old indian days-第19部分

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abashed　were　it　ever　needful　to　correct　her　for

using　a　masculine　termination。



This　mother　makes　for　her　little　daughter　a

miniature　copy　of　every　rude　tool　that　she　uses

in　her　taily　tasks。　　There　is　a　little　scraper　of

elk…horn　to　scrape　rawhides　preparatory　to　tan…

ning　them；　another　scraper　of　a　different　shape

for　tanning；　bone　knives；　and　stone　mallets　for

pounding　choke…cherries　and　jerked　meat。



While　her　mother　is　bending　over　a　large

buffalo…hide　stretched　and　pinned　upon　the

ground；　standing　upon　it　and　scraping　off　the

fleshy　portion　as　nimbly　as　a　carpenter　shaves

a　board　with　his　plane；　Winona；　at　five　years　of

age；　stands　upon　a　corner　of　the　great　hide　and

industriously　scrapes　away　with　her　tiny　instru…

ment！　　When　the　mother　stops　to　sharpen　her

tool；　the　little　woman　always　sharpens　hers　also。　

Perhaps　there　is　water　to　be　fetched　in　bags

made　from　the　dried　pericardium　of　an　animal；

the　girl　brings　some　in　a　smaller　water…bag。　

When　her　mother　goes　for　wood　she　carries　one

or　two　sticks　on　her　back。　　She　pitches　her　play

teepee　to　form　an　exact　copy　of　her　mother's。　

Her　little　belongings　are　nearly　all　practical；

and　her　very　play　is　real！



Thus；　before　she　is　ten　years　old；　Winona　be…

gins　to　see　life　honestly　and　in　earnest；　to　con…

sider　herself　a　factor　in　the　life　of　her　peoplea

link　in　the　genealogy　of　her　race。　　Yet　her　effort

is　not　forced；　her　work　not　done　from　necessity；

it　is　normal　and　a　development　of　the　play…in…

stinct　of　the　young　creature。　　This　sort　of　train…

ing　leads　very　early　to　a　genuine　desire　to　serve

and　to　do　for　others。　　The　little　Winona　loves

to　give　and　to　please；　to　be　generous　and　gra…

cious。　　There　is　no　thought　of　trafficking　or

economizing　in　labor　and　in　love。



〃Mother；　I　want　to　be　like　the　beavers；　the

ants；　and　the　spiders；　because　my　grandmother

says　those　are　the　people　most　worthy　of　imita…

tion　for　their　industry。　　She　also　tells　me　that

I　should　watch　the　bee；　the　one　that　has　so　many

daughters；　and　allows　no　young　men　to　come

around　her　daughters　while　they　are　at　work

making　sweets；〃　exclaims　the　little　maiden。



〃Truly　their　industry　helps　us　much；　for　we

often　take　from　their　hoard；〃　remarks　the

mother。



〃That　is　not　right；　is　it　mother；　if　they　do

not　wish　to　share　with　us？〃　asks　Winona。　

〃But　I　think　the　bee　is　stingy　if　she　has　so　much

and　will　not　share　with　any　one　else！　　When　I

grow　up；　I　shall　help　the　poor！　　I　shall　have　a

big　teepee　and　invite　old　people　often；　for　when

people　get　old　they　seem　to　be　always　hungry；

and　I　think　we　ought　to　feed　them。〃



〃My　little　daughter　will　please　me　and　her

father　if　she　proves　to　be　industrious　and　skillful

with　her　needle　and　in　all　woman's　work。　　Then

she　can　have　a　fine　teepee　and　make　it　all　cheer…

ful　within。　　The　indolent　woman　has　a　small

teepee；　and　it　is　very　smoky。　　All　her　children

will　have　sore　eyes；　and　her　husband　will　soon

become　ill…tempered；〃　declares　the　mother；　in　all

seriousness。



〃And；　daughter；　there　is　something　more

than　this　needed　to　make　a　cheerful　home。　

You　must　have　a　good　heart；　be　patient；　and

speak　but　little。　　Every　creature　that　talks　too

much　is　sure　to　make　trouble；〃　she　concludes；

wisely。



One　day　this　careful　mother　has　completed　a

beautiful　little　teepee　of　the　skin　of　a　buffalo

calf；　worked　with　red　porcupine　quills　in　a　row

of　rings　just　below　the　smoke…flaps　and　on　each

