“They took her to her father’s lodge and she lived there. But after
that she was not happy. She used to go alone to the summit of a
hill and mourn for her husband. One night she slept on the hill;
and, at daybreak, when Morning Star rose over the prairies, she
begged him to take her back.
“Before Feather Woman died, she told all these things to her father
and mother. Then the grandparents of Star Boy died, and he was left
alone in the camp. He was so poor he had no clothes, not even
moccasins to wear. He did not play with other children; they made
fun of him and stoned him. Whenever the tribe moved camp, he had to
walk barefoot behind the rest of the people. He had a ridge-scar on
his face; and they called him Scarface.
SCARFACE
“Now when Scarface became a young man he loved the daughter of a
chief. She had many suitors, but refused all of them. Scarface
asked her to marry him. But the chief’s daughter ridiculed Scarface
and said: ‘I shall not marry you until your scar can be seen no
more.’
“Then Scarface was ashamed and went away from the camp. He wandered
alone; he fasted, and prayed to the birds and wild animals for
power. Finally an eagle took him to the home of a wise old woman.
She asked him why he traveled so far, and he replied: ‘Because of
this, my scar.’
“Then the old woman said: ‘Ah, yes, I know, I understand. You must
go to the place where the sun sets, beyond the mountains and down
the other side, to the big water. There you must wait, for you will
be near the home of the Sun. In the evening he comes home to his
lodge; and before dawn his only son, the Morning Star, comes out.
He will tell you how to live.’
“The old medicine woman pitied Scarface and gave him food to eat,
and moccasins to wear, for his feet were torn and bleeding. Then he
left her and traveled again, across the mountains and down the
other side, until he came at last to the shore of the big water.
There it was so hot he knew he was near the lodge of the Sun. So he
lay down and waited.
“In the early morning a young man with a beautiful face came forth.
It was Morning Star. He saw Scarface and said:
“‘Brother, I shall hide you. Soon my father, the Sun, will appear
and would kill you. In the morning he comes from his lodge and
starts on his long journey through the sky.’
“So Morning Star hid Scarface. And after the Sun had gone, he took
him to his mother, the Moon, and said:
“‘I want this fellow for my comrade. He has come a long way and I
ask you to pity him.’
“The Moon answered: ‘Wait until your father comes home to-night; I
am afraid he won’t allow the young man to stay.’
“That evening, as soon as the Sun entered the lodge, he said to his
wife: ‘Whew! Old woman, I smell a human here.’
“And the Moon replied: ‘Yes, your son has a chum hidden yonder.’
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