October, 1903. Traditions of the Crows — Simms. 311 



came back bleeding and wounded, and the small brother dressed the 

 wounds with the grease of the soup. He then sent both out together ; 

 both came back badly wounded and died in the tipi. The little brother 

 said he would try to kill him, and he went outside and seized the hus- 

 band and threw him with all his strength upon the ground and tried -to 

 break him in pieces, but he landed upon his feet. Four times did the 

 little brother do this. On the fourth time, the little brother succeeded 

 in throwing the husband, when he called out to the wife, "Sister, bring 

 my shield and axe." So she brought them. He then told her to make 

 a big fire and to burn her husband up and to watch the sparks of the 

 fire as they fell out, to throw them back again, as his father is powerful 

 and would bring him back to life again. A big fire was made and the 

 husband placed upon it and it began to burn, while the little brother and 

 the woman sat by, throwing back the sparks, until the fire went out. 



One day the six brothers returned from hunting, and soon found 

 that some other person besides the brother was in the tipi ; for every- 

 thing about was in such order. The six brothers inquired of their 

 smallest brother who was with him, and he said to them, "I have a 

 sister," and he told her to come out. When she came out, the oldest 

 brother wanted her for his wife, but the little brother objected, saying 

 that he wanted her for a sister. They all then agreed to keep her for 

 their sister. 



One day the little brother wanted to go hunting with his six broth- 

 ers, and before going, told the sister not to let a certain woman come in, 

 saying, "She carries an old man on her back as her baby, and she is a 

 bad woman." 



After the brothers had gone, the old woman with the old man on her 

 back came to the tipi and called to the sister, saying, "Sister of the 

 seven brothers, let me in." This the sister refused to do, until the old 

 woman demanded four times, and at the fourth time, the sister let her 

 in, and after staying a little while, the old woman went away. 



When the seven brothers returned from hunting, the little brother 

 discovered that the old woman had been there and his heart was sad, 

 for his sister had disobeyed him. The little brother said, "We must 

 leave here now, for our s'ister will soon die if we remain ; for this old 

 woman is bad and powerful." He took an arrow from each of the 

 brothers, and one of his own, and shot the first one through the smoke 

 opening of the tipi, and all the brothers and the sister followed the 

 arrow through the air. As the arrow was about to drop, another arrow 

 was shot upwards, and the brothers and the sister followed this one. 

 This was done until the seventh arrow was shot, which they followed 



