OLD INDIAN LEGENDS

Retold By Zitkala-Sa

ITKALA-SA. 

CONTENTS

 IKTOMI AND THE DUCKS IKTOMI'S BLANKET IKTOMI AND THE MUSKRAT IKTOMI AND THE COYOTE IKTOMI AND THE FAWN THE BADGER AND THE BEAR THE TREE-BOUND SHOOTING OF THE RED EAGLE IKTOMI AND THE TURTLE DANCE IN A BUFFALO SKULL THE TOAD AND THE BOY IYA, THE CAMP-EATER MANSTIN, THE RABBIT THE WARLIKE SEVEN

OLD INDIAN LEGENDS

IKTOMI AND THE DUCKS

IKTOMI is a spider fairy. He wears brown deerskin leggins with long softfringes on either side, and tiny beaded moccasins on his feet. His longblack hair is parted in the middle and wrapped with red, red bands. Each round braid hangs over a small brown ear and falls forward over hisshoulders. 

He even paints his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big blackrings around his eyes. He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright coloredbeads sewed tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota brave. Intruth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him--if ever dressis part of man or fairy. 

Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief. Heprefers to spread a snare rather than to earn the smallest thing withhonest hunting. Why! he laughs outright with wide open mouth when somesimple folk are caught in a trap, sure and fast. 

He never dreams another lives so bright as he. Often his own conceitleads him hard against the common sense of simpler people. 

Poor Iktomi cannot help being a little imp. And so long as he is anaughty fairy, he cannot find a single friend. No one helps him whenhe is in trouble. No one really loves him. Those who come to admire hishandsome beaded jacket and long fringed leggins soon go away sick andtired of his vain, vain words and heartless laughter. 

Thus Iktomi lives alone in a cone-shaped wigwam upon the plain. One dayhe sat hungry within his teepee. Suddenly he rushed out, dragging afterhim his blanket. Quickly spreading it on the ground, he tore up dry tallgrass with both his hands and tossed it fast into the blanket. 

Tying all the four corners together in a knot, he threw the light bundleof grass over his shoulder. 

Snatching up a slender willow stick with his free left hand, he startedoff with a hop and a leap. From side to side bounced the bundle on hisback, as he ran light-footed over the uneven ground. Soon he came to theedge of the great level land. On the hilltop he paused for breath. Withwicked smacks of his dry parched lips, as if tasting some tender meat, he looked straight into space toward the marshy river bottom. With athin palm shading his eyes from the western sun, he peered far away intothe lowlands, munching his own cheeks all the while. "Ah-ha!" gruntedhe, satisfied with what he saw. 

A group of wild ducks were dancing and feasting in the marshes. Withwings outspread, tip to tip, they moved up and down in a large circle. Within the ring, around a small drum, sat the chosen singers, noddingtheir heads and blinking their eyes. 

They sang in unison a merry dance-song, and beat a lively tattoo on thedrum. 

Following a winding footpath near by, came a bent figure of a Dakotabrave. He bore on his back a very large bundle. With a willow cane hepropped himself up as he staggered along beneath his burden. 

"Ho! who is there?" called out a curious old duck, still bobbing up anddown in the circular dance. 

Hereupon the drummers stretched their necks till they strangled theirsong for a look at the stranger passing by. 

"Ho, Iktomi! Old fellow, pray tell us what you carry in your blanket. Donot hurry off! Stop! halt!" urged one of the singers. 

"Stop! stay! Show us what is in your blanket!" cried out other voices. 

"My friends, I must not spoil your dance. Oh, you would not care to seeif you only knew what is in my blanket. Sing on! dance on! I must notshow you what I carry on my back, " answered Iktomi, nudging his ownsides with his elbows. This reply broke up the ring entirely. Now allthe ducks crowded about Iktomi. 

"We must see what you carry! We must know what is in your blanket!"they shouted in both his ears. Some even brushed their wings against themysterious bundle. Nudging himself again, wily Iktomi said, "My friends, 't is only a pack of songs I carry in my blanket. "

"Oh, then let us hear your songs!" cried the curious ducks. 

At length Iktomi consented to sing his songs. With delight all the ducksflapped their wings and cried together, "Hoye! hoye!"

Iktomi, with great care, laid down his bundle on the ground. 

"I will build first a round straw house, for I never sing my songs inthe open air, " said he. 

Quickly he bent green willow sticks, planting both ends of each poleinto the earth. These he covered thick with reeds and grasses. Soon thestraw hut was ready. One by one the fat ducks waddled in through a smallopening, which was the only entrance way. Beside the door Iktomi stoodsmiling, as the ducks, eyeing his bundle of songs, strutted into thehut. 

In a strange low voice Iktomi began his queer old tunes. All the duckssat round-eyed in a circle about the mysterious singer. It was dim inthat straw hut, for Iktomi had not forgot to cover up the small entranceway. All of a sudden his song burst into full voice. As the startledducks sat uneasily on the ground, Iktomi changed his tune into a minorstrain. These were the words he sang:

"Istokmus wacipo, tuwayatunwanpi kinhan ista nisasapi kta, " which is, "With eyes closed you must dance. He who dares to open his eyes, foreverred eyes shall have. "

Up rose the circle of seated ducks and holding their wings close againsttheir sides began to dance to the rhythm of Iktomi's song and drum. 

With eyes closed they did dance! Iktomi ceased to beat his drum. Hebegan to sing louder and faster. He seemed to be moving about in thecenter of the ring. No duck dared blink a wink. Each one shut his eyesvery tight and danced even harder. Up and down! Shifting to the right ofthem they hopped round and round in that blind dance. It was a difficultdance for the curious folk. 

At length one of the dancers could close his eyes no longer! It was aSkiska who peeped the least tiny blink at Iktomi within the center ofthe circle. "Oh! oh!" squawked he in awful terror! "Run! fly! Iktomi istwisting your heads and breaking your necks! Run out and fly! fly!"he cried. Hereupon the ducks opened their eyes. There beside Iktomi'sbundle of songs lay half of their crowd--flat on their backs. 

Out they flew through the opening Skiska had made as he rushed forthwith his alarm. 

But as they soared high into the blue sky they cried to one another:"Oh! your eyes are red-red!" "And yours are red-red!" For the warningwords of the magic minor strain had proven true. "Ah-ha!" laughedIktomi, untying the four corners of his blanket, "I shall sit no morehungry within my dwelling. " Homeward he trudged along with nice fatducks in his blanket. He left the little straw hut for the rains andwinds to pull down. 

Having reached his own teepee on the high level lands, Iktomi kindleda large fire out of doors. He planted sharp-pointed sticks around theleaping flames. On each stake he fastened a duck to roast. A few heburied under the ashes to bake. Disappearing within his teepee, he cameout again with some huge seashells. These were his dishes. Placing oneunder each roasting duck, he muttered, "The sweet fat oozing out willtaste well with the hard-cooked breasts. "

Heaping more willows upon the fire, Iktomi sat down on the ground withcrossed shins. A long chin between his knees pointed toward the redflames, while his eyes were on the browning ducks. 

Just above his ankles he clasped and unclasped his long bony fingers. Now and then he sniffed impatiently the savory odor. 

The brisk wind which stirred the fire also played with a squeaky oldtree beside Iktomi's wigwam. 

From side to side the tree was swaying and crying in an old man's voice, "Help! I'll break! I'll fall!" Iktomi shrugged his great shoulders, butdid not once take his eyes from the ducks. The dripping of amber oilinto pearly dishes, drop by drop, pleased his hungry eyes. Still the oldtree man called for help. "He! What sound is it that makes my ear ache!"exclaimed Iktomi, holding a hand on his ear. 

He rose and looked around. The squeaking came from the tree. Then hebegan climbing the tree to find the disagreeable sound. He placed hisfoot right on a cracked limb without seeing it. Just then a whiff ofwind came rushing by and pressed together the broken edges. There in astrong wooden hand Iktomi's foot was caught. 

"Oh! my foot is crushed!" he howled like a coward. In vain he pulled andpuffed to free himself. 

While sitting a prisoner on the tree he spied, through his tears, a packof gray wolves roaming over the level lands. Waving his hands towardthem, he called in his loudest voice, "He! Gray wolves! Don't you comehere! I'm caught fast in the tree so that my duck feast is getting cold. Don't you come to eat up my meal. "

The leader of the pack upon hearing Iktomi's words turned to hiscomrades and said:

"Ah! hear the foolish fellow! He says he has a duck feast to be eaten!Let us hurry there for our share!" Away bounded the wolves towardIktomi's lodge. 

From the tree Iktomi watched the hungry wolves eat up his nicely brownedfat ducks. His foot pained him more and more. He heard them crack thesmall round bones with their strong long teeth and eat out the oilymarrow. Now severe pains shot up from his foot through his whole body. "Hin-hin-hin!" sobbed Iktomi. Real tears washed brown streaks across hisred-painted cheeks. Smacking their lips, the wolves began to leave theplace, when Iktomi cried out like a pouting child, "At least you haveleft my baking under the ashes!"

"Ho! Po!" shouted the mischievous wolves; "he says more ducks are to befound under the ashes! Come! Let us have our fill this once!"

Running back to the dead fire, they pawed out the ducks with such rudehaste that a cloud of ashes rose like gray smoke over them. 

"Hin-hin-hin!" moaned Iktomi, when the wolves had scampered off. Alltoo late, the sturdy breeze returned, and, passing by, pulled apart thebroken edges of the tree. Iktomi was released. But alas! he had no duckfeast. 

IKTOMI'S BLANKET

ALONE within his teepee sat Iktomi. The sun was but a handsbreadth fromthe western edge of land. 

"Those, bad, bad gray wolves! They ate up all my nice fat ducks!"muttered he, rocking his body to and fro. 

He was cuddling the evil memory he bore those hungry wolves. At last heceased to sway his body backward and forward, but sat still and stiff asa stone image. 

"Oh! I'll go to Inyan, the great-grandfather, and pray for food!" heexclaimed. 

At once he hurried forth from his teepee and, with his blanket over oneshoulder, drew nigh to a huge rock on a hillside. 

With half-crouching, half-running strides, he fell upon Inyan withoutspread hands. 

"Grandfather! pity me. I am hungry. I am starving. Give me food. Great-grandfather, give me meat to eat!" he cried. All the while hestroked and caressed the face of the great stone god. 

The all-powerful Great Spirit, who makes the trees and grass, can hearthe voice of those who pray in many varied ways. The hearing ofInyan, the large hard stone, was the one most sought after. He was thegreat-grandfather, for he had sat upon the hillside many, many seasons. He had seen the prairie put on a snow-white blanket and then change itfor a bright green robe more than a thousand times. 

Still unaffected by the myriad moons he rested on the everlasting hill, listening to the prayers of Indian warriors. Before the finding of themagic arrow he had sat there. 

Now, as Iktomi prayed and wept before the great-grandfather, the sky inthe west was red like a glowing face. The sunset poured a soft mellowlight upon the huge gray stone and the solitary figure beside it. Itwas the smile of the Great Spirit upon the grandfather and the waywardchild. 

