American fiction -- 20th century; Short stories, American
Now, this made Kwa-Sind, the Strong Man, angry in his soul’s soul; for
Kwa-Sind was a mighty Sioux, an’ had killed a Pawnee for each of his
fingers, an’ a Blackfoot an’ a Crow for each of his toes, an’ it
made his breast sore to see the Swallow, who had been also called
Shau-goh-dah-wah, the Coward, thought higher among the Sioux an’ be a
richer man than himself. Yet Kwa-Sind was afraid to kill the Swallow
lest the Sioux who now sung the Swallow’s praises should rise against
him for revenge.
Kwa-Sind told his hate to Wah-bee-noh, who was a medicine man an’
juggler, an’ agreed that he would give Wah-bee-noh twenty ponies to make
the Swallow again as he was so that the Sioux would laugh at him an’
call him Shau-goh-dah-wah, the Coward.
Wah-bee-noh, the medicine man, was glad to hear the offer of Kwa-Sind,
for he was a miser an’ thought only how he might add another pony to his
herd. Wah-bee-noh told Kwa-Sind he would surely do as he asked, an’ that
the Swallow within three moons would be despised among all the Sioux.
Wah-bee-noh went to his lodge an’ made his strongest medicine an’ called
Jee-bi, the Spirit. An’ Jee-bi, the Spirit, told Wah-bee-noh of the
Swallow’s knife an’ bear-claws an’ the medicine robe.
An’ now Wah-bee-noh made a plan an’ gave it to his daughter who was
called Oh-pee-chee, the Robin, to carry out; for the Robin was full of
craft an’ cunning, an’ moreover, beautiful among the young girls of the
Sioux.
The Robin dressed herself until she was like the red bird; an’ then she
walked up an’ down in front of the lodge of the Swallow. An’ when the
Swallow saw her, his nature which was light as dead leaves at once
became drawn to the Robin, an’ the Swallow laughed an’ made a place by
his side for the Robin to sit down. With that the Robin came an’ sat by
his side; an’ after a little she sang to him Ewah-yeah, the Sleep-song,
an’ the Swallow was overcome; his eyes closed an’ slumber settled down
upon him like a night-fog.
Then the Robin stole the knife from its sheath an’ the bear-claws from
about the neck of the Swallow; but the medicine robe the Robin could not
get because the Swallow was asleep upon it, an’ if she pulled it from
beneath him he would wake up.
The Robin took the knife an’ the bear-claws an’ carried them to
Wah-bee-noh, her father, who got twelve ponies from Kwa-Sind for them
an’ added the ponies to his herd. An’ the heart of Wah-bee-noh danced
the miser’s dance of gain in his bosom from mere gladness; an’ because
he would have eight more ponies from Kwa-Sind, he sent the Robin back to
steal the medicine robe when the Swallow should wake up.
The Robin went back, an’ finding the Swallow still asleep on the
medicine robe, lay down by his side; an’ soon she too fell asleep, for
the Robin was a very tired squaw since to be cunning an’ full of craft
is hard work an’ soon wearies one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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