 CHAPTER 11 THE FIRST MEDICINE LODGE The chief god of the black fit is the sun. He made the world and rules it, and to him the people pray. One of his names is Nappy, old man, but there is another Nappy who is very different from the sun. And instead of being great, wise, and wonderful, is foolish, mean, and contemptible. We shall hear about him further on. Every year in summer, about the time the berry is ripened, the black fit is used to hold a great festival and sacrifice, which we call the ceremony of the medicine lodge. This was a time of happy meetings, of feasting, of giving presents. But besides this rejoicing, those men who wish to have good luck in whatever they might undertake, try to prove their prayers sincere by sacrificing their bodies, torturing themselves in ways that caused great suffering. In ancient times, as we are told in books of history, things like that used to happen among many peoples all over the world. It was a law that the building of the medicine lodge must always be pledged by a good woman. If a woman had a son or a husband away at war and feared that he was in danger, or if she had a child that was sick and might die, she might pray for the safety of the one she loved, and promise that if he returned or recovered, she would build a medicine lodge. This pledge was made in a loud voice, publicly, in open air, so that all might know the promise had been made. At the time appointed, all the tribe came together and pitched their lodges in a great circle. And within this circle, the medicine lodge was built. The ceremony lasted for four days and four nights, during which time the woman who had promised to make the medicine lodge, neither ate nor drank, except once in sacrifice. Different stories are told of how the first medicine lodge came to be built. This is one of those stories. In the earliest times, there was a man who had a very beautiful daughter. Many young men wished to marry her, but whenever she was asked, she shook her head and said she did not wish to marry. "'Why is this?' said her father. "'Some of these young men are rich, handsome and brave.' "'Why should I marry?' replied the girl. "'My father and mother take care of me. "'Our lodge is good. "'The parishes are never empty. "'There are plenty of tanned robes "'and soft furs for winter. "'Why troubled me then?' "'Soon after, the raving bearers held a dance. "'They all painted themselves nicely "'and wore their finest ornaments, "'and each one tried to dance the best. "'Afterward, some of them asked for this girl, "'but she said, no. "'After that the bulls, the Cape Foxes "'and others of the all comrades held their dances. "'And many men who were rich "'and some great warriors asked this man for his daughter "'but to everyone she said, no. "'Then her father was angry and he said, "'Why is this? "'All the best men have asked for you "'and still you say no?' Then the girl said, "'Father, listen to me. "'That above person, the son, said to me, "'Do not marry any of these men, for you belong to me. "'Listen to what I say and you shall be happy "'and live to a great age. "'And again he said to me, "'Take heed, you must not marry, you are mine.' "'I replied her father. "'It must always be as he says "'and they spoke no more about it. "'There was a poor young man. "'He was very poor. "'His father, his mother and all his relations were dead. "'He had no lodge, no wife to tend his robes "'or make his moccasins. "'His clothes were always old and worn. "'He had no home. "'Today he stopped in one lodge, "'then tomorrow he ate and slept in another. "'There he lived. "'He had a good face, but on his cheek was a bad scar. "'After they had held those dances, "'some of the young men met this poor scar face "'and they laughed at him and said, "'Why do not you ask that girl to marry you? "'You are so rich and handsome. "'Scarface did not laugh. "'He looked at them and said, "'I will do as you say. "'I will go and ask her.' "'All the young men thought this was funny. "'They laughed a good deal at Scarface "'as he was walking away. "'Scarface went down by the river and waited there, "'near the place where the women went to get water. "'Buy and buy, the girl came there. "'Scarface spoke to her and said, "'Girl, stop. "'I want to speak with you. "'I don't wish to do anything secretly, "'but I speak to you here openly "'why the sun looks down and all may see. "'Speak then, said the girl. "'I have seen the days at Scarface. "'I have seen how you have ushused all those men "'who are young and rich and brave. "'Today some of these young men laughed and said to me, "'Why do not you ask her? "'I am poor. "'I have no lodge, no food, no clothes, no robes. "'I have no relations. "'All of them have died. "'Yet now today I say to you, take pity. "'Be my wife.' "'The girl had her face in her robe "'and brushed the ground with the point of a markasing, "'back and forth, back and forth, for she was thinking. "'After a time she spoke and said, "'It is true I have refused all those rich young men. "'Yet now a poor one asks me and I am glad. "'I will be your wife and my people will be glad. "'You are poor, but that does not matter. "'My father will give you dogs. "'My mother will make us a lodge. "'My relations will give us robes in first. "'You will no longer be poor.' "'Then the young man was glad "'and he started forward to kiss her. "'But she put out her hand and held him back and said, "'Wait, the son has spoken to me. "'He said I may not marry, that I belong to him, "'that if I listen to him I shall live to great age. "'So now I say, go to the son. "'Say to him, she whom you spoke with "'has listened to your words. "'She has never done wrong, but now she wants to marry. "'I want her for my wife. "'Ask him to take that scar from your face. "'That will be his sign, and I shall know he is pleased. "'But if he refuses, or if he cannot find his lodge, "'then do not return to me.' "'Oh,' cried Scarface. "'Our first words were good. "'I was glad, but now it is dark. "'My heart is dead. "'Where is that far-off lodge? "'Where is the trail that no one yet has traveled? "'Take courage. "'Take courage,' said the girl softly, "'and she went on to her lodge.' "'Scarface was very unhappy. "'He did not know what to do. "'He sat down, covered his face with his robe, and tried to think. "'A length he stood up and went to an old woman "'who had been kind to him, and said to her, "'Pity me, I am very poor. "'I am going away on a long journey. "'Make me some moccasins.' "'Where are you going from from the camp?' asked the old woman. "'I do not know where I am going,' he replied. "'I am in trouble, but I cannot talk about it.' "'This old woman had a kind heart. "'She made him moccasins, seven pairs, "'and gave him also a sack of food, "'femican, dried meat, and back fat. "'All alone, and with a sad heart, "'Scarface climbed the bluff that overlooked the valley, "'and when he had reached the top, "'turned to look back to the camp. "'He wondered if he should ever see it again, "'if he should return to the girl and to the people. "'Pity me, O son,' he prayed, "'and turning away, he set off to look for the trail "'to the sun's lodge. "'For many days he went on. "'He crossed great prairies "'and followed up timbered rivers "'and crossed the mountains. "'Every day his sack of food grew lighter. "'But as he went along, he looked for berries and roots, "'and sometimes he killed an animal. "'These things gave him food. "'One night he came to the home of a wolf. "'Ha!' said the wolf. "'What are you doing so far from your home?' "'I am looking for the place "'where the sun lives,' replied Scarface. "'I have been sent to speak with him. "'I have traveled over much countries,' said the wolf. "'I know all the prairies, the valleys, and the mountains, "'but I have never seen the sun's home. "'But with a moment, I know a person who is very wise "'and who may be able to tell the road. "'Ask the bear!' "'Next day Scarface went on again, "'stopping now and then to rest and to pick berries, "'and when night came he was at the bear's lodge. "'Where is your home?' asked the bear. "'Why are you traveling so far alone?' "'Ah!' replied the man. "'I have come to you for help, pitting me. "'Because of what that girl said to me, "'I am looking for the sun, I wish to ask him for her.' "'I do not know where he lives,' said the bear. "'I have traveled by many rivers, "'and I know the mountains, "'yet I have not seen his lodge. "'Father, on there is someone, that striped face. "'Who knows a great deal?' asked him. "'When the young man got there, the badger was in his hole. "'But Scarface called to him. "'Oh, cunning striped face, I wish to speak with you.' "'The badger put his head out of the hole and said, "'What do you want, my brother?' "'I wish to find the sun's home,' said Scarface. "'I wish to speak with him. "'I do not know where he lives,' answered the badger. "'I never travel very far. "'Over there in the timber is the Wolverine. "'He's always traveling about, and knows many things. "'Perhaps he can tell you.' "'Scarface went over to the forest "'and looked all about for the Wolverine, "'but could not see him. "'So he sat down on a log to rest. "'Alas, alas,' he cried. "'Wolverine, take pity on me. "'My food is gone. "'My market seems I've worn out. "'I fear I shall die.' "'Someone close to him said, "'What is it, my brother? "'And looking around, he saw the Wolverine sitting there. "'She whom I wish to marry belongs to the sun,' said Scarface. "'I'm trying to find where he lives "'so that I may ask him for her.' "'Ah,' said the Wolverine. "'I know where he lives. "'It is nearly night now, but tomorrow "'I will show you the trail to the big water. "'He lives on the other side of it.' "'Early in the morning they set out, "'and the Wolverine showed Scarface the trail, "'and he followed it until he came to the water's edge. "'When he looked out over it, his heart almost stopped. "'Never before had anyone seen such a great water. "'The other side could not be seen, and there was no end to it.' Scarface sat down on the shore. "'This seemed the end. "'His food was gone. His market seems worn out. "'He had no longer strength, no longer courage. "'His heart was sick.' "'I cannot cross this great water,' he said. "'I cannot return to the people. "'Hereby this water I shall die. "'Yet, even as he thought this, "'helpers were near. "'Two swans came swimming up to the shore and said to him, "'Why have you come here? What are you doing?' "'It is very far to the place where your people live.' "'I have come here to die,' replied Scarface. "'Far away in my country is a beautiful girl. "'I want to marry her, but she belongs to the sun. "'So I set out to find him and ask him for her. "'I have traveled many days. "'My food is gone. I cannot go back. "'I cannot cross this great water, so I must die.' "'No,' said the swans. "'It shall not be so. "'Across this water is the home of that above person. "'Get on our backs and we will take you there.' Scarface stood up. "'Now he felt strong and full of courage. "'He waited out into the water and laid down on the swans' backs, "'and they swam away. "'It was a fearful journey, for that water was deep and black, "'and it lived strange people and great animals, "'which might reach up and seize a person "'and pull him down into the water.' "'Yet the swans carried Scarface safely to the other side. "'There was seen a broad hard trail leading back from the water's edge. "'There,' said the swans. "'You are now close to the