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myths and legends of the sioux-第2部分

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〃I love my little cousin well and will ask her to let me carry her

pet rabbit around;〃 (for thus do Indian women when they wish to

honor a friend; they ask permission to carry about the friend's

babe)。



She then went to the little girl and said:



〃Cousin; let me carry your pet rabbit about on my back。  Thus shall

I show you how I love you。〃



Her mother; too; said to her: 〃Oh no; do not let our little

grandchild go away from our tepee。〃



But the cousin answered: 〃Oh; do let me carry it。 I do so want to

show my cousin honor。〃  At last they let her go away with the pet

rabbit on her back。



When the little girl's cousin came home to her tepee; some rough

boys who were playing about began to make sport of her。  To tease

the little girl they threw stones and sticks at the pet rabbit。  At

last a stick struck the little rabbit upon the head and

killed it。



When her pet was brought home dead; the little rabbit's adopted

mother wept bitterly。  She cut off her hair for mourning and all

her little girl friends wailed with her。  Her mother; too; mourned

with them。



〃Alas!〃 they cried; 〃alas; for the little rabbit。  He was always

kind and gentle。  Now your child is dead and you will be lonesome。〃



The little girl's mother called in her little friends and made a

great mourning feast for the little rabbit。  As he lay in the tepee

his adopted mother's little friends brought many precious things

and covered his body。  At the feast were given away robes and

kettles and blankets and knives and great wealth in honor of the

little rabbit。  Him they wrapped in a robe with his little

moccasins on and buried him in a high place upon a scaffold。













THE PET DONKEY



There was a chief's daughter once who had a great many relations so

that everybody knew she belonged to a great family。



When she grew up she married and there were born to her twin sons。 

This caused great rejoicing in her father's camp; and all the

village women came to see the babes。  She was very happy。



As the babes grew older; their grandmother made for them two saddle

bags and brought out a donkey。



〃My two grandchildren;〃 said the old lady; 〃shall ride as is

becoming to children having so many relations。  Here is this

donkey。  He is patient and surefooted。  He shall carry the babes in

the saddle bags; one on either side of his back。〃



It happened one day that the chief's daughter and her husband were

making ready to go on a camping journey。  The father; who was quite

proud of his children; brought out his finest pony; and put the

saddle bags on the pony's back。



〃There;〃 he said; 〃my sons shall ride on the pony; not on a donkey;

