Oct., 1903. Arapaho Traditions — Dorsey and Kroeber. 391 



hill. Early in the morning he climbed to the top of the longf ridg^e. 

 He saw another herd. They also recognized him ; an old man in the 

 herd cried out: "There comes Blue-bird in search of his boy." He 

 reached the herd and asked about his wife and boy; he was told 

 that they had just gone over the next hill. While he was following 

 them, the woman and the boy also went on. They liad reached a third 

 ridge, and from its top saw a still larger herd. Then the calf started 

 to run, and made dust, and turning, ran back and played about iis' 

 mother. Again she inquired for her boy's grandparents ; they were not 

 there, and she went on. . Meanwhile, Blue-bird was following her 

 tracks. She came to a fourth ridge, and on the other side was an im- 

 mense herd. It reached as far as one could see ; the buflfalo were all 

 over, and it was black with them. The calf was in a hurry to reach the 

 herd, and began to run so that the dust flew, and then ran back and 

 loped about its mother in play. Now they reached the buffalo. They 

 were taken to her parents and friends. Blue-bird reached the third 

 ridge and inquired about his son ; as soon as the buffalo saw him they all 

 knew that he was following his boy's tracks to overtake him. They told 

 him that the woman and the boy had only just gone over the next ridge ; 

 it was only a very short time ago. It became night when he was at the 

 base of the fourth ridge, and he slept there. In the morning he got up 

 and went to the top. He saw buffalo as far as his eye could reach, mov- 

 ing, sitting, standing, walking. While he stood on the summit, the calf 

 came running to meet him, straight toward him, while the dust flew 

 about it. When near him, it stopped. "Are you my son?" he asked. 

 "Yes. I am your son," it said. Then he embraced it, and said that he 

 was glad. The calf said to him: "Well, father, since they say that 

 you have come to get me, let us go back from here." "Yes, my 

 son ; but go back and ask your grandfather if you can go with me," the 

 man said. The calf started to go back to the herd and asked its grand- 

 father: "My father said that I should ask you if I may go back with 

 him as far as he has come." His grandfather had short horns ; they 

 were becoming worn out from age. He said : "My grandson, tell your 

 father to come and see us ; we are his friends, his relatives. At the 

 same time tell him that there is to be a race by him against the herd." 

 The boy told his father what his grandfather had said, The race was 

 to decide whether he should take the boy back with him; if he won 

 he could do so. AH the buffalo assembled and sat in a three-quarter cir- 

 cle ; the old men with short horns were in the center of the long line. 

 The boy said : "My father has only two legs ; I do not see how he can 

 run. My father. I will run for you!" "Ask your grandfather," said 



