old indian days-第21部分

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To　illustrate　womanly　nobility　of　nature；　let

me　tell　the　story　of　Dowanhotaninwin；　Her…

Singing…Heard。　　The　maiden　was　deprived　of

both　father　and　mother　when　scarcely　ten　years

old；　by　an　attack　of　the　Sacs　and　Foxes　while

they　were　on　a　hunting　expedition。　　Left　alone

with　her　grandmother；　she　was　carefully　reared

and　trained　by　this　sage　of　the　wild　life。



Nature　had　given　her　more　than　her　share

of　attractiveness；　and　she　was　womanly　and　win…

ning　as　she　was　handsome。　　Yet　she　remained

unmarried　for　nearly　thirty　yearsa　most　un…

usual　thing　among　us；　and　although　she　had

worthy　suitors　in　every　branch　of　the　Sioux　na…

tion；　she　quietly　refused　every　offer。



Certain　warriors　who　had　distinguished　them…

selves　against　the　particular　tribe　who　had　made

her　an　orphan；　persistently　sought　her　hand　in

marriage；　but　failed　utterly。



One　summer　the　Sioux　and　the　Sacs　and

Foxes　were　brought　together　under　a　flag　of

truce　by　the　Commissioners　of　the　Great　White

Father；　for　the　purpose　of　making　a　treaty　with

them。　　During　the　short　period　of　friendly　in…

tercourse　and　social　dance　and　feast；　a　noble

warrior　of　the　enemy's　tribe　courted　Dowan…

hotaninwin。



Several　of　her　old　lovers　were　vying　with

one　another　to　win　her　at　the　same　time；　that　she

might　have　inter…tribal　celebration　of　her　wed…

ding。



Behold！　the　maiden　accepted　the　foe　of　her

childhoodone　of　those　who　had　cruelly　de…

prived　her　of　her　parents！



By　night　she　fled　to　the　Sac　and　Fox　camp

with　her　lover。　　It　seemed　at　first　an　insult　to

the　Sioux；　and　there　was　almost　an　outbreak

among　the　young　men　of　the　tribe；　who　were

barely　restrained　by　their　respect　for　the　Com…

missioners　of　the　Great　Father。



But　her　aged　grandfather　explained　the　mat…

ter　publicly　in　this　fashion：



〃Young　men；　hear　ye！　Your　hearts　are

strong；　let　them　not　be　troubled　by　the　act　of

a　young　woman　of　your　tribe！　This　has　been

her　secret　wish　since　she　became　a　woman。　　She

deprecates　all　tribal　warfare。　　Her　young　heart

never　forgot　its　early　sorrow；　yet　she　has　never

blamed　the　Sacs　and　Foxes　or　held　them　re…

sponsible　for　the　deed。　　She　blames　rather　the

customs　of　war　among　us。　　She　believes　in　the

formation　of　a　blood　brotherhood　strong　enough

to　prevent　all　this　cruel　and　useless　enmity。　　This

was　her　high　purpose；　and　to　this　end　she　re…

served　her　hand。　　Forgive　her；　forgive　her；　I

pray！〃



In　the　morning　there　was　a　great　commotion。　

The　herald　of　the　Sacs　and　Foxes　entered　the

Sioux　camp；　attired　in　ceremonial　garb　and

bearing　in　one　hand　an　American　flag　and　in　the

other　a　peace…pipe。　　He　made　the　rounds　singing

a　peace　song；　and　delivering　to　all　an　invitation

to　attend　the　wedding　feast　of　Dowanhotaninwin

and　their　chief's　son。　　Thus　all　was　well。　　The

simplicity；　high　purpose；　and　bravery　of　the　girl

won　the　hearts　of　the　two　tribes；　and　as　long

as　she　lived　she　was　able　to　keep　the　peace　be…

tween　them。









III





SNANA'S　FAWN



The　Little　Missouri　was　in　her　spring

fullness；　and　the　hills　among　which

she　found　her　way　to　the　Great　Muddy

were　profusely　adorned　with　colors；　much　like

those　worn　by　the　wild　red　man　upon　a　holiday！