sun's lodge. "'Follow that trail, and soon you will see it.' "'Scarface started to walk along the trail, "'and after he had gone a little way, "'he came to some beautiful things lying in the trail. "'There was a war shirt, a shield, a bowl, "'and a quiver of arrows. "'He had never seen such fine weapons. "'He looked at them, but he did not touch them, "'and at last walked around them and went on. "'A little farther along he met a young man, "'a very handsome person. "'His hair was long, his clothing was made of strange skins, "'and his moccasins were sewed with bright feathers. "'The young man spoke to him and asked, "'Did you see some weapons lying in the trail?' "'Yes,' replied Scarface. "'I saw them.' "'Did he touch them?' said the young man. "'No such Scarface. "'I suppose someone had left them there, "'and I did not touch them.' "'You do not meddle with the property of others,' said the young man. "'What is your name, and where are you going?' Scarface told him. "'Then,' said the young man. "'My name is Erlie Reiser, the morning star. "'The son is my father. "'Come, I will take you to our lodge. "'My father's not at home now, but he will return at night. "'A length he came to the lodge. "'It was large and handsome, "'and on it were painted strange medicine animals, "'on a tripod behind the lodge "'where the son's weapons and his war clothing.' "'Scarface was ashamed to go into the lodge, "'but morning star said, "'Friend, do not be afraid. "'We are glad you have come.' "'When they went in, a woman was sitting there, "'the moon, the son's wife and the mother "'of morning star. "'She spoke to Scarface kindly and gave him food to eat. "'And when he had it, and she asked, "'Why have you come so far from your people?' "'So Scarface told her about the beautiful girl "'that he wished to marry and said, "'She belongs to the son. "'I have come to ask him for her.' "'When it was almost night and time for the son to come home, "'the moon hid Scarface under a pile of robes. "'As soon as the son got to the doorway, he said, "'A strange person is here.' "'Yes, father,' said morning star, "'a young man has come to see you. "'He's a good young man, for he found some of my things "'in the trail and did not touch them.' "'Scarface came out from under the robes "'and the son entered the lodge and sat down. "'He spoke to Scarface and said, "'I am glad you have come to our lodge. "'Stay with us as long as you like. "'Sometimes my son is lonely.' "'Be his friend.' "'The next day the two young men were talking "'about going hunting and the moon spoke to Scarface "'and said, "'Go with my son where you like, "'but do not hunt near that big water. "'Do not let him go there. "'That is the home of great birds with long sharp bills. "'They kill people.' "'I have had many sons, "'but these birds have killed them all. "'Only morningstar is left.' "'Scarface stayed a long time in the son's lodge "'and every day went hunting with morningstar. "'One day they came near the water and saw the big birds. "'Come on, said morningstar, let us go and kill those birds.' "'No, no,' said Scarface, "'we must not go there. "'Those are terrible birds. "'They will kill us.' "'Morningstar would not listen. "'He ran toward the water and Scarface ran after him, "'for he knew that he must kill the birds "'and save the boy's life. "'He ran ahead of morningstar and met the birds, "'which were coming to fight "'and killed every one of them with his spear, "'not when was left. "'The young men cut off the heads of the birds "'and carried them home "'and when morningstar's mother heard what they had done "'and they showed her the birds' heads, she was glad. "'She cried over the two young men "'and called Scarface my son. "'And when the son came home at night, "'she told him about it, and he too was glad. "'My son,' he said to Scarface, "'I will not forget what we have this day done for me. "'Tell me now what I can do for you. "'What is your trouble?' "'Alas, alas,' replied Scarface. "'Beating me, I came here to ask you for that girl. "'I want to marry her. "'I asked her and she was glad, "'but she says that she belongs to you "'and that you told her not to marry.' "'What you say is true,' replied the son. "'I have seen the days and all that she has done. "'Now I give her to you. She is yours. "'I'm glad that she has been wise "'and I know that she has never done wrong. "'The son takes care of good women. "'They shall live a long life "'and so shall their husbands and children. "'Now soon you will go home. "'I wish to tell you something "'and you must be wise and listen. "'I am the only chief. Everything is mine. "'I made the earth, the mountains, "'the prairies, the rivers and the forests. "'I made the people and all the animals. "'This is why I say that I alone am chief. "'I can never die. "'It is true the winter makes me old and weak, "'but every summer I grow young again. "'What one of all the animals is the smartest?' "'The son went on. "'It is raven, for he always finds food. "'He is never hungry. "'Which one of all the animals is the most to be reverenced? "'It is the buffalo. "'Of all the animals I like him best. "'He is for the people. "'He is your food and your shelter. "'What part of his body is sacred? "'It is the tongue that belongs to me. "'What else is sacred?' "'Bearies, they too are mine. "'Come with me now and see the world.' "'The son took Scarface to the edge of the sky "'and they looked down and saw the world. "'It is sliding round and all around the edge "'it goes straight down. "'Then said the son, "'if any man is sick or in danger, "'his wife may promise to build me a lodge "'if he recovers. "'If the woman is good, "'then I shall be pleased and help the man. "'But if she is not good, or if she lies, "'then I shall be angry. "'You shall build the lodge like the world, "'round with walls, "'but first you must build a sweat lodge of one hundred sticks. "'It shall be arched like the sky, "'and one half of it shall be painted red for me, "'the other half you shall paint black for the night.' "'He told Scarface all about making the medicine lodge, "'and when he had finished speaking, "'he rubbed some medicine on a young man's face "'and the scar that had been there disappeared. "'He gave him two raven feathers, saying, "'these are a sign for the girl that I gave her to you. "'They must always be warned by the husband "'of the woman who builds a medicine lodge.' "'Now Scarface was ready to return home. "'The sunny morning star gave him many good presents. "'The moon cried and kissed him, "'and was sorry to see him go. "'Then the sun showed him the short trail. "'It was a wolf road, the milky way. "'He followed it and soon reached the ground. "'It was a very hot day. "'All the large skins were raised, "'and the people sat in the shade. "'There was a chief, a very generous man, "'who all day long was calling out for feasts, "'and people kept coming to his lodge "'to eat and smoke with him. "'Early in the morning, this chief saw sitting on a boat nearby, "'a person clothes wrapped in his robe. "'All day long this person sat there and did not move. "'When it was almost night, the chief said, "'that person has sat there all day in the strong heat, "'and has not eaten or drunk. "'Perhaps he is a stranger. "'Go and ask him to come to my lodge.' "'Some young man ran up to the person and said to him, "'Why have you sat here all day in the great heat? "'Come to the shade of the lodges. "'The chief asks you to eat with him.' "'The person rose and threw off his robe, "'and the young man was surprised. "'He wore fine clothing. "'His bow, shield, and other weapons were of strange make. "'But they knew his face, although this car was gone, "'and they ran ahead shouting, "'This car faced poor young man has come. "'His poor no longer, this car on his face is gone.' "'All the people hurried out to see him "'and to ask him questions. "'Where did you get all these fine things?' "'He did not answer. "'Then the crowd stood at young woman, "'and taking the two raven feathers from his head, "'he gave them to her and said, "'The trail was long and night nearly died, "'but by those helpers I found his lodge. "'He is glad. "'He sends these feathers to you. "'They are the sign.' "'Great was her gladness then. "'They were married and made the first medicine lodge, "'as the son had said. "'The son was glad. "'He gave them great age. "'They were never sick. "'When they were very old, "'one morning their children called to them. "'Awake, rise and eat.' "'They did not move. "'In the night together, in sleep, without pain, "'their shadows had departed to the sandhills.'" End of CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. THE BUFFALO PAINTED LOGES. The Old Lodges of the Piegans were made of buffalo skin, and were painted with pictures of different kinds, birds or animals or trees or mountains. It is believed that in most cases the first painter of any lodge was taught how he should paint it in a dream, but this was not always the case. Two of the most important lodges in the Blackfeet camp are known as the Old Lodges of the Piegans. The Old Lodges of the Piegans were made of buffalo skin and were painted with pictures of different kinds, birds or animals or trees or mountains. They are known as the Inniskim lodges. Both are painted with figures of buffalo, one with black buffalo and the other with yellow buffalo. Certain of the Inniskim are kept in these lodges and can be kept in no others. This story tells her these two lodges came to be made. The painters were told what to do long, long ago in about the second generation after the first people. In those days the Old Piegans lived in the north, close to the Red Deer River. The camp moved and the lodges were pitched on the river. One day two old men who were close friends had gone out from the camp to find some straight cherry shoots with which to make arrows. After they had gathered their shafts, they sat down on a high bank by the river and began to peel the bark from the shoots. The river was high. One of these men was named Weaselhart and the other Fisher. As they sat there, Weaselhart chanced to look down into the water and saw something. He said to his comrade, Friend, do you not see something down there where the water goes around? Fisher said, No, I see nothing except buffalo, for he was looking across the river to the other side and not down into the water. No, said Weaselhart, I do not mean over there on the prairie, look down into that deep hole in the river and you will see a lodge there. Fisher looked at he has been told and saw the lodge. Weaselhart said, There is a lodge painted with black buffalo. As he spoke thus, Fisher said, I see another lodge standing in front of it. Weaselhart saw that lodge too, the yellow painted buffalo lodge. The two men wondered at this and could not understand how it could be, but they were both men of strong hearts and presently Weaselhart said, Friend, I shall go down to enter that lodge. Do you sit here and tell me when I get to the place? Then Weaselhart went up the river and found a drift log to support him and pushed it out into the water and floated down toward the cut bank. When he had reached the place where the lodge stood, Fisher told him and he let go the log and dive down into the water and entered the lodge. In it he found two persons who owned the lodge, a man and his wife. The man said to him, You are welcome and Weaselhart sat down. Then spoke the owner of the lodge saying, My son, this is my lodge and I give