392 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



Blue-bird. The calf asked its grandfather: "May I run in place q{ 

 my father? He has only two legs." "Oh, yes," said the grandfather, 

 "that will do very \yell." Then the grandfather took a yellow plume 

 off his scalp-lock, and tied it to the tail of the calf. The distance for the 

 race was long. They were to run to four round hills. Four songs were 

 to be sung before they started. The young bulls looked handsome as 

 they stood ready to run. The cows and others were to remain. They 

 sang four songs. Then they started. The dust flew. Blue-bird said: 

 "Whenever a person starts to run, his feather is easily blown off by the 

 wind of his start." They saw them ; far ahead ran one calf ; the yellow 

 plume was conspicuous on its tail. All about there was dust. The calf 

 turned from left to right to come back; they could see it going alone, 

 prancing about. The rest ran, some of them fell dead, some only 

 reached the turn and dropped. Then the calf returned. "N.ow, father, 

 let us go. We have won the race." "My son, ask your grandfather 

 whether it may be done." "My grandfather, we have won the race. 

 May my father and I go back now ?" "It is. good," said the grandfather, 

 "but there is another thing that we must do on account of you and your 

 father. There will be a dance. We must wait for the rest to return 

 from the race, then we will dance. The dance will last four days." 

 Blue-bird carried four "turtles. He now put them on the ground in the 

 place where the dance would be. The old man said : "You seem to be 

 in haste to go back with your father ; instead of beginning with a dance, 

 we will try something else, which is easier. All the buffalo will sit 

 down.. Then your father will look for you among them four times and 

 try to pick you out." Then the herd all sat down ; all the calves looked 

 alike. The man started and went about, looking at them. There was a 

 little calf that moved its left foot, and then moved its left ear a little ; 

 when he looked, all the others did the same. Three times this happened. 

 The fourth time the calf was to move its tail, it had agreed with its 

 father. The man looked at the same calf as before, and saw that it did 

 move its tail ; but then all the others moved theirs too. Having decided 

 on the one, he said: "Are you my son?" "Yes. I am your son," said 

 the calf. Then it asked: "May I dance for you, my father? You 

 have only two legs, and will soon become tired." "Ask your grand- 

 father," said the man. Then the boy asked his grandfather. "Oh yes, 

 that is good, that will be very well," said the old man. Then Blue- 

 bird put the turtles on the ground again. Then they danced for four 

 days. The buffalo all about raised dust, and wore holes dancing, but 

 the calf danced on the four turtles, making a rattling noise on them. 

 Thus he danced for four days. "Now the dance is over, my grand- 



