



The　chief's　daughter　mourned　for　her　lover　as　for　a　husband；　nor

would　she　be　comforted。　　〃He　was　lost　for　love　of　me；　and　I　shall

remain　as　his　widow；〃　she　wailed。



In　her　mother's　tepee　she　sat；　with　her　head　covered　with　her　robe；

silent；　working；　working。　　〃What　is　my　daughter　doing；〃　her　mother

asked。　　But　the　maiden　did　not　reply。



The　days　lengthened　into　moons　until　a　year　had　passed。　　And　then

the　maiden　arose。　　In　her　hands　were　beautiful　articles　of

clothing；　enough　for　three　men。　　There　were　three　pairs　of

moccasins；　three　pairs　of　leggings；　three　belts；　three　shirts；

three　head　dresses　with　beautiful　feathers；　and　sweet　smelling

tobacco。



〃Make　a　new　canoe　of　bark；〃　she　said；　which　was　made　for　her。



Into　the　canoe　she　stepped　and　floated　slowly　down　the　river　toward

the　great　fish。



〃Come　back　my　daughter；〃　her　mother　cried　in　agony。　　〃Come　back。　

The　great　fish　will　eat　you。〃



She　answered　nothing。　　Her　canoe　came　to　the　place　where　the　great

fin　arose　and　stopped；　its　prow　grating　on　the　monster's　back。　　The

maiden　stepped　out　boldly。　　One　by　one　she　laid　her　presents　on　the

fish's　back；　scattering　the　feathers　and　tobacco　over　his　broad

spine。



〃Oh；　fish；〃　she　cried；　〃Oh；　fish；　you　who　were　my　lover；　I　shall

not　forget　you。　　Because　you　were　lost　for　love　of　me；　I　shall

never　marry。　　All　my　life　I　shall　remain　a　widow。　　Take　these

presents。　　And　now　leave　the　river；　and　let　the　waters　run　free；　so

my　people　may　once　more　descend　in　their　canoes。〃



She　stepped　into　her　canoe　and　waited。　　Slowly　the　great　fish　sank；

his　broad　fin　disappeared；　and　the　waters　of　the　St。　Croix

（Stillwater）　were　free。













THE　ARTICHOKE　AND　THE　MUSKRAT



On　the　shore　of　a　lake　stood　an　artichoke　with　its　green　leaves

waving　in　the　sun。　　Very　proud　of　itself　it　was；　and　well　satisfied

with　the　world。　　In　the　lake　below　lived　a　muskrat　in　his　tepee；

and　in　the　evening　as　the　sun　set　he　would　come　out　upon　the　shore

and　wander　over　the　bank。　　One　evening　he　came　near　the　place　where

the　artichoke　stood。



〃Ho；　friend；〃　he　said；　〃you　seem　rather　proud　of　yourself。　　Who　are

you？〃　　〃I　am　the　artichoke；〃　answered　the　other；　〃and　I　have　many

handsome　cousins。　　But　who　are　you？〃



〃I　am　the　muskrat；　and　I；　too；　belong　to　a　large　family。　　I　live　in

the　water。　　I　don't　stand　all　day　in　one　place　like　a　stone。〃



〃If　I　stand　in　one　place　all　day；〃　retorted　the　artichoke；　〃at

least　I　don't　swim　around　in　stagnant　water；　and　build　my　lodge　in

the　mud。〃



〃You　are　jealous　of　my　fine　fur；〃　sneered　the　muskrat。　　〃I　may

build　my　lodge　in　the　mud；　but　I　always　have　a　clean　coat。　　But　you

are　half　buried　in　the　ground；　and　when　men　dig　you　up；　you　are

never　clean。〃



〃And　your　fine　coat　always　smells　of　musk；〃　jeered　the　artichoke。



〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　muskrat。　　〃But　men　think　well　of　me；

