CHAPTER IV.
How The Raven Died.
"Which if you-all is out to hear of Injuns, son," observed the OldCattleman, doubtfully, "the best I can do is shet my eyes an' push alongregyardless, like a cayouse in a storm of snow. But I don't guarantee nofacts; none whatever! I never does bend myse'f to severe study ofsavages an' what notions I packs concernin' 'em is the casual frootes ofwhat I accidental hears an' what I sees. It's only now an' then, as Iobserves former, that Injuns invades Wolfville; an' when they does,we-all scowls 'em outen camp--sort o' makes a sour front, so as to break'em early of habits of visitin' us. We shore don't hone none to have 'emhankerin' 'round.
"Nacherally, I makes no doubt that if you goes clost to Injuns an'studies their little game you finds some of 'em good an' some bad, somegaudy an' some sedate, some cu'rous an' some indifferent, same as youfinds among shore-enough folks. It's so with mules an' broncos;wherefore, then, may not these differences exist among Injuns? Comesquar' to the turn, you-all finds white folks separated the same. Somegents follows off one waggon track an' some another; some even makes anew trail.
"Speakin' of what's opposite in folks, I one time an' ag'in sees twowhite chiefs of scouts who frequent comes pirootin' into Wolfville fromthe Fort. Each has mebby a score of Injuns at his heels who pertains tohim personal. One of these scout chiefs is all buck-skins, fringes,beads an' feathers from y'ears to hocks, while t'other goes garbed in astiff hat with a little jim crow rim--one of them kind you deenom'natesas a darby--an' a diag'nal overcoat; one chief looks like a dime novel ona spree an' t'other as much like the far East as he saveys how. An' yet,son, this voylent person in buckskins is a Second Lootenent--a mere boy,he is--from West P'int; while that outcast in the reedic'lous hat isfoaled on the plains an' never does go that clost to the risin' sun as toglimpse the old Missouri. The last form of maverick bursts frequent intoWestern bloom; it's their ambition, that a-way, to deloode you intodeemin' 'em as fresh from the States as one of them tomatter airtights.
"Thar's old gent Jeffords; he's that sort. Old Jeffords lives for longwith the Apaches; he's found among 'em when Gen'ral Crook--the old 'GreyFox'--an' civilisation and gatlin' guns comes into Arizona arm in arm. Iused to note old Jeffords hibernatin' about the Oriental over in Tucson.I shore reckons he's procrastinatin' about thar yet, if the Great Speritain't done called him in. As I says, old Jeffords is that long among theApaches back in Cochise's time that the mem'ry of man don't run none tothe contrary. An' yet no gent ever sees old Jeffords wearin' anythingmore savage than a long-tail black surtoot an' one of them stove pipehats. Is Jeffords dangerous? No, you-all couldn't call him a distinctperil; still, folks who goes devotin' themse'fs to stirrin' Jeffords upjest to see if he's alive gets disasterous action. He has long grey ha'ran' a tangled white beard half-way down his front; an' with that old plughat an' black coat he's a sight to frighten children or sour milk!Still, Jeffords is all right. As long as towerists an' other inquisitivepeople don't go pesterin' Jeffords, he shore lets 'em alone. Otherwise,you might as well be up the same saplin' with a cinnamon b'ar; whichyou'd most likely hear something drop a lot!
"For myse'f, I likes old Jeffords, an' considers him a pleasin'conundrum. About tenth drink time he'd take a cha'r an' go camp byhimse'f in a far corner, an' thar he'd warble hymns. Many a time as Ifiles away my nosepaint in the Oriental have I been regaled with,
Jesus, Lover of my soul, Let me to Thy bosom fly, While the nearer waters roll, While the tempest still is high,
as emanatin' from Jeffords where he's r'ared back conductin' somepersonal services. Folks never goes buttin' in interferin' with theseconcerts; which it's cheaper to let him sing.
"Speakin' of Injuns, as I su'gests, I never does see over-much of 'em inWolfville. An' my earlier experiences ain't thronged with 'em neither,though while I'm workin' cattle along the Red River I does carom onInjuns more or less. Thar's one old hostile I recalls speshul; he's afool Injun called Black Feather;--Choctaw, he is. This Black Feather'sweakness is fire-water; he thinks more of it than some folks does ofchildren.
"Black Feather used to cross over to where Dick Stocton maintains a storean' licker house on the Upper Hawgthief. Of course, no gent sells theseInjuns licker. It's ag'in the law; an' onless you-all is onusual eagerto make a trip to Fort Smith with a marshal ridin' herd on you doorin'said visit, impartin' of nosepaint to aborigines is a good thing not todo. But Black Feather, he'd come over to Dick Stocton's an' linger'round the bar'ls of Valley Tan, an' take a chance on stealin' a snifteror two while Stocton's busy.
