434 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



her to be his life companion. She refuses as she is always on the go. He 

 nears river and Whirlwind comes from opposite direction. He stops her and 

 asks her to take him as her husband. She again declines. Nih'a"Qa° is dis- 

 heartened and scarcely knows when he reaches divide. Hears Whirlwind 

 coming again and shouts for her to stop. He renews his proposal, she saying 

 it would be useless as she must travel night and day. He replies that he also 

 has to do so. Whirlwind asks him to show her how he travels. He consents 

 and runs with all his might, kicking up dust, leaves and grass and scattering 

 them. Whirlwind then shows him her speed. Every time she passes him she 

 tips back top of his head leaving mark. Nih'a'^(ja«i again meets Whirlwind, and 

 after again asking to marry her. repeats his performance. Whirlwind in reply 

 hlows past him and hurls him down unconscious for few minutes. His hair 

 is parted at one side instead of in center. Finding it impossible to gain wind's 

 affections he returns home. — D. 



49. — Nih'anqan and the Bear-Women. 



Nih'a'^qa'^, seeing the reflection of plums in the water, dives for them. 

 He ties stones to himself and nearly drowns. Then he sees the plums on the 

 bush above him. He gathers them. He finds bear-women in a tent. He sends 

 them to gather plums. He kills and cooks their babies, leaying their heads 

 in the cradles. When they return, they eat. Nih'a^Qa^ flees, telling them that 

 they have eaten their children. They pursue, and he enters a hole. He 

 emerges at the other end, disguises himself, and joins them, pretending to help 

 them catch Nih'a"ga" in the hole. He persuades them to enter the hole, makes 

 a fire at the entrance, and kills them. He hangs up the meat. While he sleeps, 

 wolves devour his meat and the mice eat off his hair. — K. 



50. — Nih'anqan and the Bear-Women. 



Nih'a'^ga° near river sees ripe plums and tipi standing alone. He picks 

 few plums and goes into tipi. Is welcomed by four women. He gives them 

 plums. Women are nursing babies. Nih'a^ga'i induces them to let him watch 

 children while they go and pick plums. When women have gone, Nih'a^ga° 

 hangs kettle of water on tripod over fire. He cuts babies' heads off and puts 

 bodies into kettles, placing heads back in hammocks. Women return with 

 plums. Nih'a"Qa" says he is boiling gray wolves in kettle for them to eat ; will 

 go out to cool himself. He sits down and pushes edge of robe inside. Women 

 begin to eat. Women say meat tastes like children. Nih'anga'i cuts off edge 

 of robe to allay suspicion and runs away. Then he cries to women that he 

 has cooked their children. Women finds children's heads in hammocks. They 

 cry and scratch themselves. Women are female bears. They chase . Nih'a°Qa°. 

 Nih'a^qa'^ wishes for tunnel. So it happens, and he goes through, continuing to 

 run. Women also pass through tunnel. When Nih'a^ga'^ emerges from third 

 tunnel he turns and seals end, places mud over one eye, to change his 

 appearance. Comes to entrance and asks bear-women the trouble, calling 

 himself One-Eyed Sioux. Women tell him and he offers to go after Nih'a^ga". 

 Comes out and tells women Nih'a'^ga'^ looks very strong. Again enters and 

 makes great noise. Comes out with face scratched and clothing torn. Wo- 



