Many years ago there stood a village made of earth-lodges. In the village there were some people who wanted to go on a buffalo hunt. They were mostly young men and young women. The older people were left in the village. After many days the enemy were seen in the distance.
The old people who remained in the village were somewhat confused and frightened. When the enemy approached, the men marched out and fought them desperately. Finally the people of the village retreated. They all got inside of their lodges. The men stood by their doors, fighting the enemy. In one of the lodges sat an old man. He was putting on his medicine paint and costumes. After he had finished he went out, having a gourd in his hand, but no weapon. He went on top of the lodge and sang some of his most sacred songs, that there might come aid from some of the gods. When the enemy saw him they were much amazed, and very much afraid of him. Some one said that he knew the old medicine-man, and that they could not do anything to him, for he was a medicine-man who had the power to mesmerize. So they all ran, crying: “We can not do anything with him! Hurry on, before he works on us!” The old man ran behind them. One young man on the enemy’s side was wounded and brought into the village. He was taken into the medicine-lodge, and they all saw him. He had been one of the bravest men, and had all kinds of medicines on his head and around his neck. Finally it was agreed that he should be tied up to a wooden cross and be placed outside of the village. They did this, and the man died. After a while he lost all of his flesh, but the bones were left on the cross.
Many young men used to go outside of the village near the cross to play at games. One day while they were playing, the bones of the man on the cross fell to the ground, rose up and ran toward the village. Everybody ran away, because of the ghost. The ghost ran toward the medicine-lodge and ran inside, but no one would go in, for everyone was afraid. At last one brave man came forward who dared to go in. He looked all around and found the man from the cross under some blankets upon the altar. He called to the others. They all came in and saw the ghost lying there. They gathered the bones and bundled them up in an old basket, then threw them away. After this had passed, the party that had gone on a buffalo hunt returned with lots of dried meat. Of course, the people who stayed were very glad to see them again. The happenings and results were told to them.
FOOTNOTES:
[74] Told by Hawk.
73. HOW A SIOUX WOMAN’S SCALP WAS SACRIFICED.[75]
In the fall there were five or six of us who went on the war-path. We came to the Pine Ridge Agency, and there hid, close to where the Sioux got their water. Two women came down to the spring to get water. We all ran towards the women. The women ran. One young man caught up with one woman, grabbed at her hair, took his knife, and took the scalp off from the right side of the woman’s head. The woman ran into the camp.
We returned to our leader and gave the scalp to him. The leader then said, “We must hurry home.” We walked all day and all night, and another day and night. The next day we found the thick timber, and there we lay down to rest. When we woke up, the leader took the fat off from the scalp. He then called one of the men. He then cut the fat, making it into five pieces. Facing the east, he placed four of the five pieces in his hand—one on each corner of his palm—and the fifth piece he placed in the center of the palm. He then took the pieces, one at a time, beginning with the one on the southeast corner, then the southwest corner, then the northwest corner, then the northeast corner, and placed them in a similar position upon the ground, which was to show that the scalp was to be offered to the gods. We then went home.
We gave the scalp to one of the high priests, who held the scalp ceremony. At this ceremony we used the fire-sticks to make the fire for burning this scalp. The scalp was burned. After the burning of the scalp the people turned out, passing their holy bundles and medicine bags over the smoke. The priest stood to the west of the burning scalp and recited a ritual, calling on the gods. The young men and children who wanted their names changed gave presents to the priests, who changed their names for them.