The prayer was heard. Iktomi knew it. "Now, grandfather, accept myoffering; 'tis all I have, " said Iktomi as he spread his half-wornblanket upon Inyan's cold shoulders. Then Iktomi, happy with the smileof the sunset sky, followed a footpath leading toward a thicketedravine. He had not gone many paces into the shrubbery when before himlay a freshly wounded deer!

"This is the answer from the red western sky!" cried Iktomi with handsuplifted. 

Slipping a long thin blade from out his belt, he cut large chunks ofchoice meat. Sharpening some willow sticks, he planted them around awood-pile he had ready to kindle. On these stakes he meant to roast thevenison. 

While he was rubbing briskly two long sticks to start a fire, the sun inthe west fell out of the sky below the edge of land. Twilight was overall. Iktomi felt the cold night air upon his bare neck and shoulders. "Ough!" he shivered as he wiped his knife on the grass. Tucking it in abeaded case hanging from his belt, Iktomi stood erect, looking about. He shivered again. "Ough! Ah! I am cold. I wish I had my blanket!"whispered he, hovering over the pile of dry sticks and the sharp stakesround about it. Suddenly he paused and dropped his hands at his sides. 

"The old great-grandfather does not feel the cold as I do. He does notneed my old blanket as I do. I wish I had not given it to him. Oh! Ithink I'll run up there and take it back!" said he, pointing his longchin toward the large gray stone. 

Iktomi, in the warm sunshine, had no need of his blanket, and it hadbeen very easy to part with a thing which he could not miss. But thechilly night wind quite froze his ardent thank-offering. 

Thus running up the hillside, his teeth chattering all the way, he drewnear to Inyan, the sacred symbol. Seizing one corner of the half-wornblanket, Iktomi pulled it off with a jerk. 

"Give my blanket back, old grandfather! You do not need it. I do!" Thiswas very wrong, yet Iktomi did it, for his wit was not wisdom. Drawingthe blanket tight over his shoulders, he descended the hill withhurrying feet. 

He was soon upon the edge of the ravine. A young moon, like a brightbent bow, climbed up from the southwest horizon a little way into thesky. 

In this pale light Iktomi stood motionless as a ghost amid the thicket. His woodpile was not yet kindled. His pointed stakes were still bare ashe had left them. But where was the deer--the venison he had felt warmin his hands a moment ago? It was gone. Only the dry rib bones lay onthe ground like giant fingers from an open grave. Iktomi was troubled. At length, stooping over the white dried bones, he took hold of one andshook it. The bones, loose in their sockets, rattled together at histouch. Iktomi let go his hold. He sprang back amazed. And though he worea blanket his teeth chattered more than ever. Then his blunted sensewill surprise you, little reader; for instead of being grieved that hehad taken back his blanket, he cried aloud, "Hin-hin-hin! If only I hadeaten the venison before going for my blanket!"

Those tears no longer moved the hand of the Generous Giver. They wereselfish tears. The Great Spirit does not heed them ever. 

IKTOMI AND THE MUSKRAT

BESIDE a white lake, beneath a large grown willow tree, sat Iktomi onthe bare ground. The heap of smouldering ashes told of a recent openfire. With ankles crossed together around a pot of soup, Iktomi bentover some delicious boiled fish. 

Fast he dipped his black horn spoon into the soup, for he was ravenous. Iktomi had no regular meal times. Often when he was hungry he wentwithout food. 

Well hid between the lake and the wild rice, he looked nowhere save intothe pot of fish. Not knowing when the next meal would be, he meant toeat enough now to last some time. 

"How, how, my friend!" said a voice out of the wild rice. Iktomistarted. He almost choked with his soup. He peered through the longreeds from where he sat with his long horn spoon in mid-air. 

"How, my friend!" said the voice again, this time close at his side. Iktomi turned and there stood a dripping muskrat who had just come outof the lake. 

"Oh, it is my friend who startled me. I wondered if among the wild ricesome spirit voice was talking. How, how, my friend!" said Iktomi. Themuskrat stood smiling. On his lips hung a ready "Yes, my friend, " whenIktomi would ask, "My friend, will you sit down beside me and share myfood?"

That was the custom of the plains people. Yet Iktomi sat silent. Hehummed an old dance-song and beat gently on the edge of the pot with hisbuffalo-horn spoon. The muskrat began to feel awkward before such lackof hospitality and wished himself under water. 

After many heart throbs Iktomi stopped drumming with his horn ladle, andlooking upward into the muskrat's face, he said:

"My friend, let us run a race to see who shall win this pot of fish. IfI win, I shall not need to share it with you. If you win, you shall havehalf of it. " Springing to his feet, Iktomi began at once to tighten thebelt about his waist. 

"My friend Ikto, I cannot run a race with you! I am not a swift runner, and you are nimble as a deer. We shall not run any race together, "answered the hungry muskrat. 

For a moment Iktomi stood with a hand on his long protruding chin. Hiseyes were fixed upon something in the air. The muskrat looked out of thecorners of his eyes without moving his head. He watched the wily Iktomiconcocting a plot. 

"Yes, yes, " said Iktomi, suddenly turning his gaze upon the unwelcomevisitor; "I shall carry a large stone on my back. That will slacken myusual speed; and the race will be a fair one. "

Saying this he laid a firm hand upon the muskrat's shoulder and startedoff along the edge of the lake. When they reached the opposite sideIktomi pried about in search of a heavy stone. 

He found one half-buried in the shallow water. Pulling it out upon dryland, he wrapped it in his blanket. 

"Now, my friend, you shall run on the left side of the lake, I on theother. The race is for the boiled fish in yonder kettle!" said Iktomi. 

The muskrat helped to lift the heavy stone upon Iktomi's back. Thenthey parted. Each took a narrow path through the tall reeds fringing theshore. Iktomi found his load a heavy one. Perspiration hung like beadson his brow. His chest heaved hard and fast. 

He looked across the lake to see how far the muskrat had gone, butnowhere did he see any sign of him. "Well, he is running low under thewild rice!" said he. Yet as he scanned the tall grasses on the lakeshore, he saw not one stir as if to make way for the runner. "Ah, has hegone so fast ahead that the disturbed grasses in his trail have quietedagain?" exclaimed Iktomi. With that thought he quickly dropped the heavystone. "No more of this!" said he, patting his chest with both hands. 

Off with a springing bound, he ran swiftly toward the goal. Tufts ofreeds and grass fell flat under his feet. Hardly had they raised theirheads when Iktomi was many paces gone. 

Soon he reached the heap of cold ashes. Iktomi halted stiff as if he hadstruck an invisible cliff. His black eyes showed a ring of white aboutthem as he stared at the empty ground. There was no pot of boiled fish!There was no water-man in sight! "Oh, if only I had shared my food likea real Dakota, I would not have lost it all! Why did I not know themuskrat would run through the water? He swims faster than I could everrun! That is what he has done. He has laughed at me for carrying aweight on my back while he shot hither like an arrow!"

Crying thus to himself, Iktomi stepped to the water's brink. He stoopedforward with a hand on each bent knee and peeped far into the deepwater. 

"There!" he exclaimed, "I see you, my friend, sitting with your ankleswound around my little pot of fish! My friend, I am hungry. Give me abone!"

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the water-man, the muskrat. The sound did not riseup out of the lake, for it came down from overhead. With his hands stillon his knees, Iktomi turned his face upward into the great willow tree. Opening wide his mouth he begged, "My friend, my friend, give me a boneto gnaw!"

"Ha! ha!" laughed the muskrat, and leaning over the limb he sat upon, he let fall a small sharp bone which dropped right into Iktomi's throat. Iktomi almost choked to death before he could get it out. In the treethe muskrat sat laughing loud. "Next time, say to a visiting friend, 'Beseated beside me, my friend. Let me share with you my food. '"

IKTOMI AND THE COYOTE

AFAR off upon a large level land, a summer sun was shining bright. Hereand there over the rolling green were tall bunches of coarse gray weeds. Iktomi in his fringed buckskins walked alone across the prairie witha black bare head glossy in the sunlight. He walked through the grasswithout following any well-worn footpath. 

From one large bunch of coarse weeds to another he wound his way aboutthe great plain. He lifted his foot lightly and placed it gently forwardlike a wildcat prowling noiselessly through the thick grass. He stoppeda few steps away from a very large bunch of wild sage. From shoulder toshoulder he tilted his head. Still farther he bent from side to side, first low over one hip and then over the other. Far forward he stooped, stretching his long thin neck like a duck, to see what lay under a furcoat beyond the bunch of coarse grass. 

A sleek gray-faced prairie wolf! his pointed black nose tucked inbetween his four feet drawn snugly together; his handsome bushy tailwound over his nose and feet; a coyote fast asleep in the shadow of abunch of grass!--this is what Iktomi spied. Carefully he raised one footand cautiously reached out with his toes. Gently, gently he lifted thefoot behind and placed it before the other. Thus he came nearer andnearer to the round fur ball lying motionless under the sage grass. 

Now Iktomi stood beside it, looking at the closed eyelids that did notquiver the least bit. Pressing his lips into straight lines and noddinghis head slowly, he bent over the wolf. He held his ear close to thecoyote's nose, but not a breath of air stirred from it. 

"Dead!" said he at last. "Dead, but not long since he ran over theseplains! See! there in his paw is caught a fresh feather. He is nicefat meat!" Taking hold of the paw with the bird feather fast on it, heexclaimed, "Why, he is still warm! I'll carry him to my dwelling andhave a roast for my evening meal. Ah-ha!" he laughed, as he seized thecoyote by its two fore paws and its two hind feet and swung him overhead across his shoulders. The wolf was large and the teepee was faracross the prairie. Iktomi trudged along with his burden, smacking hishungry lips together. He blinked his eyes hard to keep out the saltyperspiration streaming down his face. 

All the while the coyote on his back lay gazing into the sky with wideopen eyes. His long white teeth fairly gleamed as he smiled and smiled. 

"To ride on one's own feet is tiresome, but to be carried like a warriorfrom a brave fight is great fun!" said the coyote in his heart. Hehad never been borne on any one's back before and the new experiencedelighted him. He lay there lazily on Iktomi's shoulders, now and thenblinking blue winks. Did you never see a birdie blink a blue wink? Thisis how it first became a saying among the plains people. When a birdstands aloof watching your strange ways, a thin bluish white tissueslips quickly over his eyes and as quickly off again; so quick that youthink it was only a mysterious blue wink. Sometimes when children growdrowsy they blink blue winks, while others who are too proud to lookwith friendly eyes upon people blink in this cold bird-manner. 

The coyote was affected by both sleepiness and pride. His winks werealmost as blue as the sky. In the midst of his new pleasure the swayingmotion ceased. Iktomi had reached his dwelling place. The coyotefelt drowsy no longer, for in the next instant he was slipping outof Iktomi's hands. He was falling, falling through space, and then hestruck the ground with such a bump he did not wish to breathe for awhile. He wondered what Iktomi would do, thus he lay still where hefell. Humming a dance-song, one from his bundle of mystery songs, Iktomihopped and darted about at an imaginary dance and feast. He gathered drywillow sticks and broke them in two against his knee. He built a largefire out of doors. The flames leaped up high in red and yellow streaks. Now Iktomi returned to the coyote who had been looking on through hiseyelashes. 

