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〃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
Stone boy； who ran them over a cut bank purposely； and the chief
has ordered all of his buffalo to gather here； and when they arrive
we are going to kill Stone boy and his mother and his uncles。〃
〃Is that so？ When is the war to commence？〃
〃In five days from now we will march upon the
uncles and trample and gore them all to death。〃
〃Well； grandfather； I thank you for your information； and in return
will do you a favor that will save you so much hard work on your
blunt horns。〃 So saying he drew a long arrow from his quiver and
strung his bow； attached the arrow to the string and drew the arrow
half way back。 The old bull； not seeing what was going on； and
half expecting some kind of assistance in his horn sharpening
process； stood perfectly still。 Thus spoke Stone boy：
〃Grandfather； you are too old to join in a war now； and besides if
you got mixed up in that big war party you might step in a hole or
stumble and fall and be trampled to death。 That would be a
horrible death； so I will save you all that suffering by just
giving you this。〃 At this word he pulled the arrow back to the
flint head and let it fly。 True to his aim； the arrow went in
behind the old bull's foreleg； and with such force was it sent that
it went clear through the bull and stuck into a tree two hundred
feet away。
Walking over to the tree； he pulled out his arrow。 Coolly
straightening his arrow between his teeth and sighting it for
accuracy； he shoved it back into the quiver with its brothers；
exclaiming： 〃I guess； grandpa； you won't need to sharpen your horns
for Stone boy and his uncles。〃
Upon his arrival home he told his uncles to get to work building
three stockades with ditches between and make the ditches wide and
deep so they will hold plenty of buffalo。 〃The fourth fence I will
build myself；〃 he said。
The brothers got to work early and worked until very late at night。
They built three corrals and dug three ditches around the hut； and
it took them three days to complete the work。 Stone boy hadn't
done a thing towards building his fence yet； and there were
only two days more left before the charge of the buffalo would
commence。 Still the boy didn't seem to bother himself about the
fence。 Instead he had his mother continually cutting arrow sticks；
and as fast as she could bring them he would shape them； feather
and head them。 So by the time his uncles had their fences and
corrals finished he had a thousand arrows finished for each of his
uncles。 The last two days they had to wait； the uncles joined him
and they finished several thousand more arrows。 The evening before
the fifth day he told his uncles to put up four posts； so they
could use them as seats from which to shoot。
While they were doing this； Stone boy went out to scout and see how
things looked。 At daylight he came hurriedly in saying； 〃You had
better get to the first corral； they are coming。〃 〃You haven't
built your fence； nephew。〃 Whereupon Stone boy said： 〃I will build
it in time； don't worry； uncle。〃 The dust on the hillsides rose as
great clouds of smoke from a forest fire。 Soon the leaders of the
charge came in sight； and upon seeing the timber stockade they gave
forth a great snort or roar that fairly shook the earth。 Thousands
upon thousands of mad buffalo charged upon the little fort。 The
leaders hit the first stockade and it soon gave way。 The maddened
buffalo pushed forward by the thousands behind them； plunged
forward； only to fall into the first ditch and be trampled to death
by those behind them。 The brothers were not slow in using their
arrows； and many a noble beast went down before their deadly aim
with a little flint pointed arrow buried deep in his heart。
The second stockade stood their charge a little longer than did the
first； but finally this gave way； and the leaders pushed on
through； only to fall into the second ditch and meet a similar fate
to those in the first。 The brothers commenced to look anxiously
towards their nephew； as there was only one more stockade left； and
the second ditch was nearly bridged over with dead buffalo； with
the now thrice maddened buffalo attacking the last stockade more
furiously than before； as they could see the little hut through the
openings in the corral。
〃Come in； uncles；〃 shouted Stone boy。 They obeyed him； and
stepping to the center he said： 〃Watch me build my fence。〃 Suiting
the words； he took from his belt an arrow with a white stone
fastened to the point and fastening it to his bow； he shot it high
in the air。 Straight up into the air it went； for two or three
thousand feet； then seemed to stop suddenly and turned with point
down and descended as swiftly as it had ascended。 Upon striking
the ground a high stone wall arose； enclosing the hut and all who
were inside。 Just then the buffalo broke the last stockade only to
fill the last ditch up again。 In vain did the leaders butt the
stone wall。 They hurt themselves； broke their horns and mashed
their snouts； but could not even scar the wall。
The uncles and Stone boy in the meantime rained arrows of death
into their ranks。
When the buffalo chief saw what they had to contend with； he
ordered the fight off。 The crier or herald sang out： 〃Come away；
come away； Stone boy and his uncles will kill all of us。〃
So the buffalo withdrew； leaving over two thousand of their dead
and wounded on the field； only to be skinned and put away for the
feasts of Stone boy and his uncles； who lived to be great chiefs of
their own tribe； and whose many relations soon joined them on the
banks of Stone Boy Creek。
THE UNKTOMI （SPIDER）； TWO WIDOWS；
AND THE RED PLUMS
There once lived； in a remote part of a great forest； two widowed
sisters； with their little babies。 One day there came to their
tent a visitor who was called Unktomi （spider）。 He had found some
nice red plums during his wanderings in the forest； and he said to
himself； 〃I will keep these plums and fool the two widows with
them。〃 After the widows had bidden him be seated； he presented
them with the plums。
On seeing them they exclaimed 〃hi nu； hi nu （an exclamation of
surprise）； where did you get those fine plums？〃 Unktomi arose and
pointing to a crimson tipped cloud； said： 〃You see that red cloud？
Directly underneath it is a patch of plums。 So large is the patch
and so red and beautiful are the plums that it is the reflection of
them on the cloud that you see。〃
〃Oh； how we wish some one would take care of our babies； while we
go over there and pick some；〃 said the sisters。 〃Why； I am not in
any particular hurry； so if you want to go I will take care of my
little nephews until you return。〃 （Unktomi always claimed
relationship with everyone he met）。 〃Well brother；〃 said the older
widow； 〃take good care of them and we will be back as soon as
possible。〃
The two then took a sack in which to gather the plums； and started
off towards the cloud with the crimson lining。 Scarcely had they
gone from Unktomi's sight when he took the babies out of their
swinging hammocks and cut off first one head and then the other。
He then took some old blankets and rolled them in the shape of a
baby body and laid one in each hammock。 Then he took the heads and
put them in place in their different hammocks。 The bodies he cut
up and threw into a large kettle。 This he placed over a rousing
fire。 Then he mixed Indian turnips and arikara squash with the
baby meat and soon had a kettle of soup。 Just about the time the
soup was ready to serve the widows returned。 They were tired and
hungry and not a plum had they。 Unktomi； hearing the approach of
the two； hurriedly dished out the baby soup in two wooden dishes
and then seated himself near the door so that he could get out
easily。 Upon the entrance of the widows； Unktomi exclaimed：
〃Sisters； I had brought some meat with me and I cooked some turnips
and squash with it and made a pot of fine soup。 The babies have
just fallen asleep； so don't waken them until you have
finished eating； for I know that you are nearly starved。〃 The two
fell to at once and after they had somewhat appeased their
appetites； one of them arose and went over to see how her baby was
resting。 Noting an unnatural color on her baby's face； she raised
him up only to have his head roll off from the bundle of blankets。
〃'My son！ my son！〃 she cried out。 At once the other hastened to
her baby and grabbed it up； only to have the same thing happen。 At
once they surmised who had done this； and caught up sticks from the
fire with which to beat Unktomi to death。 He； expecting something
like this to happen； lost very little time in getting outside and
down into a hole at the roots of