Myths and Legends of the Great Plains Part 7

Grizzly Bear knew what he was thinking, so he said, "Why! what are you saying?"

"I said nothing," said Buffalo Bull.

Then Grizzly Bear came back. He seized Buffalo Bull by the tail, pulling him round and round. Then he seized him by the horns, pulling his head round and round. Then he seized him again by the tail and hit him again with the open paw. Again Grizzly Bear departed. And again Buffalo Bull thought as he had done before. Then Grizzly Bear came back and treated Buffalo Bull as he had before.

Buffalo Bull stepped backward, throwing his tail into the air.

"Why! Do not flee," said Grizzly Bear.

Buffalo threw himself down, and rolled over and over. Then he continued backing, pawing the ground.

"Why! I say, do not flee," said Grizzly Bear. When Buffalo Bull backed, making ready to attack him, Grizzly Bear thought he was scared.

Then Buffalo Bull ran towards Grizzly, puffing a great deal. When he neared him, he rushed on him. He sent Grizzly Bear flying through the air.

As Grizzly Bear came down towards the earth, Buffalo Bull caught him on his horns and threw him into the air again. When Grizzly Bear fell and lay on the ground, Buffalo Bull made at him with his horns to gore him, but just missed him. Grizzly Bear crawled away slowly, with Buffalo Bull following him step by step, thrusting at him now and then, though without striking him. When Grizzly Bear came to a cliff, he plunged over headlong, and landed in a thicket at the foot. Buffalo Bull had run so fast he could not stop at the edge where Grizzly Bear went over, but followed the cliff for some distance. Then he came back and stood with his tail partly raised. Grizzly Bear returned to the bank and peeped.

"Oh, Buffalo Bull," said Grizzly Bear. "Let us be friends. We are very much alike in disposition."

[Notes: RIVALRY OVER THE BUFFALO

(Comanche drawing on a buffalo shoulder blade)

_The Indian chase is by arrow; the white man's by the la.s.so, gun, and spear. The rivalry is indicated by half the buffalo being drawn as belonging to one race, half to the other. The white men are supposed to be Spaniards. The shoulder blade was found in the Comanche country, in Texas._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Enlarged from a sketch in Report of the Bureau of Ethnology_]

[Notes: CAPTURE OF A WANDERING BUFFALO

(Indian drawing)

_A buffalo has wandered near an Indian village, and is being captured.

The dotted lines indicate footprints. One Indian, having secured the buffalo by his forefeet, tells his companion of his success--indicated by the line drawn from his mouth to its feet. Another, having secured the buffalo by the horns, gives a companion a chance to kill it with an axe. This he intends to do--indicated by the line from his mouth to its head, as well as by his att.i.tude. The Indian in the upper corner is told by his squaw to take an arrow and join in the capture. He turns his head to inform her that he has an arrow--indicated by holding it up, and by the line from his mouth to her._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Enlarged from a sketch in Report of the Bureau of Ethnology_]

MY FIRST BUFFALO HUNT[G]

_Omaha_

I went three times on the buffalo hunt. When I was there the first time, I was small; therefore, I did not shoot the buffaloes. But I used to take care of the pack horses for those who surrounded the herd. When they surrounded the herd at the very first, I spoke of shooting at the buffaloes. But my father said, "Perhaps the horse might throw you suddenly, and then the buffalo might gore you." And I was in a bad humor.

My father went with me to the hill. We sat and looked on them when they attacked the buffaloes. And notwithstanding my father talked to me, I continued there without talking to him. At length one man was coming directly toward the tents in pursuit of a buffalo bull. And the buffalo bull was savage. He attacked the man now and then.

"Come! Go thither," said my father. I tied a lariat on a large red mare that was very tall. And taking a very light gun which my father had, I went over there. When I arrived the buffalo bull was standing motionless. The man said he was very glad that I had come. The buffalo bull was savage. The man shot suddenly at him with a bow and wounded him on the back. And then he attacked us. The horse on which I was seated leaped very far four times, and had gone off, throwing me suddenly. When the buffalo bull had come very close, he wheeled around and departed. So I failed to shoot at him before he went. I reached home just as my mother was scolding my father about me. When the horse reached home with the bridle sticking to it, she knew that I had been thrown. My father said nothing at all, but sat laughing. Addressing me, he said, "Did you kill the buffalo bull?" And I did not speak.

FOOTNOTE:

[G] The author, Frank La Fleche, an Omaha Indian, was about twelve years old when this occurred.

BIRD OMENS

_Sioux_

When whippoorwills sing together at night, "_Hohin, hohin,_" one says in reply, "No." If the birds stop talking at once, then the person will die soon. But if the birds continue talking, then the man will live a long time.

The gray screech owl foretells cold weather. When the night is to be very cold, then the owl cries out; it sounds just as if a person's teeth chattered. When the owl cries out, all people wrap themselves in their thickest robes; and they put plenty of wood on the fires.

The Ski-bi-bi-la is a small gray bird, with a black head, and spotted on the breast. It lives in the woods, and it answers a person who calls to it. When this bird says, "Has it returned?" people are glad.

They know that spring is near. When a boy hears the bird ask this question, he runs to his mother; she tells him he must answer, "No; it has not yet returned."

When the people first hear the cry of the nighthawk in the spring, they begin to talk of hunting buffalo. This is because when the hawk returns, the buffaloes have become fat again and the birds bring the news.

THE BIRD CHIEF

_Omaha_

All the birds were called together. To them was said, "Whichever one of you can fly farthest into the sky shall be chief."

All the birds flew to a great height. But Wren got under the thick feathers of Eagle and sat there as Eagle flew. When all the birds became wing-tired, they flew down again; but Eagle flew still higher.

When Eagle had gone as far as he could, Wren flew still higher.

When all the birds reached the ground, Eagle alone returned, after a great while. Behold! Wren only was absent. So they awaited him. At last he returned. Eagle had too highly been thinking of himself, being sure of being made chief; and behold! Wren was made chief.

SONG OF THE BIRDS[H]

_p.a.w.nee_