Looking　toward　the　sunrise；　one　saw　mysteri…

ous；　deep　shadows　and　bright　prominences；

while　on　the　opposite　side　there　was　really　an

extravagant　array　of　variegated　hues。　　Between

the　gorgeous　buttes　and　rainbow…tinted　ridges

there　were　narrow　plains；　broken　here　and　there

by　dry　creeks　or　gulches；　and　these　again　were

clothed　scantily　with　poplars　and　sad…colored

bull…berry　bushes；　while　the　bare　spots　were　pur…

ple　with　the　wild　Dakota　crocuses。



Upon　the　lowest　of　a　series　of　natural　ter…

races　there　stood　on　this　May　morning　a　young

Sioux　girl；　whose　graceful　movements　were　not

unlike　those　of　a　doe　which　chanced　to　be　lurk…

ing　in　a　neighboring　gulch。　　On　the　upper　plains；

not　far　away；　were　her　young　companions；　all

busily　employed　with　the　wewoptay；　as　it　was

calledthe　sharp…pointed　stick　with　which　the

Sioux　women　dig　wild　turnips。　　They　were

gayly　gossiping　together；　or　each　humming　a

love…song　as　she　worked；　only　Snana　stood　some…

what　apart　from　the　rest；　in　fact；　concealed

by　the　crest　of　the　ridge。



She　had　paused　in　her　digging　and　stood　fac…

ing　the　sun…kissed　buttes。　　Above　them　in　the

clear　blue　sky　the　father　sun　was　traveling　up…

ward　as　in　haste；　while　to　her　receptive　spirit

there　appealed　an　awful；　unknown　force；　the

silent　speech　of　the　Great　Mystery；　to　which　it

seemed　to　her　the　whole　world　must　be　listen…

ing！



〃O　Great　Mystery！　the　father　of　earthly

things　is　coming　to　quicken　us　into　life。　　Have

pity　on　me；　I　pray　thee！　　May　I　some　day　be…

come　the　mother　of　a　great　and　brave　race　of

warriors！〃　　So　the　maiden　prayed　silently。



It　was　now　full…born　day。　　The　sun　shone

hot　upon　the　bare　ground；　and　the　drops　stood

upon　Snana's　forehead　as　she　plied　her　long

pole。　　There　was　a　cool　spring　in　the　dry　creek

bed　near　by；　well　hidden　by　a　clump　of　choke…

cherry　bushes；　and　she　turned　thither　to　cool

her　thirsty　throat。　　In　the　depths　of　the　ravine

her　eye　caught　a　familiar　footprintthe　track

of　a　doe　with　the　young　fawn　beside　it。　　The

hunting　instinct　arose　within。



〃It　will　be　a　great　feat　if　I　can　find　and　take

from　her　the　babe。　　The　little　tawny　skin　shall

be　beautifully　dressed　by　my　mother。　　The　legs

and　the　nose　shall　be　embossed　with　porcupine

quills。　　It　will　be　my　work…bag；〃　she　said　to

herself。



As　she　stole　forward　on　the　fresh　trail　she

scanned　every　nook；　every　clump　of　bushes。　

There　was　a　sudden　rustle　from　within　a　grove

of　wild　plum　trees；　thickly　festooned　with　grape

and　clematis；　and　the　doe　mother　bounded　away

as　carelessly　as　if　she　were　never　to　return。



Ah；　a　mother's　ruse！　　Snana　entered　the

thorny　enclosure；　which　was　almost　a　rude　tee…

pee；　and；　tucked　away　in　the　furthermost　corner；

lay　something　with　a　trout…like；　speckled；　tawny

coat。　　She　bent　over　it。　　The　fawn　was　appar…

ently　sleeping。　　Presently　its　eyes　moved　a　bit；

and　a　shiver　passed　through　its　subtle　body。



〃Thou　shalt　not　die；　thy　skin　shall　not　be…

come　my　work…bag！〃　unconsciously　the　maiden

spoke。　　The　mother　sympathy　had　taken　hold

on　her　mind。　　She　picked　the　fawn　up　tenderly；

bound　its　legs；　and　put　it　on　her　back　to　carry

like　an　Indian　babe　in　the　folds　of　her　robe。



〃I　cannot　leave　you　alone；　Tachinchala。　

Your　mother　is　not　here。　　Our　hunters　will　soon

