“Maybe the star people helped him with their power,” No Water remarked. “Dho,” agreed Moves Walking with a solemn air of finality, “the star people helped.”
“I think that is how it was,” Eagle Voice continued with a grandfatherly smile; “the star people gave him power. But he was so small that he had to stop often and pant. Then he would fly some more; then he would stop and pant awhile.
“Then when the sun had just gone under, Meadowlark got back home with the fat liver—”
“Hiyay! hiyay! hiyay!” Slapping their knees, the collaborators applauded, like delighted children, grinning at each other the while.
—“And his wife was so happy that she made a new song for her happiness. From the top of the brush near by she sang her new song, and it was like this.” Eagle Voice fitted the Sioux words, meaning “calf liver rich,” to the familiar notes of the meadowlark’s song.
“Pin-hin-chla pinapin!
Pin-hin-chla pinapin!
“That is the song she made for her happiness, and the prairie was still to hear it. If you listen in the quiet evening you can hear it yet.
“Pin-hin-chla pinapin!
Pin-hin-chla pinapin!