When K[)o]m-in’-[)a]-k[=u]s fell, the whole camp shouted the war whoop, and cried out, “This is his last shot,” and they all charged on him.  They knew that he had no more ammunition.

The head warrior of the Crees was named Bunch of Lodges.  He was the first man to jump inside the breastworks.  As he sprang inside, E-k[=u]s’-kini met him, and thrust his dagger through him, and killed him on the spot.  Then, as the enemy threw themselves on him, and he began to feel the knives stuck into him from all sides, he gave a war whoop and laughed, and said, “Only now I begin to think that I am fighting.”  All the time he was cutting and stabbing, jumping backward and forward, and all the time laughing.  When he was dead, there were fifteen dead Crees lying about the earthworks.  E-k[=u]s’-kini body was cut into small pieces and scattered all over the country, so that he might not come to life again.

III

That morning, before it was daylight, the two Sarcees who had hidden in the willows left their hiding-place and made their way to the Blackfoot camp.  When they got there, they told that when they had left the Cree camp E-k[=u]s’kini was surrounded, and the firing was terrible.  When E-k[=u]s’-kini’s father heard this, he got on his horse and rode through the camp, calling out:  “My boy is surrounded; let us turn out and go to help him.  I have no doubt they are many tens to one, but he is powerful, and he may be fighting yet.”  No time was lost in getting ready, and soon a large party started for the Cree camp.  When they came to the battle-ground, the camp had been moved a long time.  The old man looked about, trying to gather up his son’s body, but it was found only in small pieces, and not more than half of it could be gathered up.

After the fight was over, the Crees started on down to go to their own country.  One day six Crees were travelling along on foot, scouting far ahead.  As they were going down into a little ravine, a grizzly bear jumped up in front of them and ran after them.  The bear overtook, and tore up, five of them, one after another.  The sixth got away, and came home to camp.  The Crees and the Blackfeet believe that this was the spirit of E-k[=u]s’-kini, for thus he comes back.  They think that he is still on the earth, but in a different shape.

E-k[=u]s’-kini was killed about forty years ago.  When he was killed, he was still a boy, not married, only about twenty-four years old.

STORIES OF ANCIENT TIMES

SCARFACE

ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE LODGE

I

In the earliest times there was no war.  All the tribes were at peace.  In those days there was a man who had a daughter, a very beautiful girl.  Many young men wanted to marry her, but every time she was asked, she only shook her head and said she did not want a husband.