When the tree flowered

by John G. Neihardt

“Sometimes the tribe is all gathered together and sometimes it is scattered. This happened when the tribe was scattered, and it happened at a place they call Minnesota. There was a man by the name of Turning Hawk, and he did not belong to Sees-White-Cow’s band. He had been wanting her for his woman when the bands were all together, and he had talked to her under the blanket. When the bands parted and went different ways, he felt very sad; so he thought he would not stay with his people. He would follow his girl. At that time there were few horses, but Turning Hawk had a good one, so he followed where his girl went.

“Sees-White-Cow was the only girl in the family, but she had two brothers, both brave warriors. When Turning Hawk came to where she was, he had a talk with her family, and offered his horse for the girl. She was the only daughter they had, but they did not have any horse at all; so Turning Hawk got the girl for his woman. Of course he wanted to go back to his people with her, and she was willing. So Sees-White-Cow got everything ready, and because he had traded his horse off, they had to go maka mani.

“They started early in the morning, and on the second day they were coming down to a lake with trees and brush growing around it. They thought it was a good place to camp and rest awhile, for the grass was soft and green under the trees.

“Just then Sees-White-Cow saw something, and she said, ‘Look! There is a man peeking out from yonder brush!’ Turning Hawk looked and answered, ‘That is not a man; it is an otter.’ And Sees-White-Cow said, ‘Look there and there! They are men looking out of the brush!’ Still Turning Hawk could not see, and he said, ‘They are only otter.’ But the woman was frightened at what she had seen. ‘They are enemies, and I am going.’ So she dropped her pack and began running back the way they had come.”

Moves Walking had risen spryly to his feet, hand at brow, the better to see otter yonder in the brush. Apparently he was less certain about the otter now, for he glanced nervously back over his shoulder at the fleeing woman. Suddenly it happened. He clapped his hands, simulating the sound of bows released and arrows in flight. “Whang—whoosh—whang—whoosh—whang—whoosh!” Tugging at imaginary shafts in his breast and belly, he slumped slowly, and sat down. After pausing long enough to emphasize the fatal nature of the incident, he resumed.

“Turning Hawk was dead, full of arrows; but Sees-White-Cow got away. I think she was a fast runner. When she came to the band of her people and told the story, a war party set forth and her two brothers were in it. They found Turning Hawk butchered like a deer and hung up in a tree. Afterwhile they caught the Chippewas who did this. There was a big fight. Many enemies were killed and scalped, and the two brothers were so brave and got so many scalps that everybody was talking about them; and there was a big victory dance.

“So the husband was dead, and maybe if he had listened to his woman he would have lived. Sees-White-Cow cut off her hair and mourned for a while. But she was a young woman and good to see; so when a brave young man by the name of Chasing Otter asked for her, she became his woman. He was a Sisseton.

“Afterwhile the band was camped by a lake, and on the other side of it there was a high bank with trees and plum brush. Someone said there were big ripe plums there, so Chasing Otter said to Sees-White-Cow, ‘Why don’t we paddle over there and get us some good ripe plums?’ And she said that would be good. So they got in their canoe and paddled to where the ripe plums were. They were having a good time picking the plums, and then Sees-White-Cow thought she would climb up the bank to where the plums were even bigger and riper. When she got up there and looked over, there was a man peeking at her out of the brush. So she dropped back down the bank and whispered to Chasing Otter, ‘An enemy peeked at me! Let us get away from here quick!’ Chasing Otter was eating ripe plums and they tasted very good. So he said, ‘It is only some other people who are picking some plums for themselves. I will go and see.’ He started climbing up the bank. But the woman was frightened and she said, ‘They are enemies! I am going!’ So she leaped into the canoe and began to paddle away.”

Moves Walking fell to paddling violently, peering anxiously ahead. Suddenly, he looked back over his shoulder. “The enemies are charging!” he announced excitedly—“Wham! Whock!” He lashed viciously at the air with an imaginary tomahawk. “Chasing Otter is dead, scalped. Whang—whang—whang!” With left hand extended and right hand at ear, Moves Walking released arrow after arrow in the direction of the galloping canoe.

“They shot at Sees-White-Cow, but did not hit her. When she got back to the village and told the story, a war party set out after the enemies and her two brothers were in it. When they found the enemies they were Chippewas again, and there was a big fight. Only a few of the enemies got away. The brothers were so brave and got so many scalps that people talked and talked about them, and there was a big victory dance.