368 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



their father. Entering their tipi, they said to him, "Father, take these 

 feathers for your war bonnet and for the making of your arrows." 

 ■"Well, dear boys, I am surprised to hear that you have killed that 

 piowerful bird !" said he, taking the feathers reverently. The family 

 spent the night chatting and telling tales. 



The next morning they woke up early, for the dawn was glorious. 

 After eating their breakfast their father again cautioned them not to 

 play far from home. ''Boys, now listen to me carefully! Yonder, 

 in that big grove of timber, lives a dangerous being. Under no cir- 

 cumstances, dear boys, go there. Be obedient !" said he, as he straight- 

 ened his arrow shafts. The boys wandered off a short distance and 

 gradually made their way to that big grove. These boys accidentally 

 reached a well-tanned (smoked) tipi, alone in the heart of the grove. 

 Just a short distance in front of this lonely tipi the boys halted. "Come 

 in! Come in, grandchildren!" said somebody inside, in a weakly voice. 

 The boys without hesitation entered boldly and seated themselves near 

 the door. After some moments of conversation, this old woman re- 

 quested the boys to louse her. So the boys, being mischievous, got up 

 and seated themselves on each side of her head and loused her. The 

 old wQman went to sleep and the boys took advantage of her. This old 

 woman had toads for lice. When the boys found them, they threw 

 them into the fire and bit off their finger-nails to make a noise, and 

 therefore fooled her. They laid her in a certain position and tied her 

 hair tightly to all the inside tipi poles. Seeing a circular piece of sand- 

 stone lying close to the wall of the tipi, they placed it in the fire and 

 heated it. After the sandstone was red hot they threw it into the 

 opened head of the old woman. 



When the boys arrived at this tipi they saw some kind of bones 

 lying around outside and inside. This old woman maliciously mur- 

 dered people for food, and had exposed brains, hence her name, Open- 

 Brains. Just as they threw the stone upon her opened head, the old 

 woman kicked and roared, throwing coals of fire all over her own tipi", 

 until finally she died from burning. The boys at once took knives 

 from her bed and cut off her tangled hair and threw her to one side. 

 These boys went out, carrying bunches of hair homeward, and gave 

 them to their father. "Father, take these bunches of hair for your pen- 

 dants on shirt and leggings. Use it for lariats," said they, laughing 

 scornfully. "Well, dear boys, I could not believe you ! But in bring- 

 ing these bunches of hair I am made to believe that the victory is yours. 

 Be careful, be not hasty in your sports," said he, taking the bunches 

 of hair. The family again retired for the night. 



