From a Photograph
[[119]]
XIV. THE LITTLE WOLF BROTHER
A wigwam stood alone by a great forest. There were five people in it for a long time; these were the father, mother, one daughter, and two sons. Before the winter was over only the children were left, for the old warrior and his squaw had gone to the Happy Hunting Grounds. The girl and the oldest boy promised faithfully to care for their little brother, who was weak and suffered often from sickness.
For twelve moons the older boy hunted and fished and brought food to the wigwam; then he told his sister that he must go with some braves he had seen in the forest, and be a great warrior like his father.
“But you promised to stay until the little one was grown tall. You promised our father and our mother.”
“It is a squaw’s work to care for the children; you can do it. I am brave; I must fight,” said the oldest brother.
“You are not brave, and you have not a straight tongue. It is not well to do as you are doing. When you go on the warpath you will lose your arrows, and your scalp will hang to the belt of your enemy. Come back,” said the sister. [[120]]
The boy ran from his sister’s call into the grove of great trees. He jumped on his pony and rode away to the band of warriors he had seen.