15 Indian Legends

UC-NRLF
INDIAN!
LEGENDS
V
TBH
INDIAN LEGENDS
By MARION FOSTER WASHBURNE,
of
"Old
Fashioned Fairy
Tales"
Introduction, Suggestions to Teachers,
Bibliography by
author
with an
and a
ALICE CORBIN HENDERSON
Illustrations by
FREDERICK RICHARDSON
RAND McNALLY & COMPANY

CHICAGO
Copyright, 1915,
By RAND MCNALLY & COMPANY
THE CONTENTS
PAGE
List of the Color Plates
An
Introduction
...
THE FLIGHT FROM THE FOURTH TO THE FIFTH WORLD

COYOTE AND THE BEAR MAIDEN
SCARF ACE:
33
.63
STORY OF LOVE AND MEDICINE
86
TULCHUHERRIS
THE
ICE
How
THE BEAR FAMILY GOT
KING
112
ITS
NAME
HAWT, OR THE GREAT WORLD CONCERT

The Suggestions
to
117
.
.124
.142
Teachers
Books about American Indians
144
OQUO-f O
A LIST OF THE COLOR PLATES

FACING PAGE
There he was, caught fast in the Spiders webs!

"It
is
"Why
so,"
she said;
"no
one counts the labor of
does your snout grow longer, and
Frontispiece
women"
why do your
ears
wag
so?"
.12
he
60
asked
Scarface sprang into the thick of them, and grasped the midmost
80
birds by the neck
The sides of
the man-fish heaved,
and then were
106
still
The Ice King was sweating and gasping

The air was
He
full of shining drops of water
held the hair over
Hawt;
1 1
and shining
at once it gave out
fish
light like
a torch
.122
.
140
AN INTRODUCTION
To THE YOUNG READER
history of the American Indians, as we know it, begins with the
history of the first Spanish, French, and English settlements in
THE
continent. All that we know of the race before that time is

from
the traditions of the Indians themselves. These traditions
gleaned
do not give us the actual dates and facts, which it is one function of
history to record, but they do give us an idea of the fundamental racial
the
new
thought, the instinctive belief, the habits, and the religion of the Indian
people,
and
History
an equally important part of history.

dependent upon stories which are told by word of mouth,
this is
is
Some of
stories or records that are preserved in writing.
the Indian tribes had a form of picture writing, but usually this was
very simple and did not go much beyond pictures of a buffalo hunt or
In
of a fight between Indian chiefs such as a small child might make.
and upon
other cases, with more civilized tribes, the picture writing was composed
of symbols that we call ideographs, and these are very difficult for us to
could not read our
understand, because we have lost the key.
We
English books if we did not know the alphabet. This Indian writing,
whatever form it took, was recorded on the stone walls of cliffs or
canons, which have been worn away by time, or on single pieces of
stone or skin which were not preserved in any way, and we have only a
few examples to prove that such a form of writing did exist. But in
stories
the stories such as Mrs. Washburne has selected for this book
we are able
that have been told and retold by succeeding generations
to learn a great deal about the Indian people.
From reading these stories you will very quickly gain an impression
of the life the Indians led.
It was a life very different from our own.
There were no schools or books,
railroads, stores, theaters, or churches.
AN"
INTRODUCTION
The Indians lived much in the open air.

cold they had wigwams or tepees made
For
shelter
from the rain or
of skin or bark.
Instead of
having railroads the Indians went about on foot; in place of stores

and money, they exchanged blankets and skins and maize; and some
times they used shells or beads for currency, as we use paper money
In place of theaters, they had dances and processions in which
to-day.
the whole tribe took part. In place of schools or books, the Indians
learned from their fathers and mothers to weave, or to plow, 01 to
cook, or to make arrows, or to hunt; and they heard the stories of
the Man-in-the Sky, of Coyote, or of Scarface from the story-teller
of the tribe.
The Man-in-the-Sky,
for
God.
fields
If
or the Man-Above, was the Indian s name

in the woods or in the
you have ever spent much time out
how much
that expression means. Of course

words to express this feeling of reverence
and awe, but the feeling itself remained the same. The Indians, as
you will find in these stories, knew a great deal about the wild animals
of the woods and prairies.
It did not seem to them that the animals
were much lower in the scale of life than men. Indeed, a great many
you
will realize
different tribes
had
different
of the Indian tribes traced their ancestry to some animal.

In primitive
life, men and animals are united in their struggle against cold, or flood,
or hunger; so you will find in Indian stories that men and animals often
assume the shapes of one another, and their qualities are readily inter
changeable. Coyote is a clever fellow whom we must admire in spite
of his scheming, and we cannot help feeling sorry for the Water Monster
whose children are stolen from him, even though he does send a flood
that causes the children of men and all the animals to go scrambling
up
through a hole in the sky to the Fifth World! How beautiful, too, are
the half-discerned figures of the White God and the Blue God and the
Black God, who are friendly both to men and to animals and who are
able to blow reeds into being that are as high as the sky and as
strong
as a wall!
It is very little wonder that the story-teller
occupied a position of
great honor among the Indians! Sometimes the story-teller was also
the medicine man of the tribe, who knew when the rain was
coming, or
AN INTRODUCTION
r
x
Nothing important could be done without

the story-teller remains for us as the
He is
Like Hawt, in the Great World Concert:
the best time to plant seeds.

And
first consulting him.
still
"
supreme magician.
the master musician
our hearts.
He
of the world!
speaks for us
all,
He
alone knows the secret voices

and speaks beyond our power
of
of
speaking."
Not all the stories in this book have been taken from a single
Each tribe had its own story-teller and its own collection of
tribe.
Mrs. Washburne has chosen the stories that she thought most
stories.
stories
you care for these and wish to read other
list of
a
book
this
of
back
the
at
find
will
about the Indians you
libraries.
at
the
find
which
you may
stories and legends
ALICE CORBIN HENDERSON.
Lake Bluff, Illinois.
interesting,
and
if
Page 52
There he was, caught fast in the Spiders webs!
INDIAN LEGENDS
THE FLIGHT FROM THE FOURTH TO
THE FIFTH WORLD
(Navaho)
this
BENEATH
The people
world there were four other worlds.
who
live here
now once
lived in each of
In each one of them they did wrong,

and from each one of them they were driven forth.
those other worlds.
The first world was red, and the people who lived in it
had wings and were something like our locusts and dragon
flies.
All such insects, as we know them now, are related
to those people
who began
life
in the first world.
When
took to their wings and

In the
flew in circles upward until they reached the sky.
sky they found a hole, and they went through it to the sur
they were driven forth, they
all
face of the second world.
The second world was

Swallow People
lived.
scattered all around.
blue,
and
in that
world the
Their houses, rough and lumpy, lay

The houses were pointed at the top
was the hole for entrance. The people

from the first world and the Swallow People became good
But
friends and lived together pleasantly and happily.
and
in the point
INDIAN LEGENDS
after a short time the people
from the
did wrong and again were driven forth.

in circles to the sky, found the hole in
The
world again
Again they rose

it, and went up
to the third world.
it
through
first
third world
lived there.
They
banks of a great
was yellow, and the Grasshopper People

ground along the
The Grasshopper People were
lived in holes in the

river.
kind to their visitors until they found out how bad they
Then the people from the first world were driven
were.
forth,
and
for the third time
world.
it,
were obliged to seek another

to the sky, found the hole in
They rose in circles

and went up through it to the fourth world.
The fourth world was black and white, mixed.
lived strange
men who
Here
cut their hair square in front,
dwelt in houses in the ground, and cultivated the fields.

They also were very kind to the people from the first
The
world, and gave them pumpkins and corn to eat.
1
people from the

their
up
make
the
first
world then held a council and made
minds to be very good, and to do nothing to
their
Here
first
it
new
was
friends angry.
that, late in the
woman
were made.
autumn, the
first
man and
The people who had come
up from the first world had bodies like the gods, but the
The gods wished to make
teeth, feet, and claws of insects.
some people more

1
Pueblo Indians.
like themselves.
They made the
first
THE FLIGHT TO THE FIFTH WORLD

man from an
an ear
ear of white corn, and the
It is the
life.
mouths now that gives us
we
woman from
first
The wind blew upon them and
of yellow corn.
gave them
wind that conies out
When
life.
it
of our
stops blowing,
In the skin at the tips of our fingers we see the

of the wind; it shows us the way the wind blew when
die.
trail
our ancestors were created.
had many
who married
children,
world, so that soon there
was a
First
Man
One day
all
the
Coyote had hurt

over to First
"Yes,
men
was a
First
large tribe.
Man
except Coyote went out hunting.
his foot
Woman s
is fine meat,"
and could not
and went
lodge,
it
does,"
know how much time
It
said First
it
He
go.
must
eat.
cost
Woman.
limped
in to see her.
said Coyote, gobbling
to prepare meat.
so
Woman
the people of the fourth
She gave him a piece of dried meat to
know how
First
among them.
chief
"This
and
it.
you much
"You
"You
labor."
men do
not
takes to cut and stretch and dry the
meat, to say nothing of cooking it and scraping the hides."

She was sharpening her stone knife as she spoke.
"You have the worst of
"You have
said Coyote.
it,"
to stay at
and
home and watch
collect
and sharpen the knives

the wood, while the men have the pleasure of
the
fire
This day with you is teaching me much."

Coyote was not married.
First Woman went out for wood, and came in again
the hunt.
INDIAN LEGENDS
12
She had been thinking over
with a load on her back.
"It
Now
words.
Coyote
is
she said;
so,"
Man
First
tains, hunting.
the
fire
brings.
He
"no
one counts the labor of women.
has a few days in the forests and moun

For many days afterward he will lie before
smoking, while I work to preserve the meat he

Far into the winter I shall be sewing on the skins.
will eat the
food and wear the clothes and think his
them has been the
share in the labor of procuring
head as he ate another piece of meat.

does not know what a good wife he has," said he.
Coyote shook
"He
When
silently
greater."
his
men
the
returned from the hunt First
took the venison, cut
and cooked
When
it.
what Coyote had
said.
it
up with her sharp
was eaten she
it
Woman
told First
knife,
Man
She showed him the corn she had
many days. She pointed to the pile

of meat, and told him how hard she must work to prepare
He was very tired.
First Man grunted.
it for winter.
He thought he had done well in the hunt. First Woman
been grinding for
grew angry, and at

"Perhaps
you
last First
think,
women can live without

who
killed that
"Certainly
First
Woman.
Man became
then,"
the
angry
too.
Man, "that you

Perhaps it was a woman
said First
men?
deer?"
we can
"We
and on the roots and
live
can
without the
live
berries
men,"
on the produce
we
collect."
answered
of our fields
Page
"//
is
so,"
she said;
"no
one counts the labor of
women"
12

Man
First
13
jumped over the fire

and would not speak to her
so angry that he
was
to the other side of the lodge,
again for the rest of the night.
Next morning he
the
women
had
said,
and
till
He
stay away.
and added:
"Let
told
men to him, but bade

the men what his wife
us see
if
the fields without our help!
of a living
they can
the river and leave
Some
to go
called all the
of the
and leave
make by
they can hunt game

Let us see what kind
themselves!
Let us go across
them!"
when they were ordered

wives behind. Two of them as yet
young men
their
cried
had no wives, but among the women were two maidens

whom they loved. These men were ashamed to let their
bitter
tears show; they swallowed them, but the taste was
The maidens, too, had their grief, but

to the other:
they clung together. One of them whispered
in their hearts.
"It
is
"Yes,
At
good they have no women with them."

that is good," said the other maiden.
first
the crowd of
They spent long hours

each other
how good
it
women made merry
in talking
and
singing.
was to cook only when
together.
They
it
told
pleased
make ready for

them, and not to be obliged to hurry to
the men returning from the hunt or the field. They kept
braided each other s hair
together most of the time, and
and taught each other pretty tricks of embroidery and
weaving.
Their
laughter
rang
over
the
river
in
the
INDIAN LEGENDS
and talking together. They

sat where the men could see them.
They had plenty of
corn and pumpkins, grown in the fields the men had planted.
twilight as they sat sewing
Almost
all
they had to do was to go and gather them.
There was plenty of wild

to pluck
fruit, also,
and they went together
it.
Then would the two maidens
leave the trail and
wander
and mourning for those

whom they loved. But they dared not show their grief.
Now and then through the trees they saw some lonely
in the depths of the woods, sighing
woman
gliding along,
looking upon the ground.
her eyes dropped shining tears.

to hide themselves; nor did they
Day
after
though the
much
The maidens hastened

tell of what they saw.
day went by, and year
women huddled
From
And
and made so
after year.
so close together
men
were very lonely. They

across the river were as brave and
busy as they looked.
They saw them every day going
of loving one another, they
wondered
if
the
out to hunt, or plowing the
around the
fire,
smoking and
fields,
or harvesting, or lying
resting.
the hunger of their hearts, the
Did
all this satisfy
women wondered?
Some
them knew it did not; but they sat silent. It was they
who crept through the woods and wept. It was they whose
of
husbands had wept on leaving them. It was they whom

the two maidens envied, as they watched them beneath
their eyelids.

The women did not
till
the fields well, and year
15
by year
their crops grew smaller, while across the river the crops
grew larger. The women wandered farther and farther
for their berries,
and came home
tired
and hungry.
longed for meat they could hardly sleep for longing.

sweet taste of the berries was flat in their mouths.
;
They
The
The men had plenty. They shot fine deer, and ducks,
and squirrels. As they roasted them before the fire, each
all but First
one thought of his wife and wanted her
Man. Such times reminded him of First Woman s unjust
scolding,
and he grew angry
Four years passed
in this
again.
way.
In the fourth year
men
once more stood ready for harvest.

There was more food than they could store away. Corn
the fields of the
and pumpkins lay untouched upon the ground. They

wanted to give them to somebody, but there was no one
to whom to give them except their wives across the
river.
They looked across. There was only a little field
there, poorly tilled; not a single yellow
the gray scene.
The women no
pumpkin brightened
longer sang, nor gathered
They kept themselves hidden in

their lodges.
At night, when the air was black, the sound
The women were starv
of crying floated across the river.
upon the
ing,
river bank.
and the winter was coming
The men could not bear
on.
this.
began to consider the consequences.
First
Man
They held a
himself
council
INDIAN LEGENDS
i6
and decided to send a message to the women. If they

were ready to yield, the men would bring them across the
That
river, hold a great feast, and start new homes.
night the
men
dreamed
all
had cooked.
Next morning the men
of eating the food the
women
rose early, but the lodges
the other side of the river were silent and smokeless.
women
on
The
hunger and their sorrow.

The white air of the morning was beginning to be blue with
noon when a few of them crept forth and went about
slept late to forget their
gathering brushwood for the
fires.
They were bent with
weakness and their steps were slow.

Two of them wandered off into the woods back of the
village.
These were the two maidens.
gather acorns and berries for breakfast.

they had done this for the other women.
it,
because in this
way they
near the village had
all
They went
For a long time

They liked to do
could be alone.
been picked.
to
Now
The
berries
they had to go
Thus it happened that the two maidens

were in the distant woods when First Man sent his mes
senger to the river bank to call the women.
The messenger s cries rose above the noise of the
river.
The wind carried them to the eager ears of the
women, who for four years had listened for such a sound.
They all trooped down to the bank to hear what the
far to find any.
messenger said
all
but First
Woman.
She stayed in
They
Where
the river.
"Does
her throat.
filled
to go, but she
was
still
proud.
First Woman?" called the messenger across
is
Woman
First
liked to do this because they could be alone
Her heart longed
her lodge.
17
she
still
live?"
Her heart swelled until it

So she was of some importance, after
heard him.
all!
"Yes,
she
is
here,"
cried the
women,
all
together, their
high voices sailing across the river like birds.
They went
for First
Woman.
They
pulled her along
with them, crying and laughing, scolding and coaxing her.

First Woman hung back, but not with all her strength.
At
By
last she
stood on the river bank facing the messenger.
the men, except First Man, were behind

First Woman saw at once that he was not there.
this
him.
2
time
all
INDIAN LEGENDS
i8
Her heart
Could he be dead?
her pride
"
sank, and with
some
of
fell.
First Woman," called the messenger,
to see
it
you
starving.
We
would
"we
do not
like to help you.
like
But
perhaps you do not want our help? Perhaps you think

you can get along without us?"
asked First Woman. Her
Man?"
"Where is First
voice
was
sharp,
and
across the river.
shook a
it
he
"Does
still
little
as
it
cut
its
way
live?"
the messenger shouted, so loud that he started

the echoes.
"Yes, yes," they all said, all up and down the
"Yes,"
river.
The women
face
among
"Can
"Say
strained their eyes, each searching for one
those of the
men on
you get along without

no!
Say
no!"
the other shore.

us?"
called the messenger.
women
begged the other
of First
Woman.
First
Woman
was wondering why
First
Man was
not
there with the rest.

"No,
no!"
she called.
"No,
no!"
the
"No,
no!"
the echoes repeated
women
called, together.
down the river.

it.
The men said
all
it
Everything seemed to be saying
over and over, laughing and jumping about like boys.
No, no, they can t get along without us
they shouted.
The cheeks of some of them were wet. They rushed down
"
"

to the great raft they
rushes.
He
19
had made and hidden among the
As they stepped upon
could wait no longer.
it,
So they
First
all
Man
joined them.
went across and gath
women, and brought them to their new homes.

When the two maidens came back from the forest,
ered up the
staggering under their light loads of berries, they found
empty and the

bank came the sound
the houses
fires
site
of laughter
From
gone out.
and
the oppo
singing,
but
all
the people were inside their houses.

"
They have gone away and
They looked
left
across the river.
until the longing in their hearts
the other shore.
They
crept
us!"
cried the maidens.
They looked and
looked,
drew
toward
down
their bodies
the river bank,
looking; they stepped into the cold water,
still
still
looking.
Their hearts were so hot with grief and shame, they did
not feel the cold of the river. No one came to the opposite
bank
to
to look for them.
swim.
The water grew
Their arms were weak,
Their heads sank beneath the water.
deeper; they had
their
bodies heavy.
But then they could
not watch the shore; so with a mighty effort they forced

their heads up again, to look and look-
Thus it was that the Water Monster caught them.

Out in the middle of the river, where the water was swift
and deep, he caught them both about the body with his
thick furred arms and pulled them down to his home
beneath the waves.
INDIAN LEGENDS
20
All this time the
young men,
their lovers,
were going
from lodge to -lodge, seeking them. They hid the desire

In each
of their hearts, for no one yet knew of their love.
lodge they were feasted; in each they had to express joy
and ask many questions about things for which they cared
The one question they did care to ask no one

answered well; no one knew what had become of the two
nothing.
maidens.
At
last there
were no more lodges to search, and they
went down to the edge
shore, in the clear gray light, they

It was the White God, he
troubles.
He
On
of the black river.
who
saw a
helps
the opposite
tall figure
men
standing.
out of their
held up two fingers to indicate the two
maidens, and pointed downward to the river.

Quickly the two young men ran to a small raft and
went across the
river to speak to him,
but when they
reached the farther shore the god was gone. They sought
for the trail of the lost maidens and finally found the tracks
going to the forest and back again. They saw where the
maidens had stood restless on the river bank, where they
had slipped going down it, and slipped again on the muddy
marge. The tracks went into the water, but alas! the
young men knew they did not come out again on the other
side.
While they stood looking at the black water, much

wishing to follow the maidens into its depths, White God
21
appeared once more, this time close beside them and no

His friend, the Blue God, was with him.
longer alone.
White God held in his hand a bowl made from a large
white
shell.
and
and Blue God held another made from a blue

They set these spinning on their hands. Faster
shell,
spun out into the air and

the river. Blue and white they
faster they spun, until they
down
into the center of
flashed in the clear gray air,
and the black waters whirled
open beneath their spinning.

Now there was another watching all this from the
This was Coyote. He had no wife, and
opposite shore.
had nothing to do but watch others. He had been

going about from lodge to lodge, carrying tales and brag
Now as he had no more lodges to visit, he had come
ging.
to the shore in time to see the blue bowl and the white bowl
so he
whirling in the black river.
When
the young
men on
He
their raft poled out to the center
of the river, Coyote, in his canoe,
All three of
it
led
down
them looked
did not see the gods.
was there before them.
into the whirlpool,
to the house of the waters.
and saw that
Where the young
men
went, there Coyote went also; but they did not notice
him. They were looking ahead, looking for the maidens
as the
maidens had looked
for them.
Down
the center of the whirlpool they went, into the

house of the waters. In the house were four rooms. The
room
in the east
was made
of
dark waters; .they found
INDIAN LEGENDS
22
nothing there. The room in the south was made of blue

waters; they found nothing there. The room in the west
was made
The room
yellow waters; they found nothing there.

in the north was made of waters of all colors;
of
and there they found the two lost maidens.

