Myths and Legends of the Great Plains

by Unknown

THE THUNDER BIRD

Assiniboin

The Sioux, or Dakotas, of whom the Assiniboins are a branch, pretend that thunder is an enormous bird, and that the muffled sound of the distant thunder is caused by a countless number of young birds! The great bird, they say, gives the first sound, and the young ones repeat it; this is the cause of the reverberations. The Sioux declare that the young Thunders do all the mischief, like boys who will not listen to good advice; but the old Thunder, or big bird, is wise and excellent; he never kills or injures any one!

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SONG TO THE THUNDER GODS[A]

Omaha

Ye four, come hither and stand, near shall ye stand,[B]
In four groups shall ye stand,
Here shall ye stand, in this place stand.
[The thunder rolls]
Turned by the wind goes the one I send yonder;
Yonder he goes who is whirled by the winds;
Goes, where the four hills of life and the four winds are standing;
There in the midst of the winds do I send him,
Into the midst of the winds standing there.
[The thunder rolls]