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left side of my backbone。 I am nearly dead with pain and if you
kick me good and hard it will cure me。〃 〃All right； grandma；〃 said
the boy。 The old witch lay down on the floor and the boy started
in to kick。 At the first kick he barely touched her。 〃Kick as
hard as you can； grandson； don't be afraid you will hurt me；
because you can't。〃 With that Stone Boy let drive and broke two
ribs。 She commenced to yell and beg him to stop； but he kept on
kicking until he had kicked both sides of her ribs loose from the
backbone。 Then he jumped on her backbone and broke it and killed
the old witch。
He built a big fire outside and dragged her body to it； and threw
her into the fire。 Thus ended the old woman who was going to turn
his uncles into horses。
Next he cut willows and stuck them into the ground in a circle。
The tops he pulled together； making a wickieup。 He then took the
old woman's robes and blankets and covered the wickieup so that no
air could get inside。 He then gathered sage brush and covered the
floor with a good thick bed of sage； got nice round stones and got
them red hot in the fire； and placed them in the wickieup and
proceeded to carry his uncles out of the hut and lay them down on
the soft bed of sage。 Having completed carrying and depositing
them around the pile of rocks； he got a bucket of water and poured
it on the hot rocks； which caused a great vapor in the little
wickieup。 He waited a little while and then listened and
heard some breathing inside； so he got another bucket and poured
that on also。 After awhile he could hear noises inside as though
some one were moving about。 He went again and got the third bucket
and after he had poured that on the rocks； one of the men inside
said： 〃Whoever you are； good friend； don't bring us to life only to
scald us to death again。〃 Stone boy then said： 〃Are all of you
alive？〃 〃Yes；〃 said the voice。 〃Well； come out；〃 said the boy。
And with that he threw off the robes and blankets； and a great
cloud of vapor arose and settled around the top of the highest peak
on the long range； and from that did Smoky Range derive its name。
The uncles； when they heard who the boy was； were very happy； and
they all returned together to the anxiously waiting sister。 As
soon as they got home； the brothers worked hard to gather enough
wood to last them all winter。 Game they could get at all times of
the year； but the heavy fall of snow covered most of the dry wood
and also made it very difficult to drag wood through the deep snow。
So they took advantage of the nice fall weather and by the time the
snow commenced falling they had enough wood gathered to last them
throughout the winter。 After the snow fell a party of boys swiftly
coasted down the big hill west of the brothers' hut。 The Stone boy
used to stand and watch them for hours at a time。 His youngest
uncle said： 〃Why don't you go up and coast with them？〃 The boy
said： 〃They may be afraid of me； but I guess I will try once；
anyway。〃 So the next morning when the crowd came coasting； Stone
boy started for the hill。 When he had nearly reached the bottom of
the coasting hill all of the boys ran off excepting two little
fellows who had a large coaster painted in different colors and had
little bells tied around the edges； so when the coaster was in
motion the bells made a cheerful tinkling sound。 As Stone boy
started up the hill the two little fellows started down and went
past him as though shot from a hickory bow。
When they got to the end of their slide； they got off and started
back up the hill。 It being pretty steep； Stone boy waited for
them； so as to lend a hand to pull the big coaster up the hill。 As
the two little fellows came up with him he knew at once that they
were twins； as they looked so much alike that the only way one
could be distinguished from the other was by the scarfs they wore。
One wore red； the other black。 He at once offered to help them
drag their coaster to the top of the hill。 When they got to the
top the twins offered their coaster to him to try a ride。 At first
he refused； but they insisted on his taking it； as they said they
would sooner rest until he came back。 So he got on the coaster and
flew down the hill； only he was such an expert he made a zigzag
course going down and also jumped the coaster off a bank about four
feet high； which none of the other coasters dared to tackle。 Being
very heavy； however； he nearly smashed the coaster。 Upon seeing
this wonderful jump； and the zigzag course he had taken going down；
the twins went wild with excitement and decided that they would
have him take them down when he got back。 So upon his arrival at
the starting point； they both asked him at once to give them the
pleasure of the same kind of a ride he had taken。 He refused；
saying： 〃We will break your coaster。 I alone nearly smashed it；
and if we all get on and make the same kind of a jump； I am afraid
you will have to go home without your coaster。〃
〃Well； take us down anyway； and if we break it our father will make
us another one。〃 So he finally consented。 When they were all
seated ready to start； he told them that when the coaster made the
jump they must look straight ahead。 〃By no means look down；
because if you do we will go over the cut bank and land in a heap
at the bottom of the gulch。〃
They said they would obey what he said； so off they started swifter
than ever； on account of the extra weight； and so swiftly did the
sleigh glide over the packed； frozen snow； that it nearly took the
twins' breath away。 Like an arrow they approached the
jump。 The twins began to get a little nervous。 〃Sit steady and
look straight ahead；〃 yelled Stone boy。 The twin next to Stone
boy； who was steering behind； sat upright and looked far ahead； but
the one in front crouched down and looked into the coulee。 Of
course； Stone boy； being behind； fell on top of the twins； and
being so heavy； killed both of them instantly； crushing them to a
jelly。
The rest of the boys； seeing what had happened； hastened to the
edge of the bank； and looking down； saw the twins laying dead； and
Stone boy himself knocked senseless； lying quite a little distance
from the twins。 The boys； thinking that all three were
killed； and that Stone boy had purposely steered the sleigh over
the bank in such a way that it would tip and kill the twins；
returned to the village with this report。 Now； these twins were
the sons of the head chief of the Buffalo Nation。 So at once the
chief and his scouts went over to the hill to see if the boys had
told the truth。
When they arrived at the bank they saw the twins lying dead； but
where was Stone boy？ They looked high and low through the gulch；
but not a sign of him could they find。 Tenderly they picked up the
dead twins and carried them home； then held a big council and put
away the bodies of the dead in Buffalo custom。
A few days after this the uncles were returning from a long
journey。 When they drew near their home they noticed large droves
of buffalo gathered on their side of the range。 Hardly any buffalo
ever ranged on this east side of the range before； and the brothers
thought it strange that so many should so suddenly appear there
now。
When they arrived at home their sister told them what had happened
to the chief's twins； as her son had told her the whole story upon
his arrival at home after the accident。
〃Well； probably all the buffalo we saw were here for the council
and funeral；〃 said the older brother。 〃But where is my nephew？〃
（Stone boy） he asked his sister。 〃He said he had noticed a great
many buffalo around lately and he was going to learn； if possible；
what their object was；〃 said the sister。 〃Well； we will
wait until his return。〃
When Stone boy left on his trip that morning； before the return of
his uncles； he was determined to ascertain what might be the
meaning of so many buffalo so near the home of himself and uncles。
He approached several bunches of young buffalo； but upon
seeing him approaching they would scamper over the hills。 Thus he
wandered from bunch to bunch； scattering them all。 Finally he grew
tired of their cowardice and started for home。 When he had come to
within a half mile or so of home he saw an old shaggy buffalo
standing by a large boulder； rubbing on it first one horn and then
the other。 On coming up close to him； the boy saw that the bull
was so old he could hardly see； and his horns so blunt that he
could have rubbed them for a year on that boulder and not sharpened
them so as to hurt anyone。
〃What are you doing here； grandfather？〃 asked the boy。
〃I am sharpening my horns for the war；〃 said the bull。
〃What war？〃 asked the boy。
〃Haven't you heard；〃 said the old bull； who was so near sighted he
did not recognize Stone boy。 〃The chief's twins were killed by
Ston