There, too, was the water monster, stupid under the
spell of
the gods, his breath lifting his furry sides as he lay
two children; but the young men saw

neither the monster nor his children.
They saw only
close against his
the two maidens, and the two maidens saw only their
lovers.
Together, looking
into
each other
eyes,
they
passed up the whirling entrance way, out of the manycolored waters into the gray light of the sky.
But Coyote was different. He looked at the Water
Monster, and nosed him over, as he lay in the depths of

the river, half asleep and heaving. Then he picked up
them under his robe.

except the Water Monster himself,
the young of the monster and hid
No
one saw him do
it
lying helpless under the spell of the gods.
Coyote,
with
his
robe
wrapped
tight
got up through the whirlpool just before
went to
it
about
closed.
him,
He
and there he played with the miserable

the Water Monster, who were too dry by far
his lodge,
children of
Coyote s earthy house. He liked to tease them, and

to think he was not alone in his house that he had a secret
in
there
a dangerous secret that nobody knew.

The Water Monster swam slowly out
the spell of the gods.
And
23
to sea, to escape
where there was no
there,
whirling to confuse him, he laid his heavy head
upon a
rock in the depths of the great waters. There he slowly

thought, and slowly resolved how to rescue his children.
Next day the people saw deer, turkey, and antelope

running from east to west. Animals of six different kinds
two kinds
of hawks,
two kinds
of squirrels, the
humming
came into their camp as if escaping

bird,
from some danger. The next day more animals ran past
wild animals that do not usually come near men. For
and the bat
On
three days this happened.
the morning of the fourth
day the people saw a wide gleam along the horizon, and
sent out the Locusts to see what made this strange shining.
The Locusts
flew off with a loud whirring
and buzzing
of wings, looking like a thin black cloud scattering
the gray
When
air.
through
the yellow afternoon was changing
to the black night, they returned, with a loud clapping of
wings.
"Ah!
Ah!
Ah!
Ah!"
cried the Locusts.
"There is
a great flood of waters coming in from the east.

coming fast. It is a terrible flood.
It is
The people
and
all
gathered together
cried aloud in fear.
sleep, so fearful
when they heard
this,
Night came, but they could not
were they.
Next morning the waters were as high as mountains,
INDIAN LEGENDS
24
encircling
the whole horizon,
except on the west,
rolling
on rapidly.
The people
things
and climbed
to the top of the high
hastily
packed
all
hill.
and
their
Here
they held a council to decide what they should do.

Some one said that perhaps the Squirrels could help
them.
"We
One
will
try,"
said the Squirrels.
them planted a pinon seed, and one of them

a juniper seed. The seeds sprouted at once and grew
The people hoped the trees would soon grow
fast.
of
so tall the flood could not reach their tops,
and that
all
might climb into them and be saved. But after the trees
had grown a little they began to branch out, and grew no
higher.
Then the frightened people called on the Weasels.

One of the weasels planted a spruce seed, and one a pine
The seeds sprouted at once and grew fast. Again
seed.
the people began to hope; but again the trees began to
branch out, and grew but
little
higher.
The waters were
coming nearer every moment, and the people were in great

fear.
Now
One was
latter
two men drew near the
hill.
They were
strangers.
and gray- haired; the other was young. The

walked first. They went up the hill and passed
old
through the crowd, speaking to no one. The young man

sat down on the top of the hill and the old man sat down
One
of the weasels planted a spruce seed,
behind him, facing the

had covered all the land.
"Perhaps
east,
and one a pine
25
seed
where the dreadful waters
our father can do something for
us,"
said
the people.
"I
cannot,"
said the old
may be able to help

When they asked
man.
"But
ask
my
son; he
you."
the son he said he would help
them
they would all face to the west and not look at him while
he was at work. Then the people faced to the west, and
the young man worked silently behind them. The waters
if
were coming on steadily.
The people heard the
noise
them; they smelled them; but they continued to look

toward the west.
of
In a few moments the young
man
called them,
and
INDIAN LEGENDS
26
they saw that he had planted thirty-two reeds, each of

which had thirty-two joints. As they watched
they saw
the roots of the reeds
out
into
the
soil
in
all direc
reaching
tions, and the reeds themselves growing fast.
A moment
later all the reeds joined
together into
a hole in
its
one great reed, with
eastern side.
The people
hurried into this hole,

scrambling over
each other; and when they were all inside, the hole closed.
They were not a moment too soon; the hole had
scarcely
when they heard the noise

outside.
The Turkey was the last
closed
wet the
of the surging waters
to get in.
The waters
and he gobbled aloud, and the people

To this day the ends of the tur
s
tail
feathers
are lighter than the rest, to show where
key
he dragged them in the water.
tip of his tail
were frightened again.
Yin, yin,
yin!"
the waters cried,

splashing against
the reed.
The waters
rose fast,
but the reed grew faster. It

on
and
soon it grew so high that it
kept
growing,
began to
and
the
sway,
people were afraid it would break. But
three of their friendly gods were with them
the White
God, the Blue God, and the Black God. The Black
God
blew a great breath out of the

top of the reed, and a black
cloud closed up about it and steadied it.
The
reed grew higher and

higher.
Again it swayed
and seemed about to break. The
people within trembled as
27
and again
Again the Black God blew,
reed.
a thick cloud closed up and steadied the swaying
At last it had grown so that it almost touched the sky;
the reed trembled.
but
it
it
bent and waved so
to the sky.
much
the people could not fasten
Then the Black God, who was on
top, took
of the reed
a plume out of his headband and stuck it out
This is why the reeds, to this day, always
against the sky.
wear plumes on their heads.

The people were up to the sky now, but they could
First Man and First Woman decided
find no hole in it.
a hole. First they called on the Bear, and told
to
dig
him
to dig.
He dug and dug
with his sharp claws until
he was tired out, but he did not get through the sky.
Then Wolf dug until he was tired out, but he did not
then Coyote dug until he was tired
get through the sky;
the sky; then Lynx dug
out, but he did not get through
the sky;
until he was tired out, but he did not get through
not
then Badger dug until he was tired out, and he did
get through the sky.
But while Badger was
digging, water
began to drip
from above; so the people knew he had struck the waters

and they
of the upper world, on the other side of the sky,
sent Locust up.
Locust made a sort of tunnel in the soft
mud, and came through to the upper world.
make such tunnels to-day, in memory

The Locust found that he was near a
All locusts
of their ancestor.
little
island in the
28
INDIAN LEGENDS
center of a lake.
The
island
was
faintly green, the waters

were faintly blue, and beyond them a
wide, flat land
stretched out in every direction until it met the
sky in a
circle.
The air did not look as it does at night, nor
yet
as
does in bright day, but as it does in the

early dawn.
Neither sun, moon, nor stars lighted the smooth arch of
the sky.
it
Coming toward Locust on the lake were two Water

One of them was black, and came from the
Fowls.
east;
the other was yellow, and came from the

west.
black Water Fowl said to him:
"Who
are you,
and whence come
As Locust did not

"We
own
in the west.
we
do,
we
reply, the
half of this world
The
you?"
Water Fowl went on:

I in
We give you a challenge.
the east,
If
my
brother
you can do what
will give
you half of the world. If you cannot,

must
you
Each bird had an arrow made of the black wind. Each
die."
passed this arrow through his heart and flung it down.

Then Locust picked up one of the arrows and
passed it
his
through
heart, just as the others had done.
When he
had flung it down the Water Fowls swam
one to
away,
the east and one to the west.
No
sooner had they gone than two other Water Fowls

appeared; a blue one from the south and a
shining one
from the north. They also
passed arrows made of the
Then Locust picked up one of
the
arrows and passed
it
29
through his heart
black wind through their hearts and challenged the Locust

to do likewise.
Again the Locust took an arrow and passed
it through his body from side to side.
Then the Water
Fowls
To
this
swam away,
leaving
day the holes made
all
in the
the land to the Locust.
Locust
s sides
are plainly
to be seen.
The Locust went back and told the people what had
happened. But when they tried to follow him they found
that the tunnel he had made was too small for them; so
they sent the Badger to make it larger. When he came
back his legs were stained black with the mud he had dug
through; and the legs of
ever since.
Then
First
Man
and
all
First
the badgers have been black
Woman
led the
way;
all
the
INDIAN LEGENDS
30
others followed,
and at
last
they came through to the
surface of this, the fifth world.
Man
and First Woman looked about, and noticed

the broad sky, and the land flat on every side.
First
will
make mountains
by and
they told
each other.
will be good work for our people.
This
land is too open. There is no place in it to take shelter.
"We
here,
by,"
"It
And everything is alike. We will change

And they did. That is why the Lake of the Emer
gence now lies among high mountains. The First People
made these mountains in the first days, and fastened them
it."
in place
with bolts of lightning, a great stone knife, sun
beams, and rainbows.

In their turn the two young
men and
the two maidens
came up.
They saw the blue of the lake and the little

silver ripples.
They saw the trees on the island and the
shadowy places under vines. They saw the birds nests hid
den in the leaves. They thought it a pleasant world.
But now the people saw water rising in the tunnel.
was
up the long tube. They again held council,

but knew not what to do to ward off this new danger. At
last First Man rose to speak.
He pointed to Coyote and
It
boiling
said:
That man
a rascal.
There
something wrong
about him. I have watched him, and I have noticed
I
that he never takes off his robe, even when he sleeps.
is
is

believe he has stolen property under his arm.
it is
for his sin that
They
young
of
we
are
31
Perhaps
punished."
from Coyote, and the soft, furry

the Water Monster dropped out from it. Quickly
tore the robe
the people picked
them up and threw them
into the hole
through which the waters were climbing. In an instant

the waters sucked back with the little creatures in their
and rushed away with a deafening noise
grasp,
into the
fourth world, leaving the people safe above.
At
first
the sky in the
fifth
world was
like that in the
south, yellow in
was white in the east, blue

the west, and black in the north.
Man and
Woman
other four worlds.
It
in the
First
thought they could make some

lights that would make the earth brighter than this.
They
thought about it a long time, and talked it over with each
First
they decided to make the sun and the moon.

For the sun they took a clear stone and shaped it until
At
other.
last
was a perfect circle. At first they thought of putting

five points on it, as they afterward did on the stars, but
it
they finally decided to

quoises
all
around
its
make
edge,
it
round.
and outside
They
set
tur
of these they put
rays of red rain and rays of lightning, and set snakes of

many kinds twisting out from it. When it was done the
Wind
of the East begged that
so they dragged
There they gave
it
it
be brought to his country;

to the edge of the land where he dwelt.
to the young man who had planted the
it
INDIAN LEGENDS
32
great reed for
them
in the fourth world.
They gave
it
to
him to carry, as a reward.

Next they made the moon. First they took a piece
of crystal and shaped it round like the sun, only smaller.
They bordered it with white shells, and drew over its face
sheet lightning and all kinds of waters.
They gave it to
the old gray-haired man whose son had made the great
reed in the fourth world, and bade him carry it across the
sky.
When
these two
men were about
to go
away
to begin
began to weep and wail, for

they loved them for their kindness in an hour of trouble,
and were sorry to lose them. But First Man said:
their long labor, the people
Mourn not for them; you will see them

and all who die will go to them there."
"
in the heavens,

(Navaho)
PART
days a very beautiful maiden lived

She had the
in a lodge with her eleven brothers.
north end of the lodge to herself. Here she kept her cook
after the first
SOON
and cloth
ing utensils and her materials for basket making
weaving. The eleven brothers slept at the south end, the
eldest near the door.
The brothers were mighty
hunters, and the lodge
was
always well supplied with meat, so they had many visitors.

The visitors made themselves rough lodges of branches
near by, and stayed for many days at a time. The maiden
cooked for them, and cooked

marriage, but she refused
them
that were too hard for any
and when they

and came no more.
they
tried,
well.
all.
man
failed
Many
She
asked her in
set
them tasks
to do; but nevertheless
they stole away in silence
Coyote heard about this. .He made up his mind that

he would try for the maiden. So he, too, went to see her.
He had a fine manner, and walked with his head high.
He expected people to take him for a god, and sometimes
33
INDIAN LEGENDS
34
What must a man do
He was
they did.
otter-skin quiver,
to
win
you?"
he asked
beautifully dressed.
and
his face
The maiden greeted him
He had
was painted
politely
a nice
in spots.
when he came
into her
She sat weaving baskets, but she noticed, out of

the corner of her eye, how good looking he was and how
lodge.
well dressed.
"
to
Why have
you refused
so
many men who have wanted
asked Coyote, after a while.

They could not win me," answered the maiden.
What must a man do to win you?" he asked.
marry
"Why
you?"
should
hard tasks.
"I
You
can do
boasting,
tell
you?"
said she.
could not do
"They
are very
them."
many things," said Coyote.

telling how he had chased the
And he
deer to
sat
the
35
Humming-bird Men; how he had kept the children of the

Water Monster in his lodge for pets; how he had spent
an afternoon with the Tsidi Birds, playing
eyes and catching
own
"It
made them a
them
little
with his
ball
in the sockets again.
yellow, being handled so
much,"
But he did not tell how the

Humming-bird Men had enticed him over the ledge to
kill him; or how the angry birds had kept his eyes from
said he, blinking at the
fire.
him and given him eyes of yellow gum instead; or now

he had brought the great flood upon the people of the fourth
world because he stole the children of the Water Monster.
kept these things and
He
"Now tell
at last.
me what
"You
do them
I shall
"There is
see,
are,"
he said
have already done great things.
no use
telling
you,"
"
said the maiden.
These
You
could
Tsidi
Birds
any you have done.
them."
me
begged Coyote.
could not play with them, but
"Let
said
these tasks of yours
again."
are harder things than
not do
others to himself.
many
must
do,
"The
try,"
and then
see
me do
it.
did.
It will
Tell
be a
me what
fine
sight."
Four times he asked her, and the fourth time she

answered
one thing, I will marry no man who has not killed

the Alien Gods and brought me the tokens.
at least one
You have told me many things, but not one so big as that."
"For
<3f
INDIAN LEGENDS
36
Coyote rose and shook himself.

will tell you about that when
come back," he said.

the Alien Gods called Brown
"I
Near by lived one of

He was half as tall as the
Giant.
cruel
He was
tallest pine tree.
and wicked.
fear of him.
Everyone for miles around lived in

The maiden and her eleven brothers were
not glad to have him for a neighbor. But no one had yet
been able to kill him, though he had killed many.
Coyote went up to him politely.

have come to offer myself to you
"I
for a
servant,"
can run fast and jump far. I can run after

your enemies and help you catch them. I can jump
over four bushes at one bound."
he
said.
"My
"I
cousin,"
You have
you
said
Brown
a good manner.
Giant,
appear
You may be my
well.
servant
if
like."
Coyote looked about him as

"Where is
like to
for
"you
your sweat
take a sweat, to
your service."
have no sweat
"I
"Let
us
make
one,
if
house?"
in search of something.
he asked.
make myself very

house,"
then,"
"I
should
limber and quick
growled Brown Giant.

said Coyote.
"I
will help
you and show you how. You will see how fresh and young
a good sweat bath makes you
So they went to work to make a sweat house. But
feel."
Coyote did not do much of the work.
He showed Brown

Giant
how
to
make a
framework of
sticks
hole in the ground,
above
it,
how
to
make
the
pointing toward the center,
and how to cover the framework with bark,

finally
37
grass,
and
with earth.
the earth thick
"Make
all
over
it,
so the heat will not
While Brown Giant was busy

doing this, half hidden in the dust he raised, Coyote slipped
away and looked around until, among the many bones the
he commanded.
escape,"
had spread about, he found a long thigh bone.

hid this under his shirt and went back to the giant.
giant
is
"That
giant
had
you and
good,"
built.
Now
I.
start the
he
He
low house the
said, looking at the
can certainly make fine houses,

we must cover the floor with leaves, and
"We
fire."
on the ground in front

In this they heated great stones, and carried
of the house.
them into the sweat house. Before the doorway Coyote
hung four blankets of sky, one white, one blue, one yellow,
and one black. Then they took off their clothes, went
They did
They
so.
into the dark house,

It
and
sat
down
in the heat.
The stones glowed a dull red

the darkness. The green leaves shriveled
in the
and the perspiration streamed from the bodies
of the
was very
center of
heat,
built a fire
hot.
in the
two men lying there panting.

"There
Coyote.
is
a secret about being a fast
"There
is
magic
in
it.
know
runner,"
said
this secret as I
INDIAN LEGENDS
38
know many
others.
know much magic.
Listen now,
teach you what you must do. You must cut

your leg to the bone, and then break the bone. It will
heal in a minute, and you will be much fleeter and stronger
and
I will
than you were before. I have often done it myself. I

Each time I do it I grow stronger and can
will do it now.
run
faster."
In the dark,
Brown Giant heard
stone knife as Coyote lifted
it.
man to do
then only a brave man ought to be
"It
takes a brave
ah!
Often as
Oh!
There,
do
it is
the clatter of the great
said Coyote.
this,"
strong.
Ah
cannot quite keep from crying out.

Now to break the bone."
it,
and
swift
"But
cut.
sharp noise cracked through the hot air. Coyote

had broken the bone he had brought with him. He made
Brown Giant
feel
the fractured ends of
it,
guiding his hand
in the dark.
"It
is
well broken
no harm.
It will
then you
will see
indeed.
grow
me
This time
bushes at a time.
in the world.
if
but that
will
do
few days, and

That will be a sight
together again in a
leap
It is
Even
little splintered,
and run.
be able to jump over eight

no wonder I am the swiftest runner
shall
many knew my
magic, only a few
would be brave enough to practice

Then he slyly threw away the old bone, rubbed
on his leg, prayed over it, and sang.
it."
spittle

"Tohe
At
last
(Heal together)!
he guided Brown Giant
"See
how smooth and
too hard.
You
hand to
solid it
will
he chanted.
Tohe!"
his leg again.
he
is!"
said.
But you had better not
not even a scar.
me
Tohe!
39
"There is
try this.
It is
Let
not be able to stand the hurt.
run and jump for
you."
have enemies.
Brown Giant.
Could you run away from them for me? You are not
"No,
indeed,"
said
man
"I
in the world.
am
as brave as
you
fleet."
as
be
soon
I
shall
and
now,
With that he took the stone knife from Coyote, and
the only brave
slowly began to cut his thigh.
He
wished to suppress
signs of pain, but in spite of himself the tears came,
at last loud howls.
But he worked
on,
all
and
and presently
Coyote heard the snap of the breaking bone.

Tohe! Tohe!" the giant cried, as Coyote
"Tohe!
had done; but the bone remained broken.
"Cousin!"
he
cried.
"Come
and heal
this
bone for
do not pray right. Show me what is wrong."

But Coyote had him, now, where he wanted him. He
ran out of the sweat house, picked up his arrows, and shot
me.
them
into the helpless
man.
At
last
in his sweat house, his leg broken
Brown Giant
lay dead
and bleeding, and many
Through the lifted sky curtains at the

doorway the light shone in on him.
Coyote scalped him as he lay, and tied the big yellow
arrows in him.
INDIAN LEGENDS
40
scalp
on the end
of a
broken branch of a cedar
knew the maiden would
tree.
He
recognize the scalp, for in those
days none but the gods had yellow hair. Then he took the
giant s weapons and, staggering under their weight, went
back to the maiden. He threw the trophies at her feet as
she sat weaving baskets.
The yellow
hair of the scalp
lay in her lap.
you must marry me," shouted Coyote.

have done what you told me to do. What you thought
"Now
too
"I
much
Coyote has done. Coyote has

danced and whooped outside the lodge.
for gods to do,
won his bride." He

The maiden watched him under
not
"No,
yet,"
she said.
You must be
you must do to win me.

to
life
four
"I
the door flap.

have not told you
killed
all
and come
times."
This was not so bad for Coyote, for he kept his vital
principle in the tip of his nose and the end of his tail.
Many
times he had been killed and come to
Nevertheless he
"Are
all
you
made
telling
again.
difficulties.
me
that you require?
life
the
If I
do
truth?"
he asked.
this, will
"Is
you marry
this
me?"
speak only the truth," said the maiden.

