old indian days(古印第时期)-第29章
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wild screams of women and children pierced the awful confusion。
Quick as a flash； Weeko turned again to her babies； but Nakpa had
already disappeared！
Then； maddened by fright and the loss of her children； Weeko became
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forgetful of her sex and tenderness； for she sternly grasped her hus… band's
bow in her left hand to do battle。
That charge of the Crows was a disastrous one； but the Sioux were
equally brave and des… perate。 Charges and counter…charges were made；
and the slain were many on both sides。 The fight lasted until darkness
came。 Then the Crows departed and the Sioux buried their dead。
When the Crows made their flank charge； Nakpa apparently
appreciated the situation。 To save herself and the babies； she took a
desperate chance。 She fled straight through the attack… ing force。
When the warriors came howling upon her in great numbers； she at
once started back the way she had come； to the camp left behind。 They
had traveled nearly three days。 To be sure； they did not travel more than
fifteen miles a day； but it was full forty miles to cover before dark。
〃Look！ look！〃 exclaimed a warrior； 〃two babies hung from the saddle
of a mule！〃
No one heeded this man's call； and his arrow did not touch Nakpa or
either of the boys； but it struck the thick part of the saddle over the mule's
back。
〃Lasso her！ lasso her！〃 he yelled once more； but Nakpa was too
cunning for them。 She dodged in and out with active heels； and they
could not afford to waste many arrows on a mule at that stage of the fight。
Down the ravine； then over the expanse of prairie dotted with gray…green
sage…brush； she sped with her unconscious burden。
〃Whoo！ whoo！〃 yelled another Crow to his comrades； 〃the Sioux have
dispatched a runner to get reinforcements！ There he goes； down on the
flat！ Now he has almost reached the river bottom！〃
It was only Nakpa。 She laid back her cars and stretched out more and
more to gain the river； for she realized that when she had crossed the ford
the Crows would not pursue her far… ther。
Now she had reached the bank。 With the intense heat from her
exertions； she was ex… tremely nervous； and she imagined a warrior beind
every bush。 Yet she had enough sense left to realize that she must not
satisfy her thirst。 She tried the bottom with her fore…foot； then waded
carefully into the deep stream。
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She kept her big ears well to the front as she swam to catch the
slightest sound。 As she stepped on the opposite shore； she shook herself
and the boys vigorously； then pulled a few mouthfuls of grass and started
on。
Soon one of the babies began to cry； and the other was not long in
joining him。 Nakpa did not know what to do。 She gave a gentle
whinny and both babies apparently stopped to listen； then she took up an
easy gait as if to put them to sleep。
These tactics answered only for a time。 As she fairly flew over the
lowlands； the babies' hunger increased and they screamed so loud that a
passing coyote had to sit upon his haunches and wonder what in the world
the fleeing long… eared horse was carrying on his saddle。 Even magpies
and crows flew near as if to ascertain the meaning of this curious sound。
Nakpa now came to the Little Trail Creek； a tributary of the Powder；
not far from the old camp。 No need of wasting any time here； she
thought。 Then she swerved aside so suddenly as almost to jerk her babies
out of their cradles。 Two gray wolves； one on each side； approached her；
growling lowtheir white teeth show… ing。
Never in her humble life had Nakpa been in more desperate straits。
The larger of the wolves came fiercely forward to engage her attention；
while his mate was to attack her be… hind and cut her hamstrings。 But for
once the pair had made a miscalculation。 The mule used her front hoofs
vigorously on the foremost wolf； while her hind ones were doing even
more effective work。 The larger wolf soon went limping away with a
broken hip； and the one in the rear received a deep cut on the jaw which
proved an effectual discouragement。
A little further on； an Indian hunter drew near on horseback； but Nakpa
did not pause or slacken her pace。 On she fled through the long dry grass
of the river bottoms； while her babies slept again from sheer exhaustion。
Toward sunset； she entered the Sioux camp amid great excitement； for
some one had spied her afar off； and the boys and the dogs announced her
coming。
