I

THE BULL BAND

[Footnote 1:  An account of the I-kun-uh’-kah-tsi, with a list of its different bands or societies and their duties, will be found in the chapter on Social Organization.]

The people had built a great pis’kun, very high and strong, so that no buffalo could escape; but somehow the buffalo would not jump over the cliff.  When driven toward it, they would run nearly to the edge, and then, swerving to the right or left, they would go down the sloping hills and cross the valley in safety.  So the people were hungry, and began to starve.

One morning, early, a young woman went to get water, and she saw a herd of buffalo feeding on the prairie, right on the edge of the cliff above the pis’kun.  “Oh!” she cried out, “if you will only jump off into the pis’kun, I will marry one of you.”  This she said for fun, not meaning it, and great was her wonder when she saw the buffalo come jumping, tumbling, falling over the cliff.

Now the young woman was scared, for a big bull with one bound cleared the pis’kun walls and came toward her.  “Come,” he said, taking hold of her arm.  “No, no!” she replied pulling back.  “But you said if the buffalo would jump over, you would marry one; see, the pis’kun is filled.”  And without more talk he led her up over the bluff, and out on to the prairie.

When the people had finished killing the buffalo and cutting up the meat, they missed this young woman, and her relations were very sad, because they could not find her.  Then her father took his bow and quiver, and said, “I will go and find her.”  And he went up over the bluff and out on the prairie.

After he had travelled some distance he came to a wallow, and a little way off saw a herd of buffalo.  While sitting by the wallow,—­for he was tired—­and thinking what he should do, a magpie came and lit near him.  “Ha! Ma-me-at-si-kim-i" he said, “you are a beautiful bird; help me.  Look everywhere as you travel about, and if you see my daughter, tell her, ’Your father waits by the wallow.’” The magpie flew over by the herd of buffalo, and seeing the young woman, he lit on the ground near her, and commenced picking around, turning his head this way and that way, and, when close to her, he said, “Your father waits by the wallow.”  “Sh-h-h! sh-h-h!” replied the girl, in a whisper, looking around scared, for her bull husband was sleeping near by.  “Don’t speak so loud.  Go back and tell him to wait.”

“Your daughter is over there with the buffalo.  She says ‘wait!’” said the magpie, when he had flown back to the man.

By and by the bull awoke, and said to his wife, “Go and get me some water.”  Then the woman was glad, and taking a horn from his head she went to the wallow.  “Oh, why did you come?” she said to her father.  “You will surely be killed.”

“I came to take my daughter home; come, let us hurry.”