it to you. Look well at it inside and outside and make your lodge like this. If you do that, it may be a help to you. Fisher sat a long time waiting for his friend, but at last he looked down the stream and saw a man on the shore walking toward him. He came along the bank until he had reached his friend. It was Weaselhart. Fisher said to him, I've been waiting a long time and I was afraid that something bad had happened to you. Weaselhart asked him, Did you see me? I saw you, said Fisher, when you went into that lodge. Did you, when you came out of the lodge, see there in the water another lodge painted with yellow buffalo? Is it still there? Weaselhart said, I saw it. It is there. Go you into the water as I did. Then Fisher went up the stream as his friend had gone and entered the water at the same place and swam down as Weaselhart had done. And when Weaselhart showed him the place, he dived down and disappeared as Weaselhart had disappeared. He entered the yellow painted buffalo lodge and his friend saw him go into it. In the lodge were two persons, a man and his wife. The man said to him, you are welcome, sit there. He spoke further saying, my son, you have seen this lodge of mine. I give it to you. Look carefully at it, inside and outside, and fix up your lodge in that way. It may be a help to you hereafter. Then Fisher went out. Weaselhart waited for his friend as long as Fisher had waited for him. And when Fisher came out of the water, it was at the place where Weaselhart had come out. Then the two friends went home to the camp. When the two had come to a hill near the camp, they met a young man and by him sent word that the people should make a sweat house for them. After the sweat house had been made, word was sent to them, and they entered the camp and went into the sweat house and took a sweat. And all the time while they were sweating, sand was falling from their bodies. Sometime after that the people moved camp and went out and killed buffalo. And these two men made two lodges and painted them just as the lodges were painted that they had seen in the river. These two men had strong power which came to them from the underwater people. Once the people wished to cross the river, but the stream was deep and it was always hard for them to get across. Often the dogs and the travois were swept away and the people lost many of their things. At this time the tribe wished to cross and Fisher and Weaselhart said to each other, the people want to cross the river, but it is high and they cannot do so. Let us try to make a crossing so that it will be easier for them. So Weaselhart alone crossed the river and sat on the bank on the other side and Fisher sat opposite to him on the bank where the camp was. Then Fisher said to the people, pack up your things now and get ready to cross. I will make a place where you can cross easily. Weaselhart and Fisher filled their pipes and smoked and then each started to cross the river. As each stepped into the water, the river began to go down and the crossing grew more and more shallow. The people with all their dogs followed close behind Fisher as he had told them to do. Fisher and Weaselhart met in the middle of the river and when they met, stepped to one side up the stream and let the people pass them. Ever since that day, this has been a shallow crossing. These lodges came from the underwater people, Suye Tupi. They were those who had owned them and who had been kind to Weaselhart and Fisher. End of The Buffalo Painted Lodges by George Bird Grinnell. Chapter 13 of Blackfeet Indian Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, art of volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by MCY. Blackfeet Indian Stories by George B. Grinnell. Chapter 13, Me Copy, Red Old Man. In Montana, running into the Missouri River from the south, is a little stream that the Blackfeet call if fell on them. Once, long, long ago, while a number of women were digging in a bank near the stream, for the red earth that they used as paint, the bank gave way and fell on them, burying and killing them. The white people call this Armell's Creek. It was on this stream near the mountains that the pigans were camped. When Me Copy went to war, this was long ago. Early in the morning, a herd of buffalo had been seen feeding on the slopes of the mountains and some hunters went out to kill them. Traveling carefully up the ravines and keeping out of sight of the herd, they came close to them, near enough to shoot their arrows, and they began to kill fat cows. But while they were doing this, a war party of snakes that had been hidden on the mountain side, attacked them. And the pigans began to run back to where they camp. One of them, called Fox Eye, was a brave man and shouted to the others to stop and wait, saying, Let us fight these people. The snakes are not brave. We can drive them back. But the other pigans would not listen to him. They made excuses, saying, We have no shields. Our war medicine is not here. There are many of them. Why should we stop here to die? They ran on to the camp, but Fox Eye would not run. Hiding behind a rock, he prepared to fight. But as he was looking for some enemy to shoot at, holding his arrow on the string, a snake had crept up on the bank above him. The pigan heard the twang of the bow string and the long fine arrow passed through his body. His bow and arrow dropped from his hands, and he fell forward, dead. Now, too late, the warriors came rushing out from the pigan camp to help him, but the snakes copied their enemy, scattered up the mountain, and soon were hidden in the timber. Fox Eye had two wives, and their father and mother, and all their near relations were dead. All Fox Eye's relations had died, so it happened that these poor widows had no one to help them, no one to take vengeance for the killing of their husband. All day long, and often far into the night, these two sat on a nearby hill and wailed, and their mourning was said. There was a young man named Mikapi. Every morning when he awoke, he heard the mourning of these poor widows, and all through the day he could not forget their sorrow, he pitied them. One day he sent his mother to them to tell them that he wished to speak with them. When they had come to the lodge, they entered and sat down close by the doorway and covered their heads. Listen, said Mikapi. For days and nights I have heard your mourning, and I do have mourned. Your husband was my close friend, and now he is dead, and no relations are left to avenge him. So now I say to you, I will take the load from your hearts. I will go to war and kill enemies and take sculpts, and when I return they shall be yours. I will wipe away your tears, and we shall be glad that Fox Eye is avenged. When the people heard that Mikapi was going to war, many young men wished to join him, but he refused. I shall go alone, he said. So when he had taken a medicine sweat and had asked the priest to pray for him in his absence, he left the camp one evening just as it was growing dark. It is only the foolish warrior who travels in the day. The wise one knows that war parties may be out, or that some camp water sitting on a hill may see him far off and may try to kill him. Mikapi was not one of these foolish persons. He was brave and cautious, and he had powerful helpers. Some have said that he was helped by the ghosts. When he started to war against the snakes, he traveled in low places, and at sunrise he climbed some hill nearby and looked carefully over the country in all directions, and during all the long day he lay there and watched, sleeping often, but only for a short time. When Mikapi had come to the great place of falling water, he began to rain hard. And looking about for a place to sleep, he saw a hole in the rocks and crept in and lay down at the far of the land. The rain did not stop, and when it grew dark he could not travel because of the darkness and the storm, so he lay down to sleep again, but before he had fallen in sleep, he heard something at the mouth of the cave, and then something creeping toward him. Then soon something touched his breast and he put out his hand and felt a person, then he set up. Mikapi stretched out his hand and put his palm on the person's breast and moved his hand quickly from side to side and then touched the person with the point of his finger, which in sign language means, who are you? The stranger took Mikapi's hand and make him feel of his own right hand. The thumb and fingers were closed, except the forefinger, which was extended. When Mikapi's hand was on the stranger's hand, the person moved his hand forward with a zigzag motion, meaning snake. Mikapi was glad. He had come to him one of the tribe he was seeking, yet he thought it better to wait for a time before fighting him. So when, in signs, the snake asked Mikapi who he was, he replied by making the sign of paddling a canoe that he was a river person, for he knew that the snakes in the river people or pendorei were at peace. Then the two lay down for the night, but Mikapi did not sleep. Through the long night he watched for the first light so that he might kill his enemy and just a day break Mikapi, without noise, strung his bow, fitted an arrow to the string and sent the thing shaft through the enemy's heart. The snake had froze up and fell back dead. Mikapi sculpted him, took his bow and arrows and his bundle of marco-sins, and went out of the cave and looked all about. Daylight had come, but no one was in sight. Perhaps, like himself, the snake had gone to war alone. Mikapi did not forget to be careful because he had been fortunate. He traveled only a little way, and then hid himself and waited for night before going on. After drinking from the river he ate and climbing up on a high rock wall he slept. He dreamed that he fought with strange people and was wounded. He felt blood trickling from his wound, and when he awoke he knew that he had been warned to turn back. Other signs were bad. He saw a eagle rising carrying his snake, which dropped from its claws. The setting sun, too, was painted, a sure warning that danger was near. In spite of all these things Mikapi determined to go on. He thought of the poor widow's mourning. He thought of welcome of the people if he should return with the sculpts. He thought also of two young sisters whom he wished to marry. If he could return with proof of brave deeds, they would think well of him. Mikapi traveled onward. The sand-head already disappeared behind the sharp pointed dark peaks of the mountains. It was nearly night. As the light grew dim, the far-stretching prairie began to be hidden. By streaming a valley where grew large and small trees were the largest of the great camp. For a long distance up and down the river rose the smokes of many fires. When a hill overlooking the valley set a person alone, his robes was drawn close about him and he sat there without moving, looking down on the valley and out on the prairie above it. Perhaps he was watching for enemies. Perhaps he was praying. Creeping through the grass behind this person, something was slowly drawing near to him. There was no noise. The water heard nothing. Still he sat there looking out over the prairie and turning his head neither to the right nor to the left. This thing behind him kept creeping closer and presently was so near he could touch the man. Perhaps then there was some little rustle on the grass and the water turned his head. It was too light. A strong arm around his neck bent