BURNT-BELLY AND THE DOG. 407 
stone.’’ The boy and the dog turned into stone and there they sat upon 
the hill. The people believed that their turning into red stone was the 
origin of red sandstone in the country. 
108. THE EAGLE AND THE SUN DANCE.' 
Many years ago when the people had their village upon the Platte 
River, there was a young man who thought that he was poor. He began 
to compare himself with other young men who had ponies, buckskin 
leggings, beaded moccasins, and ear-bobs in their ears. He had none 
of these things, and he felt so sorry for himself that he got up and walked 
away from the village and went up on a high hill and there began to cry. 
He stood there for several days, and on the third night he thought he 
heard drumming at a distance, but he was not sure. The fourth night, 
however, he heard the drumming very plainly, and knew that it came 
from the river. He started towards the river, but as he approached 
the drumming ceased, and so he went back upon the hill. He began 
again to cry and again he heard the drumming coming from the river. 
The boy went there three times, and each time the sound ceased as he 
approached, but when he went the fourth time not only did he hear the 
drumming but also whistling and something flying overhead. He looked 
up and saw a bald-headed Eagle. The Eagle spoke to the boy and said: 
““Have you heard the drumming and the whistling?’”’ and the boy 
said, ‘‘Yes.’’ Then the Eagle said: ‘‘I have come to take you to the 
drumming.” 
The Eagle flew into the timber, returned and flew around the boy, 
and then went back into the timber. The boy followed him to the 
timber, and there he found all kinds of birds sitting in a circle, and he 
saw two big Swans in the center beating their wings and making the 
drumming sound that he had heard. The Eagle spoke to the boy and 
said: ‘‘Now, look and see how these people are dancing. I give you 
this dance. Youcan see that every bird is whistling. It is their noise.”’ 
Then the Eagle again said: ‘‘When you dance you must dance for four 
days and four nights. For four days you were out and the fourth night 
you found this dance. Three times you came to the river, and you never 
found anything, but on the fourth night you found the birds dancing. 
When you are dancing you must not eat, neither must you drink any- 
thing. You must fast when you are dancing, for when you were hunting 
1Told by Cheyenne-Chief, Skidi. This is to be considered, of course, as only a 
fragment of the tale of the origin of the Sun dance among the Skidi. The ceremony 
itself has not been held for over thirty years. 
