490 A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS. 



§279. The (/host Imshand. — A young Lakota died just before marry- 

 ing a young girl whom lie loved. The girl mourned his death, so she 

 cut her hair here and there with a dull knife, and gashed her limbs, just 

 as if she had been an old woman. The ghost returned and took her for 

 his wife. Whenever the tribe camped for the night the ghost's wife 

 pitched her tent at some distance from the others, and whenthepeople 

 removed their camp the woman and her husband kept some distance 

 behind the main body. The ghost always told the woman what to do; 

 and he brought game to her regularly, which the wife gave to the people 

 in exchange for other articles. The people could neither see nor hear 

 the ghost, but they heard his wife address him. He always sent word 

 to the tribe when there was to be a high wind or heavy rain. He could 

 read the thoughts of his wife, so that she need not speak a word to him, 

 and when she felt a desire for anything he soon obtained it for her. 



§280. The soUfary traveler. — Once a solitary traveler was overtaken 

 by a tremendous thunderstorm near a forest. So he remained there for 

 the night. After dark he noticed a light in the woods, and when he 

 reached the spot, behold, there was a sweat lodge, in which were two 

 persons talking. One said, "Friend, some one has come and stands 

 withoiit. Let us invite him to share our food. " The listener fled sud- 

 denly, as they were ghosts, and they pursued him. Though he looked 

 behind now and then, he could not see them ; so he ran with all his 

 might towards a hill, and escaped from them. As he was ascending a 

 divide of the Bad Lands, all at once he heard the cry of a woman. He 

 was very glad to have company for the rest of thejouruey; but no sooner 

 had he thought about the woman than she appeared by his side, saying, 

 "I have come because you have just wished to have my company. " 

 This ti'ightened the man, but the ghost woman said, "Do not fear me, 

 else you will never see me again." So they went on silently till day- 

 break. Then the man looked at her, but her legs could not be seen, 

 though she was walking without any apparent effort. Then the man 

 thought, "What if she should choke me?" Immediately the woman 

 disappeared like the wind. (See § 245). 



§ 281. The ghost on the hill. — One day, when the people were hunting 

 the buffalo, a strange man appeared on a hill. He wore a winter robe, 

 with the hair outside. When he was descending the hill the people 

 became alarmed, but he continued to advance. The young men rushed 

 to meet him, taking bows and arrows. They could not see his face. 

 They tried to shoot him, but each arrow passed by hiin on one side or 

 the other. So they finally fled, as he was a ghost. 



§ 282. The Indian who lorestled with a ghost. — A young man went 

 alone on the warpath. At length he reached a wilderness, encoun- 

 tering many difticulties, which did not deter him from his undertaking. 

 One day, as he was^oing along, he heard a voice, and he thought, " I 

 shall have company." As he was approaching a forest he heard some 

 one halloo. Behold, it was an owl. By and by he drew near another 