Four times he asked, and four times she made the same
"I
reply.
"Here
will."
am,"
said
Coyote then.
"Do
with
me
as
you

She took him a
little
41
distance from the camp, laid
him
on the ground, and beat him with a great club until she
thought she had smashed every bone in his body. But
she had not smashed the point of his nose or the tip of his
Then she went back to her work. She had four

baskets to weave, and she was very busy.
Soon Coyote came walking in at the door.
tail.
"Here
Now
am,"
he
said.
there are only three
have won the
"I
more
to
first
game.
win."
The maiden went on with her weaving, and thought

Then she rose, and took Coyote off farther than
awhile.
before.
She pounded him very carefully, until he was all
in little bits,
of his nose
but two of these bits were the uninjured point
and the
tip of his tail.
Again she went back
to her work.
Soon Coyote came walking

"Here
I am," he said.
Now
in at the door.
two more to
there are only
have won two games.
"I
win."
The maiden went on weaving
in silence.
Her heart
trembled within her for fear she was captured at last.

But she rose and took him still farther away. She pounded
him
into a shapeless
rock and pounded
it
and wide.
pieces far
and the
mass and
laid the
mass on a great
Next she scattered the
still
finer.
Still
she had not injured the point
took Coyote longer

than before to gather himself together. She had done
of his nose
tip of his tail.
It
INDIAN LEGENDS
42
when Coyote came walking
quite a piece of her weaving

in at the door.
I
"Here
Now
am,"
he
said.
have won three games.
"I
only one more to win."

This time she led him a long distance before she pounded
him. She mixed the pieces with earth, and ground the
there
is
mixture between stones,

der.
She scattered
the grains of
this
was a fine pow

and wide. But among
like corn, until it
powder
powder were
far
still
uninjured the point of

She went back to her
nose and tip of his tail.

lodge and worked a long time without hearing or seeing
any one. She thought she had conquered Coyote at last,
Coyote
She began to think how brave he had

been and how neatly he had dressed. He was a boaster,
but he seemed to be able to make his boast good. Much
and was
sorry.
was done, and she was weaving rather slowly,

when again Coyote came walking in at the door.
have won four games, and
"Here I am," he said.
of the basket
"I
have won
you."
She could not deny it, and he sat down beside her as
she wove. He stayed all the afternoon. At sunset they
heard the sound of footsteps.
"There
are
my
brothers.
She
Some
said:
them are
You must hide
of
of
an
evil
mind, and may do you harm.

yourself."
She hid him behind a pile of skins, and told him to
keep quiet.

When
the brothers
came
43
in they said to their sister:
Make a
the fat young venison we bring you.
And boil some of the
fire now, and we will all eat well.
They are
fat in the pot, for we want to grease our faces.
"See
burned with the sun and the wind."

The maiden built a good fire and put the meat over to
The brothers lay around the fire, tired, waiting
cook.
sniffed the
and then another
First one
for their supper.

air.
this
"What is
smell?"
house?
else in the
one
we
We
Three times they asked
was
smell
some
"Is
there
some
animal."
this question,
but their
sister
At the fourth question Coyote jumped out
silent.
from behind the

"It
said they.
is I,
my
pile of skins into the

brothers-in-law,"
middle of the lodge.
said he.
The brothers were very angry. Who was this, who

first hid like a sneak and then faced them like a boaster?
Was
this the sort of suitor their sister preferred
she
who
had rejected so many good huntsmen and strong warriors?

Why had she concealed him? Was she ashamed of him
and afraid of them?
"Run
manner.
"You,
out
And
too,
there!"
cried the brothers in a threatening
turning to their
run out with
sister,
they said:
him!"
Coyote went out jauntily with his wife. As he passed

the fire he took a brand from it to light his own fire. He
INDIAN LEGENDS
44
broke branches from the trees outside and built a shelter

for himself
and
When
it was done, she went

back to her brothers lodge and took out her
pots, her four
awls, her skins, her baskets, and all her property, and car
his wife.
them to her new home.

She and Coyote sat side by side near the fire. She
felt a little lonely and humiliated.
This was not the way
she had pictured her wedding
day. She put her hand on
ried
Coyote s knee, but he pushed it away without speaking.

She sat looking at her hand and
wondering. Why
had he done that? Was she not his wife? Was she not
the most beautiful
woman
in
the world?
She reached
out her hand again; but again
Coyote pushed it away.
She sat looking at her hand. It was brown and
straight
and good to look at. It could sew well, and weave
well,
and cook
well.
It
was the hand
of his wife.
To win
it
he had dared the Brown Giant and four times suffered

death.
It must be he was grieved that her brothers had
turned him out.
Again she put her hand on his knee; but

again Coyote pushed it away.
She could not understand this. She looked at him
and studied him. He sat staring and
at the fire.
scowling
looked very cross. She was half afraid of him. He
was all she had, now. It would not do to have him cross.
He
They must be
brothers.
friends
and stand together against her
45
After a long time she thought he scowled less, and again

she stole her hand toward him. It was the magical fourth
time,
and something must come
He
spoke.
"I
have
Sure enough, Coyote
it.
snarled in his throat.
have sworn to take no woman
killed her four times,
Now
the
of
At
"Here
he
was the woman
it
fire.
"
last
am.
Then Coyote
for a wife until I
said.
turn to
sit silent,
gazing at
she said:
Do
with
me
as
you
will."
had treated
and scattered
treated her exactly as she
Four times he pounded her to pieces,

the pieces far and wide. Remembering his own
him.
spots he left
no part
of her uninjured.
He
did not
vital
know
body at all, and that

nothing he could do to her body would destroy her.
When she returned for the fourth time she and Coyote
that her vital principle
was not
in her
were good friends. They knew they were well matched.

They sat long over the fire, talking in low tones. Coyote
told her
much
ing him.
of his magic,
But she never
and she
told
listened closely,
him the
admir
secret of her vital
principle.
Outside their shelter the youngest brother tried to hear

what they said. At home he told his brothers about it.
"They
many
was
are
things.
evil."
they tell each other

could not hear them all, but all I did hear
friends,"
he
said,
"and
INDIAN LEGENDS
46
Next morning the brothers were getting ready to go

hunting again when Coyote came into the lodge.
"It
is
fine
morning,
have a good hunt
shall
Go back,
may be
lonely
brothers-in-law,"
said he.
"We
to-day."
said the brothers, taunting him.
and want some one to talk
to.
Your wife
Why should
you leave her?" And they chased him out of the lodge.
But as they were about to leave, Coyote came again.
"Come, now, brothers-in-law," he said, "you have had
your little joke. I don t mind it. I will go with you,
just the
same."
no!"
"No,
carry
wood
her.
Go away
The woman will want you to

You must stay at home and help
they said.
for her.
now."
on their journey without him, but they

had not gone far when he overtook them.
They
"We
are out of sight of the
Now there is
brought my bow and
said he.
have
set off
"
weapons, and you
The
will
see
made no
woman,
brothers-in-law,"
no use teasing me.

arrows.
They
See,
are wonderful
what a good hunter
am."
They merely turned

and chased him back. They traveled on until they came
to a deep canon bordered with steep cliffs, and here they
discovered that Coyote was skulking along behind them.
Ten of the brothers were very angry, but the youngest
brothers
brother laughed.
answer.

"Oh,
let
him
game toward
decided to do this, and
drive
he
stay,"
said.
"We
After a
us."
let
little
47
can use him to
argument they
Coyote follow on.
Before long they wished to cross over to the other side

of the canon, but there was no bridge.
Down in the
canon lived some unfriendly people; so they did not care

to descend into it.
They consulted together for a few
make a rainbow bridge.

magic rites. The air began
minutes, and at last decided to
to
They went through
their
quiver with color.
The
everywhere
into place,
for
fine
several minutes,
colors
floated
around
clung together, settled
and there stood a shining bridge above the
chasm, arching from rock to rock.

Coyote leaped out upon it with a great bound, and
What a fine place to play!"
began to jump and run on it.
"
he
said.
He
thought to himself how splendid he must look,

bounding along on the rainbow bridge, high above the
dark canon.
By and by
they came to a mesa, or table-land, thrust

out over a lower plain. A narrow neck of land joined it
on which they stood. All around the mesa

were steep rocks. The neck of land was the only entrance.
Here they saw the track of Rocky Mountain sheep
that had gone over the neck on to the mesa. They built
to the plateau
fire
at the entrance, sat
down near
it,
and sent Coyote
INDIAN LEGENDS
48
In a few minutes they saw the
to drive out the sheep.
sheep come running, Coyote chasing them. They drew

Then
their arrows to the head and shot all four of them.
Coyote lay down beside the
proud and happy.
fire,
In those days the horns of the Rocky Mountain sheep

were fat and fleshy and could be eaten. The eldest brother
said:
"The
my
horns are
said
Coyote;
The horns shall be
"No,"
them.
The
"I
Tsinantlehi
means,
"Turn
Each time he
my
share."
As he did
Tsinantlehi
to
found the sheep and drove
drew out
eldest brother
cut one of the horns.

1
share."
his knife
do,
and began to
Coyote cried out:

which
Tsinantlehi
!
bone!"
cried the horn
grew harder so that the
knife slipped, hacking but not cutting
it.
This
is
why
Rocky Mountain sheep are now hard and

To this day they bear the marks of the hunter s
the horns of the
not fleshy.
knife.
Then the brothers gathered the meat

tied
it
on Coyote
into a bundle
and
back.
home
they commanded. "And go

around the canon. The rainbow bridge has faded, and
we shall not build another for such a bad hunting companion
"Carry it
as
you
you
are.
will fall
Don
among
for
us!"
go down into the canon, for

evil
people."
if
you do

But Coyote had no mind
49
to take the long journey
around the canon with such a heavy load on his back.

He went to the edge of the canon and looked down. There
he saw some birds playing a strange game. They rolled
stones down the long slope that reached from the foot of
the
to the end of the valley,
cliff
the birds rode upon
much
This was too
and ran down

"Let
them without
for Coyote.
rolled
losing their balance.
He unbound
his
pack
into the valley.
play
too!"
he shouted.
"You
how
will see
can teach you a trick or two

They rolled a stone gently for him, and he stood upon
balancing himself so surely and quickly that he rolled
soon
it,
me
and as the stones
I shall
bottom
to the
"What
joy.
learn
"I
The
did
knew
Maybe
of the slope without injury.

I tell
you!"
could do
he
it!
birds rolled another,
"Another!"
cried,
Roll
jumping around
me
another
and again he rode
he called out.
"Roll
me
for
stone!"
safely.
another!"
And
once more they rolled a stone.

But the fourth time he called they became angry.
Why should he order them about? They rolled the stone,
indeed, but with such force that Coyote lost his balance,
and he and the stone rolled over and over each other to
the bottom of the slope, Coyote screaming and yelping
all
the
way down.
He
did not go back again, but traveled on through the

4
INDIAN LEGENDS
"/
knew I could do
it!
Roll
me
another
stone"
At the lower end Coyote saw some Otters play

They played it with a hoop and
ing the game of nanzoz.
two long poles, and they bet their skins on the game.
When one of the Otters lost the game and forfeited
his skin, he jumped into the water and came out with
a new skin.
That is a great game," said Coyote.
know it
Let me show you how to roll that hoop."
well.
The Otters had heard what a rascal Coyote was, and
at first they would not let him play, but he begged so hard
that at last they yielded. He bet his beautiful smooth
The moment
skin, as thick as the Otters own, and lost it.
he lost it the Otters fell upon him and began to strip it
off, beginning at the root of the tail and pulling forward.
valley.
"I
51
When
they came to the vital spot at the point of his nose

his cries were terrible.
When
at last he stood shivering without his skin he
into the water as the Otters
jumped
come back
had done.
But no;
his
Again he jumped skin

less into the water.
Again and again he came up skinless.
At last he was all tired out, and lay down in the water,
skin did not
silent.
Then the
to him.
Otters took pity on
They drew him

and covered him with
out.
him and
pulled
to a badger hole, threw

earth.
him
him
in,
When
he dug his way out

but it was no longer the
he was again covered with hair,

It was coarse and rough, much
glossy coat he once wore.
like that of the badger.
Such a coat the coyotes have
worn ever
Even
since.
this did not cure him.
but not his nature.

to play with him,
"Your
skin!"
and
He had changed
He went around
his skin
asking every one
offering to bet his skin again.
they jeered at him.
for such a skin as that?
Get
Who
would play
out!"
Coyote grew angry. He went off to a safe distance

and began to abuse the Otters shamefully.
You are cowards!" he said. "You boast much, but do
nothing. Your women are no good. They have flat heads;
"
their eyes are little; their teeth stick out; they are ugly.
But
I,
He
Coyote, have a bride as beautiful as the sun."

shook his foot at them to show he could run faster
I,
INDIAN LEGENDS
52
He danced up to them, and when they

him he danced away. When they had
quieted down he stole up to them and began again to taunt
them. After a while he got upon a cliff and reviled them
than they could.
to chase
tried
until the valley rang with his insulting words.
The
Otters held council
among themselves and decided
they could stand mockery no longer. They sent word to

the chief of the Spiders, who lived farther up the valley,
him what had happened, and asking for aid.

The Spiders made a good plan. They crept up the
bluff and went around behind Coyote.
He was so busy
telling
scolding that he never noticed them.
There they wove

strong nets among the trees and bushes. Still without
rousing him, they went back and told the Otters what
they had done.
Now
Coyote.
his foot
the Otters began to charge up the bluff upon
As before, he let them come quite near, shaking

at them and laughing to think how easily he could
back
When
they were almost upon him he leapt

and there he was, caught fast in the Spiders webs!
escape them.
He howled aloud as
Down to the foot of the
the Otters pounced upon him.
they dragged him and there

Even the vital spots did not escape, for
hill
they killed him.

the Cliff Swallows flew to the bottom of the canon and tore
him
These pieces they carried to their

ancTthere they ate them. They saved only a few
in pieces.
nests,
strips
53
which they bound about their heads as trophies.

day the cliff swallows all wear such bands upon
of his skin,
To
this
their heads, in token that they, of all creatures, finally
disposed of Coyote.
PART
II
The eleven brothers did not reach home until night.

No Coyote was there, and they wondered what had become
Soon after they had gone into the lodge their
of him.
She searched
sister came and looked over the door curtain.
the lodge with her eyes, and looked questioningly at them.
They did not speak until she had done this four times,
when the
eldest brother said:
home, and go to sleep. Don t worry about that

He is not here, and we don t
rascally husband of yours.
know where he is, nor where our meat is that he ought to
have carried home. Because we warned him not to go,
we suppose he has gone down into the canon and has been
"Go
killed
there."
The
"What
away
did not quite believe them.

have you done with him?" she asked, and went
sister
angry.
Again the youngest brother followed her to her lodge

This is what he saw:
to see what she would do.
At first she pretended to go to sleep, but at last she
arose and sat facing the east.
In turn she faced the south,
INDIAN LEGENDS
54
and north, moving as the sun moves.

pulled out her right eyetooth, and inserted one
west,
Next she
of her awls
making a great tusk where the little tooth had

been. Then she opened her mouth to the east, south,
In
west, and north, and pulled out her left eyetooth.
in its place,
Again she opened her

mouth to the east, south, west, and north, and pulled out
her right dogtooth. She inserted an awl in its place. A
its
place she inserted another awl.
fourth time she opened her
mouth
and north, and pulled out her

awl she inserted in
left
to the east, south, west,
dogtooth.
Her fourth
its place.
As she began pulling out her teeth, hair began to grow

upon her hands, and as she went on it spread up her arms
and her legs until she was covered with a shaggy coat.
Still she moved about, as the sun moves, opening her mouth
to the east, south, west, and north.
As she moved, her
began to wag, her nose turned into a snout, her teeth
gnashed against each other, her nails grew into claws, and
ears
she walked her lodge a bristling bear.
Her brother watched her
dawn, and then, fearing

the terrible creature might discover him, he went home and
told the other brothers all that he had seen.
"This
her,"
must be some
until
of the
magic that Coyote taught
said they.
A moment
they heard the rustling of a bear,

and a she-bear rushed past the lodge, cracking the branches
later

as she went.
She followed the
trail
55
Coyote had taken the
day before, and disappeared in the woods.

At night she crept back to her lodge, groaning, and
covered with wounds. All day she had been in the canon,
fighting those
who had
Her brothers saw

to see what would
killed Coyote.
a light in her lodge, and they peeped in

First she would walk around the
happen.
south, west, north.
Then she would
pull
fire
east,
an arrowhead
out of her body and heal the wound. Again and again
she did this, until all the arrows had been drawn out and
all
the wounds healed.
Next morning the Bear Woman again rushed past the

lodge of her brothers and disappeared in the woods. All
day she fought, and at night returned to her lodge, groan
All night she walked around
ing, and covered with wounds.
the
fire
east,
south,
west,
drawing out
north
arrowheads and healing her wounds.

For four days and four nights she did
end of the fourth day she had conquered
this.
all
the
At the
her enemies.
she had killed, and the others she had scattered.

Swallows flew up into the high cliffs, the Otters hid
Many
The
themselves in the water, the Spiders crept into holes in

the ground, and in such places these creatures have had
to live to this day.
The brothers
feared their turn would
they decided to go away
all,
that
is,
come
next, so
but the youngest
INDIAN LEGENDS
56
He
decided to stay at home. The other ten

divided into four bands. One band traveled to the east,
brother.
another to the south, another to the west, and another to

the north.
The youngest brother was
at
home
alone.
But he was not left friendless. Two holy ones, Niyol

the Whirlwind, and Pesasike the Knife Boy, came to help
him. They dug a hole for him under the center of the
lodge,
and roofed
it
over with four
flat stones,
one blue, one yellow, and one black.
On
they put earth, smoothing and tramping

like the floor of the lodge.
it
one white,
top of these
until it looked
Before putting him in the hole they gave him four

the chain-lightning arrow, a stone knife, the
weapons
rainbow arrow, and the sheet-lightning arrow.
They
also
gave him two advisers, Niltsi the Wind, to whisper in his

right ear
and warn him
darkness, at his left ear,
Now when
any danger by day; and Tsalyel,

to warn him by night.
of
the Bear
Woman came
brothers she could not find them.
to look for her
She padded about
from place to place, seeking them. At last she had to resort

to magic.
She poured water on the ground, and watched
It spread in a little shining
to see which way it flowed.
a drop oozed out toward the east
another followed, and another, and another, until a little
stream was trickling eastward. The Bear- Woman rushed
circle
after
on the
it,
level earth
slapping the water to
left
and
right with her great
At
flat feet.
last she
Slap, slap, the
three brothers
who
fled
had
to resort to
sound
57
magic
fell
upon the
from her to the
east.
ears of the
Slap, slap,
them all three.

With her head hanging low and swinging from
she was upon them, and had killed
side to
she plodded back to the deserted lodge. Again she

poured water upon the level ground. This time it flowed
side,
to the south.
She followed
she found the three brothers

south.
after,
steady and
who had
In the south she slew them,
Again she swung up the bed
fled
fierce, until
from her to the
all three.
of the little
stream back to
the old camp. Again she poured water on the level earth.
This time it oozed, trickled, flowed to the west. Again
she slapped the water from left to right as she followed
after,
her heavy body swaying from side to side, her heavy
INDIAN LEGENDS
58
head hanging and swinging, her heavy heart set on the

murder of her brothers. At the west she found three more
of
In the west she slew them, all three.

The fourth time the water flowed to the north.
them.
she found one
him
man
Here
alone and unable to resist her; she slew
in the north.
For the
time she poured water on the ground.

So then she knew
It sank straight down into the earth.
the eleventh brother must be somewhere about the old
fifth
She lunged in and out of all the ruined huts,

camp.
where once her lovers and guests had stayed, eating of
her food and admiring her. But in none was her brother to
Nearer she came to the lodge that had been her
be found.
own home
was the only lodge
until at last that
nearer
she had not searched.
Now
she entered
it.
The youngest
brother heard the thud of her paws above his head, and
felt the jar of her weight as she moved about, looking for
He
heard her scratching around the walls of the

lodge, scratching nearer the center, scratching just above his
hiding place. Here the earth was soft, because it had been
him.
disturbed so recently, and she threw

digging her
way down to him.
it
rapidly to one side,
Soon she came to the
stones.
She tore them away, and there, crouching under them, but
looking her fair in the eyes, she saw her last brother.
"
take
greet you,
my
my youngest brother,
paw, and
I will pull
said she.
you out of
that."
"
Come,
59
But Wind told him not to accept her aid. If he did,

she would throw him violently up into the air, and when
he fell half dead at her feet, he would be at her mercy.
Therefore he got up without her help, and climbed out
of the hole on the east side, and began to walk toward the
She lurched after him with a savage growl, but he
calmly faced her and said:
east.
"It
is I,
your youngest
brother."
.Then she tried coming up to him in a coaxing way,

as a dog when he wants to make friends; and in this way
she was leading him back toward the deserted lodge,
when Wind again whispered in his ear:

"We have had sorrow there; let us not go back toward
the
lodge."
Ever
in
since, the
Navahos have refused
to live in a house
which a death has taken place.

