myths and legends of the sioux-第7部分

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After　　the　corn　is　gathered；　it　is　boiled　into　sweet　corn　and　made

into　hominy；　parched　and　mixed　with　buffalo　tallow　and　rolled　into

round　balls；　and　used　at　feasts；　or　carried　by　the　warriors　on　the

warpath　as　food。



When　there　has　been　a　good　crop　of　corn；　an　ear　is　always　tied　at

the　top　of　the　medicine　pole；　of　the　sun　dance；　in　thanks　to　the

Great　Spirit　for　his　goodness　to　them　in　sending　a　bountiful　crop。













STORY　OF　THE　RABBITS



The　Rabbit　nation　were　very　much　depressed　in　spirits　on　account　of

being　run　over　by　all　other　nations。　　They；　being　very　obedient　to

their　chief；　obeyed　all　his　orders　to　the　letter。　　One　of　his

orders　was；　that　upon　the　approach　of　any　other　nation　that

they　should　follow　the　example　of　their　chief　and　run　up　among　the

rocks　and　down　into　their　burrows；　and　not　show　themselves　until

the　strangers　had　passed。



This　they　always　did。　　Even　the　chirp　of　a　little　cricket　would

send　them　all　scampering　to　their　dens。



One　day　they　held　a　great　council；　and　after　talking　over

everything　for　some　time；　finally　left　it　to　their　medicine　man　to

decide。　　The　medicine　man　arose　and　said：



〃My　friends；　we　are　of　no　use　on　this　earth。　　There　isn't　a　nation

on　earth　that　fears　us；　and　we　are　so　timid　that　we　cannot　defend

ourselves；　so　the　best　thing　for　us　to　do　is　to　rid　the　earth　of

our　nation；　by　all　going　over　to　the　big　lake　and　drowning

ourselves。〃



This　they　decided　to　do；　so　going　to　the　lake　they　were　about　to

jump　in；　when　they　heard　a　splashing　in　the　water。　　Looking；　they

saw　a　lot　of　frogs　jumping　into　the　lake。



〃We　will　not　drown　ourselves；〃　said　the　medicine　man；　〃we　have

found　a　nation　who　are　afraid　of　us。　　It　is　the　frog　nation。〃　　Had

it　not　been　for　the　frogs　we　would　have　had　no　rabbits；　as　the

whole　nation　would　have　drowned　themselves　and　the　rabbit　race

would　have　been　extinct。













HOW　THE　RABBIT　LOST　HIS　TAIL



Once　upon　a　time　there　were　two　brothers；　one　a　great　Genie　and　the

other　a　rabbit。　　Like　all　genie；　the　older　could　change　himself

into　any　kind　of　an　animal；　bird；　fish；　cloud；　thunder　and

lightning；　or　in　fact　anything　that　he　desired。



The　younger　brother　（the　rabbit）　was　very　mischievous　and　was

continually　getting　into　all　kinds　of　trouble。　　His　older　brother

was　kept　busy　getting　Rabbit　out　of　all　kinds　of　scrapes。



When　Rabbit　had　attained　his　full　growth　he　wanted　to　travel　around

and　see　something　of　the　world。　　When　he　told　his　brother　what　he

intended　to　do；　the　brother　said：　〃Now；　Rabbit；　you　are　Witkotko

（mischievous）；　so　be　very　careful；　and　keep　out　of　trouble

as　much　as　possible。　　In　case　you　get　into　any　serious　trouble；　and

can't　get　out　by　yourself；　just　call　on　me　for　assistance；　and　no

matter　where　you　are；　I　will　come　to　you。〃



Rabbit　started　out　and　the　first　day　he　came　to　a　very　high　house；

outside　of　which　stood　a　very　high　pine　tree。　　So　high　was　the　tree

that　Rabbit　could　hardly　see　the　top。　　Outside　the　door；　on　an

enormous　stool；　sat　a　very　large　giant　fast　asleep。　　Rabbit　（having

his　bow　and　arrows　with　him）　strung　up　his　bow；　and；　taking　an

arrow　from　his　quiver；　said：



〃I　want　to　see　how　big　this　man　is；　so　I　guess　I　will　wake　him　up。〃　

