312 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



The son-in-law returned to his tipi. Entering it, he seated himself 

 on his bed and said to his wife, who was busily engaged packing away 

 dried beef in parfleches and bags, for future use, "You may go to them 

 and tell the old man to take his knife and go to that small divide and 

 they will find the dead buffalo. Tell them to skin it and deliver the 

 hide and beef just outside of our tipi. Be sure and tell him not to dam- 

 age the fat or tallow of the animal, especially that at the back, also 

 let him be careful tvith the hide." So the wife ran out to the tipi of the 

 old folks, who were somewhat despairing, and entering it and standing 

 close to the fireplace at the door, looking rather hard toward her little 

 brother, she said, "My husband has just returned and says he killed 

 a very fat buffalo cow. You will find it at the little divide. He wants 

 you to take your knives and go over there to skin it. Be careful not 

 to damage the tallow or the hide. He wants you to bring the hide and 

 beef in front of our tipi." So the old folks, without the slightest ob- 

 jection, with lips dried and hands chapped, from constant hunger, took 

 up their knives and went to the place mentioned. Being in very feeble 

 condition they reached the spot in somewhat distressed state. 

 Their son wanted to eat some raw tallow, but it could not be done, for 

 the son-in-law would surely notice it. Both the old man and his wife 

 grunted a little, while lifting and skinning the animal, but it had to be 

 done. Although there was quite a strong temptation to touch the flesh, 

 the old folks refrained and expected some kind of beef from their 

 son-in-law on their arrival at the tipi. After they had completely 

 skinned the animal and cut up the beef into separate muscles, they 

 packed it and carried it in front of their son-in-law's tipi. There was 

 not a sign of gratitude for the services rendered. Then the wife of the 

 son-in-law brought in the beef and piled it up so that the man could 

 examine it. Seeing that all of it was brought in, he then directed his 

 wife to pick the small muscles and take them to the old folks to roast 

 in the fire to eat. "Here are the muscles that you can .roast for your- 

 selves," said the daughter. Since the old folks were very hungry, 

 they uttered no w<prd, but coolly received the gift. For some time these 

 old folks lived on the muscles which were given to them. 



So again this son-in-law started out early in the morning for more 

 game, leaving the same instructions to his wife. Shortly afterwards, 

 the old man told his little son to go to his daughter to ask a favor. 

 "Tell your sister that I sent you over to ask if she will be kind enough 

 to cut a strip of good fat muscle from the back. Explain to her that 

 we want it to grease our faces every day. Tell her to cut it at the same 

 place as when her husband saw her," said he. So this little boy, full 