Taking him again by his paws and hind feet, he swung him to and fro. Then as the wolf swung toward the red flames, Iktomi let him go. Onceagain the coyote fell through space. Hot air smote his nostrils. He sawred dancing fire, and now he struck a bed of cracking embers. With aquick turn he leaped out of the flames. From his heels were scattered ashower of red coals upon Iktomi's bare arms and shoulders. Dumbfounded, Iktomi thought he saw a spirit walk out of his fire. His jaws fellapart. He thrust a palm to his face, hard over his mouth! He couldscarce keep from shrieking. 

Rolling over and over on the grass and rubbing the sides of his headagainst the ground, the coyote soon put out the fire on his fur. Iktomi's eyes were almost ready to jump out of his head as he stoodcooling a burn on his brown arm with his breath. 

Sitting on his haunches, on the opposite side of the fire from whereIktomi stood, the coyote began to laugh at him. 

"Another day, my friend, do not take too much for granted. Make sure theenemy is stone dead before you make a fire!"

Then off he ran so swiftly that his long bushy tail hung out in astraight line with his back. 

IKTOMI AND THE FAWN

IN one of his wanderings through the wooded lands, Iktomi saw a rarebird sitting high in a tree-top. Its long fan-like tail feathershad caught all the beautiful colors of the rainbow. Handsome in theglistening summer sun sat the bird of rainbow plumage. Iktomi hurriedhither with his eyes fast on the bird. 

He stood beneath the tree looking long and wistfully at the peacock'sbright feathers. At length he heaved a sigh and began: "Oh, I wish I hadsuch pretty feathers! How I wish I were not I! If only I were a handsomefeathered creature how happy I would be! I'd be so glad to sit upon avery high tree and bask in the summer sun like you!" said he suddenly, pointing his bony finger up toward the peacock, who was eyeing thestranger below, turning his head from side to side. 

"I beg of you make me into a bird with green and purple feathers likeyours!" implored Iktomi, tired now of playing the brave in beadedbuckskins. The peacock then spoke to Iktomi: "I have a magic power. Mytouch will change you in a moment into the most beautiful peacock if youcan keep one condition. "

"Yes! yes!" shouted Iktomi, jumping up and down, patting his lips withhis palm, which caused his voice to vibrate in a peculiar fashion. "Yes!yes! I could keep ten conditions if only you would change me into abird with long, bright tail feathers. Oh, I am so ugly! I am so tired ofbeing myself! Change me! Do!"

Hereupon the peacock spread out both his wings, and scarce moving them, he sailed slowly down upon the ground. Right beside Iktomi he alighted. Very low in Iktomi's ear the peacock whispered, "Are you willing to keepone condition, though hard it be?"

"Yes! yes! I've told you ten of them if need be!" exclaimed Iktomi, withsome impatience. 

"Then I pronounce you a handsome feathered bird. No longer are youIktomi the mischief-maker. " Saying this the peacock touched Iktomi withthe tips of his wings. 

Iktomi vanished at the touch. There stood beneath the tree two handsomepeacocks. While one of the pair strutted about with a head turned asideas if dazzled by his own bright-tinted tail feathers, the other birdsoared slowly upward. He sat quiet and unconscious of his gay plumage. He seemed content to perch there on a large limb in the warm sunshine. 

After a little while the vain peacock, dizzy with his bright colors, spread out his wings and lit on the same branch with the elder bird. 

"Oh!" he exclaimed, "how hard to fly! Brightly tinted feathers arehandsome, but I wish they were light enough to fly!" Just there theelder bird interrupted him. "That is the one condition. Never try to flylike other birds. Upon the day you try to fly you shall be changed intoyour former self. "

"Oh, what a shame that bright feathers cannot fly into the sky!" criedthe peacock. Already he grew restless. He longed to soar through space. He yearned to fly above the trees high upward to the sun. 

"Oh, there I see a flock of birds flying thither! Oh! oh!" said he, flapping his wings, "I must try my wings! I am tired of bright tailfeathers. I want to try my wings. "

"No, no!" clucked the elder bird. The flock of chattering birds flew bywith whirring wings. "Oop! oop!" called some to their mates. 

Possessed by an irrepressible impulse the Iktomi peacock called out, "He! I want to come! Wait for me!" and with that he gave a lunge intothe air. The flock of flying feathers wheeled about and lowered over thetree whence came the peacock's cry. Only one rare bird sat on the tree, and beneath, on the ground, stood a brave in brown buckskins. 

"I am my old self again!" groaned Iktomi in a sad voice. "Make me over, pretty bird. Try me this once again!" he pleaded in vain. 

"Old Iktomi wants to fly! Ah! We cannot wait for him!" sang the birds asthey flew away. 

Muttering unhappy vows to himself, Iktomi had not gone far when hechanced upon a bunch of long slender arrows. One by one they rose in theair and shot a straight line over the prairie. Others shot up into theblue sky and were soon lost to sight. Only one was left. He was makingready for his flight when Iktomi rushed upon him and wailed, "I wantto be an arrow! Make me into an arrow! I want to pierce the blue Blueoverhead. I want to strike yonder summer sun in its center. Make me intoan arrow!"

"Can you keep a condition? One condition, though hard it be?" the arrowturned to ask. 

"Yes! Yes!" shouted Iktomi, delighted. 

Hereupon the slender arrow tapped him gently with his sharp flint beak. There was no Iktomi, but two arrows stood ready to fly. "Now, youngarrow, this is the one condition. Your flight must always be in astraight line. Never turn a curve nor jump about like a young fawn, "said the arrow magician. He spoke slowly and sternly. 

At once he set about to teach the new arrow how to shoot in a longstraight line. 

"This is the way to pierce the Blue overhead, " said he; and off he spunhigh into the sky. 

While he was gone a herd of deer came trotting by. Behind them playedthe young fawns together. They frolicked about like kittens. Theybounced on all fours like balls. Then they pitched forward, kickingtheir heels in the air. The Iktomi arrow watched them so happy on theground. Looking quickly up into the sky, he said in his heart, "Themagician is out of sight. I'll just romp and frolic with these fawnsuntil he returns. Fawns! Friends, do not fear me. I want to jump andleap with you. I long to be happy as you are, " said he. The young fawnsstopped with stiff legs and stared at the speaking arrow with largebrown wondering eyes. "See! I can jump as well as you!" went on Iktomi. He gave one tiny leap like a fawn. All of a sudden the fawns snortedwith extended nostrils at what they beheld. There among them stoodIktomi in brown buckskins, and the strange talking arrow was gone. 

"Oh! I am myself. My old self!" cried Iktomi, pinching himself andplucking imaginary pieces out of his jacket. 

"Hin-hin-hin! I wanted to fly!"

The real arrow now returned to the earth. He alighted very near Iktomi. From the high sky he had seen the fawns playing on the green. He hadseen Iktomi make his one leap, and the charm was broken. Iktomi becamehis former self. 

"Arrow, my friend, change me once more!" begged Iktomi. 

"No, no more, " replied the arrow. Then away he shot through the air inthe direction his comrades had flown. 

By this time the fawns gathered close around Iktomi. They poked theirnoses at him trying to know who he was. 

Iktomi's tears were like a spring shower. A new desire dried themquickly away. Stepping boldly to the largest fawn, he looked closely atthe little brown spots all over the furry face. 

"Oh, fawn! What beautiful brown spots on your face! Fawn, dear littlefawn, can you tell me how those brown spots were made on your face?"

"Yes, " said the fawn. "When I was very, very small, my mother markedthem on my face with a red hot fire. She dug a large hole in the groundand made a soft bed of grass and twigs in it. Then she placed me gentlythere. She covered me over with dry sweet grass and piled dry cedars ontop. From a neighbor's fire she brought hither a red, red ember. Thisshe tucked carefully in at my head. This is how the brown spots weremade on my face. "

"Now, fawn, my friend, will you do the same for me? Won't you mark myface with brown, brown spots just like yours?" asked Iktomi, alwayseager to be like other people. 

"Yes. I can dig the ground and fill it with dry grass and sticks. Ifyou will jump into the pit, I'll cover you with sweet smelling grass andcedar wood, " answered the fawn. 

"Say, " interrupted Ikto, "will you be sure to cover me with a great dealof dry grass and twigs? You will make sure that the spots will be asbrown as those you wear. "

"Oh, yes. I'll pile up grass and willows once oftener than my motherdid. "

"Now let us dig the hole, pull the grass, and gather sticks, " criedIktomi in glee. 

Thus with his own hands he aids in making his grave. After the hole wasdug and cushioned with grass, Iktomi, muttering something about brownspots, leaped down into it. Lengthwise, flat on his back, he lay. Whilethe fawn covered him over with cedars, a far-away voice came up throughthem, "Brown, brown spots to wear forever!" A red ember was tucked underthe dry grass. Off scampered the fawns after their mothers; and when agreat distance away they looked backward. They saw a blue smoke rising, writhing upward till it vanished in the blue ether. 

"Is that Iktomi's spirit?" asked one fawn of another. 

"No! I think he would jump out before he could burn into smoke andcinders, " answered his comrade. 

THE BADGER AND THE BEAR

ON the edge of a forest there lived a large family of badgers. In theground their dwelling was made. Its walls and roof were covered withrocks and straw. 

Old father badger was a great hunter. He knew well how to track the deerand buffalo. Every day he came home carrying on his back some wild game. This kept mother badger very busy, and the baby badgers very chubby. While the well-fed children played about, digging little make-believedwellings, their mother hung thin sliced meats upon long willow racks. As fast as the meats were dried and seasoned by sun and wind, she packedthem carefully away in a large thick bag. 

This bag was like a huge stiff envelope, but far more beautiful to see, for it was painted all over with many bright colors. These firmlytied bags of dried meat were laid upon the rocks in the walls of thedwelling. In this way they were both useful and decorative. 

One day father badger did not go off for a hunt. He stayed at home, making new arrows. His children sat about him on the ground floor. Theirsmall black eyes danced with delight as they watched the gay colorspainted upon the arrows. 

All of a sudden there was heard a heavy footfall near the entrance way. The oval-shaped door-frame was pushed aside. In stepped a large blackfoot with great big claws. Then the other clumsy foot came next. All thewhile the baby badgers stared hard at the unexpected comer. After thesecond foot, in peeped the head of a big black bear! His black nose wasdry and parched. Silently he entered the dwelling and sat down on theground by the doorway. His black eyes never left the painted bags onthe rocky walls. He guessed what was in them. He was a very hungry bear. Seeing the racks of red meat hanging in the yard, he had come to visitthe badger family. 

Though he was a stranger and his strong paws and jaws frightened thesmall badgers, the father said, "How, how, friend! Your lips and noselook feverish and hungry. Will you eat with us?"

