“As soon as the drums began, the leader started the dance; and the two circle-men with white lances followed. After them came the other members with plain spears. They danced in pairs, the way Kit Foxes run together. They gave short, even jumps with feet close together, imitating the movements of a fox. They barked and moved about, first in one direction, then in another, just as a fox is accustomed to do. The two circle-men (eyes), barking and swinging their spears, danced between the two lines. They did not move in a straight line, because a fox never goes straight; his tail always seems to guide him. When the white-circle-men shouted, ‘It is enough,’ the dance stopped and the members returned to their seats. But, after a short rest, they began again. And that is what I know about our societies.” CHAPTER XXXII BRINGS-DOWN-THE-SUN TELLS ABOUT THE BIRDS AND THE STARS We were seated by our camp-fire with the old chief and his family. My Indian sister, Strikes-on-Both-Sides, and Long Hair delighted the children, making whistles from cottonwood bark and toy lodges from leaves of the balsam poplar, winding them around their fingers into the shape of little tepees and fastening them together with twigs. They set them up like real lodges and made them into a big camp in the form of a circle. Then we gave Brings-Down-the-Sun the collection of roots and herbs we gathered especially for him; and a rare medicinal root called “sharp vine” by the Indians, one of his favorite remedies for breaks and sprains. He was so glad to get it that he chanted and prayed over it. After putting our present carefully in an old medicine sack, he seated himself apart from the others, and with dignity waited for the women and children to become quiet. From his manner I knew he was ready for his Indian stories and hastened to prepare notebooks and writing equipment. The old chief was watching, for he said with a smile: “My white son there reminds me of a squirrel; he runs in one direction as if to steal something, then darts quickly in another; he never sits still a moment; he is always on the move.” At that moment a woodpecker with red-crested head called from a tree top. Brings-Down-the-Sun pointed to the bird and said: “He calls to the worms and bugs to stick out their heads; he is hungry and wants to eat them.” I asked the chief to tell about other birds and their songs. He replied: “We called the yellow-breast (Western meadow-lark) ‘big-rump-bird,’ because he is so broad across the back. He is one of the first birds to come in the spring. We are always glad to see him; when he comes we know that summer is near. He has different songs: ‘Good whistler (his wife) is a selfish woman’; also, ‘Your sister has a black skin.’ “The black breast (horned lark) sings in the air: ‘Spread out your blanket and I will light upon it.’