his head back and a hand covered his mouth. A long stone knife was thrust into his breast and he died in silence. The fading light had kept people in the camp from seeing what had happened. The man who had used a knife scalped his enemy and slowly, hidden by the grass, trapped down the hill that he had just ascended and when he reached the cover of a low place my copy rose to his feet and crept away. He had another snake's scalp tied to his belt. His heart was glad, but he was not satisfied. Several nights had passed since the signs warned him to turn back but not withstanding the warnings he had succeeded. Perhaps his success had made him too confident. He longed for more of it. One more scalp I shall take, he said and then I will return to the people. He climbed far up the mountainside and hid among the pines and slept but when they came he awoke and crept out to a point where he could see the camp. He saw the smoke rising as the women kindled their morning fires. He saw the people going about through the camp and then presently he saw many people rush up on the hill where he had left the dead enemy. He could not hear their angry cries nor their mournful wailings but he knew how badly they felt and he sung a song for he was happy. Once more the sun had disappeared behind the mountains and as darkness grew Mikapi came down from where he had been hiding and carefully approached the camp. Now was a time of danger. Now watchers might be hidden anywhere looking for the approach of enemies ready to raise a cry to warn the camp. Each bush or clump of rye grass or wheeled thicket might hide an enemy. Very slowly looking and listening Mikapi crept around these outskirts of the camp. He made no noise, he did not show himself. Presently he heard someone clear his throat and then a cough and a little bush moved. Here was a watcher. Could he kill him and get away? He sat and waited to see what would happen but he knew where his enemy was but the enemy knew nothing of him. The great moon rose over this thin prairie and climbed high and began to travel across the sky. Seven persons swung around and pointing downward. It was about the middle of the night and length the person the bush grew tired of watching. He thought no enemy could be near and he rose and stretched out his arms and yawned. But even as he stood an arrow pissed him through beneath the arms. He gave a loud cry and tried to run but another arrow struck him and he fell. And now from all the camp rushed the warriors toward the sound but even as they came Mikapi had taken the scope from his enemy and started to run away into the darkness. The moon was bright and close behind him were the snakes. He heard arrows flying by him and presently one passed through his arm. He pulled it out and threw it from him. Another struck his leg and he fell and a great shout arose from the snakes. Now their enemy was down and revenge for the two lives lately taken was certain. But Mikapi's helpers were not far off. It was at the very verge of the high cut wall overhanging the river that Mikapi fell and even as the snakes shouted he rolled over the brink into the dark Russian water below. The snakes ran along the edge of the river looking to the water with bent bows watching for the enemy's head or body to appear but they saw nothing. Carefully they looked along the shores and sandbars. They did not find him. Mikapi had sunk deep in the water. The sweet current carried him along and when he rose to the surface he was beyond his enemies. For some time he floated on with arrow in his leg paint him and at last he crept out on a sandbar. He managed to draw the arrow from his leg and finding at the edge of the bar a dry log he rolled it into the water and keeping his hand on it drifted down the river with the current. Code and stiff from his wounds he crept out on the bank and laid down in the warm sunshine. Soon he fell asleep. When he awoke the sun was in the middle of the sky his leg and warm were sullen and paint him yet he started to go home and for a time struggled onward but at last tired and discouraged he sat down. Ah! he said to himself true were the signs how crazy I was to go against them now my bravery has been useless for here I must stop and die the widows will still mourn and who will care for my father and mother in their old age? Pity me now, old son help me, old great-above person give me life something was coming through the brush near him breaking the sticks as it walked was it the snakes following his trail? Mikapi strung his bow and drew his arrow from the quiver he waited no it was not a snake it was a bear a big grizzly bear standing there looking down at Mikapi what is my brother doing here, said the bear why does he pray for life? look at my legs at Mikapi swollen and sore see my wounded arm I can hardly hold the bow far away is the home of my people and my strength is gone surely here I must die for I cannot walk and I have no food take courage my brother, said the bear keep up a strong heart for I will help you and you shall have life when he has said this he lifted Mikapi in his arms and took him to a place where there was thick mud and there he took great handfuls of the mud and plastered it on the wounds and while he was putting on the mud he sang a medicine song then he carried Mikapi to a place where there were many service berries and he broke off great branches of the fruit and gave them to him, saying eat my brother, eat he kept breaking off branches full of large ripe berries until Mikapi was full and could eat no more then said the bear now lie down on my back and hold tight by my hair and we will go on and when Mikapi had got on his back and was ready the bear started all through the night he travelled on without stopping and when morning came they rested for a time and ate more berries and again the bear put mud upon the man's wounds in this way they travelled on until on the fourth day they had come close to the lodges of the pigans and the people saw them coming and wondered get off now my brother, get off, said the bear there is a camp of your people I shall leave you and at once he turned and went off up the mountain all the people came out to Mikapi and they carried him to his father's lodge he untied the scalps from his belt and gave them to the poor widow, saying these are the scalps of your enemies I wipe away your tears then everyone rejoiced all Mikapi's women relations went through the camp shouting out his name in singing songs about him and all prepared to dance the dance of triumph and rejoicing first came the widows they carried the scalps tied on poles and their faces were painted black then came the medicine man with their medicine pipes unwrapped and then the bands of the old friends dressed in their war costumes then came the old man and last of all the women and children they went all through the village stopping here and there to dance and Mikapi sat outside the lodge and saw all the people danced by him he forgot his pain and was happy and although he could not dance he sung with them soon they made the medicine lodge and first of all the warriors Mikapi was chosen to cut the raw high to bind the poles and as he cut the strips he related the coops he had counted he told of the enemies he had killed and all the people shouted his name and the drummers struck the drum the father of those two sisters gave them to him he was glad to have such a son-in-law long lived Mikapi of all the great chiefs who have lived and died he was the greatest he did many other great things he must be true as the old man have said that he was helped by the ghosts for no one can do such things without help from those fearful and terrible persons and of Chapter 13 Chapter 14 of Blackfeet Indian Stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Lucy LaFaro New South Wales, Australia Blackfeet Indian Stories by George B. Grinnell Chapter 14 Red Robes' Dream Long, long ago Red Robe and Talking Rock were young men in the Blackfeet camp in their childhood days and early youth their life had been hard Talking Rock was an orphan without a single relation and Red Robe had only his old grandmother this old woman by hard work and sacrifice had managed to rear the boys she tanned robes for the hunters made them moccasins worked with porcupine quills and did everything she could to get a little food all worn out robes and hide from which she made clothes for her boys they never had new brightly painted calf robes like other children they went barefoot in summer and in winter their toes often showed through the worn out skin of their moccasins they had no flesh their ribs could be counted beneath the skin their cheeks were hollow they looked always hungry when they grew to be 12 or 15 years old they began to do better for now they could do more and more for themselves they herded horses and performed small services for the wealthy men then two they hunted and killed a little meat now for their work three or four dogs were given them so with the two the old woman owned they were able to pack their small lodge and other possessions when the camp moved instead of carrying everything on their backs now they began to do their best to make life easier for the good old woman who had worked so hard to keep them from starving and freezing time passed the boys grew old enough to go out and fast they had their dreams each found his secret helper of mysterious power and each became a warrior still they were very poor compared with other young men of their age they had bows but only a few arrows they were not able to pay some great medicine man to make shields for them as yet they went to war only as servants about this time Red Robe fell in love in the camp was a beautiful girl named Maimin the wing whom all the young men wished to marry but perhaps Red Robe loved her more than all the rest her father was a rich old medicine man who never invited any except chiefs and great warriors to feast with him and Red Robe seldom entered his lodge he used to dress as well as he could to braid his hair carefully to paint his face nicely and to stand for a long time near the lodge looking intriguingly at her as she came and went about her work or fleshed a robe under the shelter of some trevoy over which a hide was spread then whenever they met he thought the look she gave him in passing was friendly perhaps more than that wherever Maimin went her mother or some woman of the family went with her so Red Robe could never speak to her but he was often nearby one day when she was gathering wood for the lodge and her companion was out of sight behind some willow bushes some distance away Red Robe had a chance to tell Maimin what was in his heart he walked up to her and took her hands in his and she did not try to draw them away he said to her I love you I cannot remember a time when I saw you that my heart did not beat faster I am poor very poor and it is useless to ask your father to let me marry you for he will not consent but there is another way and if you love me you will do what I ask let us go from here far away we will find some tribe that will be kind to us and even if we fail in that we can live in some way now if you love me and I hope you do you will come I replied Maimin I do love you only you all the other young men passed before me as shadows I scarcely see them but I cannot do what you ask I cannot go away and leave my mother to mourn she who loves me so well let us wait a little go to war do something great and brave