"At last Stocton gets tired an' allows he'll lay for Black Feather. Thisyere Stocton is a mighty reckless sport; he ain't carin' much whatever hedoes do; he hates Injuns an' shot guns, an' loves licker, seven-up, an'sin in any form; them's Stocton's prime characteristics. An' he getsmighty weary of the whiskey-thievin' Black Feather, an' lays for him.
"One evenin' this aggravatin' Black Feather crosses over an' takes toha'ntin' about Dick Stocton's licker room as is his wont. It looks likeBlack Feather has already been buyin' whiskey of one of them boot-laigparties who takes every chance an' goes among the Injuns an' sells 'emnosepaint on the sly. 'Fore ever he shows up on the Upper Hawgthief thattime, this Black Feather gets nosepaint some'ers an' puts a whole quartof it away in the shade; an' he shore exhibits symptoms. Which for onething he feels about four stories tall!
"Stocton sets a trap for Black Feather. He fills up the tin cup intowhich he draws that Valley Tan with coal-oil--karoseen you-all callsit--an' leaves it, temptin' like, settin' on top a whiskey bar'l. Shore!it's the first thing Black Feather notes. He sees his chance an' grabsan' downs the karoseen; an' Stocton sort o' startin' for him, this BlackFeather gulps her down plump swift. The next second he cuts loose theyell of that year, burns up about ten acres of land, and starts for RedRiver. No, I don't know whether the karoseen hurts him none or not; buthe certainly goes squatterin' across the old Red River like a woundedwild-duck, an' he never does come back no more.
"But, son, as you sees, I don't know nothin' speshul or much touchin'Injuns, an' if I'm to dodge the disgrace of ramblin' along in thisdesultory way, I might better shift to a tale I hears Sioux Sam relate toDoc Peets one time in the Red Light. This Sam is a Sioux, an a mightydecent buck, considerin' he's Injun; Sam is servin' the Great Father as ascout with the diag'nal-coat, darby-hat sharp I mentions. Peets givesthis saddle-tinted longhorn a 4-bit piece, an' he tells this yarn. Itsounds plenty childish; but you oughter b'ar in mind that savages,mental, ain't no bigger nor older than ten year old young-ones among thepalefaces.
"'This is the story my mother tells me,' says Sioux Sam, 'to show me theevils of cur'osity. "The Great Sperit allows to every one the right toask only so many questions," says my mother, "an' when they ask one morethan is their right, they die."
"'This is the story of the fate of _Kaw-kaw-chee_, the Raven, a SiouxChief who died long ago exackly as my mother told me. The Raven diedbecause he asked too many questions an' was too cur'ous. It began whenSublette, who was a trader, came up the _Mitchi-zoor-rah_, the Big-Muddy,an' was robbed by the Raven's people. Sublette was mad at this, an' saidnext time he would bring the Sioux a present so they would not rob him.So he brought a little cask of fire-water an' left it on the bank of theBig-Muddy. Then Sublette went away, an' twenty of the Raven's young menfound the little cask. An' they were greedy an' did not tell the camp;they drank the fire-water where it was found.
"'The Raven missed his twenty young men an' when he went to spy for them,behold! they were dead with their teeth locked tight an' their faces an'bodies writhen an' twisted as the whirlwind twists the cottonwoods. Thenthe Raven thought an' thought; an' he got very cur'ous to know why hisyoung men died so writhen an' twisted. The fire-water had a whirlwind init, an' the Raven was eager to hear. So he sent for Sublette.
"'Then the Raven an' Sublette had a big talk. They agreed not to hurteach other; an' Sublette was to come an' go an' trade
with the Sioux; an'they would never rob him.
"'At this, Sublette gave the Raven some of the whirlwind that so killedan' twisted the twenty young men. It was a powder, white; an' it had nosmell. Sublette said its taste was bitter; but the Raven must not tasteit or it would lock up his teeth an' twist an' kill him. For to swallowthe white powder loosed the whirlwind on the man's heart an' it bent himan' twisted him like the storms among the willows.
"'But the Raven could give the powder to others. So the Raven gave it insome deer's meat to his two squaws; an' they were twisted till they died;an' when they would speak they couldn't, for their teeth were held tighttogether an' no words came out of their mouths,--only a great foam. Thenthe Raven gave it to others that he did not love; they were twisted an'died. At last there was no more of the powder of the whirlwind; theRaven must wait till Sublette came up the Big-Muddy again an' brought himmore.
"'There was a man, the Gray Elk, who was of the Raven's people. The GrayElk was a _Choo-ayk-eed_, a great prophet. And the Gray Elk had a wife;she was wise an' beautiful, an' her name was Squaw-who-has-dreams. ButGray Elk called her _Kee-nee-moo-sha_, the Sweetheart.
