Traditions of the North American Indians, Vol. 1Jones, James Athearn
History
Traditions of the North American Indians, Vol. 1
Jones, James Athearn
Indians of North America -- Folklore
He said that when he left his hunting, companions, he proceeded onward a
considerable distance in search of game, till he found a bison, which he
was so fortunate as to kill. He removed the flesh from one side of the
animal, but had not time to remove that from the other side, when night
came on, and a great rain set in. Finding that he could not reach his
village that night, and it being in the middle of a prairie, where no
bark or branches could be had with which to form a hut, he was for some
time at a loss to know what he should do to avoid the pelting of the
storm which raged in the skies. At last, he bethought himself of a
method, which was, to remove the entrails from the bison, and creep into
the hollow space: he did so. But, during the night, and while he slept,
the flesh of the bison that he had cut off grew over the side again. In
the morning when he awoke he found himself in darkness. For many nights
there was no motion of the animal. At last the various intestines and
viscera began to grow. He felt from time to time with his hands to learn
their increase, rightly judging that, when they had arrived at full
size, the animal would return to life. That period at length arrived.
His residence began to grow warm, at first moderately so, but increasing
in heat till respiration became difficult. At length he began to feel
with his hand a pulsation in the heart of the animal, and to hear the
sound of wind in its veins, its arteries, and its intestines. Soon he
found himself rocking about as a canoe is tossed on the waves of the
great water; and then he knew the animal had returned to the full
enjoyment of life.
THE WAHCONDA'S SON.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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