May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 215 



porcupine. The women each took their trail for wood. This porcu- 

 pine was near a tall cottonwood tree and watched the courses of the 

 women. Finally, one of them came within a short distance of the 

 porcupine, and the porcupine got up suddenly from the bushes and ran 

 away. "Oh, partner, run over here, quickly! Here is a nice porcu- 

 pine! Oh, I want to catch it, for its quills! Say, partner! Come 

 and head it off. Oh, pshaw! it is up in the tree now," said one of 

 them, standing and panting at the foot of the tree. "You ought to 

 have hit it before it reached the tree." "I am sorry that I failed 

 to hear sooner. Did you have a stick in your hand?" said the other 

 one, still gazing at the porcupine that was sitting at the forked branch. 

 "Yes, I ran swiftly after him, but he got on the other side of the trunk 

 of the tree and ran up out of my reach. Oh, he is a splendid creature, 

 partner, besides bearing such beautiful and large quills. I am going 

 to climb up and get it; you may be sure! I shall kill it, and I shall 

 be proud to get such a specimen. Look at his long white quills. My 

 mother is out of quills, and I have got to get them for her," said the 

 one who saw the animal first, taking a long stick and beginning to 

 climb the tree. When she had come within a short distance from him, 

 she raised the long stick to poke him off, but the porcupine raised its 

 head and moved up farther, leaving her at a distance again. "Say, 

 partner, I do wish you would run over and get me a longer and stouter 

 stick than this," said the one up in the tree. So her partner did as 

 requested. Climbing up farther, and with the long stick, the girl tried 

 to poke the porcupine off from the tree, but she could not reach him. 

 This porcupine advanced farther, but at such a slight distance as to 

 encourage her to make greater and greater efforts to reach it. The 

 tree had excellent branches, affording easy climbing, because the tree 

 was like a stepladder. "I have got to have you for those long quills 

 and I am going up to get you, too," said the woman, making further 

 steps toward the animal. Stepping solidly on the branches of this 

 extended tree, she raised the long stick and tried to reach him to poke 

 him off, but without success. Her partner then saw that she was up 

 a great height, and began to discourage her and call her to return, but 

 she could not hear the warning. 



"Now, woman, you are to know that I came after you. There! 

 Look down below and see your partner. I want to let her know where 

 we are going to," said the porcupine, moving around a little. This 

 woman, hearing the human voice, which meant separation from her 

 partner, turned her head and looked down. "Now, woman, follow 

 me. We are going to my home," said the porcupine, straightening 

 up and turning around, a perfect young man. 



