“He asked the old man which of his daughters had been kind to him. He said: ‘The youngest was the only one who [[97]]gave us food.’ Smoking Star went to the lodge and told the youngest wife that she must look after her father and mother. He killed the other two women. He took their bodies and that of their husband and burned them together in a fire. He turned over both of the lodges to the old man and the old woman; and after that they had plenty to eat.
“Smoking Star had finished his work there, so he said: ‘Father, I must now go on my way.’ He left them and came to another Indian camp, to the lodge of some old women. They asked him how it happened that he came to the poor lodge of an old woman, when he could go to lodges where there were men. Smoking Star said: ‘I am an old woman’s child. I am not looking for men’s lodges.’
“Then they gave him meat, but it was poor and lean. And Smoking Star said: ‘Why don’t you give me some fat meat?’ ‘Hush!’ said the old women. ‘Don’t speak so loud. If the bears hear you, they will kill you. They always take the choice pieces of meat for themselves. They take all the good fat and give us only the lean. They live in the big Bear Tepee in the center of the camp.’
“Smoking Star said, ‘In the morning I shall hunt buffalo.’ He went through the camp and called to the people:
“ ‘Go early to the corral, for I shall drive the buffalo over the cliff. There will be plenty of meat for all. Let every one come.’
“In the morning all the people came forth and saw the corral full of buffalo. Smoking Star killed the fattest cow and cut it up. He took the best parts for the old women. Some of it he lay in front of their tepee, in plain sight, where the bears could see. Soon they came forth to plunder. A young cub was first. He quickly smelled the meat and ran to the old women’s tepee and seized the fattest piece. Then Smoking Star shouted:
“ ‘Hey there! Young fellow! Go back where you belong. [[98]]I did not kill that buffalo for you. The meat belongs to those old women.’
“He cut the young bear across the face with his knife. It ran crying to its mother and said:
“ ‘I was only taking a piece of meat when a man yelled at me and cut me across the face.’
“Then the old she-bear flew into a terrible rage; and the big father bear said: ‘My son, take us over there. Perhaps that man will try to cut me across the face.’