Man with beautiful woman and little boy goes hunting. Young man comes and courts woman. She feigns sickness and pretends to die. She is placed on arbor. Lover unties girl and places bodies of three dogs upon arbor. Girl is dressed as boy and breasts tied with wide strings. They go to another village where young woman passes herself for young man. Woman is anxious to see child. They paint up as men and watch for child near spring. They see boy and woman asks him for drink. He goes to lodge and tells father he has seen his mother. Father sends invitation to young men to eat in his lodge. They come and husband knows one of them is woman by her ways. He says she is his wife. Young man runs away. She asks forgiveness, but husband cuts off her breasts and woman dies.
68. WATER-DOGS.
Poor boy sees dog come out of river and carry little ones to spring. He dies shortly afterwards. Old woman near same place hears dogs chattering in water and soon afterwards dies.
69. TWO-WOLVES, THE PROPHET.
Two-Wolves left by himself in storm after buffalo chase has life saved by Prairie-Chicken. “Waruhti” gives him power to understand speech of Thunder. Long afterward he practices power. Man Two-Bears has herd of ponies which are disturbed by horse owned by Roving-Coyote. Two-Bears throws pointed stake at horse and kills it. Roving-Coyote goes to Two-Wolves to know who did it. Two-Wolves performs ceremony to father, Thunder, who comes and tells him. Two-Wolves sends for Two-Bears, who confesses and makes reparation. Wolf-Chief does not believe in Two-Wolves’ power. Thunder tells Two-Wolves to speak to Wolf-Chief and have him kill his black dog and perform ceremony. Two-Wolves sends for Wolf-Chief, who goes to him and promises to do as asked. Two-Wolves sends out one war-party and it is a failure. He lives long, discovering thieves and prophesying wonderful things.
70. HOW THE MEDICINE-ROBE SAVED THE ARIKARA.
When Arikara living in Nebraska young woman alone in lodge while medicine-men’s ceremony is performing. She sees enemy looking at her through top of opening. He digs at side of lodge and she puts out fire. Next day husband hides in lodge, and when enemy comes he catches him from behind. Woman gives alarm and men come and overpower enemy. He says southern tribe are coming to kill them. Man is tied upon scaffold and left to die. He breaks loose several times by shaking his arms, so he is stabbed to death. During ceremony this man comes into lodge. All medicine-men run out. Keeper of wonderful robe goes and wraps man in robe and throws him into river. Afterwards so many Sioux come that people are scared. Keeper of holy robe wraps it round body and taking eagle wing and gourd climbs upon top of lodge. He then shakes himself and shakes robe towards sun. Enemy are so scared they give way and there is great slaughter. Scalps are brought in and there is great rejoicing.
71. THE MEDICINE BEAR SHIELD.
Boy’s father dies and is buried. Boy goes to grave to cry and dreams that Bear tells him that woman has removed shield from grave. During storm he crawls into crevice and watches grave. He sees Bear with paws toward sky. Lightning forms appearance of shield with bear for black center mark. Boy returns to grave and when asleep he dreams his father tells him shield taken by Howling-Wolf and that he must get it. Howling-Wolf gives boy frame. Boy has another shield made like that he had seen on father’s grave. Kills buffalo and makes inner shield. When fifteen, boy joins war-party. He strikes Sioux with bow and takes his scalplock. Scalp is offered to gods and boy made chief. Old man puts buckskin shirt on him and tells him as he strikes enemies and scalps them to make marks on shirt. When enemy attacks Village-Boy wears shield and is never hit. At sun dance boy swings day and night by buckskin strings tied to sticks run through his back. Sioux again attack village and boy again counts coup and strikes enemy. He dances sun dance many times afterward, and suffers because old medicine-men dead.