return　by　this　road；　and　your　mother　has　left

behind　her　two　plain　tracks　leading　to　this

thicket；〃　she　murmured。



The　wild　creature　struggled　vigorously　for

a　minute；　and　then　became　quiet。　　Its　　graceful

head　protruded　from　the　elkskin　robe　just　over

Snana's　shoulder。　　She　was　slowly　climbing　the

slope　with　her　burden；　when　suddenly　like　an

apparition　the　doe…mother　stood　before　her。　

The　fawn　called　loudly　when　it　was　first　seized；

and　the　mother　was　not　too　far　away　to　hear。　

Now　she　called　frantically　for　her　child；　at　the

same　time　stamping　with　her　delicate　fore…feet。



〃Yes；　sister；　you　are　right；　she　is　yours；　but

you　cannot　save　her　to…day！　　The　hunters　will

soon　be　here。　　Let　me　keep　her　for　you；　I　will

return　her　to　you　safely。　　And　hear　me；　O　sis…

ter　of　the　woods；　that　some　day　I　may　become

the　mother　of　a　noble　race　of　warriors　and　of

fine　women；　as　handsome　as　you　are！〃



At　this　moment　the　quick　eyes　of　the　Indian

girl　detected　something　strange　in　the　doe's

actions。　　She　glanced　in　every　direction　and　be…

hold！　a　grizzly　bear　was　cautiously　approach…

ing　the　group　from　a　considerable　distance。



〃Run；　run；　sister！　　I　shall　save　your　child　if

I　can；〃　she　cried；　and　flew　for　the　nearest　scrub

oak　on　the　edge　of　the　bank。　　Up　the　tree　she

scrambled；　with　the　fawn　still　securely　bound　to

her　back。　　The　grizzly　came　on　with　teeth　ex…

posed；　and　the　doe…mother　in　her　flight　came

between　him　and　the　tree；　giving　a　series　of

indignant　snorts　as　she　ran；　and　so　distracted

Mato　from　his　object　of　attack；　but　only　for　a

few　secondsthen　on　he　came！



〃Desist；　O　brave　Mato！　　It　does　not　become

a　great　medicine…man　to　attack　a　helpless　woman

with　a　burden　upon　her　back！〃



Snana　spoke　as　if　the　huge　brute　could　un…

derstand　her；　and　indeed　the　Indians　hold　that

wild　animals　understand　intuitively　when　ap…

pealed　to　by　human　beings　in　distress。　　Yet　he

replied　only　with　a　hoarse　growl；　as　rising　upon

his　hind　legs　he　shook　the　little　tree　vigorously。



〃Ye；　ye；　heyupi　ye！〃　Snana　called　loudly

to　her　companion　turnip…diggers。　　Her　cry　soon

brought　all　the　women　into　sight　upon　a　near…by

ridge；　and　they　immediately　gave　a　general

alarm。　　Mato　saw　them；　but　appeared　not　at

all　concerned　and　was　still　intent　upon　dislodg…

ing　the　girl；　who　clung　frantically　to　her

perch。



Presently　there　appeared　upon　the　little　knoll

several　warriors；　mounted　and　uttering　the　usual

war…whoop；　as　if　they　were　about　to　swoop　down

upon　a　human　enemy。　　This　touched　the　dignity

of　Mato；　and　he　immediately　prepared　to　accept

the　challenge。　　Every　Indian　was　alive　to　the

possibilities　of　the　occasion；　for　it　is　well　known

that　Mato；　or　grizzly　bear；　alone　among　animals

is　given　the　rank　of　a　warrior；　so　that　whoever

conquers　him　may　wear　an　eagle　feather。



〃Woo！　woo！〃　the　warriors　shouted；　as

they　maneuvered　to　draw　him　into　the　open

plain。



He　answered　with　hoarse　growls；　threatening

a　rider　who　had　ventured　too　near。　　But　arrows

were　many　and　well…aimed；　and　in　a　few　minutes

the　great　and　warlike　Mato　lay　dead　at　the　foot

of　the　tree。



The　men　ran　forward　and　counted　their　coups

on　him；　just　as　when　an　enemy　is　fallen。　　Then

they　looked　at　one　another　and　placed　their

hand