〃Whoo； whoo！ Weeko's Nakpa has come back with the twins！
Whoo； whoo！〃 exclaimed the men。 〃Tokee！ tokee！〃 cried the women。
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A sister to Weeko who was in the village came forward and released
the children； as Nakpa gave a low whinny and stopped。 Ten… derly
Zeezeewin nursed them at her own moth… erly bosom； assisted by another
young mother of the band。
〃Ugh； there is a Crow arrow sticking in the saddle！ A fight！ a fight！〃
exclaimed the war… riors。
〃Sing a Brave…Heart song for the Long…Eared one！ She has escaped
alone with her charge。 She is entitled to wear an eagle's feather！ Look
at the arrow in her saddle！ and more； she has a knife wound in her jaw and
an arrow cut on her hind leg。No； those are the marks of a wolf's teeth！
She has passed through many dangers and saved two chief's sons； who
will some day make the Crows sorry for this day's work！〃
The speaker was an old man who thus ad… dressed the fast gathering
throng。
Zeezeewin now came forward again with an eagle feather and some
white paint in her hands。 The young men rubbed Nakpa down； and the
feather； marked with red to indicate her wounds； was fastened to her mane。
Shoulders and hips were touched with red paint to show her en… durance in
running。 Then the crier； praising her brave deed in heroic verse； led her
around the camp； inside of the circle of teepees。 All the people stood
outside their lodges and lis… tened respectfully； for the Dakota loves well
to honor the faithful and the brave。
During the next day； riders came in from the ill…fated party； bringing
the sad news of the fight and heavy loss。 Late in the afternoon came
Weeko； her face swollen with crying； her beautiful hair cut short in
mourning； her gar… ments torn and covered with dust and blood。 Her
husband had fallen in the fight； and her twin boys she supposed to have
been taken cap… tive by the Crows。 Singing in a hoarse voice the praises
of her departed warrior； she entered the camp。 As she approached her
sister's tee… pee； there stood Nakpa； still wearing her hon… orable
decorations。 At the same moment； Zeezeewin came out to meet her with
both babies in her arms。
〃Mechinkshee！ meechinkshee！ （my sons； my sons！）〃 was all that the
poor mother could say； as she all but fell from her saddle to the ground。
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The despised Long Ears had not be… trayed her trust。
VIII THE WAR MAIDEN
The old man； Smoky Day； was for many years the best…known story…
teller and historian of his tribe。 He it was who told me the story of the
War Maiden。 In the old days it was unusual but not unheard of for a
woman to go upon the war…pathper… haps a young girl； the last of her line；
or a widow whose well…loved husband had fallen on the fieldand there
could be no greater incen… tive to feats of desperate daring on the part of
the warriors。 〃A long time ago；〃 said old Smoky Day； 〃the Unkpapa and
the Cut…Head bands of Sioux united their camps upon a vast prairie east of
the Minne Wakan （now called Devil's Lake）。 It was midsummer； and the
people shared in the happiness of every living thing。 We had food in
abundance； for bison in count… less numbers overspread the plain。
〃The teepee village was laid out in two great rings； and all was in
readiness for the midsum… mer entertainments。 There were ball games；
feasts and dances every day； and late into the night。 You have heard of
the festivities of those days； there are none like them now；〃 said the old
man； and he sighed heavily as he laid down the red pipe which was to be
passed from hand to hand during the recital。
〃The head chief of the Unkpapas then was Tamakoche （His Country）。
He was in his time a notable warrior； a hunter and a feast… maker； much
beloved by his people。 He was the father of three sons； but he was so
anxious to make them warriors of great reputation that they had all；
despising danger； been killed in battle。
〃The chief had also a very pretty daughter； whose name was Makatah。
Since all his sons were slain he had placed his affections solely upon the
girl； and she grew up listening to the praises of the brave deeds of her
brothers； which her father never tired of chanting when they were together
in the lodge。 At times Makatah was called upon to dance to the 'Strong…
Heart' songs。 Thus even as a child she loved the thought of war； although
she was the prettiest and most modest maiden in the two tribes。 As she
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grew into womanhood she became the belle of her father's village； and he
