When the tree flowered : $b An authentic tale of the old Sioux worldNeihardt, John G.
History
When the tree flowered : $b An authentic tale of the old Sioux world
Neihardt, John G.
Historical fiction; Oglala Indians -- Fiction
“Afterwhile the band was camped by a lake, and on the other side of it
there was a high bank with trees and plum brush. Someone said there
were big ripe plums there, so Chasing Otter said to Sees-White-Cow,
‘Why don’t we paddle over there and get us some good ripe plums?’ And
she said that would be good. So they got in their canoe and paddled to
where the ripe plums were. They were having a good time picking the
plums, and then Sees-White-Cow thought she would climb up the bank to
where the plums were even bigger and riper. When she got up there and
looked over, there was a man peeking at her out of the brush. So she
dropped back down the bank and whispered to Chasing Otter, ‘An enemy
peeked at me! Let us get away from here quick!’ Chasing Otter was
eating ripe plums and they tasted very good. So he said, ‘It is only
some other people who are picking some plums for themselves. I will go
and see.’ He started climbing up the bank. But the woman was frightened
and she said, ‘They are enemies! I am going!’ So she leaped into the
canoe and began to paddle away.”
Moves Walking fell to paddling violently, peering anxiously ahead.
Suddenly, he looked back over his shoulder. “The enemies are charging!”
he announced excitedly--“_Wham! Whock!_” He lashed viciously at the
air with an imaginary tomahawk. “Chasing Otter is dead, scalped.
_Whang--whang--whang!_” With left hand extended and right hand at
ear, Moves Walking released arrow after arrow in the direction of the
galloping canoe.
“They shot at Sees-White-Cow, but did not hit her. When she got back
to the village and told the story, a war party set out after the
enemies and her two brothers were in it. When they found the enemies
they were Chippewas again, and there was a big fight. Only a few of the
enemies got away. The brothers were so brave and got so many scalps
that people talked and talked about them, and there was a big victory
dance.
“So the second husband was dead and Sees-White-Cow was a widow again.
She cut her hair and mourned awhile. But she was young and good to see;
and when her hair was beginning to get long, a brave young man, called
Tall Horse, asked for her, and she became his woman. Tall Horse was
from another band and he had been visiting some relatives. He wanted to
go back home with his woman, and Sees-White-Cow was willing, so they
got ready and started out afoot, because there were few horses in those
days.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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