🧚 The Grizzly Bear’s Medicine · page 3

The first bird that came was a buzzard, then an eagle, then hawks and owls, all kinds of birds that kill their prey.231 He fed them all.232 While he was doing this, the poor boy was above lying on top of the bank.233 Late in the afternoon, just as the sun was going down, he saw, far up the river, what looked like a flock of geese coming.234 They came nearer and nearer, and at last passed out of sight under the bank.235 Afterwards, when he looked down on the river, he could see in the water red light as if it were all on fire, and as he lay on the bank he could hear down below him the sound of drumming and singing just as plain as could be, and all the time the chief’s son was hanging there in front of the bank, and the poor boy would call down to him to cry and ask the animals to take pity on him.236 When Medicine Bear had done this, he started back and went home, leaving the chief’s son hanging there.237

The chief’s son stayed there all the night and all the next day, and for three days and nights, and on the night of the fourth day he fell asleep.238 When he awoke he was in a lodge.239 It was under the Missouri River.240 When he looked about him he saw that those in the lodge were all animals.241 There was the beaver, there was the otter, two buffalo, the antelope, hawks, owls, ermines, bears, frogs, woodpeckers, catfish—all kinds of animals.242 On each side of the lodge was a little pool, and in each pool sat a goose, and every time they sang, the geese would shake their wings on the water, and it sounded just like drumming.243 The chief of the animals spoke to him, saying: “My son, at this time we can do nothing for you.244 We must first send our messenger up to the Bear’s lodge to ask him what we may do for you.”245 While he was saying this the Bear’s servant entered the lodge and said: “My father, it is all right.246 Our father the Bear told me to say to you that his son has sent this young man to you, and you must exert all your power for him.”247

Now the animals began to make ready to use their power to help the chief’s son.248 First the Beaver talked to the young man, to tell him of his powers and his ways, so that he might perform wonderful acts.249 How he should take the branch of a tree and strike a man with its point and it would go through him, and then how to draw it out and to make the man well again.250 He gave him the power to do this.251 He taught him how to take a stick two feet long and swallow it, and then take it out again from his throat, and gave him this power.252

The Otter gave him the power, if his enemies ever attacked him, to break their arrows with his teeth and shoot back the shaft without a spike, and if he hit an enemy with the shaft, it would kill him.253 “The poison from your mouth will kill him,” he said.254

The Ground-dog said: “My son, here is my little one.255 I give him to you.256 Take him, and if you have an enemy among the doctors in your tribe, take this little one down to the water early in the morning and dip his nose in the water, and when you take it out it will have a piece of liver in its mouth.257 The man who has tried to kill you will be found dead.”258

The Owl said: “My son, I give you power to see in the night.259 When you go on the war-path and want to take horses, the night will be like daytime for you.”260

The Hawk said: “My son, I give you power to run swiftly, and I give you my war-club, which is my wing.261 You shall strike your enemy with it only once, and the blow shall kill him.262 Take also this little black rope; you shall use it when you go on the war-path to catch horses.263 Take also this scalp which you see hanging down from my claw.264 You shall be a great man for scalping.”265

Each of the other animals gave him all his kinds of power.266

For two days and two nights they taught him the different kinds of power, and for two days and two nights they taught him the different kinds of roots and herbs for healing the sick.267 They said to him: “You shall be the great doctor of your people.268 Every now and then you must bring us tobacco, so that we can smoke.”269 They further told him that at this time they could teach him only a little, but that afterwards, one at a time, they would meet him out on the prairie, and would teach him more.270 At last they said: “Now it is time for you to go.271 Your friend has come, and is waiting for you out on the prairie.”272