then perhaps you will not uselessly ask my father to give me to you in vain Red Robe tried to persuade the girl to do as he wished she was kind she threw her arms about him and kissed him and cried but she would not run away to leave her mother to sorrow to be beaten by her father who would blame the poor woman for all the disgrace and so too soon they parted for they heard her companion coming the sound of her heavy footsteps three bulls chief of the camp was a great man he had a fierce temper and when he spoke people hurried to do what he ordered for they feared him he never talked loud nor called anyone by an ill name when anyone displeased him or refused to do what he said he just smiled and then killed the person he was brave in battle with enemies he was the equal of twenty men rushing here there into the thickest of the fights and killing always with that silent terrible smile on his face because he was such a great warrior and also because he was generous helping the poor feasting any who came to his lodge he was the head chief of the blackfeet three bulls had several wives and many children some of them grown and married grey hairs were now many in his head his face wrinkles showed that old age was not far distant no one supposed that he would ever take another wife so when the news spread through the camp that he had asked old medicine man for his daughter Mayemin everyone was surprised when red robe heard the news his heart nearly broke the old medicine man agreed to let the chief have the girl he did not refuse nor did he wish to for many good presents were to be given him in three days time when that was done he told his daughter she would be taken to the chief's lodge let her prepare for the change that day red robe had planned to start with the party to war but when he heard this news he asked his friend Talking Rock to take word to the leader that he had changed his mind and would not go he asked his friend to stay with him instead of joining the war party and Talking Rock agreed to do so out in front of the camp was a large spring and to that place red robe went and stood lenient against a large stone and looking sadly down into the blue water soon as he had thought Mayemin came to the spring for a skin of water he took her hands as he had done before and began to beg her to go away with him that very night before it was too late the girl cried bitterly but at first she did not speak the two were standing in plain sight of the camp and the people in it and someone went to the chief's lodge and told him what was taking place Go to the spring said the chief and tell that young man to let the girl go she is to be my wife the person did as he was told but the two young people paid no attention to him they did not care what anyone said nor if the whole camp saw them there together all they could think about was this terrible thing which would make them unhappy so long as they lived red robe kept asking the girl to go and at last she consented to do as he wished they had their arms about each other not thinking of the crowd that was watching them and were quickly planning for their meeting and for their going away that night when three bulls quietly walked up to them and stabbed the young man with a flint-point lance red robe sank down dying at the young girl's feet and she looking down for an instant at her lover turned and ran to her father's lodge bring wood the chief called out let everyone bring some wood all you have at your lodges those who have none let them go quickly and bring some from the timber all the people hurried to obey what three bulls ordered was soon done for the people feared him and soon a great pile of wood was heaped beside the dead man the chief lifted the slender young form placed it on the pile of wood and told a woman to bring coals and set fire to the pile when this had been done all left the place except three bulls who stayed there tending the fire and poking it here and there until it was burnt out and no wood or trace of a human body was left nothing remained except the little pile of ashes these he scattered still he was not satisfied his medicine was strong perhaps his dream had warned him now he ordered that the lodges be taken down that everything be packed up and that the trail of the moving camp should pass over the heap of ashes sometime before this after red robe had made his long fasting and his dream had come to him and he had returned to his grandmother's lodge he had told his true friend something of what had been said to him by his dream if I should die he said and you are near do not desert me go to the place where I fell and if my body should have been destroyed look carefully around the place if you can find even a shred of my flesh or a bit of my bone it will be well so said my dream here are four arrows which the dream told me to make if you can find a bit of my body flesh or bone or even hair cover it with a robe and standing over it shoot three arrows one after another up into the air crying as each one leaves the bow look out when you fit the fourth arrow on the bow string and shoot it upward cry look out red robe the arrow will strike you and as you say this turn and run away from the place not looking back as you go if you do this my friend just as I have told you I shall live again as the camp moved three bulls stood and watched it filing over the place of the fire and saw the ashes scattered by the trailing ends of lodge poles and trevoy and by the feet of hundreds of people and dogs still he was not satisfied and for a long time after the last of the people had passed he remained there then he went on across the flat and up and over the ridge but presently he returned once twice four times to the crest of the hill and look back at the place where the camp had been but at last he felt sure that no one remained at the place and went on yet talking rock was there he had been hidden in the brush all the time watching the chief even after three bulls had passed over the ridge he remained crouched in the bushes and saw him come back again and again to peer over its crest still further on there was another higher ridge and when the young man saw three bulls climb that and disappear on the trail of the camp he came forth going to the place where his friend had lain talking rock sat down and mourned wailing long and loud back on the hills the wolves and coyotes heard him and they too became sorrowful adding their cries to his the young man had little faith in the power of the four arrows that he kept so carefully wrapped in a separate bundle in his quiver he looked at the place where red robes' body had been burnt it was like any other place on the great trail that had been made dust and grass blades mingled together and scratches made by the dragging poles it did not seem possible that anything of his friend's body remained yet he must search and breaking a green willow twig he began carefully to work over the dust stopping his crying for the tears blinded his eyes so that he could not see all the morning long and far into the afternoon talking rock swept the dust this way and that turning it over and over in a circle that grew always wider and just as he was about to give up the search he found a bit of charred and blackened bone was this a part of his friend's frame? was it not more likely a bit of bone of buffalo or elk which some dog had carried from one of the fireplaces of the camp and dropped here? now for the test talking rock covered the bit of bone with his robe as he had been told to do so he even raised the robe along its middle making it look as if it really covered a person lying there then he shot three of the arrows up in the air each time crying look out then with a hand that trembled a little he drew the fourth arrow from the quiver shot it and cried look out red robe the arrow will strike you and turning ran from the place with all his speed how he wanted to look back how he longed to see his friend was really rising from that bit of blackened bone but talking rock was strong-hearted he controlled his desires on and on he ran and then behind him the light tread of running feet a firm hand gripped his shoulder and a loved voice said why so fast my friend and stopping and turning talking rock found himself face to face with red robe he could not believe what he saw and had to pinch himself and to hold his friend hard in his arms to believe that all this was real the camp had not moved far and the lodges were pitched on the next stream to the south soon after dark the two friends entered it and went to their lodge the poor old grandmother could not believe her eyes when she saw the young man she had reared and loved so dearly but when he spoke she knew that it was he and running over to him held him in her arms and kissed him crying from joy after a little time the young man said to her grandmother go to the chief's lodge and say to him that I red robe need some dried meat the old woman hesitated at this strange request but red robe said go do not fear him three bulls is now the one to know fear when the old woman entered the great lodge and in reply to the chief's look said red robe sent me here he wants some dried meat only three bulls of all who were in the lodge showed no surprise it is what I expected he said in spite of all my care he lives again and I can do nothing turning to his wife's he said give her meat did you see may min asked red robe when his grandmother had returned with the meat and had told him what the chief had said no she was not in the lodge but two women were approaching as I left it I think they were the girl and her mother go back once more said the young man and tell three bulls to send me that young woman but now the poor old grandmother was afraid I dare not tell him that she exclaimed he would kill me and you his anger would be fearful do not fear said red robe do not fear my mother his anger and his power I no longer to be feared he is as feeble and as helpless as one of those old bulls one sees on the sunny side of the coolly spending his last days before the wolves pull him down the old woman went to the lodge and told the chief what red robe further wished maimin was there her head covered with her robe crying quietly and three bulls told her to arise and go with the messenger timidly at first and then with steps that broke into a run maimin hurried toward the lodge of her sweetheart and entered it with a cry of joy she threw herself into his arms and talking rock went out and left them alone great now was the happiness of these young couple long was their life full of plenty and of great honour red robe became a chief respected and loved by all the people maimin bore him many children who grew up to be the support of their old age end of chapter 14 chapter 15 of Blackfeet Indian stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Lucy LaFaro New South Wales Australia Blackfeet Indian stories by George B. Grinnell Chapter 15 The Blackfeet Creation The Blackfeet believe that the sun made the earth that he is the creator one of the names by which they call the sun is Napi old man this is how they tell of the creation in the beginning there was water everywhere nothing else was to be seen there was something floating on the water and on this raft were old man and all the animals old man wished to make land and he told the beaver to dive down to the bottom of the water and to try to bring up a little mud the beaver dived and was under water for