"Yes, my friend, " said the bear. "I am starved. I saw your racks of redfresh meat, and knowing your heart is kind, I came hither. Give me meatto eat, my friend. "

Hereupon the mother badger took long strides across the room, and as shehad to pass in front of the strange visitor, she said: "Ah han! Allow meto pass!" which was an apology. 

"How, how!" replied the bear, drawing himself closer to the wall andcrossing his shins together. 

Mother badger chose the most tender red meat, and soon over a bed ofcoals she broiled the venison. 

That day the bear had all he could eat. At nightfall he rose, andsmacking his lips together, --that is the noisy way of saying "the foodwas very good!"--he left the badger dwelling. The baby badgers, peepingthrough the door-flap after the shaggy bear, saw him disappear into thewoods near by. 

Day after day the crackling of twigs in the forest told of heavyfootsteps. Out would come the same black bear. He never lifted thedoor-flap, but thrusting it aside entered slowly in. Always in the sameplace by the entrance way he sat down with crossed shins. 

His daily visits were so regular that mother badger placed a fur rug inhis place. She did not wish a guest in her dwelling to sit upon the barehard ground. 

At last one time when the bear returned, his nose was bright and black. His coat was glossy. He had grown fat upon the badger's hospitality. 

As he entered the dwelling a pair of wicked gleams shot out of hisshaggy head. Surprised by the strange behavior of the guest who remainedstanding upon the rug, leaning his round back against the wall, fatherbadger queried: "How, my friend! What?"

The bear took one stride forward and shook his paw in the badger's face. He said: "I am strong, very strong!"

"Yes, yes, so you are, " replied the badger. From the farther end of theroom mother badger muttered over her bead work: "Yes, you grew strongfrom our well-filled bowls. "

The bear smiled, showing a row of large sharp teeth. 

"I have no dwelling. I have no bags of dried meat. I have no arrows. Allthese I have found here on this spot, " said he, stamping his heavy foot. "I want them! See! I am strong!" repeated he, lifting both his terriblepaws. 

Quietly the father badger spoke: "I fed you. I called you friend, thoughyou came here a stranger and a beggar. For the sake of my little onesleave us in peace. "

Mother badger, in her excited way, had pierced hard through the buckskinand stuck her fingers repeatedly with her sharp awl until she had laidaside her work. Now, while her husband was talking to the bear, shemotioned with her hands to the children. On tiptoe they hastened to herside. 

For reply came a low growl. It grew louder and more fierce. "Wa-ough!"he roared, and by force hurled the badgers out. First the father badger;then the mother. The little badgers he tossed by pairs. He threw themhard upon the ground. Standing in the entrance way and showing his uglyteeth, he snarled, "Be gone!"

The father and mother badger, having gained their feet, picked uptheir kicking little babes, and, wailing aloud, drew the air into theirflattened lungs till they could stand alone upon their feet. No soonerhad the baby badgers caught their breath than they howled and shriekedwith pain and fright. Ah! what a dismal cry was theirs as the wholebadger family went forth wailing from out their own dwelling! A littledistance away from their stolen house the father badger built a smallround hut. He made it of bent willows and covered it with dry grass andtwigs. 

This was shelter for the night; but alas! it was empty of food andarrows. All day father badger prowled through the forest, but withouthis arrows he could not get food for his children. Upon his return, thecry of the little ones for meat, the sad quiet of the mother with bowedhead, hurt him like a poisoned arrow wound. 

"I'll beg meat for you!" said he in an unsteady voice. Covering hishead and entire body in a long loose robe he halted beside the big blackbear. The bear was slicing red meat to hang upon the rack. He did notpause for a look at the comer. As the badger stood there unrecognized, he saw that the bear had brought with him his whole family. Little cubsplayed under the high-hanging new meats. They laughed and pointed withtheir wee noses upward at the thin sliced meats upon the poles. 

"Have you no heart, Black Bear? My children are starving. Give me asmall piece of meat for them, " begged the badger. 

"Wa-ough!" growled the angry bear, and pounced upon the badger. "Begone!" said he, and with his big hind foot he sent father badgersprawling on the ground. 

All the little ruffian bears hooted and shouted "ha-ha!" to see thebeggar fall upon his face. There was one, however, who did not evensmile. He was the youngest cub. His fur coat was not as black and glossyas those his elders wore. The hair was dry and dingy. It looked muchmore like kinky wool. He was the ugly cub. Poor little baby bear! he hadalways been laughed at by his older brothers. He could not help beinghimself. He could not change the differences between himself and hisbrothers. Thus again, though the rest laughed aloud at the badger'sfall, he did not see the joke. His face was long and earnest. In hisheart he was sad to see the badgers crying and starving. In his breastspread a burning desire to share his food with them. 

"I shall not ask my father for meat to give away. He would say 'No!'Then my brothers would laugh at me, " said the ugly baby bear to himself. 

In an instant, as if his good intention had passed from him, he wassinging happily and skipping around his father at work. Singing in hissmall high voice and dragging his feet in long strides after him, as ifa prankish spirit oozed out from his heels, he strayed off through thetall grass. He was ambling toward the small round hut. When directly infront of the entrance way, he made a quick side kick with his left hindleg. Lo! there fell into the badger's hut a piece of fresh meat. Itwas tough meat, full of sinews, yet it was the only piece he could takewithout his father's notice. 

Thus having given meat to the hungry badgers, the ugly baby bear ranquickly away to his father again. 

On the following day the father badger came back once more. He stoodwatching the big bear cutting thin slices of meat. 

"Give--" he began, when the bear turning upon him with a growl, thrusthim cruelly aside. The badger fell on his hands. He fell where the grasswas wet with the blood of the newly carved buffalo. His keen starvingeyes caught sight of a little red clot lying bright upon the green. Looking fearfully toward the bear and seeing his head was turned away, he snatched up the small thick blood. Underneath his girdled blanket hehid it in his hand. 

On his return to his family, he said within himself: "I'll pray theGreat Spirit to bless it. " Thus he built a small round lodge. Sprinklingwater upon the heated heap of sacred stones within, he made ready topurge his body. "The buffalo blood, too, must be purified before I aska blessing upon it, " thought the badger. He carried it into the sacredvapor lodge. After placing it near the sacred stones, he sat down besideit. After a long silence, he muttered: "Great Spirit, bless this littlebuffalo blood. " Then he arose, and with a quiet dignity stepped out ofthe lodge. Close behind him some one followed. The badger turned tolook over his shoulder and to his great joy he beheld a Dakota bravein handsome buckskins. In his hand he carried a magic arrow. Across hisback dangled a long fringed quiver. In answer to the badger's prayer, the avenger had sprung from out the red globules. 

"My son!" exclaimed the badger with extended right hand. 

"How, father, " replied the brave; "I am your avenger!"

Immediately the badger told the sad story of his hungry little ones andthe stingy bear. 

Listening closely the young man stood looking steadily upon the ground. 

At length the father badger moved away. 

"Where?" queried the avenger. 

"My son, we have no food. I am going again to beg for meat, " answeredthe badger. 

"Then I go with you, " replied the young brave. This made the old badgerhappy. He was proud of his son. He was delighted to be called "father"by the first human creature. 

The bear saw the badger coming in the distance. He narrowed his eyesat the tall stranger walking beside him. He spied the arrow. At once heguessed it was the avenger of whom he had heard long, long ago. As theyapproached, the bear stood erect with a hand on his thigh. He smiledupon them. 

"How, badger, my friend! Here is my knife. Cut your favorite pieces fromthe deer, " said he, holding out a long thin blade. 

"How!" said the badger eagerly. He wondered what had inspired the bigbear to such a generous deed. The young avenger waited till the badgertook the long knife in his hand. 

Gazing full into the black bear's face, he said: "I come to do justice. You have returned only a knife to my poor father. Now return to him hisdwelling. " His voice was deep and powerful. In his black eyes burned asteady fire. 

The long strong teeth of the bear rattled against each other, and hisshaggy body shook with fear. "Ahow!" cried he, as if he had been shot. Running into the dwelling he gasped, breathless and trembling, "Comeout, all of you! This is the badger's dwelling. We must flee to theforest for fear of the avenger who carries the magic arrow. "

Out they hurried, all the bears, and disappeared into the woods. 

Singing and laughing, the badgers returned to their own dwelling. 

Then the avenger left them. 

"I go, " said he in parting, "over the earth. "

THE TREE-BOUND

IT was a clear summer day. The blue, blue sky dropped low over the edgeof the green level land. A large yellow sun hung directly overhead. 

The singing of birds filled the summer space between earth and sky withsweet music. Again and again sang a yellow-breasted birdie--"Koda NiDakota!" He insisted upon it. "Koda Ni Dakota!" which was "Friend, you're a Dakota! Friend, you're a Dakota!" Perchance the birdie meantthe avenger with the magic arrow, for there across the plain he strode. He was handsome in his paint and feathers, proud with his great buckskinquiver on his back and a long bow in his hand. Afar to an eastern campof cone-shaped teepees he was going. There over the Indian villagehovered a large red eagle threatening the safety of the people. Everymorning rose this terrible red bird out of a high chalk bluff andspreading out his gigantic wings soared slowly over the round campground. Then it was that the people, terror-stricken, ran screaminginto their lodges. Covering their heads with their blankets, they sattrembling with fear. No one dared to venture out till the red eagle haddisappeared beyond the west, where meet the blue and green. 

In vain tried the chieftain of the tribe to find among his warriors apowerful marksman who could send a death arrow to the man-hungry bird. At last to urge his men to their utmost skill he bade his crier proclaima new reward. 

Of the chieftain's two beautiful daughters he would have his choice whobrought the dreaded red eagle with an arrow in its breast. 

Upon hearing these words, the men of the village, both young and old, both heroes and cowards, trimmed new arrows for the contest. At graydawn there stood indistinct under the shadow of the bluff many humanfigures; silent as ghosts and wrapped in robes girdled tight about theirwaists, they waited with chosen bow and arrow. 

Some cunning old warriors stayed not with the group. They crouched lowupon the open ground. But all eyes alike were fixed upon the top of thehigh bluff. Breathless they watched for the soaring of the red eagle. 

From within the dwellings many eyes peeped through the small holes inthe front lapels of the teepee. With shaking knees and hard-set teeth, the women peered out upon the Dakota men prowling about with bows andarrows. 

At length when the morning sun also peeped over the eastern horizon atthe armed Dakotas, the red eagle walked out upon the edge of the cliff. Pluming his gorgeous feathers, he ruffled his neck and flapped hisstrong wings together. Then he dived into the air. Slowly he winged hisway over the round camp ground; over the men with their strong bows andarrows! In an instant the long bows were bent. Strong straight arrowswith red feathered tips sped upward to the blue sky. Ah! slowly movedthose indifferent wings, untouched by the poison-beaked arrows. Off tothe west beyond the reach of arrow, beyond the reach of eye, the redeagle flew away. 

