“‘Round-Cut-Robe is now a great chief. He is above all of us. There
was a time when I was ashamed to know him. But now I am proud to
have him at my feast. He gave me this spear and scalp. In return I
give him his sweetheart and my tepee. As for myself, I will move
into some other place. May this new husband of Spilt-Her-Berries
have a long life and good luck!’
“Round-Cut-Robe became head-chief of the tribe and lived to be very
old. He kept the Beaver Bundle in his lodge as long as he lived. It
was he who taught the Indians how to give the beaver dance.
“That is the origin of the Beaver Bundle.”
When I was leaving Mad Wolf’s lodge to return to my own camp, he said:
“You are now my son and have met my relatives and friends; I want you
to come for another ceremony. It is now the moon when the leaves are
turning yellow. Come again to my lodge at the next full moon—the time
the leaves are falling. I will have White Calf, the head-chief here,
and other prominent men, who will help me open the Beaver Bundle. We
will select an Indian name for you, and will make you a member of the
Blackfoot tribe.”
CHAPTER VIII
I AM GIVEN AN INDIAN NAME AND MADE A MEMBER OF THE BLACKFOOT TRIBE
On the day of full moon, when the leaves were falling, time appointed
by Mad Wolf for the second ceremony and opening of his Beaver Bundle, I
rode across the prairie towards his summer camp. It was fine autumn
weather, without a cloud in the sky. Eastward over the plains, through
a bluish haze, rose the Sweet Grass Hills, like distant islands in an
ocean. West stood the main range of the Rocky Mountains, extending into
the north and disappearing into the far south, the majestic snow-capped
peaks of Rising Wolf and Going-to-the-Sun looming sharp and clear
against the deep blue sky.
From the summit of a grassy ridge, I at last looked down upon the camp
of Mad Wolf. Smoke was rising from the lodges and bore the fragrant
odor of burning cottonwood. Many horses dotted the hills, Indian boys
riding to and fro and racing their mounts across the broad meadows.
Among the rows of white tepees were groups of Indians in bright-colored
clothes. They were seated about their outside fires, playing games and
engaged in various occupations of camp life.
I rode to the large decorated tepee of Mad Wolf, and was greeted by my
Indian sister, Strikes-on-Both-Sides. She wore a dress of fine deerskin
with beaded stripes. Her leggings and moccasins were decorated with
colored porcupine quills. She had white shell ear-rings, and necklaces
of elk teeth and deer bones. She shouted, “The Light-Haired-One has
come back”; then saying to me, “I am glad that you are still smiling,”
she took my hand and led me inside the lodge to Mad-Wolf and her
mother, Gives-to-the-Sun.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account