"'While the Raven waited for Sublette to bring him more powder of thewhirlwind, a star with a long tail came into the sky. This star with thetail made the Raven heap cur'ous. He asked Gray Elk to tell him aboutit, for he was a prophet. The Raven asked many questions; they fell fromhim like leaves from a tree in the month of the first ice. So the GrayElk called _Chee-bee_, the Spirit; an' the Spirit told the Gray Elk.Then the Gray Elk told the Raven.'
"'It was not a tail, it was blood--star blood; an' the star had been bitan' was wounded, but would get well. The Sun was the father of thestars, an' the Moon was their mother. The Sun, _Gheezis_, tried ever topursue an' capture an' eat his children, the stars. So the stars all ranan' hid when the Sun was about. But the stars loved their mother who wasgood an' never hurt them; an' when the Sun went to sleep at night an'_Coush-ee-wan_, the Darkness, shut his eyes, the Moon an' her childrencame together to see each other. But the star that bled had been caughtby the Sun; it got out of his mouth but was wounded. Now it wasfrightened, so it always kept its face to where the Sun was sleeping overin the west. The bleeding star, _Sch-coo-dah_, would get well an' itswound would heal.
"'Then the Raven wanted to know how the Gray Elk knew all this. An' theGray Elk had the Raven into the medicine lodge that night; an' the Ravenheard the spirits come about an' heard their voices; but he could notunderstand. Also, the Raven saw a wolf all fire, with wings like theeagle which flew overhead. Also he heard the Thunder, _Boom-wa-wa_,talking with the Gray Elk; but the Raven couldn't understand. The GrayElk told the Raven to draw his knife an' stab with it in the air outsidethe medicine lodge. An' when he did, the Raven's blade an' hand cameback covered with blood. Still, the Raven was cur'ous an' kept askin' tobe told how the Gray Elk knew these things. An' the Gray Elk at lasttook the Raven to the Great Bachelor Sycamore that lived alone, an' askedthe Raven if the Bachelor Sycamore was growing. An' the Raven said itwas. Then Gray Elk asked him how he knew it was growing. An' the Ravensaid he didn't know. Then Gray Elk said he did not know how he knewabout _Sch-coo-dah_, the star that was bit. This made the Raven angry,for he was very cur'ous; an' he thought the Gray Elk had two tongues.
"'Then it came the month of the first young grass an' Sublette was backfor furs. Also he brought many goods; an' he gave to the Raven more ofthe powder of the whirlwind in a little box, At once the Raven made afeast of ducks for the Gray Elk; an' he gave him of the whirlwind powder;an' at once his teeth came together an' the Gray Elk was twisted till hedied.
"'Now no one knew that the Raven had the powder of the whirlwind, so theycould not tell why all these people were twisted and went to the GreatSpirit. But the Squaw-who-has-dreams saw that it was the Raven whokilled her husband, the Gray Elk, in a vision. Then theSquaw-who-has-dreams went into the mountains four days an' talked with_Moh-kwa_, the Bear who is the wisest of the beasts. The Bear said itwas the Raven who killed the Gray Elk an' told the Squaw-who-has-dreamsof the powder of the whirlwind.
"'Then the Bear an' the Squaw-who-has-dreams made a fire an' smoked an'laid a plot. The Bear did not know where to find the powder of thewhirlwind which the Raven kept always in a secret place. But the Beartold the Squaw-who-has-dreams that she should marry the Raven an' watchuntil she found where the powder of the whirlwind was kept in its secretplace; an' then she was to give some to the Raven, an' he, too, would betwisted an' die. There was a great danger, though; the Raven would,after the one day when they were wedded, want to kill theSquaw-who-has-dreams. So to protect her, the Bear told her she mustbegin to tell the Raven the moment she was married to him theStory-that-never-ends. Then, because the Raven was more cur'ous thaneven he was cruel, he would put off an' put off giving the powder of thewhirlwind to the Squaw-who-has-dreams, hoping to hear the end of theStory-that-never-ends. Meanwhile the Squaw-who-has-dreams was to watchthe Raven until she found the powder of the whirlwind in its secret place.
"'Then the wise Bear gave the Squaw-who-has-dreams a bowlful of words asseed, so she might plant them an' raise a crop of talk to tell theStory-that-never-ends. An' the Squaw-who-has-dreams planted theseed-words, an' they grew an' grew an' she gathered sixteen bundles oftalk an' brought them to her wigwam. After that she put beads in herhair, an' dyed her lips red, an' rubbed red on her cheeks, an' put on anew blanket; an' when the Raven saw her, he asked her to marry him. Sothey were wedded; an' the Squaw-who-has-dreams went to the teepee of theRaven an' was his wife.