side　of　the　front　opening。　　In　the　center　of　each

ring　is　a　tassel　of　red　and　white　horse…hair。　　The

tip　of　each　smoke…flap　is　decorated　with　the　same

material；　and　the　doorflap　also。



Within　there　are　neatly　arranged　raw…hide

boxes　for　housekeeping；　and　square　bags　of　soft

buckskin　adorned　with　blue　and　white　beads。　

On　either　side　of　the　fireplace　are　spread　the

tanned　skins　of　a　buffalo　calf　and　a　deer；　but

there　is　no　bear；　wolf；　or　wildcat　skin；　for　on

these　the　foot　of　a　woman　must　never　tread！

They　are　for　men；　and　symbolical　of　manly　vir…

tues。　　There　are　dolls　of　all　sizes；　and　a　play

travois　leans　against　the　white　wall　of　the　minia…

ture　lodge。　　Even　the　pet　pup　is　called　in　to

complete　the　fanciful　home　of　the　little　woman。



〃Now；　my　daughter；〃　says　the　mother；　〃you

must　keep　your　lodge　in　order！〃



Here　the　little　woman　is　allowed　to　invite

other　little　women；　her　playmates。　　This　is

where　the　grandmothers　hold　sway；　chaperoning

their　young　charges；　who　must　never　be　long　out

of　their　sight。　　The　little　visitors　bring　their

work…bags　of　various　skins；　artistically　made　and

trimmed。　　These　contain　moccasins　and　other

garments　for　their　dolls；　on　which　they　love　to

occupy　themselves。



The　brightly…painted　rawhide　boxes　are　re…

served　for　food；　and　in　these　the　girls　bring　va…

rious　prepared　meats　and　other　delicacies。　　This

is　perhaps　the　most　agreeable　part　of　the　play

to　the　chaperon；　who　is　treated　as　an　honored

guest　at　the　feast！



Winona　seldom　plays　with　boys；　even　her　own

brothers　and　cousins；　and　after　she　reaches

twelve　or　fourteen　years　of　age　she　scarcely

speaks　to　them。　　Modesty　is　a　virtue　which　is

deeply　impressed　upon　her　from　early　childhood；

and　the　bashfully　drooping　head；　the　averted

look；　the　voice　low　and　seldom　heard；　these　are

graces　much　esteemed　in　a　maiden。



She　is　taught　to　pay　great　attention　to　the

care　of　her　long；　glossy　locks；　combing；　plaiting；

and　perfuming　them　with　sweet…scented　leaves

steeped　in　oil。　　Her　personal　appearance　is　well

understood　to　be　a　matter　of　real　moment；　and

rich　dress　and　ornaments　are　highly　prized。　

Fortunately　they　never　go　out　of　fashion；　and

once　owned　are　permanent　possessions；　unless

parted　with　as　ceremonial　gifts　on　some　great

occasion　of　mourning　or　festivity。



When　she　reaches　a　marriageable　age　her

father　allows　her　to　give　a　feast　to　all　the　other

girls　of　her　immediate　clan；　and　this　〃Feast　of

Virgins〃　may　only　be　attended　by　those　of　spot…

less　reputation。　　To　have　given　or　attended　a

number　of　them　is　regarded　as　a　choice　honor。



Tatiyopa；　by　the　time　she　is　fifteen；　has　al…

ready　a　name　for　skill　in　needlework；　and　gen…

erosity　in　distributing　the　articles　of　her　own

making。　　She　is　now　generally　called　Winona

the　charitable　and　kind！　　She　believes　that　it

is　woman's　work　to　make　and　keep　a　home　that

will　be　worthy　of　the　bravest；　and　hospitable　to

all；　and　in　this　simple　faith　she　enters　upon　the

realities　of　her　womanhood。









II





　　　　　WINONA；　THE　CHILD…WOMAN



　　　　　Braver　than　the　bravest；

　　　　　　　You　sought　honors　at　death's　door；

　　　　　Could　you　not　remember

　　　　　　　One　who　weeps　at　home

　　　　　Could　you　not　remember　me？



　　　　　Braver　than　the　bravest；

　　　　　　　You　sought　honors　more　than　love；

　　　　　Dear；　I　weep；　yet　I　am　not　a　coward；

　　　　　　　My　heart　weeps　for　thee

　　　　　My　heart　weeps　when　I　remember　thee！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sioux　Love　Song。