a long time but he could not reach the bottom then the loon tried and after him the otter but the water was too deep for them at last the muskrat was sent down and he was gone for a long time so long that they thought he must be drowned but at last he came up and floated almost dead on the water and when they pulled him up on the raft and looked at his paws they found a little mud in them when old man had dried this mud he scattered it over the water and land was formed this is the story told by the Blackfeet it is very much like one told by some eastern Indians who are related to the Blackfeet after the land had been made old man travelled about on it making things and fixing up the earth so as to suit him first he marked out places where he wished the rivers to run sometimes making them run smoothly and again in some places putting falls on them he made the mountains and the prairie the timber and the small trees and bushes and sometimes he carried along with him a lot of rocks from which he built some of the mountains as the sweet grass hills which stand out on the prairie by themselves old man caused grass to grow on the plains so that the animals might have something to feed on he marked off certain pieces of land where he caused different kinds of roots and berries to grow a place for camels and one for wild carrots one for wild turnips sweet root and bitter root one for service berries bullberries cherries plums and rose buds he made all kinds of animals that travel on the ground when he made the big horn with its great horns he put it out on the prairie it did not seem to travel easily there it was awkward and could not go fast so he took it by one of its horns and led it up into the rough hills and among the rocks and let it go there and it skipped about among the cliffs and easily went up fearful places so old man said to the big horn this is the place for you this is what you are fitted for the rough country and the mountains while he was in the mountains he made the antelope and turned it loose to see how it travelled the antelope ran so fast that it fell over some rocks and hurt itself he saw this would not do and took the antelope down on the prairie and set it free there and it ran away fast and gracefully and he said to it this is the place that suits you at last one day old man decided that he would make a woman and a child and he modelled some clay in human shape and after he had made their shapes and put them on the ground he said to the clay you shall be people he spread his robe over the clay figures and went away the next morning he went back to the place and lifted up the robe and saw that the clay shapes had changed a little when he looked at them the next morning they had changed still more and when on the fourth day he went to the place and took off the covering he said to the images stand up and walk and they did so they walked down to the river with him who had made them and he told them his name as they were standing there looking at the water as it flowed by the woman asked old man saying how is it shall we live always will there be no end to us old man said I have not thought of that we must decide it I will take this buffalo chip and throw it in the river if it floats people will become alive again four days after they have died they will die for four days only but if it sinks there will be an end to them he threw the chip into the river and it floated the woman turned and picked up a stone and said no I will throw this stone into the river if it floats we shall live always if it sinks people must die so that their friends who are left alive may always remember them the woman threw the stone in the water and it sank well said old man you have chosen there will be an end to them not many nights after that the woman's child died and she cried a great deal for it she said to old man let us change this the law that you first made let that be the law he said not so what is made law must be law we will undo nothing that we have done the child is dead but it cannot be changed people will have to die these first people did not have hands like a person they had hands like a bear with long claws they were poor and naked and did not know how to get a living old man showed them the roots and the berries and showed them how to gather these and told them how at certain times of the year they should peel the bark off some trees and eat it that the little animals that live in the ground rats, squirrels, skunks and beavers were good to eat he also taught them something about the roots that were good for medicine to cure sickness in those days there were buffalo and these black animals were armed for they had long horns once as the people were moving about the buffalo saw them and rushed upon them and hooked them and killed them and then ate them one day as the creator was travelling about he came upon some of his children that he had made lying bear dead torn to pieces and partly eaten by the buffalo when he saw this he felt badly he said I have not made these people right I will change this from now on the people shall eat the buffalo he went to some of the people who were still alive and said to them how is it that you people do nothing to these animals that are killing you the people replied what can we do these animals are armed and can kill us and we have no way to kill them the creator said that is not hard I will make you something that will kill these animals he went out and cut some straight service burial shoots and brought them in and peeled the bark from them he took a larger piece of wood and flattened it and tied a string to it and made a bow now he was the master of all birds and he went out and caught one and took feathers from its wings and tied them to the shaft of wood he tied four feathers along the shaft and tried the arrow at a mark and found that it did not fly well he took off these feathers and put on three and when he again tried it at the mark he found that it went straight he picked up some hard stones and broke sharp pieces from them when he tried them he found that the black flint stones made the best arrow points he showed them how to use these things then he spoke to the people and said the next time you go out take these things with you and use them as I tell you do not run from these animals when they rush at you and have come pretty close shoot the arrows at them as I have taught you and you will see that they will run from you or will run around you in a circle he also broke off pieces of stone and fixed them in a handle and told them that when they killed the buffalo they should cut up the flesh with these stone knives one day after this some people went on a little hill to look about and the buffalo saw them and called out to each other ah there is some more of our food and rushed upon them the people did not run they began to shoot at the buffalo with the bows and arrows that had been given them and the buffalo began to fall they say that when the first buffalo hit with an arrow felt it prick him he called out to his fellows oh my friends a great fly is biting me with the flint knives that had been given them they cut up the bodies of the dead buffalo about this time old man came up and said to them it is not helpful to eat raw flesh I will show you something better than that he gathered soft dry rotten wood and made punk of it and took a piece of wood and drew a hole in it with an arrow point and gave them a pointed piece of hardwood and showed them how to make a fire with fire sticks and to cook the flesh of animals after this the people found a certain sort of stone in the land and took another hard stone and worked one upon the other and hollowed out the softer one so as to make of it a kettle it is also told that the creator made people and animals at another place and in another way at the porcupine mountains he made other earthen images of people and blew breath on the images and they became people they were men and women after a time they asked him what are we to eat then he took more earth and made many images in the form of buffalo and when he had blown on them they stood up and he made signs to them and they started to run he said to the people there is your food well now they replied we have those animals how are we to kill them I will show you he took them to the edge of a cliff and showed them how to heap a pile of stone running back from the cliff like this with the point of the V toward the cliff he said to the people now do you hide behind these piles of stone and when I lead the buffalo this way as they get opposite to you stand up then he went on toward a herd of buffalo and began to call them and the buffalo started toward him and followed him until they were inside the arms of the V then he ran to one side and hid and as the people rose up the buffalo ran on in a straight line and jumped over the cliff and some of them were killed by the fall there he said go and take the flesh of those animals then the people tried to do so they tried to tear the limbs apart but they could not they tried to bite pieces out of the bodies but they could not do that old man went to the edge of the cliff and broke some pieces of stone with sharp edges and showed them how to cut the flesh with these of the buffalo that went over the cliff some were not dead but were hurt so they could not run away the people cut strips of green hide and tied stones in the middle and with these hammers broke in the skulls of the buffalo and killed them when they had taken the skins from these animals they set up poles and put up the hides over them and so made a shelter to sleep under in later times the creator marked off a piece of land for the five tribes black feet bloods pagans gross ventures and sarsas and said to these tribes when people come to cross this line at the border of your land take your bows and arrows your lances and your war clubs and give them battle and keep them out if they gain a footing here trouble for you will follow end of chapter fifteen chapter sixteen of black feet indian stories this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox dot org black feet indian stories by george b granel old man stories under the name napai old man have been confused to holy different persons talked of by the black feet the sun the creator of the universe giver of light heat and life and reverenced by everyone is often called old man but there is another personality who bears the same name but who is very different in his character this last napai is a mixture of wisdom and foolishness he is malicious selfish childish and weak he delights in tormenting people yet the mean things he does are so foolish that he is constantly getting himself into scrapes and is often obliged to ask the animals to help him out of his troubles his bad deeds almost always bring their own punishment interpreters commonly translate this word napai as old man but it is also the term for white man and the shayan and arapaho tribes tell just such stories about a similar person whom they also call white man tribes of dakota stock tell of a similar person whom they call the spider the stories about this old man are told by the black feet for entertainment rather than with any serious purpose and when that part of the story is reached where old man is in some difficulty which he cannot get out of the man who is telling the story and those who are listening to it laugh delightedly some stories of this kind are these the wonderful bird one