A sudden clamor of high-pitched voices broke the deadly stillness ofthe dawn. The women talked excitedly about the invulnerable red of theeagle's feathers, while the would-be heroes sulked within their wigwams. "He-he-he!" groaned the chieftain. 

On the evening of the same day sat a group of hunters around a brightburning fire. They were talking of a strange young man whom they spiedwhile out upon a hunt for deer beyond the bluffs. They saw the strangertaking aim. Following the point of his arrow with their eyes, theybeheld a herd of buffalo. The arrow sprang from the bow! It darted intothe skull of the foremost buffalo. But unlike other arrows it piercedthrough the head of the creature and spinning in the air lit into thenext buffalo head. One by one the buffalo fell upon the sweet grass theywere grazing. With straight quivering limbs they lay on their sides. Theyoung man stood calmly by, counting on his fingers the buffalo as theydropped dead to the ground. When the last one fell, he ran thither andpicking up his magic arrow wiped it carefully on the soft grass. Heslipped it into his long fringed quiver. 

"He is going to make a feast for some hungry tribe of men or beasts!"cried the hunters among themselves as they hastened away. 

They were afraid of the stranger with the sacred arrow. When thehunter's tale of the stranger's arrow reached the ears of the chieftain, his face brightened with a smile. He sent forth fleet horsemen, to learnof him his birth, his name, and his deeds. 

"If he is the avenger with the magic arrow, sprung up from the earth outof a clot of buffalo blood, bid him come hither. Let him kill the redeagle with his magic arrow. Let him win for himself one of my beautifuldaughters, " he had said to his messengers, for the old story of thebadger's man-son was known all over the level lands. 

After four days and nights the braves returned. "He is coming, " theysaid. "We have seen him. He is straight and tall; handsome in face, withlarge black eyes. He paints his round cheeks with bright red, and wearsthe penciled lines of red over his temples like our men of honored rank. He carries on his back a long fringed quiver in which he keeps his magicarrow. His bow is long and strong. He is coming now to kill the big redeagle. " All around the camp ground from mouth to ear passed those wordsof the returned messengers. 

Now it chanced that immortal Iktomi, fully recovered from the brownburnt spots, overheard the people talking. At once he was filled with anew desire. "If only I had the magic arrow, I would kill the red eagleand win the chieftain's daughter for a wife, " said he in his heart. 

Back to his lonely wigwam he hastened. Beneath the tree in front of histeepee he sat upon the ground with chin between his drawn-up knees. Hiskeen eyes scanned the wide plain. He was watching for the avenger. 

"'He is coming!' said the people, " muttered old Iktomi. All of a suddenhe raised an open palm to his brow and peered afar into the west. Thesummer sun hung bright in the middle of a cloudless sky. There acrossthe green prairie was a man walking bareheaded toward the east. 

"Ha! ha! 'tis he! the man with the magic arrow!" laughed Iktomi. Andwhen the bird with the yellow breast sang loud again--"Koda Ni Dakota!Friend, you're a Dakota!" Iktomi put his hand over his mouth as he threwhis head far backward, laughing at both the bird and man. 

"He is your friend, but his arrow will kill one of your kind! He is aDakota, but soon he'll grow into the bark on this tree! Ha! ha! ha!" helaughed again. 

The young avenger walked with swaying strides nearer and nearer towardthe lonely wigwam and tree. Iktomi heard the swish! swish! of thestranger's feet through the tall grass. He was passing now beyond thetree, when Iktomi, springing to his feet, called out: "How, how, myfriend! I see you are dressed in handsome deerskins and have red painton your cheeks. You are going to some feast or dance, may I ask?" Seeingthe young man only smiled Iktomi went on: "I have not had a mouthful offood this day. Have pity on me, young brave, and shoot yonder bird forme!" With these words Iktomi pointed toward the tree-top, where sata bird on the highest branch. The young avenger, always ready to helpthose in distress, sent an arrow upward and the bird fell. In the nextbranch it was caught between the forked prongs. 

"My friend, climb the tree and get the bird. I cannot climb so high. Iwould get dizzy and fall, " pleaded Iktomi. The avenger began to scalethe tree, when Iktomi cried to him: "My friend, your beaded buckskinsmay be torn by the branches. Leave them safe upon the grass till you aredown again. "

"You are right, " replied the young man, quickly slipping off hislong fringed quiver. Together with his dangling pouches and tinklingornaments, he placed it on the ground. Now he climbed the treeunhindered. Soon from the top he took the bird. "My friend, toss tome your arrow that I may have the honor of wiping it clean on softdeerskin!" exclaimed Iktomi. 

"How!" said the brave, and threw the bird and arrow to the ground. 

At once Iktomi seized the arrow. Rubbing it first on the grass and thenon a piece of deerskin, he muttered indistinct words all the while. The young man, stepping downward from limb to limb, hearing the lowmuttering, said: "Iktomi, I cannot hear what you say!"

"Oh, my friend, I was only talking of your big heart. "

Again stooping over the arrow Iktomi continued his repetition of charmwords. "Grow fast, grow fast to the bark of the tree, " he whispered. Still the young man moved slowly downward. Suddenly dropping the arrowand standing erect, Iktomi said aloud: "Grow fast to the bark of thetree!" Before the brave could leap from the tree he became tight-grownto the bark. 

"Ah! ha!" laughed the bad Iktomi. "I have the magic arrow! I have thebeaded buckskins of the great avenger!" Hooting and dancing beneath thetree, he said: "I shall kill the red eagle; I shall wed the chieftain'sbeautiful daughter!"

"Oh, Iktomi, set me free!" begged the tree-bound Dakota brave. ButIktomi's ears were like the fungus on a tree. He did not hear with them. 

Wearing the handsome buckskins and carrying proudly the magic arrow inhis right hand, he started off eastward. Imitating the swaying stridesof the avenger, he walked away with a face turned slightly skyward. 

"Oh, set me free! I am glued to the tree like its own bark! Cut meloose!" moaned the prisoner. 

A young woman, carrying on her strong back a bundle of tightly boundwillow sticks, passed near by the lonely teepee. She heard the wailingman's voice. She paused to listen to the sad words. Looking around shesaw nowhere a human creature. "It may be a spirit, " thought she. 

"Oh! cut me loose! set me free! Iktomi has played me false! He has mademe bark of his tree!" cried the voice again. 

The young woman dropped her pack of firewood to the ground. With herstone axe she hurried to the tree. There before her astonished eyesclung a young brave close to the tree. 

Too shy for words, yet too kind-hearted to leave the strangertree-bound, she cut loose the whole bark. Like an open jacket she drewit to the ground. With it came the young man also. Free once more, hestarted away. Looking backward, a few paces from the young woman, hewaved his hand, upward and downward, before her face. This was a sign ofgratitude used when words failed to interpret strong emotion. 

When the bewildered woman reached her dwelling, she mounted a pony androde swiftly across the rolling land. To the camp ground in the east, tothe chieftain troubled by the red eagle, she carried her story. 

SHOOTING OF THE RED EAGLE

A MAN in buckskins sat upon the top of a little hillock. The setting sunshone bright upon a strong bow in his hand. His face was turned towardthe round camp ground at the foot of the hill. He had walked a longjourney hither. He was waiting for the chieftain's men to spy him. 

Soon four strong men ran forth from the center wigwam toward thehillock, where sat the man with the long bow. 

"He is the avenger come to shoot the red eagle, " cried the runners toeach other as they bent forward swinging their elbows together. 

They reached the side of the stranger, but he did not heed them. Proudand silent he gazed upon the cone-shaped wigwams beneath him. Spreadinga handsomely decorated buffalo robe before the man, two of the warriorslifted him by each shoulder and placed him gently on it. Then the fourmen took, each, a corner of the blanket and carried the stranger, withlong proud steps, toward the chieftain's teepee. 

Ready to greet the stranger, the tall chieftain stood at the entranceway. "How, you are the avenger with the magic arrow!" said he, extendingto him a smooth soft hand. 

"How, great chieftain!" replied the man, holding long the chieftain'shand. Entering the teepee, the chieftain motioned the young man to theright side of the doorway, while he sat down opposite him with a centerfire burning between them. Wordless, like a bashful Indian maid, theavenger ate in silence the food set before him on the ground in frontof his crossed shins. When he had finished his meal he handed the emptybowl to the chieftain's wife, saying, "Mother-in-law, here is yourdish!"

"Han, my son!" answered the woman, taking the bowl. 

With the magic arrow in his quiver the stranger felt not in the leasttoo presuming in addressing the woman as his mother-in-law. 

Complaining of fatigue, he covered his face with his blanket and soonwithin the chieftain's teepee he lay fast asleep. 

"The young man is not handsome after all!" whispered the woman in herhusband's ear. 

"Ah, but after he has killed the red eagle he will seem handsomeenough!" answered the chieftain. 

That night the star men in their burial procession in the sky reachedthe low northern horizon, before the center fires within the teepeeshad flickered out. The ringing laughter which had floated up throughthe smoke lapels was now hushed, and only the distant howling of wolvesbroke the quiet of the village. But the lull between midnight and dawnwas short indeed. Very early the oval-shaped door-flaps were thrustaside and many brown faces peered out of the wigwams toward the top ofthe highest bluff. 

Now the sun rose up out of the east. The red painted avenger stood readywithin the camp ground for the flying of the red eagle. He appeared, that terrible bird! He hovered over the round village as if he couldpounce down upon it and devour the whole tribe. 

When the first arrow shot up into the sky the anxious watchers thrust ahand quickly over their half-uttered "hinnu!" The second and the thirdarrows flew upward but missed by a wide space the red eagle soaring withlazy indifference over the little man with the long bow. All his arrowshe spent in vain. "Ah! my blanket brushed my elbow and shifted thecourse of my arrow!" said the stranger as the people gathered aroundhim. 

During this happening, a woman on horseback halted her pony at thechieftain's teepee. It was no other than the young woman who cut loosethe tree-bound captive!

While she told the story the chieftain listened with downcast face. "Ipassed him on my way. He is near!" she ended. 

Indignant at the bold impostor, the wrathful eyes of the chieftainsnapped fire like red cinders in the night time. His lips were closed. At length to the woman he said: "How, you have done me a good deed. "Then with quick decision he gave command to a fleet horseman to meet theavenger. "Clothe him in these my best buckskins, " said he, pointing to abundle within the wigwam. 

In the meanwhile strong men seized Iktomi and dragged him by his longhair to the hilltop. There upon a mock-pillared grave they bound himhand and feet. Grown-ups and children sneered and hooted at Iktomi'sdisgrace. For a half-day he lay there, the laughing-stock of the people. Upon the arrival of the real avenger, Iktomi was released and chasedaway beyond the outer limits of the camp ground. 

On the following morning at daybreak, peeped the people out of half-opendoor-flaps. 

There again in the midst of the large camp ground was a man in beadedbuckskins. In his hand was a strong bow and red-tipped arrow. Again thebig red eagle appeared on the edge of the bluff. He plumed his feathersand flapped his huge wings. 

The young man crouched low to the ground. He placed the arrow on thebow, drawing a poisoned flint for the eagle. 

