io6 Field Columbian Museum — x\nthropology, Vol. V. 



while they were going fast, Nih'a'^a'^ struck his foot against a stick 

 or rock and Stumbled, dropping his burden and breaking it in the center 

 into two equal parts. Nih'a"ga" got a scolding from the party and went 

 off to another direction. 



He came to a camp-circle. When the women saw him coming 

 they started to catch him, in a race. When they finally caught him he 

 told them that he was going to the painted tipi in the center, to the 

 west of the camp-circle. "Leave me alone, for I am going over to 

 the tipi which suits me best !" said he to the women. This tipi was 

 beautiful and there was a pipe of peace hung outside of it above the 

 door. Nih'a"9a" went in and found a woman by herself. This woman 

 wanted him to remain as her husband, for there were no men in the 

 camp-circle. 



Still, Nih'a"9a" ran away and went back and reached the young 

 men with whom he recently had journeyed. "When I stumbled and 

 broke it into two parts you men scolded me for it. Now I have come 

 over to tell you that I have found a camp-circle, consisting entirely of 

 women. Now is your chance to be happy and beoome husbands. Be- 

 cause you men put the blame on me for breaking that object, and so 

 putting an end to your fun, I came to tell you the truth, that there is 

 not a single man in sight at that camp," said he. "Well, then, Nih'a"Qa°, 

 we will have a race for wives. The one who runs the fastest gets the 

 prettiest," said the young men, "All right! That will do_, but you 

 must understand that I have already selected a tipi, which stands in 

 the center of the circle and has a pipe of peace hanging over the door. 

 You folks might outrun me, and take a liking to that tipi. It belongs 

 to me by right, because I got to this camp-circle first," said he. "Oh, 

 pshaw ! We can't beat you, for we know that you can run very swift. 

 You can easily get to the tipi which you mentioned first," said the 

 young men. So they all stood in a row and started. Nih^a."9a" was in 

 the race. 



Before starting, they agreed that all should slacken their speed 

 to allow Ni!i'a"qa" to get in the lead. Consequently he was in the lead 

 just after they began the race after the women for wives. "Oh, say, 

 ,Nih'a"Qa", stop ! You are too fast, this is met fair. We think that you 

 you ought to bear weights at your ankles and at your wrists, to give 

 us some chance," said the young men. So these young men went out 

 and searched for stones, which they took and fastened to his ankles 

 and wrists. Then the young men and Nih'a"qa° stood in a row again. 

 Again they started on the race, These young men agreed not to run 

 fa.st, but to give the chance to Nih'a"ga". Niha°ga" was in the lead 



