450 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



92. — The White Dog, the Woman and the Seven Puppies. 



In big camp-circle were man, wife, daughter and young boy. Daughtc^r 

 is beautiful and has separate tipi. Many young men court daughter, but with- 

 out success, as she objects to marriage. White-Dog comes to daughter's tipi 

 and stays around it very closely. It follows foot-trail when daughter goes to 

 river for water. She throws stick to drive it away but without effect. When 

 she returns to tipi and takes her quill work, dog comes over and lies on ground- 

 At noon, when daughter goes for firewood she finds dog lying on ground. 

 She tries again to drive it away and it lies down by her while preparing supper. 

 Going out for a moment she sees dog lying near entrance to tipi. She scolds it and 

 mother expostulates with her for talking so as to disturb neighbors. Before 

 going to bed, daughter drives stakes pins and fastens door to keep away intrud- 

 ers. During night dog returns and lies on bed with her, going away when she 

 begins to move. Following day dog again follows daughter and will not be 

 driven away. Dog enters tipi during night but she is awake and drives it 

 away. It walks off few paces, returns and takes bed at her side again. Next 

 day dog again follows her about as before. In evening, feeling queer, she goes 

 to tell mothfer, who says she probably has stomach trouble. During night, dog 

 sneezes and wakes up daughter, who is suspicious and determines to be on 

 alert. About midnight man wearing white robe comes in and lies on bed with 

 her. She tells him to leave her alone and go home. He then says he has for 

 some time slept with her and is the white-dog. Woman finally gives up and 

 makes no efforts to escape from him. Woman manages to mark back of his 

 white robe with painted hand. In morning she takes vessel and goes out for 

 water. Dog bearing finger-mark follows her without being molested. On re- 

 turn to tipi she goes to timber to get some wood. Dog runs up to her wagging 

 its tail. She takes stone and strikes dog on ear, bringing blood. Dog runs 

 off crying and goes home to another camp-circle. Entering parents' tipi, he 

 says he was married and wife got mad and struck his ear. He asks them to 

 make seven pairs moccasins, leggings, and shirts for him. In evening daughter 

 goes to visit parents, sitting quietly. She tells mother of visit of young man, 

 who was White-Dog and that she had struck him, making him run away. 

 Mother disapproves of her conduct. Daughter becomes sick, go.es to bed at 

 parents' tipi and gives birth to seven white puppies. She tells brother to put 

 them in bag and drown them in river. Boy takes puppies to river, but stops 

 at old Cottonwood tree, makes shelter of bark and places puppies inside. He re- 

 turns and under pretense of hunger, gets from mother meat which he takes for 

 the puppies. After dinner he gets big bowl filled with greasy stock, which he 

 carries off to his nephews. Next day he manages to take them a pot of clotted 

 blood soup. He takes pot home and on his return finds puppies, but changed to 

 seven boys, who become puppies again on going back to shelter. At dinner hi* 

 asks for big bowl and sister charges him with feeding puppies. He admits it 

 and after dinner goes and brings little ones into tipi. When they get up from 

 their seats they are seven bright looking youths. Boy takes them back to 

 river. Father comes for them and leads them away toward his parents' camp- 

 circle. Boy goes home and tells of loss. Sister follows and overtakes man 

 with children. She asks him to let her have oldest boy. Instead, he gives her 

 leg bone for daughter with which woman returns. Parents of man give boys 



r^mam 