"'But the Raven was old an' cunning like _Yah-mee-kee_, the Beaver, an'he said, "He is not wise who keeps a squaw too long!" An' with that hethought he would kill the Squaw-who-has-dreams the next day with thepowder of the whirlwind. But the Squaw-who-has-dreams first told theRaven that she hated _When-dee-goo_, the Giant; an' that she should notlove the Raven until he had killed _When-dee-goo_. She knew the Giantwas too big an' strong for the Raven to kill with his lance, an' that hemust get his powder of the whirlwind; she would watch him an' learn itssecret place. The Raven said he would kill the Giant as the sun wentdown next day.
"'Then the Squaw-who-has-dreams told the Raven the first of theStory-that-never-ends an' used up one bundle of talk; an' when the storyended for that night, the Squaw-who-has-dreams was saying: "An' so, outof the lake that was red as the sun came a great fish that was green,with yellow wings, an' it walked also with feet, an' it came up to me an'said: "But then she would tell no more that night; nor could the Raven,who was crazy with cur'osity, prevail on her. "I must now sleep an'dream what the green fish with the yellow wings said," was the reply ofthe Squaw-who-has-dreams, an' she pretended to slumber. So the Raven,because he was cur'ous, put off her death.
"'All night she watched, but the Raven did not go to the secret placewhere he had hidden the powder of the whirlwind. Nor the next day, whenthe sun went down, did the Raven kill the Giant. But theSquaw-who-has-dreams took up again the Story-that-never-ends an' toldwhat the green fish with the yellow wings said; an' she used up thesecond bundle of talk. When she ceased for that time, theSquaw-who-has-dreams was saying: "An' as night fell, _Moh-kwa_, the Bear,called to me from his canyon, an' said for me to come an' he would showme where the great treasure of fire-water was buried for you who are theRaven. So I went into the canyon, an' _Moh-kwa_, the Bear, took me bythe hand an' led me to the treasure of fire-water which was greater an'richer than was ever seen by any Sioux."
"'Then the Squaw-who-has-dreams would tell no more that night, while theRaven eat his fingers with cur'osity. But he made up a new plan not totwist the Squaw-who-has-dreams until she showed him the treasure offire-water an' told him the end of the Story-that-never-ends. On herpart, however, the Squaw-who-has-dreams, as she went to sleep, wept an'tore the beads from her hair an' said the Raven did not love her; for hehad not killed the Giant as he promised. She said she would tell no moreof the Story-that-never-ends unt
il the Giant was dead; nor would she showto a husband who did not love her the great treasure of fire-water which_Moh-kwa_, the Bear, had found. At this, the Raven who was hot to havethe treasure of firewater an' whose ears rang with cur'osity to hear theend of the Story-that-never-ends saw that he must kill the Giant.Therefore, when the Squaw-who-has-dreams had ceased to sob and revilehim, an' was gone as he thought asleep, the Raven went to his secretplace where he kept the powder of the whirlwind an' took a little an'wrapped it in a leaf an' hid the leaf in the braids of his long hair.Then the Raven went to sleep.
"'When the Raven was asleep the Squaw-who-has-dreams went also herself tothe secret place an' got also a little of the powder of the whirlwind.An' the next morning she arose early an' gave the powder of the whirlwindto the Raven on the roast buffalo, the _Pez-hee-kee_, which was his food.
"'When the Raven had eaten, the Squaw-who-has-dreams went out of theteepee among the people an' called all the Sioux to come an' see theRaven die. So the Sioux came gladly, and the Raven was twisted an'writhen with the power of the whirlwind wrenching at his heart; an' histeeth were tight like a trap; an' no words, but only foam, came from hismouth; an' at last the Spirit, the _Chee-bee_, was twisted out of theRaven; an' the Squaw-who-has-dreams was revenged for the death of theGray Elk whom she loved an' who always called her _Kee-nee-moo-sha_, theSweetheart, because it made her laugh.
"'When the Raven was dead, the Squaw-who-has-dreams went to the secretplace an' threw the powder of the whirlwind into the Big-Muddy; an' afterthat she distributed her fourteen bundles of talk that were left amongall the Sioux so that everybody could tell how glad he felt because theRaven was twisted and died. An' for a week there was nothing buthappiness an' big talk among the Sioux; an' _Moh-kwa_, the Bear, camelaughing out of his canyon with the wonder of listening to it; while theSquaw-who-has-dreams now, when her revenge was done, went with_When-dee-goo_, the Giant, to his teepee and became his squaw. So noweverything was ended save the Story-that-never-ends.'
"When Sioux Sam gets this far," concluded the Old Cattleman, "he says,'an' my mother's words at the end were: "An' boys who ask too manyquestions will die, as did the Raven whose cur'osity was even greaterthan his cruelty."'"