"Come," then said the Bear Woman,
face to the west
and
let
me comb
with your
used to do."
"sit
your hair as
and Wind whispered:

Sit with your face toward the
"Beware of her!
north, that you may watch her shadow and see what she
It was in this way that she killed your brothers."
does.
They both sat down, she behind him. She began to
It
was now
late in the afternoon,
untie his long hair,
and to comb
it.
Soon he noticed that
the shadow of her snout was growing longer, as

his head,
and that her ears were wagging.
it
approached
INDIAN LEGENDS
60
"Why
ears
wag
does your snout grow longer and

so?"
why do your
he asked.
She did not answer, but drew her head back and kept
her ears still. But presently he saw the snout shadow
stealing
toward him again, and the shadowy ears wagging.
"Why
ears
wag
so?"
he asked.
Again she drew back and was
combed
why do your
still.
She combed and
hoped that she had soothed him into a

drowse, and she leaned toward him. But he was still
watching the shadows, and again he asked her:
until she
"Why
ears
wag
why do your
so?"
Again she drew back and was still. She combed for a
long time. The sun began to go down in the west. All
shadows were long. The birds were getting ready for

sleep, and their drowsy calls were soft in the golden air.
The brother almost dozed off under her smooth combing,
as he had done a thousand times before. She bent toward
him.
He
"Why
ears
wag
started.

so?"
he asked.
She drew back and was

not
why do your
still.
whispered Wind in his

ear.
she puts out her snout the fifth time, she will
bite your head off.
I will tell you a secret about her.
She
"Do
"If
let this
happen
again,"
Page 60
your snout grow
longer,
and why do your
ears
wag
so?"
61
does not keep her vital parts in her body at all. They are
over yonder, under that tree, and that squirrel guards them
Now
for her.
run and destroy
them."
So the youngest brother rose, and ran toward the squir

The Bear Woman ran after him. Suddenly a large
rel.
yucca sprang up in her way. When she had got around
was a cactus in her path. Another yucca

sprang up, and another cactus. She ran faster than her
that, there
brother, but these big plants so delayed her that he reached
the
tree
first.
He
heard
the
He drew
the weeds that covered them.

lightning arrow
and shot
breathing
lungs
forth his chain-
into the weeds.
it
under
bright
stream of blood spurted up.

At the same moment the
Bear Woman fell, with the blood spurting from her side.
whispered Wind, "the stream of blood from her
body and the stream from her vitals flow toward each other.
If they meet she will revive and be so savage that your
"See,"
be greater than ever. With your stone knife

draw a mark on the ground between the two streams.
danger
will
"
The young man stooped and marked on the ground with

his stone knife.
While he was
still
stooping, the blood
thickened before his eyes until it was too thick to flow.

Then the young man spoke to the bloody carcass of
her
who had been

"You
his sister.
shall live again,
he
vengeance taker, the Bear
said,
"but
Woman.
no longer as the
You
shall
live
in
INDIAN LEGENDS
62
be of service to your kind

and not merely a thing of evil." He cut off the head and
threw it at the foot of the tree.
other forms in which you
"Come
to
life,
may
now, and behave
well,"
he commanded,
"or
else again I shall slay you.
The head changed
to a bear.
It started to
but stopped, and looked back at the man.

it
"You have bidden me behave well,
walk
off,
what
do
shall I
if
others attack
said.
"But
me?"
you may defend yourself," the young man said,

Go now to Black Mountain and
begin no quarrel.
"Then
"but
dwell
there."
The Bear obeyed,
trotting off
toward the sinking sun
until she showed only a moving dark speck in the distance.

There are now in Black Mountain many bears descended
from
this one.
Then the young hero went to his friends, the Whirl

wind and the Knife Boy. They led him to the east, south,
west, and north, where he found the bodies of his ten
These his holy friends soon restored to life.
Together they went back to the place where they had
lived, and built a new house on which was no curse of
brothers.
sorrow.
There they lived in quiet and peace.
now and
then, in the evening, they looked
Mountain.
On
its side,
times saw a bear, but
down
came
never
any
looking
it
Every
up at Black
some
at them, they
nearer.
SCARFACE: A STORY OF LOVE AND MEDICINE

a tale of ancient times.
In those days there

lived a young man, alone, in the midst of a large
There were many young men and maidens, but
village.
"PHIS is
none who belonged to him. All his relatives had journeyed

to the Sand Hills, never to return.
He was
very poor.
He had no
make
mocca
He had no lodge.
cook his food, or tan his clothes.

stayed first in one lodge, then in another,
sins,
He
wife to
lonely in
his
silent
and
all.
He was handsome, except for a scar that marred one

cheek. When a boy the other boys had called him Scarf ace
mockery, and this name clung to him. It was all he
had
the scar, the name from it, and the good looks it
in
partly spoiled.
His best friends were the birds and the animals.
They
loved and trusted him, although he hunted as others did

when necessity drove him when he was hungry, or in
warm clothing. But on other days and there

were many of them
he would lie for hours under a bush
need of
as
still
as a prostrate dog, until the birds hopped over him;
the squirrels dropped their nuts into his relaxed hands and
63
INDIAN LEGENDS
64
down and got them again; the foxes dragged their

brushes over him as they fled; and the bears and the bees
ran
waged war over the honey
in the hollow treetrunk near by.
He
The
could speak in the language of the birds and beasts.

young birds on their nests chirped to him as to their
mother; and the quail whistled to him from every field.

He knew when the wood creatures were hungry, and fed
them from his scant
store
when they were
thirsty he broke
the ice in the pool for them.
have friends
he would say to the forest world,

I have friends and helpers.
spreading out his lonely arms.
"I
here,"
"
Some day they
He
spent
was not
will help
many
me
as I help
hours thus, in the
afraid to stay there all night.
them."
forest.
He
alone
Other young
men
feared the spirits that haunted the spring within the edge
and would not go near it after dark. Even

to woo the maidens who went thither to draw water they
of the woods,
would not go before daylight.

the
These maidens came at
blush of sunrise, but no lover was there before

Scarface alone dared to spend the night, fasting,
first
them.
People whispered to each other that he was

friends with the spirits of the woods and the waters
by the
brink.
that they comforted
Among
fairer
than
him
the maidens
all
for his lost people.
who came
the others.
leaves at sunrise,
to the spring
Scarface, peeping
was one
among
was not the only one who thought
the
so.
SCARFACE: A STORY OF LOVE

Though no one
else
kept watch at the spring
the sake of a look at her in the morning,
from near and far wished her for a
Her
was a
all
all
65
night for
the young
men
wife.
man, owning many ponies and

many furs. He gave dances and feasts, and to them came
the finest young braves from all the neighboring villages,
father
rich
wearing their best clothes, adorned with
They danced
feathers
and
the young maiden, told

stories, laughed and shouted; they wrestled before her and
trophies.
before
She looked and smiled, well pleased; but she

would marry none of them.
ran races.
was the morning after such a dance. Many of the

young men had not slept at all, and now, in the gray dawn,
were going home to their lodges. They were laughing and
It
jesting,
but more than one heart was
sore.
she choose you last night, Little Moccasin?"

one asked. "How your feet twinkled in the dance! You
"Did
but so
She looked at you and smiled
has she looked at us all. Did she give you any promise?"
are well named.
"She
is
man ought
too
"
proud,"
said Little Moccasin, sulkily.
to take so proud a
would be too proud to
woman
into his lodge.
No
She
work."
shouted the young men, laughing, and making

"We think so too, brother-in-law.
signs to one another.
She is much too proud
and not so very pretty, either.
"
"
Kyi-yi
You were
5
only pretending last night, were n
"
you ?
You
INDIAN LEGENDS
66
did n
us
None
all.
Yes, indeed, that was the
care?
t really
of us really
wanted her
-not
way with
one of us
is
tired of living alone!
comes a fellow who needs a proud wife. Look

He would soon break in any woman who
clothes!
"Here
at his
had to mend them.

a wife for
was going by
his
own way
too, had been at the dance, but

from a corner.
is
"Who
she?"
silent,
to the spring.
He,
unobserved, watching
he asked, stopping; for he would not
afraid.
"You
She
have picked out
you!"
Scarf ace
seem
We
Hey, Scarf ace!
will
you
know very
well.
That proud
not have any of us; but she
you
are so handsome!
And
your face!
so rich
may
There
is
with such a
over yonder.
take a fancy to
girl
nothing to spoil
fine lodge!
Why
haven t you asked her before? You are the only man
left now
she has refused every one else and she ll have
to take one.
on her!
don
She might go
will
"I
Why
ask
her,"
you ask her to-day?
Take pity
unwed!"
said Scarf ace.
The red blood swept
over cheek and brow, drowning out the crimson scar.

am no prouder than you. Since you have asked her,
"I
I will
ask her, too.
has to
She can say no worse to
me
than she
you."
He seemed
to
grow
taller before their
eyes as he walked

slowly off toward the
dim woods none
of
67
them dared
enter.
There he placed himself, all trembling, behind a tree,

and waited. The air was sharp and sweet; his sighing
lungs drank deep of it. Birds were stirring and calling
overhead; the night creatures crept to their lairs as the
sun touched the moss at his feet
level rays of the rising
with gold and silvered the bubbling water of the spring.

Dark against the shining disk he saw her coming, her water
basket on her head.
For her the world was curtained
sun spread his rays to embrace her.

She saw Scarface, brown among the tree trunks. She
in rosy clouds; the
paused, alert for
flight,
things of the forest,
and
but he stood as
in his eyes
still
as for the wild
was the look no creature
Stooping to the fountain, she filled her basket

looked up for a second into his quiet
emptied it again
He stooped and
filled it, and offered it to him.
eyes
feared.
drank, as she knelt before him.

voice
was
Then he spoke; and
low.
"To-day,
as
came to the
was
tired of
young men met

come to you and tell
spring, the
me and mocked me.

you
They bade me
living alone.
They
said
you had refused
the richest and handsomest of them; that perhaps

riches
and
my
beauty you would not
that I should come, and
am
The maiden bent over the

again
his
emptied
it
filled it
refuse.
my
answered
here."
spring and
filled
her basket
INDIAN LEGENDS
68
was not
"I
afraid to
from you should

You would never speak
"Not
you were a
since
The
you."
girl s
on
my
my
be tender to
poverty.
shone
"And
suddenly bright in the

saw you nurse the wounded
my wounded
in their nests.
and take pity
heart,
loneliness."
The maiden marked with a

the rippled sand at the fountain
Still
up.
my
have watched you

was a boy have I loved
scar.
and put the young birds back
buffalo calf,
will
of
eyes
the low voice went on.
hear taunts as to
child, for since I
mirror of the spring.
You
come,"
slender moccasined toe in
Shyly she glanced

he waited, his eyes no longer on hers but looking
s
brink.
into the distance.
away
"I
what
not
may
I
wed,"
have told no
she said, at
man
save
last.
my
"I
will tell
Two
father.
you
years
ago, when men first sought me, I had a wonderful dream.

That Above Person," she pointed to the risen sun, "spoke
to
me from
yourself to
men
for
loving
me?
You
the sky.
no one
why
yet
Therefore have
else.
should
Give
said.
smiled on
have refused to go to the lodge
all
like
a child, with
my
of
any
father
mother."
Scarf ace leapt to her side,
the blazing sun.
were
he
be angry with them merely for
man, but have lived at home,
and
are mine,
like
two
and stood between her and
His shadow was upon her.
suns.
His eyes

"Go
to that
Above
against his breast.
69
whispered the maiden

him for me, and bid him take
Person,"
"Ask
mark from your face as a sign of his consent."

The laughter and talk of other maidens on their way
this
to the spring floated over the eastern hill; she fled from
him, and he vanished noiselessly into the woods.

Toward nightfall he went to an old woman who lived
on the edge
of the village.
She was his best
friend.
He
brought her wood and water, and she often cooked and
sewed for him.
am
going on a long
journey. I need moccasins. Will you give me a pair?"
The old woman gave him seven pairs all day, in the
and she packed him
winters, she sat sewing moccasins
"Grandmother,"
a bag
full of
he told her,
pemmican.
He
"I
threw
it
over his shoulder,
put on a pair of the new moccasins, and started forth on

No one knew that he went except the
his long journey.
old
woman, and she did not know where he went.
her father
s lodge,
the maiden he loved trembled for him,
and prayed to the Sun to help him.

For many days he traveled east
day
after day.
In
Every night he lay down
day
after
day-
in a strange place
-now
under the wide sky with tall grass waving about

him; now under a roof of tree branches, where crushed
brakes breathed sweetly over his resting place now under
shelter of a rock, torrents dashing down the mountain
;
INDIAN LEGENDS
70
He
beside him.
from
ate berries
and roots and the pemmican
his bag.
At
last
"Here
greeted
one day he came to the house of a Wolf.

is a friend," he
thought, and entered.
him
"What is
"
Wolf
and gave him meat.

brother doing so far from home? he asked.
cordially,
my
"
am
seeking the lodge of the Sun," Scarf ace answered.

"Do
you know the trail? Many days and nights have I
sought it, but no trace of it have I found."
I
"I
do not know the
trail,"
Wolf
sorry; I should like to help you.
a very wise big person.
said, slowly.
But
"I
am
have a neighbor,
Perhaps he can tell you." So he
I
sent Scarface to the Bear.
But Bear shook
his head;
he shook
long and slowly,
it
walking up and down in front of his lodge.

will tell you what to do," said he, from his wisdom.
"I
"Go
straight to Striped Face, the Badger.
time than
hidden
for such little things.
He
is
He
has more
always finding
trails."
Scarface went to Striped Face. His lodge was under

ground and the entrance was too small for the young man.
He
lay
down on
"Ho,
things!
his face
and
called into
it
cunning Striped Face

you who know the hidden
The wise Bear has sent me to you saying that
perhaps you can tell me what he cannot tell."

Badger looked forth, his stripes wrinkling his
face.

"
Eh, what
voice.
"Do
what
"How
should I?
trail?"
What do I want with

much as possible. What
the Sun?
a question
was going back into his lodge, but just as he was
get out of his
way
as
disappearing he called out:

to Wolverine. He
"Go
Sometimes he
this.
he asked in a hurried, busy
quickly what you want."

seek the lodge of the Sun," explained Scarf ace.
you know the
He
"
is it?
me
"Tell
"I
is it,
71
Go
is
finds out queer things
to him, and
tell
him
gadding
always
sent
about.
useless things, like

you."
Wolverine was not at home, nor did any creature

know when he might come home. Scarf ace sat down to
rest
and
and
slow,
think.
His eyes grew
Hai-yu!
Wolverine!"
He swayed
his
"Hai-yu!
Wolverine!"
body from
side to side.
Wolverine came not.
Scarface thought of the
behind him to the west; he thought of the Sun,

Wolverine must come and
as far as ever to the east.
maiden
still
breath came deep
and he began to chant:
"Hai-yu.
Still
fixed, his
far
help him.
"Hai-yu!
Hai-yu! Wolverine!
pity upon me, and come.

Come to me here while I wait,
Set me upon the trail,
Set my feet upon the trail
The trail that leads to the Sun."
Have
INDIAN LEGENDS
"Rest
here in
Two
was
my
lodge
to-night,"
he said,
"and
to-morrow I will show you the
trail"
bright eyes shone through the bushes; Wolverine
there.
"Rest
morrow
here in
I will
side of the
my
lodge
show you the
Big Water.
to-night,"
trail.
will
Sun
he
said,
lives
show you the
"and
to
on the other
trail to
the
water."
That night Scarface rested well. His friend gave him

meat to eat, and comforted him with promises for the mor
row.
For the
to the
Sun
time since he set forth he slept in hope.

In his dreams he seemed already to be treading the trail
s
first
lodge.
Next day Wolverine showed him the way

a hidden
and lonely way, a trail like a thousand others, made years
before and forgotten.
Scarface followed it alone. All
73
day he broke branches from before his face; all day he

felt with his feet for the packed earth beneath the tangled
growths of wood and prairie; and at evening he lost the
trail.
had run out into the sands of the Big Water.

The waves had washed away all traces of other steps.
Scarf ace stood alone on a desolate shore, looking out upon
For
miles
it
and miles
At
of trackless waters.
his feet ripples
broke; farther out, breakers, white-crested, rose at the

beach, and then
fell full
length upon
it.
Beyond, miles
of
water heaved to the sky, and at the far edge waved close
against
it.
Darkness
crept
on
while
he
looked.
billows faded from his straining view.
The
distant
The nearer waves

They told him he
whispered to him from the dimness.

was at his journey s end, but no nearer the lodge of the Sun.
All night, as he lay on the cold sands, his dreams mocked
him with hope.
He woke to feel the
waters, to hear the surge of
them
closeness of the pitiless
in the night.
it
mist veiled the oncoming day. Heavy as his heart

Gray waves rolled out of it,
lay on the face of the deep.
thick and slow.
Through the fog the white crests of the breakers startled

him now and then with a promise of some new presence
they fell, and he was alone. Again and again this happened,
was it a breaker that moved out there? How
but at last
INDIAN LEGENDS
74
Rejoicing he got
long
upon
the back of one of the
stayed, showing white in the fog!
it
swans
It
drew nearer
-there were two white shapes moving toward him.

Here were friends out of the watery distances, come to his
need.
Two Swans
sailed close to shore, ruffling their
snowy
plumage.
"My brother,"
What
trail
"I
do you
they
seek the lodge of the
that led
me
these terrible
"He
here.
"why
have you come so
far?
follow?"
days and nights have
Swans.
said,
Sun,"
I traveled.
was
he answered.
I
was
told that the
set
Sun
"Many
upon a
lives
trail
beyond
waters."
lives far
beyond, on the other
side,"
assented the

"How
75
the young man asked.

can swim so far and live. Is there no other
then can
man
I am
trail?
"No
reach
willing to
"There is
no other
walk
him?"
many moons."
but we can carry you
for
trail,
to where the trail begins again.
you and then the
across
First one of us will carry
other."
upon the back of one of the Swans,

from his soul as the fog lifted from the
Rejoicing, he got
and gloom
lifted
He
triumphant over the awful depths.

Below him, strange people moved. Some of them hunted
with fierce greed; some of them fled, afraid. The Swans
black feet paddled swiftly in the water below him, safe
waters.
among
air
rode
the fishes; their white plumage ruffled in the clear
above.
When
Swan
his heart
that bore
him
sank with
fear,
until its long
it
pulled
neck scarce
down
the
sufficed to
head above water; when he thought of the maiden

he loved and of the trail that yet waited for his footsteps,
lift its
his eager thoughts
drew both Swans ahead, plunging through
the water in a track of foam.
On
east
the farther shore a broad brown
from the water
edge.
He went
trail led straight
forth
upon
it
with
eager steps.
Some distance along the trail he found a war shirt, a
They lay beside the path
shield, and a bow and arrows.
as
if
some one had dropped them there and forgotten
INDIAN LEGENDS
76
them.
Scarf ace took
them
up, looked well at them, and
met a young man

coming toward him, his face casting a light before him
along the way. His hair was long and bright, and so fine
that the wind lifted it and spread it abroad upon the air.
His clothing was made of strange skins, and his moccasins
them back
laid
Presently he
again.
were sewn with gay-colored feathers.
young man to Scarf ace. "Have

you seen any weapons and clothing along the trail?"
saw them back here a little," Scarf ace answered.
will show you where they
The two young men went back together, and Scarface
"Hai!"
called this
"I
are."
"I
gathered up the weapons and clothing and handed them

to the other.
The young man did not look at them. His
eyes were searching Scarf ace
mind.
How
You are no thief, that is plain, was all he said.

do you come upon
"I
this trail?
Whom do you seek?
seek the lodge of the
Sun,"
"
answered Scarface.
days and nights have I traveled in vain; but now

think I am on the right trail. Is it so?"
"Many
"It
Sun
his
is
is so,
my
indeed.
father.
am
Morning Star. The

Come with me, and I will show you
I,
myself,
lodge."
They went on together, talking

when they meet on the way and their
other.
as
young men
will
hearts go out to each

11
My
mother
explained,
"and
we
brothers have been
you
Night Red
is
Light,"
77
Morning Star
three live alone together.
and
killed,
am
my
All
often lonely.
Have
brothers?"
have nothing but a lonely heart.