The Buffalo now stood up and said: “My son, I want to be with you always.273 I give you my robe.274 Wear it wherever you go, that the people may know that you come from this place.”275 All the animals said, “We want to be with you too.”276 Each one of the birds took off a feather and put it on the robe, and each animal put one of its claws on it, and some put medicine on it.277 In one of the holes the Beaver tied a little sweet-grass, and others did the same.278 By the time they were through, the robe was all covered with feathers and claws and smelled sweet.279 The animals had put their medicine on it so that it smelled sweet.280 Then the animals said, “Go, my son, to your people, and bring us something to smoke, so that we may be satisfied.”281

Presently the chief’s son found himself upon the bluff, facing his brother.282 His brother grasped him in his arms and said: “Oh, my brother, you smell nice.283 What a fine robe you have on!284 Look at all these feathers.”285 They hugged each other.286 Then they went home together.287 The chief’s son had a bundle that the animals had given him.288

Soon after this the Pawnees had a big doctors’ dance.289 These boys went into the doctors’ lodge and said: “Doctors, you are the head doctors, but we have come to-night to visit you.290 We want to do a few things ourselves.”291 The doctors all said “Lau-a.”292 The young men took seats close to the door, which is the most important place in this dance.293 All the doctors were surprised, and said “Uh!”294

The Bear boy got up first and began shooting at the chief’s son, just as he had done with the Bear, and all the doctors thought he was powerful, shooting at this young man and curing him.295 When he got through, it was the other boy’s turn.296 He would take a long sharp stick and thrust it through his brother, and then heal him again, and then take a knife and stab him, and then cure him.297 He did some powerful things, more so than his brother had done.298 After the doctors had seen all these things they all said, “Let us have these two for our head doctors.”299 But the poor boy said: “Not so.300 This one who is sitting by me has more power than I have.301 He ought to be the head doctor, for I am a warrior, and can never stay in the camp to doctor people.302 My brother has gone into the animals’ lodge, and they have given him more power than I possess.”303 So the chief’s son was chosen to be the head doctor.304

When the doctors’ dance was over, the two brothers at once started to go to the animals’ lodge, carrying with them tobacco and a pipe.305 When they got there, the chief’s son told his brother to wait on the bank, that he was going down to take the tobacco and the pipe to his fathers.306 He jumped off the steep bank into the river, down into the door of the lodge, and went in.307 When they saw him all the animals slapped their mouths and called out.308 They were glad to see him.309 After smoking with them, he went back to his friend.310 After that the chief’s son would go off by himself and would meet the animals on the hills.311 They would tell him about different roots, and how to doctor this disease and that.312 He would come back with some roots and herbs and put them away.313

Finally the head chief sent for the Bear man and said to him: “My son, I offered you my lodge, my daughter, and the whole tribe.314 Now take all this.315 Let me go out of this lodge and look for another one, and you stay here with my daughter.”316 The young man said: “What of my brother?317 Send for the other chief.318 Let him give his daughter, his lodge, his people, to him, and this day we will accept your gifts to us.319 My brother will after this be the head doctor of this tribe.”320 The other chief, when asked to do this, agreed, and it was so done.321

The Bear man went often on the war-path, but his brother stayed at home, and fought against the enemy only when they attacked the village.322 He took charge of the doctors’ lodge.323 The Bear man after this had some children, and when they had grown up he told his son the secrets of his power.324 He was now beginning to grow old, and his son went on the war-path, while he stayed at home.325

One night he had a dream about his father the Bear.326 The Bear said to him: “My son, I made you great and powerful among your people.327 The hairs of my body are falling, and soon I shall die.328 Then you too will die.329 Tell your son all the secret powers that I gave you.330 He shall keep the same power that you have had.”331

Soon after this the old Bear must have died, for the man died.332 Before he died he said to his brother: “Do not mourn for me, for I shall always be near you.333 Take care of your people.334 Cure them when they are sick, and always be their chief.”335

When the enemy came and attacked the people and wounded any, the chief’s son was always there and always cured them.336 He was a great doctor.337 At last he also died, but his son had the same kind of power.338 But these two sons never had so great powers as their fathers.339