The bird rose into the air. He moved his outspread wings one, two, threetimes and lo! the eagle tumbled from the great height and fell heavilyto the earth. An arrow stuck in his breast! He was dead!

So quick was the hand of the avenger, so sure his sight, that no one hadseen the arrow fly from his long bent bow. 

In awe and amazement the village was dumb. And when the avenger, plucking a red eagle feather, placed it in his black hair, a loud shoutof the people went up to the sky. Then hither and thither ran singingmen and women making a great feast for the avenger. 

Thus he won the beautiful Indian princess who never tired of telling toher children the story of the big red eagle. 

IKTOMI AND THE TURTLE

THE huntsman Patkasa (turtle) stood bent over a newly slain deer. 

The red-tipped arrow he drew from the wounded deer was unlike the arrowsin his own quiver. Another's stray shot had killed the deer. Patkasa hadhunted all the morning without so much as spying an ordinary blackbird. 

At last returning homeward, tired and heavy-hearted that he had no meatfor the hungry mouths in his wigwam, he walked slowly with downcasteyes. Kind ghosts pitied the unhappy hunter and led him to the newlyslain deer, that his children should not cry for food. 

When Patkasa stumbled upon the deer in his path, he exclaimed: "Goodspirits have pushed me hither!"

Thus he leaned long over the gift of the friendly ghosts. 

"How, my friend!" said a voice behind his ear, and a hand fell on hisshoulder. It was not a spirit this time. It was old Iktomi. 

"How, Iktomi!" answered Patkasa, still stooping over the deer. 

"My friend, you are a skilled hunter, " began Iktomi, smiling a thinsmile which spread from one ear to the other. 

Suddenly raising up his head Patkasa's black eyes twinkled as he asked:"Oh, you really say so?"

"Yes, my friend, you are a skillful fellow. Now let us have a littlecontest. Let us see who can jump over the deer without touching a hairon his hide, " suggested Iktomi. 

"Oh, I fear I cannot do it!" cried Patkasa, rubbing his funny, thickpalms together. 

"Have no coward's doubt, Patkasa. I say you are a skillful fellow whofinds nothing hard to do. " With these words Iktomi led Patkasa a shortdistance away. In little puffs Patkasa laughed uneasily. 

"Now, you may jump first, " said Iktomi. 

Patkasa, with doubled fists, swung his fat arms to and fro, all thewhile biting hard his under lip. 

Just before the run and leap Iktomi put in: "Let the winner have thedeer to eat!"

It was too late now to say no. Patkasa was more afraid of being calleda coward than of losing the deer. "Ho-wo, " he replied, still working hisshort arms. At length he started off on the run. So quick and small werehis steps that he seemed to be kicking the ground only. Then the leap!But Patkasa tripped upon a stick and fell hard against the side of thedeer. 

"He-he-he!" exclaimed Iktomi, pretending disappointment that his friendhad fallen. 

Lifting him to his feet, he said: "Now it is my turn to try the highjump!" Hardly was the last word spoken than Iktomi gave a leap highabove the deer. 

"The game is mine!" laughed he, patting the sullen Patkasa on theback. "My friend, watch the deer while I go to bring my children, " saidIktomi, darting lightly through the tall grass. 

Patkasa was always ready to believe the words of scheming people and todo the little favors any one asked of him. However, on this occasion, he did not answer "Yes, my friend. " He realized that Iktomi's flatteringtongue had made him foolish. 

He turned up his nose at Iktomi, now almost out of sight, as much as tosay: "Oh, no, Ikto; I do not hear your words!"

Soon there came a murmur of voices. The sound of laughter grew louderand louder. All of a sudden it became hushed. Old Iktomi led his youngIktomi brood to the place where he had left the turtle, but it wasvacant. Nowhere was there any sign of Patkasa or the deer. Then thebabes did howl!

"Be still!" said father Iktomi to his children. "I know where Patkasalives. Follow me. I shall take you to the turtle's dwelling. " He ranalong a narrow footpath toward the creek near by. Close upon his heelscame his children with tear-streaked faces. 

"There!" said Iktomi in a loud whisper as he gathered his little ones onthe bank. "There is Patkasa broiling venison! There is his teepee, andthe savory fire is in his front yard!"

The young Iktomis stretched their necks and rolled their round blackeyes like newly hatched birds. They peered into the water. 

"Now, I will cool Patkasa's fire. I shall bring you the broiled venison. Watch closely. When you see the black coals rise to the surface of thewater, clap your hands and shout aloud, for soon after that sign I shallreturn to you with some tender meat. "

Thus saying Iktomi plunged into the creek. Splash! splash! the waterleaped upward into spray. Scarcely had it become leveled and smooththan there bubbled up many black spots. The creek was seething with thedancing of round black things. 

"The cooled fire! The coals!" laughed the brood of Iktomis. Clappingtogether their little hands, they chased one another along the edge ofthe creek. They shouted and hooted with great glee. 

"Ahas!" said a gruff voice across the water. It was Patkasa. In a largewillow tree leaning far over the water he sat upon a large limb. On thevery same branch was a bright burning fire over which Patkasa broiledthe venison. By this time the water was calm again. No more danced thoseblack spots on its surface, for they were the toes of old Iktomi. He wasdrowned. 

The Iktomi children hurried away from the creek, crying and calling fortheir water-dead father. 

DANCE IN A BUFFALO SKULL

IT was night upon the prairie. Overhead the stars were twinkling brighttheir red and yellow lights. The moon was young. A silvery thread amongthe stars, it soon drifted low beneath the horizon. 

Upon the ground the land was pitchy black. There are night people on theplain who love the dark. Amid the black level land they meet to frolicunder the stars. Then when their sharp ears hear any strange footfallsnigh they scamper away into the deep shadows of night. There they aresafely hid from all dangers, they think. 

Thus it was that one very black night, afar off from the edge of thelevel land, out of the wooded river bottom glided forth two balls offire. They came farther and farther into the level land. They grewlarger and brighter. The dark hid the body of the creature with thosefiery eyes. They came on and on, just over the tops of the prairiegrass. It might have been a wildcat prowling low on soft, stealthy feet. Slowly but surely the terrible eyes drew nearer and nearer to the heartof the level land. 

There in a huge old buffalo skull was a gay feast and dance! Tiny littlefield mice were singing and dancing in a circle to the boom-boom of awee, wee drum. They were laughing and talking among themselves whiletheir chosen singers sang loud a merry tune. 

They built a small open fire within the center of their queer dancehouse. The light streamed out of the buffalo skull through all thecurious sockets and holes. 

A light on the plain in the middle of the night was an unusual thing. But so merry were the mice they did not hear the "king, king" of sleepybirds, disturbed by the unaccustomed fire. 

A pack of wolves, fearing to come nigh this night fire, stood togethera little distance away, and, turning their pointed noses to the stars, howled and yelped most dismally. Even the cry of the wolves was unheededby the mice within the lighted buffalo skull. 

They were feasting and dancing; they were singing and laughing--thosefunny little furry fellows. 

All the while across the dark from out the low river bottom came thatpair of fiery eyes. 

Now closer and more swift, now fiercer and glaring, the eyes movedtoward the buffalo skull. All unconscious of those fearful eyes, thehappy mice nibbled at dried roots and venison. The singers had startedanother song. The drummers beat the time, turning their heads fromside to side in rhythm. In a ring around the fire hopped the mice, eachbouncing hard on his two hind feet. Some carried their tails over theirarms, while others trailed them proudly along. 

Ah, very near are those round yellow eyes! Very low to the ground theyseem to creep--creep toward the buffalo skull. All of a sudden theyslide into the eye-sockets of the old skull. 

"Spirit of the buffalo!" squeaked a frightened mouse as he jumped outfrom a hole in the back part of the skull. 

"A cat! a cat!" cried other mice as they scrambled out of holes bothlarge and snug. Noiseless they ran away into the dark. 

THE TOAD AND THE BOY

THE water-fowls were flying over the marshy lakes. It was now thehunting season. Indian men, with bows and arrows, were wading waistdeep amid the wild rice. Near by, within their wigwams, the wives wereroasting wild duck and making down pillows. 

In the largest teepee sat a young mother wrapping red porcupinequills about the long fringes of a buckskin cushion. Beside her lay ablack-eyed baby boy cooing and laughing. Reaching and kicking upwardwith his tiny hands and feet, he played with the dangling strings of hisheavy-beaded bonnet hanging empty on a tent pole above him. 

At length the mother laid aside her red quills and white sinew-threads. The babe fell fast asleep. Leaning on one hand and softly whisperinga little lullaby, she threw a light cover over her baby. It was almosttime for the return of her husband. 

Remembering there were no willow sticks for the fire, she quicklygirdled her blanket tight about her waist, and with a short-handled axslipped through her belt, she hurried away toward the wooded ravine. Shewas strong and swung an ax as skillfully as any man. Her loose buckskindress was made for such freedom. Soon carrying easily a bundle of longwillows on her back, with a loop of rope over both her shoulders, shecame striding homeward. 

Near the entrance way she stooped low, at once shifting the bundle tothe right and with both hands lifting the noose from over her head. Having thus dropped the wood to the ground, she disappeared into herteepee. In a moment she came running out again, crying, "My son! Mylittle son is gone!" Her keen eyes swept east and west and all aroundher. There was nowhere any sign of the child. 

Running with clinched fists to the nearest teepees, she called: "Has anyone seen my baby? He is gone! My little son is gone!"

"Hinnu! Hinnu!" exclaimed the women, rising to their feet and rushingout of their wigwams. 

"We have not seen your child! What has happened?" queried the women. 

With great tears in her eyes the mother told her story. 

"We will search with you, " they said to her as she started off. 

They met the returning husbands, who turned about and joined in thehunt for the missing child. Along the shore of the lakes, among thehigh-grown reeds, they looked in vain. He was nowhere to be found. Aftermany days and nights the search was given up. It was sad, indeed, tohear the mother wailing aloud for her little son. 

It was growing late in the autumn. The birds were flying high toward thesouth. The teepees around the lakes were gone, save one lonely dwelling. 

Till the winter snow covered the ground and ice covered the lakes, thewailing woman's voice was heard from that solitary wigwam. From some fardistance was also the sound of the father's voice singing a sad song. 

Thus ten summers and as many winters have come and gone since thestrange disappearance of the little child. Every autumn with the hunterscame the unhappy parents of the lost baby to search again for him. 

Toward the latter part of the tenth season when, one by one, the teepeeswere folded and the families went away from the lake region, the motherwalked again along the lake shore weeping. One evening, across the lakefrom where the crying woman stood, a pair of bright black eyes peered ather through the tall reeds and wild rice. A little wild boy stopped hisplay among the tall grasses. His long, loose hair hanging down his brownback and shoulders was carelessly tossed from his round face. He wore aloin cloth of woven sweet grass. Crouching low to the marshy ground, helistened to the wailing voice. As the voice grew hoarse and only sobsshook the slender figure of the woman, the eyes of the wild boy grew dimand wet. 

