said:  “Oh, see; there is the horse that is going to catch the spotted calf”; and they laughed at him so that the poor boy was ashamed, and rode off to one side of the crowd, where he could not hear their jokes and laughter.

When he had ridden off some little way, the horse stopped, and turned his head around and spoke to the boy.  He said:  “Take me down to the creek, and plaster me all over with mud.  Cover my head, and neck, and body, and legs.”  When the boy heard the horse speak, he was afraid; but he did as he was told.  Then the horse said:  “Now mount, but do not ride back to the warriors who laugh at you because you have such a poor horse.  Stay right here, until the word is given to charge.”  So the boy stayed there.

And presently all the fine horses were drawn up in line and pranced about, and were so eager to go that their riders could hardly hold them in.  At last the old crier gave the word, “Loo-ah” (go).  Then the Pawnees all leaned forward on their horses and yelled, and away they went.  Suddenly, away off to the right, was seen the old dun horse.  He did not seem to run.  He seemed to sail along like a bird.  He passed all the fastest horses, and in a moment he was among the buffalo.  First he picked out the spotted calf, and charging up alongside of it, straight flew the arrow.  The calf fell.  The boy drew another arrow and killed a fat cow that was running by.  Then he dismounted and began to skin the spotted calf before any of the other warriors came up.  But when the rider got off the old dun horse, how changed he was!  He pranced about and could hardly stand still near the dead buffalo.  His back was all right again; his legs were well and fine; and both his eyes were clear and bright.

The boy skinned the calf and cow that he had killed, and then he packed the meat on the horse and put the spotted robe on top of the load, and started back to camp on foot, leading the dun horse.  But even with his heavy load the horse pranced all the while, and was scared at everything he saw.  On the way to camp, one of the rich young chiefs of the tribe rode up to the boy, and offered him twelve good horses for the spotted robe, so that he could marry the head chief’s daughter, but the boy laughed at him and would not sell the robe.

Now, while the boy walked to the camp leading the dun horse, most of the warriors rode back, and one of those that came first to the village went to the old woman and said to her:  “Your grandson has killed the spotted calf.”  And the old woman said:  “Why do you come to tell me this?  You ought to be ashamed to make fun of my boy because he is poor.”  The warrior rode away, saying, “What I have told you is true.”  After a while another brave rode up to the old woman, and said to her:  “Your grandson has killed the spotted calf.”  Then the old woman began to cry, she felt so badly because every one made fun of her boy