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〃I love my little cousin well and will ask her to let me carry her
pet rabbit around；〃 （for thus do Indian women when they wish to
honor a friend； they ask permission to carry about the friend's
babe）。
She then went to the little girl and said：
〃Cousin； let me carry your pet rabbit about on my back。 Thus shall
I show you how I love you。〃
Her mother； too； said to her： 〃Oh no； do not let our little
grandchild go away from our tepee。〃
But the cousin answered： 〃Oh； do let me carry it。 I do so want to
show my cousin honor。〃 At last they let her go away with the pet
rabbit on her back。
When the little girl's cousin came home to her tepee； some rough
boys who were playing about began to make sport of her。 To tease
the little girl they threw stones and sticks at the pet rabbit。 At
last a stick struck the little rabbit upon the head and
killed it。
When her pet was brought home dead； the little rabbit's adopted
mother wept bitterly。 She cut off her hair for mourning and all
her little girl friends wailed with her。 Her mother； too； mourned
with them。
〃Alas！〃 they cried； 〃alas； for the little rabbit。 He was always
kind and gentle。 Now your child is dead and you will be lonesome。〃
The little girl's mother called in her little friends and made a
great mourning feast for the little rabbit。 As he lay in the tepee
his adopted mother's little friends brought many precious things
and covered his body。 At the feast were given away robes and
kettles and blankets and knives and great wealth in honor of the
little rabbit。 Him they wrapped in a robe with his little
moccasins on and buried him in a high place upon a scaffold。
THE PET DONKEY
There was a chief's daughter once who had a great many relations so
that everybody knew she belonged to a great family。
When she grew up she married and there were born to her twin sons。
This caused great rejoicing in her father's camp； and all the
village women came to see the babes。 She was very happy。
As the babes grew older； their grandmother made for them two saddle
bags and brought out a donkey。
〃My two grandchildren；〃 said the old lady； 〃shall ride as is
becoming to children having so many relations。 Here is this
donkey。 He is patient and surefooted。 He shall carry the babes in
the saddle bags； one on either side of his back。〃
It happened one day that the chief's daughter and her husband were
making ready to go on a camping journey。 The father； who was quite
proud of his children； brought out his finest pony； and put the
saddle bags on the pony's back。
〃There；〃 he said； 〃my sons shall ride on the pony； not on a donkey；
let the donkey carry the pots and kettles。〃
So his wife loaded the donkey with the household things。 She tied
the tepee poles into two great bundles； one on either side of the
donkey's back； across them she put the travois net and threw into
it the pots and kettles and laid the skin tent across the donkey's
back。
But no sooner done than the donkey began to rear and bray and kick。
He broke the tent poles and kicked the pots and kettles into bits
and tore the skin tent。 The more he was beaten the more he kicked。
At last they told the grandmother。 She laughed。 〃Did I not tell
you the donkey was for the children；〃 she cried。 〃He knows the
babies are the chief's children。 Think you he will be dishonored
with pots and kettles？〃 and she fetched the children and slung them
over the donkey's back； when he became at once quiet again。
The camping party left the village and went on their journey。 But
the next day as they passed by a place overgrown with bushes； a
band of enemies rushed out； lashing their ponies and sounding their
war whoop。 All was excitement。 The men bent their bows and seized
their lances。 After a long battle the enemy fled。 But when the
camping party came together againwhere were the donkey and the
two babes？ No one knew。 For a long time they searched； but in
vain。 At last they turned to go back to the village； the father
mournful； the mother wailing。 When they came to the grandmother's
tepee； there stood the good donkey with the two babes in the saddle
bags。
THE RABBIT AND THE ELK
The little rabbit lived with his old grandmother； who needed a new
dress。 〃I will go out and trap a deer or an elk for you；〃 he said。
