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going out in search of medicine to rub on my arrows; so I can kill
the witches。〃 〃You will need medicine to rub on yourself when the
chief gets through with you;〃 said the young man who had
discovered that Unktomi was impersonating White Plume。
In the morning the herald announced that the real White Plume had
arrived; and the chief desired the whole nation to witness his
marksmanship。 Then came the cry: 〃The White Buffalo comes。〃
Taking his red arrow; White Plume stood ready。 When the buffalo
got about opposite him; he let his arrow fly。 The buffalo bounded
high in the air and came down with all four feet drawn together
under its body; the red arrow having passed clear through the
animal; piercing the buffalo's heart。 A loud cheer went up from
the village。
〃You shall use the hide for your bed;〃 said the chief to White
Plume。 Next came a cry; 〃the eagle; the eagle。〃 From the north
came an enormous red eagle。 So strong was he; that as he soared
through the air his wings made a humming sound as the rumble of
distant thunder。 On he came; and just as he circled the tent of
the chief; White Plume bent his bow; with all his strength drew the
arrow back to the flint point; and sent the blue arrow on its
mission of death。 So swiftly had the arrow passed through the
eagle's body that; thinking White Plume had missed; a great wail
went up from the crowd; but when they saw the eagle stop in his
flight; give a few flaps of his wings; and then fall with a heavy
thud into the center of the village; there was a greater cheer than
before。 〃The red eagle shall be used to decorate the seat of honor
in your tepee;〃 said the chief to White Plume。 Last came the white
rabbit。 〃Aim good; aim good; son…in…law;〃 said the chief。 〃If you
kill him you will have his skin for a rug。〃 Along came the white
rabbit; and White Plume sent his arrow in search of rabbit's heart;
which it found; and stopped Mr。 Rabbit's tricks forever。
The chief then called all of the people together and before them
all took a hundred willows and broke them one at a time over
Unktomi's back。 Then he turned him loose。 Unktomi; being so
ashamed; ran off into the woods and hid in the deepest and darkest
corner he could find。 This is why Unktomis (spiders) are always
found in dark corners; and anyone who is deceitful or untruthful is
called a descendant of the Unktomi tribe。
STORY OF PRETTY FEATHERED FOREHEAD
There was once a baby boy who came into the world with a small
cluster of different colored feathers grown fast to his forehead。
From this he derived his name; 〃Pretty Feathered Forehead。〃 He was
a very pleasant boy as well as handsome; and he had the respect of
the whole tribe。 When he had grown up to be a young man; he never;
like other young men; made love to any of the tribe's beauties。
Although they were madly in love with him; he never noticed any of
them。 There were many handsome girls in the different camps; but
he passed them by。
One day he said: 〃Father; I am going on a visit to the Buffalo
nation。〃 The father gave his consent; and away went the son。 The
father and mother suspected the object of their son's visit to the
Buffalo nation; and forthwith commenced preparing a fine reception
for their intended daughter…in…law。 The mother sewed together ten
buffalo hides and painted the brave deeds of her husband on them。
This she made into a commodious tent; and had work bags and fine
robes and blankets put inside。 This was to be the tent of their
son and daughter…in…law。 In a few weeks the son returned; bringing
with him a beautiful Buffalo girl。 The parents of the boy gave a
big feast in honor of the occasion; and the son and his wife lived
very happily together。
In the course of time a son came to the young couple; and the
father was very proud of his boy。 When the boy became a year old;
the father said to his wife: 〃I am going for a visit to the Elk
nation。〃 The mother was very sad; as she knew her husband was
going after another wife。 He returned; bringing with him a very
beautiful elk girl。 When the Buffalo woman saw the elk girl she
was very downcast and sad; but the husband said: 〃Don't be sad; she
will do all the heavy work for you。〃
They lived quite happily together for a long time。 The Elk girl
also became the mother of a fine boy。 The two boys had grown up
large enough to play around。 One day the Elk woman was tanning
hides outside and the two boys were playing around near their
mothers; when all at once the buffalo boy ran across the robe;
leaving his tracks on the white robe which his step…mother had
nearly completed。 This provoked the elk woman and she gave vent to
her feelings by scolding the boy: 〃You clumsy flat mouth; why
couldn't you run around my work; instead of across it?〃 The
buffalo cow standing in the door; heard every word that the elk
woman had said; and when she heard her son called flat mouth it
made her very angry; although she did not say a word to any one。
She hurriedly gathered some of her belongings and; calling her son;
she started off in a westerly direction。
The husband being absent on a hunting expedition did not return
until late in the afternoon。 Upon his return his oldest boy always
ran out to meet him; but this time as the boy did not put in an
appearance; the father feared that something had happened to the
boy。 So hurriedly going to his tent he looked around; but failing
to see the boy or his mother; he asked his elk wife; where the boy
and his mother were。 The elk wife answered: 〃She took her boy on
her back and started off in that direction;〃 (pointing towards the
west)。 〃How long has she been gone?〃 〃Since early morning。〃 The
husband hurriedly caught a fresh horse and; without eating
anything; rode off in the direction taken by his buffalo wife and
boy。 Near dark he ascended a high hill and noticed a small tent
down in the valley。 It was a long distance down to the tent; so it
was very late when he arrived there。 He tethered his horse and
went into the tent and found the boy and his mother fast asleep。
Upon lying down beside them the boy awoke; and upon seeing his
father; motioned to him to go outside with him。
On going outside the boy told his father that it would be useless
for him to try and coax his mother to return; as she was too highly
insulted by the elk wife to ever return。 Then the boy told about
what the elk wife had said and that she had called him flat mouth。
〃My mother is determined to return to her people; but if you want
to follow us you may; and perhaps; after she has visited with her
relatives a little while; you may induce her to return with you。
In the morning we are going to start very early; and as the country
we will travel through is very hard soil; I will stamp my feet hard
so as to leave my tracks imprinted in the softest places; then you
will be able to follow the direction