day as old man was walking about among the trees he saw something that seemed very queer a little bird was sitting on the branch of a tree every little while it would make a strange noise and every time it made this noise its eyes flew out of its head and fastened on a branch of the tree then after a little while the bird would make another sort of noise and its eyes would go back to their places in its head old man called out to the bird little brother teach me how to do that if i show you how the bird answered you must not send your eyes out of your head more than four times in a day if you do you will be sorry it shall be as you say little brother it is for you to give and i will listen to what you say when the bird had taught old man how to do this he was glad he began to do it and did it four times right away then he said why did that bird tell me to do this only four times he has no sense i will do it again so once more he made his eyes go out but now when he called to them they would not come back he shouted out to the bird little brother come here and help me get my eyes back the little bird did not answer him it had flown away now old man felt all over the branches of the tree with his hands but he could not find his eyes so he went away and wandered over the prairie for a long time crying and calling to the animals to help him as he was blind he could find nothing to eat and he began to be very hungry a wolf teased him a great deal and had much fun it had found a dead buffalo and taking a piece of the meat it would hold the meat close to old man's face then old man would say i smell something dead i wish i could find it i am almost starved he felt all around for it once when the wolf was doing this old man caught him and plucking out one of the wolf's eyes he put it in his own head then he could see and was able to find his own eyes but never again could he do the trick the little bird had taught him end of chapter sixteen chapter seventeen of blackfeet indian stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org blackfeet indian stories by George B. Grinnell chapter seventeen the rabbits medicine once when old man was traveling about he heard some singing that sounded very queer he had never before heard anything like it and looked all about to see where it came from after a time he saw that the cottontail rabbits were singing and making medicine they had built a fire and raked out some hot ashes and they would lie down in these ashes and sing while one of the others covered them up they could stay there only for a short time though for the ashes were hot little brothers said old man here is something wonderful that you can lie in those hot ashes and coals without burning i ask you to teach me how to do this we will show you how to do it old man said the rabbits you must sing our song and stay in the ashes only a short time they taught old man their song and he began to sing and lay down and they covered him with coals and ashes and the hot ashes did not burn him that is good he said you have strong medicine now so that i may know it all do you lie down and let me cover you up all the rabbits lay down in the ashes and old man covered them up and then he pulled the whole fire over them only one rabbit got out and old man was just about to put her back when she said pity me my children need me it is good replied old man you may go so that there will be more rabbits but these i will roast and have a feast he put more wood on the fire and when the rabbits were cooked he got some red willow brush and put the rabbits on it to cool the grease from their bodies soaked into the branches so that even today if red willow is held over a fire one may see the grease on the bark ever since that time too the rabbits have a burnt place on the back where the one that got away was singed old man sat down by the fire waiting for the rabbits to get cool when a coyote came along limping he went on three legs pity me old man he said you have plenty of cooked rabbits give me one of them go away said old man very cross if you are too lazy to catch food i will not give you any but my leg is broken said the coyote i cannot run i cannot catch anything and i am starving give me half a rabbit i don't care what happens to you said old man i worked hard to catch and cook these rabbits and i shall not give any of them away i'll tell you what i will do though i will run a race with you out to that far but on the prairie and if you beat me you can have a rabbit said the coyote and they started old man ran very fast and the coyote limped along behind him but pretty close until they got near the butte then the coyote turned around and ran back very fast for he was not lame at all it took old man a long time to get back and just before he reached the fire the coyote finished eating the last rabbit and ran away end of chapter seventeen the rabbits medicine read by Kara Schellenberg on March 16th, 2008 in San Diego, California chapter eighteen of Blackfeet Indian Stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Blackfeet Indian Stories by George B. Grinnell chapter eighteen the lost elk meat old man had been a long time without food and was very hungry he was trying to think how he could get something to eat when he saw a band of elk come up on a ridge he went over to them and spoke to them and said brothers I am lonely because I have no one to follow me go ahead old man said the elk we will follow you old man led them about for a long time and when it was dark he came near a high steep cut bank he ran around to one side where the hill sloped and then went back right under the steep cliff and called out come on that is a nice jump you will laugh so all the elk jumped off and were killed except one cow they have all jumped but you said old man come on you will like it take pity on me said the cow I am very heavy and I am afraid to jump go away then said old man go and live then someday there will be plenty of elk again old man built a fire and cooked some of the meat and then he skinned all the elk and cut up the meat and hung it up to dry the tongues he hung on a pole the next day he started off and was gone all day and at night as he was coming home he was very hungry he was thinking to himself that he would have some roasted ribs and a tongue and other good things but when he reached the place the meat was all gone the wolves had eaten it it was lucky I hung up those tongues said old man or I should not have had anything to eat but when he took down the tongues they were all hollow the mice had eaten out the meat leaving only the skins End of Chapter 18 The Lost Elk Meat Read by Kara Schellenberg on March 16th, 2008 in San Diego, California Chapter 19 of Blackfeet Indian Stories This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Blackfeet Indian Stories by George B. Grinnell Chapter 19 The Rolling Rock Once when old man was travelling about and felt tired he sat down on a rock to rest after he was rested he started on his way and because the sun was hot he threw his robe over the rock and said to it Here I give you my robe because you are poor and have let me rest on you keep it always he had not gone far when it began to rain and meeting a coyote he said to him little brother run back to that rock and ask him to lend me his robe we will cover ourselves with it and keep dry the coyote ran back to the rock but presently returned without the robe Where is the robe? asked old man Why? said the coyote the rock said that you had given him the robe and he was going to keep it this made old man angry and he went back to the rock and snatched the robe off it saying I was only going to borrow this robe until the rain was over but now that you have acted so mean about it I will keep it you don't need a robe anyhow you have been out in the rain and snow all your life and it will not hurt you to live so always when he had said this he put the robe about his shoulders and with the coyote he went off into a ravine and they sat down there the rain was falling and they covered themselves with the robe and were warm and dry pretty soon they heard a loud rumbling noise and old man said to the coyote little brother go up on the hill and see what that noise is the coyote went off but presently he came back running as hard as he could saying run run the big rock is coming they both started and ran away as fast as they could the coyote tried to creep into a badger hole but it was too small for him and he stuck fast and before he could get out the rock rolled over him and crushed his hips old man was frightened and as he ran he threw away his robe and everything that he had on so that he might run faster the rock was gaining on him all the time not far away on the prairie a band of buffalo bulls were feeding and old man cried out to them saying oh my brothers help me help me stop that rock the bulls ran and tried to stop it butting against it but it crushed their heads some deer and antelope tried to help old man but they too were killed other animals came to help him but could not stop the rock it was now close to old man so close that it began to hit his heels he was just going to give up when he saw circling over his head a flock of night hawks oh my little brothers he cried help me I am almost dead the bull bats flew down one after another against the rock and every time one of them hit it he chipped off a piece and at last one hit it fair in the middle and broke it into two pieces then old man was glad he went to where there was a nest of night hawks and pulled their mouths out wide and pinched off their bills to make them pretty and queer looking that is the reason they look so today end of chapter nineteen the rolling rock read by Kara Schallenberg on March 16th 2008 in San Diego California Chapter twenty of Blackfeet Indian Stories this is the LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Lucy LeFarro New South Wales Australia Blackfeet Indian Stories by George B. Grinnell Chapter twenty old man's stories bear and ball berries scattered over the prairie in northern Montana close to the mountains are many great rocks boulders which thousands of years ago when the great ice sheet covered northern North America were carried from mountains out over the prairie by the ice and left there when it melted around most of these great boulders the buffalo used to walk from time to time rubbing against the rough surface of the rock to scratch themselves as a cow rubs itself against a post or as a horse rolls on the ground for the pleasant feeling that the rubbing of the skin gives it as the buffalo walked around these boulders their hooves loosened the soil and this loosened soil the dust was blown away by the constant winds of summer so around most of these boulders much of the soil is gone leaving a deep trench at the bottom of which are stones and gravel too large to be moved by the wind this story explains how these rocks came to be like that once old man was crossing a river and the stream was deep so that he was carried away by the current and lost his bow and arrows and other weapons when he got to the shore he began to look about for something to use in making a bow and arrows for he was hungry and wanted to kill some food he took the first wood he could find and made a bow and arrows and handle for his knife when he had finished these things he started on his way presently as he looked over a hill he saw down below him a bear digging roots old man thought he would have some