The　sky　is　blue　overhead；　peeping

through　window…like　openings　in　a

roof　of　green　leaves。　　Right　between

a　great　pine　and　a　birch　tree　their　soft　doeskin

shawls　are　spread；　and　there　sit　two　Sioux　maid…

ens　amid　their　fineriesvariously　colored　por…

cupine　quills　for　embroidery　laid　upon　sheets

of　thin　birch…bark；　and　moccasin　tops　worked

in　colors　like　autumn　leaves。　　It　is　Winona　and

her　friend　Miniyata。



They　have　arrived　at　the　period　during　which

the　young　girl　is　carefully　secluded　from　her

brothers　and　cousins　and　future　lovers；　and　re…

tires；　as　it　were；　into　the　nunnery　of　the　woods；

behind　a　veil　of　thick　foliage。　　Thus　she　is

expected　to　develop　fully　her　womanly　qualities。　

In　meditation　and　solitude；　entirely　alone　or

with　a　chosen　companion　of　her　own　sex　and

age；　she　gains　a　secret　strength；　as　she　studies

the　art　of　womanhood　from　nature　herself。



Winona　has　the　robust　beauty　of　the　wild

lily　of　the　prairie；　pure　and　strong　in　her　deep

colors　of　yellow　and　scarlet　against　the　savage

plain　and　horizon；　basking　in　the　open　sun　like

a　child；　yet　soft　and　woman…like；　with　droop…

ing　head　when　observed。　　Both　girls　are　beau…

tifully　robed　in　loose　gowns　of　soft　doeskin；

girded　about　the　waist　with　the　usual　very　wide

leather　belt。



〃Come；　let　us　practice　our　sacred　dance；〃

says　one　to　the　other。　　Each　crowns　her　glossy

head　with　a　wreath　of　wild　flowers；　and　they

dance　with　slow　steps　around　the　white　birch；

singing　meanwhile　the　sacred　songs。



Now　upon　the　lake　that　stretches　blue　to　the

eastward　there　appears　a　distant　canoe；　a　mere

speck；　no　bigger　than　a　bird　far　off　against　the

shining　sky。



〃See　the　lifting　of　the　paddles！〃　exclaims

Winona。



〃　Like　the　leaping　of　a　trout　upon　the

water！〃　suggests　Miniyata。



〃I　hope　they　will　not　discover　us；　yet　I　would

like　to　know　who　they　are；〃　remarks　the　other；

innocently。



The　birch　canoe　approaches　swiftly；　with　two

young　men　plying　the　light　cedar　paddles。



The　girls　now　settle　down　to　their　needle…

work；　quite　as　if　they　had　never　laughed　or

danced　or　woven　garlands；　bending　over　their

embroidery　in　perfect　silence。　　Surely　they　would

not　wish　to　attract　attention；　for　the　two　sturdy

young　warriors　have　already　landed。



They　pick　up　the　canoe　and　lay　it　well　up　on

the　bank；　out　of　sight。　　Then　one　procures　a

strong　pole。　　They　lift　a　buck　deer　from　the

canoenot　a　mark　upon　it；　save　for　the　bullet

wound；　the　deer　looks　as　if　it　were　sleeping！

They　tie　the　hind　legs　together　and　the　fore

legs　also　and　carry　it　between　them　on　the　pole。



Quickly　and　cleverly　they　do　all　this；　and

now　they　start　forward　and　come　unexpectedly

upon　the　maidens'　retreat！　　They　pause　for　an

instant　in　mute　apology；　but　the　girls　smile　their

forgiveness；　and　the　youths　hurry　on　toward　the

vill