58 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA.; 
The grandmother, wounded at heart, planned to have the boy 
killed in some way. She forbade him to ever go into the timber near 
by, because there were all sorts of dangers there. In this timber, she 
said, was a bear that wanted to tear him into small strips. When the 
old woman had gone he started out to the forbidden place. He found 
the bear, captured him and thought he was strong and would do to 
haul corn and wood for his grandmother. On her return she saw the 
great, big black bear tied. The boy spoke up, saying, “I have here a 
strong animal which will work for us.” The old woman appeared to 
be happy, but felt hurt that the boy could have captured the bear. She 
was the owner of all animals around, both good and bad. She turned 
the bear loose and explained the case to the boy, saying she could not 
use the bear in any way. 
One day the boy was gone all day and all night. His grand- 
mother now thought him dead. Roaming around, the boy found a 
tipi. In the tipi were four strong-looking men. Around the fire was 
the meat of a whole buffalo and an elk. The boy stood on one side 
looking at the game. The men were playing with plum dice in a basket. 
The interest of these men was very noticeable. One man’s nose got 
very dirty, but he would not move to clean it. The boy outside did not 
like it. He took his arrow and shot through the hole he was peeping 
through. ‘The arrow cleaned the man’s nose. The men rushed out 
and gave the boy a hearty welcome, for they had already heard of his 
wonderful doings. They took him in and gave him a whole buffalo 
to eat. He began to eat, and ate as much as usual. The men began to 
ask why he did not eat more. He said he could not, as he had had his 
fill. The men ate heartily. They cleared the meat that was before 
them. The men asked him to stay all night. They invited him to 
join them on a hunting trip. 
Next day. they started. They killed an elk. They dressed it and 
found a foetus. As courtesy, the hunters took the foetus and placed 
it before the boy to take home with him. ‘The boy was affected. He 
asked them to remove the foetus. He was standing by a tree. He 
started up the tree. The men, seeing he was afraid of it, moved it, 
little by little, toward him. They were afraid of him and were trying 
to do everything to get rid of him. The boy was afraid of the foetus. 
He would not come down while it was in the way. The men came 
home. By and by a man was sent out to see if the boy was there. 
Coming to the spot he found the boy still there. The boy asked the 
man to remove the foetus. He refused. He went home and reported 
all he had seen. In about four days the men came around and found 
