Oct., 1903. Arapaho Traditions — Dorsey and Kroeber. 87 



gethei; with all her possessions. The oldest one said: "My sister 

 should have decided previously to remain." Starting and traveling 

 again, in the evening they made a camp. After they had eaten and it 

 was dark they went to bed. When day broke another one was missing. 

 "Child (my sister), you ought from the first to have declined to go," 

 said the oldest sister. The four that were left started out, walking 

 close together. Then they camped for the night. In the morning 

 one was missing again, together with her property. "Sister, it is you 

 Vvho were anxious to come with us," said the oldest one. Early in 

 the morning they started again, and went on, looking for the place 

 where they would live. In the evening they made camp. Again in 

 the morning when they awoke one of them was missing. "I did not 

 want m}' sisters to go, but they all wished it [therefore they should 

 not leave me now]," said the oldest sister. There were now only two 

 of them to go on. Then the oldest one thought that something must 

 have happened to her sisters. The two made a camp for the night. 

 "I wonder what is the matter. What can the children (my sisters) 

 have done? I will try to find out," said the oldest of the sisters. 

 Late at night, when her remaining younger sister was asleep, she tied 

 herself to her with a rope. In the middle of the night a person came in. 

 "Who can it be coming in?" said the oldest sister. It. was the black 

 wolf (wa^itac). "It is he that has robbed me of my younger sisters," 

 she thought. She had a meat pounder ready in her belt. The wolf 

 came up close to them and, opening his mouth, began to draw them 

 both in, for they were tied together. "I will wait until he has half 

 swallowed me," she thought. When half of her had already entered 

 him, she took her pounder and struck him on the head with all her 

 might and killed him. "Now, at last I know the one who has done it," 

 she said. Then with her knife she began to cut him open. "Come 

 out again," she said, and, when she had cut the wolf fully open, her 

 younger sisters came out with all their property. "Thanks ! my younger 

 sisters; I am glad to see you again." Then they all went bathing and 

 washed themselves and put on new clothes. Then they started again, 

 the same in number as when they had started out. 



They came to a country which they thought good ; the grass was 

 good, the water plenty and good of taste, and the timber was good. 

 When they reached this place they put up their tent just as it should 

 be. Then the oldest sister said : "Now, all get ready, dress your- 

 selves ; you will go to look for a man. Bring back either a fine straight 

 stick of yellow willow or of 'praying-bush' (ha°wa"iiubTic), whichever 

 you find first." So they went looking for the two kinds of wood and 