fun with the bear and he called out aloud he has no tail then he dodged back out of sight the bear looked all about but saw no one and again began to dig roots then old man again peeped over the hill and saw the bear at work and again called out he has no tail this time the bear looked up more quickly but old man dodged down and the bear did not see him and pretty soon went on with his digging four times old man did this calling the bear names but the fourth time the bear was on the watch and saw old man and started after him old man ran away as hard as he could but the bear followed fast presently old man tried to shoot the bear with his arrows but they were made of bad wood and would not fly well and if they hit the bear they just broke off all his weapons failed him and now the bear was close to him just in front was a great rock and when old man came to that he dodged behind it and ran around to the other side and the bear followed him they kept running around the rock for a long time and were a deep trail about it and because old man could turn more quickly he kept just ahead of the bear old man kept calling to the animals to help him but no one came he was almost out of breath and the bear was close to him when old man saw lying on the ground a bull's horn he picked it up and held it on his head and turned around and bellowed loudly and the bear was frightened and turned around and ran away as hard as he could then old man leaned up against the rock and breathed hard for a long time but at last he got his wind back he said to the rock this is the way you rocks shall always be after this with a big hole all around you by this time he was pretty tired and thirsty and he thought he would go down to the river and drink when he got to the edge of the water he got down on his knees to drink and there before him in the water he saw bullberries, great bunches of them he said to himself I will dive in and get those bullberries and he took off his moccasins and clothing and dived in but he could not find the bullberries and presently he came up he looked into the water again and again saw the bullberries he said to himself those bullberries must be very deep down he went along the shore looking for a heavy stone that would take him down into the deep water where the bullberries were and when he found one he tied the stone to his neck and again dived in this time he sank to the bottom for the stone carried him down he felt about with his hands trying to reach the bullberries but could feel nothing and began to drown he tried to get free from the stone but that was hard to do yet at last he broke the string and came to the top of the water he was almost dead and it took him a long time to get to the shore and when he got there he crawled up onto the bank and lay down to rest and get his breath as he lay there on his back he saw above him the thick growing bullberries whose reflections he had seen in the water he said to himself and I was almost drowned for these then he took a stick and with it began to beat the bullberry bushes he said to the bushes after this the people shall beat you in this way when they want to gather berries the black-feet women when gathering bullberries spread robes under the bushes and beat the branches with sticks knocking off the berries which fall on the robes end of chapter 20 chapter 21 of black-feet indian stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Lucy LaFaro New South Wales, Australia black-feet indian stories by George B. Grinnell chapter 21 old man's stories the theft from the sun one time when old man was on a journey he came to the sun's lodge and went in and sat down and the sun asked him to stay with him for a time old man was glad to do so one day the meat was all gone and the sun said well old man what do you say if we go out and kill some deer? I like what you say said old man deer meat is good the sun took down a bag that was hanging from a lodge pole and took from it a handsome pair of leggings embroidered with porcupine quills and pretty feathers these are my hunting leggings said the sun they have great power when I want to kill deer all I have to do is to put them on and walk around a patch of brush and the leggings set it on fire and drive out the deer so that I can shoot them well well exclaimed old man how wonderful that is he began to think I wish I had such a pair of leggings as that and after he had thought about it some more he made up his mind that he would have those leggings if he had to steal them they went out to hunt and when they came to a patch of brush the sun set it on fire with his hunting leggings a number of deer ran out and each shot one that night when they were going to bed the sun pulled off his leggings and laid them aside old man saw where he had put them and in the middle of the night after everyone was asleep he took the leggings and went away he travelled a long time until he had gone far away and was tired then making a pillow of the leggings he lay down and slept after a while he heard someone speaking and woke up and saw that it was day someone was talking to him the sun was saying old man why are my leggings under your head? old man looked about him and saw that he was in the sun's lodge he thought he must have wandered around and got lost and returned there again the sun spoke and asked what are you doing with my leggings? oh replied old man I could not find anything for a pillow so I put these leggings under my head when night came and all had gone to bed again old man stole the leggings and ran off this time he did not walk at all he kept running until it was almost morning and then laid down and slept when morning came he found himself still in the sun's lodge you see what a fool he was he did not know that the whole world is the sun's lodge he did not know that no matter how far he ran he could not get out of the sun's site this time the sun said old man since you like my leggings so much I give them to you keep them then old man was glad and he went away one day his food was all gone and he put on the hunting leggings and went out and set fire to a piece of brush he was just going to kill some deer that were running out when he saw that the fire was getting close to him he ran away as fast as he could but the fire gained on him and began to burn his legs his leggings were all on fire he came to a river and jumped in and pulled off the leggings as soon as he could they were burnt to pieces perhaps the sun did this because old man tried to steal his leggings end of chapter 21 chapter 22 of Blackfeet Indian Stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Lucy LaFaro New South Wales, Australia Blackfeet Indian Stories by George B. Grinnell chapter 22 old man stories the smart woman chief long ago they tell me men and women did not know each other women were put in one place and men in another they were not together they were apart Hu Hu made us made women first he did not make them very well that is why they are not so strong as men the men he made better so that they were strong the women were the smartest they knew the most they were the first to make piscins and to know how to tan hides and to make moccasins at that time men wore moccasins made from the shank of the buffalo's leg and robes made of wolfskin this was all their clothing one day when old man was travelling about he came to a camp of men and stayed there with them for a long time it was after this that he discovered there were such beings as women one time as he was travelling along he saw two women driving some buffalo over a cliff when old man got near them the women were very much frightened they did not know what kind of animal it was that was coming too much scared to run away they lay down to hide when old man came up to them he thought they were dead and said here are two women who are dead it is not good for them to lie out here on the prairie I must take them to a certain place he looked them all over to see what had killed them but could find no wound he picked up one of the women and carried her along with him in his arms she was wondering how she could get away she let her arms swing loose as if she were dead and at every step old man took the arms swung and hit him in the nose and pretty soon his nose began to bleed and to hurt and at length he put the woman down on the ground and went back to get the other one but while he was gone she had run away and when he came back to get the first one she was gone too so he lost them both this made him angry and he said to himself if these two women will lie there again I will get both of them in this way women found out that there were men one day old man stood on a hill and looked over towards the Piscan at women's falls where the women had driven a band of buffalo over the cliff and afterward were cutting up the meat the chief of the women called him down to the camp and sent word by him to the men asking if they wanted to get wives old man brought back word that they did and the chief woman sent a message calling all the men to a feast in her lodge to be married the woman asked old man how many chiefs are there in that tribe he answered there are four chiefs but the real chief of all that tribe you will know when you see him by this he is finally dressed and wears a robe trimmed and painted red and carries a lance with a bone head on each end old man wanted to marry the chief of the women and intended to dress in this way and that is why he told her that old man had no moccasins his will all worn out the women gave him some for himself and also some to take back to give to the men and he went back to the men's camp when he reached it word went out that he had returned and all the men said to each other he has got back old man has come again he gave the men the message that the women had sent and soon the men started for the women's camp to get married when they came near it they went up on a bluff and stood there looking down on the camp old man had dressed himself finally and had put on a trimmed robe painted red and in his hand held a lance with a bone head on each end when the women saw that the men had come they got ready to go and select their husbands the chief of the women said I am the chief I will go first and take the man alike the rest wait here the woman chief started up the hill to choose the chief of the men for her husband she had been making dried meat and her hands, arms and clothing were covered with blood and grease she was dirty and old man did not know her the woman went up to old man to choose him but he turned his back on her and would not go with her she went back to her camp and told the women that she had been refused because her clothes were dirty she said now I am going to put on my nice clothes and choose a man all of you can go up and take men but let no one take that man with the red robe and the double headed lance after she was nicely dressed the chief woman again went up on the hill now old man knew who she was and he kept getting in front of her and trying hard to have her take him but she would not notice him and took another man the one standing next to old man then the other women began to come and they kept coming up and choosing men but no one took old man and at last all the men were taken and he was left standing there alone this made him so angry that he wanted to do something and he went down to the women's piscan and began to break down its walls so the chief of the women turned him into a pine tree