Traditions of the Arikara

by George A. Dorsey

44. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE BEARS.

Young wife has garden in woods. She goes every day in spring and takes much food. Husband secretly follows her. He sees man with bear’s claws about neck come and help wife and afterwards lie with her. Next day husband pretends to go hunting, but hides in garden. Man again comes to wife and while they are lying together husband shoots man with arrow. He then clubs woman, who tells him man is bear. Three days afterwards bears attack Arikara camp and kill husband and all people who do not hide in cellars.

45. THE WIFE WHO MARRIED AN ELK.

While man goes hunting men come to see wife. She goes away with one. Husband follows and sees wife walking with Elk. He shoots at it, but arrows do no harm. Elk and woman go into lake. Man stays there crying. Woman comes and tells him to go home and that when he starts upon war-path to come to lake. Man goes on war-path, first going to lake. Sees woman, who tells him that they would kill people in three tipis and capture their ponies. They do so. Next time man goes on war-path he again visits lake. Woman tells him she can not leave lake any more and that in fight he will see woman like her. He is to catch her and she will become his wife. It happens as she said.

46. THE FOUR GIRLS AND THE MOUNTAIN-LION.

Mountain-lion tells four girls who are gathering wood he wants them for wives. They run to different wonderful beings for protection, but none can help them. They come to Hair-Cut-in-Notches and offer to live with him as wives if he will save them. He sends them into lodge and then sings about his head and hair—his hair is his arrows. Mountain-lion comes and man shoots and kills him. Hair-Cut-in-Notches tells girls he is not human being and sends them home.

47. THE DEEDS OF YOUNG-EAGLE.

Chief of north village of Arikara has beautiful daughter, Yellow-Calf. Chief of south village has handsome son, Young-Eagle, who does not look with favor upon women and has not been on war-party. Young-Eagle starts for north village to see Yellow-Calf, and same day Yellow-Calf starts for south village to see Young-Eagle. They meet on hill half-way between villages. They make pile of stones on hill and start for Yellow-Calf’s home. They come to lake and Young-Eagle says they must wash before going to village. Yellow-Calf washes first. Young-Eagle wades into water with clothes on and when he comes out he is quite changed in appearance. He is like “Burnt-Belly” boy. Girl takes him home and they lie together. In morning Yellow-Calf’s parents are ashamed of him and so is she, but he remains. Boy hears that war-party is going out and tells girl that in three days her youngest brother is to get buffalo intestines and bones and that he will come. Young-Eagle takes wife to lake and after she has washed he wades into lake. He comes out same man she had first met. He sends wife home and turns to young eagle, which flies to where warriors gone. Brother-in-law hears eagle’s cry and takes him intestines and bones. Young-Eagle brings in ponies and then kills several men and takes their scalps, which he sends by brother-in-law to leader. He goes to lodge, but does not tell wife what has happened. War-party returns and tell story of Young-Eagle’s doings. Scalps are put upon pole at entrance of old woman’s lodge. This occurs on several occasions, and once Young-Eagle goes with wife to lake and gets his own likeness. They go with scalps Young-Eagle has taken to village of his father, Black-Sun. Black-Sun sings scalp songs and braves and warriors decide that Young-Eagle shall lead people to girl’s village. Arikara become one tribe again.

48. THE GIRL WHO BECAME A WHIRLWIND.

Woman has boy and girl on travois drawn by pony. Children fall off unknown to mother and wander away to cave. Girl goes to find something to eat and is taken far away by Whirlwind. She soon returns, but afterward goes away. She brings brother bow and arrows on two occasions. Owl tells boy sister is Whirlwind and is planning to kill him. Owl says she cuts off men’s testes and eats them. Boy watches for sister. Sees her do what Owl says. She goes away again and Owl comes and takes boy into Owl’s den. They say that sister wants woman and he is to tell her he will give her first woman he marries. Whirlwind comes and demands boy, but says she will let him go on his promising to give her the first woman he marries. Boy goes to his people. Tells chief that buffalo not far away. Many are killed. Enemy attack village and boy makes way to kill them. Chief’s daughter given him for wife. Boy goes out and calls sister. She comes and boy tells her of his marriage. She and the girl lie together. Sister gives brother club and medicine, with power of Whirlwind. He becomes warrior and then chief.