TALE OF A MEMBER OF THE BEAR SOCIETY. 177 
at it, hitting it. The bear ran after the man, but it turned back and 
went into the brush. We went down, and found a pond on the side 
of the brush, where the bear had gone. I undressed, took only my 
knife, and waded into the pond. My man remained on the side of the 
pond, ready to shoot the bear, and was telling me that as soon as the 
bear jumped at me I should dive, and keep on in the same direction. 
I crossed the pond and found the bear sitting in the bushes. The bear 
was dead. We skinned it, taking only the hide. When a bear is 
skinned and stretched out it is the perfect image of a man. 
I mounted my pony and we went on. I attacked the young bear. 
bring my lariat rope, so I could rope it and lead it to the village. I 
ran into the brush and got hold of the bear. I tried to get my man to 
bring my larriat rope, so I could rope it and lead it to the village. I 
became tired, so I called out to my man to shoot it. He would not do 
it, so I took my knife and stabbed the young bear and killed it. I 
skinned it. Now I had two hides. I tried to put the large hide upon 
my pony, and the pony snorted at it. I finally gave the hide to my 
friend. I did wrong, for I should have asked him to put the hide upon 
his pony for me. He did not belong to the Bear Society, notwith- 
standing he was thankful for the hide. The little bear hide I put upon 
the pony. My father scolded me for giving the bear hide away. My 
little bear hide was of good size. My father had it tanned for me, and 
the hide was also decorated with paint. The bear hide also had a soft, 
feathery appearance about its head. I wore it in dances, and kept it 
by my pillow in our lodge. Only a few years ago I was visiting the 
Sioux, and while I was gone some white man came to our village. He 
saw the bear robe in our lodge. He asked how much they wanted for 
the hide, and my bear was sold to some white man. When I came back 
home I missed my bear, and asked where it was. My folks said, “We 
sold it to a white man.” I was sorry, but it was all right, for we do 
not have any more Bear dances. 