So　saying　he　moved　over　to　one　side　and　took　good　aim；　and　shot　the

giant　upon　the　nose。　　This　stung　like　fire　and　awoke　the　giant；　who

jumped　up；　crying：　〃Who　had　the　audacity　to　shoot　me　on　the　nose？〃　

〃I　did；〃　said　Rabbit。



The　giant；　hearing　a　voice；　looked　all　around；　but　saw　nothing；

until　he　looked　down　at　the　corner　of　the　house；　and　there　sat　a

rabbit。



〃I　had　hiccoughs　this　morning　and　thought　that　I　was　going　to　have

a　good　big　meal；　and　here　is　nothing　but　a　toothful。〃



〃I　guess　you　won't　make　a　toothful　of　me；〃　said　Rabbit；　〃I　am　as

strong　as　you；　though　I　am　little。〃　　〃We　will　see；〃　said　the　giant。　

He　went　into　the　house　and　came　out；　bringing　a　hammer　that

weighed　many　tons。



〃Now；　Mr。　Rabbit；　we　will　see　who　can　throw　this　hammer　over　the

top　of　that　tree。〃　　〃Get　something　harder　to　do；〃　said　Rabbit。



〃Well；　we　will　try　this　first；〃　said　the　giant。　　With　that　he

grasped　the　hammer　in　both　hands；　swung　it　three　times　around　his

head　and　sent　it　spinning　thru　the　air。　　Up；　up；　it　went；　skimming

the　top　of　the　tree；　and　came　down；　shaking　the　ground　and　burying

itself　deep　into　the　earth。



〃Now；〃　said　the　giant；　〃if　you　don't　accomplish　this　same　feat；　I

am　going　to　swallow　you　at　one　mouthful。〃　　Rabbit　said；　〃I　always

sing　to　my　brother　before　I　attempt　things　like　this。〃　　So　he

commenced　singing　and　calling　his　brother。　　〃Cinye！　　Cinye！〃

（brother；　brother）　he　sang。　　The　giant　grew　nervous；　and　said：

〃Boy；　why　do　you　call　your　brother？〃



Pointing　to　a　small　black　cloud　that　was　approaching　very　swiftly；

Rabbit　said：　〃That　is　my　brother；　he　can　destroy　you；　your　house；

and　pine　tree　in　one　breath。〃



〃Stop　him　and　you　can　go　free；〃　said　the　giant。　　Rabbit　waved　his

paws　and　the　cloud　disappeared。



From　this　place　Rabbit　continued　on　his　trip　towards　the　west。　　The

next　day；　while　passing　thru　a　deep　forest；　he　thought　he　heard

some　one　moaning；　as　though　in　pain。　　He　stopped　and　listened；　soon

the　wind　blew　and　the　moaning　grew　louder。　　Following　the　direction

from　whence　came　the　sound；　he　soon　discovered　a　man　stripped　of

his　clothing；　and　caught　between　two　limbs　of　a　tall　elm　tree。　

When　the　wind　blew　the　limbs　would　rub　together　and　squeeze　the

man；　who　would　give　forth　the　mournful　groans。



〃My；　you　have　a　fine　place　up　there。　　Let　us　change。　　You　can　come

down　and　I　will　take　your　place。〃　　（Now　this　man　had　been　placed　up

there　for　punishment；　by　Rabbit's　brother；　and　he　could　not　get

down　unless　some　one　came　along　and　proposed　to　take　his　place　on

the　tree）。　　〃Very　well；〃　said　the　man。　　〃Take　off　your　clothes　and

come　up。　　I　will　fasten　you　in　the　limbs　and　you　can　have　all　the

fun　you　want。〃



Rabbit　disrobed　and　climbed　up。　　The　man　placed　him　between　the

limbs　and　slid　down　the　tree。　　He　hurriedly　got　into　Rabbit's

clothes；　and　just　as　he　had　completed　his　toilet；　the　wind　blew

very　hard。　　Rabbit　was　nearly　crazy　with　pain；　and　screamed　and

cried。　　Then　he　began　to　cry　〃Cinye；　Cinye〃　（brother；　brother）。　

〃Call　your　brother　as　much　as　you　like；　he　can　never　find　me。〃　　So

saying　the　man　disappeared　in　the　forest。



Scarcely　had　he　disappeared；　when　the　brother　arrived；　and　seeing

Rabbit　in　the　tree；　said：　〃Which　way　did　he　go？〃　　Rabbit　pointed