And that is set upon a young maiden oh, the fairest in
who is obedient to your father. I may not
the world!
marry her without his consent. For that I come. Do
have no one.
"I
you think he will give her to me?"

do not know, but I will do all
"I
kind, but he
He
is
is
not young, as we
Presently they
and
Do
stern.
fine.
came
tell all
can for you. He is

until he knows you.
are."
to the lodge.
It
was very
Medicine animals were painted
As the wind shook the

were
not
walls
it
seemed as
if
all
large
over
it.
they moved and
alive.
Night Red Light sat within, near the door. She came
out only at night. She spread a mat for her son s friend,
and gave him food. Scarface, looking into her mild face,
beaming pleasantly upon him, told his story without

She said nothing, but he felt her sympathy.
step
"Hide
was heard
there,"
pile of skins in
fear.
outside.
said the kindly
woman, pointing
to a
the doorway.
His
one corner.
The Sun came
in
presence immediately
and stood
filled
in
the house;
it
was everywhere,
INDIAN LEGENDS
78
except behind the pile of skins. He lifted his head and

breathed deep, looking all about.
he said, looking fixedly at his
"There is a man here/
wife and son.
father,"
"Yes,
do
"Why
said
not see
him?"
Star, at once.
Morning
"A
good
young man has come to see you. He found my weapons

and my war clothes lying beside the trail, but he did not
touch
them."
The
came out from behind the pile of skins.

Sun looked at him, and the young man bore his
Scarf ace
man
Scarface did not look back, for no
gaze.
can outface the
Sun, but stood before him, straight and unashamed.

"You are welcome to my lodge," said the Sun at
a pipe with
"Smoke
me and my
boy.
am
last.
glad that he
He is often lonesome."
has a young friend to talk with.
have lost all my other children," mourned Night
"I
Red
"Down
Light.
from me.
by the Big Water they were taken
Great birds
live there,
with long, sharp
bills.
whatever comes in their way. My sons were

brave hunters. One by one they went forth against the
They
kill
great birds, but no one of
with
my
the Big
"I
"I
son wherever
them
all
came back.
Hunt
you please, but do not go near
Water."
do not
came
brave
else
like the
across
man
it
on
Big Water
my way
to be afraid of
it.
myself,"
here.
It is
replied Scarface.
It is
very
no shame to a
terrible,
and
it

hides things
more
still
across safely, but
go near
For
it
my
Two
terrible.
79
helpers brought
bones trembled.
me
do not wish to
again."
many days
together in the
Sun
Morning Star hunted

There was much game,
Scarface and
s
country.
and the two young men were
full
of life
and
strength.
Every evening they returned to the Sun s lodge well

laden; and Night Red Light, before she went forth on her
nightly journey, fed them and made them comfortable.
Both she and her husband were glad that their son
was no longer sad and lonely.
But one day the chase led them into a wild region they
had never been in before. Careless of where they went,
they lost their way in the deep woods. They were not
afraid, but laughed and shouted among the still shadows.
What
would be to camp out all night like warriors

At length the woods seemed to thin at one side. Light
shone through. They rushed toward it. A low noise,
fun
it
as of something living
and moving, drew them
on.
They
the trees upon the shores of the Big

Water, stirring and whispering secrets under the open sky.
burst from
among
must go back,"
what your mother told
"We
"I
cried
said Scarface.
"You
remember
us."
am no longer a boy, to be tied to my mother s apron
Morning
Star.
but now we are here
"We
come here on purpose,

stay and look well at this
did not
shall
"
INDIAN LEGENDS
8o
What is on the other side of it? Or

wonderful thing.
does it go off under the sky? Look, every once in a while
you can
see
slips in,
something
Perhaps
it
oh,
birds that
your
is
my
mother
hunting?
I feel
it
We
the
are
they
are.
great
We
two.
will
them."
mother!"
us never to go near these

"My
perhaps
brothers!
there where
something with wings.
coming out
Scarf ace!
killed
take revenge upon

"But
And
stooping to go under.
is
protested Scarf ace.
"She
told
birds."
a woman.
the blood of
What
my
does she
know
of
my
veins.
father in
avenge my brothers."
There was no time for Scarface to remonstrate again,
for the air was suddenly filled with rushing wings and
shall
grew dark around the two youths, and

they shot their arrows wildly into thick feathers on every
side.
Wings beat down their bows, sharp beaks tore at
hoarse
cries.
It
their breasts.
Upon Morning Star was the wrath of the birds directed.

They scarcely heeded Scarface, but soon his bright and
beautiful companion was borne down beneath their weight,
and
lost in
another rush of their beating wings.
Now Scarface sprang into the thick of them,

the midmost birds
his shoulders,
by
their necks.
He
flung
and grasped
them over
and tore two others from the breast
prostrate friend.
of his
Their long beaks were dripping with
Page 80
Scarface sprang into the thick of them, and grasped the midmost birds by the neck
SCARF ACE: A STORY OF LOVE

Morning Star
blood, but he
still
81
moved and breathed on
the ground, though he could no longer fight.

Scarface stood astride of him, daring the fierce onslaught
His eyes were clear and steady. Two by

two he caught the creatures as they came. No matter
of the birds.
how many
shrieked in his ear or tore at his flesh, no matter
what heavy wings beat him, he steadily reached into the

dark and noisome mass, found two long throats, wrung
them, and flung the bodies over his shoulder.
A
it
grew behind him so high that he leaned against
pile
as he fought.
there
The
air
grew sweeter before him.
was room to breathe.

and
friend
He
leaned over his wounded
As he stooped the
felt for his heart.
Now
last bird
plunged his bill into his back. Without looking around,

he caught it with one hand and tossed it aside. His
friend s heart
still
beat.
He
stood up and drew a long breath. He brushed the

bloody feathers from his dress. The waters still whispered
softly at his feet and, far beyond, crept in under the edge
of the sky.
When
birds
he had rested a
and strung them on
little,
his
he tore
bow.
off
the heads of the
Hanging
it
around his
neck, he stooped to his friend, shouldered him, and

off into
moved
the dark woods.
Night Red Light came forth to look for them. She

saw them, and lighted their way home. She hid her face
6
INDIAN LEGENDS
82
with clouds, and wept through the night because her son
was hurt and she could not return to him before morning.
The Sun
received
them and helped
the bed and to dress his wounds.
Just before
ing Star opened his eyes on his father s face.
"I
"but
boy on
to lay his
dawn Morn
thought to avenge my brothers," he murmured,

you would have been childless if Scarf ace had not
been near.
how
did you
answered Scarface.
"While
Tell me, Scarface,
my
friend,
escape?"
"By
one
killing
them
lived, the fight
He went and
all,"
went
on.
I will
show
you."
brought his bow, hung, wood and bow
with gory heads.
string,
many there were," he said, "and no more."

Night Red Light sailed through the door and dropped
She held them to her breast and
down at her son s feet.
wept over them. She threw the bow with its weight of
"So
heads out of the door, nor would she look at the long
bills
that had sought the hearts of her boys.
Then the Sun asked the question he had never yet

asked.
"Why
do you
And
"I
in
my
do you travel
this trail so far
from home?
What
seek?"
Scarface told him.
came seeking you," he said. "Far back yonder,

own village, lives a maiden whom I love. But she
83
belongs to you. Because you commanded it, she will

not wed. Her heart is toward me, and she told me to come
and ask you

"She
is
for
her."
a good
girl,"
answered the Sun,
have proved your right to my help.

good women, and pities them. They
husbands and
time,
and
gives
them good husbands, brave
so shall their
you,
The Sun
son,
all
"and
loves
a long
shall live
children.
my
The Sun
in war, skilled in the
chase.
soon go home. But first let me tell

you something. I am the only chief. Everything is
mine. I made the flat plains, the craggy mountains, the
"Now
you
will
bristling forests, the
In the winter
die.
rivers
and the animals,
people, too,
never
moving
think to see
me
die;
strong again, and
but in
all
made.
the earth.
They
The
but
die,
grow old and weak, and men

the summer I grow young and
men know
that I
live."
Scarface stood with head bent, as
if
listening,
but he
heard scarcely a word. His heart was singing as he thought

of the maiden he loved.
Night Red Light was bathing her
son and combing his long hair. She had heard the tale of
her husband s greatness before.
Morning Star lay
resting.
The Sun went on:

"Who
is
the wisest of animals?
he never wants for food.
The
buffalo.
The
raven, because
Which animal do
He is food for my people, and
I like
best?
shelter as well.
INDIAN LEGENDS
84
And
Which
is
That cheek was as smooth as the other
better, the heart or the
heart often
the
lol
lies;
the head never.
head?
Come
The head.
with
me
The
to see
world."
Scarface went with the
Sun and looked over the edge
sky to the world below. It spread wide, in a great

Mountains were heaped up on it here and there.
circle.
Forests covered it like thick fur. Water lay shining in the
of the
hollow places.
All around, at the edge, a straight wall
went down and down.
Scarface could not see where
it
went, but then his eyes were busy searching for the lodge
When he saw the little spring, like a
of her he loved.
shining dot on the edge of the woods, and the pointed lodge
near by with the blue smoke rising toward him, he smoothed

his scarred cheek and sighed.
85
The Sun, smiling, led the way to his lodge. There he

took some strong medicine and rubbed it over the scar,
and lo! that cheek was as smooth as the other. Scarf ace
had the
But
sign he longed for.
was not enough to ease the heart of his grateful

friend.
Night Red Light gave him beautiful clothes;
Morning Star heaped him with presents; and the Sun told
this
him exactly how

do to invoke his
make a medicine
to
aid.
lodge and what to

These things are done to this day
in the Blackfoot medicine lodges.
the Sun commanded.

the people.
He was
Everything
the
medicine man.
first
young man leapt
sparkled with joy.
down
done as
Scarface, after his return, taught
Then the Sun showed him the

his eagerness the
is
You can
short trail home.
along,
and
In
his footprints
see the path yet across the
now, but you

can still see that some glad person has walked there.
The maiden sat beside the spring, waiting. Not even
sky, arching
at night
face.
and
was she
to the earth.
It is fainter
afraid now, since here she
had found Scar-
His shadow lingered in the place and made it safe

comfortable. She looked into the quiet waters,
slowly welling up, and saw the stars shine, spread abroad,
vanish.
She saw a trail of stars reflected there. It grew
as she watched,
and seemed to come
nearer.
she looked up, and found herself in her lover
Startled,
arms.
TULCHUHERRIS
TN
the
of
first
days there lived an old
a wide, level
of
piece
woman
country
in the midst
called
Root-flat.
The ground was full of roots, nearly all of them good to

eat, and every day the old woman went about digging them
with a sharp, crooked stick. She began with the far edge
then she dug another
first, and dug all around the great flat
;
circle just inside that,
and another
inside that.
And
so
she went on digging, digging, digging
a bent old woman,

moving in circles, prodding away with her stick day after
day for many days, until there was only a little island of
untouched land in the middle.
On
this island stood her
lodge.
One day she was digging near home. All around her
for miles stretched the brown earth she had turned up.
A
faint mist rose from it into the morning air.
The world was
big and flat and empty; even the roots were almost gone.
She heard a noise
A-ai!
A-ai!"
it
sounded
it
like
a cry.
"A-ai!
came.
She looked up into the air. Nothing was there but the
high roof of the sky; not even the sun. She looked around.
The brown heaps

for roots smoked
of earth she
had turned over
in her search
to the edge of the sky in every direction.

86
TULCHUHERRIS
87
sounded the cry again.

She put her hands to her ears. There must be some
thing wrong with them, she thought, since they heard
such strange sounds where there was nothing.
"A-ai!
A-ai
A-ai!
A-ai!"
A-ai
A-ai
She heard
it
clearly.
seemed to come from the ground at her

stared at the ground, but it did not move.
feet.
It
A-ai!
"A-ai!
A-ai!"
She heard
it
clearly.
Surely the cry was coming from the ground.
her root-stick and began digging, very
She
fast.
She took
She found
nothing at first, and at last there was only one lump of

earth that she had not broken. She pried her stick under
this
and turned
it
over.
There lay a
little
brown baby,
in
the brown earth.
The
arms.
stooped and took him quickly into her

She wrapped him in her buckskin apron, and
old
woman
rocked him to and

longer alone in the
"Tsok-tso
fro.
She was glad.
Now
she was no
empty world.
(Good baby)!
Tsok-tso!
tsok-tso!"
she
sang.
in
She took him to her lodge and washed him. She rose
the night and washed him. She could not sleep for
thinking about him.
aloud
Every time she washed him she
said
be a man soon. Be strong

wish you to grow fast
and good.
Often she would rock him in her buckskin
"I
INDIAN LEGENDS
88
%m
*-.*****
The old woman stooped and took him quickly
arms
into her
Tsok-tso
Tsok-tso
apron and croon to him, Tsok-tso
and he grew fast, in his grandmother s apron.
By the time he was five weeks old he could stand alone
!
and walk a
He had
little.
the time he was six
and began to talk. By

months old he was as large as a boy of
teeth,
and played around outside the

grandmother would warn him, saying,
twelve,
lodge.
"You
Then
may
to the south of the lodge, to the west of the lodge,
his
play
and to
But you must not play to the

You must not even look to the east."
east of the lodge.
By the time he was a year old Tulchuherris was a fullgrown man, and he went to his grandmother, saying,
the north of the lodge.
"Grandmother, I
care of
me and
am
man
now.
have grown.
You have taken good

have obeyed you
in all
TULCHUHERRIS
It is
things.
time that
should
89
know why
may
go to
the south of the lodge, to the west of the lodge, and to the
north of the lodge, but
may
nor even look toward the
not go to the east of the lodge,

east."
His grandmother considered him.
and
Yes, he was strong
very strong, and although so young, already a

She answered:
large,
man.
"Yes,
will tell
my
grandson,
you what you
it is
ask.
time you should know, and I

Far to the east there is a won
derful house, called Saskewil.
Old Sas
lives there,
and
his
wife
and two daughters.

world, I have had many
Though you see me alone in the

Each son in turn has gone
sons.
to the east, to Saskewil,
and there Sas has
else his wife
has done
so.
She
sits
killed him.
Or
beside the door of the
lodge with her fingers over her eyes, looking through them
If she turns those burning eyes on a man
to the north.
he shrivels up before her, and is no more.

have, and I do not wish Sas to know you.
traps for you, and leave
must not go
me
alone again.
You are all I

He might lay
Therefore you
to the side of the lodge which Sas can
see."
grandmother, that wicked old man Sas must

not go unpunished. I am the only one who can punish
him. I will go away and think. I will see what I can do."
"But,
He went
outside the lodge and stood looking straight

looked into the face of the east into the sky at the east
and was not afraid. Then he went into the forest and got
INDIAN LEGENDS
90
made
a kind of white wood and

it
He
himself a bow.
painted
blue and black and red.
Next he made himself a
arrow, very smooth and
little
This also he painted blue and black and red.

In the end of it he fastened three bright colored feathers.
straight.
Then he shot the arrow

sang through the
as it went.
it
into the face of the east.
Far to the east Sas was
and
his
He went
It
Tsi-i-ing!
bird
humming
with his wife
sitting in his lodge,
He
two daughters.
the door.
looked like a
It
air.
heard something fall outside

made a noise like a rock falling from the sky.
and there was a
to look,
and black and
little
smooth arrow, blue
up in the ground, still quivering.

Sas went to pull it up, and leaned over easily, standing
on one foot. He could not move it. He stood up again,
planted both feet firmly, far apart, and took hold with
both hands. No; he could not move it. His wife came
to look,
one,
move
and
red, sticking
two daughters.
his
then another, then
all
They
all
together.
tried
first
it,
They could not
it.
"Some
one
is
thinking of
has sent the arrow to
us.
to send an arrow to us.
us,"
"That is
what
He must be some one very strong,

But
am
He went into the lodge and

He felt anxious.
thinking.
Back near the
said Sas.
old Earth
strong, too.
lighted his pipe
Mother
s lodge,
am
Sas."
and
sat
Tulchuherris,
TULCHUHERRIS
91
her grandson, was making ready for his journey to Saskewil.

First he made himself a shirt of the thorn bush, with the
Then he armed his fingernails with

sharp pieces of flint. He took with him a sky-spear, and a
The shoes on his feet
tip for it made of green water-stone.
thorns on the outside.
were of green water-stone also. He had two headdresses

a foxskin headdress, which he wore, and a quartz head
dress which he carried in his quiver.
He had two
dogs
panther dog from the west and a fox dog from the south.
The old grandmother sat in her lodge, rocking herself
and crying because her grandson, the last and best, was
going, as the others had done, to the
going from her
wicked old
man
in the east.
Beneath her eyelids she watched Tulchuherris, and her

How strong and wise he was
heart was filled with pride.
and how brave
When
Eh Eh
that he should go to his death
Tulchuherris came in she gave him a present -
man, no higher than

He That Looks
her thumb. His name was Winishuyat
Ahead. He could see what was going to happen, and could
the best gift she had.
tell
It
was a
Tulchuherris what to do.
on top
of her
hair over
him
little
The grandmother put him
head and tied Tulchuherris s long dark

tied it in a knot that no one but Tulchu
boy
herris could untie.
Thus the young man set forth straight into the east.
But he had not gone far before he heard his grandmother
INDIAN LEGENDS
92
He
calling him.
stopped to
listen.
Her voice was shaking
with age and sorrow.

"Tulchuherris,
me no
left
my
firewood!
grandson!"
am
she called.
"You
too old to go and get
have
wood
for
myself!"
Tulchuherris went back.
and
left his
the forest.
He
laid
down
his sky-spear,
two dogs to guard the house while he went into

He tore up great trees by the roots, and bound
them into a bundle, which he brought to his grandmother.

Then he called his dogs, took up his spear, and set forth
once more.
He had
grandmother
calling again
"Tulchuherris,
is
going
my
not gone far before he heard his

:
grandson!
Tulchuherris!
My
fire
out!"
She was feeding her fire fiercely with great heaps of

wood. Whenever she saw Tulchuherris nearing the east,
growing smaller toward Saskewil, her heart leaped, her
love blazed up, and the firewood disappeared.
Tulchuherris stood thinking. What was he to do? At

All the
this rate he could never keep her in firewood.
forests in the
world would not be proof against her
Then Winishuyat
"How is
my
spoke, for the
Go
s fire
going?
you want
tell you what
"Do
will
and gather a half bushel of wild

These flowers have drawn heat from a
into the forest
sunflower roots.
time.
brother-in-law?" said he.
to keep your grandmother

to do.
first
desire.
TULCHUHERRIS
It
was a
little
man, no higher than
his
93
thumb
flame that cannot go out. Throw them into her fire, and
it will last all the time you are gone, even though
you are
gone
many
lifetimes."
Tulchuherris did as Winishuyat bade him. He went

to the edge of the woods, where the wild sunflowers held
up yellow
stars to light the
shadows behind them, and he
gathered a half bushel of their roots.
He
carried
them
to his
grandmother s lodge and threw them on her smoldering fire.

These will keep your fire for you, grandmother,"
said he.
"When I have punished that old man Sas I
come back to you."

The old woman did not look
will
up.
She was rocking her
buckskin apron in her arms and crooning over

"Tsok-tso!
Tsok-tso!
Tsok-tso!"
it.
INDIAN LEGENDS
94
Tulchuherris went on, straight into the east. After

he had reached the top of the first hill he stood still and
He
listened.
could hear nothing.
His grandmother was

thin breath of smoke curled
not calling him this time. A

up from the point of the lodge. Tulchuherris went on.
Presently he came to a huge rock, towering in his path.
It was taller than the tallest pine tree.
To the north of it was
darkness and emptiness, and to the south of it darkness and
emptiness. On the top of it an old man stood, looking down.
"Come
up,
There
"Come
up!
the road is
top
I will
"I
you a
come,"
grandson!"
is
the old
no other way.
Come
clear.
give
will
my
up!
man
called out.
Behind
When you
this rock
are near the
lift."
said Tulchuherris; but as he started to
Winishuyat stopped him.