At length, when the moaning ceased, he sprang to his feet and ran like anymph with swift outstretched toes. He rushed into a small hut of reedsand grasses. 

"Mother! Mother! Tell me what voice it was I heard which pleased myears, but made my eyes grow wet!" said he, breathless. 

"Han, my son, " grunted a big, ugly toad. "It was the voice of a weepingwoman you heard. My son, do not say you like it. Do not tell me itbrought tears to your eyes. You have never heard me weep. I can pleaseyour ear and break your heart. Listen!" replied the great old toad. 

Stepping outside, she stood by the entrance way. She was old and badlypuffed out. She had reared a large family of little toads, but noneof them had aroused her love, nor ever grieved her. She had heardthe wailing human voice and marveled at the throat which produced thestrange sound. Now, in her great desire to keep the stolen boy awhilelonger, she ventured to cry as the Dakota woman does. In a gruff, coarsevoice she broke forth:

"Hin-hin, doe-skin! Hin-hin, Ermine, Ermine! Hin-hin, red blanket, withwhite border!"

Not knowing that the syllables of a Dakota's cry are the names of lovedones gone, the ugly toad mother sought to please the boy's ear with thenames of valuable articles. Having shrieked in a torturing voice andmouthed extravagant names, the old toad rolled her tearless eyes withgreat satisfaction. Hopping back into her dwelling, she asked:

"My son, did my voice bring tears to your eyes? Did my words bringgladness to your ears? Do you not like my wailing better?"

"No, no!" pouted the boy with some impatience. "I want to hear thewoman's voice! Tell me, mother, why the human voice stirs all myfeelings!"

The toad mother said within her breast, "The human child has heard andseen his real mother. I cannot keep him longer, I fear. Oh, no, I cannotgive away the pretty creature I have taught to call me 'mother' allthese many winters. "

"Mother, " went on the child voice, "tell me one thing. Tell me why mylittle brothers and sisters are all unlike me. "

The big, ugly toad, looking at her pudgy children, said: "The eldest isalways best. "

This reply quieted the boy for a while. Very closely watched the oldtoad mother her stolen human son. When by chance he started off alone, she shoved out one of her own children after him, saying: "Do not comeback without your big brother. "

Thus the wild boy with the long, loose hair sits every day on a marshyisland hid among the tall reeds. But he is not alone. Always at his feethops a little toad brother. One day an Indian hunter, wading in the deepwaters, spied the boy. He had heard of the baby stolen long ago. 

"This is he!" murmured the hunter to himself as he ran to his wigwam. "Isaw among the tall reeds a black-haired boy at play!" shouted he to thepeople. 

At once the unhappy father and mother cried out, "'Tis he, our boy!"Quickly he led them to the lake. Peeping through the wild rice, hepointed with unsteady finger toward the boy playing all unawares. 

"'Tis he! 'tis he!" cried the mother, for she knew him. 

In silence the hunter stood aside, while the happy father and mothercaressed their baby boy grown tall. 

IYA, THE CAMP-EATER

FROM the tall grass came the voice of a crying babe. The huntsmen whowere passing nigh heard and halted. 

The tallest one among them hastened toward the high grass with long, cautious strides. He waded through the growth of green with just a headabove it all. Suddenly exclaiming "Hunhe!" he dropped out of sight. Inanother instant he held up in both his hands a tiny little baby, wrappedin soft brown buckskins. 

"Oh ho, a wood-child!" cried the men, for they were hunting along thewooded river bottom where this babe was found. 

While the hunters were questioning whether or no they should carry ithome, the wee Indian baby kept up his little howl. 

"His voice is strong!" said one. 

"At times it sounds like an old man's voice!" whispered a superstitiousfellow, who feared some bad spirit hid in the small child to cheat themby and by. 

"Let us take it to our wise chieftain, " at length they said; and themoment they started toward the camp ground the strange wood-child ceasedto cry. 

Beside the chieftain's teepee waited the hunters while the tall manentered with the child. 

"How! how!" nodded the kind-faced chieftain, listening to the queerstory. Then rising, he took the infant in his strong arms; gently helaid the black-eyed babe in his daughter's lap. "This is to be yourlittle son!" said he, smiling. 

"Yes, father, " she replied. Pleased with the child, she smoothed thelong black hair fringing his round brown face. 

"Tell the people that I give a feast and dance this day for the namingof my daughter's little son, " bade the chieftain. 

In the meanwhile among the men waiting by the entrance way, one said ina low voice: "I have heard that bad spirits come as little children intoa camp which they mean to destroy. "

"No! no! Let us not be overcautious. It would be cowardly to leavea baby in the wild wood where prowl the hungry wolves!" answered anelderly man. 

The tall man now came out of the chieftain's teepee. With a word he sentthem to their dwellings half running with joy. 

"A feast! a dance for the naming of the chieftain's grandchild!" criedhe in a loud voice to the village people. 

"What? what?" asked they in great surprise, holding a hand to the ear tocatch the words of the crier. 

There was a momentary silence among the people while they listened tothe ringing voice of the man walking in the center ground. Then brokeforth a rippling, laughing babble among the cone-shaped teepees. Allwere glad to hear of the chieftain's grandson. They were happy to attendthe feast and dance for its naming. With excited fingers they twistedtheir hair into glossy braids and painted their cheeks with bright redpaint. To and fro hurried the women, handsome in their gala-day dress. Men in loose deerskins, with long tinkling metal fringes, strode insmall numbers toward the center of the round camp ground. 

Here underneath a temporary shade-house of green leaves they were todance and feast. The children in deerskins and paints, just like theirelders, were jolly little men and women. Beside their eager parents theyskipped along toward the green dance house. 

Here seated in a large circle, the people were assembled, the proudchieftain rose with the little baby in his arms. The noisy hum of voiceswas hushed. Not a tinkling of a metal fringe broke the silence. Thecrier came forward to greet the chieftain, then bent attentively overthe small babe, listening to the words of the chieftain. When he pausedthe crier spoke aloud to the people:

"This woodland child is adopted by the chieftain's eldest daughter. Hisname is Chaske. He wears the title of the eldest son. In honor of Chaskethe chieftain gives this feast and dance! These are the words of him yousee holding a baby in his arms. "

"Yes! Yes! Hinnu! How!" came from the circle. At once the drummers beatsoftly and slowly their drum while the chosen singers hummed together tofind the common pitch. The beat of the drum grew louder and faster. Thesingers burst forth in a lively tune. Then the drumbeats subsided andfaintly marked the rhythm of the singing. Here and there bounced up menand women, both young and old. They danced and sang with merry lighthearts. Then came the hour of feasting. 

Late into the night the air of the camp ground was alive with thelaughing voices of women and the singing in unison of young men. Withinher father's teepee sat the chieftain's daughter. Proud of her littleone, she watched over him asleep in her lap. 

Gradually a deep quiet stole over the camp ground, as one by one thepeople fell into pleasant dreams. Now all the village was still. Alonesat the beautiful young mother watching the babe in her lap, asleep witha gaping little mouth. Amid the quiet of the night, her ear heard thefar-off hum of many voices. The faint sound of murmuring people was inthe air. Upward she glanced at the smoke hole of the wigwam and sawa bright star peeping down upon her. "Spirits in the air above?" shewondered. Yet there was no sign to tell her of their nearness. The finesmall sound of voices grew larger and nearer. 

"Father! rise! I hear the coming of some tribe. Hostile or friendly--Icannot tell. Rise and see!" whispered the young woman. 

"Yes, my daughter!" answered the chieftain, springing to his feet. 

Though asleep, his ear was ever alert. Thus rushing out into the open, he listened for strange sounds. With an eagle eye he scanned the campground for some sign. 

Returning he said: "My daughter, I hear nothing and see no sign of evilnigh. "

"Oh! the sound of many voices comes up from the earth about me!"exclaimed the young mother. 

Bending low over her babe she gave ear to the ground. Horrified was sheto find the mysterious sound came out of the open mouth of her sleepingchild!

"Why so unlike other babes!" she cried within her heart as she slippedhim gently from her lap to the ground. "Mother, listen and tell me ifthis child is an evil spirit come to destroy our camp!" she whisperedloud. 

Placing an ear close to the open baby mouth, the chieftain and his wife, each in turn heard the voices of a great camp. The singing of men andwomen, the beating of the drum, the rattling of deer-hoofs strung likebells on a string, these were the sounds they heard. 

"We must go away, " said the chieftain, leading them into the night. Out in the open he whispered to the frightened young woman: "Iya, thecamp-eater, has come in the guise of a babe. Had you gone to sleep, hewould have jumped out into his own shape and would have devoured ourcamp. He is a giant with spindling legs. He cannot fight, for he cannotrun. He is powerful only in the night with his tricks. We are safe assoon as day breaks. " Then moving closer to the woman, he whispered: "Ifhe wakes now, he will swallow the whole tribe with one hideous gulp!Come, we must flee with our people. "

Thus creeping from teepee to teepee a secret alarm signal was given. Atmidnight the teepees were gone and there was left no sign of the villagesave heaps of dead ashes. So quietly had the people folded their wigwamsand bundled their tent poles that they slipped away unheard by thesleeping Iya babe. 

When the morning sun arose, the babe awoke. Seeing himself deserted, hethrew off his baby form in a hot rage. 

Wearing his own ugly shape, his huge body toppled to and fro, from sideto side, on a pair of thin legs far too small for their burden. Thoughwith every move he came dangerously nigh to falling, he followed in thetrail of the fleeing people. 

"I shall eat you in the sight of a noon-day sun!" cried Iya in his vainrage, when he spied them encamped beyond a river. 

By some unknown cunning he swam the river and sought his way toward theteepees. 

"Hin! hin!" he grunted and growled. With perspiration beading his browhe strove to wiggle his slender legs beneath his giant form. 

"Ha! ha!" laughed all the village people to see Iya made foolish withanger. "Such spindle legs cannot stand to fight by daylight!" shoutedthe brave ones who were terror-struck the night before by the name"Iya. "

Warriors with long knives rushed forth and slew the camp-eater. 

Lo! there rose out of the giant a whole Indian tribe: their camp ground, their teepees in a large circle, and the people laughing and dancing. 

"We are glad to be free!" said these strange people. 

Thus Iya was killed; and no more are the camp grounds in danger of beingswallowed up in a single night time. 

MANSTIN, THE RABBIT

MANSTIN was an adventurous brave, but very kind-hearted. Stampinga moccasined foot as he drew on his buckskin leggins, he said:"Grandmother, beware of Iktomi! Do not let him lure you into somecunning trap. I am going to the North country on a long hunt. "

With these words of caution to the bent old rabbit grandmother with whomhe had lived since he was a tiny babe, Manstin started off towardthe north. He was scarce over the great high hills when he heard theshrieking of a human child. 

"Wan!" he ejaculated, pointing his long ears toward the direction of thesound; "Wan! that is the work of cruel Double-Face. Shameless coward! hedelights in torturing helpless creatures!"

