American fiction -- 20th century; Short stories, American
“Listen,” said the great Elk, an’ Strongarm listened because he couldn’t
help it. “You have hunted my people far an’ near; an’ you can never get
enough of their blood or their eye-teeth. I am the Big Medicine Elk an’
chief of the Elk people; an’ now for a vengeance against you, I shall
change you from the hunter to the hunted, an’ you shall know how good it
is to have fear an’ be an elk.”
As the great Elk said this, Strongarm felt his head turn heavy with
antlers, while his nose grew long an’ his mouth wide, an’ hair grew out
of his skin like grass in the moon of new grass, an’ his hands an’ feet
split into hoofs; an’ then Strong-arm stood on his four new hoofs an’
saw by his picture in the stream that he was an elk. Also the elk-fear
curled up in his heart to keep him ever in alarm; an’ he snuffed the
air an’ walked about timidly where before he was Strongarm and feared
nothing.
Strongarm crept home to his lodge, but the Blossom did not know her
husband; an’ Feather-foot, his little son, shot arrows at him; an’ as
he ran from them, the hunters of his village came forth an’ chased
him until Strongarm ran into the darkness of the next night as it came
trailing up from the East, an’ the darkness was kind an’ covered him
like a blanket an’ Strongarm was hid by it an’ saved.
When Strongarm did not come with the next sun to spear fish for Moh-Kwa,
the Wise Bear went to Strongarm’s lodge to seek him for he thought that
he was sick. An’ Moh-Kwa asked the Blossom where was Strongarm? An’ the
Blossom said she did not know; that Strongarm chased the great Elk
into the Pouch canyon an’ never came out again; an’ now a big Doubt had
spread its blankets in her heart an’ would not leave, but was making a
long camp, saying she was a widow. Then the Blossom wept; but Moh-Kwa
told her to wait an’ he would see, because he, Moh-Kwa, owed Strongarm
for many fish an’ would now pay him.
Moh-Kwa went to the Big Medicine Elk.
“Where is the Strongarm?” said Moh-Kwa.
“He runs in the hills an’ is an elk,” said the Big Medicine Elk. “He
killed my people for their teeth, an’ a great fright was on all my
people because of the Strongarm. The mothers dare not go down to the
river’s edge to drink, an’ their children had no time to grow fat for
they were ever looking to meet the Strongarm. Now he is an elk an’ my
people will have peace; the mothers will drink an’ their babies be fat
an’ big, being no more chased by the Strongarm.”
Then Moh-Kwa thought an’ thought, an’ at last he said to the Big
Medicine Elk:
“That is all proud talk. But I must have the Strongarm back, for he
catches my fish.”
But the Big Medicine Elk said he would not give Moh-Kwa back the
Strongarm.
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