This is in the long time ago when the sun is younger an’ not so big an’ hot as now, an’ Kwa-Sind, the Strong Man, is a chief of the Upper Yellowstone Sioux. It is on a day in the Moon-of-the-first-frost an’ Moh-Kwa, the Wise Bear, is gathering black-berries an’ filling his mouth. As Moh-Kwa pulls the bush towards him, he pierces his paw with a great thorn so that it makes him howl an’ shout, for much is his rage an’ pain. Moh-Kwa cannot get the great thorn out; because Moh-Kwa’s claws while sharp an’ strong are not fingers to pull out a thorn; an’ the more Moh-Kwa bites his paw to get at the thorn, the further he pushes it in. At last Moh-Kwa sits growling an’ looking at the thorn an’ wondering what he is to do.
While Moh-Kwa is wondering an’ growling, there comes walking Shaw-shaw, the Swallow, who is a young man of the Sioux. The Swallow has a good heart; but his spirit is light an’ his nature as easily blown about on each new wind as a dead leaf. So the Sioux have no respect for the Swallow but laugh when he comes among them, an’ some even call him Shau-goh-dah-wah, the Coward, for they do not look close, an’ mistake lightness for fear.
When the Swallow came near, Moh-Kwa, still growling, held forth his paw an’ showed the Swallow how the thorn was buried in the big pad so that he could not bite it out an’ only made it go deeper. An’ with that the Swallow, who had a good heart, took Moh-Kwa’s big paw between his knees an’ pulled out the great thorn; for the Swallow had fingers an’ not claws like Moh-Kwa, an’ the Swallow’s fingers were deft an’ nimble to do any desired deed.
When Moh-Kwa felt the relief of that great thorn out of his paw, he was grateful to the Swallow an’ thought to do him a favor.
“You are laughed at,” said Moh-Kwa to the Swallow, “because your spirit is light as dead leaves an’ too much blown about like a tumbleweed wasting its seeds in foolish travelings to go nowhere for no purpose so that only it goes. Your heart is good, but your work is of no consequence, an’ your name will win no respect; an’ with years you will be hated since you will do no great deeds. Already men call you Shau-goh-dah-wah, the Coward. I am Moh-Kwa, the Wise Bear of the Yellowstone, an’ I would do you a favor for taking my paw an’ the thorn apart. But I cannot change your nature; only Pau-guk, the Death, can do that; an’ no man may touch Pau-guk an’ live. Yet for a favor I will give you three gifts, which if you keep safe will make you rich an’ strong an’ happy; an’ all men will love you an’ no longer think to call you Shau-goh-dah-wah, the Coward.”
Moh-Kwa when he had ended this long talk, licked his paw where had been the great thorn, an’ now that the smart was gone an’ he could put his foot to the ground an’ not howl, he took the Swallow an’ carried him to his house in the rocks. An’ Moh-Kwa gave the Swallow a knife, a necklace of bear-claws, an’ a buffalo robe.
“While you carry the knife,” said Moh-Kwa, “all men will respect an’ fear you an’ the squaws will cherish you in their hearts. While you wear the bear-claws, you will be brave an’ strong, an’ whatever you want you will get. As for the skin of the buffalo, it is big medicine, an’ if you sit upon it an’ wish, it will carry you wherever you ask to go.”