the　direction　taken　by　the　man。　　The　brother　flew　over　the　top　of

the　trees；　soon　found　the　man　and　brought　him　back；　making　him　take

his　old　place　between　the　limbs；　and　causing　a　heavy　wind　to　blow

and　continue　all　afternoon　and　night；　for　punishment　to　the　man　for

having　placed　his　brother　up　there。



After　Rabbit　got　his　clothes　back　on；　his　brother　gave　him　a　good

scolding；　and　wound　up　by　saying：　〃I　want　you　to　be　more　careful　in

the　future。　　I　have　plenty　of　work　to　keep　me　as　busy　as　I　want　to

be；　and　I　can't　be　stopping　every　little　while　to　be　making　trips

to　get　you　out　of　some　foolish　scrape。　　It　was　only　yesterday　that

I　came　five　hundred　miles　to　help　you　from　the　giant；　and　today　I

have　had　to　come　a　thousand　miles；　so　be　more　careful　from　this

on。〃



Several　days　after　this　the　Rabbit　was　traveling　along　the　banks　of

a　small　river；　when　he　came　to　a　small　clearing　in　the　woods；　and

in　the　center　of　the　clearing　stood　a　nice　little　log　hut。　　Rabbit

was　wondering　who　could　be　living　here　when　the　door　slowly　opened

and　an　old　man　appeared　in　the　doorway；　bearing　a　tripe　water　pail

in　his　right　hand。　　In　his　left　hand　he　held　a　string　which　was

fastened　to　the　inside　of　the　house。　　He　kept　hold　of　the　string

and　came　slowly　down　to　the　river。　　When　he　got　to

the　water　he　stooped　down　and　dipped　the　pail　into　it　and　returned

to　the　house；　still　holding　the　string　for　guidance。



Soon　he　reappeared　holding　on　to　another　string；　and；　following

this　one；　went　to　a　large　pile　of　wood　and　returned　to　the　house

with　it。　　Rabbit　wanted　to　see　if　the　old　man　would　come　out　again；

but　he　came　out　no　more。　　Seeing　smoke　ascending　from

the　mud　chimney；　he　thought　he　would　go　over　and　see　what　the　old

man　was　doing。　　He　knocked　at　the　door；　and　a　weak　voice　bade　him

enter。　　He　noticed　that　the　old　man　was　cooking　dinner。



〃Hello　Tunkasina　（grandfather）；　you　must　have　a　nice　time；　living

here　alone。　　I　see　that　you　have　everything　handy。　　You　can　get

wood　and　water；　and　that　is　all　you　have　to　do。　　How　do　you　get

your　provisions？〃



〃The　wolves　bring　my　meat；　the　mice　my　rice　and　ground　beans；　and

the　birds　bring　me　the　cherry　leaves　for　my　tea。　　Yet　it　is　a　hard

life；　as　I　am　all　alone　most　of　the　time　and　have　no　one　to　talk

to；　and　besides；　I　am　blind。〃



〃Say；　grandfather；〃　said　Rabbit；　〃let　us　change　places。　　I　think　I

would　like　to　live　here。〃



〃If　we　exchange　clothes；〃　said　the　other；　〃you　will　become　old　and

blind；　while　I　will　assume　your　youth　and　good　looks。〃　　（Now；　this

old　man　was　placed　here　for　punishment　by　Rabbit's　brother。　　He　had

killed　his　wife；　so　the　genie　made　him　old　and　blind；　and　he　would

remain　so　until　some　one　came　who　would　exchange　places　with　him）。



〃I　don't　care　for　youth　and　good　looks；〃　said　Rabbit；　〃let　us　make

the　change。〃



They　changed　clothes；　and　Rabbit　became　old　and　blind；　whilst　the

old　man　became　young　and　handsome。



〃Well；　I　must　go；〃　said　the　man。　　He　went　out　and　cutting　the

strings　close　to　the　door；　ran　off　laughing。　　〃You　will　get　enough

of　your　living　alone；　you　crazy　boy；〃　and　saying　this　he　ran　into

the　woods。



Rabbit　thought　he　would　like　to　get　some　fresh　water　and　try　the

string　paths　so　that　he　would　get　accustomed　to　it。　　He　bumped

around　the　room　and　finally　found　the　tripe　wat