Muttering indistinct words, Manstin ran up the last hill and lo! in theravine beyond stood the terrible monster with a face in front and one inthe back of his head!

This brown giant was without clothes save for a wild-cat-skin about hisloins. With a wicked gleaming eye, he watched the little black-hairedbaby he held in his strong arm. In a laughing voice he hummed an Indianmother's lullaby, "A-boo! Aboo!" and at the same time he switched thenaked baby with a thorny wild-rose bush. 

Quickly Manstin jumped behind a large sage bush on the brow of the hill. He bent his bow and the sinewy string twanged. Now an arrow stuck abovethe ear of Double-Face. It was a poisoned arrow, and the giant felldead. Then Manstin took the little brown baby and hurried away from theravine. Soon he came to a teepee from whence loud wailing voicesbroke. It was the teepee of the stolen baby and the mourners were itsheart-broken parents. 

When gallant Manstin returned the child to the eager arms of the motherthere came a sudden terror into the eyes of both the Dakotas. Theyfeared lest it was Double-Face come in a new guise to torture them. The rabbit understood their fear and said: "I am Manstin, thekind-hearted, --Manstin, the noted huntsman. I am your friend. Do notfear. "

That night a strange thing happened. While the father and mother slept, Manstin took the wee baby. With his feet placed gently yet firmly uponthe tiny toes of the little child, he drew upward by each small hand thesleeping child till he was a full-grown man. With a forefinger he traceda slit in the upper lip; and when on the morrow the man and woman awokethey could not distinguish their own son from Manstin, so much alikewere the braves. 

"Henceforth we are friends, to help each other, " said Manstin, shaking aright hand in farewell. "The earth is our common ear, to carry from itsuttermost extremes one's slightest wish for the other!"

"Ho! Be it so!" answered the newly made man. 

Upon leaving his friend, Manstin hurried away toward the North countrywhither he was bound for a long hunt. Suddenly he came upon the edge ofa wide brook. His alert eye caught sight of a rawhide rope staked to thewater's brink, which led away toward a small round hut in the distance. The ground was trodden into a deep groove beneath the loosely drawnrawhide rope. 

"Hun-he!" exclaimed Manstin, bending over the freshly made footprints inthe moist bank of the brook. "A man's footprints!" he said to himself. "A blind man lives in yonder hut! This rope is his guide by which hecomes for his daily water!" surmised Manstin, who knew all the peculiarcontrivances of the people. At once his eyes became fixed upon thesolitary dwelling and hither he followed his curiosity, --a real blindman's rope. 

Quietly he lifted the door-flap and entered in. An old toothlessgrandfather, blind and shaky with age, sat upon the ground. He wasnot deaf however. He heard the entrance and felt the presence of somestranger. 

"How, grandchild, " he mumbled, for he was old enough to be grandparentto every living thing, "how! I cannot see you. Pray, speak your name!"

"Grandfather, I am Manstin, " answered the rabbit, all the while lookingwith curious eyes about the wigwam. 

"Grandfather, what is it so tightly packed in all these buckskin bagsplaced against the tent poles?" he asked. 

"My grandchild, those are dried buffalo meat and venison. These aremagic bags which never grow empty. I am blind and cannot go on a hunt. Hence a kind Maker has given me these magic bags of choicest foods. "

Then the old, bent man pulled at a rope which lay by his right hand. "This leads me to the brook where I drink! and this, " said he, turningto the one on his left, "and this takes me into the forest, where I feelabout for dry sticks for my fire. "

"Grandfather, I wish I lived in such sure luxury! I would lean backagainst a tent pole, and with crossed feet I would smoke sweet willowbark the rest of my days, " sighed Manstin. 

"My grandchild, your eyes are your luxury! you would be unhappy withoutthem!" the old man replied. 

"Grandfather, I would give you my two eyes for your place!" criedManstin. 

"How! you have said it. Arise. Take out your eyes and give them to me. Henceforth you are at home here in my stead. "

At once Manstin took out both his eyes and the old man put them on!Rejoicing, the old grandfather started away with his young eyes whilethe blind rabbit filled his dream pipe, leaning lazily against the tentpole. For a short time it was a most pleasant pastime to smoke willowbark and to eat from the magic bags. 

Manstin grew thirsty, but there was no water in the small dwelling. Taking one of the rawhide ropes he started toward the brook to quenchhis thirst. He was young and unwilling to trudge slowly in the old man'sfootpath. He was full of glee, for it had been many long moons since hehad tasted such good food. Thus he skipped confidently along jerking theold weather-eaten rawhide spasmodically till all of a sudden it gave wayand Manstin fell headlong into the water. 

"En! En!" he grunted kicking frantically amid stream. All along theslippery bank he vainly tried to climb, till at last he chanced upon theold stake and the deeply worn footpath. Exhausted and inwardly disgustedwith his mishaps, he crawled more cautiously on all fours to his wigwamdoor. Dripping with his recent plunge he sat with chattering teethwithin his unfired wigwam. 

The sun had set and the night air was chilly, but there was no fire-woodin the dwelling. "Hin!" murmured Manstin and bravely tried the otherrope. "I go for some fire-wood!" he said, following the rawhide ropewhich led into the forest. Soon he stumbled upon thickly strewn drywillow sticks. Eagerly with both hands he gathered the wood into hisoutspread blanket. Manstin was naturally an energetic fellow. 

When he had a large heap, he tied two opposite ends of blankettogether and lifted the bundle of wood upon his back, but alas! he hadunconsciously dropped the end of the rope and now he was lost in thewood!

"Hin! hin!" he groaned. Then pausing a moment, he set his fan-like earsto catch any sound of approaching footsteps. There was none. Not even anight bird twittered to help him out of his predicament. 

With a bold face, he made a start at random. 

He fell into some tangled wood where he was held fast. Manstin let gohis bundle and began to lament having given away his two eyes. 

"Friend, my friend, I have need of you! The old oak tree grandfatherhas gone off with my eyes and I am lost in the woods!" he cried with hislips close to the earth. 

Scarcely had he spoken when the sound of voices was audible on the outeredge of the forest. Nearer and louder grew the voices--one was the clearflute tones of a young brave and the other the tremulous squeaks of anold grandfather. 

It was Manstin's friend with the Earth Ear and the old grandfather. "Here Manstin, take back your eyes, " said the old man, "I knew you wouldnot be content in my stead, but I wanted you to learn your lesson. Ihave had pleasure seeing with your eyes and trying your bow and arrows, but since I am old and feeble I much prefer my own teepee and my magicbags!"

Thus talking the three returned to the hut. The old grandfather creptinto his wigwam, which is often mistaken for a mere oak tree by littleIndian girls and boys. 

Manstin, with his own bright eyes fitted into his head again, went onhappily to hunt in the North country. 

THE WARLIKE SEVEN

ONCE seven people went out to make war, --the Ashes, the Fire, theBladder, the Grasshopper, the Dragon Fly, the Fish, and the Turtle. Asthey were talking excitedly, waving their fists in violent gestures, awind came and blew the Ashes away. "Ho!" cried the others, "he could notfight, this one!"

The six went on running to make war more quickly. They descended a deepvalley, the Fire going foremost until they came to a river. The Firesaid "Hsss--tchu!" and was gone. "Ho!" hooted the others, "he could notfight, this one!"

Therefore the five went on the more quickly to make war. They came to agreat wood. While they were going through it, the Bladder was heardto sneer and to say, "He! you should rise above these, brothers. " Withthese words he went upward among the tree-tops; and the thorn applepricked him. He fell through the branches and was nothing! "You seethis!" said the four, "this one could not fight. "

Still the remaining warriors would not turn back. The four went boldlyon to make war. The Grasshopper with his cousin, the Dragon Fly, wentforemost. They reached a marshy place, and the mire was very deep. Asthey waded through the mud, the Grasshopper's legs stuck, and he pulledthem off! He crawled upon a log and wept, "You see me, brothers, Icannot go!"

The Dragon Fly went on, weeping for his cousin. He would not becomforted, for he loved his cousin dearly. The more he grieved, thelouder he cried, till his body shook with great violence. He blew hisred swollen nose with a loud noise so that his head came off his slenderneck, and he was fallen upon the grass. 

"You see how it is, " said the Fish, lashing his tail impatiently, "thesepeople were not warriors!"

"Come!" he said, "let us go on to make war. "

Thus the Fish and the Turtle came to a large camp ground. 

"Ho!" exclaimed the people of this round village of teepees, "Who arethese little ones? What do they seek?"

Neither of the warriors carried weapons with them, and their unimposingstature misled the curious people. 

The Fish was spokesman. With a peculiar omission of syllables, he said:"Shu. . . Hi pi!"

"Wan! what? what?" clamored eager voices of men and women. 

Again the Fish said: "Shu. . . Hi pi!" Everywhere stood young and old witha palm to an ear. Still no one guessed what the Fish had mumbled!

From the bewildered crowd witty old Iktomi came forward. "He, listen!"he shouted, rubbing his mischievous palms together, for where there wasany trouble brewing, he was always in the midst of it. 

"This little strange man says, 'Zuya unhipi! We come to make war!'"

"Uun!" resented the people, suddenly stricken glum. "Let us kill thesilly pair! They can do nothing! They do not know the meaning of thephrase. Let us build a fire and boil them both!"

"If you put us on to boil, " said the Fish, "there will be trouble. "

"Ho ho!" laughed the village folk. "We shall see. "

And so they made a fire. 

"I have never been so angered!" said the Fish. The Turtle in a whisperedreply said: "We shall die!"

When a pair of strong hands lifted the Fish over the sputtering water, he put his mouth downward. "Whssh!" he said. He blew the water all overthe people, so that many were burned and could not see. Screaming withpain, they ran away. 

"Oh, what shall we do with these dreadful ones?" they said. 

Others exclaimed: "Let us carry them to the lake of muddy water anddrown them!"

Instantly they ran with them. They threw the Fish and the Turtle intothe lake. Toward the center of the large lake the Turtle dived. Therehe peeped up out of the water and, waving a hand at the crowd, sang out, "This is where I live!"

The Fish swam hither and thither with such frolicsome darts that hisback fin made the water fly. "E han!" whooped the Fish, "this is where Ilive!"

"Oh, what have we done!" said the frightened people, "this will be ourundoing. "

Then a wise chief said: "Iya, the Eater, shall come and swallow thelake!"

So one went running. He brought Iya, the Eater; and Iya drank all day atthe lake till his belly was like the earth. Then the Fish and the Turtledived into the mud; and Iya said: "They are not in me. " Hearing this thepeople cried greatly. 

Iktomi wading in the lake had been swallowed like a gnat in the water. Within the great Iya he was looking skyward. So deep was the waterin the Eater's stomach that the surface of the swallowed lake almosttouched the sky. 

"I will go that way, " said Iktomi, looking at the concave within arm'sreach. 

He struck his knife upward in the Eater's stomach, and the water fallingout drowned those people of the village. 

Now when the great water fell into its own bed, the Fish and the Turtlecame to the shore. They went home painted victors and loud-voicedsingers.