This old man has been set here by Sas to trap unwary
"Here many of your kinsfolk have
travelers," said he.
go,
been
he
killed
will
their bones
lie
below there.
sway the rock and knock you
off into
If
you go up
the darkness.
Instead of climbing the rock, kick it with all your might."

Tulchuherris was surprised, but he did as he was bid.
He
ran back a
he were going to rush up the face

of the rock; but instead of that, with his shoe of green
water-stone he kicked it. There was a terrible crash, and
little
as
if
the huge rock rushed roaring into the abyss to the north.
The old man went with it, and Tulchuherris, standing
TULCHUHERRIS
above, heard
him crying
for help
lay the bones of the Earth
down
"I
little
man
to the old
will help
ground
95
from the depths where
Mother
children.
He
called
in the darkness.
you,"
squirrel,
he
turn you into a

and you can climb up yourself.
said.
"I
will
From now on you shall always live in holes in the ground."

The rock, when it fell, left a smooth, wide road stretching
But before Tulchuherris went
to the east.
stood and listened, to hear
He
could hear
the
little
it
he
grandmother called him.

over the world. The sounds made by
all
ground
forth on
squirrel,
if
his
scratching and slipping as he
climbed the sides of the abyss, came to him. He heard

the faint crackle of his grandmother s fire, but he did not
hear her calling; so he went on.
At length he came to a broad river.
A man stood there,
Tulchuherris looked up and down, but

could see no place to cross. Everywhere the water was
watching
it
flow.
equally deep
"This
is
and
swift.
The man
a hard river to cross.
said:
But
know where
have helped many persons
best places are.
will help you, too,
my brother-in-law."
Tulchuherris stood listening for Winishuyat.
man
across.
The
the
I
little
whispered:
Let him carry you, for it is the only way you can
cross.
But be ready with your pointed bone, and send
11
the dogs
first."
INDIAN LEGENDS
96
The two dogs leaped the river at a bound. Tulchuherris mounted the man s back.
The man waded out,
The muddy water slid thickly about
feeling with his staff.
them, pushing them out of their way. It grew deeper and
It was up to the man s shoulders.
It was up
deeper.
to his mouth, so that he threw his head
It
was up to
"Be
back to breathe.
his eyes.
careful,"
said
Winishuyat.
drowned your grandmother
people.
"In
this
way he
Use your pointed
bone."
Tulchuherris
from
killing him.
his shoulders to the farther bank.
looking at the
"You
bone and stabbed the
his
wounding but not
several times,
leapt
drew
Then he
He
wounded man,
twisting in the water.
be an
said,
shall
eel,"
he
"and
man
stood
live in the water.
you Hawt. They will hunt for you, kill

you, skin you, and eat you."
Tulchuherris walked on swiftly. In a little while he
People will
came
call
to a high ridge that stood straight across his path.
It stretched to
the south as far as he could
north as far as he could

that no one could climb
see,
it.
and
it
see,
and to the
was so high and steep
Just in front of him, however,
was a narrow opening, and in this, filling it, a cleft pine

The opening was large enough to let any one walk
tree.
through, and
it
was the only way to
pass.
Tulchuherris looked well at the ridge, looked
it all
over,
TULCHUHERRIS
and stood
On
still.
97
the other side he heard a clinking
some one were pounding on stone. He looked

carefully through the hollow tree, and saw an arm moving.
Some one was hammering, there on the other side. The
noise, as
if
The man who was hammering
dogs sprang through.
came
and looked through the tree at Tulchuherris.

It was Sas himself.
He had been getting
ready to welcome his visitor.
stopped,
"Come
There
is
up,
my
right through,
room
ridge for miles
for a
and
man.
miles.
son-in-law,"
This
It is
is
said he, heartily.
the only gate in the
my
gate.
Come
right
through."
The dogs were
sniffing
around the old man, and growling.
Tulchuherris listened for Winishuyat.

"Go
through very
quickly,"
whispered the
little
man
on his head.
Tulchuherris took his
bow and arrows
firmly in one
hand, stood on the toes of one foot, poised himself sideways

- and was
through in a flash. That instant the tree closed
with a great noise, and became solid.

Tulchuherris had shot through so swiftly that he flew
far off into the field.
Sas did not see him go. He thought
that the young man was fast in the tree. He began to talk
to himself.
"Well,
my
brought up in
7
you are caught. You were

your grandmother s apron. You knew
son-in-law,
INDIAN LEGENDS
98
Sas did not
see
him go
know everything. You were weak;

You are nobody; I am
I
nothing;
strong.
am
Sas."
Tulchuherris came up behind him.

"Why,
my
father-in-law, to
whom
are
you
talking?"
he asked.
Sas turned around slowly.
am old," he quavered.
He
"I
am
half crazy.
too soon.
with me.
first.
was
afraid I
"I
had shut that
glad you are unhurt.
a poor house, and I

soon catch up with you.
It is
I will
ters are
am
put his hand to his head.

must be getting blind.
am
tree
on you
Now come home

an old man.
My wife and
Go
daugh
there."
Saskewil was the finest lodge Tulchuherris had ever

seen.
It was very large, made of deerskins, and on the
TULCHUHERRIS
99
manner of men and animals were painted in bright

But it was well guarded. On either side of it
colors.
were ten grizzly bears, and rattlesnakes wreathed the door.
walls
all
Poisonous things crept in the slime on the ground, and

white bones lay all about. These were the bones of the
grandmother
many
The panther
bears
dog, leaping ahead, killed
all
the grizzly
had they time to groan. The fox dog

the rattlesnakes
they had no time to rattle.
scarcely
killed all
With
children.
his sharp teeth
he nipped and gnawed the poisonous
things in the slime, killing
them
like fleas.
Tulchuherris stood looking at the heaps of bones. He

cried aloud as he looked.
These were his grandmother s
children
alas, for
the poor old Earth Mother, alone in
her lodge, sitting over her sunflower fire!

door curtain and went into the lodge.
Sas
He
lifted
the
wife sat east of the door, with her fingers leaned
together at the tips before her eyes, as his grandmother had
To
told.
the west of the door sat the daughters.
rose as Tulchuherris entered,
them.
He
sat
down
there.
They
and spread a rug between
The
old
woman
never
moved, but sat looking between her fingers at the north.

As he rested there between the daughters, waiting for
Sas to come home,
backed,
two
girls
poisonous,
many
spiders, large, long-legged, red-
came and crawled over him.
did not seem to notice them.
The
He, too, paid no
INDIAN LEGENDS
ioo
His thorn shirt protected him.

The spiders
stuck on the points of the thorns until the color of his
attention.
The red backs
was changed.
shirt
of the spiders
and
little
points of their blood shone like red stones in the firelight.
Sas came
him groan outside

saw the dead bears and rattlesnakes; but when he
came in he was pleasant. He offered his guest a smoke.
Tulchuherris heard
in.
as he
Tulchuherris took Sas

tobacco,
made
of
could not smoke
human
pipe.
flesh
was
pounded
with Sas
filled
Tulchuherris
fine.
Nevertheless, as he held the pipe to
it.
smoke came out
his lips,
It
of
it,
and the tobacco was con
sumed.
It
was Tulchuherris
own
out his
He
took out his own
was made
"It
is
a young
of
man
as yours for thinking.
don
know much, but
tobacco.
It
may
I believe it is as
I
think
touched
it
his
hand
up
powerless.
good
for talking.
He
little
pipe.
As he
could not hold the
up when it fell to the ground.

watching him a few minutes, picked
could not even pick
Tulchuherris, after
it
fell
not be so good
so."
Sas reached out his hand for the
pipe
took
and pressed it into the bowl of his

He drew a few whiffs and passed the pipe to Sas.
it
pipe.
He
a small pipe, but

tobacco
no one knows
pipe of green water-stone
very heavy.
what
turn to offer a smoke.
it
for him.
What
is
the matter,
father-in-law?"
he asked.
"Is
TULCHUHERRIS
my
pipe too heavy for you?
little
I will
hold
it
while you
smoke.
He
held
it
nearly choked
to Sas s
him
lips.
burned
Sas drew in the smoke.
It
But Tulchuherris still held it to his lips, and he had to go on

smoking.
He choked and sputtered. The smoke blinded him and
made him dizzy. He trembled and fell almost into the fire.
Tulchuherris helped him up, put the pipe away in his
quiver, and went and sat between the two girls again.
"Be
is
careful,"
about to
all his insides.
warned Winishuyat.
"The
old
woman
turn."
Tulchuherris looked at Sas
s wife,
sitting east of the
door of the lodge, with her finger tips shading her dreadful
Tulchuherris looked straight at her. Sas forgot
eyes.
to pretend that he
was
hawk watches
prey, a smile bending his
its
old,
and watched
his guest as a
lips.
young
Only
for
now would that young man sit there, mocking

The two girls gazed at Tulchuherris; then
a few minutes
his power!
one of them suddenly covered her head and turned away.

Tulchuherris saw none of these things; he was intent on
Sas
He
wife as she slowly turned toward him.
hand doubled up on his knee.

The glare of her uncovered glance reddened
held his
right
wall, the northwestern wall, the western.
his flint finger nails into her eyes,
snapped
went out.
the northern
Tulchuherris
and the
light
INDIAN LEGENDS
ib2
Sas rose without a word, and carried the dead body of

his wife outside the lodge.
There he dug a grave for her,
and beside her he put the bodies of the ten grizzly bears
and the rattlesnakes. Around his head he hung a string
of beaver s teeth, around his neck another.
He covered
the grave, and singing mournfully, danced around it from
The beaver
east to west.
teeth rattled as he danced the
death-dance and sang the death-song.

koki nom (creeping, creeping, creeping
"Koki, koki,
west)," he sang.
11
These were
children,
Sas
and
my
all
my
wife.
children,"
he mourned.
Koki, koki, koki
"My
nom."
daughters spread a fine bed for Tulchuherris, and
he lay down upon
it
to sleep.
obsidian knives, suspended
by
Above
his
head hung two
slender strings of the inside
bark of the maple tree. Although the knives hung heavy

and greenish above him, Tulchuherris fell asleep and slept
until
about midnight.
Turn
Winishuyat, sharply. Tulchu

The knives fell and buried themselves where
over!"
herris turned.
hissed
he had just been lying.

Next morning Sas said to him.
"Now,
my
wives.
They
fish for
them.
and
it is
son-in-law, these,
my
daughters, are your
are glad to have a young husband

I
am
old.
cannot
fish as I
long since they have eaten a mess of
who can
used to do,
fish.
Come
TULCHUHERRIS
with me.
An
use
103
show you where there are fine large fish.

mine is there, and an old point. You may
I will
old pole of
them."
Tulchuherris set forth with Sas, but he took his own

the sky-spear
and his own spear point of green
spear
water-stone. Sas led the way to the river. Across it was
a bridge
made
of a single hair
from
his daughter s head.
Winishuyat spoke to the young man. He said, "Be

careful.
Here Sas has killed many of your people."
"There is a fishing place," said Sas,
pointing to a little
brush hut across the
Go
there.
across
river.
and
"My
fish.
and point are

go home. I am old,
will go and lie beside
old pole
will
and the long walk has tired me. I

the fire until you come back with your
fish."
Tulchuherris sprang across the river with a single bound,
him
and spear point. He went

into the hut and began to watch the river for fish.
Soon
he saw something coming up the stream, coming from the
south.
It had a face and a head and long hair tied with a
band of woodpecker s scalps. This band was wound round
taking with
the head
himself,
many times. Tulchuherris had just such

made of mountain woodpecker s scalps.
"Good
morning,
in the water.
pecker
"I
his sky-spear
"I
scalps.
am
my
brother-in-law,"
see you, too,
have a
called the person
fine
Will you exchange with
sorry for you,
my
a band
band
of
wood
me?"
brother-in-law,"
answered
INDIAN LEGENDS
104
Tulchuherris.
kindly, but
He
stood
he know
him
hate to
"I
My
must.
kill
you when you speak
father-in-law, old Sas, orders
so
it."
not throwing his spear

for what did
of this person in the water?
Winishuyat urged
still,
on.
do you
"Why
Sas
tell
you
son.
so.
This
hesitate, Tulchuherris?
is
Supchit,
He is sent here to kill you, though he does not

Make haste and kill him, or you will be killed.
Sas says he is a fish. Kill him like a fish."

Tulchuherris raised his sky -spear and Supchit, seeing
But Tulchuherris threw too quickly
it, turned to flee.
for him.
The spear point flashed through the
air
and buried
itself in
Supchit s side.
Supchit rushed down the stream, dashing on with such
force that Tulchuherris could not hold him.
Tulchuherris
grasped the tule grass as he slipped down the river bank;
it came off in his hands.
He clutched at the stones; they
rolled into the. water.
the water.
Sas, at
of the struggle,
That
is
my
He
home
before the
and said to
son Supchit.
rolled after them.
his
fire,
shall
in
heard the noise
two daughters:
Now we
He was
"Ah,
ha!
be rid of Tulchu
herris."
One daughter
smiled; but the other turned
away her
face.
"What
die in this
are
Do you want
to
Winishuyat spoke right out loud
in
^
you doing, Tulchuherris
river?"
TULCHUHERRIS
but the noise of the churning waters almost
his anxiety,
drowned
105
his voice.
to Supchit s
"Send
your gopher to stop
all
the doors
houses."
Tulchuherris took his pet gopher from his bosom, and

sent him to fill up the doors to Supchit s houses.
Supchit, growing tired presently, tried to escape, but
This frightened him; he grew more

As he weakened, Tulchuherris grew stronger. He
tired.
drew him nearer and nearer to the bank at last up on
every door was shut.
The
the bank.
sides of the man-fish heaved,
and were
still.
Tulchuherris picked him up in one hand as
if
he were
and carried him to Saskewil. There he

him down before the door while he went in.
a
little fish,
"I
law.
is fit
laid
could get only one little trout," he told his father-inLook at it, and see if it
is there by the door.
"It
to
eat."
Old Sas went out.

"It
killing
So did
his daughters.
my son Supchit!" cried

all my children!
Supchit
is
Sas.
was.
"Tulchuherris is
my
best child of
all!"
He
put his beaver
either side of his face
teeth over his head; they
and
"Koki,
koki, koki
nom."
it
on
head swayed. He
he danced the death-
rattled as his
dug a grave for his son. Around

dance, and sang the death-song.
fell
INDIAN LEGENDS
06
Next morning Sas said to Tulchuherris,

son-in-law, to-day let us play together a
I
"Come,
my
am
old,
little.
cannot play as I used to do; but I can play a little, and

can show you how. Come with me. I will take you to
a fine place where I used to have great sport when

a strong young man like you."
was
Tulchuherris went willingly; but as they were walking
along together Winishuyat whispered to him, "You must

kill Sas to-day or he will kill you.
He has asked help of
servants and children, and they have failed.
he intends killing you himself."
all his
Presently they
which stood a
leaning a
tall
little
came
to a great plain, in the middle of
pine tree, very slender and straight, but
to one side.
Around
it
the grass grew thick
way, and rustled softly in the wind.

a pleasant place in which to play.
for a long
like
Sas went to the tree and climbed

"Now,
my
son-in-law, give
me
it
It
looked
he
called.
it.
swing!"
do not swing too hard. Remember that

and cannot hold on tight."
"But
man
To-day
an old
Tulchuherris leaped up, caught a lofty branch, pulled

down toward him until a higher branch was within
and caught the top of the tree. Hold

he turned his back to the trunk, bent over,
reach, pulled that,
ing
it
firmly,
pulling the tree with him, then let go.
back, and old Sas had a fine swing.
The
tree sprang
Page 105
The sides of
the man-fish heaved,
and then were
still
TULCHUHERRIS
107
your turn," said he, when

the tree had stopped swaying and he had slipped to the
higher than I didground. "Go high up on the tree
"Now,
and
son-in-law,
it is
you a fine swing."

do not want to go higher than you,
I will
"I
my
give
said Tulchuherris.
"This
be able to hold on
"Go
new
sport to me.
may
not
well."
just a little
know how much
is
father-in-law,"
higher,"
coaxed Sas.
better the motion
is
up
"You
do not
When
there.
was as young as you I went clear to the top."

Tulchuherris went only a little higher than Sas had gone.
Sas coaxed in vain. At last Sas pulled the tree toward
him, bent low with his back to the trunk, and released it.
sprang to its full height, then far over on the other side.
Tulchuherris swung to and fro dizzily. But he held on.
he called as he
"Now, father-in-law, it is your turn,"
It
came down.
you
promise to go as high as
do."
Sas climbed a
much
am
little
higher.
He
pretended to be very
afraid.
"Be
I will
higher.
"Go
careful,
my
an old man.
hold on well.
Swing
branch, pulled
down
son-in-law!"
he
This
high for
very
gently."
"Remember,
me.
cannot
Tulchuherris leaped to the
the tree, bent his back,
tree sprang into the sky
Sas held on.
is
cried.
and rocked
to
and
let fly.
The
fro in the air.
INDIAN LEGENDS
io8
That was a
but
it
It
was hard on
my
old arms,
made me feel young again. Go clear to the top

Then I will go to the top in my turn."
has
this time.
"I
fine swing.
afraid, father-in-law," said Tulchuherris.
go to the top
He climbed the
I will
if
you
"But
will."
As he went, Winishuyat warned
tree.
him.
"Sas
is
determined to
him swing you.
Slip
kill
you
Do
this time.
down when he
turns his
not
let
back."
Tulchuherris climbed to the top. He was not seen

among the leafy branches. Sas leaped, forgetting his age,
caught branch after branch, and bent his back to pull down
the top. Tulchuherris slipped down behind him as nimbly
as a gopher. The tree sprang into the sky with a roar.
Sas turned,
tree,
Tulchuherris, hidden behind the trunk of the
was nowhere to be
"I
have shot him
He began
"Ah,
my
seen.
off
the
earth,"
said Sas.
to walk toward Saskewil.

son-in-law,
Tulchuherris,"
he chanted as he
have finished you this time. You escaped my

servants, my wife, and my children; you could not escape
Sas himself. You were brought up in your grandmother s
went.
"I
apron.
weak;
You knew nothing; I know everything.

am strong. You are nobody; I am
You were
Sas."
Tulchuherris came up behind him.

"What is that you are saying, father-in-law?" he asked.
TULCHUHERRIS
"And
where are you going?
are not going to let

in-law,
me
this
He
Sas said not a word.
"Now!"
your turn to swing.
beat you, are you?
who never played
climbed the
It is
109
game
I,
You
your son-
before?"
turned and went back.
He
the top.
tree, clear to
whispered Winishuyat.
Tulchuherris was sorry, but the work had to be done.
He
He
swept the ground with the

back into the sky. It roared
put forth his strength.
top of the tree. He let it fly

A great wind went with
as it rushed aloft.
it.
While
it
a mighty crash was heard.

The whole earth shook and trembled with it. Every
waved wildly
yet
to
and
fro
living creature sought shelter, and, cowering, whispered:

"That
Tulchuherris killing
is
Sas."
Tulchuherris stood waiting until the earth should stop
He
waited three hours, rocking to and fro

with the rocking earth. Then he heard a voice from the
trembling.
sky.
my
have conquered,
have broken me in two.
"You
One
last thing I
son-in-law," it
said.
You
can withstand you no longer.

ask of you. Give me your foxskin head
I
dress."
Tulchuherris took
Sas.
Then he spoke
"Stay
it off
his
there in the
east to west.
and threw
up
into the sky to
commands.
sky,"
In the east
it
is
he directed.
a place
"Travel
from
Go
there
full of fire.
INDIAN LEGENDS
io
and carry
as
you
first
it
go.
warm
Light your torch there

all day through the sky, that men may see you
As you come up from the east they will see
every morning;
the rays of
yourself.
my
foxskin head-dress, before they see
you. They will remember that I sent you. You will

look upon all things as you travel, but you will always be
alone.
At night you will go down into the Big Water in
the west.
It is well
you are broken
in two.
The earth
has long waited for this to be done, but no one was strong
enough to do
it.
Now you will
Then he heard another
voice
path."
a voice smaller and
was the smaller part of Sas talking.

