ipo Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



86. — Badger-Woman. 



There was a man, his wife and his brother out on a hunt, camping 

 alone. When the husband went out hunting his brother would go out 

 to a hill and spend his time until toward sunset, to avoid his sister- 

 in-law. 



One day, after the husband had gone out to look for game, the wife 

 tempted her brother-in-law to have intercourse with her, but he said 

 to her, "Oh, sister-in-law ! I can't do that, for I love my brother, and it 

 is not right for me to do that. It does not seem right to me," said he. 

 "If you should, neither I nor anybody else would ever tell about it," 

 said the woman. "But sister-in-law, I could not stand before my 

 brother. I would be ashamed in his presence ; so it had better end 

 here," said the young man. 



The next morning the husband went on a hunt and left his wife 

 and his brother at home. Just as soon as he was quite a distance from 

 the camping place, his wife went again to her brother-in-law and im- 

 plored of him. "I couldn't do that under any circumstances. My 

 brother is away and I shall have to leave," said h€. So he again went 

 to the hill and spent a delightful day. 



THis young brother would be sitting on the top of the hill to look 

 around for game or to watch for newcomers. He was singing most 

 of the time. When he saw his brother coming home he would start 

 down the hill and go over to the tipi and spend a little time at home. 

 Then his sister-in-law would attempt to persuade him. "If you will," 

 said she, "it will be for cur own love and nobody will know about it." 

 "No, I can't," said he, "please drop it entirely." So this brother went 

 out and stayeH on the hill all day long to avoid her. Often he was sad 

 and cried because of fiis sister-in-law's behavior. 



Night came on and the husband returned home. After chatting 

 about the day's events, all retired. In the morning the husband again 

 started out for game. After he had gone a distance, his brother left the 

 tipi and went toward the hill, weeping as he went. 



"Now I shall fix this young man who displeases me. I am a 

 good-looking woman and such treatment I can't endure," said the wife 

 to herself. So she dug a hole underneath the bed big enough for the 

 young man to fall into, and left about four inches of ground over the 

 hole. Her brother-in-law came to the tipi for lunch and sat down on 

 his bed. As he did so he fell into a deep pit and was soon covered 

 over with earth by Badger- Woman. 



Toward evening the husband returned home and noticed his 