nevertheless。　　They　trap　me　for　the　fine　sinew　in　my　tail；　and

handsome　young　women　bite　off　my　tail　with　their　white　teeth　and

make　it　into　thread。〃



〃That's　nothing；〃　laughed　the　artichoke。　　〃Handsome　young　warriors；

painted　and　splendid　with　feathers；　dig　me　up；　brush　me　off　with

their　shapely　hands　and　eat　me　without　even　taking　the　trouble　to

wash　me　off。〃











THE　RABBIT　AND　THE　BEAR　WITH　THE

FLINT　BODY



The　Rabbit　and　his　grandmother　were　in　dire　straits；　because　the

rabbit　was　out　of　arrows。　　The　fall　hunt　would　soon　be　on　and　his

quiver　was　all　but　empty。　　Arrow　sticks　he　could　cut　in　plenty；　but

he　had　nothing　with　which　to　make　arrowheads。



〃You　must　make　some　flint　arrowheads；〃　said　his　grandmother。　　〃Then

you　will　be　able　to　kill　game。〃



〃Where　shall　I　get　the　flint？〃　asked　the　rabbit。



〃From　the　old　bear　chief；〃　said　his　old　grandmother。　　For　at　that

time　all　the　flint　in　the　world　was　in　the　bear's　body。



So　the　rabbit　set　out　for　the　village　of　the　Bears。　　It　was　winter

time　and　the　lodges　of　the　bears　were　set　under　the　shelter　of　a

hill　where　the　cold　wind　would　not　blow　on　them　and　where　they　had

shelter　among　the　trees　and　bushes。



He　came　at　one　end　of　the　village　to　a　hut　where　lived　an　old

woman。　　He　pushed　open　the　door　and　entered。　　Everybody　who　came

for　flint　always　stopped　there　because　it　was　the　first　lodge　on

the　edge　of　the　village。　　Strangers　were　therefore　not　unusual　in

the　old　woman's　hut；　and　she　welcomed　the　rabbit。　　She　gave　him　a

seat　and　at　night　he　lay　with　his　feet　to　the　fire。



The　next　morning　the　rabbit　went　to　the　lodge　of　the　bear　chief。　

They　sat　together　awhile　and　smoked。　　At　last　the　bear　chief　spoke。



〃What　do　you　want；　my　grandson？〃



〃I　have　come　for　some　flint　to　make　arrows；〃　answered　the　rabbit。



The　bear　chief　grunted；　and　laid　aside　his　pipe。　　Leaning　back　he

pulled　off　his　robe　and；　sure　enough；　one　half　of　his　body　was

flesh　and　the　other　half　hard　flint。



〃Bring　a　stone　hammer　and　give　it　to　our　guest；〃　he　bade　his　wife。　

Then　as　the　rabbit　took　the　hammer　he　said：　〃Do　not　strike　too

hard。〃



〃Grandfather；　I　shall　be　careful；〃　said　the　rabbit。　　With　a　stroke

he　struck　off　a　little　flake　of　flint　from　the　bear's　body。



〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？　　So　big？〃　he　asked。



〃Harder；　grandson；　strike　off　bigger　pieces；〃　said　the　bear。



The　rabbit　struck　a　little　harder。



〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？　　So　big？〃　he　asked。



The　bear　grew　impatient。　　〃No；　no；　strike　off　bigger　pieces。　　I

can't　be　here　all　day。　　Tanka　kaksa　wo！　　Break　off　a　big　piece。〃



The　rabbit　struck　againhard！　　〃Ni…sko…ke…cha？〃　he　cried；　as　the

hammer　fell。　　But　even　as　he　spoke　the　bear's　body　broke　in　two；

the　flesh　part　fell　away　and　only　the　flint　part　remained。　　Like　a

flash　the　rabbit　darted　out　of　the　hut。



There　was　a　great　outcry　in　the　village。　　Openmouthed；　all　the

bears　gave　chase。　　But　as　he　ran　the　rabbit　cried：　〃Wa…hin…han…yo

（snow；　snow）　Ota…po；　Ota…polots　more；　lots　more；〃　and　a　great

storm　of　snow　swept　down　from　the　sky。



The　rabbit；　light　of　foot；　bounded　over　the　top　of　the　snow。　　The

bears　sunk　in　and　floundered　about　helpless。　　Seeing　this；　the

rabbit　turned　back　and　killed　them　one　by　one　with　his　club。　　That

is　why　we　now　have　so　few　bears。













STORY　OF　THE　LOST　WIFE



A　Dakota　girl　married　a　man　who　promised　to　treat　her　kindly；　but

he　did　not　keep　his　word。　　He　was　unreasonable；　fault…finding；　and

often　beat　her。　　Frantic　with　his　cruelty；　she　ran　away。　　The　whole

village　turned　out　to　search　for　her；　but　no　trace　of　the　missing

wife　was　to　be　found。



Meanwhile；　the　fleeing　woman　had　wandered　about　all　that　day　and

the　next　night。　　The　next　day　she　met　a　man；　who　asked　her　who　she

was。　　She　did　not　know　it；　but　he　was　not　really　a　man；　but　the

chief　of　the　wolves。



〃Come　with　me；〃　he　said；　and　he　led　her　to　a　large　village。　　She

was　amazed　to　see　here　many　wolvesgray　and　black；　timber　wolves

and　coyotes。　　It　seemed　as　if　all　the　wolves　in　the　world　were

there。



The　wolf　chief　led　the　young　woman　to　a　great　tepee　and　invited　her

in。　　He　asked　her　what　she　ate　for　food。



〃Buffalo　meat；〃　she　answered。



He　called　two　coyotes　and　bade　them　bring　what　the　young　woman

wanted。　　They　bounded　away　and　soon　returned　with　the　shoulder　of

a　fresh…killed　buffalo　calf。



〃How　do　you　prepare　it　for　eating？〃　asked　the　wolf　chief。



〃By　boiling；〃　answered　the　young　woman。



Again　he　called　the　two　coyotes。　　A