What do you
son-in-law, you have conquered.
It
fainter.
"My
give to
obey, and keep your
me
as your last gift?
should like your quartz
headdress."
Tulchuherris took the quartz headdress out

pocket and tossed it into the sky.
"You,
"But
you
too,
shall travel
west,"
he
his
said.
You will
grow old in a few days and die.
again, and you will live many lives, growing
will
come to life
old and dying."
Then Tulchuherris
home.
from east to
of
He
called his dogs
and
did not go back to Saskewil.
set forth for
One
of Sas s
daughters was glad not to see him again; the other

watches for him.
In the west the old grandmother sat over her
still
fire of
TULCHUHERRIS
wild sunflower roots, rocking her buckskin

apron in her
arms.
"
Tsok-tso, tsok-tso, tsok-tso!
she crooned.
Then she looked up and saw Tulchuherris coming from

the east, with Sas holding a flaming torch above him to
light his
way.
THE ICE KING

(A Micmac Legend)
/^VNCE
was a
town on the banks of a river.

A cold winter came, and the people suffered greatly.
the wood they had laid in was soon burned.
All
At
there
first
but their
large
the children went to the forest for more wood,

noses
and
froze,
their
The women
ears.
went next, but the cold was too much for them, too.
hands became so badly frozen they could not work.
Their
Then the men went, but even they were soon overcome.
The forest was far, the cold was terrible; some of the men
The people huddled
fell by the way and were frozen stiff.
around their scanty fires, hungry and shivering. They
died,
Only a few
one after another.
of
the strongest
survived.
At
last spring
melted, and ran away.
bank into the

was softening.
river.
over into the river
was
all
The
against one another.
full of little holes,
ran over the top of the river

In all the small streams the ice
It
It piled
fell
about.
The snow got
came.
up
at the
mouths
crash, crackle,
river
Up
was
full of
on the
112
of the brooks,
smash
cakes of
level
ice,
the noise
grinding
above the banks,
THE ICE KING
II3
pools of water lay shining.
The wind puffed across them,

and filled them with waves. The bluebirds came back
and built nests. Everywhere was the wet, sweet smell of
melting snow.
One
men who had
of the
found a great
fissure of the
ice
bank, where
every day to see

of
cake that would not melt.
was
safe
had moved
yet.
and down there
it lay,
It spoiled
it.
lived through the winter
if it
it
In a deep
from the warm sun,

The man went
kept winter.
it
the spring season and
the friends and kinsmen he had
He
hated the sight
made him remember
lost.
He made
himself a long pole from a straight young pine

tree, and tried to push the ice cake down into the river.
would not
Again and again he tried. Finally he

gave up everything else and resolved to work at it until
he conquered it. He pried with his pole and chopped
It
stir.
with his hatchet.

"Be
now!"
off,
too long.
he commanded.
hate you.
He chopped and
I will
not have
chopped.
The
"You
are
staying
you."
cold
splinters
flew
into his face.

"Oh,
Well,
yes!
you can
not afraid of
You
t.
think you can do some more harm!

Freeze away! Do your worst! I am
you."
cake yielded a little. The man pushed harder

than ever with his long pole. Although he was standing
The
8
ice
INDIAN LEGENDS
114
In
on the
moved
with
as
ice
He
moved
arose.
block of
spray he saw the Ice King riding on the block of
itself,
faster
it.
it
the
and
ice
he was
warm
faster
he almost went into the river
with
The cake
effort.
sprang to the bank and gave it one last kick

As it fell into the river a great spray
off.
In the spray he saw the Ice King riding on the

ice.
"Thank you!"
noise of the river.
he heard the Ice King
have
"You
set
me
can go where I belong. But beware!

hate will come again next winter."
The man decided he would be ready

a
fine strong
spring of good water; he
and made them
tight
and
wigwam
Now
He whom you
for the visit.
He
in the woods, near a
mended every
thick.
above the
free at last.
built himself
call,
Many
hole in the walls,

trees
he chopped,
THE ICE KING

making a huge
He
saved the fat of the
and put the oil away for

He had warm fur clothes, and plenty of dried
animals he
winter.
pile of firewood.
115
killed,
melted
it,
meat.
it
When the Ice King began his advance the man knew
from many signs, though the enemy kept himself in
The ground grew hard and black. In the early

morning it was white. By and by it was white all day.
The surface of the lake crinkled over, filled with spikes,
grew stiff, and moved no more. The river hardened along
ambush.
at last even in the middle.

the edges, then farther out
To fish the man had to cut holes in the ice. But he ate
well,
kept a good
The
walls of
Ice
fire,
and watched
bolder.
for his
He
enemy.
laid his
King grew
the wigwam and turned them
hand on the
But that
the meat and
to stone.
only kept the heat in better. He froze

He threw darts at the
berries; but the fire thawed them.
man; but the fur clothing turned them back.

At last, one night, the Ice King came boldly into the
As he advanced the earth cracked beneath his
lodge.
The walls of the wigwam clattered. He came
footsteps.
The
in and sat down, spreading a white rug for himself.
cold from his body and his icy breath shook the skin of
the man.
The man could hardly move to reach the wood pile.
He
felt
with a
stupid; suddenly he roused himself, and
INDIAN LEGENDS
ii6
mighty effort reached out for the bowl of oil near by. For
this he had kept it.
He threw a handful on the dying
The
fire, which instantly roared and leaped to the roof.
King turned away his face and blinked. New life

came into the man s limbs. He threw another handful
Ice
of oil
on the
Then he got wood.
fire.
He
fed the
fire
with branch after branch, and the fire ate all greedily.
The Ice King hitched back from the heat and glare.
More oil more wood. The flames licked the roof of
the wigwam.
The
Ice
He
King was sweating and gasping.

At last he hitched right into the
hitched back again.

wall of the wigwam and could go no farther.
The sweat
poured from him in streams, and ran out under the side of
the lodge. His strength was leaving him. He spoke in
a weak voice:
"You
are victor.
Let
me
go."
The man raked the fire away from the side where his
visitor was sitting.
The Ice King moved toward the door.
"You
have conquered
me
fairly,"
he
said.
not trouble you again. Henceforth you are

He slipped out of the wigwam, leaving only a
"I
shall
master."
little
wet
track behind him.
After that the
He
man had no more
fear of the winter.
needed no moccasins, cap, nor mittens.

summer with him.
It
was always
HOW THE BEAR FAMILY GOT
ITS NA:
(A Totem Tale)
TV
/TY great-grandmother
name was
Bear.
She was
very proud of the fact, and often talked to us about

We boys must be brave hunters and skillful fishers,
it.
because the
men
of the
great hunters and skillful
and
especially
know how
Bear family had always been

fishers. The girls must sew well,
to dry
meat and
berries, for so
Bear family had always done. On rainy

evenings, when we all sat around the lodge fire, we would
Grand
say to the old woman, nodding in the smoke,
the
women
of the
"
tell
mother,
Are any
us:
How
do we come to be
of the wild bears in the
called Bears?
mountains
relatives of
ours?"
And then
she would
us this story:
on the
"Long ago there was a large Indian village
no
had
banks of a river. In it lived an orphan boy who
special
home.
welcome
tell
However,
in every lodge.
all
He
were kind to him; he was

would live in one for a week
and then, some one inviting him, would live in

another. But no one person had charge of him.
"One day, late in the fall, when winter was drawing
or two,
117
INDIAN LEGENDS
ii8
near and the leaves had
all fallen
boy went to the woods to gather
to the ground, this
there before him, laying in supplies for

had to go far before he found any fruit.
trees, letting in
little
Many had been

the winter, and he
berries.
plenty of sunlight,
The wind-stripped
made the woods look
open and harmless, so he wandered farther than he knew.

When it began to grow dark and cold he turned to
go home.
All about
yet more trees
him
stretched trees and trees
as far as he could see.
Under
and
foot the
earth was deep in leaves. He could not find his own trail
he did not know where the village was. He was lost in
the woods, on the edge of night and of winter.
;
Night fell. He shivered, and cried for the mother

he had never known. At last, through his tears, he saw a
He dashed his hand across his eyes. The
light shining.
"
light
still
shone.
He
hurried toward
it.
Yes, there was
a lodge.
by the fire, sat a woman and two boys. The

woman told him to enter. The boys danced around him,
for joy that they had a new comrade.
He was given dried
berries and dried meat to eat, and lay down between
"Within,
the boys to sleep.

"In the
morning he looked with
new eyes on the people

who had been so kind to him. Then he saw that it was
not an old woman who had taken him in, but a she-bear,
and that the two boys were two cubs.
However, they

knew how
ITS
NAME
119
to play as well as
romped together
the lodge
until
any boy, and so the three

the mother bear chased them out of
or the den, as
it
now showed itself to be
to play
where the noise would not split her ears.

The she-bear was very kind to the little boy who had sought
in the
open
air
She fed him when she fed her cubs, and he

was warm and comfortable. He stayed with the bears
her shelter.
all
winter.
"Back
in the village the people missed him, after a
or so; but although they searched for

find him.
They gave him up
day
him they could not
for lost.
came, and the whole village was astir.

This was the time of year when the smelts came up the
"At
river
last spring
and into
eggs.
all
the
They came
little
fresh-water streams to lay their
in crowds,
and both bears and Indians
went to catch them.

the Indians shot the bears while they
were busy catching fish, and thus got good fur and meat.
This was the good luck one hunter expected as he came
"Sometimes
to a little stream in the depths of the woods,
tracks of a bear
in the springtime
and two
mud.
cubs.
and saw the
They showed
But how was
this?
plainly
Beside them
were the marks of a boy s naked feet.

Here is a strange thing/ said the hunter to himself.
1
I will
self in
watch and see what more happens/

some bushes on the bank.
He
hid
him
INDIAN LEGENDS
I2O
And
"
so the three
romped
together until the mother bear chased
them out of the lodge
Presently he heard the crackling of broken twigs,
then the thud-thud of heavy steps, and looking out he saw

a she-bear coming down to the opposite bank of the brook.
He was talk
The man
as he pattered along beside them.
With her were two cubs and the missing boy.

ing to the cubs
could hear and understand
all
he
to understand all the cubs said;
made was
and the boy seemed

but to the man the sound
said,
an unmeaning animal mutter.

"When she got down to the brook the mother bear
waded in and sat down in the water, her broad haunches
the cubs
filling
up much
just
of the
bed of the brook, and her forepaws
spread out on either side. Thus she made a dam of herself,

and the fish, swimming hastily up the stream, in a blind
hurry to lay their eggs and be
off
home
again, dashed full

against her.
little
danced about on the banks,

"
121
boy, his brown legs wide
apart, catching those that escaped her.
"The
NAME
She threw them out on the bank with her
Behind her stood the
paws.
ITS
old bear
stuffing themselves full of fish.
was having
There they come!
The two cubs
fine sport.
There they come!
she shouted,
and splashed like mad. The air was full of shining drops
of water and shining fish, curving from her paws to the bank.
She threw them in a fast glittering shower threw them
faster
than a fisherman throws them from a
net.
hunter went home and told his people what he

had seen. They held a council. It was hard to think how
"The
they could get the boy without enraging the old bear, who
might hurt him if she were made desperate. Many pipes
they smoked over it. At last they decided on a plan.

for the fish come up most
"Next day toward sunset
twenty strong men set

out for the brook in the depths of the woods. They went
wildly as the dark draws near
a long way around, so as not to cross the bear s tracks

or let her get scent of them.
They hid themselves in the
bushes on each side of the brook.

"The
after her.
swung into view, her cubs lumbering

Beside them ran the little boy, naked, and light
old bear
To
the edge of the brook they came; in

plunged the old bear. Splash! the water wet the leaves
on his
feet.
far off as she flopped
down.
INDIAN LEGENDS
122
boy stood behind her, and, spreading out her

paws, she began to fish. The water rushed, the little bears
danced, the fish flew out of the water and beat the ground
"The
with their
tails.
The
growling for joy.

in on her?
old bear slapped fast, shouting
How
and
could she hear the hunters closing
made a great circle on both sides of the brook.

narrower yet
They made a narrower circle
they were
upon her. They seized her boy, his brown body wet and
"They
slippery.
"The
old bear rose on her hind legs, the water spiking
her fur and dropping off the points into the brook again.
She growled in her throat. Red and angry her little eyes
were.
their
That
She turned them on the boy she had nursed, and

look changed.
After all, these were his own people.
is
what she must have thought,
She dropped to her four

shambled off. She went slowly.
fight.
no one hurt
for
she did not
hung her head, and

She was not afraid; and
legs,
her.
she stopped and looked at the little boy. He

was struggling like a wild thing, biting and scratching as
"Once
den had taught him to do. The bear

hung her head again, but not so low. She looked to see
if her own two cubs were close by her side, and together
his brothers in the
they disappeared into the woods.

that was a wild boy they had on their hands!
"Eh,
Page 121
The air was full of shining drops of water and shining fish

He had
not forgotten
raw and he
how
ITS
NAME
123
to talk, but he liked his food
liked to go without clothes.
All over his little
naked body small black hairs were sprouting.

"But every one was so kind to him that at last he
grew
tame and quiet. He became a mighty hunter, but he
would never hunt bears. Neither would he ever allow
the old mother bear or her two cubs to be hurt.
Often,
in the winters,
called the Bear,
he carried food to their den.
and we, who belonged to
He was
his family,
are of his blood, are called Bears to this day.
All
who
the
Bears in the woods and in the mountains are our friends,
and never do we hurt them/
HAWT, OR THE GREAT WORLD CONCERT

TK7AIDA DIKIT lived
mountain. A little
door.
It
was
full
full-fed fish
After a time
alone on the side of a small
stream rushed foaming past his

of bright pebbles.
Here and there a
large flat stone lay in
where a
all
it,
might
with quiet places underneath

rest.
Waida Dikit grew
he built himself a
tired of living alone, so
sweat house, to which he could invite

He painted the east side of it with paint made
people.
of red earth.
It glowed in the morning sun, and even in
the afternoon
it
fine
looked warm.
side
Bushes grew out of
green, with green earth.
and waved
The west
softly over all that side of the house.
he painted
this earth
It
looked
and quiet when all the western sky was hot.

When he had made everything ready he went to
cool
he whose
his relative Tsaroki
spirit
moves
in the
see
brown-
green snakes.
"My
son-in-law,"
said
Waida
Dikit,
"I
should like to
have you come and make me a little visit. I live alone

on the mountain side. I have not much to give you, but
I have food, and we can visit pleasantly.
*
house
it
was small
just
When
saw the sweat

such a sweat house as you would
Tsaroki went with him.
124
he
first
THE GREAT WORLD CONCERT
125
expect a lonely person to have, one who did not look for
more than two or three friends at a time. They both went
into this house,
Tsaroki sat
and Waida Dikit
sat
on the east
side,
After they had eaten a
and smoked, Waida gave

Tsaroki had never handled
little,
Tsaroki a flute to play upon.

a flute before, and he hardly knew what to do with
as soon as he touched his lips to
from
He
it.
while
on the west.
He was
it,
it;
beautiful music
but
came
so pleased that he could not stop playing.
He
could not eat nor drink.
played three days and
three nights without stopping.
When
him
and as they
food,
remarked
Waida
at last he stopped, very weary,

sat
Dikit gave
smoking together afterward, he
"How is it,
my
son-in-law,
would you not
like to
have
Would it not be pleasant

have a young man about your own age join us here?"
some one hear how you can play?

to
think
"I
should like
there were another young
that,"
man
Tsaroki answered.
here
we
and then we could talk about many

amuse you, too, my father-in-law."
"If
could both play,
things.
It
would
be well for you to go at once, then, to

Go to-night, in the middle of the
invite another man.
"I
think
it will
night."
how shall I
this man I am
"But
who
is
find
to
my
way, father-in-law?
invite?"
And
INDIAN LEGENDS
126
"You
soon discover that for
will
yourself,"
Waida Dikit
west to-night to the old woman, your

grandmother. Ask her where your brother
"But I do not know this grandmother.
I have never
told him.
"Go
is."
visited her.
could never find her in the
dark."
thus you must look for her," said

cannot explain everything to
Waida Dikit firmly.
you, but I can set you on the trail. The night is dark,
"Nevertheless, it is
"I
and her house

far
is
but you
small,
away, but you
will
go
All the afternoon the
thinking over
Waida
will
not miss
It is
it.
quickly."
young man played on
Dikit
so as not to interrupt his
words.
He
own thoughts
his flute,
played softly
he was half
afraid of them.
At
last night
came.
The
east side of the house
was as
Clouds were in the sky. No stars

shone. Straight west from the door of the sweat house
ran a little sand trail. Though there was no light it
black as the west.
glimmered on the ground, pointing straight to the west.

The earth all round was dark, the air overhead was dark;
but the
little trail
shone with
Tsaroki went out over
its
it.
own
He
light.
cut his
way smoothly
through the black night, following the shining pathway.

At the end of the path he found a small bark house. Within
lay an old woman by the dying fire, asleep. Tsaroki
entered and sat
down
quietly.
He
did not speak.
He

was
with wonder.
filled
At
last the old
and peered through the dimness

and stirred the fire to make more
see some one sitting over
light.
she quavered.
there,"
it?"
is
"It
turned over
She sat up,
at him.
"I
"Who is
woman
127
Waida
Tsaroki, grandmother.
you where my brother lives.

know. He wants to invite him to
to ask
He
Dikit sent
me
you would
said
his house for a little
visit."
must go
"You
farther
said the old
west,"
woman.
you came here. There is no longer

any trail, but you have been traveling west so long that
you will know how to go on. Go now; do not wait.
Waida Dikit will want you to invite him to-night."
"Straight
west, as
Tsaroki went west.
went
The
straight.
air
was
it
arrowheads, wearing
All
came
moved
about him, but he
to a large open space.

It
all
Some were sharpening
busy.
away the
in curves,
was dark,
There were
could see each other.
the air smoothing his face as

lightly
all
and seemed to move.
thick,
people, all moving,
skins.
was dark
Presently he
but the people in
many
It
stone; others were dressing
and
it
silently.
moved,
Tsaroki
felt
felt
the people
touch him as they moved.
In the center of the open place was a still space, and

here a tall man was standing. He watched the people
and kept them at work, but he himself did no work. This
INDIAN LEGENDS
128
was Hawt, Tsaroki s brother, whom he had come to seek,

and these were his people. This was Hawt, the Spirit
of the Waters.
know what
Tsaroki did not

his brother
all
and
the people?
How
to do.
could he reach
deliver his message without being seen
On the edge of the open space,
in the
by
moving
darkness, he stood thinking.
A way
occurred to him.
earth, that here
came up
was moist and
Hawt
at
He
s feet.
slipped
soft, slid
He made no
down
into the
through
it,
and
sound, and where
everything was moving it was wonderful that Hawt noticed

the faint stir of the mud at his feet. He looked down and
saw Tsaroki.
"Waida
Dikit sent
me,"
Tsaroki explained, whispering
from the ground. "He would like to have you

come and visit him. I will play for you on his flute."
And
Who told you where to find me ? Hawt asked.
softly
"
how
shall I find
"The
Waida
to
Waida
Dikit
s house?"
old grandmother in the bark house told
you were.
to
my way
I will
Dikit
me
where
meet you there and show you the way
s."
Tsaroki slipped back into the ground, and slid through

under Hawt s people. They never knew he had been there
at
all.
Hawt
them merely that he was going away for a

few days then he, too, was gone. At the old grandmother s
;
told

He
house he met Tsaroki.
sat
129
down, as the other had
already done, and both young men sat there silent for a
long time, waiting for the grandmother to speak.
"Now
day, and
what
go,"
Waida Dikit
happening. I
and hear all you do."
is
Day was
them
she told
"It
will
soon be
not yet want every one to know

shall stay at home, but I shall see
will
just breaking as they
house, but he was already

It
at last.
reached almost to his
came
up and combing
feet.
He
Waida
to
Dikit
his long red hair.
greeted the young
men
and gave them some breakfast. Then Tsaroki

began to play. He played and played, while Hawt stood
listening, not knowing quite what to do with himself.
cordially,
"Lie
him.
down north
of the
fire,"
Waida
Dikit directed
comfortable while you listen."

