The buffalo were surprised and the magpie was glad, and flew about making a great noise.

“Now this day we have seen a strange thing,” said her bull husband.  “The people’s medicine is strong.  He whom we trampled to death, whom our hoofs cut to pieces and mixed all up with the soil, is alive again.  Now you shall go to your home, but before you go we will teach you our dance and our song.  Do not forget them.”

The buffalo showed the man and his daughter their dance and taught them the songs, and then the bull said to them, “Now you are to go back to your home, but do not forget what you have seen.  Teach the people this dance and these songs, and while they are dancing it let them wear a bull’s head and a robe.  Those who are to be of the Bulls Society shall wear them.”

When the poor man returned with his daughter, all the people were glad.  Then after a time he called a council of the chiefs and told them the things that had happened.  The chiefs chose certain young men to be Bulls, and the man taught them the dance and the song, and told them everything that they should do.

So began the Bull Society.

THE OTHER SOCIETIES

For a long time the buffalo had not been seen.  Every one was hungry, for the hunters could find no food for the people.

A certain man, who had two wives, a daughter, and two sons, as he saw what a hard time they were having, said, “I shall not stop here to die.  To-morrow we will move toward the mountains, where we may kill elk and deer and sheep and antelope, or, if not these, at least we shall find beaver and birds, and can get them.  In this way we shall have food to eat and shall live.”

Next morning they caught their dogs and harnessed them to the travois and took their loads on their backs and set out.  It was still winter, and they travelled slowly.  Besides, they were weak from hunger and could go only a short distance in a day.  The fourth night came, and they sat in their lodge, tired and hungry.  No one spoke, for people who are hungry do not care to talk.  Suddenly, outside, the dogs began to bark, and soon the door was pushed aside and a young man entered.

“Welcome,” said the man, and he motioned to a place where the stranger should sit.

Now during this day there had been blowing a warm wind which had melted the snow, so that the prairie was covered with water, yet this young man’s moccasins and leggings were dry.  They saw this, and were frightened.  They sat there for a long time, saying nothing.

Then the young man spoke and asked, “Why is this?  Why do you not give me food?”

“Ah,” replied the father, “you see here people who are truly poor.  We have no food.  For many days the buffalo did not come in sight, and we looked for deer and other animals, which people eat, and when these had all been killed we began to starve.  Then I said, ’We will not stay here to die from hunger,’ and we set out for the mountains.  This is the fourth night of our travels.”