Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical SketchDenig, Edwin Thompson
History
Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical Sketch
Denig, Edwin Thompson
Assiniboine Indians; Indians of North America -- Missouri River Valley
He remained a day or two near the place, and each day observed his
wife to repair to the snake’s den for like purposes. He then returned
home. She was absent, but returned in a short time. “My wife,” said he,
“I have killed a deer some distance off; go and get the meat.” After
having received instructions as to where the meat was to be found, the
woman departed with her dogs to bring it. In the meantime her husband
went into the bushes, struck with his battle ax on the snake’s house,
saying, “My husband, come forth,” imitating the voice of his wife. The
reptile sallied out with all his family and the Indian destroyed them
all with his battle ax. Gathering up the snakes, he carried them home
and cooked them by boiling them to a jelly. His wife returned without
finding any meat (as indeed there was none), and found her husband
sitting down sharpening a huge flint ax. He invited her to sit down,
and observing that she must be hungry after such a long travel, poured
into a bowl the mess of snakes, which he handed to his wife, who,
thinking it was some other kind of meat, ate the whole. After she had
feasted, the man said, “You have eaten your beloved husband, the snake,
and now you shall follow him.” He rose up and cut her head off at one
stroke of his sharp ax. A storm arose, the wind blew, the thunder
rolled, and the man disappeared in a whirlwind of dust and was caught
up in the air. The children, much frightened at all this, ran out of
the lodge over the prairie, never ceasing their speed until they were
at some distance.
On stopping to rest themselves they looked back and beheld the Head of
their mother rolling after them, calling on them to stop.[58]
[58] The Whirlwind that took up her husband.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account