let the donkey carry the pots and kettles。〃



So his wife loaded the donkey with the household things。  She tied

the tepee poles into two great bundles; one on either side of the

donkey's back; across them she put the travois net and threw into

it the pots and kettles and laid the skin tent across the donkey's

back。



But no sooner done than the donkey began to rear and bray and kick。 

He broke the tent poles and kicked the pots and kettles into bits

and tore the skin tent。  The more he was beaten the more he kicked。



At last they told the grandmother。  She laughed。  〃Did I not tell

you the donkey was for the children;〃 she cried。  〃He knows the

babies are the chief's children。  Think you he will be dishonored

with pots and kettles?〃 and she fetched the children and slung them

over the donkey's back; when he became at once quiet again。



The camping party left the village and went on their journey。  But

the next day as they passed by a place overgrown with bushes; a

band of enemies rushed out; lashing their ponies and sounding their

war whoop。  All was excitement。  The men bent their bows and seized

their lances。  After a long battle the enemy fled。  But when the

camping party came together againwhere were the donkey and the

two babes?  No one knew。  For a long time they searched; but in

vain。  At last they turned to go back to the village; the father

mournful; the mother wailing。  When they came to the grandmother's

tepee; there stood the good donkey with the two babes in the saddle

bags。













THE RABBIT AND THE ELK



The little rabbit lived with his old grandmother; who needed a new

dress。  〃I will go out and trap a deer or an elk for you;〃 he said。 

〃Then you shall have a new dress。〃



When he went out hunting he laid down his bow in the path while he

looked at his snares。  An elk coming by saw the bow。



〃I will play a joke on the rabbit;〃 said the elk to himself。  〃I

will make him think I have been caught in his bow string。〃  He then

put one foot on the string and lay down as if dead。



By and by the rabbit returned。  When he saw the elk he was filled

with joy and ran home crying: 〃Grandmother; I have trapped a fine

elk。  You shall have a new dress from his skin。  Throw the old one

in the fire!〃



This the old grandmother did。



The elk now sprang to his feet laughing。  〃Ho; friend rabbit;〃 he

called; 〃You thought to trap me; now I have mocked you。〃  And he

ran away into the thicket。



The rabbit who had come back to skin the elk now ran home again。 

〃Grandmother; don't throw your dress in the fire;〃 he cried。  But

it was too late。  The old dress was burned。











THE RABBIT AND THE GROUSE GIRLS



The rabbit once went out on the prairie in winter time。  On the

side of a hill away from the wind he found a great company of girls

all with grey and speckled blankets over their backs。  They were

the grouse girls and they were coasting down hill on a board。  When

the rabbit saw them; he called out:



〃Oh; maidens; that is not a good way to coast down hill。  Let me

get you a fine skin with bangles on it that tinkle as you slide。〃 

And away he ran to the tepee and brought a skin bag。  It had red

stripes on it and bangles that tinkled。  〃Come and get inside;〃 he

said to the grouse girls。  〃Oh; no; we are afraid;〃 they answered。 

〃Don't be afraid; I can't hurt you。  Come; one of you;〃 said the

rabbit。  Then as each hung back he added coaxingly: 〃If each is

afraid alone; come all together。  I can't hurt you all。〃 

And so he coaxed the whole flock into the bag。  This done; the

rabbit closed the mouth of the bag; slung it over his back and came

home。  〃Grandmother;〃 said he; as he came to the tepee; 〃here is a

bag full of game。  Watch it while I go for willow sticks to make

spits。〃



But as soon as the rabbit had gone out of the tent; the grouse

girls began to cry out:



〃Grandmother; let us out。〃



〃Who are you?〃 asked the old woman。



〃Your dear grandchildren;〃 they answered。



〃But how came you in the bag?〃 asked the old woman。



〃Oh; our cousin was jesting with us。  He coaxed us in the bag for

a joke。  Please let us out。〃



〃Certainly; dear grandchildren; I will let you out;〃 said the old

woman as she untied the bag: and lo; the grouse flock with

achuck…a…chuck…achuck flew up; knocking over the old grandmother

and flew out of the square smoke opening of the winter lodge。  The

old woman caught only one grouse as it flew up and held it;

grasping a leg with each hand。



When the rabbit came home with the spits she called out to him:



〃Grandson; come quick。  They got out but I have caught two。〃



When he saw what had happened he was quite angry; yet could not

keep from laughing。



〃Grandmother; you have but one grouse;〃 he cried; and it is a very

skinny one at that。〃













THE FAITHFUL LOVERS



There once lived a chief's daughter who had many relations。  All

the young men in the village wanted to have her for wife; and were

all eager to fill her skin bucket when she went to the brook for

water。



There was a young man in the village who was industrious and a good

hunter; but he was poor and of a mean family。  He loved the maiden

and when she went for water; he threw his robe over her head

while he whispered in her ear:



〃Be my wife。  I have little but I am young and strong。  I will

treat you well; for I love you。〃



For a long time the maiden did not answer; but one day she

whispered back。



〃Yes; you may ask my father's leave to marry me。 But first you must

do something noble。  I belong to a great family and have many

relations。  You must go on a war party and bring back the scalp of

an enemy。〃



The young man answered modestly; 〃I will try to do as you bid me。 

I am only a hunter; not a warrior。  Whether I shall be brave or not

I do not know。  But I will try to take a scalp for your sake。〃



So he made a war party of seven; himself and six other young men。 

They wandered through the enemy's country; hoping to get a chance

to strike a blow。  But none came; for they found no one of the

enemy。



〃Our medicine is unfavorable;〃 said the
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