Page:Kutenai Tales.djvu/326

Rh boy grows up, the woman tells her father to shoot a buffalo cow. The chief demands it, but the woman's father refuses to give it up. Wlien the chief tries to kill the woman's 30 father, her son shoots him. The youth enters the chief's tent, kills his wives, and gives the tent to his mother. He goes traveling, and reaches a village in which the people are hungry. A woman gives him a little to eat; and when he is not satis- 31 tied, she tells him that the chief is rich but stingy. The youth goes into his tent. The chief becomes a rattlesnake, which he kills. Then he gives meat to the people. He goes down the river to another village, where the same happens with the Grizzly- 32 Bear chief. He goes on down the river, and the same happens to the Buffalo chief,

50. Little Sun (No. 71). — The chief at Fish Hawk Nest, Crazy Old Woman, wants 249 to go to war, and calls for a runner. Little Sun offers to go. He starts when the people begin to play ball in the afternoon. He arrives at the place to which he had been sent, which is far distant, before the people stop playing ball in the evening. He arrives dragging his blanket. He tells Chief Not Sitting Down Long what is wanted. He tells 251 the chief that his people are to work for three days preparing bows and arrows, and then to start. They are to meet at Low Hills. In the afternoon Little Sun starts back, dragging his blanket, and arrives at Fish Hawk Nest in the evening. After four days they start, and meet at Low Hills at noon. Among the warriors are Pipe Lighter and his friend. They are hungry. Pipe Lighter shoots at a burl on a tree, 253 which is transformed into a bear. The first time his arrow strikea, it sounds Uke wood. The second time he kills the bear. The people are afraid of him. When the people are hungry again, his friend spears a piece of wood in the water, which is transformed into a charr. The first time he strikes it, it is wood ; the second time, it is a fish. In the evening they reach the village of their enemies. Two scouts, Lamb Hat and Raven 255 Hat, go out and see the village of the eromy. The people (except one man, who is suspicious) think they are animals. Lamb Hat transforms himself into a lamb, and 257 is able, with the other warriors, to go down a slope of loose stones without making any noise. Crazy Old Woman's son, Rattling Claws, goes with Not Sitting Down Long, who captures Chief Hare Lip, and shouts that he is holding him. Rattling Claws counts coup for the chief. Early in the morning all the enemies have been killed. The one man, who had been suspicious, keeps away. In the morning he sees that 259 the village has been destroyed. The warriors spare him and let him carry the news back to his people. While the warriors are going back. Rattling Claws brags, and says that Chief Not Sitting Down Long counted coup for him. The chief becomes angry, and wishes him to be killed by a grizzly bear. They arrive at Fish Hawk Nest, Rattling Claws going ahead, indicating that he is chief warrior. Chief Crazy Old Woman tells them to rest and then to go out hunting. Rattling Claws and one of his 261 elder brothers go hunting bighorn sheep. The elder brother tries to frighten him, saying that he is being pursued by a bear. ATien a grizzly bear is really coming, and the elder brother warns Rattling Claws, he does not believe him, and is killed by the bear. This is due to the wish of Chief Not Sitting Down Long, whom he had offended.

51. Pine Cone (No. 72). — Two friends, Lamb Hat and Wolverene Hat, are hunting 261 mountain goat. When enemies come, the one transforms himself into a mountain 263 goat, which climbs the steep mountain. The other one becomes a wolverene, and runs back along a ledge upon which they are standing. The enemies pursue them, and the friends reach an old man named Pine Cone, who is hunting muskrats. They warn him, but he disbelieves them. When he sees the enemies coming, he hides, and 265 puts his blanket over a figure made of rushes, intending to deceive the enemies. The enemies find him, and he tries to shoot them. His arrows hit them, but do not pierce them. His last arrow has no point, and with it he kills one of the enemies, who then attack him. He tries to ward off their arrows with his bow, but is killed. The ene- mies go back. When the people of the two friends reach the lake, they find the body of Pine Cone.