And this was well, because Tsaroki played two days and
two nights without stopping.
"Be
Hawt
play a little," then said Waida Dikit; and

Tsaroki passed the flute to Hawt.
As soon as it touched the young man s lips it gave forth
exquisite sounds, very soft at first, but presently louder
"Let
and
clearer.
Sometimes the
little flute
roared as he blew
For ten days and nights Hawt and Tsaroki

Waida Dikit
practiced, first one and then the other.
At last he said:
listened, smoking his pipe, well pleased.
into
it.
"My
children,
you have done
well,
but
think that
INDIAN LEGENDS
130
you can do better. I have a friend, Old Man Weasel,

who knows much about playing. Go, Tsaroki, and ask
him to come over here and teach you."
Tsaroki went to the northeast and found Old Man
Weasel at home, lying on
his
back and playing beautifully
his flute.
upon
Dikit
"W^aida
sent
wants you to come to

there,
"I
me,"
his house
He
Hawt is
Tsaroki
explained.
and play
for us.
practicing."
will
go,"
said Old
Man
Weasel.
He
wriggled quickly into the ground, and rose at Waida

Dikit s feet. His host spread a mat for him next to his
own place, near the fire, and offered him food and a pipe.
While they smoked and talked the two young men played
In the smoky dimness of the lodge Old Man
softly.
Weasel gave out a light
to the North Star.
"My friend,"
said
like
a torch.
Waida Dikit
He was
at last,
a grandfather
"these
boys
of
mine play pretty well, but you could teach them to play
That is why I sent for you."
better.
I cannot play as I could when I was younger.
I am old.
"
But
I will
Old
own
his
and
all
try."
Man
Weasel lay on his back and began to play on
flute.
He
played
all
that night,
all
the next day,
the next night again.
In the morning of the second day, just at dawn, Tsaroki
He found
saw a
it
Old
Man
Weasel lying on his back and playing beautifully on his flute
light stripe
down
the Old
Man
breast.
At
sunrise
He had played all the breath out of his body.
was white.
three good players here/* said Waida

should like to hear if there are
Dikit, after breakfast.
any better players in the world. Let us invite every one
"I
think
we have
"I
who can
play,
can decide
"But
who
what
and
let
plays
will
us give each one a
trial.
Then we
best."
you do with them
Weasel, looking around.
"Your
Tsaroki went northwest,
first,
all?"
home
is
asked Old
not very
to Deer House.
Man
large."
Inside
he heard stamping, as if many persons were dancing, and

when he looked in he saw, indeed, many persons, but they
were sitting around the wall.
Only two were dancing an
INDIAN LEGENDS
132
woman and
a young girl. The young girl had fawn s

teeth tied behind her head, and these rattled gayly when
old
on.
Man
Old
she danced.
Deer lay north
of the
Tsaroki went up to him.

"Waida Dikit sent me," he announced.
to have a flute-playing at his house.
He would
be invited.
will
"
Who
there
is
Man
"Old
already?"
Weasel
is
All
fire,
"He
is
going
who can
be glad to have you

asked Old Man Deer.
and Hawt.
there,
looking
play
come."
They play
beautifully."
"I
will
come,"
Man
said Old
Deer.
Tsaroki would not wait to eat and smoke.
Waida
the people who lived in the

This
water, but Tsaroki had to invite all the land people.
Dikit himself was to invite
all
and he got very tired; so he asked Wood

Dove to carry some of the invitations for him.
Wood Dove went all around the world, up to where the
was a big
task,
sky comes down, inviting everybody.
Waida
returned to
Dikit
At
last all three
house.
They were
resting,
Wood Dove
tired
and
hungry.
As they
sat eating
and
exclaimed:
a large world! I never knew before

how large it is. I went far, but it goes farther than I
went. I was two whole days without water or food, but
"Oh,
but
this is
have not yet seen
the people
could
all
the world.
find."
However,
invited
all

By
this
had
of the guests
many
time
arrived,
was said. Humming

He was a little man, but he
and
sat
Bird sat there,
listening to all that
over on one side.
133
felt
powers
within himself.
"Did
you manage to
North
invite
Star?"
asked Waida
Dikit.
"Now,
ask you,
He was
Dove.
how
could
deal.
"North
the end of the world, and as
without water or
invite
is
hard
did
it is,
work,"
not,"
agreed
said
it
Wood
was he
Star lives farther than

I
was two whole days
jerked out
without water or food.

are coming
Waida
Dikit.
"Did
you
Coyote?"
almost as far as North Star, and
how many
that?"
food."
Jack Rabbit, or
"No,
do
very tired and he knew that as
had done a great
"It
But
Wood
Dove.
I tell
you
invited
many
"They
live
was two days

persons.
See
now."
Sure enough, crowds of people were coming to the sweat

house. They crept up from the earth; they swam through
the water; they flew down from above. But no matter
there were, there was plenty of room for them.
how
many
Every time a new group

his cheeks and said
arrived,
Waida Dikit blew out
"I
It
wish this sweat house to be bigger."

room for everybody,
grew larger at once. There was
no end to the number of

although there seemed to be
INDIAN LEGENDS
134
who kept arriving. All talked about North

who was he, and how was he to be invited? And
persons
Star
who would go
for
Jack Rabbit and Coyote?
They
lived
beyond the sky.
Humming
talked
He
Bird sat back and listened.
said nothing.
but no one offered to go. Each

They
one thought some one else ought to do it. At last one said
"Let
us ask that little man over there. He says
all night,
nothing, and looks
wise."
Waida Dikit spoke
to him.
"Humming Bird, will
Can you do
you go on
this errand for us?
it?"
Humming
meant yes by
Bird
this.
lifted
To
one
eyebrow
himself he said:
languidly.
He
did they not ask me before? Could they not

see at once that I was the man for the work?"
"Why
Waida Dikit gave Humming Bird a blue
flower as a
reward for his kindness in undertaking a difficult errand.

Humming Bird took it, crushed it between his hands, and
made a lovely blue paste. With this he painted himself all
To this day Humming Bird is blue

He spoke
flowers, as any one can see.
over.
of
"Look
at me,
a blue
made out
for the first time.
people."
Every one looked. He stood on the west side of the

sweat house. The green light poured through on his body.
He seemed to quiver with color.

You
"
The
beautiful!"
cried out all the people.
poured in was new light. Day was just

The east half of the sweat house was all rosy,
light that
breaking.
"I
are
135
be
shall
back,"
cried
Humming
"
Bird,
before the
sun touches the tops of those trees out there."

Wood Dove had been watching all this with a gloomy
brow.
Do you
think you can go so far in a minute?" said he.

traveled for two days without water or food, and I did
not go so far. I know what I am talking about. What
11
"I
do you know about it? Have you ever

Humming Bird did not answer.
rush for the door, went through
it
tried
it?"
He made
a swift
in a blink of blue light,
and darted up into the sky. He had never traveled in

the air before, but had always walked, as we do. He
then down; east, then west. He twinkled and
shot
up,
sparkled until the air seemed
am
full of
him.
he shouted, and sped north.

The people rubbed their eyes and looked to see if he would
not suddenly return upon them from some unexpected
"Ho!
Now
off!"
No; this time he was really gone.

He went first to North Star s house. It was dazzlingly
so bright that it made the morning sky
bright in there
quarter.
dark.
Even Humming Bird winked
shone so blue that

Presently he
it
rapidly.
His dress
was almost white.
made
out that there were two young
men
INDIAN LEGENDS
136
"Ho!
Now
am
off!"
he shouted,
and sped north
though the face of one was so bright that

he could not look upon it. This was North Star. The
inside the house,
other was North, his brother.
wandered about.
house,
nor
home.
And North
Star loved
The brother never
He
him
stayed
so
left
the
faithfully
at
much
that he was
him after every day s absence.

people at Waida Dikit s house asked me
sure to return to
"The
to
you,"
explained
Humming
asked in and had taken his
world
is
there to
"Yes,
know
make
all
music.
that,"
Bird,
seat.
after
you,
remarked North
the whole
too."
Star.
"I
have
them travel to Waida Dikit s house. Before daylight

knew all you have told me. But I am glad to be asked.
seen
I
come
he had been
"Almost
They want
to
I will
come; but
my
brother, here, will stay at
home."

"I
must go now.
Humming
have a promise to
137
keep,"
said
Bird.
Nevertheless he did not go at once, but darted hither

and thither above the clouds through them like a piece
sky showing suddenly, then up again. He swooped

down toward the earth and back, spun in the light from
North Star s door, and was off like a lightning flash into
of blue
the east.
Now
Jack Rabbit and Coyote lived
in another world
beyond the sky, and almost at the edge of the second

world. When Humming Bird came to the sky he bobbed
against it with his bill, whirred his wings at it, and then,
seeing that he could not fly through
it,
pried
it
up with a
sky pole. He slipped through safely, but when it closed

behind him it made a noise that shook the world. All
the people at Waida Dikit s house heard it and wondered.
Bird was too busy to wait. He flew straight
on east, almost to the end of the second world, until he
found Coyote and Jack Rabbit. All in a breath he deliv
Humming
ered his message, hovering up and down in the air. Then

ll show you the way!" he darted westward.
calling out,
or
Being in a hurry, he went in no more than two
three other directions first, pried up the sky in a jiffy, let
"I
it
bang
after him,
and
the
just as the sun rose over
moun
he appeared to the people at Waida Dikit

dawn.
fluttering blue speck in the midst of the rosy
tains
s,
INDIAN LEGENDS
138
The
guests he had called arrived in a more leisurely and
Jack Rabbit and Coyote took two

days to the journey, sending an arrow ahead of them to
announce their coming.
dignified
manner.
No
one saw them when they arrived; only their legs

and shadows showed. No one knew when North Star
came.
He
entered silently, with his brightness hid, and

no one saw him.
Waida Dikit knew he was there, but no one else knew.

He knew that all his guests had come, so he stood up in
the mighty sweat house, which now arched away almost
out of sight. He spoke, and though he spoke
one heard his voice.
softly,
every
have invited you to hear some music," he said.

see that you understand this, for you have all brought
your flutes. Let each one play alone while all the others
"I
"I
When
listen.
the concert
the best player in the
is
over
we
shall
know who
is
world."
was agreed between Hawt and Tsaroki that Tsaroki

should play first and Hawt last. Tsaroki played on Waida
It
Dikit s
flute,
and played so well that
all
were
They never suspected Tsaroki had
surprise.
Man
silent
with
sucl^ talent.
Weasel played next, lying on his back and

playing as he did when he was alone. He forgot the
people in the sweat house, and played out his own quiet
Old
thoughts.
139
Hammer
played next. It was night when he

began, and he played until almost morning. The inside
of the sweat house grew red; he had played until he was
Yellow
red and breathless.

dark, as
if
fire
When
had gone
he stopped the house grew
out.
Blue Jay played next; and at sunset, when the light

outside
was yellow and
red, the light inside
was
all
blue
He
played until the blood was blue

in him, and his dress has been blue ever since.
One after another all the people played, and when they
his color filled
it.
had played as long as they could, each received a new

color
Murope, the Bull Snake, became spotted; Jack
Rabbit, roan; Master Fox, red, and Crying Loon, black.
The people, weary
All except Hawt had now played.
with days and nights of listening, had fallen asleep. Hawt
slid into
moved through
and came up near
the ground,
a single sleeper,
it
without awakening
the
fire.
He had no
but down each side of his body was a row of holes

the holes in the side of a flute. He lay on his back
flute,
like
with his fingers covering these holes.
He
looked
up
sweat house to
through the smoke hole in the top of the
the night sky bending close above him. Quietly he be
gan to take deep breaths, and

through the holes in his sides
them escape again

As the
softest sighs.
as he felt again what
let
like
thoughts flocked thick in his mind

all the music he had heard had
made him
feel
he
INDIAN LEGENDS
140
breathed deeper, and the music of his being grew louder.

Tsudi, the Mouse, was a light sleeper; often he rose in
He was
the night and walked about.
the
first
to hear
must be dreaming. He
They were too beautiful to belong to dreams
these sounds, but he thought he

listened.
He nibbled softly at the finger of Hus, the Turkey

Buzzard, who lay next him, and thus awakened him.
of his.
"
Listen,
listen!"
he squeaked,
shrill in his
excitement.
Don t you hear the music? Who is making it?

Hus was an old man, nearly bald. He was not
He sat up, lit his pipe, and kept quiet to
excited.
*
"
it
Tsudi waked the
over.
"Who
is
playing?
but no one could

flute
and hugged
it
like the voice of his

"Is
it Hawt?"
"No;
is playing?"
him.
Each one
own
some
Hawt has no
He
called Tsudi,
flute
of
he kept asking,
felt
for his
own
music sounded to each
speaking in beautiful tones.
them
flute,"
Every one woke and

wished to know
for the
tight
think
rest, one after the other.
Who
tell
easily
asked.
others answered.
sat wondering.
Even North
who this wonderful musician

who was running about near
Star
could be.
him, and
gave him a hair from his beard.

"Hold
is,"
this over the musician,
and
let
us see
who he
he directed.
Tsudi ran
with the hair to the place whence the

He held it up over Hawt;
lovely sounds were coming.
off
Page 140
He
held the hair over
Hawt;
at once
it
gave out a light like a torch

at once
141
gave out a light like a torch. All that the huddled

people, peering out of the dark saw, was a man lying on
his back.
But he did not seem to be doing
anything.
His arms were crossed over his body, he had no
flute, and
his lips did not move.
Nevertheless, a multitude of sweet
it
sounds came from where he
He
played Blue Jay

song, even Jack Rabbit
of all the people,
lay.
song,
North Star
song, Snake s
and Coyote s played the songs

played them better than the people
s
themselves could play them. North Star longed for his

brother at home; Humming Bird thought of skies and of
Coyote grew almost modest. Sadness stole over

the people, but it was pleasant sadness. Their throats
flowers;
all
swelled as they listened.
Then Hawt played

knew that music, yet
his
it
own
song.
carried a
people scarcely breathed,
No
one but himself
meaning
for
The
all.
they scarcely thought
they
seemed to themselves to be moving, moving through light

and dark, through dim, whispering spaces to something,
somewhere, that drew them. Now sternly, now joyfully,
now
swiftly,
now
slowly, but always moving, they pressed
on toward something that drew them.
When Hawt
"Hawt is
stopped they cried out with one voice:

the master musician of the world! He alone
knows the secret voices of our hearts. Hawt speaks

us all, and speaks beyond our power of speaking."
for
THE SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS

has been pointed out by psychologists that the child, in its early,
years, lives through the stages of experience which it
took the primitive race of man centuries to traverse. For this reason
the folk tales of primitive people furnish for the child s mind a mirror
ITinstinctive
Rarely does
of itself.
it
story-teller is able to give as
happen that the sophisticated, grown-up
much pleasure
to the child as
is
contributed
by the naive historian of the childhood of a race. So the old stories arc
told over and over again, and the great world of childhood never tires
of hearing
Here
them.
in
America we are fortunate
in having a fresh
body
of
myths
lore peculiarly intimate in appeal.

The heroes of Indian myth
or legend are more real for the American child than the Greek or Norse
and folk
gods of a vanished world; for the Indians still live within our boundaries,
and their stories thus have a double reality. There is hardly any child
who, with the help of a few feathers and a blanket, has not "played
Indian."
The ground is therefore well prepared for the teacher who
wishes to bring home to the young student the deeper significance of
the life of the Indians; to show the contrast between the life of primi
tive peoples and the life which the child is destined to lead, although
for a brief time, in the world of the imagination, he is at one with this
primitive world.
The fact remains that this large
body of myth and legend has as

yet been only slightly explored. Longfellow, of course, gave us a poetic
classic in Hiawatha.
James Fenimore Cooper, in the field of romantic
history,
produced other
classics.
But
in the field of folk lore
and
legend there is no comparable achievement. There is no single book

that stands out above another.
Instead, there are many books of
worth, each adding a
little
to the general store of knowledge and
enjoyment.
142
THE SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS
143
Mrs. Washburne s collection is unusually successful. She has

chosen her stories for their intrinsic interest and beauty, and her selection
is
important because
primitive folk tale.
includes several distinctly marked types of the

The Flight from the Fourth to the Fifth World is
it
a legend woven about a creation myth.

Coyote and the Bear Maiden"
is a story of magic, a feature common to all
Scarf ace"
primitive races.
and Tulchuherris" are hero tales or wonder stories, introducing the
element of adventure and the performance of incredible tasks. "The
"
"
Ice King" represents the personification of a force of nature.

"How
the Bear Family got its Name" and Hawt, or the Great World Concert"
illustrate the close communion prevailing between men and animals
"
and the imaginative endowment
of animals with
human
characteristics
common among
primitive people.
It is obvious that these stories have for the most part passed
beyond the earliest mythic stage; they belong to the legendary stage,
and correspond to the
The
larger
stories are so
mass
of
European folk
need of further suggestion. If the teacher will

that the stories have been taken from different
its
lore.
simply and beautifully told that there

call attention to
tribes,
is little
the fact
each tribe having
own conception of life and its own tradition of its beginning in the far,
young reader may gain a sense of the reality of

experience underlying the charm of the story. One thing that every
child should know is the name, and something of the life, of the tribe
that formerly lived and hunted in the woods and fields, or pitched its
tents beside the stream or river, where his town now stands. Professor
Frederick Starr s little book on American Indians may be recommended
as the best possible supplementary reference book in this respect. The
far distant past, the
furnished for the young reader. The accounts

Bureau of American Ethnology or in the United
States Geographical and Geological Survey constitute a fascinating
source of enjoyment for the adult who is genuinely interested in the
not be
primitive life of the Indians, but these books, of course, would
of much service in an elementary schoolroom.
following
list
of
books
of the Indians in the
is
BOOKS ABOUT AMERICAN INDIANS

FOLK TALES AND LEGENDS
CHANDLER, KATHERINE. In the Reign of Coyote.
COMPTON, MARGARET. American Indian Fairy Tales.
GRINNELL, GEORGE BIRD. Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk Tales.
Blackfoot Lodge Tales.
HARDY, MARY EARLE. Little Ta-Wish.
JUDD, MARY CATHERINE. Wigwam Stories.
JUDSON, KATHARINE B. Myths and Legends of California and the
Old Southwest.
Myths and Legends of Alaska.

Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest.
Myths and Legends of the Great Plains.
LELAND, CHARLES GODFREY. Algonquin Legends
LONGFELLOW, HENRY WADSWORTH. Hiawatha.
PROUDFOOT, MARY. Hiawatha Industrial Reader.
WILSON, GILBERT H. Myths of the Red Children.
of
New
England.
HISTORY AND ROMANCE
The Leather Stocking Tales:

The Deerslayer; The Pathfinder; The Pioneers; The Prairie; The
Wept of Wish-ton-Wish; Wyandotte.
DRAKE, FRANCIS S. Indian History for Young Folks.
EASTMAN, CHARLES A. Indian Boyhood.
GRINNELL, GEORGE BIRD. The Story of the Indian.
COOPER, JAMES FENIMORE.
HINMAN, ELIZABETH EGLESTON. Naya.

JACKSON, HELEN HUNT. Ramona.
Century of Dishonor.
JANVIER, THOMAS A. The Aztec Treasure House.
MUNROE, KIRK. The Flamingo Feather.
STARR, FREDERICK. American Indians.
144
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25
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WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN

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OVERDUE.
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UC-NRLF

Introduction, Suggestions to Teachers,

ALICE CORBIN HENDERSON

RAND McNALLY & COMPANY

By RAND MCNALLY & COMPANY

List of the Color Plates

THE FLIGHT FROM THE FOURTH TO THE FIFTH WORLD

STORY OF LOVE AND MEDICINE

THE BEAR FAMILY GOT

HAWT, OR THE GREAT WORLD CONCERT

Books about American Indians

A LIST OF THE COLOR PLATES

There he was, caught fast in the Spiders webs!

one counts the labor of

does your snout grow longer, and

birds by the neck

the man-fish heaved,

and then were

The Ice King was sweating and gasping

full of shining drops of water

held the hair over

at once it gave out

continent. All that we know of the race before that time is

an equally important part of history.

There were no schools or books,

railroads, stores, theaters, or churches.

The Indians lived much in the open air.

from the rain or

having railroads the Indians went about on foot; in place of stores

or the Man-Above, was the Indian s name

you have ever spent much time out

that expression means. Of course

of the Indian tribes traced their ancestry to some animal.

Nothing important could be done without

the best time to plant seeds.

alone knows the secret voices

There he was, caught fast in the Spiders webs!

world there were four other worlds.

In each one of them they did wrong,

those other worlds.

in the first world.

took to their wings and

face of the second world.

The second world was

scattered all around.

Their houses, rough and lumpy, lay

was the hole for entrance. The people

did wrong and again were driven forth.

Again they rose

to the third world.

was yellow, and the Grasshopper People

lived in holes in the

for the third time

were obliged to seek another

They rose in circles

meat, to say nothing of cooking it and scraping the hides."

This day with you is teaching me much."

Man, "that you

good they have no women with them."