

Mav, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey, 227 



During his slumber, another serpent came crawling slowly to him for 

 an attack, but the lance lighted on him, thus awakening him. "Oh, 

 pshaw! You just go back at once! I don't want you about me," 

 said Little-Star, angrily, getting up with the lance. At this time he 

 was getting very sleepy and tired. Seeing a nice soft grass spot on 

 level ground, he staked his lance in the ground and went to sleep 

 right away, and it was about the fifth day. Shortly afterwards there 

 came a big serpent crawling noiselessly for an attack. The lance, as 

 ordered, lighted on Little-Star's body, but he did not awake this time. 



"I thought surely at this time I would get you," said the big ser- 

 pent, advancing behind Little-Star, recklessly. Still Little-Star was 

 sound asleep. So the big serpent crawled slowly into his rectum, up 

 through his spinal column, into his skull, and then completely coiled 

 up within the skull and remained there, which totally disabled Little- 

 Star physically. 



Little-Star was conquered for being fast asleep on the open prairie. 

 When the serpent got into his skull, he was made to lie on the ground 

 until his entire body was a perfect skeleton. Little-Star found him- 

 self with a heavy burden in his skull, and remained motionless until he 

 was a perfect skeleton. But the ligaments kept the bones together, 

 thus leaving some sense for him. In this condition he gave his image 

 to the people as a cross. 



When Little-Star was in normal condition, he said in .a somewhat 

 fainting voice, but to the point, "Now I wish there would be two days 

 of pouring rain, and after that, two days of intense heat." After he 

 had so said, there came big black clouds and much thundering. In a 

 short time the rain came down heavily all over him, thus soaking him 

 completely. Then the sun came out, throwing its heat rays on him 

 for two days. About noon the serpent became so restless in the skull 

 that it finally made its way out and stuck its head out of Little-Star's 

 mouth, panting from exhaustion. The serpent was thrusting its tongue 

 out and blinking its flaming eyes, when Little-Star secretly moved his 

 right hand under his chin and suddenly grasped the serpent's neck, 

 and then got up, sat down on the ground, and pulled the serpent out 

 of his mouth. 



"Now I have you at last. You know very well that I am all right 

 and possess some wonderful powers. You caught me when I was 

 sound asleep, but you cannot kill me. Here is a fine chance to get 

 even with you," said Little-Star, angrily, regaining his usual robust 

 condition. 



Little-Star was holding this serpent's neck tightly as he scolded 

 him. Just as he was about to injure the serpent with his poisonous 



