The Hawk said: “My son, I give you power to run swiftly, and I give you my war-club, which is my wing. You shall strike your enemy with it only once, and the blow shall kill him. Take also this little black rope; you shall use it when you go on the war-path to catch horses. Take also this scalp which you see hanging down from my claw. You shall be a great man for scalping.”
Each of the other animals gave him all his kinds of power.
For two days and two nights they taught him the different kinds of power, and for two days and two nights they taught him the different kinds of roots and herbs for healing the sick. They said to him: “You shall be the great doctor of your people. Every now and [[109]]then you must bring us tobacco, so that we can smoke.” They further told him that at this time they could teach him only a little, but that afterwards, one at a time, they would meet him out on the prairie, and would teach him more. At last they said: “Now it is time for you to go. Your friend has come, and is waiting for you out on the prairie.”
The Buffalo now stood up and said: “My son, I want to be with you always. I give you my robe. Wear it wherever you go, that the people may know that you come from this place.” All the animals said, “We want to be with you too.” Each one of the birds took off a feather and put it on the robe, and each animal put one of its claws on it, and some put medicine on it. In one of the holes the Beaver tied a little sweet-grass, and others did the same. By the time they were through, the robe was all covered with feathers and claws and smelled sweet. The animals had put their medicine on it so that it smelled sweet. Then the animals said, “Go, my son, to your people, and bring us something to smoke, so that we may be satisfied.”
Presently the chief’s son found himself upon [[110]]the bluff, facing his brother. His brother grasped him in his arms and said: “Oh, my brother, you smell nice. What a fine robe you have on! Look at all these feathers.” They hugged each other. Then they went home together. The chief’s son had a bundle that the animals had given him.
Soon after this the Pawnees had a big doctors’ dance. These boys went into the doctors’ lodge and said: “Doctors, you are the head doctors, but we have come to-night to visit you. We want to do a few things ourselves.” The doctors all said “Lau-a.” The young men took seats close to the door, which is the most important place in this dance. All the doctors were surprised, and said “Uh!”
The Bear boy got up first and began shooting at the chief’s son, just as he had done with the Bear, and all the doctors thought he was powerful, shooting at this young man and curing him. When he got through, it was the other boy’s turn. He would take a long sharp stick and thrust it through his brother, and then heal him again, and then take a knife and stab him, and then cure him. He did some powerful things, more so than his brother had [[111]]done. After the doctors had seen all these things they all said, “Let us have these two for our head doctors.” But the poor boy said: “Not so. This one who is sitting by me has more power than I have. He ought to be the head doctor, for I am a warrior, and can never stay in the camp to doctor people. My brother has gone into the animals’ lodge, and they have given him more power than I possess.” So the chief’s son was chosen to be the head doctor.
When the doctors’ dance was over, the two brothers at once started to go to the animals’ lodge, carrying with them tobacco and a pipe. When they got there, the chief’s son told his brother to wait on the bank, that he was going down to take the tobacco and the pipe to his fathers. He jumped off the steep bank into the river, down into the door of the lodge, and went in. When they saw him all the animals slapped their mouths and called out. They were glad to see him. After smoking with them, he went back to his friend. After that the chief’s son would go off by himself and would meet the animals on the hills. They would tell him about different roots, and how to doctor this disease and that. He would [[112]]come back with some roots and herbs and put them away.
Finally the head chief sent for the Bear man and said to him: “My son, I offered you my lodge, my daughter, and the whole tribe. Now take all this. Let me go out of this lodge and look for another one, and you stay here with my daughter.” The young man said: “What of my brother? Send for the other chief. Let him give his daughter, his lodge, his people, to him, and this day we will accept your gifts to us. My brother will after this be the head doctor of this tribe.” The other chief, when asked to do this, agreed, and it was so done.
The Bear man went often on the war-path, but his brother stayed at home, and fought against the enemy only when they attacked the village. He took charge of the doctors’ lodge. The Bear man after this had some children, and when they had grown up he told his son the secrets of his power. He was now beginning to grow old, and his son went on the war-path, while he stayed at home.