Myths and Legends of the Great Plains | Page 9

the First People.
They must carry to the First People Hobowakan, the calumet."
Thus the First People and the mighty people with many villages on the
shore of the lake smoked together the pipe of council. So there was
peace.

[Illustration: TATTOOING, SHOWING CONVENTIONAL DESIGN
OF THE PEACE PIPE
Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution]
[Illustration: BULL BOAT

Made of the hide of the buffalo bulls. The only boat used by the plains
Indians.
Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution]

THE SACRED POLE
Omaha
A young man who had been wandering came back to his village. When
he reached his home he said, "Father, I have seen a wonderful tree."
Then he told his father about it. The old man was silent because all was
not yet settled between the tribes. The Cheyenne, the Arikara, the
Omaha, Ponca, and Iowa were having a great council, so as to adopt
rules concerning the hunting of game, and of peace, and war.
After a while, the young man went to visit the tree. When he reached
home, he told his father again of it. The old man was silent, for the
chiefs were still holding their council. At last, when the council was
over and the rules decided upon, the old man sent for the chiefs. He
said, "My son has seen a wonderful tree. The Thunder Birds come and
go upon this tree. They make a trail of fire which leaves four paths on
the burnt grass that stretch towards the Four Winds. When the Thunder
Birds alight upon the tree, it bursts into flame. The fire mounts to the
top. The tree stands burning, but no one can see the fire except at
night."
When the chiefs heard this tale, they sent runners to see what this tree
might be. The runners came back and told the same story. In the night
they had seen the tree burning as it stood. Then all the people held a
council as to what this might mean. The chiefs said, "We shall run for it.
Put on your ornaments and prepare as if for battle."
The warriors painted themselves as if for war. They put on their
ornaments. They set out for the tree, which stood near a lake. They ran
as if it were a race to attack the enemy. All the men ran. A Ponca was
the first to reach the tree and he struck it as if it were an enemy.

Then they cut the tree down. Four men, walking in a straight line,
carried it on their shoulders to the village. The chiefs for four nights
sang the songs made in honor of the tree. They held a council about the
tree. A tent was made for it, and it was set up in the circle of lodges.
The chiefs worked upon it; they trimmed it and called it a human being.
They made a basket of twigs and feathers and tied it half way up the
tree. Then they said, "It has no hair!" So they sent out to get a large
scalp lock and they put it on top of Pole for hair. Afterwards the chiefs
told the criers to tell the people that when Pole was completed they
should see it.
Then they painted Pole and set it up before the tent. They leaned it on a
crotched stick. Then they called all the people and all the people came.
Men, women, and children came.
When they were all together, the chiefs said, "This is a mystery.
Whenever we meet with trouble, we shall bring all our prayers to Pole.
We shall make offerings to him. We shall ask him for what we need.
When we ask anything, we must make gifts. If anyone desires to
become a chief, he shall make presents to the Keepers of the Pole, and
they shall give him authority to be a chief."
When all was finished the people said, "Let us appoint a time when we
shall again paint Pole; when we shall act before him the battles we have
fought." So they fixed the time in the moon when the buffaloes bellow.

IKTO AND THE THUNDERS
Teton
Ikto once stood on the bank of a stream across which he could not
swim. He stood on the bank and thought. Then he sang:
I stand, Thinking often, Oh, that I might reach the other side.
Just then a long Something passed, swimming against the current.
When it reached Ikto, it said,

"I will take you across, but you must not lift your head above the water.
Should you notice even a small cloud, warn me at once, as I must go
under the water. If you see a small cloud, you must say, 'Younger
brother, your grandfather is coming.'"
Before the