〃Then you shall have a new dress。〃
When he went out hunting he laid down his bow in the path while he
looked at his snares。 An elk coming by saw the bow。
〃I will play a joke on the rabbit；〃 said the elk to himself。 〃I
will make him think I have been caught in his bow string。〃 He then
put one foot on the string and lay down as if dead。
By and by the rabbit returned。 When he saw the elk he was filled
with joy and ran home crying： 〃Grandmother； I have trapped a fine
elk。 You shall have a new dress from his skin。 Throw the old one
in the fire！〃
This the old grandmother did。
The elk now sprang to his feet laughing。 〃Ho； friend rabbit；〃 he
called； 〃You thought to trap me； now I have mocked you。〃 And he
ran away into the thicket。
The rabbit who had come back to skin the elk now ran home again。
〃Grandmother； don't throw your dress in the fire；〃 he cried。 But
it was too late。 The old dress was burned。
THE RABBIT AND THE GROUSE GIRLS
The rabbit once went out on the prairie in winter time。 On the
side of a hill away from the wind he found a great company of girls
all with grey and speckled blankets over their backs。 They were
the grouse girls and they were coasting down hill on a board。 When
the rabbit saw them； he called out：
〃Oh； maidens； that is not a good way to coast down hill。 Let me
get you a fine skin with bangles on it that tinkle as you slide。〃
And away he ran to the tepee and brought a skin bag。 It had red
stripes on it and bangles that tinkled。 〃Come and get inside；〃 he
said to the grouse girls。 〃Oh； no； we are afraid；〃 they answered。
〃Don't be afraid； I can't hurt you。 Come； one of you；〃 said the
rabbit。 Then as each hung back he added coaxingly： 〃If each is
afraid alone； come all together。 I can't hurt you all。〃
And so he coaxed the whole flock into the bag。 This done； the
rabbit closed the mouth of the bag； slung it over his back and came
home。 〃Grandmother；〃 said he； as he came to the tepee； 〃here is a
bag full of game。 Watch it while I go for willow sticks to make
spits。〃
But as soon as the rabbit had gone out of the tent； the grouse
girls began to cry out：
〃Grandmother； let us out。〃
〃Who are you？〃 asked the old woman。
〃Your dear grandchildren；〃 they answered。
〃But how came you in the bag？〃 asked the old woman。
〃Oh； our cousin was jesting with us。 He coaxed us in the bag for
a joke。 Please let us out。〃
〃Certainly； dear grandchildren； I will let you out；〃 said the old
woman as she untied the bag： and lo； the grouse flock with
achuck…a…chuck…achuck flew up； knocking over the old grandmother
and flew out of the square smoke opening of the winter lodge。 The
old woman caught only one grouse as it flew up and held it；
grasping a leg with each hand。
When the rabbit came home with the spits she called out to him：
〃Grandson； come quick。 They got out but I have caught two。〃
When he saw what had happened he was quite angry； yet could not
keep from laughing。
〃Grandmother； you have but one grouse；〃 he cried； and it is a very
skinny one at that。〃
THE FAITHFUL LOVERS
There once lived a chief's daughter who had many relations。 All
the young men in the village wanted to have her for wife； and were
all eager to fill her skin bucket when she went to the brook for
water。
There was a young man in the village who was industrious and a good
hunter； but he was poor and of a mean family。 He loved the maiden
and when she went for water； he threw his robe over her head
while he whispered in her ear：
〃Be my wife。 I have little but I am young and strong。 I will
treat you well； for I love you。〃
For a long time the maiden did not answer； but one day she
whispered back。
〃Yes； you may ask my father's leave to marry me。 But first you must
do something noble。 I belong to a great family and have many
relations。 You must go on a war party and bring back the scalp of
an enemy。〃
The young man answered modestly； 〃I will try to do as you bid me。
I am only a hunter； not a warrior。 Whether I shall be brave or not
I do not know。 But I will try to take a scalp for your sake。〃
So he made a war party of seven； himself and six other young men。
They wandered through the enemy's country； hoping to get a chance
to strike a blow。 But none came； for they found no one of the
enemy。
〃Our medicine is unfavorable；〃 said the